Gunderson Dettmer LLP
Gunderson Dettmer has approximately 400 attorneys across 12 offices. Founded in 1995.
$225,000+
Market base, no firm announcement (as of Sep 2026)
Not reported: Partnership Track.
Openings
2L Summer 2028 · Class of 2029Opening Soon
program
Opens
Nov 2, 2026Deadline
Not announced
Gunderson Dettmer pays $225,000+, the same as 159 of the 197 firms that publish pay.
Listed firms by announced first-year comp
| First-Year Comp | Firms |
|---|---|
| Above $225K | 18 |
| $225K | 159 |
| Below $225K | 20 |
Source: firm announcements. 197 listed firms publish a first-year figure.
About Gunderson Dettmer
Gunderson Dettmer focuses on emerging companies and the venture capital and growth equity investors that finance them. Its practice follows businesses from their initial formation through growth and maturity, while also advising the funds participating in that process. The firm's client materials are organized around these stages of company development.
For early-stage businesses, the work begins with founders and the legal foundations of a new venture. As companies develop, the firm supports financing and strategic transactions. Its public company practice adds securities regulation, corporate governance, ongoing disclosure, and strategic advice, extending the relationship beyond the private-company stage.
On the investor side, Gunderson handles global fund formation for venture capital and growth equity firms. This creates two complementary perspectives on the same market: building and financing businesses, and structuring the investment vehicles that back them. Students interested in startups can therefore explore both company representation and fund work within the firm's
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concentrated practice.
Rankings
Latest published editions. Each links to its source.
Size and Standing
Practice Strength by Market
Every band below appears on this firm’s Chambers USA 2026 profile, checked September 26, 2026. Where Chambers splits a table into The Elite and Highly Regarded, every Elite firm ranks above every Highly Regarded firm.
Scroll sideways to see recognition.
| Practice | Market | Recognition, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
Venture Capital | California | Band 1 |
Venture Capital: Fund Formation | Nationwide | Band 1 |
Private Equity: Venture Capital Investment | Massachusetts | Band 2 |
Startups & Emerging Companies | Nationwide | Band 2 |
Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation | California: San Francisco, Silicon Valley & Surrounds | Band 3 |
Private Equity: Fund Formation | Massachusetts | Band 3 |
Technology | California | Band 3 |
Technology | Massachusetts | Band 3 |
Technology | Nationwide | Band 4 |
Corporate/M&AHighly Regarded | California: San Francisco, Silicon Valley & Surrounds | Band 1 |
10 reported ranking rows
Facts verified by BigLaw Bear, narrative by the firm. Figures carry a source link where we hold one; prose is Gunderson Dettmer’s own.
Schools Gunderson Dettmer Hires From
3 schools name Gunderson Dettmer on its own employer or placement pages. These lists are not exhaustive.