Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2014 
With over 30 years of experience, Francis is a seasoned commercial litigation lawyer, practicing in a wide range of areas: corporate litigation, particularly shareholder disputes, product liability, contract law, and disputes related to insurance, construction, and securities. He also has extensive knowledge in class actions concerning competition law, consumer contracts, and product liability.
Francis has represented clients before all judicial levels, including the Federal Court and the Supreme Court of Canada. He also has extensive experience in institutional arbitration and those governed by the Quebec Code of Civil Procedure.
Francis led the Litigation and Dispute Resolution group at the Montreal office of a major national firm for over 7 years.
Representative work
- Representing major multinational corporations in class actions involving consumer contracts, product liability, price fixing, and financial harm.
- Representing an oil company in an action concerning the interpretation of contractual provisions in ad hoc arbitration proceedings.
- Representing a mining company in a contractual dispute with significant monetary consequences in arbitration proceedings under the International Chamber of Commerce.
- Representing a railway company in a debt recovery lawsuit under a transport contract in arbitration proceedings under the UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration.
- Representing a pharmaceutical company in a trademark infringement and misleading marketing action, raising new issues regarding intermediary trademark confusion.
- Representing an international insurance broker in an action brought by an insured following a first-line insurer’s denial of coverage.
- Participating in the restructuring of a significant real estate portfolio under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act.
- Regularly acting on behalf of manufacturers operating in North America in various industry sectors.
- Representing shareholders in various disputes arising from shareholder agreements, including oppression remedies and derivative actions.
- Acting on behalf of a private investment advisory firm in an action involving allegations of unfair competition.
