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Sterling & AssociatesAttorneys at Law
Sterling & Associates Law Headquarters
Austin, Texas • Over $150 Million Recovered for Clients

Justice. Integrity. Relentless Advocacy.

When business assets, family wealth, or life-altering injuries hang in the balance, Texans turn to Sterling & Associates. Combining decades of courtroom mastery with decisive, personalized counsel.

Zero Upfront Legal Fees on Injury Cases
Direct Access to Senior Partners
Strict Confidentiality Guaranteed
Confidential EvaluationIntake Open

Get Immediate Legal Direction

$150M+

Recovered for Clients

99.4%

Client Satisfaction

Whether you need swift trial intervention or discreet boardroom strategy, our partners evaluate your situation within 2 hours.

Request Case Review

Or call directly 24/7 at (512) 555-0140

Honors & Judicial Recognitions
Accredited

Texas Super Lawyers® Top 100

Accredited

AV Preeminent® Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rated

Accredited

The Best Lawyers in America® 2026

Accredited

National Trial Lawyers: Top 100

Accredited

State Bar of Texas Distinguished Service Award

Accredited

Avvo 10.0 Superb Rating

Areas of Practice

Comprehensive Legal Mastery Across 8 Disciplines

From multi-million dollar corporate transactions to catastrophic trial advocacy, our partners deliver uncompromising legal representation.

View All Detailed Disciplines
$1.8B+

Corporate & Business Law

Strategic legal architecture for emerging startups, mid-market enterprises, and complex multi-million dollar mergers and acquisitions.

4 Key DisciplinesExplore Practice
94.2%

Civil & Commercial Litigation

High-stakes trial advocacy in Texas state courts, federal district courts, and complex appellate proceedings.

4 Key DisciplinesExplore Practice
650+

Family Law & Private Wealth

Discreet, compassionate, and unwavering representation for high-net-worth divorce, complex custody, and asset distribution.

4 Key DisciplinesExplore Practice
$85M+

Catastrophic Personal Injury

Aggressive trial advocacy for victims of commercial trucking accidents, brain injuries, and medical negligence. No recovery, no fee.

4 Key DisciplinesExplore Practice
850+

Criminal Defense & White Collar

Fierce defense of constitutional rights against federal indictments, white-collar accusations, and Texas felony charges.

4 Key DisciplinesExplore Practice
$950M+

Real Estate & Land Use Law

Comprehensive counsel for commercial real estate developments, title disputes, municipal zoning, and lease negotiations.

4 Key DisciplinesExplore Practice
480+

Employment & Labor Law

Protecting executive rights, employer compliance, non-compete enforcement, and wage-hour workplace equity.

4 Key DisciplinesExplore Practice
$600M+

Estate Planning & Wealth Preservation

Bespoke estate planning, revocable living trusts, probate administration, and generational wealth succession.

4 Key DisciplinesExplore Practice

Unsure which legal discipline applies to your situation?

Our intake partners will evaluate your documents confidentially and direct you to the appropriate senior counsel.

Request Free Assessment
Sterling & Associates Executive Boardroom

Trial Excellence

40+ Years

Proven courtroom mastery in Texas state and federal venues.

The Sterling Standard

Why Texas Leaders and Families Trust Our Firm

When your life, enterprise, or liberty is on the line, the caliber of your legal team determines the outcome. Here is how we deliver an unfair advantage.

Trial-Ready from Day One

We treat every dispute as if it will be decided by a jury. Opposing corporations and insurance carriers know we never accept discounted settlements out of courtroom reluctance.

Direct Partner Representation

Unlike volume firms that pass clients off to junior paralegals, your case is personally strategized and directed by the veteran senior partner you retain.

Elite Forensic & Expert Network

We invest substantial capital into top-tier forensic CPAs, accident reconstruction engineers, and medical specialists to build undeniable evidentiary proof.

Zero Upfront Cost On Injury Matters

For personal injury and wrongful death cases, we advance all litigation expenses. If we do not recover financial compensation for you, you pay zero fees.

Documented Track Record

Numbers That Command Respect in the Courtroom

$150M+

Client Recoveries

Secured in settlements & verdicts

2,500+

Cases Handled

Across Texas state & federal courts

40+ Yrs

Combined Experience

Of seasoned courtroom mastery

99.4%

Client Satisfaction

Verified 5-star peer & client reviews

Legal Leadership

Led by Seasoned Texas Trial Attorneys

Our partners bring Ivy League credentials, federal prosecutor trial experience, and Board-Certified legal specialization to every client matter.

View All 6 Partners & Counsel
James Sterling, Esq.
32 Years Practice

Managing Partner

James Sterling, Esq.

Nationally acclaimed corporate strategist and trial counsel with over three decades of high-stakes transactional and boardroom advisory experience.

J.D., Harvard Law School, Magna Cum Laude
Corporate & Business LawCivil & Commercial Litigation
Victoria Chen
22 Years Practice

Senior Partner

Victoria Chen

Formidable trial litigator renowned for securing landmark jury verdicts in high-exposure commercial disputes, trade secret theft, and fiduciary litigation.

J.D., Columbia Law School, Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar
Civil & Commercial LitigationCorporate & Business Law
Marcus Thompson
16 Years Practice

Trial Partner

Marcus Thompson

Relentless trial champion for injured Texans and surviving families, with over $85 million recovered in trucking, oilfield, and catastrophic casualty trials.

J.D., University of Texas School of Law
Catastrophic Personal InjuryCivil & Commercial Litigation
Our Proven Methodology

The 4-Step Pathway to Courtroom Victory

A systematic, forensic approach developed over 25 years that leaves no stone unturned and gives our clients a decisive advantage.

01

Confidential Case Intake

Speak directly with senior intake counsel. We conduct an immediate conflict check, analyze your documents, and provide a frank, objective assessment of your legal position.

Phase 01 of 04
02

Forensic Investigation

We dispatch accident reconstructionists, review digital telematics, subpoena banking ledgers, and secure critical evidence before opposing parties can alter it.

Phase 02 of 04
03

Aggressive Trial Prep

We structure every dispute for the courtroom. Having complete trial readiness forces corporate opponents to evaluate settlements from a position of weakness.

Phase 03 of 04
04

Decisive Legal Resolution

Whether through a favorable settlement, arbitration award, or unanimous jury verdict, we ensure you achieve maximum recovery and long-term peace of mind.

Phase 04 of 04
Case Victories

Recent Significant Verdicts & Settlements

Explore how our proactive trial preparation, aggressive discovery, and forensic financial strategies deliver extraordinary outcomes for our clients.

View All Documented Results
Catastrophic Personal InjurySettlement • 2025
$18,750,000

Interstate Freight Rollover & Catastrophic Injury

The Client Challenge:

Our client, a 34-year-old software architect and father of two, suffered permanent spinal cord injury when an out-of-state freight semi-truck jackknifed across I-35 in heavy rain.

Trial Strategy:

Marcus Thompson secured an emergency judicial preservation order within 36 hours. Our forensic engineering team analyzed the truck's Electronic Control Module (ECM) and discovered the driver had exceeded federal hours-of-service regulations by 4 hours with dispatcher knowledge.

The Final Resolution:

Faced with undeniable proof of systemic safety violations and gross corporate negligence, the carrier's primary and excess insurers paid the full $18.75M policy limits before jury selection.

Lead Counsel: Marcus Thompson
Resolved
Corporate & Business LawSettlement • 2025
$78,500,000

Cross-Border FinTech Enterprise Acquisition

The Client Challenge:

Founders of an Austin payment infrastructure startup received competing hostile acquisition bids and complex international tax hurdles from European and North American buyers.

Trial Strategy:

James Sterling structured a multi-tiered bidding process, negotiated rollover equity protections, secured key executive retention bonuses, and ensured seamless CFIUS and Hart-Scott-Rodino regulatory filings.

The Final Resolution:

Closed a $78.5M cash-and-stock buyout that maximized founder enterprise value while protecting key engineering IP and existing employee stock vesting rights.

Lead Counsel: James Sterling, Esq.
Resolved
Civil & Commercial LitigationVerdict • 2024
$14,200,000

Commercial Fiduciary Embezzlement & Breach

The Client Challenge:

A commercial real estate syndicator discovered his managing partners had diverted millions into unauthorized side ventures and concealed revenues through offshore holding entities.

Trial Strategy:

Victoria Chen led a 14-month forensic financial audit across 40 bank entities, deposed key financial officers, and presented visual banking transaction maps that made complex fraud crystal clear to a federal jury.

The Final Resolution:

The jury returned a unanimous verdict awarding $9.2M in compensatory damages plus $5M in exemplary punitive damages against the defendants, plus full recovery of attorneys' fees.

Lead Counsel: Victoria Chen
Resolved

*Past verdicts and settlements do not guarantee or predict future outcomes. Each case is unique and decided on its own merits under applicable Texas and federal law.

Client Endorsements

Trusted by CEOs, Families, and Referring Attorneys

Read unfiltered reflections from clients who trusted our attorneys with their businesses, their families, and their futures.

Corporate M&A & Securities

“James Sterling's counsel during our $78M buyout was nothing short of brilliant. His ability to anticipate opposing counsel's moves saved our firm millions.”

When our software venture was approached for acquisition by a multinational corporation, we knew standard corporate advice wouldn't suffice. James Sterling and his team dissected every clause of the purchase agreement, fought for our founders' rollover equity, and kept the closing on schedule despite intense regulatory scrutiny. They are true strategic partners.

Jonathan K.

Managing Partner, Highland Peak Capital

Verified Client
Commercial Trucking Injury

“Marcus Thompson gave our family our lives back after an 18-wheeler nearly took everything. He stood up to an enormous insurance company and never backed down.”

After my husband suffered a traumatic spinal cord injury on I-35, the trucking company offered a meager settlement that wouldn't have covered two years of medical bills. Marcus Thompson took our case, brought in the best medical and engineering experts in the country, and fought relentlessly. The settlement he secured will provide world-class medical care for my husband for the rest of his life.

Amanda & Thomas R.

Clients, Catastrophic Injury Division

Verified Client
High-Asset Family Law

“Sarah Rodriguez handled my high-net-worth divorce with utmost discretion, poise, and forensic accuracy. She protected my medical practice and my children.”

Divorce is devastating, especially when medical practices, real estate partnerships, and child custody are involved. Sarah Rodriguez was calm, analytical, and fiercely protective of my children's welfare. Her mastery of Texas property statutes ensured my life's work was preserved while achieving an amicable, fair custody arrangement.

Dr. Gregory M.

Orthopedic Surgeon & Entrepreneur

Verified Client
Civil Commercial Litigation

“Watching Victoria Chen command a federal courtroom is extraordinary. She dismantled opposing counsel's arguments witness by witness.”

Our company was blindsided when former co-founders attempted to seize proprietary source code. Victoria Chen obtained an emergency federal injunction within 48 hours and subsequently secured a $14.2M verdict after a 3-week trial. She is without question the sharpest trial litigator in Texas.

David L.

Chief Executive Officer, CyberGrid Systems

Verified Client
Peer Endorsement

“Sterling & Associates is the premier firm I trust whenever my highest-value clients need trial firepower in Central Texas.”

As an attorney with 30 years in practice, I am extremely selective about where I refer clients. Whenever catastrophic injury or bet-the-company commercial litigation arises in Austin or San Antonio, Sterling & Associates is my first and only call. Their trial results speak for themselves.

Robert C., Esq.

Referring Attorney, Houston

Verified Client
Employment & Non-Compete Law

“When a former employer tried to block my career with an illegal non-compete, Victoria Chen got the injunction thrown out in 5 days.”

My former publicly traded employer filed an emergency lawsuit to prevent me from joining a breakthrough AI startup in Austin. Victoria Chen immediately exposed the non-compete agreement's overbroad geographic restrictions in court. Not only was the lawsuit dismissed, but they also had to pay my complete deferred severance.

Michael S.

Chief Technology Officer

Verified Client
Jurisdiction & Reach

Serving Clients Throughout Austin & Central Texas

While our roots are firmly planted in downtown Austin, our trial footprint extends to every major municipal, county, and federal courtroom in the state.

Austin Metropolitan Area

Downtown Austin, Westlake Hills, The Domain, Tarrytown, Barton Creek, Rollingwood, Mueller

Principal headquarters on Congress Avenue. Immediate court filings in Travis County Civil and District Courts.

Active Judicial Docket

Central Texas Corridors

Round Rock, Georgetown, Cedar Park, Leander, Buda, Kyle, San Marcos, Dripping Springs

Regularly litigating in Williamson and Hays County courthouses on high-exposure injury, real estate, and family matters.

Active Judicial Docket

San Antonio & Bexar County

San Antonio, New Braunfels, Boerne, Alamo Heights, Bexar County

Active commercial litigation and wrongful death trial docket in federal and state venues across South Central Texas.

Active Judicial Docket

Statewide Texas Trial Practice

Houston (Harris Co.), Dallas–Fort Worth, Midland-Odessa (Permian Basin), Rio Grande Valley

Admitted across all federal districts: Western, Northern, Southern, and Eastern Districts of Texas and the Fifth Circuit.

Active Judicial Docket
Legal Insights & Analysis

Authoritative Guidance on Texas Law

Thought leadership authored by our practicing partners covering regulatory shifts, asset preservation, and high-stakes trial defense.

Browse All Articles & Guides
Clear Answers

Frequently Asked Legal Questions

Everything you need to know about retained counsel, initial case evaluations, fee structures, and attorney-client privilege.

We offer confidential initial case evaluations. For personal injury and wrongful death matters, consultations are 100% free with no obligation. For business, litigation, and private family wealth matters, we conduct an initial conflict check and preliminary strategic consultation to evaluate your goals, assess liability or exposure, and outline clear fee structures.

Have a specific question regarding your case?

Speak directly with our legal intake desk today.

(512) 555-0140
Austin, Texas • Immediate Trial Readiness

Your Rights. Your Business.
Your Legacy. Protected.

Do not leave the outcome of your high-stakes dispute or business transaction to chance. Schedule a confidential, no-obligation consultation with our senior partners today.

Protected by Attorney-Client Privilege • 24/7 Telephone Intake Available

Direct Case Evaluation

Schedule Your Confidential Consultation

Complete the form below to connect directly with our intake desk. All communications are strictly privileged and confidential.

All communications sent through this form are strictly confidential and protected by Texas attorney-client preliminary inquiry privilege.
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