John Prezioso

Practice Areas

Pension, Benefits and Executive Compensation

Career

John Prezioso is an experienced pension and benefits lawyer with Toronto-based firm, Brown Mills Klinck Prezioso LLP. He advises employers and plan administrators in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors on compliance, administration and governance issues relating to their pension plans and employee group benefits plans, and issues relating to pension plan investment, de-risking of defined benefit pension plans and decumulation issues in the defined contribution context. John has extensive experience working with employers and leading compensation consultants in the design, drafting, administration and communication of incentive compensation plans for employees and executives, and with tax, employment and other compliance issues relating to incentive compensation plans. John has also taught the Pension Law course at Queen’s University Faculty of Law.

Professional Memberships

• Canadian Bar Association | Pension and Benefits Law, Labour and Employment Law, and Taxation Law Sections | Member

• Ontario Bar Association | Pension and Benefits Law, Labour and Employment Law, and Taxation Law Sections | Member

• Queen’s University Faculty of Law | Pensions and the Law | Past Sessional Instructor

• Osgoode Professional Development | Pension Law Certificate Program | Instructor (2018-2023)

Publications

Recognized in:

• The Best Lawyers in Canada™ (2019-2025)

• Lexology Index: Labour, Employment & Benefits (2024)

• Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory (2021, 2023-2024)

Experience

Representative Work:

• Advised an Ontario broader public sector employer and its investment manager in the transfer and consolidation of its pension plan assets within a new created jointly sponsored pension plan.

• Represented a foreign parent corporation in defending two proposed Newfoundland and Labrador class actions seeking damages in relation to pension and benefits claims related to insolvent Canadian subsidiaries.

• Assisted a large employer and pension plan administrator on its engagement of an outsourced chief investment officer (OCIO) to invest a portfolio of defined benefit pension plan, defined contribution and supplemental pension assets totalling over $3 billion.

• Successfully co-defended a business against multiple proceedings in which the Minister of National Revenue alleged that certain of the business' workers had been improperly characterized as independent contractors for Canada Pension Plan and Employment Insurance purposes.

• Drafted and advised on the implementation of various incentive compensation plans for one of the largest investment managers in Canada.

Education