Sophie Melchers

Biography

Sophie Melchers practises mainly in the areas of commercial, corporate and securities litigation as well as class action litigation. She has represented clients before the Quebec courts and the Supreme Court of Canada in connection with disputed take-over bids, shareholders' agreements, plans of arrangement, rights of first refusal and insider trading. Her broad expertise in securities litigation also encompasses representation of reporting issuers in connection with investigations conducted by the Autorité des marchés financiers into insider trading, continuous disclosure and disclosure of material information.

Ms. Melchers has also been involved in several class action proceedings involving pharmaceutical liability, banking law and consumer law issues.

Year of Call

• Quebec Bar 1994

Law School

• LL.B., Université de Montréal, 1993

EDUCATION

• Canadian Securities Course
• Introduction to Derivatives, Derivatives Institute

Selected Client Work

• Bourse de Montréal Inc. in defence against an action by independent floor traders arising from the termination of open outcry trading
• Financial institutions in defence against class actions challenging banking practices with regard to credit cards
• Shareholders or directors of companies in oppression remedies

Publications

• S. Melchers and S. Rozansky, "Meaning of 'Substantially All the Property of a Corporation,'" 2 Corporate Liability 783, 2008. 
• S. Melchers and G. Bradley, "The liability of directors in Canada under Corporate legislation and the statutory remedies available to Stakeholders," Annual Civil Litigation Review, 2006 
• V.E. Marquis, C. Martel and S. Melchers, "Settling National Class Actions in Québec", Class Action Journal 172, 2004
• Sophie Melchers and Guillaume Beaupré, "La Cour d'appel du Québec confirme la nature oblique des recours prévus aux articles 229 et 230 de la Loi sur les valeurs mobilières du Québec:  Michaud c. Le Groupe Vidéotron Ltée" 64 R. of B. 103, 2004.

Speaking Engagements

• Speaker, "Safeguarding Communication: E-Mail Issues & Hazards", Communication Issues for Investment Advisors, Investment Dealers Association Member Services Monthly Webcast Series, November  2007.
• Speaker, "The Liability of Directors in Canada under Corporate Legislation and Statutory Remedies Available to Stakeholders", Fall session of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, November 2006.
  

Rankings and Recognitions

• Named one of the top ten female corporate litigators in Quebec by the magazine Le Monde juridique in December 2007
• Rated "up and coming" (in the category Dispute Resolution: Quebec) in the 2008 edition of Chambers Global Guide to the World's Leading Lawyers

Memberships and Activities

• Canadian Bar Association
• Former Lecturer, Civil Pleading Techniques, Quebec Bar Admission Course