TOP IMMIGRATION ATTORNEYS
JINHEE WILDE Principal & Managing Partner Wilde & Associates LLC
Jinhee Wilde is the principal and managing partner of Wilde & Associates LLC , a boutique law firm focusing on business and investment immigration . Her 32 years of legal experience began first as a prosecutor for Chicago and then as the Inspector General designee , special counsel and attorney advisor for the U . S . Department of Agriculture . This government experience gives her a government lawyer ’ s perspective to help her clients , which may explain her track record in both I-526 and I-829 filings with only three RFEs on Source of Fund on numerous cases filed since 2007 . Wilde only represents the investor side of EB-5 and is independent from any regional centers . She is on the President ’ s Advisory Council of IIUSA , active in AILA and is a frequent speaker at EB-5 conferences . Wilde received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Chicago and J . D . from Loyola University of Chicago School of Law .
WHAT DO YOU THINK THE FUTURE OF THE EB-5 INDUSTRY LOOKS LIKE ?
Congress ’ original intent to create jobs and boost economic growth through EB-5 was a positive result of EB-5 that should be preserved . However , there is a risk congress or USCIS may throw the “ baby out with the bath water ” without implementing much-needed integrity measures and making minor changes to restore EB-5 ’ s original intent to put resources into the rural and hardship urban areas . If some of the existing , shiny , mega office and hotel buildings in Manhattan and elsewhere were only allowed $ 1 million EB-5 investment ( non- TEA ), we may not have had the explosion of EB-5 investors , which has created such a huge backlog in visa availability .
WHAT TRENDS ARE YOU SEEING IN THE EB-5 INDUSTRY ?
One alarming trend is the migration agencies pushing to sell the EB-5 projects that pay the highest finders fees and commission while utilizing inexperienced attorneys with the lowest fee to file the investors petition . It is normal for agencies to receive commissions of $ 120,000 or more for each EB-5 investor they find . Too often , EB-5 investors are not aware of the dynamics between parties and the fees being paid . Investors too often blindly subscribe to a project and use the lawyers given by the agents or the regional centers . In this structure , no one is accountable only to the investor without any conflict .
BERNARD WOLFSDORF Managing Partner Wolfsdorf Rosenthal LLP
Bernard Wolfsdorf is the managing partner at Wolfsdorf Rosenthal LLP , which includes 70 professionals in Los Angeles , New York and Shanghai . He successfully filed his first EB-5 case 25 years ago . With decades of experience , he and the firm have assisted thousands of clients from around the world with visa petitions filings , setting-up regional centers , preparing project documents , handling complex motions , appeals , removal proceedings and litigation . The firm ’ s vast experience , together with his own personal immigration experience , provide a unique ability to connect with clients . Wolfsdorf is known for his informative blogs , webinars and public speaking on complex aspects of immigration law . Among many accolades , he has been named " Corporate Immigration Lawyer of the Year ” since 2010 by Who ’ s Who Legal . Best Lawyers / U . S . News and World Report also named him 2018 “ Immigration Lawyer of the Year ” for Los Angeles . Wolfsdorf is past president of AILA , where he received the " Service Excellence Award ."
WHAT DO YOU THINK THE FUTURE OF THE EB-5 INDUSTRY LOOKS LIKE ?
The EB-5 program is one of the most effective , beneficial programs for the U . S . economy and job creation . After 25 years , the program needs revitalization . Most important is the need to correct a drafting error to reflect the original Congressional intent that 10,000 investor families , not 3,000 investors and their families should be admitted annually . Good faith investors need a solution when the project fails to create sufficient jobs due to circumstances beyond the investor ’ s control . Congress should recognize the benefits and provide solutions for thousands of investors who committed capital and must wait years , possibly risking their children aging-out .
WHAT TRENDS ARE YOU SEEING IN THE EB-5 INDUSTRY ?
The industry is maturing in that institutional financial and developer entities have entered the field ushering in much needed corporate compliance structures , which provide better protection for investors . Whereas previously most of our clients were Chinese , we now see increased diversification with investors from India , Vietnam , Brazil , Turkey and numerous other countries as the program is becoming increasingly popular worldwide . Project offerings are improving in quality and the interests of the investor are better protected . With these changes , we anticipate that the minimum investment amount will increase substantially providing a window of opportunity for certain investors .
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