Julie West
Tax Practice Group Leader
BPM Board of Directors
Life Science Co-leader
Julie West heads BPM’s Tax Practice and co-leads the Life Science Industry Group. She has served on BPM’s Board of Directors for over six years, setting the firm’s vision and strategy. In 2012, she was named one of the San Francisco Business Times’ Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business and was recognized as one of Silicon Valley Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 business professionals in 2020.
Julie has over 20 years of experience working with biotech, pharmaceutical, medical device, software, social media, communications and manufacturing companies. She began her career at a Big Four firm and understands the complex business needs of pre-revenue startups to consolidated publicly traded companies.
She has dealt extensively with tax provisions (ASC 740), analysis for uncertain tax positions and Section 382 studies to determine limitations on tax attributes and sales tax exposure. She has advised companies involved in a wide arena of transactions, including mergers, asset and stock acquisitions, tax-free reorganizations and foreign expansion. She consults and reviews various tax returns with multi-state and international filings and helps guide her clients through financings and IPOs. Julie is passionate about building and mentoring her team of outstanding professionals.
Julie West holds an active CPA license in California.
Quick facts
- Awards
- Most Influential Women – San Francisco Business Times (2012)
- Forty Under 40 – Silicon Valley Business Journal (2020)
- Women of Influence – Silicon Valley Business Journal (2023)
- Certifications
Certified Public Accountant
- Community
- Member – American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
- Member – California Society of Certified Public Accountants (CalCPA)
- Education
BS/Business Administration, summa cum laude – California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
- Experience
- Assisted a privately-held pharmaceutical company which was determined to be a variable interest entity and was required to be consolidated into its public company collaboration partner. Prepared quarterly and annual tax provision disclosures to comply with the public company’s accelerated filing timeline.
- Secured over $150,000 of refundable credit in New York for a manufacturing client, improving cash flow.
- Represented corporations in IRS audit of California FTB Development.
- Implemented sales tax study to assist medical device company’s initial launch of device over a tight timeline.
- Assisted private equity and venture capital funds to increase their ownership of portfolio companies without triggering ownership changes under IRC Section 382.
- News
What Life Sciences Startups Can Do About Market Swings – Life Science Leader/website (2023)