Overview
John Ferko serves as Richards, Layton & Finger’s chief operating officer. He is responsible for all the firm’s business functions as well as the development of strategies to support the firm’s mission and achieve its goals. John supervises Richards Layton’s staff, including those in the human resources, information technology, general services, records and conflicts management, library services, marketing, and facilities and office management functions.
An executive with deep legal industry experience, John previously served in chief operating officer, chief financial officer, practice management, and pricing roles. He was formerly a certified public accountant at one of the largest accounting firms in the United States, where he worked with clients in a broad range of industries, including financial, real estate/construction, manufacturing/distribution, technology, and professional services.
John is passionate about delivering value in the client-firm relationship. He frequently speaks at legal industry conferences on the topic of client value and the related disciplines of pricing, practice management, process improvement, and negotiation. This passion led him to co-found the True Value Partnering Institute, a virtual hub and think tank connecting legal industry thought leaders and those responsible for driving value in their organizations.
John earned a B.S. in accounting from the Pennsylvania State University and has participated in premier executive education programs, including George Washington University’s Master of Professional Studies in Law Firm Management program and Harvard Law School’s Leadership in Law Firms program.