This section keeps you up-to-date on the latest news and upcoming public appearances of Lavery professionals.
News
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Lavery announces appointment of Paul Martel, a leading expert in corporate law
Mr. Martel is recognized for his ability to provide pragmatic, innovative solutions to the most complex legal issues in corporate law. He was a law professor for over 25 years and has contributed to most major corporate law journals, including La Revue du Barreau du Québec. “I’m so pleased and excited to be starting the fifth chapter of my professional career at Lavery, a firm I hold in high esteem. I look forward to putting my expertise to good use with the firm’s clients, as well as helping to consolidate the multidisciplinary service offering for which Lavery is renowned in the legal and business markets,” said Paul Martel, partner at Lavery. As a leading expert in corporate law, and a respected teacher, lecturer and author, he regularly advises government authorities on major legislative changes, including those to the Civil Code of Québec, Quebec’s Companies Act, the Canada Business Corporations Act and the Act respecting the legal publicity of enterprises. He has also acted as a consultant to the Minister of Finance of Quebec in developing and drafting the new Business Corporations Act, and to the Agence du Revenu du Québec in updating the Quebec Enterprise Register. “Paul Martel has authored several landmark legal works on corporate law, and his outstanding track record and extensive expertise in the legal and business industries of Quebec, Canada and the United States will further strengthen the quality of Lavery’s services in this area of practice. He will certainly be a great inspiration to us all, and his presence at the firm will have a major impact on our teams, as he assists our Business Law group,” concluded René Branchaud, Head of practice of Lavery’s Business Law group.
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The Court of Appeal recognizes Lavery’s leadership in matters involving surety bonds
In a landmark decision, the Court confirms the scope of the surety bond indemnity agreement that our firm helped to draft in Gestion ITR inc. v. Intact Compagnie d'assurance.. Lavery’s reputation in construction bonding is well established. The firm has been a leader in this field for decades. Under the direction of our partner Nicolas Gagnon, Lavery supports the industry in contentious matters, while providing guidance on major policies. Over 30 years ago, our firm was in charge of drafting the content of an indemnity agreement between a construction company and a major surety company. That agreement is still widely used in the industry today. The Court of Appeal of Québec recognized the scope of the agreement in a recent decision, confirming that the obligations of the signatories to the agreement included, in particular, the reimbursement of losses incurred by the surety, not only under surety bonds it had issued, but also under agreements entered into between the principal surety and another surety that had agreed to act as the construction company’s guarantor. This essentially means that the signatories to an indemnity agreement must reimburse the losses incurred by a surety that was obtained by the principal surety. Our partner Nicolas Gagnon commented on this as follows: “So much effort went into drafting this indemnity agreement, given its significance for the industry. We’re obviously thrilled to see that Quebec’s highest Court agrees with our logic, and that it confirmed that the scope of the agreement we helped to draft applies to the situations we had identified.” We would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge our industry colleagues’ skillful work in defending the indemnity agreement.
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Myriam Brixi recognized as Canada’s leading litigation expert by Lexpert
On November 23, 2023, Lexpertrecognized Myriam Brixi’s expertise in its 2023 Special Edition: Litigation. This directory ranks the leading litigators involved in Canada’s landmark litigation cases who have distinguished themselves in the legal profession by providing outstanding service to clients. Each year, the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory team analyzes the most notable cases in the country and conducts in-depth interviews with litigation lawyers to evaluate peer nominations and place the spotlight on outstanding legal professionals. As a partner in Lavery’s Litigation and Dispute Resolution group, Myriam Brixi focuses her practice primarily in the areas of class actions, product liability, consumer law and insurance law. She has participated in complex class actions raising important legal issues, including a wide range of multi-jurisdictional class actions. Myriam adds this recognition to the one she received earlier this year as Quebec Litigator of the Year in the Emerging Talent category and another she received as one of the Top 100 Women in Canadian Litigation by Benchmark Litigation. Congratulations to Myriam for this distinction that is a testament to her talent and expertise. For more information, please go to: https://www.lexpert.ca/rankings/best-lawyer/se-lit About Lavery Lavery is the leading independent law firm in Québec. 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 Québec. 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 Québec jurisdiction.
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Benjamin Poirier pens an article in Cheval Québec Magazine
Benjamin Poirier, a lawyer with the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Group, penned an article entitled L’inspection vétérinaire préachat :l’amour n’est plus aveugle in the Spring 2017 edition of Cheval Québec Magazine. With a view to improving practices for the benefit of members of the equestrian community, Mr. Poirier discusses the importance of a pre-purchase veterinary examination during a purchase-sale transaction and its legal implications. Click here for more information on Cheval Québec Magazine.
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Lavery lawyer Léonie Gagné contributed to the community by offering free legal consultations at the Bar of Montreal’s Salon VISEZ DROIT
Léonie Gagné, a litigation lawyer at Lavery, offered free legal consultations in her area of practice at the 19th annual Salon VISEZ DROIT, organized by the Bar of Montreal on April 12. Committed to giving back to the community, Ms. Gagné decided to volunteer her time and expertise for this event which is organized to educate the public about their rights and obligations as well as promote a better understanding of the legal system. The Salon VISEZ DROIT consists of four days of law-related activities organized by the Bar of Montrealfor the general public. The 19th edition took place from Monday, April 11, to Thursday, April 14, 2016, at the Complexe Desjardins in Montréal, with actress Lynda Johnson serving as spokesperson. Thousands of visitors came to the event to meet the exhibitors and participate in the free activities offered.