Maria Ferguson is a Supervising Attorney IV at the Los Angeles County Child Support Services Department (CSSD), bringing over 25 years of experience in child support law and administration. Since joining CSSD in 2001 — initially through the District Attorney’s Office — she has served across multiple divisions, including their Intergovernmental Office, handling complex interstate and international paternity and child support cases.
A recognized leader in her field, Maria has presented MCLE training on child support services, paternity and child support establishment, interstate and intergovernmental child support modification, CEJ and enforcement at conferences including the Child Support Directors Association’s Attorney Legal College (now Cal CSA), the Eastern Regional Interstate Child Support Association (ERICSA), and the National Child Support Engagement Association (NCSEA). She is an alumna of NCSEA U and is committed to ongoing professional development in child support law.
Maria’s leadership extends beyond the courtroom and classroom. As Co-Chair of LA County CSSD’s CSDA Legislative Policy Workgroup, and the CA State Department of Child Support Services’ Smith Ostler Workgroup, she helps shape child support policy at the legislative level. She also serves as a Community Engagement and Outreach Ambassador and is a member of the Los Angeles County Management Council’s Special Services Committee, where she helps guide leadership development across all 38 LA County Departments. She has served on the Board of the Family Law Section of the San Fernando Valley Bar Association and assisted in the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s Daily Officer Settlement program with CSSD cases.
A champion for women’s leadership and mentorship, Maria supports initiatives including the Women and Girls Initiative Project, the LinkUp Mentorship Program, and LA County’s Women’s Leadership Conference, where she serves as an ambassador, authoring program introductions and moderating keynote speakers.
Outside her professional work, Maria serves on the board of the National League of Young Men, and volunteers with organizations including St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and A Sense of Home. Since 2010, she has served as a Mock Trial Scorer and Attorney Coach for the Los Angeles County Constitutional Rights Foundation (now Teach Democracy) Mock Trial Competition, earning the Coach of the Year Award in 2020.
