In 1874 he was appointed to the bench, becoming Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer. In 1898 the Exchequer division was merged in the Queen's Bench Division of the High Court of Justice in Ireland. From that time the Chief Baron sat as one of the judges of the Queen's Bench division, and also as a judge of appeal. As a result of that merger, he was known as "last of the Chief Barons". During his 40 years on the Bench he gained a reputation for eminence which has never been equalled by any other Irish judge.