King & Spalding announced today that Mike Plotnick has joined the firm’s Special Matters and Government Investigations practice group as a partner in the Washington, D.C. office. Plotnick most recently served as Chief Trial Counsel in the Division of Enforcement and Investigations at the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), the primary regulator of public company audit firms along with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). His experience enhances the firm’s award-winning SEC and Professional Services Liability Defense practice.
At the PCAOB, Plotnick supervised all division litigation from commencement of disciplinary proceeding through final board resolution and oversaw complex investigations related to potential violations of professional standards by auditors of public companies and broker-dealers.
“As the most experienced PCAOB enforcement litigator in the country on either side, Mike has extensive knowledge of accounting firms, the practice of auditing, and the hearing rules and investigative practices of the PCAOB,” said Mark Jensen, co-leader of the firm’s Special Matters and Government Investigations practice group and managing partner of the Washington, D.C. office. “Mike is also highly regarded by longtime staff professionals at the PCAOB and SEC and offers world-class capabilities for our clients facing accounting and financial disclosure issues.”
Plotnick served the PCAOB for 17 years prior to joining King & Spalding. Prior to that, he worked in private practice at WilmerHale. He earned his J.D. from The George Washington University School of Law and his undergraduate degree from Tufts University.
“Being able to collaborate with highly skilled auditor liability and SEC enforcement lawyers on King & Spalding’s elite platform is really exciting to me,” said Plotnick. “I’m looking forward to working with clients and contributing to the growth of the firm’s professional liability defense and SEC enforcement practices.”