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3/3/2016Lawyer Spotlight: Interview with Litigator Deborah Ferguson - LeanLawLAWYER SPOTLIGHT: INTERVIEWWITH LITIGATOR DEBORAHFERGUSONBy Gary Allen Posted March 2, 2016In Law Practice Management, Lawyer, Lawyer Spotlight, Lean Law Practice, SmallLaw Firm13LAWYERS ARE HEROES! IN THIS LAWYERSPOTLIGHT, I SAT DOWN WITH HEROLAWYER DEBORAH FERGUSON.MEET DEBORAH FERGUSON:Deborah Ferguson is an accomplished litigator with30 years of experience representing both plaintiffsand defendants in complex civil view-with-deborah-ferguson/1/5
3/3/2016Lawyer Spotlight: Interview with Litigator Deborah Ferguson - LeanLawMs. Ferguson has served as an IdahoState BarPresident in 2011, and a BarCommissionerfrom 2008-20011. She is also thefounding Chair ofthe Idaho Academy of Leadership forLawyers.Leave a messageWhat made you want to be alawyer?Answer: I didn’t know any lawyers as a child. I grew up in a veryblue-collar neighborhood. I met my first lawyer when I was in highschool and asked if I could shadow him for a day. I was veryimpressed with what he did. And I just thought, wow, this is such animportant job. You get to help people, but it’s interesting. I didn’tknow this was out there and I liked it.What is your area of practice?Answer: I’ve been practicing for 30 years, always in the area of civillitigation. My focus right now is on civil rights and constitutional law.I’ve also had years of experience in the environmental arena, when Iwas with the Department of Justice. As an Assistant United StatesAttorney, I did primarily environmental cases.What are you most proud of on your resume?Answer: I’m most proud of being lead counsel on Idaho’s same-sexmarriage case. It was the case that went to the 9th Circuit and itbrought marriage equality not only to Idaho but to Montana, view-with-deborah-ferguson/2/5
3/3/2016Lawyer Spotlight: Interview with Litigator Deborah Ferguson - LeanLawand Arizona. That was an extraordinary experience. I feel justhumbled and so rewarded to have had that opportunity.What is the most valuable thing a lawyer can do for her clients?Answer: I think two things: to advocate for them, but also to trulyprovide them with advice, and often to tell them what they do notwant to hear. It’s not always winning at all costs, but looking at thebigger picture.What is your operating overhead as a percentage of revenue?Answer: It has always been less than 10%. But that varies,depending on what the revenue looks like.How did you get to be so lean?Answer: I’m really debt averse. I wanted the freedom to makechoices. I knew that I didn’t want to be a slave to having a highoverhead. I think there’s a myth that you have to spend a lot ofmoney to have a good space or to do things iew-with-deborah-ferguson/3/5
3/3/2016Lawyer Spotlight: Interview with Litigator Deborah Ferguson - LeanLawIf you’re so lean, what do you need LeanLaw for?Answer: I am no techie. That is not my skill set at all. You can askJonathon [Jonathon Fishman, Chief Services Officer], he will vouchfor that one. LeanLaw provides a framework to tell me what I need.It’s so wonderful to have this tech support. It’s truly at a higher levelthan somebody who’s just coming in and saying “Oh, I’ll tell you thisabout your computer.” LeanLaw has a bigger picture for lawyers.And so I thought, what a great idea you have because there is aneed for this. For people like me.If you weren’t a lawyer, what would you be?Answer: I think I would like to be a fishing guide in Alaska. I love tofish, so that was always sort of a fantasy.What’s the last great book you read for pleasure?Answer: That’s an easy one: All the Light We Cannot See. And then Iwent out and bought four more copies so that I could send them tomy friends. “You need to read this!”As I’ve said before, LeanLaw believes lawyers are heroes! I’mexcited to celebrate their important contrihutions to thepractice of law through our Lawyer Spotlight Series. You canfind out more about hero lawyer Deborah Ferguson atFerguson-Durham.Join the LeanLaw Movement!If you’re interested in learning more about the Lean LawMovement, give me a call or shoot me an email. I started rview-with-deborah-ferguson/4/5
3/3/2016Lawyer Spotlight: Interview with Litigator Deborah Ferguson - LeanLawwith the mission that every lawyer should have a lean practice.Gary Allen, Founder and Practicing erview-with-deborah-ferguson/5/5
Deborah Ferguson is an accomplished litigator with 30 years of experience representing both plaintiffs and defendants in complex civil cases. . find out more about hero lawyer Deborah Ferguson at Ferguson-Durham. Join the LeanLaw Movement! If you're interested in learning more about the Lean Law Movement, give me a call or shoot me an email
