TOP ATTORNEYS IN SPECIALIZED FIELDS
LAURA FOOTE REIFF Co-managing Shareholder Greenberg Traurig LLP
Laura Foote Reiff is co-chair of Greenberg
Traurig LLP’ s business immigration and compliance group and a co-managing shareholder for the firm’ s Northern Virginia office. She has been involved in EB-5 since the program’ s inception in 1990. With roots as a business immigration attorney assisting with EB-5 direct investments, Foote Reiff is also leader of The EB-5 Immigration Coalition – a diverse organization of trade associations and businesses working to advance the EB-5 program. A multi-disciplinary international law firm, Greenberg Traurig is comprised of more than 2,000 attorneys practicing in 38 offices worldwide. Foote Reiff collaborates with the company’ s dedicated EB-5 team, which includes professionals such as economists and securities attorneys, to assist both investors and developers across the full spectrum of EB-5 matters.
WHAT DO YOU THINK THE FUTURE OF THE EB-5 INDUSTRY LOOKS LIKE?
I see some real changes on the horizon for the EB-5 program. We certainly need to see reforms that address visa relief, backlog reduction, processing times and integrity measures. We need reforms that will help keep truly viable projects in the pipeline while weeding out less stable projects and those bad actors that use the program improperly.
HOW ARE YOU INVOLVED IN THE EB-5 INDUSTRY?
As a founding member of the EB-5 Immigration Coalition, I’ m committed to reforming one of the most challenging aspects of EB-5: the program’ s policy complexities. I find that the bureaucracy of interfacing with various agencies is frustrating and works against the EB-5 program’ s underlying goal of creating U. S. jobs. Despite the intricacies of navigating EB-5 policy, working towards transparency in business immigration laws and regulations is one of the most rewarding components of my job. I have been involved with federal legislation for more than 15 years and my endeavors as a registered lobbyist for the coalition allow me to have a direct effect in promoting and supporting the continuation of the EB-5 program.
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