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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 November 05, 2009 1 Comment

No, not really. But neither did the Democrats on Tuesday, notwithstanding Nancy Pelosi's proclamation on Wednesday that "We won": "From my perspective, we won last night. We had one race that we were engaged in -- it was in northern New York. It was a...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on November 04, 2009 4 Comments

The Associated Press is reporting that AARP, which purports to act in the interest of senior citizens, is going to endorse the $1.2 trillion house health care restructuring bill. The announcement could come as early as tomorrow.AARP only nominally is a senior citizen interest group....

Posted by William A. Jacobson on November 04, 2009 8 Comments

I should have seen this coming (@1:15 pm 11-4-09):--------------------------------------------Related Posts:Thanks a Million!Bloggers In Pajamas Unite!Blogger Mood DisorderNo. 32 Top U.S. Political BlogFollow me on Twitter and Facebook...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on November 04, 2009 6 Comments

Last night was a great night for Democrats. At least if the only world you live in is the left-wing blogosphere.Democrats won the 23rd District in upstate NY by 4 points in a race torn apart by a liberal Republican mistake named Dede Scozzafava, who...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on November 04, 2009 1 Comment

Robert Stacy McCain was invaluable in following the NY-23 race. McCain travelled to the district and spent time there both before and on election day.When not evading the state highway police while racing from location to location, stealing Wifi signals for his posts, and pinching...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on November 04, 2009 3 Comments

There are many reasons for Doug Hoffman losing by four points.Yes, Hoffman was unknown just a month ago. Yes, Dede Scozzafava and the Watertown Daily Times scared people that Hoffman would not bring home the federal pork. Yes, union backing helped Bill Owens organizationally. Yes,...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on November 03, 2009 8 Comments

News Flash -- Republican Bob McDonnell has been projected the winner of the Virginia Governor's race. Proving that even a small, unpopular, fringe party which does not appeal to moderates or independents, can win over a large, popular, mainstream party.The secret? More votes. Particularly from moderates and independents:.The...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on November 03, 2009 3 Comments

This screen shot says it all. From Crooks and Liars, the faces of the progressive movement revealed with an irony completely lost on the author of that post: Please keep Grayson in the spotlight, at least throught the 2010 elections. We can't do it without you. -------------------------------------------- Related...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on November 03, 2009 0 Comments

If Republicans had done this, you would hear screams across the mainstream media and left-wing blogosphere loud enough to wake Larry King. Racial disparity: All active ethics probes focus on black lawmakers:The House ethics committee is currently investigating seven African-American lawmakers — more than 15...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on November 03, 2009 5 Comments

Rich Lowry has a good piece on Obama's decision to skip ceremonies and celebrations commemorating the fall of the Berlin Wall:Obama famously made a speech in Berlin during last year's campaign, but at an event devoted to celebrating himself as the apotheosis of world hopefulness....

Posted by William A. Jacobson on November 03, 2009 2 Comments

Regarding Obama administration policy towards Hamid Karzai, the President of Afghanistan, it is reported: Obama administration officials are saying they'll judge Karzai on his appointments ...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on November 02, 2009 0 Comments

Here's what they really think of voters:But I think, in many ways, it might be the same mood that elected Obama. Remember: most ordinary schmucks aren't politics junkies. They're not ideologically consistent. They were hurting a year ago and a vote for Barack Obama was...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on November 01, 2009 5 Comments

This is my obligatory "Dede Scozzafava endorses Bill Owens" post. With a twist.Not sure what this all means two days before the election, except that it is clear that Dede belongs to the John Murtha party of pork-barrel politics.Scozafava's endorsement of Democrat Owens certainly was...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on November 01, 2009 5 Comments

Scaaary Doug Hoffman is driving left-wing bloggers and columnists insane. Hoffman and his supporters now are the object of anti-Palin-like fury and mania from the left. The objective of the attacks is to marginalize and mock Hoffman and his supporters, much as the media tagged...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on November 01, 2009 2 Comments

Another day, another story in a British newspaper about the profound faults in the British National Health Service. This time, the government bureaucracy is silencing whistleblowers:NHS whistleblowers are routinely gagged in order to cover up dangerous and even dishonest practices that could attract bad publicity...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on October 31, 2009 2 Comments

This is the latest in a series on the use of the race card for political gain:The Southern Poverty Law Center once served a vital role in shutting down Klan groups and dangerous white supremacist groups. Morris Dees endured death threats and was a heroic...

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