Lincoln Stone
Partner & Certified Specialist
Law Practice Experience
Lincoln Stone is recognized as a Certified Specialist in Immigration and Nationality Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. Lincoln’s practice has been focused on U.S. immigration and nationality law since 2005, when he and Kathy Grzegorek co-founded the law firm now known as SGG immigration LLP. Lincoln’s prior experience included immigration and nationality law, business litigation and transactions. Lincoln is recognized as a preeminent immigration lawyer by peer-based ratings such as Chambers as well as The Best Lawyers in America.
At the law firm, Lincoln’s client experience includes advising about complex business structures, disputes and litigation; representing clients in immigration court and federal court litigation; helping thousands of investors, entrepreneurs and startup ventures from all over the world; and resolving complex immigration compliance matters for U.S. businesses, regional centers, and venture firms that have raised capital for job-creating enterprises through the EB-5 immigrant investor program.
Lincoln’s three decades of work in the investor practice area has been focused on advising clients on risks involved throughout the entirety of the multi-phase immigration process. His litigation background helps inform clients involved in distressed EB-5 projects, workouts and reorganizations, and related litigation, while keeping alive the pursuit of permanent residence without conditions. That client work is advanced by an approach that is highlighted in published articles including these —
- Conditional Permanent Residence and Immigration Risk for Investors
- Litigation Exposes Illegal USCIS Policy Making Good Faith Investors “Guarantors” of Business Success
- Good Faith and Reason: A Framework for Preserving Permanent Residence
Lincoln’s practice also Includes advising on the economics and statistics principles underpinning compliance in the EB-5 investor practice area, as well as advising on immigration law compliance in the context of infrastructure development that is funded by pairing immigrant investor capital with financing for infrastructure in under-invested areas, including new market tax credits, tax increment financing, and redevelopment bonds. Lincoln showcased some of that client work in published articles —
- Immigrant Capital Investment and Priority Infrastructure
- Alternative Energy: Impact Investment with EB-5 Immigrant Investor Capital
- Job Creation Methodologies for EB-5 Immigrant Investors
- Regional Economics and Job Creation in EB-5 Immigrant Investor Practice
For the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), Lincoln was the long-serving chair of the national EB-5 investor visa committee and creator-chief editor of the highly multi-disciplinary practice book Immigration Options for Investors and Entrepreneurs. AILA commended Lincoln for advancing the practice area of EB-5 investor law. AILA also commended Lincoln for leadership of national pro bono efforts and assisting detained refugees.
Lincoln’s practice has included representing asylum applicants in immigration court proceedings.
Government Service and University Education
- Trial Attorney for US Immigration and Naturalization Service
- Law Clerk to US Senior Judge
- Juris Doctor, University of Notre Dame
- Master of Science Global Health, Northwestern University
- Master of Arts Humanities, California State University Dominguez Hills
- Bachelor of Business Administration, Loyola Marymount University