This work is our calling. We’re continuously striving to know, be, and succeed more.
We cut to the chase and get things done. Our advice is straightforward, realistic and pragmatic.
This work is not for the faint of heart. We’re confident, unapologetically tough and bold.
With so much at stake, our clients depend on us to know both our business and theirs inside and out—and, we do.
We’re experts in health and administrative law, and focus exclusively on serving health professionals, health organizations, and national and provincial health professional associations find solutions to their legal problems. In short, we not only understand the legal framework that regulates the health sector, but are also familiar with the day-to-day realities that you face.
Our health lawyers are highly skilled advocates who have successfully appeared before various administrative tribunals, such as College discipline committees, boards of public hospitals, the Consent and Capacity Board (CCB), and the Health Professions Appeal and Review Board (HPARB).
Our founder Valerie Wise has been defending health professionals for over 25 years. Valerie is Certified by the Law Society of Ontario as a Specialist in Health Law, and is recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada for Health Care and Medical Negligence.
Our clients know they are in good hands. As a small, boutique firm, we focus on building individualized relationships with our clients. We take immense pride in this client-focused approach and in the strong connections we build with each person and organization we assist.
We advocate to protect the reputations of healthcare organizations and professionals.
In December 2019, Ontario’s Attorney General introduced Bill 161, the Smarter and Stronger Justice Act (the “Act”), which became law on July 8, 2020. The Act hopes to simplify a complex and outdated justice system by bringing changes to how legal aid services are delivered, how class actions are handled, and how court processes are administered.
Of note, the Act has amended the Judicial Review Procedures Act (JRPA) to establish new rules as to when an application for judicial review may be brought.
Any decisions made on or after July 8, 2020 are now subject to a 30-day limit for bringing an application for judicial review unless another Act provides otherwise. Courts, however, retain powers to extend the time for making an application for judicial review if satisfied that there are apparent grounds for relief and that no prejudice or hardship will be incurred by the delay. Before these amendments, the JRPA did not set out any time limits for bringing an application, but courts had powers to extend the time to bring an application if another Act prescribed the limit.
In early August 2020, the Federal Minister of Health granted an exemption under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) to four terminally ill Canadians to use psilocybin in their end of life care.
Psilocybin is one of the active ingredients/chemicals in “magic mushrooms,” the other is psilocin. Both psilocybin and psilocin are controlled substances under Schedule III of the CDSA. The sale, possession, production, etc. are prohibited unless authorized for clinical trial or research purposes under Part J of the Food and Drug Regulations. Both have been illegal in Canada since 1974. According to Health Canada, there are no approved therapeutic products containing psilocybin in Canada. However, the purified active ingredient, i.e. psilocybin, is being studied in supervised clinical settings for its potential to treat various conditions such as anxiety and depression.
