In this latest round, Gunderson cut six of the 21 first-year associates who started work at the firm in the fall. All of them were from the firm’s main office in Menlo Park. In Austin, the firm laid off two mid-level associates. The cuts represent about 9 percent of the firm’s 90 associates.

The move makes Gunderson the second firm this month to trim its ranks of associates. Two weeks ago, Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison laid off 35 associates and 24 staff in its third round of employee cuts.