“Part of my message to the MMI graduates will focus on the importance of developing strong, lasting relationships. Always keep in touch. Your leaders, peers and co-workers can have such an impact on your life,” Coffina said.

After a 15-year career in law serving the public and private sectors, Coffina was appointed Associate White House Counsel in May 2007, a position offered to him by Chief White House Counsel Fred F. Fielding, a longtime friend and former associate.

“Even though I was happy at my law firm, this is a unique professional experience I couldn’t pass up. The only hesitation I had concerned the impact on my family, but my wife has been completely supportive, as has the rest of our family. Given that we knew my appointment would last only 20 months (concluding at the end of the President’s term), we decided I should go for it,” Coffina said.

He has been working primarily with the oversight matters and requests from Congress. He also serves as an advisor to the various components and levels in the White House, including many senior members of the White House staff.

The former MMI valedictorian credits his MMI education for laying the foundation for his success.

“Although difficult to appreciate at the time, MMI’s rigorous program prepared me for the hard work of college, law school and beyond. I was extremely well prepared and disciplined for the higher education workload because of MMI. It’s a very special place,” he said.

Coffina’s road to the White House has taken him from Freeland to Washington with stops along the way in Ithaca, N.Y., and Philadelphia. After graduating from MMI in 1985, Coffina attended Cornell University. During his junior year at Cornell, he interned at the White House in the Office of Political Affairs. He returned to the same office for an internship in summer of 1988, and when that led to a full-time position, he took a semester off. 

Even though he missed a semester, Coffina still graduated from Cornell on time with a Bachelor of Arts degree in government. He then attended law school at the University of Pennsylvania where another internship, this time in the United States Attorney’s Office in Philadelphia, would begin to form his career goals.

“I really enjoyed my internship at the U.S. Attorney’s Office. I learned a lot and I was determined to return there at some point in my career,” he said. “I made it a goal and set out to make it happen.”
Coffina received his juris doctorate from Penn in 1992. After passing the bar, he joined the law firm of Wiley, Rein & Fielding, now known as Wiley Rein, in Washington, D.C. While working for the large firm, Coffina built a friendship with senior partner Attorney Fred Fielding that, unbeknownst to him, would lead to the White House appointment.

Coffina left the firm and took a position with the Philadelphia firm of Miller, Alfano & Raspanti, where he primarily worked on criminal defense and fraud cases.

In 1997, just five years out of law school, Coffina realized one of his career goals when he joined the United States Attorney’s Office in Philadelphia, where he worked primarily with cases dealing with the False Claims Act, working to help citizens recoup losses due to unethical business practices.

“It was extremely fulfilling to reach that goal. It was very rewarding both personally and professionally,” he said.

In 2001, Coffina left the U.S. Attorney’s Office and took a position at the Philadelphia law firm of Montgomery & McCracken. He became a partner in the firm and got to know fellow MMI alumnus Harry Schaub ’46, who was also a partner at the time and remains “Of Counsel” today.

Coffina encourages students to build and foster relationships. “I stopped working with Mr. Fielding in 1995 when I moved to Philadelphia. But we kept in touch, and 12 years later, he offered me this wonderful opportunity to work with him again and to serve the President of the United States.”

MMI Prep’s 116th Commencement Ceremony is slated for May 29 at 7:30 p.m. in the Mildred Kulp Kahler Courtyard at MMI in Freeland. In the event of inclement weather, activities will be held in the Athletics and Drama Complex.