Overview
E. Paul Legault specializes in international business, trade and investment and competition law.
Paul advises European manufacturing and service businesses regarding investments, market exploitation, and operational matters in North America.
He spent the initial part of his career litigating tort law before the Common law courts at all levels, acting for the most part on behalf of insurers in product liability matters, and before the Federal Court in competition law matters.
Between 1979 and 1989, he was a lecturer in civil law and an examiner at the Québec Bar admission course.
He is also invited guest as a lecturer at International Summer Schools organized by law departments of the Université de Montréal (Canada), Università degli Studi di Milano (Italy), Sofia University (Bulgaria) and Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece) on topics related to bilateral and multilateral economic agreements.
Paul is a regular keynote speaker at business forum events on doing business in Canada sponsored by the Canadian Embassy and Consulate, the Confindustria and Italian chambers of commerce, in major Italian cities.
The Italian and Canadian International Trade ministries entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with regard to developing and strengthening industrial alliances and created in 2002 the Canada Italy Business Council. It appointed Paul as its Co-President dealing with his Italian counterpart.
Paul is fluent in French, English and Italian.
Professional achievements & leadership
- Lecturer in civil law and examiner at Québec bar admission course (1979–1989)
- Recipient of an achievement award presented in Milan on December 5, 2005 by Robert R. Fowler, Canadian Ambassador to Italy, and Margaret Huber, Canadian Consul General to Italy, for and on behalf of the Canadian Government for Paul's important contribution to the relationship between Canada and Italy through the activities of the Canada-Italy Business Council as its Co-President.
- Certificate of appreciation and recognition given and granted by the Bâtonnier of the Bar of Montreal on September 9, 2021 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the admission to practice law.
Thought leadership
- International Summer School. Sofia University and Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece) – Conference CETA “The EU Canada Free Trade Agreement – Opening Markets in a Closing World” (Sofia, Bulgaria; June 22, 2018)
- Co-author, Investor-State dispute settlement (ISDS) in Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA): Justified fears for democracy or a tool for promoting investment between States, Université de Montréal, 2017, Éditions Yvon Blais
- International Summer School - Università degli Studi di Milano and Université de Montréal - Conference: Law and Bilateral Trade: Europe - North America - CETA - Arbitration ISDS (Milan, June 5-9, 2017)
- International Summer School - Université de Montréal and Università degli Studi di Milano - Conference Law and Bilateral Trade: North America - Europe - CETA - TPP (Montréal, May 30, 2016)
- Round table Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement between Canada and the EU sponsored by The Italian Chamber of Commerce of Canada and the Center of Excellence on the Europeen Union, (Montréal, Canada, March 27, 2014)
- Conference Invest in Canada, Global Business Leaders Series, sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada (Milan, November 28, 2013)
- Conference Business opportunities in Canada, Infrastructure and Transport, Oil and Gas, Cleantech sponsored by Confindustria (Assolombarda, Milan, July 3, 2013)
- Seminar Waste to Energy sponsored by the Canada Italy Business Council (Toronto, April 11, 2005 and Montréal, April 13 and 14, 2006)
- Conference and signing of a Cooperation Agreement between Assobiotec and Bio Québec with the participation of the Canada Italy Business Council (Montréal, March 15, 2005)
- Conference Made in Italy with the collaboration of the Canada Italy Business Council and the Italian Embassy in Canada (Ottawa, February 16, 2005)
- Conference Biotech BioContact sponsored by the Canada Italy Business Council (Québec city, 3 and 6, 2004)
- Conference Biotech BioForum sponsored by the Canada Italy Business Council (Milan, September 23, 2004)
- Conference BioScience Economic sponsored by the Canada Italy Business Council (Geneva, September 20, 2004 and Milan, September 21, 2004)
- Seminar Harbour Infrastructures Studies between the Port Cities of Catania and Montréal sponsored by the Canada Italy Business Council (Montréal, September 9, 2004)
- Conference Doing Business in Italy sponsored by the Canada Italy Business Council and the Chamber of Commerce of Catania, Sicily (Montréal, September 1, 2004)
- Conference Hydro Québec and Lombardia sponsored by the Canada Italy Business Council (Montréal, June 9, 2004)
- Conference Energy in Italy sponsored by the Canada Italy Business Council (Montréal, June 8, 2004)
- Conference Telecom in Italy sponsored by the Canada Italy Business Council (Montréal, May 16, 2004)
- Conference Telecom in Italy sponsored by the Canada Italy Business Council (Toronto, May 5, 2004)
- Conference World Trade Organization sponsored by the Canada Italy Business Council (Montréal, April 6, 2004)
- Conference Commerce between Canada and Italy sponsored by the Canada Italy Business Council and the Trois-Rivières Economic Development Council at the opening session of the Oglio-PO conference (Trois-Rivières, April 2, 2004)
- Conference Made in Italy sponsored by Team Italia and the Canada Italy Business Council (Montréal, May 15, 2004)
- Seminar Made in Italy with the collaboration of the Canada Italy Business Council and the Italian Embassy in Canada (Ottawa, February 21, 2004)
- Seminar Investing in Italy sponsored by the Canada Italy Business Council, Team Italia, ICE and the Italian Chamber of Commerce of Canada (Toronto, October 29, 2003)
- Seminar Canada and Energy sponsored by the Canada Italy Business Council at the World Energy Congress (Rome, October 8 and 9, 2003)
- Seminar Biotech Canada sponsored by the Canada Italy Business Council and the Italian Delegation for the BioContact fair (Québec city, October 4, 2003)
- Seminar Biotech Canada sponsored by the Canada Italy Business Council and the Canadian delegation for the Cross-Roads fair (Montréal, September 30, 2003)
- Seminar Biotech Canada sponsored by the Canada Italy Business Council for the Bio Science Economy Conference (Geneva and Milan, September, 24 and 25, 2003)
- Seminar Biotech Canada sponsored by the Canada Italy Business Council and the Canadian delegation for the Bio-Nova fair (Padova, June 4, 2003)
- Seminar Biotech Industrial Clusters in Quebec sponsored by the Canada Italy Business Council at the Finanza e Distretti fair (Finlombarda), (Milan, May 26, 2003)
- Conference Commerce between Canada and Italy sponsored by the Canada Italy Business Council and the Trois-Rivières Economic Development Council (Trois-Rivières, April 16, 2003)
- Conference Information and Telecommunications sponsored by the Canada Italy Business Council at the SMAU trade fair (Milan, October 23-25, 2002)
- Conference Doing Business in Italy sponsored for the Chamber of Commerce of Italy in Canada and the Italian Deputy Minister of Productive Activities, the Honourable Adolfo Urso (Toronto, September 13, 2002)
- Conference Doing Business in Canada, sponsored for the Chamber of Commerce of Bergamo at the request of the Canadian Consulate in Milan (Bergamo, March, 14 2002)
- Conference Doing Business in Canada and the Experience of Italian Businesses, sponsored by the Canadian Embassy during the Canada Days event. (Florence, October 10-12, 2000)
- Conference Doing Business in Canada and the Experience of Italian Businesses, sponsored by the Canadian Embassy during the Canada Days event. (Bologna, October 20-22, 1999)
Community involvement
- Board of Directors of the Foundation of Stars (2008–2015)
- Executive Committee of the Foundation of Stars (2008–2015)
- Board of Directors of the Foundation of Santa Cabrini Hospital (2008–2018)
- Member of the jury (2008–) and President (2011–), Premio Venezia
- Chair and President, Le Club Laval-sur-le-Lac (2009–2013)
- Board of Directors of Le Club Laval-sur-le-Lac (2001–2016)
Professional memberships
- Canadian Bar Association
- International Bar Association
- Trademark agent
- Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
- Canadian Chair, Canada-Italy Business Council
- Board of Directors of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Canada
- Executive Committee of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Canada
Languages spoken
- English
- French
- Italian
Bar admissions & education
- Quebec, 1971
- Advanced Management Certificate, McGill University, 1998
- Executive Development Certificate, McGill University, 1997
- LL.B., Université de Montréal, 1969
- B.A., Chemistry and biology, Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf, 1965
