Vinson & Elkins RLLP - True Picture

Vinson & Elkins training contract review 2026

The Firm

Finding a firm that’s right for you can often feel like burning the midnight oil until you’re running on empty. You fail to find something to jumpstart your interest or ignite your curiosity. Well, take a moment to recharge, start generating a buzz and get a fire going, because the mere thought of this firm will give you that lightbulb moment you’ve been waiting for. That’s right – in case our super subtle language didn’t let on, there’s an energy sector titan you’ve got to know about: Vinson & Elkins. “It’s a firm with a very strong identity and knows what it is, especially embedded within that space,” summed up one astute newbie.

Chambers UK backs up the praise too, giving the firm its flowers in construction, energy and natural resources, projects and international arbitration. To take it even further – all the way across the pond – Chambers USA also heralds the firm for its bankruptcy/restructuring, debt and equity capital markets, and elite corporate/M&A work… and that’s just the tip of the iceberg; you can head over to chambers.com for the bigger picture.

“It’s a firm with a very strong identity and knows what it is, especially embedded within that space.”

This top-tier work and stellar reputation was a deciding factor for our interviewees, who were keen to spill the V-&-tea on their reasons to join the firm. One quipped: “I just typed ‘best energy law firm’ into Google, and Vinson & Elkins popped up!” With origins in Texas, the London base takes on a modest number of trainees and adopts that Southern culture, a fact that our sources were incredibly pleased about. “You really feel like you’re given more responsibility and have both the agency and freedom to say anything to anyone,” recounted one insider. They continued: “Everyone knows your name and your background. It’s one of the main reasons the smaller cohort appealed to me.”

The Seats

V&E has a more unique spin on how a training contract is structured compared to other firms in our guide. How so? The firm only has two major departments for trainees to sit in: complex commercial litigation and transactions. Each trainee cohort is split in two as each half spends six months in one department, before switching for the following six months. After that, it’s a non-rotational structure where you pick up work from both groups. “For that second year, if you have specific interests, then you can pursue that,” explained one source, “You can shape your year around that, so long as business need doesn’t require you elsewhere.”

“You can really get stuck in with that, and you feel like you’re helping give back to the community.”

On the question of secondment opportunities, both departments have a flagpole location on offer: a disputes seat in Dubai and a transactional seat in Houston, “but it’s all down to the needs of the firm if that happens or not.” We heard the firm’s focus on pro bono work is steadily increasing, and juniors can get involved with Dubai Cares, Advocates for International Development (A4ID), and the AchieVE programme. The latter scheme involves trainees going into a school for training sessions and workshops before bringing the students into the office for a mock trial. Of this, an interviewee commented: “You can really get stuck in with that, and you feel like you’re helping give back to the community.”

The complex commercial litigation department primarily does arbitration work with a focus on construction or energy disputes, and rookies in this seat get straight to work. “Immediately, I was working on one of the biggest arbitrations that the firm does that’s been going on for years,” shared one enthusiastic insider. To paint a better picture of the scale of these matters, interviewees didn’t mince words: “It’s a lot of mega huge clients, like the biggest energy corporations that exist, state-linked entities and entire nations!” As an example, take the firm’s recent representation of Barah Oil Company, an affiliate state oil company of the Ministry of Oil in Iraq, in two wreck removal disputes that exceeded the sum of $240 million.

With cases of this magnitude being at the fingertips of trainees, it stands to reason that great amounts of responsibility will follow – and so it does. Multiple sources reported trips to court, including ones overseas, even to The Hague. Of course, field trips aren’t every day though, with typical junior tasks consisting of case studies, document management, drafting proceedings, bundling, hearing preparation, client meetings, and preparing narratives. “I basically function as a junior associate sometimes,” one interviewee revealed, “I’ve gotten some pretty crazy experience when you consider I’ve only been here for a short while.”

“If you prove yourself early on, you’ll get a lot of responsibility, and there’s no real limit to that.”

The firm’s transactions group has undergone a bit of a reorganisation as of late and what were previously the separate practices of energy transactions and projects, finance, M&A and capital markets, and aviation finance are now all housed under one big transactional umbrella. The group’s client base is equally as global as that in litigation, with all the big names in energy, oil and gas, and projects cropping up. For example, the firm advised Lithium Americas Corporation in acquiring a $2.6 billion loan from the US Department of Energy to help construct lithium processing facilities in Nevada.

When it came down to the nitty gritty of day-to-day life for a corporate trainee, sources were quick not to overlook the value of “admin tasks, like checking cross-references. It might not seem interesting, but it’s very important to instil that capability early on when you’re still learning,” one noted. Wise words. Luckily, insiders got exposure to a much wider variety of work, such as reviewing agreements, due diligence, helping to amend contracts, proofreading, project management, liaising with local counsel in different jurisdictions, taking notes, and client contact. Rookies were especially optimistic that “if you prove yourself early on, you’ll get a lot of responsibility and there’s no real limit to that.”

Trainee Life

The style of supervision trainees received was very much dependent on what year they were in, as this junior told us: “In my first year, a lot of the work was driven by my supervisors, whereas in my second year, it’s more driven by what I want.” The differences don’t stop there; we heard first years are more inclined to work with hands-on supervisors, but upon the jump into year two, “you’re starting to feel like you’re a part of the team, so you really do feel the step up in terms of trust and responsibility.” Newbies are assigned two mentors as well as a buddy in the year above upon joining.

Ever heard the old adage ‘there’s no such thing as a free lunch’? Vinson and Elkins proves this wrong, as the firm also provides them on occasion for trainees to go out with their supervisors and mentors, so as one source put it: “That’s a lot of free lunch!” While most agreed that the firm offers a primarily learn-on-the-job style contract, insiders did point out that “we’re having a lot more training now; it’s more structured around specific practice areas.”

Located on the 24th floor of the iconic Walkie Talkie, interviewees had nothing but positive reviews about their office. “The views are insane!” one gushed, “We’ve got access to the Sky Garden too, so that’s a perk.” Speaking of other benefits, free coffee and subsidised gym membership were mentioned, as well as a taxi service after 9pm which sources praised for its safety aspect.

Although the firm provides work from home technology, trainees are expected in the office four days a week. The expectation was a moot point however, as most of our sources came in every single day. One elaborated: “There’s a nice atmosphere to it. You feel like you’re with other trainees, even when it’s quieter on a Friday.” As befitting a US firm, the hours could occasionally reach into the night, with most folks reporting an average finish time of 7.30 pm. Weekend work also popped up, but insiders stressed that the firm is “very grateful for your help if you’re working on those days.”

“It has that Texan charm…”

The firm’s culture was a huge talking point amongst sources, with one highlighting: “I’m sure everyone says it, but the culture is a huge reason to love the firm.” The reason being that V&E takes one or two cues from its Southern roots: “It has that Texan charm,” an insider relayed, “People are calm and laid back, but the work is also taken very seriously.” Trainees get together often, and the firm fronts £75 a head per quarter for activities and social occasions. Other opportunities to socialise include the chance to have a G&T at V&E’s Christmas and summer parties, formal drinks when people join or leave the firm, and a tea tasting during Lunar New Year.

The firm also strives for an inclusive environment, offering various initiatives and affinity groups and celebrating occasions like Pride Month and International Women’s Day as well. “I don’t feel out of place in this office at all,” one insider revealed, “I really didn’t expect to fit in as easily as I do!”

Qualification is as simple a process as any at the firm. There are only two departments, and with a small intake, there isn’t much red tape involved in selection. “There’s no real need for interviews because they know us all so well,” one source explained with a sigh of relief. Once the job list is revealed for both departments, trainees are encouraged to speak with partners and express their interest over the course of a month before submitting their preference in a more formal survey.

Waiting ahead of the firm’s decisions, juniors were keen to remain at the firm: “I have no intention of going elsewhere anytime soon,” one smiled, “I’d love to keep working here.” In 2025, Vinson & Elkins retained a full house of trainees!

How to get a Vinson & Elkins training contract 

Spring/Summer Vacation scheme deadline 2025:  12 January 2026 

Autumn/Winter Vacation Scheme for Late Submissions: 31 July 2026

Open Day discoVEr – Event Date: 9 April 2026

Vacation Scheme 

Vinson & Elkins only offers training contracts to those who have completed a placement with the firm. “During the course of the one week that candidates spend in our London office, they will experience firsthand what it is like to be a trainee at the firm”, says training principal Scott Stiegler. Client led tasks – such as research projects, drafting documents, participating in internal strategy discussions, joining calls and meetings with clients and opposing counsel – as well as mentoring and support help candidates feel confident in deciding whether V&E is for them. Not only will a candidate share a room with an associate or partner, they will also have the opportunity to meet and work with a variety of different practice groups during the week.

To land a placement, applicants must first pass an interview (to which approximately 80 candidates are invited) where they can expect to present to a panel of interviewers on one out of three topics which are provided in advance. They will also be asked a range of other questions, such as why they've chosen to apply to a firm that specialises in energy and what they find exciting or interesting about the sector, especially if it has been listed as a key attraction on their application form. If candidates list other practice specific interests, e.g. disputes, interviewers will likely ask about that.  

The firm typically accepts around 30 participants onto its vacation scheme. Each week-long scheme aims to confirm that both sides – the firm and the applicants – are happy with the fit. Towards the end of the week-long placement, candidates will be invited to a final training contact interview with the graduate recruitment panel. “The firm makes decisions based on how the placement went coupled with their subsequent performance at their training contract interview,” Stiegler tells us.   

Training Contract Application Process  

The deadline to submit an application to complete a vacation scheme in the Spring/Summer is 12 January 2026. There will be an opportunity for those who miss the deadline to submit an application to complete a vacation scheme in the Autumn/Winter season,  however these only take place if there are still positions available after the Spring/Summer vacation scheme.  

Vinson & Elkins gets approximately 1000 applications each year for the four to six training contracts that it offers. Competition, naturally, is fierce. Grades-wise, applicants will need at least a 2:1 and AAB at A level to land an interview, but what comes next? “If you've made it into the interview, you're obviously a good candidate on paper,” says Scott. “What tends to elevate people is self-confidence without arrogance, as well as the ability to make a connection with people. I will be asking myself, 'If I hired you, would I want to share an office with you?'” Trainees agreed: “I think it’s heavily based on seeing how you interact in the office and seeing if you can hold a conversation, rather than what’s on paper.”   

Getting your personality across can also help interviewees stand out. “Typically we ask candidates, 'When you are not studying, what do you do to have fun?' Some people can struggle with this straightforward question, but it allows us to find out a bit more about a candidate and it gives them a great opportunity to show some personality. Many candidates talk about sporting achievements, but we have had candidates tell us about more unique hobbies ranging from hang gliding to poetry.  It doesn’t matter what the candidate is interested in as long as they can talk enthusiastically about it – then they have a chance of capturing our attention.” 

Ideal candidates   

Both Stiegler and our trainee sources agreed that V&E's training contract lends itself to self-starters. “You need to be willing to take responsibility and have a go, but you also need to use your common sense,” Stiegler clarifies, adding that the latter “is actually quite a rare quality, despite the name.” Trainees agreed: “Education will get you far here but common sense and hard work will get you further.”   

He goes on to tell us the firm is pretty open when it comes to trainees' university backgrounds – the current and future trainees contain graduates of Durham, Nottingham, Cambridge, LSE, Birmingham, Bath, Leeds, Oxford, Surrey, KCL and UCL, for example – and that excellent academics are a must. While legal work experience is generally preferable as it “demonstrates a genuine interest” in the law, the firm also considers those with relevant non-legal experience – so make sure you don't leave that six months you pulled pints in the student union off your CV. “Work experience allows people to develop transferable skills, such as communication and teamwork”. 

Open Day – discoVEr 

Students in the first year of their degree who would like to learn more about Vinson & Elkins may be interested in attending the firm's Open Day, discoVEr V&E, which will be held at its London office on 9 April 2026. Applications for the Open Day will open on 1 Octoberr 2025 and close on 6 February 2026. This will provide an opportunity to:

• Learn more about V&E and its London office
• Join an illustrative case study of a deal
• Participate in a commercial awareness workshop
• Hear from the associates on diversity, equity & inclusion at V&E
• Get practical tips on how to do well in applications
• Attend a trainee and graduate recruitment Q&A panel
• Network with partners, counsel, associates, and trainees in a relaxed environment over refreshments