In order to break down certain prejudices and learn a little more about this career choice and the person behind it, Le Soleil met professionals who have chosen a career that has little appeal among the general public. Today criminal defense attorney.
Vincent Montminy’s office doesn’t look like a law firm, but more like a teenager’s bedroom or a criminal biker bunker.
There are lots of posters on the wall from gangster films like “Reservoir Dogs” (his favorite), “Scarface” and “Pulp Fiction”. Three clocks also show the time in Medellín, Rome and Quebec.
“When it comes to decoration, nothing is left to chance. I go there with the first impression I want to give: a different lawyer, closer to the world and not condemning people. The exterior alone makes it clear that this is not a civil law firm. “It looks fortified,” he explains.
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Physically, the lawyer also looks like a bad boy. He is tall, muscular, has very short hair and is tattooed. He carefully develops a personality that he believes has allowed him to win numerous court cases over the years.
A criminal teenager
His maternal grandfather, a judge, was one of the signatories of the Youth Offenders Act. His mother was a physical education teacher and his father was a social worker.
“I grew up in a good family, but my social relationships left something to be desired. I liked superficiality and easy money. »
— I Vincent Montminy
Several of his friends received long prison sentences. He himself could have taken this path. Among other things, he had to answer in court at the age of 18 for minor allegations. He is acquitted thanks to the work of his lawyer, who will suggest him to become a criminal lawyer, which will guarantee him success in this career.
Ultimately, the university becomes the door of salvation for Vincent Montminy, as upon his arrival he is sworn in as a lawyer. “From the beginning I knew I would become a criminal lawyer, but be careful, I don’t help criminals. I represent a client’s interests, but I do not endorse or encourage what they do. “I’m just doing my job like a doctor treating a rapist who was shot by the police,” he emphasizes.
His mentor was actually a gangster
When Mr. Montminy received his law degree, he went to print business cards and distributed them to his criminal friends.
Too close to the criminal world in Quebec, Mr. Montminy decides to go to Montreal. He therefore believes that he can become a credible lawyer in the eyes of the judiciary.
A month after being sworn in, he was hired by a Montreal lawyer, Loris Cavaliere, who represents members of the Italian Mafia.
Mr. Montmigny is 23 years old and fascinated by everything that happens around him. He is invited to large events where many people who are of great interest to the police are present.
Over the years, the lawyer rises within the firm and gradually represents major players in organized crime. At the same time, he made a name for himself as a lawyer in Quebec with the aim of settling there.
The young lawyer doesn’t know it yet, but Mr. Cavaliere was at the center of reuniting street gangs with bikers and the Italian mafia. The office was monitored for a year. Mr Cavaliere was arrested in 2015 as part of Operation Magot. He eventually pleaded guilty to gangsterism and firearms possession and received a 34-month prison sentence.
Create distance
Mr Montminy had long been suspected by police because of his friendly relationships with criminals, but was never charged.
“One day when I was playing poker, one of my old friends from Quebec was there. He wanted to talk to me. I thought he needed legal advice. However, he was actually an informant for the police. He was carrying a microphone. He offered to buy three kilos of cocaine. I told him he was late in the news, I’m a lawyer. I don’t touch anything, I don’t do anything,” he says.
The police will try to confuse Mr. Montminy a second time. But this one will prove once again that he is an advocate of integrity. This situation will be a strong signal for him. He will make the decision to break off certain friendly ties and turn to people he knew as a child who are in no way connected to organized crime.
“I understand that in criminal law it is extremely important to maintain a distance between your professional life and your private life. »
— I Vincent Montminy
And Mr. Montminy swears it. He never sent a message or a cell phone. “If you do that, you will lose all your credibility with the Crown when they come out. I have made mistakes in judgment, but I have never made mistakes in my actions. »
Civil lawyers are anything but snow-white
Outside of his work, Vincent Montminy doesn’t always reveal what his job is. “I say I have a business. I don’t want people asking me questions about the people I represent. »
Even his mother is prejudiced. “During a family dinner, she didn’t hesitate to say, ‘Vincent, he looks good, he’s doing well, if he could count, he could have had a real job.'”
If Mr. Montminy understands that the public may believe that criminal lawyers are paid by criminal groups, he bluntly points out that civil lawyers are not afraid to play golf with their clients.
“I’m not friends with my customers. I have no empathy for her. I don’t want to know anything about her life. I just want them to be happy with my work,” he says.
“In criminal law, once you’re successful, people think you’re doing dirty business. They also feel like a bandit is being given a second chance. But in reality I’m just a member of the legal system. We will never cut off the head of organized crime. »
— I Vincent Montminy
He also decided to no longer represent certain cases. “When you acquit someone, you motivate them. I am unable to acquit a pedophile and five years later he is arrested again. »
Who is the real Vincent Montminy?
Vincent is the father of two little girls, ages 5 and 6, and describes himself as a “simple” and “hyper-emotional” guy. “He is my worst enemy. It shows when something touches me. When I play poker I wear sunglasses because my eyes always give me away. »
Separated from his children’s mother, Vincent looks after his daughters three days a week. If it’s a weekday, forget appointments after 3 p.m. and don’t expect him to be available on the phone.
“I give my kids 100%.” I was in a rush when they were little, I had to learn how to make quilts. Now that they are older we do lots of fun activities. They are like friends. »
— I Vincent Montminy
And when he doesn’t have his daughters on the weekend: a fire outside on Friday evening, Saturday, the gym, the restaurant and time with his sister or mother on Sunday. “The police listened to me and followed me. In the end they were understanding, except for two or three investigators who didn’t like me and were willing to say anything. »
Vincent Montminy admits he is playing a character. “When I put on my toga, I fly like an actor. I don’t write anything, I go by feeling. I know what works and what doesn’t. »
According to Me Montminy, people are prejudiced against lawyers, but they want to see Tom Cruise in The Firm. “I give them the ones they want. But if you meet me on weekends, you’ll never see me in a shirt and tie. »