Janika S. Best

Overview

Janika Best is an Associate at Eckert Seamans and a member of the firm’s Mass Tort Litigation Group and Pro-Bono Committee.

Before joining Eckert Seamans, Janika was a Litigation Associate at Connell Foley LLP and a member of the Product Liability and Tort Law, Commercial Litigation, and Franchise and Distribution Groups. In this role, she drafted pleadings, dispositive motions, and other legal documents, first chaired contested hearings, and interfaced with clients regarding case statuses.

Before joining private practice, Janika was a judicial law clerk for the Hon. Siobhan A. Teare of the Essex County Superior Court – Vicinage 5. Janika assisted in managing the criminal, civil, and family dockets, which included performing relevant legal research, analyzing applicable legal theories, and drafting official judicial decisions. This experience has been instrumental in shaping her approach as an attorney and continues to inform her commitment to providing exceptional representation and counsel to her clients.

Throughout law school, Janika actively sought opportunities to expand her legal knowledge, interning for The Hon. Karen Shreeves-Johns, a judge for the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas in Pennsylvania, and The Hon. Susan D. Wigenton, a United States District Court Judge for the District of New Jersey.  Janika also interned at a state prosecutor’s office and immersed herself in the IP and Child Advocacy clinics at Rutgers Law School in Newark, further honing her skills and understanding of the legal landscape.

Before attending Rutgers Law school in Newark, Janika served as a Paralegal at the New York County District Attorney’s Office and as a Legal Assistant at Debevoise & Plimpton LLP in New York City.

Throughout her career, Janika has gained a comprehensive understanding of the legal field at every level, evolving from a legal assistant to a paralegal to an intern, a judicial law clerk, and now practicing attorney. She is also committed to the legal profession, as evidenced by her affiliations with the Garden State Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division, Essex County Bar Association, Association of Black Women Lawyers, and New Jersey State Bar Association.