Geoffrey Cher
Overview
Geoffrey is a partner whose practice focuses on financial services, technology and alternative assets and who leads the firm’s digital economy initiatives (FinTech & Blockchain).
Geoffrey has experience representing a broad range of issuers, financial institutions, asset managers, investment dealers and portfolio managers, private equity and venture capital sponsors, as well as alternative finance platforms and portals (robo-advisors, peer-to-peer lenders, crowdfunding) offering access to diverse asset classes and alternative products including private equity, venture capital, hedge, real estate, private debt and digital tokens/currencies.
This includes advising on all related structuring and formation, compliance and regulatory matters, corporate governance, registration, capital raising, as well as related transactions.
A prior recipient of the Canadian Fintech Awards for legal services, Geoffrey is a member of the Ontario Securities Commission’s (OSC) Fintech Advisory Committee, which advises staff on developments in the fintech space, as well as the unique challenges encountered by innovative businesses in the securities industry.
Geoffrey is supervising counsel for the Osgoode Hall Venture Clinic which provides legal advice to start-ups and is an adjunct professor at Osgoode Hall Law School.
Throughout 2009 to 2011, Geoffrey served as general counsel to Claymore Investments, Inc., an investment fund manager, portfolio manager and exempt market dealer specializing in exchange-traded funds and closed-end funds.
Prior to attending law school, Geoffrey spent several years working as a financial advisor in the private client group at a large Canadian financial institution.
Geoffrey is fluently bilingual in English and French.
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Practice Areas
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Sectors
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Education
LL.B., Osgoode Hall Law School, 2005 B.A., McGill University, 1999 -
Affiliations
Law Society of Ontario Canadian Bar Association Canadian Bankers Association -
Bar Admissions
Called to the Ontario Bar 2006
Awards & Honours
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2019
Member
Appointed to the OSC Fintech Advisory Committee.
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2018
Master of Ceremonies
Master of Ceremonies at the Canadian FinTech and AI Gala Awards night on November 26th in Toronto.
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2017
Chair
Geoffrey Cher chaired the 2017 Canadian Fintech and AI Gala Awards on November 27th in Toronto.
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2016
Canadian FinTech Awards 2016 Winner
Hosted by the Digital Finance Institute, a Canadian FinTech think tank, the 2nd Annual FinTech Awards celebrates Canadian innovation and thought leadership in FinTech. The 2016 Professional Services Award was accepted by Geoffrey at an Awards gala presentation held at the Fairmont Royal York, Toronto on November 21, 2016.