A Tribute to Richard O. Kummert

Since 1965, the Washington Law Review has had forty-three Editors-in-Chief, roughly ninety executive editors, more than seven hundred and fifty student members, and one faculty advisor—Professor Richard Kummert. As extraordinary as any period of service extending more than four decades may seem, those who know Professor Kummert consider it business as usual. As one former dean recently stated in describing Professor Kummert, "in the history of the law school, no person has been entrusted with so much responsibility by so many deans." Beyond his perennial service to the law review, Professor Kummert has single-handedly governed the school's all-important admissions program for decades, chaired every major committee in the school, served as an associate dean on four occasions, and been a trusted advisor to many law school deans and countless students and faculty colleagues. But this tribute is not about the quantum of Professor Kummert's service to the law school community (something others are more qualified to discuss), nor his length of service to this law review (forty-three years pretty much says it all).

The focus here is my personal experience with Professor Kummert and how he helped me many years ago. I am certain that any of the other forty-two Editors-in-Chief who had the pleasure of working with Professor Kummert, if given an opportunity to reflect and comment, could share comparable experiences that illustrate the quality of his efforts and the impacts of his contributions.