Eminent tax scholar and professor Paul McDaniel dies at age 74

Photo of Paul McDanielPaul McDaniel, a former member of the NYU Law faculty and a distinguished tax scholar and professor, died July 16 at age 74, following a long illness. The author of six casebooks and numerous law review articles, McDaniel was also a respected tax practitioner and government tax official during his nearly 50 year career. In his note to the NYU Law community, Dean Richard Revesz called McDaniel "a giant in the tax community...an exceptionally generous colleague, teacher and friend."

McDaniel arrived at NYU Law in 1993 and became the driving force behind the launch of the school’s LL.M. in International Taxation, subsequently serving as its first faculty director. As a result of his vision, the International Tax Program has thrived, graduating fourteen classes of students. McDaniel also served as faculty director of NYU Law's Graduate Tax Program, making major, long-lasting contributions.

After nine years at NYU, he returned to Boston College Law School, where he had taught previously. Two years later, he moved to the the University of Florida's Levin College of Law, where he became the James J. Freeland Eminent Scholar in Taxation and a professor of law. In 1995, he was awarded an honorary doctor of laws from the University of Uppsala in Sweden.

Earlier this year, Paul Caron, a tax professor at the University of Cincinnati College of Law and editor of the TaxProf Blog, honored McDaniel and his contribution to the tax world by collecting tributes and remembrances from McDaniel's friends, colleagues, and former students, including Noël Cunningham (LL.M. '75), Harvey Dale, Deborah Schenk (LL.M. '76), Leo Schmolka (LL.M. '70), and Daniel Shaviro.

The lasting impact he made on those around him is clear. Dale, University Professor of Philanthropy and the Law, wrote in February: “Paul and I became friends in 1958 when we entered law school together. Our friendship deepened when Paul joined the NYU Tax Faculty and we were then able to work together, play together, discuss together, and even argue together on a regular basis. Paul was one of the smartest, nicest, kindest people I have ever met. My life is much richer for having known him; I have learned an enormous amount from him."

Posted July 20, 2010