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CAIJ Board of Directors

CAIJ’s directors embody the collaborative values that enable CAIJ to play its role as an essential resource for legal knowledge.

Board of Directors

Me Caroline Blache

President

Me Caroline Blache was appointed in June 2021 by the Association des avocats et avocates de province (now the Association des barreaux de province) to act as a CAIJ administrator. She was elected President of the Board in June 2023.

See biography

Me Gina Blanchet

Vice-President

Me Gina Blanchet has been a member of the CAIJ Board of Directors since 2020. She graduated with a degree in law from the Université Laval in 1992 and was admitted to the Bar in 1993. She completed a certificate in psychology in 2017. A lawyer in Montmagny, she also serves as a municipal court prosecutor and a mediator in civil and family law.

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Me Nathalie Rizcalla

Secretary-Treasurer

Me Nathalie Rizcalla, with over 25 years of experience, is the Chief Legal and Administrative Officer at Pelican International Inc., overseeing the legal, HR, Communications, compliance, and CSR departments. A former director at Matrox, she is an expert in intellectual property, mergers/acquisitions, and commercial affairs. A graduate of Concordia University and the University of Montreal, she is involved in community causes like the Circuit bleu and the Refuge des Jeunes.

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Me Kim Nguyen

Director

Me Kim Nguyen worked at McCarthy Tétrault and was named partner in 2020. She practices class actions, civil and commercial litigation, and medical liability. Committed to diversity, she founded the Quebec division of the FACL. A graduate in Political Science from the Université de Montréal and the Institut d’Études Politiques de Paris, she was admitted to the Bar in 2011.

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Judge Frédéric Pérodeau

Director

Mr. Frédéric Pérodeau has been a judge of the Superior Court of Quebec since December 2020, serving as the coordinating judge for the Civil and Family Chambers of the Montréal District since November 2022. Admitted to the Quebec Bar in 1998, he holds a Bachelor of Laws from the Université de Montréal and a Master’s degree in Business Law.

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M. Jean-François Gauvin

Director

Mr. Jean-François Gauvin is Senior Director, Experience and Transformation at Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ), where he has held a number of positions in information technology since 2003.

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Me Nayla El Zir

Director

Nayla El Zir is a lawyer in the Cybersecurity and Data Protection group at Gowling WLG’s Montreal office. She began her career in the pharmaceutical industry before studying law. Her dual background in science and law is a significant asset. Multilingual, Nayla has lived in two countries. Active during her studies, she participated in the Laskin Moot competition and various university activities.

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Me Laurent Fréchette

Notary Emeritus, TEP, invited member

Me Laurent Fréchette, a distinguished notary and TEP, has been on the CAIJ board since October 2021. An expert in trusts and estate planning, he is consulted on RDSPs and DTCs. He is the President of the Financial Assistance Allocation Committee of the Chambre des notaires du Québec and a senior partner at Hogue, Fortier, Fréchette inc.

See biography

Composition

With a goal to represent Quebec’s legal community and keeping abreast of developments in the law, the CAIJ Board of Directors respects gender parity and includes a wide range of skills and profiles, creating a diversified team.

Term of office

Members are elected at a general meeting for a two-year term. Depending on their profile, they are eligible for re-election for a maximum of two additional consecutive terms. Each member remains in office until his or her successor is elected, barring exceptional circumstances.

Transparency

To ensure transparent management and accountability, the CAIJ publishes its annual reports, which are public and easily accessible.

Consultative conference of former presidents

CAIJ is the work of pioneers established in the legal community and recognized as leaders who have advocated for a tool to ensure the accessibility and quality of legal information for everyone. Firmly committed to CAIJ, the past presidents are constantly improving access to justice and shaping the future of the legal practice through their participatory leadership at the Consultative conference.

Past Boards of Directors

  • 2022-2023

    From left to right: Me Laurent Fréchette, Mme Anne Isabelle Roussy, Me Nathalie Rizcalla, Judge Frédéric Pérodeau, Me Caroline Blache, Me Gina Blanchet, Me Alain Ricard, Me Kim Nguyen.

  • 2021-2022

    The Honorable Alexandre Bien-Aimé Bastien, Me Caroline Blache, Me Gina Blanchet, Me Laurent Fréchette, Me Pierre Pilote, Me Alain Ricard, Mme Anne Isabelle Roussy, Me Lauréanne Vaillant.

    Picture not available due to the pandemic.

  • 2020-2021

    Me Gina Blanchet, Me Pierre Mazurette, c.r., Ad. E., Me Pierre Pilote, Me Alain Ricard, The Honorable François Rolland, Mme Anne Isabelle Roussy, Me Lauréanne Vaillant.

    Picture not available due to the pandemic.

  • 2019-2020

    Me Pierre Mazurette, c.r., Ad. E., Me Pierre Pilote, Madame la bâtonnière Claudia P. Prémont, Ad. E., Me Alain Ricard, The Honorable François Rolland, Mme Anne Isabelle Roussy, Me Lauréanne Vaillant.

    Picture not available due to the pandemic.

  • 2018-2019

    From left to right: Me Lauréanne Vaillant, Me Pierre Mazurette, c.r., Ad. E., Ms. Anne Isabelle Roussy, Bâtonnière Claudia P. Prémont, Ad. E., Me Pierre Pilote, The Honorable François Rolland, Ad. E., Me Alain Ricard.

  • 2017-2018

    From left to right: The Honorable François Rolland, Me Pierre Pilote, Me Frédérick Carle, Me Lauréanne Vaillant, Me Pierre Mazurette, c.r., Ad. E., Ms. Charmian Harvey, Me Linda Goupil, Ad. E.

  • 2015-2017

    From left to right: Me Frédérick Carle, Me Linda Goupil, Ad. E., Me Pierre Mazurette, c.r., Ad. E., Me Kim Lachapelle, Ms. Charmian Harvey, The Honorable François Rolland, Me Marc Charbonneau.

  • 2014-2015

    From left to right: Me Linda Goupil, Ad. E., Me Marc Charbonneau, Me Marie-Josée Garneau, Me Frédérick Carle, Me Kim Lachapelle, Ms. Charmian Harvey, The Honorable Jacques Lachapelle, j.c.q.

  • 2013-2014

    From left to right: The Honorable Jacques Lachapelle, j.c.q., Me Marie-Josée Garneau, Ms. Charmian Harvey, Me Mathieu Piché-Messier, Me Kim Lachapelle, Me Marc Charbonneau, Me Linda Goupil, Ad. E.

  • 2012-2013

    From left to right: Me Mathieu Piché-Messier, Me Kim Lachapelle, Me Marie-Josée Garneau, Me Linda Goupil, Ad E., Me Marc Charbonneau, Ms. Charmian Harvey, The Honorable Jacques Lachapelle, j.c.q.

  • 2011-2012

    From left to right: 1st row – The Honorable Jacques Lachapelle, j.c.q., Me Marc Charbonneau, Me Marie-Josée Garneau. 2nd row – Me Kim Lachapelle, Me Jacques G. Bouchard, Ms. Sylvia Teasdale, Me Mathieu Piché-Messier.

  • 2010-2011

    From left to right: 1st row – Me Dominique Langis, The Honorable Jacques Lachapelle, j.c.q., Me Mathieu Piché-Messier, Me Marie-Josée Garneau. 2nd row – Me David R. Collier, Me Jacques G. Bouchard, Ms. Sylvia Teasdale.

  • 2009-2010

    From left to right: Ms. Sylvia Teasdale, Me Caroline Ferland, Me Jacques G. Bouchard, The Honorable Jacques Lachapelle, j.c.q., Me Dominique Langis, Bâtonnière Madeleine Lemieux (remplaced by Me Marie-Josée Garneau during the year), Me David R. Collier.

  • 2007-2008

    From left to right: Me Martin F. Sheehan, Me Dominique Langis, Bâtonnière Madeleine Lemieux, Ad. E., Ms. Sylvia Teasdale, Me Caroline Ferland, Me Jacques G. Bouchard, Me Pierre A. Michaud, O.C., c.r, Ad. E.

  • 2006-2007

    From left to right: Me Jacques Bouchard, Me Louis Borgeat, Ms. Sylvia Teasdale, Me Pierre Mazurette, c.r., Ad. E., Me Pierre A. Michaud, O.C., c.r, Me Caroline Ferland, Me Martin F. Sheehan.

  • 2005-2006

    From left to right: Me Martin F. Sheehan, Me Louis Borgeat, , Me Pierre A. Michaud, O.C., Me Caroline Ferland, Me Clément Samson, M. Jules Larivière, Me Pierre Mazurette, c.r., Ad. E.

  • 2004-2005

    From left to right: Me Clément Samson, Me Pierre A. Michaud, O.C., c.r., Me Richard Wagner, M. Jules Larivière, Me Martin F. Sheehan, Me Pierre Mazurette, c.r., Me Louis Borgeat.

  • 2003-2004

    From left to right: Me Clément Samson, Me Richard Wagner, Me Pierre Mazurette, c.r., Ms. Monique Lefebvre, Me Lucien Bouchard, Ms. Françoise Bertrand, M. Jules Larivière, Me Martin F. Sheehan, Me Louis Borgeat.

  • 2002-2003

    From left to right: Me Michel A. Pinsonnault, Me Pierre Mazurette, Q.C., Ms. Françoise Bertrand, Mr. Jules Larivière, Ms. Monique Lefebvre, Me Louis Borgeat, Me Clément Samson, Me Lucien Bouchard, Me Richard Wagner.