Scott A. Coffina is a partner in the firm’s White Collar Criminal Defense and Corporate Investigations Team. His practice focuses on internal investigations, False Claims Act litigation, political-legal controversies, and additional civil, criminal or regulatory enforcement actions.
A former Associate Counsel to President George W. Bush from May 2007 until January 2009 and a former Assistant U.S. Attorney, Scott has substantial experience with Congressional oversight matters and high-stakes prosecutions.
Commercial Litigation. Scott has represented corporate, university and individual clients in a wide range of matters including allegations of improper marketing by pharmaceutical companies, false claims by a medical device manufacturer, fraudulent mortgage lending, fraud in Small Business Administration programs, income tax fraud, and violations of the Clery Act. He also has assisted clients with investigating and pursuing recoveries in embezzlement cases, and in other affirmative anti-fraud litigation.
Advisor to the White House. While serving as Associate Counsel to President George W. Bush, Scott represented the interests of the President and Executive Branch in Congressional oversight matters and other investigations, and advised the White House staff on a wide range of political, government ethics and election law issues, including compliance with the Hatch Act. Scott also acted as the White House legal liaison to the Department of Energy, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Federal Election Commission and the Office of Special Counsel, and evaluated and recommended candidates for federal judiciary appointments by the President. Scott also served in the Administration of President Ronald Reagan, in the White House Office of Political Affairs.
Former Assistant U.S. Attorney. Scott served as an Assistant United States Attorney in Philadelphia from 1997-2001, pursuing monetary recoveries for fraud against the government under the False Claims Act and other statutes, and defending the United States and federal employees in civil rights, employment discrimination, medical malpractice and other litigation. He successfully argued twice before the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, in Elman v. United States and Taylor v. Garwood.
In General. Scott is a frequent author and speaker. He has testified before Congress on political-legal issues, commented on national television and radio news programs and publications concerning political-legal controversies, and authored op-eds and articles for publications such as National Review Online, Politico.com, The National Law Journal and The Legal Intelligencer. He is a member of the DRI Committee on Government Enforcement and Corporate Compliance.
Scott began his legal career with the highly respected law firms Wiley, Rein & Fielding in Washington, D.C., and Miller, Alfano & Raspanti in Philadelphia, where he focused on developing anti-fraud investigations on behalf of major health insurers and whistleblowers, and on representing companies in fast-track government contracts litigation. Scott joined Drinker Biddle from Montgomery McCracken Walker & Rhoads in Philadelphia.