This section keeps you up-to-date on the latest news and upcoming public appearances of Lavery professionals.
News
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André Vautour and Guillaume Lavoie to give workshop on investment funds at the Barreau du Québec’s conference on recent developments in business law
On June 3, 2016 at Montreal’s Intercontinental Hotel, André Vautour, the firm’s chairman of the board and a partner who practises particularly in investment funds and Guillaume Lavoie, a partner whose practice focuses on private equity and venture capital, will give a workshop entitled “Sword of Damocles or Scarecrow? To what extent can an investor in an investment fund get involved in the management of the fund without risking of losing its limited liability?” (“Épée de Damoclès ou épouvantail? Jusqu'où l'investisseur dans un fonds d'investissement peut s'impliquer dans ce fonds sans risquer de perdre sa responsabilité limitée?”) at the Barreau du Québec’s conference “Recent developments in business law (2016)” (“Les développements récents en droit des affaires (2016)”). They’ll touch on, among other topics, the issue of the potential liability of investors in private investment funds and will explain to what extent the setting up of an advisory committee made up of partners’ representatives or the conclusion of side letters is likely to make them lose their limited liability. To view the conference’s full program or to register, please click here.
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Jessica Akué becomes Vice President of African Business Network private financing committee
Jessica Akué, a lawyer at Lavery who specializes in coporate law and taxation, recently was recently appointed Vice President of the Private Financing committee of the African Business Network (Réseau des Entrepreneurs & Professionnels Africains – REPAF), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to networking and collaboration to create a business network made up mostly of professionals, students and entrepreneurs of African origin. To learn more about the REPAF, click here.
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Lavery ranked as Quebec’s top regional firm
-->Lavery has topped Canadian Lawyer’s 2016 list of regional law firms in Quebec, maintaining its #1 ranking for the fourth edition in a row. This recognition, which Lavery also received in 2010, 2012 and 2014, is based on the results of a survey conducted by the magazine to rate the main law firms in Quebec. The magazine surveys lawyers, in-house counsel and clients from across the country and takes into account each firm’s territory, client list and important cases, as well as the quality of its service and expertise. “Again this year, Lavery ranks as the top regional law firm in Quebec, and we are very pleased, because this ranking is based on feedback from colleagues in private practice, in-house counsel and clients across Canada,” said Don McCarty, the firm’s Managing Partner. “This result shows that we are continuing to set ourselves apart and to offer expertise that meets the needs and requirements of the businesses that retain our services. Moving forward, our goal is to strengthen our position as a leader in all fields.” For more information about the results of the survey, visit the Canadian Lawyer website at http://www.canadianlawyermag.com/5955/Laser-Focus.html.
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Jonathan Lacoste-Jobin and Odette Jobin-Laberge contribute to LexisNexis book on insurance law
Jonathan Lacoste-Jobin, a lawyer in the Litigation group whose practice focuses in the areas of insurance law, has written two chapters in LexisNexis’ reference book entitled “Le contrat d'assurance de dommages et le contrat de réassurance: sujets choisis” (“Damage insurance and reinsurance contracts: selected topics”): one on the concept of intentional fault in property and liability insurance, and another, written in cooperation with Odette Jobin-Laberge, covers general property insurance principles. To obtain a copy of this publication, please click here.
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Jonathan Lacoste-Jobin comments on a Quebec Superior Court ruling granting $8 million in damages to a minor hockey player injured during a game
Jonathan Lacoste-Jobin, a lawyer in the firm’s Litigation group who primarily practices in insurance law, comments on a Quebec Superior Court decision that awarded $8 million to a minor hockey player left paralyzed by a hit from behind in “Hockey injury award sends sombre message,” an article published in the February 26, 2016 edition of Lawyers Weekly. Me Lacoste-Jobin mentions in this article that although the impact of such a ruling remains to be determined, the courts will certainly keep a close eye on theefforts put forth by sports organizations to improve safety in their sport.
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The Société du Plan Nord and two members of the Réseau Capital Baie-James announced an important investment in Innord to develop an innovative new rare earth elements separation process
The Société du Plan Nord, and two members of the Réseau Capital Baie-James, who are la Société de Développement de la Baie-James (SDBJ) and l’Administration régionale Baie-James (ARBJ), announced on March 3, 2016, an $500,000 investment in Innord Inc., a subsidiary of GéoMégA Resources inc. Sébastien Vézina, Guillaume Synnott and Éric Gélinas, three lawyers in the firm’s Business law group acted as legal counsel for the involved parties. The investment will be used to develop an innovative new process that will significantly improve the environmental performance of rare earth elements separation. Read the Société du Plan Nord press release here. Sébastien Vézina Guillaume Synnott Éric Gélinas
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Étienne Brassard and Guillaume Synnott offer a series of training sessions for HEC Montréal’s Rémi Marcoux Entrepreneurial Track
On March 3, Étienne Brassard and Guillaume Synnott, members of Lavery’s GO Inc. Program and business law group, will give the first of three training sessions on legal issues faced by startups to members of the third cohort of HEC Montréal’s Rémi-Marcoux Entrepreneurial Track. Lavery is proud to partner with the Rémi-Marcoux Entrepreneurial Track, a pre-accelerator program training and developing Quebec’s future entrepreneurs.
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Luc Thibaudeau interviewed in Lawyers Weekly regarding the Quebec Court of Appeal ruling regarding the Mazda Canada Inc. class action suit
Luc Thibaudeau, a partner at Lavery who specializes in consumer law and represents a wide range of clients including corporations, financial institutions, retail chains and stakeholders in the entertainment industry, is quoted several times in Luis Millan’s article “Mazda ruling viewed as consumer win” published in the February 26, 2016, edition of Lawyers Weekly. In the article, the decision is “hailed as a victory for consumers” that “bucks the nationwide growing trend against economic loss based tort claims,” and summarizes Mr. Thibaudeau’s opinion as follows: “But the ruling does have a silver lining for manufacturers” since “[it] underscores the importance for manufacturers to act as soon as they discover their products have a latent defect […] By refusing to award punitive damages against Mazda, the appeal court recognized that the carmaker made an effort to remedy the situation when it launched its service campaign.” To read the full article, please click here.
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Lavery partners with the Ensemble contemporain de Montréal
On April 6, 2016, Lavery will give culture a helping hand and partner with the Ensemble contemporain de Montréal for its 2016 fundraising event,Sacrée Landowska. Marie Cossette, Ad. E., a partner who heads Lavery’s Business Integrity group as well as the Quebec City office’s Administrative Law group will be the honorary chair for the event, which will take place at the Théâtre rouge du Conservatoire. For more information or to reserve tickets, please click here.
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Lavery at the Pentathlon des neiges Corporate Challenge
On February 20, five lawyers from Lavery’s Quebec City office participated in the Pentathlon des neiges Corporate Challenge on Quebec City’s Plains of Abraham. Profits from the event will go to the “À l’école, moi j’bouge” project, which enables youngsters from low-income families to participate in after-school activities. Bernard Roy began the event on bike, followed by Chloé Fauchon on foot, Anthonie Vézina-Crawford on cross-country skis, François Bélanger on skates, and Sylvain Pierrard on snowshoes. Despite the rain, our athletes turned in a star performance! Bernard Roy, Chloé Fauchon, Anthonie Vézina-Crawford, François Bélanger and Sylvain Pierrard
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Jean-Philippe Turgeon and Daniel Bouchard instructors at the 89th session of the Cours de perfectionnement du notariat
From April 21 to 23, 2016, the 89th session of the Cours de perfectionnement du notariat will take place at the Quebec City Convention Center. On the morning of April 21, Daniel Bouchard, a partner and Managing Partner of the firm’s Quebec City office that specializes in the fields of municipal, environmental and administrative law and has developed special expertise in the areas of land use planning and development, agricultural zoning, environment, municipal liability, municipal management and ethics in public administration, will present a session entitled “Act Respecting the Preservation of Agricultural Land and Agricultural Activities: the minimum every notary should know” (“La Loi sur la protection du territoire et des activités agricoles : ce que tout notaire devrait minimalement savoir”). For his part, on April 23, Jean-Philippe Turgeon, a partner and the leader of the firm’s Franchising and Distribution group whose practice focuses on franchise law, distribution of goods and services, as well as bankruptcy and insolvency, will lead a workshop entitled “The 10 most important contractual provisions to consider before concluding a franchising contract” (“Les 10 plus importantes dispositions contractuelles à considérer avant de conclure un contrat de franchise”). For more information or to register, please click here.
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Louis-Martin Dubé speaker at a CBA-Quebec conference on recent jurisprudence in real estate and leasing law
On February 17, 2016, Louis-Martin Dubé, a partner at Lavery with more than twenty-five years' experience in real estate law who advises and represents property owners, institutions, developers, pension funds, asset managers, lenders, and tenants in a wide range of real estate transactions, including acquisitions, development projects, financing, and leasing, gave a sold-out CBA-Quebec luncheon conference entitled “Real estate law year in review (2015)” (“La revue annuelle de jurisprudence en droit immobilier (2015)”) at the Intercontinental Hotel. For more information, please click here.