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Canadian Lawyer’s 2024–25 ranking of the top law firms in Quebec evokes a sense of déjà vu as, once again, the reigning champions have been voted the best by the magazine’s readers.
From thousands of votes and 38 distinguished nominees, the top 10 firms stand tall in an ever-evolving legal landscape with their unwavering dedication to:
legal expertise
service excellence
technology integration
fostering a thriving corporate culture
Langlois Lawyers LLP CEO Jean-François Gagnon highlights the ability to navigate a unique combination of economic conditions and significant technological changes as a hallmark of a leading law firm. His firm, a bastion of the Quebec legal scene, is known for its all-around excellence.
“This state of flux is already impacting how our clients do business and our legal services are delivered,” he explains. “A top legal firm in Quebec, and anywhere else for that matter, must clearly understand and anticipate how our clients can and will navigate these changing conditions to remain successful. And the current state of global geopolitical affairs is complex and highly volatile, creating many long-term uncertainties.”
Anik Trudel, CEO at Lavery de Billy LLP, leads another stalwart of CL’s annual top firm ranking. She offers her perspective on the crucial elements that feature prominently among the legal titans.
“A leading law firm in Quebec sets itself apart by providing in-depth advice on complex issues and doing so uncompromisingly,” she states. “It must deliver effective results through a full range of legal services supported by strong technology to meet client needs and expectations. These principles lay the foundation for lasting relationships based on mutual trust with clients.”
Trudel notes that embodying excellence while fostering alliances is critical to being at the leading edge, along with capacities such as:
serving medium to large businesses and major institutions
developing and tapping into a network within and outside Quebec to help clients expand beyond provincial borders and support companies that choose to do business in Quebec
“As a major regional firm providing a full range of legal services, we cultivate excellent relationships with law firms outside the province,” she adds.
Proximity to its clients has enabled the award-winning law firm to deliver exceptional service with a personal touch and form strong bonds in the seven locales where it has laid down roots.
Since its founding in 1954, the firm, whose owners are all Quebecers, has grown to 260 employees, including over 115 lawyers, notaries, and labour relations advisors. It has a long-established presence in Montréal, Laval, the urban agglomeration of Longueuil, Joliette, Saint-Jérôme, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, and Sherbrooke, and serves clients throughout the province.
“Our clients trust the people invested in their area and, throughout our locations, we have all the power of a big firm but the ability to be agile,” explains vice president Yanick Tanguay, who advises and represents municipal and supra-municipal bodies before the courts.
The legal teams remain at the forefront in all areas of legal service with their cutting-edge expertise across:
commercial
banking and real estate matters
labour
employment and immigration law
public
municipal
education and health law
civil law
insurance
construction
family law
“The quality of our expertise and taking the time to get to know and understand our clients and their situations helps to ensure great results,” Tanguay adds. “For this, there is no compromising.”
CL’s survey respondents attested to that prevailing business philosophy, as evidenced by the following comments:
“Excellent services delivered by highly qualified and trustworthy professionals.”
“Demonstrates its values of respect, integrity, loyalty, diversity and inclusion.”
“Loyal to their clients and passionate about their work.”
“A superb approach to their customers, emphasizing patience, attentiveness, and respect for the client’s needs.”
“They appreciate our business and needs, and there is a low turnover of lawyers working with us.”
“Involved in numerous communities and charities.”
“Although we enjoy a vast network in Canada and around the world thanks, in part, to our involvement with SCG Legal, our activities are entirely concentrated here in Quebec,” Tanguay says of the respondent’s remarks.
The firm has experienced growth in its real estate, commercial, and banking practice areas. It has hired several new partners who personify the firm’s values, overcoming the challenge of attracting talent, which law firms in Quebec and elsewhere in Canada have experienced.
“We’re out in the field identifying young talent and are involved with Quebec’s leading law faculties, particularly the Université de Montréal and the Université de Sherbrooke,” notes Tanguay. “We also only have one level of partners, which makes for a relatively young, dynamic and collaborative environment in which the whole office benefits.”
In 2023, the firm made a $110,000 donation to the Faculty of Law of the Université de Sherbrooke, along with the subsequent creation of the Fonds Dunton Rainville. That commitment to nurturing new talent continues with new hires, where senior lawyers act as mentors, giving advice and assigning cases.
Gagnon cites talent, balancing in-person and remote work, and developing the expertise needed for future opportunities as top-of-mind challenges.
“Addressing this must all be part of a firm’s strategic planning to ensure success,” he remarks.
Trudel believes the hurdles inherent in integrating emerging technologies such as AI into a firm’s legal practice cannot be understated.
“Law firms and companies alike are instinctively turning to technology solutions that may or may not involve artificial intelligence to reduce the time it takes to perform certain repetitive processes to which professionals bring little added value,” she notes. “From an ethical standpoint, lawyers need to understand that taking an interest in the emergence of these new technologies is a responsibility they have toward their clients.”
Lavery, for example, has created its own generative AI tool, an interface enabling its members to access different versions of the ChatGPT chatbot. It has also launched a new business intelligence position to develop complementary services to better serve and support clients.
With a view to the future, Dunton Rainville has set its sights on doing what it does best: bringing its award-winning legal expertise and services closer to the people. Expansion plans that showcase its broad expertise are in the works, with a particular focus on real estate, commercial, and banking laws.
“Our growth will continue by being present in the community and business circles, and new offices in other areas of Quebec,” Tanguay states. “But always with the same values and passion that we’ve built from the ground up because, first and foremost, we are professionals, and our best calling card is our cutting-edge expertise.”
The stakes have never been higher for Quebec law firms striving to maintain their competitive edge. However, the top-ranked legal leaders have earned their sterling reputations with bold, innovative, and collaborative approaches that achieve optimal client results while engaging and motivating their staff.
For Dunton Rainville, Tanguay states, “We focus on our client’s success for today and tomorrow, but always with an eye on long-term growth. In this sense, we give our young talent much room for growth and accomplishment. We want them to grow so the company can continue strengthening its leadership position.”
Trudel of Lavery emphasizes, “You must position yourself as a trusted strategic business adviser offering support beyond simple legal advice. We take a pragmatic, hands-on approach to collaborating with our clients as well as with law firms outside Quebec and their clients, never losing sight of their business realities and always providing creative, practical, and accessible advice.”
The ability of Quebec-based lawyers to practice in both official languages and to advise on French-language matters is vital to its innovative edge, notes Gagnon.
“With its full range of firms, including regional, national, global, and boutique, Quebec’s legal industry has always been and continues to be well equipped and well positioned to meet the market’s evolving and growing needs,” he adds.
Canadian Lawyer asked readers to vote for the top full-service regional firms in Quebec. In the survey, which took place between Oct. 2 and 27, 2023, respondents were asked to rank up to 10 firms from a long list provided. They were also given the option of adding a firm not included in that list. The rankings were based on the regional service coverage, client base, notable mandates, service excellence, and legal expertise of the firms.
To qualify for the list and be voted for, firms were required to have offices in Quebec (extending across the river to include Ottawa) and offer a wide range of legal services.
Voters ranked firms from 1 to 10, with first-place votes earning 10 points and points decreasing by one up to one point for a 10th-place vote. Points were added up and the firms were ranked accordingly. The quantitative results were combined with the Lexpert peer survey results, where applicable, along with feedback from respected senior members of the bar.