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West brings nearly three decades of experience in higher education leadership, scholarship, and cross-disciplinary collaboration to his role as provost. A highly respected academic leader and expert in Japanese law, West joined the University of Michigan Law School in 1998, became the Nippon Life Professor of Law in 2003, and served as dean of the law school from 2013 to 2023. Before entering academia, West practiced corporate law in New York and Tokyo. He has served as a consultant to the World Bank and various U.S. and Japanese government offices and held fellowships at the University of Tokyo and Kyoto University, where he taught comparative corporate law (in Japanese).

At WashU, Provost West sets the academic strategy for the university in close collaboration with the chancellor, deans, faculty, and others across campus.