During a distinguished career as a scholar, he wrote six books and edited twenty-two, including the award-winning The Oxford Companion to the Supreme Court (second ed., rev.
He served on numerous editorial boards and edited several book series, including Bicentennial Essays on the Bill of Rights published by Oxford University Press.
After the board completed its work, Hall received in 1999 the James Madison Award from the American Library Association for his commitment to openness in government.
A frequent lecturer in both the U.S. and abroad, he provided expert commentary to the national media about the history of the U.S. Constitution and the Supreme Court.
Hall died of a heart attack on August 13, 2006, while swimming on vacation on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.