Meet the Exeo Team

At Exeo, we want to offer you Immigration Made Simple. Whether for work, study, or visit, we are there to help discover and implement your immigration options from A to Z. You’ll have a reliable team supporting you, with professionals who truly care and dedicate themselves to you and your project. Introducing our team of immigration lawyers in Montreal.

Francis Tourigny

Co-Founder/Partner

Francis is an experienced business immigration lawyer and an active member of the Quebec Bar. Before co-founding Exeo, he honed his business immigration expertise in Hong Kong, facilitating the immigration process for numerous individuals to Canada and the United States.

Upon his return to Canada, Francis joined a prestigious law firm, specializing in the regularization of foreign workers' status for companies.

Francis has been frequently invited to share his knowledge and experience at conferences in Asia, Europe, and the United States.

His career started in major Canadian law firms, following law studies at the University of Montreal and at the University Paris-1 Pantheon-Sorbonne, complemented by a degree in sociology and political science.

Marc-André Séguin

Co-Founder/Partner

B.C.L., LL.B., LL.M., Québec Bar, New York State Bar

Marc-André is a co-founder of Exeo Attorneys and practices in business immigration since 2010. He is a member of the Expert Group of the Barreau du Québec in immigration and citizenship law. He is admitted to the Bar of Québec (Canada) and of the State of New York (United States).

He sits on the Immigration and Citizenship Law Section of the Canadian Bar Association, Québec Division and is a member of the Immigration and Nationality Law Committee of the International Union of Lawyers, where he gives several workshops and conferences.

Frequently asked to comment on Canadian and American immigration law issues, Marc-André Séguin has been cited for his expertise in the media in Québec, Canada, the United States, Mexico and France. He is also regularly invited by Chambers of Commerce to discuss issues related to business immigration.

He is the founding President of the non-profit organization For Refugees, whose work has been making international headlines since 2017, and also sits on the board of directors of several organizations in Canada and abroad.

Marc-André graduated in Civil Law and Common Law from McGill University and holds a Masters in Asian Legal Studies from the National University of Singapore.

He is fluent in French, English and Spanish and has a working knowledge of Portuguese.

Laurence C. Trempe

Partner

Laurence C. Trempe heads the Canadian Mobility Department at Exeo and is also a partner at the firm.

Her passion for mobility and border issues was sparked by an internship in Belgium, focusing on the construction of the European Union. She graduated with a law degree (LL.B) from the University of Montreal in 2004, and further developed her legal expertise through continued studies at the University of Montreal and University of Ottawa. Laurence has been an active member of the Quebec Bar since 2009.

She broadened her experience by spending seven years in the Federal Public Service, specifically at the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) from 2002 to 2008. In 2008, Laurence transitioned to private practice, leveraging her deep expertise in the field. With over 14 years of legal practice and more than 20 years of combined public-private experience in immigration, she has honed a wide-ranging and in-depth expertise. She represents a diverse clientele, from start-ups to multinationals, as well as individuals seeking international mobility and permanent residence.

Laurence is an active member of the Quebec Association of Immigration Lawyers (AQAADI) and has served on the Executive Council since 2019. She has directed several legal briefs addressed to the Quebec and Canadian governments on behalf of the AQAADI. She also oversees the IRCC liaison committee - economic and temporary facet, and the liaison committee with the Quebec Immigration authorities. Since 2023, she serves as the co-president of AQAADI- economic and mobility.

Laurence frequently offers her expert commentary on economic immigration and mobility issues in the media. Additionally, she has trained numerous human resources departments and delivered several lectures to various chambers of commerce, associations, and public organizations, as well as to lawyers specializing in immigration.

In sum, Laurence Trempe is a devoted professional whose passion for immigration law and international mobility is reflected in her career and continuous commitment to her clients and the legal community. Her loyal Labradoodle, Léo Ferré, is often by her side, patiently waiting for his daily walks

Marc-André Carrière

Lawyer LL.B., LL.M.

Marc-André is a lawyer member of the Barreau du Québec. He works on various economic immigration cases that are entrusted to him by partners of the firm. Before joining Exeo, he worked as a civil and commercial litigator for Montreal based law firms. Following his master's degree in Chinese Business Law at Peking University, Marc-André also worked in Beijing for a company specialized in the field of economic immigration. He is currently completing a Juris Doctor at Université de Montréal.

Fan of basketball and whisky, he is also passionate about international issues
related to East Asia.

Member of AQAADI – Association Québécoise des Avocates et Avocats en immigration
Member of YCPA – Young Chinese Professionals Association
Member of Barreau du Québec, 2018

Gabrielle Thiboutot

Lawyer LL.B.

Gabrielle is a lawyer member of the Barreau du Québec and is part of the Canadian mobility team. She has long known that immigration law was her calling. In order to better understand migration movements and their impacts, she completed with distinction both the Civil Law degree and the Bachelor of International Development and Globalization at the University of Ottawa. Having worked in large law firms, but wanting to specialize in immigration, Gabrielle joined our team in the summer of 2021.

Member of Barreau du Québec, 2022

Julien Otis-Bouchart d’Orval

Lawyer LL.B.

Julien is a lawyer member of the Barreau du Québec. He works on various economic immigration and mobility cases that are entrusted to him by partners of the firm. Before joining Exeo, he worked in the field of investment immigration, notably with Caribbean and European citizenship-by-investment programs. Having obtained his Bachelor of Laws, his thirst for adventure and interest in foreign cultures led him to stay two years in Asia and Russia. His work experience and polyglot skills allow him to serve a diverse clientele.

Member of AQAADI – Association Québécoise des Avocates et Avocats en immigration
Member of Barreau du Québec, 2020

Danika Ippolito

Senior paralegal

Danika is our senior paralegal working mainly in the areas of the Canadian International
Mobility Program, Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), and U.S. Immigration with more than eight years of legal experience. She is a graduate of O'Sullivan College with a degree in Paralegal Technology (2014) and holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Concordia University (2011).

Catherine Bruges

Senior paralegal

Catherine Bruges is our senior paralegal since May 2022. She has been working exclusively in the field of immigration law and professional mobility since 1999. She mainly acts for business people and individuals in view of their admission to Canada and the United States.

Léa Vimfles

Account Manager

Lea is the office manager at Exeo. She joined the team in January 2020 and is mainly responsible for the management of the firm as well as its evolution.
After studying languages at the University of Economics in St. Petersburg, Russia, Léa completed a master's degree in sociology at the University of Savoie-Mont-Blanc. It is through this master's degree that she discovered the world of human resources and communication.

In addition to French and English, Léa speaks Russian.

Chantal Racette

Legal Advisor

Chantal has obtained a bachelor's of law and a master's of law in notarial law from Sherbrooke University. She joined Exeo in the fall of 2021 as a legal expert, mainly working with immigrant investors. She is fluent in French and English.

Beatriz Santos

Portuguese Immigration Manager

Beatriz is the Portuguese Immigration Manager at Exeo. She has a Law Degree from the University of Lisbon, and she attended the Masters in Juridical and Forensic Sciences.

After doing her internships in two Portuguese law firms, where she worked in banking law and civil litigation, she became a member of the Portuguese Bar Association in 2015. She started her own practice in 2016 to focus on immigration law and promote technical competence, respect and a healthy work environment to develop the best ideas and strategies for the clients.

She is a human rights activist, member of Amnesty International since 2018 and also a member of the board of the Young Lawyers Institute of the Portuguese Bar Association.

She fluently speaks Portuguese, English and Spanish and can also read and understand French.

Exeo Mexico

Teresita Galvan Martinez

Analyst

Teresita is our case processing analyst in the Mexico office. She graduated in International Relations and International Business from Universidad de las Américas in Mexico City. She’s specializing in International Commerce in order to amplify the knowledge provided to all the business orientation she will be bringing to the firm.

Teresita is devoted to customer service and is always looking to provide all the comfort and assurance during a process by bringing the best service to all of her clients.

Teresita is fluent in Spanish, English and French and she attends to the firm’s needs with the same passion she brings to her outdoor exercises and her affinity with nature.

Paulina Canchola García

Sales Representative

Paulina is our Latam Sales Representative. She takes care of the office in Mexico, managing clients and prospects. She has a major in International Business Administration at Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City, currently obtaining her MBA from Escuela de Negocios Europea de Barcelona.

Prior to joining Exeo’s team in 2021 she worked in logistics for diplomatic, private and military flights with embassies in Mexico City. She also has experience in sales, interpretation, translation and management.

Paulina enjoys traveling, languages and outdoor activities.

She speaks Spanish, English, French and Italian.

At Exeo we offer you
immigration made simple.

At Exeo we offer you immigration made simple.