Québec’s top corporate and commercial lawyers in 2021

Here are Québec’s top corporate and commercial lawyers based on Lexpert’s latest yearly comprehensive peer review. Check out the full roster of the province’s most recommended lawyers and law firms in the field on our practice area rankings.

Corporate law is the branch of the legal profession that governs the establishment of companies, shareholder rights, and mergers and acquisitions. Commercial or business law, meanwhile, deals with the sale and distribution of goods.

Most frequently recommended corporate and commercial lawyers

Carl Bélanger
Law firm: Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP
Year called to the bar: 1998
City: Montréal

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Carl Bélanger is a partner and co-president of the corporate and commercial law group at Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP’s Montréal office. He specializes in commercial transactions and corporate structures, including mergers and acquisitions, venture capital and private sector-funding. He is also well-versed in setting up funds and limited partnerships. Over the years, Bélanger has assisted clients at every step of their development in Canada and abroad. He has been active in transactions involving private equity funds and business successions through management and other buyouts. Bélanger has led a significant number of transactional files involving private or public corporations from diverse fields, including information technology, health care and services, manufacturing and industrial production, real estate development, and agriculture and food.

Michel Boislard
Law firm: Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP
Year called to the bar: 1989
City: Montréal

Michel Boislard is a partner at Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP. He is an expert in commercial law, primarily in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, corporate financing, investment funds and securities. Boislard advises clients from the high technology and biotechnology sectors. He also represents several public and private corporations in complex domestic and international cross-border transactions. Boislard acquired extensive experience in cross-border transactions while working as resident partner at the firm’s New York office. He often acts on behalf of investment funds during acquisitions.

Patrick Boucher
Law firm: McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Year called to the bar: 1996
City: Montréal

Patrick Boucher is a partner at McCarthy Tétrault LLP’s business law group in Montréal and co-head of the national capital markets practice. He specializes in the areas of securities and corporate law, concentrating on mergers and acquisitions, takeover bids and public financings. Boucher has acted as counsel to issuers and underwriters in various public offerings and private placements of publicly listed issuers. He has also participated in numerous takeover bids and going-private transactions of publicly listed issuers and has acted as counsel to independent committees in connection with various transactions.

Robert Carelli
Law firm: Stikeman Elliott LLP
Year called to the bar: 2000
City: Montréal

Robert Carelli is a partner at the securities group at Stikeman Elliott LLP. He is also the head of the firm’s corporate group in Montréal. He devotes his practice to the areas of securities, capital markets, public and private mergers and acquisitions and governance. Carelli advises issuers and underwriters on public offerings and private placements, boards of directors and private equity funds. He is also recognized for his solid track record of successfully working on complex domestic and cross-border M&A transactions for clients in various industries, including technology, retail, aviation and healthcare.

Marc Dorion
Law firm: McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Year called to the bar: 1979
City: Québec City

Marc Dorion is a partner at the business law group at McCarthy Tétrault LLP. He is also a co-leader of the firm’s national energy and infrastructure law groups. Dorion supervises the natural resources group in Québec and is responsible for the activities of the firm in relation to development of Northern Québec. He devotes his practice to the development and financing of major projects and other financing operations and privatizations. Dorion advises companies, lending institutions and other interveners in relation to the steps of development, financing, construction and operation of projects in the energy, infrastructure, natural resources and industrial sectors. He also acts as strategic counsel for numerous companies in connection with the development of Northern Québec and has considerable experience in commercial negotiation and public affairs. Dorion was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1992 and was awarded the title Advocatus Emeritus by the Québec Bar in 2007.

Shahir Guindi
Law firm: Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
Year called to the bar: 1990
City: Montréal

Shahir Guindi is the national co-chair and a member of the partnership board at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP. He was a managing partner of the firm’s Montréal office for seven years prior to becoming national co-chair. Guindi also holds chairmanship at the Board of the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montréal. He has more than 25 years of experience and is a recognized advisor in mergers and acquisitions, private equity and corporate finance. His private equity and venture capital experience includes advising funds on their domestic and cross-border portfolio investments and divestitures and on their fund formations. Guindi acts for several of the country’s most successful technology and biotechnology companies.

Sidney M. Horn
Law firm: Stikeman Elliott LLP
Year called to the bar: 1978 (QC); 1982 (AB)
City: Montréal

Sidney M. Horn is a senior counsel at Stikeman Elliott LLP’s corporate group. He specializes in commercial, corporate and securities law. Horn advises large domestic and international corporations on complex questions concerning finance, mergers and acquisitions and corporate governance. He has developed an expertise in complex transactions requiring creative solutions. Horn represents private equity firms in their investments in private and public corporations and independent directors in transactions such as going private transactions, related party transactions and insider bids.

Warren M. Katz
Law firm: Stikeman Elliott LLP
Year called to the bar: 1996 (ON); 1996 (QC)
City: Montréal

Warren M. Katz is the managing partner of Stikeman Elliott LLP’s Montréal office. He is also a member of the firm’s partnership board and executive committee and formerly headed the corporate group. Katz specializes in cross-border mergers and acquisitions involving both public and private companies and investment funds, public offerings, private placements and going-private transactions. He is also an expert in private equity and corporate finance transactions, including representing broad and varied public and private corporations across many industries. Katz offers over 20 years of extensive experience, including strong cross-border capabilities, providing legal counsel to significant Canadian and international clients on complex transactions. His experience spans across the most active sectors and his practice includes divestitures, investments, public offerings, private placements and going-private transactions.

Stephen J. Kelly
Law firm: Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP
Year called to the bar: 1999
City: Montréal

Stephen J. Kelly is a partner and the national practice chair of the business law group at Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP. He practises corporate and securities law, with a focus on corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions. Kelly regularly acts for large public companies, underwriters and investors in public offerings, including initial public offerings, bought deal transactions, cross-border offerings and private placement transactions. He frequently advises on public and private M&A both nationally and internationally and has advised boards of directors and independent committees in the context of M&A, strategic reviews, shareholder activism, compliance, significant corporate investigations and governance matters. Kelly also regularly advises clients on corporate reorganizations, continuous disclosure obligations, corporate governance matters, the preparation of shareholders’ meetings and other ongoing securities law questions.

Sophie Lamonde
Law firm: Stikeman Elliott LLP
Year called to the bar: 2002
City: Montréal

Sophie Lamonde is the head of the mergers and acquisitions group in Montréal and a member of the partnership board at Stikeman Elliott LLP. Her practice is directed primarily to the areas of M&A and private equity, with a focus on cross-border transactions. Lamonde’s extensive corporate law experience includes advising Canadian and international clients in acquisitions, divestitures, reorganizations and general commercial negotiations. She represents clients in various industries, including aviation, retail, manufacturing, contract research, technology and media.

John W. Leopold
Law firm: Stikeman Elliott LLP
Year called to the bar: 1980
City: Montréal

John W. Leopold is a senior partner at Stikeman Elliott LLP’s corporate group. He devotes his practice to mergers and acquisitions, private equity and corporate finance. He has a vast experience in cross-border transactions. Leopold acts extensively for both corporate and financial sponsor clients in both public and private company transactions and all related matters. His client base spans the globe.

Clemens Mayr
Law firm: McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Year called to bar: 1991
City: Montréal

Clemens Mayr is a partner at McCarthy Tétrault LLP’s Montréal office. He specializes in domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance and corporate governance. Mayr regularly represents issuers and underwriters in Canadian and cross-border public financings in various industries. He also represents boards of directors and independent committees of public companies in various contexts. He is a member of boards of directors of several private and public corporations, including the Québec Institute of Corporate Directors.

Robert Paré
Law firm: Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP
Year called to the bar: 1977
City: Montréal

Robert Paré serves as a partner at Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP. He has been practising in the areas of corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions and securities for more than 30 years. Paré has extensive experience and was responsible for handling the legal aspects of several transactions that have marked the Canadian economic landscape. With a reputation that extends beyond the Canadian border, he is recognized for his ability to handle multifaceted files. Paré thoughtfully and rigorously leads work teams dealing with complex issues, particularly in relation to takeover bids. He also advises financially struggling companies about their recapitalization alternatives.

Paul Raymond
Law firm: Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP
Year called to the bar: 1986
City: Montréal

Paul Raymond is a senior partner at Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP. He has extensive domestic and international experience, mainly in the US, Europe and emerging markets. Raymond is experienced in corporate and securities law, financings and business acquisitions and sales. He has been involved in debt and equity financing of private and public corporations, governments and Crown corporations by way of private or public offerings acting on behalf of issuers and underwriters. Raymond has acted in various transactions for the purchase or sale of businesses, as well as in mergers and reorganizations. He has also been involved in various structured finance transactions.

Franziska Ruf
Law firm: Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP
Year called to the bar: 1987
City: Montréal

Franziska Ruf is a partner at Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, where she is also a member of the management committee. She devotes her practice to corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, private equity and pension funds. Ruf advises on Canadian and international public and private acquisitions, divestitures, securities issuances, investments and joint ventures. She advises domestic and foreign corporations, private equity firms, pension funds and financial advisers on public and private cross-border mergers and acquisitions. Known for her expertise in corporate governance, Ruf also advises boards of directors, special committees, senior management and shareholders on a wide range of transactions, public disclosure issues and corporate governance matters. Ruf is a director and member of the corporate governance and human resources committee of Saputo Inc. and a director and corporate secretary of La Fondation Le Chaînon.

Patrick M. Shea
Law firm: McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Year called to the bar: 2007 (QC); 2000 (New York)
City: Montréal

Patrick M. Shea is a corporate, mergers and acquisitions and private equity partner at McCarthy Tétrault LLP. He co-heads the firm’s private equity group and co-manages its relationships with US law firms. His principal areas of expertise are M&A, private equity and corporate and commercial law. Shea has acted for private equity, corporate and pension fund clients in Canadian, US, and international M&A transactions across a range of industries. He has also represented numerous sponsors and investors in connection with the formation of and investments in private equity funds in Canada and abroad. Shea is the relationship partner for several Canadian clients and US and international businesses that operate in Canada, including public companies, small- and mid-sized businesses, private equity firms, hedge funds, investment banks and entrepreneurs. He is fluent in English and French. An ardent believer in giving back to the community, Shea serves on the boards of numerous foundations, charities and other not-for-profit organizations. He has led and participated in numerous charitable fundraising campaigns.

Éric Stevens
Law firm: Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP
Year called to the bar: 1996
City: Montréal

Éric Stevens is a partner at Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP. He practises mainly in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, corporate law and private financings. Stevens regularly acts in major acquisitions, including strategic acquisitions for public and private companies. Stevens has also been involved for many years in various charitable causes close to his heart as a member of various corporate boards.

Carl Tremblay
Law firm: Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP
Year called to the bar: 1989
City: Québec City

Carl Tremblay is the managing partner at Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP’s office in Québec City. He is recognized for his expertise in corporate and technology law. Tremblay focuses on mergers and acquisitions. He regularly participates in private placements and public offerings on behalf of investors, well-established companies and start-ups in the technology sector. Tremblay is also an active member of and advises several boards of directors and on governance and integrity issues. Before joining the firm, he served as managing partner for an international law firm for over eight years.

Firm(s)

Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP McCarthy Tétrault LLP Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP Stikeman Elliott LLP