These were Toronto’s top medical negligence lawyers based on Lexpert’s 2021 survey. Click the link for the current roster of Toronto, Ontario’s best medical negligence lawyers and law firms.
The medical negligence practice encompasses the representation of plaintiff patients and their families or estates and the defense of physicians, nurses and other health care professionals in civil proceedings alleging personal or psychological injury, trauma or death, resulting from a failure to provide care in conformity with standard practices.
Most recommended medical negligence lawyers representing plaintiffs
Law firm: Sommers Roth & Elmaleh Professional Corporation
Year called to the bar: 1997
Hilik Y. Elmaleh is the principal at Sommers Roth & Elmaleh Professional Corporation. He is recognized as a leader in medical negligence and obstetrical negligence litigation. Elmaleh is often asked to consult on complex medical-legal matters by other well-known medical malpractice lawyers. He has lectured at continuing education conferences, educating professionals in obstetrical malpractice. Elmaleh is a member of the Law Society of Ontario, Canadian Bar Association, American Association for Justice, Medical Legal Society of Toronto and Toronto Lawyers Association.
Law firm: Neinstein Personal Injury Lawyers
Year called to the bar: 1996
Duncan N. Embury is a partner and the head of the medical malpractice group at Neinstein Personal Injury Lawyers. He acts on behalf of plaintiffs in medical negligence cases, including obstetrical and surgical negligence and acquired brain injuries. He also acts in catastrophic personal injury claims, including institutional negligence, occupier’s liability, motor vehicle accidents and product liability. Embury handles complex multijurisdictional cases to assist Ontario residents in recovering damages for injuries occurring in foreign jurisdictions. He also acts as co-counsel to other lawyers in complex medical negligence cases at both trial and appeal. Embury is a regular speaker in all areas of medical negligence for the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association and the Law Society of Ontario.
Law firm: Gluckstein Lawyers
Year called to the bar: 1984
Richard C. Halpern is a senior lawyer at Gluckstein Lawyers. He acts exclusively for injured people in medical negligence cases, with a special focus on infants injured at or around the time of birth. Halpern is an expert in birth injury cases. He has more than 30 years of experience representing seriously injured people. Halpern is known for tackling some of the most complex and challenging medical malpractice cases. He has lectured and written extensively on matters concerned with obstetrics, the cause of newborn injury, general medical malpractice, and legal and trial strategies.
Most recommended medical negligence lawyers representing defendants
Law firm: McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Year called to the bar: 2000
Sarit E. Batner is a partner at McCarthy Tétrault LLP’s Toronto office and a member of the firm’s board of partners. She specializes in trial and appellate litigation and arbitration at all levels of Canadian courts, with a focus on complex commercial litigation. Batner boasts extensive experience as lead counsel in cases involving shareholders’ rights, professional negligence, breaches of fiduciary duties, breaches of contract and taxation. She has acted in a wide variety of proceedings for physicians, engineers, accountants and lawyers. Her clients also include major airlines, major information technology services providers, research hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and major oil and gas companies. Batner is frequent writer and speaker on matters of substantive law, trial and appellate advocacy and issues affecting women and young professionals.
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Law firm: McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Year called to the bar: 1989
William D. Black is partner at McCarthy Tétrault LLP’s Toronto office. He specializes in civil litigation, with an emphasis on professional negligence and commercial litigation. Black also focuses on the conduct of trials and appeals in civil cases and before administrative tribunals. He has extensive experience in professional liability claims and proceedings in the areas of engineering, medicine, accounting and mining. Black also boasts extensive trial and appellate work representing physicians in medical malpractice claims and before the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario. He has prosecuted matters for the Association of Professional Engineers for 15 years and continues to be involved in various civil actions involving various engineering issues. Black is a writer and speaker on topics including privacy issues, privilege, risk management, medico-legal issues and advocacy. He is certified by the Law Society of Ontario as a specialist in civil litigation. Black is also a former member of faculty at the University of Toronto Law School, where he taught trial advocacy.
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Law firm: Lenczner Slaght
Year called to the bar: 1999
Nina Bombier is a partner at Lenczner Slaght. Her broad litigation practice encompasses commercial litigation, professional negligence and regulatory matters, insurance litigation and public law. Bombier has extensive trial experience in complex commercial and regulatory cases, in addition to many medical malpractice actions. She has appeared as counsel before all levels of court in Ontario, the Federal Court and the Supreme Court of Canada. Bombier regularly appears before administrative tribunals and boards, both as a prosecutor and as defence counsel on behalf of professional members. She also regularly speaks at continuing legal education conferences and has taught trial advocacy at Osgoode Hall Law School.
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Law firm: McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Year called to the Bar: 1992
Darryl A. Cruz is a partner at McCarthy Tétrault LLP in Toronto. From 2007 to 2011, he served as national practice group leader for litigation and was a member of the firm’s leadership team. Cruz maintains a general litigation practice, with an emphasis on commercial and professional liability issues. He has appeared as counsel at all levels of court in Ontario and in the Supreme Court of Canada. Cruz has tried jury and non-jury cases involving all areas of law, including contract law, insurance, tax, defamation, environmental, professional negligence and employment. He regularly represents physicians in medical negligence cases. Cruz is a member of the CBA, ABA and Medico-Legal Society of Toronto.
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Law firm: Lenczner Slaght
Year called to the bar: 1986
Tom Curry is the managing partner at Lenczner Slaght. He is recognized as one of the most experienced trial and appellate advocates in Canada. Curry boasts expertise in high-profile commercial litigation, class actions, arbitrations, business disputes, administrative law, judicial review, intellectual property, competition and professional liability cases. He is certified as a specialist in civil litigation by the Law Society of Ontario. Curry is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and the International Academy of Trial Lawyers. He is a regular speaker on a wide variety of subjects relating to trial practice and substantive law. Curry was recently the recipient of the prestigious Law Society Medal for his exceptional career achievement and exemplary contribution to the profession.
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Law firm: Lenczner Slaght
Year called to the bar: 1996
Risa M. Kirshblum is a partner at Lenczner Slaght. She represents both plaintiffs and defendants in a broad range of litigation matters. A significant portion of her practice is focused on professional liability, medical negligence and health care law. Kirshblum acts as prosecutor, defence counsel and independent legal counsel in the administrative law context. She frequently presents in continuing legal education programs for organizations such as the Law Society of Ontario and The Advocates’ Society. Kirshblum has also presented in continuing education programs for a variety of medical organizations.
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Law firm: Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG)
Year called to the bar: 2003
Anna L. Marrison is a partner at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP. She advocates for healthcare organizations and professionals in civil lawsuits and before administrative bodies. Marrison has acted as lead counsel at all levels of court in Ontario. She also regularly advises healthcare clients on a wide range of health-related issues, including physician privileges, disclosure obligations, the release of personal information to third parties, regulatory college proceedings and litigation, uninsured health services and legal issues relating to virtual care.
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Law firm: McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Year called to the bar: 1990
Frank McLaughlin is a partner at McCarthy Tétrault LLP’s litigation group in Toronto. He devotes his practice to cases involving complex scientific issues, including the defence of medical malpractice cases and pharmaceutical product liability class actions. McLaughlin is a leading trial and appellate counsel in complex medical malpractice cases acting on behalf of physicians. He has an outstanding record of successfully defending such cases before judges and juries. McLaughlin is an experienced appellate advocate and has conducted many appeals in the Ontario Divisional Court, the Ontario Court of Appeal, the Federal Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada. He regularly speaks on medical-legal and class action topics and has taught trial advocacy at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Law.
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Law firm: Lenczner Slaght
Year called to the bar: 2002
Matthew Sammon is a partner at Lenczner Slaght. He boasts extensive litigation experience across a broad range of areas, including complex corporate and commercial litigation, employment, and professional liability and medical malpractice cases. Sammon regularly conducts trials, regulatory hearings and arbitral proceedings. His clients include large and mid-sized corporations across a wide range of sectors such as financial services, banking, telecommunications, retail, health care, manufacturing, hospitality, and oil and gas. Sammon also acts regularly for executives and other individuals in civil and regulatory disputes. He has deep experience in professional regulation and medical malpractice litigation.
Law firm: Lenczner Slaght
Year called to the bar: 1998
Mark Veneziano is a partner at Lenczner Slaght. He is an expert trial lawyer, having conducted dozens of trials and arbitrations as lead counsel. His practice is devoted to commercial and civil litigation, professional liability, shareholder disputes, insurance coverage, securities, construction and real estate law. Veneziano’s clients range from corporations and physicians to stockbrokers and banks. He also regularly acts as lead counsel in commercial arbitrations. Veneziano has significant experience in professional regulation and appears frequently before the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario and other administrative and regulatory tribunals. He has also taught trial advocacy at the University of Toronto, Faculty of Law and is a frequent instructor and speaker at sessions sponsored by The Advocates’ Society and various organizations.