Selby begin his legal career in private practice in Columbus, Ohio, where he specialized in personal injury and medical malpractice defense for ten years.
In 1957, Selby became a member of the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law faculty, serving as a professor, assistant dean and director of legal clinics.
The West Virginia University College of Law honored him with the Justicia Officium Award in 1996.
Selby earned his bachelor's degree cum laude from Ohio State University in 1944.
He then received his Juris Doctor degree cum laude from Ohio State University's Moritz College of Law in 1947, where he was president of the Student Bar Association, business manager of the Ohio State Law Journal, a member of Phi Delta Phi and graduated Order of the Coif.