A century in Houston

1917: William A. Vinson and James A. Elkins form the firm in Houston. The firm’s first office opens in the original Gulf Building. 1920: Wildcatter A.E. Humphreys strikes oil near Mexia, Texas. He becomes V&E’s first major oil industry client. 1924: Elkins forms the Guaranty Trust Company, which eventually comes to be known as the First City National Bank. 1951: Vinson dies on Oct. 26 at age 77. 1956: Elkins’ City National Bank merges with the First National Bank to become the First City National Bank in Houston. 1969: Former Gov. John B. Connally joins the firm. He leaves in 1971 to serve as President Richard Nixon’s secretary of treasury, but returns after leaving Washington. 1972: Elkins dies on May 7 at age 93. 1974: Sherman Stimley joins V&E as the firm’s first black associate. 1979: Carol Dinkins is elected as V&E’s first female partner. In 1984, she becomes the first female deputy attorney general of the United States. 1981: The firm moves to the First City Tower. 1986: V&E opens its Dallas office. 1991: Alberto Gonzales becomes V&E’s first Hispanic male partner. He later serves as Gov. George W. Bush’s general counsel, Texas secretary of state, a Texas Supreme Court justice, counsel to President Bush and ultimately the 80th U.S. attorney general. 2001: The firm’s largest client, Enron, files for bankruptcy. The Enron scandal plunges V&E into years of litigation, but the firm successfully defeats all allegations of wrongdoing. 2017: Vinson & Elkins marks the 100th anniversary of its founding.