Vinson & Elkins launches first Continental European office in Brussels

Dimitar Dimitrov is a content and engagement coordinator at LawCareers.Net

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Vinson & Elkins RLLP has opened its first Continental European office in Brussels, expanding the Houston‑founded law firm’s competition and regulatory capabilities across the region. The office is led by Brussels‑based antitrust partner May Lyn Yuen, who joined the firm from Hogan Lovells.

Yuen, who became a partner at Hogan Lovells in 2022 after joining the firm in 2014, brings extensive experience in global merger control and representing clients in cartel, antitrust and EU foreign subsidies regulation investigations.

Speaking on her new role and office, Yuen said: “Competition and regulatory scrutiny are increasingly global and complex, especially for companies operating across multiple jurisdictions. This is an exciting opportunity to help build the firm’s European presence from Brussels in collaboration with Vinson & Elkins’ well-established London office.”

Meanwhile, the firm’s chair Keith Fullenweider said: “Our antitrust practice has earned a reputation for helping clients navigate their most consequential competition matters. Adding capability in Brussels reflects our commitment to both our cross-border investigations and transactional practices.”

The launch comes amid a renewed focus on the Brussels market by international law firms, driven by the city’s central role in antitrust law and police. The European Commission, which is one of the world’s most influential competition authorities in the world, is headquartered there.

Earlier this month, Paul Hastings (Europe) LLP relaunched its Brussels office with the hire of competition partner Salomé Cisnal de Ugarte, following similar expansions by Goodwin Procter (UK) LLP, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison and Travers Smith LLP in 2025.

Vinson & Elkins now operates 14 offices worldwide, spanning London, Dublin, Tokyo, Dubai and major US markets. The Brussels addition follows a strong year financially: the firm reported $1.13 billion in revenue for 2025, a 7.8% increase from $1.05 billion in 2024, fuelled by growth in data‑center work and a busy litigation practice.