Of offender to brilliant lawyer

Photo Chantal Poirier
Me Belton is a proud advocate “mr. and mrs. All-the-world” and offer young people stray a second chance.

Camille Garnier

Wednesday, 28 February 2018 01:00

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Wednesday, 28 February 2018 01:00

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Accustomed to the fights and the flights, Fernando Belton has decided to reverse its fate as the young offender on the day when he realized that he was running right towards the prison. Fifteen years later, he is now a brilliant criminal lawyer and help young people like him to get back on the right path.

“If I had not had a moment of awareness, I would have ended up in a street gang, that’s for sure,” says Me Fernando Belton, comfortably installed in his office at the Saint-Michel district, where he worked for a year.

This lawyer 30-year-old was raised by his mother with his four sisters in a HOUSING project in the district of Chomedey in Laval.

“The kind of environment that will rot the children,” according to him, focusing on several problems of crime on a small area.

Photo Courtesy

Fernando Belton to the sides of the jurist renowned Daniel Turp (centre) when he was attending.

Flights and fights

At the age of 14 years and in spite of the evident facilities at the school, he multiplies the fights and petty thefts. His father, a tailor, is then installed in the United States, and his mother, who works in a factory of pantyhose, is only rarely present for the monitor.

“After school, I was in the street with my small team,” he remembers. It was going to fly in convenience stores or at the mall, we forced the cellars of the people, and we are taking tvs or bicycles when they could be found. “

Within his group, the young Fernando was the attention that his parents were not able to give him, being too busy to meet the needs of the family.

“There was this feeling indescribable when you made a mistake, and everyone tells you “nice job”, or when you fought and you had won your battle. You were resulted in this, it is the strength of the group “.

The small mistakes of Fernando end up attracting very big trouble.

“One day, one of our friends has pissed off a great of the neighborhood and he threatened us with his gun,” he says. We were all lying on the ground, this is the kind of things that you do not forget. “

Conscious of the slippery slope on which adventure to her son, the mother of Fernando ends up in 2001 by sending it to join his father in the suburbs of Naples, Florida, to cut its bad dating.

After a year of quiet and studious in the U.s., Fernando returned to Quebec, and in the space of a few days is returning to his bad habits.

“I don’t know how we ended up stealing a car with friends and drive into the town. At the end of a few days, we got stop by the police. “

Photo Courtesy

Minister Pierre Duchesne (right) presents Fernando Belton, the lieutenant governor’s Medal for the Youth.

Change

Despite his opposition, his parents then return to the United States, a choice that will be decisive for the future of the young man.

“Everything has changed this year, I started to go to church every weekend,” said the lawyer. I saw the trouble my friends with the police, and I understood that if I kept on like this, I could end up in jail. “

To the church, Fernando Belton plays music and finds people who help him to take charge and promote it.

Noble trade

“When I returned to Laval in the following year, I was in a totally different mindset. Gang members have approached me to sell contraband cigarettes, but I told them that all this will interest me more. “

The young man finished brilliantly with his high school and college, and then decided to begin the study of law.

“I’ve always loved to plead, argue and express myself verbally, expose it. I also wanted to make a difference, to do something noble that is useful to the company. “

His brilliant studies he worth to be decorated in 2013 by the government of quebec of the prestigious lieutenant governor’s Medal for the Youth.

Photo Courtesy

The music helped Fernando Belton to regain control of his life when he was young.

Moral

After obtaining his bar, Fernando Belton then carried out an internship at the municipal Court of Montreal.

“There, you see, to spend mr. and mrs. All-the-world. This really gave me the bite of the criminal law and the desire to help this world. “

For the past three years, Me Belton, defends, therefore, “monsieur and madame Tout-le-monde” as an independent lawyer.

And he does not hesitate to use her personal story when the situation is appropriate.

“When I see young people who have made mistakes, I make them moral, confirms Me in Belton. Not to denigrate, but to say, “This is my story, here’s where you can reach it if you work.” “

Ambitions

Thanks to the chronic justice system he has long carried on a haitian radio and mouth-to-ear, Me Belton has quickly built a client base.

After a first difficult year, the thirty-year-old says he has tripled its turnover and sees the future in a big way.

“Within two years, I see myself running a large law firm and advocate of the supreme Court,” he said. I would also like to bring lawyers haitians to support our community. If thou aid not, like, who will do it ? “

A student hired and rewarded

During his law studies at UQAM, Fernando Belton has illustrated by his many commitments.

“I was volunteering at the legal clinic, but also at the Centre for research-action on race relations, which helps people who are victims of discrimination. This has been a very rewarding experience. “

At the same time, the young man participated in the prosecution led by the jurist Daniel Turp against the Harper government, after Canada withdrew from the Kyoto protocol.

This tireless activity brought him in 2013, the lieutenant governor’s Medal for the Youth.

“My whole family was there, I was very proud,” he recalls.