MONTREAL - Jean Charest has found a job. The longtime former Quebec premier is now an associate at the McCarthy Tétrault law firm in Montreal.
Charest, according to the company’s website, will provide strategic advice to domestic and international clients at the firm which bills itself as Canada’s largest litigation and business law firm.
Charest will participate in endeavors related to the United States, Europe, China, India, Africa and Latin America. He will mainly advise clients on mergers and acquisitions.
Charest will not lobby governments, said Kim Thomassin, Managing Partner for the Quebec region at McCarthy Tétrault.
“If a customer wants to make a Canadian acquisition in Asia or elsewhere, Mr. Charest may be required to work on the file. It happened very quickly and the first steps have yet to be determined,” she said.
Charest expressed an interest in returning to law a few months ago and was courted by several firms.
“We feel privileged because he was sought everywhere, not just in law firms and not just in Montreal,” said Thomassin.
Among the other former Quebec Liberal Party members at the firm are former premier Daniel Johnson and firm Chairman and CEO, Marc-André Blanchard, a former president of the provincial Liberals.
Charest, 54, was admitted to the bar in 1981.
Canadian political leaders that returned to practicing law after leaving politics include Brian Mulroney (Norton Rose), Lucien Bouchard (Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg), Jean Chrétien (Heenan Blaikie) and Pierre Marc Johnson (Heenan Blaikie).
-With a file from The Canadian Press
