He attended the San Beda College, Liceo de Manila and the University of Santo Tomas, graduating from the latter with a Bachelor of Arts degree.

He then taught in the Investra Señora del Rosario College and in the Colegio Mercantil (now National University), from 1907 to 1908 and studied law in Escuela de la Jurisprudencia, finishing his course in 1912, and passed the bar examinations with the highest average the same year.

His son, Carlos R. Imperial, was a congressman for the 2nd district of Albay and an MP in the Interim Batasang Pambansa.

In the meantime, he was appointed as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court by the Japanese-installed Philippine Executive Commission from 1942 to 1944, but was not recognized as such until 2019.

[4] In 1951, Imperial was appointed by President Elpidio Quirino as Chairman of the Commission on Elections following the death of Vicente de Vera.