Upon graduating from the National Program of the University of Ottawa (LL.L./LL.B.) in 2000 - as the recipient of the John Aylen Q.C. Prize for highest academic standing - Michael began his legal career working in the litigation department of a large national firm. Michael initially worked as a student in the Montreal office and subsequently, as a lawyer in the Toronto office. In 2002, Michael returned to academia by undertaking his LL.M. studies at Harvard Law School where, upon graduation in 2003, he was named class speaker. Michael went on to cohost the Sports and the Law Lecture Series at Harvard Law School in 2004 and has returned as a guest speaker for arbitration courses, on a number of occasions, since that time.
Following several years of private practice with the another national firm again, in Toronto and Montreal - in 2006, Michael joined the in-house legal department of Future Electronics, one of the largest electronic component distributors in the world and also took on the role of General Counsel to Convergia Networks, a global end-to-end telecom network company.
In 2010, Michael was named Vice President Legal Affairs and General Counsel of Future Electronics. It was in his capacity as General Counsel to both Future Electronics and Convergia Networks, that Michael spearheaded and oversaw a number of high profile commercial court cases and arbitrations, as well as a number of significant business transactions.
Michael returned to private practice and in 2015, he co-founded Renno & Vathilakis.
Michael’s practice focuses on dispute prevention and commercial litigation, as well as family law. In fact, Michael is recognized by Best Lawyers Canada (2020) as leading practitioner in Family Law. Michael has acted in mediations and arbitrations both in Canada and abroad and has appeared before all levels of courts in QUÉBEC as lead counsel in significant cases related to shareholder disputes, technology, electronic component distribution and real estate industries. He has also acted in a number of employment cases and is currently lead counsel in a number of significant class actions. Michael’s practice in family law includes regularly advising clients with respect to divorce and separation, including custody rights, child and spousal support, and separation of property. He is a member of the Association des avocats et avocates en droit familial du Québec.
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.
In addition to holding an LL.M. from Harvard Law School (2003) and LL.L. and LL.B. from the National Program at the University of Ottawa, Michael also holds an undergraduate degree in political science from McGill University (1995).
Updated April 2024
