Dominique Verdurmen had her sights set on becoming a lawyer at a young age.
Verdurmen’s grandma and grandpa were among the Dutch citizens liberated by Canadian soldiers during the Second World War, she explains. Many times she heard family conversations about the rights of Canadian citizens and how important they are.
“I’m so grateful to be living here and living in a system where rights are protected, like the presumption of innocence,” she said.
Now 27, Verdurmen was called to the bar in B.C. Supreme Court in Salmon Arm on Sept. 29, 2020. That means she is now officially a lawyer in good standing in B.C.
Attending the ‘call ceremony,’ which was presided over by Justice Sheri Ann Donegan, were Ken Walker of the law society and Glenn Verdurmen, Dominique’s uncle, who is also a lawyer in Salmon Arm.
His work influenced her decision to choose law as a career.
“I’m really impressed with the work he’s done. He’s been a tremendous mentor and has given me a lot of great guidance,” she said.
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After doing her undergraduate studies at the University of Ottawa, she attended McGill University in Montreal for her law degree, both in civil law, the tradition in Quebec, and common law, the law used in the rest of Canada.
French is Verdurmen’s first language. Her mom’s family is from Montreal and she hopes to be able to do her first trial in French.
She worked a few summers at her uncle’s firm, Verdurmen Muto Wynne Lawyers LLP, before articling – similar to an internship – at her uncle’s firm in 2019.
Verdurmen expressed gratitude for the experience she acquired – from bail hearings, sentencing, trials and preliminary inquiries in criminal law, as well as family law work. Along with her uncle’s mentorship in criminal law, she is grateful for the guidance of Rosemary Muto in family law and Garrett Wynne in real estate. She will now be working at the firm as an associate.
Her dad’s side of the family is from Salmon Arm, so she said it was special over the years to visit her grandparents’ hobby farm during holidays.
Since working in Salmon Arm full time, Verdurmen said the community has welcomed her with open arms. She has loved all the hiking and sports, such as soccer. And she has no plans to leave Salmon Arm.
“I’m really happy to be able to work in this community specifically and be able to work with Verdurmen Muto Wynne in the areas of law I really wanted to practice in.”
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