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.
Alliance Defending Freedom: "A massive victory for freedom of speech."...
Foundation for Individual Rights In Education: "the proposal raises concerns that faculty will be compelled to affirm and promote certain views as a condition of their employment and eligibility for promotion and tenure, contrary to Cornell’s robust promises of free expression and academic freedom."...
"UNRWA condemns the existence and potential use by Palestinian armed groups of such tunnels underneath its schools in the strongest possible terms. It is unacceptable that students and staff be placed at risk in such a way."...
My interview on the Can We Talk About It podcast with Debi Ghate....
Palestinian media: "The Brigades mourned its fighters, Ahmed Abu Hasira and Osamah Janina, and said they died after a blessed life full of struggle and sacrifices, asking Allah Almighty to accept them as martyrs, bestow His mercy upon them and make His Paradise their eternal...
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Remembering Mike Spann, Roslyn Schulte, Jonathan Porto, Billie Taylor Presson, Christopher David Horton, the Cornell Class of 1944, and the other fallen, known and unknown....
“I was confident all along that a fair investigation would clear me. Yet I find myself not happy but rather upset that I was suspended and investigated in the first place. This never should have happened, and I hope that it doesn’t happen to anyone...
NY Times Editor: "This artwork is not meant to represent any historical boundaries and it is not meant to serve as a literal, factual map -- our data graphics department would handle such maps. This was an illustration conveying a sense of shrinking space for...
"This case is about whether the government can allocate limited coronavirus relief funds based on the race and sex of the applicants. We hold that it cannot."...
"Montana law does not tolerate schools, other government entities, or employers implementing CRT and antiracist programming in a way that treats individuals differently on the basis of race or that creates a racially hostile environment.”...
Amy Cooper was nicknamed the "Central Park Karen" for calling police on a black man allegedly harassing her, but the video led to her being called racist, and her employer fired her and denounced her. Now she's suing that employer....
There has been a second arrest, of Faisal Elezzi, 25, of Staten Island....
This is a dramatic act, but it's unlikely to survive legal challenges. You're still on your own....
