Prior to joining the faculty of the University of Mississippi School of Law, Richard Gershon served as the founding dean of the Charleston School of Law. The Charleston School of Law awarded him the LL.D. (Doctor of Laws honoris causa) for his service to that institution.

He served as dean of Texas Wesleyan University School of Law in Fort Worth Texas, where he was awarded the Alumni Leadership Award in 2001 and 2003 (the award has been renamed the I. Richard Gershon Leadership Award). Dean Gershon was also on the faculty at Stetson University School of Law from 1984-1998. He was the Academic Associate Dean at Stetson from 1988-1992.

He is a graduate of the University of Georgia BA 1979), the University of Tennessee (JD 1982), and the University of Florida (LLM Taxation 1983). He is the author of several books and articles on taxation and legal education. He is a member of the Florida and Georgia Bars.

Dean Gershon serves on the Mississippi Access to Justice Commission, The Mississippi Bar Professionalism Committee, and the Boys and Girls Clubs Advisory Board.