Ilbert was called to the Bar by Lincoln's Inn in 1869, and began to practice in property law, with an emphasis on drafting trusts and other documents.

Introduced by Ilbert in 1883, the Bill proposed to allow non-European Magistrates or Sessions Judges to try "European British subjects", something which existing legislation did not allow.

European reactions in India to the proposal were extremely hostile, which in turn stimulated the growth of Indian nationalism.

Ilbert was an outdoorsman in his youth and he climbed in Chamonix (1871 with Leslie Stephen and M. Loppe)[3] the Hekla in Iceland and the Vignemale in the Pyrenees in 1872–73 with James Bryce.

[1] Ilbert reflected on laws and law-making and wrote several books on parliamentary and legislative procedure and history that were highly regarded.

Jurists like Sir Carleton Kemp Allen praised his knowledge of parliamentary procedure but felt he was outdated.