Michael Burke

Michael E. Burke, B.A. (York) 1982, LL.B. (Osgoode) 1986, M.B.A. (Schulich) 1986, called to the Bar of Ontario in 1986, was a Partner in the Financial Services Group of Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP until his retirement on December 31, 2024. His practice primarily focused on securitization and asset-based lending/leasing transactions and the development of wholesale and retail (consumer) lending/leasing programs. He also dealt with complex opinion issues arising in connection with secured transactions and structured finance transactions.  For almost two decades, Michael was consistently recognized by his peers and clients as one of the top securitization, equipment leasing and finance lawyers in Canada, including by such publications as Chambers Canada, Chambers Global, Best Lawyers, Lexpert, Lexology Index: Canada (formerly Who’s Who Legal: Canada), and Lexology Index: Global (formerly Who’s Who Legal: Global).  In addition, Michael was named three times (for 2025, 2020 and 2015) as the Equipment Finance Law “Lawyer of the Year” in Toronto by Best Lawyers.  Between 2016 - 2023, he was rated as a “stand-out lawyer by senior in-house counsel” by Thomson Reuters Stand-out Lawyer. In 2016, he was inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Commercial Finance Lawyers for his substantial contributions to the promotion of learning, scholarship and legislative reform in commercial finance law. For 2010, he was selected as a “Member of the Year” by the Canadian Finance & Leasing Association (CFLA) for his extensive work in developing the Leasing Law and Leasing Documentation chapters for CFLA’s Certified Education Program. Michael is the longest-serving Chair of the Ontario Bar Association’s Personal Property Security Law Committee, whose submissions have been responsible for virtually all major amendments that have been made to Ontario’s Personal Property Security Act over the last two decades. Since 2018, Michael has been an adjunct professor at University of Toronto’s Faculty of Law, where he co-teaches the secured transactions course.