François Grondin

Ad. E.

Partner

Montréal
[email protected]
514.954.3153

François Grondin is a seasoned and versatile litigation lawyer who regularly pleads before both the Superior Court and the Court of Appeal of Québec. His areas of practice include:

  • civil and commercial litigation (including injunction proceedings)
  • professional liability (civil and disciplinary)
  • class actions
  • defamation, both for plaintiffs and defendants

François is also involved in commissions of inquiry (Chamberland, Gomery, Oliphant) and in penal proceedings, and has significant experience in administrative and constitutional litigation (public law) and professional law, including judicial ethics. François is a member of BLG’s Partnership Board.

Experience

  • Canadian Pacific Railway Company: acts in a class action related to the Lac-Mégantic train derailment
  • JTI-Macdonald Corp.: represents JTI-Macdonald Corp. in a class action against tobacco companies
  • Google: acts in two class actions before the Superior Court
  • Aéroports de Montréal: acts for Aéroports de Montréal in class actions, injunction proceedings and commercial litigations
  • Conférence des juges de la Cour du Québec: represented the Conférence in the reference before the Court of Appeal regarding the constitutional validity of the competence afforded to the Quebec Court’s jurisdiction and represented it in an application for judicial review against the Government of Québec
  • Involved in class actions related to smoking, as well as the defence of the action taken by the Attorney General of Québec to recover healthcare costs incurred as a result of tobacco consumption
  • Acted as one of the lawyers representing the Commission Chamberland in its inquiry into police practices and their potential impact on the protection of the confidentiality of journalistic sources
  • Participated in the Oliphant Commission and was part of a team of lawyers that represented the Right Honourable Brian Mulroney
  • Pleaded before the Gomery Commission and defended judges before the Canadian Judicial Council and the Conseil de la magistrature du Québec
  • Involved in class action matters and frequently pleads before the Superior Court and the Court of Appeal of Québec

Beyond Our Walls

Professional Involvement

  • Member, Canadian Bar Association
  • Member, The Advocates' Society
  • Instructor, course on evidence, procedure and obligations at the École du Barreau du Québec, 2006-2019

Community Involvement

  • Member of the Board of Directors, Mira Foundation
  • Member of the Board of Directors, Joé Juneau Foundation

Awards & Recognitions

  • Recognized in the 2025 edition (and since 2020) of Best Lawyers in Canada® (Class Action Litigation). Also recognized since 2012 (Corporate and Commercial Litigation)
  • Recognized in the 2025 edition (and since 2022) of Chambers Canada — Canada's Leading Lawyers for Business (Litigation: General Commercial [Québec])
  • Selected as an “Excellence Awardee” for Litigator of the Year at the 2023 Canadian Law Awards
  • Recognized in the 2023 edition of The Legal 500 Canada (Dispute resolution)
  • Recognized in the 2024 edition (and since 2023) of The Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory (Litigation - Corporate Commercial), 2024 edition (Litigation - Regulatory & Public Law) and 2020-2013 editions (Litigation – Corporate Commercial, Litigation – Product Liability, Class Actions)
  • Recognized in the 2024 edition (and since 2020) of the Benchmark Canada – The Definitive Guide to Canada's Leading Litigation Firms & Attorneys as a “Local Litigation Star: Québec” and in the 2018 edition (and since 2015) as a “Litigation Star: General Commercial, Professional Liability”
  • Recognized in the 2021 edition (and since 2020) of Best Lawyers in Canada® (Class Action Litigation). Also recognized in the 2021 edition (and since 2012) (Corporate and Commercial Litigation)
  • Recognized in the 2024 and 2020 edition of Lexpert Special Edition: Litigation
  • Named Advocatus Emeritus (Ad. E.) of the Barreau du Québec 2020

Bar Admission & Education

  • Québec, 1991
  • LLB, Université Laval, 1990
  • LLM in International Law (Honourable Mention), University of Nottingham, 1992