Cindy Y. Zhang

Senior Associate

Toronto
[email protected]
416.367.7274

Cindy is a financial services regulatory lawyer. She advises clients in a variety of legislative matters with a focus in banking regulatory, fintech, payment processing and advice that includes extensive knowledge in anti-money laundering, cost of borrowing, and consumer protection. She serves as co-chair to the firm's national race action committee, and is an active mentor as part of various EDI initiatives.

Outside of the firm, Cindy is a director on the Board of the Toronto Concert Orchestra, an advisor to the Board of the Open Finance Network Canada (formerly OBIC), serves on the CIO Strategy Council Technical Drafting Committee for Open Finance and Open Banking, and as an industry expert for Fintech Cadence.

Prior to joining BLG, Cindy performed as a classical singer, appearing as Princess Mi in the Toronto Operetta Theatre’s production of Das Land des Lächelns, and as a soloist in houses including Carnegie Hall (New York), the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts (formerly known as the Hummingbird Centre) (Toronto), and the Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall (Little Rock, Arkansas).

Cindy summered and articled with BLG before joining the firm as an associate. While articling at BLG, Cindy was seconded to The Bank of Montréal.

Experience

  • Leading Author, Lexology Legal Influencer Q1 2022 for Financial services – Canada
  • Has extensive experience under the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act, its associated regulations and decisions from the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) in connection with all types of reporting entities’ anti-money laundering regulatory requirements including money services businesses (domestic and foreign), financial institutions, securities dealers, real estate developers, et al.
  • Has extensive experience assisting financial institutions and fintechs with product and service design for compliance with federal statutory regimes and provincial statutory regimes in connection with consumer lending, buy-now-pay-later, payment card processing businesses and outsourcing.
  • Has detailed knowledge of cost of borrowing, credit disclosures and practices, and consumer protection regulatory compliance requirements federally and across Canadian provincial and territorial jurisdictions.
  • Has particular experience under the Bank Act (Canada), parallel federal financial institution legal regimes, and Payments Canada rules.
  • Representing and advising financial institutions and other financial services providers with respect to payment card merchant processing, consumer finance protection, outsourcing, reward programs and payments systems matters.
  • Supporting financial institutions in various disputes processes, including responding to or appealing regulatory decisions.
  • Supporting and advising clients with respect to new digital/mobile and online financial products and services including partnerships with financial institutions, fintechs and other new and innovative financial services developers.
  • 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.

Beyond our Walls

Professional Involvement

  • Advisor to the Board, Open Banking Initiative Canada
  • Member, CIO Strategy Council, Technical Drafting Committee, Open Finance​
  • Member of Regulatory, FinTech, and Technology Working Groups, Open Banking Initiative Canada (OBIC)
  • Member, Ontario Bar Association
  • Member, Canadian Bar Association
  • Member, Young Women in Law
  • Advisor to the Board of Directors, OBIC
  • Faculty, The Osgoode Certificate in Blockchain Law, Security Tokens, Stable Coins and CBDC: Transitioning from General Purpose to Purpose Built Infrastructure, 2021-2023
  • Instructor, Queen’s Law 453, International Business Crime, Anti-money laundering Law, 2023
  • Conference Co-chair, the Canadian Open Banking Forum (Infonex), 2023

Community Involvement

  • Mentor, First Generation Network
  • Board of Directors, Corporate Secretary, Toronto Concert Orchestra
  • Volunteer, BLG Reads to Kids
  • Mentor, LAWS Alumni Mentorship Program
  • Faculty, The Osgoode Certificate in Blockchain Law, Security Tokens, Stable Coins and CBDC: Transitioning from General Purpose to Purpose Built Infrastructure, 2021

Awards & Recognitions

  • Women in Payments, Rising Star (Canada) 2023
  • Lexology Legal Influencer, Q1 2022

Bar Admission & Education

  • Ontario, 2018
  • British Columbia, 2019
  • JD, Queen's University, 2017
  • M.Mus, University of Western Ontario, 2014
  • BA, University of Western Ontario, 2014
  • B.Mus. (Hons), University of Western Ontario, 2012