His father was Maurits Cornelis van Hall, who seated in the First Chamber of the States General and the Representative Body of the Batavian Republic from 1798 to 1801.

From 1808 to 1811, Van Hall attended the Athenaeum Illustre, and, like his father, studied Roman and Contemporary Law at the Leiden University from 7 November 1811 to 22 January 1812.

After he had graduated, he became a lawyer in his father's firm in Amsterdam, where he was primarily concerned with protecting the interests of trading houses and shipping companies.

From 13 February 1849, he seated in the Second Chamber of the States General for the district of Amsterdam, until he succeeded Johan Rudolf Thorbecke as chairman of Council of Ministers in 1853.

On 1 April 1856, King William II gave him the title of Baron, as a token of appreciation for his actions as minister of Foreign Affairs in the Crimean War, where he managed to uphold Dutch neutrality.