1983 Call to the Bar
gcauchi@rzcdlaw.com
Geoff joined RZCD on January 1, 2009, when he and Penny Rintoul moved their practices from Guiney Rintoul Cauchi LLP, a boutique firm that focused on providing legal services to Financial Institutions and, in particular, all the levels of the Canadian Credit Union system, under the name Tanner & Guiney Associates. He and Penny Rintoul now head up the Financial Institution Services Group at RZCD.
Before joining Tanner & Guiney Associates in 2000, Geoff was Corporate Counsel and Secretary to Niagara Credit Union Limited (now Meridian Credit Union Limited) from 1986 - 2000. Geoff has been an active participant on Credit Union industry committees. He served on the Industry Advisory Committee for the Deposit Insurance Corporation of Ontario, particularly in the development of the Member Institution Self-Assessment Report from 1996 – 1997, and the DICO – recommended Board Policies. Geoff also served on the Ontario Credit Union Legislative Reform Committee for the Ministry of Financial Institutions, which produced its final report in 1993. He continued as consultant on the Legislation until passage of the Credit Unions and Caisses Populaires Act (1994). Geoff was also a presenter at Credit Union Central of Ontario’s New Legislation Training in May 1995. Geoff’s financial institution clients benefit from his particular expertise in the area of credit union operations and administration, board and management governance, banking system contracts, outsourced services and other networking agreements, and compliance with privacy and anti-money laundering legislation.
In 2000-2001, Geoff was a member of the Ad Hoc Advisory Committee for the Financial Services Compliance Administration Program at Seneca College.
Apart from his work as part of the Financial Institution Services Group, Geoff’s other preferred areas of practice include General Business Law, the law relating to Charities and Non-Profits, the drafting of Advance Directives/Powers of Attorney for Personal Care for people of faith, and residential and commercial real estate transactions.
A graduate with Bachelor of Laws from University of Western Ontario in 1981, Geoff was called to the bar in 1983.
Geoff is an avid recreational hockey player and golfer, and serves on the Boards of Directors of several charitable and non-profit organizations of local, provincial, and federal scope. He is a member of the Canadian Bar Association, the Peel Law Association, and the Christian Legal Fellowship.
Geoff is also a published author. His works include the following:
“Legal Limits on Flat NSF Fees and Overdraft Charges”, published in National Banking Law Review (LexisNexis Canada Inc., Robert E. Elliot, Editor), December 2004.
“The Protection of the Reliance Interest and Anticipated Contracts Which Fail to Materialize” (1981), 18 U.W.O. L. Review; cited in Trevor A. Mills, “Letters of Intent and the Canadian Approach to Good Faith Bargaining Obligations: So Close So Far” (1996), 11 B.F.L.R. 397; and in Duxbury v. Training Inc., 2002 ABPC 24 (CanLII).
“A Catholic Lawyer Takes a Look at the Marc Hall Case”, in Judicial Activism: A Threat to Democracy and Religion (Ed. Alphonse de Valk) (Toroto: Life Ethics Information Centre, 2003)
“The Lyfe-Preserver Protective Advance Directive and Power of Attorney for Personal Care (Annotated)” published by Alliance for Life (Ontario)