Lisa Mills, a Partner in the firm, is a member of the Pension and Benefits Practice Group at Hicks Morley. Lisa graduated from McMaster University with an Honours degree in Commerce in 1992, and from University of Toronto with a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1995. Prior to joining Hicks Morley in 1998, Lisa was a Pension Lawyer with Mercer Human Resource Consulting. Lisa completed the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants In-Depth Tax Course in 2001.

Recent Decisions

• Hydro One Inc. v. Superintendent of Financial Services et. al., Unreported decision of Ontario Divisional Court dated March 27, 2008
• Counsel in Ontario Superior Court class proceedings in Krancjec v. Ontario relating to retiree benefits, and Council of Regents v. OPSEU relating to ownership of demutualization proceeds
• Peet v. Babcock and Wilcox Industries Ltd. (2001), 53 O.R. (3d) 321 (C.A.), regarding valuation of pension loss
• Counsel at the Financial Services Tribunal in connection with a variety of pension issues, including surplus ownership and partial plan wind-ups

Advice

• Pension and benefit administrative issues; legislative compliance and pension plan design amendments; pension plan audits; pension plan governance; pension plan wind-ups, surplus ownership and expense opinions
• Service contracts between employers and third-party pension and benefit administrators, actuaries, pension fund trustees and custodians, insurers, investment managers, etc.

Speaking Engagements

• February 16, 2010: Ontario Bar Association, “Pension and Benefits: The Next Generation”
• May 28, 2009: Canadian Pension and Benefits Institute, A Legal Perspective on Pension Plan Issues During Turbulent Times
• May 23, 2008: National Academy of Arbitrators, “The End of Mandatory Retirement: What Does it Mean for Arbitrators and Arbitral Issues?”
• February 5, 2008: Ontario Bar Association, “Pension and Benefits at the End of the Employment Relationship”

Professional and Community Affiliations

• Sessional Instructor, Queen’s University, Pensions and the Law
• Member and Past Chair of the Ottawa Chapter and member of the Ontario Regional Council of the Canadian Pension and Benefits Institute
• Member of the Pension and Benefits Section of the Ontario Bar Association, and International Foundation of Employee Benefits
• Practitioners Forum sessions held by the Registered Plans Directorate

Year of Call

• 1997

Education

• University of Toronto, LL.B.
• McMaster University, B.Comm (Hons.)