David L. Cameron

Retired Judge of the Court of Québec, counsel, certified mediator and arbitrator

I joined Forseti in 2025 to carry on my practice as a certified arbitrator and mediator and as counsel.

Over a period of 24 years, I practiced as a lawyer specializing in construction, insurance and commercial litigation. I was appointed judge of the Court of Quebec in 2008 where I served for 15 years.

After my retirement I rejoined the bar to practice in arbitration and mediation in matters concerning construction, insurance and shareholder recourses.

I am happy to offer my services as counsel to the dynamic team at Forseti.

Professional implications and recognition

• Sessional lecture at the McGill University Faculty of Law in the procedure and evidence course.
• Arbitrator of accounts for the Quebec Bar
• Invited professor at the faculty of Design of the University of Montreal in the Landscape Architecture programme.
• Professor at the École de formation professionnelle du Barreau du Québec in insurance and successions.
• Member of the jury for the Prix de la Justice given by the Minister of Justice under the presidence of the Chief Justices of Quebec, the Honourable Michel Robert and the Honourable Nicole Duval-Hesler.
• Mentoring of students of Quebec law faculties at the Court of Quebec.
• Judge in inter-faculty mooting competitions.
• Member of the Access to Justice in the English Language Committee of the Montreal Bar.
• Member of the Liaison committee with the Court of Quebec, civil division, of the Montreal Bar.
• Member of the insurance-law subcommittee of the joint committee of the Chamber of Notaries and the Bar of Quebec to propose corrections to the English version of the Civil Code of Quebec.
• Member of the Ethics and Professional Practice Committee of the ADR Institute of Canada (ADRIC)
• Active member of the Institut de médiation et d’arbitrage du Québec (IMAQ).
• Speaker in French and in Portuguese at conferences at UQAM and at Brazilian universities don the subject of consumer protection law.
• Invited professor at UQAM presenting at consumer protection law courses.
• Instructing judge at the University of Montreal training programme for Chinese judges.
• Member of the Quebec section of the Canadian Bar Association (CBA)

Social commitments

• Volunteer for a youth string orchestra and piano accompanist for young violinists on the South Shore of Montreal.
• Organiser of an annual student concert at the Salle Ogilvy in Montreal.
• Organisation and participant as official in regional swimming competitions.
• Member of the Board of the Montreal Arts Club

Principal Practice Areas

• As a lawyer prior to my judicial appointment, I practiced chiefly in construction law and insurance, representing professionals, builders and subcontractors. My corporate commercial practice included shareholder disputes and contractual matters.
• As a judge of the Court of Quebec I practiced in all the jurisdictions of the Civil Chamber including statutory appeals and fiscal contestations. Over 15 years at the Court I wrote over 1,200 motivated judgments across a wide range of issues.
• In my current practice as a dispute resolution specialist and counsel, I seek to apply my accumulated knowledge and pass on what I have learned to lawyers who are making their way in the practice.

Representative mandates

• Acted on behalf of insurers in major litigations related to the failures of the two first Montreal Olympic Stadium roofs.
• Represented, successfully, on behalf of liability insurers, an engineering firm in a major business interruption file in a pulp mill machinery failure.
• Successfully acted on behalf of an liability insurer in a landmark case in the field of the duty to defend.

Recent mandates and appointments, 2023-2024

• Appointed conciliator and arbitrator in a large infrastructure matter (Quebec) involving remuneration of a consortium of design professionals. The file was resolved by facilitated negotiation in the conciliation stage of this mandate.
• Appointed mediator in an infrastructure matter (Quebec) regarding remuneration of design professionals. The conflct was successfully resolved in this mediation.
• Several mediations in small and medium-sized civil matters within the jurisdiction of the Court of Québec, with a high ratio of settlements.
• Appointed by the Quebec Superior Court to act as reviser of claims in a collective action giving rise to individual recovery of members of the group. (Case 500-06-001109-202)
• Acted as counsel in a complex construction matter
• Pending appointment as arbitrator in a shareholder dispute.

Publication and conferences

Throughout my career as lawyer and judge I have been active in teaching at the university level and in profession training for admission to the Quebec Bar. I participate frequently as a speaker and panel member on a variety of legal matters for associations, law faculties and continuing education.
Recent conferences and presentations

• Lecture presented to the English Section of the Montreal Bar entitled “Both Sides Now, Access to Justice in the Age of Paradox” in the Lecture Series “Back Stage at the Palace”.
• Member of a distinguished panel in “Le Code civil d’hier à demain-30e anniversaire” a round table discussion presented at McGill University by the Barreau de Montréal. December 3, 2024.

What you should know about me