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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.

Signs are popping up all over. From reader Angie: This is not a bumper sticker, but traveling along the coast in southern OREGON, we came upon this rather large sign. The small town seemed to be struggling. Maybe there's hope. Follow up email from Angie: Drove by it again today,...

Eric Holder has been selected as Harvard Law School's Class Day Speaker.  I don't remember if there was a Class Day when I was there, but I would not have attended anyway for reasons already known to readers. Holder will be greeted with posters protesting Holder's...

That seems to be the attitude of Massachusetts Democrats, as reported by The Boston Herald: Bay State Democrats are standing by their woman, saying they’re confident in embattled Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren — now three weeks into a persistent scandal over her claims of Native American...

I have not had as much of a chance to focus on the Texas Senate primary as I would have liked.  My inclination was to back Ted Cruz early on, but I just didn't have the time to do the research.  But I have been following...

Someone's in trouble: Newark N.J. Mayor Cory Booker (D) expressed reserve about the Obama campaign's Bain strategy against Mitt Romney, telling "Meet The Press" viewers on Sunday that he was "uncomfortable" with the line of attacks. "This kind of stuff is nauseating to me on both...

Any excuse for the link. I'm getting an increasing number of bumper stickers from suprised Californians. From reader Georgette, who writes: Even in California! ...

I have few original thoughts on the fake twins who cannot bear the unbearable burden of bearing fairly boring genealogy and upbringing in middle and upper middle class Amerika. I feel your feign, man and woman. So here is your faking fakers and the fakery they fake Reader (you can attribute any...

This one hurts.  I grew up knowing so many of the Bee Gees early songs by heart. The New York Mining Disaster 1941 was one of my favorites, and one of the most underappreciated: Robin Gibb passed away today. He will be missed. From Rolling Stone: Robin Gibb, one-third...

Anne Sorock is on the ground at the NATO protests, and sends these photos, which I'll keep adding as she sends them in. Let's start with the most important component of any protest, the National Lawyers Guild Observer team: Chicago is taking no chances with the protesters...

David Cicilline, the former Mayor of Providence and current Democratic congressman from my home district RI-01, is in deep electoral trouble because he lied about Providence's abysmal finances during the 2010 congressional race.  He has apologized for lying. With Providence on the verge of bankruptcy, Cicilline...

It looks like Obama is going to get the "grand bargain" which has been the point of U.S. policy towards Iran since the Obama administration stood silently as Iranians took to the streets in June 2009. The grand bargain theory assures the Iranian theocracy's continued control over not...

Taken by Bryan in Savannah, GA, and forwarded with the message "Coexist with everyone...

Well said: Aaron Walker, victim: How Brett Kimberlin Tried to Frame Me for a Crime (And How You Can Help!) Robert Stacy McCain does some fine journalism: Domestic Terrorist Now Using ‘Lawfare’? Lonely Conservative call to action: Calling All Conservative Bloggers – The Army of Davids Needs...

But it's no time for joy.  The dithering on Syria has given the same elements who transitted Syria to kill U.S. troops in Iraq a chance to build up their operations in Syria and return the violence on the Syrian government. Suicide blast in Syria hits...

It's pretty unfair to compare Dana Milbank and Jayson Blair by lumping them together with no real connection, isn't it? Almost as bad as this headline and column from Dana Milbank lumping Richard Mourdock and federal prisoner Keith Judd together, Richard Mourdock and Keith Judd vs....