He entered Trinity College, University of Melbourne, graduating BA with first class honours in Greek, Latin and comparative philology in 1894.
He then became associate to Justice Bundey in Adelaide, then entered a partnership with Percy Emerson Johnstone (c. 1875–1951) from around 1910 to 1919.
Poole took silk in 1919 and was appointed fourth judge of the Supreme Court of South Australia on 25 September that same year.
Poole acted as Administrator (or Lieutenant Governor) of South Australia from 9 April 1925 to the end of November while the Governor, Sir Tom Bridges and the Chief Justice Sir George Murray were absent from the State.
[6] In 1903 the judge married Dora Frances Williams (1874 – 13 November 1950), a daughter of Rev.