Jessica is a corporate and commercial lawyer in the firm’s Business Law Group focusing on mergers and acquisitions, cross-border transactions, corporate and commercial law, and regulatory and compliance matters in a wide range of industries and businesses. She gives practical, strategic, and common-sense advice.
Drawing on over a decade working in food, beverage, and hospitality, Jessica’s practice has naturally developed in connection with her past experience. She frequently acts for private buyers and vendors operating in in these sectors, as well as for a wide range of businesses, including manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, and retailers.
Jessica’s experience includes representing:
- Vision Ridge Partners in its acquisition of Vegpro International, one of the largest vegetable producers in Canada
- PepsiCo. in its sale of Tropicana, Naked and other select juice brands to PAI Partners
- General Mills in entering into definitive agreements to sell its North American yogurt business to Lactalis and Sodiaal
- Sagard Private Equity Canada in its investment in Courchesne Larose, a leader in the Canadian fresh fruit and vegetable industry
- Kruger Inc. and Fonds de solidarité des travailleurs du Québec in the sale of their interests in alcoholic beverage company Station 22 to The Dandurand Group
- Olymel in its sale to Genus PIC of all intellectual property in their porcine genetics
- Lou-Tec Group in its acquisition by a group of investors led by Sagard Private Equity Canada
- Le Groupe Maurice in its sale of a majority equity stake in its senior housing portfolio to Ventas
- Goodfood Market before the Quebec alcohol board to successfully obtain authorization to deliver alcohol from its online-only grocery stores
Jessica holds BCL/JD degrees from McGill University’s Faculty of Law, serves on the operational committee of the Canadian Association for Food Law and Policy, and holds a WSET Level 2 Award in Wine and Spirits. Jessica is also involved in her community; she is an advisor to La Tablée des Chefs, a national organization fighting against food insecurity, and was a founding member and President of the Montreal Restaurant Workers Relief Fund.
