 He then became an Associate of the downtown Los Angeles office of Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker (now Paul Hastings LLP), where he worked in on First Amendment and insurance coverage issues, including representing the rap group N.W.A.Howard's career in public interest law began in 1991 when he became an Associate for the former Westwood office of Hall & Phillips, later Hall & Associates.The firm's diverse practice included litigation and legislative advocacy in the areas of civil rights, consumer protection, the environment and land use.