Find Lawyers in Quebec, Canada for Alternative Dispute Resolution
Practice Area Overview
When people think of hiring a lawyer to resolve a dispute, they often have in mind that their problem will ultimately be resolved at a trial with a judge ruling in favour of one party and against another. This understanding, perhaps reinforced through television and movies, does not represent the reality. In fact, most lawsuits settle.
For the longest time, it was not uncommon for parties to go through all the steps of litigation, from pleadings through documentary and oral discovery, only to settle, sometimes “on the courtroom steps.” Bearing this pattern in mind, many litigants have opted to pursue Alternative Dispute Resolution, or ADR, as means of achieving settlement sooner and cheaper than by going through the court process.
In this context, the parties in dispute enlist independent, unaffiliated persons to assist them to reach a resolution. This may be achieved through two different paths. Arbitration proceedings are generally adversarial in nature and the arbitrator makes a final decision, just as a judge does, but outside the court system. A private mediator assists the parties in reaching settlements through consensus and does not impose a decision.
Lawyers play an important role in ADR. They may be the decision makers in arbitrations or function as facilitators in mediations. In either case, they may have specialized knowledge in the area of law under consideration or in the industry in which the dispute arose. Sometimes, lawyers are chosen as arbitrators or mediators because of their reputations as having the ability to be fair-minded and even-handed.
Not to be overlooked is the special role the lawyers for the parties can play in ADR. It is often they who suggest alternative means of resolving disputes to their clients. They play a huge role in explaining the process to their clients beforehand, and otherwise preparing the parties. In the case of mediation, the parties should ensure their lawyers have the right experience to assist them in getting to settlement. Parties sometimes will hire experienced lawyers to act as “settlement counsel” to assist them in getting to a resolution in mediation.
For more than 35 years, Bernard Amyot has developed a practice that is primarily focused on civil and commercial litigation. He has extensive experience before the Quebec courts, having represented Canada’s leading financial institutions. He has lectured and written frequently on legal issues of interest to his clients. His professional liability defence work extends to lawyers as well as stockbrokers, insurance brokers, engineers and accountants. He has acted as lead counsel in numerou...
Max R. Bernard focuses his practice on commercial litigation, construction law, commercial real estate, securities brokerage and banking. He has handled various types of commercial and contractual claims and shareholder remedies. Additionally, he has acted for securities brokers and negotiated construction contracts, including agreements with professional consultants. His expertise in real estate law extends to development, financing, work-outs, management and leasing. In the banking field, h...
Pierre Bienvenu, Ad. E. is a disputes lawyer with more than 35 years' experience in international commercial arbitration, corporate and commercial litigation, and constitutional law. He has acted as counsel or served as arbitrator in international arbitrations involving disputes in energy, transportation, telecommunications, mergers and acquisitions, construction, pharmaceuticals, international distribution and joint ventures, and foreign investment. A former co-chair of the IBA’s Arbit...
Joëlle Boisvert is the Managing Partner of the firm's Montréal office and a member of the firm’s national executive team. As an experienced commercial litigator, Joëlle counsels large national and international companies with regards to a variety of complex dispute matters. During her 25-year career, she has developed extensive experience in class actions and litigation pertaining to commercial and real estate law, including in the areas of franchising, as well as manuf...
Cara Cameron is a partner in the Litigation practice. She has particular expertise with commercial and corporate litigation that involves shareholders rights’ disputes, white-collar investigations and defence, commercial fraud and recovery actions (including Anton Piller and asset freezing orders), as well as with multi-jurisdictional enforcement and liquidation proceedings. She has represented clients at both trial and appellate levels, including at the Supreme Court of Canada. Cara's ...
Partner at Woods, Bodgan Catanu’s practice focuses on complex commercial disputes. He has extensive experience in high-stakes contractual matters, class actions, and corporate litigation. He has pleaded before the first instance and appeal tribunals of the province of Québec. He acted as lead counsel in several commercial arbitrations, notably a $200 million supplier–distributor UNCITRAL arbitration. He was recently co-lead counsel for certain bondholders of Nemaska Lithium...
Rachel Clément is a Lawyer, Partner and Co-chair of our Insurance Law Group. Her practice focuses on civil and professional liability matters, particularly on construction law. She represents insurance companies before the Quebec courts and her clients in various Alternative Dispute Resolution
Luc Deshaies Ad. E. is a partner in the firm's Montréal office, practising in the areas of employment and labour law. He has, among other activities, acted for employers in collective and individual labour relations and occasionally for managers in dismissal matters. Throughout his practice Luc has acted before all judicial and administrative tribunals interested in labour matters in the province of Québec. Over the years, he has advised employers whose main activities are based...
Stephen L. Drymer is head of Woods LLP’s International Arbitration group. Stephen practices exclusively in the area of domestic and international arbitration and alternative dispute resolution. He acts as counsel, and serves as arbitrator and mediator, in domestic and in international commercial and investment treaty disputes. Educated and trained in both the common law and the civil law, Stephen has represented parties and served as mediator, party-appointed arbitrator or president of ...
Marc-André G. Fabien, Ad. E. is a seasoned litigator and Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers recognized for his mastery of high-profile complex litigation. He specializes in commercial and shareholders’ disputes, securities litigation and penal proceedings, and litigation involving federal, provincial and municipal bodies. In addition, he is the President of the Canadian Paralympic Committee. Marc-André appears before all levels of courts, including the Supreme...
François Fontaine has a wealth of experience as a litigator in civil, corporate and commercial litigation and penal procedure, including white collar crime and regulatory investigations, before all Quebec courts and the Supreme Court of Canada. Mr. Fontaine devotes a significant portion of his practice to representing clients before the courts and tribunals in administrative litigation (including injunctions and judicial review). Mr. Fontaine has a great deal of experience in fraud and...
The Honourable Clément Gascon joined Woods as Senior Counsel in the Spring of 2020. After a career of more than seventeen years in the Canadian judiciary, he returned to the private practice of law, which he had left in 2002. He uses his in-depth expertise and experience to guide and assist parties and their counsel in resolving disputes through arbitration at the national and international levels and acts as a strategic advisor in the insolvency, restructuring and litigation matters o...
Ian Gosselin handles complex litigations, primarily in construction law and product liability. He has extensive experience in commercial litigation and is also involved in the defence of class actions. Mr. Gosselin has frequently pleaded before civil courts and arbitration tribunals and has cumulated more than 500 days before the courts over the course of his career. He also acts as mediator in civil and commercial disputes. Due to his considerable experience in construction and engineering, ...
Marc-André Landry is a member of the Litigation and Conflict Resolution group and focuses his practice on commercial litigation. He frequently assists his clients in resolving their disputes through negotiation, mediation or arbitration, or before the various courts of law. Over the years, he has represented businesses in many sectors, including construction, real estate, renewable energy, conventional energy, new technologies, financial services and pharmaceuticals. Mr. Landry is reco...
Éric Mongeau is a partner and former Head of the Montréal office's Litigation & Dispute Resolution Group. Recognized as the Québec Litigator of the Year in 2020 by Benchmark Litigation , Éric regularly appears in front of civil courts under provincial and federal jurisdictions, including the Supreme Court of Canada. He also has vast experience in front of administrative and arbitration tribunals. Éric is highly esteemed for his general commercial litigat...
The Honourable Joseph R. Nuss, C.M., Q.C., Ad. E., is a former Justice of the Quebec Court of Appeal. He joined Woods LLP, as Senior Counsel, in December 2009 following his retirement from the Court. In addition to giving advice as senior counsel, he concentrates his practice in the fields of domestic and international arbitration and mediation.Prior to his appointment as a judge, he was a lawyer specializing in litigation, who appeared as counsel, in various areas of the law, before the Supr...
Eric Ouimet is head of BCF’s Litigation group and a founding partner of the firm. With over 30 years of experience, he is a senior partner in commercial litigation and dispute resolution. His ability to identify our clients’ technical and strategic issues makes him an invaluable counsel in matters pertaining to manufacters’ and designers’ liability, intellectual property infringements, as well as privacy and data protection. He is a seasoned practitioner in intellectua...
Sebastian L. Pyzik is a Partner of the firm. He is a versatile and effective litigator whose practice focuses on large, sensitive, reputational or strategic civil and commercial litigation. He regularly appears before the trial and appeal courts of Quebec as well as before arbitration tribunals. Sebastian also acts as a strategic advisor to the firm's clients in litigious matters. https://woods.qc.ca/en/team/sebastian-pyzik
Joseph Reynaud is a partner in the Litigation & Dispute Resolution Group. His practice focuses on restructuring, insolvency and commercial litigation and he regularly advises and represents debtors, secured lenders, court-appointed officers and purchasers in proceedings under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangements Act and the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act . He is involved in Québec-based, national and cross-border proceedings and has appeared before all levels of court, includ...
Sébastien Richemont has over 20 years of commercial litigation experience. In court, he is both formidable and passionate, and out of court he is a strategic counsellor in litigious matters and devoted partner to his colleagues and clients. As a frequent speaker and teacher, he also appreciates the academic aspects of the law. His areas of expertise include contractual disputes, class actions, manufacturer’s liability, professionals liability (lawyers, accountants, engineers), as...
Ms. Rochette is a partner in the Litigation and Conflict Resolution group. She practices primarily in the field of professional liability and insurance. Ms. Rochette holds a master’s degree from the Université de Sherbrooke in health law and has acquired expertise in litigation in this specific area, and particularly in the professional liability of hospitals and medical professionals. She advises senior managers in the health and social services network on a regular basis, and a...
The Honourable François Rolland, Ad. E. is senior counsel, mediator and arbitrator in Langlois lawyers’ litigation group in Montréal. Mr. Rolland was a Justice of the Superior Court of Québec from 1996 to 2015, and Chief Justice from 2004 to 2015. He presided numerous trials in all areas of the law, including commercial law, class actions, insolvency and corporate reorganizations, as well as matrimonial disputes. He also presided many settlement conferences in civil...
A distinguished lawyer whose reputation stretches beyond Quebec and Canada, André Ryan is a partner in BCF’s Litigation and Governance groups. A commercial law practitioner, André advises clients on commercial litigation, corporate governance, media relations, and crisis management, as well as on the negotiation of national and international strategic agreements and partnerships. He regularly advises boards of directors of public, private, and governmental organisations. A...
Louis is a partner of the firm. Member of the Quebec, Ontario, and New York bars, he has been practicing civil and commercial litigation and arbitration since 2004. He regularly represents clients before both trial and appellate courts, as well as before domestic and international arbitral tribunals. He has particular expertise regarding contractual disputes, corporate and shareholder litigation, manufacturers’ liability, insolvency, employment law, private international law and injunct...
Eric Simard is Co-leader of the national Litigation and Dispute Resolution group. He practices as a litigator in civil and commercial litigation. He acts primarily in complex litigation and defends clients during class actions. He also represents clients during injunction and safeguarding proceedings. Eric regularly appears in arbitration matters and before the Superior courts, including the Supreme Court of Canada. In a world of globalization, a large number of foreign manufacturers and supp...
Guy Tremblay is a Consulting Partner at BCF. Over the years, Guy has built a reputation for excellence in labour and employment law. His extensive experience was acquired before the Quebec Labour Relations Board, grievance arbitration boards and common law courts. He has been at the heart of many significant court cases that have shaped labour law. A seasoned negotiator and shrewd strategist, he has been a key player in many labour disputes affecting private companies, and regularly takes par...
Richard Vachon practices mainly in the fields of commercial litigation, class actions, litigation in securities, defamation, and employment law. He pleads regularly before the courts of first instance and the Court of Appeal of Quebec as well as arbitration tribunals. He also acts as strategic advisor to many of his clients. Notable representative clients, among others, include: Chrysler Canada Inc.; Quebecor Inc.; Groupe TVA Inc.; Desjardins Securities Inc.; Former Member of the Liaison Comm...
James A. Woods , senior partner of the firm, practises in litigation and arbitration and pleads at all levels of federal and provincial courts in Ontario and Québec including the Supreme Court of Canada. Once again, named by Lexpert® 2017 as one of the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada – Montreal, Corporate and Commercial Litigation. Recognized by the Best Lawyers Directory since 2006 for his expertise in the fields of Bet-the-Company Litigation, Class Action Litigation, Corporat...
Patricia is an associate within the Intellectual Property (IP) and Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT) groups. Her practice focuses on both litigation and contractual work, with an emphasis on clean technologies and food innovations. Patricia has particular knowledge of the intellectual property legislative and regulatory landscape. She sees IP as more than obtaining, registering or using patents, trademarks or copyrights; it is a way to advance knowledge, obtain return on investme...
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