Howard is widely recognized as a leading appellate lawyer, known for his precise and creative advocacy.
With over 20 years of experience, Howard is a Certified Specialist in Criminal Law and a partner at AGP LLP in Ottawa. His practice is devoted to criminal appeals and complex trials, and he has argued more than 150 appeals, including seven appearances before the Supreme Court of Canada. At the trial level, he has successfully defended clients charged with murder, large-scale drug trafficking, and sexual assault.
Howard’s expertise has been recognized nationally and internationally. He was named Best Lawyers® Lawyer of the Year for Criminal Defence in Ottawa (2025), and he is the only lawyer in Ottawa recognized by Best Lawyers® in both Criminal Defence and Appellate Practice. He is also the only Ottawa criminal lawyer inducted as a Fellow of the prestigious Litigation Counsel of America.
Howard has held significant public and national security appointments. From 2023 to 2025, he served as senior commission counsel to the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions, led by Commissioner Justice Marie-Josée Hogue of the Quebec Court of Appeal. In 2024, he was appointed a Special Advocate by the Minister of Justice under s. 85(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. Since 2018, he has also served as amicus curiae in sensitive national-security litigation before the Federal Court of Canada.
Howard’s appellate work extends beyond criminal law. He has appeared in the Divisional Court on appeals from professional discipline proceedings, representing physicians and other regulated professionals. This experience complements his broader appellate advocacy and reflects his skill in handling cases with high professional and reputational stakes.
He has contributed to legal education as an adjunct professor at the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law, where he taught The Law of Evidence, and as a frequent lecturer at continuing legal education programs. He is a former director of the Criminal Lawyers’ Association.
Howard began his legal career as an articling student at Greenspan Humphrey Lavine LLP in Toronto before receiving the Harold G. Fox Education Fund Scholarship, which allowed him to train as a pupil-barrister at the Middle Temple in London, England.