All of Lavery’s partners, associates and personnel would like to pay homage to Jean Bélanger, who passed away on April 15, 2013. Before his death, Mr. Bélanger was working at the firm Casavant Mercier, practising with Jean-Pierre Casavant, a former Lavery partner.
A great legal mind, Jean Bélanger spent many years at Lavery. Each of us who had the privilege of working with Mr. Bélanger over the years was struck by his legal brilliance, his insatiable intellectual curiosity and his thorough knowledge of case law and the cases handled by the firm.
He acted as a mentor and strategic advisor to many lawyers at Lavery, several of whom were later appointed to the bench. His patience, his generosity and his ability to help develop the personal strengths of his colleagues enabled them to achieve professional excellence.
His proficiency as a teacher was recognized by the McGill University Faculty of Law where Mr. Bélanger taught insurance law for 10 years as well as by the Canadian Bar Association where he had been presenting for 26 years an annual review of important civil law cases.
Throughout the years, many clients of the firm sought Jean Bélanger’s expert advice. Fond of culture, music lover, foodie at heart and a refined individual, Jean Bélanger was truly a man for all seasons.
A great man has passed away but he will be remembered for his love for life and his loyalty to his family, colleagues, friends and a profession he has always cherished.