Ruti Smithline

Partner, Morrison & Foerster LLP

Ruti Smithline is a partner in the securities litigation, enforcement and whitecollar criminal defence group. Her practice focuses on complex litigation, with an emphasis on white-collar criminal defence, SEC enforcement, securities litigation and corporate internal investigations.

Ruti is a member of Morrison & Foerster’s FCPA and anti-corruption task force, as well as the co-chair of the firm’s investigations and white-collar defence practice and Latin America desk. She regularly advises clients on cross-border investigations, global compliance programmes and anti-corruption due diligence for acquisitions, joint ventures and private equity transactions. Ruti has represented individual and corporate defendants in cross-border criminal investigations, SEC enforcement matters and other regulatory proceedings, including matters related to trade sanctions and anti-money laundering. She has experience conducting corporate internal investigations both domestically and internationally, often advising clients on remedial measures responsive to the issues investigated.

Ruti was born and raised in Colombia and is fluent in Spanish. She has conducted investigations, seminars and anti-corruption training in Spanish throughout Central and South America.

Ruti is regularly recognised by leading industry publications such as Chambers & Partners in their Latin America guide for corporate crime and investigations – international counsel and in their US guide for nationwide FCPA. Additionally, Global Investigations Review named Ruti in its prestigious list of top 2018 women in investigations and she was also selected by LatinVex as one of ‘Latin America’s Top 100 Lawyers: FCPA & Fraud’ for 2021.