Sophie Alcorn

Founding Attorney & Certified Specialist

I’m passionate about fighting for immigrants. I am Board Certified as a Specialist in United States Immigration and Nationality Law by the State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization. I am one of only a couple of immigration attorneys in all of Santa Clara County with this designation.

I was exposed to the world of immigration law because my father was an immigration attorney and my mom is an immigrant from Germany. My dad inspired me with his thrilling stories of beating the odds to save immigrants lives and keep families united. I witnessed my mom’s grit and perseverance which is necessary to have as an immigrant, building a new life and learning a new language and culture in a new land.

During my first summer job at my dad’s law office when I was 15, he put me to work writing a petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus. Our mission: to free a Cuban man from indefinite detention in immigration jail. I wrote the brief that my dad argued in federal court. We succeeded, our client was freed, and after that I was hooked.

I love meeting people from all around the world. I grew up in Southern California, spending part of my childhood attending school in Germany. I first moved to Silicon Valley when I attended Stanford University as an undergraduate. I majored in International Relations, studied German, Italian, Russian, and Old Norse, and studied abroad in Florence and Moscow. I have loved living in the San Francisco Bay Area since I attended Stanford University.

I’ve been practicing immigration law since I graduated cum laude from Washington University St. Louis School of Law in 2008. Throughout my career, I have helped thousands of people successfully navigate this complex system.

I have experience with all aspects of U.S. immigration law, including visas and green cards based on businesses and families, naturalization and claims to citizenship, investment, asylum, removal defense in Immigration Court, cases before the Board of Immigration Appeals, Federal District Court litigation, Ninth Circuit Petitions for Review..

My current focus is business immigration and family-based immigration law, with particular expertise in immigration options for startups, specialized workers, entrepreneurs, and investors, as well as additional pro bono cases.

As an expert on U.S. immigration matters, I’ve been quoted in publications around the globe such as The New York Times, Financial Times, and The Atlantic. I’ve also been invited to speak about immigration at numerous conferences and events, including Keiretsu Forum’s Angel Capital Expo and the Bar Association of San Francisco as well as many incubators and accelerators for startups.

I’m also proud to say I’ve earned several awards. Super Lawyers, a rating service that recognizes lawyers who have attained a high-level of peer recognition and professional achievement, named me a Rising Star in 2018 and 2019. And the Mountain View Chamber of Commerce selected me as Outstanding Young Business Person of the Year in 2017. In 2015, I joined the ranks of The National Advocates Top 40 under 40, a select group of young attorneys who demonstrate outstanding qualifications, leadership, influence, and stature.

I advise several nonprofits and Silicon Valley startups, including: Global EIR, Project Ellis, and Ayvid Innovations. I’m a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and served as the treasurer of AILA’s Santa Clara Valley Chapter. I’m also involved in many organizations, including: Watermark, a community of top women executives; Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO), a global network of influential business owners; and ProVisors, an invitation-only community of 5,000 trusted advisors.

Ich spreche Deutsch. Y hablo un poco de español.

When I’m not practicing law, I enjoy spending time with my two active and curious kids, reading about entrepreneurship, and traveling the globe – over 25 countries and counting!

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