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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.

The first attempt of Illinois legislators to meet to lay the groundwork for impeaching Gov. Rod Blagojevich didn't get off the ground. The legislative committee put together by House Speaker Michael Madigan stopped working after less than two hours. Reports indicate that the committee was...

Thanks to Illinois Review and Backyard Conservative for cross-posting this piece.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Reuters is reporting that "Illinois will go ahead with a much-needed $1.4 billion borrowing on Tuesday after a deal was reached with state constitutional officers on legal language issues related to fraud and bribery charges...

Thanks to Illinois Review for cross-posting this piece.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Illinois Speaker of the House Michael Madigan has announced that in six days the Illinois legislature will convene a committee to begin considering whether the Illinois legislature should commence impeachment proceedings against Governor Rod Blagojevich. This measured announcement...

Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich is running circles around Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, at least so far.Reports that Gov. Blagojevich is open to signing legislation for a special election for Barack Obama's open Senate seat puts the AG in an impossible position. If the AG...

Thanks to Illinois Review and Backyard Conservative for cross-posting this piece.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Brief and supporting motion papers filed by the Illinois Attorney General with the Illinois Supreme Court in support of the request to remove Gov. Rod Blagojevich, now are available online. I have no idea...

Embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich announced today, through a spokesman, that he will not be resigning on Monday, December 15, 2008, as some have speculated. The 15th is the day the Illinois legislature is supposed to consider articles of impeachment supported by Illinois Speaker of...

William Felkner, a former student at the Rhode Island College [RIC] School of Social Work, has filed suit against the school claiming that he was the subject of discrimination based on his conservative views. Felkner claims that professors and administrators used the pretext that Felkner's...

See my article, For the Sake of the Nation, Gov. Blagojevich Should Not Resign, at American Thinker. Why would I want a corrupt Governor to remain in office until trial and conviction? Because that is the only way all the facts will come out quickly,...

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has filed papers with the Illinois Supreme Court seeking to have Governor Rod Blagojevich declared "unable" to serve, and stripping him of his executive powers pending impeachment proceedings. In filing these papers, however, the Attorney General has boxed herself and...

My article, It's Time to Speak Out Against The "Mormon Boycott" (at American Thinker, with a related post here) has been selected as a First Place Winner at Watcher of Weasels. I think this means I am not a weasel, but whatever, a win is...

December 10, 2008 was the "Day Without A Gay" boycott. This foolish boycott was a reaction to California Prop. 8, which enshrined in the California state constitution the traditional definition of marriage. The essence of the boycott, which was modeled on the failed May 1,...

There is no better example of why the NY Times is crumbling than the article $73 an Hour: Adding It Up. The article focuses on the oft-quoted fact that United Auto Worker members cost Detroit auto makers $73 per hour, which exceed the cost for...

Illinois Governor Rudy Blagojevich has been indicted [correction 12/14/2008 - charged in a criminal complaint] for many offenses. While the press has focused on the attempt to sell Barack Obama's open Senate seat, there is a more important aspect of the indictment as relates to...

The stimulus plan proposed by Barack Obama focuses on public infrastructure projects, which have a long history of cost overruns, corruption, and construction incompetence. Public infrastructure construction and maintenance is important, it's just not an efficient use of funds if a quick economic stimulus is...