James F. Ferguson Joins Dughi, Hewit & Domalewski, P.C.
Dughi, Hewit & Domalewski, P.C. is pleased to announce that James F. Ferguson, the former Atlantic County Counsel, has joined the firm as Counsel in its Absecon office.
Mr. Ferguson brings a wealth of experience to DH&D. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Ferguson served with distinction as the Atlantic County Counsel from January 1, 2003, to June 30, 2024. Over the course of his 20-year tenure with Atlantic County, Mr. Ferguson earned an outstanding reputation for his impeccable integrity, strong work ethic, and sound judgment.
As County Counsel, he was the Department Head of the Atlantic County Department of Law and supervised a staff of eight attorneys and 20 support staff. Mr. Ferguson oversaw all phases of the County’s legal work which included not only the representation of County Administration and the various County departments, but also representation of Atlantic County’s constitutional officers. During his service as County Counsel, Mr. Ferguson’s work activities focused mainly on the defense of the County’s liability claims under Title 59 and workers’ compensation claims. For several years, he also personally handled the department’s labor law work, which included contract negotiation with 20 plus unions and involvement with union grievances, disciplinary matters, and unfair labor practice claims. These matters involved practice before agencies such as the New Jersey Civil Service Commission, the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) and the New Jersey Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC)
Mr. Ferguson achieved many significant accomplishments during his tenure as the County Counsel. He was instrumental in the formulation of the Atlantic County Insurance Commission (ACIC), consisting of Atlantic County, the Atlantic County Improvement Authority (ACIA), and the Atlantic County Utilities Authority (ACUA). In 2015, the ACIC became a member of the statewide, Counties Excess Liability Joint Insurance Fund (CELJIF) operating under the direction of PERMA. Following its inception, Mr. Ferguson served as the ACIC legal counsel until June 30, 2024. As legal counsel, he was responsible for overseeing the handling of the various liability claims; most of which implicate provisions of the New Jersey Tort Claims Act (Title 59). In addition, he was also involved in the procurement of ancillary lines of insurance coverage. He also was responsible for formulation of the plan which established the Central Municipal Court of Atlantic County. The court plan was approved by the New Jersey Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) in October 2021 and this regional court, the first of its kind in the State of New Jersey, commenced operation in January 2022 with participation from ten of Atlantic County’s municipalities. The Court, now in its third year of operation, has realized cost savings for the participating entities.
Dughi, Hewit & Domalewski, P.C. is excited that Mr. Ferguson has chosen to continue his career with the firm. He will add significant depth and experience to the firm’s Absecon office and will be an invaluable addition to the firm’s public sector and general liability practice areas.
