A Career Dedicated to Serving the Legal Profession and the Community

Since being called to the Quebec Bar, Me. Sophie-Anne Décarie has been actively involved in the development of her profession and her community. Her career has been marked by a sustained commitment to entrepreneurs, organizations, institutions and economic stakeholders in the Outaouais region.

For her, the role of a legal professional goes far beyond resolving disputes. It also involves contributing to the development of the community, sharing expertise, supporting the next generation and fostering dialogue among the various members of society.

Entrepreneurial Leadership

In 2006, Me. Décarie founded her own law firm in Gatineau, now known as Décarie Stephenson Avocats. Since then, she has led and developed a recognized practice while advising individuals, entrepreneurs, businesses, organizations and institutions.

Her experience as an entrepreneur has given her a practical understanding of the challenges faced by business leaders, including management, growth, governance, human resources, business relationships and strategic decision-making.

This experience now informs her practice in mediation, arbitration and negotiation.

Leadership Within the Business Community

Over the years, Me. Décarie has held several leadership positions within the Outaouais business community.

She has been actively involved with the Gatineau Chamber of Commerce, where she served as:

• mentor in the mentoring program (2016 to 2019);
• member of the Les Entremetteurs group;
• elected member of the Board of Directors;
• chair of the Women in Entrepreneurship Committee, responsible for the Le Pouvoir du succès event.

Her firm has also been a finalist several times for the Excelor Awards, recognizing its commitment to regional economic development.

Mentoring and Entrepreneur Development

Convinced that success is also built through the sharing of experience, Me. Décarie has supported numerous entrepreneurs.

She co-founded the BNI Partenaires en affaires chapter, which she chaired from 2009 to 2013, in addition to actively participating in various economic development, mentoring and entrepreneurship networks.

These commitments have enabled her to support numerous business leaders in their growth and to develop an in-depth understanding of the realities of entrepreneurship.

Governance and Professional Engagement

Me. Décarie has served on several boards of directors and participated in the work of numerous organizations, including:

• Gatineau Chamber of Commerce;
• Association de la construction du Québec (Outaouais section);
• Outaouais Bar Association;
• AGAP du Vieux-Gatineau;
• Centre des jeunes dirigeants;
• Jardins du Souvenir;
• Competition Committee of the Université du Québec en Outaouais;
• as well as various committees dedicated to entrepreneurship, regional development and access to justice.

These experiences have given her practical knowledge of governance, organizational operations and the issues faced by boards of directors.

Community Involvement

Me. Décarie’s commitment has also involved ongoing support for several organizations in the region.

From 2017 to 2020, Décarie Avocats was the official presenting sponsor of the Défi des chefs Leucan Outaouais, contributing to fundraising efforts benefiting children with cancer and their families.

Over the years, she has also supported various initiatives benefiting, among others:

• Leucan Outaouais;
• Centraide Outaouais;
• Canadian Cancer Society;
• Alzheimer Society of Outaouais;
• Maison Papillon;
• Centre Carmen;
• Maison des Collines;
• Université du Québec en Outaouais.

An Experience That Enriches Her Practice

The many responsibilities held by Me. Décarie within businesses, organizations and institutions have given her a better understanding of the realities faced by decision-makers, directors, entrepreneurs and organizations.

This experience naturally complements her legal expertise. It enables her to approach each dispute with a legal, human, organizational and strategic understanding, thereby fostering the development of lasting solutions tailored to the interests of the parties.