Image 01 Image 03

Author: William A. Jacobson

Profile photo

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.

At least Andrew Sullivan is honest that the main purpose of a civilian trial for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is not obtaining a conviction of KSM. A conviction could be obtained more efficiently and just as fairly in a military tribunal.As I posted earlier, the purpose...

See Update below-------------------------------------------Politico is one of the class acts in internet news to which I link frequently, and Ben Smith is a justifiably respected commentator at Politico.Which is why it pains me to have to point out that yesterday Smith unfairly smeared Robert Stacy McCain...

There is almost unanimous applause in the left-wing blogosphere and mainstream media editorial boards for Obama's decision to put Khalid Sheikh Mohammed on trial in a civilian court. The decision is being hailed as a courageous act to restore the rule of law. In fact,...

As we are led to believe that negotiations are underway to convince Iran to give up its uranium enrichment program, comes this disclosure by The Times of London that the International Atomic Energy Agency has been double-dealing:United Nations and Iranian officials have been secretly negotiating...

Andrew Sullivan is "Live Blogging" Oprah's interview of Sarah Palin (screen shot below). Probably waiting for the question as to who is Trig's real mother. Do we really need to "fact check this notion that losing vice-presidential candidates get to speak on election night"? That...

"The fierce urgency of now." One of Barack Obama's favorite lines. But used only when convenient.As in, "we need to pass the stimulus bill immediately, or there will be a financial disaster. Forget reading the bill, just pass it so I can sign it immediately...

The Bow controversy will not stop. Jake Tapper at his blog has some comments by an expert on Japanese cultural norms arguing that Obama's close inspection of the Emperor's shoes was neither protocol nor culturally appropriate: "The bow as he performed did not just display weakness...

Anyone who questions the wisdom of bringing non-civilian Khalid Sheikh Mohammed to trial in a civilian court stands accused of reducing 9/11 to kitschy memory, or something like that:In the years since, “9/11” has turned into a shorthand for patriotic kitsch for the Wingnutteria, and...

Memeorandum is the source for what is happening in the U.S. political blogosphere. Using some mysterious method, apparently based on an algorithm and Voodoo, Memeorandum captures the hot stories from blogs and online news sources.Getting a Memeorandum thread is a good thing for a blogger,...

This is my obligatory "Obama changed his mind on military tribunals" post.Back in 2006 when the Senate debated the legislation creating constitutionally acceptable military tribunals, as a reaction to the Supreme Court ruling in the Hamdan case, Obama was confident that a full military tribunal...

This is the latest in a series on the use of the race card for political gain:Tonight is a two-fer. Extremely ironic post title, with the race card thrown in no extra charge. From John Cole at Balloon Juice, An Object Lesson on Not Being...

There will be plenty of time to analyze the wisdom or lack thereof in bringing Khalid Sheikh Mohammed to New York City for a civilian criminal trial.Plenty of times as in years and possibly decades of legal wrangling over a host of issues. But...

Yes, he did it again:Now the obligatory: When will the NY Times dust off the criticism of Bill Clinton's "almost bow" to the Emperor?"IF I see another king, I think I shall bite him," Teddy Roosevelt once growled. Offered that opportunity with the Japanese equivalent...

In honor of the first historic trip of the first "Pacific President" to the Pacific; andIn further honor of the capitalist entrepreneurship of the Chinese people who have honored the occasion with the "Obama Mao" T-shirt; andThe Communist government of China having banned the "Obama...

Someone is impersonating me using "Legal Insurrection" as a user name at Huffington Post.The person has just started placing comments at HuffPo.Any suggestions how I can track this person?My readers help is appreciated on this. Post a comment or e-mail me directly....

Justice Department announces that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is coming to NYC for a civilian court trial, with all the melodrama and lawyering-up that will entail. Can you say, "objection your honor, my client was waterboarded"? Can you say, "Bush and Cheney really are on trial...

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, mastermind of 9/11, will be put on trial in NYC. Figures, the announcement would be made on a day I don't have much time to comment.So go here for some thoughts:Khalid Sheikh Mohammed to Be Sent to New York for Trial9-11 Mastermind...

I really wish I had more time to devote to this today, but I don't, so I'll be quick.The hysteria, pushed by HuffPo Blogger Alison Kilkenny, over the "threat" by the Catholic Archdiocese charities to terminate services to the poor in D.C., is a typical...