Behind every program, every activity, and every action carried out at the YWCA of Montreal, there are dedicated volunteers who make a concrete difference in the lives of the women and families we support.
Within the Legal Information Clinic, volunteer lawyers put their expertise at the service of women. Through their listening skills and experience, these professionals help remove barriers to access to justice. This week, we highlight Audrey Berteau, whose volunteer commitment focuses on making justice more accessible, particularly in the face of financial and language barriers and limited awareness of available legal resources.
Discover her profile.
Please introduce yourself in a few words:
I am an intellectual property lawyer at Smart & Biggar. Access to justice is a core value for me, and my volunteer work at the Women’s Y legal clinic allows me to make a tangible contribution to supporting women in my community who are facing difficult situations.
What motivated you to volunteer at the Women’s Y?
Volunteering at the Women’s Y allows me to put my legal knowledge to practical use in a direct and meaningful way. During consultations, I help women better understand their situation and provide them with the tools they need to address their legal challenges.
Having benefited greatly from participating in legal clinics as a law student, I also find it deeply rewarding to now contribute to the training of future legal professionals.
How does your volunteer work contribute to your professional and/or personal life?
My volunteer experience has strengthened my ability to offer practical, client-focused advice. Over time, it has also deepened my understanding of the many ways a single situation can be approached, improved my ability to communicate legal information clearly, and enhanced my capacity to work effectively with a wide range of individuals.
What are the main barriers to women’s access to justice that you have observed?
Although every woman’s experience is unique, recurring barriers include limited financial resources, the complexity of the legal system, lack of awareness of available resources, difficulty asserting one’s rights, lack of trust in the justice system, and language barriers.
What would you say to someone who is hesitant to volunteer at the Y?
This work is truly rewarding. While time commitment is often a concern, the clinic’s flexible structure allows volunteers to choose when they hold consultations and adjust their level of involvement each week according to their workload and other responsibilities.