Vinson & Elkins has the most lawyers in the nation listed in the practice areas of Antitrust, Corporate, Energy, Health Care, International Arbitration, International Trade and Finance and Public Finance Law in The Best Lawyers in America^® 2006.

Further, the firm has more lawyers named in the guide than any other Texas-based firm as well as the most lawyers listed in Antitrust, Commercial Litigation, Corporate, Employee Benefits, Energy, Health Care, International Arbitration, International Trade and Finance, Natural Resources, Public Finance, and Tax Law in the state of Texas.  The 2006 guide lists 166 Vinson & Elkins lawyers, and 46 of these lawyers have been listed at least 10 years.  Eight firm lawyers have been listed at least 20 years.

The Best Lawyers in America^® lists attorneys in 52 specialty areas who have been chosen through an exhaustive and confidential survey of the nation's top lawyers. The 2006 Best Lawyers^® edition is based on more than 1.5 million  peer evaluations. The new edition marks the first annual publication of Best Lawyers in America^®, which has previously been published biennially. 

For the full list of Vinson & Elkins Best Lawyers in America^®, click here .

Vinson & Elkins' Oil & Gas practice is ranked #1 in the recently released 2006 edition of Chambers Global: The World's Leading Lawyers. V&E; also ranked highly in 11 other categories including: 2nd in Intellectual Property (USA), Tax (USA); 3rd in Banking & Finance (USA), Energy: Electricity (USA), Energy & Natural Resources (United Kingdom); and 4th in International Arbitration (Global), Banking & Finance (United Arab Emirates), Corporate/M&A; (USA), Projects (Global), and WTO/International Trade (USA).

Entry in this guide is based solely on market recommendations. Chambers' researchers spent a year canvassing clients and lawyers to obtain a consistent market view of which firms and attorneys are considered leaders in their field. Over 5,300 in addition to the many interviews with lawyers were conducted.

Vinson & Elkins lawyers are distinguished nationally and ranked at the top of the charts in Texas, according to the 2006 Chambers USA Guide, which rates America's leading lawyers for business.

Ninety-four V&E; attorneys are identified as leaders in their field in the latest edition of the world-renowned guide, including one star performer, Joe Dilg, who Chambers USA heralds as the “dynamic and visionary engine of the team.”

Overall, Vinson & Elkins earned high honors nationally in Projects; Government: Government Contracts; Capital Markets: Debt & Equity (excluding West Coast); International Arbitration; and International Trade.

In addition, the firm was at the top of the charts in Texas, receiving No. 1 rankings in Antitrust; Banking & Finance; Corporate/M&A; Employment: Mainly Defendant; Energy & Natural Resources; Energy & Natural Resources: Dispute Resolution; Environment; Healthcare; Intellectual Property; Litigation: General Commercial; Projects; Real Estate; Tax; and Technology & IT Outsourcing. Rounding out Texas, V&E; was rated as one of the best for Insurance and Bankruptcy & Restructuring.

The firm also ranked highly in the District of Columbia for Energy: Oil and Gas; Environment; Healthcare; Litigation; Projects; Telecom, Broadcast & Satellite: Regulatory; and Energy: Electricity. In New York, V&E; listed among top firms for its Energy & Natural Resources practice.

Chambers interviews thousands of clients and lawyers annually across the United States to assess the reputations and expertise of business lawyers and law firms for its guide. Law firms and individual attorneys are assessed based on technical legal ability, professional conduct, client service, commercial awareness/astuteness, diligence, commitment, and other qualities most valued by the client.  For a full listing of V&E;’s ranked lawyers and practice areas, follow this link.

Vinson & Elkins is named in the top 15 firms for most mentions in Corporate Counsel’s 2006 “Defending and Protecting: Who Represents America’s Biggest Companies.” Since 2001, Corporate Counsel has conducted this survey of general counsels at the Fortune 250. Over 90 companies were interviewed and a total of 380 law firms named of “primary” outside counsel in the areas of corporate transactions, litigation, labor and employment, and intellectual property.

Vinson & Elkins features prominently in the recently published 2005 Edition of The International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers, with 25 lawyers recommended for excellence in 14 practice areas. 

Our U.S. partners Carol Dinkins and Kevin Gaynor are listed among 18 lawyers worldwide as "Most Highly Regarded Individuals" for Environmental work.  V&E; is the only Texas-based firm to have two lawyers named to this list. 

Beijing-based partner Paul Deemer is listed among 11 lawyers worldwide, and is the only one named in Asia, as "Most Highly Regarded Individuals" for Oil & Gas practice. 

Vinson & Elkins is listed as a “Best Represented Law Firm” in the world and in Texas for its Environmental Practice, with commentary that noted, “Vinson & Elkins is, according to our findings, the leading firm for environment expertise in Texas.”

For Competition Law, Vinson & Elkins is a “Best Represented Law Firm” for Competition in the U.S. (excluding New York and District of Columbia).  V&E; is the only Texas-based firm to receive a “Best Represented” designation, in any locale, for this category.

V&E; is also listed as a “Best Represented Law Firm” in the U.S. for Oil & Gas.

The V&E; lawyers recommended for excellence in The International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers are:

Christopher Amandes  (Environment; Texas)

Bruce R. Bilger  (Oil & Gas and Project Finance; Texas)

Molly Cagle  (Environment; Texas)

Jeffrey A. Chapman  (Corporate Governance; Texas)

James L. Cuclis  (Oil & Gas; Texas)

William Dawson  (Commercial Litigation; Texas)

Paul C. Deemer  (Oil & Gas; China)

Joseph C. Dilg  (Oil & Gas; Texas)

Carol E. Dinkins  (Environment; Texas)

Kevin A. Gaynor  (Environment; District of Columbia)

Neil W. Imus  (Competition; District of Columbia)

W. Carl Jordan  (Labor & Employment; Texas)

David R. Keyes  (Banking; Texas)

William L. LaFuze  (Patents; Texas)

Knox D. Nunnally  (Product Liability; Texas)

Edward C. Osterberg, Jr.  (Corporate Texas; Texas)

Harry M. Reasoner  (Competition and Commercial Litigation; Texas)

Henry M. Rivera  (Regulatory Communications; District of Columbia)

William D. Sims, Jr.  (Product Liability; Texas)

Mark H. Tuohey  (Business Crime; District of Columbia)

Allan Van Fleet  (Competition; Texas)

Sanford A. Weiner  (Real Estate; Texas)

Phillip D. Weller (Real Estate; Texas)

Michael D. Wortley  (Corporate Governance; Texas)

William D. Young  (Banking: Texas)

In its newly published "Go-To Guide," the Texas Lawyer identified the top five attorneys in the state in 29 practice areas. Each practice area has a “Go-To” lawyer and four “Top-Notch” lawyers.

Mr. Walters, who is a partner in the Dallas office, is featured in a one-page profile in the guide highlighting his Antitrust practice. "Antitrust law allows you to get close to your clients, close to their business," Mr. Walters told Texas Lawyer. "I believe it is among the most fascinating areas of the law, because it represents a perfect intersection of law and economics.” Mr. Walters is one of the founding lawyers of V&E;’s Dallas office, and was its administrative partner from 1998-2005.

The magazine named nine other V&E; attorneys as “Top-Notch Lawyers” in their practice areas based on comments from their peers:

• Bruce Bilger, who is consistently recognized for his work in energy industry M&A; transactions is named to the guide as top-notch in Energy Law. Mr. Bilger, who is head of the firm’s energy practice group, “enjoys a very good reputation” amongst his peers, who say that he “just does it all in energy,” and has a “strong international practice.”
• Molly Cagle is recognized as a top-notch lawyer for Environmental Law. She has been listed in Best Lawyers in America^® in this area since 1995, and is considered by her peers to be “one of the most talented people around,” who has “a winning combination of people skills and strategic thinking.”
• Gary W. Eiland, is named as a top-notch lawyer in Health Law, and is “highly respected by colleagues in the health-law community and is an excellent lawyer.” Recognizing a successful career that has spanned 30 years, another peer says that “he’s been a great lawyer for a long time.”
• Elizabeth Rogers is the second V&E; attorney named for Health Law, and a peer says “she’s dynamite. Her clients love her. I kind of wish she worked for us.” Another says that she “works on a lot of sophisticated transactions, and is very involved with the legislation and brings that piece to the table.”
• Stephen Davis is an accomplished attorney in energy and international law, and is recognized as a top-notch attorney in International Law. His peers say he is “connected in strong ways,” and “has quite a broad experience,” which is illustrated through more than 40 major transactions on which he has worked in these areas in recent years.
• Michael D. Wortley, the administrative partner of V&E;’s Dallas office and co-section head of the firm’s corporate finance and securities practice is recognized in M&A;/Securities law. His peers say “he’s who a lot of the big Dallas firms go to,” for M&A; work, and that “he’s a tough lawyer, and smart.”
• Thomas Leatherbury, co-section head of the firm’s appellate practice, is recognized by Texas Lawyer as top-notch in Media Law. He is a “bright fellow, who brings a very intellectual approach” to the cases on which he works. He is well-respected, and his peers think “he’s just won some great decisions.”
• Sanford Weiner, who recently won the “Distinguished Real Estate Lawyer Lifetime Achievement Award," granted by the Real Estate, Probate and Trust Law Section of the State Bar of Texas, is recognized as top-notch in Real Estate Law. His peers think that he’s a “superb lawyer, with the highest level of professionalism and ethics,” and they “really respect the way he thinks and solves problems.”
• Eric Viehman is “razor sharp” in Trusts & Estates Law, the area for which Texas Lawyer has recognized him as top-notch. His practice concentrates on estate and tax planning, and his peers say that he is “who I call if I have a generation skipping transfer tax question,” an area in which he has a unique and specialized expertise.
  

The October 2007 issue of Texas Monthly names 104 V&E; attorneys in 24 practice areas as "Texas Super Lawyers."  The list, published in both Texas Monthly  and the special publication Texas Super Lawyers, represents the top five percent of attorneys in the state. The results are compiled based off a state-wide survey of lawyers who are asked to nominate the best attorneys in Texas that they have personally observed in action. For the entire list of V&E; attorneys named, please click here.

In addition, the publication Texas Super Lawyers profiled Austin partner Michael Marin.  The full article is available to read in their October 2007 issue.

Vinson & Elkins is named to the 2006 "Defense Hot List" by The National Law Journal. V&E;'s result in the KPMG case, U.S. v. Stein, is the first mention in the "Ready and willing to fight back" article; and is further highlighted in a follow-up article, "Defense bar smells blood," quoting Washington partner Craig Margolis. Other V&E; noteworthy cases featured in the "Defense Hot List" section are Geers v. Wyeth, led by Houston partners Pat Mizell and Kat Gallagher, and Yeroushalmi v. Blockbuster Inc., handled by lead counsel Michael Raiff of the Dallas office. Vinson & Elkins was among only 14 firms nationally recognized on the NLJ list.