Justine B. Laurier

Partner

Montréal
[email protected]
514.954.2558

Justine specializes in complex litigation and is trusted by clients to handle their most sensitive matters. Her practice focuses on all areas of labour and employment law for both federally- and provincially-regulated undertakings.  Justine is the Regional Manager of BLG’s Labour and Employment group in Montréal.

Justine provides strategic advice on collective labour relations to numerous companies across sectors. She acts on their behalf before civil and administrative law courts and tribunals, including, but not limited to, the Administrative Labour Tribunal, the Superior Court, the Québec Court of Appeal, the Federal Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada.

Clients look to Justine for strategic counsel on their most high-stake issues, including non-competition and non-solicitation obligations, hiring and dismissing employees, managers, directors and executives, and allegations of discrimination and psychological or sexual harassment and human rights.

Justine brings extensive experience with workplace harassment investigations and in conflicts prevention. She accompanies clients throughout the process and conducts investigations on their behalf. She also acts a lead workplace investigator.

A prolific author, Justine regularly publishes on changing employment laws, regulations and jurisprudence. She has co-authored numerous specialized works and is frequently invited to speak at conferences in Canada and abroad.

Justine is accredited and registered as a leading lawyer  in psychological harassment in the workplace of the Québec Bar.

Experience

  • Lead Counsel for Technicolor Canada Inc. with respect to employment matters.
  • Lead Counsel for Rolls-Royce Canada Ltd. with respect to various labour and employment matters.
  • Lead Counsel for The CSL Group Inc. with respect to various labour and employment matters.
  • Lead Counsel for Greenfield Global Inc. with respect to various labour and employment matters.
  • Acted for CiToxLAB Group Inc. in connection with its acquisition of AccelLAB Inc.
  • Successfully defended Montréal Gateways Terminals (“MGT”) before the Supreme Court of Canada in Singh et al. v. Montréal Gateways Terminals et al.  In the case, the plaintiffs, who were of the Sikh religion, alleged that a mandatory health-and-safety-related policy implemented by MGT, requiring all individuals entering its terminal in the Port of Montréal to wear a protective helmet, infringed their rights of freedom of religion and equality. The Superior Court, Court of Appeal and, ultimately, the Supreme Court of Canada confirmed that MGT was entitled to require that persons of the Sikh religion wear hard hats over their turbans despite their religious beliefs prohibiting them from doing so.

Beyond our Walls

Professional Involvement

  • Board member, Canadian Bar Association’s Québec Division
  • Member, Wage and Hour Defense Institute (WHDI), U.S.
  • Member, Employment Rights and Responsibilities Committee and Co-Chair of the International Law Subcommittee - American Bar Association (ABA)
  • Governor, Fondation du Barreau du Québec
  • Member, Mediation and Arbitration Institute of Québec
  • Instructor, Québec Bar School (2018-2022)

Awards & Recognitions

  • Recognized in the 2025 edition of Best Lawyers in Canada (Cannabis Law) and since 2022 (Labour and Employment Law)
  • Recognized in the 2024 edition of The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory (Employment Law and Labour Relations)
  • Recognized in the 2024 edition (and since 2019) of Benchmark Canada - Canada's Leading Litigation Law Firms and Attorneys as a Future Star.
  • Recognized in the 2021 edition (and since 2020) of the Benchmark Litigation Canada's "40 & Under Hot List"
  • Finalist at the 11th "Les Leaders de demain" (The Leaders of Tomorrow) Gala of the Young Bar Association of Montréal in the civil and commercial litigation category

Bar Admission & Education

  • Québec, 2009
  • LLB, Université de Montréal, 2004
  • MA, Political Science, Université de Montréal, 2007
  • Graduate, Microprogram in Law and Labour, Université de Montréal, 2012
  • Completed her Barreau du Québec articling period with the International Labour Standards Department of the International Labour Office, Geneva, 2009