Charles Guay
Lawyer, Partner
Charles Guay practises litigation in the areas of Insurance Law, civil and professional liability, directors’ and officers’ liability, and Health Law. He specializes in fraud litigation and other complex claims against insurers. His experience and practice have led him to plead regularly before civil courts and support his clients in liability risk management and alternative dispute resolution.
Among his more notable cases, Mr. Guay has represented insurers in fraud litigation and complex claims, and has provided civil procedure training on shared expertise, civil liability and fraudulent claims. He has been an accredited trainer with the Chambre de l’assurance de dommages (ChAD) since 2018, and was a lecturer at the Bar School and the Université de Sherbrooke’s Faculty of Law for several years.
Mr. Guay holds a Law degree from the Université de Sherbrooke. In addition to his professional practice, he is involved in various community activities, notably as a member of the board of directors of the Société québécoise d’information juridique (SOQUIJ) and with charitable causes such as the Fondation du Centre jeunesse de l’Estrie. His contributions to legal education and practice have made him a respected leader in his field.
Education
2015
- Barreau du Québec
2014
- LL.B., Université de Sherbrooke
Teaching, conferences and publications
Since 2020
- Conference on fraudulent insurance claims accredited by the Chambre de l’assurance dommages (ChAD) - The processing of fraudulent claims - Columbo's tools!
- Conference on civil liability in collaboration with the Chambre de l'assurance de dommages (ChAD) - The various civil liability plans in Quebec
2018 to date
- Lecturing on joint expertise in collaboration with the Barreau du Québec - Concept and jurisprudential trends
2019 to date
- Lecturer at the École du Barreau du Québec in obligation law
2023
- In-house training: trial preparation essentials (in French)
- ABC training for a subrogation case (in French)
- Commentary on Dang v. Industrial Alliance, Home and Auto Insurance Inc. - Concept of owner-occupant and clarification on the aggravation and exclusion of risk (in French), Repères, Éditions Yvon Blais
- Commentary on Commission scolaire de la Jonquière v. Intact Compagnie d'assurances - The liability insurer : a Two-headed hydra (in French), Repères, Éditions Yvon Blais
2022
- Commentary on the decision 9107-2652 Québec inc. v. Cour du Québec - Scope of Section 560 CCP., Repères, Éditions Yvon Blais
- Commentary on St-Louis v. La Presse - Joint expert opinion and right to a hearing, Repères, Éditions Yvon Blais
- Lecturing on expert testimony with the Honorable Katheryne A. Desfossés (In collaboration with the faculties of law and medicine of the Université de Sherbrooke)
2021
- Commentary on Lamarche v. Riendeau - The parameters of the joint expertise, duty of the parties, Repères, Éditions Yvon Blais
- Commentary on Maurais v. Gagnon - Nuances of parental responsibility and the impact of lack of supervision, Repères, Éditions Yvon Blais
- Commentary on Tang (Marché Principal) v. Promutuel Centre-Sud, société mutuelle d’assurances générales - Intentional fault of an insured struggling with financial difficulties: the fire that leaves traces..., Repères, Éditions Yvon Blais
2020
- Commentary on Bill 75, An Act to improve justice accessibility and efficiency: main modifications to the Code of Civil Procedure, Repères, Éditions Yvon Blais
- Commentary on Sacciadis v. Promutuel Vallée du St-Laurent - False declarations when declaring a claim: the obligation of the insured to give "the true story" and the means of proof, Repères, Éditions Yvon Blais
- Commentary on Maltais v. Attorney General of Quebec - Relative immunity under public law and state liability in neighborhood disturbances, Repères, Éditions Yvon Blais
- Commentary on Bouanani v. Aviva Insurance Company of Canada - A vehicle accident under nebulous circumstances: the reality of fraudulent insurance claims, Repères, Éditions Yvon Blais
- Commentary on Cran-Québec II v. Mario Roy Excavations inc. The contractor's guarantee against poor workmanship in the light of the obligation to inform the client, Repères, Éditions Yvon Blais
- Commentary on Jauvin v. Ski Bromont - The intensity of the accessory safety obligation and the causal link under study, Repères, Éditions Yvon Blais
- Lectures on joint expertise in collaboration with the Chambre de l’assurance dommages - A puzzle for insurers and courts
From 2018 to 2020
- Lecturer in Mock Civil Trial and Law of Obligations, Faculty of Law of the Université de Sherbrooke
2019
- Chronicle - Joint expertise: situation after three years of case law, Repères, Éditions Yvon Blais
- Commentary on Maxant v. Ziegler - Common expertise and medical liability: spotlight on proportionality and access to justice, Repères, Éditions Yvon Blais
- Commentary on Webasto v. Transport TFI 6 - A first leading decision regarding joint expertise, Repères, Éditions Yvon Blais
- Commentary on Transport TFI 6, S.E.C. v. Espar inc. - Joint expert opinion, but at what price? Repères, Éditions Yvon Blais
2016
- Municipal Jurisprudence Chronicle: Ensuring compliance with municipal regulations: a discretionary power of municipalities, Magazine Bâtivert, vol. 20
2014
- Research assistant in administrative law, with Professor Suzanne Comtois, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke
2013
- Teaching assistant in legal research, Université de Sherbrooke
Engagements
Member, Comité de vérification et ressources informationnelles (SOQUIJ)
Member of the Board of Direction for the Société québécoise d’information juridique (SOQUIJ)
Vice-chairman, board of directors, Association des diplômés en droit de l’Université de Sherbrooke (ADDUS)
Member of the Organisation committee for the «Meetings and Talks» of ADDUS
Member, board of directors, Caisse Desjardins du Lac-Memphrémagog
Observer member, board of directors, Memphrémagog Conservation Inc. (MCI), a non-profit whose mission is to protect Lac-Memphrémagog and its watershed
Mentions
2022
- Recipient of the Prix de la relève du Jeune Barreau St-François
2014
- Winner, 2014 Desjardins Foundation award for volunteer involvement
- Winner, 2014 Grondin Savarese scholarship for outstanding involvement and leadership in the law faculty while maintaining academic excellence
- Team member Université de Sherbrooke for the Pierre-Basile-Mignault Moot Court Competition
- Named to Dean’s List, Faculty of Law, Université de Sherbrooke, for academic excellence
2012
- Award of excellence, legal writing, Les Éditions Yvon Blais
2011
- Awarded Université de Sherbrooke law faculty entrance scholarship for students with a life science concentration