Jana Kovich advises life sciences and technology startups and venture capital investors on a full range of transactional and operational matters across the company lifecycle.

Market-savvy and technically skilled, Jana leverages trusted relationships and creative pragmatism to guide emerging and growth companies on:

  • Company formation and structuring
  • Corporate governance and investor relations
  • Venture capital raising, from seed stage through late-growth equity
  • Day-to-day corporate advice
  • Mergers and acquisitions
  • Exit strategy and initial public offerings
  • US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) reporting and compliance

She partners with founders, management, and investors to develop a sophisticated understanding of their long-term business objectives. Jana distills complex legal concepts into actionable commercial advice across high-growth sectors, helping clients flourish at all stages of the venture lifecycle. Her work encompasses dozens of venture capital, growth equity, and exit transactions every year, across a wide range of geographies.

A recognized thought leader, Jana lectures on a variety of topics related to venture capital issues, including at Duke University School of Law and Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law. 

Jana actively contributes to Latham’s recruiting, mentoring, diversity, and training and development programs, and is a former leader of the Chicago Women’s Lawyers Group. She is an auxiliary board member of the Center for Conflict Resolution Chicago, a not-for-profit helping individuals, communities, courts, and other institutions resolve conflict through mediation.

She maintains an active pro bono practice, including general corporate governance work on behalf of A Better Chicago, a venture philanthropy that invests in the nonprofits helping Chicago children escape poverty.

Jana's experience includes advising:

Venture Capital Financings

  • Baxter Healthcare on various investments
  • DNS Capital on various lead investments
  • Dragoneer on its lead US$355 million investment in ManoMano 
  • Drive Capital on various lead investments
  • TPG on its lead investment in Monogram Health
  • Finite State on multiple venture capital financings
  • GreatPoint Ventures on various lead investments, including in Even Financial, Extend, Recogni, and Truvian
  • Homie Technology on multiple venture capital financings
  • Lightspeed Venture Partners on its lead investment in Calm
  • Meritech Partners on various lead investments, including in Flock Security
  • Rivian Automotive on multiple venture capital financings
  • Root Insurance on its Series E financing
  • Sequoia Capital on its lead US$85 million Series F investment in 23andMe 
  • Softbank on its lead investment in ShipBob

Mergers and Acquisitions

  • Cradlepoint, a wireless networking products and docking solutions provider, on its US$1.1 billion sale to Ericsson
  • Headspace, a meditation and wellness app, on its combination with Ginger, a virtual healthcare platform
  • Keybase, a secure messaging and file-sharing service provider, on its sale to Zoom Video Communications
  • M*Modal, a provider of clinical documentation solutions and clinical transcription service, on the US$1 billion sale of its technology business to 3M

General Corporate Advice

  • Archean Biologics
  • Heavy.AI
  • Kandji
  • Mantium.AI
  • PatientIQ
  • Tegus
  • Unlearn.ai
  • VillageMD
  • ZenBusiness

Bar Qualification

  • Illinois

Education

  • JD, Duke University School of Law, 2015
    cum laude
  • LL.M. (International and Comparative Law), Duke University School of Law, 2015
    cum laude
  • BS in Public Affairs, Indiana University, 2012
    with honors in Business and with high distinction