Jack Ford

Jack Ford is a journalist, legal analyst, educator, documentary producer, and bestselling author whose career spans law, broadcasting, and academia. Ford is an Emmy and Peabody Award-winning journalist, trial attorney, and author, recognized for his contributions to journalism, legal analysis, and education. His background includes growing up in New Jersey, attending Yale University as a scholarship student and varsity football player, and earning a law degree from Fordham University School of Law, which he helped finance through winnings from three appearances on the television quiz show "Jeopardy."

Before transitioning to television, Ford worked as a prosecutor in New Jersey and later in private practice, where he handled high-profile cases such as the Northeast's first death penalty trial, one of the nation's first corporate homicide trials, and the Wall Street insider trading scandal of the late 1980s. He also served as an adjunct professor at Fordham University School of Law, establishing a strong foundation in legal education.

Ford began his television news career as a legal analyst with WCBS-TV in New York and was an original anchor at the launch of Court TV. He joined NBC News as chief legal correspondent, reporting on major legal stories for "NBC Nightly News," "The Today Show," and "Dateline," and co-anchored the "Weekend Today Show." Ford later joined ABC News as an anchor and correspondent for "20/20," "Good Morning America," and "World News Tonight." He has hosted "Metro Focus" on PBS (WNET-New York), served as a CBS News correspondent for "60 Minutes Sports," and was co-founder and chief anchor of the digital network American Ed TV.

Ford's work in television journalism has been recognized with honors including three Emmy Awards, a George Foster Peabody Award, three National Cable Television Awards, an MCCJ National Headliner Award, and the March of Dimes FDR Award. He received the NCAA Silver Anniversary Award for former college athletes who have achieved professional success. Ford has served on the board of the National Football Foundation as vice chairman and worked as a college football analyst for ESPN, covering Ivy League football games.

In academia, Ford has been a visiting lecturer at Yale University and has taught at New York University, Monmouth University, and the University of Virginia. He has also served as a lead scholar for the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. His novels include "The Osiris Alliance," a political thriller; "The Walls of Jericho," based on the 1948 trial of Henry Wallace's running mate; "Chariot on the Mountain;" and "Beyond This Place of Wrath and Tears." Drawing on his experience as a trial attorney, Ford's books incorporate research from court records, archives, and personal accounts to explore themes of justice, freedom, and moral courage in American history. Ford's career reflects a blend of legal expertise, journalism, and authorship, contributing to public understanding of law, history, and current events.