2024 DIVERSITY DATABASE UNDERWRITER Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian, LLP

Our Survey Says

VAULT'S VERDICT:

Gunderson Dettmer hires entrepreneurial associates who are interested in specific practice areas such as tech, emerging corporations, and venture capital. Coworkers are kind and friendly, creating an enjoyable, nonhierarchical work environment, and partners respect associates, appreciate their work, and care about their development. Formal training is offered during onboarding for first years and regularly thereafter and is supplemented with on-the-job instruction and guidance. Associates find mentorship to be the most valuable training effort. Work assignments are substantive, with client contact for all associates. Projects are evenly distributed. The firm’s billable requirement of 1,950 hours includes 150 investment hours. Salaries and bonuses match the market standard. Bonuses are tied to the billable hour requirement, with a tiered structure that allows for partial bonuses at lower hour thresholds. Gunderson adopts new technologies, including AI, to help associates work efficiently. A wellness group sponsors events, and associates enjoy benefits such as a Peloton membership, a gym reimbursement, and an annual wellness stipend. The firm offers pro bono work, and pro bono hours count toward the billable requirement; however, the transactional nature of the work at Gunderson limits the opportunities. Promotion to equity partner is realistic, and moving in-house with clients is a common option for exiting associates.