Walter was born April 18, 1920, in Albany, Georgia. He received his A.B. Degree from Emory University in 1941 and graduated from Harvard Law School (cum laude) in 1948. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Omicron Delta Kappa, and Phi Alpha Delta. In 1947-1948, he was an Editor of the Harvard Law Review. He is admitted to the following bars: Florida, 1949; U.S. Supreme Court, 1956; District of Columbia, 1978.

Along with Aaron Podhurst, Walter Beckham was a founder of our firm, and it is fair to say that few other lawyers in America have as distinguished a record or reputation. Walter recently finished serving a three-year term as Secretary of the American Bar Association, capping a distinguished legal career that spanned fifty years. Walter has been a Professor of Law, and later Professor Emeritus, at the University of Miami, President of the Metropolitan Miami YMCA, President of the Dade County Crippled Children's Society, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the National Institute for Trial Advocacy, a fellow of the American Bar Foundation, The American College of Trial Lawyers, and the National Board of Trial Advocacy, Past President, International Academy of Trial Lawyers, and a member or officer of countless other bar groups. He also served as Chair of the Board of Trustees of the National Judicial College and now serves on its Board of Trustees as Chair Emeritus. He is a retired Captain, S.C., of the United States Naval Reserves.