Kayla advises clients on governance, transactional, and compliance matters with a focus on higher education, private equity, and nonprofit organizations.
Kayla helps institutions, investors, and mission-driven entities navigate complex corporate structures, strategic transactions, and regulatory obligations. Her work includes advising on mergers and acquisitions, governance frameworks, private investments, and nonprofit structuring, as well as drafting key organizational documents like operating agreements, bylaws, shareholder agreements, and transaction documents.
Kayla has a particular depth of experience in the higher education sector, where she counsels clients on transactions and governance matters shaped by regulatory and accreditation frameworks, including FERPA, Title IX, and regional accrediting standards.
She enjoys collaborating with her colleagues at Thompson Coburn to deliver practical, business-oriented solutions for her clients. She also engages in the firm’s African American affinity group. Additionally, Kayla serves on the Institutional Engagement and Excellence Council at Governors State University and is a member of the NextGen Leadership Council for the Chicago Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights.
- Included in “Illinois Super Lawyers” Rising Stars list, 2024-2025 (by Thomson Reuters)
- Presenter, “Steering the Ship: Controlled Nonprofits, Nonprofit Affiliates, & Other Alternatives”
National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA) (June 2025)