FORM 3

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *   Klein James B 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year) 08/03/2012 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol STERLING BANCORP [stl] (Last) (First) (Middle) 650 FIFTH AVENUE 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director _____ 10% Owner _____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) (Street) NEW YORK, NY 10019 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 4) 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned (Instr. 4) 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5) 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5) Common Stock 82,866 D (1)   Common Stock 9,489 I (2) by spouse Common Stock 264,902 I (3) by trust

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.			SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 4)	2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 4)		4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Klein James B 650 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK, NY 10019	  X	Â	Â	Â

Signatures

James B. Klein		08/10/2012
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	Shares reported as owned by Mr. Klein include 33,488 shares held jointly with his spouse, Mrs. Bonnie Klein.
(2)	Shares reported as owned by Mr. Klein are owned by his spouse, Mrs. Bonnie Klein. Mr. Klein disclaims beneficial ownership of these shares.
(3)	Shares reported as owned by Mr. Klein, as trustee, include: 141,662 shares held in the Jonas P. Klein Marital Trust; 48,829 shares held in the Phyllis Klein 2009 3-Year GRAT; 41,934 shares held in the Phyllis Klein 2009 2-Year GRAT; and 32,477 shares held in the Estate of Phyllis S. Klein. Mr. Klein disclaims beneficial ownership of all these shares.

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