Robert Sheahan

Robert Sheahan is chair of Gowling WLG's Professional Liability Department, providing strategic leadership for the firm’s Canadian insurance & professional liability and medical defence practices. He previously served as the Head of the firm’s Ottawa Advocacy Department and as a member of the Ottawa Office Management Committee from 2020 to 2025.

Robb’s practice focuses on health law and professional liability, with particular emphasis on medical defence. He is current the co-lead General Counsel to the Canadian Medical Protective Association (CMPA) and previously represented physicians in a variety of medico-legal matters, including professional discipline and negligence. He also has experience managing solicitors' negligence claims and errors & omissions matters for the firm’s Ottawa office.

Robb is certified by the Law Society of Ontario as a Specialist in Health Law and has consistently been recognized by Chambers, The Best Lawyers in Canada and Lexpert as a leader in the fields of health care law and medical negligence, including being distinguished as "Lawyer of the Year" in Health Care Law for Ottawa (2017, 2023 and 2025) and Medical Negligence (2023).

He is currently an Honorary Member of the Executive of the National Health Law Section of the Canadian Bar Association. He has been an active member of the Executive since 2009 and served as Section Chair in 2011-2012. Previously, he served on the Executive of the Health Law Section of the Ontario Bar Association, including as regional representative for the East Region.

Robb has also served as an instructor at the Osgoode Hall LL.M Health Law Program and a guest lecturer at the University of Ottawa Faculties of Law and Medicine. He regularly presents on health law before professional and industry organizations, including the Canadian Bar Association, American Bar Association, the International Bar Association, the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Medical Professional Liability Association.

He is an active supporter and coordinator of the firm's participation in community events, including REACH Canada, ABLE2 and Run For the Cure. Having been blessed with wonderful mentors over the years, Robb is committed to mentoring associates and students and actively participating in the firm's student recruitment initiatives.

In addition to serving on the editorial board of the Electronic Healthcare Law Review, Robb has authored a number of papers, including "Liability and Privacy Considerations with Personal Health Records," "Unbundling Healthcare: The Changing Nature of the Practitioner-Patient Relationship As a Result of Electronic Health Records," "Limiting Non-Pecuniary Damages: The Effectiveness of Caps," "Expert Immunity: Canadian Implications of Jones v. Kaney" and "The Value of a Trusted Advisor."

He is an active member of The Advocates' Society, the International Bar Association, the County of Carleton Law Association, and volunteers to judge moot competitions and other legal education initiatives, including serving as co-chair of The Advocates’ Society’s annual Courthouse Series in Ottawa from 2009 to 2015.