Board of Directors

Me Ginette Laflamme was admitted to the Quebec Bar in 1991, after having completed an internship at the Montreal Legal Aid Office. She has practiced family law with Sylvestre & associés since 1991 and is actively involved in community and professional activities within the Saint-Hyacinthe region. Me Laflamme proudly continues Sylvestre & Associates involvement on our Board of Directors. She has been a member of the Board for several years and president since 2014.

Me Marie-Andrée Hotte was admitted to the Quebec Bar in 1987 and has been working in the legal department of the Union des producteurs agricoles for over 16 years. Me Hotte has been particularly involved with disabled children in the South Shore region. In this regard, she served as president of the board of directors of the École Régionale du Vent Nouveau for 10 years and as president of the board of directors of École primaire Bel Essor for 6 years.

Called to the Bar in 1963, Me Jacques Sylvestre obtained his law degree from the University of Sherbrooke and founded his law firm (Sylvestre & Associates) focusing his practice in the areas of civil and matrimonial law. An arbitrator for over 30 years, he also mediates civil and commercial disputes. In 2007, Me Sylvestre was awarded the distinction of ” Advocatus Emeritus ” by the Quebec Bar in recognition of his exemplary career. Me Sylvestre has been a member of our Board for over 30 years. His vast experience is a major asset and an invaluable addition to our Board of Directors.

Mr. René de Repentigny was a lawyer from 1973 to 2008 and has since retired. Throughout his career, he practiced youth law as a legal advisor and as a substitute for the Attorney General. He also holds a certificate in criminology from the University of Montreal. Throughout his career, Mr. de Repentigny was involved in various social committees related to youth law. He was also Bâtonnier for the district of Longueil from 1999 to 2000.

Nancy Leggett-Bachand is the Executive Director of Pro Bono Québec, an organization initiated by the Quebec Bar that seeks to promote access to justice. Previously, she held general directorships in several not-for-profit organizations and holds the title of Certified Corporate Director (CCD) from the Collège des administrateurs de sociétés. Commitment is at the heart of her values. That is why she is also involved with the Fondation du Collège Durocher and the Société canadienne des directeurs d’association. Me Leggett-Bachand also presides over the Alumni Council of the Faculty of Political Science and Law of the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) and chaired the board of the Literacy Foundation for several years.

Mr. Gilles Lacombe is a member of the Ordre des administrateurs agrée du Québec since 1991. Specialized in finance, he has held senior management positions for over 26 years and has overseen several management committees for operational and strategic projects. He is currently employed with F. Ménard Inc., a family-owned business recognized as Québec’s foremost integrator of pork breeding and commercialization. Mr. Lacombe is also a lecturer at the Cégep de Saint-Hyacinthe and has delivered several conferences in his area of expertise. In addition, he has been involved in various financial organizations, notably sitting on the board of directors of a Desjardins credit union branch.

Robert Poitras earned his law degree from the Université de Montréal in 1981 and was admitted to the Quebec Bar in 1982, after articling with Granby Legal Aid.

Mr. Poitras’ practice focuses on family law and youth law.

Mr. Poitras is very involved with the Bedford Bar, as well as the Quebec Bar. He was President of the Bedford Bar (2005-2006), a member of the Board of Directors of the Quebec Bar (2015-2016), a member of the Private Practice Committee, as well as several other committees of both the Quebec Bar and the Bedford Bar.

He has served on many boards of directors, including the Association des centres jeunesse du Québec, the Montérégie Youth Centre, the Fondation du Centre hospitalier de Granby, and the Arthritis Society.

He is also the recipient of the Quebec Bar Medal, as well as the Bedford Bar Medal

Dr. Jean-Sébastien Gélinas, DC Chiropractor, graduated from the Doctor of Chiropractic program at UQTR in 2004. That same fall, he began practising out of his own office. In 2014, he opened another branch in Laval. In his facilities, Dr. Gélinas provides chiropractic care and advice to patients of all ages and helps them regain a better state of health naturally. He is very engaged with his profession, was president of the Chiropractic student body, and since 2017, has been a director of the Association des Chiropraticiens du Québec. In 2019, he also became treasurer of the Quebec Chiropractic Foundation. It is with great pleasure and enthusiasm that Dr. Gélinas joins the CCJRS Board of Directors to take on new challenges and put his experience to work for the organization.

Me Maya Cachecho is a Law Professor at the University of Montreal and Interim Scientific Director of the Institut québécois de réforme du droit et de la justice (IQRDJ).

Her involvement and interest in issues of access to law and justice have been a hallmark of her academic and professional career. She contributed to the creation of the IQRDJ, of which she was the first Executive Director (2018-2022), and acted for several years as Scientific Coordinator of the major research partnership Accessing law and justice (ADAJ). Both these experiences enabled her to acquire in-depth knowledge of the requirements for organizational management and good governance of organizations and their boards of directors and working committees.