Born to Ralph and Dolores Ferguson and raised on a farm near Watford, Ontario, he received a Bachelor of Commerce degree at the University of Ottawa and a law degree from the University of Western Ontario.

He was a lawyer for twenty years in London, Ontario practising civil litigation and estates before he joined the Faculty of Law, at the University of Western Ontario as an adjunct professor and as Director of Community Legal Services.

From 2004-2006 he served as a board member of Mission Services of London, a social agency providing assistance to the homeless.

In the Liberal Party, Ferguson served as riding president for both the London West federal and provincial associations when Sue Barnes and Chris Bentley were elected as MP and MPP respectively.

At a nomination meeting held on September 10, 2009, Ferguson was elected to stand as the Liberal candidate in the riding of London West.