Vinson & Elkins is an international law firm with more than 700 lawyers, across 13 offices worldwide. For more than a century, we have provided outstanding client service across important industries that drive the global economy. Built on a strong culture of collaboration our lawyers are committed to excellence, offering clients decades of legal experience in handling transactions, investments, projects and disputes across the globe.

We opened our London office in 1971, making Vinson & Elkins one of the first US 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.

In London our lawyers handle transactional and disputes related work, including construction matters (both front-end and disputes), energy transactions and projects, finance, international arbitration, litigation, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, and tax. Our client base is incredibly diverse, but includes many of the world’s leading companies spanning major corporates, financial institutions and state-owned entities.

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.

We currently offer four-six training contracts commencing in September each year. Our smaller intake of trainees means that every hire we make is an important investment for the firm, because each team member has a distinct role to play in delivering outstanding client service. It also means that as a Vinson & Elkins lawyer, you’ll work on high-value, complex and globally focused matters from the outset of your career.

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.

Who should apply 

We are looking to recruit ambitious individuals with exceptional academic results, sound commercial awareness and rounded personalities. The ability to think laterally and creatively is essential, as is a need for common sense and a willingness to take the initiative.

We view vacation placements as an important part of our recruitment process. Our paid placements are designed to provide the experience of a ‘week in the life of’ a trainee where you will share an office with an associate and complete real time client work across different practice groups, amongst other projects. 

We have been nominated on multiple occasions in the category ‘Best Work Placement Scheme – City Firm’ and ‘Best Recruiter – US Firm in the City’ as testament to the quality of the experience students gain from completing a placement with us.

Applications for placements in 2026 should be made via our website from 1 October 2025 and preference will be given to those who would be eligible to commence a training contract in 2028. The closing date for applications is 11 January 2026. For students in the first-year of their degree, we currently expect to host an open day at our London office on the Spring of 2026. Applications can be made via our website from 3 November 2025 up to 6 February 2026.

The firm operates a partially non-rotational training system, during their first year trainees work primarily within the departments in which they sit and during their second year trainees work across all practice areas and have more freedom to tailor their training. While being based in London our trainees can expect to undertake overseas secondments and international travel during the course of their two years.

The training is designed to provide variety, flexibility and responsibility from the start and has earned V&E nominations and awards for the 'Best Trainer – US firm in the City' award, 'Best Trainer – Medium City Firm', 'Best Recruiter – US firm in the City' and 'Best Training Principal' over the last 10 years. 

Stay connected by following Vinson & Elkins on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. 

V&E will fund the preparatory course(s) and examinations for the SQE and offers a maintenance grant for courses commenced after the date of a training contract offer.

• Complex commercial litigation
• International arbitration
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