This section keeps you up-to-date on the latest news and upcoming public appearances of Lavery professionals.
News
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The Lavery AI Grant offered with Montréal inc. awarded to Arthur Intelligence Inc.
On June 6, Charles Ceelen-Brasseur, head of the Lavery GO inc program, awarded the AI grant that Lavery provides in partnership with Montréal inc. to the start-up Arthur Intelligence Inc. The company offers a cloud-based, SaaS solution to make management and decision-making easier for dental clinics. The Lavery AI Grant is meant for artificial intelligence start-ups. In addition to $15,000, it gives winners access to all the services offered by Montréal inc. as well as legal advising services appropriate for new businesses in the industry.
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Luc Thibaudeau appointed Court of Québec judge
We are very proud to have received the Minister of Justice's announcement confirming the appointment of our partner Luc Thibaudeau as a judgein the Civil Division of the Court of Québec for the district of Longueuil. Throughout his career, Luc has demonstrated that it is possible to combine the defence of the interests of businesses and merchants with the promotion of consumer rights protection, in the name of a responsible and balanced consumer society. "Luc will leave an indelible mark on the firm. As a devoted saxophone player, he instills a good dose of creativity around him, notably through his close involvement with Éducaloi and his network as a member of the Board of Directors of the La Factry school of creativity,” says Anik Trudel, Chief Executive Officer at Lavery Lawyers. “Luc's judicial appointment confirms the firm's long tradition of recruiting and training a large number of litigators who have joined the bench. It is an honour for us, it testifies to the rigour of his legal mind, and it reflects on the entire firm."
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Closing of the sale of Camso Inc. to Michelin | The key project management role played by lawyers
On December 18, 2018, Michelin completed the acquisition of Camso, a world leader in the manufacture of tires and tracks for off-road vehicles. Apart from its value of US$1.7 billion, what distinguishes this transaction from others is its complexity and the role played by the lawyers involved in the legal management of the project. Lavery had an opportunity to play a dual role in this major transaction: we assisted our long-time client, Camso Inc., in selling all the shares of its share capital, and we also represented the two majority shareholders: the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) and the Fonds FTQ. Camso owns nearly 50 companies, which include manufacturing and distribution companies, as well as investment and trading companies in 26 different countries. Managing the integration of the different legal realities of the jurisdictions in which the companies operate was crucial in order to complete Michelin’s acquisition of Camso. Acting as much more than legal advisers, the lawyers involved were called on to coordinate the different aspects of the deal, brief the various parties and adapt to their cultural differences, and manage the different features and particular needs of Camso’s 50 companies on a case-by-case basis to ensure that they complied with Michelin's legal and administrative structure. The transaction also stood out due to the integrated approach of the legal services provided by our team. It coordinated issues related to commercial law, labour and employment law, and dispute resolution. In collaboration with the firm Baker McKenzie, the depth of expertise of the Lavery team, led by Édith Jacques and mainly involving Jean-Sébastien Desroches, Judith Houle-Couture, Pierre-Olivier Valiquette and Felicia Yifan Jin, made it possible to successfully carry out this complex mandate that brought together two world leaders in their industry.
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25 partners from Lavery ranked in the 2019 edition of The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory
Lavery is proud to announce that 25 partners are ranked among the leading practitioners in Canada in their respective practice areas in the 2019 edition of The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory. The following Lavery partners are listed in the 2019 edition of The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory: Asset Equipment Finance/Leasing Pierre Denis Aviation (Regulation & Liability) Louis Charette Banking & Financial Institutions Louis Payette, Ad.E. Computer & IT Law André Vautour Construction law Nicolas Gagnon Corporate Commercial law *Étienne Brassard Corporate Finance & Securities *Josianne Beaudry René Branchaud Employment Law *Marie-Josée Hétu, CIRC *Zeïneb Mellouli Family Law Caroline Harnois Elisabeth Pinard Gerald Stotland Franchise law Jean-Philippe Turgeon Intellectual Property Chantal Desjardins Alain Y. Dussault Alain M. Leclerc Labour Relations Pierre-L. Baribeau Michel Desrosiers *Danielle Gauthier, CHRP Michel Gélinas *Marie-Josée Hétu Guy Lavoie, CIRC Litigation - Product Liability Louis Charette Mining *Josianne Beaudry René Branchaud Sébastien Vézina Occupational Health & Safety Josiane L’Heureux Property Leasing Richard Burgos Workers' Compensation Guy Lavoie, CIRC *New posting The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory is the most comprehensive publication to legal talent in the country and it identifies leading practitioners in over 60 separate practice areas and leading law firms in over 40 practice areas. It is a reference guide for Canadian and foreign corporate counsels and law firms in need of specialized legal services in Canada. For more information, please visit Lexpert’s website at: http://www.lexpert.ca/directory.
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Four New Partners in Lavery’s Team
Lavery is pleased to announce that Laurence Bich-Carrière, Myriam Brixi, Isabelle Duval and Eric Lavallée have been appointed partners of the firm.
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Lavery Lawyers announces the return of Me Patrick Buchholz, former Vice-President, Legal Affairs of Gesca and La Presse, as a Partner in its Business Law group
Lavery Lawyers is pleased to announce the appointment of Patrick Buchholz as a partner in its Corporate Law group in Montréal. His practice will focus mainly on mergers and acquisitions, competition law and intellectual property. This is a return to roots for Me Buchholz, as he spent all of his career in private practice at Lavery before joining La Presse. Legal agility at the heart of business: a legal practice focused on client solutions Until recently, Me Buchholz was Vice-President, Legal Affairs and Company Secretary at La Presse, a position he held for 11 years. He played a key role in the media company’s digital transformation by providing legal representation in media and business law and protecting and managing the company’s intellectual property portfolio. Me Buchholz will continue to assist La Presse, remaining as Secretary to its Board of Directors. While at La Presse, Me Buchholz was also Vice-President, Legal Affairs and Company Secretary of Square Victoria Communications Group, Gesca and Square Victoria Digital Properties. In these capacities, he managed the legal aspects of acquisitions and divestitures of equity interests in numerous digital and communications companies, including Du Proprio, Workopolis, Gesca Regional Newspapers and La Presse Télé. In addition, Me Buchholz served as a member of the boards of directors of The Canadian Press and Workopolis. “Today, legal services must adapt to the new business contexts of clients, many of which are still in the midst of organizational and digital transformation. I am very pleased to be returning to private practice to share the experience I have gained over the past few years in helping to fully transform one of Canada's leading media companies with our current and future clients,” says Me Buchholz. “I truly believe that the time is ripe for the legal industry to reinvent its services through the judicious use of digital advancements and plain language in law. In my opinion, this means being able to communicate relevant and precise strategic advice with added value to our clients, using the platforms of their choice. This vision lines up with the approach Lavery is implementing with its clients.” A new member that consolidates Lavery Lawyers's 360° legal approach “We are proud that Patrick Buchholz has chosen Lavery for his return to the professional services community. His arrival as a partner consolidates our commitment to offer our clients a 360° legal approach perfectly aligned with the particularities of their businesses. He will bring unique and relevant experience to the table, as well as his extensive legal knowledge for which he is already known. His return among us is a testament to the lasting relationships we build with our alumni and our firm's attractiveness to exceptional professionals. It demonstrates, once again, our commitment to being a leader in the transformation of legal services in Québec,” says Anik Trudel, Lavery's Chief Executive Officer.
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Lavery welcomes five new lawyers at its Montréal office
Lavery is pleased to announce that five new lawyers have joined its Montréal office. Mandy Alessandrini joins the Litigation and Conflict Resolution group, exercising mainly in family law. Prior to joining Lavery, she was a lawyer with the Attorney General of Quebec’s litigation section. Mandy Alessandrini was in private practice for many years acting as counsel, co-counsel as well as mediator; her practice covered family law and contract law. Pierre Bazinet joins the Litigation and Conflict Resolution group as a partner and practises primarily in the areas of insurance law. He acts for numerous retailers, grocers and manufacturers, helping them with all aspects of the claims that they face as well as with risk management issues. Predominantly as defence counsel, he represents his clients in various litigation situations, such as claims for personal injury, general negligence and product liability. Marie-France Dompierre joins the Business Law group as a partner and practises primarily in the area of tax litigation and tax dispute resolution. Her practice is concentrated on working with clients across a variety of industries to prevent, manage and resolve tax disputes involving the provincial and federal tax authorities. Marie-France has experience resolving disputes involving a broad range of tax issues and as such, has represented both individuals and corporations at every stage of a dispute from the audit and appeals level to litigating the proceeding before the Courts. Eve-Lyne Morin joins the Litigation and Conflict Resolution group. Her practice focuses on commercial litigation and insurance law. Before joining Lavery, Ms. Morin worked in the Montréal office of a major international business law firm where she has been involved in a wide range of actions in various areas including product liability, construction, securities, price fixing allegations, mass tort and negligence. Marie-Eve Pomerleau joins the Business Law group specializing in transactional and commercial law. In her practice, Ms. Pomerleau drafts and negotiates legal documents relating to commercial transactions (mergers/acquisitions, purchases/sales of assets and shares, tax reorganizations, corporate restructurings and financings) and various other types of contracts.
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Great Victory of UQAM at the Pierre-Basile-Mignault Moot Court Competition: Lavery leads Quebec's future litigators towards excellence
On February 15 and 16, 2019, the 41st Pierre-Basile-Mignault Moot Court Competition was held between students from six Canadian civil law faculties. Once again this year, the UQAM team of law students (Dana Farès, Étienne C. Laplante, David Létourneau, Frédéric Comeau, Véronique Faucher-Lefebvre, and Gabriel Langelier), supervised by Myriam Brixi and Dominique Vallières, won five prizes, namely: The Bâtonnier du Québec Cup for best team; The Association des professeurs de droit du Québec Cup for best factum (respondent's factum); The SOQUIJ Cup for 2nd best factum (appellant's factum); The Yvon Blais Cup - tandem finalist (appellants - Frédéric Comeau and David Létourneau); The Canadian Bar Association Cup for 2nd best litigator (David Létourneau). For more information on the Pierre-Basile-Mignault Moot Court Competition, click here.
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Sports law: Sébastien Vézina and Sonia Rasquinha negotiate a partnership with Top Rank on behalf of Groupe Yvon Michel
A rematch between ex-champion Sergey Kovalev and Colombian-born Montrealer Eleider Alvarez will take place on February 2, 2019. This will be the first fight following a series of agreements entered into in December 2018 between Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) and Top Rank to co-promote WBO light heavyweight world titleholder Eleider “Storm” Alvarez. These multi-year co-promotional agreements will cover multiple fights. Our client, GYM, is one of the most respected organizations in Canada for organizing international boxing events and managing high-level boxers. Throughout its history, GYM has promoted champions who won world titles, including Joachim Alcine and Jean Pascal. Top Rank is a well-known boxing promotions company affiliated with the American sports television channel ESPN. Top Rank has promoted many world-class fighters, including Muhammad Ali and Oscar De La Hoya. Sébastien Vézina, a partner in the Business Law group, handled negotiations to reach the agreements, with the support of Sonia Rasquinha, a lawyer in the same group. Sébastien Vézina frequently provides businesses in the sports industry with advice on anything related to the business and legal aspects of their activities.
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Laurence Bich-Carrière named YBM Lawyer of the Year in Civil and Commercial Litigation
On November 22, Laurence Bich-Carrière, an associate in the firm's Litigation and Conflict Resolution group, was named as YBM Lawyer of the Year in the category of Civil and Commercial Litigation at the 12th edition of the Young Bar of Montreal "Leaders of Tomorrow" Gala, held at the St-James Theatre.
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Myriam Brixi appointed to the Barreau du Québec’s committee on access to justice
Myriam Brixi, a lawyer with the Litigation and Conflict Resolution group, has been appointed to the Barreau du Québec’s committee on access to justice for a four-year term. The members of the committee are tasked with: - Suggesting measures to improve access to justice in Quebec; - Promoting dialogue on access to justice between the Barreau du Québec’s committees; - Developing the Barreau du Québec’s general view on access to justice; - Establishing a justice summit.
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Étienne Brassard one of Lexpert’s Rising Stars: leading lawyers under 40
Étienne Brassard, a partner in the Business Law Group, received the Rising Stars Award from Lexpert during a gala held in Toronto on November 8. This award pays tribute to lawyers under 40 who are considered rising stars in Canada’s legal community. The winners are selected based on rigorous and well-defined criteria: professional achievements, leadership, contribution to the profitability of the firm, keen business sense, vision, training and teamwork. Étienne Brassard’s practice is focused on private financing, mergers and acquisitions as well as corporate law. He advises local and international businesses in relation to all forms of private financing, from traditional or convertible debt to equity investments. Mr. Brassard has acquired specific experience in this area and can identify the challenges facing businesses interested in entering the Quebec market, regardless of their preferred route (acquisition, joint venture, creating a subsidiary, distribution agreement, etc.). In his work, he can call on the help of his vast business network (bankers, financial advisors, tax specialists and accountants) that he has built as a result of his previous mandates.