He studied law at the Université Laval and obtained an LL.L in 1928,[1] winning the Governor General's gold medal.
He held that position for four years before joining the law firm of Germain, Lapointe, Thibaudeau et Roberge.
One of his students, William Tetley, subsequently a legal academic himself, records that Pigeon was a generalist who also had deep specialist knowledge of various areas of the law.
For instance, Pigeon was once asked on a moment's notice to fill in for an absent lecturer on civil procedure.
Tetley only remembered this approach being challenged on one occasion: It was [a] hot day and we sat packed together in rows in a small room, with the windows closed.
Someone either Jean Bienvenue (later a Quebec Cabinet Minister and Judge of the Superior Court) or Philippe Casgrain (later senior partner of the giant national law firm of Fraser Milner Casgrain) or Gaby Lapointe (flamboyant and famous criminal lawyer) put his hand up to ask a question.
Finally Pigeon said "oui" in his very high pitched voice and the student said "Puis-je poser une question?"
[3]Tetley also records that Pigeon was instrumental in René Lévesque's failure to complete his law degree.
[3] Over his career spanning fifty years, Pigeon was the author of numerous major publications on legal matters.
When the question period was over, the two adversaries — Hudon and Pigeon — would walk out arm-in-arm, complaining audibly about the state of politics and politicians.