Mtre Daniel Aubé

Mtre Daniel Aubé: No fears, no regrets
By Mélanie Dugré, lawyer
(Article published on June 27, 2017)

Although only in his early thirties, admitted to the Bar in 2011, Mtre Daniel Aube exudes an air of maturity and wisdom. He was born in Montreal and followed the usual straight- line path through the various levels of public education. After beginning a bachelor’s degree at Université de Montréal in international studies, his best grades turned out to be in his law courses, leading him to cross over to the Faculty of Law, filled with a desire to be of help to others while earning a living.

Daniel articled at the Court of Appeal, mainly acting as a law clerk for the Hon. Mr. Justice Jacques Fournier. He found himself deeply interested in this foray into pure legal concepts and appreciated having privileged access to major social issues as expressed in a legal context.

He speaks with fervour, respect and admiration of the Court of Appeal and its judges, admitting that he is impressed by their great intelligence, the intellectual route they take in the cases that come before them and their search for the legal reasoning that will help them reach a fair and equitable solution. His first stay at the Court of Appeal was extended, with Daniel working there for three years.

After that, he spent 18 months with a small firm where he practised mainly in municipal litigation and professional liability. This experience confirmed to him that the confrontation inherent in a practice focused on litigation was not for him. He decided to round out his studies with intensive training in civil and commercial mediation at Université de Sherbrooke.

The door to the Court of Appeal opened once again for Daniel Aubé in fall 2015 when he was offered a contract as a legal writer. He worked behind the scenes to prepare for the introduction of the new Code of Civil Procedure by helping to train court office employees and judges’ assistants. He was therefore very much involved in the countdown to the expected date of introduction – feared by some – of January 1, 2016.

Once his contract at the Court of Appeal was over, Daniel joined the Legal Department at the Ville de Montréal in June 2016 as a maternity leave replacement. He acted as a legal advisor in environment and urban planning. He says that he felt fulfilled by his work and his role, which enabled him to dig deeper into legal issues while prioritizing the welfare of the Montreal community in drawing up his opinions and recommendations.

As a full-fledged millennial, Daniel places a great deal of importance on life-work balance. His scale of priorities includes not putting all his eggs in one basket, enjoying himself both physically and intellectually, and contributing to society.

Concerned about vulnerable segments of society and feeling challenged to do something, in 2012 Daniel Aubé started helping to serve the evening meal at the Maison du Père. This involvement expanded when, as a member of the Pro Bono Committee of the Young Bar of Montreal, Daniel offered legal clinics for the homeless and organized an annual supper at the Maison du Père which is served by members of the judiciary.

Daniel Aubé is also a member of the Board of Directors of PRACOM, a house located in the Plateau Mont-Royal that for the past 33 years has had the mission of offering support to individuals with mental health issues and breaking their isolation. He is particularly proud of the composition of the Board: four of the eight members are users of the house, which adds value to the management team. Furthermore, the organization operates without an executive director, with the staff acting as co-managers under the supervision of the Board of Directors. The organizational model also calls for users to take charge of the workshops and activities offered by the house, which makes a positive contribution to developing independence and self-confidence among users.

In addition to this inspiring track record, Daniel is involved with the Association des bègues (Stuttering Association), which asked him to give a talk last fall. His positive and enthusiastic response took many by surprise, because it is relatively unusual for a stutterer to volunteer for this type of exercise. Daniel gave an effective speech that aroused considerable interest because of the powerful message he delivered, dealing with the subject of his own stuttering with disarming frankness and simplicity. He spoke of it openly and defused any potentially embarrassing or stress-provoking situations by describing his reality right from the outset. He reassured his audience by confirming that his stuttering was not because he was irresponsible or unprepared, and by answering their questions and responding to their concerns. His way of facing stuttering head-on and never trying to avoid it out of fear have always served Daniel well, and have allowed him to win the respect of his peers, while being a beacon of hope for stutterers who feel restricted by their situation. Basically, Daniel pays no attention to stuttering and keeps right on going, without any fears or regrets, refusing to let stuttering hold him back.

Daniel Aubé looks to the future with the calmness and serenity of youth that has nothing to fear, convinced that challenges equal to his aspirations await him on the road that lies ahead. In his search for a satisfying personal and professional life, Daniel Aubé ardently defends the values of mutual aid, solidarity and community involvement, which without question make him an inspiring model for the next generation.