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Author: William A. Jacobson

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William A. Jacobson

William A. Jacobson is a Clinical Professor of Law and Director of the Securities Law Clinic at Cornell Law School.

He is a 1981 graduate of Hamilton College and a 1984 graduate of Harvard Law School. At Harvard he was Senior Editor of the Harvard International Law Journal and Director of Litigation for the Harvard Prison Legal Assistance Project.

Prior to joining the Cornell law faculty in 2007, Professor Jacobson had a highly successful civil litigation and arbitration practice in Providence, Rhode Island, concentrating in investment, employment, and business disputes in the securities industry, including many high profile cases reported in leading newspapers and magazines.

Professor Jacobson has argued cases in numerous federal and state courts, including the Courts of Appeal for the First, Fifth and Sixth Circuits, and the Rhode Island Supreme Court.

Professor Jacobson has a national reputation as a leading practitioner in securities arbitration. He was Treasurer, and is a former member of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors of the Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association, a professional organization of attorneys dedicated to protecting public investors. He frequently is quoted in national media on issues related to investment fraud and investor protection, and in the past has served as one of a small number of private practice attorneys who trained new arbitrators for the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

Professor Jacobson is co-author of the Securities Arbitration Desk Reference (Thomson-Reuters), updated annually.

Professor Jacobson is frequently quoted in the media on political and legal topics, has authored many Op-Eds in major publications, and appears on television and radio to discuss politics and the law.

A more complete listing of Professor Jacobson's professional background is available at the Cornell Law School website. The views expressed here are his own and not those of any employer or organization,

The best way to reach Prof. Jacobson is by e-mail here.

The reaction of the left to the Wisconsin loss reminds me of the old joke about the businessman who loses money on every sale, but makes it up on volume. Via Newsbusters (h/t Tim Blair): ...

I attended the Breitbart Awards dinner in Providence last night.  It was part of the Future of Journalism Summit sponsored by The Heritage Foundation and The Franklin Center. Jim Hoft has the details on the winners.  There were about 100 people in attendance. Via Jim's blog, here's Anne...

A lot of readers seem to be on road trips these days.  From reader Sandy: Prof, am on a road trip this weekend, from Virginia to Indiana and then return via Hillsdale, where older daughter begins junior year in August. Along the way we are seeing some...

Angela Corey is the special prosecutor in the George Zimmerman case. Yesterday, Alan Dershowitz alleged that Corey threatened to sue for libel based on Dershowitz's criticisms of Corey's handling of the Zimmerman case, particularly the decision to charge 2nd Degree murder and the alleged failure to...

Anne Sorock attended the Netroots Nation convention yesterday morning, and asked a thoroughly legitimate question of the members of a panel on Native American identity: "I thought it was really interesting in particular that you wondered to yourself, 'what is a real Indian,' and you also...

Yesterday I posted about how Alan Dershowitz alleged that Zimmerman prosecutor Angela Corey called up Harvard Law School complaining about Dershowitz and treatening to sue for libel based on Dershowitz's criticisms of her handling of the case. The whole incident seemed strange, and reflected conduct that should...

From reader Don in Texas, the rear window of his Chevy truck: While I realize most of the photos you post are political, this one's simply a reminder that there's a lot of folks still out there with sons and daughters in still in harm's way. My...

Via ZeroHedge, The CBO Will Need A Bigger Chart To Forecast Exponentially-Rising US Debt: when it comes to the most recent forecast of US public debt as released hours ago, the CBO has officially run out of charting space. As can be seen on the graphc...

Remember when the Madison protesters compared their plight to the protesters in Tahrir Square? They wanted to walk like Egyptians Think Progress was giddy at the comparison: According to pro-labor protesters in Wisconsin, Gov. Scott Walker (R) may be taking a page from former Egyptian Dictator Hosni Mubarak...

Via Facebook (h/t iambasic in Tip Line): Now, sympathizers of convicted domestic terrorist Brett Kimberlin are harassing me, tearing me apart—and coming after my family. In the past two weeks, hackers have tried accessing my email accounts, they’ve placed a fake SWAT call on a colleague, and just...

Reader and frequent photographer Bill is back in Florida, and spotted this Beemer in St. Petersburg: We're not all enlightened down here in Florida. Some people will obviously vote against their own self interest, a meme that those on the left often accuse folks from fly...

Now that the recall is over, we'll be taking many strolls down memory lane.  I think I know where to start. Of all the images, one stands out as a perfect metaphor for the entire protest/recall effort. Remember this genius who locked her head to a metal railing with...

are made of this. ...

It's a pattern laid out by Meghan McArdle in July 2010, Considering Elizabeth Warren, the Scholar. Read the whole thing, but here's an excerpt: But while I found the thesis compelling, there were some problems with the book.  The first is that Warren simply fails to grapple with...

Worst Prediction Erik D. Kain channeling David Frum in Forbes Magazine, March 10, 2011, Is Wisconsin the Real Republican Waterloo? (italics in original): After the Affordable Care Act was passed in 2010, conservative writer David Frum called the passage of the bill the GOP’s “Waterloo” in reference to Napoleon...

What a night last night was.  It was as good as if not better than when Scott Brown won in January 2010. Almost 20,000 people viewed the live feed during the 4 hours it was live. I hope everyone enjoyed the fireworks display and music. We...