About Bellehumeur Law

Who We Are

Your Trauma-Informed Lawyers

Seeking justice for sexual or gender-based violence can be challenging and confusing. Survivors may fear retraumatization, stigma, and experience self-blame and self-doubt. Bellehumeur Law is committed to prioritizing survivors’ well-being and avoiding retraumatization by applying trauma-informed practices. We believe that trauma-informed care should be practiced by all those servicing survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. Our trauma-informed legal services can help you understand your options and support you throughout the process.

What We Do

Our Services

We focus on providing survivor-centred and trauma-informed legal services and advice to survivors of sexual abuse.

Safe Sport

Advocacy, Support & Representation

Safe Sport

Advocacy for safe sport practices and abuse prevention

Representation for complainants of maltreatment in sport-related processes

Criminal Law

Advocacy, Support & Representation

Criminal Law

Advocacy and support for complainants of sexual assault

Representation for complainants of sexual assault in criminal matters involving s.276 and s.278 of the Criminal Code

Human Rights

Advocacy, Support & Representation

Human Rights

Representation, advocacy and support for complainants of sexual assault in human rights claims

University & Administrative

Advocacy, Support & Representation

University & Administrative

Advocacy, support and representation for complainants of sexual assault in university and other administrative complaint processes.

Consulting, Education & Training

Consulting, Education & training

For organizations seeking to prevent and addres sexual abuse, harassment and discrimination

For organization and professionals seeking to incorporate trauma-informed practices

Meet Our Team

Karen Bellehumeur

LLM, PhD – Senior Lawyer

Karen Bellehumeur was an Assistant Crown Attorney for 23 years specializing in cases involving vulnerable witnesses, many of which were sexual assault cases. In that role, Karen prosecuted every kind of case but gravitated toward taking on cases involving vulnerable witnesses and children. These were often sexual assault cases. She was also part of the London Child Abuse Prevention Council for over ten years and was a member of the provincial Internet Child Exploitation Team and the Child Homicide Review team.

Karen left the London Crown’s office to obtain her Master of Laws degree from the University of Toronto Faculty of Law in 2015 where she focused on how the law deals with sexual violence in Canada and internationally. The inadequacy of those laws to deter sexual violence and their harmful impact on survivors sparked her ambition to find new approaches that are trauma-informed and survivor-centred. With that goal in mind, Karen pursued her PhD from Western Faculty of Law and received her degree in February 2023. Her dissertation focuses on the treatment of sexul assault survivors in the criminal justice system and is entitled: “Legal Representation for Complainants of Sexual Violence in the Criminal Justice System: A Proposal to Advance Women’s Equality.”

Karen founded Bellehumeur Law in January 2018 and has been representing survivors in various legal venues ever since. She represents sexual assault survivors in criminal cases (involving section 276 and 278 applications) and in human rights claims for sexual assault and harassment. She also represents Indigenous survivors of child abuse for human rights claims of historical abuse at day and residential schools. Karen also represents victims of abuse in sport and has sat on various screening and disciplinary panels for provincial and national sport organizations. She is regularly consulted for her expertise in Safesport by provincial and national organizations.

Karen is a member of the panel of lawyers available through the Ontario Independent Legal Advice for Survivors of Sexual Assault Program. She is also a former member of the Anova board of directors and currently sits on the London VAW Community Advocacy Group reviewing London Police Service unfounded sexual assault cases. She is also regularly consulted as a case committee member of LEAF (Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund). Karen is a member of the Safe Sport advisory committee for the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada. She is also a co-founder of Elevation – Equality, Inclusivity, Empowerment Inc., an organization with a vision to raise the bar in youth sport through education and other initiatives including abuse prevention.

Karen’s Speaking Engagements & Publications

Mandy Foubert

Office Manager

Mandy graduated from Fanshawe College in London, Ontario with a Legal Assistant diploma in
1997. Mandy enjoyed successful employment as a Law clerk with several different firms for
over 15 years from 2003 until 2020 when she sought to change the direction of her profession.
An extensive background which included supporting senior executives, training other law
clerks, and introducing and implementing office procedures provided Mandy with the
experience needed for a more challenging role. After upgrading her skills which included
completing a course in Business Administration from triOS college, Mandy joined Bellehumeur
Law in July of 2022.

What you need to know

Basic information about sexual assault and sexual
harassment and legal options in Canada.

Information

Where to turn for support

Helpful links to
resources for survivors

Resources

Things to consider

Articles, posts and blogs to provoke
thought and instill inspiration

Media & Blogs

We are here to advocate for you and help you move forward.

Contact