A student at Auckland University College, Hall graduated Master of Science in 1950 and a PhD in 1955.

[4][5] Hall was appointed to the academic staff of the Department of Chemistry at Auckland in 1950,[6] and following the departure of Llewellyn in 1956, he became head of the crystallography research group.

[6] However, he returned to Auckland in 1968, and succeeded Peter de la Mare as head of department in 1980,[6] serving in that role until his retirement in 1984, when he was conferred with the title of professor emeritus by the university.

[8] Hall was awarded a DSc by thesis from the University of Auckland in 1969,[9] and he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand in 1972.

[10] His doctoral students included Neil Waters,[11] Guy Dodson,[12] and Ted Baker.