Parna Sabet-Stephenson
Automatically compiled listing. Details may contain errors.Partner at Gowling WLG
- Called to the bar
- 2000
- Languages
- English, French, Farsi
Business & Corporate LawBusiness & Corporate LawAbout Parna Sabet-Stephenson
Financial institutions and payment processing companies turn to Parna Sabet-Stephenson for the commercial agreements behind new financial products and services. Open banking, mobile wallets, data sharing, banking as a service and embedded insurance all fall within the work. A partner in Gowling WLG's Toronto office, Sabet-Stephenson heads the firm's Financial Services & Technology (FSxT) group along with its FinTech and InsurTech groups.
Technology contracting sits at the core of the practice, and it's been that way for a long time. Sabet-Stephenson was called to the Ontario bar in 2000 and has spent more than twenty years putting together outsourcing deals (both IT and business process), joint ventures, collaborations and custom services agreements. Organizations moving through digital transformation lean on that experience, and so do businesses selling online to Canadian customers. There's an international side too: Sabet-Stephenson belongs to Canada's delegation to Working Group IV, the e-commerce group of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law.
Outside the deal room, Sabet-Stephenson writes and speaks about where Canadian finance is heading. A Globe and Mail commentary argued that Ottawa's success with open banking will turn on balancing progress with pragmatism as screen scraping is phased out, and at the Canadian Lenders Summit the partner led a conversation with leaders from Questrade and Wealthsimple about challenger banks. Best Lawyers in Canada named Sabet-Stephenson its 2023 FinTech "Lawyer of the Year."
Opening doors for women is a cause Sabet-Stephenson has championed through initiatives that create leadership and career paths for women, tech included. Sabet-Stephenson is also a co-founder of Yara Leadership Society. In 2023, FACL Ontario recognized the lawyer with its Lawyer of Distinction award. Sabet-Stephenson also serves on Gowling WLG's Board of Trustees and works with clients in English, French and Farsi.
Practice areas
Financial services and fintech agreements
Commercial contracts for the financial sector, from payment systems and processing to open banking, mobile wallets, fintech partnerships and embedded insurance. Sabet-Stephenson has negotiated processing services agreements for financial institutions and processing companies, and helps clients bring new financial products and services to market.
Outsourcing and technology contracts
Structuring, negotiating and drafting IT and business process outsourcing agreements, technology deals and joint ventures. Past clients include a telecommunications company, a global retailer, a multinational pharmaceutical company and an energy provider, as well as Canadian and foreign financial institutions.
Digital transformation and e-commerce
Advice on technology transformation and digitization projects, including for financial institutions, and on every aspect of electronic commerce, such as helping businesses offer their products and services online to Canadian customers. Sabet-Stephenson also advises on the legal side of emerging technologies.
Education & credentials
- LLB (Summa Cum Laude), University of Ottawa (1998)
- B.Sc., University of Toronto (1994)
- Called to the Ontario bar (2000)
Awards & recognition
- Lawyer of Distinction, FACL Ontario (2023)
- The Best Lawyers in Canada: "Lawyer of the Year", FinTech Practice, Best Lawyers (2023)
- Chambers Canada: Canada's Leading Lawyers for Business (Information Technology), Chambers and Partners (2024)
Publications & speaking
- Despite the flaws of 'screen scraping,' Ottawa should be thoughtful in how it phases it out, The Globe and Mail
- Outsourcing for Financial Institutions - B-10 is Not Enough (co-author), National Banking Law Review (2014)
- Cybersecurity 2.0: What's Expected of Federally Regulated Financial Institutions (co-author), Internet and E-commerce Law in Canada (2015)
- Challenger banks session with Questrade and Wealthsimple (host), Canadian Lenders Summit
Memberships & affiliations
- Yara Leadership Society: Sabet-Stephenson is a co-founder of the society.
- UNCITRAL Working Group IV (Electronic Commerce): Member of the Canadian delegation to the working group.
- Canadian IT Law Association: Member.
- L'association des juristes d'expression française de l'Ontario: Member.
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This listing was generated by AI from public sources in October 2026. It may contain errors, and we can’t guarantee it’s accurate or complete. Before you rely on anything here, verify it on their firm’s website. Confirm Parna Sabet-Stephenson’s licence and standing in the Law Society of Ontario directory ↗
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