Admitted to the Quebec Bar in 1979, Me Bourassa debuted his career in private pracitce at his own firm (Bourassa & Savoie). He subsequently joined the Community Legal Centre of Montreal in August 1982. Since his start, he actively became involved in representing his fellow colleagues as a representative of the Union of the lawyers of Montreal Legal Aid and even became the union president. In 1985, he assumed the post of director of the Office of Criminal and Penal Affairs, whether for the Municipal Court, the Quebec Court, on Appeal, or criminal trials and long-term trials, for more than 25 years.
Through the years, he has continued to regularly exercise his profession as criminal defence counsel acting before all tribunals (Municipal Court, Quebec Court, Superior Court, Court of Appeal, and Federal Court), in Montreal and in the regions; he is also one of the rare permanent lawyers at CLCM to work full-time on special mandates from the Act Respecting Legal Aid and the Provision of Certain Other Legal Services, representing one of the co-accuseds arising from the SharQc file. He possesses a vast experience, notably in complex affairs, lengthy affairs, matters before a jury, and extradition.
Recipient of the Robert Sachitele prize given to a lawyer for remarkable performance in the completion of a defense mandate, he also received, in 2013 by the Association des avocats de la defense de Montréal, the Léo-René Maranda prize in honour of his career. For more than 20 years, he has been a member of various committees of the Montreal Bar, including that of the Court of Appeal for Quebec and, until his departure, that of the CLCM. He is also strongly appreciated by his clientele, judges, and his peers.
After a brilliant career of more than 33 years at CLCM as a criminal defence lawyer, he has returned to his roots as a lawyer in private practice first at the firm Monterosso Giroux Lamoureux Avocats, s.n., and now at Bureau de Me Marie-Hélène Giroux Avocats Inc.