Navigating the Government Shutdown: SEC Operations and Your Offering (Live Updates)
The First Shutdown IPO! In a first for modern markets, an operating company has successfully priced an initial public offering (IPO) during a government shutdown. On October 27, MapLight Therapeutics began trading on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol MPLT, following the automatic effectiveness of its registration statement on October 25, […]
What a Government Shutdown Means for Your IPO
By Liz Dunshee My colleague Broc Romanek – who, as a former staffer, is familiar with the Securities and Exchange Commission’s inner workings – blogged late last week on The Governance Beat about how the government shutdown could affect the SEC and public companies. Since a shutdown can delay capital-raising […]
CapitalXchange Audio – Strategic Reincorporations With Courtney Tygesson
By Liz Dunshee In our new series of CapitalXchange audio interviews, we share up-to-date insights from Cooley folks who are advising on emerging issues. In this episode, Cooley partner Courtney Tygesson and I dive into what’s happening with Delaware, Nevada, and Texas. Courtney covers: Show notes: The views expressed during […]
Nasdaq Revisits Listing Requirements (Again): Proposing Stricter Criteria for New and Continued Listings
By Liz Dunshee As I mentioned in Part 1 of this blog, recent proposals and commentary from Nasdaq show that the exchange is focused on encouraging capital formation. That post addressed Nasdaq’s efforts to modernize market infrastructure and make it easier to be a public company. This post discusses proposals […]
Nasdaq Revisits Listing Requirements (Again): Proposing Simpler Paths to Going and Staying Public
By Liz Dunshee A series of recent Nasdaq proposals make it more important than ever for smaller companies to closely monitor compliance. At the same time, they show that Nasdaq wants to send a market signal about the quality of its listed companies and encourage capital formation. The recent updates […]
Governance on the IPO Path: Nine Tips for Late-Stage Private Companies
By Liz Dunshee In today’s market, an initial public offering (IPO) can be an attractive liquidity option – but you have to be ready to price when the moment is right. While the business and management story, financial reporting and disclosure controls are all very important parts of the IPO […]
Crypto’s Next Stage: Practical Paths to Accessing Public Markets
By Liz Dunshee Cryptocurrency companies are facing opportunities in the US public markets like never before. In the midst of the current market demand, the president’s Working Group on Digital Asset Markets has directed a multiagency approach to creating a workable regulatory framework for the industry. As part of that, […]
The Joy of the Berkeley Fall Forum on Corporate Governance (for the ‘Capital Raising’ Crowd)
By Liz Dunshee Over on “The Governance Beat” blog – where Broc Romanek is sharing updates for public companies on a near-daily basis – he recently spotlighted the joy of the upcoming Berkeley Fall Forum on Corporate Governance, happening October 28 and 29 in San Francisco and virtually. I’ve had […]
The Incorporation Debate: What You Need to Know Now
By Liz Dunshee For decades, Delaware has been the default choice for incorporation – either at formation or in anticipation of an initial public offering (IPO). As we noted in this June 2025 CapitalXchange article, recent developments have made the decision more complex. Today’s blog recaps why the incorporation decision […]
New Voice on CapitalXchange: Hi, I’m Liz Dunshee
By Liz Dunshee Hi there. It’s official! A new voice is in the mix on CapitalXchange. I’m a newbie to Team Cooley, but not a newbie to the capital markets and corporate governance scene. Some of you might know me from TheCorporateCounsel.net, where I’ve been blogging and wearing various other […]