Appellate Practice Commercial Litigation Professional Malpractice Law - Defendants
Kendall Coffey
Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2018 Awarded Practice Areas
Biography
Kendall Coffey is a founding member of the law firm Coffey Burlington, PL, based in Miami, which handles matters in Florida and throughout the United States. Mr. Coffey also currently serves as the Chair of the Federal Judicial Nominating Commission for South Florida. Appointed by both of Florida's United States Senators, he presides over the 21-person commission that selects individuals to be considered by the White House to become U.S. federal judges and U.S. Attorney for South Florida. Mr. Coffey served during the 1990's as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, the nation's largest federal prosecution office. As U.S. Attorney, he was responsible for thousands of federal criminal prosecutions as well as civil lawsuits involving the United States. After his public service, he resumed private law practice with major litigation roles in such high profile cases as the Elian Gonzalez international custody battle, and the 2000 U.S. Presidential Election Recount.
Today, Mr. Coffey’s law practice areas include business disputes and litigation, national as well as international litigation, fraud cases, enforcement of contracts and loan agreements, government disputes and defense of criminal investigations. Along with representing business companies, Mr. Coffey's firm focuses on assisting business people with their financial as well as personal disputes.
A frequent teacher and guest lecturer, he has been Guest Legal Analyst providing legal commentary for international networks: CNN International, Telemundo, Univision, Canadian Broadcasting Company; national networks: CNBC, CNN, CNN Headline News, FOX, MSNBC and NBC; and local television: ABC-10, CBS-4, América TeVe, Telemundo-51, Univision-23, TeleMiami. Currently, he appears as a legal analyst and consultant for NBC, MSNBC and Telemundo. As a teacher, Mr. Coffey is adjunct faculty member for University of Miami School of Law, Florida Constitutional Law (2008 – present), Florida International University (Administrative Law 2011), and Trial Advocacy Program (1991 – 1993).
He is annually recognized as one of Florida Trend’s Legal Elite, Florida “Super Lawyer,” and South Florida Legal Guide’s “Top Lawyers”, recognized by the National Law Journal as one of its Lawyers of the Year for 2000, as Member of Gore Legal Team.
Mr. Coffey is on the Advisory Board of the Russian American Chamber of Commerce and writes a monthly legal column for its newsletter. The topics for his articles have ranged from International Arbitration in South Florida to Executive Action: Immigration Reform, Politics and the U.S. Constitution. He presently serves on the Steering Committee of the Russia Eurasia Committee of the American Bar Association’s International Law Section.
Books:
- Spinning the Law: Trying Court Cases in the Court of Public Opinion, Prometheus Books (2010)
- Foreclosures in Florida, LexisNexis (2008)
- Florida Foreclosures: Remedies, Defenses and Lender Liability, Volume I & II, D&S , Butterworth (1991-1998)
- Contributing Author: Conozca A Los Estados Unidos, – Chapters on Legal System, Role of Prosecutors and Public Corruption (2009)
- Contributing Author: Real Property III (Chapter on Construction Loan Agreements) The Florida Bar
- Contributing Author: The Troubled Construction Loan (Chapter on Contractors), Wiley & Sons (1991)
Articles
- The Strauss-Kahn Case: Free Press, Fair Trial? Publicity vs. the Plea, The New York Times online (May 26, 2011)
- Public Corruption: Why Some Get a Free Pass, Sun-Sentinel.com (October 31, 2010)
- The United States vs. Gov. Blabbermouth, Miami Herald (December 21, 2008)
- Legal highlights and low points of 2008, National Law Journal.com (December 2008)
- Commentary: Best and Worst of a Year of Celebrity Justice, CNN (December 28, 2007)
- Feds Take On Political Corruption With Gusto, More Flexible Tools, Sun-Sentinel (September, 2007)
- Prosecution Oversight: Beyond The Duke Lacrosse Case, Durham Herald-Sun (September, 2007)
- Mortgage Fraud And The Law Enforcement Challenge, Daily Business Review (August, 2007)
- Cooperating Witnesses: Milestones in U.S. History, The National Law Journal (August, 2007)
- The Best And Worst In Legal News For 2006, CNN
- The Best, The Worst Of 2005, The Miami Herald (December, 2005)
- Let World Oversee The Trials Of Iraq’s War Crimes, The Herald (May 2003)
- From Confidence-Keeper To Whistle Blower, Miami Review (April, 1990)
- Justice For All Includes Indigents, Miami Review ( 1988)
Links
Website: www.kendallcoffey.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kendall_coffey
Overview
- English
- Russian
- Spanish
- University of Florida, J.D., graduated 1978
- Florida, American Bar Association
- Florida, The Florida Bar
- Florida, Dade County Bar Association
- S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit (1980)
- S. Court of Appeals, Ninth and Eleventh Circuits (1982)
- S. District Court, Middle District of Florida (1989)
- Supreme Court of the United States (1999)
- S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit (2005)
- S. District Court, Northern District of Florida (2007)
- Supreme Court of Florida (1978)
- S. District Court, Southern District of Florida (1979)
- English
- Russian
- Spanish
- Florida, American Bar Association
- Florida, The Florida Bar
- Florida, Dade County Bar Association
- University of Florida, J.D., graduated 1978
- S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit (1980)
- S. Court of Appeals, Ninth and Eleventh Circuits (1982)
- S. District Court, Middle District of Florida (1989)
- Supreme Court of the United States (1999)
- S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit (2005)
- S. District Court, Northern District of Florida (2007)
- Supreme Court of Florida (1978)
- S. District Court, Southern District of Florida (1979)
Client Testimonials
Awards & Focus
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
- Professional Malpractice Law - Defendants, Miami (2024)
- Professional Malpractice Law - Defendants, Miami (2021)
- Professional Malpractice Law - Defendants, Miami (2019)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
- Appellate Practice
- Commercial Litigation
- Professional Malpractice Law - Defendants
Additional Areas of Practice:
- Commercial Finance Law
- Criminal Defense: General Practice
- Education Law
- Government Relations Practice
- International Trade and Finance Law
- Litigation - Banking and Finance
- Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy)
Special Focus:
- Complex
Awards:
- Annually recognized as one of Florida Trend’s Legal Elite, Florida “Super Lawyer,” and South Florida Legal Guide’s “Top Lawyers”, recognized by the National Law Journal as one of its Lawyers of the Year for 2000, as Mem
News & Media
Additional Information
- Additional Publications
Law Journals
- Litigating at Light Speed, The Florida Bar Journal (January 2009)
- Inherent Judicial Authority and the Expert Disqualification Doctrine, Vol. 56 Florida Law Review 195 (2004), cited in BP Amoco Chem. Co. v. Flint Hills Resources, LLC, 500 F.Supp.2d 957, 960 (N.D. Ill. 2007), and American Empire Surplus Lines v. Care Center, Inc., 484 F.Supp.2d 855, 857 n.2 (N.D. Ill. 2007)
- The Due Process Right to Seek Asylum In The United States: The Immigration Dilemma And Constitutional Controversy, 19 Yale Law and Policy Review (May 2001), portions reprinted in Refugee Law and Policy: Cases and Materials (2d Ed.), reprinted in 22 University of Cincinnati Immigration and Nationality Law Review (Fall, 2002)
- Non–Compete Agreements Under Florida Law: A Retrospective and a Requiem! 19 Florida State University Law Review, 1105 (1992), quoted in, Health Care Financial Enterprises, Inc. v. Levy, 715 So.2d 341 (Fla. 4th DCA 1998); cited in Bradley v. Health Coalition, Inc., 687 So.2d 329, 1997 (Fla. 3rd DCA 1997); Kupscznk v. Blasters, Inc., 647 So.2d 888 (Fla. 2nd DCA 1994); and Jewett Orthopaedic Clinic, P.A., 629 So.2d 922 (Fla. 5th DCA 1993)
- The Expansion of Lender Liability in Florida, 40 University of Florida Law Review (1988)
- Freezing Cash Before Judgment, The Florida Bar Journal, Vol. 18, No. 5 (May, 1983)
- Contribution Among Joint Tortfeasors, 35 University of Miami Law Review 971 (1981), quoted in, West American Ins. Co. v. Best Products Co., Inc., 541 So.2d 1302 (Fla. 4th DCA 1989); and cited in Mathias v. Uniroyal Goodrich Tire Co., 677 So.2d 328 (Fla. 3rd DCA 1996)
- Non–Compete Agreements by the Former Employee, Florida State University Law Review (1980), cited in Jewett Orthopaedic Clinic, P.A., 629 So.2d 922 (Fla. 5th DCA 1993); and Herndon v. Eli Witt Co., 420 So.2d 920 (Fla. 1st DCA 1982)
- Commentary, “Civil Rights 1981,” 29 University of Florida Law Review (1977)
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