The Legacy Project: William J. Howard ’57
The Bill Howard Public Interest Summer Fellowship was created in 1994, giving students the opportunity to receive stipends for providing greatly needed assistance to non-profit and governmental organizations.
William J. Howard ’57 was a dedicated member of the Columbia Law School Association, class-fund chair for numerous fundraising drives, and chair of the Student-Alumni Relations Committee. Or, put more simply, “A quiet individual with a strong commitment to helping alumni work with students,” according to a fellow alumnae.
During his many years volunteering for the Law School, Howard created a sense of community, providing opportunities for alumni to mentor students as they prepared to embark on their legal careers. Howard was a dedicated member of the Columbia Law School Association, class-fund chair for numerous fundraising drives, and chair of the Student-Alumni Relations Committee.
Active in the Columbia Law Review as a student, Howard graduated from Columbia Law School in 1957 and went to work for Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, where he stayed for the majority of his career. His work at Metropolitan Life involved a broad range of areas, including investments, pensions, and estate planning, a topic about which he lectured and wrote articles.
In addition to his many commitments to the Law School and to his family, Howard was the founder and president of the Metropolitan Tax Lawyers Association and served on the board of trustees of the Westchester Reform Temple.
The Bill Howard Public Interest Summer Fellowship was created in 1994 through the generosity of friends and family of William J. Howard, ’57, and by the Columbia Law School Association.
It honors Howard’s dedication and connection to the student and alumni community, while giving students the opportunity to receive stipends for providing greatly needed assistance to non-profit and governmental organizations. Gifts to the Bill Howard Public Interest Summer Fellowship help students perform public interest work over the summer for a guaranteed stipend.