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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 April 27, 2011 21 Comments

Why did he wait so long, almost three years after Clinton supporters first claimed Obama was born abroad, for Obama to release the original documentation?There certainly were political strategies involved.  But that cannot explain it all.It was Obama's enormous ego.  Challenged, he sought to control the...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on April 27, 2011 58 Comments

So much for our media, which has been telling us -- contrary to the actual law as I explained previously-- that Obama could not obtain original documents of his own birth records.  Succumbing to the realization -- which I also predicted -- that the "Birther"...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on April 27, 2011 8 Comments

Specifically, tell me about Paul Ryan as a presidential candidate, now that there are murmurings that he may jump in.Why not?  Republicans are going to have to defend the Ryan plan, who better to do it than Ryan.  Someone who conveys a seriousness about policy without being...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on April 27, 2011 2 Comments

"The" Turfmann took this photo of a car in the Boston area, which he says has some sort of vulgar anti-Palin wolf bumper sticker on it.  And he added:Oh, I want you to know that in keeping with your pleas to be safe, I had both...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on April 26, 2011 73 Comments

The conventional wisdom is that Donald Trump is doing damage to Republicans by raising the birth certificate issue.  I think it's way too early to tell, but it is just as likely that Trump is doing major damage to Obama.Obama may be winning in some...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on April 26, 2011 14 Comments

It's not just in the Gulf of Mexico.  Or in West Virginia.There is a concerted effort on the part of the Obama administration to choke the growth of domestic supplies of fossil fuels.  Instead, we have a President obsessed with windmills.Now it's Alaska (h/t reader sort of...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on April 26, 2011 16 Comments

That was my initial reaction to this set of bumper stickers spotted by reader Jeff in Longmont, Colorado:--------------------------------------------Related Posts:Bumper Stickers - The SeriesFollow me on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTubeVisit the Legal Insurrection Shop on CafePress!...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on April 25, 2011 9 Comments

Impecable timing and sources, that's what makes Newsweek a powerhouse in the news business:But all jokes aside, this was a bad day for the MSM.  Oh how they wanted Republicans to nominate someone from Mississippi with a heavy southern accent.Sorry, you'll have to find some...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on April 25, 2011 11 Comments

Your Stimulus dollars at work, fulfilling Don Quixote's impossible dream of never being far from a windmill towards which he can tilt.Via Providence Journal (emphasis mine):A Chinese firm will supply three wind turbines that will be installed at the Field's Point Wastewater Treatment Facility on the...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on April 25, 2011 30 Comments

Under pressure from groups opposed to the Defense of Marriage Act, the large Atlanta law firm King & Spalding is seeking to withdraw from representation.  In a transparently phony excuse, the head of the firm blames an improper "vetting" process, when everyone in the world...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on April 25, 2011 2 Comments

A new website established by John Hawkins and Doug Ross, is just what you need to make sure you do not get ANY work done.It describes itself as follows:  "an automated news service that monitors social networks for the most popular conservative news."--------------------------------------------Follow me on...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on April 25, 2011 4 Comments

ScotusBlog is reporting that the U.S. Supreme Court, without any dissents noted, has passed on the application of the State of Virginia for expedited review of the case now on appeal to the 4th Circuit.  The District Court in Virginia had ruled the health care mandate...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on April 25, 2011 25 Comments

As you know, I'm not a fan of Politico's news operation.  Today's feature article, Mission for anti-Palin movement: Expose her, is a prime example of how the MSM will go after Republican candidates or potential candidates.Under the guise of reporting on the anti-Palin movement, Politico...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on April 25, 2011 7 Comments

I wondered last week why the Iranian Defense Ministry was becoming more vocal in its criticism of Siemens for supposedly helping Israel and the West with the Stuxnet virus which has infected Iran's nuclear program.This may be the reason, as detailed by the Jerusalem Post:Iran has been...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on April 25, 2011 3 Comments

Spotted by a reader in Roslyn (Long Island), NY:"Spread my work ethic, not my wealth!"--------------------------------------------Related Posts:Bumper Stickers - The SeriesFollow me on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTubeVisit the Legal Insurrection Shop on CafePress!...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on April 24, 2011 2 Comments

Or is it drivel?Other caption suggestions welcomed.--------------------------------------------Related Posts:Media Matters: Egypt Erupts, So Let's Blame ...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on April 24, 2011 26 Comments

Back in November, Sarah Palin delivered a sharp criticism of Fed monetary policy, as reported by The Wall Street Journal:Sarah Palin, delving into a major policy issue a week after the mid-term elections, took aim Monday at the Federal Reserve and called on Fed chairman...

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