Catherine Deslauriers

Practice Areas

Catherine Deslauriers is a partner in the Labour and Employment Group. She excels in the fields of construction, occupational health and safety, criminal law and the management of cases involving various medical concepts, such as disability or absenteeism.

Her experience led her to be regularly called upon to intervene in the context of investigations conducted by various public bodies such as CNESST, CCQ and autonomous audit units, such as UPAC-CCQ, as well as investigations conducted by parity committees. Catherine is recognized to have assisted employers in investigations following serious or fatal accidents. She has intervened in matters relating to the applicability of Bill R-20 to construction projects.

She has also participated in the implementation of work procedures in companies to ensure compliance with occupational health and safety legislation, as well as in the audit and improvement of internal control mechanisms for workplace risks and hazards.

Catherine has, on numerous occasions, managed and argued with success cases before the Tribunal administratif du travail, grievance adjudicators, the Court of Québec, and the Superior Court. In addition to her litigation expertise, she assists employers in the day-to-day management of occupational injury cases accepted by CNESST, develops strategies to manage employee absenteeism, both disciplinary and administrative, or their disability cases.

She is also an expert to design strategies to improve the workplace through policies, forms, and training, and implements concrete measures and finds solutions to avoid costly litigation and to bring the parties together.

Catherine's experience with CNESST, Occupational Health and Safety Division, as well as her experience in the litigation department of an employers' association in the construction industry, has provided her with expertise that is an asset in many ways.