Consulting Partner, Lawyer

Michel Décary, Ad. E.

• “Être un administrateur de sociétés d’État”

  published 2007 by Université Laval – Collège des administrateurs de sociétés

• “Appearance of United States Lawyers before the Federal Courts of Canada and the Canadian Superior and Provincial Courts”

  American College of Trial Lawyer Publication on Cross-Boarder Litigation -and "Admissibility of Sworn U.S. Testimony before Canadian Courts", May 2006

• Has advised or defended a number of boards of directors during legal proceedings or investigations, including businesses in the companies in the insurance, construction, aircraft, communications, retail, engineering, transport and legal sectors;
• Counselled Ciments McInnis in a dispute with Lafarge Inc., the Québec Environmental Law Centre and Environnement Vert-Plus Inc., which sought to have the Minister of the Environment's certificate of approval revoked for the construction of the new McInnis cement plant;
• Counsels the Chambre des notaires and the Barreau du Québec in a dispute seeking the declaration that certain acts performed by insurance companies for others are the exclusive domain of notaries and lawyers;
• Acted as attorney or counselled witnesses or parties before a number of public inquiry commissions (Cliche, Keable, Malouf, Quebec Municipal Commission, Beaudry, Gomery, Johnson and Charbonneau), investigations by the Autorité des marchés financiers, the Auditor General of Québec, coroners and many other Canadian and Quebec administrative agencies;
• Has challenged or defended a number of federal and provincial laws on behalf of private corporations or governments.
• Successfully defended the validity of Québec’s nationalization of part of the asbestos industry
• Successfully defended the Québec Government against an attempt by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to terminate the Churchill Falls power purchase contract
• Lobbied on behalf of companies in the food industry and took part in the court challenge that led abrogation of the prohibition against Sunday retail trading
• Has challenged or defended various federal or provincial laws, including the Competition Act (or parts thereof: Air Canada v. Attorney General of Canada, Alex Couture Ltée v. Attorney General of Canada), sections of the Bankruptcy Act and other legislative or regulatory enactments
• In 1998, together with Ian Binnie, formerly a Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, was appointed co-lead counsel on the legal team in charge of defending the first Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement;
• Represented the Conservative Party of Canada in an application for judicial review of the Chief Electoral Officer's decision refusing to certify various electoral advertising expenses on the grounds, inter alia, that the Party had used an "in-and-out" scheme to transfer expenses to candidates
• Represented the Government of New Brunswick against a challenge launched by Égalité santé en français inc. regarding the constitutional validity of the province's Health Care Reform (2008-2010) (settlement reached in early April 2010)
• Represented the Quebec Liberal Party before the Charbonneau Commission
• Represented McInnis Inc. in proceedings against Lafarge Inc., the Centre québécois du droit de l’environnement and Environnement Vert-Plus inc., who were seeking to quash the certificate of authorization issued by the Minister of the Environment for the new McInnis cement plant building project.

• June 2, 2015

  The Canadian Institute “Le nouveau Code de procédure civile - incidence pratique sur vos dossiers administratifs”

• April 29, 2013

  The Canadian Institute Round Table on Governance “La gouvernance dans la fonction publique municipale”

• February 7, 2013

  Federated Press "Conférence sur la responsabilité des administrateurs et membres de la direction"

• January 30, 2013

  Continuum 30 Conferences (CANCELLED) “Devoirs et obligations des administrateurs”

• November 27, 2012

  Insight Information Conference on crisis management “Le Rôle du conseil d’administration avant, pendant et après la crise”

• May 15, 2012

  Federated Press Publications "Responsabilité pénale des administrateurs et moyens de prévention et de protection"

• February 3, 2012

  Canadian Bar Association – New Brunswick Winter Meeting 2012 “La retraite obligatoire”

• April 12, 2011

  The Canadian Institute 7th edition of training in administrative law « Commentaires au sujet de l’état actuel de la révision judiciaire depuis les arrêts Dunsmuir et Khos”

• November 5, 2010

  Federated Press Publications “Responsabilité pénale des administrateurs et moyens de prévention et de protection”

• October 21, 2010

  The Canadian Institute Training Camp for Litigation Lawyers “Contre-interrogatoire et interrogatoire d’un témoin devenu hostile”

• September 27, 2010

  The Canadian Institute Forum on Government Relations and Lobbying “Votre client est sous enquête : ce que vous devez savoir du processus d'enquête du Commissaire”

• April 20, 2010

  The Canadian Institute Advanced Conference on administrative Law: “Duismuir, Khosa et Proprio-Direct répondent-ils à toutes nos questions?”

• October 29, 2009

  Canadian Bar Association Seminar on investigative bodies “Le contrôle judiciaire ou les limites des pouvoirs des commissions d’enquête”

• October 20 and October 21, 2009

  Federated Press Publications: “Conférence sur la Responsabilité pénale des administrateurs et membres de la direction”

• September 9, 10 and 11, 2009

  Federated Press Publications: “Conférence sur les Régimes de retraite : droit et contestation”

• February 28, 2008

  Conférences PERFORM Tribune des dirigeants TM 2008 “Comment réagissez-vous à l’évolution des marchés des secteurs public et privé”

• May 31, 2006

  The Canadian Institute 4th Advanced Conference on administrative law: “L'élargissement de la connaissance d’office des tribunaux administratifs et l’impact sur leurs décisions” (Hôtel InterContinental)

• October 20, 2005

  The Canadian Institute Conference on Boards of Directors Opening speech by Michel Décary as Chair (2nd day) (InterContinental Hotel)

• November 28, 2005

  Insight Conférence “Les moyens de prévention et de défenses des administrateurs et dirigeants à l’encontre de poursuites” (Omni Mont-Royal Hotel, Montréal)

• December 2 and December 3, 2004

  3rd Advanced Conference on Administrative Law The Canadian Institute Theme: “Derniers développements légaux et stratégies pour gagner votre cause” Michel Décary chaired the conference and led a workshop (Hyatt Regency Hotel, Montréal)

• September 13, 2004

  Forum on the major challenges facing officers and directors and their new liabilities The Canadian Institute Talk given by Mr. Décary: “Évaluer les réactions que sont susceptibles d’avoir les tribunaux face aux initiatives de réforme de la régie d’entreprise et aux récents scandales qui ont ébranlé les marchés financiers au Canada et aux États-Unis” (Hyatt Regency Hotel, Montréal)

• September 9, 2004

  The Federal Court and the Federal Court of Appeal of Canada Federal Court and Federal Court of Appeal Education Seminar: Overview of Section 7 and Section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and an Update on Administrative Law Title of talk given by Michel Décary: "Emerging Issues in the Interpretation and Application of Section 7 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms" (Château Montebello, Québec)

• July 7, 2004

  The Canadian Institute for Advanced Legal Studies The Strasbourg Lectures 2004 Human Rights: Legal Ethics and Globalization Talk presented by Michel Décary: “Commentaires concernant le nouvel article 3.05.18 du code de déontologie des avocats : changement d’importance ou simple placebo?” (Strasbourg, France)/Published

• October 22, 2003

  Canadian Bar Association- Québec Division (civil litigation) Professional conduct – conflicts of interest. “Nouvelles exigences en matière de loyauté et de confidentialité” Presented jointly by Michel Décary and Gérald Tremblay

• March 19, 2004

  Université de Montréal Round table on training in ethical research: “Le pourquoi et le comment de la formation continue dans le secteur privé ainsi que l’utilisation qu’on y fait de l’approche par problème et des études de cas”

• December 5, 2003

  The Canadian Institute Conference on judicial independence: “Derniers développements législatifs, politiques et administratifs”.

• September 4, 2003

  Conférence Perform “Régie d’entreprise–Les suites de la loi Sarbanes-Oxley de 2002 au Canada et au Québec”.

• January 23, 2003

  Corporate Boards. Event chaired jointly by Michel Décary and Sidney M. Horn. Mr. Décary's talk was on the risks related to the position of director and how they can protect themselves against liability.

• November 21, 2002

  Insight Conferences Conference: “Impacts de l’adoption par la Bourse de Toronto de nouvelles règles fondées sur les recommandations du Comité mixte sur la gouvernance d’entreprise (Rapport Saucier)”.

• June 18, 2002

  KPMG Conference: Audit committee round table: “Impact des nouvelles règles sur la responsabilité des membres de comités de vérification”

• April 29 and 30, 2002

  The Canadian Institute Conference: Recent Developments in Administrative Law: “Comparution devant un tribunal administratif – Stratégies, tactiques et commentaires pratiques”

• November 25, 2000

  Canadian Bar Association “Évolution de la notion d’indépendance judiciaire en droit canadien”

• November 27, 2000

  Conference Perform Management-Union Forum (2000) Comparative law: comparison of the main provisions of the labour codes of Québec, Ontario, British Columbia and the U.S.

• Member of the Board of Directors of the Clinical Research Institute of Montréal;
• Member of the Board of Directors of Portage inc.;
• Chair of the Board of Directors of the Montréal Council on Foreign Relations from 1999 to 2009, then member of the Board;
• Member of the Board of Directors of the National Public Relations Inc. from 2000;
• Member of the Advisory Committee of Lapaco Inc. since 1997;
• Member of the Board of Directors of the Montréal Institute of International Studies since 2004;
• Member and Secretary of Destination Centre-Ville since September 2008;
• Life Governor of the Fondation du Barreau du Québec since 2003;
• Member of the Advisory Committee of the Université de Montréal Law Faculty since 2003.
• Member of the Board of Directors of the Clinical Research Institute of Montréal;
• Member of the Board of Directors of Portage inc.;
• Chair of the Board of Directors of the Montréal Council on Foreign Relations from 1999 to 2009, then member of the Board;
• Member of the Board of Directors of the National Public Relations Inc. from 2000 to 2014;
• Member of the Advisory Committee of Lapaco Inc. from 1997 to 2015;
• Member of the Board of Directors of the Montréal Institute of International Studies from 2004 to 2016;
• Member and Secretary of Destination Centre-Ville from 2008 to 2016;
• Life Governor of the Fondation du Barreau du Québec since 2003;
• Member of the Advisory Committee of the Université de Montréal Law Faculty from 2003 to 2010;
• Member of the Board of Directors of Harmonium International Inc. 2009-2013;
• Trustee of the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts Foundation 2004-2014, President 2013-2014;
• Member of the Board of Directors of Groupe Vidéotron Ltée from 1980 to 2000 and member of several board committees;
• Member of the Board of Directors of Groupe TVA Inc. from 1987 to 2003 and member of several board committees, including the Auditing Committee;
• Member of the Board of Directors of Sojecci Ltée from 1990 to 2000;
• Administrative member of the Fondation Lucie et André Chagnon (2000 – 2001);
• Member of the Board of Directors of Crédit commercial de France in the 1980s;
• Vice-President of the Royal Victoria Hospital (1982-1984);
• Vice-President of the Québec Hospitals Association (1982-1984);
• Member of the Board of Directors of Stikeman Elliott LLP (1989-1997) (1999-2003) and member of its Executive Committee (1999-2003);
• Co-leader of the Stikeman Elliott LLP litigation section (1982-1997);
• Member of the Committee on Research Ethics of Université de Montréal (2003-2007);
• Member of the Barreau de Montréal and Court of Appeal Liaison Committee from 2003 to 2007;
• President of the executive committee of the administrative law section of the Canadian Bar Association-Québec Division (2005–2007);
• Member of the Board of Directors of Sopinka Cup since 1999 and President (2003-2004);
• Secretary of the Barreau de Montréal (1972); and member of the Barreau du Québec Administrative Committee (1974-1976).