Jim Thompson > Vinson & Elkins LLP > Houston, United States > Lawyer Profile

Vinson & Elkins LLP
Texas Tower
845 Texas Avenue, Suite 4700
Houston, Texas 77002
United States
Jim Thompson photo

Work Department

Commercial & Business Litigation

Position

Partner

Career

Jim is a trial attorney with more than 30 years of experience counseling clients with wide-ranging business litigation needs. Head of Vinson & Elkins’ Global Litigation department, his practice encompasses lawsuits, appeals, and domestic and international arbitrations across multiple industries.

As a former petroleum engineer, Jim has hands-on experience with many issues affecting energy industry clients, and handles related disputes and other matters before numerous state and federal courts, as well as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Minerals Management Service, and Railroad Commission of Texas.

Jim also serves as Chair of the Shale and Hydraulic Fracturing Task Force, and a member of the firm’s Management Committee.

Lawyer Rankings

United States > Energy > Energy litigation: oil and gas

(Hall of Fame)

Jim Thompson – Vinson & Elkins LLP

The energy litigation team at Vinson & Elkins LLP acts on a broad range of energy disputes in the oil and gas sector, both domestically and internationally, including cases surrounding transportation of oil and gas, contract disputes, royalty litigation and class actions. Disputes specific to shale and hydraulic manufacturing are another key area of expertise. Dallas-based Matthew Stammel heads the energy litigation practice group, frequently representing oil and gas companies and private equity firms in commercial disputes, while Houston’s Jim Thompson co-leads the wider litigation department, with over 35 years’ experience handling lawsuits, appeals and domestic and international arbitration for clients in the oil and gas sector. Nicholas Shum has considerable experience litigating contracts involving upstream, midstream and oilfield services companies, while also handling significant antitrust and trade secrets matters. Stephanie Noble was promoted to partner at the end of 2022, with a track record for representing clients in energy, contract, shareholder and construction disputes. Jason Fleischer joined the team from Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP in February 2023.