Desiree M. Ferguson is the legal director and senior staff attorney of the Detroit Justice Center. Before joining DJC, Desiree retired after serving for more than 26 years as an assistant defender at the State Appellate Defender Office, where she specialized in handling criminal defense appeals on behalf of indigent persons convicted of felonies in both state and federal courts. She taught a Criminal Appellate Advocacy clinic at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, Wayne State University Law School, and the University of Michigan Law School. Previously, she worked for UAW Legal Services Plan, Michigan Legal Services, Wayne County Neighborhood Legal Services, and Farmworker Legal Services.