William Deneault-Rouillard
Lawyer
Key practice areas
Personal Information and Data Protection, Commercial Agreements, Intellectual Property, Language Rights, Product Liability and Consumer Protection
William Deneault-Rouillard advises clients on technology, privacy, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, commercial contracts, e-commerce, digital marketing, and French-language requirements. He works with companies of all sizes, from start-ups to global corporations, adapting his approach to their business, operational, and technological contexts. With a keen focus on his clients’ business objectives, he helps them identify and manage legal and regulatory risks associated with their products and services, and draft and negotiate commercial agreements tailored to their operations.
William advises his clients on a wide range of innovative technologies and sectors, including artificial intelligence (AI), software-as-a-service (SaaS), financial technology (fintech), educational technology (edtech), medical technology (medtech), the Internet of Things (IoT), and blockchain. He helps them establish clear and sustainable contracting and compliance practices that support their growth, the commercialization of their products and services, and the responsible use of their data.
Drawing on his experience in commercial law and his technical understanding of the products and services involved, he approaches cases with a practical understanding of his clients’ business needs. He translates complex legal and technological issues into practical, understandable solutions tailored to the realities of the organizations he works with. He regularly drafts, reviews, and negotiates various commercial contracts, including SaaS contracts and data processing agreements. He also advises companies on consumer protection requirements applicable to e-commerce and digital services.
Before joining our team, William practised for more than five years at a large international law firm.
- Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Canada – Technology, Privacy and Data Security, 2025
- Université de Sherbrooke, Lecturer in the Faculty of Law for the course Données numériques et sciences de la vie [Digital data and life sciences], since 2020
- Young Bar Association of Montréal, Vice-Chair of the Information Technology Committee, 2020-2023
- International Circle of Young Leaders of the International Economic Forum of the Americas, Vice-Chair and Member of the Board of Directors, 2020-2023
- Co-author: “Décisions marquantes de l’année 2021 en matière de vie privée et de protection des renseignements personnels” [Notable privacy and personal information protection decisions in 2021], Les Cahiers de propriété intellectuelle, vol. 34, no. 2, Éditions Yvon Blais, May 2022.
- Co-author: “Cookies: A bite in cybernauts’ privacy? A Canadian-European overview,” Internet and E-Commerce Law in Canada, LexisNexis Canada, July 2020.
- Co-author: “L’industrie des télécommunications en pleine mouvance: revue de cinq décisions d’intérêt rendues en 2018 en droit du divertissement” [Telecommunications in flux: Five noteworthy entertaiment law decisions in 2018], Les Cahiers de propriété intellectuelle, vol. 31, no. 2, Éditions Yvon Blais, May 2019.
- Speaker: Modernisation de la vie privée et Loi 25 [Privacy law reform and Law 25], as part of the continuing professional development program of the Bar of Montréal, Montréal, March 2023.
- Co-panelist: Canadian Update, as part of the Access to Information and Privacy Law Online Symposium, organized by the Canadian Bar Association, virtual event, October 28, 2022.
- Co-speaker: La nouvelle gouvernance des données sous le Projet de loi n°64: à vos marques, prêts, conformez! [New data governance under Bill 64: Ready, set, comply!], as part of the 3rd edition of Cybersécurité 20/20, organized by Novipro, Montréal, October 27, 2021.
- Panelist: Contrat + Intelligence Artificielle [Contract + Artificial Intelligence], as part of the event Les Cahiers de Propriété Intellectuelle: droit + Intelligence artificielle, organized by the L.R. Wilson Chair, Montréal, November 23, 2018.
- Interviewed: “En français s’il vous plait: modifications à la Charte de la langue française” [In French, please: Amendments to the Charter of the French Language] [podcast], in Perspectives, April 22, 2024.
- Quoted: “Les entreprises appelées à mieux protéger les données personnelles” [Businesses called on to better protect personal data], in Les Affaires, article by Novipro, January 26, 2022.
LL.M., Information Technology Law, Université de Montréal, in progress
LL.B., Université Laval, 2017
Certificate, Business Administration, Université de Sherbrooke, 2014