# Thomas P. Coffey

> Thomas Patrick Coffey (1944-2022) was a Chicago lawyer, public-affairs adviser and co-founder of the Haymarket Group, also known as Haymarket Public Strategies. A former Marine captain and Kirkland & Ellis partner, he helped elect Harold Washington and served as Chicago’s director of intergovernmental affairs before entering consultancy.

- **Role:** Lawyer, public-affairs consultant and political adviser
- **Organizations:** Haymarket Group / Haymarket Public Strategies, Kirkland & Ellis, City of Chicago - Harold Washington administration, United States Marine Corps
- **Education:** Degree in English, Loras College, Law degree, DePaul University, Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary
- **Known for:** Contributed to Harold Washington’s 1983 mayoral election campaign., Co-founded the Haymarket Group in 1987., Helped secure support for legislative drafting assistance to Chicago school reformers.

## Career timeline

- **1974** — Joined Kirkland & Ellis after Marine Corps service.
- **1983** — Helped elect Harold Washington as Chicago’s first Black mayor.
- **After the 1983 election** — Left private practice and served as director of intergovernmental affairs in Washington’s administration.
- **1986** — Left the Washington administration.
- **1987** — Co-founded the Haymarket Group with Jay Doherty; worked with Al Raby on support for school-reform legislative drafting.
- **2012** — Chicago City Council honored Coffey and Haymarket’s 25th anniversary.
- **2022** — Died in August at age 77; family remembrance identified him as Haymarket chairman and CEO.

## Achievements

- Contributed to Harold Washington’s 1983 mayoral election campaign.
- Co-founded the Haymarket Group in 1987.
- Helped secure support for legislative drafting assistance to Chicago school reformers.
- Honored with Haymarket in a Chicago City Council resolution in 2012.

## Latest updates

- **2022-08** — Coffey died at age 77; contemporary reporting and the original family remembrance establish 2022 as the year.

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/thomas-p-coffey
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-24