One of Canada’s leading pensions lawyers, Mitch serves as longstanding advisor to some of Canada’s largest corporations on their pensions, benefits and employment matters, also providing strategic guidance in these areas on business-critical transactions.
Mitch is the chair of Torys’ Pensions and Employment Practice and is widely recognized as a leading authority in pension law in Canada. He has served as an expert witness before provincial and federal legislative committees and is frequently consulted by pension regulators on best practices.
Mitch’s practice focuses on all aspects of pensions, benefits and employment, advising many of Canada’s top corporations and pension funds on their pensions, benefits and employment matters. Clients also regularly seek Mitch's advice in the context of M&A transactions.
Mitch serves as the Chancellor of the Ontario Tech University.
2022 | Appointed to the Order of Ontario for 2021 |
2021 | Ryerson University—G. Raymond Chang Outstanding Volunteer Award |
2016-2023 | Chambers Canada—Leading lawyer in pensions and benefits |
2018-2023 | The Legal 500—Leading lawyer in pensions |
2010-2023 | Best Lawyers in Canada—Leading lawyer in employee benefits law |
2012-2022 | The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory—Leading lawyer in pensions & employee benefits – employer |
2015-2022 | Who’s Who Legal—Global and National leading lawyer in pensions and benefits, and labour, employment and benefits |
2019 | Ontario Bar Association Award of Excellence in Pension and Benefits Law |
2019 | Canadian Lawyer—One of Canada’s 25 most influential lawyers |
2018 | Ted Rogers School of Management at Ryerson University—Honorary Alumni Award |
2018 | Lexpert’s Guide to US/Canada Cross-Border Lawyers in Canada—Most Frequently Recommended in labour and employment |
2008-2017 | Chambers Global—Leading lawyer in pensions and benefits |
2013 | Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal |
2011 | University of Western Ontario Law School—Ivan Rand Alumni Award for contribution to the Law School and to the alumni community |
2011 | North York General Hospital Foundation—Foundation Chair’s Award for providing exemplary leadership and service to the foundation |
2010 | Wilfrid Laurier University—MBA Outstanding Executive Leadership Award |
2010 | Precedent magazine’s Precedent Setter Award—Recognizing excellence and leadership in practice and the community |
2006 | Lexpert’s Rising Stars: Leading Lawyers Under 40—One of Canada’s leading lawyers under 40 |
Mitch is the founder of the National Institute on Ageing at Ryerson University. He is a former member of the Wilfrid Laurier University Pension Committee; a former chair of The Learning Partnership’s Annual Tribute Dinner; a past president of the University of Western Ontario Law Alumni Association and was a member of the Ontario Government’s post-secondary education advisory committee on first-generation students.
He is a former adjunct professor in pension law at the University of Toronto Law School and Osgoode Hall Law School of York University. Mitch has written and co-written two textbooks on pension law.
Mitch was also a member of the Canadian Association of Supervisory Authorities Fund Holder Arrangements Committee and DC Plans Committee Industry Working Group, and has provided expert testimony before the House of Commons’ Standing Committee on Finance and the Legislative Assembly of Ontario’s Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs.
Mitch is the former chair for the International Pension and Employee Benefits Lawyers Association, the Pension and Benefits Section of the Canadian Bar Association, the Pension and Benefits Section of the Ontario Bar Association, the National Policy Committee and National Conference Committee, and the Association of Canadian Pension Management.
Mitch has also actively served in leadership roles for numerous agencies and organizations, including Ontario Tech University (Chancellor); North York General (vice-chair); Toronto French School (TFS) (member and former chair); Ryerson University (former chair); Toronto French School Foundation (former chair); North York General Foundation (former chair); and Ontario Science Centre (former trustee).