IPO Readiness and Public Company Requirements for Private Company Directors

Jenna B. Cooper is the Global Vice Chair of Latham’s Public Company Representation Practice, where she specializes in advising clients on corporate governance, securities, and public reporting matters. She expertly guides clients through various stages of the public company lifecycle, from preparing to go public to advising newly public and mature companies on governance, disclosure, and compliance obligations. Jenna also provides strategic advice on board counseling, investor communications, and addressing industry priorities.

Jenna's extensive experience includes supporting clients in establishing robust governance structures and policies, fostering independent and diverse boards, and navigating securities law issues like insider trading, analyst communications and disclosure controls and procedures. Her client base includes US and international companies across technology, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, retail, and media sectors, as well as fortune 500 companies.

Jenna earned her BA from Northwestern, Master’s in Education from Bank Street College, and J.D. from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.

Sonya Olds Som serves as Global Managing Partner leading the Legal, Risk, and Compliance executive search practice group at DSG Global (Diversified Search Group), a full-service, Forbes-top-ten-ranked, executive and board search, consulting and convening firm. Her clients run the gamut from global Fortune 50 corporations, to small, emerging companies, to non-profit organizations and higher education institutions, seeking senior executives and board directors for mission critical positions. Drawing from more than 15 years’ experience in executive search, she is often called upon to advise CEOs and boards on issues including leadership, succession planning, and talent acquisition and integration. In addition to regularly writing for and being interviewed by the media, Sonya has developed and led many key initiatives and events nationwide focused on advancing leadership objectives. She has advised many organizations on how talent assessment, retention, and integration are critical aspects of what executives and board directors should consider before taking a company public to ensure that the company has the right executive team and skill sets in place to successfully transition to public company status.

Sonya earned her bachelor’s degree with honors in English at Kalamazoo College and her Juris Doctor degree from Cornell Law School. Prior to embarking upon her career in executive search, Sonya practiced labor & employment and business immigration law for more than a decade, and this background enhances the value she brings to advancing talent management strategies. While her clientele is global, Sonya is based in Chicago where she serves on the board of directors of several nonprofit organizations, including the American Writers Museum and Girls Inc. of Chicago.