Ferguson Widmayer & Clark PC: Our Story

Our History

Our founding attorneys, Larry Ferguson and Warren Widmayer, met as associates at an Ann Arbor, Michigan law firm in 1986. Sharing a commitment to creative tax, estate and benefits planning, they partnered to found Ferguson Widmayer PC in 1991. In 1998, the firm moved to the historic Henry Cornwell house on North Division Street in Ann Arbor, where it remains today. In January of 2019, attorney Peter C. Clark became the third named Shareholder of the firm, marking an exciting new chapter in the story started by Warren and Larry.

Over the twenty-five years since the firm was founded, Ferguson Widmayer & Clark has grown selectively, bringing together attorneys who share our practice philosophy and who possess the legal and tax knowledge our clients seek. As a team, we continue to advance the vision of Larry Ferguson, whom we lost in 2013 after a courageous ten year battle with cancer. Larry's wisdom, creativity, and generosity and ethics put him in a class of his own, as all who knew him recognized. We miss him deeply, and continue to draw inspiration from the way he lived his life and practiced his craft.

Our Practice Philosophy: Commitment, Collaboration, and Comprehensive Representation

At Ferguson Widmayer & Clark , we believe in offering personalized service to every client. That means taking the time to listen to you and ask the questions you may not have considered in order to fully discern your needs. Once we have a clear picture of your goals, we explore different options and customize a plan to achieve those goals.

We concentrate our practice in a few areas: estate planning and business succession, probate, estate and trust settlement, ERISA and employee benefits, employment and business law, and real estate law. Knowledge of state and federal tax law is essential to competent representation in these areas, and that's another way in which Ferguson Widmayer & Clark excels. Many of our attorneys are experienced tax lawyers and can help our clients understand the tax implications of their personal and business planning choices.

Our tax experience sets us apart from other firms with similar practice areas, and is the reason that much of our work comes to us through referrals from accountants, investment professionals, and other attorneys. Our in-depth knowledge allows us to craft truly creative and innovative solutions for our clients. We focus on anticipating and avoiding conflicts before they happen.

Ferguson Widmayer & Clark is equipped to handle the most complex and sophisticated cases, and our attorneys are skilled at distilling highly technical information into understandable terms as we form a plan of action. We want our clients to feel that we are approachable and committed to their needs, and to be comfortable calling us with any legal or tax-related concern.

As business and law grow increasingly specialized, attorneys have to concentrate their practices in a specific area in order to be able to maintain the level of knowledge their clients need. Each of our attorneys has his or her own practice focus, but we are a true firm and practice as a team. We pair clients with the right attorney for their purposes, and our attorneys collaborate with each other as needed. In this way, our clients can benefit from the full breadth and depth of our experience.

At Ferguson Widmayer & Clark, we define our success by helping you achieve yours. Whether you need to develop an estate plan for your growing family, or a succession plan for your evolving business, we can partner with you to achieve your goals. We invite you to contact us to schedule a consultation at our Ann Arbor office. We look forward to working with you.