Abbott enrolled as a student at
Gray's Inn, was called to the Bar in 1921, and went on the South Eastern Circuit for nine years. In 1930, he was appointed as a resident magistrate and Crown counsel in the
Colony and Protectorate of Kenya. In 1932, he went to
Cyprus as President of a District Court, and in 1938 was transferred to
Sierra Leone as Solicitor-General. He acted as Chief Justice of
Aden in 1940–41; was appointed
Puisne Judge,
Nigeria, 1944–1950; and acted as Chief Justice of the
Federation of Malaya in 1951. == Personal life and death ==