Focus Areas
Examples of Layla’s experience include:
Emerging Companies & Venture Capital
- Represented startups in initial corporate or limited liability company formation and exchange/conversion into a Delaware corporation
- Represented $125 million venture capital fund client in portfolio company convertible debt and early to late stage equity investments and IPO and M&A exits
- Represented $500 million venture capital fund client in portfolio company convertible debt and early to late stage equity investments, typically as lead investor
- Represented $70 million venture capital fund client in portfolio company SAFE, convertible debt and early stage equity investments
- Represented a venture capital fund as lead investor in its investment in a consumer products company
- Represented technology enabled specialty clothing company in its Series Seed financing
- Represented health and beauty products company in its convertible debt and Series A financings led by a corporate venture capital investor
- Represented a social networking platform in its SAFE financing
- Represented a technology client in its convertible note financing
- Represented a cannabis client in its convertible note financing
- Represented a strategic investor in its Series B investment in an AI software company
Fund Formation
- Represented a $65 million venture capital fund in its final fund closing
- Represented a $50 million fund in the formation of second venture capital fund
- Represented a leading Midwest venture capital fund in the formation of its second venture capital fund
- Represented a debt fund in its formation of a bridge financing fund
Mergers and Acquisitions
- Represented a public company buyer in its $11 million asset acquisition of a commercial real estate company
- Represented a chain of over 25 pharmacies in its $25 million sale to a strategic buyer
- Represented medical equipment manufacturer in its $17 million sale to a private equity buyer
- Represented operating company in its acquisition of pizza manufacturer and retailer
- Represented a specialty cooling client in its $35 million bid to sell the company
- Represented a private equity buyer in its $300 million add-on acquisition of a specialty battery manufacturer
- Represented a public company buyer in its $600 million stock purchase of an electrical parts manufacturer
- Represented a franchisee in its sale of a specialty fitness franchise
- Represented a distributor of manufacturing equipment and products in the $7.4 million sale of a portion of its assets to its primary supplier
- Represented a document storage company in the sale of its electronic document storage business to a strategic buyer
- Represented a specialty financing company in its $60 million sale of the business to a private equity buyer
- Represented a private equity fund in the acquisition of a specialty supply company
- Represented a regional health insurance provider in its $22 million sale to a strategic buyer
Outside General Counsel
- Served as outside general counsel to and drafted, reviewed and negotiated commercial contracts for companies in various industries
Commercial Lending & Specialty Finance
- Represented commercial lenders in initiating and extending asset-based loans to finance working capital and transactions and refinance existing debt. Loan values ranged from approximately $5 million to $25 million
- Represented a specialty financing company in capital lease financing transactions
- “The Gray Matter Experience Welcomes Layla Dotson Lumpkin,” Thompson Hine New Ventures Update, July 2022
- “Startup Building Blocks: Allocating Equity, Thompson Hine New Ventures Update, April 2022
- “Serving Underserved Populations and Markets Proves Key to Maximizing SSBCI Capital,” Thompson Hine New Ventures Update, March 2022
- “Immense Deal and Transactional Volume,” Thompson Hine New Ventures Update, January 2022
- “Crowdfunding Continues Changing the ‘Rules’ of Venture Capital,” Thompson Hine New Ventures Update, November 2021
- “Crowdfunding the Venture Capital Firm: How the SEC’s Expansion of Equity Crowdfunding Could Redefine Venture Capital Fundraising,” ABA Preferred Returns Newsletter, Fall 2021
- Presenter, “Legal Session: What Every Founder Should Know,” Zane Access Capital Readiness Program, October 2022
- Presenter, Emerging Fund Manager Legal Presentation, Catalyze, August 2022
- Panelist, “The State of Middle Market M&A,” The Chicago Bar Association Learning Catalog webcast, May 2022
- Panelist, “Female Founders: The Blueprint,” Rice Business Women In Leadership Conference 2022, February 2022
- Panelist, “Resolving Conflicts of Interest in Private Equity and Venture Capital Transactions: When They Arise and What to Do,” ABA’s Business Law Section Annual Meeting, September 2021
- Presenter, “Technology, Protection vs. Collaboration (Protecting What You Are Building),” iTEC Conference Houston, November 2018
- Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD), Fellow, 2022
- Illinois Emerging Lawyer in Closely & Privately Held Business, Mergers & Acquisitions, and Securities & Venture Finance Law, Law Bulletin Media Leading Lawyers, 2020, 2021, 2022
- Named to The National Black Lawyers Top 40 Under 40, 2018
Professional Associations
- American Bar Association
- Texas State Bar Association
- American Bar Association, Business Law Section, Private Equity & Venture Capital Committee, Preferred Returns co-editor
- Women’s Association of Venture & Equity (WAVE)
Community Activities
- Women of Color Retail Alliance, board member
- University of Houston Law Center, Adjunct Professor; created and taught Entrepreneurship Law and Venture Capital Finance, Spring 2022
- Thrive Investment Group, Houston, VP and Investment Committee member
- Impact100 Houston, member
- Gray Matter, board member
- The Junior League of Houston, Inc.
Education
- Northwestern University School of Law, J.D., 2011,
articles editor, Journal of Law and Social Policy
- Florida A&M University, B.S., 2006, magna cum laude
Bar Admissions
- Illinois
- Texas
- New Ventures Update – October 2023, October 24, 2023
- New Ventures Update – September 2023, September 27, 2023
- New Ventures Update – August 2023, August 29, 2023
- New Ventures Update – June 2023, June 27, 2023
- New Ventures Update – April 2023, April 25, 2023
- New Ventures Team Update – March 2023, March 28, 2023
- New Ventures Team Continues to Grow,
New Ventures Update
, January 31, 2023 - Congratulations to Jasmin Hurley,
New Ventures Update
, December 13, 2022 - Catch Up on the Latest from Our New Ventures Team,
New Ventures Update
, October 27, 2022 - New Ventures Team Sees More Growth,
New Ventures Update
, September 27, 2022