SUZANNE CÔTÉ FILE

Originally from the Gaspésie, Côté has a law degree from the Université Laval and has lectured at the Université du Québec à Rimouski and the Université de Montréal.

Côté has headed the Montreal litigation group at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP. She is described as one of the most experienced litigators in the country, with extensive expertise in civil and commercial litigation.

Her commercial litigation practice includes: breach of commercial contracts, representation of banks, bankruptcy and insolvency, shareholder disputes, the Competition Act, and various real estate matters including commercial leasing, manufacturer’s liability and class actions.

She also litigates in civil and administrative matters, such as judicial reviews before the federal courts and the investigation conducted by the Québec Court of Appeal regarding the removal from office of a judge of an inferior tribunal. She has also appeared before the Supreme Court of Canada.

Côté represented the government of Quebec at the Bastarache commission inquiry into allegations of influence-peddling in the nomination of municipal and provincial court judges in Quebec.

She successfully represented Jean Pelletier, former chief of staff to prime minister Jean Chrétien, who sued Via Rail in 2007 for his “cavalier” firing as chairman of the railway. A Quebec judge ruled that the government and Via Rail must repay Pelletier $235,161.74 in lost income, plus interest, in addition to $100,000 in moral damages to be paid by the government.

She’s only the third justice — and first woman — appointed to the court directly from private practice.