Jean-Pierre has over 25 years of experience in practicing real estate law with a specialty in commercial leases. In 2000, he founded the Montreal boutique law firm Riel & Associates. Jean-Pierre was previously a director and in house counsel for TrizecHahn during which time he participated in several major real estate transactions. Today, his clients include major institutional corporations, developers and tenants seeking legal services for their real estate needs across Quebec and Canada. For over a decade, he has been the lead commercial leasing lawyer for the most important retail development in the greater Montreal area. His clients rely on his extensive expertise and experience during the negotiation, drafting and conclusion of leasing transactions. Jean-Pierre also has a solid experience in sales and acquisitions, litigation and arbitration relating to real estate matters. Jean-Pierre was called to the Quebec bar in 1986 and is a graduate of the University of Ottawa, the University of Strasbourg and the Pantheon-Sorbonne University (Paris 1). Recognized by his peers as a leading lawyer in commercial leases, Jean-Pierre regularly contributes to publications on real estate related topics.
Recognitions :
The Canadian Legal Lexpert® 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020 and 2019
Education :
- D.E.A. de l’Université de Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne in Droit international économique (1989)
- Certificat d’études européennes at Institut des Hautes Études Européennes (IHEE) (Université de Strasbourg) (1988)
- University of Ottawa (LL.L 1985)
Call to the Bar :
Quebec, 1986
Conferences :
- Commercial Leasing : a World in Evolution – The Financial Aspect of the Commercial Lease Conférences Yvon Blais, Spring 2000.
- Commercial Leases – Operating Expenses, Canadian Institute Conference, Spring 2009.
Jo-Anne Durand started her law career in the same firm as Jean-Pierre Riel in 1993. During the first five years, she practiced in the areas of commercial litigation and real estate law. She also had the opportunity to work at TrizecHahn at the beginning of her practice where she acquired her first experience in commercial leasing.
Since 1999, she has dedicated her practice to real estate transactions with particular expertise in the areas of commercial leasing, sales and acquisitions and the development of commercial and mixed-use projects representing landlords as well as tenants, developers and real estate owners. Jo-Anne assists clients on office, retail and industrial leasing as well as on mixed-use and life-style center projects. Prior to joining Riel and Associates, Jo-Anne was a partner at two large Montreal law firms where she was involved in the development, financing and commercial leasing of large-scale commercial developments such as the Carrefour de la Rive Sud and Faubourg Boisbriand. For over ten years, Jo-Anne also acted for Walmart Canada with respect to its acquisition, development, and commercial leasing work in Quebec. Since joining Riel and Associates in 2009, Jo-Anne has been involved in the commercial leasing of other significant developments such as the Quartier Dix30TM, Griffintown and other mixed-use projects.
Jo-Anne has negotiated with major national tenants such as Canadian Tire, Jean-Coutu, Metro, the National Bank, the TD Bank, the Laurentian Bank, Regus and Sobeys as well as major international tenants such as Abbott and Abbvie, Apple, Costco, Home Depot, Sephora, Starbucks, WeWork, Winners, Williams-Sonoma and Zara.
Education :
- L.L.B. – University of Montreal (1993)
- Certificat en langue et culture française (Université de Paris IV (Sorbonne) (1990)
- Liberal Arts College – Concordia University (1990)
Call to the Bar :
Quebec, 1994
Conférences :
- Conference on the negotiation of operating costs – 2017 ICSC Canadian Law Conference.
- Conference on co-tenancy clauses and related challenges – 2016 ICSC Canadian Law Conference.
- Negotiation and drafting of commercial leases – Montreal Real Estate Leasing Conference, Spring 2008.
- Servitudes and exclusivity clauses in commercial developments – Spring 2003.
- Sublease Agreements – Fall 2000.
Cedrik joined the firm in 2022 as an articling student and then as an associate. Prior to joining the firm, he completed his law degree at the University of Montreal in 2021 and then worked as a collection and legal affairs coordinator for a national real estate owner where he was able to represent his employer’s interests on multiple occasions before the Tribunal administratif du logement. Admitted to the Quebec Bar in 2022, Cédrik assists Jo-Anne Durand and Jean-Pierre Riel in all stages of their clients’ transactions.
Education :
- L.L.B. – University of Montreal (2021)
Call to the Bar :
Quebec, 2022
Management, billing and account receivables.
Charlotte Rimaud
Charlotte graduated from the universities of of Lyon and Tours, France.
She joined Riel & Associates as a paralegal to participate in the drafting of commercial leases and other legal documents.