Marie-Pier
Cloutier
Member of the Quebec Bar since 2014
Member of the Law Society of Ontario since 2018
Languages: French, English
A graduate of McGill University in civil and common law, Marie-Pier worked in commercial and regulatory litigation for the Attorney General of Canada before joining the Woods team. Marie-Pier develops a diversified practice in civil, commercial and administrative litigation. She is also involved in the firm's international arbitration team. She has extensive experience in the areas of class actions, judicial reviews, contract law, manufacturer's liability, consumer protection law, and investigative commissions in matters governed by provincial or federal authorities. Recognized for her abilities as an excellent listener, Marie-Pier also advises clients outside the judicial framework.
Marie-Pier sits on the executive committee of the Administrative Law Section of the Canadian Bar Association. She continues to be involved with the McGill University Faculty of Law through the Young Alumni Board of Montreal and accompanying students taking part in the Laskin constitutional and administrative law moot court competition.
REPRESENTATIVE MANDATES
Represented before the Supreme Court of Canada an accounting firm that was faced with a claim by a trust (through its trustees) for damages resulting from the bankruptcy of a holding company of which the trust was the sole shareholder. The Supreme Court upheld the decisions of the Superior Court and the Quebec Court of Appeal, and dismissed the lawsuit against our client. The Court reiterated that in Quebec civil law as in Canadian corporate law, shareholders do not have a right of action in respect of faults committed against the corporation in which they hold shares unless it is establish that they suffered a direct prejudice distinct from that suffered by the corporation, in relation to a distinct obligation (Brunette v Legault Joly Thiffault, s.e.n.c.r.l., 2018 SCC 55)
Acts for Vidéotron ltd. in a class action sought to sanction breaches of the Community Television Broadcasting Distribution Regulations in Montreal-based Community Television (TVCI-MTL) v Videotron,
Member of the legal team acting on behalf of Bayer Cropscience in an international arbitration seated in New York concerning patent infringement and contractual breaches under US and French law. Our client won $ 455.5 million in a case related to the development and commercialization of genetically modified crops – reportedly largest known arbitration award relating to patents.
Part of the team acting on behalf of Chrysler Canada Inc. as part of his action for professional liability against the accounting firm Coopers & Lybrand, one of the files of the Castor Holdings Ltd saga.
Was part of the team acting on behalf of a public figure before a provincial public inquiry.
Represents the Canadian subsidiary of a multinational corporation in an action brought by the Attorney General of Quebec against the tobacco industry.
Represents a leading manufacturer of homeopathic products in defense of a class action.
Brought to a successful conclusion a series of important court proceedings for the community sector. Our client, Accueil Bonneau inc., gained recognition for the innominate nature of its contracts with its residents and its support work for homeless people and those at risk of homelessness through the psychosocial services it offers. Accueil Bonneau c Watteyne, 2017 QCCQ 3246
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES AND ASSOCIATIONS
McGill University Faculty of Law, support to the team participating in the Laskin national bilingual moot court competition in Canadian administrative and constitutional law, 2018-2021 editions, two times winning the Laskin moot 1st place school
McGill University Faculty of Law,member of the Montreal Young Alumni Board 2017-2020
Canadian Bar Association Administrative Law Section, member-at-large of the executive committee 2016-2020
McGill University Faculty of Law, support to the team participating in the Willem C. Vis international arbitration moot court competition, 2016 edition
Member of the organizing committee for the Barreau du Québec Annual Meeting, 2015 edition
Associations
Quebec Bar
Law Society of Ontario
Young Bar Association of Montréal
Canadian Bar Association
EDUCATION
2013 McGill University Faculty of Law
B.C.L./LL.B. combined program
2009 The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars
Washington D.C.
2009 University of Ottawa Faculty of Social Sciences
International development and globalization (B. Soc. Sc.), Summa cum laude, highest standing
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2012-2014 DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE CANADA
Student, Articling Student, Lawyer
2010-2012 MCGILL JOURNAL OF LAW AND HEALTH
Executive Editor (French) & Editor
2011-2012 TRIBUNAL ADMINISTRATIF DU QUÉBEC
Legal Assistant
2009 NORTH AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION, Washington DC - Intern – Development and Linguistics
DISTINCTIONS
2011 Neil Assh Memorial Award, awarded to the student with the highest standing in the basic course in the law of Business Associations
2009 Steve and Rob Michelin Entrance Scholarship, Faculty of Law, McGill University
2009 Award for the best academic result in the Honours BSocSc in International Development and Globalization program, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa
2009 2nd place, Writing Contest, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa
2006-2009 Entrance scholarship renewable upon performance, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa
2005 Governor General’s Academic Medal
PUBLICATIONS AND CONFERENCES
Series of internal and external conferences on the impacts of the new Code of Civil Procedure, notably for the Canadian Association of Paralegals Annual Conference, 2016 edition, with Mtre. Jean-François Hudon: « Nouveau Code de procédure civile : quelques repères pratiques » [“New Code of Civil Procedure: some practical benchmarks”].
Marie-Louise Delisle and Marie-Pier Cloutier, « Privilège fondé sur les circonstances de chaque cas », [“Privilege based on the circumstances of each case ”] in Claude Marseille, dir, Les objections à la preuve en droit civil, Montréal, LexisNexis, 2015, 195.