A preeminent figure in the financial services industry, Blair has decades of experience advising Canada’s leading financial institutions on regulatory matters and industry best practices, and has acted as counsel on some of the country’s most complex and novel issues in his field.
Blair is co-head of the firm’s Financial Services, Bank Regulatory and Insurance Regulatory practices. He advises on corporate and regulatory issues relating to financial institutions, as well as on mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance in the financial services industry.
Blair is known for his in-depth understanding of all matters relating to the Bank Act. In addition, he has extensive experience in insurance and bank regulatory matters, banking and debt finance as well as payments and cards.
—Chambers Canada, 2024
2016-2025 | Chambers Canada—Leading lawyer in banking and finance: financial services regulation and insurance: transactional and regulatory |
2008-2025 | Chambers Global—Leading lawyer in banking and finance: financial services |
2015-2025 | The Legal 500—Hall of Fame in banking and finance, and leading partner in insurance |
2008-2023 | IFLR1000: The Guide to the World’s Leading Financial Law Firms—Highly regarded in financial services regulatory |
2006-2025 | Best Lawyers in Canada—Leading lawyer in banking and finance law |
2008-2024 | Lexpert/American Lawyer’s Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada—Leading lawyer in banking & financial institutions |
2008-2023 | The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory—Leading lawyer in banking & financial institutions and financial institutions regulation |
2008-2023 | Who’s Who Legal—Global Elite Thought Leader in banking regulatory (a recognition given to fewer than 5% of all lawyers ranked by Who’s Who Legal), Thought Leader in Global Banking Regulation Review, Global and National leading lawyer in insurance & reinsurance and banking |
2018 | Lexpert’s Guide to the Leading U.S./Canada Cross-Border Corporate Lawyers in Canada—Most frequently recommended lawyer in financing |
Blair was a member of the Regulatory Advisory Group to the Task Force for the Payments System Review in 2011, providing advice on regulatory and legal issues related to the payments industry in Canada.
Blair also recently provided advice to the Canadian life insurance industry on the insurance holding company capital regime, and, over the last several years, has provided advice to the Canadian life insurance industry on various government bills, which contained amendments to the financial institutions statutes.
In his capacity as Co-Chair of the Financial Services Legislative Reform Committee of the Canadian Bar Association, Blair appeared as a witness before the House of Commons Finance Committee on Bill C-67 (which implemented branch banking in Canada for foreign banks in 1999).
While on secondment to the Canadian Bankers’ Association, he testified before parliamentary committees, drafted amendments to the legislation and advised the Canadian Bankers’ Association on revisions to the legislation affecting federal financial institutions.