A Larry Ribstein Story

(David Bernstein)

I was out of the country and computer-less when my former colleague Larry Ribstein died in late December, so I didn't have the chance to add to the many fine tributes to Larry that various bloggers contributed.

But I did want to add one thought. When I think of Larry, I think of how everyone respected his judgment. This primarily manifested itself in law school appointments matters but went well beyond that.

To take an extreme example, I remember that in 1998 or so, well before the Virginia Square area where George Mason is located experienced its current development boom, I expressed an interest in a Latin American restaurant across the street from the law school. I pointed out to some senior colleagues that it was the closest restaurant to the law school, but no one on the faculty ever seemed to go there. "Oh, that place?", a colleague replied. "Larry went there about ten years ago, and said it wasn't good, so no one has gone there since."