François Goyer
Partner
François is experienced in all aspects of civil and constitutional litigation, from contractual advice to clients and negotiations with opposing counsel, to motion practice, discovery and trial. In recent years, he conducted with success several injunctions, trials and appeals in construction and environmental law, shareholder disputes, contracts with public bodies and constitutional challenges based on the Quebec and Canadian Charters of Rights and Freedoms.
François joined IMK in 2015 and has been teaching contract law to law students at University of Montréal since 2018. He is a partner at the firm since 2023.
Before joining IMK, François was a law clerk to the Honourable Thomas A. Cromwell of the Supreme Court of Canada. Subsequently, he obtained a master degree (B.C.L.) from Oxford University in England, on a Viscount Bennett Fellowship, and was awarded the Tobias Law Prize for academic excellence upon completion of his B.C.L.
François was nominated for lawyer of the year (Civil and Commercial Litigation) by the Young Bar Association of Montreal in 2022.
Areas of practice
Additional information
- B.C.L., Oxford University (Exeter College), United Kingdom, 2015
- LL.B., J.D., Université de Montréal, Dean’s Honours List, 2012
- Minor in Political Science, Université de Montréal, Dean’s Honours List, 2009
- Law Clerk to the Honourable Thomas A. Cromwell, at the Supreme Court of Canada, 2013-2014
Best Lawyers in Canada – Ones to Watch
- Administrative and Public Law, Construction Law, and Corporate and Commercial Litigation: 2024-2026
Young Bar Association of Montreal
- Nomination for Lawyer of the Year – Civil and Commercial Litigation: 2022
- Canadian Bar Association
- The Advocates’ Society
- Young Bar Association of Montreal
Supreme Court of Canada Advocacy Institute
- Sessions Coordinator: 2019-2024
- Advocacy Advisor – 2025-current
Pro Bono Ontario
- Assistance Program to Self-Represented Litigants seeking Leave to Appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada: 2017-2018
University of Montreal
- Sessional Lecturer, Obligations 1 and 3 (Contract law): 2019-current
- Sessional Lecturer, Private Law of the Common Law: 2018, 2019
- Jurisclasseur Obligations – Booklet 10 : Payment ; Montreal – LexisNexis
- Annotated Code of Civil Procedure, Legispratique, Montreal – LexisNexis, art. 109 to 183
- ‟Primauté du droit, originalisme et arbre vivant : les tensions au cœur des interprétations constitutionnelles de la Cour suprême du Canada durant les années du juge Cromwell”, (2017) 80 Supreme Court Law Review, 469
- ‟Commentaire sur la décision Caron c. Alberta – La Cour suprême confirme l’absence de droit constitutionnel au bilinguisme législatif en Alberta”, Repères, Édition Yvon Blais, March 2016
- ‟Commentaire sur la décision Imperial Tobacco Canada Ltd. c. Québec (Procureure générale) – La Cour d’appel du Québec conclut à la compétence du législateur de modifier les règles de droit commun en matière de responsabilité civile afin de faciliter un recours, ainsi qu’à la protection uniquement procédurale de l’article 23 de la Charte des droits et libertés de la personne”, Repères, Édition Yvon Blais, December 2015
- ‟Commentaire sur la décision Canada (Procureur général) c. Fédération des ordres professionnels de juristes du Canada – La Cour suprême réaffirme le caractère fondamental de la relation avocat-client et le haut degré de protection dont jouissent les obligations qui en découlent”, with Mathieu Bouchard, Repères, Éditions Yvon Blais, October 2015