S&V
Sterling & Vance
Attorneys at Law · Est. 1949
Established 1949 · New York

Counsel for the moments that matter most.

A corporate and litigation firm trusted by founders, boards, and families for over seventy-five years.

Schedule a Consultation Our Practice Areas
0 Years in practice
0 Matters resolved
$0B Client value protected
Recognized by
Chambers & Partners · The Legal 500 · Best Lawyers · Super Lawyers · Benchmark Litigation
01 Practice Areas

Where we practice.

Six core disciplines, one standard of care.

01

Corporate & M&A

Formation, financing, mergers, acquisitions, and exit strategy for founders and boards.

02

Commercial Litigation

Disputes, arbitration, and trial work for companies facing high-stakes conflicts.

03

Intellectual Property

Trademark, copyright, trade secrets, and licensing for brands and inventors.

04

Employment

Executive agreements, workplace policy, and defense of employment claims.

05

Real Estate

Acquisitions, development, leasing, and complex financing for property owners.

06

Private Client

Estate planning, trusts, and generational wealth transfer for families.

Sterling & Vance office
1949 Founded in Manhattan
02 The Firm

Seventy-five years
of steady counsel.

Sterling & Vance was founded in 1949 by two Manhattan attorneys with a simple conviction: clients deserve counsel they can trust with everything. Three generations later, that conviction still guides us.

We are a firm of 42 attorneys across six practice areas — deliberately mid-sized, so every client works directly with a partner.

I

Judgment over volume

We take on fewer matters than we could, on purpose.

II

Partner-led work

Every matter is led by a partner from start to finish.

III

Plain language

Legal clarity without the legalese.

03 Attorneys

The people behind
your matters.

Edward Sterling

Edward Sterling Jr.

Managing Partner · Corporate & M&A

Yale Law · 28 years practicing. Lead counsel on 40+ M&A transactions.

Margaret Vance

Margaret Vance

Partner · Commercial Litigation

Harvard Law · 22 years. Tried over 60 cases to verdict in state and federal court.

David Okafor

David Okafor

Partner · Intellectual Property

Columbia Law · 18 years. Former USPTO examiner. Advises 100+ brands.

Sarah Chen

Sarah Chen

Partner · Private Client & Estates

NYU Law · 20 years. Trusted counsel to multiple family offices.

04 Selected Results

A record built on quiet wins.

$0M Cross-border acquisition closed for a technology client in 2024
Dismissed Full dismissal of a $90M commercial claim at summary judgment
Favorable Jury verdict in a three-week trademark trial in the Southern District
Preserved Multi-generational family trust restructured without litigation

Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. The outcomes above reflect selected matters and are illustrative only.

05 Client Voices
★★★★★
"

Edward led our Series C and our eventual sale with the calm of someone who has done it a hundred times. Because he has.

JR Founder & CEO, enterprise software company
★★★★★
"

Margaret took a case three firms told us was unwinnable. Two years later, we walked away with everything.

GC General Counsel, national retailer
★★★★★
"

Sterling & Vance handled my family's affairs for three generations. I cannot imagine trusting another firm with them.

PC Private Client, New York
06 Insights

From our attorneys.

Corporate March 2025

What founders get wrong about their first term sheet

Five provisions that quietly determine how much of your company you keep.

Read the note
Litigation February 2025

The quiet cost of litigating on principle

When the right thing to do is settle — and when it absolutely isn't.

Read the note
Private Client January 2025

Trusts are not just for the very wealthy

Why mid-sized families increasingly use trusts — and how to know if you should.

Read the note
07 Consultation

Tell us about
your matter.

Every engagement begins with a confidential conversation. Share a few details and a partner will respond within one business day.

New York Office

200 Park Avenue, Suite 4200
New York, NY 10166

Phone +1 (212) 555-0100
Email hello@sterlingvance.com

Submitting this form does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Thank you — a partner will respond within one business day.