This section keeps you up-to-date on the latest news and upcoming public appearances of Lavery professionals.
News
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Lavery announces appointment of Paul Martel, a leading expert in corporate law
Mr. Martel is recognized for his ability to provide pragmatic, innovative solutions to the most complex legal issues in corporate law. He was a law professor for over 25 years and has contributed to most major corporate law journals, including La Revue du Barreau du Québec. “I’m so pleased and excited to be starting the fifth chapter of my professional career at Lavery, a firm I hold in high esteem. I look forward to putting my expertise to good use with the firm’s clients, as well as helping to consolidate the multidisciplinary service offering for which Lavery is renowned in the legal and business markets,” said Paul Martel, partner at Lavery. As a leading expert in corporate law, and a respected teacher, lecturer and author, he regularly advises government authorities on major legislative changes, including those to the Civil Code of Québec, Quebec’s Companies Act, the Canada Business Corporations Act and the Act respecting the legal publicity of enterprises. He has also acted as a consultant to the Minister of Finance of Quebec in developing and drafting the new Business Corporations Act, and to the Agence du Revenu du Québec in updating the Quebec Enterprise Register. “Paul Martel has authored several landmark legal works on corporate law, and his outstanding track record and extensive expertise in the legal and business industries of Quebec, Canada and the United States will further strengthen the quality of Lavery’s services in this area of practice. He will certainly be a great inspiration to us all, and his presence at the firm will have a major impact on our teams, as he assists our Business Law group,” concluded René Branchaud, Head of practice of Lavery’s Business Law group.
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The Court of Appeal recognizes Lavery’s leadership in matters involving surety bonds
In a landmark decision, the Court confirms the scope of the surety bond indemnity agreement that our firm helped to draft in Gestion ITR inc. v. Intact Compagnie d'assurance.. Lavery’s reputation in construction bonding is well established. The firm has been a leader in this field for decades. Under the direction of our partner Nicolas Gagnon, Lavery supports the industry in contentious matters, while providing guidance on major policies. Over 30 years ago, our firm was in charge of drafting the content of an indemnity agreement between a construction company and a major surety company. That agreement is still widely used in the industry today. The Court of Appeal of Québec recognized the scope of the agreement in a recent decision, confirming that the obligations of the signatories to the agreement included, in particular, the reimbursement of losses incurred by the surety, not only under surety bonds it had issued, but also under agreements entered into between the principal surety and another surety that had agreed to act as the construction company’s guarantor. This essentially means that the signatories to an indemnity agreement must reimburse the losses incurred by a surety that was obtained by the principal surety. Our partner Nicolas Gagnon commented on this as follows: “So much effort went into drafting this indemnity agreement, given its significance for the industry. We’re obviously thrilled to see that Quebec’s highest Court agrees with our logic, and that it confirmed that the scope of the agreement we helped to draft applies to the situations we had identified.” We would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge our industry colleagues’ skillful work in defending the indemnity agreement.
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Seven Lavery lawyers recognized in the 2024 edition of Benchmark Litigation
Lavery is pleased to announce that seven of its lawyers have been recognized as leaders by Benchmark Litigation Canada 2024. This directory ranks the leading litigators involved in Canada's landmark litigation cases who have distinguished themselves in the legal profession by providing outstanding service to clients. The following lawyers received the Litigation Star distinction in the 2024 edition of the directory: Myriam Brixi Raymond Doray Nicolas Gagnon Marc-André Landry Martin Pichette The following lawyers received the Future Star distinction in the 2024 edition of the directory: Laurence Bich-Carrière Céleste Brouillard-Ross These recognitions are further demonstration of the expertise and quality of legal services that characterize Lavery's professionals. About Lavery Lavery is the leading independent law firm in Quebec. Its more than 200 professionals, based in Montréal, Quebec, Sherbrooke and Trois-Rivières, work every day to offer a full range of legal services to organizations doing business in Quebec. Recognized by the most prestigious legal directories, Lavery professionals are at the heart of what is happening in the business world and are actively involved in their communities. The firm's expertise is frequently sought after by numerous national and international partners to provide support in cases under Quebec jurisdiction.
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On April 26th let’s celebrate World Intellectual Property Day!
The protection of intellectual property plays an essential role in driving innovation and economic progress, including for innovations having a positive impact on the environment. Indeed, intellectual property provides innovators with the legal protection they need to develop and market their innovations, thus y fostering economic and social growth. Protecting green innovations By protecting environmentally-focused innovations through intellectual property, we create an environment conducive to the emergence and development of sustainable solutions to environmental challenges. These green innovations aim to reduce the harmful effects of human activity on the planet and its inhabitants. Innovation at the core of our ecosystem With intellectual property protection, innovators can reap the benefits of their hard work by gaining a competitive edge, which in turn encourages investment in research and development. This protection also fosters the development of an innovation culture within organizations and drives economic progress. In short, protecting intellectual property is an incentive to build a better future! For more information on this yearly celebration, go to: https://www.wipo.int/web/ipday/2024-sdgs/index
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Finance and M&A: Lexpert Recognizes Four Partners as Leading Lawyers in Canada
On April 17, 2024, Lexpert recognized the expertise of four of our partners in its 2024 Lexpert Special Edition: Finance and M&A. Josianne Beaudry, Étienne Brassard, Jean-Sébastien Desroches and Édith Jacques now rank among Canada's leaders in the financial sector and in M&A. Josianne Beaudry’s practice is primarily focused on securities law, investment funds and mining law. She also advises financial sector participants on the application of regulations relating to securities and corporate governance. Josianne assists clients carrying out public and private financings, corporate reorganizations, as well as mergers and acquisitions. She also helps publicly traded companies maintain their reporting issuer status. Étienne Brassard practices business law, more specifically corporate financing, mergers and acquisitions and corporate law. In his practice, he advises local and international businesses in relation to all forms of private financing, from traditional or convertible debt to equity investments. He has thus developed extensive expertise in setting up complex financing structures, in both operational and transactional contexts. Jean-Sébastien Desroches practices business law and focuses primarily on mergers and acquisitions, infrastructure, renewable energy and project development as well as strategic partnerships. He has had the opportunity to steer several major transactions, complex legal operations, cross-border transactions, reorganizations, and investments. Édith Jacques is a partner in Montréal's Business law group. She specializes in mergers and acquisitions, commercial law, as well as international law and acts as business and strategic consultant to mid- and large-size companies.
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Two new members join Lavery’s ranks
Lavery is delighted to welcome Kathryn Cahill and Christian Chidiac to its Business Law group. Kathryn CahillKathryn is a member of our Business Law group and practices primarily in areas related to financing.She has distinguished herself in a number of ways throughout her university studies. Kathryn is a two-time recipient of the University of Ottawa Merit Scholarship for academic excellence. In March 2022, she had the opportunity to take part in the 49th Gale Cup Moot competition. "I decided to start my career as a lawyer at Lavery mainly because of the value the firm places on mutual support and collaboration, as well as its focus on supporting young lawyers in their professional development." Christian ChidiacChristian Chidiac is a lawyer in the Business Law group of the Montréal office and practices primarily in commercial and transactional law. Before joining Lavery, Christian worked as a Foreign Service Officer at Global Affairs Canada, the department of the Government of Canada that to manages Canada's diplomatic and consular relations. In this position, he worked in the division dealing with bilateral relations between Canada and Western Europe. Christian also worked as a legal counsel for an international manufacturing company. Through these work experiences, he developed a perspective focused on clients' specific issues and needs, as well as a sensitivity to international issues. "It was the aspiration to return to the practice of law that motivated me to return to a private practice, and it was the quality of the cases and professionals, the work environment and the relationships with my colleagues that convinced me to make a return to Lavery."
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Bernard Larocque appointed a Judge of the Superior Court of Québec
We were very pleased to learn of the announcement of the Minister of Justice confirming the appointment of Bernard Larocque as a Judge of the Superior Court of Québec for the district of Montréal. The Superior Court of Québec is an ordinary court of law in Quebec hearing all disputes that a formal provision of law has not assigned to the jurisdiction of another court. The Superior Court plays a key role in Quebec's justice system. Bernard Larocque joined the firm in 1998 as a member of the litigation group and became a partner in 2003. His practice focused mainly on civil litigation, including defamation, insurance law, class actions, professional liability and administrative disputes. He has frequently appeared before the courts, including the Supreme Court of Canada and the Court of Appeal of Quebec.?His excellence and reputation as a litigator earned him the title of Fellow by the prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers in March 2020. Bernard has also always been active in the community and has been deeply involved with the Justice Pro Bono Board of Directors for over twenty years, which he has chaired since 2020. "Bernard will be serving on the bench with several of his former colleagues and friends from the firm. He embodies Lavery's values, driven by excellence, diligence, a deep sense of duty and a desire to give back to society. These are all qualities that will carry him through this next important chapter in his legal career," concludes Anik Trudel, CEO at Lavery.
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Lavery, Ranked Number One in Quebec by The Canadian Lawyer
Once again, Lavery is ranked number one in Canadian Lawyer magazine's list of the Top 10 Quebec Regional Law Firms. Lavery stands as the benchmark in Quebec when it comes to delivering legal services, according to the many private practice and in-house lawyers who responded to this Canada-wide survey. The firm's professionals stood out among their peers for their analytical minds, business savvy, and solution-oriented approach. This distinction highlights the excellent services and deep expertise that our firm has built its reputation on. Additionally, Lavery's presence in the province's four main business centres reflects our commitment to serving businesses of all sizes that contribute to Quebec's economic development. This recognition is a testament to our ability to adapt to the serious challenges that our clients have faced over the past two years. It shows that we are continuing to distinguish ourselves by offering 360° legal services that meet the expectations and requirements of key players in the Quebec economy. For more information on the survey results, please visit the Canadian Lawyer website:The Top 10 Law Firms in Quebec | Canadian Lawyer (canadianlawyermag.com) About LaveryLavery is the leading independent law firm in Québec. Its more than 200 professionals, based in Montréal, Québec City, Sherbrooke and Trois-Rivières, work every day to offer a full range of legal services to organizations doing business in Québec. Recognized by the most prestigious legal directories, Lavery professionals are at the heart of what is happening in the business world and are actively involved in their communities. The firm's expertise is frequently sought after by numerous national and international partners to provide support in cases under Québec jurisdiction.
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36 partners from Lavery ranked in the 2024 edition of The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory
Lavery is proud to announce that 36 partners are ranked among the leading practitioners in Canada in their respective practice areas in the 2024 edition of The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory. The following Lavery partners are listed in the 2024 edition of The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory: Asset Securitization Brigitte M. Gauthier Class Actions Laurence Bich-Carrière Myriam Brixi Construction Law Nicolas Gagnon Marc-André Landry Corporate Commercial Law Luc R. Borduas Étienne Brassard Jean-Sébastien Desroches Christian Dumoulin André Vautour Corporate Finance & Securities Josianne Beaudry Corporate Mid-Market Luc R. Borduas Étienne Brassard Jean-Sébastien Desroches Christian Dumoulin Édith Jacques Selena Lu André Vautour Employment Law Richard Gaudreault Marie-Josée Hétu Marie-Hélène Jolicoeur Guy Lavoie Family Law Caroline Harnois Awatif Lakhdar Infrastructure Law Nicolas Gagnon Insolvency & Financial Restructuring Jean Legault Ouassim Tadlaoui Yanick Vlasak Intellectual Property Chantal Desjardins Isabelle Jomphe Labour Relations Benoit Brouillette Brittany Carson Simon Gagné Richard Gaudreault Marie-Josée Hétu Marie-Hélène Jolicoeur Guy Lavoie Life Sciences & Health Béatrice T Ngatcha Litigation - Commercial Insurance Dominic Boisvert Marie-Claude Cantin Bernard Larocque Martin Pichette Litigation - Corporate Commercial Laurence Bich-Carrière Marc-André Landry Litigation - Product Liability Laurence Bich-Carrière Myriam Brixi Mergers & Acquisitions Edith Jacques Mining Josianne Beaudry René Branchaud Sébastien Vézina Occupational Health & Safety Josiane L'Heureux Workers' Compensation Marie-Josée Hétu Guy Lavoie Carl Lessard The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, published since 1997, is based on an extensive peer survey process. It includes profiles of leading practitioners across Canada in more than 60 practice areas and leading law firms in more than 40 practice areas. It also features articles highlighting current legal issues and recent developments of importance. Congratulations to our lawyers for these appointments, which reflect the talent and expertise of our team. About Lavery Lavery is the leading independent law firm in Québec. Its more than 200 professionals, based in Montréal, Québec City, Sherbrooke and Trois-Rivières, work every day to offer a full range of legal services to organizations doing business in Québec. Recognized by the most prestigious legal directories, Lavery professionals are at the heart of what is happening in the business world and are actively involved in their communities. The firm's expertise is frequently sought after by numerous national and international partners to provide support in cases under Québec jurisdiction.
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Lavery's expertise recognized by Chambers Global 2024
We are pleased to announce that Lavery has once again been recognized in the 2024 edition of Chambers Global in the following sectors: Intellectual Property (Canada) - Band 4 Intellectual Property Litigation (Canada) - Band 4 These recognitions are further demonstration of the expertise and quality of legal services that characterize Lavery’s professionals. Two lawyers have been recognized as leaders in their respective areas of practice in the 2024 edition of the Chambers Global guide. Areas of expertise in which they are recognized: René Branchaud : Mining (International & Cross-Border) - Band 5 Sébastien Vézina : Mining (International & Cross-Border) - Band 5 Since 1990, Chambers and Partners' ranks the best law firms and lawyers across 200 jurisdictions throughout the world. The lawyers and law firms profiled in Chambers are selected following through a rigorous process of research and interviews with a broad spectrum of lawyers and their clients. The final selection is based on clearly defined criteria such as the quality of client service, legal expertise, and commercial astuteness. About LaveryLavery is the leading independent law firm in Québec. Its more than 200 professionals, based in Montréal, Québec City, Sherbrooke and Trois-Rivières, work every day to offer a full range of legal services to organizations doing business in Québec. Recognized by the most prestigious legal directories, Lavery professionals are at the heart of what is happening in the business world and are actively involved in their communities. The firm's expertise is frequently sought after by numerous national and international partners to provide support in cases under Québec jurisdiction.
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Lavery and its Intellectual Property group recognized in the 2024 edition of the WTR 1000: The World’s Leading Trademark Professionals
We are pleased to announce that Lavery has been ranked in the 2024 edition of the WTR 1000: The World’s Leading Trademark Professionals. Four of our members have also been recognized as leaders in their respective areas of practice. Geneviève Bergeron Partner | Lawyer - Trademark Agent Geneviève’s practice focuses on all aspects of trademarks, intellectual property transactions, copyright and domain names. Her trademark expertise also includes litigation, such as opposition and cancellation proceedings, formal notices and the negotiation of coexistence and settlement agreements, as well as the drafting, negotiation and review of commercial contracts, such as licence and assignment agreements. Chantal Desjardins - Partner | Lawyer - Trademark Agent Chantal actively assists her clients in establishing their rights in the field of intellectual property, which includes the protection and defence of trademarks, industrial designs, copyright, domain names, trade secrets and other related forms of intellectual property, in order to further their business objectives. Isabelle Jomphe - Partner | Lawyer - Trademark Agent Isabelle’s expertise includes trademarks, industrial designs, copyrights, trade secrets and technology transfers, as well as advertising law and matters related to labelling and the Charter of the French Language. Suzanne Antal - Senior Trademark Agent Suzanne focuses her practice on all aspects of trademark registration, including drafting and filing trademark applications and representing clients in trademark opposition and cancellation proceedings, both nationally and internationally. The WTR 1000 is a guide that identifies the top trademark professionals and law firms around the globe. The lawyers and law firms featured in this guide are selected further to a rigorous process involving research and interviews with practitioners, clients and in-house counsel. About Lavery Lavery is the leading independent law firm in Québec. Its more than 200 professionals, based in Montréal, Québec City, Sherbrooke and Trois-Rivières, work every day to offer a full range of legal services to organizations doing business in Québec. Recognized by the most prestigious legal directories, Lavery professionals are at the heart of what is happening in the business world and are actively involved in their communities. The firm's expertise is frequently sought after by numerous national and international partners to provide support in cases under Québec jurisdiction.