Jacqueline D. Shinfield, Toronto

About Jacqueline

Jacqueline is co-lead of Blakes Financial Services Regulatory group. Her practice focuses on all aspects of regulatory compliance in the retail financial services and payments industry at both the federal and provincial levels. She provides advice to regulated financial institutions and non-bank institutions, money services businesses, foreign exchange dealers, mobile payments service providers, digital currency exchanges, crypto currency exchanges and others. She has extensive experience providing advice in respect of Canada's anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism financing legislation as well as Canadian sanctions legislation.

Jacqueline also has particular expertise in the payment and card industry and provides advice to those involved in all aspects of these industries, including credit card, stored value card and virtual card issuers, issuers and exchangers of digital currency, e-wallet providers, payment solution providers, program managers, payment processors, payment acquirers, payment networks and others involved in payment systems generally. She also provides a wide range of advice on regulatory issues with respect to the development of new payment products and distribution networks and on regulatory compliance with respect to payment systems legislation and consumer protection legislation.

Jacqueline also advises those engaged with digital currency and digital assets generally including matters surrounding regulation of those "dealing in virtual currency" and non-fungible tokens, leveraging her extensive experience in payments, anti-money laundering, money services businesses and other financial services regulatory matters.

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Awards & Recognition

Jacqueline was named Person of the Year at the 2016 PX Payments Awards and was inducted into the Canadian Payments Hall of Fame. Payments eXchange is the Canadian organization that represents all sectors of the payments business in Canada (gift cards, prepaid cards, eCards, ePayments, mobile payments and transaction processing), and provides ongoing legal and statute updates that govern each aspect of the payments business.

In 2015, Jacqueline was named one of Paybefore's Top 10 Payments Lawyers. She is the only Canadian lawyer to receive this recognition.

Jacqueline is also recognized as a leading banking and financial services lawyer in the following publications:

The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory (2024: Consistently Recommended – Financial Institutions Regulation – Ontario; 2016–2023: Repeatedly Recommended – Banking & Financial Institutions, Financial Institutions Regulation – Ontario)
The Legal 500 Canada – 2023–2024 (Banking and Finance)
Who's Who Legal: Global Elite – Thought Leaders (2021–2024: Banking – Regulatory; 2020–2022: Banking – Fintech)
Who's Who Legal: Global (2021–2024: Banking – Finance; 2023: Fintech; 2020–2023: Banking – Regulatory)
Chambers Global: The World's Leading Lawyers for Business – 2021–2024 (Banking and Finance: Financial Services)
Chambers Canada: Canada’s Leading Lawyers for Business – 2018–2024 (Banking & Finance: Financial Services Regulation)
The Best Lawyers in Canada – 2013–2024 (Banking and Finance Law)
Thomson Reuters Stand-out Lawyers 2024 – Independently Rated Lawyers (As nominated by senior in-house counsel)
Who's Who Legal: Thought Leader – 2021–2023 (GBRR)
Chambers FinTech – 2021–2023 (FinTech Legal)
Who's Who Legal: Canada (2023: Fintech & Blockchain; 2020–2023: Banking)
IFLR1000: The Guide to the World's Leading Financial and Corporate Law Firms – 2017–2023 (Highly Regarded – Financial Services Regulatory)
IFLR1000 Women Leaders 2022 (Canada)

Professional Activities

Jacqueline is a member of the Canada Advisory Board established by the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists. She is also a member of the Finance Advisory Board for Practical Law – Canada, established by Carswell, and is a member of the advisory board of Payments eXchange, a Canadian payments organization that represents all sectors of the payments business in Canada.

Jacqueline is a frequent speaker on the Canadian payment landscape and regulatory compliance in the payments arena.

Professional Appearances

Co-speaker : RPAA: The Future Comes Into Focus
Blakes Business Class Seminar, Toronto, Ontario, March 7, 2024.
Speaker : Navigating Canada's Regulatory Landscape: Key Expectations for 2024
TCAE Knowledge Series, Toronto, Ontario, February 24, 2024.
Co-speaker : Beneficial Ownership Transparency: Canada, the EU and Enablers
Transparency International Day of Dialogue, Toronto, Ontario, November 30, 2023.
Speaker : Updates and Changes to Canada’s AML Legislation Affecting MSBs
Canadian MSB Association 2023 Fall Conference, Toronto, Ontario, November 7-8, 2023.
Speaker : Changes to the anti-money laundering laws
Financial Services Regulatory Update – What You Need to Look Out For, Blakes Insight Webinar, Toronto, Ontario, September 21, 2023.
Speaker : Impact of Recent Developments Under AML Law and Policy - Prepare Now!
Infonex Anti-Money Laundering: Compliance 2023 (virtual), Toronto, Ontario, September 19-20, 2023.
Speaker : Updates and changes to Canada’s AML Legislation
TCAE Toronto Compliance and AML Conference, Toronto, Ontario, September 14, 2023.
Moderator and Co-speaker : New Retail Payments Framework
ETA Transact Tech and Policy Day, Toronto, Ontario, June 14, 2023.
Speaker : The 2023 Canadian AML Landscape: Regulatory and Compliance considerations for Credit Unions
Canadian Credit Union Association Webinar, Toronto, Ontario, May 18, 2023.
Moderator : The Regulation of Payments
The Payments Canada Summit, Toronto, Ontario, May 3-5, 2023.
Speaker : Retail Payment Activities Act and potential impact on MSBs
Canadian MSB Association, Annual Spring Conference, Toronto, Ontario, May 3-4, 2023.
Chair and Moderator : Interactive Panel Discussion: The Future of Compliance - Where Are Things Going?
Osgoode Certificate in Regulatory Compliance & Legal Risk Management for Financial Institutions 2023, Module Five – Technology, Emerging Risks and the Future (Webinar), Toronto, Ontario, March 30, 2023.
Co-speaker : The Retail Payment Activities Act
Canadian Payments Outlook 2023, Blakes Webinar, Toronto, Ontario, March 29, 2023.
Chair and Speaker : Treating Customers Fairly and Market Content
Osgoode Certificate in Regulatory Compliance & Legal Risk Management for Financial Institutions 2023, Module Three – Managing Regulatory Reviews, Exams and Complaints (Webinar), Toronto, Ontario, February 23, 2023.
Speaker : Anti-Money Laundering – Building an Effective Compliance Program
Osgoode Certificate in Regulatory Compliance & Legal Risk Management for Financial Institutions 2023, Module Two – Building Blocks of an Effective Compliance Program (Webinar), Toronto, Ontario, February 9, 2023.
Speaker : Regulatory Expectation in 2023
Toronto Compliance and AML Enterprise (TCAE), The Knowledge Series Webinar, Toronto, Ontario, January 28, 2023.
Speaker : Anti-money laundering compliance
FinTech Commercial and Regulatory Update, Toronto, Ontario, December 13, 2022.
Speaker : Retail Payment Activities Act and open banking initiatives
FinTech Commercial and Regulatory Update, Toronto, Ontario, December 13, 2022.
Speaker : What MSBs should know about the Retail Payments Activities Act
Canadian Money Services Business Fall Conference, Toronto, Ontario, November 24, 2022.
Speaker : Cullen Commission Report on Money Laundering in BC - The Way Forward
Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (ACAMS) Vancouver Chapter (webinar), Toronto, Ontario, November 1, 2022.
Moderator : Pay Up: Regulating Crowdfunding, Payment Service Providers (PSPs) and Payment Processors
Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (ACAMS) 10th Annual AML & Anti-Financial Crimes Conference – Canada, Toronto, Ontario, October 26-27, 2022.
Moderator : Great Expectations: A Look at the Cullen Commission’s Report and Recommendations
Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (ACAMS) 10th Annual AML & Anti-Financial Crimes Conference – Canada, Toronto, Ontario, October 26-27, 2022.
Speaker : The Essentials of Suspicious Transaction Reporting!
Infonex Anti-Money Laundering: Compliance 2022 Conference (virtual), Toronto, Ontario, September 20-21, 2022.
Moderator and Speaker : Crypto – A Cross-Border Use Case
TRANSACT Tech + ETA Annual Policy Day, Toronto, Ontario, June 14, 2022.
Co-speaker : Fireside Chat: What’s Next for Retail Payments
TRANSACT Tech + ETA Annual Policy Day, Toronto, Ontario, June 14, 2022.
Co-speaker : New Payment Services Provider (PSP) rules from Budget 2022
10th Annual Canadian MSB Association (CMSBA) Spring Training Session, Toronto, Ontario, June 1-2, 2022.
Co-speaker : Update on Suspicious Transaction Reports/Administrative Monetary Penalties/Assessment Findings
10th Annual Canadian MSB Association (CMSBA) Spring Training Session, Toronto, Ontario, June 1-2, 2022.
Co-speaker : Accelerating Payments Modernization: A Regulatory Discussion
2022 Canadian Prepaid Providers Association (CPPO) Symposium, Toronto, Ontario, June 1, 2022.
Co-speaker : AML Audits – Expectations, Trends and Results
IIAC Anti-Money Laundering & Financial Crimes Conference: Trends and Perspectives for the Financial Industry, Toronto, Ontario, May 31, 2022.
Chair and Speaker : Technology Update: New Models, Impacts and Innovations and Open Banking
Essential One-Day Update in Regulatory Compliance and Legal Risk Management for Financial Institutions, Osgoode Hall Law School (virtual), Toronto, Ontario, April 26, 2022.
Speaker : Compliance in the Financial Services Sector AML/ATF: Focus on Virtual Currency
Osgoode Professional LLM in Financial Law Webinar, Toronto, Ontario, April 9, 2022.
Moderator and Co-speaker : The Future – Where Are Things Going?
Module 5, Osgoode Professional LLM Webinar, Toronto, Ontario, March 31, 2022.
Co-speaker : Treating Customers Fairly & Market Conduct
Module 3, Osgoode Professional LLM Webinar, Toronto, Ontario, February 24, 2022.
Chair and Speaker : Bribery/Corruption, Anti-Money Laundering and Economic Sanctions
Module 2, Osgoode Professional LLM Webinar, Toronto, Ontario, February 10, 2022.
Speaker : FINTRAC’s Expectations: 2022 Version
Toronto Compliance and AML Enterprise, The Knowledge Series Webinar, Toronto, Ontario, January 29, 2022.
Speaker : A Fine Balance – Fraud, Money Laundering and Filing Effective STRs
Association of Certified Financial Crime Specialists (ACFCS) FinCrime Canada Summit - Evolution of Fraud & Money Laundering (virtual), Toronto, Ontario, November 18, 2021.
Speaker : COVID-19’s Impact on Transaction Monitoring Update on Reporting Obligations – Electronic Fund Transfers (EFTs) & Suspicious Transaction Reports
The Canadian MSB Association Fall Conference (virtual), Toronto, Ontario, November 9-10, 2021.
Speaker : Emergency Response: How AML Adapted to a Global Pandemic
ACAMS Canada Virtual Conference, Toronto, Ontario, November 3-4, 2021.
Speaker : Get Out of My House: BC Takes a Stand Against Transnational Organized Crime
ACAMS Canada Virtual Conference, Toronto, Ontario, November 3-4, 2021.
Speaker : Update on Reporting Obligations – Electronic Fund Transfers (EFTs), and Suspicious Transaction Reports
Anti-Money Laundering: Compliance 2021, Infonex conference (virtual), Toronto, Ontario, September 13-14, 2021.
Speaker : Compliance in the Financial Services Sector - AML/ATF
Osgoode Professional LLM Program (virtual), Toronto, Ontario, July 20, 2021.
Co-speaker : Who does the RPAA apply to?
Blakes Regulation of Retail Payments in Canada: The Retail Payments Activities Act Is Here webinar (virtual), Toronto, Ontario, June 23, 2021.
Co-speaker : The AML Regulatory Changes are Here
2021 Canadian Prepaid Providers Organization (CPPO) Prepaid Symposium (virtual), Toronto, Ontario, June 9, 2021.
Speaker : AML Examinations and Findings
The Canadian MSB Association Spring Training Session (virtual), Toronto, Ontario, June 7-8, 2021.
Co-speaker : Upcoming: An Analysis of Canada’s New Regulations and the Impact on Compliance Functions
Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (ACAMS) webinar (virtual), Toronto, Ontario, May 19, 2021.
Co-speaker : Developing a Defensible Compliance Program: Best Practices for Navigating Grey Areas Under the PCMLTFR and FINTRAC’s Flexible Measures
Canadian Institute’s 20th Annual Canadian Forum on Anti-money Laundering and Financial Crime (virtual), Toronto, Ontario, May 4-5, 2021.
Co-speaker : Retail Payments - How Did COVID Shape Retail Payments
Electronic Transactions Association (ETA) Annual Policy Day (virtual), Toronto, Ontario, April 28, 2021.
Co-speaker : Point Taken: Inside Canada’s Efforts to Fight Corruption and Raise Its CPI Score
Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (ACAMS) webinar (virtual), Toronto, Ontario, April 28, 2021.