Best Lawyers in Canada for Professional Malpractice Law

Valérie Déziel represents and advises healthcare institutions, professionals, professional bodies, and trustees. She regularly appears before civil courts and disciplinary bodies. She has a keen interest in personal injury assessments. She is respected by her peers and stands out for her listening skills and the innovative solutions she offers.

Beth Allard is experienced counsel in various commercial disputes involving complex contractual, tortious and regulatory legal issues, providing both litigation advice and negotiating successful and strategic resolutions. She regularly advises and assists clients on matters relating to tendering, procurement, project delivery and management, liens and dispute resolution. Ms. Allard's practice also covers a range of liability defence work for design professionals, financial professionals, dire...

Valerie is a senior member of our Litigation Group and is a highly respected member of the litigation bar. In addition to her extensive experience as trial counsel, she has appeared as appellate counsel before both the Ontario Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada. With more than 25 years of experience at the Bar, Valerie has demonstrated established expertise in damages analysis, including business loss claims, business and share valuations, and real property valuations. She has ex...

William Pepall has, for over 30 years, specialized in the field of civil and commercial litigation. He has pleaded cases before all levels of court in Ontario and before the Supreme Court of Canada and the Federal Court. Special appearances have been made before the SEC, the OSC, the Estey Inquiry into Banking, and courts in Manitoba, South Carolina, California and British Columbia. Mr. Pepall has broad and diverse experience in the civil litigation field. He has developed particular expertis...

Elizabeth is a partner of Lerners LLP who has practiced civil litigation since being called to the bar in 1995. Her work focuses on claims arising out of sexual and physical abuse. Her experience also extends to discrimination and harassment claims, professional negligence, health and employment-related matters, and commercial disputes. She has acted in a number of significant cases, including the public inquiry into water safety in Walkerton, Ontario on behalf of the Medical Officer of Healt...

Kim Wigmore's practice involves a broad range of insurance litigation with a focus on casualty, professional liability, and transportation-related insurance issues. He appears frequently in the Supreme Court of British Columbia, the Federal Court of Canada, and the British Columbia Court of Appeal. Kim also has extensive experience in mediations. Kim's particular areas of experience include: acting for defendants in all types of transportation-related accidents. including bodily injury and wr...

As a shareholder and senior lawyer at Foster & Company, my broad-based litigation practice includes insurance defense, commercial litigation, complex multi-party actions, product liability, medical and professional malpractice and personal injury cases throughout the Maritimes. I have appeared at all levels of Court in New Brunswick as well as a number of administrative tribunals. After graduating from the University of New Brunswick with my Bachelor of Arts (1992) and Bachelor of Laws (1...

Anne Tardif is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice, Corporate and Commercial Litigation, Director and Officer Liability Practice and Professional Malpractice Law. Anne, who practices law in Ottawa, Ontario, has been recognized since 2020. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Anne is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Stephanie Doucet is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Professional Malpractice Law. Stephanie, who practices law in Ottawa, Ontario, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Stephanie is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Practices in the area of health law including extensive trial experience in the medical malpractice area. Regularly represents physicians in proceedings involving the College of Physicians of Ontario and in Hospital privilege matters. Also practices insurance defence law including extensive trial experience in the defence of negligence claims against municipalities involving road design, road signage, construction and occupier's liability. Experience defending municipal police forces against ...

Donald Dow is a partner in the firm's Ottawa office practising in the advocacy department. Donald’s practice is focused in the area of medical defence litigation, health law and professional disciplinary proceedings. Donald has over 17 years of experience in malpractice litigation, medical device/instruments liability claims, class actions and has handled numerous civil trials. He has appeared as counsel at the Ontario Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada. Donald heads our Ot...

Partner at Woods, Bodgan Catanu’s practice focuses on complex commercial disputes. He has extensive experience in high-stakes contractual matters, class actions, and corporate litigation. He has pleaded before the first instance and appeal tribunals of the province of Québec. He acted as lead counsel in several commercial arbitrations, notably a $200 million supplier–distributor UNCITRAL arbitration. He was recently co-lead counsel for certain bondholders of Nemaska Lithium...

Brooke F. Smith is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Medical Negligence and Professional Malpractice Law. Brooke F., who practices law in Ottawa, Ontario, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Brooke F. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Audrey Gagnon practises primarily commercial litigation, civil liability and contractual liability. Audrey regularly provides legal opinions on the prevention and resolution of disputes in these areas. A seasoned litigator, Audrey also advises clients on the development and evolution of proceedings before the civil courts. She has specific expertise in professional liability and insurance companies trust Audrey to defend their clients, namely dentists, lawyers, surveyors and other professiona...

Gavin received his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology (Zoology) from the University of Calgary. He then attended the Faculty of Law at the University of Calgary, graduating in 2001. Upon graduation, Gavin clerked at the Court of Appeal and the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta. Following his clerkship, Gavin completed his articles at the Calgary offices of a large national law firm, practicing in securities and regulatory matters. He was called to the Alberta Bar in 2002. Gavin joine...

Maureen Murphy is a partner in the firm’s Ottawa office. She practices in the areas of medical law and privacy law. She has experience representing clients before the Federal Court, Superior Court of Justice, as well as various administrative tribunals. Maureen has a particular interest in information technology and privacy law issues that affect medical professionals. Maureen provides businesses with advice on how to comply with Canada’s privacy laws. She assists clients in devel...