About us

About us

Justice Pro Bono’s mission is to improve access to justice by mobilizing the legal community to share their expertise and time with individuals, communities and non-profit organizations in Québec who lack the resources to access legal services.

Our vision

To remain the key organization in the field of volunteer legal work by implementing concrete projects that meet the needs of people in vulnerable situations.

Our history

Created in 2008 at the initiative of the Québec Bar, Justice Pro Bono has become a key player in improving access to justice in Québec. Over the past 15 years, Justice Pro Bono has set up innovative and multidisciplinary projects across Québec to meet the legal needs of the public.

Today, a network of more than 5,000 volunteer legal professionals enables the organization to achieve its mission by offering legal services through the following flagship programs:

Medical-legal partnerships;
Volunteer legal clinics in Nunavik;
Family law;
Porte 33, psychosocial legal clinics in family law;
Free weekly legal clinics in partnership with Médecins du Monde;
Creation and development of the Legal Compass, an online directory of free or low-cost legal resources available in Québec;
Training provided to social organizations;
Support programs for migrants lacking secure status;
Ad hoc legal clinics for members of vulnerable communities;
Matching of citizens’ files with volunteer lawyers.

Justice Pro Bono is supported in its mission by the Chambre des notaires du Québec, the Québec Bar, the Bar of Montréal, SOQUIJ, Justice Canada, Justice Québec and many other dedicated partners.

Our team

Me Anne-Marie Santorineos

Executive Director

Me Aude Exertier

Project Manager, Medical-Legal Partnerships / Médecins du Monde

Élisabeth Mercier-Ménard

Stagiaire en droit – Programme d’aide générale

Karina Gomez

Legal Technician, Temporary Foreign Workers

Me Pascale Rémillard

Project Manager, Family Law – Porte 33

Me Caroline Dufour

Project Manager, Temporary Foreign Workers

Me Frédérique Forget

Project Manager, Temporary Foreign Workers

Our Board of Directors

Me Bernard Larocque

Chair
Lawyer Partner, Lavery

Me Benoît Lacoste-Bienvenue

Vice-Chair
Québec Managing Partner, KPMG

Me Catherine Bélanger-Pâquet

Secretary
Associate, McCarthy Tétrault

Me Fernando Belton

Officer
Lawyer and General Manager, Clinique juridique de Saint-Michel

Mme Mylène Forget

member of the public, Officer
President, Agence Massy Forget Langlois

Me Marie-Julie Caron-Gratton

Officer
Notary

Me Dina Raphaël

Officer
Lawyer, Associate General Counsel, BMO Financial Group

Me Eleonore Derome

Officer
Directrice, Legal Affairs – Mergers & Acquisitions, Securities and Corporate, Saputo

The Hon. Stéphane Davignon

Observer Member
Justice, Court of Québec

The Hon. Marie-Josée Hogue

Observer Member
Justice, Québec Court of Appeal

Me Gilles B. Legault

Vice-Chair
Senior Counsel, Global Legal Affairs, CN

Me Richard Letendre

Treasurer
Lawyer Partner, Dufour Mottet Avocats

Me Alexander L. De Zordo, Ad. E

Officer
Partner, Borden Ladner Gervais

Me Julie Mousseau

Officer
Regional Manager and Counsel, Justice Canada, and former Bâtonnière of the Bar of Montréal (2022–2023)

Me Caroline Bélair

Officer
Lawyer, Norton Rose Fulbright

Me Vincent Cérat Lagana

Officer
Lawyer, Fasken

Me Nadine Koussa

Officer
Lawyer, Vice-Chair of the Commission des services juridiques

Me Gabrielle Robert

Officer
Lawyer, Attorney General of Québec

The Hon. Marie-Claude Armstrong

Observer Member
Justice, Superior Court of Québec

Justice Pro Bono is supported in its mission by the Chambre des notaires du Québec, the Québec Bar, the Bar of Montréal, SOQUIJ, Justice Canada, Justice Québec and many other dedicated partners.