Vinson & Elkins opens first continental Europe office with Brussels launch

Vinson & Elkins has opened a Brussels office - its first in continental Europe - and brought on EU competition partner May Lyn Yuen from Hogan Lovells to lead it.

Yuen spent a decade in Hogan Lovells’ Brussels team after two years in London. Her practice focuses on merger control, cartel investigations and EU foreign subsidies regulation.

The launch marks a notable step for the Houston-headquartered firm, which has historically relied on London as its main European base since opening there in 1971. Outside the US, it also has offices in Dublin, Dubai and Tokyo.

Betting on Brussels

The move reflects growing demand for on-the-ground EU competition expertise, as regulatory scrutiny intensifies for clients operating across multiple jurisdictions.

Yuen said: “This is an exciting opportunity to help build the firm’s European presence from Brussels in collaboration with Vinson & Elkins’ well-established London office.” 

Vinson & Elkins chair Keith Fullenweider said the launch reflected the firm’s “commitment to both our cross-border investigations and transactional practices.”

Brussels is increasingly on the radar for US firms looking to strengthen their transatlantic platforms and get closer to the European Commission.

Paul Hastings relaunched its Brussels office earlier this month, hiring EU competition partner Salomé Cisnal de Ugarte from King & Spalding to lead the practice. New York heavyweight Paul Weiss opened in Brussels in 2024.