Måns Jacobsson is a distinguished jurist in the maritime field.  He was formerly Director and Chief Executive Officer of the International Oil Pollution Compensation Funds (IOPC Funds) (1985-2006). Since his retirement from the IOPC Funds he is working as a consultant in maritime and environmental matters.

He is a member of the Board of Governors of the World Maritime University in Malmö (Sweden). He is Visiting Professor at the World Maritime University and at the Maritime Universities in Dalian and Shanghai (People's Republic of China), and a member of the Institute of International Shipping and Trade Law at Swansea University. He was member of the Council of Comité Maritime International 2007-2014. He is an Emeritus Council Member of the London Shipping Law Centre - Maritime Business Forum and Honorary Member of the French and Italian Maritime Law Associations.

After studies at Princeton University he studied Law at Lund University in Sweden, graduating in 1964.  He served as a judge in Sweden at district court and appellate court level from 1964-1970. He then worked as legal advisor in the department for international civil law of the Swedish Ministry of Justice from 1970-1981 and was Head of that Department 1982-1984. During his time in the Ministry he prepared legislation in various subjects, mainly in the field of civil, transport and intellectual property law, and represented Sweden in negotiations in a number of intergovernmental organisations. He held the post of President of Division of the Court of Appeal in Stockholm 1985-2006.

Måns Jacobsson has served as an arbitrator in Sweden. He has published three books as well as numerous articles in various fields of law, such as maritime law, torts, patent law, nuclear law and treaty law.

In 2007 the University of Southampton conferred upon him the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws. In 2010 he was awarded the King of Sweden's Gold Medal for significant achievements in the field of maritime law.