Vinson & Elkins Recognized Again Among Vault’s Top-Ranked Firms and Best Workplaces for Associates in 2026 Survey

Vinson & Elkins was ranked among the nation’s top five firms for Clean Tech/Renewable Energy category for the sixth year in a row. In addition, four of the firm’s practices were among the Top 25 in the country: Project Finance, Environmental Law, Mergers & Acquisitions, and Corporate.

Vault likewise recognized Vinson & Elkins as one of the Best “Law Firms to Work For,” based on associate feedback highlighting strengths in key areas such as great compensation, culture, and quality of work.

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

On culture:

“V&E has a very collaborative culture, fostering relationships and focusing on attorney well-being. Lawyers often socialize together at institutional events or informal, organic dinners between people on your team. There are frequent mentoring lunches that not only help with bonding but also with career advice generally. Day-to-day is great: People really care about you and your career. It’s honestly the best BigLaw can get.”

“The firm does a great job of sponsoring social functions and also sponsoring events and speakers to encourage professional growth and teach management skills. The lawyers and staff are all friendly and, as a lawyer, I could not be more thankful for our staff – they are truly an invaluable support system at the firm.”

On mentoring and collaboration:

“Associates of all levels have frequent, direct interactions with partners, who are genuinely eager to teach and mentor associates. Associates are kept informed of overall firm finances and have access to a fair amount of data about their individual performance. Reviews are conducted annually and involve self-reflections by associates and written evaluations by partners.”

“We have formal partner and associate mentors who regularly check in on you, and you also form organic relationships over time. We have a lot of CLEs and formal trainings. After a deal closes, partners and associates will schedule a follow-up call, where they will go over in detail why certain provisions and strategies were used. I’ve called a partner late on a Friday night, and he went through what I was drafting with me line by line to help me learn and understand.”

On quality of work and opportunities:

“We get a lot of responsibility very early on, from taking first pen on a draft to running client communications. The partners believe that the best way to learn is by doing and that they can always go back and fix things if we make a mistake. As I am in a transactional group, this can mean that I take full responsibility for all of the ancillary documents and facilitate client communication and communication with opposing counsel.”

“I think that my work is appropriate for my level. I have had the opportunity to interface with clients in trial preparation and have felt valued for my input on larger strategic considerations.”

On wellbeing:

“The firm provides opportunities for counseling and encourages using the firm’s mental health resources. The firm also hosts wellness discussions.”

“The firm offers free counseling sessions each year, partnering with Lyra. The firm also has a wellness program that incentivizes attorneys to complete annual medical exams.”