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Laurent Nahmiash

Laurent currently represents numerous manufacturers and finance companies in various consumer protection and product liability class actions. As well, he has successfully defended various antitrust, privacy breach, securities, insurance, professional liability and pharmaceutical class actions. He has also acted in multiple class actions involving pension surplus entitlement disputes and alleged breaches of fiduciary duties by pension trustees.

Laurent is also currently retained in significant commercial litigation and arbitration and has been involved in a number of cross-border, rogatory commission and offshore trust/captive reinsurance lawsuits. He has also successfully defended various high-technology and e-commerce cases.

He has also been retained as coverage and defence counsel by numerous major insurance carriers to defend significant claims including the pyrrhotite saga.

Laurent was the President of the Québec chapter of the Canadian Bar Association Class Action Division from 2012 to 2014.

  • Currently retained by Mercedes-Benz Canada and Mercedes-Benz Financial Services to defend a key fob anti-theft class application and lease assignment fee class action.
  • Currently defending Ford Motor Company of Canada Ltd in a battery recall class application.
  • Currently retained to represent the former D&Os of MindGeek in a pending class application.
  • Currently retained to defend FCA in two consumer disclosure/pricing class applications.
  • Currently retained by a defendant carrier in the Valeant Securities class action and opt- out recourses.
  • Currently retained to represent Toronto-Dominion Bank in the settlement of a significant securities class action.
  • Successfully negotiated a discontinuance in favour of by Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Canada Corporation and Ford Credit Canada Company in respect of a lease option to purchase fee class application (Gillich v. Mercedez-Benz Canada inc., 2020 QCCS 67).
  • Obtained the successful dismissal and discontinuance of a second washer biofilm class action filed against Whirlpool Corporation after 16 years of litigation (Gaudette v. Whirlpool Canada, 2024 QCCS 2400; Lambert v. Whirlpool Canada, l.p., 2015 QCCA 433).
  • Successfully obtained the discontinuance of an automotive cartel class action application in favor of Daimler AG (Bountounis c. Volkswagen Group Canada Inc., 500-06 000876-173 (2024-02-22).
  • Successful trial dismissal of $24 million consumer non-disclosure class action on behalf of TD Auto Finance Services Inc. (Bourgeois c. Crédit Ford du Canada limitée, 2021 QCCA 962).
  • Successful trial dismissal of $20 million consumer protection class action on behalf of
  • Ford Credit Canada (Bourgeois c. Crédit Ford du Canada limitée, 2021 QCCA 962).
  • Successful dismissal of cyber data breach class application on behalf of Yahoo! (Bourbonnière v. Yahoo! Inc., 2019 QCCS 2624).
  • Obtained a discontinuance in favor of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc. in various Takata airbag class action applications filed in Ontario and Quebec (Vitoratos c. BMW Canada inc./BMW Group Canada, 2025 QCCS 574).
  • Boralex Inc.: Successfully defeating a Motion for Safeguard Order to prevent forced acquisition of Boralex Power Income Fund’s trust units, in connection with the CA$226.5 million acquisition of the Fund by Boralex Inc (O’Leary Funds Management, l.p. v Boralex Inc., 2010 QCCS 5104), as well as dismissal of subsequent action in damages (O’Leary Funds Management v Boralex Inc., 2018 QCCS 842).  The decision was confirmed by the Quebec Court of Appeal on January 21, 2019 (2019 QCCA 84).
  • Microsoft Inc., Lenovo, Whirlpool and FCA:  Successfully defeated class certification application filed against Microsoft Inc., Lenovo, Whirlpool and FCA alleging the harmful effects of electronic magnetic field product contributions (Durand c. Attorney General of Quebec, 2018 QCCS 2817).
  • Mercedes-Benz Canada, Inc. and Daimler AG:  Successfully obtained the dismissal of a class action application alleging defective gear sprockets and balance shafts (Nadeau v
    Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc. and Daimler AG, 2016 QCCS 7).  The decision was confirmed by the Quebec Court of Appeal on March 24, 2017 (2017 QCCA 470).  The application for leave to appeal was denied by the Supreme Court of Canada on September 21, 2017 (SCC No. 37576).
  • Compagnie General Motors du Canada: Defended a class action against a claim of premature rust corrosion on four models of U-Vans manufactured between 1997 and
    2004 and successfully obtained a discontinuance without costs in December of 2015 after 11 years of protracted litigation (Vermette et al. v Compagnie General Motors du Canada, S.C. Montréal 500-06-000261-046, November 22, 2016).
  • Successfully representing 19 vehicle manufacturers and credit companies in obtaining a discontinuance without costs of an industry wide consumer disclosure class action after 13 years of litigation (Billette v Toyota Canada Inc. et al., S.C. Montréal 500-06-000184-024. December 7, 2015).
  • Successful defence and settlement of Mount Real Corporation Ponzi class action on behalf of an audit firm (Andrée Ménard v Lino P. Matteo et al., S.C. Montréal 500-06-000453-080, April 26, 2017).
  • D&O’s of Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Corporation and various Rail World entities: Successfully defended and negotiated a comprehensive CCAA settlement in the Lac-
    Mégantic class action (Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Canada Co. and Richter Advisory Group Inc. et al., S.C. St-François 450-11-000167-134).
  • Suzuki Canada Inc., Credit Suzuki Canada and Compagnie de Services de Financement Automobile Primus Canada, S.C.: Successfully obtaining the discontinuance of a supposed rebate contractual non-disclosure class action after 7 years of litigation; Dion v Suzuki Canada Inc., 2013 QCCS 747.
  • Compagnie de Services de Financement Automobile Primus Canada: Successfully obtaining the dismissal of a multimillion-dollar class action concerning the alleged non-disclosure of a credit charge (Dion v Compagnie de Services de Financement Automobile Primus Canada, 2013 QCCS 3654 and confirmed in appeal 2015 QCCA 333).
  • General Motors Acceptance Corporation du Canada Ltée: Acting in connection with dismissal of $50 million plus compensatory claim in a cost of credit disclosure class action (Daneau v General Motors Acceptance Corporation du Canada Ltée (GMAC), 2013 QCCS 3655 and confirmed in appeal 2015 QCCA 333).
  • General Motors du Canada Limitée et al.: Obtaining the discontinuance of a consumer protection CA$600 million class application on behalf of 16 automotive companies (Marandola v General Motors du Canada Limitée et al., S.C. Montréal 500-06-000206-033, September 28, 2011).
  • Eight automotive companies: Obtaining dismissal of a multibillion-dollar class application concerning the alleged false credit rate advertising and contractual violations of the Quebec Consumer Protection Act (Contat v General Motors du Canada Ltée et al., 2009 QCCA 1699 (CanLII)).
  • Nortel I and II Class Actions:  Nortel I and II, 2009 CanLII 2407 (QCCS), 2008 CanLII 1132 (QCCA), 2007 CanLII 1208 (QCCA), 2007 CanLII 696 (ONSC), 2007 CanLII 266 (QCCS), 2011 QCCA 767:  Assisted US counsel in obtaining Canadian Court approval to implement global settlement of US securities class actions through courts in Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia and challenges to Canadian class counsel fees.  We successfully defeated class counsel fee requests on three occasions.
  • Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America – Trial Lawyer Honorary Society
  • Recognized by The Legal 500 Canada in the area of Dispute Resolution (2017, 2019)
  • Recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada as one of Canada’s leading lawyers in the area of Class Action Litigation (2013–2025)
  • Recognized by Lexpert Special Edition on Canada’s Leading Litigation Lawyers as a Leading Litigation Lawyer (2022)
  • Ranked by Benchmark Litigation as a Local Litigation Star for (Quebec) (2012-2021) and Class Actions (2013-2021), Insurance (2012, a2014, 2017), Product Liability (2014), Automotive (2017, 2018) and General Commercial (2017, 2018)
  • Recommended by The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory (2007-2024) as one of Canada’s leading lawyers in the area of Litigation (Class Actions) and Litigation (Product Liability) (2017, 2018)
  • Recognized by Lexpert Guide to the Leading US/Canada Cross-border Litigation Lawyers in Canada (2016)
  • Recognized by Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory as one of Canada’s leading lawyers in the area of Professional Liability (2016)
  • Recognized by Chambers Canada as a Recognized Practitioner in the area of Dispute Resolution: Class Action (Defence) (2015, 2016, 2017)
  • « Quebec Court of Appeal Decision in Credit Card Currency Conversion Fee Class Action« , Focus on Class Actions and Financial Services, August 2012
  • Trudel & Johnston, S.E.N.C. & al. v. Corporation Nortel Networks & al., Court of Appeal, April 6,2011, Focus on Class Actions – April 2011
  • « GM Prevails in Thwarting Class of Unharmed Consumers », Focus on Class Actions, September 2009
  • « Nortel Québec Class Counsel Fees Slashed by Québec Superior Court, Focus on Class Actions », June 2009
  • “The Supreme Court of Canada in favour of national classes when establishing the criteria for recognizing foreign judgments, Focus on Class Actions », April 2009
  • The judicial cost of tobacco – Comments on the Conseil québécois sur le tabac et la santé v. JTI MacDonald Corp. and Létourneau v. JTI MacDonald Corp. decisions, EYB2005REP357, May 2005
  • Brief on the reform of the Code of Civil Procedure with respect to class action proceedings instituted after January 1, 2003
  • Member of the Québec Bar (1985)
  • Member of the Canadian Bar Association, Insurance Law and Class Actions sections
  • The Lord Reading Law Society
  • Speaker at the International Institute of Conflict Prevention and Resolution’s (CPR) Annual Meeting in Charleston, South Carolina, February 2014
  • Speaker at the 8th National Symposium on Class Actions, Osgoode Hall Law School, April 28 and 29, 2011
  • « Les recours collectifs au Québec: 30 ans plus tard », February 2011
  • « Responsabilité fiduciaire et professionnelle à l’égard des investissements en matière de régimes de retraite », International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, San Diego, November 22 to 24, 2010
  • »Le recours collectif en droit de la consommation et en droit de la concurrence – Développements récents », Québec Bar Symposium, October 2009
  • »Responsabilité fiduciaire et professionnelle à l’égard des investissements en matière de régimes de retraite », Federated Press Conference Center, September 2009
  • Can Anything but Standing Open the Door to the Courthouse? Québec Caselaw in the Aftermath of Bouchard v. Agropur, April 2009
  • »L’évaluation et la gestion des conflits d’intérêts », September 2008
  • Liability of Plan Administrators and Advisors for Imprudent Investment Practices: Recent Statutory and Class Action Developments in Québec, January 2007
  • »Comment prévenir les sinistres en responsabilité professionnelle », formation donnée dans le cadre du Congrès 2006 du Regroupement des cabinets de courtage d’assurance du Québec (RCCAQ), November 2006
  • « Les recours collectifs nationaux : théorie juridique ou nouvelle réalité judiciaire ? », March 2006
  • Québec 2005 Class Action Update: Cost of Credit Non-Disclosures in Advertised Consumer Finance Offers, November 2005
  • Québec Class Action Update, Why the Rest of Canada is watching closely, September 2005
  • « The Consumer Protection Act, the Spineless Backdrop of Québec’s Recent Advertising Class Action Proliferation », November 2004
  • « Le recours collectif et la Loi sur la protection du consommateur: le dol éclairé et non préjudiciable – l’apparence de droit illusoire », October 2004
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