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Labor and employment law attorney remembered
SHERRY KARABIN
Legal News Reporter
Published: March 1, 2018
During his almost 30 years as a labor and employment law attorney, colleagues say Daniel L. Bell became known for his willingness to tackle the most difficult cases, relying on his intelligence and practical approach to bring about favorable resolutions for his clients.
When Bell was diagnosed with a serious illness, they say he never let it get the best of him, facing his disease with courage and strength as he continued to assist clients and spend time with his family.
But on Jan. 28 the Bath Township resident passed away at the age of 54 from ocular melanoma.
“It’s been so hard,” said his wife Mary. “He was a very good husband, father and friend.
“Dan was by far the smartest man I’ve ever me. He loved what he did and was very committed to his clients.
“At the time of his passing, he was in the most fulfilling place of his career, balancing his efforts as associate general counsel at Akron Children’s Hospital while maintaining his own private practice, focusing on labor and employment matters.”
Shawn Lyden, executive vice president at Akron Children’s Hospital described Bell as “absolutely fearless.”
He said whether he was handling a challenging investigation or a difficult lawyer on the other side, he was always up to the task.
“In fact he was involved in two full-day mediations for the hospital less than two weeks before he passed,” said Lyden. “He was one of the funniest people I’ve known and he kept his dry sense of humor even after he became ill.”
Born in North Hollywood, California on Dec. 27, 1963 to parents Daniel and Sandra Bell, he was the younger of their two children and their only son.
When he turned 12, the family moved to Cuyahoga Falls.
After graduating from Cuyahoga Falls High School in 1981, he enrolled at Kent State University. He later transferred to The University of Texas at Austin, where he received a bachelor’s degree in psychology.
Bell then returned to Ohio, obtaining his master’s degree in personnel psychology and his juris doctor from The University of Akron.
It was in the law school library that he met his wife Mary. They got married in 1991 and have two children McKenzie, a 2L at The University of Akron School of Law and Philip, a sophomore and accounting major at Bowling Green State University.
Bell began his career as an associate at Dinsmore & Shohl in Cincinnati, but two years later he moved to Pittsburgh after his wife received an offer at Kirkpatrick & Lockhart (now K&L Gates). In Pittsburgh, he accepted an offer as an associate at Jones Day.
They then returned to Akron and in 1996 Bell joined Brouse McDowell, becoming a partner two years later. His wife served as an in-house attorney at FirstEnergy for a number of years.
“Dan was always very supportive of my career,” said Mary. “When I decided to quit working to care for our children, he was very supportive of that decision as well.”
Christopher Swing, a partner at Brouse McDowell worked with Bell at the firm and had a professional and personal relationship with him for almost 30 years.
“Dan and I first met when we were ‘summer associates’ at Millisor & Nobil in 1989,” said Swing.
“Dan was a special talent and made everything look easy,” said Swing. “When we summered together, we both would go to the law library to do legal research and Dan would complete his in half the time. His intellectual dominance made him fearless in his approach to life.”
Swing said if you had a matter with Bell, “you better fasten your chinstrap and bring your ‘A’ game.”
While Bell loved his work, Swing said Bell’s wife and children were his true sources of love, pride and strength.
He said Bell had a unique and effective way of counseling clients and friends alike.
“He would not give advice per se; instead he would ask a series of questions that would allow you to come to the correct endpoint.
“Dan handled himself with tremendous strength, grace and dignity. When others learned of his illness, some would ask if he wondered ‘why me?’ With humility and positivity, Dan thought aloud, ‘why not me?’
“He had an indomitable spirit and will be missed sorely,” said Swing.
Lyden also worked with Bell at Brouse McDowell. In 2013, he hired Bell as associate general counsel at Akron Children’s Hospital.
“Dan was a very tenacious lawyer, with a unique combination of intellect and practical decision making skills,” said Lyden. “He had done work for the hospital in the past and I was excited when he agreed to come over.
“My only problem was that I wanted him full time and he wanted to continue his private practice, so he was only here three days a week,” said Lyden. “He quickly became our go-to lawyer for everything HR related and anything that appeared to be heading down the path to litigation.”
Lyden said the two were also good friends.
“We played a lot of golf together and took several trips to Vegas,” said Lyden. “I will always think of Dan as more of a friend than a peer or colleague.”
Ninth District Court of Appeals Judge Thomas Teodosio said Bell appeared before him when he was on the Summit County Common Pleas Court bench.
Judge Teodosio said Bell was “an excellent defense attorney.
“He handled significant cases and I was very impressed by how prepared and knowledgeable he was about the issues and the professional way in which he dealt with others.”
A longtime member of the Akron Bar Association and a graduate of Leadership Akron Class XX, Bell served as chair of the board of trustees at Summit County Children Services and was a former president of the Walsh Jesuit Booster Club.
Mary said Bell enjoyed traveling and the family took many vacations together.
“The two of us went to Italy last spring before he started his cancer treatments,” said Mary. “I am so happy that we did because I have so many great memories.”
She said Bell was also an avid golfer, played softball and gathered with their friends to play Euchre monthly.
“He was such a good man and so funny,” she said. “He had a dry wit that made my sister laugh until she cried.”
A celebration of life took place Feb. 2 at Portage Country Club.
Bell is survived by his wife Mary, daughter McKenzie (24) and son Philip (20), mother-in-law Jean Hockwalt; sister-in-law Beth, her husband Erich Leipold and their children Olivia Calhoun, Jacob Calhoun and Thomas Leipold; sister-in-law Dianne, her husband Fred Teceno and their children Delaney, Callahan and Bennett. He’s also survived by his parents Daniel and Sandra Bell and sister Robin (Mike) Wolfe, all of Las Vegas, as well as many friends and family members.
His brother-in-law Michael Calhoun and his father-in-law Phil Hockwalt preceded him in death.