EB5 Investors Magazine is pleased to announce the Top 25 Immigration Attorneys of 2024. To be eligible, distinguished immigration attorneys needed to file investor petitions and be available to the public primarily.

Joseph Barnett

WR Immigration

Joseph “Joey” Barnett is a partner at Wolfsdorf Rosenthal LLP, specializing in EB-5 and business immigration practices. He holds licenses to practice law in Illinois, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia, focusing exclusively on immigration and nationality law. As an active member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), he serves as Vice Chair of the EB-5 Committee and has previously participated in AILA’s Benefits Litigation Committee. Additionally, Barnett is a member of the EB-5 regional center trade association IIUSA’s Editorial Board, contributing to its Regional Center Business Journal. Industry peers have recognized his expertise has been recognized by industry peers, earning him accolades as a Top 5 Rising Star in EB-5 in 2019 and a Top 25 EB-5 Attorney in both 2023 and 2022. He has also been included in the prestigious 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®. Barnett has been a repeat Top 25 Immigration Attorney Award winner since 2022.

Edward Beshara

Beshara PA Global Migration Law Firm

Edward Beshara is the managing attorney of Beshara PA Global Migration Law Firm, specializing in EB-5 immigration. He has offered approvable and successful solutions for EB-5 investors and their families and EB-5 projects for the past 32 years. Beshara is a member of IIUSA’s New Investor Markets and Best Practices Committees and is on the Advisory Committee and Task Force of the Investment Migration Council (IMC) in Geneva, Switzerland, and is a former Adjunct Professor of Business Immigration Law at the University of Florida Law School. A frequent speaker on EB-5 panels, he was the recipient of the IIUSA 2019 Award for Economic Advancement Innovator Award. He has been a repeat Top 25 Immigration Attorney Award winner since 2017.

Paul Chen

Meyer Law

Paul Chen is a Meyer Law Group partner, representing start-ups, entrepreneurs, investors, tech companies, and publicly traded companies in immigration, visa, and employment compliance matters. He advises and represents EB-5 designated regional centers and individual investors before USCIS and the U.S. Department of State. He is well-versed in all immigration visas, including H-1B, the L blanket, L-1A, L1-B, E-1, E-2 labor certification and NIWs, E-3, TN, O-1, EB-1, EB-2, EB-3, EB-4 special immigrants, and EB-5 investors in regional center TEA or non-TEA projects. He also drives MLG’s operations and technology initiatives. Chen is a member of AIIA, BAMM, and SCRC. He received his Juris Doctorate from the University of San Diego in 2010. This is his first Top 25 Immigration Attorney Award.

Jessica DeNisi

Klasko Immigration

Jessica A. DeNisi is a partner at Klasko Immigration Law Partners, LLP, and, together with Ron Klasko, leads the EB-5 Developers and Regional Centers Practice. She works with developers and regional centers to structure their projects by managing the many layers of the process, which requires the coordination of a network of securities lawyers, economists, business plan writers, and other professionals. She navigates the complexities, guiding her clients to structure development deals that are EB-5 compliant with the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022. DeNisi also assists EB-5 investors in preparing their petitions and related forms, collaborating seamlessly with various EB-5 professionals to help investors achieve their immigration goals. She won her first Top 25 Immigration Attorney Award in 2022.

Robert Divine

Baker Donelson

Robert C. Divine is an EB-5 immigration attorney and the leader of the immigration practice group at Baker Donelson. He specializes in litigation and business immigration, particularly the EB-5 program. He has held significant roles, including vice president of the Association to EB-5 regional center trade association IIUSA, and has extensive experience with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina and his law degree from Vanderbilt University and is licensed to practice in Tennessee. This is the second time he has ranked in the EB5Investors Magazine’s Top 25 Immigration Attorneys Award since 2017. 

Ignacio Donoso

Donoso & Partners

Ignacio Donoso is the founder and managing partner of Donoso & Partners, LLC, specializing in business immigration matters in the United States and Canada. With more than 20 years of experience, he has advised thousands of clients to navigate the U.S. and Canada visa systems successfully. Donoso is admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, and the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas. He is also a member of the State Bar of California and the AIIA. He completed his Bachelor of Arts at McGill University in 1993. That same year, he also finished his Bachelor of Laws degree (LL.B.) and Bachelor of Civil Law (B.C.L.) at McGill University. He completed his LL.M. degree at George Washington University in 1998. He has been a repeat Top 25 Immigration Attorney Award winner since 2018.

Robert Gaffney

Law Offices of Robert P. Gaffney

Robert P. Gaffney is the founder of Law Offices of Robert P. Gaffney in San Francisco, specializing in U.S. immigration and nationality law. With over 35 years of experience, he focuses his practice on employment-based and investment immigration. A respected author and speaker on EB-5 topics, he has been recognized with an AV Preeminent Martindale-Hubbell rating. Gaffney is licensed to practice in California and is a member of the California State Bar. He was a repeat Top 25 Immigration Attorneys Award winner between 2022 and 2018.

Jennifer Hermansky

Greenberg Traurig

Jennifer Hermansky is an EB-5 shareholder at Greenberg Traurig. As a prominent member of the firm’s EB-5 practice, she has extensive experience structuring EB-5 transactions and providing ongoing compliance guidance. Her background includes working with clients in the healthcare, pharmaceutical, and real estate sectors and supporting entrepreneurs, scientists, and researchers across various scientific communities. She offers a wide range of solutions for both temporary visas and permanent residency. Additionally, she is EB-5 Committee chair for AILA and frequently shares her knowledge through presentations on immigration-related topics. She is a repeat Top 25 Immigration Attorneys Award winner since 2017.

Michael Harris

Harris Law 

Michael A. Harris is the founder of HarrisLaw. He is a Florida Bar Board Certified Specialist in Immigration and Nationality Law. Harris currently serves on AILA National’s Tech and Innovation committee. He is a past Florida Bar Board Certification Committee vice-chair, a former member of the board of directors of AILA South Florida, and a former member of the AILA EB-5 committee. He holds a Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent peer rating and has been rated by Best Lawyers and Chambers and Partners. He earned his Juris Doctor degree from Nova Southeastern University and has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and English from the University of Florida. He is a repeat winner of the Top 25 Immigration Attorneys Award since 2022 and also won in 2019. 

Nicolai Hinrichsen

Miller Mayer

Nicolai Hinrichsen is a partner at Miller Mayer. With over 17 years of experience in EB-5 immigration, he represents regional centers and developers in structuring EB-5-compliant projects through initial regional center designation applications or by partnering with existing regional centers. Hinrichsen also represents individual investors obtaining permanent resident status through regional centers or direct EB-5 investments. He is a regular speaker at EB-5 events worldwide. Before Miller, Mayer practiced corporate and securities law in San Francisco and Paris, France. He is a member of AIIA and the New York and California state bars. He received his JD from Boston University Law School and his B.A. from the University of California at Berkeley. He is a repeat winner of the Top 25 Immigration Attorneys Award since 2020 and won in 2018.

Claudia Rea Jimenez

David Hirson & Partners

Claudia Rea Jimenez is a partner at David Hirson & Partners, LLP, specializing in U.S. immigration law for individuals, families, and corporate clients. Her expertise includes investment-based and family petitions, federal immigration litigation, and employment-based immigration strategies. Jiménez provides professional assistance to clients seeking visas, citizenship, or information on immigration matters. She is dual-licensed in the U.S. and Mexico and was recognized as one of the “Top 10 Rising Star Attorneys” in the EB-5 industry in 2023.  Her educational background includes degrees from the Universidad de Guadalajara, Management Center Innsbruck, and Georgia State University. This is her first Top 25 Immigration Attorneys award. 

Kate Kalmykov

Greenberg Traurig

Kate Kalmykov is co-chair of Global Immigration and Compliance and principal shareholder at Greenberg Traurig, LLP. With vast experience working on all aspects of the EB-5 immigrant investor program, Kalmykov has worked with real estate developers, private equity funds, and other organizations on applications to designate new EB-5 regional centers, applications for pre-approval of EB-5 projects, having projects adopted by existing EB-5 regional centers; structuring projects to be EB-5 compliant, the sale of existing EB-5 regional centers, preparing template I-526 petitions and advice on structuring direct EB-5 projects. She is a repeat winner of the Top 25 Immigration Attorneys award since 2022 and won in 2018.

Marjan Kasra

Lawmaks Immigration

Marjan Kasra, Esq. is the founder and managing attorney of the Law Offices of Marjan Kasra, LLC, where she advocates for clients before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and U.S. consular posts worldwide. Her practice includes expertise in navigating complex immigration issues, making her a trusted advisor for clients across diverse jurisdictions. Specializing in Middle Eastern-specific immigration challenges, Kasra is renowned for her proficiency in EB-5 and E-2 visa matters. Additionally, she is an active member of the New York City Bar Association’s MENA Committee. The American Institute of Legal Counsel has recognized her as one of the “10 Best Immigration Attorneys” in Connecticut. A committed member of AILA, Kasra is a sought-after speaker at immigration law conferences worldwide and is widely regarded as a leading authority in the EB-5 industry. She holds degrees from the University of Connecticut, Columbia University, and Quinnipiac University School of Law. This is her first Top 25 Immigration Attorneys Award.

Phuong Le

KLDP

Phuong Le is a founding member and partner at KLDP, LLP, with over 15 years of experience in the EB-5 immigration process. He leads a global EB-5 practice group, advising various stakeholders, including regional centers, developers, agents, and investors. He has worked on over 5,000 investor petitions and over $3 billion in EB-5 financing for diverse projects across the U.S. Le is also a recognized lecturer, author, and expert witness in the EB-5 field. He is a member of several bar associations and holds a Juris Doctor from U.C. Hastings and a Bachelor’s degree from U.C. Irvine. This is his first Top 25 Immigration Attorneys Award. 

Carolyn Lee

Carolyn Lee PLLC

Carolyn Lee is the founder of Carolyn Lee PLLC, specializing in U.S. investment immigration. With 15 years of experience, she has successfully assisted regional centers, developers, funds, and investors in raising $2.5 billion in EB-5 capital from thousands of families overseas. Lee has held the chair position for four terms on AILA’s National EB-5 Committee and serves as legislative counsel for IIUSA. Lee has published influential works on the EB-5 program and speaks at events worldwide. In addition, she is frequently called upon as an immigration expert in legal cases. Her contributions to the field have earned her several accolades, including the AILA Presidential Commendation, recognition by Best Lawyers, inclusion in Who’s Who International, and honors as one of the 50 Outstanding Asian Americans in Business. She is a repeat winner of the Top 25 Immigration Attorneys award since 2023, having previously won between 2020 and 2017.

Anu Nair

Klasko Immigration Law Partners

Anusree (Anu) Nair is a partner at Klasko Immigration Law Partners, where she oversees the investor division of the firm’s EB-5 practice. Her primary focus is the preparation and submission of all EB-5 petitions. Anu is highly regarded in the industry for her expertise in investor-related matters. She is often sought after to review cases crafted by other firms, ensuring they meet the stringent standards set by the USCIS. Additionally, she leads the firm’s EB-1/O-1 practice, which offers valuable opportunities for individuals seeking a green card, particularly those facing extended waiting times in other immigration categories. She won her first Top 25 Immigration Attorneys Award in 2018 and has been a repeat winner since 2020.

Samuel Newbold

CSG Law

Samuel Newbold is the chair of the Immigration Law Group at CSG Law and is a member of CSG’s Alternative Capital Group, where he heads the firm’s EB-5 Practice. Newbold represents regional centers, EB-5 issuers, and individual investors. He also serves on the AIIA’s National EB-5 Committee. He is also the co-founder of Prxyco, a blockchain-based EB-5 fund administration software platform that provides comprehensive end-to-end tracking and compliance reporting of EB-5 expenditures and job creation for EB-5 fund administrators. He is a repeat winner of the Top 25 Immigration Attorneys Award since 2022. 

Rakesh Patel

Patel Law Group

Rakesh Patel is a managing partner at Patel Law Group, specializing in U.S. immigration. His primary focus lies in business immigration, particularly EB-5 investments, and he manages diverse immigration needs for U.S. companies, including H-1B and L-1 applications. He has been a State Bar of Texas member since 2005 and is involved with various legal associations. Patel holds a degree in international business and a JD with an international MBA from the University of Denver. He won his first Top 25 Immigration Attorneys Award in 2019 and has been a repeat winner since 2023.

Darren Silver

Darren Silver & Associates

Darren Silver is the founder of Darren Silver & Associates, LLP. Silver has a career spanning over 25 years exclusively in the field of immigration.  Before founding his firm in 1995, Silver was employed with USCIS in Adjudications. He has devoted a large segment of his practice to EB-5 law and is proud of the work that his firm has contributed to the EB-5 community. He has successfully filed over 5,000 EB-5-related applications. Silver has been selected as Super Lawyers for the past seven consecutive years. He is a repeat winner of the Top 25 Immigration Attorneys Award since 2019, and he previously won in 2017.

Christian Triantaphyllis

Jackson Walker LLP

Christian Triantaphyllis is chair of Jackson Walker LLP’s Immigration and Compliance Practice. His primary focus is representing foreign nationals in business immigration matters. Triantaphyllis regularly counsels real estate developers and regional centers to facilitate EB-5 projects and advises those structuring potential EB-5 funding by providing immigration law analysis on business plans and securities offerings. He is also experienced in assisting foreign nationals worldwide in preparing and filing their EB-5 petitions. In addition, Triantaphyllis serves in several leadership positions within the EB-5 community. He is a repeat Top 25 Immigration Attorneys Award winner since 2017.

Dennis Tristani

Tristani Law

Dennis Tristani is a managing attorney at Tristani Law, LLC. With over a decade of experience in immigration law, he has counseled thousands of EB-5 investors on complex source of funds issues and documentation requirements, company organization and corporate structure strategy, and business plan preparation. He also provides thorough advice concerning immigration-related HR issues, including Form I-9 compliance and E-Verify registration. Before founding his firm in 2021, he worked as a partner for a high-volume business immigration firm. This is his first 25 Immigration Attorneys Award. 

Rohit Turkhud

CSG Law

Rohit Turkhud is counsel at CSG Law’s Immigration Law Group, where he focuses on employment-based immigration matters, especially the EB-5 visa. He engages with HR directors and business leaders on their immigration policies and procedures – including matters related to H-1-B, PERM, and L-1. Turkhud is a frequent speaker on business immigration issues, especially EB-5 and employment-based immigration topics. Before CSG, he worked at a global immigration law firm, handling all aspects of U.S. immigration and nationality laws. He leveraged his international relationships with regional centers, immigration brokers, and agents to expand the EB-5 business segment. Earlier in his career, Turkhud was a senior executive for numerous IT companies. He earned his LL.M. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and his LL.B. from the University of Bombay Law College. He is a repeat Top 25 Immigration Attorneys Award winner since 2023, previously winning between 2020 and 2018. 

David Van Vooren

David Hirson & Partners LLP

David Van Vooren is a partner at David Hirson & Partners, LLP. He currently leads the Seattle office, concentrating on corporate and investment-based immigration law.  Van Vooren has substantial experience advising foreign investors and entrepreneurs on U.S. immigration matters. He has successfully handled numerous L-1 and E-2 visa cases for clients with startup companies in the U.S. He regularly advises corporations on immigration compliance issues and develops long-term immigration strategies. He has experience advising and assisting businesses on H-1B, PERM Based EB-2/EB-3, and TN visas for their foreign national employees and EB-1As and National Interest Waivers for the self-petitioner clients with extraordinary ability in the fields.  In addition, he works on creating new EB-5 regional centers, advising businesses on EB-5 corporate structuring and financing, and working closely with securities attorneys, economists, and business plan writers to ensure compliance with EB-5 program requirements. He is a repeat Top 25 Immigration Attorneys Award winner since 2022. 

Mitch Wexler

Fragomen

Mitch Wexler is a senior partner at Fragomen, overseeing the firm’s Southern California offices in Irvine, Los Angeles, and San Diego. With over 40 years of immigration law experience, he focuses on individual high net-worth foreign nationals, including E-2 and EB-5, start-ups, and mid-size and large multinational companies. Wexler has specialized knowledge of the EB-5 arena and has worked with many EB-5 clients for many years.  He is a California State Bar-certified specialist in immigration and nationality law and was a member of the Fragomen’s National Executive Committee for 12 years. Wexler also teaches a regular module on business and investment (including EB-5) immigration law at the University of California Irvine Law School. He is a repeat Top 25 Immigration Attorneys Award winner since 2023 and won between 2019 and 2018.

Vivian Zhu

WR Immigration

Vivian Zhu is a partner at Wolfsdorf Rosenthal LLP and heads the firm’s EB-5 department. She specializes in EB-5 cases, representing investors, regional centers, and projects, including distressed cases and complex age-outs. Her work includes mandamus litigation and handling issues related to consular inadmissibility. Zhu also responds to Requests for Evidence and Notices of Intent to Deny or Revoke. In addition to EB-5, she manages E-2 investor visas, L-1 intra-company transferee visas, and EB-1 petitions for individuals with extraordinary abilities. Her clients range from Fortune 500 companies to high-net-worth individuals and skilled professionals. She is a repeat Top 25 Immigration Attorneys Award winner between 2020 and 2017 and again in 2023.

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