About
Sam Ferguson is the principal of Ferguson Law PC. An experienced, creative and determined attorney, Sam has taken an active and leading role in cases featured in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the San Francisco Chronicle, the East Bay Times, Oaklandside, the Appeal and other outlets. His philosophy in cases big or small is inspired by the wisdom of the great investigative journalist Robert Caro, “Turn Every Page.” Great law is made on great facts. Sam’s dogged investigations leave no stone unturned.
Sam has worked on a variety of cases and is unafraid to dive into new areas. He represents both plaintiffs and defendants in hourly and contingency matters. His representation on both sides of the “v” continuously sharpens his skills by providing him with insights from multiple perspectives.
Sam is the 2022 recipient of the James Madison Freedom of Information Award for his work in government and police transparency.
He was previously a law clerk to the Honorable Judge William A. Fletcher on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. He was a 2009 Fulbright scholar and has written a book about prosecuting human rights atrocities in Argentina, The Disappeared: Remnants of a Dirty War.
He is a graduate of Yale Law School and U.C. Berkeley, and a member of the California Bar.
Katharine Kates is of counsel at Ferguson Law and plays a critical role in all of the firm’s major cases. Katharine brings a wealth of experience to Ferguson Law representing both individuals and entities in civil disputes, criminal investigations and compliance engagements. She approaches cases with both curiosity and rigor, excelling at translating complicated substantive concepts into digestible language for adjudicators. She is a fierce advocate for her clients, who she has represented across numerous areas including securities, banking, antitrust, health care, and trade secrets. She litigates both at the trial court and on appeal.
Before joining Ferguson Law, Katharine practiced at Ramsey & Ehrlich in Berkeley, O’Neill, Lysaght & Sun in Santa Monica and at Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal (now Denton’s) in San Francisco. She was a staff attorney for the Central District of California.
Katharine received her J.D. from the University of California, San Francisco College of the Law (formerly Hastings) and received a B.A. and M.A. from the University of California, Berkeley.