Mr. Walter Howell

Walter Harold Howell provides a comprehensive overview of his legal career spanning five decades in Peterborough, Ontario. Born in 1916, Howell articled with the established firm Peck, Kerr & Mcilderry beginning in 1936, following the innovative “five-year man” education system that alternated law school with articling. His legal education at Osgoode Hall was interrupted by wartime service in the Royal Canadian Air Force (1942-1945), where he worked in the legal branch after being grounded from aircrew training.

Returning to practice in 1945, Howell witnessed the transformation of both his firm and the Peterborough legal community. He became County Solicitor in 1950, a position he held throughout his career, providing municipal law services alongside his general practice in estates and real estate. The interview traces the firm’s evolution from three partners to ten lawyers, reflecting broader changes in legal practice including increased specialization and the growth of continuing legal education programs.

Howell’s account offers valuable insights into mid-20th century legal practice, the impact of World War II on the profession, and the development of legal education and professional organizations. His active involvement with the Canadian Bar Association’s Ontario Branch Executive Committee and his observations on the changing nature of legal practice provide important perspectives on the profession’s evolution from the 1940s through the 1980s.

This description was written by AI and may contain some inaccuracies.