Léon H. Moubayed was recognized as the 2022 White-Collar Crime / Enforcement Litigator of the Year at the Benchmark Litigation Canada Awards.

His recent successes include the following:

• Defending Bouclair Inc., where he persuaded the court to stay all criminal charges after establishing “serious, multiple and systemic” violations of constitutional rights by the Canada Revenue Agency.
• Obtaining two unprecedented decisions in the same case: (i) adapting to the 21st century the prosecution’s duty to disclose evidence to the accused and setting new requirements and standards for electronic disclosure; and (ii) staying the proceedings, affirming for the first time that the principles set out by the Supreme Court of Canada regarding the fundamental right to be tried within a reasonable time apply with full force in matters of white-collar crime and deciding that the prosecution cannot merely invoke the nature of the charges to seek to justify an unreasonable delay.
• Representing individuals and corporations in investigations by the Permanent Anti-Corruption Unit (UPAC), where he notably defeated search warrants on the basis that they violated the constitutional protection against unreasonable search or seizure. Ultimately, no charges were laid against any of his clients.
• Representing a group of individuals targeted by the Agence du revenu du Québec and the Sûreté du Québec for a joint investigation, including into fraud and money laundering. Following a near six-year judicial battle involving numerous clashes before the courts over the legality of the search warrants, the authorities dropped the investigation with no charges against his clients.
• Acting for the Federal Republic of Nigeria in relation to a billion-dollar corruption scandal involving a former minister. As part of the state’s global asset recovery efforts, he obtained a court order in the middle of the night to seize a private aircraft that had just landed at Montréal-Trudeau International Airport.

A prolific author and speaker, Léon is a sought-after mentor and a fellow of the prestigious International Academy of Financial Crime Litigators. As well, he founded Davies’ International Investigations and White Collar Defence Summit – an annual event in Montréal that brings together the business community and white-collar practitioners. This year’s event, on May 26, will feature experts from around the world, including former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch. Contact summit@dwpv.com for more information.

The Benchmark Litigation Canada Awards, which are a culmination of extensive research and interviews with litigators and their clients, recognize the firms and litigators that have performed exemplary work.