Vinson & Elkins Named a Top-Ranked Firm and Best Law Firm to Work For in Vault’s 2024 Associate Survey

In the Clean Tech/Renewable Energy category, the firm achieved a position among the nation’s top five for the fourth year in a row. Furthermore, four more of the firm’s practices were recognized – Environmental, Project Finance, Mergers & Acquisitions, and General Corporate.

The accolades continue as Vinson & Elkins is ranked as a Best Law Firm to Work For, earning recognition in specific categories such as business outlook, transparency, compensation, and integration.

“People are friendly…while partners are approachable, solicit and provide feedback, and care about associates’ development,” wrote Vault in its editorial commentary based on reviews from Vinson & Elkins’ associates. Vault also noted V&E’s “top-notch work in energy sectors” and “hospitable firm culture.”

In survey responses, Vinson & Elkins’ associates shared positive reviews about their experiences. Below are excerpts of their comments:

On culture:

• “Virtually everybody, lawyers and staff alike, are unbelievably supportive, friendly, and collaborative. The culture is laid back in that V&E does not make it difficult to have a family and social life separate from the firm.”
• “V&E is incredibly unique in terms of firm culture. Associates in my practice group are friends not only at work, but outside as well.”
• “The day-to-day atmosphere is very warm and friendly. While the sense of professionalism is still strong, there is an ease to communicating with coworkers.”

On transparency and collaboration:

• “We have an open-door policy that is followed across the board… and people who are more senior always give credit to the juniors where credit is due.”
• “The firm is very transparent in terms of financial outlook and associate reviews.”

On relationships:

• “The relationship between staff and lawyers is strong, which makes the office a more comfortable and supportive environment in general.”
• “Partners treat associates as colleagues, and with respect. There seems to be a no-jerk policy.”

On diversity, equity, and inclusion:

• “You can get billable credit for diversity initiatives. Men and women seem comfortable taking parental leave.”
• “V&E frequently hosts diversity events, and has formal groups and initiatives for [affinity] groups, which are very well attended. V&E is also very proud of its longstanding Mansfield certification…”

On pro bono:

• “The firm has dedicated staff that encourages attorneys to perform pro bono work, finding people in need of legal services and making it easy for attorneys to get started.”
• “Pro bono work is always promoted, and is encouraged for attorneys. You are not necessarily limited to your practice area in the pro bono work you are allowed to do.”

On workload and flexibility:

• “I think all of the workload, requirements, and deadlines are appropriate in the context of BigLaw practice, and they feel more manageable and fair compared to many of my peers at other firms.”
• “The quality of life at V&E is overall very good.”

On quality of work and opportunities:

• “The work at V&E is truly cutting edge; it is not atypical to see news articles about transactions and cases that V&E attorneys worked on.”
• “Junior attorneys often get substantive work, and… senior attorneys explain the overall strategy of the case or transaction very well, and will listen to the junior attorney’s comments about the strategy.”

On mentoring and development:

• “The firm excels at training on the job, and spending time to talk through the ‘why’ of comments or changes when completing work.”
• “Partners serve as great mentors. They understand the value of associates, want them to succeed, and care about their well-being.”
• “There are a good number of formal trainings, but the informal training and mentoring is where the firm shines because that’s when we are given the opportunity to apply what we’re learning.”

On wellbeing:

• “There’s constant programming about wellness, from morning yoga to group fitness classes, and paid mental health apps like Calm.”
• “V&E has a plethora of wellness resources, including support staff… and a monthly wellness credit that incentivizes lawyers to participate in wellness programs.”

On compensation:

• “We are at the top-of-market scale. Bonuses are pretty transparent.”
• “The firm is generous with bonuses, and recognizes value that associates bring to the firm…”

On technology:

• “The firm does a great job of implementing technology to make life easier for attorneys. There are multiple resources that aid efficiency so that we can spend the majority of our time on substantive legal work rather than things like formatting documents.”