Seven partners named as Canadian leaders in finance and mergers and acquisitions by Lexpert

April 16, 2026

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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April 15, 2026

Lavery is accelerating its integration of artificial intelligence into its practices and asserting its position as a leader in innovation

Montreal, April 15, 2026 — Lavery is taking another step in its integration of artificial intelligence into the legal and intellectual property practices by announcing a series of strategic initiatives that will significantly precipitate its technological shift. Invested in artificial intelligence since 2017 with the launch of its Lavery Legal Lab on Artificial Intelligence (L3AI), Lavery has made the bold decision not to use commercial solutions, but rather to develop custom internal tools as part of a unique, well-thought-out and controlled approach, resolutely focused on creating value for its clients. By developing unique solutions to support the legal and intellectual property practices, Lavery is providing its professionals with the means to concentrate their efforts where it counts the most—serving clients. A clear vision: innovating without compromising rigor To realize this ambition, Lavery is announcing that it has named Loïc Berdnikoff as its new Chief Innovation Officer. Mr. Berdnikoff is thus adding this innovation role to his responsibilities as General Counsel and Chief Privacy Officer. This nomination reflects a clear vision: integrate innovation and the highest industry standards as well as the rigor that the practice of law requires. “In our profession, innovation, and in particular the use of artificial intelligence, must coexist with a number of compliance parameters aimed at ensuring the highest confidentiality and quality standards. My role is to allow our firm to take bold steps forward, while ensuring security and quality and meeting our professional obligations,” says Loïc Berdnikoff. With the appointment of a new Chief Innovation Officer and the unique expertise of Benoit Yelle, Éric Lavallée and Gaspard Petit, the members of L3AI, the firm will be better able to: translate technological challenges into concrete solutions for the practice of law roll out capacity-building initiatives more rapidly closely align innovation with industry standards and our day-to-day work “This is the beginning of a movement. Our firm’s ambition is clear: We want to build a model where artificial intelligence spurs excellence and is at the service of both our clients and our profession. Innovation is at the heart of our strategic trajectory, and we are making every effort to hold our position as a leader in technological development in the legal industry in Quebec. This new appointment aims to solidify our commitment in this regard,” says the firm’s CEO, Anik Trudel. Lavery is rolling out a tool called “Billy,” a closed-loop generative artificial intelligence interface Since 2023, Lavery has been developing an internal generative artificial intelligence tool for all of its members to access, in a controlled environment, different versions of its chatbot designed specifically for the Quebec legal context. Today, Lavery is rolling out a new assistant for its members, called “Billy” as a tribute to the firm’s heritage. It is entirely secure, ensuring that no information entrusted to it or produced by it can be transmitted or accessed by a third party. With the creation of this new personalized interface, Lavery is consolidating its position as a pioneer in artificial intelligence applied to legal and intellectual property services, combining innovation and security. Designed by the L3AI in collaboration with our members and professionals from our IT group, the interface illustrates the firm’s commitment to remaining a leader in the responsible adoption of new technologies, for the benefit of its clients. Innovation to serve our clients Billy will host the artificial intelligence tool on dedicated Lavery servers. It therefore no longer depends on an interface from an external provider, making it possible to use the assistant without exposing client data to a third party. To our knowledge, it is the first tool that can offer such a guarantee in the Quebec legal services market. The tool assists with legal and intellectual property work, but the work remains entirely guided by the expertise of our legal and intellectual property professionals. We are integrating artificial intelligence to focus more of our energy on what really creates value for our clients: strategic analyses, risk anticipation, negotiations and decision-making assistance. Our new personal assistant will coexist with Lavery’s artificial intelligence tool, built on the most powerful external language models. We will continue to actively develop our tool to stay ahead of artificial intelligence technological developments. The starting point of an ongoing transformation These announcements are part of a broader effort. They are the starting point of a series of initiatives aimed at responsibly integrating artificial intelligence into all of the firm’s activities, for the long term. Lavery intends to continue not only to invest, but also to deepen its collaboration with various organizations involved in artificial intelligence development and actively contribute to the evolution of legal and intellectual property services in the age of artificial intelligence.

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April 14, 2026

Repreneurship business transfers: not just transactions, but strategic, people-centric adventures

At Lavery, we help businesses through pivotal moments in their life cycles every day. During the recently held Sommet du repreneuriat 2026, our partner Alexandre Hébert shared the stage with Daniel Valois for a talk on how to close the key stages of a business transfer, covering everything from letters of intent to indemnification clauses. Their talk brought a fundamental reality to light: A business transfer is not just another commercial transaction. It’s a complex process where transactional law and its technical language comes face-to-face with the emotional realities of those involved. Here is a summary of what we see as necessary for a successful transfer, inspired by the talks given at the aforementioned summit. Each business transfer is unique Unlike traditional institutional transactions, business transfers often involve sellers who will only ever go through one such transaction in their lifetime. They are entrepreneurs who know every employee involved in their business, from their own administrative assistant to the photocopier repairperson, and have for decades. Success begins by knowing that business transfer transactions require the use of a special language. Often, the seller’s advisors their lawyer or general accountant, for example do not know this “transactional language,” which adds a layer of complexity. Our role is to translate technical challenges such as these into solutions that truly help those involved. The foundations of a successful transaction To make the transaction successful, we recommend doing the following: Put people first: It’s important to understand how the seller, who is about to part with their “baby” feels, and how they see things. Show your competence but leave your ego behind: Technical expertise is quite necessary, but connecting with the people on the other side of the table by communicating in simple terms and putting one’s ego aside is just as important. Be as open as possible: Proactivity is key. The earlier things are said, the greater the chances of success. Manage fatigue: A transaction is a marathon. Fatigue, if not anticipated, can derail a project a few feet from the finish line. The Letter of Intent (LOI): more than a tacit agreement Although a letter of intent is technically non-binding where business terms are involved (price, structure), it will inevitably create expectations for both the buyer and the seller. Any attempt at making changes later on creates tension. A common mistake is neglecting the transition period. We have seen transactions fall through because a seller suddenly realized they had no plan for their life after the sale, just days before closing. To allay such emotional fears, it is crucial to disclose all information we have and determine what the parties want after the business purchase or sale, right from the LOI stage. Due diligence: the analogy of the three drawers Daniel Valois has a powerful analogy for due diligence: that of the three drawers. The top drawer: What you know for sure. Middle drawer: What you think you know but has yet to be confirmed. Bottom drawer: What you don’t know you don’t know. This is where major risks hide. The goal of the due diligence process is to move the contents of the lower drawers to the upper ones. Today, we have artificial intelligence as an increasingly valuable ally in identifying sectoral blind spots that experience alone cannot always detect. Although eliminating all risk is impossible, the buyer must make every effort during due diligence to confirm whether they are comfortable with identified risks. The art of compensation and the role of experts The final phase consists of allocating identified risks. This is where representations, guarantees, limits and indemnification deductibles come into play. This is also the stage where fatigue peaks. This climate is tense, requiring lawyers and experts to act as “shields.” Rather than letting the buyer and seller argue over technical indemnification clauses and risk damaging their future relationship, it is often preferable to let the professionals negotiate among themselves to come up with a balanced solution. Towards collaborative negotiation The negotiation process has changed. Today’s “discussions” often take place through intermediary versions of documents rather than with the parties at the same table. Negotiating this way can be impersonal and cause misunderstandings, or even frustration, for a seller who sees dozens of versions without understanding the nuances of each one. The speakers recommend a collaborative approach. It is important to know when to step out of the formal setting to make a direct call and defuse an emotional crisis or the overreaction of an advisor. The ultimate goal is to keep the business in operation and ensure the transition goes smoothly. In conclusion, a successful business transfer requires not only legal acumen, but also great emotional intelligence. By keeping people at the heart of every step and surrounding ourselves with experts who can speak the entrepreneurs’ language, we can transform complex transactions into a lasting success.

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April 9, 2026

Lavery welcomes Maya as lawyer

Lavery is pleased to announce the appointment of Maya Elie as a lawyer in the Business Law Group. Her practice is principally focused on mergers and acquisitions, as well as on a variety of corporate law matters. Admitted to the Bar of Quebec in 2026, Ms. Elie completed her professional training and articling at a leading national business law firm, where she acquired experience in transactional law and securities. She holds a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from Université Laval and has prior experience with a major insurance company. Her background includes participation in the Financial Services Law Lab, involvement with the Law and Business Club Joining Lavery at the outset of my career at Lavery represents a privileged opportunity to develop within a firm firmly rooted in Quebec’s business community. The firm’s strong emphasis on mentorship and collaboration provides an ideal environment in which to grow and advance my practice. I am pleased to join the Business Law team and to contribute to matters alongside esteemed professionals. We would like to extend a warm welcome to Maya as she joins our teams!

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March 20, 2026

Lavery welcomes Alain Paquet as senior associate

Lavery is pleased to announce that Alain Paquet has joined the firm as Senior associate in its Civil and Commercial Litigation group. Alain advises clients by providing strategic guidance and effective representation before the courts. His practice spans civil and commercial litigation, as well as insolvency, bankruptcy and restructuring matters, in addition to criminal law, often in complex, high-stakes contexts. Known for his rigor and commitment, he handles demanding mandates and favours structured, pragmatic solutions focused on achieving concrete results. “My decision to join Lavery is based on the strength of its team and the depth of its practice areas. I was drawn to a culture focused on collaboration, professional excellence, and the constant pursuit of pragmatic solutions for clients. Joining Lavery means working in a stimulating environment where expertise is shared and where I can continue to grow while working on major matters.” We are delighted to warmly welcome Alain to our teams.

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