Four new articling students join Bélanger Sauvé

Meet four future lawyers who have joined the ranks of Bélanger Sauvé in early 2023. Over the next few months with the firm, they will be laying the foundations for their legal skills.

Marianne Jasmin and Emily Froes began their six-month articling period on Monday, January 16, and Gabriel Desjardins and Alex Labelle joined the team on Monday, February 20.

Marianne Jasmin completed the Law — MBA program at the Université de Sherbrooke, which consists of a law degree and a master’s in business administration, and, in the fall of 2022, the required courses at the École du Barreau. Originally from Lavaltrie, she will do her articles in municipal law at our  Joliette office under the guidance of Yves Chaîné.

“Bélanger Sauvé provides me with a work environment where life is good, where people are competent and pleased to share their knowledge,” she said. “I hope to become professionally autonomous, to practice with humanity and to have the support of a close-knit team. Coming from the Lanaudière region and having studied at the Université de Sherbrooke, I’m sure that I’ll find a niche in the Joliette team! I’m also looking forward to meeting and collaborating with the various players in the region.”

Over the past four years, Marianne Jasmin has gained diverse legal experience, in the form of internships, notably with the Service d’appui à la recherche, à l’innovation et à la création of the Université de Sherbrooke as well as with a private company specializing in software development and in the banking sector. She has also taken part in several clinical activities, notably in social law with the Estrie Home Economics Cooperative Association, Pro Bono Students Canada for the Legal Tent project for the Odanak Aboriginal community, and at the Lac-Mégantic Legal Aid Office.

Emily Froes has a diverse background that has broadened her knowledge and confirmed her interest in law. She studied at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) where she was awarded a Bachelor of Laws degree and attended the École du Barreau in 2022. Bélanger Sauvé was a more than obvious choice during the Course aux stages in which she participated.

“The friendliness and camaraderie among the lawyers and partners during the recruiting and interview process immediately appealed to me,” she said. “And the human values that the firm espouses tell me that I chose the right firm for my articles. Now that I’ve been with the team for a few weeks, I know that I definitely made the right choice. I’m really involved in some files and the mandates I am given are interesting and diversified. I can’t tell you how pleased I am to be part of the Bélanger Sauvé team.”

Emily Froes has two college degrees, one in paralegal technology and the other in humanities (administration). For four years, she worked as a paralegal in a South Shore firm of notaries and lawyers. For close to a year, from October 2020 to May 2021, she volunteered at SALVAS, the legal aid service for victims of sexual abuse.

Over the next six months, she will be articling in the Montréal office and working with the firm’s lawyers in different areas of expertise.

Alex Labelle completed his studies in law at the Université de Sherbrooke and at the École du Barreau in 2022. During his studies, he worked at a legal clinic supporting Protec-Terre and analyzing what is permissible under the Act respecting the protection of agricultural land and agricultural activities and according to the Commission de protection du territoire agricole du Québec in connection with Protec-Terre’s mission, which, since its founding in 1997 is to promote the creation of agroecological social utility trusts.

From 2021 to 2022, he served as the general manager of a start-up company Excellence Académique Tutorat, providing tutoring to elementary,  high school, CEGEP and university students. His duties included managing the growth of the company, maintaining professional relationships with partners and overseeing the tutor-recruitment process.

In order to pursue his ultimate career goal of practicing as a lawyer, and given his varied extracurricular interests, he wanted to join a firm where he could grow both professionally and personally.

“Bélanger Sauvé has a reputation as a firm whose lawyers are generous with their time and knowledge,” he says. “As an articling student, it’s important to be be part of a team that’s committed to your success and development. I’m really looking forward to what the next few months has in store for me. ”

Gabriel Desjardins initially embarked on a career in primary and secondary education in 2017. A history and politics buff, he was adored by his students. He worked as a teacher for over five years before turning to law, a field he has always been passionately interested in. He completed his law degree at the Université de Montreal in 2022 and then finished his courses at the École du Barreau in early 2023. While at university, he mentored first year students and guided them in their goals.

He also has a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and International Relations from the Université du Québec à Montréal. He has taken part in three United Nations simulations, including two as a delegate and one as a delegation leader, in Rome and New York.

He met several Bélanger Sauvé lawyers at a university event, and decided then and there that this was the firm where he wanted to further his education.

“ When I met the firm’s team, I knew immediatley that I wanted to article at Bélanger Sauvé,” he said. The conversations I had with the firm’s lawyers, especially with Félix Gauthier, were characterized by sincerity and genuine passion for their areas of practice. For someone like me who has always been interested in litigation and wants to work with people, Bélanger Sauvé is the perfect choice. Their articling program, which encourages articling students to work in each of the practice groups, is ideal for anyone with wide-ranging legal interests. Now that I’m here, I realize that Bélanger Sauvé combines the best of both worlds: a warm and friendly work environment coupled with diverse expertise.”

Emily Froes, Alex Labelle and Gabriel Desjardins will be supervised by Cynthia Picard-Juneau, lawyer and partner. They will article in Bélanger Sauvé’s Montreal office.