[ IMMIGRATION ATTORNEYS ]
Robert Divine got his start in EB-5 early, but actually refused
several prospective EB-5 investor clients in the 1990s, because
the projects they wanted did not seem to qualify. Years later,
in 2004, Robert was asked by the White House to become
chief counsel of USCIS, where he went to become acting
director and play a part in revamping the program with a
commitment to eliminating smoke and mirrors and a focus
on re-grounding EB-5 in reality.
After departing the government in 2007, Robert returned to
his former role as shareholder at Baker, Donelson, Bearman,
Caldwell & Berkowitz, P.C., a law firm of almost 700
attorneys in 20 offices, including Washington, D.C. Robert
was asked to help several large EB-5 developers address
some problematic USCIS program interpretations, and he
successfully advocated to USCIS for the “exemplar” project
approval process and several other improvements.
When he represents immigrant investors, Robert puts himself
in the shoes of the adjudicator to provide a filing that is clear
and easy for those assessing it to understand and approve. At
the same time, he is aware of the degree to which policy and
legal issues in the EB-5 realm remain unresolved, and finds
it particularly frustrating to advise clients on how to conduct
their business within the law when it is difficult know what
the law really is. He reminds his clients that EB-5 regulations
can undergo unpredictable cycles and, accordingly, handles
With a background in global business immigration and
real estate, and an interest in investment visas, it is only
natural that Ignacio Donoso began working on EB-5 cases
seven years ago. As a managing member of I.A. Donoso
& Associates, LLC, based in Bethesda, Maryland, Ignacio
oversees a team of 10 professionals who primarily focus on
EB-5 immigration matters. Throughout his career, Ignacio
has successfully represented a number of regional centers, but
now specializes in representing investors.
Ignacio finds the benefits of working in EB-5 to be twofold. For one, he has the opportunity to help extraordinarily
talented and hardworking individuals pursue their dreams
in the United States. At the same time, EB-5 allows him to
participate in the creation of U.S. jobs. He recently visited
an EB-5 project site with his team and was rewarded with
the sight of a bustling construction crew building a structure
from the ground-up. It is this appreciation of what EB-5 can
accomplish, and what is required to meet that objective, that
makes Ignacio such a respected attorney in the industry.
Indeed, Ignacio ensures that every client he works with
understands the risks involved in EB-5, is provided with the
proper tools to evaluate those risks, and is advised on whether
the project will achieve their immigration goals. Since he
first ventured into EB-5, Ignacio has found that a growing
stability in the program’s legal rules has enabled project devel-
Robert Divine
their cases with foresight and discretion.
Robert appreciates EB-5
work for the way it brings
together aspects of the entire
legal spectrum. In his industry and
client service roles, Robert strives to enhance
the level of integrity and transparency from all sides. In
addition to helping developers strategize about organizing
large business enterprises and securities offerings, Robert
enjoys collaborating with lawyers across firms and disciplines
to effectuate successful EB-5 cases and the continued growth
of the program. He has been elected vice president of IIUSA
five times.
Ignacio Donoso
opers and investors to better
comprehend compliance with the
requirements of the program.
Not only has Ignacio proven effective in handling EB-5 matters, but he is also quite happy in the industry, which results
in a high-level of responsiveness and dedication to his clients.
This is evident in the fact that, for several years, Ignacio has
been selected by his peers to serve on the AILA International
EB-5 Committee with other leading immigration attorneys in
the EB-5 industry. Through his work on the committee, he has
alerted the EB-5 community to certain trends and fluctuations
in the program, allowing for greater compliance success.
WWW.EB5INVESTORS.COM
63