John received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Queen's University, a Bachelor of Law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1963, was called to the bar in 1965 and joined his father's practice in Perth which, a couple of years later, became Willson & Willson with offices on the second floor of the Finnegan and Willson building on the easterly corner of Gore and Herriott Streets. He was appointed a Queen's Counsel in 1977.
John served two terms on the Town Council of Perth, served on the Library and Museum Boards, acted as Co-chair of the Conlon Farm Fund-raising Committee, President of the Perth Jaycees, President of the Lanark-Renfrew-Carleton Federal Liberal Riding Association, Vice-President of the Lanark Provincial Liberal Riding Association, Director and Secretary of the Federally-incorporated charity known as Friends in Sport-fishing, Director of the Perth and District Community Foundation, Director and Secretary of the Perth Flying Club, Chairman of the Lanark County Retarded Childrens' Education Authority, member of the Advisory Committee to the Town Council on the re-development of the Tay Basin area and was a founding member of the Perth Chapter of Ducks Unlimited and the Westport Area Outdoor Association. He served as an Elder of St. Paul’s United Church and Director and Chair of the Downtown Perth Business Development Area. He was recently appointed by the Federal Minister of Justice to the Judicial Appointment Advisory Committee of Ontario (Northern and Eastern).

Robert D. Butterworth

Robert Butterworth received a B. Comm. from St. Patrick's College in Ottawa in 1967 and an L.L.B. from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver in 1970. He was called to the bar in 1972, moved to Perth that year and has lived in the Perth area ever since.

Bob served two terms on the Council of the Township of North Elmsley, the Planning Board of the Town of Perth as a member, Secretary, Vice-Chair and Chair, and as the first Chair of the Committee of Adjustments for the Township of North Elmsley. He served for six years on the Board of Governors of Algonquin College (including two years as Chair), six years on the Rideau Valley District Health Council (including two years as Chair) and four years on the Ontario Council of Health. Bob is a past National Vice-President of the Canada Jaycees, past Director of the Perth Chamber of Commerce and past director of the Lanark Communications Network.

In 2002 Bob was appointed a Vice Chair of the Assessment review Board. He has served for six years as a director of the Society of Ontario Adjudicators and Regulators (SOAR) and is a member of the Trent University Board of Governors.

Douglas B. James

Doug was born and brought up in Kingston, Ontario. After high school at Regiopotis College and Kingston Collegiate and Vocational Institute, he attended the University of Alberta at Calgary which became the University of Calgary from which he graduated with a B.A. in 1968. He obtained his LL.B. from Queen’s University in 1972.

He was called to the Bar in 1974 and articled and practised law in Toronto with the Phelan, O’Brien, Rutherford, Lawer and Shannon law firm until he, his wife Nancy and daughter Allison moved to Perth in March, 1975. Angie was born in Perth in August, 1976.

He took an associate position with Hugh and John Willson and soon became a partner with John Willson when Hugh Willson semi-retired.

Doug became active in the community with the Library Board, the Jaycees and the Rotary Club. He was on the Perth Public Utilities Commission and sat as chairman for 8 years. He remains a Director of the Ontario Municipal Water Association. He also sits on the Board of the Friends of the Tay Watershed.

He is active in St. John the Baptist parish and is also involved at the Diocesan level. In 2001 he received the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifce medal from Pope John Paul II.

Doug retired form the practise in 2005, but continues to sit as a Deputy Judge in Small Claims Court in Lanark County, Ottawa and Renfrew County. He is on the Board of Directors of the Ontario Deputy Judges’ Association.