Overview

Éric Préfontaine is a key contact for our National Class Action Defence group, and an experienced class actions practitioner in the Québec bar with specialized expertise in the defence of consumer protection, product liability and securities matters. While leading the firm’s class action matters in Quebec, Éric also consistently brings his expertise to multi-jurisdictional matters for firm strategic clients.
In addition to his leading role in class actions, Éric’s commercial litigation practice includes advising clients on highly complex commercial litigation and representing them before commercial and civil courts, administrative tribunals and in arbitration proceedings. His practice includes disputes in a wide range of expertise, including: securities, shareholders, product liability, banking and financial services, franchising, consumer protection and insolvency and restructuring. Eric also has experience in urgent and special procedures such as injunctions and seizures.
Éric is recognized as Lawyer of the Year by The Best Lawyers in Canada 2020 and as a leading litigator in Chambers 2021, Litigation: General Commercial (Quebec); Dispute Resolution: Class Action (Defence); The Best Lawyers in Canada 2020 in the area of Corporate & Commercial Litigation, Class Action Litigation and Product Liability. Éric was also recognized as a Litigation Star in Benchmark Canada 2020.
Recent years have seen a rise in refund programs in Québec, which are sometimes used as a proactive, strategic defence against class actions.
Osler lawyers review a Québec court decision in which a proposed securities class action was solely based on a short seller report.
Join Osler's Litigation Partners Éric Préfontaine and Jessica Harding on September 15, to learn more about the best practices in commercial...
In a recent civil liability case, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that not all offensive comments are discriminatory, even if they are based on a...
This prestigious publication showcases leading litigators across Canada.
Osler is proud to announce that 31 of our lawyers have been recognized in the 2025 edition of the Benchmark Litigation Canada Guide, Benchmark’s...
Osler is pleased to announce that 34 of our lawyers have been recognized in the 2024 edition of the Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500...
Case backlogs in the courts are increasingly a concern in the legal field. Emphasizing settlements is a way of avoiding dragging matters out, Éric...
Domestic and International Arbitration
Speaker, Montréal, September 15, 2022
Impacts du dossier du tabac sur le droit des fausses représentations et de la responsabilité du produit
Speaker, Montréal, October 2, 2019
Colloque national sur l’action collective
Speaker, Montréal, 2018
“Tendances actuelles en matière de recours collectifs: ce que doivent savoir les conseillers juridiques d’entreprise”
Speaker, Les 10 tendances les plus importantes pouvant influencer les recours collectifs en 2012, September 21, 2012
“Can Canada create a national Securities Regulator?”
Speaker, April 21, 2011

Practice Areas

• Civil Litigation

Bar Information

Called to the bar: 2001 (QC)