Ouassim Tadlaoui Partner, Lawyer

Ouassim Tadlaoui Partner, Lawyer

Bureau

  • Montréal

Phone number

514 878-5567

Bar Admission

  • Québec, 2007

Languages

  • Arabic
  • English
  • French
  • Spanish

Profile

Partner

Ouassim Tadlaoui is a partner in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution group. He focuses his practice on banking litigation, restructuring, bankruptcy, insolvency and construction surety bonds.

He represents chartered banks and other financial institutions and alternative lenders as creditors, as well as certain debtors, in bankruptcy or restructuring mandates. He also represents and advises surety companies as well as national and international companies in matters of insolvency, bankruptcy and restructuring in the construction industry.

Mr. Tadlaoui regularly pleads before different courts, such as the Superior Court of Québec (Civil and Commercial divisions) and the Court of Appeal of Québec.

Representative Mandates

  • Represented Bank of Montreal, National Bank of Canada and Laurentian Bank of Canada in various insolvency and restructuring cases;
  • Represented many trustees in bankruptcy in various insolvency and restructuring cases;
  • Acted for Aviva Insurance Company of Canada in a number of insolvency and restructuring cases, including the Groupe Hexagone L.P. CCAA case;
  • Acted for many alternative lenders in various collection, insolvency and restructuring matters;
  • Represented EBC Inc. in the Bloom Lake Mine CCAA case;
  • Acted for Bell Canada in various insolvency and restructuring matters.

Publications

  • Co-author, “Using the CCAA as a Collection Tool: The Hexagone File Example,” Annual Review of Insolvency Law, 2018;
  • Author, “New Judgment Clarifies When Bankruptcy Debt May be Declared Non-Releasable,” August 10, 2018;
  • Co-author, “Join the Party! An Overview of the Case Law on Representation Orders in Canadian Insolvency Proceedings,” International Corporate Rescue, Volume 14, Issue 6, November 24, 2017;
  • Co-author, “Processus de liquidation et plans d’arrangements en vertu du droit des compagnies ou des sociétés,” Fascicle 23, JurisClasseur Québec - Faillite, insolvabilité et restructuration, 2010, updated in 2014.

Lectures

  • Organizer and co-lecturer, “Review of General Bankruptcy and Insolvency Concepts in Canada With a Focus on D&O Liability,” lecture given at Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, July 9, 2020;
  • Co-lecturer, “The Hexagone File: Using the CCAA as a Collection Tool,” lecture given at the Canadian Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Professionals (CAIRP) Annual Conference on August 13, 2019;
  • Lecturer, “Revue Jurisprudentielle en matière de faillite et insolvabilité volet consommateur,” Annual symposiums of the Conseil des Syndics Autorisés en Insolvabilité du Québec, 2017, 2018 and 2019;
  • Co-lecturer, “Using the CCAA as a Collection Tool: The Hexagone File Example,” Annual Review of Insolvency Law, 2019, February 1, 2019;
  • Co-lecturer, “Où en sommes-nous rendus dans le domaine de la construction.” Financial restructuring, insolvency and bankruptcy conference, open forum, September 20, 2016;
  • Co-lecturer, “Revue de certaines créances ayant un statut particulier au Québec susceptibles d’affecter les créanciers garantis,” Canadian Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Professionals (CAIRP) Annual Conference, May 29, 2017.

Distinctions

  • The Best Lawyers in Canada in the field of Construction Law, 2024
  • The Canadian Legal LEXPERT® Directory in the field of Insolvency & Financial Restructuring, since 2023
Best Lawyers 2024

Education

  • J.D./LL.L., University of Ottawa, 2005
  • LL.B., Université de Montréal, 2004

Boards and Professional Affiliations

  • Member of the Board of Directors of the Chambre de commerce et d’industrie du Sud-Ouest de Montréal
  • Member, Canadian Bar Association
  • Member, Turnaround Management Association (TMA)
  • Member, Surety Association of Canada
  1. Reimbursement clause for extrajudicial fees by a surety: valid or invalid?

    On April 6, 2021, the Court of Appeal, per Justice Mark Schrager, rendered an interesting decision in Bank of Nova Scotia c. Davidovit (2021 QCCA 551). The Bank of Nova Scotia (the “Bank”) had granted a commercial loan to a company, of which Aaron Davidovit (“Davidovit” or the “Surety”) was the principal, for the operation of a gym. Under a clause contained in the personal guarantee (suretyship) signed by Davidovit, he was to reimburse all costs and expenses incurred by the Bank to collect amounts owed to it by the principal debtor or Surety, including, but not limited to, legal fees on a solicitor/client basis (the “Clause”). The Bank was claiming $31,145.22 in extrajudicial fees and legal costs from Davidovit, while the amount claimed from the Surety in capital and interest amounted to $35,004.49. The trial judgment The trial judge, the Honourable Frédéric Bachand, concluded that the contract of suretyship was a contract of adhesion within the meaning of article 1379 of the Civil Code of Québec (the “C.C.Q.”) and agreed with Davidovit’s arguments that the Clause was invalid because it was excessively and unreasonably detrimental to the adhering party and contrary to the requirements of good faith, in violation of article 1437 C.C.Q. Justice Bachand emphasizes two main problems with the Clause: (i) it was unilateral, thus giving a disproportionate advantage to the Bank while the Surety did not benefit from such an advantage; (ii) it could restrict access to justice in that it could deter the Surety (who was already vulnerable vis-a-vis his opponent) from contesting the Bank’s claim, the Clause thus doing little to promote the rule of law.  Appeal decision The Court of Appeal reversed Justice Bachand’s judgment on the invalidity of the Clause, but confirmed Davidovit’s personal condemnation as Surety. Firstly, the Court of Appeal pointed out that a unilateral clause is not in itself abusive. All of a borrower’s obligations under a loan agreement or a surety’s obligations under a contract of suretyship are unilateral, but that this fact alone cannot determine whether a clause is abusive. The logic applied by the trial judge would lead to the conclusion that the repayment of a balance due at the end of a loan is abusive, because it is unilateral. Secondly, the fact that one party finds itself at a disadvantage is also not reason to conclude that a clause is abusive. Section 23 of the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms, raised by Justice Bachand in dealing with equality of arms in a judicial process, did not apply in this case, despite the fact that a bank may appear to have more means to initiate legal proceedings than a surety does. Thirdly, just because the law provides for a monetary sanction, such as payment of legal fees or other damages (e.g. in application of article 54 or 342 of the Code of Civil Procedure) for an abusive situation (e.g. a frivolous defence of a surety), this does not mean that contracting parties cannot agree to provide for such payment. The judges of the Court of Appeal held that, on the contrary, a clause for the reimbursement of extrajudicial costs and fees allows for legitimate claims to be pursued before the courts against principal debtors and sureties who refuse to pay. Justice Schrager also took the liberty of commenting on the trial judge’s conclusion regarding the qualification of the contract of suretyship as a contract of adhesion. However, considering that neither party questioned this qualification, the Court of Appeal did not formally rule on this aspect, but pointed out that the mere fact that the terms of a contract appear on a preprinted form does not necessarily mean that it constitutes a contract of adhesion, although a preprinted form may be an indication that the terms imposed are not negotiable. The reasonableness of the amount claimed under the Clause Although valid, the Clause must still be subject to control by the courts to ensure that the amount claimed for extrajudicial costs and fees is not abusive and is claimed in good faith. The Court found that the reimbursement of more than $31,000 in legal fees where the principal claim amounts to just over $35,000 is unreasonable and disproportionate. Given 1) the complexity of the case, 2) the amount of the claim against the Surety, 3) that the burden of demonstrating the reasonableness of the costs was on the Bank, 4) that claims for reimbursement of extrajudicial costs and fees must be exercised reasonably and in good faith (in accordance with articles, 6, 7 and 1375 C.C.Q.), the Court of Appeal reduced the claim and arbitrarily established it at $12,000. Conclusion Clauses for the reimbursement of extrajudicial fees have a certain acceptability in society, particularly in the commercial sphere. Even in a contract of adhesion, they are not necessarily abusive and invalid, but their application is subject to control by the courts so that they are exercised reasonably and in good faith.

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  1. 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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  2. 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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  3. 33 partners from Lavery ranked in the 2023 edition of The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory

    Lavery is proud to announce that 33 partners are ranked among the leading practitioners in Canada in their respective practice areas in the 2023 edition of The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory. The following Lavery partners are listed in the 2023 edition of The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory: Class Actions Laurence Bich-Carrière Myriam Brixi Construction Law Nicolas Gagnon Corporate Commercial Law Étienne Brassard Jean-Sébastien Desroches Christian Dumoulin Édith Jacques    Corporate Finance & Securities Josianne Beaudry           René Branchaud 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 Guy Lavoie Zeïneb Mellouli Infrastructure Law Nicolas Gagnon                Insolvency & Financial Restructuring Jean Legault      Ouassim Tadlaoui Yanick Vlasak Jonathan Warin Intellectual Property Chantal Desjardins Alain Y. Dussault Isabelle Jomphe Labour Relations Benoit Brouillette Simon Gagné Richard Gaudreault Marie-Josée Hétu Marie-Hélène Jolicoeur Guy Lavoie Litigation - Commercial Insurance Marie-Claude Cantin Bernard Larocque Martin Pichette Laurence Bich-Carrière Mergers & Acquisitions Josianne Beaudry Mining Josianne Beaudry René Branchaud Sébastien Vézina Occupational Health & Safety Josiane L'Heureux Property Leasing Richard Burgos Workers' Compensation Marie-Josée Hétu Guy Lavoie Carl Lessard

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  4. Lavery Lawyers welcomes 4 new professionals

    Lavery is pleased to announce the arrival of four new professionals.   Ouassim Tadlaoui, partner Ouassim Tadlaoui is a partner in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution group. He focuses his practice on banking litigation, restructuring, bankruptcy, insolvency and construction surety bonds.   Eva Fog, associate Eva Fog is a member of the Family, Personal and Estate Law group. She focuses her practice on family law, particularly divorce, separation, child custody, relocation, property division, and child and spousal support.   Anne-Sophie Paquet, associate Anne-Sophie Paquet is a member of the Business Law Group and focuses her practice on transactional law and mergers and acquisitions.   Laurie Vandal-Fortin, associate Laurie Vandal-Fortin is a member of the Business Law Group and her practice focuses in the areas of transactional law, mergers and acquisitions, corporate reorganization and corporate law.

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