Rate My Professor Ron West

Ron West is Professor of Law and Taxation in the Department of Accounting, Taxation, and Law within Fairleigh Dickinson University's Silberman College of Business at the Teaneck-Hackensack Campus. He earned a BS from Brooklyn College, The City University of New York, a JD from Vanderbilt University Law School, where he served as an editor on the Vanderbilt Law Review, and an LL.M. in Taxation from New York University School of Law. West holds professional certifications as CPA/PFS and CFP®. He is a member of the New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut bars on inactive status and is admitted to practice before the U.S. Tax Court and the U.S. Supreme Court. Before joining FDU as a full-time faculty member in 1997, West practiced at the Wall Street law firm LeBoeuf, Lamb, et al., and at American Express Tax Services, formerly Goldstein, Golub, et al., now known as McGladrey. His professional experience in law and accounting informs his teaching and program direction.

At FDU, West serves as Director of the CFP® Board Registered Program and the MS in Taxation program, and he was Department Chair from 2013 to 2024. His academic interests center on current developments, changes, and updates in the field of taxation. West has published numerous tax articles in leading journals, including the CPA Journal, The Journal of Accountancy, The Tax Adviser, Practical Tax Strategies, Taxation for Accountants, Tax Strategies, and The Tax Magazine. He received the Teacher of the Year Award from the Silberman College of Business in 2000 and the NJCPA Exceptional Educator Ovation Award in 2021. Honored for 25 years of service at FDU, West also directs the CFP® Certification Financial Planning Education Program, which prepares students for the CFP® exam through comprehensive coverage of financial planning topics. As Professor of Taxation and Financial Planning, he integrates real-world expertise into courses on taxation, law, and financial planning, contributing significantly to the training of future CPAs and financial planners.