Barbara represents health care organizations in patient care disputes generally, with a focus on mental health law disputes.
She regularly represents psychiatric facilities and health care providers before the Ontario Review Board and the Consent and Capacity Board, and appears frequently on appeals of those matters, before the Superior Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal for Ontario.
In 2017, Barbara was seconded to a multi-site, academic health sciences centre in the GTA as Interim General Counsel, assisting the hospital with the diverse and complex legal issues facing large healthcare organizations.
She also represents clients in medical malpractice litigation, Coroner's inquests and Commissions of Inquiry. She has appeared at all levels of Court in Ontario, and has appeared before the Supreme Court of Canada.
Barbara provides general counsel advice on statutory compliance issues and policy matters for specialty psychiatric facilities, acute care hospitals and community hospitals.
She also advises health sector clients on:
- privacy of personal health information
- clinical trial agreements and Research Ethics Board matters
- hospital and medical staff bylaws, including physician privilege matters
Barbara completed her articles serving as a law clerk to the Hon.Louise Arbour at the Supreme Court of Canada (1999-2000).
Prior to becoming a lawyer, Barbara worked in corporate communications and in the not-for-profit sector, where she was involved in the delivery of social service programs to women disadvantaged by poverty, sexual assault and domestic violence.