Jonathan Putnam is a nationally renowned trial lawyer and avid amateur Lincoln scholar. He has a degree in history from Harvard College and a law degree from Harvard Law School, from which he graduated first in his class. For many years he was a trial lawyer and partner at one of the largest and most prestigious law firms in the country. The American Lawyer magazine profiled him as one of the top young trial lawyers in America.

Mr. Putnam has been active in a number of charitable causes relating to children and access to higher education for less fortunate kids. He is also the much-criticized commissioner of his family's fantasy football league and a back-of-the-pack marathon runner, having completed marathons in New York, Chicago, London, Paris and Las Vegas. He and his wife, Christin Putnam, have three sons. They live in London and New York.