Jonathan Tuttle is a member of the firm’s Litigation Department and served for several years as managing partner of the Washington, D.C. office. He has represented public companies, regulated institutions, boards of directors, audit and special committees of boards, and individual directors, officers and employees in enforcement investigations and proceedings brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Department of Justice, FINRA and the PCAOB, as well as in securities class actions, shareholder derivative suits, internal corporate investigations and a variety of other securities and finance-related litigation and regulatory matters.
Jonathan Tuttle is a member of the firm’s Litigation Department and served for several years as managing partner of the Washington, D.C. office. He has represented public companies, regulated institutions, boards of directors, audit and special committees of boards, and individual directors, officers and employees in enforcement investigations and proceedings brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Department of Justice, FINRA and the PCAOB, as well as in securities class actions, shareholder derivative suits, internal corporate investigations and a variety of other securities and finance-related litigation and regulatory matters. Recommended by The Legal 500 US (2024) for Securities Litigation, sources have said he is “simply amazing” with a “no-nonsense approach that makes him a terrific resource and assets for clients.” In Chambers USA (2026), which recognizes Mr. Tuttle as a leading lawyer in Securities Enforcement, clients describe him as “extraordinary, calm and capable,” noting that he is “tough, very measured and astute when dealing with the regulators.” Clients also say that he is “a brilliant legal tactician and really strong litigator” who “knows federal securities laws inside and out.” He has also received praise as an “incredibly well prepared, very tenacious and a very zealous advocate.” Clients say that he is a “terrific securities litigator” and a “very good technical lawyer who has in-depth knowledge of regulatory framework and is able to dive in on highly complicated matters” and that he is “flawless in his execution and attention to detail.” He is recognized by both clients and peers as a “brilliant lawyer who is wise beyond his years” and appreciated for his “incredible in-depth knowledge of the subject.” Sources say “by the time issues emerge he has already planned for them. He is very thoughtful and very responsive.” For several years, including in 2025, Securities Docket has recognized him among the “Enforcement Elite,” their list of the best and brightest securities enforcement defense lawyers in the business. Mr. Tuttle has significant experience investigating accounting issues and advising companies, boards and audit committees with respect to the many complicated issues that can arise in such investigations, including disclosure and reporting of accounting restatements, responding to whistleblower complaints and interactions with independent auditors.
Mr. Tuttle is the co-author of numerous articles, including “Settling Securities Cases with Regulators,” Reuters: Practical Law - The Journal (February, 2025); “What's Next For Accounting Enforcement After SEC's Big 2024,” Law360 (January, 2025); “SEC Enforcement Actions Fall Significantly As Crypto and Text Message Cases Predominate,” Securities Docket (November, 2024); “SEC Order Provides Warning to Fund Managers with Access to CLO-Related MNPI,” NYU PCCE (September, 2024); “SEC Charges Now Suspended Auditor BF Borgers with Massive Fraud Affecting More Than 1,500 SEC Filings,” Insights - The Corporate & Securities Law Advisor (July, 2024); “Supreme Court Punches SEC APs Right in the Seventh Amendment,” NYU PCCE (July, 2024); “Supreme Court Holds That “Pure Omissions” Are Not Actionable Under Rule 10b-5(b),” NYU PCCE (April, 2024); “Debevoise Discusses SEC Whistleblower Action Over Retail Client Agreements,” CLS Blue Sky Blog (February, 2024); “Ex-OpenSea Staffer Case May Clarify When Info Is Property,” Law360 (January, 2024); “Hackers Turned Whistleblowers: SEC Cybersecurity Rules Weaponized Over Ransom Threat,” NYU PCCE (November, 2023); “Debevoise Discusses Supreme Court Case on Whether a Private Right of Action Exists for Deficient MD&A,” CLS Blue Sky Blog (October, 2023); “Insider Trading Disclosure Update: Rulemaking Activity,” Harvard Forum on Corporate Governance (June, 2023); “SEC Adopts Share Repurchase Disclosure Rules,” NYU Compliance & Enforcement Blog (May, 2023); “Insider Trading Disclosure Update,” The Harvard Law School Forum On Corporate Governance (October, 2022); “The SEC’s New Risk Alert Warns about the Use of Alternative Data,” NYU Compliance & Enforcement Blog (May, 2022); “Debevoise & Plimpton Discusses SEC Enforcement Action Highlighting Whistleblower-Related Rules,” CLS Blue Sky Blog (April, 2022); “SEC’s Transition in Enforcement Priorities,” Harvard Corporate Governance Blog (December, 2021); “Likely Policy Priorities of the Gensler SEC,” NYU Compliance & Enforcement Blog (April, 2021); “Despite Unprecedented Challenges, SEC’s Division of Enforcement’s 2020 Annual Report Presents Healthy Enforcement Results,” NYU Compliance & Enforcement Blog (November, 2020); “SEC Brings Enforcement Action Against Investment Adviser for Section 13 Beneficial Ownership Reporting Failures,” NYU Compliance & Enforcement Blog (September, 2020); “SEC's Insider Info Case Shows Perils Of Portfolio Co. Trading,” Law360 (July, 2020); “INSIGHT: Key Accounting and Financial Reporting Risks Arising From the Covid-19 Pandemic,” Bloomberg Tax (June, 2020); “Dropped Herbalife Insider Case Leaves Questions Unanswered,” Law360 (February, 2015); “Allergan Fuels Tension Over Schedule 13D Disclosure,” Law360 (February, 2015); “Citigroup Fallout And SEC’s Strategic Resource Allocations,” Law360 (February, 2015); “Second Circuit Speaks On Source Of Duty For Insider Trading And Scope Of Disgorgement Remedy,” Financial Fraud Law Report (January, 2015); “DOJ Proposal Shows Focus on Individuals in Corporate Crime,” Law360 (September, 2014); “Inside 2nd Circ Ruling on Overseas Whistleblower,” Law360 (August, 2014); “Heads of SEC Whistleblower Office and FCPA Unit Warn against Interference with Potential Whistleblowers,” Financial Fraud Law Dept (June, 2014); “A Touch of Solace for Broker-Dealer Compliance Personnel,” Law360 (November, 2013); “Debevoise & Plimpton Discusses SEC’s Guidance on Supervisory Liability for a Broker-Dealer’s Compliance and Legal Personnel,” The Columbia Law School Blue Sky Blog (November, 2013); “Circuit Court Adopts Narrow Interpretation of Anti-Retaliation Provision of Dodd-Frank Whistleblower Rules,” Financial Fraud Law Report (October, 2013); “The Vilar Decision: Second Circuit Curtails the Territorial Reach of Criminal Liability under Section 10(b),” Wall Street Lawyer (October, 2013); “A Good Way to Level the Playing Field in SEC Civil Actions,” Law360 (January, 2013); “Dodd-Frank Whistleblower Provision And Court's Broad Interpretation,” The Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance and Financial Regulation (October, 2012); “Court Finds No Duty To Disclose Wells Notices,” Insights: The Corporate & Securities Law Advisor (September, 2012); “Second Circuit Signals Support for the SEC’s Use of ‘Neither Admit Nor Deny’ Language in Consent Settlements,” Financial Fraud Law Report (September, 2012); “Duty To Disclose SEC Wells Notices Rejected By Judge,” The Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance and Financial Regulation (July, 2012); “Dodd-Frank Whistleblower Issues In Leshinsky And Asadi,” Law360 (July, 2012); “SEC ‘Obey-the-Law’ Injunctions Held Invalid,” The Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance and Financial Regulation (July, 2012); “The Eleventh Circuit Casts Doubts On ‘Obey The Law’ Injunctions,” Insights (July, 2012); and “SEC ‘Obey-The-Law’ Injunctions Held Invalid,” FCPA Professor blog (June, 2012).
Mr. Tuttle was an associate in the Washington, D.C. office of a leading U.S. law firm from 1992 to 1995, where he represented primarily broker-dealers, registered persons and other individuals in SEC, National Association of Securities Dealers and New York Stock Exchange enforcement inquiries, securities customer arbitrations and civil litigation. Mr. Tuttle joined Debevoise in 1995. He received his B.A., with honors, from the College of William & Mary in Virginia in 1989. He received his J.D. cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1992. Mr. Tuttle is admitted to practice in Washington, D.C., Virginia and the United States District Courts for the District of Columbia and the Eastern District of Virginia.