Michael is a corporate commercial lawyer with a focus on the health industry. Michael is Chair of Osler’s Health Industry Group and Co-Chair of the Cannabis Group.
Michael is routinely called upon to provide highly complex and strategic advice to Osler’s health industry clients, including public hospitals, government entities, pharmacies, executive health clinics, private clinics and surgical centres, large pharmaceutical companies and various other clients providing health services and health products in Canada. Michael often advises clients on matters relating to emerging trends for the delivery of health services and challenging “mission critical” mandates, requiring a deep understanding of the Canadian health industry and out of the box thinking to help clients accomplish their goals.
He advises clients in respect of a wide spectrum of matters, including purchase and sale transactions, healthcare corporate restructuring and integrations, corporate governance, shareholder agreements, commercial agreements, digital health regulatory opinions and structuring solutions, privacy and data security, clinical trials, public and private healthcare industry regulatory compliance and business structuring advice.
Michael also has extensive experience in providing complex regulatory opinions that ensure statutory compliance with federal and provincial health and cannabis statutes.
Michael was the first lawyer recognized by Chambers Canada: Canada’s Leading Lawyers for Business as Band 1 in Healthcare: Corporate/Commercial & Regulatory and is also recognized by Best Lawyers (Healthcare and Cannabis).
Representative Work
Health Industry
- Retained by numerous clients in respect of acquisition and sale transactions relating to regulated businesses including hospitals, long-term care facilities, licensed private diagnostic and surgical centres, laboratories, pharmacies and private clinics
- Providing complex regulatory opinions relating to the Canada Health Act, health insurance acts, and providers’ ability to offer health insurance and/or charge for enhanced non-insured medically required physician services
- Incorporating the first Ontario Health Team and establishing a governance structure to allow many different health service providers governed by different statutes to work collaboratively to deliver healthcare services
- Providing strategic advice on a first of its kind provincial and federally sponsored dedicated clinic for post-traumatic stress illness for first responders
- Advising on health-related grant/funding agreements, including the Government of Canada’s Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario and corresponding agreements to recipients to conduct research for clinical trials
- Retained by numerous clients to develop governance policies to assist boards in discharging their governance oversight and in particular the implementation of enterprise risk management systems to oversee fiscal, client, patient, resident and workplace safety
- Retained by eleven different provincially appointed Supervisors of public hospitals to assist them in addressing legal and governance issues relating to their mandates
- Advising hospital boards, administrative and physician leaders in respect of hospital privileges matters
- Retained by international healthcare organizations to provide regulatory advice in respect of planned Canadian health industry acquisitions, operations and novel healthcare services and products
- Advising multiple clients in establishing and expanding digital health care solutions
- Advising clients on regulatory, privacy and data security compliance and best practices
- Providing advice to clients in respect of complying with applicable law and best practices with respect to procurement policies
- Facilitating and implementing public healthcare restructurings, including hospital amalgamations and integrations and program transfers
- Conducting governance reviews of healthcare organizations
- Assisting international health industry clients in acquiring Canadian assets and doing business in Canada
Regulated Products
- Advising federal licence holders in respect of the regulated product regulatory landscape in Canada and all provinces and territories across Canada, including in respect of licensing matters and ongoing compliance with statutory requirements, such as restrictions on promotion and advertising
- Advising on regulated product supply and distribution agreements, including supply agreements between regulated product suppliers in Canada and international joint venture arrangements which include import/export considerations, such as an agreement to develop, cultivate manufacture and export cannabis-based medicinal products for the Latin American and global markets
- Advising clients in respect of retail supply, services agreements and licensing agreements in highly regulated industries such as cannabis, pharmacy and pharmaceuticals
- Providing numerous regulatory opinions relating to compliance with federal statutes regulated by Health Canada and related provincial statutes
- Advising service and equipment suppliers to the health industry and regulated product manufacturers
Latest Insights
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Report Dec 5, 2024
The devil is in the details: legislative changes and access to healthcare
Legislative amendments are initiating significant developments in health reform.
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Osler Update Jun 28, 2024
Canada introduces sweeping bill to mandate tech and data interoperability in healthcare
On June 6, 2024, the federal Minister of Health introduced Bill C-72 — An Act respecting the interoperability of health information technology and...
Read more -
Osler Update Jun 19, 2023
Ontario Ministry releases draft regulation in connection with private surgical and diagnostic services
On June 9, Ontario published a draft regulation as part of its plan to reduce wait times in the province. We look at the recently proposed regulatory...
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Osler Update Feb 23, 2023
Ontario proposes new legislation for private health facilities and surgical centres
On February 21, 2023, the Ontario government tabled Bill 60, Your Health Act, 2023 (Bill 60), following its recent announcement of its plan to reduce...
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Awards and Recognition
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Chambers Canada: Canada’s Leading Lawyers for Business: Band 1 in Healthcare: Corporate/Commercial & Regulatory
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Best Lawyers in Canada: Recognized in Healthcare Law; Cannabis Law
Speaking and Writing
Speaking Engagements
Published Work
- Debunking the Myths: A Broader Perspective of the Canada Health Act, Macdonald-Laurier Institute, September 2013.
- Bill 168 Requires Hospital Workplace Violence and Harassment Policies, Osler Update, April 22, 2009.
- Mounting Health Care Costs Drive Outsourcing Initiatives, Osler Outlook, Fall 2008.
- Hospital Service Accountability Agreements: Recommendations for the Negotiating Process, Osler Update, March 24, 2008.
- The DuPont Inquest: Hospital Obligations to Protect Patient and Workplace Safety, Osler Update, February 5, 2008.
- $3 Million Damages Awarded to Physician in Privileges Dispute, Osler Update, September 2007.
Credentials
Education
- Rotman School of Management, ICD.D.
- Harvard University, ADR
- University of British Columbia, Juris Doctor
- Bishops University, B.B.A.
Languages
- English
Professional Affiliations
- Canadian Bar Association
- Ontario Bar Association
