William F. Coughlin was named Deputy District Attorney-Executive Assistant in January of 2017. This is his second stint at the Erie County District Attorney’s Office, having served from 1993-96 as an Assistant District Attorney under the Honorable Kevin M. Dillon in Buffalo City Court and the Grand Jury and Felony Trials Bureaus.
Before returning to the DA’s Office to join District Attorney John J. Flynn's Leadership Team, Coughlin was a Confidential Law Clerk for State Supreme Court Justice E. Jeannette Ogden in Buffalo.
During his 24 years practicing criminal law, Coughlin served as First Assistant District Attorney for Chautauqua County under District Attorney James P. Subjack and as Chief Public Defender for Chautauqua County.
In 2011, he returned to Buffalo as Chief of the Criminal Division for Buffalo Legal Aid.
Coughlin also taught Criminal Law as an adjunct professor at SUNY Fredonia from 2004-2011 and was elected to one term as Legislator of the 23rd District in Chautauqua County.
Coughlin is a graduate of Canisius College and earned his Juris Doctor at SUNY Buffalo. Coughlin is also an Army veteran, serving as a military police officer in Germany from 1974-76.