Sean P.J. Coyle

Practice Areas

White collar criminal and enforcement matters, regulatory proceedings

Career

Sean Coyle is an experienced trial lawyer who helps clients solve complex problems. Sean has worked on a broad range of cases, including commercial litigation, white collar criminal and enforcement matters, regulatory proceedings, government tort claims, coverage disputes, tax controversies, and securities litigation. Sean recognizes that the impact of any given case on a client is rarely limited to the forum in which the controversy is litigated. He takes a holistic approach to advising clients so that they can achieve the right result in the litigation in a manner that best serves their overall interests.

Sean has represented clients in major civil and criminal cases and sensitive investigations involving publicly traded companies, corporate officers, and public agencies and officials. He has substantial experience defending clients in regulatory investigations, including before the Securities and Exchange Commission and the California Public Utilities Commission. Sean has conducted internal investigations of public entities and corporations concerning accounting, financial compliance, grants management, and ethics issues, including as part of a federally appointed monitorship. He has litigated in state and federal courts and before regulatory agencies, including extensive experience in regulatory ratemaking proceedings before the California Public Utilities Commission concerning billions of dollars in funding. His clients regularly turn to him for common sense legal advice to fit sophisticated business solutions.

Prior to joining Coblentz, Sean served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Major Frauds and Special Prosecutions Section of the United States Attorney’s Office in San Diego. He investigated and prosecuted cases involving virtually every kind of fraud, including securities and insider trading, defense procurement, health care, and tax and bank fraud, as well as cases involving public corruption, obstruction of justice, and money laundering crimes. As a prosecutor, Sean worked extensively on criminal matters that included parallel civil enforcement and qui tam proceedings with agencies such as the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the Department of Health and Human Services. Sean served as the Southern District of California’s Health Care Fraud Coordinator, responsible for overseeing the district’s healthcare and life sciences-related criminal investigations.

Professional Memberships

Sean is a member of the California State Bar, the Bar Association of San Francisco, and the Conference of California Public Utility Counsel.

Education