Me Katherine Adams
Areas of Practice
Professional activities
Me Adams was admitted to the Bar in 2003. After an initial practice in criminal law in Montréal, she pursued work in international criminal law at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and later at the International Criminal Court, where she acted as a communications consultant. In this capacity, she also participated in a Barreau du Québec trilateral criminal defense project in Bolivia aimed at improving access to justice for disadvantaged and Indigenous populations, with the objective of strengthening the capacity of defense counsel to protect the rights of the accused.
In addition to her private practice, she was involved in COP15 in Copenhagen, where she helped establish climate tribunals, and she served as Director of the Centre for Professional Development in Law at the Université du Québec à Montréal.
She had the privilege of being trained by former Vice President Al Gore to deliver the lecture An Inconvenient Truth. In Paris, during COP21, she presented the conference Storytelling to Change the World.
Prior to her admission to the Bar, Me Adams completed a master’s degree in theatre and worked in various media. She founded Québec’s first agency for independent professional actors, Acteurs Associés, which now has a presence in Paris. She also co-founded Global Goodness, a platform dedicated to positive news.
As a producer and creative director in the performing arts, she has consistently combined artistic practice with social impact, leading major events in Canada and abroad for organizations such as the Second World Congress Against the Death Penalty, the Millennium Summit, Cirque du Soleil, the Canadian Olympic Committee, the Francophone Film Awards, as well as tribute events honoring the legacy of Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr.
In 2020, during the global pause brought on by the pandemic, she initiated a creative process centered on cultural hybridity, which resulted in a trilogy of works, including the short film Mémoires Métissées. The film was selected and awarded at several international festivals and was acquired by Radio-Canada.
Giving voice to make a difference is the common thread throughout her career. Drawing on a multidisciplinary and international background, Me Adams combines legal rigor, strategic insight, and a deep understanding of human dynamics to support clients in the resolution of complex matters with clarity and effectiveness. From the stage to the courtroom, from the defense of human rights to the narration of change, she places her voice and expertise in the service of justice and social transformation.
At Alepin Gauthier Avocats et Notaires, Me Adams heads the Criminal Law Department.
Education
LL.B., Université du Québec à Montréal, 2000
Bar admission
Quebec Bar, 2003
