A good bio is more than a boring list of facts, although I have included those as well. It should bring a person to life, to bring out those intangible qualities that make up the individual. What the person cares about, who they are and what they want to accomplish

What do I care about? I love working with people. When asked what I do for a living, I always respond that I have the greatest job in the world. I meet and speak with the brightest legal minds of our day. I get so much personal satisfaction by helping both my clients and the attorneys they seek to hire achieve their highest personal and professional goals.

But I am not all about work. Music has always been an important part of my life. I started my piano studies at six years of age and have continued to this day. Living in New York has afforded me the opportunity to meet and study with the best musicians playing today.

I am from Vermont and attended the University there majoring in English and History. I had thought I would become a college professor, and entered a Ph.D. program. However, the 1970’s opened more doors for women, and one was the law.

My uncle was a major influence on me at this time. He was a politician/ lawyer in Vermont, and served as the Chairman of the State’s Democratic Party and as a State Senator. During high school and college, I worked in his law office and accompanied him around the state during his political campaigns. I met Robert Kennedy, Hubert Humphrey, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson and most of the national politicians who visited our tiny state. This interest in politics continues to this day and I make it a point to meet as many presidential candidates as possible.

With my uncle’s encouragement, I decided to study law. Vermont, at that time, did not have a law school, so I came to New York, a city I have loved since childhood when my family came for the Broadway shows, concerts and museums. Even as a child, I loved the energy, variety, and cultural opportunity that New York offered. And, of course, the tall buildings. Kurt Vonnegut calls New York skyscraper national park and I agree.

I received my law degree and practiced law for 3 years, first with a law firm and then with a corporation. In 1978, I met and married my husband, Colin Fergus. Both of us had a brief exposure to the executive search field. In December, 1979, we decided to open our own company specializing in legal search.

Fergus Partnership Consulting now has offices in New York and London. We have been rated by one major London publication as the Rolls Royce of search firms. We specialize in partner level searches for major multi-national US and UK law firms and corporations. And we love what we do!

As I have grown older, I have tried to make my contribution to society by helping, when I can, both individual artists and organizations that support them. I am a Member of the Board of Young Concert Artists, a non-profit organization that identifies and nurtures young talent from around the world. I also support the efforts of individual artists and sponsor their concerts, award cash prizes and underwrite the cost of the production of artists’ CDs. Again, my satisfaction comes from helping individuals achieve their highest personal and professional goals, whether in the law or music.

ADDITIONAL FACTS

Education: University of Vermont, B.A., 1971; Major: History/English; Minor: Biology; St. Michael’s College, M.A., American Studies, 1972; New York Law School, J.D., 1976.

Married: September 21, 1978 to Colin Fergus.

Employment: Since December, 1979, Fergus Partnership Consulting, Owner.

Interests: Piano, Opera, Yoga, Ice Skating, Italian, and Philosophy.

Accomplishments: Board Member, Young Concert Artists, 2002 to Present. Sponsored several CD’s for individual artists. Sponsored the annual recital of pianist, Mordecai Shehori at Alice Tully Hall.

Patron/Supporter: Young Concerts Artist, Carnegie Hall, Metropolitan Opera, Diller-Quaile School of Music, International Keyboard Institute and Festival.

Past Board Service: NALSC (National Association of Legal Search Consultants), Co-Founder and Vice-President.