Coffey Modica CFO, Peter Gould, was featured in CFO Brew “My first day” series.

By Alex Zank | May 6, 2025

Coffey Modica, an insurance defense litigation firm, is in expansion mode. Founded in 2021, the law firm has nearly 100 staffers and six offices in three states.

Its new CFO, Peter Gould, is helping the firm continue on its growth trajectory.

In announcing the hire, Coffey Modica made clear it brought in Gould in large part because of his experience helping companies achieve growth.

“Gould is adept at identifying, managing and achieving a company’s KPIs and I have no doubt that together with Peter’s guidance, Coffey Modica will achieve greater market presence and an even larger platform to deliver its unique style of strategic legal counsel for insurers and the companies and business leaders they insure,” Michael Coffey, founding partner, said in a statement.

Gould recently spoke with CFO Brew about what the first weeks of his tenure were like and the first tasks he intends to tackle as CFO.

Introductory period. Gould spent his first two weeks visiting the firm’s offices, which are primarily in the New York metro area. His objective was to learn about the firm.

“I think it’s very important when you have this role that you listen first and you talk afterward,” Gould told us. “You’re going to have to talk afterward, but first of all, you want to listen and learn what’s there and what people think…and that’s what I’ve really been doing, visiting the offices and trying to learn both the systems and the people in the firm.”

Time for an upgrade. A primary objective of Gould’s is upgrading the technology that Coffey Modica’s employees use to manage the company.

Gould declined to get into specifics, but said he was looking to implement “second generation systems” to set the company on a “solid base” of growth. The system upgrade will do this, he explained, through automation and by better integrating information.

“They use one system, which is very good, but we need to improve it,” he said. “They just need better access to information to manage the firm, both from a legal point of view and from an accounting point of view.”

Record of growth. Over the years, Gould has become an expert in enabling growth. According to Coffey Modica, he’s helped billion-dollar companies expand both organically and through M&A strategies, including roll-ups. He also founded an M&A advisory firm specializing in middle-market companies across various industries.

“Wherever I’ve gone, I’ve enabled the company to grow,” he said, adding that “those skills will really help me with this current position.”

As a seasoned growth-focused finance pro, Gould said he helps organizations expand by ensuring they have the working capital they need and providing strategic guidance. Coffey Modica’s growth plans include adding to its headcount and expanding geographically, including by landing more international clients, he said.

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Coffey Modica LLP celebrates its third consecutive year being recognized among New York’s top employers, reflecting the firm’s ongoing commitment to a supportive and thriving workplace culture.

April 10, 2025

Coffey Modica LLP, one of the fastest-growing insurance defense litigation firms in the country, has been named one of the Best Companies to Work for in New York in 2025, marking the third year in a row that the firm has been recognized.

The firm, which represents business and insurance companies and their insured in liability claims, excess property/casual, medical malpractice, nursing, and other professional industries, was evaluated on multiple criteria, including workplace policies, practices and demographics, plus a survey of employees.

“We are thrilled to receive this recognition for the third consecutive year,” said Founding Partner Michael Coffey. “A firm is only as successful as its team and ours is the best of the best. This award is a testament to Coffey Modica’s continued dedication to and support of the wonderful and talented professionals who make our firm truly great.”

This year’s Best Companies to Work for in New York list included a variety of business types, including public and privately-owned, not for profits, and government entities, considered among three categories: small entities (15-99 employees), medium-sized companies (100-249 employees) and large companies (250 or more employees).

The New York State Council of the Society for Human Resource Management, Best Companies Group, national publisher BridgeTower Media and Rochester Business Journal announced the winners at an April 10 ceremony held at the Hilton Albany, in the heart of the state’s capital.

Coffey Modica’s Thomas Sica, who serves as Counsel in the firm’s Tarrytown office, and Mostafa Soliman, who serves as Counsel in the Buffalo office, attended the ceremony and accepted the honor on behalf of the firm.

March 2, 2025

Leading insurance defense litigation firm Coffey Modica LLP has named Peter Gould, a veteran of the corporate and financial industry with more than two decades of experience working with billion-dollar national and international firms, as the law firm’s new Chief Financial Officer.

One of the fastest growing law firms in the United States, Coffey Modica has undergone a substantial organic expansion since its founding in 2021, approaching 100 staff members and six offices across three states in just under four years.

In his new role, Gould hopes to tap into his extensive experience in financial and general management, strategic planning, mergers and acquisitions, organizational development and growth to further scale up firm operations and reach.

“I have known Michael Coffey for a long time, and I believe in his vision for what a more effective legal services firm can and should be for both clients and top litigators,” said Gould. “I am proud to be part of that mission, and I look forward to working with the Coffey Modica team to achieve substantial, strategic growth across the country and around the world.”

Over the course of his career, Gould, a British Charted Management Accountant, has propelled corporate development and growth at billion-dollar companies through a combination of merger, acquisition and roll up strategies, as well as via organic growth. He previously served as President of the North America Flavor Division for 150-year-old French flavor and fragrance company Mane, as well as Vice President General Manager and CFO of the International Flavor Division at Sensient. At both companies, he sourced, negotiated and closed multiple new business line acquisitions across the U.K., France, Italy, Spain, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Mexico and the U.S.

Most recently, Gould served as President and founder of Stamford Capital LLC, which successfully provided advisory services focused primarily on assisting middle market companies with revenues of $10 million to $400 million plus in a range of industries throughout North America, Asia and Europe. In this role, Gould focused on Food Ingredients, Aerospace (Manufacturing and Services), Highly Engineered Manufacturing, Distribution and Services Industries.

“Peter Gould is an exceptional financial leader whose expertise and business acumen spans industries and continents alike. He is adept at identifying, managing and achieving a company’s KPIs and I have no doubt that together with Peter’s guidance, Coffey Modica will achieve greater market presence and an even larger platform to deliver its unique style of strategic legal counsel for insurers and the companies and business leaders they insure,” said Founding Partner Michael Coffey.

Coffey Modica LLP has offices in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut and is one of the fastest-growing litigation defense firms in the nation. The firm specializes in defense litigation for insurance companies and businesses and leaders they insure, in a wide variety of fields including automobile, construction, healthcare, real estate and more.

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Coffey Modica founding partner, Michael Coffey, was featured in The Real Deal, offering expert insight on the recent crane collapse in St. Petersburg caused by Hurricane Milton.

Oct 10, 2024 | By Lidia Dinkova and Katherine Kallergis

In the wake of Hurricane Milton, developers and contractors in the Tampa Bay area are evaluating damage at project sites, calling insurers and preparing to resume construction work.

Milton made landfall as a Category 3 storm with winds of 120 miles per hour on Wednesday night in Siesta Key in Sarasota County, flooding streets and homes, and spawning tornadoes as far away as western Palm Beach County. More than 3 million homes and businesses lost power. At least 12 people are confirmed dead.

The storm came nearly two weeks after Category 4 Hurricane Helene, which hit Florida’s Big Bend. But as Milton took aim at the Gulf Coast and then crossed the state, it plowed through a much more developed and populated region. Early predictions estimated losses of up to $175 billion in the Tampa Bay area due to Milton.

In St. Petersburg, where winds reached over 100 miles per hour, a crane at the construction site of developer John Catsimatidis’ luxury Residences at 400 Central condo tower partially collapsed and slammed into the office building across the street, leaving a hole in its side and bricks scattered. The offices at 490 First Avenue South house the Tampa Bay Times newspaper and other businesses.

“The good news is that the only thing that was hurt was a few bricks. No human beings were hurt,” said Catsimatidis, founder of New York-based Red Apple Group.

The 46-story, 301-unit condo tower will be the tallest building in St. Petersburg at 515 feet. It has three construction cranes reportedly rated to withstand winds of up to 110 mph.

The cranes were “fully secured,” Catsimatidis said, adding that work will resume with the two remaining cranes. “Bottom line is let the insurance companies sort it out. It’s going to be the insurance company for whoever put the crane up there.”

Attorney Michael Coffey, who has worked on construction crane accident cases, said the St. Petersburg collapse likely will prompt investigations by federal, state and local authorities. Among the inquiries will be whether the site should have used cranes made to withstand more than 110 mph winds.

“One of the questions would be who made the call that that level sufficed. Was that an appropriate crane to have been up on one of the largest construction sites in western Florida in the middle of hurricane season?” said Coffey of New York-based Coffey Modica.

Development has boomed in the Tampa Bay region in recent years. In addition to Catsimatidis’ luxury condo tower, South Florida developers Related Group and Mast Capital are active along Florida’s west coast.

Miami-based Related assessed impacts from Milton in the greater Tampa Bay area on Thursday. Related’s founder, billionaire Jorge Pérez, said this summer that he plans to spend upwards of $3 billion on projects in the Tampa area.

“Fortunately, early reports show very limited damage across projects like The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Rome Yards, and West River,” a Related spokesperson said.

Related, led by Pérez and his sons Jon Paul and Nick, broke ground on the second tower at the planned Ritz-Carlton Residences in November. The construction site at 3101 Bayshore Boulevard overlooks Hillsborough Bay.

Rome Yards and West River are both mixed-income housing developments in west Tampa.

Even if damage on project sites is minimal, developers and general contractors have a lot of work to do, said Oscar Seikaly, CEO of Miami-based NSI Insurance Group. Damage at construction sites usually is from water intrusion, which could lead to mold and mildew.

Contractors and developers have to document the issue, as well as document that it was fixed and the precautions they will take to avoid the same problem in the future.

“There’s a lot of mitigation that has to be done even if you have a small water claim,” Seikaly said. Otherwise, those water issues could cause bigger problems for buyers of those units down the line.

Also in St. Petersburg, Hurricane Milton tore through Tropicana Field Stadium’s fiberglass roof. The Tampa Bay Rays, a Major League Baseball franchise, previously announced plans to replace Tropicana Field with a new stadium as part of a larger mixed-use development. Tropicana was reportedly built to withstand winds of up to 115 miles per hour.

Though South Florida was largely spared from Milton, parts of the tri-county region suffered tornadoes. Video footage shows damage from a tornado in Avenir, a new master-planned community southeast of Lake Okeechobee, as well as a tornado that touched down in Wellington. Damage was also spotted in south Miami-Dade County and western Broward County.

Just north of South Florida in St. Lucie County, a tornado outbreak killed at least six people in the senior housing community of Spanish Lakes Country Club near Fort Pierce, according to reports.

Milton came as Florida residential and commercial property owners have been reeling from skyrocketing insurance premiums. The state’s vulnerability to hurricanes and storm surge led some carriers to opt out of providing coverage in Florida, leading to less competition among insurers and ever-increasing premiums.

Seikaly, of NSI, said he does not expect Milton will necessarily further raise builders liability premiums, or those for flood and wind policies at construction sites. But in light of the partial crane collapse, insurance for crane operators could become more challenging in South Florida where only half a dozen insurers are willing to cover the risk. The tri-county region’s dense development makes real estate damage from a crane accident more likely.

“It will make insurance companies take a much tougher look when they are asked to quote a crane company,” Seikaly said. “A crane in Brickell, I would have sleepless nights because no matter how the crane moves, it would hit something.”