Houston is considered the energy capital of the world and is second only to New York in the number of Fortune 500 company headquarters. Born in the midst of the Texas oil boom a century ago, Vinson & Elkins is the largest law firm in Houston and one of the oldest. While known for its energy practice, V&E’s Houston office is home to nearly 300 lawyers who handle some of the most high-profile transactions, investments, projects and disputes across the globe.
V&E is committed to promoting a better Houston community. Annually, the firm contributes to approximately 160 charitable organizations around the city. Lawyers in our Houston office serve on over 100 charitable boards including Texas Children’s Hospital, the Houston Food Bank Endowment, Houston Grand Opera, Greater Houston Partnership, Trees for Houston, and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. We are a proud sponsor of the Cristo Rey Jesuit Corporate Work-Study Program, which enables low-income students from Cristo Rey Jesuit College Preparatory School High School to earn more than 65 percent of their education costs through working at Houston-area companies.
Pro bono work is an important part of V&E’s, and we have many ongoing pro bono projects out of the Houston office. V&E pioneered the Virtual Legal Clinic, where lawyers at the Houston office provide counsel and advice to low-income clients at Houston Volunteer Lawyers’ office, via the Internet using Skype, without leaving their offices. V&E has teamed up with Texas Children’s Hospital to help low-income families obtain guardianships over their special needs children so that their parents can continue making healthcare decisions for them after they turn 18.
V&E has partnered with Goldman Sachs to provide pro bono legal counsel to small business owners on critical business issues concerning corporate governance, intellectual property, and employment and labor issues. These projects and hundreds of other individual matters make up our thriving pro bono practice.
