Vanessa Griffith
Trammell Crow Center
2001 Ross Avenue
Suite 3900
Dallas, Texas 75201
Vanessa is General Counsel of Vinson & Elkins and a partner in the Firm. Vanessa was appointed as General Counsel following a twenty-five-year career as an employment litigator and counselor, representing clients in all aspects of employment law. Prior to assuming her role as General Counsel of the Firm, Vanessa served as Deputy General Counsel.
In her practice, Vanessa was an experienced litigator and acted as first-chair on numerous trials, arbitrations, and appeals involving a wide variety of claims including discrimination, harassment and retaliation claims, collective actions under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), unfair competition and trade secret litigation, and various ERISA matters.
Before joining the Firm, Vanessa clerked for the Honorable Judge David Hittner of the Southern District of Texas
Vanessa has been recognized in multiple publications, including Chambers USA.
Experience Highlights
(5th Cir.) Principal counsel retained for appeal after entry of multi-million dollar judgment in FLSA case and obtained reversal of principal claims and damages previously entered against client
Principal counsel for a national consumer goods company in defense of a race discrimination suit brought by a large group of former employees alleging systemic race discrimination in job assignment, promotions, and work environment
Principal counsel for an energy services firm in defending a claim by a former executive that the company denied her stock options based on her gender
(S.D. Tex.); (5th Cir.) — Principal counsel in a race discrimination suit brought by multiple plaintiffs alleging systemic race discrimination in pay and promotion practices. Obtained summary judgment on all claims and successfully defended judgment in the Fifth Circuit
Principal counsel for a private equity fund in defending claims by a former executive arising from the termination of employment and her equity investment in a portfolio company
Principal counsel for a national insurance company in defending multiple suits, including class and mass action suits arising from claims adjustors employed by the company accepting payments in connection with the settlement of certain personal injury claims
Credentials
- The University of Texas School of Law, J.D. with Honors, 1994 (Chancellors; Order of the Coif)
- Rice University, B.A., Economics, 1988
- Judicial clerk to The Honorable David Hittner, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, 1994–1996
- Chambers USA, Labor & Employment (Texas), 2008 and 2012–2023
- Lawdragon, 500 Leading U.S. Corporate Employment Lawyers, 2021, 2022, and 2025
- D Magazine, “Best Lawyers in Dallas,” 2015–2017
- Legal 500 U.S., Employee Benefits, Executive Compensation and Retirement Plans (Transactional), 2018
- The Best Lawyers in America© (BL Rankings, LLC), (Dallas): Employment Law−Management, 2010–2015, 2017−2025; Labor Law−Management, 2010–2015, 2017−2025
- The Best Lawyers in America© (BL Rankings, LLC), “Lawyer of the Year,” Employment Law−Management (Dallas/Fort Worth), 2020
- Selected to the Texas Super Lawyers list, Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters), 2014−2024
- Member: EEO Committee of the Labor Section of the American Bar Association; Houston Young Lawyers Association; Houston Bar Association
- Chapter Chair: 1998 and 2000 Supplements to Employment Discrimination Law
- Texas
- U.S. District Courts for the Southern, Eastern, Northern, and Western Districts of Texas
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Eleventh Circuit
- Rankings & AwardsOctober 1, 2024
- Rankings & AwardsSeptember 19, 2024
- Rankings & AwardsSeptember 18, 2023
- Rankings & AwardsAugust 21, 2023
- Rankings & AwardsJune 1, 2023
- “Diversity Matters: Making the Most of Board Diversity,” V&E Houston Office, March 29, 2018 (panelist)
- “Conducting Internal Investigations and Avoiding Retaliation Claims,” V&E Houston Office, June 22, 2017 (speaker)
- “Update on Department of Labor Regulatory Activity,” 2016 American Employment Law Conference (AELC) Discussion Leader, October 21, 2016
- “Social Media in Today’s Workplace,” 2016 SMU Corporate Counsel Symposium, October 28, 2016
- “Recent Reminders that Employers with Non-Unionized Workforces Face Union Issues,” V&E Employment, Labor and OSHA Update E-communication, May 20, 2013 (author)
- “Non-Compete Agreements with Employees,” Practical Law The Journal, January 2012
- “False Claims Act: Certain General Releases Are Enforceable,” V&E False Claims Act Update E-communication, April 12, 2010 (co-author)
- Co-author of several seminar papers, including “Communications with Class Member Pre- and Post-Certification,” and numerous papers on various arbitration