Claiborne Hambrick Ferguson

Claiborne Hambrick Ferguson

4.6
Rating: 10.0

Licensed for 26 years

Criminal defense Lawyer at Memphis, TN
Practice Areas: Criminal Defense, DUI & DWI, Federal Crime

294 Washington Avenue, Memphis, TN

About Claiborne

Biography

Practice Areas

3

Practice Areas

Criminal Defense 70%

Exclusive criminal trial practice. Put the expert to work for you.

27 years | 1,000 cases

70%
DUI and DWI 15%

Know before you blow!

26 years | 1,000 cases

15%
Federal Crime 15%

Call today to find out what you can be doing to lower your exposure to federal jail time.

26 years | 100 cases

15%

Fees and Rates

We have not found any cost information for this lawyer


Looking for an attorney? Avvo can help.

search module image

Search our directory

Quickly connect with top attorneys through our legal directory to get help with your legal issue.

chat module image

Avvo's live chat agents can help coordinate a consultation with a local attorney.

Chat with a live agent who can match you with the right attorney for your legal needs.

Chat with

Licenses

Licensed in Arkansas for 16 years

State: Arkansas

Acquired: 2010

Active

Licensed in Tennessee for 26 years

State: Tennessee

Acquired: 2000

Active

Lawyer disciplined by state licensing authority in 2004

Location

The Claiborne Ferguson Law Firm, P.A.

294 Washington Avenue, Memphis, TN, 38103

Ad

Transform legal challenges into solutions.

Connect now to review your situation.

The Avvo Rating explained

display-bg

The Avvo Rating explained

Claiborne Hambrick Ferguson's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

4.6 /5.0

37 Client Reviews

Filter Avvo Reviews (37) Refine reviews to match your needs. Use the filters to quickly surface reviews that align with your case or priorities.

Showing 1 - 4 of 4 reviews | Communication Style

Posted by Tyler | August 12, 2024 | Hired Attorney | Criminal Defense

I hired this law firm and they failed!

I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with the services provided by Claiborne and Ferguson Law Firm who I hired back In November 2023. I did locate them on AVVO but Unfortunately, my experience with them was far from satisfactory, particularly in handling my legal matters. From the outset, t...he firm was hands-off and avoided addressing my concerns. Emails often went unanswered, and when communication did occur, it was often dismissive or offensive. When I sought explanations regarding specific issues, I was met with evasive responses that provided no clarity or assurance. A particularly distressing incident occurred when I was pulled over and arrested due to an error in the system. Desperately needing legal assistance, I called the firm, only to be told to contact a bail bondsman because they couldn't help me. This response was not only shocking but also deeply disappointing, as it demonstrated a lack of commitment and support during a critical time. Overall, the lack of professionalism and empathy displayed by Claiborne and Ferguson Law Firm was disheartening. I had hoped for a reliable partner to help navigate the legal challenges my son faced, but instead, we experienced a frustrating and unhelpful process. I would caution others seeking legal assistance to carefully consider their options before engaging with anyone at this law firm.

Posted by anonymous | September 04, 2017 | Hired Attorney | Criminal Defense

Completely Satisfied With This Law Office

I contacted Claiborne Ferguson Law Office through their contact form on their website on a Saturday and received a reply the next day. My daughter needed help with a shoplifting charge. Mr. Ferguson had it resolved in less than three weeks total and the outcome was better than I could have ever hoped... for. Communication with everyone in the office was excellent, very responsive to questions and helpful in every way. I can't say enough good things about the form and about how relieved we were, not having to deal with the legal system alone. Worth every penny.

Posted by Justin | March 24, 2017 | Hired Attorney | Speeding & Traffic Ticket

Outstanding expertise

While looking for an attorney to have my HMVO lifted in Memphis, I ran into The Claiborne Ferguson Law Firm, P.A., I was appoint Attorney Ferguson. Immediately I came to the realization that I had found the right place. He was extremely friendly and professional, experienced in his field, and could t...alk in detail the current statuses and errors involving HMVO cases. Everything went as planned and the HMVO was lifted and could not have been happier with the outcome. In addition, aside from the impressive building they have with a very comfortable atmosphere, he also is located in the perfect location, within a minute's walking distance from the court house. They offer free parking at their lot for people on their court dates with the firm. I highly recommend anyone with any legal issues to come see this local firm in Memphis, TN, I am positive you will share the same experience as I have.

Posted by anonymous | May 16, 2016 | Hired Attorney | Criminal Defense

Got paid to do ZERO work.

My boyfriend had a probation hearing. Only reason we hired an attorney was because the judge insisted that everyone got one. An associate showed up for his hearing instead of Mr. Ferguson. We informed him about how his probation officer would always reschedule his meetings because she had better thin...gs to do, schedule home visits when she knew he was at work and then never come back. He missed ONE month because of a work schedule conflict and she violated him 2 months later...2 days before his next visit. The associate never mentioned those facts and he also never even tried to use us as witnesses to back up everything my boyfriend said. Now he's in jail and the only communication with his "attorney" is through a receptionist who can't explain anything because she's a receptionist. Would of been better off just pleading guilty. At least then I would still have my $1500. It amazes me that they can get murderers and rapists off but a missed probation meeting because of a verifiable work schedule is too complicated for them.

Claiborne Ferguson

Replied last May 16, 2016

Simply not true and she knows it. She's not happy that her boyfriend lied to her about what he had NOT done on probation. He had a very serious sex crime that he had plead to. He failed to maintain contact and wouldn't go to his sex offender classes, among other things. As she said, he told her he "just missed a month" meaning his monthly meeting with his PO, no problem, easy fix. However, that was not the issue, his problem was different, testimony from family wasn't changing his problems and he went to jail. She was advised what the next step was to get him out in 60 days. Now she wants a refund. Great way to get one, posting an unfair review. UPDATE: SHE JUST CALLED BACK AND TRIED TO HIRE ME AGAIN FOR HER BOYFRIEND. I KID YOU NOT!!

See All Client Reviews

Claiborne Hambrick Ferguson's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Claiborne
Patrick E. Stegall headshot
Patrick Stegall

Criminal defense lawyer | Nov 02

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"A very skilled lawyer. I wouldn't hesitate to go to Claiborne if I needed help with a legal issue."

Patrick Benca headshot
Patrick Benca

Criminal defense lawyer | Jan 02

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"Claiborne is hardworking, smart, and very insightful. We worked together on capital case with difficult facts and the death penalty was not waived. The client received a life-sentence. He is a great teammate and he would be my go-to-guy for any client I had if he/she is alleged to have done anything criminal while in Tennessee. An excellent attorney."

Sean Reza Darvishi headshot
Sean Darvishi

Unknown lawyer | Mar 26

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer."

Mitchell Wayne Wood headshot
Mitchell Wood

Criminal defense lawyer | Oct 29

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"As a fellow attorney, if I have a question on a legal matter, this is the gentleman to whom I turn. His creative thinking and trial skills are unmatched. I would recommend this attorney to anyone in need of criminal defense."

Eugene L. Belenitsky headshot
Eugene Belenitsky

Criminal defense lawyer | Sep 18

Relationship: Worked for lawyer

"I endorse this lawyer."

William Jordan Steed III headshot
William Steed

Criminal defense lawyer | May 10

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer."

Ruchee Janardan Patel headshot
Ruchee Patel

Criminal defense lawyer | Jan 24

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer."

Andrew Michael Bonderud headshot
Andrew Bonderud

Criminal defense lawyer | Dec 20

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer."

Sunny Marie Eaton headshot
Sunny Eaton

Unknown lawyer | Sep 20

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer."

Christian K. Lassen II headshot
Christian Lassen

Unknown lawyer | Sep 08

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Top-notch attorney. Highly respected in the legal community."

Patrick Mathisen Brooks headshot
Patrick Brooks

Criminal defense lawyer | Aug 16

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. He is a dedicated attorney that works hard to get his clients the best possible results in their cases. He is well-known and respected in the legal community. I can recommend this attorney for your criminal defense needs."

James Jeffrey Lee headshot
James Lee

Criminal defense lawyer | Aug 02

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Claiborne brainstormed with me on a difficult case, and provided a wealth of information on how best to proceed. I highly endorse this lawyer."

William Kevin Hodges headshot
William Hodges

Criminal defense lawyer | Jul 15

Relationship: Other

"I have gotten to know Mr. Ferguson through many posts on AVVO. I do not hesitate to endorse him as he gives sound advice on every issue he answers. He is continuous and if I needed a defense attorney in Memphis I would call him first."

Lyle A. Jones headshot
Lyle Jones

Criminal defense lawyer | Jun 22

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I wouldn't hesitate to call on Caliborne to represent me or a family member. A zealous advocate, highly skilled in the courtroom."

John Houser Parker II headshot
John Parker

Criminal defense lawyer | May 07

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I absolutely endorse this lawyer. We have handled several matters together and I have had the opportunity to see him in action in other criminal matters. Claiborne has always been a fearless advocate for his clients and is absolutely unafraid to hold the government to their burden."

William Alton Young Jr. headshot
William Young

Criminal defense lawyer | May 04

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Claiborne is an excellent criminal defense attorney who consistently delivers results for his clients and I would not hesitate to recommend his firm to anyone seeking professional and aggressive representation on a criminal case."

David Wayne Willis headshot
David Willis

Criminal defense lawyer | Apr 07

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I highly endorse this lawyer. I have known Claiborne since law school and we interact on a regular basis in the pursuit of justice for our clients. If you are charged with a serious crime, there is no better Attorney in Memphis than Claiborne."

Beth Buchwald Brooks headshot
Beth Brooks

Criminal defense lawyer | Apr 05

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. I consider him a rock star of criminal defense attorneys, a scholar and a gentleman. He does not shy away from hard cases and will take it all the way if need be. His appellate brief writing, research and practice is unsurpassed. He has raised the bar for all attorneys and possesses the qualities to be a jurist, that is clear logic and a tempered demeanor. Plus he provides access to justice for all by remaining reasonably priced."

Jason Wade Barnette headshot
Jason Barnette

Criminal defense lawyer | Jan 16

Relationship: Other

"Mr. Ferguson has an excellent reputation for criminal defense throughout Tennessee and I would not hesitate to send any of our clients to him if they faced a criminal charge in Tennessee."

Stephen Alan Sauer headshot
Stephen Sauer

Criminal defense lawyer | May 22

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Claiborne is well known in Memphis for Death Penalty defense. If you have need for a criminal defense attorney, Claiborne would serve you well."

View All Endorsements
Christopher M. Lewis headshot
Christopher Lewis

Criminal defense lawyer

John Patrick McNeil headshot
John McNeil

Criminal defense lawyer

Seth Morgan Segraves headshot
Seth Segraves

Criminal defense lawyer

Eugene L. Belenitsky headshot
Eugene Belenitsky

Criminal defense lawyer

Kathryn Nan Maceri headshot
Kathryn Maceri

Immigration lawyer

Michael Haden Lawyer headshot
Michael Lawyer

DUI and DWI lawyer

Sunny Marie Eaton headshot
Sunny Eaton

Criminal defense lawyer

John Houser Parker II headshot
John Parker

Litigation lawyer

William Kevin Hodges headshot
William Hodges

Criminal defense lawyer

Patrick Mathisen Brooks headshot
Patrick Brooks

Personal injury lawyer

Ebony Nicole Dawkins headshot
Ebony Dawkins

Criminal defense lawyer

Vicki Melissa Carriker headshot
Vicki Carriker

Criminal defense lawyer

James Jeffrey Lee headshot
James Lee

Employment and labor lawyer

James McMurtry Gulley headshot
James Gulley

Criminal defense lawyer

Gerald Denny Waggoner Jr. headshot
Gerald Waggoner

Criminal defense lawyer

Chris Anthony Cornaghie headshot
Chris Cornaghie

Social Security & Disability lawyer

Scott Brinkmann Peatross headshot
Scott Peatross

Probate lawyer

Robert Louis Hutton headshot
Robert Hutton

Litigation lawyer

Howard L. Cleveland IV headshot
Howard Cleveland

Employment and labor lawyer

David Wayne Willis headshot
David Willis

Criminal defense lawyer

Experience

Rating:  10.0 (Superb)

Professional misconduct

This lawyer was disciplined by a state licensing authority in 2004.

Censured issued in TN, 2004

updated on 09/21/2013

When an attorney is censured it means he or she did something wrong but may still practice law. Typically in this case the lawyer's poor behavior is exposed to the public in hopes that he or she will not repeat the behavior.

Claiborne’s comment:

“The rules say we can't threaten criminal proscution when clients steal from us. WE FIGHT HARD FOR YOU AND ONLY ASK THAT YOU PAY US. Please dont engage us unless you can afford us, we are experts and it costs a bit more but its worth it. Obviously, I respect the opinion of the TN BPR. they were right, I was wrong!”

Publicly Censured issued in TN, 2004

updated on 08/30/2024

This means the attorney did something wrong, but the Bar did not suspend the lawyer. Typically in this case the lawyer's poor behavior is exposed to the public in hopes that he or she will not repeat the behavior.

Honors

2018

Board Certified in Criminal Trial Advocacy, National Board of Trial Advocacy

2017

Top Criminal Defense Lawyers in Memphis, Esteemed Lawyers of America

2017

2017 Robert W. Ritchie Service Award, Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

1998

Outstanding Achievement Award, West Group

1997

Corpus Juris Secundum, West Group

Work Experience

1999 - Present

Senior Partner, The Claiborne Ferguson Law Firm, P.A.

Associations

2012 - Present

Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

Board of Directors

2010 - Present

Arkansas Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

2008 - Present

National College DUI Defense Attorneys

2001 - Present

Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

2000 - Present

National Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys

2009 - 2011

Tennessee Bar Association

Executive Counsel Member - Criminal Law Section

Sample of Legal Cases

O’Bannor v. State, 159 S.W.3d 605 (Tenn. Crim. App. 2004)

State v. Calabretta (In Re J.J.C.), 148 S.W.3d 919 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2004)

In Re D.A.H., 142 S.W.3d 267 (Tenn. 2004)

Marie Jennings vs. Sewell-Allen, 173 S.W.3d 710 (Tenn. 2005)

State v. Tommy Holmes, 302 S.W.3d 831 (Tenn. 2010)

reversal at the Supreme Court

See More Legal Cases

Education

1999

Mississippi College School of Law

JD - Juris Doctor

Speaking Engagements

2019

TN Criminal Defense College

Criminal Defense

2018

TN Criminal Defense College

Criminal Defense

2018

Mississippi Gun Laws

Mississippi Gun Laws

2017

Tennessee Criminal Defense College

Dynamic Cross Examination and Case Analysis

2017

TACDL Annual Seminar

Procedural Misconduct

2017

Gun Laws in Tennessee

Title 2 Firearms: Unique and Misunderstood

2017

Gun Law in Tennessee

Title 1 Firearms and Their Regulation

2017

Advanced Trial College

Criminal Defense

2013

TACDL Round Table

Community Corrections in TN

2013

LORMAN - Police Liability

Ah Heck! I think I just blew the statute of limitations - Legal Malpractice for Criminal Attorneys

2011

TACDL Round Table

Bail. Getting it and keeping it.

2009

2009 TACDL Tennessee Legislative Review & Case Law Update, Nashville TN

“Legal Ethics and the Internet; A primer on possible ethical liability in the age of FaceBook and MySpace.

Publications

2012

National Board of Trial Advocacy Drafted 10 Ethics Exam Questions

2011

National Board of Trial Advocacy Drafted 18 Exam Questions for the 2011 Expert Certificating Exam

Languages

English

Activity

Avvo Rating

Our Rating is calculated using information the lawyer has included on their profile in addition to the information we collect from state bar associations and other organizations that license legal professionals. Attorneys who claim their profiles and provide Avvo with more information tend to have a higher rating than those who do not.

What determines Avvo Rating?
  • Experience & background Years licensed, work experience, education
  • Legal community recognition Peer endorsements, associations, awards
  • Legal thought leadership Publications, speaking engagements
  • Discipline
    This lawyer was disciplined by a state licensing authority in 2004
    Disciplinary information may not be comprehensive, or updated. We recommend that you always check a lawyer's disciplinary status with their respective state bar association before hiring them.
Avvo Rating Levels
10.0 - 9.0 Superb8.9 - 8.0 Excellent7.9 - 7.0 Very Good6.9 - 6.0 Good5.9 - 5.0 Average4.9 - 4.0 Concern3.9 - 3.0 Caution2.9 - 2.0 Strong Caution1.9 - 1.0 Extreme Caution