He graduated from the commercial department of the University of Kentucky at Lexington in 1894, from the Concord State Normal School, Athens, West Virginia in 1898, and from the law department of the Southern Normal University, Huntingdon, Tennessee in 1900.

After all his formal education, he was admitted to the bar in 1900 and commenced practice in Point Pleasant, West Virginia in 1903.

After leaving Congress, Echols served as a member of the committee on appeals and review of the United States Treasury Department from May 1, 1923, to September 15, 1924.

He was a delegate to the Republican State convention in 1924, and the postmaster at Charleston, West Virginia 1925-1928.

He resumed the practice of law and served as Referee in Bankruptcy and as special master in the United States District Court, Charleston, West Virginia.