Hélène Lefebvre's main practice areas are insurance law and professional liability. She is Chair of our insurance and professional liability team.
Ms. Lefebvre's insurance practice focuses on professional liability, directors' and officers' liability and general liability insurance. She represents the interests of insurers and their insureds before the courts at all levels. Ms. Lefebvre frequently defends the interests of professionals in civil actions or disciplinary proceedings, including recently defending accountants and lawyers in class-action proceedings involving tax shelters, securities and mutual funds brought by shareholders and investors. She has also assisted clients, including professionals, in giving testimony in investigations undertaken by securities regulators, agencies and various professional bodies. Ms. Lefebvre appeared before the Committee on Public Finance of the Quebec National Assembly to make representations regarding bills under consideration.
Speaking engagements
· "Business Valuators: New Targets for Plaintiffs?" at the conference of The Canadian Institute of Chartered Business Valuators (CICBV) held on September 4, 2008.
· "L'assurance responsabilité D&O : Tout ce que vous avez toujours voulu savoir mais n'avez jamais osé demander" (co-author: M.A. Lamarche) Canadian Bar Association, November 21, 2007.
· "La requête pour ordonner à un assureur de prendre fait et cause pour son assuré, plus communément appelée 'Requête Wellington'," MAIW luncheon, April 17, 2007.
· "L'assurance responsabilité des administrateurs et dirigeants de sociétés commerciales" (co-author: F. Lemelin), Insight Conference, November 28, 2005, also published in Droit des affaires et gestion d'entreprise - Risques et responsabilités Actionnaires . Administrateurs . Dirigeants, Insight Information.
· "Les stratégies efficaces pour réussir une preuve par témoin expert : comment tout peut bien ou mal tourner," in L'Évaluation de la valeur d'une entreprise, The Canadian Institute, November 11, 2004.
· "Processus : l'audience disciplinaire," Réglementation touchant les professionnels et audience disciplinaire, Infonex, April 28, 1999.
· "Imposition d'une sanction : Qu'est ce qui est juste et raisonnable?" Discipline et réglementation professionnelles, Infonex, December 11, 2001.
· "Responsabilité professionnelle des fiscalistes," presentation to tax practitioners of Raymond Chabot Martin Paré, September 15, 1997.
· "La responsabilité professionnelle envers les tiers," McGill University, May 1997.
· "Relation courtier - assureur, obligations du courtier," presentation to AXA Boréal, April 1997.
Rankings and recognitions
· Best Lawyers in Canada (2012) - Director and Officer Liability, Legal Malpractice Law
· Canadian Legal Directory Lexpert
Memberships and activities
· Canadian Bar Association
- Insurance Section
- Civil Litigation Section
· American Bar Association
- Associate member
· Montreal Association of Insurance Women
Related Publications
Quebec Superior Court rules auditors negligent in Castor case and ordered to pay damages
The Quebec Superior Court has ruled in the Castor Holdings Inc. case that auditors were negligent and ordered them to pay substantial damages.
01/12/2011
The autopsy on the Castor saga
On April 14, 2011, the Quebec Superior Court rendered a 750-page decision in the matter of Widdrington v. Wightman et al, known as the
07/07/2011
Business Valuators: New Targets For Plaintiffs?
Chartered Business Valuators (CBVs) are today hired by a wide range of actors. They are called upon to work in a variety of fields of business, ranging from mining ventures to food retail chains.
01/01/2010