EB5 Investors Magazine Volume 1 Issue 2 | Page 54

When Robert Divine first got involved with the EB-5 program back in 2003, he actually refused several cases. At the time, there were serious organizational problems within the program and several projects that Robert could not put his faith in. But in 2004 Robert joined the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services and served as Chief Counsel, where he worked toward a better future for EB-5. He played a part in the revamping of the program, with a commitment to getting rid of smoke and mirrors and a focus on re-grounding EB-5 in reality. Robert Divine Before his current role as an EB-5 immigration attorney at Baker Donelson Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, Robert worked hard to better the industry. His time at USICS as Chief Counsel, and subsequently as Acting Director and Acting Deputy Director, allowed Robert to do what he felt was the right thing: bring honesty and transparency back into EB-5. Now when he represents immigrant investors, he knows that the integrity of their investments and the structure of the program are stable. In addition, he is uniquely able to put himself in the shoes of the adjudicator and, as such, provide an application that is both clear and easy for those assessing it to understand and approve. Robert is a shareholder and leader of his firm’s immigration practice group at their Washington, D.C., and Chattanooga, For nearly 30 years Robert Gaffney has been helping individual and corporate clients make the United States their home through family, investment and employment-based immigration. His personal practice, located in San Francisco, Calif. has been specifically involved with EB-5 since the program was first instated in 1990. Tenn. offices. He appreciates EB-5 work for the way it brings together aspects of the entire legal spectrum. For Robert, the program is a chance to broaden his skills and stretch and develop his abilities. Robert Gaffney His location in Northern California, among a sizeable AsianAmerican population, drove his interest in Chinese culture. He is fluent in Mandarin Chinese and frequently travels to China to work with potential investors; an estimated 80% of all EB-5 immigrants involved in the program originate from China. Robert is a California State Bar Certified Specialist in Immigration and Nationality Law, distinguishing him as one of the most experienced and knowledgeable attorneys in California. His wide breath of understanding as a certified specialist, shared among just three percent of all law practitioners in California, makes him an invaluable asset in EB-5 cases. It is his expertise in all of immigration law that makes him such an effective bridge for clients looking to establish a new life in the United States. Robert is a long-time member of the Association of Asian Studies, a member of the San Francisco-Shanghai Sister City Committee, and he regularly speaks on the U.S. legal system and business practices to business groups and visiting foreign delegations. He has also earned an “AV” rating, the highest 54 rating for integrity and skill possible for attorneys according to Martindale-Hubbell, a trusted legal authority widely recognized for identifying skilled law associates in the United States. Robert enjoys travelling abroad and living in the Bay Area, where there is a wealth of outdoor activities. E B 5 I n v e s to r s M ag a z i n e