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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.

This is the latest in a series on the use of the race card for political gain:This post is about Barack Obama's meeting with a group of black journalists and bloggers this week at the White House.  As reported at Real Clear Politics, Obama caused some...

Meet Maurice Hinchey (D-NY22), subject of prior posts here, who attempted to evade questions from a local reporter about Hinchey's interest in a property for which Hinchey secured federal development money.  Hinchey repeatedly said "what are you talking about" when he knew full well what...

You may have noticed that things were a bit slow here this week.I've been attending a securities law conference all week, so it's been hard to keep up with everything.  One of the downsides of being a purely solo blogger.By Monday things will be back...

What timing.  Earlier today a reader sent me this photo, which she took in Athens, TN, for my bumper sticker collection:And moments ago, new deficit numbers were released by the federal government, showing that the annual deficit was $1.294 trillion, the second highest in history...

Mahmood Ahmadinejad completed his trip to Lebanon.  While almost everyone had anticipated he would be more provocative than usual, Ahmadinejad was merely as provocative as usual.  Ahmadinejad attended a rally about three miles from the Israeli border, but did not approach the border fence as...

Via David Corn of The Nation regarding the Reid-Angle debate:--------------------------------------------Related Post:Jon Ralston Finally Comes Out for Harry Reid Follow me on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube ...

NPR is warning its staff not to attend Jon Stewart's "Restore Sanity" rally.  NPR explains why it issued this warning but didn't have to issue a warning for staff not to attend the Glenn Beck Restoring Honor rally (emphasis mine):We've received enormous attention from media...

Because any debate moderated by the MSM is going to be a game of gotcha directed at the Republican candidate.  I just can't stand to watch these things anymore.And so it appears I was right.  Jim Geraghty, who was no Christine O'Donnell fan during the...

Well, at least we now know for sure where Nevada's top political reporter, who wanted also to be a debate moderator, stands on the Harry Reid-Sharron Angle race.  Not that you would have had any doubt if you had been reading this blog.Jon Ralston says Sharron...

Barack H. Obama, September 2010, as reported by The New York Times (h/t HotAir) on October 12, 2010 (emphasis mine):During our hour together, Obama told me he had no regrets about the broad direction of his presidency. But he did identify what he called “tactical lessons.” He...

This is one of those days when, with so much happening, it's hard to be sitting through a law conference.So tell me ...

Bill Clinton was on the stump earlier this week for Maurice Hinchey. Clinton, as part of his remarks, asserted that half of Republicans need psychiatric help:I guess that Clinton didn't see the irony of those words rolling off his tongue in the presence of Hinchey.It...

A message so BIG it couldn't fit on a bumper.Spotted in Ithaca, not far from my house:--------------------------------------------Related Posts:Bumper Stickers - The SeriesFollow me on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube...

The organizers of the failed Gaza flotilla last June are at it again, planning a flotilla to Gaza next January.  At least this time they are honest that it has nothing to do with humanitarian efforts.As reported by The Associated Press:Pro-Palestinian groups plan to sail a flotilla of...

As of now, Iranian President Mahmood Ahmadinejad is scheduled to arrive in Lebanon on October 13, and to conduct a joint appearance with Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on October 14.The situation is very tense and provocative.Ahmadinejad will go to South Lebanon as far south...

Should the name of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations be changed to State of Rhode Island?Background here, Is Rhode Island's Name Racist?AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE (CHANGING THE OFFICIAL NAME OF THE STATE)(Section 1 of Article XIV of the Constitution)Approval...

Obama in San Francisco, April 2008, regarding people in small towns who are frustrated that things aren't going their way::And it's not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to ...