This section keeps you up-to-date on the latest news and upcoming public appearances of Lavery professionals.
News
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Lavery will donate up to $150 000 to Université de Sherbrooke
Lavery is happy to announce its commitment to donate $150 000 to the major renovation project of the Université de Sherbrooke law librairy. It is Lavery’s way of not only supporting this institution, but the development of the region. These renovations will upgrade and refurbish the entire library, making it a place of reference for legal professionals in the Eastern Townships, comparable to the prestigious law libraries in North America. You can view the article published in Paroles de droit of the Université de Sherbrooke Faculty of Law by clicking here (in French only).
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Lavery’s Sherbrooke Office and its clients celebrate the Fête du Lac des Nations
Almost 200 people celebrated the Fête du Lac des Nations at Lavery’s Sherbrooke Office on July 16, during a cocktail party on its premises. It was a great occasion for partners and associates to meet and discuss business with clients in a festive atmosphere while enjoying the view from the office’s rooftop terrace, the best seat in town to watch the fireworks!
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Lavery on the podium at the St-Lambert Triathlon
About 10 members of the firm took part to various sports during the 28th edition of the St-Lambert Triathlon, on July 11, 2015. This prestigious event, which gathered over 700 athletes, is organized by the St-Lambert Triathlon Club, which Nicolas Joubert, a Lavery partner, cofounded. Lavery has been a partner of this provincial competition for over a decade. For another year, the firm has held its own. The remarkable performances of Lavery’s team needs to be highlighted, notably Zila Savary (swimming), Isabelle Richard (biking) and Judith Houle-Couture (running), silver medallists in the category “Triathlon Women Relay”, as well as Stéphanie Destrempes, Anne-Sophie Lamonde and Charles Ceelen-Brasseur, medallists in the 5K run in their respective categories. Congratulations to all our representatives! Stéphanie Destrempes, Anne-Sophie Lamonde and Charles Ceelen-Brasseur
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Édith Jacques and Pierre Alarie speak on business opportunities in Mexico
On July 13, 2015, Lavery hosted a breakfast-conference presented by Mr. Pierre Alarie, Canada’s Ambassador to Mexico, and Ms. Édith Jacques, Partner at Lavery and Vice-Chairperson of the Board of Directors of QME (Quebec Manufacturers & Exporters), entitled « Le Mexique : terre d’opportunités pour les manufacturiers québécois » (Mexico: land of opportunity for Quebec manufacturers). Mr. Alarie discussed business opportunities available to manufacturers and took the time to exchange personally with entrepreneurs by answering questions and helping them with their expansion projects. Ms. Jacques then addressed the various legal tools used to operate a business in Mexico and presented the practical and legal considerations to incorporate a company on this market. From left to right : : Pierre Alarie, Canada’s Ambassador to Mexico, Édith Jacques, partner at Lavery, and Éric Tétrault, QME President
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Daniel Bouchard and Patrick A. Molinari to be awarded Lawyer Emeritus distinction by the Barreau du Québec
Lavery is pleased to announce that Me Daniel Bouchard, Managing Partner of the Quebec City office, and Me Patrick A. Molinari, legal counsel, will be awarded the Lawyer Emeritus (Ad. E.) distinction by the Barreau du Québec during a ceremony to be held in October 2015. Me Bouchard and Molinari’s names will thus be added to the list of Lavery lawyers who have received this prestigious honorary award, created to pay tribute to exceptional legal careers. Called to the Barreau du Québec in 1991, Me Bouchard has specialized in the fields of municipal, environmental and administrative law. He has developed a special expertise in the areas of land use planning and development, agricultural zoning, mining environments, municipal liability, municipal management and ethics in public administration. He is regularly called on to give lectures or training and is also a trainer for the Conference of Municipal Judges. Me Molinari, called to the Barreau du Québec in 1975, has had an impressive career in academia. For more than 30 years, he taught at the Faculty of Law of the Université de Montréal. A significant component of his practice is devoted to Health Law and Regulatory and Public Law, and he has developed a thorough understanding of the legal framework of health services, addressing regulatory, contractual and commercial concerns. Co-author of the primary reference work on Quebec health law, he has also contributed to nearly 80 books and papers on the health and fundamental rights fields. “Lavery is delighted by the awarding of the Lawyer Emeritus (Ad. E.) distinction to Daniel Bouchard and Patrick A. Molinari. They both make a significant contribution not only to their profession but also to their respective areas of practice,” declared Don McCarty, the firm’s managing partner.
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Daniel Bouchard presents two seminars at the ADMQ Annual Conference
The Annual Conference for the Association des directeurs municipaux du Québec (ADMQ) took place at the Québec City Convention Center from June 17 to June 19, 2015. On this occasion, Daniel Bouchard, Managing Partner of Lavery’s Quebec City Office and lawyer specialized in the fields of municipal, environmental and administrative law, presented two seminars. The first one, on June 18, was presented to about 50 municipal directors. Entitled “Nuisances et pollution, les municipalités peuvent agir!” (Nuisances and pollution, municipalities can act!), he discussed the powers of a municipality on the matter, as well as its limits, while highlighting the importance of a regulatory municipal intervention to ensure a healthy and harmonious community life. On June 19, before over 150 municipal directors, Mr. Bouchard presented “Les dernières modifications legislatives” (The most recent legislative modifications), where he discussed the recent legislative modifications relating to the new municipal governance on local and regional developments, as well as the introduction of a definition for the term “watercourses” in the Protection Policy for Lakeshores, Riverbanks, Littoral Zones and Floodplains, the amendment to the Act Respecting Municipal Courts or to the Act Respecting Compensation Measures for the Carrying out of Projects Affecting Wetlands or Bodies of Water.
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Appointment of Ariane Lauzière to the Board of Directors of the JCCM
Lavery is proud to announce that Ariane Lauzière, Labour and Employment Law lawyer at Lavery, was appointed member of the Board of Directors of the Jeune Chambre de commerce de la Mauricie (JCCM) for 2015-2016. With over 500 members (professionals, employees, entrepreneurs and students), the JCCM is today the largest gathering of young business people in Mauricie. It’s the second chamber of commerce in the region and the third largest junior chamber of commerce in Quebec. JCCM will be celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2016.
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Jean Saint-Onge, speaker at the AJEFO 2015 Conference
Jean Saint-Onge, a Litigation partner at Lavery, was a guest speaker at the 2015 Conference of the Association of French Speaking Jurists of Ontario (AJEFO) which took place from June 25 to June 27 at Lafayette in Louisiana. In his presentation, Mr. Saint-Onge discussed environmental class actions in Quebec. For over 30 years, the AJEFO has been representing lawyers, judges, personnel of the administration of justice, law professors, law students and others who work at the promotion of access to justice in French and English in Ontario.
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Michel Blouin and René Branchaud of Lavery recognized as mining law leaders in the 2015 Guide to the Leading US/Canada Cross-Border Corporate Lawyers in Canada
Mr. Michel Blouin and Mr. René Branchaud, Business Law partners at Lavery, have been recognized as mining law leaders in Leading Canadian Lawyers in Global Mining, in the 2015 issue of Lexpert’s directory, Guide to the Leading US/Canada Cross-Border Corporate Lawyers in Canada. This prestigious recognition is the result of extensive peer surveys conducted not only in Canada but also worldwide. The expertise of Mr. Blouin and Mr. Branchaud in the area of mining law is therefore recognized internationally. To consult this Lexpert publication, click here.
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Bernard Larocque and Jonathan Lacoste-Jobin represent Pro Bono Québec before the Supreme Court of Canada
On June 19, 2015, the Supreme Court of Canada confirmed that, in cases of abuse of process, one cannot relieve one party of its obligation to pay the other party extrajudicial fees (lawyers fees) solely on the grounds that the other party is represented by pro bono counsel. Bernard Larocque, a partner, and Jonathan Lacoste-Jobin, a lawyer, both members of Lavery’s litigation group, represented Pro Bono Québec in this case between Réjean Hinse and the Attorney General of Canada. Mr. Larocque stated that he was "happy with this judgment which recognizes the volunteer work of Quebec lawyers in files involving abuse of process."
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Sylvain Provencher and Claude Villeneuve of Lavery Appointed to the Superior Court of Québec
Lavery is pleased and proud to announce that Sylvain Provencher and Claude Villeneuve have been appointed to the Superior Court of Québec as judges for the district of Bedford. Their nominations took effect June 19, 2015. Sylvain Provencher A native of Coaticook, Mr. Sylvain Provencher obtained a degree in Law from Université Laval in 1990 and has been a member of the Barreau du Québec since 1991; he joined Lavery in 2014. He practiced in insurance law and banking law, as well as in civil and commercial litigation. Mr. Provencher also has extensive experience in municipal and administrative law. He pled before all Quebec tribunals and counselled many companies regarding the legal aspect of their corporate activities. In addition, he gave numerous conferences and training seminars to companies. Mr. Provencher is regularly invited by many private and public institutions to speak on various legal topics of current interest. He has also given numerous conferences and training seminars geared to insurance company and financial institution managers. Moreover, he has published several insurance law and banking law newsletters. In 2006 and 2007, Mr. Provencher was a lecturer at Université de Sherbrooke in Insurance Law. For several years running, he also taught the civil and professional liability course at the École du Barreau du Québec. From 1998 to 2002, he was a director of the Association des experts en sinistres de l’Estrie. As well, he is a member of the Board of Directors of Fondation du Cégep de Sherbrooke and was a member of the Association des anciens diplômés du Cégep de Sherbrooke. Claude Villeneuve Before joining Lavery in 2014, Mr. Claude Villeneuve previously worked for almost 15 years at other private law firms in Sherbrooke and for more than seven years at the legal department of the City of Sherbrooke, including three years as head of the litigation department. Mr. Villeneuve focused his practice primarily on litigation and labour law. During his years of practice, Mr. Villeneuve acted as prosecutor and legal advisor to organizations and businesses from the private, public and para-public sectors in the areas of labour law, litigation, municipal law, penal and criminal law, and civil law. Mr. Villeneuve was frequently called upon to plead before all levels of court in Quebec. He advised businesses and insurance companies with respect to their operations and strategic decision-making. He also represented insurers in professional liability matters. Mr. Villeneuve has taught at the École du Barreau du Québec and was very involved in the legal community. At the time of his nomination, he was president of the Barreau de Saint-François for a second year running, sat on the extended board of the Association des avocats de province (AAP), and on the sectional council of the Barreau du Québec. These appointments are part of the firm’s historical continuity, since numerous Lavery lawyers have been appointed to the bench over the years. “We are very proud of Sylvain Provencher and Claude Villeneuve new appointments. We regret the loss of two excellent jurists, but we are delighted that they will be able to bring their respective skills and experience to bear on the Superior Court of Québec,” stated Don McCarty, Managing Director of Lavery.
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Karine Pelletier of Lavery meets the Board of directors of the Forum des jeunes de la fonction publique québécoise
On June 19, 2015, Karine Pelletier, a lawyer in Lavery’s Quebec office business law group, gave a seminar on the roles and responsibilities of directors specifically aimed at the board members of the Forum des jeunes de la fonction publique québécoise. The Forum provides a unique networking space and discussion forum for young public officials and is a key player on the larger issues of public service.