Mr Eric Bédard > Woods LLP > Montreal, Canada > Lawyer Profile
Woods LLP Offices
2000 MCGILL COLLEGE AVE, SUITE 1700
MONTREAL, QUEBEC H3A 3H3
Canada
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Mr Eric Bédard
Position
Partner
Career
Eric is an experienced litigator in major commercial and administrative disputes, with expertise in domestic and international arbitration, both as counsel and arbitrator. He is also regularly called upon to provide strategic advice on employment law, shareholder disputes and corporate governance issues.
A versatile litigator, Eric is among the most prominent lawyers of his generation and is recognized by some of the most renowned legal directories for his track record in complex litigation. He acts for private and public companies in a variety of fields, including mining and gas, financial services, securities, and telecommunications. He also represents professionals in matters where their liability may be engaged and regarding their professional orders. With his diversified experience, he is familiar with the decision-making processes of the federal, provincial, and municipal governments, and with negotiating with them to defuse contentious situations.
Clients and parties also turn to Eric for his expertise with domestic and international arbitration, whether commercial or related to foreign investments. Trained in common law and civil law, he acts as counsel and arbitrator in many contexts. He is equally proficient in disputes related to arbitration proceedings: homologation and enforcement, or annulment of awards, etc. Eric is the only Quebec lawyer on Arbitration Place’s NextGen Roster of arbitrators and arbitration lawyers, based in Toronto.
Eric is active in the Canadian and international arbitration community, including as North American representative for the ICC Young Arbitration & ADR Forum (YAAF) and as a member of the ICC Canada Arbitration Committee. He has served as Vice President – Events of the Young Canadian Arbitration Practitioners and is a frequent author and speaker on topics such as evidence, procedure, and domestic and international arbitration.
Languages
English, French
Memberships
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
- Member of the NextGen Roster of Arbitration Place since 2021
- Lawyer on the Ordre des architects du Québec’s list of arbitrators regarding fee accounts since 2021
- Vice-Preseident of the executive committee of the Business Law section of the Canadian Bar Association – Quebec Branch, since 2023
- ICC Young Arbitration & ADR Forum (YAAF), Representative for Canada – North American Chapter, 2021-2023
- Young Canadian Arbitration Practitioners (YCAP), member of the Advisory Board (2023-), Vice-President – Events (2021-2022), member of the Board of Directors (2018-2022)
- McGill University, Faculty of Law, coach of the team participating at Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot since 2018
- Member of the executive committee of the International section of the Canadian Bar Association – Quebec Branch, 2013-2019
- McGill University, lecturer, Faculty of Engineering, Law for Architects and Engineers, 2012-2017
- Centre de développement pour l’exercice de la citoyenneté (CDEC), member of the Board of Directors, since 2013
- McGill Legal Information Clinic, Research Director and member of the Board of Directors, 2008-2009
- Quebec Research Centre of Private and Comparative Law, Researcher and member of the Board of Directors, 2008-2009
ASSOCIATIONS
- Québec Bar
- Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (MCIArb)
- ICC Canada, member of the Arbitration Committee
- Canadian Bar Association
Education
Quebec Bar, Intensive Seminar: Litigation Techniques (Université de Sherbrooke), 2013
McGill University, Faculty of Law, Bachelor of Civil Law (B.C.L.) and Common Law (LL.B.), 2010
- Wainwright Essay Prize for “Cognitive Dissonance: the Efficiency of Security”, written under the supervision of Prof. Roderick A. Macdonald.
McGill University, Faculty of Arts, Bachelor of Arts – Philosophy (B.A.), 2005
- 1st class honours
- Dean’s Honour List
- Ross Price
Lawyer Rankings
Canada > Dispute resolution: Quebec
(Next Generation Partners)Montreal-based boutique litigation firm Woods LLP demonstrates strength in insolvency, class action and commercial agreement disputes, as well as in corporate liability and governance disputes. Sylvain Rigaud, who leads the insolvency and restructuring group, heads the team, along with Richard Vachon and Marie-Louise Delisle, who is highly active on class action defence and professional liability matters, with a focus on telecommunications law, competition affairs and civil liability. Louis Seveno handles litigation and arbitration relating to construction and PPP disputes. Other key members include international arbitration specialist Stephen Drymer and Eric Bédard. Patrick Ouellet was appointed as a Judge of the Superior Court of Quebec for the district of Montréal in April 2023. Managing partner Caroline Biron departed the firm in August 2023.