This pioneering work by one of the country's leading legal historians is perhaps the most complete history ever written of a major American multinational law firm. Granted unprecedented access to the private files of the Vinson and Elkins firm in Houston, Texas, Harold M. Hyman has crafted a unique and detailed history and analysis of the founding, growth, and operation of a prototypical multinational firm.The history of Vinson and Elkins both mirrors and contrasts with that of many other major American law firms. It began in 1917 with two partners, a handful of clients, and ten thousand dollars. By the 1990s the firm retained more than five hundred lawyers, represented more than eight thousand clients on several continents, and posted multi-million-dollar annual earnings."Craftsmanship and Character" serves as a model study of American law firms and opens the door for more explorations of these hugely influential but largely unstudied institutions.