Biography

Mr. Sterling is a former principal of Blair Sterling Johnson & Martinez. He started with the firm in 1981 and was made a principal in 1984. During his time with the firm, where his work focused on litigation and appellate matters, Mr. Sterling was involved in many cases which established important legal precedent for Guam and Micronesia. After more than 40 years with the firm, Mr. Sterling retired from the firm and from the practice of law in May 2024. 

Mr. Sterling obtained a B.S. degree in psychology from the University of California at Santa Cruz in 1973 and his J.D. degree from the UCLA School of Law in 1977.

While at UCLA, he participated in a student intern program working for the Attorney General’s Office of the Trust Territory Government in Saipan which first introduced him to this area of the world. After graduation, his first legal position was as a Law Clerk for the Superior Court of Guam after which he returned to California where he practiced with a surety and fidelity bond firm in Westwood, California. He came back to Guam in 1981 and joined the firm, then known as Klemm Dear & Lawrence.

Mr. Sterling’s practice is primarily litigation with an emphasis on insurance defense and construction litigation. He represents a number of insurance and construction companies and has handled numerous large cases involving a broad range of insurance and construction issues. He also is an active participant in alternative dispute resolution and has arbitrated and mediated many cases. He is a member of the Construction Industry Arbitration Panel of the American Arbitration Association and has been trained as a mediator by the AAA and the United States District Court of Guam.

He is a member of the Bars of Guam, the CNMI, the Republic of Palau, and the State of California and has tried cases in each of the jurisdictions.

Community Involvement

Mr. Sterling has served as pro bono legal counsel for the Guam National Golf Federation since 2009.

He also coached the Academy of Our of Lady of Guam high school mock trial team for ten years, during which the team won six championships.

Published Cases

Guam

• Asia Pacific Hotel Guam, Inc. v. Dongbu Inc. Co., 2015 Guam 3

• Guam Indus. Servs., Inc. v. Zurich American Ins. Co., 2013 WL 4525228 (D. Guam 2013)

• Castino v. Guam Corp. 2010 Guam 3

• Duenas v. Brady, 2008 Guam 27

• Guam Pacific Enter., Inc. v. Guam Poresia Corp., 2007 Guam 22

• Fagan v. Dell'Isola, 2006 Guam 11

• Guam Top Builders v. Tanota Partners, 2006 Guam 3

• Fletcher Pacific Const. Co., Ltd. v. Sherwood Ltd., 2005 Guam 18

• S.J. Graves Syndicate at Lloyds v. Black Const. Corp., 2005 WL 6003554 (D. Guam 2005)

• Guam Housing and Urban Renewal Authority v. Dongbu Ins. Co., Ltd., 2002 Guam 3

• Ronquillo v. Korea Auto, Fire, & Marine Ins. Co., 2001 Guam 25

• Sumitomo Constr. Co. v. Government of Guam, 2001 Guam 23

• Gibbs v. Holmes, 2001 Guam 11

• Theo H. Davies & Co. v. Republic of Marshall Islands, 174 F.3d 969 (9th Cir. 1999)

• People v. Quinata, 1999 Guam 6

• Manvil Corp. v. E.C. Gozum & Co., Inc., 1998 Guam 20

• Fargo Pacific Inc. v. Imamura, 1997 WL 208983 (D. Guam 1997)

• Iuzuka Corp. v. Kawasho Intern. (Guam), Inc., 1997 Guam 10

• Sumitomo Const., Co. v. Zhong Ye Inc., 1997 Guam 8

• People v. Palomo, 1997 WL 209048 (D. Guam 1997)

• Apusento Garden (Guam) Inc. v. Superior Court of Guam, 94 F.3d 1346 (9th Cir. 1996)

• Coral Reef Water Tours, Inc. v. Moller's Underwriting Agency, Ltd., 1994 WL 549727 (D. Guam App. Div. 1994)

• I&F Corp., Guam v. Tumon Hillside Corp., 1991 WL 255833 (D. Guam App. Div. 1991)

• Shim v. Vert. Const. Co., 1991 WL 255832 (D. Guam App. Div. 1991)

• Holmes v. Cassidy, 1988 WL 242559 (D. Guam App. Div. 1988)

• Gioda v. Saipan Stevedoring Co, Inc., 855 F.2d 625 (9th Cir. 1988)

• Parker v. Joe Lujan Enterprises, Inc., 848 F.2d 118 (9th Cir. 1988)

• Morta v. Korea Ins. Corp., 840 F.2d 1452 (9th Cir. 1988)

• Lynn v. Chin Heung Intern., Inc., 1986 WL 68916 (D. Guam 1986)

Northern Mariana Islands

• Mitchell v. Estate of Hillblom, 5 N.M.I. 131 (1997)

Federated States of Micronesia

• Nethon v. Mobil Oil Micr., Inc., 6 FSM Intrm. 451 (Chk. 1994)

• Aten v. Nat'l. Election Comm'r., 6 FSM Intrm. 143 (App. 1993)

• Aten v. Nat'l. Election Comm'r., 6 FSM Intrm. 074 (App. 1993)

• Aten v. Nat'l. Election Comm'r., 6 FSM Intrm. 038 (App. 1993)

• Epiti v. Chuuk, 5 FSM Intrm. 162 (Chk. S. Ct. Tr. 1991)

• International Trading Corporation v. Hitec Corporation, 4 FSM Intrm. 1 (Truk 1989)

• Flossman v. Truk, 3 FSM Intrm. 438 (Truk S. Ct. 1988)

• In re Mid-Pacific Const. Co, 3 FSM Intrm. 292 (Pon. 1988)

• In re Island Hardware, Inc., 3 FSM Intrm. 428 (Pon. 1988)

• Jonas v. Mobil Oil Micr. Inc., 2 FSM Intrm. 164 (App. 1986)

• Elec. Contracting Corp. v. Ray, 2 FSM Intrm. 021 (App. 1985)