Lea Ann Sterling, Esq.
las@sterlinglawoffice.net
CAREER STEPS
Partner and Managing Member, Sterling Law Office, March 2001 to present. Attorney, Legal Aid Society of Columbus, Family Law Unit (1986-1997); Attorney, SPATER, GITTES & TERZIAN (1981-1986); Juris Doctor, The Ohio State University College of Law (1980), Law Clerk, Legal Aid Society of Columbus (1979-1980); Community Needs Assessment Survey Director, Marion County, Ohio Welfare Department (1977); Bachelor of Science, summa cum laude, Ball State University (1975).
BUSINESS INFORMATION
Lea Ann Sterling has been a member of the Michigan Bar since 1998 and has practiced in Leelanau County since 2001. Admitted to the bar in Ohio in 1981, Mrs. Sterling practiced law in Columbus. In 1997, she took a sabbatical to write, travel, and relocate from Ohio to Michigan. Her first book, Historic Homes of Olde Towne, was released in 1999 and won the Ohio Historical Society’s 2000 Public Education and Awareness Award. Historic Cottages of Mackinac Island, released in 2001, was listed on the Michigan Governor’s List of Best Books of 2001. In March 1999, Mrs. Sterling was appointed Village of Empire Zoning Administrator where she was involved in land use issues and village planning until April 2005. She established the Sterling Law Office for general civil practice in March 2001 with renowned attorney Dean Robb as her mentor. SLO became the Northwestern Lower Michigan affiliate of the American Divorce Association for Men (ADAM), specializing in the family law needs of men. Mrs. Sterling also assists individual and businesses to comply with immigration laws of the U.S.A. She is a member of the Grand Traverse-Leelanau-Antrim Bar Association.
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Married to Lanny Sterling in 1987. Three children. Mrs. Sterling enjoys camping, kayaking, gardening, bicycling, hiking, cooking, books, travel, history, and genealogy. From April to August 1998, the Sterlings traveled over 12,000 miles from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and then settled among the sand dunes, lakes, and trees of Leelanau County, Michigan. Mrs. Sterling played an instrumental role in preserving the downtown Empire Village green spaces, trees, walking paths and pedestrian-friendly streets.
ASSOCIATIONS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
American Immigration Lawyers Association; Michigan Trial Lawyers Association; American Civil Liberties Union, Northwestern Michigan Chapter Board Member (2003-present); Ohio American Civil Liberties Union, Civil Liberties Award (1996); Ohioana Library Honoree (2000); Women Lawyers of Franklin County, Inc., Board Member, Chair, Community Service Committee (1990-1991); National Lawyers Guild; Columbus Bar Association (1986-1998).
At the Legal Aid Society of Columbus, Mrs. Sterling handled all aspects of Social Security disability cases and family law litigation, including divorce, custody, guardianship, and domestic violence. With the law firm Spater, Gittes & Terzian, Mrs. Sterling successfully represented plaintiffs in civil rights litigation, including police misconduct actions, sexual harassment claims, and employment discrimination cases, one being the federal race discrimination class action Police Officers for Equal Rights v. City of Columbus (1981-1986).
Mrs. Sterling was an organizer of The Federation of Ohio River Cooperatives (1976-1980), served as its corporate president (1981-1982) and on its World Food/Hunger Committee (1977-1981), and was Legal Counsel (1982-1985). Ball State University London Centre, London England (1975); U.N. World Population Conference, Bucharest, Romania (1974).