Dean W. Edward Sell–Our Dedicated Law Review Advisor and Unwavering Support (original) (raw)

2004, University of Pittsburgh Law Review

Towards the end of my second year of law school, as I began to learn the ropes of my new position as Editor-in-Chief, I had several opportunities to sit down and talk with Dean Sell about the upcoming year. Although I never was a student of his in the classroom, I looked forward to working with the Law Review's most senior faculty advisor. We discussed all sorts of ideas, large and small, for how to improve the Law Review. I looked on as he learned how to use a digital camera. I got to hear a few of his legendary stories. I began to get a feel for how we would work together. It felt particularly good when he leaned over and whispered to me, "I have a feeling we're going to get along very well." Like many second-year law students, I began work as a summer associate shortly after final exams, and did not have the opportunity to see Dean Sell during the summer months. While I frequently found myself at the law school in the evenings, Dean Sell had long since left the building. A week before classes were to begin, I came in to the school to get things ready for the coming year, eagerly looking forward to meeting up with Dean Sell to continue our interrupted conversations from the spring. Shortly after I arrived that Monday morning, however, word arrived that Dean Sell had passed away over the weekend.