Keeping-Tabs-Fall-2023

Q. Could you tell me about your health law practice? How does health law intersect with
your advocacy in the 2SLGBTQ+ community?
A. My practice involves essentially any kind of dispute or litigation matter in the healthcare sphere.
It sounds super niche, but the reality is that I’m rarely doing the same thing every day. One day I’ll be
defending a healthcare practitioner on a medical malpractice matter or regulatory complaint, and the
next I’ll be dealing with a complex physician privilege issue or a mental health appeal.
There is a huge intersection between my practice and my advocacy, because the 2SLGBTQ+ community
has been (and continues to be) significantly marginalized, particularly when it comes to access
to healthcare and health outcomes. As an out gay lawyer, I’ve always felt it is important to use my privilege
to support my community. And I’m always looking for new ways to integrate it into my health law
practice; for example, I recently advocated against anti-trans speech by regulated health professionals
in the Peterson v. College of Psychologists of Ontario case 1 as well as representing trans and non-binary
people fighting for OHIP coverage of gender-affirming care.
1. Peterson v. College of Psychologists of Ontario, 2023 ONSC 4685 (Div Ct).
INTERVIEW
Interview with John McIntyre
(he/him), McIntyre Szabo PC
Compiled by Aly Háji (he/him), Lax O’Sullivan Lisus
Gottlieb LLP
John McIntyre founded McIntyre Health Law in 2022 and then co-founded McIntyre Szabo PC in 2023
with Jessica Szabo. Prior to establishing his own firm, John was a senior associate in the health law
group at a major Canadian law firm and obtained his Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.
John routinely represents and advises clients in the health care sector. His practice focuses on
professional regulation and discipline (including defending clients in College complaints and discipline
matters), medical staff credentialing, mental health law (CCB/ORB), appellate advocacy, human rights
applications, civil litigation (including medical malpractice lawsuits), as well as general legal, clinical, operational,
policy and risk advice.
Q. Is your advocacy in the 2SLGBTQ+ community what led you to start your own firm?
A. Actually, it’s the other way around. Running my own firm has given me the freedom to build a practice
that is meaningful to me. There is no one looking over my shoulder telling me what I should bill,
which clients I can take on pro bono or what issues I can take a stance on. If I want to do it, I do it.
My partner, Jessica Szabo, and I have two core values to our firm: (1) contribute to the betterment of
the healthcare system; and (2) enjoy our careers. It’s that simple for us. And the 2SLGBTQ+ advocacy
work hits on both of those values in spades for me.
Q. I was inspired by your work on the Jordan Peterson judicial review at the Ontario Divisional
Court; it was remarkable to see a small, relatively new firm compete with some real
heavy hitters. How did you get involved?
A. I’m not going to lie, it was pretty surreal to look around the courtroom to see so many senior counsel
I’ve looked up to in my career. It was a turning point for me in the goals I set for myself and the firm,
because, at the time, it was beyond my wildest dreams to think I would be at that table so soon after
starting the firm. Now, I set no limits to how big or audacious those goals are. If it’s something I want to
do, I’m going to try.
When I heard about the case, I knew it was something I had to be involved in – it was at the perfect
intersection of my professional regulation practice and 2SLGBTQ+ rights. I did extensive background
research and workshopped my potential arguments, then started hitting the ground by reaching out to
2SLGBTQ+ advocacy organizations, and the whole thing snowballed from there.
16 17