In 1868 he was appointed as private secretary to his fellow Irishman, Sir Richard Graves MacDonnell, the Governor of Hong Kong.

[2]: 173  He ably assisted Governor MacDonnell in dealing with the "blockade of Hong Kong", where the Viceroy of Guangdong and Guangxi ordered four customs stations to be established in waterways surrounding Hong Kong and Kowloon at Fat Tong Chau, Ma Wan, Cheung Chau and Kowloon Walled City in what was then Chinese territory.

He acted as Puisne Judge of the Supreme Court during Chief Justice John Smale's leave of absence in 1878, and again in 1881 and 1883, taking the opportunity to sentence numerous prisoners to floggings.

[2]: 450 Russell was described as: "one of the most hard working officials that the Hongkong Civil Service has ever possessed, and with his industry were united great natural shrewdness and common sense.

"[5] As a judge his "keen sense of justice, his firmness, and his unfailing courtesy commanded for him universal respect and confidence, and it was seldom that his judgments could be assailed on points of law or equity.