Sean Coffey was a powerhouse among plaintiffs' securities lawyers, touted as the potential new king of securities class actions following the troubles at Milberg LLP and his securing $6.1 billion in recoveries for WorldCom investors.

But last fall, Mr. Coffey, 54, told his partners at Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossmann he would quit the firm and try something different—a run as New York's next attorney general.

"When he came to tell me, I said, 'Sean, maybe you should go on vacation,'" said Max Berger, who co-managed the firm with Mr. Coffey. "'You can't possibly be serious about this, look what you'd be giving up.' And he said, 'No, no, this is what I want to do.'"

Mr. Coffey, who has never before run for political office, announced his candidacy in October and has been travelling the state trying to convince New Yorkers that he is the right person for the job. Considered an unknown in political circles, Mr. Coffey has embraced his outsider status, saying he is the most independent candidate, the only one who has a military background along with legal experience as a prosecutor, a defense attorney, plaintiffs' counsel and co-managing partner of a law firm.

"I view [running for attorney general] as a calling and not an occupation," he said. "I have nothing against career politicians; I've supported a heck of a lot of them financially. But for this office for this state at this point in time, I offer an alternative that I think the electorate will accept."


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