Risky Business 2024 - Medical Malpractice: Trailblazing Insights

Speakers.

• Charles
  Gluckstein

  Charles is the owner and managing partner of Gluckstein Lawyers and has guided the firm to become the leaders in Personal Injury in Canada. He succeeded his father Bernard who founded the practice in 1962. He has been endorsed by his peers as a leading personal injury lawyer in both Best Lawyers in Canada and Lexpert directories. Charles has been successful at trial in both jury and judge alone cases.  In 2001, Charles was recognized as a Specialist in Civil Litigation. He frequently lectures at conferences for legal organizations, both locally as well as outside of Ontario on all topics of personal injury as well as the modernization of the profession using technology.

   

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• Richard
  Halpern

  Richard Halpern is a senior lawyer acting exclusively for injured people in medical negligence cases, with a special focus on infants injured at or around the time of birth.  Richard is known across Canada for his expertise in birth injury cases.  He has more than 30 years of experience representing seriously injured people.

  Richard has a detailed understanding of the highly technical medical issues, particularly relating to birth injury cases.  His experience allows him to provide meaningful advice and direction to families considering a medical negligence lawsuit following a review of the medical records.

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• Barbara
  Legate

  Barbara Legate practices medical negligence and personal injury litigation in London Ontario at Legate Injury Lawyers. She was called to the bar in 1981 and is Certified as a Specialist in Civil Litigation by the Law Society of Upper Canada. Barbara has held a number of positions of leadership in the legal profession including President of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association, Director of the Advocates Society and has served on several committees. She has presented papers on Advocacy, evidence, and substantive law of negligence, limitation periods, practice and ethics. The representation of children in serious personal injury action is a particular interest.

• Honourable Justice Loretta
  Merritt

  Justice Loretta Merritt was appointed as Judge of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario in Toronto Ontario on February 6, 2023. Prior to becoming a judge, Justice Merritt spent her entire legal career at Torkin Manes LLP, where her practice focused exclusively on civil sexual abuse. As one of the first lawyers in Ontario to represent sexual abuse survivors, she was lead counsel on many landmark cases, the results of which effected positive change, not only for her individual clients, but also in legal reform and educating the profession and public. As a champion for justice, she worked to ensure that the law operated to protect victims of sexual assault from all walks of life and fought to advance legislative amendments to address problems that sexual abuse survivors faced in the legal system. As a lawyer, Loretta received many accolades over the years for her dedication to justice and representation of her clients. She was honoured with the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association’s John A. McLeish Award for her outstanding contribution to the goals of a fair trial and access to justice. She was the recipient of the Governor General’s Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for her significant contributions in representing victims of sexual abuse; and the Litigation Counsel of America’s inaugural Peter Perlman Service Award, recognizing its Fellows who have contributed in meaningful ways to society by giving their time and resources in an effort to improve the lives of others. Most recently, she was the recipient of the Attorney General’s Victim Services Award of Distinction.
• Sonia
  Nijjar

  Sonia Nijjar is a lawyer at Neinstein LLP, where she focuses on medical malpractice and mass tort litigation. Sonia is known for her steadfast commitment to advancing patient safety, and her belief that the legal and medical systems can work better together to achieve quality healthcare. Sonia is a Board Member for two healthcare organizations, has Chaired the medical malpractice section for the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association for two consecutive terms, and is recognized by Best Lawyers Canada as a One to Watch Lawyer. Sonia is currently acting as counsel for several school boards across Ontario in their claims against Meta, Snap, and TikTok for widespread disruption to the education system.
• Dr. Thiviya
  Selvanathan

  Dr. Thiviya Selvanathan is a pediatric neurologist and clinician scientist at BC Children’s Hospital with specialized training in neonatal neurology. She is also an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of British Columbia. Dr. Selvanathan’s research uses advanced neuroimaging techniques to explore the impacts of early-life brain injury and NICU clinical care on brain development in infants at high risk for developmental disabilities including those born preterm or with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. Her work extends to investigating long-term brain health in children who have experienced neonatal brain injury, with an emphasis on enhancing child health outcomes.

• Jan
  Marin

  Jan’s practice focuses on professional negligence matters with a particular interest in medical malpractice and sexual assault litigation.

  Jan is a current member of the Board of Directors of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association (OTLA). She is involved in their Interventions Committee, Litigator Editorial Board, Moot Organization Committee and the Practice Direction Committee. She is an active writer and contributor to the Litigator Magazine, OTLA Blog and Medical Malpractice Newsletter. She has acted as the chair of various OTLA sections, including the Medical Malpractice, New Lawyers and Women's sections.

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• Janet
  Lebeau

  Janet is involved in all aspects of a medical negligence matters, including organizing, collating and analyzing medical records; preparing chronologies;  locating, retaining and briefing the appropriate expert; coordinating evidence; interviewing witnesses; and preparing documents such as statements of claim, pre-trial memorandums and mediation memorandums; as well as assisting at trial.

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• Bethany
  Nicholson

  Bethany joined Gluckstein Lawyers as a summer student in 2021 and returned as an articling student in 2022. In 2023, she joined the firm full time as an Associate. She earned her J.D. from the University of Ottawa Law School, where she served as Vice President of the Health Law Students Association and led the Walker Health Law Moot. Bethany also participated in several advocacy competitions, including the Nelligan O'Brien Payne Moot. Prior to law school, she graduated from Dalhousie University with an Honours Bachelor of Science in Psychology and worked at a healthcare-focused non-profit dedicated to quality patient care and advocacy.

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