Bar Admissions
- Missouri Bar
- Illinois Bar
- Texas Bar
- United States District Court Southern District of Illinois
- United States District Court Eastern District of Missouri
- Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals
- Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals
Awards & Recognition
- Recognized by Best Lawyers as Top Plaintiff’s Lawyer 2018
- Fellow, College of Labor & Employment Lawyers
- Honoree, 37th Annual Bill of Rights Celebration, American Civil Liberties Union
- Missouri Lawyers Weekly, Lawyer of the Year (2009)
Presentations
- December 2017, Southeastern Oklahoma University, conducted Title VII training for all employees pursuant to Settlement Agreement with U.S. Dep’t of Justice
- September 2017, ISBA Solo & Small Firm Practice Institute Series, Hiring and Managing Employees
- September 2017, EEOC (St. Louis) Technical Assistance Program (TAPS), speaker on Implicit Bias and ADEA
- February 2017, ISBA Legal Ed Program, Written Discovery—Electronic Discovery, speaker (webinar format)
- Fall 2016, Missouri Bar Labor and Employment Law Symposium, Planning Committee and speaker on Legal Ethics
- August 2016 EEOC (St. Louis) Technical Assistance Program (TAPS), speaker
- November 2013, Missouri Bar Labor and Employment Law Symposium, Planning Committee and speaker, Dynamic Docket
Education
- The George Washington University Law School, J.D., 1978
- Post-J.D. studies in Federal Procurement Law
- University of Illinois, B.A. (History and Political Science), 1975 (Cum Laude, Departmental Distinction, James Scholar, Phi Beta Kappa)
Civic Engagement
- Missouri Bar, Labor & Employment Committee, Chair, Legislative Review Subcommittee
- Illinois State Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Section Council (former Chair), Committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (former Chair and office holder)
- National Employment Lawyers Association of St. Louis, former President
- Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys
- ABA Litigation Section’s Employment and Labor Relations Newsletter, former Associate Editor and Member of Editorial Board (2009)
- St. Jude Hero, 2015 - present
- Volunteer Coach, 5K Fleet Feet Running Program
- Volunteer Attorney for Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Southwestern Illinois
Ferne has been practicing employment law for nearly forty years, from her time at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission through her work in private practice. She has chaired the Labor & Employment Law Committee and Section Council in both Missouri and Illinois and volunteers for both bars as a speaker on many employment-related topics.
