News

On October 25, 2021, Anik Trudel, Chief Executive Officer of Lavery Lawyers, was appointed Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal (CCMM). The CCMM, a staple in the Montréal business community, offers specialized services to businesses of all sizes and participates in projects crucial for the city. Ms. Trudel’s appointment aligns perfectly with Lavery’s vision and its positioning as a growth partner for key players in the Quebec economy. “Montréal is playing a significant role in the ongoing economic recovery, in concert with all other Quebec regions. For businesses to thrive, we need to work hard to stimulate the city’s business environment, both in our own operations and in our role as leader. As Vice-Chair of the CCMM’s Board of Directors, I am pleased to contribute to its efforts to channel the city’s strengths into a successful economic recovery,” says Anik Trudel. 

Lavery is pleased to announce the arrival of a new associate to the firm. François Rizcallah François Rizcallah is joining the Business Law group and will practise primarily in the area of taxation in the Sherbrooke office. François began his legal career by completing several internships and was involved in numerous committees and events. “I was drawn by the human side of the firm, its involvement in the community and the high caliber of its lawyers. From what I’ve seen, not only is Lavery a firm that encourages its members to keep learning, it offers its clients quality legal services and collaborators for their businesses’ futures. It’s this relationship of trust and collaboration with clients and the community that I look for and find important. I’ve always been drawn by debates and arguments, whether it’s developing them or using them to convince someone. I like the logic and framework of the law and the challenge of having to communicate as clearly as possible legal concepts that are sometimes complex.” – François Rizcallah

October 18, 2021 – Eric Thibaudeau and Lavery have been named as a reference in Occupational Health and Safety by Canadian Occupational Safety – 5-Star Safety Lawyers & Law Firms. To determine the best lawyers and law firms catering to the safety industry, Canadian Occupational Safety sourced feedback from safety leaders over a period of 15 weeks. COS’s research team began by conducting a survey with a wide range of safety officers to determine what companies value in the law firms they collaborate with.

Lavery is pleased to announce that Simon Clément, managing partner of the Québec City office practising in Business Law and Litigation, has been elected President of the board of Les Créations Pyro. Les Créations Pyro is the producer of the Grands Feux Loto-Québec. Created in 1995, this event offers large-scale pyromusical shows from the St. Lawrence River and has been free since 2012. These world-class performances create a bridge between Québec City and Lévis and attract hundreds of thousands of people along both shores every year. “After a two-year forced break, this series of firework events on the magnificent St. Lawrence River will return in force, to the delight of tourists and residents of Quebec’s National Capital Region. The entertainment industry’s contribution to the economic vitality of the region is obvious to me and I feel privileged to be able to contribute to it through Les Créations Pyro, accompanied by expert board members and people of action,” says Simon Clément. This appointment will be an opportunity to contribute to the upcoming Grands Feux Loto-Québec in 2022, which will be held against the backdrop of the tourism industry’s recovery. For more information, visit les Créations Pyro website:Here

Lavery is pleased to announce that Beatrice Ngatcha, a partner in the Intellectual Property group, has recently been appointed to the Board of Directors for 2021-2022 by the IPIC Annual General Meeting. IPIC is the professional association for patent agents, trademark agents and lawyers specializing in all areas of intellectual property law. Beatrice has been involved in IPIC's development and outreach since 2003, and this appointment is a reflection and recognition of the strength of her expertise in the field of intellectual property. For more information, see IPIC's Board of Directors page: Read here

Lavery is pleased to announce the arrival of one new associate to the firm.  Debbie Thibodeau Debbie Thibodeau joined our Business Law group and will practise mainly in the fields of corporate finance and corporate reorganizations. Debbie began her career in corporate and commercial law and corporate financing. Prior to that, she practised as a paralegal. " It’s important to me to work in a healthy environment where the person behind the professional is just as important and where mutual support and collaboration are a given. At Lavery, I was instantly charmed by the firm’s human values. Right from the start, I felt everyone’s collaborative spirit and a business culture that really speak to me and that will certainly help me to grow both professionally and personally within this beautiful and great new professional family." – Debbie Thibodeau

On October 1, 2021, Lexpert recognized the expertise of two of our partners in its 2021 Lexpert Special Edition: Energy. René Branchaud and André Vautour now rank among Canada’s leaders in the area of energy René Branchaud practises in the fields of securities, mergers and acquisitions, as well as corporate law. With more than thirty years’ experience, he advises companies on matters such as incorporation and organization, the drafting of shareholder agreements, private placements, public issues, going public, dispositions, and takeovers. André Vautour practises 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 frequently advises various clients on major infrastructure construction projects. He practises in the field of technology law (drafting technology development and transfer agreements, licensing agreements, distribution agreements, outsourcing agreements, and e-commerce agreements).

On September 22, the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) announced Saint John as the host city for the 2022 Memorial Cup. At the CHL’s request, Sébastien Vézina, partner in the Business Law group, sat on the selection committee tasked with analyzing the cities’ applications to host the tournament alongside: Dan MacKenzie, President, CHL Colin Campbell, Senior Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations, NHL Nathalie Cook, Vice President, TSN/RDS at Bell Media Nancy Orr, Chief Judge of the Provincial Court of Prince Edward Island Sébastien Vézina is a partner in Lavery Lawyers’ Business Law group and has extensive experience in the sports and entertainment industry. He provides business and regulatory advice to sports teams, players, agents, owners, senior managers, sponsors, agencies, event promoters, team members and athletes. He frequently assists league operators and team owners with strategic issues relating to their governance.

Lavery is pleased to announce the arrival of two new associates who will bring their wide-ranging expertise to the firm.   Marie-Diane Ngom Marie-Diane Ngom joins our Labour and Employment as well as our Litigation and Dispute Resolution groups. Marie-Diane began her career practising mainly in insurance law and civil and commercial litigation.  During her studies, Marie-Diane was very socially involved and was awarded a leadership and sustainable development scholarship two years in a row.  “I consider Lavery to be a big family where you feel at home and where you can grow both professionally and personally. What convinced me was the professional quality of the lawyers, the firm’s values, and the human approach.” – Marie-Diane Ngom   Vivianne Pierre-Sigouin Vivianne Pierre-Sigouin joins our Health Law Group. Vivianne has completed several mandates representing syndics and professionals before the disciplinary and appeal bodies of various professional orders and other regulatory organizations. Previously, Vivianne also acted as legal counsel and as an investigator, mainly in the financial field. “What convinced me to join Lavery was the possibility of pursuing my practice in professional liability and disciplinary law, in a field that has always especially attracted me, which is health care. Not only that, but the fact that I can offer clients a full range of services in a multitude of areas of law is also one of the factors that convinced me to join Lavery.” - Vivianne Pierre-Sigouin