The firm’s offices were renovated and restored to their former grandeur by Barry Cappello.

The Howard-Canfield Building, located on the corner of State Street and Canon Perdido, was constructed in 1903 by Joseph Howard and Robert Canfield who both served on the Board of the First National Bank. Mr. Howard, an entrepreneur and inventor, came to Santa Barbara from Connecticut in 1872 and was a well-known early developer in the city. Mr. Canfield, a New Jersey native, came to Santa Barbara in 1870 and is known for establishing the first gas mains under parts of State Street and developing the first gas lighting system in the city. Mr. Canfield also was an attorney, and he organized the first local Bar Association, served as a City Judge, and was president of First National Bank for 23 years.

Mr. Howard and Mr. Canfield financed construction of the building and hired John Parkinson, a well-known architect from Los Angeles, to design the building. His design was in the Beaux Arts classical mode, with projecting cornice, balustrade and pedimented entrance. Unfortunately, many of these unique features were removed after the 1925 Santa Barbara earthquake, which severely damaged the building. Mr. Canfield, then 82 years old, personally supervised the reconstruction.

Cappello & Noël continues the legal profession’s more than 100-year history of working in this special building.