Deputy President Howell began his legal career as a Tipstaff to the Hon. Leonie Glynn, a former judicial member of the Commission, and later as an Associate and Research Associate to then Vice-President the Hon. Michael Walton, and then President the Hon. Lance Wright KC. He worked as a solicitor at Jones Staff & Co, now McNally Jones Staff, and then as in-house counsel for the Rail, Tram, and Bus Union (RTBU) and Police Association of New South Wales, until he was called to the Bar in 2012.

Immediately prior to his appointment, Deputy President Howell was the Assistant Secretary, Legal Services for the Police Association of NSW, a position he held from mid-2018 whilst concurrently practicing as a barrister at HB Higgins Chambers specialising in employment and industrial relations law.