JOHN HANCOCK FUNDS III SUBADVISORY AGREEMENT

Exhibit (d)(20)

XXXX XXXXXXX FUNDS III

AGREEMENT made this 10^th day of March, 2009, between Xxxx Xxxxxxx Investment Management Services, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Adviser”), and MFC Global Investment Management (U.S.A.) Limited, a Canadian corporation (the “Subadviser”). In consideration of the mutual covenants contained herein, the parties agree as follows:

1. APPOINTMENT OF SUBADVISER

The Subadviser undertakes to act as investment subadviser to, and, subject to the supervision of the Trustees of Xxxx Xxxxxxx Funds III (the “Trust”) and the terms of this Agreement, to manage the investment and reinvestment of the assets of the Portfolios specified in Appendix A to this Agreement as it shall be amended by the Adviser and the Subadviser from time to time (the “Portfolios”). The Subadviser will be an independent contractor and will have no authority to act for or represent the Trust or Adviser in any way except as expressly authorized in this Agreement or another writing by the Trust and Adviser.

2. SERVICES TO BE RENDERED BY THE SUBADVISER TO THE TRUST

Subject always to the direction and control of the Trustees of the Trust, the Subadviser will manage the investments and determine the composition of the assets of the Portfolios in accordance with the Portfolios’ registration statement, as amended. In fulfilling its obligations to manage the investments and reinvestments of the assets of the Portfolios, the Subadviser will:

	i.		obtain and evaluate pertinent economic, statistical, financial and other information affecting the economy generally and individual companies or industries the securities of which are included in the Portfolios or are under consideration for inclusion in the Portfolios;

	ii.		formulate and implement a continuous investment program for each Portfolio consistent with the investment objectives and related investment policies for each such Portfolio as described in the Trust’s registration statement, as amended;

	iii.		take whatever steps are necessary to implement these investment programs by the purchase and sale of securities including the placing of orders for such purchases and sales;

	iv.		regularly report to the Trustees of the Trust with respect to the implementation of these investment programs; and

	v.		provide determinations, in accordance with procedures and methods established by the Trustees of the Trust, of the fair value of securities held by the Portfolios for which market quotations are not readily available for purposes of enabling the Trust’s Custodian to calculate net asset value.

The Subadviser, at its expense, will furnish (i) all necessary investment and management facilities, including salaries of personnel required for it to execute its duties faithfully, and (ii) administrative facilities, including bookkeeping, clerical personnel and equipment necessary for the efficient conduct of the investment affairs of the Portfolios (excluding determination of net asset value and shareholder accounting services).

The Subadviser will select brokers and dealers to effect all transactions subject to the following conditions: The Subadviser will place all orders with brokers, dealers, or issuers, and will negotiate brokerage commissions if applicable. The Subadviser is directed at all times to seek to execute brokerage transactions for the Portfolios in accordance with such policies or practices as may be established by the Trustees and described in the Trust’s registration statement as amended. The Subadviser may pay a broker-dealer which provides research and brokerage services a higher spread or commission for a particular transaction than otherwise might have been charged by another broker-dealer, if the Subadviser determines that the higher spread or commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services that such broker-dealer provides, viewed in terms of either the particular transaction or the Subadviser’s overall responsibilities with respect to accounts managed by the Subadviser. The Subadviser may use for the benefit of the Subadviser’s other clients, or make available to companies affiliated with the Subadviser or to its directors for the benefit of its clients, any such brokerage and research services that the Subadviser obtains from brokers or dealers.

The Subadviser will maintain all accounts, books and records with respect to the Portfolios as are required of an investment adviser of a registered investment company pursuant to the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “Investment Company Act”) and Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (the “Investment Advisers Act”) and the rules thereunder.

The Subadviser shall vote proxies relating to the Portfolio’s investment securities in accordance with the Trust’s proxy voting policies and procedures, which provide that the Subadviser shall vote all proxies relating to securities held by the Portfolio and, subject to the Trust’s policies and procedures, shall use proxy voting policies and procedures adopted by the Subadviser in conformance with Rule 206(4)-6 under the Investment Advisers Act. The Subadviser shall review its proxy voting activities on a periodic basis with the Trustees.

3. COMPENSATION OF SUBADVISER

The Adviser will pay the Subadviser with respect to each Portfolio the compensation specified in Appendix A to this Agreement.

4. LIABILITY OF SUBADVISER

Neither the Subadviser nor any of its officers or employees shall be liable to the Adviser or Trust for any loss suffered by the Adviser or Trust resulting from any error of judgment made in the good faith exercise of the Subadviser’s investment discretion in connection with selecting Portfolio investments except for losses resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence of, or from reckless disregard of, the duties of the Subadviser or any of its officers or employees; and neither the Subadviser nor any of its officers or employees shall be liable to the Adviser or Trust for

any loss suffered by the Adviser or Trust resulting from any other matters to which this Agreement relates (i.e., those other matters specified in Sections 2 and 8 of this Agreement), except for losses resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance of, or from disregard of, the duties of the Subadviser or any of its employees.

5. SUPPLEMENTAL ARRANGEMENTS

The Subadviser may enter into arrangements with other persons affiliated with the Subadviser to better enable it to fulfill its obligations under this Agreement for the provision of certain personnel and facilities to the Subadviser.

6. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

It is understood that trustees, officers, agents and shareholders of the Trust are or may be interested in the Subadviser as trustees, officers or otherwise; that directors, officers and agents of the Subadviser are or may be interested in the Trust as trustees, officers, shareholders or otherwise; that the Subadviser may be interested in the Trust; and that the existence of any such dual interest shall not affect the validity hereof or of any transactions hereunder except as otherwise provided in the Agreement and Declaration of Trust of the Trust and the Certificate of Incorporation of the Subadviser, respectively, or by specific provision of applicable law.

7. REGULATION

The Subadviser shall submit to all regulatory and administrative bodies having jurisdiction over the services provided pursuant to this Agreement any information, reports or other material which any such body by reason of this Agreement may request or require pursuant to applicable laws and regulations.

8. DURATION AND TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT

This Agreement shall become effective with respect to each Portfolio on the later of (i) its execution, (ii) the effective date of the registration statement of the Portfolio and (iii) with respect to each Portfolio except the Money Market Portfolio, the date of the meeting of the shareholders of the Portfolio, at which meeting this Agreement is approved by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the Investment Company Act) of the Portfolio. The Agreement will continue in effect for a period more than two years from the date of its execution only so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually either by the Trustees of the Trust or by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of each of the Portfolios, provided that in either event such continuance shall also be approved by the vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not interested persons (as defined in the Investment Company Act) of any party to this Agreement cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The required shareholder approval of the Agreement or of any continuance of the Agreement shall be effective with respect to any Portfolio if a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the series (as defined in Rule 18f-2(h) under the Investment Company Act) of shares of that Portfolio votes to approve the Agreement or its continuance, notwithstanding that the Agreement or its continuance may not have been approved by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of (a) any other Portfolio affected by the Agreement or (b) all the portfolios of the Trust.

If the shareholders of any Portfolio fail to approve the Agreement or any continuance of the Agreement, the Subadviser will continue to act as investment subadviser with respect to such Portfolio pending the required approval of the Agreement or its continuance or of any contract with the Subadviser or a different adviser or subadviser or other definitive action; provided, that the compensation received by the Subadviser in respect of such Portfolio during such period is in compliance with Rule 15a-4 under the Investment Company Act.

This Agreement may be terminated at any time, without the payment of any penalty, by the Trustees of the Trust, by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust, or with respect to any Portfolio by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of such Portfolio, on sixty days’ written notice to the Adviser and the Subadviser, or by the Adviser or Subadviser on sixty days’ written notice to the Trust and the other party. This agreement will automatically terminate, without the payment of any penalty, in the event of its assignment (as defined in the Investment Company Act) or in the event the Advisory Agreement between the Adviser and the Trust terminates for any reason.

9. PROVISION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY SUBADVISER

The Subadviser will promptly notify the Adviser in writing of the occurrence of any of the following events:

the Subadviser fails to be registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act or under the laws of any jurisdiction in which the Subadviser is required to be registered as an investment adviser in order to perform its obligations under this Agreement;

the Subadviser is served or otherwise receives notice of any action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation, at law or in equity, before or by any court, public board or body, involving the affairs of the Trust; and

any change in actual control or management of the Subadviser or the portfolio manager of any Portfolio.

10. CONSULTATION WITH SUBADVISERS TO OTHER TRUST PORTFOLIOS

As required by Rule 17a-10 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Subadviser is prohibited from consulting with the entities listed below concerning transactions for a Portfolio in securities or other assets:

	1.		other subadvisers to a Portfolio

	2.		other subadvisers to a Trust portfolio

	3.		other subadvisers to a portfolio under common control with the Portfolio

11. AMENDMENTS TO THE AGREEMENT

This Agreement may be amended by the parties only if such amendment is specifically approved by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of each of the Portfolios affected by the amendment and by the vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not interested persons of any party to this Agreement cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The required shareholder approval shall be effective with respect to any Portfolio if a majority of the outstanding voting securities of that Portfolio vote to approve the amendment, notwithstanding that the amendment may not have been approved by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of (a) any other Portfolio affected by the amendment or (b) all the portfolios of the Trust.

12. ENTIRE AGREEMENT

This Agreement contains the entire understanding and agreement of the parties.

13. HEADINGS

The headings in the sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not constitute a part hereof.

14. NOTICES

All notices required to be given pursuant to this Agreement shall be delivered or mailed to the last known business address of the Trust or applicable party in person or by registered mail or a private mail or delivery service providing the sender with notice of receipt. Notice shall be deemed given on the date delivered or mailed in accordance with this paragraph.

15. SEVERABILITY

Should any portion of this Agreement for any reason be held to be void in law or in equity, the Agreement shall be construed, insofar as is possible, as if such portion had never been contained herein.

16. GOVERNING LAW

The provisions of this Agreement shall be construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, or any of the applicable provisions of the Investment Company Act. To the extent that the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, or any of the provisions in this Agreement, conflict with applicable provisions of the Investment Company Act, the latter shall control.

17. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

The Agreement and Declaration of Trust, a copy of which, together with all amendments thereto (the “Declaration”), is on file in the office of the Secretary of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, provides that the name “ Xxxx Xxxxxxx Funds II” refers to the Trustees under the Declaration collectively as Trustees, but not as individuals or personally; and no Trustee,

shareholder, officer, employee or agent of the Trust shall be held to any personal liability, nor shall resort be had to their private property, for the satisfaction of any obligation or claim, in connection with the affairs of the Trust or any portfolio thereof, but only the assets belonging to the Trust, or to the particular Portfolio with respect to which such obligation or claim arose, shall be liable.

18. CONFIDENTIALITY OF TRUST PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS

The Subadviser agrees to treat Trust portfolio holdings as confidential information in accordance with the Trust’s “Policy Regarding Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings,” as such policy may be amended from time to time, and to prohibit its employees from trading on any such confidential information.

19. COMPLIANCE

Upon execution of this Agreement, the Subadviser shall provide the Adviser with the Subadviser’s written policies and procedures (“Compliance Policies”) as required by Rule 206(4)-7 under the Investment Advisers Act. Throughout the term of this Agreement, the Subadviser shall promptly submit to the Adviser: (i) any material changes to the Compliance Policies, (ii) notification of the commencement of a regulatory examination of the Subadviser and documentation describing the results of any such examination and of any periodic testing of the Compliance Policies, and (iii) notification of any material compliance matter that relates to the services provided by the Subadviser to the Trust including but not limited to any material violation of the Compliance Policies or of the Subadviser’s code of ethics and/or related code. Throughout the term of this Agreement, the Subadviser shall provide the Adviser with any certifications, information and access to personnel and resources (including those resources that will permit testing of the Compliance Policies by the Adviser) that the Adviser may reasonably request to enable the Trust to comply with Rule 38a-1 under the Investment Company Act.

(THE REMAINDER OF THIS SPACE HAS BEEN INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK)

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed under seal by their duly authorized officers as of the date first mentioned above.


XXXX XXXXXXX INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT SERVICES, LLC
By:	/s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
	Name:	Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
	Title:	President and Chief Executive Officer

MFC GLOBAL INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT (U.S.A.) LIMITED
By:	/s/ X. Xxxxxx
	Name:	X. Xxxxxx
	Title:	VP & CAO

APPENDIX A

The Subadviser shall serve as investment subadviser for the Xxxx Xxxxxxx Core High Yield Fund (the “Portfolio”). The Adviser will pay the Subadviser, as full compensation for all services provided under this Agreement with respect to the Portfolio, the fee at an annual rate as follows (the “Subadviser Fee”):


	First	Next	Next	Next	Over
	$250 million	$250 million	$500 million	$1.5 billion	$2.5 billion
	of Aggregate	of Aggregate	of Aggregate	of Aggregate	of Aggregate
Portfolio	Net Assets	Net Assets	Net Assets	Net Assets	Net Assets
Xxxx Xxxxxxx Core High Yield Fund

The Subadviser Fee for the Portfolio shall be accrued for each calendar day and the sum of the daily fee accruals shall be paid monthly to the Subadviser. The daily fee accruals will be computed by multiplying the fraction of one over the number of calendar days in the year by the applicable annual rate described in the preceding paragraph, and multiplying this product by the net assets of the Portfolio. For purposes of determining net assets of the Portfolio and calculating the Subadviser Fee, the net assets of the Portfolio are determined as of the close of business on the previous business day of the Trust.

If, with respect to the Portfolio, this Agreement becomes effective or terminates, or if the manner of determining the Subadviser Fee changes, before the end of any month, the fee (if any) for the period from the effective date to the end of such month or from the beginning of such month to the date of termination or from the beginning of such month to the date of such change, as the case may be, shall be prorated according to the proportion which such period bears to the full month in which such effectiveness or termination or change occurs.

A-1

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JOHN HANCOCK FUNDS III SUBADVISORY AGREEMENT

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