Why become a notary rather than a lawyer?

A dynamic young man shares his story and his passion for his future profession…

On April 26, young Wael Wahab will become Me Wael Wahab and join the ranks of Quebec’s 3,900 notaries.

Of course, the young professional can’t wait to be sworn in. “But I never imagined, when I started law school, that I would one day be a notary,” he admits.

A lover of TV series featuring vibrant pleadings, but also interested in bringing concrete solutions to people, the student wanted to become a lawyer… until he met Me Stéphanie Bourassa!

“His office was right next door to my family’s business. That’s how we bumped into each other, how we talked, because I applied for her study,” he recounts. She immediately took me under her wing and convinced me to change my vocation.

Notaries, a profession serving the public and businesses

Wael Wahab was a real blank slate when he started exploring notarial law. “During our bachelor’s degree in law, we fly over this specialty like any other,” he says. As a result, we’re often unaware of just how diverse and interesting the notarial profession is.”

In the course of his apprenticeship, Mr. Wahab was indeed introduced to the essential legal acts involved in the milestones of our lives: wills, inheritance, marriage, buying or selling a house, and so on.

He has also been trained in business support, one of Bourassa Notaires‘ great strengths. Business start-ups and sales, shareholder agreements, bookkeeping, reorganizations and liquidations, financing: everything related to commercial and corporate advice holds no secrets for him.

I love this second part, it’s my bread and butter,” he explains. But I also love everything else, because now I know that to be a notary is to be the jurist par excellence of understanding and proximity. A notary is both impartial and close to citizens. It’s very rewarding.

An exceptional mentor

During his training, which included a bachelor’s degree in law, a master’s degree in notarial law, two courses at the Chambre des notaires, an Ordre exam and an internship, Wael Wahab was able to count on the unfailing support of Me Stéphanie Bourassa.

“She told me at the outset: ‘I want you to be better than me, and I’m going to help you get there’. And she kept her word, because she taught me all the tricks of the trade,” says the young man, who emphasizes the active listening and infinite patience his mentor shows towards both employees and trainees at her firm.

What’s more, as the future notary has inherited his family’s entrepreneurial streak, working with Me Bourassa, who is particularly well-versed in business notarial matters, is a big plus for him. “It’s an optimal package deal, both professionally and personally,” he says.

As for the modern communication strategies employed by his boss, which stand out in a generally more subdued environment, Wael Wahab says: “We’re not ‘brown stockings’, that’s for sure, ha ha! I too believe that we need to break the stereotype of the discreet notary at the back of his office, and dust it all off.

There’s no doubt that this dynamic young man has found his calling and will follow it. We wish him every success!

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