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Douglas Hauer

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[email protected]

+1.617.348.3044

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Doug is a noted authority on the EB-5 investor visa program, which gives developers a path for securing capital for real estate, hospitality, and infrastructure projects. His fluency with the program makes Doug an essential resource for companies looking for financing from offshore sources. International entrepreneurs and companies also rely on him when launching a business within the borders of the US. He is ideally positioned to advise clients on immigration and corporate law issues that arise in doing business in the US. 

Doug is a Member in the firm's Corporate & Securities Practice and Immigration Practice. On the corporate side, he focuses on private offerings and related securities work. Doug serves as counsel to developers and businesses seeking capital from offshore sources including through the EB-5 investor visa program. He also works with entrepreneurs, new ventures and established businesses on setting up operations in the US, providing advice on entity formation and on the legal risks of expanding into the US. In the immigration law space, Doug represents corporate, institutional, and individual clients in routine and complex immigration matters. He has in-depth experience advising companies on the immigration consequences of corporate restructuring, as well as representing clients in immigration-related investigations involving the US DOL, USCIS and FBI. Doug frequently speaks, writes and is often quoted in the press about immigration, corporate and securities law, and foreign investment.

Doug is a noted authority on the EB-5 investor visa program, which gives developers a path for securing capital for real estate, hospitality, and infrastructure projects. His fluency with the program makes Doug an essential resource for companies looking for financing from offshore sources. International entrepreneurs and companies also rely on him when launching a business within the borders of the US. He is ideally positioned to advise clients on immigration and corporate law issues that arise in doing business in the US. 

Experience

  • Served as lead counsel for prominent resort developer in structuring $55 million preferred equity private placement
  • Counseled Israeli technology company on entity formation at entry into the US market and solved visa challenges
  • Partnered with general counsel of publicly traded company to manage global immigration law risks and mobility issues associated with a large-scale acquisition in China, Singapore and India
  • Served as lead deal counsel for a publicly-traded resort company in a $52 million private placement through the EB-5 Program
  • Formed EB-5 regional center and secured exemplar petition approval from USCIS for a $20 million EB-5 financing for a real estate project in New York City, with no USCIS “requests for evidence”
  • Advised major equity investors on the risks involved in participating in an EB-5 private placement seeking to raise more than $100 million
  • Represented leading clean energy executive/scientist through all aspects of the U.S. immigration process
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viewpoints

Recently, the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA), which is the oldest international organization devoted to investor protection, published an investor advisory for potential investors in EB-5 projects.
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The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has just published three new decisions in connection with administrative proceedings against two well known immigration lawyers, as well as against a third lawyer. 
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On August 11, 2016, USCIS published new processing times for I-829 petitions. The news is not good for EB-5 investors. USCIS is now taking in excess of 21 months to adjudicate I-829 petitions.
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According to data recently supplied by USCIS, there are more than 20,000 I-526 petitions pending adjudication as of the end of March 2016. This is a massive backlog of cases. What are the implications of this backlog to investors, and will processing times improve?
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Law 360's Top Immigration Cases of 2015: SEC Enforcement in EB-5

December 18, 2015 | Blog | By Immigration News Team, Douglas Hauer

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission launched several suits in 2015 over alleged fraud in connection with the EB-5 program... "I think that it's no coincidence that timed right with the legislative changes, we're seeing USCIS and the SEC focus more and more on enforcement, and on ensuring that the EB-5 program has integrity," said Douglas Hauer
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In 2012, we wrote about the risky business of immigration lawyers accepting finder’s fees for selling limited partnership interests in EB-5 deals. For the past several years, securities law violations have been part and parcel of many EB-5 regional center transactions.
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My colleagues Alex Hecht and Neal Martin of ML Strategies have published an update on legislative efforts to continue the EB-5 Regional Center Program: EB-5 Regional Center Program Update: As Deadline for Expiration Approaches, Congressional Action Likely.
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The recent attacks in Paris and San Bernardino are going to result in increased security checks for visa applicants at U.S. consular posts. We also anticipate Congress to at least review the Visa Waiver Program for potential changes, based on President Obama’s address to the nation.
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The recent attacks in Paris and San Bernardino are going to result in an increase in security checks for visa applicants at U.S. consular posts. We also anticipate Congress to at least review the Visa Waiver Program for potential changes, based on President Obama's address to the nation.
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On a panel recently at a conference sponsored by the American Immigration Lawyers (AILA) Conference in London, I was asked why I might advise a client to file an E-2 visa application instead of seeking an L-1 visa. The answer is simple.
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News & Press

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187 Mintz attorneys have been recognized by Best Lawyers® in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America©. Notably, three Mintz attorneys received 2025 “Lawyer of the Year” awards, and 64 firm attorneys were included in the 2025 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch.

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Mintz announced today that 42 of its practices and 83 of its attorneys earned recognition in the 2024 edition of Chambers USA, a guide to the country’s leading law firms. Of those included in the guide, 18 attorneys and seven practice areas were awarded Chambers’ highest ranking, Band 1. The firm obtained new listings in three practice areas and 10 of its lawyers were recognized for the first time.

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Mintz is pleased to announce that 120 firm attorneys have been recognized as leaders by Best Lawyers® in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America©.

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BOSTON – Mintz has earned top rankings in the 2023 edition of Legal 500 United States guide. The firm is recognized in 14 practice categories, and 59 individual attorneys are also recognized in the guide, some in more than one category.

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BOSTON –Mintz announced today that 39 of its practices and 81 of its attorneys earned recognition in the 2023 edition of Chambers USA, a guide to the country’s leading law firms.

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Best Lawyers® recognized 108 firm attorneys in the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America©. Notably, two Mintz attorneys – Poonam Patidar and Scott M. Stanton – received 2023 “Lawyer of the Year” awards, and 28 firm attorneys were included in the inaugural edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch.

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In Law360, Mintz Member Douglas Hauer commented on the upcoming increases to the EB-5 visa program's minimum investment amounts and how it is affecting investors, immigration lawyers, and EB-5 petitioners.
This feature article discusses proposed legislation that would have extended the EB-5 Visa program for five years. The article quotes Mintz Member Douglas Hauer among industry sources providing commentary.
Law360 published an article looking ahead at immigration trends for 2018. Doug Hauer is quoted in the article, regarding potential changes to the EB-5 program and the possibility of the Department of Homeland Security passing final regulations.
Mintz secured United States Citizenship and Immigration Services’ approval for Peak Resorts, Inc.’s application for the company’s proposed Great North Regional Center.
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Best Lawyers named 85 Mintz attorneys to its 2018 list of The Best Lawyers in America. In addition, Mintz attorneys Matthew J. Gardella and Samuel M. Tony Starr were named “Lawyer of the Year” in their respective practice areas.
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Doug Hauer, a Mintz Member, is quoted in this Law360 article on potential prison sentencing in response to EB-5 visa program fraud. Doug’s comments indicate that because of limited resources, criminal cases will likely only be pursued in the future when there is clear evidence of fraud. 
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Three Mintz attorneys will be participating in the National LGBT Bar Association’s annual Lavender Law conference and career fair. Douglas Hauer, Lyzzette Bullock, and John Koss will be panelists at the event for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals and allies in the legal profession.
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This Law360 article discusses contentious updates to the EB-5 visa program, which gives green cards to foreign residents who invest heavily in U.S. businesses.
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Doug Hauer, a Corporate & Securities and Immigration Member, is quoted in this article discussing how despite President-Elect Trump’s plans to rewrite the rules of foreign trade, he will likely leave overseas investment in U.S. real estate untouched.
Mintz Corporate & Securities and Immigration Member Doug Hauer were quoted in this Bloomberg BNA Daily Labor Report article on the policy update to the Immigrant Investor Program.  
Douglas Hauer, Co-Chair of the EB-5 Financing Practice and a Member of the Corporate and Securities and Immigration Practice at Mintz, is speaking at the North American Securities Administrators Association’s 2016 Corporation Finance Training.
Mintz Corporate & Securities and Immigration Member Doug Hauer is quoted in a CoStar article covering the popular EB-5 Investor Visa financing program, which is likely to be extended for a third time in a year.
Doug Hauer, Mintz Corporate & Securities and Immigration Member, is quoted in this Law360 article on the reform bill introduced in the House prior to the reauthorization deadline as it pertains to the upcoming expiration of the EB-5 visa regional center program.
Mintz Corporate & Securities and Immigration Member Doug Hauer is quoted in this Bloomberg BNA Daily Labor Report article covering efforts to push changes to the EB-5 visa program in Congress as its reauthorization deadline approaches.
Best Lawyers named 73 Mintz attorneys to its 2017 list of The Best Lawyers in America. Mintz attorneys selected for inclusion in this year’s list span 44 practice areas. 
Mintz Corporate & Securities and Immigration Member Doug Hauer is quoted in this Vermontbiz article on Vermont’s Department of Financial Regulation’s (DFR) approval of the SouthFace Village at Okemo, a new EB-5 project.
Mintz Members Doug Hauer, Adam Sisitsky, and Larry Schoen authored this EB-5 Regional Center Business Journal column. The authors note with increased scrutiny of the program, they expect increased attention to securities compliance and litigation risk mitigation throughout the EB-5 industry.
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Events & Speaking

Speaker
Dec
7
2017

2017 AILA EB-5 Investors Summit

AILA Agora

Las Vegas, NV

Speaker
Nov
15
2017

U.S. Immigration Roundtable Briefing: What Businesses in Turkey Need to Know

The Turkey-U.S. Business Council (TAİK)

Levent, Istanbul

Speaker
Nov
12
2017
Panelist
Moderator
Speaker
Oct
30
2015

German American Conference at Harvard

Harvard University

Cambridge, MA

Moderator
Panelist
Oct
8
2015

On The Move – A Global Immigration

International Bar Association (IBA) Annual Conference

Austria Center Vienna Vienna, Austria

Speaker
Speaker
Apr
14
2015

Immigration for the HR Professional

Hyatt House 2 Van de Graaff Drive Burlington, MA

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Doug is a noted authority on the EB-5 investor visa program, which gives developers a path for securing capital for real estate, hospitality, and infrastructure projects. His fluency with the program makes Doug an essential resource for companies looking for financing from offshore sources. International entrepreneurs and companies also rely on him when launching a business within the borders of the US. He is ideally positioned to advise clients on immigration and corporate law issues that arise in doing business in the US. 

Recognition & Awards

  • Chambers USA: Massachusetts - Immigration (2021 – 2024)

  • Best Lawyers in America: Immigration Law (2014 – 2018, 2021 - 2023)

  • Recommended by The Legal 500 United States for Labor & Employment: Immigration (2013 – 2016)

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Doug is a noted authority on the EB-5 investor visa program, which gives developers a path for securing capital for real estate, hospitality, and infrastructure projects. His fluency with the program makes Doug an essential resource for companies looking for financing from offshore sources. International entrepreneurs and companies also rely on him when launching a business within the borders of the US. He is ideally positioned to advise clients on immigration and corporate law issues that arise in doing business in the US. 

Involvement

  • Member, International Bar Association (2013 – present)
  • Member, National Association of Corporate Directors (2013– 2016)
  • Board member, German American Business Council of Boston (2011 – 2017)
  • Member, Board of Trustees, American Immigration Council (2009 – 2014)
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