TOP ATTORNEYS IN SPECIALIZED FIELDS
Fortune 100 companies, trade associations
and nonprofit organizations. The Hill has
repeatedly named him as one of the “Top
Lobbyists.” Prior to joining Akin Gump,
Bates served as legal counsel and chief of
staff to current Senate Republican Leader
Mitch McConnell. In this role, he worked
on a wide range of issues, including
appropriations, agriculture, health care
and tax. For the past two years, Bates has
represented IIUSA, a trade association
composed of EB-5 regional centers, in the
halls of congress working to ensure that the
EB-5 program is extended and ultimately
reformed and reauthorized by congress.
HUNTER BATES
Partner
Akin Gump Strauss
Hauer & Feld LLP
H
unter Bates is a partner at Akin Gump
Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP and co-leader
of the firm’s public law and policy practice.
He has more than 20 years of law, policy and
advocacy experience. Bates combines his
knowledge of policy, process and key players
to provide strategic advice and advocacy on
behalf of a wide range of clients, including
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EB5 INVESTORS M AGAZINE
WHAT DO YOU THINK
THE FUTURE OF THE EB-5
INDUSTRY LOOKS LIKE?
The EB-5 industry’s future is bright if
congress achieves reforms and long-
term reauthorization. Long-term reform
should include a balanced approach to TEAs
giving urban and rural areas a legitimate shot
at competing for the program’s limited visas.
A meaningful, workable differential and well-
defined TEA criteria is key. Expanded visa
capacity is also critical to ensuring viability
for this economic development program.
One way to expand visa capacity is to revive
the program’s original intent by not counting
immediate family members toward the
overall limit. A reformed, reauthorized EB-5
program can help communities achieve
much-needed growth in jobs, infrastructure
and the local economy.
WHAT TRENDS ARE YOU SEEING
IN THE EB-5 INDUSTRY?
There are three trends that I would point
to. First, we continue to see the SEC
pursue pure fraud actions against regional
centers for Ponzi scheme-type activity. We
also continue to see regulators go after
lawyers for receiving transaction-based
compensation. And lastly, we are now
starting to see, for the first time, investor
suits against regional centers and projects
related to disclosures, or lack thereof, in
offering documents.