News

This section keeps you up-to-date on the latest news and upcoming public appearances of Lavery professionals.

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  1. Lavery involved in the construction of the new Île-aux-Tourtes bridge

    Following a qualification process, the Ministère des Transports et de la Mobilité durable du Québec (MTMD) issued a call for tenders in 2022 for the construction of the new Île-aux-Tourtes bridge pursuant to the project delivery method known as design-build-finance (DBF). Since this was a DBF, the financing of this project had to be included in the proposals made by the selected candidates. Lavery represented the successful consortium made up of Dragados Canada Inc., Roxboro Excavation Inc. and Construction Demathieu & Bard Inc. Our role required expertise in the following areas: (a)   Governance and corporate law  (b)  Project financing (banking and securities)  (c)   Public procurement (d)  Construction law (e)   Commercial agreements (f)    Taxation  Lavery represented the consortium from the call for proposals to the financial close, including the drafting phase leading up to the awarding of the contract to the consortium. The financing was the most complex part of this transaction. Under the hybrid approach retained for that project, a major credit facility to be granted by a bank syndicate had to be set up, as well the private placement of two tranches of bonds. This involved adjusting the rights and obligations of creditors on both sides within a sophisticated intercreditor agreement. The financing also required parent company guarantees, including from French and Spanish corporations, which required us to find common ground to accommodate the typical requirements of a North American financing and the specific corporate and commercial features applicable in France and Spain. To meet this challenge, we put together a multidisciplinary team, divided up the work in accordance with our professionals’ diverse expertises, and dedicated a team member exclusively to interactions with the MTMD, its lawyers and the issuers of performance bonds typical for this kind of projects. Sound project management practices were essential to the success of this team effort. It is a privilege for Lavery to have participated in this essential project allowing the people of Quebec to obtain a new bridge linking the regions of Montérégie and Montréal. The Lavery team was led by Josianne Beaudry, Nicolas Gagnon, Édith Jacques, David Tournier and André Vautour, and included Véronik Bonneville-Pesant, Katerina Kostopoulos, Jean-François Maurice, Joseph Gualdieri, Siddhartha Borissov-Beausoleil, Alexandre Turcotte, Luc Pariseau, Charles Hugo Gagné, Mickaël Pageau, Jean-Vincent Prévost-Bérubé and Yohann Lévy.

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  2. Lavery assists Agendrix in obtaining two ISO certifications for data security and privacy

    On February 6, 2023, Agendrix, a workforce management software company, announced that it had achieved certification in two globally recognized data security and privacy standards, ISO/IEC 27001:2013 and ISO/IEC 27701:2019. This made it one of the first staff scheduling and time clock software providers in Canada to obtain these certifications. The company is proactively engaging in all matters related to the security and confidentiality of the data processed by its web and mobile applications. The ISO/IEC 27001:2013 standard is aimed at improving information security systems. For Agendrix’s customers, that means its products comply with the highest information security standards. ISO/IEC 27701:2019 provides a framework for the management and handling of personal information and sensitive data. This certification confirms that Agendrix follows best practices and complies with applicable laws. A Lavery team composed of Eric Lavallée, Dave Bouchard, Ghiles Helli and Catherine Voyer supported Agendrix in obtaining these two certifications. More specifically, our professionals assisted Agendrix in the review of their standard contract with their customers, as well as in the implementation of policies and various internal documents essential to the management of personal information and information security. Agendrix was founded in 2015, and the Sherbrooke-based company now has over 150,000 users in some 13,000 workplaces. Its personnel management software is a leader in Quebec in the field of work schedule management for small and medium-sized businesses. Agendrix’s mission is to make management more human-centred by developing software that simplifies the lives of front-line employees. Today, the company employs more than 45 people.

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  3. Lavery's expertise recognized by Chambers Canada 2021

    Lavery has been recognized in the following fields as a leader in the 2021 edition of the Chambers Canada guide: Corporate/Commercial (Québec Band 1, Highly Regarded) Employment and Labour (Québec Band 2) Energy and Natural Resources: Mining (Nationwide Band 5) The lawyers and law firms profiled in Chambers Canada 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. Learn more about our professionals who have once again been recognized in Chambers Canada Guide 2021.. 

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  4. Our Professionals Demonstrate Once Again They Are Leaders in Chambers Canada Guide 2021

    René Branchaud, Guy Lavoie, Jean-Philippe Turgeon and Sébastien Vézina have been recognized as leaders in their respective areas of practice in the 2021 edition of the Chambers Canada guide. Areas of expertise in which they are recognized: René Branchaud: Energy and Natural Resources: Mining Guy Lavoie: Labour and Employment Law Jean-Philippe Turgeon: Franchising Sébastien Vézina: Energy and Natural Resources: Mining The lawyers and law firms profiled in Chambers Canada 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. Learn more about the areas of expertise that Lavery has been recognized by Chambers Canada 2021.. 

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  5. Lavery Lawyers representing Groupe Sélection in the acquisition of the Molson brewery site in Montréal

    On June 28, a consortium made up of Groupe Sélection, Montoni and the Fonds immobilier de solidarité FTQ announced that it had officially acquired the Molson brewery land on Notre-Dame St. in Montréal. Lavery Lawyers, which has advised Groupe Sélection for many years, had the opportunity to play a significant role by representing Groupe Sélection’s interests in this $126 million transaction. "We are pleased to honour the trust that Groupe Sélection has placed in our firm’s expertise for more than 15 years, through the completion of the purchase of the Molson property. Through our business relationship, Groupe Sélection has also given us the privilege of contributing to the transformation and development of this part of the city of Montréal, which is so rich in historical and symbolic value," says Étienne Brassard, Business Law Partner at Lavery Lawyers.

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  6. André Vautour, panelist at the World Services Group Meeting of the Americas

    On March 2–3, 2017, Business Law Group partner André Vautour served as a panelist at the World Services Group Meeting of the Americas in Dallas. The panel was made up of Patrick Kelly from Fredrikson & Byron, P.A. in Minnesota, Juan Jose Lopez de Silanes Molina from Basham, Ringe y Correa, S.C. in Mexico, and Mr. Vautour. Entitled The Northern American Market in 2017 – Comparing the US, Canadian, and Mexican Perspectives, the panel gave stakeholders an opportunity to share their views on the upcoming challenges facing trade between North American countries and to identify possible solutions. For more information about the World Services Group, click here.

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  7. Pierre Marc Johnson participates in the “Québec, porte d'entrée de l'Amérique du Nord” conference in Toulouse

    On March 9, Pierre Marc Johnson, counsel and chief negotiator for the Government of Quebec for the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), spoke at an event held at the head office of the Banque Courtois in Toulouse and organized by International Mission. Mr. Johnson’s subject was Québec, porte d'entrée de l'Amérique du Nord (Quebec, the gateway to North America), and he shared the platform with Yves Grimard, Europe director atInvestissement Québec, and David Kassar, President of International Mission. The speakers discussed the various business opportunities in Quebec for firms from the region, in particular in connection with the recent ratification of the CETA by the European Parliament. For more information about International Mission, click here.

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  8. Julie Cousineau Lecturer at the 2016 Annual Review of the Commercial Litigation Case Law of the ABC-Quebec

    On February 17, 2017, Julie Cousineau, a partner of our Litigation and Dispute Resolution Group, was the guest speaker at the 2016 Annual Review of Commercial Litigation Jurisprudence organized by the Canadian Bar Association, Quebec Branch (CBA-Quebec). This event gathered over 50 attendees, to hear speakers exchanged on last year’s case law and various subjects of commercial litigation.

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  9. Spectra Premium Industries: Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, Fondaction CSN, and Fonds de solidarité FTQ acquire $45 million interest in its share capital

    Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ), Fondaction CSN, and Fonds de solidarité FTQ acquired interest in the share capital of Spectra Premium, a North American leader in the design, manufacturing, and distribution of automotive components for the aftermarket. This transaction will enable Spectra Premium not only to maintain ownership of the company in Quebec by reorganizing its share ownership but also to continue its expansion in North America and in global markets. The Caisse invested $28.3 million, while Fondaction CSN invested $15 million. The Fonds de solidarité FTQ, main shareholder of Spectra Premium, injected an additional $2 million into the company. A Lavery team represented Spectra Premium in this transaction. The group was lead by Luc Pariseau and included Richard Burgos, Raphaël Bacal (commercial law), and Jean-Philippe Latreille (taxation).

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