During a gala dinner last night in Toronto, St. John’s partner Erin Best received a Lexpert Rising Star: Leading Lawyer Under 40 award. This recognition celebrates excellence in the field of business law and litigation across Canada.

In addition to being the chair of the Stewart McKelvey Newfoundland and Labrador litigation group, Erin wears many hats for her clients, including litigator, intellectual property (“IP”), privacy and media lawyer. She is a trademark agent and has been heavily involved in consultations on the Trade-marks Act and Regulations.

As a former professional musician, Erin is known as a lawyer who gives back to the music and legal communities. A member of the Business and Arts NL pro-bono committee, Erin has helped develop and launch a pro-bono program that offers free legal, accounting and marketing services for artists and musicians. As founder and president of the Kitchen Party Think Tank, Erin spearheaded efforts to develop Newfoundland and Labrador as a music tourism destination. She has co-authored several legislative submissions on amendments to Canadian IP legislation through her positions as an executive officer of the Canadian Bar Association (“CBA”) national IP section, and chair of the Newfoundland and Labrador CBA IP section.