Northampton Law School, sometimes called theHowe and Mills Law School, was a school for legal education and was located inNorthampton, Massachusetts. Though open for only a few years in the 1820s, it produced several prominent alumni, including PresidentFranklin Pierce.
In 1823 Judge Samuel Howe (1785–1828) opened alaw school in Northampton which was modeled on hisalma mater, theLitchfield Law School. Howe operated the school from his law offices with the assistance of his partnerElijah H. Mills. In addition, Howe also enlisted the aid of locallawyer John H. Ashmun (the son ofUnited States SenatorEli Porter Ashmun and brother ofCongressmanGeorge Ashmun).[1]
The school continued with Howe in the lead role until his death in 1828. When Mills decided to curtail his participation, Ashmun took on leadership of the school.[2]
In 1829 Ashmun was appointed to a professorship atHarvard Law School. As a result, he closed the Northampton Law School, with many of his students following him to Harvard.[3]
Among the prominent individuals who attended Northampton Law School during its short existence were: