Overview

Gunderson Dettmer has more than 400 lawyers singularly focused on the global venture capital and emerging companies ecosystem, across 11 offices in key markets throughout the world: Silicon Valley, Ann Arbor, Austin, Boston, Los Angeles, New York, San Diego, San Francisco, Sao Paulo, Beijing, and Singapore. The firm represents more than 2,500 venture-backed companies and over 450 of the world’s top venture capital and growth equity firms, including thousands of their underlying funds. For venture-backed companies, the firm provides guidance at every stage in their lifecycle, from launch through IPO and beyond, becoming extensions of their management teams as they prepare for their next stage of growth. For funds, the firm routinely negotiates close to one-third of every venture capital dollar raised worldwide and is the recognized global leader in the representation of venture capital and other growth equity funds in their investment activities, negotiating more than 1,000 venture and growth financings every year.

The Firm is a recognized international leader in the representation of venture capital and private equity investment funds. With extensive experience in North America, China, the EU and Latin America, our attorneys provide general counsel, fund formation and investor representation services to hundreds of the world’s leading venture capital and private equity firms. We are consistently ranked the most active fund formation and transactional firm in the country and the firm and our partners individually routinely earn highest industry rankings from Chambers & Partners, Legal 500, Best Lawyers and others. Gunderson Dettmer has been ranked as the most active law firm for venture capital financings globally by PitchBook every year of its League Tables – 2014 – 2021. With more than 2000 venture and growth equity deals to our credit in 2021, we were again ranked “most active law firm globally” in PitchBook’s Global League Tables. This reinforces previous recognition and rankings in numerous industry reports.

We combine our deep market knowledge and strong industry relationships with a unique practice experience to provide practical, business-oriented counsel designed for the needs of the emerging-growth company marketplace. For more information about the Firm, please visit www.gunder.com or contact one of our office leaders.

Founded:
1995
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Practice Areas:
6
Person outline with Best Lawyers logo
Best Lawyers Recognized:
16

Rankings

National

Tier
1
National Ranking
Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Tier
1
National Ranking
Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law
Tier
1
National Ranking
Venture Capital Law
Tier
2
National Ranking
Corporate Law
Tier
2
National Ranking
Private Funds / Hedge Funds Law
Tier
2
National Ranking
Securities / Capital Markets Law

Regional

Austin

Tier
1
Austin
Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Boston

Tier
1
Boston
Corporate Law
Tier
1
Boston
Venture Capital Law
Tier
2
Boston
Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Tier
2
Boston
Employment Law - Management
Tier
2
Boston
Litigation - Labor and Employment

Select Clients

Accel Capital Andreessen Horowitz Bit.ly Catho Online Etsy Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers Palantir Technologies PopSugar Qlik Technologies (Nasdaq: QLIK) Synchronoss Technologies (Nasdaq: SNCR) Theravance, Inc. (Nasdaq: THRX) Tiger Global Vanda Pahrmaceuticals (Nasdaq: VNDA) Veeva Systems Warby Parker

Rankings

National

Tier
1
National Ranking
Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Tier
1
National Ranking
Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law
Tier
1
National Ranking
Venture Capital Law
Tier
2
National Ranking
Corporate Law
Tier
2
National Ranking
Private Funds / Hedge Funds Law
Tier
2
National Ranking
Securities / Capital Markets Law
Tier
2
National Ranking
Technology Law
Tier
3
National Ranking
Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Regional

Austin

Tier
1
Austin
Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Boston

Tier
1
Boston
Corporate Law
Tier
1
Boston
Venture Capital Law
Tier
2
Boston
Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Tier
2
Boston
Employment Law - Management
Tier
2
Boston
Litigation - Labor and Employment
Tier
2
Boston
Private Funds / Hedge Funds Law
Tier
3
Boston
Commercial Litigation
Tier
3
Boston
Employment Law - Individuals

San Diego

Tier
1
San Diego
Corporate Governance Law
Tier
1
San Diego
Venture Capital Law
Tier
2
San Diego
Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law

San Francisco

Tier
1
San Francisco
Corporate Law
Tier
1
San Francisco
Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Tier
1
San Francisco
Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law
Tier
1
San Francisco
Securities / Capital Markets Law
Tier
1
San Francisco
Venture Capital Law
Tier
2
San Francisco
Technology Law

Practice Areas

Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian LLP has been ranked by Best Law Firms for excellence in 13 specialties, reflecting the firm's commitment to delivering outstanding legal services.
Additionally, the firm provides services in these practice areas:
  • Corporate Law
  • Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
  • Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law
  • Securities / Capital Markets Law
  • Technology Law
  • Venture Capital Law

Individuals Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America®

Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian LLP proudly has 16 lawyers recognized for their outstanding professional performance in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®. This peer-reviewed honor highlights individual excellence and directly qualifies the firm for consideration in the prestigious Best Law Firms rankings. For over four decades, Best Lawyers has been the gold standard for recognizing top legal talent, serving as the cornerstone for Best Law Firms awards. Learn more about our rigorous Best Lawyers research and selection process.
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Client Comments

A strong relationship between a client and their law firm is key to achieving the best possible outcomes. Open communication, trust, and collaboration ensure that attorneys understand each client’s unique goals and needs. Choosing the right firm means finding a team with the experience, knowledge, and dedication to guide you through every stage of the legal process.
Client comments reflect personal opinions and individual experiences. Every case is different, and outcomes depend on specific facts and circumstances. Past results and testimonials do not guarantee similar outcomes in future matters. For personalized legal advice, consult directly with an experienced attorney who can evaluate your specific situation and provide tailored guidance.
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Awards

Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian LLP is honored to be recognized for excellence by Best Law Firms and other leading legal industry organizations. Our rankings and awards reflect the dedication, skill, and results our attorneys deliver across a wide range of practice areas. In addition to our Best Law Firms awards, Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian LLP has earned accolades from respected national and regional publications for outstanding legal service and professional achievement. Explore our awards below to learn more about how Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian LLP continues to set the standard for quality legal representation.
ACQ Law Firm of the Year
#1 in Private Equity Analyst's Most Active Law Firms in Venture Capital
Best Lawyers
Chambers: Investment Funds: VC: Band One (Nationwide)
Chambers: IT & Outsourcing: Band One (California)
Chambers: Corporate/VC: Band One (California)
2014 VC/PE Foreign Fund Raising Legal Advisor of the Year, Zero 2 IPO
2014 VC/PE Foreign Fund Investment Legal Advisor of the Year, Zero 2 IPO
Chambers: Investment Funds: VC: Band One (Nationwide)
Chambers: Corporate/M&A: VC: Band One (California)
2014-2021 Most Active VC Law Firms Global (PitchBook)

Offices & Contacts

Redwood City, CA
Atlanta, GA
3343 Peachtree Road NE
Suite 1800
Atlanta, GA 30326
United States
Ann Arbor, MI
Austin, TX
Boston, MA
One Marina Park Drive, Suite 900
Boston, MA 02210
United States
New York, NY
San Diego, CA
3570 Carmel Mountain Road, Suite 200
San Diego, CA 92130
United States
San Francisco, CA
Los Angeles, CA
12105 W Waterfront Drive, Suite 425
Los Angeles, CA 90094
United States
São Paulo, BR
Rua Irmã Gabriela, 51 Brooklin Novo
Cidade Monções
São Paulo 04571-130
Brazil
Beijing, CN
Suite 2101, Building C, Yintai Center
#2 Jianguomenwai Avenue, Chaoyang District
Beijing 100022
China: Global Firms
Singapore, SG
Beijing Office Leader
New York Office Leader
San Diego Office Leader
Silicon Valley Office Leader
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