WHAT WAS YOUR PATH INTO LAW AND ONTO THE BENCH?

I always wanted to be a lawyer, even though I come from a family of non-lawyers. At some point, my mother even suggested I train to be a secretary, because we did not come from money.

But I was determined, and I kept at it. That’s not to say that law school was not difficult at the beginning. I had just moved away from home, and home was nowhere near the city.

I hadn’t even realized I needed to find a place to live; I just assumed that getting into law school meant I automatically had access to housing.

So I simply rolled in on a Sunday evening, just before classes started the next morning. And then I had to scramble to find a place. Given my tardiness, I couldn’t find anything that was even closely affordable.

I still remember my first day. I came in armed with all the supplies I ever needed for CEGEP: a pen and a notebook. You can imagine my surprise when I saw everyone dressed in a suit and tie with their own copies of the Civil Code, the Code of Civil Procedure and the Criminal Code.

At the end of my first class, I was already second-guessing my career choice. Still, I came back the next day, and the day after that, until I finished my degree.

By the end of my program, I knew I was really interested in criminal law and, more specifically, in the role of Crown Counsel. Unfortunately, no internships were available at the time.

And so, I started my career at Legal Aid and later joined a private practice, where I worked mainly in commercial and civil law.

Then my dream of becoming a provincial Crown prosecutor came true. After that, I joined the Federal Crown Prosecutor’s office in Montréal.

Meanwhile, I was teaching at different law schools and at the Barreau du Québec’s professional training school, and I also supervised articling students for many years.

In 1994, when I was 38 years old, I was appointed to the Court of Québec in Sherbrooke, to serve on the Criminal and Penal Division and the Civil Division.

I continued teaching after my appointment, but now in continuous education for judges of the Court of Québec and as a speaker at continuing education sessions organized by the National Judicial Institute.

I split my time between civil and criminal law until I was appointed Associate Chief Justice in the Criminal and Penal Division in 2011.

I was a member of the Administrative and Appeals Division, which has exclusive authority to hear appeals of decisions by various tribunals and administrative agencies, and I was also a member of the Professions Tribunal, which hears appeals relating to disciplinary decisions for professional orders.

My time as Associate Chief Justice came to an end in 2018. I was eligible to retire then but, instead, I got right back on the bench. I just love being in a courtroom, and I hardly had the chance when I served as Associate Chief Justice. I have been a judge since 1994, and not a single day goes by that I don’t feel honoured to hold this position.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR COUNSEL WHO APPEAR BEFORE YOU?

I believe a good lawyer knows their case inside and out (including its strengths and weaknesses), has a deep respect for all players in the legal system and, above all, has excellent judgment.

There’s nothing a judge likes more than a lawyer who, after a hearing, can admit their case is weaker than they initially thought.

Sometimes, the evidence doesn’t work the way you thought it would, and you must be able to deal with that and not waste the Court’s time. You must also be able to control your client and know how to turn down unreasonable requests they may make.

A good lawyer is also someone who respects all those involved in the legal system and spares no effort to find the best possible solutions for all parties involved.