Leading Energy Dealmaker Chris Bennett Joins Vinson & Elkins

Vinson & Elkins today announced that Chris Bennett has joined the firm as a Houston-based partner in the firm’s Corporate practice.

Bennett counsels clients on high-profile mergers and acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures and other strategic combinations relating to energy assets and businesses, and the development and negotiation of related partnership, operating, processing, and other services and commercial agreements, in addition to advising on broader corporate governance issues. He also advises on infrastructure projects and M&A adjacent to the energy industry.

“Chris is a market leader in handling acquisitions and divestitures of oil, gas, and other energy and infrastructure assets,” said Partner Matt Strock, co-head of Vinson & Elkins’ Transactional practice. “He is a perfect fit for our energy transactions team, which is broadly recognized as one of the premier energy teams in the country.”

Bennett began his career at Vinson & Elkins, focusing on oil and gas transactions. He returns to the firm from Weil, Gotshal & Manges, where he was a Corporate partner.

“Returning to Vinson & Elkins was an easy decision for me,” Bennett said. “I look forward to joining the firm and to helping it remain among the nation’s best at handling complex energy and infrastructure transactions.”

Bennett is recognized as a leading lawyer for Energy: Oil & Gas (Transactional) in the U.S. by Chambers USA (2022-2025) and is ranked as an “Up and Coming” lawyer for Energy: Oil & Gas (Transactional) by Chambers Global (2023-2025). He was also recognized in Energy Transactions: Oil & Gas by Legal 500 U.S., named to the 2025 Lawdragon “500 Leading Energy Lawyers” list, and recognized as a “Texas Rising Star” by Super Lawyers (2016–2024).

Bennett received his bachelor’s degree, cum laude, from Louisiana State University and a Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from Tulane University Law School.

Since Vinson & Elkins was founded more than a century ago, oil and gas clients have looked to the firm to handle their most complex transactions, projects, litigation, and regulatory inquiries. The firm provides clients with extensive domestic and international oil and gas experience across all practice areas. Vinson & Elkins is ranked as a market leader in Energy: Transactional (nationwide) by Chambers USA (2014-2025). The American Lawyer also selected Vinson & Elkins as the 2024 Best Corporate Practice in Energy.