Court of Appeal of Quebec

Clerkship Program

The Research Service is comprised of 17 law clerks in Montreal, and 13 law clerks in Quebec City. The Court benefits from the services of a Coordinator who ensures a smooth selection process, oversees the training and integration of the new law clerks into the team and lends juridical support to the clerks.

The law clerks are, in most cases, selected one year in advance: a competition is held each year usually in the months of December and January. All candidates are assumed to be admissible to complete their articling requirements for the Bar at the time of hiring, that is to say the start date of employment at the Court of Appeal should coincide with the start date of the clerk's articles. The maximum duration of employment is two years, which permits the law clerks to acquire significant experience from the outset of their career. The first six months of the clerkship satisfies the Quebec Bar's articling requirements.

Who are we looking for?

The Court is looking for candidates who possess a very good academic record as well as an aptitude for research and drafting; such candidates must also demonstrate maturity and autonomy in carrying out their duties. Candidates must have an excellent command of spoken and written French and English.

A stimulating and instructive articling experience

Upon arrival, each law clerk is assigned to a judge with whom he or she will work for the entirety of the contract and with whom he or she will develop a privileged relationship. A large part of the work is done before the hearing of a case: the law clerk must conduct an in-depth analysis of his or her assigned cases in order to formulate a legal opinion and assist the judge in considering the issues submitted to the Court. The experience is all the more interesting in that it provides for an excellent understanding of the role and functions of a judge. Law clerks attend hearings of the cases on which they have worked. As such, they may observe hearings with a critical eye. If the case is taken under advisement, the law clerk may be asked to do additional research. In this way, the law clerk follows the progress of cases until final judgment is rendered. The clerkship thus provides a unique occasion to work behind the scenes of the judicial system and to become familiar with its operation.

A clerkship at the Court of Appeal also provides for the opportunity to work in different fields of law: constitutional law, criminal law, administrative law, civil law, commercial law, etc. Thanks to this diversity of experience, law clerks acquire a high degree of versatility, in-depth knowledge of the law, and invaluable practical experience in properly managing litigation files. A quick survey of former law clerks reveals that they work in a multitude of settings after they leave the Court of Appeal including: 

  • Law firms of all sizes;
  • Federal or provincial public sectors;
  • Criminal defense or public prosecution;
  • Parapublic sector organizations (state-owned corporations, etc.);
  • In-house counsel;
  • Academic or university settings;
  • Etc.

Special agreements with Laval University and the University of Montreal allow law clerks employed at the Court of Appeal to obtain credits towards a Master's degree (directed research, legal research work carried out in the performance of their duties). For more information concerning these agreements, you are invited to contact a representative of the Research Service of the Court of Appeal.

Candidates who wish to undertake the challenge of this stimulating experience are invited to submit their applications to the Montreal and/or Quebec offices of the Court of Appeal. Once a recruitment period is announced, a notice is posted on the website of the Court of Appeal and of the Quebec Bar School as well as in the Career & Professional Development offices of the faculties of law. 

Each candidate's application must include the following documents:

A complete application must include the following documents*:

1. A cover letter explaining your interest in the position (please specify whether you are applying to Montreal, to Quebec City or to both locations).
2. An up-to-date curriculum vitae.
3. Two letters of reference (one of which should, ideally, be from a law professor). Those providing a letter of reference should send their letter directly to the Court of Appeal by mail or email to the addresses indicated below. Letters should be signed and addressed to the attention of the Honourable Marie-France Bich, J.A., for positions in Montreal, and to the Honourable Geneviève Cotnam, J.A., for positions in Quebec City.
4. Official law school transcripts (undergraduate and graduate, if applicable), which may be mailed or emailed directly by the university to the addresses indicated below or mailed by the applicant.
5. Scanned copies (PDF) of transcripts:
       (a) of all university studies other than law;
       (b) from the École du Barreau, if applicable.
6. A copy of an individual research paper completed as part of law school.
7. A copy of your proof of permanent residency, if applicable.

With the exception of the letters of reference (see no. 3 above) and the official law school transcripts (see no. 4 above), these documents must be sent by email or by mail by the applicant in a single email or envelope.

The candidate's application should be forwarded to one or both of the following addresses: 

Montreal

Mrs. Ginette Landry
Court of Appeal of Québec
Ernest-Cormier Building
100 Notre-Dame East, Suite 3.41
Montreal, Québec  H2Y 4B6

Telephone : 514-393-2040 – ext. 51279
Email: ginette.landry@judex.qc.ca 

Quebec City 

Mrs. Lynn Brousseau
Court of Appeal of Quebec
300, Jean-Lesage Blvd, Suite R-435
Quebec (Quebec) G1K 8K6

Telephone: 418-649-3445
Fax: 418-528-9760
Email: lynn.brousseau@judex.qc.ca 


Call for applications

There is currently a Call for applications to recruit Clerkship positions for June 2024, January 2025 and June 2025. For more details:

Call for applications notice (positions for June 2024, January 2025 and June 2025)

Call for application notice (one position)

 

Document

A passionate Appeal. The clerkship program of the Court of Appeal of Quebec celebrates its 10th anniversary. By Shaun Finn. December 2005.

 

Testimonials from former law clerks

“My time at the Court of Appeal, which began as the result of indecision as to the direction I wanted my career to take, proved to be the foundation for my international professional path. In this bastion of Quebec law, I was able to touch on a wide range of subjects, allowing me to develop multidisciplinary reflexes. I acquired the ability to analyze legal issues from all relevant angles and to draft documents, all in a spirit of collegiality with my fellow law clerks. These are professional qualities that are sought after and valued for a career in international law. Even today, ten years after leaving the Court of Appeal, my work as legal counsel for an international organization is still driven by the intellectual rigour I developed there. While we may enter the Court of Appeal through only one door, a multitude of doors are open to us when we leave the Court.”

Mtre William St-Michel, World Health Organization


“The position of law clerk at the Court of Appeal provides the opportunity to develop legal insight, excellent research skills in a wide variety of areas and the ability to draft detailed, thorough and often complex legal reasons. Few jobs allow for the acquisition of such skills early in one’s career. These skills have been a major asset to me in my career. I was hired by the firm of Stein Monast in Quebec City as a litigator in civil law and insurance law. I’ve lost count of how many times my clerkship at the Court of Appeal has prompted the firm’s partners to entrust me with complex and motivating cases. Being a law clerk at the Court of Appeal is a stimulating and unique experience that I highly recommend.”

Mtre Catherine Pilote-Coulombe, Stein Monast, LLP


“My time at the Court of Appeal as an articling student and then law clerk was significant, both professionally and personally. Thanks to this experience, I was able to work in two renowned law firms on important files, both in civil and criminal law. This gave me the opportunity to plead before the Supreme Court of Canada and to open my own practice. I would not have been able to enter the profession as quickly without the training the Court of Appeal provided, through an environment that is sufficiently supervised to allow you to learn without too much risk, but open enough to be stimulating and to allow you to develop good friendships with the other clerks and with the judges alike. It offers the best of both worlds. Above all, this experience allowed me to discover the justice system from the inside, a rare experience and a great asset. Spending two years at the Court of Appeal is an investment you won’t regret.”

Mtre Olivier Desjardins, Olivier Desjardins, Attorney


“My experience at the Court of Appeal was a unique foray into the legal world. Indeed, benefiting from the mentoring of judges of the highest court in Quebec is an exceptional way to start your legal career, both on an interpersonal and intellectual level. From the moment I started as an articling student, I was called upon to work on cases with complex legal issues that would not have been accessible to me as quickly in another setting, whether in administrative, criminal or family law. My time at the Court of Appeal also provided the opportunity to familiarize myself with the justice system in a way that few lawyers can hope to experience. This knowledge is very useful to me today in the way I approach my court cases, since it allows me to understand the decision-making process that will follow. I can therefore confirm that a clerkship at the Court of Appeal is an excellent stepping stone to a career in the public service!”

Mtre Marianne Bédard, Direction des affaires juridiques – MELCC


“I remember my years at the Court of Appeal as a myriad of privileged opportunities to leave no stone unturned in analyzing cases that were sometimes simple, often complex, and above all fundamentally human. The privilege of having been mentored by renowned judges has been the foundation of my legal career, both in terms of the research skills I acquired and in my litigation practice, where the pace of legal proceedings requires keen research reflexes.”

Mtre Vincent Riendeau


“My time at the Court of Appeal of Québec as a judicial clerk for Justice Louise Mailhot was a very gratifying and enriching period in my career, and indeed in my life. It allowed me to bridge legal studies and practice, to see up close how the judiciary functions, to participate in the rededication of the Ernest Cormier Building as the seat of the Court of Appeal in Montreal, and to cultivate friendships with my fellow clerks. This wonderful period has remained a source of inspiration throughout my academic and professional development. The Court of Appeal will always be a part of me and I trust that a little of me (however modest) will remain with it as well.”

Mtre Shaun E. Finn, Partner, Co-leader of the Class Action Defence Group, BCF, Business Law


“A clerkship allows you to develop strong research and writing skills, but more importantly, it is a great opportunity to work closely with a Court of Appeal judge for two years on a wide variety of files. It is a true privilege, at the beginning of one’s career, to learn about the judiciary in this way and to be able to hone one’s skills within the very hallways of the judicial system. My time at the Court of Appeal was educational and enriching. It solidified my interest in litigation and allowed me to acquire valuable knowledge, particularly regarding the decision-making process, which is very useful to me today in private practice.”

Mtre Maude Lamoureux-Bisson, Border Ladner Gervais


“You won’t find such a complete and practical articling experience anywhere else in Quebec.

I had the opportunity to draft legal opinions in some 40 appeal files, a number of which left their mark on Quebec and Canadian jurisprudence. For each case, I had to analyze the progression of an actual dispute as well as all its procedural steps up to the appeal stage. This experience provided with me a global vision of a case and the Quebec judicial system. My discussions with the judge to whom I was assigned also taught me to recognize the good and bad practices of lawyers in their written and oral pleadings.

As a litigator, I can think of no better training for my current work.”

Mtre Sean Doyle, Lawyer for the Attorney General of Canada


“There are opportunities that don’t come around twice in one’s career.

Some time before I began my clerkship at the Court, I had the privilege of being paired with a judge recognized for the thoroughness of her judgments, the quality of her writing and her independence of mind.

I subsequently also had the pleasure to discover a dynamic work environment where young lawyers who are as insightful as they are friendly—people who still inspire me to this day—worked side by side.

When the time came for me to leave the Court two invaluable years later, I was able to take in the full measure of this experience: after observing, listening, thinking about the law, learning, debating, laughing, reading, rereading myself, being reread, and, of course, getting feedback to ensure that the work I provided was well-done and to allow me to become the best lawyer I could be, I grew... and for this I am deeply grateful (as were my subsequent employers).

There are opportunities that don’t come around twice in one’s career—when an opportunity like this comes along, grab it!”

Mtre Jean-Marcel Seck, LLB, Labour lawyer at the Fédération des cégeps
 

“My time at the Court of Appeal was a most rewarding initial professional experience, particularly for purposes of my current criminal law practice. Criminal law accounts for a large percentage of the cases in the Court of Appeal and on which I worked. In addition to touching upon different areas of law, I was able to deepen my knowledge of various issues in this field, which proved to be an asset for the rest of my career. Indeed, it is because of my qualifications as a law clerk that the Quebec City office of the Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions recruited me at the end of my contract at the Court of Appeal. The analytical approach I developed there was of great use to me in the cases I handled on a daily basis as a Crown prosecutor before the Court of Québec. In addition, the legal drafting and research skills and the ability to synthesize that I developed as a law clerk are put to use concretely every day in my functions within the appellate team of the Quebec City office of the DCPP. This is a unique experience that I highly recommend and I consider myself privileged to have been able to begin my career with a clerkship at the Court of Appeal.”

Mtre Olivier T. Raymond, Crown Prosecutor


“I loved my time at the Court of Appeal: from researching complex cases to writing memos for “my” judge, attending hearings and having discussions with my colleagues... I enjoyed it all. The issues that law clerks work on are often fascinating, both from a social and human perspective and from a legal one. The opportunity to discuss these issues allows for the development of enriching and enduring relationships. Clerking at the Court of Appeal is a great professional springboard, be it for research purposes or the practice of law.”

Julie Desrosiers, Full professor at the Faculty of Law of Laval University
 

“My experience at the Court of Appeal was a real catalyst for my career as a criminal lawyer. From the beginning of my clerkship, I was called upon to work on files of great legal and human complexity, while at the same time having to deliver a product that met the high standards of the judiciary. While, at first glance, the task might have seemed daunting, the unique formula of working closely with a judge on a daily basis and the continuous and varied legal challenges I was faced with forced me to quickly develop appropriate legal reflexes and excellent professional rigour. Lastly, I cannot speak of my time at the Court of Appeal without mentioning my fellow law clerks. Beyond the professional experience, the time spent with my fellow law clerks provided an opportunity to forge solid friendships with some of the great lawyers of tomorrow.”

Mtre Maël Tardif, Roy & Charbonneau, Avocats
 
“My experience at the Court of Appeal of Quebec was undoubtedly one of the most memorable in my career. Being a law clerk is most definitely an educational experience, because from day one you need to be able to discuss complex legal issues with the best jurists in the province. The judges of the Court of Appeal gave me a unique perspective on the practice of law and what it takes to make a compelling case. On a more personal level, this experience allowed me to develop strong and enduring friendships with many of the other law clerks. Lastly, I must point out that the judge to whom I was assigned was an exceptional mentor who gave me a solid footing on which to start my career and was a great source of inspiration. I will always remember our collaboration.”

Mtre Francis Lévesque, White & Case, LLP


“A clerkship at the Court of Appeal provides dozens of ways to express yourself as a lawyer. Personally, I discovered new areas of interest in the law, as well as new facets of my personality. From the people I came into contact with as colleagues to the judges with whom I had the opportunity to discuss and debate cases, the Court of Appeal was first and foremost an environment in which I was able to put my knowledge to good use in the course of intricate research on subjects you cannot even imagine until you are within the ranks of the highest court in the province. It is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. If I had to do it all over again, I would make the exact same choice without hesitation. After my time at the Court, I joined the Fonds d’aide aux actions collectives as a lawyer, where I work on any number of class actions! There are endless horizons. The skills acquired at the Court are welcome everywhere and in every capacity. The two years spent at the Court are a wise investment not only in our future careers, but in our professional and personal development as well.”

Mtre Kloé Sévigny, Fonds d’aide aux actions collectives


“Entering the legal profession with a judge of the Court of Appeal of Quebec as your articling supervisor and then having the opportunity to begin your career as a law clerk once you have completed your articles is certainly one of the most extraordinary opportunities available to a lawyer seeking stimulating and instructive professional training that is unquestionably recognized by the entire Quebec legal community, and even beyond. I emphasize the word “training”, because time spent as a law clerk at the Court of Appeal leads to in-depth legal training, both general and specific. I have vivid memories of discussions with the judge assigned to me, with the other judges of the Court and with my fellow law clerks and our coordinator. In fact, several of the other law clerks are now my friends.

Upon completing my clerkship at the Court, I was hired as a law clerk at the Supreme Court of Canada. The legal knowledge and skills acquired at the Court of Appeal are invaluable in the course of my work when it comes to the rigorous analysis of files and the drafting of legal opinions. And I have no doubt that my training as a law clerk at the Court of Appeal of Quebec will continue to serve me throughout my legal career and, in that regard, I will always be grateful for it.”

Mtre Louis Guilbault, clerc at the Supreme Court of Canada

“A clerkship at the Court of Appeal provides an exceptional opportunity to develop professional abilities and legal skills under the mentorship of a judge of the highest court in the province. It is also a unique opportunity to work on large and complex legal files from the very start of one's career, while deepening one's understanding of the workings of the judiciary and judicial decision-making. A clerkship at the Court of Appeal is also a venue for perfecting one's knowledge in a multitude of areas of law, including constitutional law, aboriginal law and criminal law.

I sincerely believe that the legal knowledge, skills and abilities I acquired during my clerkship at the Court of Appeal have been invaluable to my career.”

Mtre Sophie Asselin

 


Research Service of the seat of the Court in Montreal

 

 

First row (from left to right) : Léonie Bourdeau; Laure Gabriel; Danoé Tanguay; Raphaël Uzan; Chloe Bell; Mathilde Tremblay; Camille Boulianne; Émile Aquin.

Second row (from left to right) : Sophie Asselin; Laurent Ouellet (Research Services Coordinator, seat of Montréal); Gustave Warby; Olivier Henripin; Guillaume Savard; Riley Klassen-Molyneaux; Harold Martin; Maxime Varin; Aymeric Tardif; David Xing; Arthur Scalabrini; Iulia Anescu; L’honorable Marie-France Bich (Coordinating judge of the Research Services, seat of Montréal); Bettina Karpel (Jurilinguist); Ginette Landry (assistant)

 

 

Research Service of the seat of the Court in Quebec City

 

First row (from left to right): : Rebecca Roussel, Marie-Ève Giroux, Alexandre Bouchard et Marie Dion-Cliche.

Second row (from left to right): Félix-Antoine Pelletier, Olivier Lacombe, Sarah-Maude Bélanger, the Honourable Geneviève Cotnam (Coordinating judge of the Research Services, seat of Quebec City), Paul-David Chouinard et Chloé R.-Duchesne (Research Services Coordinator, seat of Quebec City).