Interview with John McIntyre, McIntyre Szabo PC

KEEPING TABS
The Advocates’ Society
FALL 2023

Q. Could you tell me about your health law practice? How does health law intersect with
your advocacy in the 2SLGBTQ+ community?
A. My practice involves essentially any kind of dispute or litigation matter in the healthcare sphere.
It sounds super niche, but the reality is that I’m rarely doing the same thing every day. One day I’ll be
defending a healthcare practitioner on a medical malpractice matter or regulatory complaint, and the
next I’ll be dealing with a complex physician privilege issue or a mental health appeal.
There is a huge intersection between my practice and my advocacy, because the 2SLGBTQ+ community
has been (and continues to be) significantly marginalized, particularly when it comes to access
to healthcare and health outcomes. As an out gay lawyer, I’ve always felt it is important to use my privilege
to support my community. And I’m always looking for new ways to integrate it into my health law
practice; for example, I recently advocated against anti-trans speech by regulated health professionals
in the Peterson v. College of Psychologists of Ontario case 1 as well as representing trans and non-binary
people fighting for OHIP coverage of gender-affirming care.
1. Peterson v. College of Psychologists of Ontario, 2023 ONSC 4685 (Div Ct).
INTERVIEW
Interview with John McIntyre
(he/him), McIntyre Szabo PC
Compiled by Aly Háji (he/him), Lax O’Sullivan Lisus
Gottlieb LLP
John McIntyre founded McIntyre Health Law in 2022 and then co-founded McIntyre Szabo PC in 2023
with Jessica Szabo. Prior to establishing his own firm, John was a senior associate in the health law
group at a major Canadian law firm and obtained his Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.
John routinely represents and advises clients in the health care sector. His practice focuses on
professional regulation and discipline (including defending clients in College complaints and discipline
matters), medical staff credentialing, mental health law (CCB/ORB), appellate advocacy, human rights
applications, civil litigation (including medical malpractice lawsuits), as well as general legal, clinical, operational,
policy and risk advice.
Q. Is your advocacy in the 2SLGBTQ+ community what led you to start your own firm?
A. Actually, it’s the other way around. Running my own firm has given me the freedom to build a practice
that is meaningful to me. There is no one looking over my shoulder telling me what I should bill,
which clients I can take on pro bono or what issues I can take a stance on. If I want to do it, I do it.
My partner, Jessica Szabo, and I have two core values to our firm: (1) contribute to the betterment of
the healthcare system; and (2) enjoy our careers. It’s that simple for us. And the 2SLGBTQ+ advocacy
work hits on both of those values in spades for me.
Q. I was inspired by your work on the Jordan Peterson judicial review at the Ontario Divisional
Court; it was remarkable to see a small, relatively new firm compete with some real
heavy hitters. How did you get involved?
A. I’m not going to lie, it was pretty surreal to look around the courtroom to see so many senior counsel
I’ve looked up to in my career. It was a turning point for me in the goals I set for myself and the firm,
because, at the time, it was beyond my wildest dreams to think I would be at that table so soon after
starting the firm. Now, I set no limits to how big or audacious those goals are. If it’s something I want to
do, I’m going to try.
When I heard about the case, I knew it was something I had to be involved in – it was at the perfect
intersection of my professional regulation practice and 2SLGBTQ+ rights. I did extensive background
research and workshopped my potential arguments, then started hitting the ground by reaching out to
2SLGBTQ+ advocacy organizations, and the whole thing snowballed from there.
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Q. Do you have any advice for young advocates who want to go out on their own?
A. It’s not as scary as it looks. And trust me, I know the fear. Years ago, I would look at young advocates
who went out on their own with envy – I thought they walked on water. I never thought it could be me.
Frankly, I never wanted it to be me – I was one of those people who said I’d never start my own firm. But
it has by far been the best decision of my career and I can’t imagine ever going back.
If you’re thinking about it – reach out to me or talk to other lawyers doing it (shameless plug - through
the TAS mentorship portal). I have found the small firm bar to be tremendously open, kind and interested
in lifting others up for success.
Q. What advice would you give young advocates who want to be their authentic selves?
A. Don’t listen to the explicit and implicit pressures to suppress who you are. Law has traditionally
been a more conservative industry, but it is changing. You will be more successful in your career when
you bring your whole self to your work, because your confidence will shoot through the roof, and your
passion will be infectious.
For me, being my authentic self in my practice includes not hiding parts of my life just because others
may not accept it. For example, I’m an out gay polyamorous man in a long-term three-person relationship.
Some have said I should check that part of my life at the door. But, in my experience, you connect
most with your clients when you engage on a personal level and so I am open about both of my partners
to my clients and colleagues, which makes it easier to show up as my authentic self.
Q. Speaking of which, you’ve been very involved in TAS’s new mentorship portal. Why do
you think mentorship is important for young advocates, particularly those from diverse
and equity-seeking communities?
A. I think the portal is such an important program, whether you’re at a big or a small firm, because it exposes
you to mentors with different perspectives who don’t have a direct stake in your career. Funnily
enough, our landlord for our firm office space is Megan Keenberg (of Keenberg & Co), who I initially met
through an Advocates’ Society mentorship session and Megan has become instrumental as an ongoing
mentor to me.
Mentorship is essential for those from diverse and equity-seeking communities because there isn’t a
level playing field. But it is equally important, in my view, to have mentorship from those in diverse and
equity-seeking communities. Young advocates need to see themselves represented in senior parts of
the bar and to see there is not one mold of what makes a good litigator.
Q. What can more experienced lawyers do to support those young advocates as mentors?
A. If you are also part of a diverse and equity-seeking community, don’t assume your experiences
are the same. If you are not, do the work to build cultural competency so you can properly support
your mentee. Be there to truly listen and hear your mentee to tailor your guidance to them, rather
than just assuming what worked for you will work for them.
Also, mentoring is more than just giving advice and guidance. For mentees in your firm, give
them opportunities. Give them the chance to interact directly with clients. Give them challenging
projects that will help them grow even if they aren’t quite ready. Let them be first chair. Be their
champion behind closed doors in the firm. Your biggest success as a lawyer is not the cases you’ve
won, but the positive impact you make on the next generation of lawyers.
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