Montréal litigation boutique LCM, which saw its genesis largely on the strength of an entrepreneurial group that decamped from the once-revered but since-imploded Heenan Blaikie, celebrated its 10th year in business this past year, rebranding with slogan of “We speak litigation,” underscoring the ultimate mission of its team of bilingual lawyers. In addition, the firm is noted for being in expansion mode. It made two new partners this year – one recently added,
Alberto Martinez, and one homegrown associate recently promoted to partner,
Lucy-Maude Lachance. The firm also added insolvency specialist
Bernard Boucherto its bench from the Montréal office of Blake Cassels & Graydon. Peers are united in their observation that “LCM is growing a lot,” a status made all the more impressive by the fact that the firm actually lost two members (to the bench) last year. A peer asserts, “I would put them on par with the other litigation groups in town. It’s a very solid team – it’s not just one person holding it all together.” Another peer confides, “When you’re against someone from LCM, you feel it. They are aggressive! They are also aggressive in business development. They have shown some real initiative in this area and able to attract clients by offering real quality work for more flexible fee points.” Another confirms, “When it comes to referrals, they are always in the top two or three firms getting these, and these are for big files. But they are also getting called directly for class actions! That seems relatively new for them. Five years ago, that would not have been the case. And because their revenue structure is not based on large transactions, they can be more creative and – as someone who’s been across from them, I can tell you – more combative.” It is also noted that “LCM is really becoming the lawyers’ lawyers – they are getting some work defending big firms.”
Dominique Menard is a commercial litigation generalist whose practice encompasses injunctions, administrative law, defamation, trust and estates work, class actions and construction. Menard is routinely revered by peers and clients. Menard acts with
Julien Archambault for Hydro-Quebec in its defense of a $24 million lawsuit regarding the construction of a substation in an urban and densely populated area.Bernard Amyot is highly touted as the firm’s relationship manager – with peers going to stress, “He has relationships all across Canada and even in the US!” – but also remains active in litigation, including acting (with Martinez) for Rogers in the context of multiple class actions currently pending before Quebec’s Superior Court in which the plaintiffs contend that the late-payment charges applied to outstanding amounts due by Rogers’ clients exceed mere interest, such that their stipulation is null and the amount thereof recoverable pursuant to the
Consumer Protection Act. Plaintiffs further submit that the rate of said late payment charges are excessive, claiming their partial reimbursement as well as punitive damages.
Marie-Noël Rochon is known primarily for securities and corporate-governance matters, for heavily regulated clients who are vulnerable to litigation not only by plaintiffs but also regulators.
David Quesnel works on injunction matters and shareholder-recovery claims as well as Anton Piller orders. A peer confides, “I went against him, and it was a difficult file, but I was impressed with his professionalism and his collegiality. He also pleads very well.”
