David Van Vooren

David Van Vooren

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Biography

David joined David Hirson & Partners, LLP in 2014 and currently leads the Seattle office as a Partner. David concentrates his practice in corporate and investment-based immigration law. 

David has substantial experience advising foreign investors and entrepreneurs on U.S. immigration matters and has successfully handled numerous L-1 and E-2 visa cases for clients with startup companies in the U.S. David also regularly advises corporations on immigration compliance issues and developing long-term immigration strategies. He has experience advising and assisting businesses on H-1B, PERM Based EB-2/EB-3, and TN visas for their foreign national employees as well as EB-1As and National Interest Waivers for the self-petitioner clients with extraordinary ability in the fields. 

In addition, David works on EB-5 immigrant investor program matters, including the creation of new EB-5 Regional Centers, advising businesses on EB-5 corporate structuring and financing, and working closely with securities attorneys, economists and business plan writers to ensure compliance with EB-5 program requirements.

David prepares and files I-526 and I-829 petitions on behalf of Regional Centers and investors and is able to guide investors through the entire EB-5 immigration process. David has successfully taken the lead in assisting Regional Centers and investors in responding to complex Requests for Evidence (RFEs) pertaining to pending I-526 and I-829 petitions.

David also works alongside tax and estate planning attorneys to counsel high net worth individuals on comprehensive immigration planning.

Prior to joining David Hirson & Partners, LLP, David worked in-house at a Regional Center where he worked with outside corporate and immigration counsel to develop and structure EB-5 projects. Prior to that, David worked in the Shanghai office of a large business immigration law firm where he was a member of their global immigration practice and advised EB-5 investors on lawful source of funds requirements.

David has nearly a decade of experience living and working in China and is proficient in speaking and reading Chinese.

Representative Experience
  • Represented numerous foreign investors and entrepreneurs on strategies to establish U.S.-based businesses and transfer executive and manager-level employees in E-2s and L-1A visas. 
  • Assisted hundreds of foreign nationals obtain legal permanent residence through the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa Program
  • Counseled several EB-5 Regional Centers and obtained I-924 exemplar approvals for EB-5 projects that amount to several hundred million in EB-5 financing

Education

  • University of Memphis School of Law, Memphis, Tennessee
    • J.D.
  • China University of Political Science and Law
    • Certificate in Chinese Law
  • Vanderbilt University
    • B.A.

Classes & Seminars

  • Panelist, “Options for Investors in “Busted” Deals and Terminated Regional Centers”, IIUSA 9th Annual EB-5 Industry Forum, Seattle, Washington, October 30, 2019
  • Presenter, “ILW’s H-1B to EB-5 Seminar,” Immigration Law Weekly, San Jose, California, August 31, 2018
  • Speaker at numerous EB-5 seminars and informational sessions across Asia

Pro-Bono Activities

  • Served as screening and review attorney at numerous citizenship clinics associated with the Seattle Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs
  • Served as screening and review attorney at numerous citizenship clinics associated with the Seattle Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs

Languages

  • Chinese
  • English

Published Works

  • Author, “How the L-1A and EB-1C Visas Can Work with U.S.-based Franchise Businesses” by David Van Vooren. EB-5 Investors Magazine, Chinese Edition, Volume 5, Issue 2, 2018
  • Co-Author, “Appendix A17 – Immigration Law”, In-House Counsel’s Handbook, 5th ed.

Professional Associations

  • American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)
  • King County Bar Association
  • American Bar Association
  • Invest in the USA (IIUSA)
  • EB-5 Verified by EB5Investors.com

Current Employment Position

  • Partner

Practice Areas

  • Corporate/Business, Investment, and Family-Based Immigration Law
  • Immigration Litigation

Bar Admissions

  • District of Columbia
  • Washington