Jesse
@jessemerle.bsky.social
Lawyer in social enterprise and impact investing:
-Director @ Lookout PBC (2024 Pulitzer Winner).
-Counsel @ Kiva Capital.
-Lecturer @ Berkeley Law.
Married to a Dirty Immigration Lawyer.
-Director @ Lookout PBC (2024 Pulitzer Winner).
-Counsel @ Kiva Capital.
-Lecturer @ Berkeley Law.
Married to a Dirty Immigration Lawyer.
Pinned
Jesse
@jessemerle.bsky.social
· Nov 26
Bluesky is a Public Benefit Corporation and people here seem to have a lot of odd ideas about what that means. I teach about PBCs at Berkeley Law, so please send me any questions you have, and I will do my best to answer them. 🦋👋
It is not my top issue, but there is immense political power in the Epstein story
"Maxwell has received custom meals personally delivered to her cell, after-hours time in a private exercise area, access to a service puppy, and private meetings with visitors arranged by the warden, complete with snacks. Visitors were allowed to bring computers..."
www.msnbc.com/msnbc/news/d...
www.msnbc.com/msnbc/news/d...
Democrats reveal whistleblower details of Ghislaine Maxwell prison ‘luxuries’
In a letter to the president, House Democrats say Maxwell’s treatment as she prepares a clemency request makes the convicted sex offender look like a “guest at a Trump hotel.”
www.msnbc.com
November 10, 2025 at 7:40 PM
It is not my top issue, but there is immense political power in the Epstein story
“Scott Galloway is an academic at NYU.”
“Ok cool.”
“He’s a professor of marketing.”
“Ah yeah, that sounds right.”
“Ok cool.”
“He’s a professor of marketing.”
“Ah yeah, that sounds right.”
November 9, 2025 at 11:24 PM
“Scott Galloway is an academic at NYU.”
“Ok cool.”
“He’s a professor of marketing.”
“Ah yeah, that sounds right.”
“Ok cool.”
“He’s a professor of marketing.”
“Ah yeah, that sounds right.”
Reagan appointee. Senior judge. These are the people who need to be speaking out.
A leading federal judge quits in protest of Trump's corruption-- & to fight it
Wow
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
Wow
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
Why I Am Leaving the Federal Bench
A judge explains his reasons for resigning.
www.theatlantic.com
November 9, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Reagan appointee. Senior judge. These are the people who need to be speaking out.
This video about private equity mucking up Baltimore housing markets is very informative and cleverly entertaining
@thebaltimorebanner.com
@thebaltimorebanner.com
November 8, 2025 at 2:58 PM
This video about private equity mucking up Baltimore housing markets is very informative and cleverly entertaining
@thebaltimorebanner.com
@thebaltimorebanner.com
Maybe get some philanthropy and impact investors involved
Panera should make a lemonade that convinces you you're talking to god and then they should get infinite funding from the dullest minds in the Bay Area to market it as tech.
November 7, 2025 at 11:56 PM
Maybe get some philanthropy and impact investors involved
November 7, 2025 at 6:45 PM
What gets me here is the tragedy of having hope in a tech-fueled dystopia
November 7, 2025 at 3:05 PM
What gets me here is the tragedy of having hope in a tech-fueled dystopia
No matter how you slice it, this doesn’t look good for the DOJ
BREAKING: JUSTICE DEPARTMENT EATS A LOSS IN 'SANDWICH GUY' CASE AS JURORS FIND DEFENDANT NOT GUILTY www.nbcnews.com/politics/jus...
Jury acquits D.C. 'sandwich guy' charged with chucking a sub at a federal agent
Sean Dunn faced single misdemeanor offense after federal grand jurors refused to indict him on the felony charge sought by prosecutors.
www.nbcnews.com
November 6, 2025 at 9:27 PM
No matter how you slice it, this doesn’t look good for the DOJ
Another instance if a federal judge stating on the record that she does not find the DOJ credible.
The nation’s entire public defender bar, acting in concert, could never undermine prosecutor legitimacy to this extent. Just a wild level of self-inflicted damage at DOJ.
The nation’s entire public defender bar, acting in concert, could never undermine prosecutor legitimacy to this extent. Just a wild level of self-inflicted damage at DOJ.
Ellis notes that the feds argue "plaintiffs have not been engaged in First Amendment protected activity" because they've "intermingled themselves with rioters."
"But as I've previously stated," Ellis says, "I don't find defendants' version of events credible."
"But as I've previously stated," Ellis says, "I don't find defendants' version of events credible."
November 6, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Another instance if a federal judge stating on the record that she does not find the DOJ credible.
The nation’s entire public defender bar, acting in concert, could never undermine prosecutor legitimacy to this extent. Just a wild level of self-inflicted damage at DOJ.
The nation’s entire public defender bar, acting in concert, could never undermine prosecutor legitimacy to this extent. Just a wild level of self-inflicted damage at DOJ.
I think this is a good sign for the Ford Foundation
Heather Gerken, Ford Foundation’s New Leader, Vows to Protect Elections and the Rule of Law www.nytimes.com/2025/11/03/u...
Ford Foundation’s New Leader Vows to Protect Elections and the Rule of Law
www.nytimes.com
November 3, 2025 at 8:54 PM
I think this is a good sign for the Ford Foundation
This is upsetting
The Oakland Police Department says it is working with the FBI’s Art Crime Team to investigate the burglary.
Over 1,000 artifacts stolen from Oakland Museum of California, police say
The Oakland Police Department says it is working with the FBI’s Art Crime Team to investigate the burglary.
oaklandside.org
October 29, 2025 at 8:16 PM
This is upsetting
So OpenAI converted its operating company from an LLC into a PBC... What does that mean?
Wrote this 2 years ago, and some of it is still relevant (tho I’ve become more skeptical of AI generally)
AI Companies Can Define Their Public Purpose Through Governance
AI companies should embrace the concept of stakeholder capitalism which says businesses should consider their stakeholder network—not just their shareholders—when making decisions, says Berkeley Law’s...
news.bloomberglaw.com
October 29, 2025 at 4:48 PM
So OpenAI converted its operating company from an LLC into a PBC... What does that mean?
Is that a whiff of desperation I detect?
This is a remarkable document. In particular I have never seen an entity agree that the AG not only has continuing supervisory authority, but that the entity will pay the AG's costs of exercising that power, including the costs of experts.
October 29, 2025 at 1:53 AM
Is that a whiff of desperation I detect?
October 29, 2025 at 12:02 AM
US economy rests on a c3 charter lol
big premises unpinning a huge swath of our economy rn
OpenAI Charter: Our Charter describes the principles we use to execute on OpenAI’s mission.
openai.com/charter/
OpenAI Charter: Our Charter describes the principles we use to execute on OpenAI’s mission.
openai.com/charter/
OpenAI Charter
Our Charter describes the principles we use to execute on OpenAI’s mission.
openai.com
October 28, 2025 at 10:43 PM
US economy rests on a c3 charter lol
Philanthropy is reputation laundering?
lol what the wealthy today don't seem to understand is part of staying wealthy in society is not pissing off the masses.
There's a reason why Carnegie and the Rockefellers poured money into institutions. Gutting institutions and making it harder for the masses to survive is a...choice.
There's a reason why Carnegie and the Rockefellers poured money into institutions. Gutting institutions and making it harder for the masses to survive is a...choice.
October 27, 2025 at 11:01 PM
Philanthropy is reputation laundering?
For all of Brad Karp’s good faith efforts, this is what he brought us
We have reached the point where the *American Bar Association* cannot find attorneys willing to represent them in litigation against the Trump administration.
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
October 26, 2025 at 11:01 PM
For all of Brad Karp’s good faith efforts, this is what he brought us
Funny that they captured my aesthetic but got my politics backwards
I made an image of all the art posted by US DOL on X since approximately Labor Day
October 26, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Funny that they captured my aesthetic but got my politics backwards
Evidence of immigration detention quota
Private prison executives casually discussed the "3,000 arrests per day" quota in earnings calls—despite the Department of Justice previously denying any quota exists. This is fueling immigration raids nationwide while companies rake in record profits.
In Earnings Calls, Private Prison Executives Revel in Profiting Off ICE Arrests
“Our business is perfectly aligned with the demands of this moment,” CoreCivic CEO Damon Hininger said on the call.
truthout.org
October 25, 2025 at 10:13 PM
Evidence of immigration detention quota
Neighborhood email list serve is discussing your article this morning… seems like a sign 😳
Uh maybe this is happening even quicker than I thought it might www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
October 23, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Neighborhood email list serve is discussing your article this morning… seems like a sign 😳
We are one of the “bright spots” the report highlights👇
While it is true that we need creative funding solutions for journalism (don’t get me started on the sad priorities of the donor class), we also need sound, sustainable business models that work in the modern world.
Support local journalism!
While it is true that we need creative funding solutions for journalism (don’t get me started on the sad priorities of the donor class), we also need sound, sustainable business models that work in the modern world.
Support local journalism!
October 22, 2025 at 4:00 PM
We are one of the “bright spots” the report highlights👇
While it is true that we need creative funding solutions for journalism (don’t get me started on the sad priorities of the donor class), we also need sound, sustainable business models that work in the modern world.
Support local journalism!
While it is true that we need creative funding solutions for journalism (don’t get me started on the sad priorities of the donor class), we also need sound, sustainable business models that work in the modern world.
Support local journalism!
“Sam’s doing what he’s supposed to be doing. He’s adding a crazy amount of shareholder value to justify the $500B valuation…”
No. Sam is not supposed to be maximizing shareholder value. Ostensibly a 501c3 is in control. And he’s shifting to a PBC. In both cases he’s NOT doing what he’s supposed to.
No. Sam is not supposed to be maximizing shareholder value. Ostensibly a 501c3 is in control. And he’s shifting to a PBC. In both cases he’s NOT doing what he’s supposed to.
If you’re waiting on the better angels of tech CEOs, don’t hold your breath.
October 20, 2025 at 11:43 PM
“Sam’s doing what he’s supposed to be doing. He’s adding a crazy amount of shareholder value to justify the $500B valuation…”
No. Sam is not supposed to be maximizing shareholder value. Ostensibly a 501c3 is in control. And he’s shifting to a PBC. In both cases he’s NOT doing what he’s supposed to.
No. Sam is not supposed to be maximizing shareholder value. Ostensibly a 501c3 is in control. And he’s shifting to a PBC. In both cases he’s NOT doing what he’s supposed to.
Since when has summarizing a Wikipedia article not worked out perfectly every time?
Wikipedia is seeing a significant decline in human traffic because more people are getting the information that’s on Wikipedia via generative AI chatbots that were trained on its articles and search engines that summarize them without actually clicking to the site
www.404media.co/wikipedia-sa...
www.404media.co/wikipedia-sa...
Wikipedia Says AI Is Causing a Dangerous Decline in Human Visitors
“With fewer visits to Wikipedia, fewer volunteers may grow and enrich the content, and fewer individual donors may support this work.”
www.404media.co
October 17, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Since when has summarizing a Wikipedia article not worked out perfectly every time?
🧐 lol
“…operations are linked to a funding network out of the Baltic and to an interior designer on Long Island whose store, J.Mark Interiors, shares an address with the Central Fund of Israel (CFI)—a nonprofit “dedicated to strengthening and supporting the land and people of Israel.””
“…operations are linked to a funding network out of the Baltic and to an interior designer on Long Island whose store, J.Mark Interiors, shares an address with the Central Fund of Israel (CFI)—a nonprofit “dedicated to strengthening and supporting the land and people of Israel.””
NEW: I uncovered new information about individuals, donor networks, and businesses helping Canary Mission, a pro-Israel organization serving the U.S.'s deportation and repression efforts. From a Long Island interior design store to the Baltics /
www.dropsitenews.com/p/canary-mis...
www.dropsitenews.com/p/canary-mis...
From Long Island to the Baltics: Drop Site Investigation Reveals New Details About Canary Mission's Operations
Drop Site uncovered new information about individuals, donor networks, and businesses helping Canary Mission, a pro-Israel organization serving the U.S.'s deportation and repression efforts.
www.dropsitenews.com
October 17, 2025 at 1:38 PM
🧐 lol
“…operations are linked to a funding network out of the Baltic and to an interior designer on Long Island whose store, J.Mark Interiors, shares an address with the Central Fund of Israel (CFI)—a nonprofit “dedicated to strengthening and supporting the land and people of Israel.””
“…operations are linked to a funding network out of the Baltic and to an interior designer on Long Island whose store, J.Mark Interiors, shares an address with the Central Fund of Israel (CFI)—a nonprofit “dedicated to strengthening and supporting the land and people of Israel.””
So Universidad Iberoamericana has a beautiful campus in CDMX!
Excited to be speaking at GAIL Summit 2025–Mexico City next week! I’ll be joining an outstanding group of international lawyers to discuss the latest in social enterprise / impact investment law. Looking forward to seeing some of you!
gailnet.org/events/gail-...
gailnet.org/events/gail-...
Global Alliance of Impact Lawyers (GAIL)
The Global Alliance of Impact Lawyers (GAIL) is a community of legal leaders who are using the practice of law to have a positive impact on people and the planet, and to accelerate the just transition...
gailnet.org
October 14, 2025 at 10:18 PM
So Universidad Iberoamericana has a beautiful campus in CDMX!