Partner

Myriam Brixi is a member of the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Group. Her practice focuses mainly on class actions, product liability, consumer law, franchising and distribution and insurance law. Ms. Brixi has participated in complex class actions raising important legal issues, including a wide range of multi-jurisdictional class actions.

Education

• J.D., Université de Sherbrooke, 2009
• LL.B., Université de Sherbrooke, 2008
• Université de Rennes I, France, 2007

Significant Accomplishments

The experience she has gained in these major cases has enabled her to develop a deep understanding of the procedural and strategic aspects of class actions in Canada. She also represents insurance companies, including their insureds in matters of civil and professional liability, particularly in the construction industry.

In 2022, Ms. Brixi was recognized in the Top 100 Women in Litigation in Canada by Benchmark Litigation. She was also recognized by The Best Lawyers in Canada in class actions. She has been recommended by The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory in class actions and has been named Leading Lawyer in litigation by Lexpert.

Ms. Brixi is actively involved in her community. In particular, she was appointed by the Barreau du Québec to sit on the Access to Justice Committee. She is Chair of the Executive Committee of the Class Action Section and Co-Chair of the Citizenship and Charters Committee of the Canadian Bar Association, Quebec Division. She also sits on the Board of Directors of the Factry. 

Representative mandates 

• Represented several major financial institutions in class actions alleging price-fixing cartels
• Represented a major player in the customer loyalty market in a class action concerning its right to amend the general conditions of its rewards program
• Represented an events promoter in a class action dealing with the scope of its obligations related to the holding of a festival
• Represented several automobile manufacturers in a number of class actions dealing with manufacturer's liability
• Represented the largest food processing company in Quebec in a class action concerning manufacturer's liability
• Represented an electronic products company in a class action conceming manufacturer's liability
• Represented a retailer of cellphone services in a class action involving the sale of extended warranties
• Represented a major Japanese company in the Quebec portion of an international class action relating to a price-fixing cartel
• Represented an energy drink company in a class action involving allegations of false and misleading
• Represented clinics in a class action related to accessory fees in healthcare services
• Represented a chemical products distributor in a class action instituted on behalf of the victims of a legionella outbreak in Quebec City
• Represented a religious congregation in a class action involving allegations of vicarious liability
• Represented a seaplane base in a class action for noise nuisance and neighborhood disturbances
• Represented a construction contractor in a class action related to sources of nuisance and neighborhood disturbances
• Represented a zinc refinery in a class action related to neighborhood disturbances

Professional and community activities 

• Chair of the Executive Committee of the class action section of the Canadian Bar Association, Québec Branch
• Co-Chair of the Citizenship and Charters Committee of the Canadian Bar Association, Québec Branch
• Coach, Pierre-Basile-Mignault Moot Court Competition, UQAM
• Member of the Committee on Access to Justice of the Barreau du Québec
• Member of the Young Advocates' Standing Committee of the Quebec chapter of the Advocates' Society
• Member of the board of directors of the Young Bar of Montreal (2015-16)
• Head of the Technology and Information Committee of the Young Bar of Montreal (2015-16)
• Pro Bono legal services for the Fondation Mira
• Writer for the Research and Legislation Committee
• Volunteer with the Small Claims Courts hearing preparation service
• Volunteer with the Éducaloi justice workshops program

Publications and Lectures

• Loss of personal information: The Superior Court dismisses a class action, April 14, 2021, Myriam Brixi, Roxane Fortin Lecompte, Guillaume Laberge and Lindsay Jean 
• A Decision of Interest to the Entertainment Industry, July 31, 2019, Myriam Brixi and Laurence Bich-Carrière
• Cyberattack: Superior Court dismisses application for authorization to institute a class action against Yahoo! Inc., July 23, 2019, Myriam Brixi and Lindsay Jean
• Panelist at the National Conference on Class Actions: Recent Developments in Quebec, in Canada and in the U.S., “Environmental Class Actions,” March 21, 2019
• Class Actions – Canada, Getting the Deal Through, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
• “Churchill Falls (Labrador) Corp. v. Hydro-Québec I The Supreme Court rules in favour of Hydro-Québec: the interaction between good faith and the scheme of the contract,” Need to Know, December 2018, Myriam Brixi, Emil Vidrascu and Dominique Vallières
• Speaker at the Congrès des Services de Première Ligne, Palais des Congrès de Montréal, “Class actions related to accessory fees in healthcare services,” March 6, 2018
• “Québec consumer law and the automotive industry: keep your hands on the wheel!,” Need to Know, November 2017, Myriam Brixi and Luc Thibaudeau
• “Quebec’s distinctive class action regime,” Defence Research Institute – Class Action seminar, July 2016, Myriam Brixi and Jean Saint-Onge
• “Leave to Appeal by the Defendant at the Authorization Stage of the Class Action: The Québec Court of Appeal Adopts a Restrictive Approach,” Need to Know, November 2016, Myriam Brixi
• “The warranty of fitness for purpose in consumer law – Court of Appeal judgment,” Need to Know, February 2016, Myriam Brixi and Luc Thibaudeau
• “Mandatory mediation at the Small Claims Division: Merchants, be prepared!” Need to Know, January 2016, Despina Mandilaras, Luc Thibaudeau, Benjamin David Gross and Myriam Brixi
• “Consumer law and class actions: Beware of unilateral amendments to contracts involving sequential performance,” Need to know, November 2015, Benjamin David Gross, Luc Thibaudeau, Myriam Brixi and Despina Mandilaras
• “Historic Quebec lawsuit against tobacco companies: The Superior Court awards more than $15 billion in damages,” Need to Know, June 2015, Myriam Brixi

Professional Associations
Member, Young Bar Association of Montreal
Member, Canadian Bar Association

• Loss of Personal Information: The Superior Court Dismisses a Class Action

  By Myriam Brixi, Guillaume Laberge, Myriam Brixi, Roxane Fortin Lecompte |April 2021

Additional Articles

• Historic Quebec lawsuit against tobacco companies: The Superior Court awards more than $15 billion in damages
• Consumer law and class actions: Beware of unilateral amendments to contracts involving sequential performance
• Mandatory mediation at the Small Claims Division: Merchants, be prepared!
• The warranty of fitness for purpose in consumer law – Court of Appeal judgment
• Québec’s distinctive class action regime
• Leave to Appeal by the Defendant at the Authorization Stage of the Class Action: the Québec Court of Appeal Adopts a Restrictive Approach
• Québec consumer law and the automotive industry: keep your hands on the wheel!
• Churchill Falls (Labrador) Corp. v. Hydro-Québec | The Supreme Court rules in favour of Hydro-Québec: the interaction between good faith and the scheme of the contract
• Cyberattack: Superior Court dismisses application for authorization to institute a class action against Yahoo! Inc.
• A Decision of Interest to the Entertainment Industry
• Loss of personal information: The Superior Court dismisses a class action
• Class actions to watch in 2024