A distinguished heritage marked by commitment to the public

The Barreau stands as one of the province's most venerable professional associations, sharing this distinction with the Chambre des notaires and the Collège des médecins.

In the wake of the establishment of the law faculties at McGill and Laval universities, the Barreau gained the authority to determine through regulatory means the legal curriculum within these academic institutions.

After years of resistance, the Barreau declared its support to the admission of women to the legal profession. This pivotal resolution passed by a margin of only one vote, marking Quebec as the last Canadian province to embrace this change.

The subsequent year, Elizabeth C. Monk achieved the remarkable distinction of becoming the first woman admitted to the Barreau du Québec. In that same year, she was joined by Suzanne Raymond-Filion, Constance Garner-Short, and Marcelle Hémond, marking a significant milestone in the profession.

In the wake of a substantial revision of the Act respecting the Barreau du Québec, the Barreau focused on the process of centralizing the entire disciplinary procedure from the sections, establishing the Office of the Syndic. The following year witnessed the inauguration of its professional training school for lawyers.

The Barreau du Québec introduced its initial graphical symbol, which underwent a minor redesign in 1984 and a modernized update in 2005.

The Professional Code comes into effect, prompting necessary amendments to the Act respecting the Barreau du Québec to ensure alignment with the Code's provisions.

In the landscape of legal publishing, the constitution of the Société québécoise d’information juridique (SOQUIJ) in 1976 marked a pivotal moment. This pioneering initiative, characterized by the creation of this Crown Corporation, positioned the province of Quebec at the forefront and as a standard-bearer in the legal information sector.

In its ongoing commitment to innovation, the Barreau du Québec has entrusted SOQUIJ with the mandate to ensure continuity in the preparation of court reports, a responsibility historically managed by the Barreau since 1892. Additionally, this Crown Corporation has also taken over the management of the Mini-Biblex, a microfiche legal library established in 1968 through the collaborative efforts with Bell and Howell.

Driven by a collective vision for the advancement of legal knowledge, a group of Barreau du Québec members joined forces to give life to the Barreau du Québec Foundation. Founded with a resolute commitment to support legal research, the Barreau du Québec Foundation has, since 1982, contributed over $3 million towards the publication of more than 135 books and 147 news articles.

M^e Sylviane Borenstein is elected as Quebec’s Bâtonnière, becoming the first woman in the history of the Quebec Bar to hold this position. She is now a retired judge of the Superior Court.

With the support of Canada’s Ministry of Justice and Quebec's Ministry of Jutisce, the Barreau du Québec launched Éducaloi, an independent non-profit organization committed to offer citizens access to quality legal information, free of charge and in plain language. Today, Éducaloi stands as a recognized authority in Quebec and beyond, excelling in legal communication and the promotion of legal literacy.

In December, further amendments were made to both the Act respecting the Barreau du Québec and the Professional Code. The Barreau's Board of Directors will henceforth be composed of 16 directors, 12 of whom holding elective positions. Québec’s Bâtonnier is elected through universal suffrage to serve a two-year mandate, with the option of a single renewal.

M^e Catherine Claveau took office as the 155^th Bâtonnière of Quebec and was re-elected for a second two-year mandate in 2023.

Click here to access a comprehensive list of all past bâtonniers of Québec.