André Vautour Partner, Lawyer

André Vautour Partner, Lawyer

Profile

Partner

André Vautour practices in the fields of corporate and commercial law and is particularly interested in corporate governance, strategic alliances, joint ventures, investment funds and mergers and acquisitions of private corporations. He also serves as honorary consul of Denmark in Montreal and was Lavery’s chair of the board of Directors from 2012 to 2016.

Mr. Vautour practises in the field of technology law (drafting technology development and transfer agreements, licensing agreements, distribution agreements, outsourcing agreements, and e-commerce agreements).

He has had the opportunity to work regularly with companies in the financial, printing, pharmaceutical, railway, computer and energy sectors.

Mr. Vautour has given many lectures on subjects related to his fields of expertise. He has also written numerous articles on various aspects of business law. 

Publications

Distinctions

  • The Best Lawyers in Canada in the field of Venture Capital Law, since 2025
  • The Best Lawyers in Canada in the field of Corporate Governance Practice, since 2022
  • The Canadian Legal LEXPERT® Directory in the field of Corporate Mid-Market, since 2023
  • The Canadian Legal LEXPERT® Directory in the field of Mergers & Acquisitions and Infrastructure Law, 2022
  • The Canadian Legal LEXPERT® Directory in the field of Corporate Commercial Law, 2021 and 2024
  • The Best Lawyers in Canada in the field of Corporate law, since 2015
  • The Best Lawyers in Canada in the field of Energy Law, since 2020
  • The Best Lawyers in Canada in the field of Private funds law, since 2017
  • The Best Lawyers in Canada in the field of Information Technology law, since 2006
  • The Best Lawyers in Canada in the field of Intellectual property law, since 2018
  • The Best Lawyers in Canada in the field of Technology law, since 2008
  • Lawyer of the Year, Best Lawyers, Private funds law, 2018
  • Lexpert Special Edition on Canada's Leading Infrastructure Lawyers as leading lawyers in the field of Infrastructure, 2017
  • The Canadian Legal LEXPERT® Directory in the field of Computer and IT law, 2009-2011 and since 2016
  • Lawyer of the Year, Best Lawyers, Technology law (2011, 2013, 2016)
  • The Canadian Legal LEXPERT® Directory in the field of Technology transactions, since 2009
Best Lawyer of the year 2016 Acritas Stars survey 2017 Lawyers of the Year 2018 Best Lawyer of the Year 2021

Education

  • MBA, McGill University, 1990 
  • LL.L. (summa cum laude), University of Ottawa, 1982

Boards and Professional Affiliations

  • Canadian Bar Association 
  • Licensing Executives Society (U.S.A. and Canada) 
  • Association des MBA du Québec (AMBAQ)
  1. U.S. Tariffs Announcement: Repercussions and Trade Strategies for Our Quebec Businesses

    Nearly four years after the coming into force of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (“CUSMA” or the “Agreement”), U.S. President-elect Donald Trump announced on November 25 that he intends to implement a 25% tariff on all products entering the United States from Canada and Mexico, starting on the first day of his presidency, January 20. Donald Trump indicated that this tariff will remain in place until Canada and Mexico bolster their border policies, which he believes are responsible for the increase in illegal immigration and the trafficking of devastating drugs in the United States. As a reminder, CUSMA currently provides for tariff-free access to U.S. markets as far as most Canadian and Quebec products are concerned. Hence, although these still remain speculations, and no details were provided by the president-elect concerning this aspect in his announcement, several legislative authorities appear to exist on which his future administration could rely to implement such a measure. It could, among other things, invoke the essential security interests exception in CUSMA, which allows a party to the Agreement to apply any measure that it considers necessary with respect to the protection of its own essential security interests, the national security exception contained in the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, on which President Trump’s first administration had based itself in 2018 to introduce tariffs on U.S. imports of certain steel and aluminum products, or the provisions of the National Emergencies Act. The announcement sent shockwaves through the political and business communities in Canada and Quebec — and understandably so, given the close commercial ties the United States has with Canada, including Quebec. Indeed, alone in the first quarter of 2024, Quebec’s merchandise exports to the United States totalled C$21.2 billion, representing nearly 74.6% of the province’s international merchandise exports, making the United States Quebec’s main trading partner worldwide. Thus, the imposition of a 25% tariff would have a considerable impact on our businesses, which depend heavily on the U.S. market to export their products, which products would be made less competitive on that market. Such a measure could be particularly detrimental to the Canadian forestry industry, softwood lumber already being hit hard by tariffs of nearly 15% as it is. The impact of this protectionist tariff on the U.S. economy would also be considerable. While in the short term it could benefit certain domestic manufacturers and producers, in the longer term it would be likely to harm the U.S. economy as a whole due to higher input costs for many U.S. manufacturers and the disruption of established supply chains, notably in the automotive and steel industries. Hence, to maintain their profitability, many U.S. businesses could be forced to pass on these additional costs to their end consumers by raising the price of their products, which would undeniably lead to another wave of inflation, not to mention the potential retaliatory measures that the Canadian government might want to put in place in response to such a tariff and which could affect certain spheres of the U.S. economy. Although dispute resolution mechanisms are provided for in CUSMA, they are unlikely in the short term to lessen the potential impact of the measures being considered by the Trump administration, as a final decision under these mechanisms can take a long time. The November 25 announcement could also serve as a lever for the new U.S. administration in future negotiations on the renewal of CUSMA, for which preparatory discussions will begin next year, or in negotiations for a separate free trade agreement between the United States and Canada that would exclude Mexico. Canadian businesses would also be well advised to encourage the various trade associations they are members of to undertake lobbying efforts both with U.S. decision-makers and with their corporate customers in the United States in order to expose the adverse impacts that the announced tariff is likely to have on U.S. businesses. Pending a more detailed announcement, including as concerns any specific tariff exemptions, businesses should pay extra attention to their choice of future trading partners. In an increasingly protectionist global economic context, a trading partner diversification strategy is the best defence a business can have to mitigate the risks associated with a particular country’s tariff policies. The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement signed by Canada and the European Union in 2017 — in the negotiation of which our firm was involved — may prove an interesting solution in this regard. Our team of professionals in commercial and tax law is available to help you navigate the issues raised by this announcement. We will put our expertise at your service to support you in your commercial negotiations and develop strategies designed to mitigate the impact that the announced tariff increase could have on your business.  

    Read more
  2. Requirements to Prevent and Reduce the Risk of Forced Labour or Child Labour: What Businesses Need to Know to Comply

    On May 11, 2023, the Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act, S.C. 2023, c. 9 (the “Act”) was passed. The purpose of this Act is to implement Canada’s international commitment to contribute to the fight against forced labour and child labour, and to require certain entities to report on the measures they have taken to reduce the use of forced labour and child labour. The Act came into force on January 1, 2024, and reporting entities and federal institutions were required to submit their first report under the Act by May 31, 2024. In addition, Public Safety Canada (the “Government”) released the Guidance for reporting entities.  Scope of the Act The Act applies to government institutions and to any corporation, partnership, trust or other unincorporated organization that (i) is listed on a stock exchange in Canada or (ii) has a place of business in Canada, does business in Canada or has assets in Canada and that, based on its consolidated financial statements, meets at least two of the following conditions for at least one of its two most recent financial years: (a) it has at least $20 million in assets (b) it has generated at least $40 million in revenue (c) it employs an average of at least 250 employees (collectively, the “entities”) Or (iii) is prescribed by regulations. The obligation to report applies to any entity (a) producing, selling or distributing goods in Canada or elsewhere; (b) importing into Canada goods produced outside Canada; or (c) controlling an entity engaged in any of these activities. Entities are considered to be operating in Canada if they produce, sell or distribute goods in Canada. They may also be considered to be operating in Canada if they have employees, if they make deliveries, purchases or payments in Canada, or if they have bank accounts in Canada. It is important to note that doing business in Canada does not require having a place of business in Canada. Forced Labour vs. Child Labour For the purposes of this Act, child labour is defined as labour provided by minors that (i) is provided or offered to be provided in Canada under circumstances that are contrary to the laws applicable in Canada; (ii) is provided or offered to be provided under circumstances that are physically, socially or morally dangerous to them; (iii) interferes with their schooling; or (iv) constitutes the worst forms of child labour, as defined in article 3 of the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention.1 Forced labour is labour provided by a person (i) in circumstances in which it would be reasonable to believe that their safety or that of a person known to them would be threatened if they failed to provide such labour; or (ii) in circumstances which constitute forced or compulsory labour, as defined in article 2 of the Forced Labour Convention.2 Entities With Reporting Obligations Any entity required to report annually to the Government under the Act must include in its report the steps taken during its previous financial year to prevent and reduce the risk of forced labour and child labour. In order to comply with the obligations imposed by the Act, the entity must also include in its report information on its structure, its activities relating to the production, sale, distribution or importation of goods, as well as the type of goods and place of operation, and the countries or regions involved in its supply chains. Lastly, the report must include a brief explanation of the entity’s due diligence policies and processes regarding forced labour and child labour, information on the training provided to employees, and the parts of its business that carry a risk of forced labour or child labour. Given that the steps taken to prevent and reduce forced labour and child labour can result in a loss of income for vulnerable families, the Act requires entities to identify the measures taken to mitigate such impact on these families. Publication of Reports Entities must not only comply with the format, approval and attestation requirements for their report before submitting it to the Government but also make it available to the public by publishing it on a prominent place on their website. They can submit their report in one of the two official languages, although the Government recommends that reports be published in both English and French. In addition, the Act requires entities incorporated under the Canada Business Corporations Act or any other federal law to provide a copy of the report to each shareholder at the same time as their annual financial statements. Offences and Fines Reporting entities that fail to submit their report or make it available to the public are liable to a fine of not more than $250,000 per offence.3 The senior executives, directors and employees of an entity are also liable to fines and criminal prosecution should the entity contravene the Act.4 Any offence committed by an entity may also entail reputational risk. Our Advice Introducing policies, procedures, audit tools and other rules—or improving existing ones—to prevent and reduce modern slavery is essential. Such policies and rules may include procedures for reporting and an investigation process to address concerns, as well as a whistleblower protection system (whistleblower policy or similar measures). Businesses should think about how they select suppliers and whether they should adopt rules for monitoring the activities of their suppliers and partners. They should also consider updating their agreements with existing suppliers or partners to ensure compliance with the requirements of the Act, in particular by including provisions prohibiting the use of forced labour or child labour in suppliers’ business activities. Other measures may include raising awareness and training staff, directors and officers on how to implement company policies and procedures aimed at identifying and preventing forced labour and child labour. Our team has developed tools to help reporting entities identify the parts of their business that carry a risk of forced labour or child labour. We will be monitoring upcoming government publications in response to the first reports that reporting entities submit and, if need be, we will release another article to clarify reporting obligations. For any questions or advice relating to your obligations under the Act, do not hesitate to contact our team. Section 1 of the Act; see also the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, adopted in Geneva on June 17, 1999, article 3: Link Section 1 of the Act; see also the Forced Labour Convention, adopted in Geneva on June 28, 1930, article 2: Link Section 19 of the Act. Section 20 of the Act.

    Read more
  3. New corporate transparency requirements in Canada, Québec and the U.S. – What Canadian and Québec companies need to know

    Over the last several years, member countries of the OECD, including Canada and the U.S., have committed to various international undertakings dealing with corporate governance. In keeping with these commitments, since 2019, the Canada Business Corporations Act (CBCA) has required business corporations incorporated under the CBCA to prepare and maintain a register of individuals with significant control over the corporation. Nearly all Canadian provinces, including Québec, have also amended their legislation to make control of companies incorporated in their jurisdiction more transparent. For instance, since March 31, 2023, companies registered with the Québec Enterprise Register (REQ) must report their ultimate beneficiaries to the REQ. Providing greater transparency in the control of Canadian businesses is a continuing process, and additional provisions that apply to federal business corporations came into force on January 22, 2024, and others, applicable to businesses registered with the REQ, will come into force on July 31, 2024. The provisions of the Corporate Transparency Act of the United States requiring companies to report beneficial ownership information came into force on January 1, 2024; some of these provisions are of interest for Canadian companies. Canada – Public register of individuals with significant control Since June 2019, business corporations incorporated under the Canada Business Corporations Act have been required to maintain a register of “individuals with significant control” (ISCs) containing the following information: the name, date of birth and last known personal address of each ISC the citizenship, country or countries where the ISCs are residents for tax purposes the date on which each of these individuals became an ISC the manner in which the individual is an ISC and any other information required by the regulation.1 Although federal corporations must make this register accessible to the Director tasked with administering the Canada Business Corporations Act, to shareholders and creditors of the corporation and to investigative bodies, the register was not accessible to the public until recently. On November 2, 2023, the federal legislator amended the provisions of the Canada Business Corporations Act to, among others: allow ISCs to provide an address for service in addition to their personal address provide that a portion of the ISC information compiled by federally incorporated businesses must be sent to the Director tasked with administering the CBCA provide that the Director must make the following information on ISCs accessible to the public: their name their address for reporting purposes if such an address is provided or, failing which, their personal address the date on which they became an individual with significant control and a description of the manner in which each one is an individual with significant control Note that even if the date of birth, citizenship, country or countries where the ISC is a resident for tax purposes and their personal address (if they provided an address for reporting purposes) must be provided to the Director overseeing the Canada Business Corporations Act, this information will not be made public. The Director may, however, in turn provide to any police force, the Canada Revenue Agency and any provincial body that has responsibilities similar to those of the Canada Revenue Agency, bodies that have investigative powers in relation to certain offences, a provincial enterprise register or provincial agency enforcing corporate law in that province all or part of a corporation’s ISC information, which goes beyond the information it makes available to the public. A corporation must send its ISC information electronically through the Corporations Canada website, at incorporation (if incorporated after January 22, 2024), annually and concurrently with the filing of its annual declaration, within 30 days following its merger with another CBCA corporation, within 30 days of the date on which it becomes subject to the CBCA after incorporating under the laws of another jurisdiction, and within 15 days following any changes made to its register of ISCs. These amendments came into force on January 22, 2024. To assist federal corporations in drawing up a list of their ISCs, the Director tasked with administering the Canada Business Corporations Act posted a letter template on its website that federal corporations may send to their shareholders, their ISCs and to anyone who could reasonably be expected to have the relevant knowledge to identify their ISCs.2 The purpose of that letter is to help the corporation in identifying its ISCs. It is mandatory for shareholders to respond to the corporation’s request and failure to respond may result in significant fines and even imprisonment. Québec – Search a natural person by last name and first name Since April 1, 2023, most private businesses that required to register in Québec must report to the Registre des entreprises du Québec the names, residential address and date of birth of each of their ultimate beneficiaries, and the type of control exercised by them or the percentage of shares or units of the corporation owned by these ultimate beneficiaries or of which they are the beneficiaries. In general, an ultimate beneficiary of a business is a natural person who owns or is the beneficiary of 25% or more of the voting rights for that business, who owns or is the beneficiary of 25% or more of its fair market value or who has an influence that could result in de facto control over the business. The information reported on ultimate beneficiaries is accessible to the public and free for anyone consulting the REQ. The requirement to report ultimate beneficiaries applies to almost all businesses registered in Québec and is not limited to businesses incorporated under Québec law nor to business corporations. Therefore, any foreign legal person that is required to register in Québec must report its ultimate beneficiaries. The same applies to partnerships, such as general partnerships and limited partnerships, and some trusts. As of July 31, 2024, it will be possible to search the REQ using the last name and first name of a natural person. Accordingly, from that date, it will be possible to obtain the list of all businesses registered in the REQ of which a person is a director, officer, one of the three shareholders controlling the greatest number of votes and an ultimate beneficiary by searching by his or her last name and first name. The last and first name of the natural person and his or her residential address will appear in the search results. However, if a work address was reported to the register for that person, only the work address will appear. Federally incorporated businesses registered with the REQ A federally incorporated business that does business in Québec must maintain a register of its ISCs under the Canada Business Corporations Act and report information on its ultimate beneficiaries to the REQ. Although most ISCs of a federally incorporated business will also be the ultimate beneficiaries under the Act respecting the legal publicity of enterprises and vice versa, the two acts do not define an ISC and ultimate beneficiary in exactly the same way. A person may be an ultimate beneficiary under the Act respecting the legal publicity of enterprises without necessarily being an ISC under the Canada Business Corporations Act (and vice versa). Consequently, the content of the register of ISCs for a federally incorporated business — and thus information it will have reported to the Director in charge of the Canada Business Corporations Act — may not be identical to the ultimate beneficiary information it will have reported to the REQ. However, federally incorporated businesses that do not do business in Québec are not required to register under the Act respecting the legal publicity of enterprises. All other provinces, except for Alberta,3 have now incorporated provisions into their business corporations legislation requiring corporations registered under the laws of that province to maintain a register of individuals with significant control. As a result, these provisions only apply to business corporations incorporated under the law of the province and, therefore, do not apply to business corporations incorporated under the Canada Business Corporations Act or under the business corporation act of another province. Corporate Transparency Act in the United States coming into force – Impact on Canadian businesses On January 1, 2021, the Corporate Transparency Act, part of the U.S. Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020, came into force. Just like the amendments made to the Canada Business Corporations Act and to the Act respecting the legal publicity of enterprises (Québec), the aim of the Corporate Transparency Act is to prevent and fight against money laundering, terrorism financing, corruption, tax fraud and other illicit activities, among others, by increasing the transparency of private companies incorporated in or registered in the United States. On January 1, 2024, the reporting requirements in the Corporate Transparency Act to identify “beneficial owners,” which are basically equivalent to ISCs under the Canada Business Corporations Act and “ultimate beneficiaries” under the Act respecting the legal publicity of enterprises (Québec), came into force. Businesses covered by the act and incorporated before January 1, 2024, have until January 1, 2025, to file their first Beneficial Ownership Information Report. Businesses incorporated after that date must file their first report no later than 30 days after the date they first register with a U.S. government authority. Reports on beneficial ownership of businesses are filed with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, an agency of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, better known by its acronym FinCEN. Reporting businesses must submit an updated report within 30 days of any change in information previously reported to FinCEN. Reports on beneficial ownership are not accessible to the public and are not subject to the U.S. Freedom of Information Act. The information contained in these reports will be, however, generally accessible to United States law enforcement agencies and United States federal tax authorities. Foreign law enforcement authorities may also be granted access in certain circumstances through United States federal intermediary agencies. Provided they have received the consent of their clients, financial institutions will also have access to the information to facilitate compliance with customer due diligence requirements under applicable law. All corporations incorporated in the U.S. must file beneficial ownership information reports unless they are legally exempt. Exempt businesses include: most businesses whose securities are registered under the Securities Act of 1934 large businesses, i.e., businesses with more than 20 full-time employees in the U.S., having a facility in the U.S., and having reported over U.S.$5 million in gross revenues or sales in the previous reporting period. It follows that in most cases, unless it is exempted, usually because it will qualify as a “large business” due to the number of its employees and its revenues, a  U.S. subsidiary of a Canadian corporation will have to comply with the act and report the identity of its Canadian beneficial owners. A reporting business must, among other things, report the full name, the date of birth and the address of all its beneficial owners. The U.S. subsidiary of a Canadian corporation must also submit a copy of the Canadian passport (or from the country of citizenship of the person in question) for each of its beneficial owners. A person is deemed a beneficial owner of a corporation if he or she is a natural person who, directly or indirectly, exercises substantial control over the reporting corporation, or owns or controls at least 25% of the corporation’s ownership interests (shares, units or others), in voting rights or in value. The definition of “substantial control” for the purposes of the Corporate Transparency Act is much broader and more specific than what is found in equivalent Canadian legislation. An individual has “substantial control” over a reporting corporation under the Corporate Transparency Act if such individual (i) is a senior officer in the corporation, (ii) has authority to appoint or remove certain officers or a majority of the directors (or similar body) of the reporting corporation, (iii) is an important decision maker of the reporting corporation or (iv) has any other form of substantial control over the reporting corporation. The Corporate Transparency Act imposes serious penalties on individuals who willfully fail to file or update beneficial ownership information or who willfully file false information. These penalties include civil penalties of up to U.S.$500 per day of violation, fines of up to U.S.$10,000, as well as potential; imprisonment for a period up to two years. Note that the act contains a presumption against senior officers in respect to reported information that is false, incomplete or not up to date. These officers could therefore be held personally held liable for civil penalties and fines and could be subject to imprisonment if the reported information proves to be false or incomplete or not up to date. Senior officers must therefore be especially vigilant and ensure that the reporting requirements under the Corporate Transparency Act are met. The Director tasked with administering the Canada Business Corporations Act has posted a template for the register of ISCs on its website. This register can be found at: https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/corporations-canada/sites/default/files/documents/2023-12/04.3_isc-register-template_en.xlsx This template can be found at: This template can be found at: https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/corporations-canada/sites/default/files/documents/2023-12/06.1_request_for_information_template_isc_en.pdf The three territories, Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut, still have yet to amend their legislation to require a register of individuals with significant control to be maintained for business corporations incorporated under the business corporation acts of those territories.

    Read more
  4. Transportation infrastructure: A pillar of economic recovery

    Like many other governments, the Government of Quebec decided to invest in infrastructure to help mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and stimulate Quebec’s economy. A significant number of investments will be made in the transportation sector, and the government wants to accelerate the realisation of several previously announced transportation infrastructure projects in the greater Montréal area. This focus on construction as a way of speeding up the recovery from the crisis arises in a context where construction contractors’ and professionals’ interest in public contracts has fallen sharply. According to a recent study conducted by three Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton professionals1, mandated by six major players in the Quebec construction industry, this lack of interest in public contracts can be explained by a number of factors: poorly structured payment terms, unappealing contract clauses, issues related to the tender process, cumbersome contract management, and, as far as construction professionals are concerned, hourly rate ceilings set out in existing government regulations. The Quebec government is acutely aware of this decline in interest for public contracts and tabled an action plan for the construction industry in late March 2021 to address it. Four categories of measures are included in this action plan. First, the government has reiterated its desire to accelerate the realisation of a number of projects already included in the Québec Infrastructure Plan and to implement this plan more effectively. The Act respecting the acceleration of certain infrastructure projects introduced in June 2020 and adopted in December 2020, even before the action plan was tabled was a concrete example of the government’s intent. The other two categories of measures in the action plan aim to implement solutions to reduce the current labour shortages and to increase productivity in the construction industry. The Act respecting the acceleration of certain infrastructure projects covers approximately 180 projects, most of which are in the transportation, education and health and social services sectors. It focuses, in particular, on a number of transportation infrastructure projects in the greater Montréal area, such as the projects that will  link the east, northeast and southwest of Montréal to the city’s downtown area by way of an electric public transit system (including the REM de l’Est and the first phase of the pink metro line), to improve access to the Port of Montréal, to rebuild the Île aux Tourtes Bridge, to build the Longueuil tramway, to extend the REM to Laval and to implement an express bus service in Laval. The Act focuses onfour main areas. First, if expropriation required to carry out a particular project, its procedure has been simplified. Second, in connection with compliance with environmental legislation provisions, the requirement of a certificate of authorization will waived for certain projects; for others, the BAPE project assessment procedure has been simplified. An expedited process to authorize the use of governmental property is provided for projects where such use is necessary. Lastly, city or municipal authorizations have been simplified for projects that require such an authorization. Extraordinary measures were required to deal with the unique situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. We applaud the Quebec government’s efforts to address the impacts of this pandemic. The chosen approach, however, is not without risks. Some critics have warned the government about the risks of possible collusion between tenderers, as collusion is thought to be more likely to occur in a context where projects are being accelerated. To mitigate this risk, the Actconfers on the Autorité des marchés publics more oversight functions, and in clear cases of collusion, the power to suspend the performance of contracts. Concerns have also been raised as to the quality of the constructed works, thereby underscoring the importance of maintaining and not ditching adequate public consultations. Finally, the Act addresses the issue of delays in payments by the government that was not only raised in the Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton report, but also during public consultations preceding the adoption of the Act. The Act extends the existing pilot project to facilitate payment to enterprises applicable to all projects covered by the Act. Hopefully, the Act respecting the acceleration of certain infrastructure projects, paired with the other measures announced in the government’s action plan for the construction industry, will make infrastructure a key component of Quebec’s economic recovery, as we finally start to see the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. A short version of this publication was published as an open letter in La Presse. Click here to read it. Plante, Nicolas, Jean-Philippe Brosseau and Marie-Pier Bernard, Consultation visant à évaluer le niveau d'intérêt des entrepreneurs et des professionnels envers les marchés publics [French Only], Montréal, Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton, April 2021, 85 p. (see in particular pages 17 to 34).

    Read more
  1. André Vautour Appointed Chair of World Services Group (WSG)

    Lavery is pleased to announce that its partner André Vautour has been named Chair of World Services Group (WSG) for 2024–2025. World Services Group is the most prominent global network of independent law firms that provides an exclusive setting and platform to connect its members to other legal firms among the most elite firms and their multinational clients worldwide. Additionally, WSG provides cross industry access to a select few investment banking and accounting firms creating more expansive opportunities to service clients. This appointment reflects Lavery's commitment to providing its clients with access to the top-tier legal services offered by WSG members in over 150 countries and territories. André Vautour's appointment is also a sign of the firm's ambition to be the gold-standard in Quebec and to continue collaborating with international law firms on cases involving the province. "As the only Quebec law firm within WSG, I recognize how important access to such a global network is for our clients. Since we're an independent firm, we have the flexibility to direct our clients to the lawyers possessing the best legal expertise in foreign jurisdictions. The represents a major competitive advantage, as this expertise drives from these lawyers' deep knowledge of the business realities in their respective jurisdiction. The WSG network not only supports Lavery's strategic objectives but creates new opportunities and offers a value-added service for our clients," says André Vautour. In his one-year term in this new role, André will work with WSG board members and management on several priority areas, with the goal of increasing the participation and commitment of WSG member firms to WSG's activities.

    Read more
  2. The Best Lawyers in Canada 2025 recognize 88 lawyers of Lavery

    Lavery is pleased to announce that 88 of its lawyers have been recognized as leaders in their respective fields of expertise by The Best Lawyers in Canada 2025. The ranking is based entirely on peer recognition and rewards the professional performance of the country's top lawyers. The following lawyers also received the Lawyer of the Year award in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in Canada: Isabelle Jomphe: Intellectual Property Law Myriam Lavallée : Labour and Employment Law Consult the complete list of Lavery's lawyers and their fields of expertise: Geneviève Beaudin : Employee Benefits Law Josianne Beaudry : Mergers and Acquisitions Law / Mining Law / Securities Law Geneviève Bergeron : Intellectual Property 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 René Branchaud : Mining Law / Natural Resources Law / Securities Law Étienne Brassard : Equipment Finance Law / Mergers and Acquisitions Law / Project Finance Law / Real Estate Law Jules Brière : Aboriginal Law / Indigenous Practice / Administrative and Public Law / Health Care Law Myriam Brixi : Class Action Litigation / Product Liability Law Benoit Brouillette : Labour and Employment Law Marie-Claude Cantin : Construction Law / Insurance Law Brittany Carson : Labour and Employment Law André Champagne : Corporate Law / Mergers and Acquisitions Law Chantal Desjardins : Intellectual Property Law Jean-Sébastien Desroches : Corporate Law / Mergers and Acquisitions Law Raymond Doray : Administrative and Public Law / Defamation and Media Law / Privacy and Data Security Law Christian Dumoulin : Mergers and Acquisitions Law Alain Y. Dussault : Intellectual Property Law Isabelle Duval : Family Law Ali El Haskouri : Banking and Finance 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 : Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice / Intellectual Property Law Marc-André Godin : Commercial Leasing Law / Real Estate Law Caroline Harnois : Family Law / Family Law Mediation / Trusts and Estates Marie-Josée Hétu : Labour and Employment Law Édith Jacques : Corporate Law / Energy Law / Natural Resources Law Marie-Hélène Jolicoeur : Labour and Employment Law Isabelle Jomphe : Advertising and Marketing Law / Intellectual Property Law Nicolas Joubert : Labour and Employment Law Guillaume Laberge : Administrative and Public Law Jonathan Lacoste-Jobin : Insurance Law Awatif Lakhdar : Family Law Marc-André Landry : Alternative Dispute Resolution / Class Action Litigation / Construction Law / Corporate and Commercial Litigation / Product Liability 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 : Labour and Employment Law / Workers' Compensation Law Josiane L'Heureux : Labour and Employment Law Hugh Mansfield : Intellectual Property Law Zeïneb Mellouli : Labour and Employment Law / Workers' Compensation Law Isabelle P. Mercure : Trusts and Estates / Tax Law Patrick A. Molinari : Health Care Law Luc Pariseau : Tax Law / Trusts and Estates Ariane Pasquier : Labour and Employment Law Hubert Pepin : Labour and Employment Law Martin Pichette : Insurance Law / Professional Malpractice Law / Corporate and Commercial Litigation Élisabeth Pinard : Family Law / Family Law Mediation François Renaud : Banking and Finance Law / Structured Finance Law Marc Rochefort : Securities Law Yves Rocheleau : Corporate Law Judith Rochette : Alternative Dispute Resolution / Insurance Law / Professional Malpractice Law Ian Rose FCIArb : Class Action Litigation / Director and Officer Liability Practice / Insurance Law Ouassim Tadlaoui : Construction Law / Insolvency and Financial Restructuring Law David Tournier : Banking and Finance Law Vincent Towner : Commercial Leasing Law André Vautour : Corporate Governance Practice / Corporate Law / Energy Law / Information Technology Law / Intellectual Property Law / Private Funds Law / Technology Law / Venture Capital Law Bruno Verdon : Corporate and Commercial Litigation Sébastien Vézina : Mergers and Acquisitions Law / Mining Law / Sports Law Yanick Vlasak :  Banking and Finance Law / Corporate and Commercial Litigation / Insolvency and Financial Restructuring Law Jonathan Warin : Insolvency and Financial Restructuring Law   We are pleased to highlight our rising stars, who also distinguished themselves in this directory in the Ones To Watch category: Romeo Aguilar Perez : Labour and Employment Law (Ones To Watch) Anne-Marie Asselin : Labour and Employment Law (Ones To Watch) Rosemarie Bhérer Bouffard : Labour and Employment Law (Ones To Watch) Marc-André Bouchard : Construction Law (Ones To Watch) Céleste Brouillard-Ross : Construction Law / Corporate and Commercial Litigation (Ones To Watch) Karl Chabot : Construction Law / Corporate and Commercial Litigation (Ones To Watch) Justine Chaput : Labour and Employment Law (Ones To Watch) Julien Ducharme : Corporate Law / Mergers and Acquisitions Law (Ones To Watch) James Duffy : Intellectual Property Law (Ones To Watch) Joseph Gualdieri : Mergers and Acquisitions Law (Ones To Watch) Katerina Kostopoulos : Corporate Law (Ones To Watch) Joël Larouche : Corporate and Commercial Litigation (Ones To Watch) Despina Mandilaras : Construction Law / Corporate and Commercial Litigation (Ones To Watch) Jean-François Maurice : Corporate Law (Ones To Watch) Jessica Parent : Labour and Employment Law (Ones To Watch) Audrey Pelletier : Tax Law (Ones To Watch) Alexandre Pinard : Labour and Employment Law (Ones To Watch) Camille Rioux : Labour and Employment Law (Ones To Watch) Sophie Roy : Insurance Law (Ones To Watch) Chantal Saint-Onge : Corporate and Commercial Litigation (Ones To Watch) Bernard Trang : Banking and Finance Law / Project Finance Law (Ones To Watch) Mylène Vallières : Mergers and Acquisitions Law / Securities Law (Ones To Watch) These recognitions are further demonstration of the expertise and quality of legal services that characterize Lavery’s professionals.  

    Read more
  3. Lexpert Recognizes Five Partners as Leading Technology and Health Lawyers in Canada

    On June 17, 2024, Lexpert recognized the expertise of five of our partners in its 2024 Lexpert Special Edition: Technology and Health. Chantal Desjardins, Isabelle Jomphe, Béatrice T Ngatcha, Selena Lu and André Vautour now rank among Canada’s leaders in the area of Technology and Health. Chantal Desjardins is a partner, lawyer and trade-mark agent in Lavery’s intellectual property group. She contributes actively to the development of her clients’ rights in this field, which includes the protection of trademarks, industrial designs, copyright, trade secrets, domain names and other related forms of intellectual property, in order to promote her clients’ business goals. Isabelle Jomphe is a partner, lawyer and trade-mark agent in Lavery’s intellectual property group. Ms. Jomphe’s expertise includes trademark, industrial design, copyright, domain names, trade secrets, technology transfers, as well as advertising law, labelling and Charter for the French Language regulations. She is known for providing strategic and practical advice in all aspects of IP law, with an emphasis in the field of trademarks. She advises clients in trade-mark clearance searches, filing strategies, opposition proceedings and litigation in Canada and abroad. Béatrice T Ngatcha is a lawyer and patent agent in Lavery’s intellectual property group. She is a patent agent registered to practice in Canada and the United States. She is also a lawyer called to the Ontario Bar and a member of the Quebec Bar (c.j.c). Béatrice holds a doctoral degree in chemistry from Université Laval and has been a post-doctoral fellow at the National Research Council in Ottawa. In addition to a busy patent prosecution practice serving Canadian and foreign clients, Beatrice’s expertise in sought in the areas of intellectual property litigation, trade secrets, due diligence, strategy, portfolio value building, licensing and arbitration. Selena Lu is a partner in the Business Law group and focuses her practice on mergers and acquisitions. She frequently advises clients abroad on commercial law matters relating to investment and expansion in Canada. Over the years, Selena has developed an interest and acquired significant experience in supporting customers in their technological change. On a day-to-day basis, she advises clients on the legal impacts of the introduction of new technologies. Moreover, she oversees the development of the structure and negotiation of mergers and acquisitions along with complex business relationships for developing, marketing and acquiring technologies. André Vautour practices in the fields of corporate and commercial law and is particularly interested in corporate governance, strategic alliances, joint ventures, investment funds and mergers and acquisitions of private corporations. He practises in the field of technology law (drafting technology development and transfer agreements, licensing agreements, distribution agreements, outsourcing agreements, and e-commerce agreements). 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.

    Read more
  4. Lexpert Recognizes Four Partners as Leading Infrastructures Lawyers in Canada

    On May 13, 2024, Lexpert recognized the expertise of four of our partners in its 2024 Lexpert Special Edition: Infrastructure. Jean-Sébastien Desroches, Nicolas Gagnon, Marc-André Landry and André Vautour now rank among Canada's leaders in the area of infrastructure law. 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 in Canada and at an international level on behalf of Canadian, American and European clients, international corporations and institutional clients in the manufacturing, transportation, pharmaceutical, financial and renewable energy sectors. Nicolas Gagnon specializes in construction law and surety law. He counsels public and private sector clients, professional services firms and contractors as well as surety companies at every stage of construction projects. He advises clients on the public bidding and procurement processes and participates in the negotiation and drafting of contractual documents involving various project delivery methods, such as public-private partnership projects and design, construction, financing and maintenance contracts. In addition to advising various construction industry stakeholders on construction management and any claims that may arise, he also assists them with dispute resolution processes. Marc-André Landry  is a member of the Litigation and Conflict Resolution group and focuses his practice on commercial litigation. He frequently assists his clients in resolving their disputes through negotiation, mediation or arbitration, or before the various courts of law. Over the years, he has represented businesses in many sectors, including construction, real estate, renewable energy, conventional energy, new technologies, financial services and pharmaceuticals. André Vautour practices in the fields of corporate and commercial law and is particularly interested in corporate governance, strategic alliances, joint ventures, investment funds and mergers and acquisitions of private corporations. He also practises in the field of technology law (drafting technology development and transfer agreements, licensing agreements, distribution agreements, outsourcing agreements, and e-commerce agreements). 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.

    Read more