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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.

Posted by William A. Jacobson on September 08, 2011 14 Comments

I thought Romney did well last night, as did Perry (although expectations were higher for Perry).  Newt was the star. But, Romney's post-debate performance by his messaging team was horrid, playing the "kill social security card" on Perry.  We can quibble about whether the social security...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on September 08, 2011 49 Comments

On The O'Reilly Factor (with Laura Ingraham sitting in) the other night, Ann Coulter claimed the status of the only brave conservative on TV willing to criticize Sarah Palin (full transcript at the link, video here): And it doesn't really matter, I might add, that, oh, it's...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on September 08, 2011 5 Comments

Such as a "no fly zone" over all of northern Africa, spreading across the globe, because while we broke Muammar Gaddafi's army, we didn't fix the problem of tens of thousands of mobile surface-to-air missiles. As reported by the Christian Science Monitor: At newly discovered weapons-storage sites,...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on September 08, 2011 6 Comments

They tried, that's for sure: On Sunday, September 14 [2008] at 2:00 p.m. in Detroit's riverside Hart Plaza, more than a thousand individuals of every faith are expected to join together for "I Lift Detroit in prayer." This interfaith ceremony is open to the public and...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on September 07, 2011 24 Comments

Not going to be "live blogging" it, but will make some observations. Your comments are welcome. Update 8:40 p.m. - at the first break, I can't say there are any clear winners or losers.  Romney is doing well, dealing with his "issues" without any real problem.   Perry...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on September 07, 2011 20 Comments

Love this move: Republicans have decided they're not going to give a  rebuttal to President Obama's jobs speech later this week, a decision House  Democratic Leader Nancy  Pelosi took as a high affront to the White  House. At least three GOP lawmakers also have announced  they're not going...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on September 07, 2011 146 Comments

I guess that makes me a Scientologist, because I've posted repeatedly that Palin holds a special position because there is no one -- not even George W. Bush -- who has been the subject of the Democratic, mainstream media and left-blogosphere smear machine to the extent Palin has. So...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on September 07, 2011 12 Comments

You want to see me spike the football so hard the earth will shake harder than in the D.C. Earthquake? You have not seen anything like what will take place here if Janis Kelly, Republican and unabashed Tea Party supporter, is elected Mayor of Ithaca.  You...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on September 07, 2011 16 Comments

for bumper stickers in a foreign language, or in Spanish.  But I get the gist of this one just by trying to pronounce it. Thanks to reader John in Texas who writes: Recent reports have President Obama's popularity slipping in the Hispanic community. If this bumper sticker...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on September 06, 2011 7 Comments

There's an interesting race shaping up in heavily Democratic NY9 to fill the seat vacated by Anthony Weiner (whose Twitter account was proven by the left-blogosphere to have been hacked by Andrew Breitbart, until it turned out it wasn't). Republican Bob Turner is facing off against Democrat...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on September 06, 2011 25 Comments

Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson appears to have lost not only the confidence of some Justices on the Court, but the ability to lead the Court. The latest incident, in which (liberal) Justice Ann Walsh Bradley charged with fist raised at (conservative) Justice David Prosser,...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on September 06, 2011 5 Comments

You know all about Rhode Island's pension and other fiscal problems stemming from an out-of-control public sector which made promises which could be kept only under the most rosy of scenarios, in a state almost completely controlled by unions: Is Rhode Island Our Future Under Obama? High...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on September 06, 2011 7 Comments

Michele Bachmann is doubling down on Ed Rollins, even though health concerns (allegedly) are the reason he will not run her campaign on a day-to-day basis: Sources close to Rep. Michele Bachmann tell National Review Online that the Minnesota Republican has known for days that Ed...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on September 06, 2011 22 Comments

This vehicle looks like a preview of the one liners in Obama's upcoming speech to a Joint Session of Congress. Thanks to commenter Stark who writes: I figured you'd get a kick out this one. This is one of the finer examples of what not to do to...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on September 05, 2011 42 Comments

Obama seems to think that just what this country needs is a big fight over which party is more patriotic. At least that's the fight Obama is picking in his speech today in Detroit and reportedly in his upcoming speech to Congress and budget battle: “We’re going to see if...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on September 05, 2011 15 Comments

From Senator Jim DeMint, some obvious points about Obama's complete lack of understanding of the job market (emphasis mine): "I spent most of m life in business,' DeMint told Glor, "and I'm hearing what the president is talking about, which are temporary incentives like giving a company...

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