Civil and commercial litigation lawyer in MontrealWhen your interests
need to be defended.
The practice
Litigation is never
an end in itself.
It is a means of obtaining what you are owed, protecting what belongs to you or putting an end to a situation that is hurting your business. Our approach to litigation is a businessperson’s approach: assess the costs, the odds and the timelines with clear eyes, settle when it is advantageous, litigate when it is necessary.
Before any proceeding, we answer one simple question with you: what does winning actually look like in your situation? The answer drives the entire strategy.
Our services
Six areas
of intervention.
Commercial & civil litigation
Breach of contract, defect of consent, fault of a business partner, dispute with a supplier or a client: we represent businesses and individuals before Québec’s civil courts, from the originating application to judgment.
Shareholder & partner disputes
Disputes between business partners are among the most destructive there are. Disagreement over direction, abuse of power by a majority shareholder, exclusion of a partner, decision-making deadlock, forced buyout of shares: we step in to break the impasse, through negotiation when possible, through the courts when necessary.
Demand letters & dispute resolution
The demand letter is often the first step, and sometimes the only one needed. Well drafted, it sets the balance of power and opens the door to settlement. We draft strategic demand letters, respond to the ones you receive and lead the negotiations and mediations that keep you out of court when that is in your interest.
Debt recovery
An unpaid account is an involuntary loan you never agreed to make. Demand letter, payment agreements, court proceedings, enforcement of judgments: a recovery process proportionate to the amount at stake, so your receivables become cash again.
Condominium syndicates & property managers
Unpaid common expenses, the syndicate’s legal hypothec on the fraction of a defaulting co-owner, hypothecary remedies, recovery of the insurance deductible after water damage, disputes with contractors and advice to the board. We work with syndicates as well as with property managers.
Civil liability & personal injury
Have you suffered harm through someone else’s fault, or is someone claiming damages from you? Accidents, bodily injury, professional negligence, material or moral injury: we assess liability, quantify the damages and pursue the claim or the defence through to fair compensation.
Frequently asked questions
Before opening a file.
No, and it rarely should. A well-built demand letter resolves a significant share of files. Mediation and settlement resolve others. Trial is one option among several, not the starting point.
Under Quebec civil law the prescription period is generally three years from the moment the injury becomes known, with important exceptions. Waiting narrows the options and can remove them entirely.
It depends on complexity, the volume of evidence and the other side's attitude. We give an estimate stage by stage rather than one global figure, and we tell you plainly when the cost of the remedy exceeds what is at stake.
Rarely in full. The Code of Civil Procedure provides for certain legal costs, but fees are awarded only in cases of abuse. That forms part of the calculation before starting a proceeding.
Before you act, weigh your options.
Litigation is won first through sound assessment. Tell us about your situation: we will tell you what your case is worth, what it will cost and where to start.
Book a consultation
Insights
To go further.
Three readings that extend this subject, if you would rather read up before speaking with us.
