Everyday, people seek out the services of individuals who qualify as a practitioner in an industry where “Professional Responsibility” applies. In addition to their employment duties and responsibilities at law, such professional industries are regulated by additional legislation and rules. If these rules are not followed, not only is an individual’s job at stake, but so is their license to continue working in that capacity. Depending on the severity of an infraction, professionals can face fines, have their license suspended temporarily, or even lose the ability to practice forever.
Each professional industry is subject to its own set of rules in addition to employment legislation. For example, lawyers are subject to the Law Society Act and Rules of Professional Conduct, and doctors are subject to the Medicine Act and its regulations. Within each set of tailored legislation comes a myriad of hyper-nuanced rules practitioners must follow. Understanding how these rules affect the practitioner, in addition to the potential employment law implications in any given situation is important to providing appropriate legal advice.
In addition to the above issues, professional practitioners are also often the owners of the business which provides their respective services. Therefore, facing any potential reprimand under their professional body poses a risk to both themselves and those they employ. These situations can also lead to further legal employment issues if a business is forced to close due to a professional losing their license to practice.
Our lawyers have experience representing professionals including massage therapists, speech language pathologists, nurses, veterinarians, doctors, dentists, lawyers, audiologists, and pharmacists in matters involving their governing body.
Whether it is a patient complaint, allegation of misconduct or incompetence or an incapacity matter, we assist our clients to respond to complaints, participate in investigations, and explore opportunities for early resolution. If the matter does result in an appearance before a disciplinary committee, we are also happy to represent our clients at these hearings.
If you are a professional who is faced with any of these circumstances, or simply needs some proactive advice to avoid future pitfalls, feel free to contact our Employment Law group.
