Pavel Sterin, Esq.
I come from humble beginnings.
As a result, on both personal and professional levels, I truly grasp that you have to work hard for what you want, and twice as hard to keep it. My family and I immigrated to the United States of America from the former Soviet Union when I was 4-years old. We all came with ambition and the hopes of living the American dream – sunny days and warmer temperatures being an added bonus!
After overcoming that challenge, I knew I wanted to become an attorney. I vowed that I would help protect people’s rights, help make the law easier for them to understand, and help clients receive the appropriate medical services to maximize their recovery. I made it my goal to help real people with real problems.
Unfortunately, my family’s legal issues did not end after the car accident. My father was wrongfully accused and convicted of a misdemeanor crime because of his bosses’ illicit activities. Knowing only limited broken English and living paycheck-to-paycheck, my father could neither afford nor communicate with counsel. As a result, poor representation resulted in dreadful results.
This hardship only bolstered my desire and my calling to protect people from being bullied after accidents, negligence occurrences, or wrongful doings.
I became an entrepreneur at an early age – saving my lunch money, acquiring things of value and demand that I could resell at school. Eventually I moved onto bigger dealings … tickets for concerts and professional sporting events. In my first year of high school I started an eBay store that grew and allowed me to save money to put towards law school. With law school always being my main objective, I did whatever I could to save. In college I started writing business essays for students needing help. As an English and Political Science major, it was a good fit. I always found a way to build on my strong work ethic.
After completing my undergraduate studies at the University of California San Diego, I enrolled in law school at University of West Los Angeles, School of Law. During my law school career, I received three Witkin’s Awards, an award given to the student who achieves the highest grade in the class, in Evidence, Trial Advocacy and Legal Writing. I saved money, committed myself to my studies and persevered.
I gained valuable experience and sharpened my litigation skills while working with attorneys practicing civil litigation, personal injury, elder abuse, and criminal law. I was admitted to the State Bar of California in December of 2017 along with the U.S. District Court in the Central District of California and the Ninth Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals.
Admissions
California
- United States District Court for the Central District of California
- United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Education
- University of California San Diego, B.A., Cum Laude, 2011
- University of West Los Angeles School of Law, J.D.
Languages
- English
- Spanish
- Russian
I come from humble beginnings. As a result, on both personal and professional levels, I truly grasp that you have to work hard for what you want, and twice as hard to keep it. My family and I immigrated to the United States of America from the former Soviet Union when I was 4-years old. We all came with ambition and the hopes of living the American dream – sunny days and warmer temperatures being an added bonus!
Shortly after arriving in the United States, my family was in an automobile accident and our newfound excitement succumbed to fear and stress. When my family was finally able to retain an attorney, I saw them breathe a sigh of relief, but it didn’t last long. My parents felt completely in the dark through their legal maze. The attorney did not return phone calls, did not keep my parents informed, and did not share the process or the timeline. Essentially, he did not keep his word. While our smashed car sat inoperable in front of our home, the other party’s insurance company and attorney called and sent threatening letters. Even at a young age, I saw how overwhelming this was for my parents.
After overcoming that challenge, I knew I wanted to become an attorney. I vowed that I would help protect people’s rights, help make the law easier for them to understand, and help clients receive the appropriate medical services to maximize their recovery. I made it my goal to help real people with real problems.
Unfortunately, my family’s legal issues did not end after the car accident. My father was wrongfully accused and convicted of a misdemeanor crime because of his bosses’ illicit activities. Knowing only limited broken English and living paycheck-to-paycheck, my father could neither afford nor communicate with counsel. As a result, poor representation resulted in dreadful results.
This hardship only bolstered my desire and my calling to protect people from being bullied after accidents, negligence occurrences, or wrongful doings.
I became an entrepreneur at an early age - saving my lunch money, acquiring things of value and demand that I could resell at school. Eventually I moved onto bigger dealings … tickets for concerts and professional sporting events. In my first year of high school I started an eBay store that grew and allowed me to save money to put towards law school. With law school always being my main objective, I did whatever I could to save. In college I started writing business essays for students needing help. As an English and Political Science major, it was a good fit. I always found a way to build on my strong work ethic.
After completing my undergraduate studies at the University of California San Diego, I enrolled in law school at University of West Los Angeles, School of Law. During my law school career, I received three Witkin’s Awards, an award given to the student who achieves the highest grade in the class, in Evidence, Trial Advocacy and Legal Writing. I saved money, committed myself to my studies and persevered.
I gained valuable experience and sharpened my litigation skills while working with attorneys practicing civil litigation, personal injury, elder abuse, and criminal law. I was admitted to the State Bar of California in December of 2017 along with the U.S. District Court in the Central District of California and the Ninth Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals.
Combining my strong work ethic and my passion for law, I saw my American dream unfold and opened a private law practice. In my first year of solo practice, I recovered over one million dollars for my clients. I have a strong background in legal writing and civil litigation, I am committed to providing equal, aggressive, committed, and effective representation to all of my clients. To differentiate myself, I reduced my attorney fees and offered a, “no pay unless you win guarantee.” It was a risk, but one I was willing to take so I could fight for my clients and give them the opportunity for representation – the very things my dad was so sadly denied.
I feel the most important part of being an attorney is communicating with your client while having total transparency. Some clients like to be part of each stage and others like it all done for them – either way, I keep them abreast of all processes and timeframes. I hear many client-attorney nightmare stories where everything could have gone differently had there been open lines of communication. Whether it’s good news or bad news, the importance is to be available and provide honest updates with accountable and fair pricing.
I take each case personally, treating clients as family. And while I continue to strive to offer exceptional services, I plan to never lose sight of my own humble beginnings and my family’s personal struggles understanding the law. I am constantly educating myself and using key performance indicators to measure myself and my client’s satisfaction. You will have my cell and outside of my faith and family, I am at your service.
During my free time, I enjoy watching and playing basketball, trying out new restaurants, and buying and selling real estate.
