Firm History
Arthur Cunningham, KC, opened his law office in 1894, and practised in Kingston until 1931. He was a well known counsel, as well as a respected solicitor. His sons, Douglas (Ben) Cunningham, QC, LLD, and Willis Cunningham, QC continued the law practice, and were later joined by Robert Little, QC, the Honourable Douglas Cunningham, QC, the Honourable Peter Milliken, MP and David Bonham, QC, FCA. The practice was carried on as Cunningham Little Bonham and Milliken.
David Rankin, MPP and Harry Wright began a law practice together after World War II and were followed by Peter Swan, QC, Michael Carty, QC, the Honourable Douglas Belch, QC and Paul Ryan, who practised together as Swan Carty Belch and Ryan.
The two firms merged in January 1982 to form Cunningham Swan Carty Little & Bonham LLP, the premier law firm in south-eastern Ontario.
In 1988, the Honourable Peter Milliken was elected as the Member of Parliament for Kingston and the Islands and is currently Speaker of the House of Commons. The Honourable Douglas Cunningham, QC was appointed a Justice of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in 1991, and is now Associate Chief Justice of that Court. The Honourable Douglas M. Belch, QC was appointed a Justice of the Superior Court of Justice in 1998 and presides in Kingston.
Today the firm is the trusted successor to several generations of outstanding lawyers. It is comprised of 21 committed lawyers who work together with a highly skilled support staff to offer specialised and friendly services to meet varying client needs.