Managing Partner
Margaret Ellison Sterling
Corporate & Business Law · 29 Years of Practice
Biography
Margaret co-founded Sterling & Black in 1998 and has led the firm's corporate practice ever since. She advises founders, boards, and executive teams on formation, governance, financing, and mergers and acquisitions, with particular depth in middle-market transactions.
Clients describe her approach as direct and commercially minded - she is known for translating complex deal structures into decisions a board can act on quickly. Margaret also chairs the firm's mentorship program for early-career attorneys.
Education
J.D., Columbia Law School
B.A., Economics, University of Virginia
Bar Admissions
New York
Illinois
Practice Areas
Professional Memberships
- American Bar Association, Business Law Section
- New York State Bar Association
- Association of Corporate Counsel, Advisory Board
Publications & Speaking
- "Structuring Founder-Friendly Term Sheets," Journal of Commercial Law, 2024
- Keynote speaker, Regional Business Law Symposium, 2023 & 2025
Community Involvement
Board member, Downtown Business Mentorship Alliance. Volunteer legal advisor, University Entrepreneurship Clinic.
Client Testimonials
What clients say
Margaret translated a complicated acquisition into a plan our board could actually act on.
She asks the questions that actually matter for a growing company, not just the standard checklist.