“The Special Master [David Ferleger] is a skilled judicial adjunct who has served the Court with balance and fairness to the parties.”
U.S. District Judge, served as Special Master for almost nine years
“Mr. Ferleger is highly qualified. He is a seasoned attorney and author in the field of disability rights, disability class actions (having represented both state defendants and plaintiffs), and in serving the federal courts in several cases as special master, court-appointed monitor, and guardian ad litem.”
U.S. District Judge, in appointing “independent advisor [to the court] and monitor”
These comments are not to be construed as endorsements or references.
Experience
- Extensive experience before the United States Supreme Court in five oral arguments and in other cases.
- Numerous federal court of appeals cases.
- Landmark class action and individual litigation.
- National litigation in Pennsylvania, California, Texas, Massachusetts, Arkansas, Georgia, Alabama, for example.
- Federal Court Special Master.
- Federal Court-Appointed Monitor.
- Special Assistant Attorney General, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, representing the Governor and a cabinet agency.
- Work for the West Virginia Supreme Court, the National Institute of Mental Health, the State of Wyoming, the State of New Jersey, the National Disabilities Rights Network, and other bodies.
- Invited testimony to United States Senate.
- Invited presentation to United Nations Conference (Iceland).
- Teaching at University of Pennsylvania Law School and New York University Law School.
- Law review, popular press and other publications.
- Case consultation and commissioned analysis.
University of Pennsylvania (BA 1969, Sociology)
University of Pennsylvania Law School (JD 1972)
The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Investment Strategies & Portfolio Management (2008)
Fellow, American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) (awarded 2014).
Practice Interests
- United States Supreme Court certiorari; federal courts of appeals and state appellate courts.
- Special master and service to courts.
- Arbitration, mediation and alternative dispute resolution.
- Civil rights and constitutional rights.
- Disability Justice.
- Americans with Disabilities Act.
- Abuse and neglect.
- Medical malpractice.
- Professional malpractice.
- Nursing home rights.
- Elder law.
- Special education.
- Employment law.
- Discrimination in employment and in receipt of public services and public accommodation.
- Business law, including contract drafting, review and enforcement.
- Higher education, including university tenure and disciplinary process, and academic freedom.
- Real estate.
- Investments.
- Cases raising important public and private issues.