Gerald P. Ferguson
Mr. Ferguson is a partner in the Vorys Columbus office and a member of the litigation group. He is a trial lawyer with three decades of experience in successfully representing clients in commercial litigation. His practice focuses upon intellectual property, unfair competition, business torts and commercial disputes. He has trial experience in trademark, copyright, trade secret, unfair competition, infringement, counterfeiting, false advertising, and supplier and contract disputes. He has also litigated matters under the Uniform Trade Secrets Act, the Lanham Act, and the Ohio Deceptive Trade Practices Act.
Career highlights include:
- Recently retained in a "bet the company" case to replace counsel mid-way through discovery; he obtained summary judgment and later won affirmance of that decision in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit
- Lead counsel in a jury trial resulting in a $4 million verdict in a case involving a minority shareholder appraisal and breach of fiduciary duty
- Lead counsel in a trial against the City of Columbus resulting in a verdict of $3.1 million
- Lead counsel in a Texas federal court action resulting in a judgment in excess of $4 million against a Canadian entity arising out of the sale of a computer peripherals business
- Trying and obtaining significant verdicts and settlements on behalf of individuals, private businesses, and universities
- Representing clients in injunction matters relating to trade secrets, trademarks, and unfair competition matters
- Recent engagements include litigation of significant attorneys' fees claims in fee-shifting cases as successor counsel
- Trial and appellate practice has resulted in over 50 reported appellate decisions
Mr. Ferguson is a member of the Ohio State Bar Association, the Columbus Bar Association, and the Columbus Intellectual Property Law Association.
Mr. Ferguson received his J.D. magna cum laude from Capital University Law School and his B.A. cum laude from Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Professional and Community Activities
- United States District Court, Southern District of Ohio, frequently serves as court appointed mediator
- The Supreme Court of Ohio, Rules Advisory Committee, 1990-1995
Honors & Awards
- Columbus CEO, Top Lawyers in Columbus, 2010
- Ohio Super Lawyers, Business Litigation, 2004-2012