Degree:
Civil Law
Languages:
English
Who he is
Canada has a complex patchwork system of federal and provincial laws that govern financial products and consumer protection. James Archer’s specialty is seeing through the confusion that perpetually shrouds the critical business decisions that his clients make in those areas.
Curious and creative, James’ strengths lie in his ability to distill complex legal requirements into understandable business actions for institutional clients. “I like looking at issues that I have not come across before,” he says. “Even though I’ve had a lot of experience in this area, it still happens.”
Above all, James brings a resolutely practical approach to crafting solutions to seemingly intractable problems.
“There are many layers to consider,” he says about his practice. “It’s about figuring out what the risks are and what needs to be done.”
Trained as a commercial lawyer with a focus on finance, insolvency and consumer protection, James has been involved in a wide variety of projects relating to consumer protection and financial products.
How he got here
James went into practice after graduation at the University of Ottawa with Tilley, Carson & Findlay in Toronto, where he was named partner. There he specialized in general corporate and commercial law with an emphasis on bank financings and insolvency. In 1988, he moved to McCarthy Tétrault, where he practised for 30 years serving clients in the financial services industry. He also developed unique expertise in the consumer regulatory field. He has advised major Canadian retail credit card issuers, banks, industry associations and the Department of Justice and Financial Consumer Agency of Canada. “It’s a fascinating area of the law,” he says. “It brings together a bit of everything – commercial law but also issues that touch on privacy, credit reporting requirements, interest rate rules and general consumer protection principles. The real pleasure I get is identifying all of the issues at play, and help the client understand them.”
Interview with
James Archer
What do you especially enjoy about in-house counsel?
I have always enjoyed collaborating with in-house counsel when addressing either a particular issue or broader mandates. Their different perspective and deep knowledge of their client are always helpful in arriving at creative and practical solutions.
What do you think clients would like most about working with you?
I am able to use my experience to identify the important issues at an early stage in a clear and coherent manner and then to collaborate with in-house counsel on bringing practical solutions to those issues.
GET IN TOUCH
He would love to hear from you
