HFC welcomes Erin A. Moss Ferguson, VP of Legal Services and General Counsel

HFC extends a warm welcome to the new Vice President of Legal Services and General Counsel Erin A. Moss Ferguson.

In mid-September, the HFC Board of Trustees approved her appointment after a national search. Moss Ferguson started at HFC in mid-October. She reports to HFC President Russ Kavalhuna. She serves as a member of the President’s Cabinet, the senior advisory body to Kavalhuna.

Moss Ferguson succeeds Vice President of Legal Services and General Counsel Amy Clark, who has recently retired from the College. The two attorneys worked closely to ensure a smooth transition.

“It’s has been wonderful. Everyone I’ve met at the College has been genuine in welcoming me onboard,” said Moss Ferguson. “I’ve had the pleasure and benefit of working alongside my predecessor Amy Clark, who has been very gracious and helpful. I am excited to be here.”

Law degree was the best business degree option

Moss Ferguson is a proud Detroiter. She lives in Detroit with her two children, ages 11 and 7. She is also the president of the University District Community Association in Detroit.

After graduating from Dominican High School and Academy in Detroit, Moss Ferguson attended Michigan State University and earned her bachelor’s degree in industry management. She later earned her juris doctor from Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School.

“For nearly 10 years, I worked in sales and marketing, primarily pharmaceutical sales,” she said.

While in pharmaceutical sales, Moss Ferguson was told by leadership that several sales pitches and marketing campaigns that she’d come up with could not be done because “Legal said so.” She decided she needed to find out what “legal” knew that she did not. This prompted her to enroll in law school. Her friends and family told her she’d be successful as an attorney.

“I was already in business and had done well,” recalled Moss Ferguson. “But I’d made a promise to myself to go to graduate school. I’d decided to pursue either an MBA or a JD. In the end, I thought getting a JD was the best business degree I could ever get. And that’s been true in my case.”

Using her law degree to serve her community

Moss Ferguson has been a practicing attorney for 10 years. She began her law career in private practice in Metro Detroit. For five years, she specialized in personal injury, insurance defense, contract, and employment law.

Prior to coming to HFC, Moss Ferguson worked for the Detroit Public Schools Community District for five years. In her final year at DPSCD, she served as Associate General Counsel, focusing on employment law and litigation.

“I was looking for a way to use my law degree and the experience I gained to work in and serve my community,” said Moss Ferguson. “The opportunity at DPSCD came to my attention. It required a person with a JD to conduct workplace investigations, including civil rights claims. That was attractive to me. It was a good opportunity to synthesize my experience in one place. It was a great decision that led to me being successful.”

During her time at DPSCD, Moss Ferguson served as a legal advisor, conducted investigations, partnered with the district’s Civil Rights and Compliance team, engaged in mediations, managed district policies, interpreted collective bargaining agreements, and defended the district in court.

A passion for underserved and marginalized communities

Moss Ferguson spoke about what attracted her to HFC.

“I thought that it was time to do a few new things. I wanted to move my career forward. I liked being in education and doing work that has a direct impact on my community. HFC educates underserved and systemically marginalized communities and has the most Detroit Promise students among all community colleges. HFC promotes and stands behind its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. This was all very attractive to me. It simply made sense for me to continue my career trajectory with an organization that would allow me to also continue work that serves my community. HFC was a natural fit,” she explained.

Her duties include providing legal advice, counsel, and training to HFC administrators and employees; assisting in the development and revision of HFC policy and procedures; advising Kavalhuna, the Cabinet, and the Board on legal matters; reviewing contracts and other legal documents; reviewing civil rights complaints from employees and students; securing and coordinating the services of outside legal counsel when necessary for litigation and matters requiring legal specialization; and helping to resolve complaints, disputes, claims, and litigation.

“I am looking forward to an enjoyable time at the College. This is an amazing opportunity to engage in meaningful work,” said Moss Ferguson.

Kavalhuna, who is also a Cooley Law graduate, is looking forward to working with Moss Ferguson.

“Ms. Moss Ferguson has engaged quickly in her work as our teammate, meeting the College community and getting up to speed on various aspects of her role,” said HFC President Russ Kavalhuna. “She brings legal acumen built from years of experience supporting private and public institutions. She also brings rare leadership skills and emotional intelligence from working in legal and non-legal parts of public education, serving the most deserving students who will become tomorrow’s leaders.”