Richard Ferguson was born on 22 August 1935 in Derrygonnelly, County Fermanagh, UK. He was married to Janet Magowan and Roma Whelan. He died on 26 July 2009 in London, UK.
Briefly a member of the Stormont parliament before becoming a successful criminal defence barrister. He left Northern Ireland and his first wife Janet in 1984 for a lucrative career in London, becoming the top-earning defender by 2003.