Since the late 19th century, West has been one of the most prominent publishers of legal materials in the United States.

[1]: 1–7 [2]: 115  In 1876, his business had expanded to the point that he took on his older brother, Horatio (1848–1936) as a partner, and in 1882, with a couple of outside investors, the enterprise was incorporated as "West Publishing Company".

In 1995, West retained the services of A.G. Edwards and Goldman Sachs in a search for potential purchasers.

Thomson also consolidated into West a number of other law book companies purchased by either Thomson or West, including Bancroft-Whitney, Banks-Baldwin, Barclay, Callaghan & Company, Clark Boardman, Foundation Press, Gilbert's, Harrison, Lawyers Cooperative Publishing, and Warren, Gorham & Lamont.

As a condition of the purchase, Thomson sold 52 titles (including the Supreme Court Reports, Lawyers' Edition) to LexisNexis.

In 2013, West sold its academic publishing, including Foundation Press, to Eureka Growth Capital.