The Honourable Paul-Arthur Gendreau, senior counsel at Langlois since 2010, is retiring after an exceptional career spanning private practice, public service and the judiciary.
A member of the Québec Bar for more than 60 years, Justice Gendreau made outstanding contributions to both the law and Québec’s public and institutional life. Over the course of his career, he held several high-profile public roles, including serving as counsel to the Cliche Commission in the 1970s, Associate Deputy Minister of Justice and Deputy Attorney General of Québec appointed by Premier René Lévesque, and later, as a judge of the Québec Court of Appeal, where he served for 24 years.
“On behalf of Langlois, I would like to extend our warmest thanks to Justice Gendreau for his remarkable contributions to the firm and to the profession. A jurist of great rigour, driven by keen intellectual curiosity and a deep sense of justice, he has enriched our practice in lasting ways through the depth of his knowledge and the soundness of his judgment. Throughout his time with us, many have had the privilege of learning from his insight and of benefitting from his thoughtful guidance,” said Sean Griffin, Chief Executive Officer of Langlois.
A passionate advocate of the law known for his attentive listening and thoughtful counsel, Justice Gendreau has long been praised for his integrity, candour and honesty, as well as for his accessibility and his unwavering dedication to knowledge-sharing and mentoring the next generation of lawyers. All those who had the privilege of working alongside him can attest to the human and professional qualities of this remarkable individual.
Having known and worked closely alongside Raynold Langlois throughout his career, Justice Gendreau is part of our firm’s history in a way that is at once dignified, loyal and profound. In recognition of his many significant contributions to both our firm and the law, we extend our heartfelt thanks and wish him a rich and fulfilling retirement… along with many rewarding salmon-fishing outings.
Happy retirement, Justice Gendreau.
A career dedicated to the law
Born into a family of jurists in Rimouski, Québec, the Honourable Paul-Arthur Gendreau earned his law degree from Université Laval in 1963. He was part of an exceptional graduating class that went on to shape public life in Canada, including future prime ministers, senators, judges, leading lawyers and academics such as Brian Mulroney, Lucien Bouchard, Michael A. Meighen and Raynold Langlois.
He began his career in Rimouski before establishing a practice in Québec City. He later served as counsel to the highly publicized Royal Commission of Inquiry into Union Freedom in the Construction Industry (Cliche Commission), which investigated violence and criminal activity on construction sites in the 1970s. In 1980, Premier René Lévesque appointed him Associate Deputy Minister of Justice and Deputy Attorney General of Québec.
Following his term, he returned to private practice until his appointed to the Québec Court of Appeal in 1986, where he served for more than 24 years and issued close to 3,000 decisions.
Upon retiring from the bench in 2010, he joined Langlois as senior counsel. He quickly became a trusted authority in administrative, constitutional, civil and commercial law, highly sought after both within the firm and beyond.
Deeply involved in the profession, Justice Gendreau served as Bâtonnier of the Barreau du Bas-Saint-Laurent (President of region’s Bar Association) and as a commissioner of its Legal Aid Commission. His expertise has been widely recognized, including by Best Lawyers in Canada, which named him Lawyer of the Year – Administrative and Public Law in 2022 and again in 2025. He has also received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal as well as the Medal of the Bar of Québec City Council, commemorating his 60th anniversary of being called to the Bar. In addition, Université Laval established the Paul-Arthur Gendreau Fund in support of international legal internships in his honour.
Information:
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