Vishnu Tirumala

VISHNU TIRUMALA focuses his practice on regulatory investigations and litigation, with a particular focus on privacy, cybersecurity, and financial services. Vishnu regularly assists with government investigations and enforcement actions, internal investigations, data breach response, and commercial litigation.

Vishnu advises clients on the full lifecycle of regulatory investigations, from setting up a framework, conducting interviews, and overseeing document review, to preparing detailed reports and presentations for the client’s board of directors or government regulators. He also assists clients in preparing for and responding to complex data breaches, including advising businesses on their legal obligations under U.S. law, and engaging and managing forensic service providers.

Vishnu has significant experience in a wide array of industries, with particular focus on technology and financial services.

While attending law school, Vishnu was a law clerk for the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee and a research assistant for Professor Ganesh Sitaraman. Prior to joining Sidley, Vishnu interned for a major U.S. financial services corporation and an international law firm.

Some of Vishnu’s recent matters include:

• Representing companies in enforcement actions and investigative demands brought by federal regulators, including the Federal Trade Commission, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the U.S. Department of Justice.
• Defended a major financial institution in regulatory inquiry by the New York Department of Financial Services in connection with their review of compliance with the DFS Cybersecurity Regulations in the wake of a data security incident.
• Advising a public company in an internal investigation regarding misconduct by company executives.
• Advising companies on cybersecurity incidents, including credential stuffing attacks, business email compromises, ransomware, and supply chain attacks.
• Advising a technology company working with the U.S. government regarding state-sponsored cyber activity targeting private companies.

Vishnu is a member of the Board of Directors for the South Asian Bar Association of Washington, D.C. He has volunteered as a lawyer mentor with the Annual Mock Court Program administered by the Historical Society of the D.C. Circuit.

Vishnu maintains an active pro bono practice covering civil rights, immigration, and non-profit administration. He recently participated in a proceeding in D.C. Superior Court regarding immigration status.