eBay Inc. was founded in 1995 by Pierre Omidyar, then a 28-year-old computer programmer. When The National Law Journal first profiled general counsel Michael Jacobson in 1999, we repeated the legend that the idea was to help his girlfriend buy and sell Pez candy dispensers a tale Omidyar later conceded was the “romantic” version.
Regardless, since its creation eBay has grown into the world’s largest online marketplace, with more than 90 million active users buying and selling items around the world. As of October, the company projected 2012 revenues of approximately $14 billion, due in part to a strong showing by its PayPal Inc. subsidiary; as of May, it ranked No. 228 on the Fortune 500. The company has more than 30,000 employees and maintains headquarters in San Jose, Calif.
