TOP IMMIGRATION AT TORNEYS
NIMA KORPIVAARA
DAVID HIRSON & PARTNERS, LLP | CO-FOUNDER
Nima Korpivaara co-founded
David Hirson & Partners, LLP
in 2014. He handles all types
of U.S. immigration, including
complex matters associated
with corporate business
structure and EB-5 investor applications. Korpivaara
practices in the fields of corporate, investor (E-2 and EB-
5) and family immigration law, representing large and
small clients within a variety of industries. This includes
temporary and short-term work visas, business visas,
permanent residency (employment-based and family-
based) and naturalization. Korpivaara has successfully
represented thousands of investors in receiving EB-5 green
card approvals, as well as dozens of regional centers in
successfully receiving designation from USCIS.
WHAT TRENDS ARE YOU SEEING
IN THE EB-5 INDUSTRY?
With severe backlogs in China and Vietnam, and impressing
delays for Indian nationals, I expect a significant slowdown
in I-526 petitions. My hope would be that this lull allows
time for USCIS to catch up on processing times, and for
Congress to take a hard look at the regulations. Arbitrary
processing times and antiquated regulations that relate
nothing to how businesses operate are changing the risk
profile for investors. With higher risk levels and longer wait
times, EB-5 cannot compete with immigration programs
across the world.
WHY DID YOU GET INVOLVED
IN THE EB-5 INDUSTRY?
I am a first-generation Iranian immigrant. I watched as my
own family entered the USA on student visas, applied for
H-1Bs and went through the employer-based green card
process. Going through that process galvanized my desire
to become an immigration attorney. EB-5 provides unique
opportunities for business and deal making-minded
attorneys such as myself. Unlike other areas of immigration
law, which can be static, EB-5 allows you to work closely
with businesses to advise on everything.
CAROLYN LEE
CAROLYN LEE, PLLC | FOUNDER
Carolyn Lee is the founder of
Carolyn Lee PLLC. Lee has
represented regional centers,
developers, funds and investors
for over a decade, helping U.S.
project clients raise $2.5 billion
in EB-5 capital. She is the chair of American Immigration
Lawyers (AILA) national EB-5 Committee. Lee has authored
key legislative commentary since 2012 advocating for
workable EB-5 reform and visa capacity expansion. Lee
authors leading publications, including the new USCIS
EB-5 Redemption Policy Update (ilw.com, November 2018),
Analysis of Litigation to Expand EB-5 Visa Capacity (Regional
Center Business Journal, October 2018) and Straight Talk on
Redeployment (EB5 Investors Magazine, November 2017).
WHAT TRENDS ARE YOU SEEING
IN THE EB-5 INDUSTRY?
There is both tremendous volatility and opportunity. The
volatility comes from lack of long-term program reauthorization,
looming major change in both the law and regulations, fast-
coming policy changes, investor unrest, and IPO leadership
turnover on top of it all. The opportunity comes from finding
ways to meet these challenges and run even stronger
operations. Opportunity is also there to band together to fight
for common interests. Alliances can form across all lines.
USCIS and stakeholders, for example, share interest in the rule
of law and program integrity. Similarly, all stakeholders share
common interest in some form of EB-5 capacity expansion.
WHY DID YOU GET INVOLVED
IN THE EB-5 INDUSTRY?
I got involved in EB-5 around 2005. Having started in
complex transactions, real estate and lending, EB-5 was a
natural fit. The timing was perfect because my experience
merged with rising EB-5 demand. The more interesting
question is why I remain passionate about EB-5. There is
incredible potential in the product of investment, job creation
and enterprising immigrants. It’s already borne fruit with
hundreds of thousands of U.S. jobs, billions of investment
dollars, and thousands of U.S. tax-paying immigrant
families. We can all, in the private sector and government,
do much more to develop and realize EB-5’s full potential.
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