Vinson & Elkins Celebrates the 25th Anniversary of its New York City Office

A quarter century later, Vinson & Elkins boasts a thriving office of 145 lawyers, including many who have earned recognition as industry leaders across a broad array of practices.

“I joined the New York office right after law school and have had the good fortune to watch, first hand, as we have achieved critical mass in the world’s most competitive legal market,” said Vinson & Elkins’ Vice Chair Jim Fox. “We have succeeded by following the same blueprint that has propelled this firm for more than 100 years — bedrock commitments to excellence and collegiality, which enable us to attract deeply experienced lawyers who collaborate seamlessly across offices and practices.”

In 2023, the office has attracted Partner Jim McGovern, former Chief of the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York; Tax Controversy and Litigation Partners Kathy Pakenham and Adriana Wirtz; and veteran transactional Partner Todd Triller, who returned to the firm from The Carlyle Group, where he was managing director and co-head of energy credit.

Vinson & Elkins’ New York office has almost tripled in size in the past five years, and the office remains on course to achieve continued growth with a broad practice mix that includes real estate, energy and infrastructure, energy regulatory, technology and cybersecurity, private equity, capital markets, mergers and acquisitions, securities litigation, international arbitration, government investigations and white collar criminal defense, finance, restructuring, tax and tax litigation, shareholder activism, aviation finance, digital infrastructure, and executive compensation and benefits.

“We have grown while remaining fiercely protective of our culture,” said Dan Komarek, co-managing partner of Vinson & Elkins’ New York office. “There is a real sense of community among our New York lawyers and business professionals. We’ve enjoyed building this office with the help from our colleagues around the country, and the results show in the expansion of our practice areas, lawyer headcount, and revenue.”

“The investments made in New York have built a foundation for further growth,” added Pakenham. “Adriana and I joined Vinson & Elkins because of its leading Tax practice, collaborative culture and deep client base. It is clear to us that the future is incredibly bright, for the firm and the New York office.”

Earlier this year, the firm celebrated the 50^th anniversary of its office in Washington, D.C., and, in 2021, Vinson & Elkins recognized the 50^th anniversary of its London office.