Ropes & Gray’s IPO Resource Center
IPO Guides

Initial Public Offerings: Desktop Guide
An initial public offering is a transformative milestone for any company. This guide reviews the IPO process, including key participants and timeline, as well as all the factors your company should take into consideration when going public, including evaluating IPO readiness, structural considerations, the registration statement, and additional key documentation.

Communications During an IPO
Under the securities laws, strict rules apply to a company’s public statements made during the IPO process. This guide summarizes best practices for communications during three key time periods: (1) pre-filing, (2) the so-called “waiting period” after the initial filing, and (3) the post-effective period after the offering commences.

Financial Statements & Non-GAAP Measures
This guide reviews the general financial statement requirements and best practices for disclosure of Non-GAAP financial measures.

Obligations as a Public Company
This guide reviews the periodic reports a public company must file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, consisting, for domestic issuers, of annual reports on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, as well as current reports on Form 8-K. Foreign private issuers file annual reports on Form 20-F and current reports on Form 6-K.
Additional Resources

Sample Directors’ and Officers’ (D&O) Questionnaire
This is an illustrative example of a questionnaire that current and prospective directors, executive officers and key employees will be asked to complete in order to obtain the information needed to prepare required disclosures in the Registration Statement and ensure compliance with applicable SEC and stock exchange rules and regulations.

Sample Due Diligence Request (General)

Sample Due Diligence Request (Life Sciences-Focused)
This an illustrative example of a due diligence request that a life sciences-focused company will be asked to respond to during the due diligence exercise.

Sample IPO Checklist
This is an illustrative example of key workstreams to be completed between the initiation of an IPO process and the closing of the transaction.

IPO Execution Considerations
This resource sets out the timeline and key milestones in an IPO process, which collectively take anywhere from approximately four to sixth months from organizational meeting to the closing of the IPO.
Our team consists of more than 50 attorneys across our offices who regularly represent clients on capital market transactions.
