Usman Sheikh is Chair of the Blockchain & Fintech Practice. He is a Transactional Partner in Baker McKenzie's Toronto office and is also a member of the Firm's Litigation and Government Enforcement Practice Group. In 2018, Usman was named as one of the "Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers" in Canada by Canadian Lawyer and for six consecutive years (2020 to 2025) as one of the top fintech lawyers (Band 1) in Canada by Chambers.  Usman regularly advises clients on FinTech, blockchain, AI and quantum computing strategy, including on corporate / commercial, regulatory and litigation matters. Over the years, his clients have included Canada's largest banks and stock exchanges, supranational organizations, social media platforms, sovereign wealth funds, public companies, crypto and AI pioneers, and more. He routinely interacts with regulators on cutting edge issues (e.g., AI, blockchain, IoT, etc), such as the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), Financial Stability Board (FSB), IOSCO, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and others, and also speaks frequently on these issues. Since 2019, Usman has served as an Adjunct Professor with the University of Toronto (Faculty of Law) and teaches a course on blockchain, digital assets and the law. 

Learn more about Usman Sheikh here: https://www.bakermckenzie.com/...

Michael serves as the head of the Financial Services Regulatory Practice for Canada and is a Transactional Partner in Baker McKenzie's Toronto office. His practice focuses on Canadian financial regulation and compliance for FinTechs, financial institutions and financial market participants, payment services, online marketplaces, blockchain and web3 devs. He is a co-author of Baker McKenzie's Doing Business in Canada, the Annotated Bank Act (2025-2023 editions) and the Jurisclasseur en valeurs mobilieres, a long leading treatise on securities laws in Canada. Michael’s specialized practice areas cover legal issues, including those relating to banking, AML/FT, privacy, insurance, securities and OTC swaps and derivatives, among others.

Learn more about Michael Garellek here: https://www.bakermckenzie.com/...

Justine Johnston is a senior associate in Baker McKenzie's Global Antitrust & Competition Group and International Commercial Practice Group, focusing on competition/antitrust law and foreign investment review. Justine advises clients on all aspects of Canadian competition law, with a particular focus on obtaining competition clearance in domestic, cross-border and multi-jurisdictional transactions. She provides strategic advice to clients regarding criminal and civil investigations, including for allegations of conspiracy and abuse of dominance as well as pricing and distribution practices, and all other compliance matters.

Learn more about Justine Johnston here: https://www.bakermckenzie.com/...