Mental Health Law

Helping you seek treatment for someone you love.

We advise family caregivers dealing with the legal issues that come up because of a loved one's mental illness — from getting them treatment, to understanding your rights and theirs.

A Delicate Balance

Two things the law tries to protect at once

Mental health law is a challenging area because it strives to balance patient autonomy with the protection of vulnerable people.

Autonomy

The right of individuals to make their own decisions about their body — including medical treatment, or admission to a psychiatric facility.

Protection

Protecting people from themselves, in situations where they don't have the capacity to make certain decisions safely.

Lisa Feldstein, health lawyer and Adjunct Professor at York University

I'm a health lawyer in Ontario. My practice has focused on family caregivers since 2013. Before that, I was a lawyer for the health sector — primarily hospitals.

I do a lot of public speaking and publishing. You can read more about that on my Publications & Presentations page — or if you'd rather hear me speak about consent and capacity law directly, visit my Speaking page.

What We Do

Clients usually come to us with one of three goals

Get a loved one treated

When a loved one needs psychiatric treatment but is refusing it, or unable to consent, we help families understand their options and advocate for the care they need.

Keep them in hospital until stable

Families are often worried about a loved one being discharged before they're actually ready. We help you understand your options for advocating that they stay until they're stable.

Stop mismanagement of property

Sometimes — during a period of incapacity, property or finances can end up mismanaged. We help families understand how to address it.

Not sure you need legal advice? We offer self-paced online courses through Kinkeeper™ for people who just want to learn more first.

Explore Courses

Trying to get a loved one the treatment they need?

Please do not send us any confidential information until we have been formally retained.