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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.

A colossal mistake, of historic proportions, the Great Error, the greatest political error since The Great Depression, the MAILER-DAEMON of presidents. Spotted in my hometown in Rhode Island: ...

The second ad released by Scott Walker in response to the recall effort features a Wisconsin teacher.  Anti-Walker commenters at TPMDC identify her full name.  The first ad is here. I think this hits the right theme, sour grapes and Walker doing what's right.  I would...

... Who's getting really excited about the 2012 Summer Olympics in London?...

Some breaking news items: How's that protection of civilians in Libya working out? Not so great. Trump still threatening third party.  h/t Windbag at the Tipline Some interesting pro-Israel videos.  h/t Beloved2 at the Tipline I will have a full-throttled defense of Mitt Romney against this accusation on Saturday...

Yesterday I noted the accusation by an anti-Israeli LGBT activist writing in The New York Times that Israel engages in "pinkwashing," the promotion of its not-gay bashing, not-gay stoning, not-gay hating policies to cover up its suppression of Palestinians. How long before Israel is accused of...

Newt Gingrich's statement on immigration at the national security debate is being called an unforced error by some in the conservative media.  Immigration was not the topic of the night, so why make it the highlight of the night? I don't know whether Newt's position, that...

and all the others who have served this country. From reader and frequent photographer Linda: To you and yours, Professor God bless you for your work in the cause of liberty for all. May we all have cause to be especially thankful come Thanksgiving 2012! This bumper sticker spotted at...

Happy Thanksgiving Eve.  Here are some things I've noticed but have not been able to do separate posts about: ABA Gives “Not Qualified” Rating to 14 of 185 Proposed Obama Judicial Nominees.  This reminds me of the futile attempt to stop the nomination of a federal...

Every time one thinks it is impossible for Israel haters to come out with a more bizarre justification for hating Israel, someone comes up with an even more bizarre justification. Today's exhibit is City University of New York Professor Sara Schulman, who is feverishly anti-Israeli to...

One of the key supposed foreign policy achievements of the Obama administration is turning into a disaster. Egypt is quickly devolving into chaos with only bad likely outcomes, as Barry Rubin writes: Only days before parliamentary elections, Egypt is in a huge crisis whose outcome will determine the...

Last night Newt Gingrich addressed the issue of whether to deport people who are in the country illegally but have deep roots in the community over long periods of time.  The issue of deportation is quite distinct from a so-called "pathway to citizenship." The Romney campaign...

Windmills are a centerpiece of Obama's energy plans for the nation. We've already documented how wind power subsidies take from the windless to give to the winded, and some problems when the wind blows too much. Here's another, from Britain, regarding noise pollution: Wind turbines are being turned off...

to see readers wait for a red light to take a bumper sticker photo. Thanks to reader Ira who writes: Love the blog, and look forward to all the bumper stickers. Attached is one I observed in Naples, FLA almost two weeks ago, while on a trip to...

Wolf Blitzer started the night by confirming that Wolf really was his first name. In the introductory statements, Mitt Romney confirmed that Mitt was his first name. Except that it's not, it's Willard. Which leads to the Tweet of the Night from @AshleyRParker:  ...

Tonight is coverage of the national security debate hosted by CNN. To comment in the live feed please register in the CoverIt-Live box using OpenID (Google, Facebook, Twitter, etc.). Your Legal Insurrection registration will not work. If you comment anonymously, your comment will be held in...

As rendered by artist J.S. Leibowitz: ...

As this goes to post, Wolf Blitzer is preparing carefully and cautiously for the Republican foreign policy / national security debate he will be moderating tonight on CNN. The questions were written long ago, but they are being checked and rechecked again.  No chances can be...