Jon is a native Floridian. He was born in Miami, raised in Hollywood, and went to high school in Ft. Lauderdale. After leaving the state for school and then to work, Jon returned to Florida in 1998. He currently lives and works in West Palm Beach. When he is not vigorously representing clients, Jon can be found in the kitchen trying out a new recipe (most recently it was Bo Ssam, which is basically a Korean version of carnitas); heading to the gym (unfortunately, the price of the Bo Ssam is many hours on the elliptical machine); working to improve his poker game (he recently attended a two-day advanced poker academy); or playing with his dog, Lexi (a very opinionated Chihuahua).
Jon is also an experienced litigator, having worked on over one thousand securities cases and regulatory investigations. He has spent his entire legal career practicing securities litigation and has successfully represented some of the most demanding clients in multi-million-dollar disputes throughout Florida and United States. Prior to founding Jacobson Law P.A., Jon was a shareholder at Greenberg Traurig, P.A., a 1,700+ attorney, 35+ office, international law firm, where he focused his practice on securities litigation.
Jon has represented individual and corporate clients in civil actions in state and federal court (at the trial and appellate level); in regulatory investigations (including FINRA, NASD, SEC, CFTC, and state regulatory investigations); in FINRA, NASD, NYSE, NFA, AAA, and JAMS arbitrations; and in private mediations around the country. He has handled a wide range of matters including:
- Stockbroker misconduct and investment fraud disputes (including claims involving unsuitability, churning, unauthorized trading, failure to execute trades, failure to hedge, selling away, theft, research analyst conflicts of interest, fraud, negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract, violations of state and federal securities laws, and violations of securities industry rules and regulations);
- Ponzi scheme disputes;
- Class actions;
- SIPC and SEC receiverships (including clawback claims);
- Employment matters (including harassment, discrimination, wrongful termination, and promissory note claims);
- Registration issues (including Form U-4 and Form U-5 expungement matters and civil and regulatory claims involving failure to register securities, brokers, broker-dealers, and branch offices);
- Internal investigations;
- Regulatory investigations; and
- General, non-investment-related, commercial disputes.
Jon has authored and co-authored numerous articles on FINRA’s rules, securities laws, and securities arbitration and is considered to be an authority on these subjects. Jon also regularly participates at national seminars and conferences on the topics of securities fraud, investment disputes, and current developments in securities laws and industry rules and regulations.
Before he became an attorney, Jon was a trader on the International Equity Lending Desk of Paribas Capital Markets, where he worked with the bank’s London, Paris, and Singapore offices to manage a global, $1.2 billion portfolio of investments. Prior to that, Jon was an editorial assistant for Motor Boating & Sailing, a nationally distributed magazine owned by The Hearst Corporation; he worked for the State of Maryland’s Department of International Business Development promoting business opportunities between state companies and international firms; and he taught English as a Second Language both to high school students and to Japanese expat businessmen.
Jon earned his B.A. (in Creative Writing and French) at The Johns Hopkins University, his M.A. (in French Literature) at New York University, and his J.D. at Duke University. Jon is admitted to practice law in Florida; Massachusetts; the Southern, Middle, and Northern Districts of Florida; the District of Massachusetts; and the Courts of Appeals for the First, Tenth, and Eleventh Circuits.
Articles
- Author, “Ninth Circuit Reverses Securities Fraud Conviction Based on Admission of Prior Complaint,” (Sept. 14, 2012)
- Author, “FINRA’s New Know Your Customer and Suitability Rules,” July 11, 2012)
- Author, “Florida Increases Penalties for Unregistered Securities Sales,” (Apr. 13, 2012)
- Co-Author, “Does Your Firm’s Standard Lien Language Create a Possibility That Your Customer’s IRAs May Lose Their Exempt Status and Protection from Third-Party Creditors?” (Feb. 27, 2012)
- Co-Author, “Respect Your Elders: A Survey of the Rules and Laws that Apply to Claims Brought by Senior Investors,” 1686 PLI/Corp 265 (Aug. 6, 2008)
- Co-Author, “Appellate Review of Arbitration Decisions,” Vol. 40, No. 16 Rev. Secs. & Comm. Reg. 185 (Sept. 19, 2007)
- Co-Author, “What Happens in Arbitration, Stays in Arbitration,” 1615 PLI/Corp. 749 (Aug. 8, 2007)
- Co-Author, “Less Than Zero: The Evidentiary Value of Research Analyst Settlements,” 1440 PLI/Corp. 619 (Aug. 11, 2004)
- Author, “Your Place or Mine: The Enforceability of Choice-of-Law/Forum Clauses in International Contracts,” 8 Duke J. Comp. & Int’l. L. 469 (Spring 1998)
- Co-Author, “Punitive Damages in Arbitration: An Undue Process,” 958 PLI/Corp. 599 (Sept.-Oct. 1996)
