In 1897 he married the eldest daughter of the late Spencer Perceval Butler, and was a brother-in-law of Sir Harcourt Butler, the Governor of the United Provinces of India.
In late 1902, Finlay appointed him counsel to the Post office on the Oxford circuit.
[1] In 1904 he was appointed Legal Member of the Governor-General's Council in British India, serving for five years.
[1] He became a KC in 1905, and on returning to England in 1909 was appointed counsel to the India Office, practising before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.
[1] He was appointed Chichele Professor of International Law and Diplomacy at Oxford in 1911, until 1922, taking over from Thomas Erskine Holland.