Olga Farman, Ad.E
Managing Partner, Québec Office
Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP
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Biography
Olga Farman, managing partner of the Québec office, practises corporate and commercial law, with a particular interest in governance and directors' liability in the private, public and parapublic sectors, as well as in the areas of life sciences and health law.
Her business law practice focuses on transactions related to contracts, business and corporate governance. She advises executives, board members and other stakeholders on regulatory compliance, public policy, strategy development and risk management.
With solid experience as a member of numerous boards of directors and special committees, she understands the responsibilities of and complex issues facing executives and board members and frequently assists them in implementing policies and ethical standards for fair and transparent governance.
A frequent participant at strategic negotiation tables, Olga advises clients on issues relating to reputation, audit, compensation, performance, liability, indemnification and insurance of executives, senior management or board members.
Olga stands out in the legal and business communities, as evidenced by the many distinctions she has received since the beginning of her career. In particular, she has won prestigious awards, including the "Leadership au féminin 2022" award presented by the Chambre de commerce et d'industrie de Québec, while the Quebec Bar Association has designated her as an Emeritus Lawyer (Ad.E.). She was named one of "Canada's Leading Lawyers Under 40" by Lexpert magazine and was named one of Canadian Business magazine's Top 20 Young Women in Power, and as one of the Leading U.S./Canada Cross-border Corporate Lawyers in Canada by Lexpert. In addition, she received the 2012 Women of Distinction Award in the Business and Professionals category at the Québec YWCA Gala, and WXN Canada's Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award, in the Professional category. She has been recognized among the Best Lawyers in life sciences since 2015.
Professional experience
Collapse allM.B.A., Université Laval, 2003
LL.B., Université Laval, 2000
- Quebec 2003
Olga’s recent mandates have included:
- Negotiating and coordinating contractual activities pertaining to multicentre clinical trials, biobanks, records and platforms
- Setting up a number of management companies, centres of excellence, public-private partnerships, non-profit organizations and research consortiums
- Best Lawyers in Canada: Health Care Law, 2016-2025; Corporate Governance Practice, 2023-2025
- Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, 2018-2024: recommended in Life Sciences & Health; 2019-2024: recommended in Corporate Commercial Law
- Prix Leadership au féminin, Chambre de commerce et d'industrie de Québec, 2022
- Advocatus Emeritus, Quebec Bar, 2021
- WXN Canada's Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award Winner - Professionals category, 2019
- Woman of Distinction Award, 2012: in the Business and Professionals category at the Québec YWCA Benefit Gala, May 2012
- Lexpert® Guide to the Leading US/Canada Cross-border Corporate Lawyers in Canada, July 2011
- Canadian Business "20 Young Women in Power," August 2011
- Lexpert's "Top 40 under 40" Lawyers in Canada, 2010
- Dean's list, Faculty of Administration, Laval University, 2003
- Thought leadership – Potential impact of Quebec's privacy legislation on clinical research, July 2020.
- Pharma in Brief – Quebec maintains drug evaluation activities for listing purposes and launches clinical trials, April 2020.
- Pharma in Brief – Health Canada, INESSS and CADTH to provide Early Parallel Scientific Advice, March 2019.
- PLC Newsletters – Diagnosis by specialized nurse practitioners: A collaborative and complementary approach, March 2019.
- PLC Newsletters – A new collaboration between Health Canada, INESSS and CADTH through the Early Parallel Scientific Advice, March 2019.
- PLC Newsletters – Quebec's Bill to Protect the Public, Especially Young People, Against Cannabis, February 2019.
- "Beneva, une intégration réussie grâce à son bon monde!" moderator, discussion with Jean-François Chalifoux, president & CEO of Beneva, April 14, 2024.
- "Instabilité économique et inégalités sociales," moderator, discussion between Clément Gignac, Bruno Marchand and Isabelle Genest, Le Capitole de Québec, September 13, 2022.
- "Les Sciences et les Femmes," with Farah Alibay and Nathalie Ouellet, presenter and interviewer, Série Inspirante Quantino, April 7, 2022.
- "Empowered Women: Panel discussion with Kim Thomassin and Geneviève Fortier" (speaker), Norton Rose Fulbright, March 8, 2022.
- "Empowered Women: Interview with Deputy Premier Geneviève Guilbault" (speaker), Norton Rose Fulbright, November 25, 2021.
- "Virtual Lunch and Learn – Women in Leadership" (moderator), presented by the Association des MBA du Québec, June 8, 2021.
- "Femme d'influence : entretien avec Sophie Brochu," presented by Norton Rose Fulbright, March 8, 2021.
- "Parité : la priorité pour inventer demain," presented by l'Effet A, June 2, 2020.
- "Décodez les nouvelles réalités juridiques à l'ère de l'innovation technologique en santé" (presenter), workshop presented by Norton Rose Fulbright at the Forum de l'industrie de la santé de Québec, December 4, 2019.
- "Learn to navigate the new legal realities in the pharmaceutical and life sciences sector" (presenter), workshop presented by Norton Rose Fulbright at the Forum de l'industrie de la santé de Québec, December 5, 2018.
- Canadian Bar Association
- Member of the board of directors of Beneva, mutuelle d'assurance
- Chair of the board of the Administration portuaire de Québec
- Member of the board of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec
- Chair of the board of directors of the Musée de la civilisation de Québec
- French
- English
Insights
2023 Technology privacy and cybersecurity summit
Webinar | November 1, 2023
Doing business in Quebec
Publication | April 13, 2023
Empowered Women : Panel discussion with Kim Thomassin and Geneviève Fortier
Webinar | March 08, 2022