Julien is a partner of the Montréal office and is cross-appointed to the national Disputes and Insolvency and Restructuring departments. His practice is diversified and centred on the insolvency and litigation fields, with a particular focus on corporate restructuring and insolvency-related transactional and advisory, insolvency litigation, Québec privacy and access to information law, investigations, insurance and public law.
Other areas of his practice also include regulatory matters, class actions and general commercial litigation.
Having developed expertise over the years, Julien is also a key resource for various specific litigation and advisory needs such as notably pharmacy and prescription drug market regulation, credit information reporting, administrative/constitutional law and court-approved solvent arrangements.
Valued business advisor by clients, by professionals in the insolvency and restructuring space and by decision-makers in accounting firms and lending institutions, Julien is actively involved with the Turnaround Management Association (TMA) as a director and vice-president, legal affairs of the local chapter. Julien has been involved in many high-profile commercial insolvency and restructuring matters in the last decade, notably in the retail, mining, technology and real estate sectors.
With over one decade of experience in investigations by and hearings before the Québec Access to Information Commission, both with respect to private and public sector legislation, Julien is at the forefront of new developments stemming from ongoing privacy and access to information legislative reform (Law 25) and assisting many clients with preparedness initiatives.
Julien is recognized as a detail-oriented and thorough jurist. He pleads regularly before many levels of court as well as administrative tribunals. Julien was awarded the Elizabeth Torrance Gold Medal of McGill University’s Faculty of Law. He also worked as a law clerk to the Honourable Marie Deschamps and the Honourable Thomas Albert Cromwell, Justices of the Supreme Court of Canada
Representative Work
- Xebec Adsorption Group
The Xebec Group in its cross-border restructuring and eleven plans of arrangement under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act
- Ernst & Young
Ernst & Young as court-appointed Monitor of the Zenabis group and its sale to SNDL
- TELUS Health Solutions Inc.
TELUS Health Solutions Inc. in connection with the restructuring of ChronoMétriq Inc. and Health Myself Innovations Inc.
- A potential bidder
A potential bidder in Nemaska Lithium’s CCAA restructuring
- Frank and Oak
Modasuite Inc., doing business as Frank and Oak completes sale transaction
- Deloitte Restructuring Inc.
Deloitte Restructuring Inc. in the CCAA Proceedings of Stornoway Diamond Corporation and affiliated entities (in 2013 and 2023)
- Corbeil Électrique Inc.
Corbeil Électrique Inc., in connection with the sale of substantially all of its business and assets to AM-CAM Électroménagers Inc.
- Ernst & Young as court-appointed Monitor of IntelGenx Corp. and IntelGenx Technologies Corp.
- Xebec Adsorption Inc. and its US and Canadian affiliates in their restructuring proceedings under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act and Chapter 15 proceedings under the US Bankruptcy Code
- Trans Union of Canada, Inc. in numerous matters before the Québec Access to Information Commission, Court of Québec and Superior Court of Québec
- Acts for the plaintiff Bruno Gélinas-Faucher in his constitutional challenge of section 282 of the Quebec Election Act, which deprives persons domiciled in Quebec from the right to vote by mail after two years of temporary residence abroad
- Deloitte Restructuring Inc. in the proceedings of Stornoway Diamond Corporation and affiliated entities under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act, resulting in the successful restructuring of over $700 million of liabilities relating to the Renard diamond mine
- The Stars Group Inc. (formerly Amaya Inc.) in an investigation of the Autorité des marchés financiers into allegation relating to trading of Amaya shares prior to the announcement of the US$4.9 billion acquisition of Oldford Group Ltd., owner of PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker
- Homburg Invest Inc. and related companies in their restructuring under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act and related litigation
- Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec in an investigation of its real estate lending subsidiary Otéra Capital
- The Canadian Civil Liberties Association in its intervention before the Supreme Court of Canada in the case of Gilles Doré v. Pierre Bernard in his capacity as Assistant Syndic of the Barreau du Québec, et al. dealing with freedom of expression and professional regulation issues
- Groupe Airmédic Inc. and its affiliates in their restructuring proceedings under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act
- Imperial Tobacco Canada Ltd. in the court-supervised liquidation of Kansa General International Insurance Co
- Ernst & Young as court-appointed Monitor of the Zenabis group and its sale to SNDL
- The Association of Suburban Municipalities of the Island of Montréal in proceedings for judicial review of a decision of the Agglomeration of Montréal
- Laurentian Bank of Canada in various restructuring matters<!–
- A potential bidder in Nemaska Lithium’s CCAA restructuring under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act
- Cogeco Inc. in its successful defence of a decision of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission before the Federal Court of Appeal
- Modasuite Inc., in the sale of its assets under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act and the successful restructuring of the Frank and Oak brand
- PricewaterhouseCoopers Inc. in its capacity as interim receiver to the Canadian assets of Georges Marciano
- ThyssenKrupp Budd Company in defence of a product liability action in the Superior Court of Québec
- Ernst & Young Inc. in its capacity as court-appointed Monitor in the proceedings of Reitmans (Canada) Limited under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act
- Shoppers Drug Mart Inc., Pharmaprix Inc. and Sanis Health Inc. regarding regulatory matters
- Corbeil Électrique Inc., in connection with the sale of substantially all of its business and assets to AM-CAM Électroménagers Inc. under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act
- TELUS Health Solutions Inc. in connection with the restructuring of ChronoMétriq Inc. and Health Myself Innovations Inc.
- The Elna Medical Group and its affiliates in their restructuring proceedings under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act
The Xebec Group in its cross-border restructuring and eleven plans of arrangement under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act
Ernst & Young as court-appointed Monitor of the Zenabis group and its sale to SNDL
TELUS Health Solutions Inc. in connection with the restructuring of ChronoMétriq Inc. and Health Myself Innovations Inc.
A potential bidder in Nemaska Lithium’s CCAA restructuring
Modasuite Inc., doing business as Frank and Oak completes sale transaction
- Deloitte Restructuring Inc.
Deloitte Restructuring Inc. in the CCAA Proceedings of Stornoway Diamond Corporation and affiliated entities (in 2013 and 2023)
- Corbeil Électrique Inc.
Corbeil Électrique Inc., in connection with the sale of substantially all of its business and assets to AM-CAM Électroménagers Inc.
- Ernst & Young as court-appointed Monitor of IntelGenx Corp. and IntelGenx Technologies Corp.
- Xebec Adsorption Inc. and its US and Canadian affiliates in their restructuring proceedings under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act and Chapter 15 proceedings under the US Bankruptcy Code
- Trans Union of Canada, Inc. in numerous matters before the Québec Access to Information Commission, Court of Québec and Superior Court of Québec
- Acts for the plaintiff Bruno Gélinas-Faucher in his constitutional challenge of section 282 of the Quebec Election Act, which deprives persons domiciled in Quebec from the right to vote by mail after two years of temporary residence abroad
- Deloitte Restructuring Inc. in the proceedings of Stornoway Diamond Corporation and affiliated entities under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act, resulting in the successful restructuring of over $700 million of liabilities relating to the Renard diamond mine
- The Stars Group Inc. (formerly Amaya Inc.) in an investigation of the Autorité des marchés financiers into allegation relating to trading of Amaya shares prior to the announcement of the US$4.9 billion acquisition of Oldford Group Ltd., owner of PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker
- Homburg Invest Inc. and related companies in their restructuring under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act and related litigation
- Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec in an investigation of its real estate lending subsidiary Otéra Capital
- The Canadian Civil Liberties Association in its intervention before the Supreme Court of Canada in the case of Gilles Doré v. Pierre Bernard in his capacity as Assistant Syndic of the Barreau du Québec, et al. dealing with freedom of expression and professional regulation issues
- Groupe Airmédic Inc. and its affiliates in their restructuring proceedings under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act
- Imperial Tobacco Canada Ltd. in the court-supervised liquidation of Kansa General International Insurance Co
- Ernst & Young as court-appointed Monitor of the Zenabis group and its sale to SNDL
- The Association of Suburban Municipalities of the Island of Montréal in proceedings for judicial review of a decision of the Agglomeration of Montréal
- Laurentian Bank of Canada in various restructuring matters<!–
- A potential bidder in Nemaska Lithium’s CCAA restructuring under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act
- Cogeco Inc. in its successful defence of a decision of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission before the Federal Court of Appeal
- Modasuite Inc., in the sale of its assets under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act and the successful restructuring of the Frank and Oak brand
- PricewaterhouseCoopers Inc. in its capacity as interim receiver to the Canadian assets of Georges Marciano
- ThyssenKrupp Budd Company in defence of a product liability action in the Superior Court of Québec
- Ernst & Young Inc. in its capacity as court-appointed Monitor in the proceedings of Reitmans (Canada) Limited under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act
- Shoppers Drug Mart Inc., Pharmaprix Inc. and Sanis Health Inc. regarding regulatory matters
- Corbeil Électrique Inc., in connection with the sale of substantially all of its business and assets to AM-CAM Électroménagers Inc. under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act
- TELUS Health Solutions Inc. in connection with the restructuring of ChronoMétriq Inc. and Health Myself Innovations Inc.
- The Elna Medical Group and its affiliates in their restructuring proceedings under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act
Latest Insights
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Report Dec 5, 2024
The devil is in the details: legislative changes and access to healthcare
Legislative amendments are initiating significant developments in health reform.
Read more
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Report Nov 5, 2024
Osler Privacy Jurisprudence Review – Third Edition – Fall 2024
Comprised of case summaries accompanied by expert commentary, the Privacy Jurisprudence Review will help readers identify and understand emerging...
Read more -
Report May 7, 2024
Privacy Jurisprudence Review
Osler's semi-annual Privacy Jurisprudence Review is intended to help busy in-house counsel, Chief Privacy Officers and compliance professionals...
Read more -
Osler Update Sep 15, 2023
Employees affected: Superior Court of Québec clarifies the status of employee claims in CCAA proceedings
Most restructuring proceedings include downsizing and terminations that invite claims from affected employees. A recent judgment from the Superior...
Read more
Awards and Recognition
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Best Lawyers in Canada: Recognized in Insolvency and Financial Restructuring Law
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Elizabeth Torrance Gold Medal, McGill Faculty of Law, 2008
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Fondation Baxter & Alma Ricard Scholarship, 2004-2007
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Robinson Cup (Best Pleader), Tribunal-École Pierre-Basile Mignault (Québec Civil Law Moot), 2006
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Canada Graduate Scholarship – Master’s, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, 2003
Media Mentions
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Media Mentions Sep 26, 2022
Voting outside Quebec: citizens’ rights suspended – Le Journal de Montreal
Julien Morissette spoke to Le Journal de Montreal about the constitutional challenge of section 282 of the Quebec Election Act.
Read more -
Osler News Mar 1, 2020
Osler welcomes 11 new partners, 1 new counsel
Osler is proud to announce the addition of 11 new partners and one new counsel across three of our offices, effective March 1.
Read more
Speaking and Writing
Published Work
- La responsabilité des administrateurs à l’aune de l’insolvabilité, Speaker (with Ilia Kravtsov), Montreal 2024 Forum, Canadian Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Professionals – April 8, 2024
- ““Hello, Bonjour”: Analysis of the Use of French in CCAA Proceedings”, 19th Annual Review of Insolvency Law – December 2021 (with Ilia Kravtsov).
- “Being a Good Sport – A Comparative Analysis of Good Faith as a Statutory Obligation in Insolvency Proceedings”, Annual Review of Insolvency Law, 2020, Carswell (with Ilia Kravtsov and Cristina Cosneanu).
- “Responsabilité des administrateurs” [Director Liability], chapter 19, JurisClasseur Québec – Faillite, insolvabilité et restructuration, LexisNexis, 2010, updated annually (with Sandra Abitan).
- “Législation déléguée” [Delegated Legislation], chapter 4, JurisClasseur Québec – Droit administratif, LexisNexis, 2013, updated annually (with the Honourable Sylvain Lussier).
- Contributing author to the LexisNexis Practice Advisor Canada Insolvency & Restructuring module.
- “Une vérification tourne mal : l’Agence du revenu du Québec condamnée à verser plus de 4 millions de dollars en dommages-intérêts” (english abstract published under the title “When an audit goes bad: Quebec Revenue Agency ordered to pay over $4M in damages”), National Tax Insights, March 2014 (with Julia Wang).
- “Punitive damages against Revenu Québec”, (2014) 22 Can. Tax Highlights 1 (with Julia Wang).
- “Superior Court of Quebec refuses to apply Indalex”, (2012) 24 Comm. Insol. R. 58 (with Martin Desrosiers and Sandra Abitan).
- “We Can Bankrupt the Company for Sure, It’s Insolvent – Think Again”, post on the Weil Bankruptcy Blog (North of the Border Update), March 30, 2015 (with Martin Desrosiers), as well as in the Commercial Insolvency Report (Vol. 27, No. 6, August 2015).
- “Rare Substantive Consolidation Order Issued by Ontario Court”, post on the Weil Bankruptcy Blog (North of the Border Update), January 5, 2015.
- “Who Gets the Upside in a Single-Asset Real Estate Company? Unsecured Creditors, Québec Court Rules”, post on the Weil Bankruptcy Blog (North of the Border Update), April 29, 2014.
- “Court Terminates Director’s Charge and Refuses to Grant All-Encompassing Releases to Monitor and CRO”, post on the Weil Bankruptcy Blog (North of the Border Update), February 18, 2014 (with Sandra Abitan).
- “Avoiding Chaos: Court Uses the CCAA as Gap-Filling Regime”, post on the Weil Bankruptcy Blog (North of the Border Update), October 28, 2013 (with Martin Desrosiers).
- “Interim Receiver Authorized to Borrow to Fund Debtor’s Operations”, post on the Weil Bankruptcy Blog (North of the Border Update), September 3, 2013 (with Sandra Abitan).
- “Court-Approved Asset Sales: Does the Long Arm of the Court Have Any Grip on the Purchaser Post-Closing?”, post on the Weil Bankruptcy Blog (North of the Border Update), August 19, 2013.
- “Can an Insolvency Court Revive a Terminated Contract?”, post on the Weil Bankruptcy Blog (North of the Border Update), May 28, 2013 (with Martin Desrosiers).
- “Can Management be Replaced with a Court-Appointed Monitor? A New Brunswick Court (Surprisingly) Says No”, post on the Weil Bankruptcy Blog (North of the Border Update), March 18, 2013 (with Sandra Abitan).
- “Is it Wrongful to Pay a Dividend While Facing Litigation? A Québec Court May Answer”, post on the Weil Bankruptcy Blog (North of the Border Update), January 22, 2013 (with Martin Desrosiers).
- “Government Ordered to Pay Full Cost of Unsuccessful Claim as Creditor”, post on the Weil Bankruptcy Blog (North of the Border Update), November 19, 2012 (with Sandra Abitan).
- “Québec’s Legislated Marshalling and Its Unclear Ramifications”, post on the Weil Bankruptcy Blog (North of the Border Update), September 24, 2012 (with Martin Desrosiers).
Credentials
Education
- McGill University, B.C.L./LL.B
- University of Toronto, M.A. (Economics)
- University of Ottawa, B.Soc.Sc. (Hon. Economics)
- University of Ottawa, B.Soc.Sc. (Hon. Political Science)
Languages
- English
- French
- Spanish
Professional Affiliations
- Canadian Bar Association
- Lawyers Without Borders Canada
- Turnaround Management Association, Vice-President, Legal Affairs of the Montréal Chapter
- Young Bar Association of Montreal
- Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montréal
