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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.

Jim DeMint (R-SC) famously said that health care would be Barack Obama's Waterloo.But Waterloo probably wasn't the best analogy, in hindsight.Waterloo was a short but decisive battle. The health care fight has turned out to be more like the battle of Stalingrad.The battle of...

This is the latest in a series on the use of the race card for political gain:Craig Crawford announced on his blog that he is leaving MSNBC because he is sick and tired of being a "cartoon player for lefty games" demanded of him by...

There is no more pernicious aspect of the pending health care bills (Senate, House and Obama "proposal") than the mandate.The mandate is the provision which requires that individuals purchase private insurance.From that mandate flows a host of governmental controls over our lives, from specification of...

The Southern Poverty Law Center issued a misleading and politicized report on hate groups for the purpose of smearing those who oppose Democratic Party plans to expand government.This has become an all too common SPLC tactic, and is a disgrace because there was a time...

Obama is willing to be honest with his "progressive" base behind closed doors. The Senate health care bill plus some reconciliation fixes is just the start.The goal always has been a single payer system, and it remains so.As soon as the Senate bill becomes...

Despite their worst intentions, the people who try to tie every act of violence to the Tea Party movement are going to have trouble spinning the Pentagon shooting by J. Patrick Bedell.It has become pretty clear pretty quickly that Bedell sufferred from Bush Derangement Syndrome,...

The Baltic Sea in northern Europe is suffering its worst ice in over 15 years, trapping over 1000 people aboard two passenger ships and other vessels:--------------------------------------------Related Posts:Does This Mean My House Never Will Be Waterfront?Thanks, Global WarmingGlobal Warming Hysteria Bursting Like Other BubblesFollow me on...

Yesterday, I posted my prediction that once the House passed the Senate bill, Obama would sign the Senate bill even if reconciliation changes promised to the House did not pass the Senate.Today, Judd Gregg (R-NH) is echoing that sentiment:The White House may renege on passing...

A deranged professor killed several fellow professors. The media and nutroots tried to blame the Tea Party movement even though there was no connection.A census worker was killed under mysterious circumstances. The media and nutroots tried to blame the Tea Party movement even though there...

Probably the single biggest obstacle to Obamacare is House Democrats who do not like the Senate health care bill, but whose votes are needed to move the budget reconciliation process along.The strategy appears to be for the House to pass the Senate bill as is,...

The Southern Poverty Law Center has issued its latest screaming report: “Patriot” Groups, Militias Surge in Number in Past Year.Unfortunately, the hype surrounding the SPLC report is just another indication that SPLC has lost its way and has become a primary source to smear anyone...

If she had stuck to her original plan, I might have joined.-------------------------------------------- Related Post:Coffee Party Parasites Follow me on Twitter and Facebook ...

The New York Times and Washington Post are promoting a group called the "Coffee Party" organized by filmmaker Annabel Park.The Coffee Party is a political parasite which presents itself as something it is not. As reported in the NY Times [see update below], Park presents...

Yesterday it was reported that Nancy Pelosi signalled that the proposal to be unveiled tomorrow by Barack Obama would be "much smaller." That made news, because it suggested that Obama may be rolling out a "much smaller" plan than either the House or Senate bills,...

The Democrats have the votes to use budget reconciliation not only to pass Obama's health care proposal as outlined just prior to the health care summit, but also possibly to add in a public option - or so the messengers would have you believe.There is...

....(Psst... Don't anyone tell Frank Rich, it will upset his psychosis).--------------------------------------------Related Posts:Proposed TPM and LGF HeadlinesDems' Strategy of CrazyA Warning For The Next Scott BrownGhouls Preparing To Dance on Sparkman's GraveSo, Mr. Krugman, Who Incited This Violence?Follow me on Twitter and Facebook...

Britain's health care system in many ways is our canary in the coal mine warning us about the dangers of Obamacare.What can and does go wrong in Britain is widely documented almost daily in the British press. From these reports, we learn the danger of...

Forget everything I have told you about why I started this blog.And stop sending me e-mails asking "what is a clinical law professor?"My secret is out.[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1h8I91XOdw](h/t TaxProf)--------------------------------------------Related Posts:This Is Why I Named This Blog "Legal Insurrection"Thanks a Million!Follow me on Twitter and Facebook...