Lexpert Rising Stars Awards 2025

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Celebrating remarkable contributions by lawyers 40 and under 

Selected by an independent panel of esteemed legal experts from across the country, this year’s Lexpert Rising Stars Awards winners exemplify the rich diversity of Canada’s legal community, representing both in-house legal departments and law firms of all sizes. Whether facilitating complex transactions, advocating for clients in court, or providing strategic legal counsel to support business objectives, each recipient shares a common distinction: a remarkable commitment to their clients and to the advancement of the legal profession.

On November 20, members of the legal community gathered at Toronto’s Liberty Grand to honour the 2025 Lexpert Rising Stars Awards recipients. For many years, Lexpert and Canadian Lawyer have proudly hosted this event to celebrate the outstanding achievements of lawyers aged 40 and under who are making significant contributions early in their careers.

The awards are also a time for the winners to pause and reflect on their work and the work of their peers.

“It is such an honour to be recognized by Lexpert as a Rising Star in the Canadian legal community, especially alongside exceptional peers and leading lawyers in their fields,” says Aaron Sigal, associate general counsel at OPTrust and one of this year’s Lexpert Rising Stars Awards winners.

“This is particularly true for lawyers like myself in the in-house space – it [is] gratifying that our work is being appreciated as cutting-edge and complex as we work closely with our colleagues in private practice to advance our organizations’ goals,” Sigal adds. “It isn’t normally my style to focus on awards, but I am extremely grateful to have been acknowledged amongst this group.”

The 2025 Lexpert Rising Stars Awards would not have been as successful without the support of our generous sponsors. Among them are some of Canada’s most prominent law firms, which note the winners’ role in shaping the future of the country’s legal profession.

“We’re proud to support the Lexpert Rising Stars Awards, which celebrate the emerging leaders shaping our profession," said Matthew Scott, managing partner of Crawley MacKewn Brush LLP. “Developing outstanding advocates and future leaders is integral to our culture, and we view these awards as a meaningful way to recognize those who reflect the best of our profession in both ability and character.”

Bruce Chapple, CEO and managing partner at McMillan LLP shared similar sentiments.

“At McMillan, we’re deeply committed to advancing the next generation of legal talent. Supporting the Lexpert Rising Stars Awards is one of the ways we put that commitment into action, celebrating emerging leaders who are shaping the future of our profession,” Chapple said.

Others were thrilled to see their own colleagues among the winners.

“Leadership in law today means more than expertise, it’s about vision, courage, and a willingness to challenge what’s possible,” said Sean Griffin, CEO of Langlois Lawyers, adding that the firm is “proud to stand behind the next generation of legal leaders who embody that spirit.

“Seeing our partner, Antoine Brylowski, among this year’s honourees is an inspiring example of the excellence shaping our profession.”

For helping make this year’s awards a success, Lexpert and Canadian Lawyer extend a warm thank you to event partner Dye & Durham and gold sponsor Langlois Lawyers.

Lexpert and Canadian Lawyer would also like to thank our judging panel, silver sponsors McMillan LLP, Norton Rose Fulbright, Ernst & Young LLP, Crawley MacKewn Brush LLP, Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP, education partner Osgoode Hall Law School, and our media partners and supporting organizations: Black Law Students Association, Korean Canadian Lawyers Association, and South Asian Bar Association. 

 

Featured Winners

• 
  Jared Bachynski
  Partner
  Stikeman Elliott LLP 
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• 
  Michael Byers 
  Partner
  Crawley MacKewn Brush LLP
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• 
  Adam Drori 
  Partner
  Stikeman Elliott LLP 
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• 

  Joe Gill 
  Partner
  McKercher LLP 
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• 
  Emmanuel Grondin 
  Associé / Partner 
  Norton Rose Fulbright
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• 
  Ben Howard 
  Partner
  Cox & Palmer 
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• 
  Lauren Hulme
  Partner
  Torys LLP
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• 
  Carly Klinkhoff
  Partner
  Torys LLP
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• 
  Matti Lemmens 
  Partner
  Stikeman Elliott LLP
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• 
  Amy Maginley
  Partner
  Torys LLP
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• 
  Guillaume Michaud 
  Associé / Partner
  Norton Rose Fulbright
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• 
  Joe Mooney 
  Partner
  Norton Rose Fulbright
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• 
  Nathalie Nouvet 
  Partner
  Stikeman Elliott LLP 
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• 
  Nathaniel Read-Ellis
  Partner
  Adair Goldblatt Bieber LLP
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• 
  Maria Sagan
  Partner, Financial Services
  McMillan LLP 
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• 
  Rebecca Silverberg 
  Partner
  McLennan Ross LLP 
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• 
  Mark van Zandvoort 
  Partner and Co-Practice Group Leader of the Litigation Group 
  Aird & Berlis LLP 
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• 
  Aaron Vieira 
  Partner
  Stikeman Elliott LLP 
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• 
  Adam R. Way
  Partner 
  Harper Grey LLP
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2025 Winners

•  
  Ryann Atkins
  Partner
  Stockwoods LLP
•  
  Camille Aubin
  Practice Leader of the Litigation Group, Principal, Lawyer
  ROBIC
•  
  Hugo Babos-Marchand
  Partner and Practice Lead, Litigation and Dispute Resolution (Québec)
  McCarthy Tétrault LLP
•  
  Ravipal S.  Bains
  Director & Senior Counsel
  British Columbia Investment Management Corp. (BCI)
•  
  Natasha Banka
  Senior Vice President, Legal
  Macquarie Group Ltd.
•  
  Sarah Beamish
  Founder and Principal
  Beamish Law
•  
  Kennedy A. Bear Robe
  Partner
  Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP
•  
  James Bishop
  Executive Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary
  High Liner Foods
•  
  Jonathan Bitran
  Partner
  Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
•  
  Audrey Bouffard-Nesbitt
  Partner
  McCarthy Tétrault LLP
•  
  Kate Boyle 
  Partner (Class Actions)
  Wagners Law Firm
•  
  Alessandro Bozzelli
  Partner
  Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP
•  
  Scott Brasil 
  Vice President, Associate General Counsel
  Allied Properties REIT
•  
  Antoine Brylowski
  Partner
  Langlois Lawyers
•  
  Michael Caldecott
  Partner
  McCarthy Tétrault LLP
•  
  Dorothy Charach
  Partner 
  McCarthy Tétrault LLP
•  
  Eric (Sheung Chi) Cheng
  Federal Crown Counsel
  Public Prosecution Service of Canada, Nunavut Regional Office
•  
  Amanda Cohen
  Associate
  Hicks Morley Hamilton Stewart Storie LLP
•  
  Jillian E. D’Alessio
  Associate
  McInnes Cooper
•  
  Reshika Dhir
  Principal and Practice Group Lead, Electrical and Computer Technologies
  Smart & Biggar
•  
  Andrew N. Disipio
  Partner, Head of Mining
  Bennett Jones LLP
•  
  Maureen Doherty
  Partner
  Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
•  
  Joëlle El-Féghali
  Deputy General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
  WSP Global Inc.
•  
  Alexandre Fallon
  Partner, Disputes
  Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
•  
  Jesse Gardner
  Partner
  Singleton Urquhart Reynolds Vogel LLP
•  
  Lynsey Gaudin
  Partner
  MLT Aikins LLP
•  
  Simon Gauthier
  Partner, Co-Leader of the Corporate group, Leader of the M&A group for Dentons Canada’s Montréal office
  Dentons Canada LLP
•  
  Jennifer Lauren Hancock
  Partner
  Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
•  
  Kelly Harris
  Principal + Lawyer
  Harris + co.
•  
  Anisah Hassan
  Partner
  Tyr LLP
•  
  Isabel Henkelman
  Partner, Real Estate Group; Strategic Planning Leader 
  McCarthy Tétrault LLP
•  
  Jason Kully
  Partner, Practice Group Leader
  Field Law
•  
  Cheryl Labiris
  Partner
  Singleton Urquhart Reynolds Vogel LLP
•  
  Brittney LaBranche
  Partner
  Burnet, Duckworth and Palmer LLP
•  
  Ciara J. Mackey
  Partner
  Bennett Jones LLP
•  
  Amanda Marsden
  Partner
  Crossroads Law
•  
  Sheila Mecking
  Partner, Labour & Employment Practice Group Leader and Stewart McKelvey Board Member
  Stewart McKelvey
•  
  Amelia Miao
  Partner, Corporate
  Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
•  
  Kate Millar
  Partner
  Dentons Canada LLP
•  
  Zain Naqi
  Partner
  Lax O'Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb LLPvel Justice
•  
  Ryma Nasrallah
  Partner and National Co-Leader, Charities and Not-For-Profit Law Group
  Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
•  
  Adam Ngan
  Partner
  Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
•  
  Stephen Nguyen
  Partner
  Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
•  
  Brendan O’Grady
  Partner
  Baker McKenzie
•  
  Nicole Park
  Partner
  Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP
•  
  Shoshanna Yvonne Paul
  Partner
  Thompson Dorfman Sweatman LLP (TDS)
•  
  Devin Persaud
  Partner
  Miller Thomson
•  
  Carla Potter
  Partner; Chair, Corporate Responsibility Committee
  Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP
•  
  Margaret Robbins
  Partner
  Lenczner Slaght
•  
  Madison Robins
  Partner 
  Lenczner Slaght
•  
  Elliot P.  Saccucci
  Partner
  Loopstra Nixon LLP
•  
  Marianne Salih
  Partner
  Edward Royle & Partners
•  
  Emily Savage
  Principal Lawyer
  Miller Titerle Law Corporation
•  
  Chanakya A. Sethi
  Partner
  Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP
•  
  Divya Shahani
  Partner and Entertainment and Media Lawyer
  Blaney McMurtry LLP
•  
  Amy Sherrard
  Assistant General Counsel
  Ernst & Young LLP
•  
  Michael Shortt
  Partner
  Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP
•  
  Aaron Sigal
  Associate General Counsel
  OPTrust
•  
  Zale Skolnik
  Senior Legal Counsel
  Fengate Asset Management 
•  
  Kevin Smith
  Partner
  Farris LLP
•  
  Jared Solinger
  Partner
  Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP
•  
  Jamie Thomas
  Partner
  Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
•  
  Karen Vadasz
  Partner
  Goodmans LLP
•  
  Edona Vila
  Partner
  Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
•  
  Jonathan Wansbrough
  Partner
  Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP
•  
  Jayde Wood
  Partner, Lawyer, Patent Agent, Trademark Agent
  Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP
•  
  John J.  Zelenbaba
  Counsel, Capital Markets
  Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP