Québec

Firm overview

Our firm was established in 1967, when it operated under the name Spector Kravitz. Our name has undergone changes along the way, but our fundamental values have remained etched in stone: the incessant quest for excellence, the strong desire for independence, and deep roots in the Montreal business community.

At Spiegel Sohmer, we employ a global, 360° approach to turning legal problems into business opportunities and solutions you may never have imagined possible. Our strength and intellectual rigour in tax law, intellectual property, business law, litigation, real estate law and succession help maximize the return on your investment. That same strength and intellectual rigour have led to the tremendous growth and remarkable success of our civil and commercial litigation practice group.

Our comprehensive knowledge of law permits us to offer sound and financially efficient solutions in a tax-efficient manner. Drawing on our gifted, multidisciplinary team, we bring an innovative perspective to every aspect of the law.

To address the concrete business needs of our clients, we spare them the impenetrable jargon and never-ending debate. They obtain practical, result-oriented solutions in sim-ple, transparent language, with a level of service that exceeds their expectations.

We deliver quick and easy-to-understand solutions while offering a complete range of business-focused legal services. The most fruitful, productive business relationships are rooted in confidence, respect and a mutual interest in our client’s success.

Today, we continue our long history of innovation, entrepreneurship, and working closely with our clients, which has been our trademark for more than 50 years.

Firm overview

As a leading business law firm, McMillan LLP serves public, private and not-for-profit clients across key industries in Canada, the United States and internationally. With recognized expertise and acknowledged leadership in major business sectors, we provide solutions-oriented legal advice through our offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa and Montréal.

To help organizations stay ahead, we provide exceptional industry insights in transportation, technology and technology transactions, infrastructure and construction, and natural resources and energy. Whether it’s a cross-border transaction, a complicated private equity deal, complex real estate financing, or a bet-the-company lawsuit or regulatory dispute, by fostering a supportive workplace culture, McMillan’s 300+ lawyers serve clients with excellence and responsiveness, delivering the real-time solutions they need.

Our firm values - respect, teamwork, commitment, client service and professional excellence - are at the heart of McMillan’s commitment to serve our clients, our local communities and the legal profession. Among other industry and professional accolades, we are proud to be named Canada’s Top 100 Employers 2024, one of only two law firms recognized in this prestigious competition.

About our Litigation & Dispute Resolution Group

With an impressive track record in domestic and cross-border litigation, McMillan’s lawyers are recognized for their creativity and effectiveness in bringing disputes to satisfactory conclusions, both inside and outside the courts. And with specialists in key areas such as competition, intellectual property, real estate, securities and others, our litigators always strive to deliver a complete solution—no matter the nature of your corporate or commercial disputes.

As experienced litigators, we always assess risk and opportunities before advising clients on the likelihood of success and helping them weigh their options. We also understand that litigation is not always the preferred option, and help clients pursue a full range of resolution avenues including early negotiated settlements and alternative dispute resolution methods. If we proceed to court, however, we are recognized for our ability to tenaciously advance our clients’ commercial interests.

Firm overview

Bennett Jones is consistently recognized for its expertise in domestic and cross-border litigation. The firm is known for its uncompromising strength in the areas of competition and antitrust, securities, class actions, energy, commercial, intellectual property, fraud, construction, restructuring/insolvency, employment, health, and professional negligence litigation and has prominent practitioners in alternate dispute resolution, including international commercial arbitration. We are committed to working with our clients to develop an effective and cost-efficient strategy to identify and achieve their unique goals in the prosecution and defense of business disputes.

With more than 100 lawyers practicing commercial litigation nationally, Bennett Jones litigators have significant experience in all aspects of dispute resolution, and have leading reputations before courts and tribunals. We represent some of Canada's largest corporations, including energy producers, and technology and telecommunications companies, and are skilled in conducting commercial arbitrations, including those involving issues in the oil and gas, mining and construction industries. Our litigation practice is supported by the considerable strength of our appellate advocacy and judicial review practice which provides clients and referring counsel with specialized and strategic advice on all aspects of cases on appeal or under judicial review.

We are frequently retained by major domestic and international corporations in the defense of class actions. Representing parties at every stage of the lawsuit, from pre-certification motions and applications through to trial, we bring to each phase coordinated strategies and effective communications to streamline the litigation process. We also advise clients on mitigating their class action risk and proactively monitor trends in prospective class action developments.

Recognizing that many disputes are settled prior to trial, our commercial and technical expertise provides another valuable set of skills to the negotiation and settlement of litigation. Our team approach ensures that we provide the most timely, effective and innovative support to our clients. Our lawyers' reputations, contributions to Canadian case law, and distinguished history of service have resulted in top rankings in all major legal directories for many of our litigators, in a multitude of litigation practice areas.

Firm Culture:

Bennett Jones reflects the integrity and professional excellence of the firm’s Founding Partners. After more than 100 years of service, the firm has produced some of Canada’s most accomplished legal and business leaders, fostering values that established it as one of Canada’s most successful business law firms. The firm prides itself on offering clients innovative, strategic and forward-thinking approaches to their most complex legal and regulatory challenges and opportunities. Bennett Jones promotes a diverse and inclusive work environment where mutual respect and independent thought lead client and colleague interactions. Bennett Jones is proud to have been recognized for 23 consecutive years as one of Canada’s Best Employers.

Firm overview

Founded in February 2015, Renno Vathilakis Inc. has quickly become one of Montreal’s premier corporate and commercial litigation boutiques. Practising in the fields of corporate litigation and shareholder disputes, class actions, franchise and distribution litigation, commercial arbitration, bankruptcy and insolvency, competition law, family law, constitutional law, privacy law, defamation and freedom of expression, employment law, construction law and securities law litigation, Renno Vathilakis Inc. provides its clients with top flight representation.

Both of the firm’s co-founders have a consistent and impressive track record litigating and resolving corporate and commercial disputes.

Karim Renno was previously a partner in the Montreal litigation department of renown Canadian firm Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, as well as a partner in the highly regarded Montreal litigation boutique of Irving Mitchell Kalichman LLP. Through his fifteen years of litigation experience, he has amassed a number of accolades. Since 2013, he has been ranked as a Litigation Star in Benchmark Litigation and was cited as an Up and Coming litigator in the 2014 and 2015 editions of Chambers Global. He has been recognized by Best Lawyers Canada as a leading practitioner for corporate/commercial litigation in Québec since 2015. In 2013, Karim was awarded by the Client Choice awards as the top litigator in the province of Québec for client service. Finally, Karim has been recognized by Benchmark Litigation as one of Canada’s top 50 trial lawyers since 2015. He is also the founder and editor in chief of the ‘’ À bon droit’’ blog and contributes hundreds of case commentaries every year. In fact, his blog was named best practitioner legal blog in Canada for 2012 by the Canadian Law Blog Awards and was a finalist for Best Canadian Law Blog at the same awards in 2013 and 2014. He is a regular contributor to well-known law blogs such as Canlii Connects, Droit Inc. and Edilex. Moreover, Karim has published numerous articles relating to corporate law, commercial law, evidence and civil procedure.

He has amassed a vast experience and enjoys an excellent reputation with regard to private international law matters and injunctions, having argued before the Supreme Court of Canada on multiple occasions in cases involving such issues. Moreover, Karim has represented some of the most important companies before all levels of Québec courts. Karim has acted as lead counsel in several high profile cases related to the telecommunications, credit card, pharmaceutical, construction, tobacco, software, real estate, airline and transportation industries.

Co-founder Michael Vathilakis has an equally impressive track record. After working for two national law firms, Michael was tapped to lead the in-house team of Future Electronics Inc., one of the world’s largest electronic components distributors. He soon rose to the position of General Counsel, Vice-President Legal Affairs of the company. From that position, he spearheaded and oversaw numerous high profile commercial court trials and arbitrations, as well as a number of significant business transactions. He returned to private practice to found Renno Vathilakis Inc. His practice focuses on dispute prevention, commercial litigation and family law. In fact, Michael is recognized by Best Lawyers Canada (2020) as leading practitioner in Family Law. Michael has acted before all levels of Québec courts as lead counsel in significant cases related to, amongst others, technology, electronic component distribution and real estate industries. A member of the Law Society of Upper Canada - as well as the QUÉBEC Bar - Michael has represented clients in international arbitrations both in Canada and abroad. He has also acted in various employment cases and is presently one of the lead counsel in a number of significant class actions.

Michael holds a master’s degree in law from Harvard University (LL.M.) and has been recognized by Benchmark Litigation as a Litigation Star from 2016.

Michael lectures to law students on a frequest basis - with respect to international commercial arbitration and class actions - at Harvard Law School, Stanford, McGill Law School and the University of Montreal.

The founding partners are supported by a highly skilled and growing team. The young firm currently consists of six lawyers, two articling students and several summer students - with a view of further growth in the coming years.

Renno Vathilakis Inc. is dedicated to providing its clients with top notch dispute resolution services and to finding creative solutions to complex problems.