Erika is an approachable and honest lawyer. She will listen earnestly to what you have to say and will tell you what you need to hear so that you can make informed decisions for your family. Erika understands that each family is unique and will require a different approach from counsel, and that the best outcomes for clients are usually those created by clients themselves with the assistance of counsel. She takes her professional duties seriously and holds herself to the highest ethical standards. While friendly and compassionate, Erika is comfortable in a variety of settings including courtrooms, negotiations, mediations, discoveries, and arbitrations. She aims to work constructively to achieve an expedient resolution wherever possible. Although Erika sees litigation and Court involvement as a last resort, she has successfully navigated many files through protracted and acrimonious litigation.

Erika’s areas of expertise include issues such as parenting and custody, child support, spousal support, family property including farms, businesses, and pensions as well as all types of family contracts. She has litigated in the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta and the Provincial Court of Alberta and has attended proceedings at the Court of Appeal of Alberta and the Federal Court of Appeal. Erika has a keen and detailed understanding of the Rules of Court and other procedural guidelines and employs that knowledge to the advantage of her clients.

Erika graduated from law school at the University of Western Ontario in 2011 with her Juris Doctor degree; she then articled with Alberta Justice and Solicitor General which included rotations in child welfare, civil litigation, the Office of the Public Trustee, Court Services, criminal prosecutions, and criminal appeals. Erika was called to the bar in 2012 and started her legal practice doing civil litigation work again with Alberta Justice and Solicitor General. Erika joined Crerar law in the spring of 2013 and grew her family law practice as the firm evolved to become Crerar Badejo Hagen Family Law Group. Erika remained at Crerar Badejo Hagen Family Law Group as a partner until the firm closed in October 27, 2023. Erika continues her family law practice as a partner at Helm Family Law LLP.

During law school, Erika worked for a summer with Renee Cochard (now The Honourable Judge Cochard). Erika also holds a Bachelor of Music degree on trombone from the University of Alberta. Erika is a member of the Law Society of Alberta and the Canadian Bar Association.

Erika is an actively involved community member and a long-time proponent of access to justice. Since 2013, Erika has been a member of the Board of Directors for the Centre for Public Legal Education Alberta. She has also spent countless hours sitting on committees, volunteering with the Edmonton Community Legal Centre, participating in workshops dedicated to Reforming the Family Justice System, and attending professional development seminars.

When Erika is not at work, she enjoys traveling with her family as much as possible, keeping up to date on current events, experimenting in the kitchen, watching her little one grow way too quickly, and trying not to binge-watch too many shows on Netflix.