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).