Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian LLP

Law Firms

VAULT RANKINGS 2013

#19 Northern California

GENERAL INFO

Headquarters: Menlo Park, CA
4 offices
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NEWS AND UPDATES

Vault's Scoop

Uppers

"Quality start-up and venture fund clients"

"Market-rate compensation without New York-style billable hours"

Downers

"Free market" assignment system

Current offices are "Spartan and Valley-esque" (though the firm will soon be moving)

ABOUT THIS COMPANY:

Gigantic Gunderson growth

Gunderson Dettmer is a product of the heady days of the 1990s, when a law firm could be - and, in this case, was - founded with the goal of representing entrepreneurs, emerging growth companies and venture capitalists. Unlike many of the products of the original internet boom, the Silicon Valley-based firm has continued not only to survive, but to thrive. The firm has grown to well over 100 attorneys, represents well over 100 top venture capital funds and continues to land on most every relevant top 10 list, including The American Lawyer's most recent summer associate satisfaction survey. The firm also continues to maintain a reputation as one of the firm's go-to hightech firms - when The New York Times, for example, recently covered Microsoft's proposed purchase of Yahoo!, the expert they relied on to discuss the deal was firm co-founder Scott Dettmer.

From the Community

REVIEWS

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SALARIES

Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian LLP salary & compensation reviews include all signing and year-end bonuses, vacation time and other perks and reimbursements that make up total compensation.

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SURVEY SAYS

Relax

Gunderson Dettmer is a source of joy for many of its lawyers. A junior associate praises the "fun, interesting work with cutting-edge companies." Another attorney boasts, "The work is great, the people are great, the clients are great," adding, "I am very happy here, and my experiences seem to be far more favorable than those of other junior lawyers I have spoken to at other firms." Another happy camper tells us, "Gunderson is the best place to practice law that I've come across, largely as a result of the casual work environment and the exciting, high-profile startup and VC clients." The firm has even modeled its open-plan office on that of its clientele: "In keeping with the firm's service to start-up companies," associates say, the "office has a warehouse-type feel."

DISCUSSIONS

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Getting Hired

Tips from the inside

The whole package

Associates suggest that Gunderson Dettmer places a high premium on personality. One contact says, "We look for candidates from top-tier law schools whose personalities match well with ours." "This firm looks for fit - no doubt about it," adds another lawyer. "Callbacks are intensive and involve five or six 20-minute interviews followed by lunch with associates." A colleague advises, "Gunderson looks only for very talented, smart and motivated people, and takes the interview process very seriously." According to a corporate attorney, "The firm looks for well-rounded individuals from good schools (top 20), with good personalities and who have something to contribute to the firm, whether it be an MBA, prior work experience, publications. Amazing conversational and interpersonal skills are a must."
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