Amy Worrell Sterling is an experienced commercial litigation attorney who represents clients in state and federal court on matters involving business torts, consumer protection, real estate and commercial lease disputes, construction law, contract issues, insurance coverage and defense, healthcare liability, and securities. Ms. Sterling also has experience with probate litigation and elder abuse issues covered by the Tennessee Adult Protection Act. In addition, her practice includes counseling and advising clients on business disputes, regulatory and compliance matters, and transactions to achieve their business objectives and manage risks.

A native of Nashville, Tennessee, Ms. Sterling received her B.B.A. with honors from Belmont University in 1999 and earned her Juris Doctorate degree, also with honors, from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law in 2006. During law school, she was the Senior Notes and Comments Editor of the University of Memphis Law Review, and was the Champion and recipient of the Best Brief award for the Advanced Moot Court Competition. Ms. Sterling received the Dean's Award for Academic Excellence in Legal Methods for Best Oral Advocate in 2004 and the Dean's Distinguished Service Award in 2006.

After graduating from law school, Ms. Sterling served as the judicial law clerk for the Honorable Diane K. Vescovo, Retired Magistrate Judge for the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee. Prior to joining BMJRG in January of 2019, she was a litigation attorney at Bass, Berry & Sims, where she focused on representing brokerage firms, financial institutions, and registered representatives in securities litigation, FINRA arbitration, and compliance and regulatory matters.

Ms. Sterling is admitted to practice law in all Tennessee state courts as well as to the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee and United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. She is a member of the American Bar Association, Tennessee Bar Association, and Memphis Bar Association. Ms. Sterling is also a Barrister in the Leo Bearman, Sr. American Inn of Court. At her prior firm, she was active in the firm’s pro bono adoption initiative, offering legal representation to clients through Memphis Areal Legal Services. For her pro bono service in that initiative, she was recognized as a 2019 Attorney for Justice by the Tennessee Supreme Court.

Outside of the office, Ms. Sterling serves as vice-chair of her church’s board of trustees and is a board member and chair of the legal committee for the Central Gardens Association. She formerly served as a board member of the University of Memphis Law Alumni board of directors and also as a board member of the Young Lawyers Division of the Memphis Bar Association.

On a more personal note, Ms. Sterling is a proud Memphian transplant who, along with her husband and two young daughters, enjoys taking in all of the many things the city offers. Her hobbies include attending concerts, traveling, reading, yoga, cooking, and anything outdoors, whether it be biking, running, hiking, or skiing. In her younger years, she was a strong competitor in the American Quarter Horse Association show circuit, culminating in being named NYATT Western Pleasure Champion at the 1994 All American Quarter Horse Congress. 

Representative Cases:

• Represented a psychiatrist in federal court who was indicted as part of the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force, resulting in not-guilty verdicts on three counts, a mistrial on three counts, a dismissal of one count, and a guilty verdict on three counts.
• Obtained summary judgment in favor of client St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Co., resulting in dismissal of a $20 million insurance coverage claim brought against St. Paul.
• Successfully defended LPL Financial in a FINRA arbitration final hearing, resulting in the arbitration panel denying the claimants’ $5.8 million claim.
• Represented Morgan Keegan, as a part of a team, in the defense of more than 300 customer-initiated arbitrations in the wake of the failure of a family of mutual funds.

Publications and Presentations:

• Co-speaker and Moderator, FINRA Arbitrator Panel Selection: Practical Considerations, ABA Litigation Section Roundtable (October 2016)
• Co-author, The Lingering Question after Oxford Health: Determination of Class Arbitrability, ABA Commercial & Business Litigation News (April 2014)
• Author, Professional Responsibility—Doe vs. Doe: Free Speech Violated by Requiring Confidentiality of Attorney Misconduct Allegations, 35 U. Mem. L. Rev. 951 (2005)