Audrey GibeaultPartner, CPA, M. FISC., FEA Partner, Lawyer

Audrey GibeaultPartner, CPA, M. FISC., FEA Partner, Lawyer

Bureau

  • Montréal

Phone number

514 877-3058

Fax

514 871-8977

Bar Admission

  • Québec, 2011

Languages

  • English
  • French

Profile

Partner

Audrey Gibeault (lawyer, CPA, M.Fisc., TEP, FEA) is a partner in the Business Law group and head of the tax team.

In addition to having a practice focusing primarily on tax law and having a master’s degree in taxation, she is also a chartered accountant, which allows her to act as a multidisciplinary advisor to her clients.

As a legal partner and trusted business advisor, she assists clients in planning and implementing complex and innovative commercial, corporate and tax structures. Her clients are loyal to her and entrust her with their most important transactions, including acquisitions, the sale of their businesses, implementation of profit-sharing plans for their employees, creation of discretionary family trusts and estate planning.

Audrey leverages her entrepreneurial spirit and remarkable ability to communicate in layman’s terms to help senior managers and entrepreneurs achieve their business goals. She makes use of her extensive expertise in law, accounting, taxation and knowledge of market trends when negotiating and implementing transactions, strategic alliances and commercial agreements for her clients, including shareholders’ agreements.

She also advises a large number of family businesses on various projects involving issues specific to shareholders’ agreements, family hiring policies and family shareholding policies, in addition to specializing in the transfer of businesses from generation to generation (e.g.,  gen 1 to gen 2, gen 2 to gen 3). She frequently works in multidisciplinary teams with other advisors to better understand family dynamics and provide advice in consultation with other professionals helping the family.

She has a passionate personality and a very practical side, enabling her to give effective and persuasive advice.

Audrey also has good oratorical skills, making her an outstanding speaker. Audrey is frequently asked to provide training or courses on various topics related to her areas of practice.

Representatives mandates

  • Taxation and legal advisor in numerous complex multi-generational family business transfers
  • Advisor to Agile MV Inc. shareholders on the sale of all of its shares to the U.S.-based investment fund Resonetics LLC
  • Advisor for shareholders of a major technology company in the sale of its shares to a UK company, in which an innovative tax planning strategy was implemented to defer income tax that would otherwise have applied on the consideration to be received as shares of the UK company
  • Advisor in the implementation of several types of incentive plans, including employee trusts and a stock option plan
  • Advisor in the implementation of profit-sharing plans for several key employees, including rebalancing shareholding percentages in favour of key employees (management buy-out)
  • Representation of foreign clients wishing to do business in Canada
  • Representation of several U.S. companies doing business in Canada or wishing to acquire Canadian companies

Publications and training courses

  • Course entitled “Les conventions entre actionnaires et les pièges fiscaux y étant associés,” given at APFF, 2022 and 2023
  • Author, “Unexpected Application of Part XII.2 Tax to a Canadian Personal Trust,” Canadian Tax Focus, May 2013
  • Coauthor, “Règles canadiennes qui s’appliquent à des sociétés canadiennes faisant affaire à l’étranger”, APFF, Montréal, 2012
  • Coauthor, “Financement d’opérations à l’étranger”, 2010 Journée d’études fiscales, Association canadienne d’études fiscales, 2010

Lectures

  • Speaker on the topic of “La vente d’entreprise : de la planification fiscale à la vente, une revue de toutes les étapes importantes,” Institut de Leadership, 2023
  • Co-speaker on the topic of “Évitez les pièges dans la gestion de votre entreprise : conseils fiscaux et juridiques,” Chambre de commerce de Montréal Centre Sud-Ouest, May 25, 2023
  • Speaker on the topic of “Aspects fiscaux et légaux d’un transfert d’entreprise,” Institut de Leadership, November 23, 2022
  • Speaker on the topic of “Mise au point sur le projet de loi C-208,” ORIA, October 13, 2022
  • Speaker on the topic of “Planification fiscale d’actualité en matière d’achat/vente d’entreprise,” M&A Club, September 8, 2022
  • Speaker on the topic of “Aspects fiscaux et légaux d’un transfert d’entreprise,” Institut de Leadership, December 8, 2021
  • Speaker on the topic of “La fiscalité et les sociétés en croissance :  astuces et pièges à éviter,” Femmessor, November 25, 2021
  • Co-speaker on the topic of “Investissement immobilier : opportunités et pièges fiscaux,” Crew M, October 19, 2021
  • Speaker on the topic of “Pièges à éviter pour la PME en croissance et transfert d’entreprise,” RBC, September 2021
  • Co-speaker on the topic of “Les conventions entre actionnaires,” course given at the Centre de Transfert d’Entreprise du Québec, 2021
  • Co-speaker on the topic of “La fiscalité et les sociétés en croissance : astuces et pièges à éviter,” Evol, November 25, 2021
  • Speaker on the topic of "L'essentiel des aspects légaux et fiscaux", Institut de leadership, November 10, 2020
  • Course entitled "Aspects juridiques et fiscaux visés au transfert d’entreprise” given at the Centre de transfert d’entreprise du Québec, 2019
  • Acted as an expert on the panel organized by the Centre de transfert d’entreprise du Québec and the Institut de Leadership addressed to participants in the purchase and sale of businesses to enable them to obtain a certificate in the transfer of businesses, 2019
  • Speaker on several occasions on “Pièges à éviter entourant la fiscalité des employés à commission”, RBC financial planners convention, 2019
  • Co-speaker for a presentation entitled “Nouveautés en droit corporatif ” at the symposium organized by Wolters, 2019
  • Speaker for the Groupement des chefs d’entreprises du Québec on tax planning for purposes of the sale of a business, 2 seminars, 2019
  • Speaker on the topic of “5 choses à savoir en démarrage et en croissance” on the main stage of Expo Entrepreneurs, 2019
  • Seminar for the organization Leadership au Féminin addressed to young female lawyers, 2019
  • Speaker on the topic of “Planification successorale et transition de l’entreprise : enjeux financiers, fiscaux et familiaux”, Regroupement des chefs d’entreprise du Québec, 2018
  • Co-speaker on the topic of “La fiducie familiale et autres nouveautés – qu’en reste-t-il du budget Morneau?” for the Montreal CPA Group, 2018
  • Co-speaker on the topic of “Transfert et relève de moyennes entreprises”, 12th M&A Club Forum, 2018
  • Co-speaker on the topic of “Pièges à éviter en matière fiscale pour un avocat en droit des affaires”, Symposium on corporate law, 2017
  • Speaker on the topic of “Les lectures incontournables : Start with why: How great leaders inspire action”, Association of Quebec Women in Finance (AFFQ), 2017
  • Co-speaker on the topic of “Fiscalité de l’entreprise en croissance”, M&A Forum, 2017
  • Co-speaker on the topic of “Nouveautés fiscales en matière d’achat/vente d’entreprise?”, M&A Club, 2017
  • Speaker on the topic of “Commencez par le pourquoi”, Convention of the Association of Quebec Women in Finance (AFFQ), 2017
  • Co-speaker on the topic of "Erreurs et pièges à éviter en matière fiscale” webinar addressed to managers working for Québec municipalities, 2013
  • Speaker on the topic of “Règles canadiennes qui s’appliquent à des sociétés canadiennes faisant affaire à l’étranger”, Convention of the Association de planification fiscale et financière (APFF), 2012

Distinctions

  • The Best Lawyers in Canada in the field of Trusts and Estates, 2024
  • The Canadian Legal LEXPERT® Directory in the field of Corporate Tax, 2021
  • Recipient of the “Rising Stars Leading Lawyers Under 40” award by Lexpert, 2020
2021 CLLD

Education

  • LL.B., Université de Montréal, 2010
  • M.A. in taxation, Université de Sherbrooke, 2009
  • Chartered Accountants’ Uniform Final Examination, 2007
  • Graduate diploma in public accounting, HEC Montréal, 2007
  • B.A. in business administration, HEC Montréal, 2006
  • Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP), 2020
  • Family Enterprise Advisor (FEA), 2024 

Boards and Professional Affiliations

  • Member of the Board of Directors of M&A Club, 2017-2020
  • Member and collaborator of the Professional development committee of the Association of Quebec Women in Finance (AFFQ), 2014-2019
  • Founding member of the Young Philanthropists Circle of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, 2012-2013
  • Member and collaborator of the Succession committee of the Association de planification fiscale et financière (APFF), 2010-2016
  • Member of the Canadian Tax Foundation
  • Member of the Young Directors Committee of the Institute for governance of private and public organizations (IGOPP), 2012-2013
  • Member of the Board of Directors of the Montreal Youth Symphony Orchestra, 2011-2013
  • Member of the Ordre des comptables professionnels agréés du Québec (CPA-CA), since 2010
  • Member of STEP (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners)
  • Member of FEA Canada (Family Enterprise Advisor) (certification in fall 2023)
  1. Clarifications regarding the application of mandatory disclosure rules to severance agreements

    On November 2, 2023, in response to certain controversy, the Canada Revenue Agency (“CRA”) sought to clarify the application of the new disclosure rules, in force since June 22, 2023. The CRA’s comments relate, in particular, to the impact of reporting obligations on severance agreements, a topic we initially covered a few weeks ago1. We believe it is appropriate to go over these clarifications. As a reminder, the disclosure rules generally apply to so-called avoidance transactions carried out to obtain a tax benefit and presenting one of the following three generic hallmarks: contingent fee arrangements, confidential protection or contractual protection. At first glance, the interpretation of these hallmarks suggests that severance agreements involving an employee’s undertaking to indemnify their employer are subject to reporting obligations. However, in response to questions from a number of legal experts, the CRA commented on the disclosure rules, specifying, in particular, that a tax indemnity granted under a severance agreement is not subject to the reporting obligation where it occurs in a business or financial context between persons dealing at arm’s length, and acting freely and prudently. In this regard, the CRA pointed out that the contractual protection included in such an agreement would not be considered a generic hallmark insofar as it does not cover a tax treatment giving rise to an unwarranted benefit. The CRA gave as an example a settlement reached between an employer and employee further to dismissal, harassment complaints or other employment-related recourses, providing for severance pay or warranted damages. Even if the employee were to undertake to reimburse the employer in the event of unexpected tax treatment, this type of agreement would not give rise to reporting obligations. Although the CRA’s clarifications were meant to clear things up, they did not definitively establish how the mandatory disclosure rules apply to severance agreements. A certain level of uncertainty remains with regard to severance agreements with no real legal basis awarding tax-free damages to an employee. In such a case, it would be difficult to argue that the business context warranted a favourable tax treatment for the employee. In the case of an agreement providing for the payment of unwarranted damages, and where contractual protection extends to the tax treatment of the amount paid, the avoidance transaction may, despite the CRA’s comments, require disclosure to the tax authorities. One thing is certain: tax indemnity clauses may well disappear from severance agreements.  Ultimately, the new rules reinforce the principle that the granting of tax-free damages should be limited to circumstances that warrant it. Quebec case law has long established that the mere fact of losing one’s job does not give rise to damages, barring exceptional circumstances. In short, the CRA’s guidelines do not have the force of law, and may be amended or revoked at any time. Consequently, maintaining a cautious and conservative approach will be crucial when determining whether the new mandatory disclosure rules apply to severance agreements. Our team of employment law and tax professionals is available to answer your questions about these major changes and help you make informed decisions when negotiating severance agreements. Termination agreements: New reporting requirements apply!

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  2. Termination agreements: New reporting requirements apply!

    On June 22, 2023, the federal government significantly expanded the reporting requirements for certain so-called avoidance transactions, in particular with respect to termination agreements.1 The new rules will make it easier for the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to detect certain avoidance schemes, conduct tax audits and issue notices of assessment and penalties more quickly when warranted. The reporting requirements now apply to reportable transactions defined as avoidance transactions, which are primarily aimed at obtaining a tax benefit. If these avoidance transactions involve one of the three markers set out by the Minister of Finance: contingent fee arrangement, confidential protection or contractual protection, they must be reported to the CRA in accordance with the rules in force. These enhanced rules cover a large number of transactions, in particular those which are part of agreements made specifically in the context of end-of-employment negotiations. In settlements between an employer and an employee following termination, harassment complaints or other employment-related disputes, damages may be awarded as part of the negotiation process. However, the award of these damages, which are normally granted in situations where the employee has suffered personal or moral harm, may not always have a strong legal foundation. In some cases, these damages may be part of a tax-driven strategy: while severance payments are taxable as employment income or as a retirement allowance, damages may be tax-exempt. This type of agreement allows the employer to pay less while maximizing the net amount for the recipient. An agreement providing for the payment of a tax-free amount for damages usually includes an undertaking by the employee to indemnify the employer when a tax audit concludes that the payment should be taxable. The new reporting requirements are likely to prevent these types of settlements in cases where it is reasonable to conclude that their main purpose is to obtain an unfair tax benefit. These avoidance transactions also exhibit the hallmark of contractual protection, which refers to a protection or guarantee against any failure of the transaction to produce a tax advantage. This is the case when the employee agrees to compensate the employer following a tax recalculation. Such contractual agreements now meet the new reporting criteria. In these transactions, the reporting obligation is incumbent on the employee (i.e., the person who obtains the tax benefit), the employer (i.e., the person who completes the transaction), and the advisor who obtains fees for setting up the transaction. They have 90 days from the time they entered into the transaction to submit Form RC312 to the CRA. Failure to do so will result in penalties and an extension of the normal reassessment period. As a result, it is inevitable that these updated rules will be taken into account when negotiating termination settlements, and it will be particularly important to review all agreements made since June 23, 2023. Our team of employment law and tax professionals is available to answer your questions about this major change and help you make informed decisions when negotiating termination agreements. Bill C-47: An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 28, 2023

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  3. COVID-19: How to adapt your current tax planning?

    The spread of COVID-19 is having a considerable negative effect on the global economy. Several tax planning strategies adapted to the current situation can be considered in order to mitigate the impact. Tax planning for individuals helps to (i) reduce the taxes payable upon death, (ii) encourage intergenerational business transfers, and (iii) maximize the use of the capital gains deduction, through a trust or otherwise. For businesses in the current economic crisis, creativity and strategic vision are needed. In this context, certain tax plans will allow businesses to (i) maximize liquidity, (ii) reduce a corporate group’s taxes payable in the short term, (iii) optimize the use of losses, and (iv) bring about major tax savings in the long term. Here are a few examples of tax plans that are particularly appropriate for the current situation: Employee stock option plans Reviewing strike prices Strategies for using the capital dividend account Strategies for using losses within a corporate group, including: Intragroup management fees Loans between corporations Amalgamation or liquidation of business corporations Deferral of taxes on imports Recovering the GST/QST on bad debts Strategies to increase the fiscal cost of certain corporate assets and shares Estate freeze in order to lower taxes upon death Estate thawing and refreezing Applicable to a previous freeze whose value exceeds the current value Planning with regard to the rule of the average cost of identical properties Income splitting Leaving Canada Dismantling or creating legal entities to facilitate tax planning These plans are particularly effective in a context of economic downturn and a decrease in the fair market value of investments and assets. It is therefore important to act quickly.  Our taxation team is available to answer all of your questions about establishing a tax plan to suit your needs.

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  4. New Compensation Method: Employee Benefit Trust Replacing Stock Option Plans

    Nowadays, many employers are seeking out forms of compensation that will help motivate and retain key employees. More and more, employers are opting for one of a variety of company stock ownership profit-sharing plans to reach this objective. Employers who wish to implement this type of structure must ensure that the one they choose most adequately meets their objectives. In this context, employee benefit trusts make it possible to reach objectives that are common to many employers while providing tax treatment that is often much more beneficial to employees. Type of Profit-Sharing Plan With this type of profit-sharing plan, employers must set up a trust and designate employees as beneficiaries. Subsequently, the trust subscribes for or purchases shares of the company. The trustees of the trust (usually the shareholders of the company) then hold these shares acquired for the employees. The deed of trust must include the terms that govern the holding of the shares by the trustees. For instance, it is important to determine which employees will be the beneficiaries of the trust, at which point(s) in time and under which conditions the shares will be designated to the employees, and under which circumstances the company would be able to repurchase the shares. Once the trust is set up, any new employee designated as such by the company may become a beneficiary of the trust. More Flexibility for Employers Employee benefit trusts provide employers with many benefits. First and foremost, employers have more control with an employee benefit trust than with an employee stock option plan (ESOP). Contrary to an ESOP, with an employee benefit trust, employees do not personally hold the company’s shares. Rather, the trustees are the ones holding said shares. As such, employees do not need to attend shareholders’ meetings or have access to the company’s financial information. Furthermore, the fact that the company’s shares are not personally held by the employees prevents problems should a misunderstanding arise with a profit-sharing employee. Furthermore, since the employees are not immediately shareholders of the company, the moment where the employees have to be part of the shareholders’ agreement of the company is postponed to a later date. This type of plan also gives employers much more flexibility in terms of selecting the employees who will become shareholders. If the deed of trust is drafted judiciously, there is no need to finalize the selection of employees who will become shareholders at the time that the trust is set up. Thus, the trust may continue to hold the shares of the company until such time as the employees who will become shareholders are chosen and the necessary conditions for the allotment of shares are met. It is therefore possible to postpone said selection until the sale of the company. Benefits for Employees Not only is an employee benefit trust beneficial to employers, but it also provides certain benefits to employees. Just like all other stock ownership profit-sharing plans, employee benefit trusts allow employees to benefit from the company’s future increases in value. Although employees are not shareholders of the company from the time that the trust is set up, they will benefit from all of the capital gain accrued on the participating shares that will be allocated to them by the trust. Moreover, for the purposes of certain provisions of the Income Tax Act (ITA), if a share in trust is held by a trustee, whether absolutely, conditionally or contingently, for an employee, the employee is deemed to have acquired the security at the time the trust began to so hold it for and on behalf of the employee. This presumption, set out in subsection 7(2) of the ITA, allows for the beginning of the computation of the two-year period following the owning of the shares, which is relevant for the employees’ eligibility to the capital gains deduction as well as to the deduction in computing the taxable income provided for in paragraph 110(1)(d.1) of the ITA. An employee benefit trust therefore makes certain tax benefits, such as the capital gains deduction, more accessible to employees. Lastly, an employee benefit trust provides a tax benefit to employees in cases in which the shares of the profit-sharing plan have decreased in value since they were issued. In the event that the trust disposes of the securities to the company and that the amount paid by the company to acquire, repurchase or cancel said securities does not exceed the amount that it had previously been paid, employees may deduct an amount to offset the taxed benefit, in accordance with subsection 7(1) of the ITA. Through this tax treatment, employees avoid losing capital at the time of the disposition of the securities to the company, a loss of capital that would remain unusable until employees achieve a capital gain. This scenario may occur, in particular, when an ESOP is implemented. Although an employee benefit trust provides many benefits to employees, this type of profit-sharing plan is more complex than traditional profit-sharing plans. Thus, in situations in which employers wish to share profits with a single employee, it may be appropriate to consider another type of profit-sharing plan. Out team in Taxation and Labour and Employment are ready to advise you and to assist you in implementing them.

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  1. The Best Lawyers in Canada 2024 recognize 68 lawyers of Lavery

    Lavery is pleased to announce that 68 of its lawyers have been recognized as leaders in their respective fields of expertise by The Best Lawyers in Canada 2024. The following lawyers also received the Lawyer of the Year award in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in Canada: Josianne Beaudry : Mining Law Jules Brière : Administrative and Public Law Bernard Larocque : Professional Malpractice Law Carl Lessard : Workers' Compensation Law Consult the complete list of Lavery's lawyers and their fields of expertise: Josianne Beaudry : Mergers and Acquisitions Law / Mining Law Laurence Bich-Carrière : Class Action Litigation / Contruction Law / Corporate and Commercial Litigation / Product Liability Law Dominic Boivert : Insurance Law Luc R. Borduas : Corporate Law / Mergers and Acquisitions Law Daniel Bouchard : Environmental Law Elizabeth Bourgeois : Labour and Employment Law (Ones To Watch) René Branchaud : Mining Law / Natural Resources Law / Securities Law Étienne Brassard : Equipment Finance Law / Mergers and Acquisitions Law / Real Estate Law Jules Brière : Aboriginal Law / Indigenous Practice / Administrative and Public Law / Health Care Law Myriam Brixi : Class Action Litigation Benoit Brouillette : Labour and Employment Law Richard Burgos : Mergers and Acquisitions Law / Corporate Law / Commercial Leasing Law / Real Estate Law Marie-Claude Cantin : Insurance Law / Construction Law Brittany Carson : Labour and Employment Law Karl Chabot : Construction Law (Ones To Watch) Chantal Desjardins : Intellectual Property Law Jean-Sébastien Desroches : Corporate Law / Mergers and Acquisitions Law Raymond Doray : Privacy and Data Security Law / Administrative and Public Law / Defamation and Media Law Christian Dumoulin : Mergers and Acquisitions Law Alain Y. Dussault : Intellectual Property Law Isabelle Duval : Family Law Philippe Frère : Administrative and Public Law Simon Gagné : Labour and Employment Law Nicolas Gagnon : Construction Law Richard Gaudreault : Labour and Employment Law Julie Gauvreau : Intellectual Property Law / Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice Audrey Gibeault : Trusts and Estates Caroline Harnois : Family Law / Family Law Mediation / Trusts and Estates Marie-Josée Hétu : Labour and Employment Law Édith Jacques : Energy Law / Corporate Law / Natural Resources Law Marie-Hélène Jolicoeur : Labour and Employment Law Isabelle Jomphe : Advertising and Marketing Law / Intellectual Property Law Guillaume Laberge : Administrative and Public Law Jonathan Lacoste-Jobin : Insurance Law Awatif Lakhdar : Family Law Bernard Larocque : Professional Malpractice Law / Class Action Litigation / Insurance Law / Legal Malpractice Law Éric Lavallée : Technology Law Myriam Lavallée : Labour and Employment Law Guy Lavoie : Labour and Employment Law / Workers' Compensation Law Jean Legault : Banking and Finance Law / Insolvency and Financial Restructuring Law Carl Lessard : Workers' Compensation Law / Labour and Employment Law Josiane L'Heureux : Labour and Employment Law Despina Mandilaras : Construction Law / Corporate and Commercial Litigation (Ones To Watch) Hugh Mansfield : Intellectual Property Law Zeïneb Mellouli : Labour and Employment Law / Workers' Compensation Law Isabelle P. Mercure : Trusts and Estates Patrick A. Molinari : Health Care Law Jessica Parent : Labour and Employment Law (Ones To Watch) Luc Pariseau : Tax Law / Trusts and Estates Ariane Pasquier : Labour and Employment Law Jacques Paul-Hus : Mergers and Acquisitions Law Audrey Pelletier : Tax Law (Ones To Watch) Hubert Pepin : Labour and Employment Law Martin Pichette : Insurance Law / Professional Malpractice Law / Corporate and Commercial Litigation Élisabeth Pinard : Family Law François Renaud : Banking and Finance Law / Structured Finance Law Judith Rochette : Insurance Law / Professional Malpractice Law Ian Rose FCIArb : Director and Officer Liability Practice / Insurance Law / Class Action Litigation Sophie Roy : Insurance Law (Ones To Watch) Chantal Saint-Onge : Corporate and Commercial Litigation (Ones To Watch) Ouassim Tadlaoui : Construction Law / Insolvency and Financial Restructuring Law Bernard Trang : Banking and Finance Law / Project Finance Law (Ones To Watch) Mylène Vallières : Mergers and Acquisitions Law / Securities Law (Ones To Watch) André Vautour : Corporate Governance Practice / Corporate Law / Information Technology Law / Intellectual Property Law / Technology Law / Energy Law Bruno Verdon : Corporate and Commercial Litigation Sébastien Vézina : Mergers and Acquisitions Law / Mining Law Yanick Vlasak : Corporate and Commercial Litigation / Insolvency and Financial Restructuring Law Jonathan Warin : Insolvency and Financial Restructuring Law 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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  2. Lavery assists Agile MV Inc. in the sale of all of its shares to Resonetics

    On June 13, 2022, Resonetics announced the purchase of the entirety of the shares of Agile MV, a Montréal-based medical device design and development contract manufacturing company. The transaction was motivated by the quality of expertise that Agile MV's team of engineers, scientists, and technicians possess throughout the entire production cycle, from initial concept consolidation to mass production. Our partner, Audrey Gibeault, had the privilege of representing the company in this major transaction that involved complex tax planning, among other things. In business law, this transaction was led by our partner Étienne Brassard. Ms. Gibeault and Mr. Étienne Brassard were mainly assisted in this transaction by Gabrielle Ahélo. They were assisted by Luc Pariseau, Sonia Guérin, France Camille De Mers, Brittany Carson, Éric Gélinas, André Vautour, Michael Pageau, Maxime Chabot and Charles-Hugo Gagné. —Agile MV is a Quebec-based medical device design and development contract manufacturing company. It specializes in the development of minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic medical devices in the following areas: cardiac electrophysiology, interventional cardiology, interventional radiology, interventional pulmonology, interventional gastroenterology, interventional pain management and interventional neurology.Resonetics specializes in advanced engineering and manufacturing solutions for the life sciences industry, laser cutting, centerless grinding, nitinol processing, thin-wall stainless steel and precious metal tubing, photochemical machining, microfluidics, sensor solutions and medical energy.

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  3. 29 partners from Lavery ranked in the 2021 edition of The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory

    Lavery is proud to announce that 29 partners are ranked among the leading practitioners in Canada in their respective practice areas in the 2021 edition of The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory. The following Lavery partners are listed in the 2021 edition of The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory: Asset Securitization Brigitte Gauthier Aviation (Regulation & Liability) Louis Charette Class Actions Myriam Brixi Louis Charette Construction law Nicolas Gagnon Corporate Commercial law Jean-Sébastien Desroches Yves Rocheleau André Vautour Corporate Finance & Securities Josianne Beaudry René Branchaud Corporate Tax Audrey Gibeault Employment Law Marie-Josée Hétu, CIRC Guy Lavoie Family Law Elisabeth Pinard Infrastructure Law Jean-Sébastien Desroches Intellectual Property Chantal Desjardins Isabelle Jomphe Alain Y. Dussault Insolvency & Financial Restructuring Yanick Vlasak Labour Relations Michel Desrosiers Richard Gaudreault Simon Gagné Danielle Gauthier, CHRP Michel Gélinas Marie-Josée Hétu, CIRC Guy Lavoie Zeïneb Mellouli Litigation - Commercial Insurance Bernard Larocque Judith Rochette Litigation - Product Liability Louis Charette Mergers & Acquisitions Jean-Sébastien Desroches Mining Josianne Beaudry René Branchaud Sébastien Vézina Occupational Health & Safety Éric Thibaudeau Property Leasing Richard Burgos Workers' Compensation Guy Lavoie Carl Lessard Éric Thibaudeau The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory is the most comprehensive publication to legal talent in the country and it identifies leading practitioners in over 60 separate practice areas and leading law firms in over 40 practice areas. It is a reference guide for Canadian and foreign corporate counsels and law firms in need of specialized legal services in Canada. For more information, please visit Lexpert’s website at: http://www.lexpert.ca/directory.

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  4. Audrey Gibeault one of Lexpert’s Rising Stars: Leading lawyers under 40

    On November 16, 2020, Audrey Gibeault, a partner in the firm’s Business Law group, received the Rising Stars Leading Lawyers Under 40 award from Lexpert, in recognition of her contribution to the growth of key players in the economy. This award pays tribute to lawyers under 40 who are considered rising stars in Canada’s legal community. The winners are selected based on rigorous and well-defined criteria: professional achievements, leadership, contribution to the profitability of the firm, keen business sense, vision, training and team work. In addition to being a lawyer and having a Master’s degree in Taxation, she is also a chartered accountant, giving her a much broader perspective as a multi-disciplinary advisor. As a legal partner and trusted business advisor, she assists clients in planning and implementing complex and innovative commercial, corporate and tax structures. Her clients are loyal to her and entrust her with their most important transactions, including acquisitions, the sale of their businesses, implementation of profit-sharing plans for their employees, creation of discretionary family trusts and estate planning.

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