Nadine Amr – Vacation Placement Student 2010, Trainee 2012 – 2014, Associate in Energy, Transactions and Projects Team to Date
I chose to train at Vinson & Elkins because of the firm’s reputation as market leader in the energy sector and the opportunities it offered to work as part of a small team of some of the leading specialists on complex international transactions and projects for the firm’s clients. This quickly came through during my Vacation Placement where I was thrown into several days’ worth of negotiations on an international energy financing and was quickly made to feel like a team member through the level of responsibility and exposure that I received. As well as the highly professional attitude of the lawyers and the quality of work that I experienced, I was drawn to the friendly and approachable attitude of the staff and lawyers.
Trainees at Vinson & Elkins will gain experience in a broad range of practice areas and industries, and will regularly work on cross-office and multi-jurisdictional matters. During my training contract I worked on matters ranging from an M&A transaction in the telecoms sector, a deal for a Middle Eastern consumer retail business active across the GCC, the project financing of an oil refinery in Central Asia, and an international arbitration for a pharmaceutical client, and throughout I was encouraged to play a meaningful role, be it in assisting with drafting documents, conducting research, attending meetings and interacting with other lawyers and clients. The size of the London office means that trainees are given a lot of freedom to shape their own training contracts and pursue work that fits in with their particular interests and skill sets, alongside working for a specific department during each seat. Trainees who are interested in spending time abroad are almost always able to do so, and I was given the opportunity to spend one of my six-month seats in the firm’s Houston office, which enabled me to get a feel for the firm’s head office and its friendly Texan culture. Any prospective trainee that is keen to take on responsibility from day one and delve into the fast-paced and international nature of the firm’s transactions and cases will thrive here. I have since qualified into the Energy, Transactions and Projects team of the London office and my experiences training here, including the level of responsibility I was given at an early stage, the steep learning curve and the opportunities to work closely with and learn from some of the most talented associates and partners across different departments, has given me an excellent foundation to develop my legal career.
Christopher Hesford, Associate in Finance Team 2019 to date
I am an associate in the Finance team and have a mix of European and U.S. experience, working on both loan finance and high yield transactions. I was eager to join V&E, because the firm has a number of characteristics which place it in a unique position in a busy, crowded legal world. From day one you will experience the global outlook of the London office, through both the diversity of the people you work with as well as the international nature of the work. V&E is a top-tier law firm that punches far above the weight of its relatively small London office in terms of its client base and quality of work. The London office is the base from which the firm
operates its growing European, Middle East and African practices, meaning the deals are exciting, interesting and challenging. Cross-border and cross-practice deals provide trainees and associates alike with a perfect foundation for developing into excellent, well-rounded lawyers. As a Houston-headquartered firm, our offices across the U.S. allow plenty of opportunities to work with colleagues across the world, with a distinctly Texan feel. It is rare to find a deal which does not have an international element to it. V&E really does the perfect job of providing high-quality, interesting and innovative work in a warm, approachable and down-to-earth environment. I’m really excited about continuing my career here and I hope you will be too.
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