Stéphanie Normandin (Commerce, 2006) is the director of Legal Services at the ALDO Group in Montreal.

“I absolutely love my job because it brings together two of my passions: law and fashion,” she said.

Normandin joined the company (well known for its shoes and accessories) in 2020 as an in-house legal counsel and was promoted to serve as director in 2023.

“I handle a lot of things related to intellectual property and licensing which is very interesting and dynamic,” she said. “I handle a lot of work on our marketing campaigns and initiatives, so it’s a mix of legal and creative work and it really keeps every day super exciting.”

It was during her time in Cegep that Normandin discovered an interest in pursuing law, while studying at Champlain Saint-Lambert.

“Honestly I had no clue at that age what I wanted to do in the long-term,” she said. “I took one class called ‘Into to Law,’ — really basic, but a first touch to the practice of law and it was a turning point. It sparked something in me.”

For her, Cegep was an opportunity to explore different subjects and challenge herself academically while studying for the first time in an English environment.

“It was a time of self-discovery for me, figuring out what I actually liked to study,” she said. “As a francophone, it was the perfect place to really improve my English both in class and making friends.”

After graduating from Champlain, Normandin attended Université de Montréal where she earned her law degree, studying both civil law and common law to keep her options open for future opportunities. The next year, she moved to New York City to complete a master’s degree in business law at NYU.

“I really wanted to have an international perspective,” she added. Having gravitated toward business law classes at Université de Montréal, specializing in business at NYU seemed like a natural progression and provided a chance to live in one of North America’s most celebrated cities.

Normandin returned to Quebec and took the bar exam in 2010, beginning her career working for law firms such as Heenan Blaikie, Stikeman Elliott LLP and Miller Thomson LLP. She gained experience in business law at those firms for 10 years, working primarily on mergers and acquisitions.

She said one reason that she opted to move to an in-house legal services role with ALDO was to “be a bit closer to the business and be strategically involved in day-to-day decisions.”

“It was during the pandemic and I guess, like a lot of people during that time, I was confronted with questions about what I wanted to do in life,” she said.

She said that making the move proved not only professionally fulfilling but helped her achieve a better work-life balance.

“Having three kids is giving me that perspective and helps me focus on what really matters,” she said.

Normandin’s advice for current students and recent grads: “Explore widely and follow your curiosity, especially in Cegep. Don’t feel pressure to know exactly what you want to do. Try courses, internships, experiences and you’ll discover as you go what truly is of interest to you. Try to build a skillset, not just credentials. Things like communication, problem solving, being resilient — those are really useful and they will follow you wherever you go.”