Claudia Desjardins Belisle

Partner | Montréal

514.871.5496

Portrait of Claudia Desjardins Bélisle

Overview

Claudia Desjardins Bélisle represents employers in all types of labour and employment matters, but has developed a special expertise in complex litigation surrounding violation of restrictive covenants and violation of proprietary and confidential information obligations, supporting employers during unionization campaigns and the application of the Charter of the French Language.

She regularly represents employers before courts and grievance arbitrators. She advises them on union certification process and collective agreements, and provides legal opinions. She also assists employers in negotiating amicable settlement of disputes.

She has pleaded before the Superior Court and Court of Appeal in several prominent cases and was involved in many major dismissals. Notably, Claudia was involved in the negotiation and settlement of one of Quebec’s longest labour conflicts in the last 30 years. This specific matter led her to plead several injunction proceedings and obtain a judgment to force the workers of a multinational corporation to vote on their employer’s final offers.

Claudia is an active member of the American Bar Association Equal Employment Opportunity subsection of the Labour and Employment law group. As such, she regularly contributes by speaking on different topics from a Canadian law perspective, including pay equity, discrimination and activism in the workplace, as an attorney for employers.

Claudia was the Labour & Employment Legal Practice Leader until the fall of 2022 and is now Head of Advocacy of Miller Thomson’s Montreal office leading a team of close to 50 lawyers. She takes pride in training the younger generations of lawyers and supports them in their development. A team player, she is involved in a number of committees and round tables, bringing her dynamism and ideas to bear on the evolution of projects and well-being in the workplace. In particular, she handles Canada-France relations for Miller Thomson.

Professional achievements & leadership

  • The Best Lawyers in Canada – Labour and Employment Law, 2022-2024

Thought leadership

  • Cannabis sur les chantiers : Employeurs préoccupés, Miller Thomson annual Construction Law seminar, presented jointly with Daphnée Beauchamp, March 20, 2018
  • ''Cannabis sur les chantiers : Employeurs préoccupés'', Miller Thomson 2018 Construction Law seminar Textbook, article written with Daphnée Beauchamp, March 2018
  • ''Legalization of Marijuana: Managing this New Workplace Reality'', Canadian Labour & Employment Law Blog, article written with Daphnée Beauchamp, February 12, 2018
  • Demystifying the employment contract: the penal clause in term employment contracts; the current scope of such stipulations in Quebec law, Miller Thomson Conference, 2016
  • Governance: the latest issues affecting NPOs (constructive dismissal), Conference in partnership with Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton, presented in collaboration with the Association of Fundraising Professionals – Quebec Chapter, 2015
  • "Bill 3 : Proposed Reform or an Infringement of Constitutional Rights? » (with Louis-Philippe Raynault-Ollu), Labour and Employment Communiqué, October 3, 2014
  • "Victory of Ex-Wal-Mart employees – What’s next?", Canadian Labour and employment Law Blog, July 3, 2014
  • "Employer Responsibilities during Holiday Parties", Canadian Labour and employment Law Blog, December 23, 2013
  • "Focusing on the Next Generation: Age Discrimination?", Canadian Labour and employment Law Blog, October 1, 2012

Community involvement

  • Member of the committee in partnership with the collaborative workplace La Gare
  • Legal clinics for startups, La Gare

Professional memberships

  • Canadian Association of Counsel to Employers (CACE)
  • Young Bar of Montréal
  • Canadian Bar Association
  • American Bar Association

Languages spoken

  • English
  • French

Bar admissions & education

  • Quebec, 2012
  • J.D., University of Ottawa, 2010
  • LL.L., University of Ottawa, 2009