John Prezioso

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In the area of pension, John 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 taught the Pension Law course at Queen's University Faculty of Law.

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 regularly advises employers with respect to tax issues relating to employees, officers, directors, shareholders and independent contractors, including source deduction and tax reporting issues relating to employee compensation and taxable benefits, as well as payroll audits and the correction of deduction, remittance and reporting errors.

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.

Awards & Accolades

• Chambers Canada (2021-2024)
  Band 5: Pensions & Benefits – Nationwide – Canada
• The Best Lawyers in Canada™ (2019-2024)
  Employee Benefits Law
• Who’s Who Legal: Global Guide (2023)
  Global Leader: Pensions & Benefits
• Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory (2021, 2023)
  Repeatedly Recommended: Pensions & Employee Benefits – Employer

Associations & 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)

Education

• Osgoode Hall Law School, J.D.
• University of Toronto, B.Sc. (with High Distinction)