Sterling Spainhour advises public and private companies, focusing primarily on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, general corporate counseling, and corporate governance.

Sterling has substantial experience in merger and acquisition transactions involving a variety of industries including consumer products, chemicals, manufacturing, telecommunications, and business services. He represents a broad spectrum of public and private clients with businesses throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia. He also advises boards of directors or their committees on corporate governance, compliance, and director liability issues. Companies with which Sterling has worked on substantial matters include Asbury Automotive Group, Chevron, Eastman Chemical Company, Flowers Foods, Sprint Nextel, and WL Ross & Co.

In 1999, Sterling joined Cable News Network and represented CNN in equity investments made by the network. He returned to Jones Day in 2000 to resume private practice. Sterling is active in the community where he currently serves on the advisory counsel of The Trust for Public Land. He previously served on the Board of Visitors of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Board of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta.