Excellence awardee: Canadian Law Department of the Year

SE Health

John Yip

Chief Executive Officer

John brings a broad, dynamic, and impressive range of experiences to SE health every day that includes community, business, equity, diversity, and inclusion, and over two decades of leadership experience in the health sector – all underpinned by a “serving with the heart” approach. John’s commitment to community advancement is evident throughout his career, and especially in his recent stint as President and CEO of Kensington Health, a diversified not-for-profit community-based health services provider. John holds a master of business administration in health services management from the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University and undergraduate degrees in arts and sciences from Dalhousie University.

Chief Executive Officer

John Yip

https://www.facebook.com/Neuberger.Law/

@neubergerandpartners

@NeubergerLaw

As an independent, forward-thinking girls’ school we are committed to preparing girls for a lifetime of learning, leadership and engagement in our global community. We believe in girls. At Ruyton Girls’ School we foster the individuality of each girl in a caring and safe environment, nurturing her intellectual, physical, social and emotional qualities that are essential to flourish. Powerful learning is central to the Ruyton culture, building on our strong academic reputation. We focus on advancing the learning of every girl through the engagement of intellectual curiosity, building their knowledge and skills about how to learn, and supporting them to achieve their personal best and be exemplary citizens. We believe in real-world learning beyond the classroom, collaborating with the wider community to promote growth, discovery and sustainability. We empower our girls to lead lives of purpose with courage, character and compassion. Through the development of values and action-focused learning they are inspired to pursue equity and justice for self and others. By embracing diversity and raising their voices, our girls effect positive change and make a difference.

In 2024, SE Health, a national not-for-profit healthcare leader, established its first in-house Legal, Privacy and Compliance (LPC) Department, marking a major milestone. The LPC team supports SE Health and its 18 entities across a broad portfolio, including contracts, claims, privacy, corporate filings, labour relations, enterprise risk management, patient safety, and governance. Since launching, the department has grown to 13 professionals with expertise across law, contracts, and privacy. This multidisciplinary model allows lawyers to focus on strategic priorities while specialized team members manage operations and technical privacy needs − expanding impact beyond traditional legal functions. Over the past year, the LPC Department implemented key process improvements, including a centralized intake system that manages over 1,300 legal requests annually. This approach enables better prioritization, higher efficiency, and consistent service delivery. The team also co-led the development of an AI-powered contract review tool designed to reduce processing time by up to 80 percent. The department supports major organizational initiatives, including complex digital vendor deals, a redesigned National Privacy Program, an Impact Venture Fund, major RFPs, board governance renewal, and M&A activity. It also integrates legal oversight with occupational health, safety, and wellness, and patient engagement, strengthening compliance and enabling innovative dispute resolution approaches.

Farah Ismail

SVP, Chief Legal, Privacy, and Compliance Officer

Farah Ismail is a nurse-lawyer and Senior Vice-President, Chief Legal, Privacy and Compliance Officer at SE Health. She established the organization’s first in-house Legal, Privacy and Compliance Department. She has built a multidisciplinary team that delivers impact beyond traditional legal functions. Known for her unique legal and healthcare expertise, she delivers a practical, innovative, and people centred approach to leadership. She has pioneered a unique structure that combines legal functions; privacy, including AI adoption; patient experience; and compliance across a wide continuum of care. Beyond her professional role, Farah is an avid volunteer, an adjunct lecturer at the University of Toronto’s Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, and serves on several boards. She co-founded Grayson’s Gratitude, a fundraising initiative supporting renal priorities and the SickKids Foundation. Farah is also a sought-after public speaker and author.

SVP, Chief Legal, Privacy, and Compliance Officer

Farah Ismail

Yuvika Johri

Partner

Yuvika Johri is a partner at Neuberger & Partners LLP and was called to the Ontario Bar in 2020. She holds a Juris Doctor from Emory University and an LLM. in criminal law from the University of Minnesota. Johri has extensive experience defending complex criminal matters, including sexual offences, homicide, domestic violence, and drug-related charges. She has worked with leading defence firms in the United States, served as a legal fellow with the Atlanta Public Defender’s Office, and clerked with the U.S. District Court. A licensed attorney in India, she was also featured by Super Lawyers India. Johri currently serves on the Criminal Law Committee and the New Lawyers Committee of the Toronto Lawyers Association. She is committed to protecting the rights of the accused and delivering strong, strategic defence.

Partner

Yuvika Johri

BACK TO COMM GUIDE

https://www.tiktok.com/@neubergerandpartnersllp

https://www.youtube.com/@neubergerandpartnersllp