Publications

Antoine Leduc and Babak Barin Before the Parliamentary Commission on the Reform of the Code of Civil Procedure

BCF lawyer Antoine Leduc acted as Co-President of the Legislation and Legal Reform Committee of the Canadian Bar Association, Quebec Branch (the “CBA-Quebec”), heading up the team that presented the CBA-Quebec’s position on the proposed reforms to the Code of Civil Procedure to the Minister of Justice, Jean-Marc Fournier, before the Parliamentary Commission at Quebec’s National Assembly on Tuesday, January 31.

• Antoine Leduc
• Babak Barin

The Canadian Institute's 6th Annual Forum on Aboriginal Law, Consultation & Accommodation

This seminar will be held February 22 and 23 to Metropolitan Hotel at Toronto. BCF lawyer Nadir André will deliver a presentation titled "Critical Update on Consultation Issues Arising out of Quebec: Plan Nord".

For more information, please consult the Canadian Institute website.

• Aboriginal Law
• Business Law for Aboriginal Organizations and Businesses
• Nadir André

Conference on the Competition Act

On February 1st, BCF lawyer Richard Epstein delivered a presentation at the Association des Bannières et des Chaînes de Pharmacies du Québec (ABCPQ) titled "Les associations commerciales et les informations pertinentes en apport avec la Loi sur la concurrence".

• Competition Law and Foreign Investment
• Richard Epstein

Mondissimo International Mobility Conference

This conference will be held on March 13 and 14, 2012 at the Palais Brongniart in Paris, France. BCF lawyers Julie Lessard, Christina Karadimos and Elsa Agostinho will be there to represent BCF.

• Business Immigration
• Business Immigration
• Julie Lessard
• Christina Karadimos
• Elsa Agostinho

Conference on Environmental Forensics

BCF Partner Simon Pelletier will take part in this event in Paris, February 1 and 2. He will give a conference titled "La preuve scientifique en matière de contamination environnementale : Le cas de Shannon au Québec."

• Natural Resources
• Environmental Law
• Simon Pelletier

La revue jurisprudentielle en marques de commerce by Johanne Auger

BCF Trade-mark agent Johanne Auger will give her conference at the Canadian Bar Association – Quebec Branch on February 2, titled “La revue jurisprudentielle annuelle en marques de commerce.” The CBA indicates that it is an event not to be missed! This conference will also be given at BCF’s Montreal office on February 16 in connection with our continuing legal education program.

• Intellectual Property
• Patents
• Johanne Auger

Conference on Wealth Management and Transfer

The Association de planification fiscale et financière held a conference on January 25 and 26 in Montreal. BCF lawyer Pierre Allard delivered a presentation on real-estate freezes. For more information, please visit the APFF’s website.

• Domestic and International Taxation
• Tax Law
• Pierre T. Allard

BCF supports the Jeune chambre de commerce de Québec

BCF will be present as a sponsor during the Gala JPA Banque Nationale Groupe financier, which will held February 24 at the Capitol de Québec. The Young Businessperson of the year will be named at this event. For more information, please consult the web site of the Jeune chambre de commerce de Québec.

• Involvement

Launch of the Sixth Annual Médaillés de la relève Contest

The launch of the sixth edition of the Médaillés de la relève contest organized by the McGill-HEC Montréal International Business Families Centre (CIFA), PwC and BCF!

• Business Transfers
• Involvement

Course for Directors’ College

On February 3, BCF Partner Serge Lebel will give a class at the Collège des administrateurs (Directors’ College) titled Le comité de gouvernance: raison d'être, organisation, fonctionnement (Purpose, organization and functioning of the governance committee). For more information, please consult the website of the Collège des administrateurs. (French only)

• Corporate Governance and Compliance
• Serge Lebel

15th Annual Convention of the Corporation des entrepreneurs généraux du Québec

This convention will held from February 1st to 4 at the Château Frontenac. Several members of BCF’s Construction, infrastructure and procurement team will attend and BCF lawyer Jean-François Dagenais will deliver a presentation titled "Éthique, conflit d'intérêt et déontologie dans le domaine de la construction". For more information, please consult the official website of the convention. (French only)

• Construction, Infrastructure and Procurement
• Construction Law
• Jean-François Dagenais

Keyvan Nassiry in Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada

BCF is proud to announce that BCF lawyer Keyvan Nassiry is featured in the 2012 edition of Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada in the category of Asset-based Lending.

• Asset-Based Lending and Factoring
• Keyvan Nassiry

BCF Involvement in Radio-Canada Documentary “8e feu”

Radio Canada will broadcast a series of four documentaries(French only) about relations between Aboriginals and the rest of Canada.

• Aboriginal Law
• Business Law for Aboriginal Organizations and Businesses
• Nadir André
• Marie-Christine Gagnon
• P. Mario Charpentier
• Pierre Dozois

Conference of Julie Loranger for the APFF

A variety of tax planning techniques involve the transfer or the acquisition of real estate by a trust. In these circumstances, specific precautions are required to avoid a subsequent transaction being refused due to a title issue.

• Tax Law
• Julie Loranger

Les Fiducies : Soyons pratiques!

BCF lawyer Pierre T. Allard will give a conference this January 19 in Montreal at the offices of the APFF. He will discuss the use of “asset-protection” trusts, generally based on section 73 of the ITA. For more information or to register, please consult the website of APFF. (French only)

• Tax Law
• Pierre T. Allard

Nominiation of André Morrissette

André Morrissette, partner at BCF, was elected President of the Board of Directors of the Fondation Québec Jeunes. The mission of the Fondation is to support organizations which assist adolescents between the ages of 11 and 17 who are experiencing difficulty. Its activities take place in Montreal and Quebec City. Click here to visit the Fondation’s site. (French only)

• André Morrissette
• Involvement

What's new with the Autorité des marchés financiers?

Last Friday, La Presse reported that the Autorité des marches financiers (AMF) will no longer require businesses established outside of Quebec to translate its financial documents when they obtain funding from people and organizations within Quebec. Michel Rochefort, partner at BCF, was interviewed within the context of the article. (French only)

• Securities
• Michel Rochefort

Use of social media in the workplace

Last Wednesday, La Presse featured an interview with Nancy Boyle, partner at BCF, concerning the impact of the use of social media in the workplace. For more information, please see the article. (French only)

• Labour and Employment
• Nancy Boyle

BCF’S PARTICIPATION AT THE MAYOR OF QUEBEC’S BALL

The first annual Mayor of Quebec’s Ball was held December 1st, at Château Frontenac in Quebec City. The event raised $205,000, greatly surpassing its fundraising goal of $125,000! The Fondation Québec Jeunes, an organization which supports projects for youth between the ages of 11 and 17 throughout the province, has committed itself to distributing the funds exclusively to projects in the Greater Quebec Area.

Serge Lebel, a partner at BCF, acted as president of the Governors’ committee in charge of fundraising. André Morrissette, a partner at BCF and a member of the Board of Directors of the Fondation Québec Jeunes, was also in attendance.

• Serge Lebel
• André Morrissette
• Involvement

One of BCF’s partners will become the new delegate to the Council of the Federation of Law Societies of Canada

Babak Barin, a partner with BCF, will be the Barreau du Québec’s new delegate to the Council of the Federation of Law Societies of Canada.

The 14 member law societies in Canada govern over 100,000 lawyers and 3,500 Quebec notaries in the public interest. The Federation of Law Societies of Canada is their national coordinating body.

• Babak Barin
• Involvement

2012 HS Amendments & NAFTA Update Seminar

BCF counsel Jean-Marc Clément will be one of two presenters at this seminar organized by the Canadian Association of Importers and Exporters. This series of conferences kicks off November 28 in Montreal and ends in Vancouver on December 8. To register please consult the Association’s official site.

• Domestic and International Taxation
• Jean-Marc Clément

Canadian Institute Conference on the Plan Nord

This conference will be held on Tuesday, December 6 and Wednesday, December 7 at the Omni Mont-Royal hotel in Montreal. BCF partner Marie-Christine Gagnon will preside over the first day’s proceedings and will be also a speaker, along with BCF partner Nadir André and BCF lawyer Odette Nadon.

• Natural Resources
• Marie-Christine Gagnon
• Nadir André
• Odette Nadon

The event “Celebrate Life” raises $355,800

On November 9, 2011, “Celebrate life”, a fundraiser for the benefit of the On the Tip of the Toes Foundation, was hosted by Sylvain Cossette with guest of honour André Morrissette, a partner with BCF. Over the course of the evening, over $335,800 was raised. This tremendously successful fundraiser will enable the Foundation to continue to provide adolescents living with cancer the opportunity to enjoy adventure therapy.

• André Morrissette
• Involvement

$135,000 raised at the 47th Coquetélions

This cocktail fundraiser, organized by the Lions Club of Québec-Sillery-Sainte-Foy took place on November 11th. A number of lawyers from BCF were in attendance, including Serge Lebel, partner with BCF. The funds raised are distributed to a number of worthy causes in the area.

• Serge Lebel
• Involvement

Conference on the Act to Amend the Environment Quality Act in Order to Ensure its Respect

Odette Nadon, head of the environmental law team at BCF, will be speaking at a conference concerning Bill no. 89, an Act to Amend the Environment Quality Act in Order to Reinforce Compliance, at Golf Metropolitain in Anjou, on December 12th. She will explain the effects of the new bill on the industry, as well as the standards that must be met in order to meet the requirements imposed by the law. This bill contains three main elements.

• Natural Resources
• Environmental Law
• Odette Nadon

Training program offered by the Académie des entrepreneurs généraux

The Corporation des entrepreneurs généraux du Québec has begun a new training program for general contractors working in the industrial, commercial and institutional industries. François Beaudry, a lawyer with BCF, will be leading one of the training sessions entitled “Legal Hypothecs and the Regulation respecting construction contracts of public bodies”. This session will be held on December 7th, 2011, at the Leonard Da Vinci Center, in St-Léonard. For more information, please consult the programme. (French only)

• Construction, Infrastructure and Procurement
• Construction Law
• François Beaudry

Forum on Aboriginal Law, Accommodation and Consultation

Nadir André, a partner with BCF, will be speaking at the Canadian Institute’s 6th Annual Forum on Aboriginal Law, Accommodation and Consultation, to be held in Toronto on February 22nd and 23rd, 2012. For more information, please visit the Canadian Institute’s official website.

• Aboriginal Law
• Aboriginal Law
• Nadir André

Bartha Maria Knoppers, PhD, joins BCF

BCF is pleased to announce that Bartha Maria Knoppers has joined our Montreal office as Counsel in life sciences.

• Bartha Maria Knoppers

The Use of Hyperlinks: The Supreme Court Allows Room for Immunity

In a recent ruling (Crookes v. Newton, 2011 SCC 47), the Supreme Court considered whether a mere reference by way of hyperlink from one website to another website that contains defamatory statements constitutes defamation in and of itself. In its analysis, the Supreme Court examined what is meant by “publication” of a defamatory statement (required in order to find someone liable for defamation) and it considered the role of the Internet in general.

• Intellectual Property
• Patents and Trade-marks
• Pascal Lauzon

New disclosure requirements for executive compensation

Certain amendments to Form 51-102F6 Statement of Executive Compensation take effect on October 31, 2011. The amendments will apply to financial years ending on or after that date.

• Securities
• Securities

Cabaret on Mount Royal for the Quebec Society for Disabled Children

On September 29 last, more than 500 invitees attended Cabaret on Mount Royal, a benefit event for the Quebec Society for Disabled Children. BCF managing partner Mario Charpentier, together with several members of the business community, treated the audience to a musical performance.

• P. Mario Charpentier
• Involvement
• Management

BCF Business Law

• Home

BCF in the National Post

The Financial Post published an interview last week with BCF lawyer Richard Epstein on the role of regional firms in cross-border transactions. For more information, please consult the article.

• Cross-Border Transactions
• Richard Epstein

TO EXXXCLUDE OR NOT TO EXXXCLUDE YOUR TRADE-MARK: THAT IS THE QUESTION FROM NOW UNTIL OCTOBER 28, 2011

To Exxxclude or Not to Exxxclude, That is the Question (to ask yourself by next October 28)

After 10 years of intense debate, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the organization responsible for managing domain names, authorized last spring the creation of .xxx domain names for use by the adult industry.

• Intellectual Property
• Domain Names and Internet

Annual Convention of the APFF

The annual convention of the Association de planification fiscal et financière will take place at the Quebec City Convention Centre from October 5 to 7. Four BCF professionals will attend as speakers.

• Tax Law
• Pierre T. Allard
• Jules Turcotte
• Julie Loranger
• François Giroux
• Involvement

Selling Your Business – What’s Your Exit Strategy?

BCF partner and lawyer André Morrissette will deliver, together with others professionals, an exclusive presentation to the members of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO), on October 12 at the Montreal Westin Hotel. He will share his experience with tax strategies that can help maximize profits in selling a business. He will also discuss actions that entrepreneurs can take right away to build a structure that will be advantageous in case of a sale. For more information, please consult the website of EO Montreal.

• Business, Commercial and Corporate Law
• Involvement

Managing the Immigration Risks Involved with International Mobility

BCF partner and lawyer Julie Lessard will deliver a presentation to the members of CERC, together with Elizabeth Latorre of Deloitte. This presentation will take place at Rio Tinto’s Montreal offices on October 25. For more information, please consult the CERC website.

• Business Immigration
• Business Immigration
• Julie Lessard
• Involvement

Pierre Lamontagne and Marie-Pier Baril join BCF’s Quebec City Office

BCF is pleased to announce the arrival of two lawyers, Pierre Lamontagne as a consulting partner and Marie-Pier Baril as an associate. You can consult the press release for more information.

• Pierre Lamontagne
• Marie-Pier Baril

Guy Lefebvre Receives the Medal of Merit of the China University of Political Science and Law.

Guy Levebvre, Of Counsel at BCF, will receive on October 24, 2011 the medal of merit of the China University of Political Science and Law (CUPL), as part of a series of activities celebrating the tenth anniversary of the collaboration between the Université de Montréal and CUPL. For more information please consult the article on the website of the Faculty of Law of the Université de Montréal.(French only)

• Guy Lefebvre