This profile was written by Brent Isfeld, a law student at Thompson Rivers University.
Has anyone ever told you that you were not cut out to be a lawyer? Maybe that you didn’t fit the mold, or would be better suited for another career?
Jason Demers has been told all of those things and more, but law is what he wanted to do, and he is no stranger to fighting for what he wants. Jason started training in martial arts at the age of 9. Seven black belts and one law firm founded later, his fighter spirit has not slowed down.
Born to a mother and father that had a grade 3 and grade 8 education respectively, Jason felt destined to be a factory worker just like his father. As a self-described ‘high-school jock’, his fighting style was admirable while his academic style could be aptly described as ‘barely passable’. By the time he was 18, Jason had become a husband, father, and not long after, a divorcee.
Slacking in high school was all well and good at the time, but Jason did not like where his adult life was headed and he became determined to be more. He buckled down and pursued an undergrad in engineering, then studied to become a chiropractor. Both of these career options were appealing to Jason at first glance, but neither held his attention for very long. Finally, he decided to give law a try.
Law was not something anyone would have pictured Jason doing and it certainly was not something he had ever seen for himself early in life.
Jason was used to fighting stereotypes, and after doing so in Calgary his whole life, he also wanted to fight the cold. He took online courses from Saratoga University and got a Bachelor of Science in Law and a Juris Doctor in the state. Jason thought he would move to California and start a legal career there. That plan, however, was replaced with an even better one when Jason married his wife, Terri, and they decided to stay in Canada and start a family.
Jason’s personal life was on the right track. His lawyer life, on the other hand, was derailed on his return to Canada. He discovered that, in order to practice law in his home country, he would need to go back to school for an additional 3 years. At this time in his life, 3 more years of school was not something he could entertain. Jason’s family life took precedence. By 2005, he had 9 children. While waiting for the time and space to become licenced to practice in Canada, he worked as close to the legal system as he could.
Jason was licensed as a paralegal and became a mediator and arbitrator, helping with elements of civil and criminal claims. While he enjoyed his work, Jason’s colleagues encouraged him to try to obtain the credentials needed to work in Canada. With the support of his big family, Jason decided to start applying to Canadian law schools.
Years of rejections letters came and went with Jason being left confused as to why.
Finally, the University of Saskatchewan reached out to him. They said that they could not accept him right away, but if he took 2 full semesters of courses first, they would admit him. Without hesitation, Jason took the courses, got the credits, and got accepted.
Acceptance into the University of Saskatchewan was worth fighting for. While there, Jason mooted his way to first place in the Sopinka Cup competition in 2011 and one year later, he graduated with distinction. In 2013, he was called to the Bar in Alberta.
Already far into his legal career by the time he first applied for Canadian law school, Jason was not satisfied working for someone else.
In 2015, Jason partnered with Ryan Hager and together, they founded HD Law Group, a Calgary-based law firm. Today, the firm employs 10 people including associates, paralegals and other support staff, and they continue to grow. Jason’s practice revolves around his ability to advocate for his clients and fight for them in the courtroom. As someone who has often been unfairly misjudged, Jason meets his clients without forming any preconceived notions about them.
Jason overcame a lot with his fighting spirit; however, he knows that he could not have done it alone.
He tries to pay the support he got forward by volunteering and giving opportunities to others in the legal community. Jason has returned to the University of Saskatchewan on multiple occasions to volunteer as a coach and judge in legal competitions and events. He helps train the next generation of lawyers through articling positions at his firm.
When Jason isn’t lawyering, he’s busy being a father to his 9 kids and a grandfather to 10. Through his journey, he learned he could always rely on his family. He’s coached soccer teams, drove them to dance competitions, and taught them martial arts, all while pursuing his own dreams. Jason is used to challenging the expectations that others have of him. But one thing is clear to anyone who knows him: Jason is a fighter and even if it takes him years, he will do what he sets his mind on doing.