Suhuyini Abudulai is a partner in the Banking & Specialty Finance Group at Cassels. Suhuyini’s practice focuses on transactional and regulatory matters in financial services, with particular expertise in the Canadian consumer financial services compliance landscape. She regularly provides strategic legal counsel to clients in the area of consumer finance including documentation, licensing, and disclosure requirements. Suhuyini also provides advice on compliance with regulatory requirements relating to anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing laws, debt collection, gift and prepaid cards, loyalty programs, and the regulation of financial institutions. On the transactional side, Suhuyini advises clients on commercial lending transactions, acting for lenders and borrowers in a variety of domestic and multijurisdictional transactions, including secured lending and syndicated loans. Suhuyini was honoured with a Precedent Setter award, given annually by Precedent Magazine to lawyers who have shown excellence and leadership in their early years of practice. Suhuyini was invited by the Investment and Innovation Bureau of Global Affairs Canada to participate in its mission of raising Canada’s visibility as a prime investment destination by joining them as an Investment Champion, by promoting the Canadian fintech sector and foreign direct investment into Canada in this sector.
Suhuyini’s representative work includes:
- Acting for consumer finance companies expanding into Canada and advising on licensing, documentation and disclosure requirements
- Advising on the negotiation and implementation of prepaid/gift card programs, credit card programs, and loyalty programs
- Acting for a Canadian corporation on its continuance as a Schedule I bank
- Advising regulated financial institutions on regulatory compliance and corporate matters
- Acting for lenders and borrowers in connection with various credit facilities
Recognized as a Change Agent by Canadian Business Magazine, Suhuyini is a prolific author and speaker on various topics related to consumer financial services, the payments industry, and fintech. Her publications include The Annotated Ontario Consumer Protection Act (LexisNexis); A Guide to Canadian Money Laundering Legislation, 5th Edition (LexisNexis); Canadian Commercial Law Guide – Consumer Protection (Wolters Kluwer); the Canada-US Commercial Law Guide (Thomson Carswell); and Halsbury’s Laws of Canada, Banking and Finance (LexisNexis). Suhuyini completed The Osgoode Certificate in Regulatory Compliance and Legal Risk Management for Financial Institutions. In addition, Suhuyini holds various leadership positions in the American Bar Association and the Ontario Bar Association and is a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist.
