Sean Coffey
Encyclopedia
John P. Coffey is a retired Navy Captain and former federal prosecutor. A former Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York, Bloomberg Markets dubbed Coffey "Wall Street's New Nemesis," after he led the lawsuit against WorldCom on behalf of the New York State Common Retirement Fund. In the WorldCom case, Coffey and his team not only recovered over $6 billion from Wall Street banks but forced the responsible parties to pay millions of dollars from their own pockets. In late 2009, Coffey retired from his partnership at Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossmann to seek the Democratic nomination for New York State Attorney General
.
and Nassau County, New York
. His father John, from County Kerry
, was a union carpenter and his mother Mary, from Courtmacsherry
, County Cork
, was a homemaker. Coffey graduated from Long Island’s Chaminade High School
in 1974 and won an appointment to the United States Naval Academy
, taking the oath of office as a midshipman at age 17. Graduating from Annapolis with merit and an ocean engineering degree in 1978, Coffey selected flight training and was named Honor Graduate of his Naval Flight Officer class. On active duty during the Cold War, Coffey flew as a P-3C Orion mission commander tracking Soviet nuclear submarines.
After his initial squadron tour, Coffey was selected for shore assignments in Washington, D.C., as an action officer in the Strategy Division of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
and the personal military assistant to then-Vice President George H.W. Bush. While stationed in Washington, Coffey attended Georgetown University Law Center
at night, winning several academic awards (including best grades by a first-year evening student), serving as the sole evening-division editor of the Georgetown Law Journal and graduating magna cum laude in 1987.
. The Coffeys and their three children live in Westchester County, New York
.
and Vice President of the United States Naval Academy
Class of 1978. He served for several years as a director and campaign co-chair of The Community Fund of Bronxville, Eastchester, Tuckahoe, Inc., and was previously an Adjunct Professor of Law at Fordham University. Coffey is a fan of the Yankees and Navy football.
where, as counsel and then partner, he defended Fortune 500 companies in many complex civil, regulatory, and criminal matters.
In 2002, as a result of the Baptist Foundation of Arizona
's collapse, the largest non-profit bankruptcy in U.S. history, Coffey led a team in trial against auditing firm Arthur Andersen
. Acting on behalf of victimized retired Baptist investors, Coffey and his team recovered a $217 million settlement, one of the largest amounts ever paid by an accounting firm.
for his service as skipper from 1996 - 1998. Coffey was promoted to Captain and selected to command the reserve component of the Enterprise carrier battle group staff. He then was assigned as an IMA
(Individual Mobilization Augmentee) for the Secretary of Defense in the Pentagon, concentrating on issues relating to the stresses imposed on reservists by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Coffey retired from the Navy in 2004 after thirty years of service. His other military decorations include the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, and the Navy Pistol Expert Medal.
. Although he had never before run for political office, Coffey reported that he had raised over $1.65 million in the first two months of his campaign. The Wall Street Journal cited Coffey as one of the top three contenders for the position. Most of the money Coffey raised was not from Wall Street donors, but instead from fellow lawyers.
As part of his campaign Coffey visited both Central and Western New York, meeting with prominent Democrats. In an interview with the Watertown Daily Times, Coffey stated that becoming Attorney General would be the capstone to his career. His campaign goals included minimizing political corruption and finding a way to advocate for veterans.
The primary for Attorney General was held on September 14, 2010, and the winner was Eric Schneiderman
.
Coffey's other competitors included Richard Brodsky
, Eric R. Dinallo
, and Kathleen Rice
.
New York State Attorney General
The New York State Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the State of New York. The office has been in existence in some form since 1626, under the Dutch colonial government of New York.The current Attorney General is Eric Schneiderman...
.
Personal Background
Born in 1956 to Irish immigrant parents, Coffey is the oldest of seven children raised in the Bronx, BuffaloBuffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
and Nassau County, New York
Nassau County, New York
Nassau County is a suburban county on Long Island, east of New York City in the U.S. state of New York, within the New York Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,339,532...
. His father John, from County Kerry
County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
, was a union carpenter and his mother Mary, from Courtmacsherry
Courtmacsherry
Courtmacsherry is a picturesque seaside village in County Cork, Province of Munster, Ireland, on the southwest coast. It is about 30 miles southwest of Cork, and 30 minutes drive east from the town of Clonakilty. The village consists of a single long street on the south shore of Courtmacsherry...
, County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
, was a homemaker. Coffey graduated from Long Island’s Chaminade High School
Chaminade High School
Chaminade High School is a Roman Catholic college preparatory high school for young men. Located in Mineola, New York, the school was founded in 1930 by the Society of Mary , an international Roman Catholic teaching order of priests and religious Brothers. The school is named for Father William...
in 1974 and won an appointment to the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
, taking the oath of office as a midshipman at age 17. Graduating from Annapolis with merit and an ocean engineering degree in 1978, Coffey selected flight training and was named Honor Graduate of his Naval Flight Officer class. On active duty during the Cold War, Coffey flew as a P-3C Orion mission commander tracking Soviet nuclear submarines.
After his initial squadron tour, Coffey was selected for shore assignments in Washington, D.C., as an action officer in the Strategy Division of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Joint Chiefs of Staff is a body of senior uniformed leaders in the United States Department of Defense who advise the Secretary of Defense, the Homeland Security Council, the National Security Council and the President on military matters...
and the personal military assistant to then-Vice President George H.W. Bush. While stationed in Washington, Coffey attended Georgetown University Law Center
Georgetown University Law Center
Georgetown University Law Center is the law school of Georgetown University, located in Washington, D.C.. Established in 1870, the Law Center offers J.D., LL.M., and S.J.D. degrees in law...
at night, winning several academic awards (including best grades by a first-year evening student), serving as the sole evening-division editor of the Georgetown Law Journal and graduating magna cum laude in 1987.
Family background
Coffey is married to Anne Churchill, the daughter of a retired Navy captain and former actress whose credits include This is Spinal TapThis Is Spinal Tap
This Is Spinal Tap is an American 1984 rock musical mockumentary directed by Rob Reiner about the fictional heavy metal band Spinal Tap...
. The Coffeys and their three children live in Westchester County, New York
Westchester County, New York
Westchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Westchester covers an area of and has a population of 949,113 according to the 2010 Census, residing in 45 municipalities...
.
Associations
Coffey is a member of the Board of Visitors of the Georgetown University Law CenterGeorgetown University Law Center
Georgetown University Law Center is the law school of Georgetown University, located in Washington, D.C.. Established in 1870, the Law Center offers J.D., LL.M., and S.J.D. degrees in law...
and Vice President of the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
Class of 1978. He served for several years as a director and campaign co-chair of The Community Fund of Bronxville, Eastchester, Tuckahoe, Inc., and was previously an Adjunct Professor of Law at Fordham University. Coffey is a fan of the Yankees and Navy football.
Legal career
In 1987, after resigning from active naval duty, Coffey returned to New York as a litigation associate with Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison. Coffey was appointed an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York in 1991. As an Assistant United States Attorney, Coffey worked with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies prosecuting a wide variety of cases involving firearms, narcotics, business crime, bank fraud, and other major crimes. Coffey tried many cases to verdict. In 1995, Coffey joined the law firm of Latham & WatkinsLatham & Watkins
Latham & Watkins LLP is a global law firm, one of the largest in the world. Latham currently employs approximately 2,000 attorneys in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The firm was started in Los Angeles in 1934 and has extensive Californian roots, but its largest office is now...
where, as counsel and then partner, he defended Fortune 500 companies in many complex civil, regulatory, and criminal matters.
Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossmann
After several years as a corporate defense attorney, Coffey returned to pursuing corporate misconduct at the litigation firm of Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossmann, which represents many of the world’s largest institutional investors, including New York State’s Common Retirement Fund and Teachers’ Retirement System and many Taft-Hartley union funds. During his eleven years at Bernstein Litowitz, Coffey led teams that recovered billions of dollars for victims of corporate fraud and won praise for achieving significant corporate governance improvements. Among Coffey’s notable successes is his role in the WorldCom securities litigation, a case he took to trial in 2005 as lead attorney for thousands of investors, including the New York State Common Retirement Fund. Coffey and his team recovered over $6 billion from Wall Street banks and, in a historic first, required all outside directors and key wrongdoers to contribute millions of dollars from their personal funds. Coffey was selected as one of the National Law Journal’s “Winning Attorneys” of 2005, and was profiled by the American Lawyer, the Wall Street Journal, and Bloomberg Markets magazine, which dubbed him "Wall Street's New Nemesis."In 2002, as a result of the Baptist Foundation of Arizona
Baptist Foundation of Arizona
The Baptist Foundation of Arizona was a Southern Baptist charity whose fraudulent behavior led to the largest collapse of a religious financial institution in U.S. history. The BFA was associated with the Arizona Southern Baptist Convention, which was affiliated with the national organization...
's collapse, the largest non-profit bankruptcy in U.S. history, Coffey led a team in trial against auditing firm Arthur Andersen
Arthur Andersen
Arthur Andersen LLP, based in Chicago, was once one of the "Big Five" accounting firms among PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, Ernst & Young and KPMG, providing auditing, tax, and consulting services to large corporations...
. Acting on behalf of victimized retired Baptist investors, Coffey and his team recovered a $217 million settlement, one of the largest amounts ever paid by an accounting firm.
Navy Reserve Service
After leaving active duty to pursue his legal career in New York, Coffey served in the Navy as a reservist for more than eighteen years. In addition to one or more weekends each month maintaining proficiency as a P-3C mission commander, Coffey carried out annual duty assignments including armed flights in support of the embargo of the former Yugoslavia and counter-narcotic patrols over Latin America and the Gulf of Mexico. Coffey was selected to command one of the Navy’s elite reserve squadrons, Patrol Squadron 92 (the “Minutemen”), and was awarded the Meritorious Service MedalMeritorious Service Medal (United States)
The Meritorious Service Medal is a military decoration presented to members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguished themselves by outstanding meritorious achievement or service to the United States subsequent to January 16, 1969...
for his service as skipper from 1996 - 1998. Coffey was promoted to Captain and selected to command the reserve component of the Enterprise carrier battle group staff. He then was assigned as an IMA
IMA
- Institutions :* Indianapolis Museum of Art, an art museum in Indianapolis, Indiana* Indian Medical Association* Indian Military Academy, Dehradun...
(Individual Mobilization Augmentee) for the Secretary of Defense in the Pentagon, concentrating on issues relating to the stresses imposed on reservists by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Coffey retired from the Navy in 2004 after thirty years of service. His other military decorations include the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, and the Navy Pistol Expert Medal.
New York State Attorney General Race
In October 2009, Coffey retired from his partnership at Bernstein Litowitz to pursue the Democratic nomination for New York State Attorney GeneralNew York State Attorney General
The New York State Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the State of New York. The office has been in existence in some form since 1626, under the Dutch colonial government of New York.The current Attorney General is Eric Schneiderman...
. Although he had never before run for political office, Coffey reported that he had raised over $1.65 million in the first two months of his campaign. The Wall Street Journal cited Coffey as one of the top three contenders for the position. Most of the money Coffey raised was not from Wall Street donors, but instead from fellow lawyers.
As part of his campaign Coffey visited both Central and Western New York, meeting with prominent Democrats. In an interview with the Watertown Daily Times, Coffey stated that becoming Attorney General would be the capstone to his career. His campaign goals included minimizing political corruption and finding a way to advocate for veterans.
The primary for Attorney General was held on September 14, 2010, and the winner was Eric Schneiderman
Eric Schneiderman
Eric T. Schneiderman is the 65th and current New York Attorney General.-Early life, education, and early career:Schneiderman graduated from Amherst College in 1977 with a B.A...
.
Coffey's other competitors included Richard Brodsky
Richard Brodsky
Richard Brodsky is an American politician who represented District 92 in the New York State Assembly, which includes the towns of Greenburgh and Mount Pleasant, the villages of Ardsley, Elmsford, Dobbs Ferry, Hastings-on-Hudson, Irvington, Tarrytown, as well as parts of Briarcliff and Yonkers,...
, Eric R. Dinallo
Eric R. Dinallo
Eric R. Dinallo is currently a partner at the law firm Debevoise & Plimpton LLP. Formerly Superintendent of Insurance for New York State, he was nominated by Governor Eliot Spitzer and confirmed by the New York State Senate on April 18, 2007 as the 39th Superintendent of the New York State...
, and Kathleen Rice
Kathleen Rice
Kathleen Maura Rice is the current Nassau County District Attorney. In November 2005, Rice defeated 31-year-incumbent Denis E. Dillon to become the first female district attorney of Nassau.-Early life and education:...
.