Pierre Bienvenu, Ad E

Biography

Pierre Bienvenu is Managing Partner of the firm and Chair of the Executive Committee, of which he has been a member since May 1, 2001. He is Co-Chair of our Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution Team and of our International Arbitration Team.

Mr. Bienvenu practises in international commercial arbitration, corporate and commercial litigation, and constitutional law. He has acted as counsel in numerous domestic and international arbitrations, both ad hoc and institutional, involving disputes in telecommunications, aeronautics, international distribution and joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions and foreign investment. He is also regularly called upon to represent parties in court proceedings to recognize and enforce or to set aside foreign or domestic arbitral awards. Mr. Bienvenu also serves as an arbitrator in international arbitrations and has experience as sole arbitrator, party-appointed arbitrator and chairman of the tribunal.

In addition to appearing before numerous administrative and arbitral tribunals, Mr. Bienvenu has pleaded before the courts of Quebec, the Federal Court of Canada and the Supreme Court of Canada. He has participated in numerous challenges to the constitutional validity of provincial and federal legislation, and has extensive experience in public law litigation. His Supreme Court of Canada experience includes representing government bodies and individuals in a range of constitutional and commercial law disputes, including representing the Attorney General of Canada in the landmark Reference re Secession of Quebec and, most recently, acting for BCE and Bell Canada in their successful appeal to the Supreme Court to approve a plan of arrangement for the $50 billion leveraged buyout of BCE by a private equity consortium. A more detailed list of representative experience is found under "selected client work".

Year of Call

• Quebec Bar 1983

Law School

• LL.M., London School of Economics and Political Science, 1983
• LL.L., Université de Montréal, 1981

Selected Client Work

• Co-counsel to BCE Inc. and Bell Canada in their successful appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada to approve a plan of arrangement to effect the $50 billion leveraged buy-out of BCE Inc. by a private equity consortium
• Represented the Attorney General of Canada in litigation concerning the legality, under both Canadian constitutional law and public international law, of the secession of the Province of Quebec from Canada, including in the highly publicized Reference by the Government of Canada to the Supreme Court of Canada concerning the secession of Quebec 
• Represented the federally appointed judiciary before the Judicial Compensation and Benefits Commission as well as before the Supreme Court of Canada in the Bodner case
• Represented the Canadian Commercial Arbitration Centre before the Supreme Court of Canada in an appeal concerning the arbitrability of copyright disputes
• Represented the London Court of International Arbitration before the Supreme Court of Canada in an appeal dealing with the enforceability of arbitration clauses in consumer contracts
• Represented a leading aircraft manufacturer in a number of ICC arbitrations
• Represented the acquirer of a railway manufacturing business in a dispute concerning the representations made by the seller
• Represented Cypriot claimants in an ICSID arbitration against the Republic of Hungary
• Represented a leading telecommunications company in two ICC arbitrations against Asian customers
• Appointed by the Secretary General of the Commonwealth to serve on an Independent Review Team to review the operation of the existing arrangements between the Antigua and Barbuda government and the Barbuda Council and to make recommendations to all parties concerned for the future (April 2000)

Publications

• "The Enforcement of Multi-Tiered Dispute Resolution Clauses in International Contracts," Canadian Bar Review, 2003.
• "The Enforcement of Multi-Tiered Dispute Resolution Clauses in International Contracts," Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada, Lexpert, 2003.
• "The Enforcement of International Arbitration Agreements and Referral Applications in the NAFTA Region" (L.M. Diaz & N.A. Oretskin, eds.), Commercial Mediation and Arbitration in the NAFTA Countries, JurisNet LLC, 1999.
• "The Enforcement of International Arbitration Agreements and Referral Applications in the NAFTA Region" (L.M. Diaz & N.A. Oretskin, eds.), Revue du Barreau du Québec, 59 R. du B. 705-724., 1999.
• "L'injonction mandatoire comme recours d'exécution en nature : Quelques réflexions d'un praticien," Revue générale de droit, 20 R.G.D. 65-78, 1989.
• "L'arbitrage comme mode de règlement des différends" (O. Kott & C. Roy, eds.), La Construction au Québec : Perspectives juridiques, Wilson & Lafleur Ltée, pp. 761-816, 1998.
• "Guide de rédaction des clauses d'arbitrage et de droit applicable dans les contrats commerciaux internationaux," Revue du Barreau du Québec, 56 R. du B. 39-79, 1996.
• "La nullité pour imprécision: Émergence et perspectives d'avenir en droit constitutionnel canadien," Développements récents en droit administratif, Éd. Yvon Blais, pp. 93-119, 1992.

Speaking Engagements

• "When Transnational Commercial Contracts Come Before International Arbitral Tribunals," Civil Law Seminar on Contract Law, National Judicial Institute, Halifax, May 2006.
• "The Recognition and Enforcement of Chinese Arbitral Awards Abroad," IBA and CIETAC Conference on International Arbitration and China: Recent Developments and Current Issues, Shanghai, February 20, 2006.
• "Les clauses de résolution des différends dans les contrats commerciaux - Conception et conseils de rédaction," Sixth Annual Conference on the Negotiation and Drafting of Commercial Contracts, Insight Information, Montréal, September 21-21, 2005.
• "Les strategies éprouvées de plaidoirie à la Cour suprême du Canada," Conference on the Practice before the Supreme Court of Canada, Canadian Institute, February 21, 2005.
• "Arbitral Advocacy," 15th Annual International Commercial Arbitration Workshop (Co-Chair), Institute for Transnational Arbitration, Dallas, Texas, June 17, 2004.
• "The Recognition Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards - Recent Developments in International Commercial Dispute Resolution," 4th Annual International Commercial Arbitration Conference, Canadian Bar Association, Chateau Laurier, Ottawa, June 2004.
• "Recent Developments in International Commercial Arbitration in Canada," New York Convention Workshop - Annual Convention, International Bar Association (Committee D), San Francisco, September 2003.
• "The Enforcement of Multi-Tiered Dispute Resolution Clauses in Canada and the United States," Annual Convention, International Bar Association (Committee D), Durban, South Africa, October 2002.
• "La pratique de l'arbitrage: source cohérente de droit commercial international?", Evolution of Legal Systems, Bijuralism and International Trade, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, October 2000.
• "Arbitration and Company Law," Annual Convention, International Bar Association (Committee D), Amsterdam, September 2000.
• "The Aftermath of the Quebec Secession Reference: The First Two Years," Special Lectures, Law Society of Upper Canada, Toronto, June 2000.
• "The New IBA Rules on the Taking of Evidence in International Commercial Arbitration," Alternative Dispute Resolution Section, Canadian Bar Association, Montréal, February 2000.
• "Recent Developments under Canada's Arbitration Laws," International Arbitration Commission, International Association of Lawyers, New Delhi, November 1999.
• "The Enforcement of International Arbitration Agreements and Referral Applications in the NAFTA Region," Alternative Dispute Resolution for Judges and Businesses Conference, NAFTA Advisory Committee on Private Commercial Disputes and the U.S. - Mexico Conflict Resolution Center, Mexico City, June 1999.
• "Secession by Constitutional Means: The Decision of the Supreme Court of Canada in the Quebec Secession Reference," First Plenary Session, New Zealand Law Conference, Rotorua, April 1999.
• "L'avis relatif à la sécession du Québec : La voie a-t-elle été tracée par la Cour suprême du Canada" (panelist) Canadian Bar Association Conference, Québec Division, October 1998.
• "The Implementation of the Uncitral Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration in the Province of Quebec - A Critical Assessment," Annual Convention, International Bar Association (Committee D), Vancouver, September 1998.
• "La résolution des différends dans les contrats internationaux d'entreprise commune : aperçu des problèmes et éléments de solution," Continuing Legal Education Seminar, Service de formation permanente du Barreau du Québec, Montréal, April 1998.
• "La négociation et la rédaction des contrats du commerce international" (Seminar Chair), Conference 97, Annual Convention, Canadian Bar Association, Quebec Division, Montréal, April 1997.
• "Procedure in Commercial Arbitration: Balancing Flexibility and Predictability," Comité des conférences sur l'arbitrage de McGill, McGill University, Montréal, February 1997 & January 1998.
• "Les modes extrajudiciaires de règlement des différends; le chemin parcouru et les perspectives d'avenir," Seminar on Arbitration and ADR, Ogilvy Renault, November 1995.
• "La rédaction des clauses d'arbitrage et de droit applicable dans les contrats commerciaux internationaux," 13th International Trade Law Seminar, Department of Justice, Canada, and the Canadian Bar Association, Ottawa, October 1995.
• "An Act respecting the Sovereignty of Quebec: Legal Perspectives" (Co-Chair) seminar, Canadian Bar Association, Montréal, May 1995.
• "International Commercial Disputes: An Overview of Issues and Possible Solutions," The Canadian Institute, Toronto, 1994.
• "Obligations and Nominate Contracts Under the New Civil Code of Québec," New Civil Code of Québec Conference, Ogilvy Renault, Montréal, May 1992.
• "The Winning Edge - Computer Assisted Litigation," Canadian Bar Association, Vancouver, 1992.
• "La nullité pour imprécision: Émergence et perspectives d'avenir en droit constitutionnel canadien," Service de la formation permanente du Barreau du Québec, Hull, 1992.
• "L'injonction mandatoire comme recours d'exécution en nature : Quelques réflexions d'un praticien," Association québécoise pour l'étude comparative du droit, Montréal, 1988.
• "L'injonction et la Charte canadienne des droits et libertés," The Canadian Institute, Montréal, 1988.

Media Highlights

• Featured in "A Stunning Rebuke," The Gazette, June 26, 2008.
• Quoted in "Two Trends Flying High," Lexpert magazine, June 18, 2008.
• Interviewed in "Le Federer de l'arbitrage international," La Presse, February 7, 2008. 

Rankings and Recognitions

• Awarded the distinction "Advocatus Emeritus" by the Quebec Bar
• Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada
• The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory
• The International Who's Who of Commercial Arbitration
• Chambers Global Guide
• Lexpert-Thomson Guide to the Leading 100 Creative Lawyers in Canada (2006)

Memberships and Activities

• Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
• International Bar Association, Co-Chair, Arbitration Committee
• Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (London)
• Canadian Bar Association
• member, Council
• member, International Development Committee
• former Chair, Enforcement Practices and Procedures Committee, National Competition Law Section
• former member, Executive Committee, Quebec Division
• former President, Constitutional Law and Civil Liberties Section, Quebec Division
• Canadian roster of arbitrators of the International Chamber of Commerce
• International and Quebec panels of ADR Chambers
• Commercial Panel of the International Center of the American Arbitration Association
• NAFTA Advisory Committee on Private Commercial Disputes
• Corresponding member, International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT)
  

Directorships

• Optimum Group Inc.