Charlotte lawyer ‘ready to roll up my sleeves’ as new Western NC U.S. attorney
Veteran prosecutor Russ Ferguson was sworn in Tuesday as U.S. attorney for the Charlotte-based Western District of North Carolina, replacing Dena King.
King, the first person of color and fourth woman to serve as U.S. attorney in the district, resigned in February. All three of North Carolina’s top federal prosecutors stepped down as President Donald Trump’s administration prepared to fill their roles.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi appointed Ferguson on March 3, according to a Tuesday news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. He took the oath of office administered by U.S. District Judge Frank Whitney, for whom he clerked out of law school.
16-year legal career
Ferguson, 40, obtained his undergraduate degree from Duke University in 2009 and his law degree and masters of law from Georgetown University Law Center.
He started his 16-year legal career as a federal prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, where he tried 28 cases to a verdict, according to the news release by his office.
Before this month’s appointment, he was a partner with Womble Bond Dickinson, a Charlotte-based international law firm. He led the complex litigation group and handled complex civil and criminal cases.
He represented clients in high-profile and complex criminal and civil trials, and in international arbitrations.
‘Ready to roll up my sleeves’
Ferguson has held leadership roles with the Mecklenburg County Bar, which has awarded him Best Individual Attorney for his pro bono work.
He’s been named to Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers in America and North Carolina Business Elite, and received the Charlotte Business Journal’s Forty Under Forty Award.
Ferguson also serves on the board of NourishUp, Charlotte’s food pantry and meals on wheels organization.
In a statement, Ferguson said he’s “ready to roll up my sleeves and get to work for the people of my home state.”
He thanked Bondi “for trusting me to lead this office, and I pledge to serve with utmost integrity and dedication.”
This story was originally published March 11, 2025 at 11:12 AM.