 In 1857 he partnered with Edwin E. Bogardus, who had an established and varied law practice, to form the firm of Bogardus and Brown.That firm prospered until its dissolution in May 1864, when Brown formed Stanley, Langdell & Brown with longtime friends.He remained in that partnership (later named Stanley, Brown & Clarke when Langdell left to become dean of Harvard Law School) until his judicial appointment in 1881.