Richards Advocacy provides advisory services to a variety of clients on issues ranging from institutional risk management, policies and procedures for conduct-related concerns, insurance claims handling, insurance coverage review, and managing the intersection between potential litigation, criminal proceedings, and the maintenance of corporate records. Our team of lawyers has extensive experience navigating issues of risk, contract review, and assessing steps in contemplation of litigation. Our clients trust our advice and assessments.

Our advisory services are broad and connected to the depth of our expertise, developed over 20+ years in the industry.

Richards Advocacy is regularly consulted by policyholders and insurers on coverage issues and has a particular expertise in assessing the duty to defend, assessing coverage issues related to commercial and residential property claims, and providing opinions on bad faith claims.

Richards Advocacy is also regularly consulted by non-profits and camp organizations on policies and procedures for navigating conduct-related concerns, particularly as it relates to incidents of sexual and gender-based violence.

Richards Advocacy is regularly retained by companies, regulators, universities, colleges, and camp operators to conduct external investigations on complaints made under professional conduct policies, harassment and discrimination policies, sexual and gender-based violence policies, civility policies, collective agreements, and research integrity policies. Our investigative experience includes unionized and non-unionized workplaces, coaches, athletes, physicians, tenured faculty, and students. Richards Advocacy’s investigative work extends across Canada, servicing clients in Ontario, Manitoba and British Columbia.  

The firm also conducts sports investigations. Ashley and Ivana are on the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner (OSIC)’s roster of independent investigators. These complaints include issues and conduct that span many sporting environments across Canada.

Our team’s expertise is extensive and includes prior work experience investigating at regulatory colleges and the Canadian Human Rights Commission.  We are members of the Association of Workplace Investigators (AWI), and Ivana Bozinovoic has completed her certificate training with this organization.  

All of our investigations are conducted with procedural fairness and a trauma-informed perspective and approach.

Richards Advocacy has specific expertise in lawsuits involving negligence, breach of contract, professional negligence, sexual misconduct and commercial and residential property claims.

The firm has experience supporting both individual clients and institutions as they navigate civil and commercial litigation. The firm regularly acts as counsel to non-profit corporations, individuals, small and mid-sized companies, insurers, policyholders, and camp organizations. Founder and Managing Partner, Ashley Richards, has appeared at all levels of court in Ontario and the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal. Partner, Ivana Bozinovic, has appeared at the Ontario Superior Court and Ontario Court of Appeal.

Richards Advocacy also has experience bringing subrogated property claims for insurers in Ontario. Our team handles subrogated claims in areas such as fire loss, water damage, professional negligence and oil spills. Richards Advocacy applies their advocacy skills to every subrogation file and works hard to efficiently resolve each matter. Quick recovery on subrogated matters is always our goal.

Protecting Your Career. Safeguarding Your Reputation.

At Richards Advocacy, we help regulated professionals across Ontario respond to complaints, investigations, and discipline hearings. Led by Partner Carina Lentsch, a health lawyer with over a decade of experience in health law and malpractice litigation, we understand how stressful these processes can be and we know how to protect what matters most: your ability to practice.

Who We Help
Our firm has represented hundreds of regulated professionals, including:

What We Defend
We provide defence and guidance for a wide range of allegations, such as:

• Breaches of professional standards
• Privacy & confidentiality breaches
• Record-keeping, billing & insurance fraud
• Professional boundaries, ethics & sexual abuse allegations
• Off-duty conduct & communication
• Infection control (IPAC) issues (dentists)
• Marketing & advertising concerns
• Discrimination & human rights violations
• Fitness-to-practice inquiries & wrongful dismissal

Where We Advocate
We represent clients before:

• Regulatory Colleges (CNO, OCP, CPO, CRPO, COTO, RCDSO, etc.)
• Health Professions Appeal and Review Board (HPRB)
• Ontario & Canada Privacy Commissioners
• Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO)
• Ontario courts, including the Court of Appeal

Our Commitment
Allegations of misconduct or incompetence can feel overwhelming. We provide clear, practical advice, strong advocacy, and compassionate support at every step — helping you navigate the regulatory process with confidence to achieve the best possible outcome.

Areas of practice that would be a compliment to what we do: regulatory discipline, complaints and investigations; human rights law; insurance coverage, professional negligence defence, and workplace investigations.