August 29th, 2024
Langlois Celebrates Stellar Success in 2025 Best Lawyers in Canada
60 colleagues in the spotlight this year!
Marie-Claude Carrier
Partner
Key practice areas
Construction and Infrastructure Law, Litigation and Dispute Resolution, Civil and Commercial Litigation
Marie-Claude Carrier is a construction law expert with more than 25 years’ experience in this area. She has been listed in The Best Lawyers in Canada directory in construction law since 2012 and in 2020 was admitted as a Fellow of the Construction Lawyers Society of America. Recognized and appreciated for her rigour, tenacity, eminently practical approach and formidable skills as a litigator, Marie-Claude manages her files with remarkable efficiency that consistently benefits her clientele.
Marie-Claude frequently argues cases on behalf of both plaintiffs and defendants, primarily for general contractors but also for special contractors, materials suppliers, manufacturers and project managers. She handles all types of construction-related litigation, including claims for construction defects, legal construction hypothecs (builder’s liens), extra work and related claims, surety bonds, calls for tenders, and claims arising from the rules of the Québec Bid Depository System (QBDS).
In addition to her litigation practice, she advises construction contractors regarding all phases of their projects, from the tendering stage to the negotiation and performance of their contracts.
Marie-Claude has published numerous articles and frequently serves as a conference speaker and instructor. At the annual convention of Québec general contractors in Mont-Tremblant in February 2008, she made a presentation on a case she successfully argued in Superior Court and in the Court of Appeal that recognized the latitude of general contractors to accept noncompliant bids.
- Acted as lead counsel in numerous complex construction litigation cases with major amounts at issue.
- Brought or defended against numerous legal claims concerning the five-year liability for serious defects in construction or design.
- Represented contractors in numerous legal claims related to the QBDS Code, including several cases successfully defended against on behalf of one of the leading general contractors in Québec.
- Assisted in taking out legal construction hypothecs and instituted hypothecary recourses on behalf of many general contractors, subcontractors and suppliers on multiple projects throughout Québec, notably Québec City’s Palais Montcalm and Saint-Hyacinthe’s Honoré-Mercier Hospital.
- Negotiated many construction contracts, in English and French, with project managers on behalf of general contractors.
- Handled numerous litigation files involving calls for tenders, including the successful challenge on behalf of one of the largest general contractors in Québec of a competitor’s motion for an interim injunction seeking to prevent the performance of a major construction contract worth over $30 million.
- Represented a general contractor suing a municipality in Superior Court, following the omission from the contractor’s bid of the amount of applicable taxes, ultimately prevailing in the Court of Appeal based on an argument invoking the Civil Code’s obligation of good faith in the performance of contracts.
- Acted both as an arbitrator and as attorney for suppliers and contractors in the arbitration of various construction-related disputes.
- Acted as lead counsel for the plaintiff, a group of sawmills, in a complex litigation against a U.S. manufacturer involving millions of dollars in damages.
- Successfully represented contractors claiming compensation for additional work performed for various public-sector project managers, including the Québec Ministry of Transport and Hydro-Québec.
- Successfully represented various syndicates of condominium co-owners in major construction-related litigation against contractors, architects and engineers.
- Successfully represented a general contractor in a lawsuit against Québec Ministry of Transport based on a breach of the obligation to inform regarding the condition of the sub-soil.
- Regularly advises contractors and developers on day-to-day business affairs, contract negotiation and construction project performance.
- Acted as lead counsel for the plaintiff, a major contractor, who was denied an international construction contract worth tens of millions of dollars.
- Retained as lead counsel for the plaintiff project owner in a major claim for damages against engineering firms in a litigation concerning the loss of bridges resulting from faulty design and soil settlements.
- Acted as lead counsel for a plaintiff contractor claiming damages from the Québec Ministry of Transport following an unsatisfactory performance evaluation.
- Best Lawyers in Canada – Construction Law, 2012-2025
- Construction Lawyers Society of America (CLSA), Top Construction Lawyers, Fellow and Associate Member, since 2020
- American Society of Plumbing Engineers, Member, 2001-2007
- Québec General Contractors Corporation, Member and Speaker, since 2000
- Canadian Bar Association, Construction Law Section, Member, 1988-2019
- Co-author: “Demystifying the Obligations of the Real Estate Promoter”, November 12, 2019.
- Author: “La portée de l’article J-8 selon la Cour d’appel" [The Scope of Article J-8 according to the Court of Appeal], 2003.
- Author: “Bref survol de certaines modifications récentes au Code de procédure” [Brief Overview of Some Recent Amendments to the Code of Civil Procedure], 2003.
- Author: “Réclamation de perte de profit pour contravention aux règles du BSDQ” [Claims for Lost Profit due to Breach of QBDS Rules], 2003.
- Author: “Guide pratique de la construction” [Practical Construction Guide], 2002.
- Author: “Les règles de l’art” [Best Practices], 2002.
- Author: “L’hypothèque légale de la construction et l’abandon des travaux” [Legal Construction Hypothecs and Abandonment of the Work], 2002.
- Author: “La responsabilité de l’administrateur et actionnaire d’une compagnie” [Liability of Company Directors and Shareholders], 2002.
- Author: “L’absence d’ordre de changement est-elle fatale?” [Is the Lack of a Change Order Fatal?], 2002.
- Author: “Un donneur d’ouvrage peut-il défendre à un entrepreneur qui est partie à une procédure judiciaire contre lui de soumissionner?” [Can a Project Manager Prevent a Contractor who is Party to Legal Proceedings Against It from Bidding?], 2002.
- Author: “Un débiteur peut-il reprocher à son créancier de ne pas avoir inscrit une hypothèque légale de la construction sur l’immeuble de sa compagnie?” [Can a Debtor Reproach a Creditor for Not Registering a Legal Construction Hypothec against its Building?], 2002.
- Author: “Clause d’élection de domicile dans un contrat de construction” [Election of Domicile Clause in Construction Contracts], 2002.
- Author: “L’ACQ et le pouvoir d’imposer des amendes” [The Québec Construction Association and the Power to Impose Fines], 2002.
- Author: “Des changements en matière d’hypothèque légale de la construction relativement aux frais d’avocats” [Changes in Legal Construction Hypothecs with respect to Legal Fees], 2002.
- Co-author: “L’hypothèque légale de la construction” [Legal Construction Hypothecs], 2001.
- Author: “Que faire en cas de retenue exagérée du propriétaire à la fin des travaux” [What to Do in the Case of Excessive Holdbacks by the Owner upon the Completion of Work], 2001.
- Author: “La radiation de l’hypothèque légale de la construction d’un entrepreneur pour défaut de licence” [Deregistration of a Contractor’s Legal Construction Hypothec for not Having a Licence], 2001.
- Author: “La transaction ou l’entente de règlement” [Settlement Agreements], 2001.
- Speaker: In-house practical training given to an audience of construction companies and their staff on the legal construction hypothec, 2020.
- Co-speaker: L’hypothèque légale de la construction au Québec et en Ontario : comment la substituer? [The legal construction hypothec in Québec and Ontario: how to substitute one for the other], as part of the Québec General Contractors Corporation's convention, February 20-22, 2019.
- Co-speaker: Matin-conférence en droit de la construction – La résiliation d’un contrat d’entreprise ou de service [Morning Seminar on Construction Law – Terminating a Contract of Enterprise or for Services], Langlois Knowledge, Québec City, May 10, 2018.
- Co-speaker: Qu’en est-il de la responsabilité et des obligations du promoteur immobilier? [Obligations and potential liability of real estate developers], as part of the Québec General Contractors Corporation's convention, February 21-23, 2018.
- Co-speaker: 5@7 Construction, Langlois Knowledge, Québec City, July 4, 2017.
- Speaker: La réclamation des frais d’avocats encourus : chose possible? [Claims for incurred legal fees: can they succeed?], as part of the Québec General Contractors Corporation's convention, Québec City, February 16, 2017.
- Co-speaker: Matin-conférences en droit de la construction : la résiliation d’un contrat d’entreprise ou de service [Morning Seminar on Construction Law – Terminating a Contract of Enterprise or for Services], Langlois Knowledge, Québec City, May 19, 2016.
- Co-speaker: Matin-conférences en droit de la construction : les travaux de construction et les garanties légales [Morning Seminar on Construction Law – Legal Warranties and Construction Work], Langlois Knowledge, Québec City, December 7 and 11, 2015.
- Co-speaker: Matin-conférences en droit de la construction : la faillite d’un sous-traitant [Morning Seminar on Construction Law – Subcontractors’ Bankruptcies], Langlois Knowledge, Montréal, October 15, 2023, and Québec City, October 23, 2015.
- Co-speaker: Matin-conférences en droit de la construction : l’hypothèque légale de la construction [Morning Seminar on Construction Law – Legal Construction Hypothecs], Langlois Knowledge, Québec City, September 25, 2015, and Montréal, September 28, 2015.
- Co-speaker: 5@7 Construction, Langlois Knowledge, Québec City, June 11, 2015.
- Speaker: Survol des principes de l’hypothèque légale de la construction [An overview of the legal construction hypothec principles], a training given to Dalcon, 2015.
- Speaker: La clause de paiement sur paiement [ʻPay When Paidʼ Clauses], as part of the Québec General Contractors Corporation's annual convention, 2015.
- Speaker: Qu’en est-il de la possibilité de publier une hypothèque légale de la construction sur les projets des donneurs d’ouvrage publics? [What about the possibility of publishing a legal construction hypothec for the projects of public clients?], Desjardins, Langlois Knowledge, 2015.
- Co-speaker: Gestion dynamique des problématiques; de l’appel d’offres à la fin des travaux [Dynamic management of issues: From the call for tenders to work completion], Langlois Knowledge, Montréal, September 24, 2014.
- Co-speaker: L’évaluation de rendement de l’entrepreneur par les organismes publics : une nouvelle chasse aux sorcières? [Evaluation of contractor performance by public bodies: a new witch hunt?], as part of the Grande rencontre Contech organized in collaboration with Langlois, September 24, 2014.
- Co-speaker: Travaux de construction et garanties légales [Legal warranties and construction work], as part as a fundraising activity for the Deschênes-Fabia breast-cancer treatment centre, organized by Langlois in collaboration with Les Constructions Béland & Lapointe Inc., 2014.
- Speaker: L’évaluation de rendement de l’entrepreneur par les organismes publics : une nouvelle chasse aux sorcières? [Evaluation of contractor performance by public bodies: a new witch hunt?], as part of the Québec General Contractors Corporation's annual convention, 2014.
- Speaker: What construction contractors need to know about legal hypothecs, surety bonds and the bankruptcy of a sub-contractor, Langlois Knowledge, 2013.
- Speaker: Practical advices inspired from real-life cases to avoid or minimize your disputes, as part of the Québec General Contractors Corporation's annual convention, 2013.
- Speaker: Legal construction hypothec – practical aspects, training session for contractors in the Québec City area, 2012.
- Speaker: Legal construction hypothecs and problems arising from the bankruptcy of a sub-contractor, to Kingston Byers inc., a general contractor, 2012.
- Speaker: Legal construction hypothecs, in collaboration with Entreprises POL R inc., to specialized contractors in the Montréal and Québec City area, 2012.
- Speaker: Abusive proceedings: what are they and what are the possible consequences?, as part of the Québec General Contractors Corporation's annual convention, 2012.
- Speaker: What should a general contractor do if the trustee makes a claim following the bankruptcy of a subcontractor?, as part of the Québec General Contractors Corporation's annual convention, 2011.
- Speaker: Is it possible to publish a legal construction hypothec (builder’s lien) against the immovable of a public project manager?, as part of the Québec General Contractors Corporation's annual convention, 2010.
- Speaker: Examination and cross-examination of expert witnesses, Langlois Knowledge, 2009.
- Speaker: Is it possible to publish a legal construction hypothec (builder’s lien) against the immovable of a public project manager?, Langlois Knowledge, 2009.
- Speaker: Site Completion by Contractors, as part of the Québec General Contractors Corporation's annual convention, 2009.
- Speaker: Choice of Residence Clauses, as part of the Québec General Contractors Corporation's annual convention, 2009.
- Speaker: In defence of article J-6 of the QBDS code, as part of the Québec General Contractors Corporation's annual convention, 2008.
- Speaker: Professional liability (architects and engineers), organized by the Canadian Department of National Defence and Defence Construction Canada, 2008.
- Speaker: Training on Legal Construction Hypothecs, the New QBDS Code, and Construction Bonds, 2008.
- Speaker: Ruling of the Court of Appeal in HMI-Promec: Discharge of a legal hypothec against Hydro-Québec, 2008.
- Speaker: The obligation of good faith in contractual matters under article 1375 of the Civil Code of Québec, as part of the Québec General Contractors Corporation's annual convention, 2007.
- Speaker: Article J-8 of the QBDS code, as part of the Québec General Contractors Corporation's annual convention, 2005.
- Speaker: Equivalences, as part of the ASPE symposium, 2005.
- Speaker: What you should know about legal construction hypothecs, 2005.
- Speaker: Bankruptcy and Construction Sites, 2004.
- Speaker: Delays: Who Gives What?, 2004.
- Speaker: Unilateral termination of a construction contract, as part of the Québec General Contractors Corporation's annual convention, 2004.
- Speaker: A project manager’s obligation to provide information, 2004.
- Speaker: Training session for general contractors, 2003.
- Speaker: Training session for specialized contractors, 2003.
- Speaker: Possible Recourse Regarding QBDS (ASPE) Rules, 2003.
- Speaker: Obligations and liability of contractors under the Civil Code of Québec, 2002.
- Speaker: Construction surety bonding, 2002.
- Speaker: Warranties and hidden defects, 2002.
- Speaker: What you should know about calls for tenders, 2002.
- Speaker: What to do in the case of excessive holdbacks by the owner upon completion of work, as part of the Québec General Contractors Corporation's annual convention, Mont-Tremblant, 2001.
- Speaker: Legal construction hypothecs, as part as the ASPE/Québec technical symposium, 2001.
- Speaker: The QBDS Rules, 2001.
LL.B., Civil Law, Université Laval, 1987