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