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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 December 02, 2009 4 Comments

Some more thoughts on the Obama Afghanistan speech, the morning after.I understood why Obama wanted to go to West Point to give the speech. It would show that he had the courage to give the speech directly to soldiers whose lives would be on the...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on December 01, 2009 11 Comments

"A camel is a horse designed by a committee." That's the feeling I had listening to Obama's speech tonight about his military designs for Afghanistan.The speech followed pre-speech reports of Obama's plan. There were no substantive surprises, but Obama seemed truly moved by the decision...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on December 01, 2009 10 Comments

Maurice Hinchey is the Congressman whose district includes Ithaca, NY, where I live during the school year. Hinchey is as "out there" as they come.Hinchey led an effort to impeach George W. Bush in the Summer of 2008, when Bush was just a few months...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on December 01, 2009 11 Comments

Charles Johnson of Little Green Footballs says he's parting ways with the right because people who disagree with him are fascist, racist, homophobic, white supremacists. And he names names.In fact, this is just another attention getting ploy to get back at people who have criticized...

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

Let's review the past two days.On Sunday, the Democratic health care restructuring proponents were trumpeting a report by an MIT economist claiming, based on a prior CBO scoring of Harry Reid's bill, that private premiums in the non-group market would drop $200-$500. The White House,...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on November 30, 2009 6 Comments

Hondurans voted yesterday, and it appears that a rival of Manuel Zelaya has won. For those of you who regularly read this blog, you know of the struggle of Honduras not only against Zelaya and his primary backer, Hugo Chavez, but also against the Obama...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on November 30, 2009 1 Comment

Best line of the weekend. Bill Kristol on Fox News Sunday, asked whether the White House party crashers should be prosecuted:Yes, we should put them on trial in New York in a courtroom right next to Khalid Sheikh Mohammed(My transcription from memory, until I can...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on November 30, 2009 7 Comments

Another day, another exposé by a British newspaper about the failure of nationalized health care. This time, it's the left-wing The Guardian reflecting on how delays in cancer care cause 10,000 unnecessary deaths each year compared to other European countries:Up to 10,000 people die needlessly...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on November 29, 2009 4 Comments

The list of potential GOP presidential candidates just narrowed. If reports are accurate, a convict to whom Mike Huckabee granted clemency is sought in the killing of four Seattle policemen.This is Huck's Willie Horton. Sure, there are differences. Horton committed rape while on weekend furlough...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on November 29, 2009 7 Comments

I want to believe Tiger Woods' statement that the rumors about his wife attacking him are false. Refusing to speak with the police, however, is not a good sign.One issue keeps popping back into my mind on this. Tiger's wife reportedly helped extricate him from...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on November 29, 2009 2 Comments

Democrats have a thrill running up their legs because health care economist Jonathan Gruber of MIT has proclaimed that private insurance policies "in the non-group market" will cost $200-$500 less if Harry Reid's plan becomes law.The analysis is rudimentary. Gruber merely takes the CBO scoring...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on November 29, 2009 3 Comments

Can't seem to get motivated to write in great detail about John Kerry's "hey, look, I just issued a report about George W. deliberately letting Osama go in Tora Bora, you know, the same argument I have been making for several years and which failed...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on November 28, 2009 7 Comments

Politico is fast replacing The New York Times as my favorite source of screen shots. Of course, nothing yet approaches the NY Times' Nude Swiss Hikers screen shot, but give the new media time. For now, be satisfied with this ultra-obvious Politico headline: While...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on November 28, 2009 3 Comments

This is the latest in a series on the use of the race card for political gain:Matt Taibbi in explaining the many and varied reasons why he hates Sarah Palin, Sarah Palin, WWE Star:Palin — and there’s just no way to deny this — is...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on November 28, 2009 3 Comments

It's not Obama's fault that two publicity-seeking reality-show wannabees crashed the State Dinner for the Indian Prime Minister, any more than it was Obama's fault that the Nobel Peace Prize committee awarded Obama the undeserved Peace Prize.In the absence of any real achievements by Obama,...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on November 28, 2009 4 Comments

Pulls out of his driveway at 2:25 a.m., driving fast enough to cause serious injury when he hits a fire hydrant and tree near his home. No alchohol involved. Likely verdict:In massive fight with his wife, and drove off like a bat out of hell...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on November 28, 2009 1 Comment

From the London Times, on continuing problems in the British health care system:An immediate investigation to uncover the true extent of death rates across the NHS has been ordered by the Health Secretary after scandals at two hospital trusts. Amid claims that patients are dying...

Posted by William A. Jacobson on November 27, 2009 7 Comments

Do not worry that your electronic medical records, once in the possession of the government, will not be safe. The government has extensive procedures in place to assure that the never, ever, could there be a breach of security.These security procedures have been developed and...

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