Sophie Perreault

 Partner
Key practice areas
Civil and Commercial Litigation, Internal and Regulatory Investigations, Compliance and White Collar Defence, Extraordinary Remedies, Class Actions, Corporate Governance
Québec Bar 1994
Montréal
+1 438 844 7822
sophie.perreault@langlois.ca
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Sophie Perreault is an accomplished litigator and is recognized for her ability to lead complex files in a wide range of civil and commercial disputes and penal and regulatory proceedings. She has an impressive record in extraordinary remedies such as injunctions, mandamus proceedings and Anton Piller orders. She has also acted in defence in class action proceedings and in constitutional matters that have been pleaded before the Supreme Court of Canada. Her ability to listen and her strategic approach make her a go-to advisor in the most sensitive matters.

In addition to her litigation practice, Sophie assists her clients in managing their business challenges, particularly in the areas of ethics, anti-corruption and directors’ and officers’ liability. She advises them in the assessment and management of legal, operational and reputational risks, participates in the development of compliance policies and programs, leads internal and external investigations, and defends their interests in the context of governmental and regulatory proceedings.

A trailblazer in the legal community, Sophie has earned trust and respect not only from clients, but also from opposing counsel and the judiciary for her outstanding management of all aspects of the cases in which she is involved. In 2022, Sophie was inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL), and was appointed Vice Chair of the Québec Province Committee in 2023. This recognition marks a career characterized by the highest standards of ethical conduct, professionalism, civility, and collegiality. Sophie was also recognized as a star of the legal profession in the Acritas Global Survey, having been named an Outstanding Lawyer by her clients. She is listed in Canada’s most prestigious legal directories including Chambers Canada, The Best Lawyers in Canada, Benchmark Litigation and The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory.

Sophie is involved in the community and with young people. She is chair of the firm’s board of directors and an exceptional mentor to the young lawyers who work there. She also sits on the board of directors of Maison Le Paravent, which assists homeless women in the Basses-Laurentides region.

Sophie acts or has acted for the following clients:

  • A construction company and certain shareholders, defending a $15 million claim by another shareholder
  • A pharmaceutical company, defending a claim for damages of more than $37 million
  • A petroleum company in relation to multiple environmental, real estate and commercial disputes, including an action brought by a landowner seeking the rehabilitation of his site under the Environment Quality Act, which was dismissed by the Québec Superior Court.
  • A communications company in its $1.2 billion claim against the private equity sponsors of the failed leveraged buyout of the company
  • An association of professionals, in relation to a constitutional challenge and applications for judicial review and for declaratory judgment
  • A public institution specialized in managing infrastructure projects in defending a constitutional challenge in the context of a project to build an automated light rail transportation system
  • A mining company in an aggressive intervention in relation to Anton Piller proceedings in the context of fraudulent activities of third parties
  • A paper company in successfully obtaining an Anton Piller order and allowing repossession of the client’s property and data
  • A Canadian communications company in defending against several class actions in the area of consumer law
  • A biopharmaceutical company in successfully obtaining injunctive relief after employees left to join a competitor
  • A wholesale retailer in defending against an application for a Norwich order
  • An agri-food business in defending against a claim for damages for an alleged product defect
  • Numerous clients in the area of public contracts, in the context of applying integrity requirements (federal and provincial) and obtaining mandatory authorizations to enter into public contracts
  • Boards of Directors or enterprises, in the context of internal investigations in a variety of contexts
  • Various clients in risk management, compliance and business ethics cases, particularly in crisis situations and imminent litigation risks
  • Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, since 2022
  • Chambers Canada – Litigation: General Commercial, 2021-2024
  • Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory – Litigation – Corporate Commercial, 2020-2024
  • Benchmark Litigation Canada:
    • Litigation Star, 2017-2024
    • Top 100 Women in Litigation in Canada, 2022-2024
  • Best Lawyers in Canada:
    • Corporate and Commercial Litigation, 2011-2025
    • Class Action Litigation, 2021-2025
  • Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, since 2022
  • Acritas Stars, 2019
  • Le Leadership au féminin – recognized by the Barreau du Québec for her active involvement in the community, 2007

Professional associations

  • American College of Trial Lawyers:
    • Vice Chair of the Québec Province Committee, since 2023
    • Member of the Beverly McLachlin Committee, since 2022
    • Member of the Outreach Committee, since 2022
    • Fellow, since 2022
  • Canadian Bar Association, Member, since 1994
  • The Advocates’ Society, Member, since 2018
  • Québec Bar, Member of the Civil Procedure Reform Committee, 2003

Teaching engagements

  • McGill University’s Faculty of Law, Guest Lecturer (Civil Litigation course), 2014-2016
  • Québec Bar School, Lecturer in Civil pleading techniques, 2006

Community Involvement

  • Langlois Lawyers:
    • Chair of the Board of Directors, since 2022
    • Member of the Board of Directors, 2019-2022
  • Maison Le Paravent, Member of the Board of Directors, since 2022
  • Fondation La Récréation:
    • Chair of the Board of Directors, 2009-2024
    • Co-Founder, 2009
  • École primaire Beaconsfield:
    • Chair of the Governing Board, 2011-2013
    • Member of the Governing Board, 2009-2010
  • CPE de la Pointe, Member of the Board of Directors, 2004-2006
  • Moderator: Évolution du milieu du travail : les chemins, sont-ils vraiment plus flexibles? [An evolving workplace: Is there really more flexibility?], panel as part of the Symposium des femmes, The Advocates' Society, Montréal, November 28, 2023.
  • Co-speaker: L’envers du télétravail pour les femmes juristes [The reverse side of teleworking for women in law], Forum des femmes juristes, Canadian Bar Association, January 23, 2023.
  • Co-speaker: Actions collectives : état des lieux – rétrospective et expectatives [Class actions: Situational analysis – Retrospective and expectations], Langlois Knowledge, webinar, March 16, 2021.
  • Co-speaker: Actions collectives : état des lieux – perspective environnement et troubles de voisinage – développements jurisprudentiels 2020 [Class actions: Situational analysis – Environmental issues and neighbourhood disturbances – Case-law developments 2020], Langlois Knowledge, webinar, March 19, 2021.
  • Speaker: Les actions collectives : ce que vous devez savoir [Class actions: What you need to know], as part of the Insurance law training series 2019-2020, Langlois Knowledge, Montréal, October 29, 2019.
  • Speaker: L’Autorité des marchés publics – un nouveau joueur en matière de contrats publics [The Autorité des marchés publics – A new player in the area of public contracts], Langlois Knowledge, Montréal, 2019.
  • Speaker: Cyberattaque : trousse juridique pour se préparer à l'inévitable [Cyberattack: Legal toolkit to plan for the inevitable], RISIUQ, Québec City, 2018.
  • Speaker: Gestion de crise: prévention, préparation et réaction lorsque votre réputation est à risque [Crisis management: Prevention, readiness and response when your reputation is at risk], Vision 2017, Montréal, 2017.
  • Co-speaker: Cyberattaque : trousse juridique pour se préparer à l'inévitable [Cyberattack: Legal toolkit to plan for the inevitable], as part of the GoSec 2017 cybersecurity conference, 13th Edition, Montréal, August 30, 2017.
  • Speaker: Public Contracts: Integrity Requirements, Montréal, 2016.
  • Speaker: Démystifier les relations avec l'État Partie III – Intégrité et contrats publics [Demystify the relationships with the State Part III – Integrity in public contracts], Montréal, 2016.
  • Speaker: Nouvelles exigences en matière de conformité et d'intégrité : gérez vos risques et démarquez-vous de vos concurrents [New requirements with regard to compliance and integrity: Manage your risks and distinguish yourself from the competition], Vision 2016, Montréal, 2016.
  • Speaker: Exigences d'intégrité en matière de contrats publics [Integrity requirements in the area of public contracts], Montréal, 2016.
  • Speaker: La Loi sur l'intégrité en matière de contrats publics, deux ans plus tard [Integrity in Public Contracts Act: Two years later], Montréal, 2015.
  • Speaker: Gestion de crise environnementale et en matière de santé et sécurité – Comment limiter les dégâts [Environmental crisis management and health and safety crisis management – How to limit the damages], Montréal, 2013.
  • Speaker: Prevention against fraud and corruption: latest legal developments, Montréal, 2013.
  • Speaker: Diffamation et gestion de crise [Defamation and crisis management], Montréal, 2013.

Mini-MBA Program, McGill Executive Institute, 2016

B.C.L./LL.B., McGill University, 1993

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