Stephen J. Redican

National Group Head, Specialized Business Law

Location: Toronto
Email: SRedican@blg.com
Phone: 416.367.6134

Expertise

Chor-Ling Tsang

Practice Assistant

Location: Toronto
Email: ctsang@blg.com
Fax: 416.367.6749
Phone: 416.367.6464

Stephen is a leading financial services lawyer, who provides clients with practical legal advice related to banking, financial institution regulation, fintech, payment cards and payment mechanisms. He is recognized nationally and internationally for his expertise in these areas.

Stephen has detailed knowledge of anti-money laundering, cost of borrowing, credit business practices, privacy and consumer protection regulatory compliance requirements. He also has substantial expertise in payments products and co-branded cards tied to loyalty programs.

Stephen is the National Group Head for Specialized Business Law, comprised of Financial Services, Commercial Real Estate, Intellectual Property and Tax, and is a member of the Firm's National Management Committee. He is the Co-Chair of the firm's Innovation Thought Leadership Committee and has extensive experience creating innovative and efficient solutions for clients, and using innovative tools and technologies. Stephen is also a member of the Derivatives group, which has been recognized as Global Capital’s Canadian Law Firm of the Year for derivatives, an award it has received every year since 2014.

Testimonials

Client

“Stephen is my favorite legal adviser. He is amazing – an incredible resource for my company. He has spent a lot of time understanding our business, and he keeps an eye on the market for us to warn us of things ahead. He is the gold standard of legal representation. I’m a huge fan of him. He provides excellent service. What stands out about him is that he knows his stuff – he’s not someone who goes away and does research; he gives insight on the spot. His depth of knowledge is impressive and very beneficial. Using Stephen is always good value.”

Chambers Canada 2023

"Stephen Redican advises on a range of financial products, most notably in the areas of fintech and payment cards. A Toronto-based lawyer, he is also regularly consulted on matters involving consumer protection and anti-money laundering compliance issues."

Chambers Canada 2023

"'He offers comprehensive knowledge of the banking and finance space and is both solution-oriented and incredibly responsive.'"

Chambers Canada 2018

"Stephen Redican is well regarded for his impressive work in the credit card and fintech spaces. Market sources say he is an 'exceptionally good' lawyer with 'great subject matter expertise' who is 'extremely articulate and always willing to explain the regulatory environment in a clear and concise way.'"

Client

“I only have wonderful things to say about Stephen. He’s one of the most brilliant lawyers I have worked with. He is especially good at the payments part of the practice. If it’s a complicated area of law, you go to him: he is a thought leader. He breaks things down and makes them manageable. He can do it all; that’s what makes him remarkable.”

Client

“Stephen is my favorite legal adviser. He is amazing – an incredible resource for my company. He has spent a lot of time understanding our business, and he keeps an eye on the market for us to warn us of things ahead. He is the gold standard of legal representation. I’m a huge fan of him. He provides excellent service. What stands out about him is that he knows his stuff – he’s not someone who goes away and does research; he gives insight on the spot. His depth of knowledge is impressive and very beneficial. Using Stephen is always good value.”

Chambers Canada 2023

"Stephen Redican advises on a range of financial products, most notably in the areas of fintech and payment cards. A Toronto-based lawyer, he is also regularly consulted on matters involving consumer protection and anti-money laundering compliance issues."

Experience

PayBright Inc., one of Canada’s leading buy-now-pay-later providers, in connection with its $340 million acquisition by Affirm, Inc., a leading U.S.-based “buy now, pay later” platform.
Representing and advising financial institutions, including foreign banks, Schedule I, II and III banks, trust companies, investment dealers, mutual funds, Crown corporations, and other financial service companies and their affiliates in a wide range of ongoing regulatory and compliance matters.
Has extensive experience under the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act and in decisions from the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) in connection with financing, lending, payment card issuing, payment card processing businesses and money services businesses.
Has particular experience under the Bank Act and the Trust and Loan Companies Act in applications to and orders and rulings from the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI).
Has detailed knowledge of cost of borrowing, credit business practices, privacy and consumer protection regulatory compliance requirements
Representing and advising financial institutions and other financial services providers with respect to payment card merchant processing, payment card issuing, consumer finance protection, outsourcing, reward programs, affinity programs and payments systems matters.
Representing and advising issuer and acquirer clients and mobile wallet providers on the Code of Conduct for the Credit and Debit Card Industry in Canada as well as Interac, Visa, MasterCard and Canadian Payments Association rules and requirements, including the Automated Clearing and Settlement System and the Large Value Transfer System.
Advising clients with respect to new mobile and online financial products and services including partnerships with financial institutions, FinTech organizations and other new and innovative financial services developments.
Representing lenders and borrowers in numerous secured and unsecured financing transactions; particular experience in syndicated loans, cross-border loans, asset-based loans, project finance, loans relating to acquisitions and loans to agri-business.
Representing and advising financial institutions and corporations with respect to structured finance transactions and asset securitizations, including CMBS, MBS and rental portfolios, and the servicing and restructuring of securitization conduits.
Since inception in 2001, representing Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and Canada Housing Trust No. 1 with respect to and structuring the leading Canadian mortgage-based securitization program, the Canada Mortgage Bond Program.
Since inception in 2008, representing Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation with respect to and structuring the $125-billion emergency bank funding Insured Mortgage Purchase Program involving purchases of insured mortgage pools from Canadian financial institutions.
Representing and advising banks, credit unions and other financial institutions, mutual funds, investment funds, corporations, municipalities, and hospitals with respect to derivatives transactions, including credit default swaps, equity forwards, commodity swaps, total return swaps and conventional swaps.

Beyond Our Walls

Professional Involvement

Ontario Bar Association Business Law Section
Canadian Financing and Leasing Association
Commercial Mortgage Securities Association
Mortgage-Backed Securities Issuer Association
Current member of the Board of Directors and of the audit and conduct review committee of a Schedule II bank

Community Involvement

Member, Board of Directors and audit and conduct review committees of one Schedule II bank
Member, Finance Advisory Board for Practical Law — Canada

Awards & Recognitions

Selected by peers for inclusion in the 2025 edition (and since 2012) of The Best Lawyers in Canada® (Banking and Finance Law) and since the 2022 edition (Derivatives Law).
Recognized in the 2025 edition (and since 2017) of Chambers Canada – Canada's Leading Lawyers for Business (Banking and Finance: Financial Services Regulation (Nationwide))
Recognized in the 2025 edition (and since 2018) of Chambers Global (Canada, Banking & Finance: Financial Services)
Recognized in the 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2019 edition (and since 2017) of The Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory (Banking & Financial Institutions) and in 2024 for Financial Institutions Regulation - Ontario.
Recognized in the 2024 edition (and since 2023) of Lexpert Special Edition: Technology and Health Sciences
Recognized in the 2023 edition (and since 2021) of Chambers FinTech (Canada, FinTech Legal).
Recognized in the 2023 edition of Lexpert Special Edition: Finance and M&A
Recognized in the 2023 edition of Who’s Who Legal: Canada (Corporate Tax).
Recognized as "highly regarded" in the 2022 edition (and since 2018) and as a leading lawyer (Financial Services Regulatory) in the 2020 edition (and since 2014) of IFLR 1000 – The Guide to the World’s Leading Financial Law Firms.
Recognized in Euromoney's Banking, Finance & Transactional Law 2020 Expert Guides.
Recognized as "Repeatedly Recommended" in the 2019 edition (and since 2017) of The Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory (Banking & Financial Institutions).
Recognized as a 2019 and 2017 Acritas Star.

Bar Admission & Education

Ontario, 1996

LLB, Osgoode Hall Law School, 1994
BA (Hons.), McGill University, 1991

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