London Inc. May-June 2023 - 45

Vincenzo Mazza
Federal Prosecutor, Public Prosecution Service of Canada | 32
HOMETOWN: London, Ontario
A first-generation Canadian and the first in his family to earn a university education, Vincenzo Mazza takes
immense pride in having devoted the sweat equity to achieve his current position: putting himself through
school by working several jobs and earning several scholarships. Cutting his teeth with big firms working
class actions law, it wasn't long before he diverted to follow his true passion - the thrill and stakes of
criminal law. He ran his own criminal defence practice in London before making the switch to federal
prosecutor. Protecting individual rights and upholding the rule of law to keep our communities safe, he will
tell you is job does not involve winning or losing, but rather is the act of fairly and vigorously presenting all
admissible evidence so that judge or jury can decide guilt or innocence.
What would you say is your single biggest business
achievement? Springing from student to teacher. My
student life was a whirlwind: eight years; four
degrees; three schools; two countries. Countless
long days and sleepless nights learning the
craft since. Now, years later, some of my
proudest work is teaching at the Ontario
Police College, PPSC and Western Law.
irlwi
: e
t years; ou
Countles
ess nights learning the
rs later, some of my
ching at the Ontario
and Western Law.
What about your biggest business
obstacle - and how did you tackle it?
Privilege is alive and well in law. I come
from a lower-class immigrant family in
East London. I'm a first-generation
lawyer and Canadian. I had no
ggest busine
w did you tackle it?
well in law. I come
mmigrant family in
rst-generation
connections or handouts. I
put myself through school
and earned all my opportunities.
It shaped how I
practise law - I don't
care who you know, I
care what you know.
I
Who, or what, was
your biggest
influence in your
line of work? My
mentors, Cosmo
Galluzzo and
Kim Johnson.
Cosmo is a criminal
defence lawyer; when
n
I was new, he introduced
me to cases, clients and lawyering
well beyond my years.
Kim is a fellow prosecutor;
she runs our office with equal
parts grace and grit. Their
mentorship is rocket fuel. I'm
uce
and lawmy
years.
cutor;
with equal
Their
fuel. I'm
honoured to stand on their
shoulders.
n their
MAY / JUNE 2023 | londonincmagazine.ca | 45
pporow
I
't
n. I had no
outs. I
chool
If you weren't working in your current field,
what would you be doing? I'd open a bar or
nightclub. In a cool and distant past life, I
ran nightclubs to pay my way
through law school. The
service industry is a great
you we
nightcl b. I
d you be doing
and
an ni
tc
business and a labour of
love. Cheers!
er
And finally, what's
your guilty pleasure?
My family
loves professional
wrestling. I joke
that my Nonno
y
learned English by
watching Monday
Night Raw, so if he
calls you brother
or jabroni, don't
flinch!
busin
I put myself through school and earned all
my opportunities. It shaped how I practise
law - I don't care who you know,
I care what you know.
my ppor uniti
. I
w - I don t c re
at yo
pe
o y
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