Michael Garellek

Biography

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 financial regulation and compliance for fintechs, financial institutions and market participants and their business in Canada.

When not acting for clients, Michael lectures students at the University of Montreal on corporate and securities laws and in preparing for case competitions. He is a co-author of the Annotated Bank Act (2023 edition) and the Jurisclasseur en valeurs mobilieres, a leading publication on securities laws.

Michael is a chartered professional accountant and has worked as an inspector with the Autorité des marches financiers (AMF) and an auditor with the Office of the Auditor General of Canada.

Practice Focus

Michael provides regulatory guidance to financial industry registrants and their representatives whether as a new entrant, a branch or an established player in Canada. He will help you apply Canadian rules and best practices. Michael advises clients on legal issues, including those relating to insurance, banking, AML/FT, privacy, securities and OTC swaps and derivatives, among others. In the areas of securities, banking and insurance, Michael will assist you to make the required applications to regulators including the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions and securities regulators such as the Ontario Securities Commission and the AMF.

Michael similarly advises financial institution clients and their service providers on embedded financial products and payments.

Michael's transactional and advisory work covers a variety of deal types both public and private, including transactions on carbon markets. He also assists clients with meeting regulatory requirements concerning authorization for public contracting and the greenhouse gas cap-and-trade system.

In enforcement matters, Michael represents clients including those subject to examination, investigation and prosecution by the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) and other regulatory authorities.