Gunderson Dettmer

Gunderson Dettmer is a law firm that acts for start-ups, emerging companies and the venture capital and growth equity funds that back them. It opened its Silicon Valley office in 1995 with six partners.

Its Northern California team now numbers over 300 people, including more than 175 attorneys across Silicon Valley and San Francisco. The firm says it is outside general counsel to more than 1,200 private and public companies, and PitchBook has ranked it first among venture law firms worldwide.

What Gunderson Dettmer offers

• Company formation and financing: advice for founders on early rounds, growth rounds and governance.
• Fund formation: legal work for venture capital and growth equity firms setting up funds.
• Mergers and acquisitions: buying and selling companies and strategic transactions.
• Public company support: securities regulation, disclosure and corporate governance.
• Life sciences work: financing, licensing and partnering for medical device, diagnostics and health IT clients.

Customers and markets

Founders, emerging companies, public companies and investment funds in software, fintech, web3, media, biotechnology and digital health.

Key facts

• Based in: Silicon Valley and San Francisco, California, with other offices
• Office opened: 1995