Kathryn M. Frelick

Partner | Toronto

416.595.2979

Portrait of Kathryn M.  Frelick

Overview

Kathryn Frelick has specialized expertise in health and privacy and is a leading lawyer in these areas. She advises public and private health industry clients on a broad range of matters, with a particular focus on regulatory, strategic, and risk management advice, as well as advocacy before health and privacy administrative tribunals and regulatory bodies. Kathryn Frelick serves as Leader of Miller Thomson’s Health Group.

Kathryn’s regulatory practice includes expertise in areas such as health information and privacy, quality and patient safety, mental health, consent and capacity, health profession regulation, health insurance legislation, research and innovation, private health care, and corporate regulatory compliance.

In addition to her health practice, Kathryn advises clients on all aspects of federal and provincial privacy and freedom-of-information laws, including the management of privacy and security breaches, complaints, and proceedings. Kathryn regularly assists businesses, from startups to multinationals, to navigate Canada’s complex health regulatory and privacy regimes.

Kathryn is responsible for “Miller Thomson On Call,” an innovative program that provides 24/7 access to legal advice for health industry clients who require cost-effective, “real-time” assistance. Kathryn has assisted health industry clients in proceedings before the Ontario Court of Appeal, Superior Court of Justice, Coroner’s Courts, Consent and Capacity Board, Health Professions Review and Appeal Board, and Health Services Appeal and Review Board, as well as privacy and health profession regulatory bodies.

Kathryn worked in a hospital setting before her legal career, which provides an excellent framework for developing a quick and thorough understanding of her clients’ needs. Kathryn works with her clients to develop practical solutions to their legal problems in a manner that will best achieve their objectives.

Professional achievements & leadership

  • The Best Lawyers in Canada - Health Care Law, 2021-2024

Thought leadership

Book Chapters
  • Legal Aspects of Health Information Management in Fundamentals of Health Information Management, Canadian Health Care Association/Canadian Health Information Management Association (2nd edition 2013)
  • Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) Update, Chapter 28, Business Laws of Canada, (A Thomson Reuters Publication) 2015 - 2018
  • Privacy Update, Business Laws of Canada, Chapter 22, (A Thomson Reuters Publication) 2012 - 2018
Recent Presentations
  • The People's Health Care Act, 2019: What You Need To Know, Miller Thomson LLP, Special Edition Coffee Talk: A Health Industry Seminar Series, April 2, 2019
  • Managing Complaints in the #MeToo Era, Miller Thomson LLP, Coffee Talk: A Health Industry Seminar Series, February 27, 2019
  • Directors Series Seminar - Protecting Privacy: Obligations of Directors, Miller Thomson LLP, Coffee Talk: A Health Industry Seminar Series, November 28, 2018
  • Institutional Obligations to Mental Health Patients, Miller Thomson LLP, Coffee Talk: A Health Industry Seminar Series, October 17, 2018
  • Be Cyber Smart: Be Prepared to Effectively Respond to Data and Privacy Breaches, Canadian Health Information Management Association Conference, September 16, 2018
  • Risk Management in Litigation - How to Proactively Manage and Effectively Respond to Civil Litigation Risk, Miller Thomson LLP, Coffee Talk: A Health Industry Seminar Series, April 18, 2018
  • Board of Directors Series – What Directors Need to Know: The New H-SAA, Miller Thomson LLP, Coffee Talk: A Health Industry Seminar Series, February 28, 2018
  • Strategies for Managing Difficult Clients / Family Members, Miller Thomson LLP, Coffee Talk: A Health Industry Seminar Series, January 17, 2018
  • Transition in Care: Collaboration Across the Care Continuum, OACRS Annual Conference, November 27, 2017
  • Privacy and Enterprise Risk Management, AFHTO/GCE, November 22, 2017
  • Privacy and Cyber Risk and Information Governance for FHTs, AFHTO Annual Conference, October 25, 2017
  • Privacy and Cyber Risk in the Health Industry – Survival Guide 101, Miller Thomson National Health Series (Webinar), October 18, 2017
  • Directors Series What Directors Need to Know: Quality, Privacy, Accountability, Miller Thomson Directors Series (Webinar), September 28, 2017
  • Cyber Risk in the Health Sector, (CLEAR) Annual Educational Conference, (Denver, US), September 13, 2017
  • Transitions in Care: Collaborating Across the Care Continuum, Miller Thomson LLP, Coffee Talk: A Health Industry Seminar Series, April 19, 2017
  • Beyond PHIPA: What Other Legislation Do You Need to Consider? [Health Law], Privacy Law Summit 2017, Ontario Bar Association, April 7, 2017
  • How to Cope: Managing Mental Health Issues in the Workplace, Miller Thomson Labour and Employment Law Conference, April 6, 2017
  • Navigating the Legal Pall of Medically Assisted Death - What you need to know about Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada, Miller Thomson CPD (In person and Webinar), March 7, 2017
  • Bill 41, the Patients First Act – What You Need to Know, Miller Thomson LLP, Coffee Talk: A Health Industry Seminar Series, January 18, 2017
  • Ontario Health Teams: Digital Health Privacy and Data Sharing, Miller Thomson LLP,  Health Transformation Tuesdays, presented by K Frelick, May 7, 2019
  • Directors’ Series “Managing Complaints in the #MeToo Era”, Miller Thomson LLP ,presented by K Frelick and L Spiegel, May 16, 2019
  • Health Transformation Tuesdays “Ontario Health Teams: Building Your Digital Plan”, Miller Thomson LLP, presented by K Kanani and K Frelick, October 1, 2019
  • Up to the Minute COVID-19 Developments,  Miller Thomson LLP,  Coffee Talk, presented by K Frelick and G Bush, March 26, 2020
  • Health Law Now – Emergency Management Virtual and In-Person Care Lessons from SARS, Ontario Bar Association – March 26, 2020
  • Virtual Care: A Legal Checklist, Miller Thomson LLP , Coffee Talk presented by K Frelick and K Kanani, April 22, 2020
  • COVID-19 Lockdown Lifting: Expert Panel on Resumption of Health Care Services, Miller Thomson LLP, Coffee Talk presented by K Frelick, K Kanani, H Dyer and R England, May 26, 2020
  • Back to Basics: Patient Safety, Quality & Risk – Getting the Balance Right, Miller Thomson LLP, Coffee Talk presented by K Frelick, May 25,  2022
  • Back to Basics: Consent & Capacity,  Miller Thomson LLP, Coffee Talk presented by K Frelick, November 23, 2022
Select Publications Speaking Engagements: Health Communiqués:  

Professional memberships

  • Member, Canadian and Ontario Bar Associations
  • Member, Privacy and Health Sections of the Ontario Bar Association
  • Former Member, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Research Ethics Committee
  • Member, Medico-Legal Society of Toronto

Bar admissions & education

  • Ontario, 1998
  • LL.B., University of Windsor, 1996
  • H.B.Sc., (biology and psychology), Queen’s University, 1992