Usman Sheikh

Biography

Usman Sheikh is Chair of the Blockchain, AI & Fintech Practice (Canada). He is a Partner in Baker McKenzie's Toronto office, a member of the Firm's Transactional Practice Group and is also a member of the Litigation and Government Enforcement Practice Group. He leads the Firm's blockchain team (consisting of over 150 lawyers) globally, and co-leads the Firm's artificial intelligence (AI) team in North America. A highly regarded thought leader on emerging technology, Usman is often called upon globally by heads of governments, as well as key regulatory and governmental bodies, to provide insight and strategic input on legal and regulatory developments relating to emerging technologies, including FinTech, blockchain technology / digital assets, artificial intelligence (AI), Web2/Web3, quantum computing and the internet of things (IoT).

Usman was named as one of the "Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers" by Canadian Lawyer (2018) and he is the only lawyer in Canada to be ranked Band 1 for FinTech by Chambers for five consecutive years (2020 - 2024). He was also recognized in Toronto Life's The Influentials 2021 list, an annual feature that highlights Toronto's most influential people over the last 12 months.

Author of over 25 legal and academic publications, Usman is set to publish The Law of Blockchain Technology (Thomson Carswell) in 2025.

As a global thought leader on emerging technology and digital transformation, Usman has addressed the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), the Financial Stability Board (FSB), the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). He has also co-lectured with the heads of blockchain for Nasdaq and the TMX, and has also presented to the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) (then, IIROC and the MFDA), the Law Society of Ontario (LSO), the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA), and several other regulatory and industry organizations on a range of topics including AI regulatory / legal developments, AI governance frameworks, decentralized finance (DeFi), crypto custody, digital wallets, NFTs, crypto exchanges (crypto asset trading platforms), the metaverse and more. Since 2019, Usman has also been serving as an Adjunct Professor with the University of Toronto (Faculty of Law), teaching a course entitled "Blockchain, Digital Assets, and the Law."

Practice Focus

Usman regularly advises clients on emerging technology matters, including artificial intelligence, blockchain and digital assets, FinTech, quantum computing, Web2/Web3 and internet of things (IoT)-related legal issues, both on corporate and litigation cases. With respect to blockchain mandates, he has provided legal counsel on cutting-edge token sales, NFTs, crypto exchanges and other digital asset trading platforms, blockchain-related mergers & acquisitions and cybersecurity breaches. With respect to artificial intelligence, he has provided advice on AI governance, AI-related disclosures, corporate governance, complex AI product counselling, AI procurement and contracting, AI M&A, data protection and privacy, and the protection of AI-generated works. He has also served as counsel on many of the most prominent and novel litigation matters in Canada involving emerging technologies. Over the year's Usman's clients have included Canada's largest banks and stock exchanges, co-founders of Ethereum, supranational organizations, tech giants, 12 of the largest crypto assets in the world, DeFi protocols, metaverse projects, digital wallet and crypto custody providers, social media platforms, sovereign wealth funds, universities as well as numerous fintech pioneers and innovative start-ups.