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.