Laura Foote Reiff

Laura Foote Reiff has more than 35 years of experience representing businesses and organizations in the business immigration and compliance field. She is also a business immigration advocate and has long chaired prominent business immigration coalitions that helped shepherd through business immigration reform legislation during the Bush and Obama Administrations. Laura is Co-Founder of GT’s Business and Immigration and Compliance Group which she co-led since 1999. She currently chairs the Northern Virginia/Washington, D.C., Immigration and Compliance Practice. Laura was also Co-Managing Shareholder of the Northern Virginia Office of GT, a position she has held from 2010 to 2025. As a global leader in the business immigration community, Laura has served on many Boards including the America is Better Board. She is currently on the Board of the National Forum and chairs the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Immigration Subcommittee.

Laura advises corporations on a variety of compliance-related issues, particularly related to Form I-9 eligibility employment verification matters. Laura has been involved in audits and internal investigations and has successfully minimized monetary exposure as well as civil and criminal liabilities on behalf of her clients. She develops immigration compliance strategies and programs for both small and large companies. Laura performs I-9, H-1B and H-2B compliance inspections during routine internal reviews, while performing due diligence (in the context of a merger, acquisition or sale) or while defending a company against a government investigation. She works closely with Exchange Visitor Programs on Designation, Change in Control and Compliance.

Laura's practice also consists of managing business immigration matters and providing immigration counsel to address the visa and work authorization needs of U.S. and global personnel including professionals, managers and executives, treaty investors/ traders, essential workers, persons of extraordinary ability, corporate trainees, and students. She is an immigration policy advocacy expert and works on immigration reform policies.

Laura represents many businesses in creating, managing and using 'Regional Centers' that can create indirect jobs toward the 10 new U.S. jobs whose creation can give rise to EB-5 permanent residence for investment. She coordinates this work with attorneys practicing in securities law compliance, with economists identifying 'targeted employment areas' and projecting indirect job creation, and with licensed securities brokers coordinating offerings. She also represents individual investors in obtaining conditional permanent residence and in removing conditions from permanent residence.

Concentrations

•Immigration advocacy
•Compliance and worksite enforcement
•I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification
•Permanent and temporary international transfers of personnel
•Obtaining U.S. nonimmigrant visas, including professional visas (H-1B), intracompany transferee visa (L-1), treaty trader/investor visas (E-1/E-2), student visas (F-1), scholar and exchange visas (J-1), cultural visas (Q), and extraordinary ability/artist/athlete visas (O and P)
•Compliance with Export control requirements
•Naturalization
•Outbound assistance with visa needs in other countries
•Litigation
•Advice concerning withholding of social security and taxation of foreign nationals and corporations
•Corporate restructurings
•Exchange Visitor Program Formation and Compliance
•Mergers and Acquisitions and Immigration Implications
•Global human capital solutions

Recognition & Leadership

Awards & Accolades

•Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, Immigration Law, 2008-2026
•Listed, Chambers USA Guide, 2006-2025
•Listed, Chambers Global, Immigration: Business (USA), 2008-2025
•Listed, The Legal 500 United States, 2009-2025
•Labor and Employment - Immigration, 2012-2025
•'Hall of Fame,' 2020-2025
•'Leading Lawyers,' 2012-2018
•Listed, Lawdragon, 100 Leading Immigration Lawyers, 2023-2025
•Listed, Lawdragon, 500 Leading U.S. Corporate Employment Lawyers, 2020-2026
•Selected, Virginia Business, 'Virginia 500 Power List,' 2022-2023
•Listed, Washingtonian, 'Top Lawyers Hall of Fame,' 2022
•Listed, Washingtonian magazine
•'Top Lawyers Hall of Fame,' 2022
•'Washington's Top Lawyers,' 2013-2017, 2020
•Listed, National Law Review, 'Go-To Thought Leader: Immigration Law,' 2022
•Listed, EB-5 Investors Magazine, Top 25 Attorneys 2018: EB-5 Attorneys in Specialized Fields, 2018
•Listed, Lawdragon and Human Resources Executive magazine, 'The Nation’s Most Powerful Immigration Attorneys - Top 20,' 2011-2019
•Honoree, The National Law Journal, 'Trailblazer' Award, Immigration, 2018
•Recipient, 'Best Contribution to EB-5,' U.S. Investment Immigration Forum, 2015
•Recipient, 'Summit Ambassador Award,' Invest in America, 2015
•Team Member, a U.S. News - Best Lawyers 'Government Relations Law Firm of the Year,' 2014
•Listed, Super Lawyers magazine, Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers, 2012-2014

(Also at McLean, Virginia Office)