Louis P. Bélanger

I have been a consulting partner at Forseti since 2018. My practice consists mainly of litigating before the courts, particularly in civil and commercial litigation and class actions.

As a litigator, I have acted as legal counsel lead counsel in large-scale, often high-profile cases that present particular difficulties and new challenges. In doing so, I have developed special expertise in crisis management. I have acted before the courts at several levels, including the Superior Court, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada.

I have developed extensive expertise, particularly in the areas of evidence and court procedure, with a focus on cases requiring firm and decisive action, highly complex cases and new legal issues. I take a comprehensive approach that is integrated with my clients’ legal needs.

PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION

• Recognized by various professional publications (judged by peers and clients) as one of the 500 best lawyers in Canada and Quebec for nearly 20 years.
• Examples since joining Forseti:
  • Chambers and Legal 500 Canada 2017 as a top dispute resolution lawyer – Quebec
  • Best Lawyers in Canada 2017 in commercial litigation, class actions and directors’ and officers’ liability
  • The 2017 Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada in commercial litigation
  • Benchmark Canada: The Definitive Guide to Canada’s Leading Litigation Firms and Attorneys 2017
  • The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2016, as a leading practitioner in the areas of commercial litigation, securities and class actions and directors’ and officers’ liability
  • The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2016, as a leading practitioner in the areas of commercial litigation, securities and class actions and directors’ and officers’ liability Recognized in the 2016 Lexpert
  • American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada Benchmark Litigation’s definitive guide to Canada’s leading litigation firms and attorneys, 2016 edition
  • 2016 Lexpert Guide to the Leading U.S./Canada Cross-Border Corporate Lawyers in Canada
• Earlier examples:
  • Lexpert Special Edition on Canada’s Leading Litigation Lawyers, December 2016 (one of the 56 best litigation lawyers in Quebec)
  • The Montreal Lawyer magazine, Litigator of the Year for 2013: title awarded to a litigator recognized in the Quebec legal community for a career characterized by excellence
  • Lexpert/Thomson’s 2006 Guide to Canada’s 100 Most Creative Lawyers

Social commitments

• President of the McGill University Faculty of Law Moot Court for several years
• Member of various Barreau committees, including the Disciplinary Council for three consecutive terms (1993–1996)
• Jury member of the Sopinka Cup National Trial Advocacy Competition for several years

Representative mandates

• I successfully represented our clients’ interests before the Supreme Court in Ponce v. Société d’investissements Rhéaume ltée, 2023 SCC 25.
• I successfully challenged the attempted hostile takeover of Air Canada by Onex.
• I represented Malcolm Media’s interests in the Gomery Inquiry, and in the context of the debate on journalists’ privilege before the Supreme Court of Canada.
• I acted as lead counsel for a major oil company in class actions concerning allegations of gasoline price fixing, including two interlocutory appeals to the Supreme Court of Canada.

What you should know about me