HOUSTON—Vinson & Elkins has announced the promotion of eight Texas-based lawyers to its partnership, effective January 1, 2016.

They are: Mike Heidler and Stephen Stout in Austin; Shaun Rogers and Danny Tobey in Dallas; and Stephen Jacobson, Julian Seiguer, David Wall and Mingda Zhao in Houston.

"These lawyers have each demonstrated a strong commitment to V&E and our clients and we are excited to welcome them to the partnership," V&E chairman Mark Kelly said. "We are confident they will continue to make significant contributions not only to their individual practice groups, but to the overall strategic objectives of the firm."

The new partners represent eight of the firm's key practice areas: appellate, complex commercial litigation, condemnation, energy transactions and projects, executive compensation and benefits, intellectual property, mergers and acquisitions/capital markets and real estate.

Rogers advises clients in commercial real estate and general business transactions. His practice includes the representation of private equity firms, institutional investors, REITs and developers in property acquisitions and dispositions; commercial leasing transactions; joint ventures; development and construction projects; mortgage lending on real estate; and commercial lending, representing both lenders and borrowers.

Tobey is a trial and appellate lawyer who has argued successfully before the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Delaware Supreme Court and trial courts across Texas. His clients include energy, health care, private equity, software, environmental and airline companies, as well as major religious denominations and prominent law firms. A medical doctor, Tobey has used his experience to represent hospitals and pharmaceutical companies in matters ranging from patent disputes to tort claims. He led the defense of a historic religious denomination sued by a breakaway faction in a church property case in Texas state court, obtaining a multi-million dollar (net) settlement and dismissing all plaintiffs' claims. Tobey received his M.D. from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in 2008, his law degree from Yale Law School in 2003 and his bachelor's degree from Harvard College in 1999.

Heidler's practice focuses on civil appellate law and litigation. He has experience in all stages of litigation, including arguing cases, drafting briefs, providing appellate support at trial and counseling clients on litigation strategy. In April 2015, Heidler was part of the team securing a victory on behalf of V&E client Valerus Compression Services LP, when a Texas appeals court ruled that Guggenheim Corporate Funding may not keep an oversized equity stake in Valerus worth as much as $34 million.

Wall's principal area of practice is eminent domain and condemnation litigation. He focuses primarily on the representation of property owners against takings by local and state authorities. Wall has handled cases involving the taking of all types of improved properties, as well as vacant tracts of land.

Zhao's principal areas of practice include mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments, joint ventures, energy transactions, cross-border transactions and general corporate representation for both domestic and international clients. In 2015, Zhao worked on some of V&E's most innovative deals, including advising TPG Special Situations Partners (TSSP) in connection with the agreement between the operating subsidiary of Legacy Reserves LP and funds managed by TSSP to jointly fund horizontal drilling of certain Spraberry, Wolfcamp and Bone Spring rights in the Permian Basin.

Jacobson's practice focuses on executive compensation and employee benefit matters. He advises public and private companies, boards of directors, private equity funds, management teams and individual executives on navigating the tax, securities law, corporate governance and other regulatory complexities of all types of compensation and benefit arrangements. Jacobson also regularly advises clients on the compensation and benefit aspects of mergers, acquisitions and divestitures as well as a variety of private equity and capital markets transactions.

Stout focuses on technology-based litigation. He has represented clients across the country in a wide variety of fields, ranging from biotechnology and pharmaceuticals to digital media and e-commerce.

Seiguer focuses on corporate finance and securities law, including securities offerings, mergers and acquisitions and general corporate representation. His capital markets experience includes representation of both issuers and underwriters in initial public offerings, as well as public and private offerings of equity and debt securities.