This section keeps you up-to-date on the latest news and upcoming public appearances of Lavery professionals.
News
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Guillaume Synnott and Marie Catherine Ducharme act as coaches at Startup Weekend Montreal 2016’s FinTech edition
Guillaume Synnott, lawyer, and Marie Catherine Ducharme, articling student, in Lavery’s Business Law Group acted as coaches at the Startup Weekend Montreal 2016 - FinTech an entrepreneurship competition that was held in November. Participants had 54 hours to develop a viable FinTech business proposal, which they then presented to a panel made up of industry professionals. In their role as coaches, Guillaume and Marie Catherine advised participating entrepreneurs on legal issues regarding their business concepts. Lavery also handed out a prize to the winning team.
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Louis Charette, Guillaume Lavoie, Judith Houle-Couture and Guillaume Synnott participate in the Fondation Montréal Inc.’s speed-coaching event
Louis Charette, Guillaume Lavoie, Judith Houle-Couture and Guillaume Synnott participated in a speed-coaching event on December 8 during which volunteers provided quick consultations to entrepreneurs. During the evening, our lawyers acted as coaches to answer questions related to business financing, commercial law, insurance law, commercial litigation and franchise law. This approach, suggested by the Fondation Montréal Inc., is greatly appreciated by all participants as it is tailored to their specific needs. The goal is to match the questions of one person with the relevant expertise of the other. Louis Charette Guillaume Lavoie Judith Houle-Couture Guillaume Synnott
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Jonathan Lacoste-Jobin and Léonie Gagné publish an article in La ChADPresse
Jonathan Lacoste-Jobin, partner, and Léonie Gagné, lawyer, have published an article entitled “Une cueillette d’information approfondie peut porter ses fruits” (“Thorough information gathering can bear fruit”) in the Winter 2016 edition of La ChADPresse. In the article, they discuss the key elements that can justify the ab initio cancellation of an insurance policy. A recent Superior Court decision in Laporte c. Intact, compagnie d’assurances shows that an in-depth investigation by the claims adjuster can be necessary and useful in obtaining the information required for such an argument.
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Gérard Mounier joins Lavery as Strategic Advisor for Infrastructure, Energy and Natural Resources
We are delighted to announce that Gérard Mounier has joined the firm as Strategic Advisor for Infrastructure, Energy and Natural Resources and Co-Chair of the Infrastructure Group. Mr. Mounier’s mandate is to promote Lavery’s services, lend his expertise to the firm’s clientele and support its legal professionals in matters of project financing. Mr. Mounier has held senior management positions at major financial institutions and companies for over 25 years. He specializes in project finance in the infrastructure, energy as well as industrial and mining asset fields. Mr. Mounier is recognized for his high-level technical knowledge, his masterful understanding of the business stakes in the industries in which he works and his ability to find solutions that meet the needs of all the players involved in projects (operators, suppliers, etc.). His expertise will make it possible for the firm to consolidate its position as a leader in Quebec where large-scale projects are concerned. “It is with great pride that we welcome Gérard Mounier to our team. His arrival is entirely in line with our strategic plan, which aims for clear and distinctive positioning within the legal services market and offers our clients a practical business approach at every stage of their projects” says Jean-Sébastien Desroches, the chair of Lavery’s Business Law Group.
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Jean Saint-Onge profiled in Lexpert’s 2016 US-Canada Litigation Guide
Once again this year, Jean Saint-Onge, partner, is featured in the Class Action section of the Lexpert Guide to the Leading US/Canada Cross-Border Litigation Lawyers. Mr. Saint-Onge’s expertise and negotiating skills are in great demand in class actions before the courts to assist in finding a satisfactory solution for all parties, generally in complex cases with multiple defendants. To more information or to purchase the guide, please click here.
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Marie-Hélène Jolicoeur and Judith Houle-Couture attend the Fondation Montréal Inc. benefit soirée
Marie-Hélène Jolicoeur, partner and Judith Houle-Couture, lawyer, attended this annual celebration of entrepreneurship in Montréal. Thanks to participants, the Soirée Montréal Inc. raised $200,000 that will be redistributed in grants and services in the form of advice to young Montréal entrepreneurs. Martin Roldan of Phazon also received the Prix Montréal Inc., awarded to the most outstanding entrepreneur. Fondation Montréal Inc. is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to encourage the success of a new generation of Montréal entrepreneurs through donations and volunteers from the business community. Lavery is very active in this organization and has contributed $25,000 ($5,000 annually for five years) in addition to providing the services of seven lawyers who volunteer as coaches (Louis Charrette, Judith Houle-Couture, Marie-Hélène Jolicoeur, Nicolas Joubert, Tereza Kristic, Guillaume Lavoie and Guillaume Synnott). Tom Little, President of Bell Business Markets, and Marie-Hélène Jolicoeur, a partner with Lavery, at the Fondation Montréal Inc. benefit soirée.
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Jules Brière awarded the 2016 prix Justitia
Jules Brière has received Université Laval’s 2016 prix Justitia. The Université Laval Faculty of Law awards the prix Justitia to honour certain alumni who have actively promoted both the Faculty and the University over the years in addition to having set themselves apart thanks to their exceptional career paths and social or university commitment. Jules Brière has received his prize at the Faculty’s Gala Reconnaissance et Distinction, held on 28 November, 2016. For more details, click here.
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Awatif Lakhdar speaks at the Cours de perfectionnement du notariat
On November 25th 2016, Awatif Lakhdar, partner with the Family Law Group, gave a conference before 1300 notaries at the 90th session of the Cours de perfectionnement du notariat, which was held the last November 24-26 at the Palais des congrès de Montréal. During this conference, she spoke about the implications of the February 21, 2017, enactment of section 303(7) of the New Code of Civil Procedure, which will enable notaries to submit simultaneous requests based on draft agreements within the scope of a legal separation, a divorce or the dissolution of a civil union. These requests will be added to the list of non-contentious proceedings.
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Pier-Olivier Fradette and Charlotte Fortin comment on the Superior Court’s decision dealing with the City of Montreal’s by-law concerning pitbull-type dogs
In a paper published in La Référence, Pier-Olivier Fradette and Charlotte Fortin, lawyers, summarized and commented the Lours v. Ville de Montréal decision regarding the Superior Court’s decision to prohibit pitbull-type dog rendered on October 5, 2016. In this decision, which has significant impacts on municipal law, Quebec Superior Court suspended the entry into force of several provisions of the Règlement sur le contrôle des animaux de la Ville de Montréal. This suspension was applicable until the merit hearing regarding the validity of the application initiated by Mrs. Lours and the SPCA. On December 1, 2016, the Quebec Court of Appeal received Ville de Montréal’s appeal of this by-law suspension. In their comments on the original decision, Ms. Fortin and M. Fradette raised several of the grounds cited by the Court of Appeal to reverse the suspension.
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Simon Lemay gives a conference on recent developments in trademarks
On November 18, 2016, Simon Lemay, partner and coordinator of the Intellectual Property group, gave a conference entitled “Developments in trademarks – Descriptive trademarks” (“Développements en matière de marques de commerce – La marque descriptive” during a Barreau du Québec training session, Recent developments in intellectual property law (2016) (Les développements récents en droit de la propriété intellectuelle (2016)).
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Alain Heyne participates in the Barreau’s Rendez-vous de la formation continue « Les nouveaux modèles d'affaires — Pour mieux servir vos clients »
On December 1, 2016, Alain Heyne, partner at the Sherbrooke office, participated in the Barreau du Québec’s Rendez-vous de la formation continue “New business models to better serve your clients” (“Les nouveaux modèles d'affaires — Pour mieux servir vos clients”).Alongside participants from various spheres of interest, he took part in a round table whose theme was “What will tomorrow’s law practice be like” (“De quoi sera faite la pratique du droit de demain?”). The training day was aimed at private practice lawyers who wanted to perfect the management of their practice, learn about diversified fee structures and adapt to the new realities of the clientele.
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A team from Lavery’s Sherbrooke office participates in the Défi à l’entreprise competition
For the second year running, a team from Lavery’s Sherbrooke office participated in the Défi à l’entreprise competition, whose 30th edition was held on November 19, 2016. The purpose of this friendly competition between various local businesses is to raise money for CEGEP de Sherbrooke sports teams (les Volontaires). The Sherbrooke team finished seventh out of 32 participating teams. From left to right: Dzenan Zulji, Sylvie Stang-Chaput, Mylène Boisvert, Geneviève Chamberland, Justin Gravel, Marika Couture-Houle. Bottom row: Nicolas Thibault-Bernier, Sophie Goulet, Kay-Sandra Boyer, Katy Pelletier et Annie Pouliot