Over the past four decades, J. William E. Mingo has gathered an incredible wealth of personal and professional achievements due to his service to the law and business professions in Nova Scotia and beyond.

Born in Halifax in 1926, Mingo got his first practical work experience as an office boy for the Canadian Press at age 16. A few years later, Mingo would begin his distinguished law career like so many - at Dalhousie University. Graduating in 1949 with a bachelor of laws, he received the Law School’s Gold Medal. Shortly after, he graduated with a master of laws from Columbia University, but returned to his native Halifax to begin practicing when he was called to the Bar of Nova Scotia in 1950. He was appointed a Queen’s Counsel in 1966.

Since the 1950s, Mingo has practiced law at Stewart McKelvey Stirling Scales and its predecessor firms, working his way through various management roles. In 1990, he was the driving force behind the merger that lead to the formation of Atlantic Canada’s first regional and largest law firm. While he started out practicing in civil litigation, Mingo shifted to labour law, and eventually to corporate and commercial law for which he is best known.

Mingo also applied his expertise to promoting legal education and research, and advocating on behalf of low-income Nova Scotians. He was instrumental in the establishment of the Law Foundation of Nova Scotia, which supports legal education, research, and law reform, as well as court work services for women, and shelters for women and children who have been the victims of domestic violence. In addition, Mingo is nationally recognized as one of the founders of Legal Aid in Nova Scotia.

Mingo has contributed to numerous provincial and national law associations and committees through serving as president of the Nova Scotia Bar Society, as well as sitting on the executive of the Canadian Bar Society.

Mingo has also proven to be a proficient and influential businessman, putting Halifax on the map as one of the world’s leading ports as member and chair of the Halifax Port and Industrial Commission. He has also provided counsel to the provincial government’s industrial development program, which attracted the likes of Michelin and Crossley Carpet Mills Ltd. to the province.

Mingo has been a director of many well known Canadian organizations including Bank of Canada, Canning Investment Corporation Limited, Crossley Carpet Mills Limited, Maritime Life Assurance Company, Minas Basin Pulp and Power Company Limited, Onex Corporation, Oxford Frozen Foods Ltd, Royal Bank of Canada, Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada and The Great Eastern Corporation Limited. This self-described “political junkie” has also been an active member of the National Treasury Committee and the National Executive Committee of the Liberal Party of Canada.

A true patron of the arts, Mingo has supported numerous educational institutions, particularly Saint Mary’s and Dalhousie Universities, both of which granted him an honourary Doctor of Laws in 1981 and 1998, respectively. For many years he was a member of the Advisory Board of the Dalhousie School of Business as well as a Trustee for the Forum for Young Canadians. Also, he has been chair of the Saint Mary’s University Capital Campaign and the Halifax Grammar School.

After years of selfless commitment to his clients and community, Mingo was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2004.

At present, Mingo is a partner at Stewart McKelvey Stirling Scales in Halifax. When not hard at work he enjoys spending time with his wife Edith and five children, Charles, James, Johanna, Nancy and Sarah. Bill and Edith also have seven grandchildren, Alexa, Iain, Anne, Simon, Clare, Tristan and Sebastien.

J. William E. Mingo, along with Graham W. Dennis and the late RB Cameron, was inducted into the Nova Scotia Business Hall of Fame on June 7^th, 2005.