Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2025 
In his three decades of legal practice, Sean Coughlin has focused his practice on complex business and real estate litigation, representing commercial real estate lenders and bankruptcy litigation matters. Coughlin approaches each matter with the goal of achieving the best possible business result. Coughlin has successfully litigated, arbitrated and tried hundreds of complex disputes in state court, federal court and bankruptcy court. He is admitted to all California Courts, several U.S. District Courts and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Coughlin has received an AV Preeminent® Peer Review rating from the Martindale Hubbell International Law Directory. This is the highest peer rating standard and is given to attorneys who are ranked at the highest level of professional excellence for their legal expertise, communication skills and ethical standards by their peers. He has also been listed in San Diego Magazine’s Top Lawyers in San Diego for real estate litigation every year since 2013.
Outside of his practice, Coughlin is involved in the Association of Business Trial Lawyers San Diego, San Diego Bankruptcy Forum and the San Diego County Bar Association.
