News

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 2022-2023 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 website: Here

On Tuesday, October 4, the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal (CCMM) officially announced that Lavery will now be the presenter of the organization's Lunchtime Conferences. Lavery is pleased to collaborate with the CCMM for these upcoming events and to be part of the organization's efforts to strengthen Montréal's business environment and prosperity and to provide support to businesses in the city over nearly 200 years. "It is only natural for our firm to support initiatives like the CCMM's Lunchtime Conferences, whose objective is to ensure the dynamism of the business community in the Greater Montréal area. This new partnership is in line with Lavery's ambition and desire to drive the growth of organizations doing business in Quebec," said Anik Trudel, Chief Executive Officer of Lavery.

On October 5, 2022, Lexpert recognized the expertise of three of our partners in its 2022 Lexpert Special Edition: Mining. Josianne Beaudry, René Branchaud and Sébastien Vézina now rank among Canada’s leaders in the area of Mining. Josianne Beaudry is a partner and leader of the Business law group at Lavery. Her practice is primarily focused on securities law. She advises financial sector participants on the application of regulations relating to securities and corporate governance. 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. Sébastien Vézina is a partner in the firm’s Business Law group. Over the years, he has refined his practice and developed a particular interest in negotiating commercial agreements with companies in the mining and renewable energy sources, financial services and sports and entertainment industries. Generally, Sébastien's practice in these different industries includes public and private mergers and acquisitions, public and private financing, private sector investments and company buyouts, in particular cross-border transactions between Canada and the United States and international transactions, and the negotiation of various commercial agreements.

On October 5, 2022, Lexpert recognized the expertise of three of our partners in its 2022 Lexpert Special Edition: Energy. Daniel Bouchard, René Branchaud and Edith Jacques now rank among Canada’s leaders in the area of energy. Daniel Bouchard specializes in the areas of municipal, environmental and administrative law. He has developed particular expertise in land-use and urban planning, agricultural zoning, environmental authorizations, municipal administration and ethics in public administration. 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. Edith Jacques is a partner in Montréal's Business law group. She specializes in mergers and acquisitions, commercial law, as well as international law and acts as business and strategic consultant to mid- and large-size companies.

Lavery is pleased to welcome Stéphanie Girard, Senior Associate and Trademark agent to its Montréal office. Stéphanie joins our Intellectual Property group. As part of her practice, she advises businesses in various areas, including trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, advertising law and the Charter of the French language. Her expertise also includes drafting agreements involving intellectual property matters and due diligence. "I was looking for a team that I could identify with, a team I could see myself growing with as a lawyer. When I met my future colleagues at Lavery, we hit it off. I felt that they really wanted to get to know me, that they had a vision for me and for us, that they were going to support me through the various stages of my career and that they already cared about my well-being and growth. In short, I felt that I was going to be part of a great team and that our relationship was going to be brimming not only with accomplishments, but also with beautiful moments."

Lavery has been recognized in the following fields as a leader in the 2023 edition of the Chambers Canada guide: Corporate/Commercial (Québec Band 1, Highly Regarded) Employment and Labour (Québec Band 2) Energy and Natural Resources: Mining (Nationwide, Band 4) Intellectual Property (Nationwide, Band 4) Our professionals demonstrate once again they are leaders in Chambers Canada guide 2023. René Branchaud, Nicolas Gagnon, Marie-Hélène Jolicoeur, Guy Lavoie and Sébastien Vézina have been recognized as leaders in their respective areas of practice in the 2023 edition of the Chambers Canada guide. Areas of expertise in which they are recognized: René Branchaud: Energy and Natural Resources: Mining (Nationwide, Band 5) Nicolas Gagnon : Construction (Nationwide, Band 4) Marie-Hélène Jolicoeur : Labour and Employment Law (Québec, Up and Coming) Guy Lavoie: Labour and Employment Law (Québec, Band 2) Sébastien Vézina: Energy and Natural Resources: Mining (Nationwide, Band 5) The lawyers and law firms profiled in Chambers Canada are selected following through a rigorous process of research and interviews with a broad spectrum of lawyers and their clients. The final selection is based on clearly defined criteria such as the quality of client service, legal expertise, and commercial astuteness.

Lavery is pleased to welcome two new members to its Trois-Rivières and Québec offices: Justine Chaput and Kevin Desjardins. Justine ChaputJustine joins our Labour and Employment Law group. She assists employers in all areas of labour and employment law, in particular hiring and termination, labour standards, disciplinary measures and human rights and freedoms in the workplace. She also develops and reviews employment contracts, company policies and various documents related to the employment relationship. "I chose to join Lavery because of the firm's values and its corporate culture where community involvement and teamwork are prized. From the first time I spoke with members of the firm, I felt an undeniable concordance between my values and theirs. I saw open-mindedness and positive and human leadership. I'm very excited to join a firm that successfully combines excellence, passion and professionalism while taking the growth and well-being of its employees to heart. I'm confident that I've found excellent mentors, and I look forward to working with them." Kevin Desjardins Kevin joins our Litigation and Dispute Resolution group. He works mainly in civil and commercial litigation. Prior to joining the firm, he articled with the public service, where he represented various ministries before civil and administrative tribunals. "By choosing Lavery, I am joining an organization renowned for its litigation expertise, the high quality of its mandates and the support offered to young lawyers. The dynamism of the team makes Lavery an ideal firm for professional growth. Having said that, it is the great cordiality of the partners and members of the firm that quickly convinced me that this was the place of choice to develop my practice. "

Lavery is delighted to welcome two new partners, David Tournier and Benoit Yelle, to the Business Law and Intellectual Property groups respectively. They bring cutting-edge expertise in these fast-growing sectors and a practice approach based on technological innovation. David Tournier joins the Business Law group and will focus on corporate financing. His extensive experience in private practice, in particular, bank financing, infrastructure projects, insolvency and private equity, has led him to deal with lenders and borrowers in the context of syndicated and cross-border loans, acquisition and project financings (including PPPs). David has a wide-ranging portfolio, having represented both start-ups and multinationals, as well as investors involved in engineering, green industrial projects and new technology, which is one of his passions. "Lavery has a reputation for excellence in the provincial and national markets. When combined with its independence, this reputation puts it in a good position to serve a wide range of clients in different areas of business law. The lawyers from the firm that I already knew showed me the human side of this great organization, and easily convinced me to join their wonderful team," said David Tournier. His experience in well-known law firms and as a company director will undoubtedly benefit our clients. Benoit Yelle joins the Intellectual Property group. A registered patent agent in Canada and the United States with a background in computer engineering, Benoit has developed an expertise over the years in everything from mechanical inventions to quantum technologies, hand tools, medical devices, network protocols, telecommunications, mobile applications and quantum computing. Within the Lavery network, he will focus his practice on drafting and prosecuting patent and industrial design applications. Thanks to his considerable experience in analyzing the patentability and commercial potential of invention disclosures, Benoît worked as a patent engineer and agent for a multinational telecommunications company. "Lavery's Intellectual Property group needs no introduction. We share a common vision on how best to practice IP. It also seemed to me that Lavery was the most innovative and best-suited platform to leverage current and future changes to the practice of law. I think I found the right place to harness my passion for innovation!" said Benoit Yelle. By becoming a partner and patent agent at Lavery, Benoit will be able to adapt his approach and provide services that help achieve his clients' objectives.