‘I see this firm as having real strength in a triangle: London, New York and Houston,’ says Vinson & Elkins London head of transactions, Ben Higson (pictured).
The Texas-founded firm, which now has 14 offices across the world, has benefitted from this geographic balance, Higson maintains: ‘There is no other firm in the world that has the strength we have in Texas that also has the strength we have in New York and London.’
Although the firm doesn’t break down its financial performance by office, last year’s results for the business globally suggest the ‘triangle’ is working. In 2025, V&E grew its firmwide revenue by 7.8% to reach $1.13bn, its biggest increase in revenue since 2021. Meanwhile, profit per equity partner (PEP) climbed by just over 12% to $4.51m.
‘We had some tremendous mandates – and that’s what’s driven the financial performance,’ says Higson.
Higson’s belief in the benefits of a strong Houston presence comes as the broader Texan market attracts increasing interest from global law firms. Simpson Thacher announced plans to open in Dallas in February, with Dechert and Latham & Watkins also investing in the city.
V&E, however, has a deep history in the state, with offices in Austin and Dallas alongside its first – and largest – base in Houston.
Although its Texas roots have helped V&E build a strong reputation in energy and infrastructure, the firm has also been steadily building relationships with private capital clients over the years, including Apollo and Blackstone.
The firm advised Blackstone on several deals last year, including its $4bn acquisition of MacLean Power from Centerbridge Partners in December. Last March, Higson also worked alongside partners Dan Komarek in New York and Abby Branigan in Dallas, advising Apollo on its acquisition of OEG Energy Group, valued at over $1bn.
‘Through the triangle, we have developed a stronger relationship here with several private capital clients than we had before,’ says Higson, who joined the firm at the end of 2022 from Hogan Lovells.
V&E’s London office also serves as its gateway for global mandates, such as advising Bahraini energy company Bapco on its concession and joint venture arrangement with a Bahraini subsidiary of EOG Resources in September 2025.
Now Higson says the firm wants to capitalise on its investment and expand further in the City. ‘In London, we’re in growth mode,’ he says. ‘There are two aspects to that. One is identifying where the growth areas are and the second is finding the right people to populate these areas.’ Recently, the firm hired tax partner Ed Moberly to its transactions practice from Kirkland & Ellis in London as part of these plans.
Moberly says his decision to move was influenced by V&E’s sector expertise, which he believes makes it less susceptible to market shocks. ‘I think there’s something incredibly AI‑proof about what we do,’ says Moberly.
‘Of course, we use new tools wherever they add value – but in sectors from energy to infrastructure and construction, it’s deep, domain‑specific experience that really makes the difference. That’s what allows technology to amplify – not displace – our impact,’ he adds.
Last September, V&E also hired two aviation finance partners from A&O Shearman in London, bringing in Ainsley Ireland and Harry Upcott.
Now it is looking beyond London. Notably, it recently launched in Brussels with the hire of Hogan Lovells antitrust partner May Lyn Yuen. The base marks V&E’s fifth office outside of the US. Yuen, who plans to split her time between London and Brussels, is also the first antitrust partner working in the London office.
Her hire reunites her with Higson, as the pair worked together closely at Hogan Lovells. Commenting on the launch Higson says: ‘Brussels is a really important market for a firm that has a strong transactions practice. But it also allows us to advise clients on other aspects of what they do. We want to provide our clients with a wider remit of European antitrust advice.’
Despite V&E’s recent growth, the impact of the war in Iran on energy prices and trade may pose a threat to its continued success. As Higson admits: ‘There’s a lot of uncertainty. Uncertainty is a very difficult landscape for investors, business people, corporations and private capital to engage with. So it’s caused quite a lot of people to pause.’
That said, he maintains resilience is embedded within the energy world. ‘This is one thing that people who are engaged in energy work are used to, because the energy markets are always uncertain. They’re always having to think ahead.’
‘I have some confidence that the nature of our firm, our reputation, and the fact that we are experts in energy and infrastructure, mean that we ought to be very well placed to continue to win work, irrespective of the uncertainty,’ he concludes.
