Partner

Justin Gravel joined Lavery in 2014 and is a partner in the Civil and Commercial Litigation group. He focuses his practice mainly on bankruptcy and insolvency, construction law and intellectual property law, pleading before all courts in the province.

Education

• LL.B., Université de Sherbrooke, 2006

He has been called upon to represent trustees in bankruptcy, banks and creditors in bankruptcy, proposal and receiver appointment cases, among others. In this capacity, he has acted in many high-profile cases challenging the validity of fraudulent transactions—or obtaining compensation for such—and has acquired considerable expertise in this area.

He also represents private sector companies in intellectual property disputes (infringement, misleading marketing, unfair and/or parasitic competition, etc.) and contractual obligations arising from commercial agreements. This aspect of his practice leads him to frequently move to obtain the imposition of urgent and provisional measures such as injunctions and safeguard orders.

From 2012 to 2019, he was in charge of the Université de Sherbrooke’s Faculty of Law team competing in the Pierre-Basile-Mignault Moot Court Competition, in which all of the country’s civil law faculties face off.

Prior to joining Lavery, Mr. Gravel practised with another national firm for over seven years.

Representative mandates

Bankruptcy, insolvency and recovery

 Representation of banks to obtain compensation for undervalued or reviewable transactions:

• In the bankruptcy case of 9231-9375 Québec inc. et al. c. Banque Laurentienne du Canada:
  • Court of Appeal (2021 QCCA 975, 2020 QCCA 955, 2018 QCCA 1859, 2018 QCCA 1054, 2016 QCCA 1621)
  • Superior Court (2021 QCCS 1546, 2020 QCCS 34, 2019 QCCS 4623, 2019 QCCS 3677, 2018 QCCS 3962, 2018 QCCS 1739, 2016 QCCS 4353, 2016 QCCS 3308, 2016 QCCS 1400)
•  HSBC Bank Canada c. Hébert et al:
  • Superior Court (2014 QCCS 3888, 2014 QCCS 2332, 2014 QCCS 309, 2013 QCCS 2605)
•  In the bankruptcy case of Nutrition-Gem inc. et al. c. Caisse Populaire Desjardins des Verts-Sommets de l’Estrie:
  • Superior Court (2014 QCCS 6884 QCCS 2013 QCCS 2248, 2013 QCCS 1306)

Intellectual property

Representation of private sector companies in intellectual property and competition law cases:

• 9020-5758 Québec inc. (Avril Supermarché Santé) c. Roy et al:
  • Superior Court (2017 QCCS 3970)
• Candock inc. c. Stegen et al.:
  • Superior Court (2016 QCCS 5762, 2016 QCCS 2297, 2015 QCCS 3193, 2014 QCCS 4824)
• Groupe Anderson inc. c. CGAO:
  • Superior Court (2018 QCCS 3458)
• Axara c. 4021487 Canada inc.:
  • Superior Court (2017 QCCS 5589, 2017 QCCS 5588)
• 9210-6194 Québec inc. (S. Automation inc.) c. Cirrus Automation inc. et al.:
  • Superior Court (2016 QCCS 120, 2015 QCCS 5128)

Contractual

 Representation of private sector companies in contractual obligation cases:

• Vachon c. Xérox Canada ltée:
  • Superior Court (2017 QCCS 1947, 2017 QCCS 1333)
  • Court of Québec (2017 QCCQ 14932)
• Brasserie Labatt limitée c. 3227553 Canada inc.:
  • Superior Court (2019 QCCS 5437)
• Sanexen Services environnementaux inc. c. Englobe Corp:
  • Court of Appeal (2021 QCCA 1284, 2021 QCCA 479)

Other areas

• Lefebvre c. Martel(first judgment in Quebec to condemn a person to pay damages and punitive damages for assaulting a police officer):
  • Superior Court (2018 QCCS 1953)
  • Media:
    • https://www.latribune.ca/actualites/affaire-frederick-martel--une-premiere-qui-fera-jurisprudence-7191073b58c3c10603f29f24c38d74b1
    • https://www.latribune.ca/actualites/justice-et-faits-divers/martel-devra-verser-438-000--au-policier-eric-lefebvre-223e660696fc4ffe7b40534874778aa1
    • https://www.latribune.ca/actualites/sherbrooke/poursuite-de-500-000--pour-un-coup-de-poing-sournois-281ed8b0ed34d73a9f918d4329e54532
    • https://www.fm1077.ca/nouvelles/faits-divers/102133/un-policier-poursuit-son-agresseur-pour-un-demi-million
• 9202-2680 Québec inc. (St. Élie Motorsports) et Homans c. Ville de Sherbrooke(judgment against a city for prejudice suffered as a result of vitiating elements in the adoption of a zoning by-law) :
  • Court of Appeal (2021 QCCA 1866)
  • Superior Court (2019 QCCS 1549)
  • Media:
    • https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1846974/saint-elie-motorsport-cour-interets-simon-homans
    • https://ici.radio-canada.ca/util/postier/suggerer-go.asp?nID=4755481
    • https://www.latribune.ca/2021/12/14/dossier-clos-pour-les-drags-de-st-elie-la-ville-doit-payer-d9631a267ffe897ea2c0f6eaa412fca5
    • https://www.latribune.ca/actualites/sherbrooke/la-ville-devra-verser-117-000-au-proprietaire-du-complexe-st-elie-motorsports-07b3a7fc25b613a7a7198604d5356b07
    • https://www.fm1077.ca/nouvelles/faits-divers/122280/drags-st-elie-simon-homans-a-tente-de-s-entendre-avec-la-ville
    • https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1108637/saint-elie-motorsports-poursuite-sherbrooke-justice-simon-homans
    • https://www.fm1077.ca/nouvelles/faits-divers/121808/drags-st-elie-le-proprietaire-reclame-136-000-a-la-ville
• Zelenkin c. Bureau de la Coopération interuniversitaire et al. (judgment dismissing a student’s application for an injunction to compel a university to admit him into its Bachelor of Laws program)
  • Superior Court (500-17-103788-181)
  • Media:
    • https://www.canadianlawyermag.com/news/general/quebec-student-loses-legal-challenge-over-law-school-admission-standards/275427
    • https://www.droit-inc.com/article23182-Il-poursuit-l-UQAM-pour-entrer-en-droit-le-juge-tranche

Publications

« Séquestre intérimaire et séquestre de la partie XI de la Loi sur la faillite et l’insolvabilité », in JurisClasseur Québec, fascicule 9, vol. « Faillite, insolvabilité et restructuration », Montréal, Lexis Nexis, 2010 (feuilles mobiles, mise à jour no 21, décembre 2021)