This section keeps you up-to-date on the latest news and upcoming public appearances of Lavery professionals.
For all media inquiries, please contact Jean-François Lemieux:
- jflemieux@lavery.ca
- 514 877-3002
News
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Navigating a Fractured World: Lavery Hosts the 2026 World Services Group Annual Meeting
In September, Montréal hosted the 2026 World Services Group (WSG) Annual Meeting, organized this year by Lavery. More than 100 professionals from leading independent firms around the world gathered around a shared observation: businesses now operate in an environment where geopolitical, technological, climate and economic risks can no longer be considered in isolation. Under the theme “Navigating a Fractured World – Geopolitics, Resilience, and the Future of Legal Advisory,” the program brought together business leaders, diplomats, academics, entrepreneurs and legal professionals to exchange perspectives on some of the transformations currently reshaping the business environment. From the geopolitics of the North and artificial intelligence to the energy transition, mergers and acquisitions and supply chain security, a common thread emerged. As uncertainty becomes structural, the ability to anticipate change, adapt and make decisions despite unpredictability is becoming a strategic advantage. Arctic Sovereignty and Critical Minerals: The North at the Centre of New Global Power Dynamics Long perceived as a peripheral region, the North is emerging as an area where national security, strategic resources, new trade routes and the energy transition increasingly converge. Moderated by André Vautour, Partner at Lavery, the discussion brought together Nikolaj Harris, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Denmark to Canada; Timothy Naftali, Director of the Arctic Task Force at Columbia University’s Institute of Global Politics; and Killian Charles, President and CEO of Brunswick Exploration, to explore the implications of this transformation. The development of critical minerals illustrates this new reality particularly well. Western economies’ efforts to reduce certain strategic dependencies are creating significant opportunities, but having resources in the ground is not enough. Access to infrastructure, capital and processing capacity, as well as the global competitiveness of individual projects, will ultimately determine their viability. New navigation opportunities in the North could also reshape certain trade routes and, with them, considerations of sovereignty and security. The future of the North will therefore be determined well beyond its borders. What happens there could reshape supply chains, strategic dependencies and international alliances. Energy Transition and Infrastructure: Moving from Ambition to Execution The tension between ambition and the ability to execute was also at the heart of the discussion on infrastructure and the energy transition. Moderated by David Tournier, Partner at Lavery, Dominique Anglade, Executive Director and Adjunct Professor, Executive Education, HEC Montréal; Éric Lachance, President and CEO of Énergir; and Alex Petre, CEO of Deep Sky, approached the transition from a pragmatic perspective. For organizations, the challenge is no longer simply determining whether they should participate in the transition, but rather how to deploy the technologies, infrastructure and business models needed to support it at scale. This transformation also requires a different relationship with risk, including a shift toward a portfolio approach that allows organizations to experiment with different solutions while accepting that some initiatives may fail. Panelists also emphasized that reducing future emissions addresses only part of the challenge: emissions already accumulated in the atmosphere will require solutions of their own. For major projects, success will depend as much on economic and regulatory feasibility as on the ability to engage the various stakeholders from the earliest stages of development. Montréal and Québec: Turning Economic Disruption into Investment Opportunities The Annual Meeting also provided an opportunity to examine Montréal and Québec through the lens of their economic potential and their ability to attract investment in a changing international environment. In a discussion moderated by Selena Lu, Partner at Lavery, Alexandre Lagarde, Vice-President, Impact Investment and Major Projects at Montréal International, and Véronique Proulx, President and CEO of the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec, shared their perspectives on Montréal and Québec’s strengths, the sectors driving their economic vitality and the conditions required to remain competitive. Geopolitical and economic shifts are creating a new dynamic. Major public investments, particularly in infrastructure, energy and defence, can serve as powerful catalysts for private investment and the development of new industries. Public procurement can therefore help create the conditions for businesses to establish and expand their operations, particularly in the manufacturing sector. The discussion also highlighted opportunities that extend beyond traditional investment. Aging infrastructure across North America creates opportunities to bring in capital and expertise from other markets. At the same time, the wave of business transfers associated with Québec’s aging entrepreneurial population could create acquisition opportunities for companies seeking to establish a presence in Canada. Artificial Intelligence, Data Governance and Technology Providers: Strategic Issues for Organizations The discussion on artificial intelligence moved beyond the question of technology adoption to address a much more strategic issue: to what extent should an organization control the technologies, data and provider ecosystem on which its use of AI depends? Moderated by Benoit Yelle, Partner at Lavery, the panel brought together Sophie Fallaha, Executive Director of CEIMIA; Alejandro Padin, Partner at Garrigues; and Loïc Berdnikoff, Chief Legal and Innovation Officer at Lavery. The choice between developing proprietary capabilities and purchasing existing solutions, the “build vs. buy” decision, served as the starting point for the discussion, but its implications extend much further. An organization entrusting its data to a technology provider must understand not only where that data is hosted, but also who can access it, which subcontractors are involved in the technology chain and which jurisdictions may apply. As the discussion highlighted, even when a provider claims that data remains within a particular jurisdiction, its infrastructure, redundancy mechanisms or own service providers may create much more complex data flows. AI governance is therefore becoming inseparable from data governance. Data is a strategic asset that organizations cannot expose without understanding the associated risks, particularly in sectors where confidentiality is fundamental. For law firms, this issue takes on an additional dimension because of the very nature of the information entrusted to them. This discussion ultimately raised the broader question of what will an organization that has truly integrated AI look like ten or twenty years from now. The challenge will not simply be to have the best tools, but to establish the governance, skills, culture and control mechanisms required to use them responsibly and create value. In M&A, Value Is Shifting Toward Intangibles: Intellectual Property, Data, Software and Human Capital Technological transformation is also changing what companies buy and sell. Moderated by Selena Lu, Partner at Lavery, the panel brought together Steven Wang, Heather Buchta and Raimondo Premonte, providing perspectives from Australia, the United States and Europe, respectively. The discussion highlighted the growing importance of intellectual property, data, algorithms, software, brands, know-how and human capital in determining enterprise value. In some transactions, these assets no longer simply support the value of the business: they are the business itself. This shift is necessarily transforming how buyers assess targets and conduct due diligence. Questions no longer focus solely on historical liabilities, but increasingly on a company’s ability to protect its data and intellectual property, the robustness of its AI governance, its technology dependencies, its cybersecurity posture and its ability to retain the people who hold its critical know-how. This new reality is also reshaping negotiations and the allocation of risk. When a significant portion of a target’s value depends on data, algorithms or digital infrastructure, representations and warranties, indemnities and post-closing obligations must evolve accordingly. Supply Chains, Geopolitics and Resilience: Turning Uncertainty into a Business Capability The closing discussion on supply chain security brought together several of the themes that had emerged throughout the Annual Meeting. Moderated by Anik Trudel, CEO of Lavery, the panel brought together former Canadian Ambassador to China Guy Saint-Jacques; Pierre Gabriel Côté, former Québec Delegate General in London and former President and CEO of Investissement Québec; and Guillaum W. Dubreuil, Director, Government and External Affairs at CSL Group. Together, they examined a business environment in which supply chains themselves are becoming instruments of economic and geopolitical power. Trade wars, industrial policies, rapid regulatory changes, aging infrastructure, climate events and emerging economic alliances are making investment decisions increasingly difficult. Yet standing still is not an option. As the discussion highlighted, organizations will need to develop contingency plans, diversify certain dependencies and improve their ability to rapidly interpret political and regulatory developments. This reality is also transforming the role of legal advisors. Understanding the applicable law remains fundamental, but it is no longer enough. Organizations increasingly expect advisors to understand their business models, anticipate risks and help them make decisions in situations where there may not always be a clear or certain answer. An International Conversation That Will Continue: Global Perspectives and Business Resilience Beyond the diversity of the topics discussed, the WSG Annual Meeting highlighted a common reality: the traditional boundaries between legal, business, technological and geopolitical risk are becoming increasingly difficult to draw. By welcoming legal professionals from around the world and distinguished guest panelists to Montréal, Lavery sought to create a forum where these different perspectives could come together. In a more fragmented world, the quality of legal advice will increasingly depend on the ability to look beyond one’s own jurisdiction, understand the forces reshaping markets and bring together the right perspectives to help organizations move forward despite uncertainty.
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Best Lawyers 2027 - 80 Lavery lawyers recognized
Lavery is pleased to announce that 80 of its lawyers have been recognized as leaders in 44 areas of expertise in the 21th edition of The Best Lawyers in Canada in 2027. This ranking is based entirely on peer recognition and rewards the professional achievements of the country's top lawyers. Two partners from the firm were named Lawyer of the Year in the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in Canada directory: Jean Legault : Insolvency and Financial Restructuring Law Judith Rochette : Insurance Law See below for a complete list of Lavery lawyers and their areas of expertise. Please note that the practices reflect those of Best Lawyers. Geneviève Beaudin : Employee Benefits Law and Labour and Employment Law Josianne Beaudry : Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Mining Law and Securities Law Geneviève Bergeron : Intellectual Property Law Laurence Bich-Carrière : Administrative and Public Law, Class Action Litigation, Construction Law, Corporate, Commercial Litigation and Product Liability Law Dominic Boisvert : Insurance Law Étienne Brassard : Aviation Law, Corporate Law, Equipment Finance Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Project Finance Law, Real Estate Law and Venture Capital Law Myriam Brixi : Class Action Litigation and Product Liability Law Benoit Brouillette : Labour and Employment Law Marie-Claude Cantin : Construction Law and Insurance Law Brittany Carson : Labour and Employment Law André Champagne : Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law Chantal Desjardins : Advertising and Marketing Law and Intellectual Property Law Frédéric Desmarais : Employee Benefits Law and Labour and Employment Law Jean-Sébastien Desroches : Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law Raymond Doray : Administrative and Public Law, Defamation and Media Law and Privacy and Data Security Law Alain Y. Dussault : Intellectual Property Law Isabelle Duval : Family Law and Trusts and Estates Philippe Frère : Administrative and Public Law and Professional Malpractice Law Simon Gagné : Labour and Employment Law Nicolas Gagnon : Construction Law and Corporate and Commercial Litigation Richard Gaudreault : Labour and Employment Law Julie Gauvreau : Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice and Intellectual Property Law Caroline Harnois : Family Law, Family Law Mediation and Trusts and Estates Ali El Haskouri : Banking and Finance Law and Venture Capital Law Alexandre Hébert : Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law and Venture Capital Law Édith Jacques : Corporate Law, Energy Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law and Natural Resources Law Marie-Hélène Jolicoeur : Labour and Employment Law and Workers' Compensation Law Isabelle Jomphe : Advertising and Marketing Law and Intellectual Property Law Nicolas Joubert : Labour and Employment Law Josiane L'Heureux : Labour and Employment Law Guillaume Laberge : Administrative and Public Law Jonathan Lacoste-Jobin : Insurance Law Awatif Lakhdar : Family Law Jean Legault : Banking and Finance Law and Insolvency and Financial Restructuring Law Carl Lessard : Labour and Employment Law and Workers' Compensation Law Paul Martel : Corporate Law Zeïneb Mellouli : Labour and Employment Law and Workers' Compensation Law Marc Ouellet : Labour and Employment Law Luc Pariseau : Tax Law and Trusts and Estates Ariane Pasquier : Labour and Employment Law Martin Pichette : Corporate and Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law and Professional Malpractice Law François Renaud : Banking and Finance Law and Structured Finance Law Marc Rochefort : Securities Law Ouassim Tadlaoui : Construction Law and Insolvency and Financial Restructuring Law David Tournier : Banking and Finance Law André Vautour : Corporate Governance Practice, Corporate Law, Energy Law, Information Technology Law, Intellectual Property Law, Private Funds Law, Technology Law, Transportation Law and Venture Capital Law Bruno Verdon : Corporate and Commercial Litigation Jonathan Warin : Insolvency and Financial Restructuring Law Québec, QC Jules Brière : Aboriginal Law / Indigenous Practice, Administrative and Public Law and Health Care Law Élisabeth Pinard : Family Law and Family Law Mediation Judith Rochette : Alternative Dispute Resolution, Insurance Law and Professional Malpractice Law Sherbrooke, QC Luc R. Borduas : Corporate Law et Mergers and Acquisitions Law Christian Dumoulin : Mergers and Acquisitions Law Éric Lavallée : Privacy and Data Security Law and Technology Law Isabelle P. Mercure : Tax Law and Trusts and Estates Vincent Towner : Commercial Leasing Law Yanick Vlasak : Banking and Finance Law, Corporate and Commercial Litigation and Insolvency and Financial Restructuring Law Trois-Rivieres, QC Marie-Josée Hétu : Labour and Employment Law and Workers' Compensation Law We are pleased to highlight our next generation, who also distinguished themselves in this directory in the Ones To Watch category: Montréal, QC Frédéric Bolduc : Labour and Employment Law Rosemarie Bhérer Bouffard : Labour and Employment Law Céleste Brouillard-Ross : Construction Law, Corporate and Commercial Litigation et Insurance Law Karl Chabot : Construction Law, Corporate and Commercial Litigation, Medical Negligence and Personal Injury Litigation David Choinière : Corporate and Commercial Litigation Marie-Claude Côté : Mergers and Acquisitions Law James Duffy : Intellectual Property Law Francis Dumoulin : Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law Joseph Gualdieri : Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law Katerina Kostopoulos : Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Law and Real Estate Law Despina Mandilaras : Construction Law et Corporate and Commercial Litigation Jean-François Maurice : Corporate Law Jessica Parent : Labour and Employment Law Audrey Pelletier : Tax Law Camille Rioux : Labour and Employment Law Chantal Saint-Onge : Corporate and Commercial Litigation Bernard Trang : Banking and Finance Law and Project Finance Law Mylène Vallières : Mergers and Acquisitions Law and Securities Law Québec, QC Jean-Philippe Abraham : Corporate and Commercial Litigation Marc-André Bouchard : Construction Law et Corporate and Commercial Litigation Trois-Rivieres, QC Justine Chaput : Labour and Employment Law Alexandre Pinard : Labour and Employment Law
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Seven partners recognized as leading lawyers in Canada by Lexpert in its Special Edition in Technology
On June 3, 2026, Lexpert recognized the expertise of seven partners in its 2026 edition of the Lexpert Special Edition: Technology. Étienne Brassard, Chantal Desjardins, Alain Y. Dussault, Alexandre Hébert, Isabelle Jomphe, Eric Lavallée, and André Vautour are recognized among Canada’s leading lawyers, highlighting the firm’s excellence and strategic role in the technology law space. Étienne Brassard practises business law, with a focus on corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate law. He advises companies locally and internationally on private financing transactions in all forms, whether traditional or convertible debt or equity investments. Chantal Desjardins is a partner, lawyer, and trademark agent. She supports clients in protecting and defending their intellectual property rights, including trademarks, industrial designs, trade secrets, copyright, and domain names, in furtherance of their business objectives. Ms. Desjardins advises on the protection and management of IP assets and represents clients during application examination, as well as in opposition proceedings and litigation, in Canada and internationally. She also negotiates licences, contracts, and technology transfers, and advises on advertising, labelling, and compliance matters, including with respect to the Charter of the French Language. Alain Y. Dussault is a partner, lawyer, and trademark agent in Lavery’s Intellectual Property group. His practice focuses primarily on intellectual property litigation, and he has extensive experience in patents, trademarks, copyright, and industrial designs. He has acted in large-scale matters, including multi-jurisdictional disputes, for clients across a range of industries, including pharmaceuticals, agri-food, electronics, forestry, and entertainment. He has represented clients in complex disputes before Québec courts, the Federal Courts, and the Supreme Court of Canada, and also advises them on registration matters, Alexandre Hébert is a partner in the Business Law group and specializes in mergers and acquisitions, corporate financing, and venture capital. He advises SMEs and investment funds, particularly in innovation and technology, including in cross-border transactions. Recognized for his business-advisor approach, he supports clients with legal and strategic guidance tailored to their growth objectives. Isabelle Jomphe is a partner, lawyer, and trademark agent in Lavery’s Intellectual Property group. Her expertise includes trademarks, industrial designs, copyright, trade secrets, and technology transfers, as well as advertising law and matters relating to labelling and the Charter of the French Language. She is recognized for her strategic advice and practical approach across all aspects of intellectual property law, primarily in trademarks. She advises clients in particular on search and filing strategies, opposition proceedings, and litigation, both in Canada and abroad. Eric Lavallée is a lawyer and trademark agent at Lavery (Business Law) and co-founder of Lavery’s Legal Lab on Artificial Intelligence (L3IA), to which he contributed by developing internal AI solutions. His practice in intellectual property and technology law leads him to advise businesses on licensing, commercial agreements, and IP protection and due diligence strategies, as well as on legal issues related to the deployment of AI (privacy, governance, and partnerships). He holds a master’s degree in physics and a PhD in electrical engineering, and also has solid experience in quantum technologies and nanotechnology R&D. André Vautour practises in the areas of corporate and commercial law, with a particular interest in corporate governance, strategic alliances, joint ventures, investment funds, and mergers and acquisitions of privately held companies. About Lavery Lavery is Québec’s leading independent law firm. It has more than 200 professionals based in Montréal, Québec City, Sherbrooke, and Trois-Rivières, who work every day to provide the full range of legal services to organizations doing business in Québec. Recognized by the most prestigious legal directories, Lavery’s professionals are at the heart of developments in the business community and are actively involved in their communities. The firm’s expertise is frequently sought by numerous national and global partners to assist them on matters governed by Québec jurisdiction.
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Eight partners recognized as leaders in Canada for their expertise in infrastructure, according to Lexpert
On May 6, 2026, Lexpert recognized the expertise of five of our partners in its 2026 Lexpert Special Edition:Infrastructure. Laurence Bich-Carrière, Jean-Sébastien Desroches, Christian Dumoulin, Nicolas Gagnon, Édith Jacques, Marc-André Landry, Ouassim Tadlaoui and André Vautour now rank among Canada’s leaders in supporting economic players in the infrastructure industry. Laurence Bich-Carrière, is a member of the Quebec and Ontario Bar Associations, Laurence Bich-Carrière practices within the Litigation and Dispute Resolution group, in a versatile civil and commercial litigation practice specializing in complex litigation (class actions, appeals, extraordinary remedies, private international law). Jean-Sébastien Desroches practises 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 and international corporations and institutional clients in the manufacturing, transportation, pharmaceutical, financial, and renewable energy sectors. Christian Dumoulin is a partner in the firm’s Business Law Group. He served as Managing Partner of the Sherbrooke office from 2015 to 2023 and sat on the firm’s Board of Directors from 2015 to 2017, and again in 2024. He specializes in mergers and acquisitions, commercial law and real estate law, and acts as a business and strategic advisor to clients of all sizes. Recognized for his rigour and practical approach, he supports clients in complex transactions (reorganizations, financings, sales and acquisitions, shareholder disputes). He has also been advising on infrastructure projects for more than fifteen years, including public-private partnerships, as well as on all aspects of commercial real estate law. Nicolas Gagnon focuses his practice on construction law and suretyship. He counsels contractors, public and private sector clients, professional services firms 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. Édith Jacques is a partner in the Business Law Group in Montréal. She specializes in mergers and acquisitions and commercial and international law. Édith acts as strategic business advisor for medium to large private companies. 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. Ouassim Tadlaoui is a partner in the firm’s Litigation and Dispute Resolution Group and focuses his practice on banking litigation, restructuring, bankruptcy and insolvency, as well as construction surety. He represents chartered banks and other financial institutions and alternative lenders as creditors, as well as certain debtors, in bankruptcy and restructuring proceedings. He also represents and advises surety companies, as well as national and international businesses, in insolvency, bankruptcy and restructuring matters in the construction industry. André Vautour practises corporate law and commercial law, and is specifically interested in corporate governance, strategic alliances, joint ventures, investment funds, and mergers and acquisitions of private companies. He also practises 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, Québec City, 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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Seven partners named as Canadian leaders in finance and mergers and acquisitions by Lexpert
On April 15, 2026, Lexpert recognized the expertise of seven of our partners in its 2026 Lexpert Special Edition: Finance and M&A. René Branchaud now ranks among Canada’s leaders in the area of finance and Étienne Brassard, Jean-Sébastien Desroches, Alexandre Hébert, Édith Jacques, Paul Martel and André Vautour are among Canada’s leading lawyers in mergers and acquisitions. Finance 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. M&A Étienne Brassard practises business law, more specifically corporate financing, mergers and acquisitions and corporate law. He advises local and international businesses in relation to all forms of private financing, from traditional or convertible debt to equity investments. Jean-Sébastien Desroches practises business law and focuses primarily on mergers and acquisitions, infrastructure, renewable energy and project development as well as strategic partnerships. Alexandre Hébert is a partner in the Business Law group, focusing on mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance and venture capital. He advises SMEs and investment funds, particularly in the innovation and technology sectors, including on cross-border transactions. Known for his business-minded approach, he supports clients with pragmatic legal and strategic guidance aligned with their growth objectives. Édith Jacques is a partner in our Business Law Group in Montréal. She specializes in mergers and acquisitions, commercial law and international law. Édith acts as strategic business advisor for medium to large private companies. Paul Martel is a partner in the Business Law Group. He practises primarily in the area of corporate law, focusing on corporations, not-for-profit corporations and general partnerships. He is also an expert in commercial contracts. Paul is recognized for his ability to find effective, innovative solutions to the most complex legal issues in corporate law. André Vautour practises corporate law and commercial law, and is specifically interested in corporate governance, strategic alliances, joint ventures, investment funds, and mergers and acquisitions of private companies. About Lavery Lavery is the leading independent law firm in Quebec. 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 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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42 partners from Lavery ranked in the 2026 edition of The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory
Lavery is proud to announce that 42 partners are ranked among the leading practitioners in Canada in their respective practice areas in the 2026 edition of The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory. The following Lavery partners are listed in the 2026 edition of The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory: Asset Securitization Brigitte M. Gauthier Banking Étienne Brassard Class Actions Laurence Bich-Carrière Myriam Brixi Marie-Nancy Paquet Construction Law Laurence Bich-Carrière Nicolas Gagnon Marc-André Landry Ouassim Tadlaoui Corporate Commercial Law Étienne Brassard Jean-Sébastien Desroches Christian Dumoulin Alexandre Hébert Édith Jacques Paul Martel André Vautour Corporate Finance & Securities Josianne Beaudry René Branchaud Corporate Mid-Market Étienne Brassard Jean-Sébastien Desroches Alexandre Hébert Édith Jacques André Vautour Employment Law Benoit Brouillette Frédéric Desmarais Simon Gagné Richard Gaudreault Marie-Josée Hétu Guy Lavoie Josiane L’Heureux Zeïneb Mellouli Environment Valérie Belle-Isle Family Law Caroline Harnois Awatif Lakhdar Elisabeth Pinard Infrastructure Law Nicolas Gagnon Insolvency & Financial Restructuring Yanick Vlasak Insolvency Litigation Jean Legault Ouassim Tadlaoui Yanick Vlasak Jonathan Warin Intellectual Property Chantal Desjardins Alain Y. Dussault Isabelle Jomphe Eric Lavallée Labour (Management) Benoit Brouillette Brittany Carson Simon Gagné Richard Gaudreault Marie-Josée Hétu Marie-Hélène Jolicoeur Guy Lavoie Carl Lessard Zeïneb Mellouli Litigation - Commercial Insurance Dominic Boisvert Martin Pichette Litigation - Corporate Commercial Laurence Bich-Carrière Marc-André Landry Litigation - Product Liability Laurence Bich-Carrière Myriam Brixi Medical Negligence Anne Bélanger Mergers & Acquisitions Josianne Beaudry Étienne Brassard Jean-Sébastien Desroches Christian Dumoulin Alexandre Hébert Édith Jacques Mining Josianne Beaudry René Branchaud Occupational Health & Safety Josiane L'Heureux Professional Liability Marie-Nancy Paquet Judith Rochette Technology André Vautour Workers' Compensation Marie-Josée Hétu Josiane L'Heureux Guy Lavoie Carl Lessard
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86 Lavery lawyers recognized in The Best Lawyers in Canada 2026
Lavery is pleased to announce that 86 of its lawyers have been recognized as leaders in 42 areas of expertise in the 20th edition of The Best Lawyers in Canada in 2026. This ranking is based entirely on peer recognition and rewards the professional achievements of the country's top lawyers. Three partners from the firm were named Lawyer of the Year in the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in Canada directory: Josianne Beaudry: Mining Law Marie-Josée Hétu: Labour and Employment Law Jonathan Lacoste-Jobin: Insurance Law See below for a complete list of Lavery lawyers and their areas of expertise. Please note that the practices reflect those of Best Lawyers. Geneviève Beaudin: Employee Benefits Law / Labour and Employment Law Josianne Beaudry: Mergers and Acquisitions Law / Mining Law / Securities Law Geneviève Bergeron: Intellectual Property Law Laurence Bich-Carrière: Administrative and Public Law / Class Action Litigation/ Construction Law / Corporate and Commercial Litigation / Product Liability Law Dominic Boisvert: Insurance Law Luc R. Borduas: Corporate Law / Mergers and Acquisitions 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 / Structured Finance Law / Venture Capital 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: Advertising and Marketing Law / 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 / Trusts andEstates Ali El Haskouri: Banking and Finance Law / Venture Capital 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 Alexandre Hébert: Corporate Law / Mergers and Acquisitions Law / Venture Capital Law Marie-Josée Hétu: Labour and Employment Law / Workers' Compensation Law Édith Jacques: Corporate Law / Energy Law / Mergers and Acquisitions Law / Natural Resources Law Marie-Hélène Jolicoeur: Labour and Employment Law / Workers' Compensation Law Isabelle Jomphe : Advertising and Marketing Law / IntellectualProperty Law Nicolas Joubert: Labour and Employment Law Guillaume Laberge: Administrative and Public Law Jonathan Lacoste-Jobin: Insurance Law Awatif Lakhdar: Family Law / Family Law Mediation Marc-André Landry: Alternative Dispute Resolution / Class Action Litigation / Construction Law / Corporate and Commercial Litigation / Product Liability Law Éric Lavallée: Privacy and Data Security Law / 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 Paul Martel: Corporate Law Zeïneb Mellouli: Labour and Employment Law / Workers' Compensation Law Isabelle P. Mercure: Tax Law / Trusts and Estates Patrick A. Molinari: Health Care Law Marc Ouellet: Labour and Employment Law Luc Pariseau: Tax Law / Trusts and Estates Ariane Pasquier: Labour and Employment Law Martin Pichette: Corporate and Commercial Litigation / Insurance Law / Professional Malpractice Law Élisabeth Pinard: Family Law / Family Law Mediation François Renaud: Banking and Finance Law / Structured Finance Law Marc Rochefort: Securities Law Judith Rochette: Alternative Dispute Resolution / Insurance Law / Professional Malpractice Law Ouassim Tadlaoui: Construction Law / Insolvency and Financial Restructuring Law David Tournier: Banking and Finance Law Vincent Towner: Commercial Leasing Law André Vautour: CorporateGovernance 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 Financialanick Vlasak: Banking and Finance Law / Corporate We are pleased to highlight our next generation, who also distinguished themselves in this directory in the Ones To Watch category: Anne-Marie Asselin: Labour and Employment Law (Ones To Watch) Rosemarie Bhérer Bouffard: Labour and Employment Law (Ones To Watch) Frédéric Bolduc: 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 / Medical Negligence (Ones To Watch) Justine Chaput: Labour and Employment Law (Ones To Watch) James Duffy: Intellectual Property Law (Ones To Watch) Francis Dumoulin: Corporate Law / Mergers and Acquisitions Law (Ones To Watch) Joseph Gualdieri: Mergers and Acquisitions Law (Ones To Watch) Katerina Kostopoulos: Banking and Finance Law / Corporate Law (Ones To Watch) Joël Larouche: Construction Law / 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)
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Five partners named Canadian leaders in Infrastructure Law by Lexpert
On April 30, 2025, Lexpert recognized the expertise of five of our partners in its 2025 Lexpert Special Edition:Infrastructure. Jean-Sébastien Desroches, Nicolas Gagnon, Édith Jacques, Marc-André Landry and André Vautour now rank among Canada’s leaders in supporting economic players in the infrastructure industry. Jean-Sébastien Desroches practises 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 and international corporations and institutional clients in the manufacturing, transportation, pharmaceutical, financial, and renewable energy sectors. Nicolas Gagnon focuses his practice on construction law and suretyship. He counsels contractors, public and private sector clients, professional services firms 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. Édith Jacques is a partner in the Business Law Group in Montréal. She specializes in mergers and acquisitions and commercial and international law. Édith acts as strategic business advisor for medium to large private companies. 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 practises corporate law and commercial law, and is specifically interested in corporate governance, strategic alliances, joint ventures, investment funds, and mergers and acquisitions of private companies. He also practises 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, Québec City, 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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Seven partners named as Canadian leaders in finance and mergers and acquisitions by Lexpert
On April 16, 2025, Lexpert recognized the expertise of seven of our partners in its 2025 Lexpert Special Edition: Finance and M&A. Josianne Beaudry now ranks among Canada’s leaders in the area of finance and Étienne Brassard, Jean-Sébastien Desroches, Édith Jacques, Paul Martel and André Vautour are among Canada’s leading lawyers in mergers and acquisitions. Finance Josianne Beaudry is a partner and a member of the firm’s Business Law group. Josianne is primarily focused on securities law, investment funds and mining law. She also advises financial sector participants on the application of regulations relating to securities and corporate governance. Mergers and Acquisitions Étienne Brassard practises business law, more specifically corporate financing, mergers and acquisitions and corporate law. He advises local and international businesses in relation to all forms of private financing, from traditional or convertible debt to equity investments. Jean-Sébastien Desroches practises business law and focuses primarily on mergers and acquisitions, infrastructure, renewable energy and project development as well as strategic partnerships. Édith Jacques is a partner in our Business Law Group in Montréal. She specializes in mergers and acquisitions, commercial law and international law. Édith acts as strategic business advisor for medium to large private companies. Paul Martel is a partner in the Business Law Group. He practises primarily in the area of corporate law, focusing on corporations, not-for-profit corporations and general partnerships. He is also an expert in commercial contracts. Paul is recognized for his ability to find effective, innovative solutions to the most complex legal issues in corporate law. André Vautour practises corporate law and commercial law, and is specifically interested in corporate governance, strategic alliances, joint ventures, investment funds, and mergers and acquisitions of private companies. About Lavery Lavery is the leading independent law firm in Quebec. 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 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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33 partners from Lavery ranked in the 2025 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 2025 edition of The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory. The following Lavery partners are listed in the 2025 edition of The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory: Advertising Isabelle Jomphe Aviation Étienne Brassard Asset Securitization Brigitte M. Gauthier Class Actions Laurence Bich-Carrière Myriam Brixi Construction Law Nicolas Gagnon Marc-André Landry Corporate Commercial Law Laurence Bich-Carrière Étienne Brassard Jean-Sébastien Desroches Christian Dumoulin Édith Jacques Alexandre Hébert Paul Martel André Vautour Corporate Finance & Securities Josianne Beaudry René Branchaud Corporate Mid-Market Étienne Brassard Jean-Sébastien Desroches Christian Dumoulin Alexandre Hébert Édith Jacques André Vautour Data Privacy Raymond Doray Employment Law Simon Gagné Richard Gaudreault Marie-Josée Hétu Guy Lavoie Josiane L’Heureux Family Law Elisabeth Pinard Infrastructure Law Nicolas Gagnon Insolvency & Financial Restructuring Jean Legault Ouassim Tadlaoui Yanick Vlasak Jonathan Warin Intellectual Property Chantal Desjardins Alain Y. Dussault Labour (Management) Benoit Brouillette Simon Gagné Richard Gaudreault Marie-Josée Hétu Guy Lavoie Litigation - Commercial Insurance Dominic Boisvert Martin Pichette Litigation - Corporate Commercial Laurence Bich-Carrière Marc-André Landry Litigation - Product Liability Laurence Bich-Carrière Myriam Brixi Mergers & Acquisitions Josianne Beaudry Étienne Brassard Jean-Sébastien Desroches Christian Dumoulin 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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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.
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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.