Highly respected Health Law specialist Gilbert Sharpe joins Fasken Martineau

14 June 2006

David Corbett, managing partner of Fasken Martineau, is pleased to announce that Gilbert Sharpe, former long-time Director of the Legal Branch of the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, has joined the firm as Partner in its Health Law Group. Mr. Sharpe will be based in Toronto.

"Mr. Sharpe's invaluable experience, accumulated throughout his distinguished 30-year career, is a great asset to our firm," said David Corbett.

Through his involvement with the Ministry of Health since 1975, and associated work with numerous ministries and agencies of the Ontario government as well as federal departments, Gilbert Sharpe has been continuously involved in important legal issues and policy matters affecting health care, including the development of legislation and policies to improve the health care system. Prior to joining Fasken Martineau, Mr. Sharpe practiced Health Law in another Toronto law firm.

"Health Law is a hot area right now. We are experiencing a sharp increase in work coming from the public sector, the private care providers and pharmaceutical companies. In this context, Mr. Sharpe's experience in public policy, private sector involvement and college regulatory work is strategic to us and will create new synergies with our other experts across the country," added Lynne Golding, director of Fasken Martineau's National Health Law Group.

The new arrival also demonstrates Fasken Martineau's savvy in acquiring crucial Ontario Ministry of Health experience. Along with Louise Shap, Gilbert Sharpe is the second lawyer with such experience to join its Health Law Group in less than two years.

Aside from his important legal and policy work, Mr. Sharpe is President of the Canadian Institute of Law and Medicine Editor-in-Chief of Health Law in Canada, and has published numerous articles and two texts in health law (Butterworths). He holds professorships at the University of Toronto and McMaster University.

The Health Law Group of Fasken Martineau counts over 30 lawyers active in all areas of law: corporate, labour, litigation, real estate, privacy and technology and intellectual property. They advise both public sector health organizations and private corporations, including hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, medical laboratories, medical research and development organizations and clinics.

Fasken Martineau, which ranks among the four largest law firms in Canada (Lexpert's 2006 Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada), is a leading Canadian business law and litigation firm. Fasken Martineau is recognized for its strength and expertise in financial services, corporate finance, securities, mergers and acquisitions, real estate, energy, mining and environmental law, aboriginal affairs, taxation, wealth management, litigation, arbitration, labour and employment law, human rights, intellectual property and information technology law. With over 595 lawyers, the firm has offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Montréal and Québec City, as well as in New York, London, and Johannesburg. Fasken Martineau DuMoulin is a limited liability partnership (LLP) organized pursuant to the laws of Ontario and registered as such for the purposes of carrying on their professional activities in Québec.

For further information: David Corbett, Firm Managing Partner, (416) 868-3504, dcorbett@tor.fasken.com; Lynne Golding, Director, National Health Law Group, (416) 865-5166, lgolding@tor.fasken.com; Isabel Massey, Consultant, Public and Media Relations, (514) 397 4349, imassey@mtl.fasken.com

Source: newswire

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