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Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP

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Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP‘s Quebec team is well-versed in supporting automotive, banking, construction, energy, healthcare, financial services, retail and tech-sector clients involved in disputes. Practice head Francis Rouleau’s broad litigation practice covers product liability, contract law, corporate litigation and shareholder disputes, securities, construction and real estate. Additional key contacts include litigator Claude Marseille, who has focused his practice on class actions, product liability, construction law and shareholder remedies; Simon Seida, who advises corporations and high-profile individuals on regulatory and securities matters; restructuring, real estate, construction and reinsurance litigator Matthew Liben; and Ariane Bisaillon, who brings strength to advising clients in pharmaceuticals, manufacturing and transport. Former Woods LLP managing partner Caroline Biron joined the firm in August 2023.

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Key clients

  • Bell Canada
  • Le Groupe Jean Coutu (PJC)
  • Kraft Heinz Canada
  • Sonder Canada
  • Air Canada
  • Sanimax
  • Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company
  • Agiliti Health
  • SNC-Lavalin Group
  • Elad Canada

Work highlights

  • Acted as counsel for defendant Air Canada in a class action lawsuit against Air Canada on behalf of all Québec consumers who purchased airline tickets through Air Canada’s online ticket purchasing platform in 2010-2012.
  • Acted for Bell Canada in injunctive proceedings calling on Québecor to restore the broadcast signal that Groupe TVA unlawfully interrupted during the Stanley Cup playoffs; this was the first instance in Canada of a competitor interrupting a broadcast signal, in this case affecting more than 425,000 subscribers.
  • Acted as counsel for Sanimax in a nuisance class action alleging that Sanimax is responsible for damages caused to residents in Montreal, Ste-Hyacinthe and Lévis due to odour, waste, and polluted gases allegedly emitted by their meat rendering plants in these municipalities.

Lawyers

Hall of Fame

The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.

Robert Torralbo

Robert Torralbo

Hall of fameBlake, Cassels & Graydon LLP

Robert practises corporate commercial litigation and arbitration with an emphasis on defending class actions, product liability, securities, banking, real estate and shareholder disputes. His clients include financial institutions, large multinational organizations, securities dealers, manufacturers and real estate developers. Robert regularly appears before all levels of Quebec courts and arbitration panels, and has appeared before the Supreme Court of Canada.

Next Generation Partners

Ariane Bisaillon

Ariane Bisaillon

Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP

Ariane's practice covers various aspects of civil and commercial law, with a particular focus on commercial litigation, class actions, product liability and consumer contracts. Her practice also covers shareholders' disputes, arbitration and extraordinary proceedings. She advises national and foreign clients, including pharmaceutical companies, manufacturers, banks, transportation companies, and local businesses. Ariane is fluent in French and English and has a practical knowledge of Spanish.

Matthew Liben

Matthew Liben

Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP

With over 20 years’ experience, Matthew practises commercial litigation with a focus on insurance and reinsurance, construction and real estate, restructuring and insolvency, and class actions. He has appeared before the Superior Court of Quebec, the Quebec Court of Appeal and the Federal Court of Canada. Matthew represents insurance companies and syndicates in North America and Europe, all well as major policyholders, on matters ranging from complex insurance coverage disputes to liability defenc and subrogated actions. In the construction and real estate sector, Matthew represents developers and property owners with respect to alleged latent defects, construction defects, servitudes and other property issues. Regarding restructuring and insolvency, Matthew acts for debtors and creditors in major reorganizations and bankruptcy proceedings under the Companies Creditors Arrangement Act and the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act. Matthew has also acted in numerous international commercial arbitration matters, pursuant to the ICC, UNCITRAL and AAA arbitration rules. Matthew is fluent in English and in French.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Francis Rouleau

Other key lawyers

Claude Marseille, Simon Seida, Matthew Liben, Ariane Bisaillon