The board of the Outaouais chapter of Big Brothers Big Sisters has unanimously agreed to support its executive director, Yvonne Dubé, who falsely portrayed herself as a lawyer and practised law without a licence, all without the charity's prior knowledge.

An investigation by Radio-Canada revealed Dubé acted as a lawyer between September 2011 and March 2012.

Documents obtained by Radio-Canada indicated Dubé had appeared in court representing two clients accused of cocaine possession.

That trial was adjourned when it was discovered Dubé was not a lawyer.

Dubé took up her post at the head of the Gatineau-based charity in 2015. On Saturday the board voted to keep Dubé in her job despite the revelations about her past.

The Board's decision was unanimous that the directors maintain the director general's employment contract as well as its confidence. - Richard Gravel, president of Big Brothers Big Sisters de l'Outaouais

"The Board's decision was unanimous that the directors maintain the executive director's employment contract as well as its confidence," board president Richard Gravel wrote in French in a statement issued Monday.

The organization claims that since Dubé's hiring the Outaouais chapter has doubled its donations and quintupled the number of children it helps.

In April 2015 Dubé consented to an order by Ontario Superior Court Judge Charles T. Hackland to "permanently cease practising the law without authorization."

Dubé told Radio-Canada she accepted the order only in relation to her acting as a lawyer between September 2011 and March 2012, but claimed she never represented clients in court without a licence.

She later called Gatineau police to file a complaint of criminal harassment against Radio-Canada journalist Antoine Trépanier, who reported the story.

Trépanier was arrested and later released on a promise to appear in court.