Jessica S. Ferguson
AssociateJessica Ferguson focuses her practice on estate planning and probate, helping individuals and families protect their assets, navigate estate administration, and resolve probate disputes. She is committed to educating the community on the importance of estate planning and frequently offers workshops to share valuable insights on wills, trusts, and probate matters.
Prior to joining Turner Padget, Jessica practiced at South Carolina Legal Services, where she was quickly promoted to Lead Attorney for Estate Administration. There, she provided comprehensive legal services, guiding clients through estate matters and probate challenges.
Jessica earned her undergraduate degree in Honors Psychology from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, with double minors in Neuroscience and Philosophy. She then moved to South Carolina to attend the University of South Carolina School of Law. After law school, she served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Amy W. McCulloch in the Richland County Probate Court, where she worked closely with judges on complex probate issues, shaping her dedication to this field.
Jessica is actively involved in the legal community, serving as Chair of the S.C. Bar Elder Law Committee and Chair of the S.C. YLD Wills Committee. She is also an ABA RPTE Fellow Graduate and an ACTEC Fellow Graduate. Her contributions to the Probate Bar and dedication to legal services have earned her numerous recognitions.
Jessica is passionate about making estate planning accessible and strives to provide clients with clear guidance and compassionate representation through life’s most important transitions.
- Provided peace of mind to clients by preparing their advance directives, such as Wills, Durable Powers of Attorney, and Health Care Powers of Attorney.
- Protected client’s wealth through the creation of Revocable, Irrevocable, Inter Vivos,Testamentary, and Special Needs Trusts.
- Ensued the well-being of clients’ loved ones in Guardianship and Conservatorship actions.
- Guided clients though the opening, administration, and closing of loved ones’ estates, including representing clients in probate litigation issues.
- University of South Carolina School of Law, J.D., 2019
- University of Tennessee, B.A. in Honors Psychology, Double Minor in Philosophy and Neuroscience, 2016, Magna Cum Laude
- South Carolina, 2019
- North Carolina, 2022
- Tennessee, 2023
- South Carolina United States District Court, 2021
Professional or Industry Involvement
- SC House of Delegates, 13th Circuit Delegate, 2022-2024
- Greenville Estate Planning Council, Member, 2022-present
- LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce, Member, 2022-present
- Greenville County Bar, Member, 2021-present
- South Carolina Bar Elder Law Committee, Outreach Co-Chair, 2021 – 2022
- South Carolina Bar Wills Committee, Member, 2021-2022, Co-Chair, 2022-2023
- South Carolina Bar Wellness Committee, Member, 2021- 2022, Co-Chair, 2022-2023
- South Carolina Bar Judicial Qualifications Committee, Member, 2020-2021
Community or Pro Bono Involvement
- Regular Speaker for S.C. Bar Community “Law Talks”
- Regular Speaker for S.C. Bar “Law School for Non-Lawyers” Class, Greenville Technical College.
- “Advance Directives,” Joint Presentations with Thomas McAfee Funeral Homes.
- “Advance Directives,” Presentations with Various Financial Advising Firms.
- Fellow Graduate, The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, 2022-2024
- Fellow Graduate, Real Property, Trust, and Estates, American Bar Association 2022-2024
- “Best and Brightest 35 and Under,” Greenville Business Magazine, 2024
- Pro Bono Honor Roll, South Carolina Bar, 2023
- Star of the Quarter, South Carolina Bar Young Lawyers Division, 2023
- Extraordinary Professional Promise, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 2012
Articles
- Legal Alert: IRS 2025 Inflation Adjustments for Gift and Estate Tax Exemptions
- Inspiring a Generation of Attorneys to Consider Probate Law, South Carolina Lawyers Weekly
- More than attorneys can add value to estate planning
- The Importance of Well-Drafted Internal Powers of Attorney
- Guardianship And Conservatorship In South Carolina
- Fillauer, J.P., Bolden, J., Jacobson, M., Partlow., B, Benavides, A., Shultz, J. (2019). The Effects of Frustration on Working Memory Capacity. Applied Cognitive Psychology, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/acp.3587
Presentations & Speaking Engagements
- Probate Section Chair, Host; Greenville County Bar 2025 “Year-End” CLE.
- Keys to Successful Estate Administration”, South Carolina Legal Services State-Wide CLE, 2024.
- “Distributions, Final Accounting and Closing the Estate,” South Carolina Probate and Trust Administration CLE, National Business Institute, 2024.
- “Mediation in Probate,” Panelist, The Upstate Mediation Center, 2024.
- “Lunch & Learn: Understanding Estate Administration and Heirs Property-Key Issues for Success,” SC Bar CLE, 2024.
- “Heirs’ Property,” American Bar Association 36th Annual RPTE National CLE Conference, Washington, D.C. 2024.
- “Addressing Creditor Claims,” South Carolina Probate Process: In 7 Simple Steps CLE, National Business Institute, 2024.
- “Distributions, Final Accounting and Closing the Estate,” South Carolina Probate and Trust Administration CLE, National Business Institute, 2024.
- Probate Section Chair, Host; Greenville County Bar 2024 “Year-End” CLE.
- “Keys to Successful Estate Administration”, 2023 Probate Bench/Bar CLE.
- “Wills & Advance Directives,” SC YLD and Legal Services: Legal Aid University 2023.
- Interview Re: Todd Kohlhepp “Academy Sports settles lawsuit with serial killer victims’ families.” FOX Carolina News, 2023.
- “Handling Creditor Claims and Debt,” CLE, National Business Institute, 2024.
- “How to File a Claim Against an Estate,” Level Up Law, South Carolina Legal Services CLE, 2022.
