514.375.5116
- Acting as Québec counsel to major global manufacturers in connection with their product liability and consumer protection litigations;
- Representing leading pharmaceutical companies in class proceedings involving product liability allegations and misrepresentation;
- Counsel in class actions alleging false representations and damages claims;
- Acting in national class actions based on price fixing and antitrust allegations;
- Advising clients on highly complex commercial litigation
Joséane Chrétien
Language(s) Spoken
- English
- French
Joséane Chrétien is a leading litigation lawyer with extensive experience in complex class actions. She represents clients in disputes involving breaches of the Consumer Protection Act and the Competition Act, product liability issues, cartels, and false representations. Her broad industry knowledge spans the pharmaceutical, banking and finance, manufacturing and retail sectors. Having worked for several years representing both plaintiffs and defendants, she possesses unique insights that allow her to develop practical and effective strategies.
Additionally, Joséane is highly experienced in general commercial litigation, particularly in contract and shareholder disputes. She has appeared before the Court of Québec, the Superior Court of Québec, the Court of Appeal and the Régie de l’énergie. Her publications have been cited in various court judgments. The legal directory Best Lawyers in Canada consistently recognizes Joséane as a leading lawyer in corporate and commercial litigation.
Expertise
Industries
Practices
Representative Matters
Speaking Engagements
Panelist, 'Private Access – A New Frontier in Canadian Competition Law?', Canadian Bar Association Competition Law Spring Conference, Montréal
May 2, 2024Panelist, "The Hound of the Class Action: Recent Class Action Development", Canadian Transport Lawyers Association, Montréal, Québec
October 21, 2023Moderator of the panel of judges with Donald Bisson and Paul Crampon, La gestion particulière de l’instance en action collective en Cour supérieure du Québec (Division de Montréal) ainsi qu’en Cour fédérale du Canada, Colloque national sur l’action collective 2021
October 21, 2021Speaker, Démystifier l’action collective, Webinar, Québec Bar Professional
January 20, 2021Speaker, Le jugement et l’exécution comme troisième étape de l’action – un guide pratique. Co-presenter with Karine Chênevert, Gabrielle Gagné and Marie-Anaïs Sauvé, Colloque national sur l’action collective 2020
October 23, 2020Speaker, Actions collectives en santé : État des lieux, Québec Bar Professional Education
2019Critical disability studies, Health law and human enhancement Doctoral school of health law annual seminar, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
May 17, 2018Designer Babies: Creating the Children of our Dream McGill-Ottawa Health Law & Policy Graduate Student Colloquium, Ottawa, Canada
May 4, 2018Legislation of Human Enhancement in the post-darwinian era Doctoral school of health law annual seminar, Florence, Italy
May 18, 2017Legislation of Human Enhancement: a Healthy Concern? McGill-Ottawa Health Law & Policy Graduate Student Colloquium, Montréal, Canada
May 4, 2017Mise en quarantaine et isolement sanitaire, de quel droit? Colloque "Les pandémies et le droit" organized by University of Sherbrooke
November 6, 2015L’autorisation d’un recours collectif – au-delà des automatismes, co-speaker with Jean-Philippe Groleau, Congrès du Jeune Barreau de Montréal
May 28, 2015L’art du recours collectif et nouvelles tendances, co-speaker with Violette Leblanc, Grands rendez-vous de la formation
February 13, 2014Jurisprudence marquante de 2012-2013 en matière de recours collectifs, co-speaker with Jean-Philippe Lincourt,
October 1, 2013Jurisprudence marquante de l’année 2012 en matière de recours collectifs, co-speaker with Jean-Philippe Lincourt, Colloque sur les recours collectifs
March 21, 2013News
Media Mentions
- “Demande de recours collectif contre Samsung” by Radio-Canada, Droit Inc., February 27, 2020
Rankings & Recognition
- Recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada (2025) as a leading lawyer in the areas of Class Action Litigation and Corporate and Commercial Litigation
- Recognized in the 2024 Lexpert Special Edition on Technology and Health Sciences Guide as a Leading Health Sciences Lawyer
- Recognized in the 2024 Benchmark Litigation: Canada Guide
- Recognized in the 2024 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory as a Repeatedly Recommended Lawyer in the areas of Class Actions, Competition Law and Litigation – Corporate Commercial
- Recognized in the 2023 Lexpert Special Edition on Canada’s Leading Litigation Lawyers as a Leading Litigation Lawyer
- Recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada (2024) as a leading lawyer in the area of Class Action Litigation and Corporate and Commercial Litigation
- Recognized in the 2023 Benchmark Litigation: Canada Guide as a Litigation Star
- Recognized in the 2023 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory as a Repeatedly Recommended Lawyer in the areas of Class Actions
- Recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada (2023) as a leading lawyer in the area of Corporate and Commercial Litigation
- Recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada (2017-2022) as a leading lawyer in the area of Corporate and Commercial Litigation
Community Involvement
- Acting on behalf of women health care clinics in the constitutional challenge of the “bubble zone” implemented according to the Act respecting health services and social services
Directorships & Affiliations
- Complaint revision committee, Quebec Bar, since September 2018
- Co-President, Oxford and Cambridge Society of Montréal (2015-2022)
- President, Town of Mont-Royal Figure Skating Club, since 2016
- President of the Young Bar of Montreal (2009-10)
Education & Admissions
In progress
Doctorate in Civil LawMcGill University
2016
LLMUniversity of Montréal
2003
Called to the Québec bar
2003
Magister juris in Comparative and European LawUniversity of Oxford, Brasenose College (UK)
2001
LLBUniversity of Montréal
Publications
- “Managing and Resolving Commercial Disputes; Good faith contractual performance chapter – 2022 Edition,” Financier World (2022)
- “Secret d’état, Privilège parlementaire et Secret du délibéré“, in the Claude Marseille (dir.), Les objections à la preuve, chapter 9, 10 et 11, Montréal, Lexis Nexis Canada, pages 153 – 172. (2021)
- “Recouvrement collectif ou individuel : commentaires sur la 3e étape d’une action collective.” co-auteure avec K. Chênevert dans Colloque national sur l’action collective, Développements récents au Québec, au Canada et aux États-Unis, Vol. 480, Montréal, Yvon Blais, pages 223 – 251. (2020)
- “Hypothèque légale de l’État ou de personnes morales de droit public.” in the JurisClasseur Québec Collection Droit civil – Sûretés, Fascicule 12, Montréal, Lexis-Nexis Canada, Éd. feuilles mobiles.
- “Contestation et défaut du défendeur.” dans JurisClasseur Québec – Collection Droit civil – Procédure civile 1, Fascicule 15, Montréal, Lexis-Nexis Canada, Éd. feuilles mobiles.
- “L’aveu.” in the JurisClasseur Québec – Collection Droit civil – Preuve et prescription, fascicule 8, Montréal, Lexis-Nexis Canada, Éd. feuilles mobiles.
- “Proportionality and Québec Class Actions – Where do we Stand?” Class Action Defense Quarterly, Newsletter, LexisNexis Canada (March 2010)
- “Les recours collectifs – la jurisprudence en évolution.” coauthor with S. Conte and K. Taylor, in the La réforme du Code de procédure civile, trois ans plus tard, Service de formation continue du Barreau du Québec 2006, Montréal, Éditions Yvon Blais, pp. 21 – 60 (2006)
Insights (13 Posts)View More
Superior Court of Québec Expresses Serious Reservations about Pre-Approving Private Funding of Class Actions
Superior Court of Québec Expresses Serious Reservations about Pre-Approving Private Funding of Class Actions
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Aug 5, 2024
Corporate Restructuring Meets Intellectual Property: Quebec Superior Court Overturns Disclaimer Notice and Issues the First Canadian Interpretation of Usage Rights under the CCAA
In the context of a restructuring, the debtor's right to resiliate a contract under s. 32 of the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act is far from absolute.
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Jun 19, 2024
Competition Act Amendments Proceed at Pace
Bill C-56, the Affordable Housing and Groceries Act, part of the federal government’s efforts to overhaul the Competition Act, has received Royal Assent.
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Dec 28, 2023
Transformative Change: Your Guide to Canada’s Breathtaking Competition Act Changes
We provide a summary of far-reaching Competition Act amendments proposed in 2023.
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Dec 5, 2023
Key Developments in Competition & Foreign Investment Law: A Cross-Canada Update from McMillan’s National Team
Join us to explore key developments in Canadian competition and foreign investment law. Topics will include new no-poach / wage-fixing offence, Investment Canada Developments, technology markets, greenwashing, class action developments, upcoming Competition Act amendments and more!
Details
Thursday, October 5, 2023
Round One of Competition Act Amendments Passed; National Security Review Regime Amended
New amendments to the Competition Act were passed today as part of the budget implementation bill.
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Jun 27, 2022
Outlook 2022: Class Actions in Canada
Join members of McMillan’s national Class Action group on Thursday, June 9th for an in-depth discussion on the developments and trends impacting the legal landscape for class actions in Canada.
Details
Thursday, June 9, 2022
Significant Changes Coming to Canada’s Competition Act
The Canadian federal government has introduced a series of significant changes to Canada's Competition Act.
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May 3, 2022
Québec Class action – What’s new? Examination of the defendant at the authorization stage
EIn class actions, the right to examine an affiant is the subject of conflicting case law.
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Jun 14, 2021
Managing Disputes During COVID-19
While disputes are an unavoidable risk of doing business, companies need to know how to protect their interests during this time of uncertainty.
Apr 21, 2020
Heading Towards an Epidemic of Class Actions
In the field of class actions, new actions are being undertaken, adding an additional challenge to businesses.
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Apr 3, 2020
COVID-19: The Importance of the Written Word
Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the situation has evolved rapidly, and the extent of the legal and economic consequences for businesses and their operations remains uncertain.
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Mar 26, 2020
The International Lis Pendens Exception in Quebec Private International Law at the Dawn of 2020
Overview of the recent decision of the Supreme Court of Canada in R.S. v. P.R., 2019 SCC 49 regarding the international lis pendens exception in Quebec private international law.
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Dec 3, 2019
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