West Coast wunderkind Gunderson remains a leader in the tech space by lending startups a helping hand.
Gunderson Lateral Profile 2025
In the exciting and ever-evolving world of technology, where better to start than from square one? That’s right, Gunderson is not just a firm that plays in the sandbox… it is the sandbox, with strong ties to tech startups from the beginning of their journey throughout their life-cycles. Those we spoke to gravitated towards this approach: “Through the close client contact and smaller company feel, we’re helping people build up their livelihoods while we’re starting to build up our own.” So, when we say from square one, that’s both the clients and the associates who get in on the ground floor at Gunderson.
View the firm’s Chambers USA rankings
Read the firm’s Inside View feature on junior associate life
Why did you join your firm? Associates say…
“It was a wonderful opportunity to practice law in an intellectually stimulating field that is constantly evolving. I had heard consistently great things about this firm from alumni.”
“I chose Gunderson for the quality of attorneys I interviewed with. Everyone was simultaneously very accomplished and knowledgeable, but also down to earth and relatable.”
“It seemed like the most sustainable job in BigLaw that I'd be able to actually keep up for a long time because I really like the people and culture. I am treated like a human being, and always feel like my colleagues, including partners, have my back.”
Strategic Recruitment Focuses 2024
Emerging & late-stage companies (corporate) careers
The view from the firm: Gunderson’s corporate attorneys focus exclusively on the emerging technology and life sciences market, guiding entrepreneurs through early stage issues, helping them to scale their companies, accelerating their businesses, and preparing for an M&A or capital markets exit.
We’ve handled thousands of U.S. and international M&A transactions worth tens of billions of dollars for clients across a wide range of technology and life sciences industries. The firm’s attorneys represent technology and life science companies of all sizes in the US, India, China, Europe, Latin America, Middle East and other markets globally.
Emerging & late-stage companies (corporate) clients: Cirkul, Flexport, Daily Harvest, Kavak, Overtime, Webflow.
Recent work highlight: Represented Boston Celtics in the $6.1B pending sale by an investor group led by William Chisholm.
Strategic transactions and licensing (technology) careers
The view from the firm: The firm’s technology team works on strategic transactions to leverage unmatched business knowledge and sophisticated insights to develop, acquire and monetize technologies, even creating new business models to bring products to market. Our practical guidance and sophisticated perspectives become more valuable as our clients mature and grow.
Having negotiated every type of deal and counseled clients in every industry, Gunderson tech attorneys have worked across AI, cyber security, consumer products, health tech, medical devices, biotech and life sciences, financial technology, media, ad tech, software and SaaS, as well as disruptive technologies, including blockchain, crypto and web3.
We see around corners for our clients and can help plan for future outcomes, including buy-side and sell-side transactions or an eventual IPO. Regardless of the stage of our clients, we understand the structures and strategies that produce win-win deals.
Recent work highlight: Represented Muna Therapeutics in the strategic research partnership with GSK to treat Alzheimer’s disease.
Venture capital & growth equity (corporate & fund) careers
The view from the firm: Gunderson is the recognized leader in the venture capital and growth equity fund formation marketplace. We routinely negotiate close to one-third of every venture capital dollar raised worldwide. We serve as general counsel to more than 500 venture capital and growth equity firms, representing many of today’s most prominent venture capital firms since their inception; facilitating their ascent to household names and their exploration of new investment strategies, emerging economies and international expansion.
Additionally, Gunderson negotiates more than 1,000 venture and growth financings every year. We assist the world’s preeminent venture and growth-stage technology investors to develop financing structures and strategies that are inventive yet practical. We have extensive expertise in structuring and negotiating cross-border investments at all stages and are intimately familiar with the tax, regulatory and comparative law aspects of these transactions.
Venture capital firm clients: Eclipse Ventures, Primary Ventures, 8VC, INITIATE Ventures, DCVC, Kleiner Perkins.
Recent work highlight: Represented Thrive Capital in leading Databricks $10B Series J.
Tax careers
The view from the firm: From formation to financing to exit, the firm’s tax attorneys advise founders, executives and investors on tax matters at each stage of the business growth cycle. Gunderson’s tax team provides guidance on structuring transactions and ongoing counsel for tax planning and compliance issues. The firm recognizes that tax advantages and business purposes often conflict, and the tax team is adept at figuring out how to achieve the right balance to serve its clients.
The Gunderson tax attorneys communicate tax issues, however complex or arcane, clearly, to tech-focused founders, seasoned financial advisers, an experienced CFO, Wall Street legal peer or Big Four partner. We advise clients on financings, restructurings, spin-offs, and exits, with an emphasis on IPOs and taxable and tax-free M&A.
Recent work highlight: Represented Wasoko in a merger of Africa’s largest network of informal retailers.
International work
The view from the firm: With over 2,500 transactions completed outside of the US since 2018, Gunderson Dettmer attorneys are intimately familiar with the tax, structuring, regulatory and comparative law aspects of cross-border and international investing and representation.
China: Gunderson maintains the pre-eminent China-focused venture capital fund practice, combining extensive Silicon Valley experience with a deep knowledge of the local China market. The firm has extensive expertise in both fund and company representation and structuring cross-border financings at all stages. Since launching the Beijing office at the end of 2012, the firm rapidly achieved prominence in China and across Asia among top venture-backed companies and venture and growth equity funds for its work with respect to equity financings, joint ventures, cross-border M&A and other strategic transactions.
India & Southeast Asia: With the 2016 opening of Gunderson’s Singapore office, the firm solidified its presence in the region. Gunderson represents some of the highest funded Indian and Southeast Asian technology companies as well as a number of leading investors active in the region. The firm also handled the most highly-valued private sell-side M&A deal in history — Flipkart’s $16 billion acquisition by Walmart in 2018.
Latin America: Gunderson represents a dominant share of the leading tech companies in Latin America, including many of the highest valued companies, and has negotiated most of the largest venture capital and technology M&A transactions in the region. The firm also acts as fund formation counsel for nearly every significant venture capital fund in the region. Its attorneys also have relationships with key government bodies supporting market development such as: INADEM in Mexico, CORFO in Chile, Innpulsa in Colombia, Ministerio de Produccion of the Argentine Republic, as well as a wide array of local law firms, angel investors, accelerators, advisors and other market participants.
Recent work highlight: Represented Mexico-based Prima in a $42M financing with participation from Acrew, Quona Capital, Nazca, Greenoaks and several other leading investors.
International & Secondment Opportunities
Client secondment examples: Thrive Capital Partners, Coutue Management LLP, Tiger Global.
Overseas career development opportunities (view from the firm): XXThe relationship between Gunderson and its clients can extend beyond our office walls through secondments. Attorneys can be seconded to a client for a defined period of time to provide additional support and help strengthen the client relationship. This unique opportunity provides attorneys the chance to work alongside their clients while gaining in-house experience. The firm and client come together for the selection process, which is based on a number of factors, including the business needs of the client and firm and the requisite experience-level. At the conclusion of the secondment, attorneys return to the firm and continue to remain an integral part of the client team.
Career Development & the Path to Partnership
|
4 |
1.6 : 1 |
69% |
||
|
partners made in 2024 |
associate : partner gearing |
of associates intend to make partner |
||
|
68% |
58% |
75% |
||
| felt partnership was achievable for attorneys with childcare/caregiver responsibilities | felt partnership was achievable at the firm | agreed partners are nurturing future leaders |
||
The view from the firm: Gunderson has a demonstrated commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment in which all members can excel and thrive. We seek to enrich our firm by recruiting, retaining, and promoting attorneys with a broad set of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. Our attorney and business professional-led affinity groups promote community building and collaboration. They work with allied affinity groups to champion diversity, equity, and inclusion across the firm. Members forge pathways for mentorship, advocacy, and recognition of achievements. Additionally, the affinity groups sponsor social gatherings, trainings, workshops, and other initiatives aimed at fostering professional growth firmwide.
Hours & Compensation
|
1,950 |
15 |
46.4 |
|
billable hours |
average number of vacation days associates took in one year |
average number of hours associates worked in one week |
|
73% |
73% |
58% |
| agreed they had a good work-life balance |
felt like they could take vacation/annual leave on their own terms |
found the firm's claims around bonus allocation to be authentic |
Salaries
1st year: $225,000
2nd year: $235,000
3rd year: $260,000
4th year: $310,000
5th year: $365,000
6th year: $390,000
7th year: $420,000
8th year: $435,000
The view from the firm: Associate compensation is lockstep and is determined by class year.
The firm’s billable target for bonus eligibility is announced by firm management on an annual basis. As noted elsewhere, bonuses are discretionary and are based on qualitative performance assessments, as well as hours billed, including pro bono and board meeting time and up to 100 investment hours, business development, and other contributions to firm citizenship.
The firm offers pro bono opportunities but there is no minimum pro bono hours requirement.
Reduced hours arrangements are supported by the firm, as outlined by the firm's part-time work policy. Attorneys on a reduced schedule may be eligible for annual true-up should they exceed the billable hours target for a calendar year and are eligible for a discretionary annual bonus.
Is Gunderson the right firm for you?
|
89% |
89% |
89% |
|
were happy in their current role |
agreed the work they received was of the right quality |
felt that they chose the right firm |
The view from the firm: Successful candidates are self-starters, team-oriented, collaborative, and enthusiastic about working with clients in the startup and venture capital ecosystem. We also seek to enrich our firm by recruiting, retaining and promoting lawyers from diverse backgrounds, and with wide-ranging experiences. We believe that a workforce comprised of individuals with a broad set of backgrounds, experiences and beliefs is essential to advising our clients effectively and providing fresh and innovative solutions.
Overall, we seek attorneys who are passionate about the EC/VC ecosystem, and can work collaboratively to provide impactful and substantive work for our clients.
Our three core practices are Corporate, Strategic Transactions & Licensing, and Fund:
- Corporate: represents start-ups and emerging growth companies, seed and venture capital financings, public offerings, mergers & acquisitions, and/or underwritings.
- Strategic Transactions & Licensing (Technology): strategic and/or commercial contracts drafting and negotiation and/or deal management of tech, commercial and IP aspects of venture financing and/or M&A transactions, who are looking to expand their practice to include more holistic company counseling.
- Fund: focus on growth equity and venture capital fund formation and will have relevant experience in the corporate group, tax group, or investment management group of a top-tier law firm.
Here's what survey respondents had to say about the firm's culture...
“Whip-smart people whilst maintaining a casual, collegial environment.”
“Gunderson has a culture of entrepreneurialism and being an "anti-BigLaw " law firm. It also has a chill atmosphere and small, close-knit teams.”
“I picked the firm based on the people, and it's been the best decision of my career so far.”
Pro Bono
|
5 |
29% |
|
average pro bono |
agreed the firm puts effort towards its commitment to pro bono and social impact activity |
Pro bono highlights: Pro Bono Partnership (914United requested assistance with review and updating of personnel policies); Animal Partisan, under the umbrella of the Animal Defense Partnership (evaluating case law for standing in New Mexico in support of a future litigation idea which would challenge the agricultural exemption in the cruelty statute); Start Small Think Big (client has signed a commercial lease for her business and seeks a review of the lease and explanation of the parties’ right and obligations under the lease); Black Connect (Learning Abilities Advocacy is a business that advocates for special needs children requests a contract).
Sustainability & CSR
The view from the firm: Gunderson Dettmer has long believed in creating environmentally stable and sustainable spaces, promoting healthy work habits, and other amenities that promote well-being. We use responsible sourcing and work hard to have programs for recycling, composting and other responsible disposition programs.
Contact
Learn more about opportunities at the firm
Recruitment contact: Gabriella Figueroa
Senior Legal Recruiting Manager
recruiting@gunder.com