Lawyers for Psychologists

As trusted psychologist lawyers, we routinely represent psychologists in Ontario in regulatory, litigation, clinical and risk issues, including those with the College of Psychologists of Ontario (the “CPO”), the Human Rights Tribunal and the Information and Privacy Commissioner. We help psychologists navigate the legal landscape governing the practice of psychology in Ontario, including under the Psychology Act.

If you have a complaint, investigation or disciplinary matter before the CPO, it is important to get legal advice from a psychologist complaint lawyer or psychologist discipline lawyer to evaluate your risk and help you manage your response. This is especially important because many forms of remediation ordered by the CPO remain on a psychologist’s public register indefinitely. We are psychology defence lawyers who assist on all types of CPO matters, including clinical issues, billing issues, communication issues, recordkeeping issues and boundary violations/sexual assault allegations.

We work with insurance companies covering Ontario psychologists and also routinely represent psychologists directly who do not have coverage for regulatory matters. We typically offer our clients the choice of an hourly rate or flat fee for these regulatory matters, especially for psychologist complaints. We represent psychologists across the province of Ontario,, including in Toronto and the GTA, Ottawa, Hamilton, Kitchener, London, Brampton, Barrie, Kingston and Thunder Bay.

John McIntyre was recently lead counsel for two LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations in the Jordan Peterson regulatory matter against the CPO before the Divisional Courts.

Legal Services for Psychologists

  • Responding on behalf of psychologists to CPO patient complaints before the Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee (“ICRC”) of the CPO;

  • Facilitating proactive courses or Specific Continuing Education or Remediation Programs (“SCERP”) for psychologists ordered by the CPO;

  • Responding for psychologists to CPO section 75 investigations before the ICRC;

  • Responding to disciplinary matters and allegations of professional misconduct for psychologists before the Discipline Committee of the CPO;

  • Responding to registration issues for psychologists before the Registration Committee of the CPO or guiding psychologists on their application for licensure in other provinces/countries;

  • Defending allegations for psychology students on testing irregularity and cheating on the Examination for Professional Practice of Psychology ("the “EPPP”);

  • Responding to appeals and judicial reviews for psychologists before the Health Professions Appeal and Review Board (“HPARB”), the Divisional Court of Ontario or the Court of Appeal for Ontario;

  • Responding to complaints made against psychologists and psychology clinics to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario regarding discrimination and human rights violations;

  • Responding to complaints against psychologists and psychology clinics before the Information and Privacy Commissioner;

  • Responding on behalf of psychologists to CPO Fitness to Practice matters;

  • Assisting psychologists in managing a challenging patient, including harassment and assault, and terminating the psychologist-patient relationship;

  • Navigating clinical issues for psychologists, including privacy breaches, psychologist malpractice allegations, recordkeeping issues and patient demands;

  • Navigating billing issues for psychologists, including insurance company inquiries and audits;

  • Navigating compliance for psychologists with CPO Standards of Professional Conduct;

  • Assisting psychologists in responding to the annual CPO report regarding past criminal and regulatory issues; and

  • Representing psychologists and psychology clinics in workplace investigations.

Need help with any of the above? We are psychology attorneys, so don’t hesitate to contact John McIntyre for a free consultation at john@mcintyre-szabo.com or through the website here.