 In 1924 he became a member of the Privy Council of Northern Ireland and in 1926 a bencher at the Inn of Court of Northern Ireland.He sat on the senate of the Queen's University of Belfast and on many of its committees from 1924 and he was a pro-chancellor from 1929.In 1937 he succeeded Sir William Moore, 1st Baronet as Lord Chief Justice, an office which he held until his death.