These were Toronto's best medical negligence lawyers in Lexpert’s 2021 peer survey. For the current list of the best lawyers in this field, see our current list of the best medical negligent lawyers in Ontario here.
Medical negligence 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
Hilik Y. Elmaleh
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, a Toronto-based medical malpractice boutique. He is recognized as one of the best medical negligence lawyers representing plaintiffs. Elmaleh specializes in in medical and obstetrical negligence litigation. He is often consulted on complex medical-legal matters by other well-known medical malpractice lawyers. Elmaleh has lectured at continuing education conferences, educating professionals in the area of obstetrical malpractice.
Duncan N. Embury
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 multi-jurisdictional 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. He is considered one of Canada’s top medical negligence lawyers.
Richard C. Halpern
Law firm: Gluckstein Lawyers
Year called to the Bar: 1984
Richard C. Halpern is a senior lawyer at Toronto-based personal injury boutique 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. Halpern is among the best medical negligence lawyers in Canada.
Sloan H. Mandel
Law firm: Thomson Rogers
Year called to the Bar: 1996
Sloan H. Mandel is a senior partner at Thomson Rogers, one of Toronto’s largest civil litigation firms. His practice focuses on personal injury and medical malpractice litigation on behalf of plaintiffs. He is recognized as among Canada’s leading medical negligence lawyers. Sloan has been published extensively in both medical and legal texts and journals. He is a past member of the Ontario Bar Association Health Law Executive and regularly lectures doctors, lawyers and health care professionals at a variety of educational seminars. Sloan has a wealth of court and litigation experience, achieving some of Ontario’s largest personal injury and medical malpractice awards.
Aleks Mladenovic
Law firm: Thomson Rogers
Year called to the Bar: 2001
Aleks Mladenovic is a partner at Thomson Rogers’ personal injury group. He specializes in medical malpractice litigation. Mladenovic represents personal injury plaintiffs at the trial and appellate court levels. He has authored numerous articles on litigation and the importance of the litigation process in ensuring safety in medical care. Mladenovic has spoken at several professional conferences on issues of medical malpractice litigation, including birth trauma. He is a member of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association, The Advocates’ Society and the Medical-Legal Society. He is considered one of the top medical negligence lawyers in the country.
Kenneth Morris
Law firm: Morris+Stoltz+Evans LLP
Year called to the Bar: 2003
Kenneth Morris is a partner at Morris+Stoltz+Evans LLP, a medical negligence boutique in Toronto. He acts exclusively for people who have suffered medical negligence. Morris helps patients pursue claims against doctors, nurses, hospitals, hospital employees, clinics and other health care institutions. He has been dedicating his practice to medical malpractice actions since being called to the Bar. Morris has been successful at trial or negotiated settlement of lawsuits in most areas of medicine, including obstetrics and gynaecology, neonatology, neurosurgery, neurology, orthopaedic surgery, ophthalmology, emergency care, injuries due to trauma, general surgery, cosmetic surgery, plastic surgery, prescription medication errors and oncology. He is recognized as among the top medical negligence lawyers in Canada.
Most recommended medical negligence lawyers representing defendants
Sarit E. Batner
Law firm: McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Year called to the Bar: 2000
Sarit E. Batner is a partner at full-service law firm McCarthy Tétrault LLP, where she is also a member of the board of partners. She practices 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 acts in wide variety of proceedings for physicians, engineers, accountants and lawyers. Batner is considered among the best medical negligence lawyers in Canada. She is a frequent writer and speaker on matters of substantive law, trial and appellate advocacy, and issues affecting women and young professionals.
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William D. Black
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 recognized as among the top medical negligence lawyers in Canada.
Darryl A. Cruz
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 and considered one of the best in the practice.
Tom Curry
Law firm: Lenczner Slaght Royce Smith Griffin LLP
Year called to the Bar: 1986
Tom Curry is the managing partner at Toronto-based litigation firm Lenczner Slaght Royce Smith Griffin LLP. He is recognized as one of the most experienced trial and appellate advocates in Canada. Curry has a long record of success in high-profile commercial litigation, class actions, arbitrations, business disputes, administrative law, judicial review, intellectual property, competition and professional liability cases. He is a regular speaker on a wide variety of subjects relating to trial practice and substantive law. Curry was recently a recipient of the prestigious Law Society Medal for his exceptional career achievement and exemplary contribution to the profession. He is considered one of the best medical negligence lawyers in the country.
Risa M. Kirshblum
Law firm: Lenczner Slaght Royce Smith Griffin LLP
Year called to the Bar: 1996
Risa M. Kirshblum is a partner at Lenczner Slaght Royce Smith Griffin LLP. 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 is considered among the top medical negligence lawyers in Canada. She acts as prosecutor, defence counsel and independent legal counsel in the administrative law context. Kirshblum frequently presents in continuing legal education programs for organizations such as the Law Society of Ontario and The Advocates' Society. She has also presented in continuing education programs for a variety of medical organizations.
Frank McLaughlin
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, where he is an alumnus.
Mark Veneziano
Law firm: Lenczner Slaght Royce Smith Griffin LLP
Year called to the Bar: 1998
Mark Veneziano is a partner at Lenczner Slaght Royce Smith Griffin LLP. 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. Veneziano is recognized as among the country’s best medical negligence lawyers.
Nina Bombier
Law firm: Lenczner Slaght Royce Smith Griffin LLP
Year called to the Bar: 1999
Nina Bombier is a partner at Lenczner Slaght Royce Smith Griffin LLP. Her litigation practice encompasses commercial litigation, professional negligence and regulatory matters, insurance litigation and public law. She has extensive trial experience in complex commercial and regulatory cases, in addition to many medical malpractice actions. Bombier has appeared as counsel before all levels of court in Ontario, the Federal Court and the Supreme Court of Canada. She appears regularly before administrative tribunals and boards, both as a prosecutor and as defence counsel on behalf of professional members. Nina also regularly speaks at continuing legal education conferences and has taught trial advocacy at Osgoode Hall Law School. She is among the Canada’s leading medical negligence lawyers.
Mary Lynn Gleason
Law firm: Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG)
Year called to the Bar: 1987
Mary Lynn Gleason is a partner and member of the health law group at full-service business law firm Borden Ladner Gervais LLP. She devotes her practice to the defence of hospitals and their staff in medical malpractice claims. Gleason has acted as counsel for hospitals, nurses, physicians and other health practitioners at inquests, various courts and administrative tribunals, including the Health Appeal and Review Board. She has extensive experience in the defence of obstetrical brain injury medical malpractice cases. Gleason often acts as general counsel to hospitals on a wide range of issues including privileges, policy, risk management and privacy issues. She is recognized as among the top medical negligence lawyers in Canada.
Jaan E. Lilles
Law firm: Lenczner Slaght Royce Smith Griffin LLP
Year called to the Bar: 2004
Jaan E. Lilles is a partner at Lenczner Slaght Royce Smith Griffin LLP. He specializes in litigation, including professional liability, medical malpractice, commercial disputes, franchising matters, and employment and administrative law. Lilles has extensive experience acting for both health professionals and regulators. He has acted for physicians in a broad range of matters, including in civil actions, regulatory matters and criminal proceedings. Lilles is also an expert in acting for regulators. Having acted in several significant medical negligence cases over the years, Lilles is recognized by colleagues and clients as a leading lawyer in his field. He is also routinely invited to present in continuing education sessions on health law matters, with a focus on the law relating to expert evidence.
Matthew Sammon
Law firm: Lenczner Slaght Royce Smith Griffin LLP
Year called to the Bar: 2002
Matthew Sammon is a partner at Lenczner Slaght Royce Smith Griffin LLP. 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. Sammon is considered among Canada’s leading medical negligence lawyers.