Vet Lawyer in Toronto

Glick Law is a boutique law firm specializing in representing veterinarian professionals facing regulatory or disciplinary claims.

As a leading regulatory law firm for vets, we assist veterinarians facing complaints, discipline hearings, and other regulatory issues at the College of Veterinarians of Ontario (CVO). In addition to our significant experience representing vets, we are routinely retained by regulators as external legal counsel in complaint and discipline matters, which gives our lawyers unique insight into regulatory issues that we use to assist our veterinarian clients.

Our professional misconduct lawyers draw on specialized knowledge and experience to help you respond to complaints and investigations, defend yourself against allegations of professional misconduct, or deal with any other issue you may be facing with the College of Veterinarians of Ontario.

We Can Assist And Act For Veterinarians On A Wide Range Of Matters, Including:

  • Responding to complaints and investigations at the College of Veterinarians of Ontario Complaints Committee and Executive Committee;
  • Representing veterinarians in discipline hearings before the College of Veterinarians of Ontario Discipline Committee;
  • Representing veterinarians in registration and licensing hearings before the College of Veterinarians of Ontario Registration Committee and Accreditation Committee;
  • Appealing decisions of the Discipline Committee, Registration Committee, or Accreditation Committee to the Divisional Court;
  • Appealing decisions of the Complaints Committee, Registration Committee or Accreditation Committee to the Health Professions Appeal and Review Board (“HPARB”);
  • Assisting veterinarians in applications for licensing and for certificates of accreditation to establish veterinary facilities;
  • Advising veterinarians on compliance with the Veterinarians Act and the College of Veterinarians of Ontario standards and policies;
  • Assisting veterinarians with workplace issues, including accommodation requests, discrimination claims, other human rights issues, employment contracts and policies, severance packages, wrongful dismissal claims, and workplace investigations;
  • Advising veterinarians on professional practice issues, such as record-keeping, privacy and confidentiality, billing and insurance, and reporting;
  • Representing veterinarians in criminal or quasi-criminal proceedings under the Criminal Code or Provincial Offences Act; and
  • Representing veterinarians in applications and civil litigation before the Superior Court of Justice.

Choose GlickLaw as Your Veterinary Attorney

As experienced veterinarian lawyers, GlickLaw provides advice and advocacy to veterinary clients facing regulatory claims and disputes.

We understand the complexities and intricacies of Ontario’s legal system and work closely with vet professionals to navigate the legal process, from the CVO investigation to actively responding to complaints and allegations of professional misconduct.

We provide employment law advice to veterinarians and are particularly well-suited to advise on the interplay between employment and regulatory issues.

Contact GlickLaw today to speak with a vet employment lawyer.

Frequently Asked Questions About Veterinarian Lawyers

A veterinarian lawyer specializes in legal counsel for vets facing regulatory issues with the College of Veterinarians of Ontario. Vets are required to follow the CVO’s standards and rules. If patient complaints are brought forward, a vet lawyer in Toronto can help you respond to the College’s investigation. A veterinary lawyer can also help you apply for a licence, defend allegations of professional misconduct, or appeal CVO decisions to HPARB or the courts.

A vet employment lawyer advises veterinary professionals on employment law matters. Vet employment lawyers can advocate for veterinarians who have been wrongfully dismissed and can review and advise on employment contracts. For owners of veterinary hospitals, a veterinary employment lawyer can review workplace policies and contracts and assist with issues relating to termination and severance. A veterinarian employment lawyer can also assist with human rights claims and matters before the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal.

Even the most skilled and careful veterinarians are vulnerable to complaints through the CVO. Several types of claims can be brought against vets in Ontario.

 

Misconduct

Misconduct complaints are brought forward when a client feels that professional or ethical standards have been breached.

 

Negligence

Negligence claims can impact the reputation and credibility of a licensed veterinarian. Hiring a vet lawyer is the first step to resolving claims brought to the CVO.

 

Competence

If your competence as a veterinarian has been questioned, a veterinary attorney will help you navigate the legal process and ensure your reputation doesn’t face long-term consequences as a result of a client complaint.

 

Misdiagnosis

If a patient feels their pet has been misdiagnosed, you may be the subject of a complaint. Working with a seasoned vet lawyer in Toronto is the most effective way to ensure your reputation remains intact and you can continue to run your practice.

Receiving a complaint from the CVO can be a time-consuming and overwhelming process with potentially severe outcomes.

 

A licensed veterinarian attorney can help you navigate the entire complaints process — from reviewing and responding to complaints to advocating on your behalf through an appeal to HPARB. With an in-depth understanding of Ontario’s regulatory bodies, veterinary lawyers understand the expectations and standards set out by the CVO and know first-hand what clients can expect during the process.

 

Your vet lawyer will ensure claims are responded to on time, and the appropriate information and documentation are provided to resolve your claim and protect your practice and reputation.

The CVO — College of Veterinarians of Ontario — is the provincial licensing body for veterinarians in Ontario. They are responsible for issuing licenses to qualified veterinarians, setting the safety and quality standards of veterinary care, licensing and inspecting veterinary facilities and investigating concerns about vets and their practices.

When a complaint is filed with the CVO, the process is as follows:

  1. The CVO will investigate and consider complaints made (as outlined in section 24(1) of the Veterinarians Act).
  2. The veterinarian is notified of the complaint and given at least 14 days to submit a written response.
  3. The CVO may perform additional investigation. If additional investigation is performed, they will generally disclose the results of that investigation to the veterinarian and provide an opportunity to submit a further written response.
  4. The complaints committee will review the complaint, the veterinarian’s response, and the results of the investigation and decide whether to:
    1. refer the matter to the Discipline Committee;
    2. take no action; or
    3. take such action as it considers appropriate, which may include asking the veterinarian to complete coursework or agree to monitor.

A vet lawyer can help you navigate these steps and the nuances throughout the complaints process to ensure every part of the process is fair and just.

A decision made by the Complaints Committee may be appealed to HPARB by either the complainant or veterinarian. Appeals must be brought forward within 30 days of the issued decision.

 

Decisions of the Discipline Committee, Registration Committee, Accreditation Committee, and HPARB can be appealed to the Ontario Divisional Court. Appeals must be filed within 30 days of the decision being appealed.

HPARB — Health Professions Appeal and Review Board — is an independent adjudicative agency responsible for reviewing decisions of the CVO Complaints Committee, Registration Committee, and Accreditation Committee. HPARB hears appeals from complaints, decisions (where a matter has not been referred to discipline) and registration decisions.

Appealing a decision by the CVO Complaints Committee to HPARB must be done within 30 days of the issued decision. On appeal, HPARB is empowered to consider the sufficiency of the investigation and the reasonableness of the decision.

 

If HPARB deems the decision unreasonable or the investigation inadequate, it may be sent back to the Complaints Committee with directions or recommendations on how to proceed. A vet HPARB lawyer can guide you through this process.

 

Appeals can also be made to HPARB where the Registration Committee or Accreditation Committee proposes to refuse the issuance of a licence or certificate of accreditation or directs that a licence or certificate of accreditation be issued subject to conditions or limitations.

 

Your vet HPARB lawyer will work to ensure your appeal is carried out swiftly and professionally.

Our veterinary lawyers understand the complexities and nuances of navigating legal issues with the College of Veterinarians of Ontario. With 40 combined years of experience to draw from, we provide effective legal counsel to veterinarians facing regulatory issues or disputes — ranging from competence claims to professional misconduct.

 

In addition, GlickLaw’s vet lawyers have significant experience acting as counsel to professional regulators in Ontario in complaint, discipline, and registration matters. Our significant experience working for regulators give us unique insight that we use to better assist our veterinary clients in regulatory disputes with the CVO.

 

We offer advice to vets facing professional practice issues and will advocate before the CVO and courts on your behalf — ensuring your reputation and practice are protected and claims are resolved as quickly as possible.

 

Submit a confidential inquiry to our veterinary lawyers today to learn how our team can help.

If you require legal counsel to defend or advise against a CVO complaint or issue, trust a lawyer from GlickLaw to advocate for your practice and reputation. We represent veterinarian professionals facing disciplinary and regulatory claims in Toronto and across Ontario.

 

Contact our law firm today to learn how our veterinarian lawyers can help.