This section keeps you up-to-date on the latest news and upcoming public appearances of Lavery professionals.
News
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Lavery represents Industrial Alliance in a $237.3 million bought deal financing
On February 27, 2013, Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services Inc. completed a bought deal financing pursuant to which it issued 6,330,000 Common Shares at a price of $37.50 per Common Share for total aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $237.3 million. The net proceeds of this offering will be used to redeem all of the outstanding 8.25% subordinated debentures due March 27, 2019 with a nominal value of $100 million and to redeem all of the Industrial Alliance Trust Securities – Series A (IATS) with a nominal value of $150 million. The Common Shares were sold to a syndicate of underwriters co-led by National Bank Financial Inc. and BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc. and including RBC Dominion Securities, Scotia Capital Inc., CIBC World Markets Inc., TD Securities Inc., Desjardins Securities Inc. and Industrial Alliance Securities Inc. Industrial Alliance was represented in-house by Douglas Carrothers, Vice-President, Legal Services and Corporate Secretary and Jennifer Dibblee, Director, Corporate Affairs, Legal Department; and by a team from Lavery consisting of Marc Rochefort, Michel Servant, Guillaume Lavoie and Geneviève Fournier (corporate and securities), and Philip Nolan (tax).Founded in 1892, Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services Inc. is a life and health insurance company with operations in all regions of Canada as well as in the United States.
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Louis Payette recognized as leading corporate lawyer and Jean-Sébastien Desroches as lawyer to watch
Lavery is pleased to announce that Mr. Louis Payette, Ad. E., a Business Law partner at Lavery, is recognized as a leading corporate lawyer for his expertise in banking in the 2013 issue of Lexpert’s directory, Guide to the Leading US/Canada Cross-Border Corporate Lawyers in Canada.In the same edition of this publication, Mr. Jean-Sébastien Desroches, a Business Law partner at Lavery, is considered a “Corporate Lawyer to Watch”. It is worth mentioning that lawyers are chosen based on individual results through Lexpert’s peer review survey.
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Jean-Yves Simard, speaker before the members of an American association of commercial credit professionals
Mr. Jean-Yves Simard, a Litigation partner at Lavery, gave a conference in Quebec City on June 20, 2013 before the members of the National Association of Credit Management (NACM) Midwest, an important trade association of commercial credit professionals.In his conference, Mr. Simard gave NACM Midwest members an overview of various bankruptcy and insolvency issues in Canada, such as the applicable laws and regulations, the main stakeholders as well as the current case law.
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An important victory for a Lavery client before the superior court in a case involving directors' and officers' liability insurance
In a decision rendered on June 21, 2013, the Superior Court of Québec agreed with Lavery in a case involving its client, AXA Insurance (now Intact Insurance). The case dealt with damages brought against AXA as insurer for the directors and officers of a large condominium corporation. Mr. Jonathan Lacoste-Jobin, a Litigation associate at Lavery, argued this case.The appeal also included important requests for injunctive relief, which were all rejected by Justice Danielle Turcotte in a judgment delivered from the bench after four (4) days of trial. This decision recognizes the firm’s expertise with respect to directors’ and officers’ liability insurance.
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17 Lavery partners ranked in the 2013 edition of the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory
Lavery is pleased to announce that 17 partners of the firm are ranked among the most recommended lawyers in Canada in their respective practice areas in the 2013 edition of Thomson Carswell’s Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory. The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory is the most comprehensive publication to legal talent in the country. It is a reference guide for Canadian and U.S. corporate counsel and law firms in need of specialized legal services. The 2013 edition of the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory identifies the best lawyers in 64 practice areas based on the results of a thorough annual peer-review survey completed by more than a thousand respected legal professionals and a wide range of well-informed clients. Lavery lawyers are recommended in a vast array of fields, including banking, asset finance, mining law, directors’ and officers’ liability, mergers and acquisitions, employment law and labour relations, class actions, construction law, medical negligence, family law, and commercial insurance litigation. "In the 2013 edition of this legal directory, 17 Lavery partners were recognized for their first-rate expertise. I congratulate our 17 colleagues for this recognition and for their continued commitment to serving the needs of our clients", said Don McCarty, Lavery’s Managing Partner. The following Lavery partners are listed in the 2013 edition of the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory : Marie-Claude Armstrong – Family Law Pierre-L. Baribeau - Employment Law and Labour Relations Michel Blouin - Mining René Branchaud – Mining Gérard Coulombe, Q.C., Ad. E. – Corporate Commercial Law, Mergers & Acquisitions Pierre Denis - Asset Equipment Finance/Leasing Josée Dumoulin* - Pension plans Nicolas Gagnon - Construction Law Jean Hébert - Litigation – Commercial Insurance Odette Jobin-Laberge, Ad. E. - Litigation – Commercial Insurance Jean-François Lepage – Medical Negligence Robert W. Mason - Litigation – Commercial Insurance Louis Payette, Ad. E. – Banking and Financial Institutions Jacques Perron – Transportation (Road & Rail) Ian Rose – Litigation – Directors’ & Officers’ Liability Jean Saint-Onge, Ad. E. - Class Actions; Litigation – Commercial Insurance; Litigation - Product Liability André Vautour - Technology Transactions *New posting For more information, please visit Lexpert’s website at: www.lexpert.ca/directory.
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Gérard Coulombe to receive the Lawyer Emeritus distinction from the Barreau du Québec
Lavery is pleased to announce that Mr. Gérard Coulombe, Q.C., a Business Law partner at Lavery, will receive the Lawyer Emeritus (Ad. E.) distinction from the Barreau du Québec during a ceremony that will be held on September 23, 2013 at the Montréal Science Centre.Gérard Coulombe belongs to a short list of Lavery lawyers who have previously received this prestigious honorary distinction in recognition of an exceptional legal career. Called to the Barreau du Québec in 1969, Mr. Coulombe was, from 1972 to 1977, a special advisor to the Minister of Finance of Canada. This professional experience enabled him to develop thorough understanding of Canadian and international taxation.In the last 35 years, Mr. Coulombe has carried on a general practice in business and commercial law where he represents more specifically financial institutions, Crown corporations and multinational companies. He sits on the boards of directors of several corporations, including National Bank of Canada, Cominar Real Estate Investment Trust and Club de hockey Canadien, Inc."Lavery is delighted that Gérard Coulombe is the recipient of the Lawyer Emeritus (Ad. E.) distinction. In a career that spans more than 40 years, Gérard has made a significant and multifold contribution to the legal profession: as a specialist in certain areas of practice, a skillful negotiator and dedicated mentor to young lawyers", said Don McCarty, Managing Partner of the firm.
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Odette Jobin-Laberge and Jonathan Lacoste-Jobin co-authors of a textbook published in the Thema Collection
Ms. Odette Jobin-Laberge, Ad. E., and Mr. Jonathan Lacoste-Jobin, Litigation partner and associate at Lavery respectively, are among the co-authors of a textbook on damage insurance that was published in June 2013 in the Thema Collection. Thema includes integrated and thematic publications that are drawn from encyclopedia JurisClasseur Québec, published by LexisNexis. Ms. Odette Jobin-Laberge and Mr. Jonathan Lacoste-Jobin wrote Fascicle 3 with respect to property insurance. More specifically, the text covers topics such as insurable interest, scope of coverage, insurance carried as well as notice of loss and payment of indemnity.
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Lavery Represents the Syndicate of Agents in the Re-opening of Cominar's 4.23% Series 2 Debentures in the Principal Amount of $100 Million
On February, 8, 2013, Cominar Real Estate Investment Trust completed the re opening of its 4.23% Series 2 senior unsecured debentures due December 4, 2019 in the principal amount of $100 million. The debentures were offered to the public by a syndicate of agents led by National Bank Financial Inc. and BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc., including Desjardins Securities Inc., RBC Dominion Securities Inc., CIBC World Markets Inc., Scotia Capital Inc., TD Securities Inc., HSBC Securities (Canada) Inc., Canaccord Genuity Corp., Dundee Securities Ltd. and Macquarie Capital Markets Canada Ltd. The syndicate of agents was represented by a team from Lavery consisting of Marc Rochefort, Michel Servant, Guillaume Lavoie and Geneviève Fournier (corporate and securities), and Philip Nolan (tax). Cominar is the third largest diversified real estate investment trust in Canada and the largest commercial property owner in the Province of Québec.
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Bridge Loan by SIDEX
Geomega Resources Inc. (“Geomega”) announced the grant of a $750,000 loan (the “Loan”) by SIDEX, Limited Partnership (“Sidex”) on May 10, 2013. The Loan is secured by Geomega’s tax credits receivable from Revenu Québec for the fiscal year ended in 2012 and related to mineral exploration. In connection with the Loan, Geomega issued 250,000 common shares to Sidex. The proceeds will be allocated to general and administrative purposes. Geomega, which owns 100% of the Montviel Rare Earths/Niobium project, is a Québec mineral exploration and development company focused on the discovery and sustainable development of economic deposits of minor metals, such as Rare Earth Elements, Niobium and Graphite, in Québec. Geomega is committed to meeting Canadian mining industry standards and distinguishing itself with its expertise, know-how and its support and respect for local communities and the environment. Geomega was represented by a team of Lavery, de Billy, L.L.P. comprised of Sébastien Vézina, Maxime Bergeron (securities) and Benjamin Gross (financing).
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René Branchaud recognized for his expertise in corporate law
The June 2013 issue of the Globe and Mail’s Report on Business includes an insert entitled 2013 Lexpert/Report on Business Special Edition – Corporate (ROB Corporate) in which René Branchaud, a Business Law partner at Lavery, is recognized as a leading corporate law practitioner in Canada.More precisely, this publication recognizes the scope of Mr. Branchaud’s mining law practice, which includes asset purchase, option and joint venture agreements, private placements, public offerings, mergers and acquisitions and corporate governance.To read this insert, please click here.
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Marie-Claude Armstrong appointed head of a committee of the Bar of Montreal
Lavery is pleased to announce that Ms. Marie-Claude Armstrong, a Litigation partner at the firm, has been appointed Chairperson of the Liaison Committee with the Superior Court, Family Matters of the Bar of Montreal. In that capacity, Ms. Armstrong will act as liaison between the judiciary and lawyers practising in family law so as to improve the judicial system with respect to family law to ensure the proper administration of justice and promote the interests of the litigant.
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Marie Cossette on RDI Matin Week-End to comment on the Ménard Commission
Ms. Marie Cossette, Litigation partner at Lavery, appeared on the TV program RDI Matin Week-End on Sunday, June 9 to discuss the mandate of the Special Commission of Inquiry on the Spring 2012 Events, which began its activities under the chairmanship of former minister, Serge Ménard.Appearing as a guest on the program because of her comprehensive knowledge of commissions of inquiry and crisis management expertise, Ms. Cossette said that the Ménard Commission has a far-reaching mandate that could be difficult to fulfill considering the many guidelines governing this mandate. Commenting on the absence of certain key actors from the work of the Commission, Ms. Cossette argued that participation should be fostered despite the problems already identified to enable the Commission to release a sound report.To watch the video of the interview, click here.