Hailing from the US of A, this Texan titan brings with it boatloads of energy in a compact City bundle.
Vinson & Elkins training contract review 2025
The Firm
Been looking to go all-in on your choice of firm? We’re not in the business of promoting gambling, but chances are you'll strike oil at Vinson & Elkins. How do we know? Just look at the firm’s presence in our sister guide Chambers USA, a collage of numerous top scores across energy practices (cross border energy, transactional oil and gas, and projects, power and renewables to name a few). Chambers Global similarly marks it out for its projects & energy: oil & gas practice, and the firm also picks up honours for international arbitration and energy & natural resources work in Chambers UK. Sound larger than life? Think again. Take a closer look at V&E’s London transplant and it’s not nearly as intimidating as one might presume. In fact, as training principal Scott Stiegler tells us, “Our office has become the centre of excellence. I leap out of bed and run to work in the morning because I love it!” It was this zest for life coupled with the firm’s international recognition that was a key draw for the newbies we spoke with, proving that “Vinson & Elkins is not the firm you go to for something standard,” as Stiegler points out. Alongside the obvious “energy side of things that really struck a chord,” V&E’s “global presence, but smaller trainee intake” was music to the ears of insiders.
“You become part of the team straight away, you’re known by name.”
“I didn’t fancy being one of 100 trainees,” one interviewee explained, “so this was perfect – you become part of the team straight away, you’re known by name.” Stiegler confirms this: “Right from the beginning, we try and bring our trainees with us – we don’t have a culture of trainees sit over here, partners sit over there.” The firm doesn’t hire applicants without them doing a vacation scheme, so candidates get a good idea of the people they’ll work with in-person before joining people who “are not only exceptional in terms of how smart they are, but also how nice they are!” We heard that V&E’s smaller trainee intake is also great for establishing an “entrepreneurial” culture where you can “build your own practice – you’re making the training contract that you want.” Trainees were buzzing at the “flexibility to seek the work you want,” but it did come with a warning: “You get to take ownership of your career, so V&E doesn’t lend itself to people who want to be hand-held…”
The Seats
From the outset, V&E’s “flexible” nature is reflected in the firm’s notably stark seat allocation process where trainees don’t have much say in their first two seats, but “because we don’t have tons of departments, you end up doing all of them anyway; so, it doesn’t really matter what we want!” In the first year, trainees typically do a six-month stint in complex commercial litigation (CCL) and spend the other half of their year in a corporate seat. “There’s a high wall between corporate and disputes,” but “between the corporate teams, the walls are low so you can pick up work across the board.” This is even more the case in second year which is essentially non-rotational, the caveat being for those hoping to go on secondment. “That happens for people either in their third or fourth seat,” one insider outlined, and while these usually happen over six-month periods, “they will try to make it work” depending on how many people want to go. For example, this year, two trainees wanted to go at the end of their contract, so they both went for three months each. On secondment, trainees can either go to Houston for corporate practice or Dubai for litigation.
Back in London though, all newbies take on a stint in the complex commercial litigation team in something akin to a “baptism of fire – disputes is very busy.” The team largely takes on commercial litigation and arbitration, but we heard that trainees work mostly on the latter. “It’s all very intentional,” one divulged, “not very UK-based, so we work on arbitrations worth 100s of millions – even billions – of dollars across Peru, Russia, Panama…” This globe-trotting work leans on the administrative side – checking transcripts, organizing bundles, liaising with barristers, and making sure witnesses are fully prepared – helping “so the partners could focus on advocacy.” We were also told that tasks evolved from admin to research to “actually quite substantive drafting” over the course of the seat, such as drafting letters for partners, “so they’re quick to get us involved when the work is there.” Much of the team’s matters are unsurprisingly energy-related, demonstrated by the firm’s representation of the Ministry of Oil of the Republic of Iraq in not one but two arbitrations totalling approximately $34 billion. V&E is also handling a series of arbitrations for the Panama Canal Authority on construction disputes regarding part of the Panama Canal expansion project.
“They’re quick to get us involved when the work is there.”
Pop over to V&E’s transactional department and you’ll find the M&A and capital markets seat – or “MAC-M” as it’s affectionately been dubbed by insiders. Again, energy matters dominate the M&A side of things; the firm recently advised hydrocarbon exploration company, Chord Energy, in its agreement to merge with oil and gas producers Enerplus in an $11 billion stock and cash transaction. V&E was also instrumental in Southwest Airlines’ acquisition of SAFFiRE Renewables. In addition to M&A, the group sees plenty of high yield bond capital markets matters along with private equity work. For trainees, all of this means some due diligence but for the most part, “being the middleman between the client and other lawyers, keeping track of drafts back and forth from the other side and any outstanding documents.”
The steadily growing energy, transactions & projects team gets into the heart of V&E’s expertise, acting as “three specialisms within one department.” The practice includes advising on energy for corporates, private equity investors and financial institutions; energy related M&A transactions; and project development, drafting terms to govern the relationship between the contractor and owner of a project. For example, V&E advised the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company in onshore and offshore drilling rig acquisitions at a total value of around $750 million last year. The Middle Eastern focus is also reflected in its work with Chevron Phillips Chemical Company in connection with Qatar Petroleum to develop a $6 billion petrochemicals complex in Qatar. Though trainees told us they are primarily on matters oriented around the Middle East and Africa, the firm also does work closer to home, as evidenced by its current association with WaveCrest Energy in connection with the development of the Teeside Flexible Regas Port, a liquified natural gas import terminal. “There’s not much hand holding,” one trainee told us, so tasks generally involve proofing documents, working across the three components of the team, and even “drafting key documents in half-billion-dollar deals” – with oversight of course!
Trainee Life
“There’s a very Texan feel about it,” one insider smiled to which they admitted, “I’m not sure what that means,” but we got the vibe that “it really is about us all mucking in together!” Our interviewees were all unanimous in their assessment of how “super friendly, approachable and caring” their colleagues were, during and after work hours. On the former, trainees described it as “laidback” without feeling lax, because “it feels like everyone has everything under control.” The social side usually features the yearly firmwide summer and Christmas parties, and the firm has recently agreed on a budget of £75 per head for trainee socials, but “it’s not just organised fun; we informally go to the pub usually every week – I think that shows how authentic it is!” Speaking of authenticity, we heard that V&E is similarly genuine about its diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. While “there are definitely resources to draw on for mental health,” one in particular that stood out was Leading Minds which is “just first-year trainees and the external provider, so it’s almost like group therapy!” The firm has also established a DEI team in its London office, promoting affinity groups and AchieVE, a program where “we go out to disadvantaged schools and give career advice.”
“It’s incredible to be in such an iconic building with views of the city.”
Keeping with the good vibes, V&E’s office is located on the 24th floor of the iconic Walkie Talkie building on Fenchurch St. – suffice to say the views of Canary Wharf on one side and St Paul’s on the other are “insane… it’s incredible to be in such an iconic building with views of the city.” Most importantly to our interviewees though, inside “the office is really nicely laid out,” with disputes sat on one side of the office and corporate sat on the other. It’s not open plan, so “you sit with your supervisor in your office” which allows for “constant feedback,” something we heard was integral to the rapid development of the trainees at the firm. To further enhance this, V&E currently operates on a four day in-office policy where associates can spend either Monday or Thursday working from home, “but we’re strongly encouraged to be in five days a week. I can count on one hand how many times I’ve worked from home.” The trainees were all pretty much on the same page here, as “it’s also much easier to pick up work in-office” and “working here is a lot nicer than being at home!”
For insiders, this is a big bonus given “there’s no buffer here,” so work “fluctuates a lot; if there’s a pinch point with two matters, for example, you can get snowballed quite easily.” Of course, “nobody’s expecting you to plod on and drown under paper,” so there is an organised system to distribute that work, but it’s not unheard of for trainees to finish at “those classic American firm hours.” Several interviewees recalled finishing past midnight on multiple occasions and highlighted the sentiment that “you can put dinner in the diary but can’t guarantee you’re going to go. I see Monday to Friday as workdays, so it’s fair game to be emailed at 8pm and pick up that work.” Thankfully, “when working late, there are no expectations for you to be in the office” though, “unless there’s an actual filing going on where so much is going back and forth.” Either way, trainees felt the salary makes up for the unpredictable hours, “so I can’t really complain I suppose,” and the prospect of “the potential salary” sweetens the pot on qualification.
“It’s fair game to be emailed at 8pm and pick up that work.”
“They watch you every day for two years!” one newbie exclaimed, so when it comes to the qualification process, “there is no formal exam, but you do have to make it known that you want to stay and be in a particular department.” A few insiders did share the opinion that the “opaqueness” of the process was not appreciated, because “you just chat with the partners and grad recruitment gauges how much space there is." Nevertheless, it didn’t throw any of them off wanting to qualify at the firm – “I’m not sure how the offer will look, but I am quietly confident…” We heard that the qualification process will be changing gong toward to a system that involves interviews alongside feedback from the teams.
A VEsted interest...
Trainees are encouraged to participate in business development, investigating opportunities for clients with their supervisors.
How to get a Vinson & Elkins training contract
Spring/Summer Vacation scheme deadline 2025: 12 January 2025
Autumn/Winter Vacation Scheme for Late Submissions: 31 July 2025
Open Day discoVEr – Event Date: 10 April 2025
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 2025. 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 600 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 10 April 2025. Applications for the Open Day will open on 1 November 2024 and close on 2 February 2025. 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
Vinson & Elkins LLP
20 Fenchurch Street,
24th Floor,
London,
EC3M 3BY
Website www.velaw.com
Firm profile
We opened our London office in 1971, making Vinson & Elkins one of the first U.S. law firms to operate in London. Since then, we have built a dynamic office, undertaking work that has gained the respect of clients around the world.
Main areas of work
Our London office regularly serves as the coordinating hub for much of the firm’s international and cross-border work and the team has amassed a wealth of experience working on projects for clients in almost every country on the map. We are accustomed to working not only in well-defined markets, but also in less familiar and more challenging environments, under developing local regimes or those with evolving communications and infrastructure. We know how to adapt to local customs, cultures and laws, enabling us to handle matters quickly and effectively.
Training opportunities
Whilst being based in London, trainees often take secondments in our other offices (particularly our offices in the Middle East and Houston), and travel is a likely part of any training contract with us. Trainees will have the support of an associate mentor to provide an extra, and hands-on, port of call for support and assistance.
Vinson & Elkins looks to recruit from the best candidates, and we believe our training contracts reflect this — both in quality of training and work, as well as in the highly competitive salary and benefits. We believe that by hiring the best lawyers and giving them every opportunity to develop their practice in a supportive environment, they will flourish, and so will our firm.
Other benefits
This Firm's Rankings in
UK Guide, 2024
Ranked Departments
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London (Firms)
- Construction: Contentious (Band 3)
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UK-wide
- Construction: International Arbitration (Band 1)
- Energy & Natural Resources: Oil & Gas (Band 2)
- International Arbitration: Commercial Arbitration (Band 5)
- Projects (Band 2)