Partner
Chad Blocker
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Languages
- English
Contact information
Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP
444 South Flower Street, Suite 500
Los Angeles CA 90071
United States
Chad is Managing Partner of Fragomen’s Los Angeles office. He joined the firm in 1998 and advises a diverse corporate client base—from start-ups to Fortune 100 companies—across a wide range of industries. He also represents private clients including individuals pursuing permanent residence through the EB-5 investor program. His practice spans all aspects of business immigration including nonimmigrant visas (H-2B, H-1B, E-2, E-3, L-1, O-1), permanent residence, naturalization, employment eligibility, Labor Condition Application compliance and corporate restructuring matters.
A frequent speaker on business immigration trends and developments, Chad has presented for organizations including the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), Worldwide ERC, the Association of Corporate Counsel, Global Mobility Executive, the Institute of Corporate Counsel, EB-5 Investors and IIUSA.
Chad has been quoted by leading media outlets including the Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle and Bloomberg, among others. He has also taught at General Assembly, a global educational community for entrepreneurs and start-ups in business, technology and design. In addition, he has authored and edited articles for publications including the Los Angeles Business Journal, Los Angeles Lawyer and Advising California Employers and Employees (Continuing Education of the Bar, State Bar of California and the Regents of the University of California).
Education
- Tulane University School of Law, J.D., Cum Laude , 1996
- University of Colorado, Boulder, B.A., 1993
More from Chad
Admissions
Bar Admissions: Colorado, Texas (Inactive)
Practice Limited to Federal Immigration & Nationality Law
Awards
Listed in Best Lawyers in America, 2023-2026
Professional accomplishments
Board of Governors, Institute of Corporate Counsel, a collaboration between the University of Southern California Gould School of Law and the Los Angeles County Bar Association
Member, American Immigration Lawyers Association
Former Law Clerk, Federal Administrative Law Judge John C. Holmes of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Board of Alien Labor Certification Appeals (BALCA) in Washington, D.C. (1996–1998)
Publications and lectures
Speaker, “EB-5: What’s Ahead in 2026.” Webinar with American Lending Center, 23 April 2026
Speaker, “Workforce Challenges: Employment & Immigration Law Update.” 2025 Institute for Corporate Counsel, Los Angeles, CA, 3 December 2025.
Speaker, “Immigration Breakfast Briefing.” Fragomen, Los Angeles, CA, 16 September 2025.
Speaker, “Navigating the Path to U.S. Citizenship: What You Need to Know.” Fragomen, Webinar, 16 July 2025.
Speaker, “Immigration Breakfast Briefing.” Fragomen, Los Angeles, CA, 5 March 2025.
Panelist, Global Mobility Executive Virtual Leaders Exchange | USA West, Webinar, 5 December 2023.
Speaker, “Are H-2 Visas Really a Viable Option for My Agricultural and Seasonal Employers?” 36th Annual AILA California Chapters Conference and Webcast, San Francisco, CA, 28 October 2023.
Speaker, “EB-5 Green Card Options for International Students.” Interstride, Webinar, 1 March 2023.
Quoted, “Outgoing Trump Administration Rule Limited H-1B Visas.” San Francisco Chronicle, 20 January 2021.
Quoted, “H-1B lottery change may drive increase in visa applicants.” Tech Target, 12 December 2019.
Moderator, “Indian Investors Roundtable: What They Look for in a Project & Why They Continue to Seek EB-5.” Invest in the USA EB-5 Industry Forum, Seattle, Washington, 29-30 October 2019.
Quoted, “Immigrant Investors to Pay at Least $900,000 for Green Cards.” Bloomberg, 23 July 2019.
Speaker, “The Latest News: EB-5 Regulations and USCIS Policy Analysis.” EB-5 Investors Magazine Los Angeles Exposition, Los Angeles, CA, July 19, 2019.
Quoted, “Reform Needed for Lasting H-2B Shortage Relief, Attys Say.” Law360, 5 March 2019.
Quoted, “End Of Spouse Work Authorization Could Drive Away H-1Bs.” Law360, 12 Feb. 2019.
Quoted, “Trump’s Supreme Court Picks Could Trip Up Immigration Agenda.” Bloomberg BNA Daily Labor Report, 17 Jan. 2019.
Quoted, “Attys Prepare Employers for Increased H-2B Visa Audits.” Law360, 18 Dec. 2018.
Quoted, “Diversity Visas Are a Trump Target, and That Could Hurt Employers.” Bloomberg Law, 14 Nov. 2018.
Quoted, “Skilled Worker Visa Lottery Could Favor Advanced Degree Holders.” Bloomberg BNA, 23 Oct. 2018.
Speaker, “An Introduction to Global Immigration Concepts and Strategies.” ERC Symposium, Seattle, WA, Oct. 18, 2018.
Quoted, “Judge Gives Calif. Employers ‘Breathing Room’ on Immigration.” Bloomberg Law, 17 July 2018.
Speaker, “The EB-5 Program for H-1B Visa Holders.” ILW Presentation, Silicon Valley, CA, July 16, 2018.
Speaker, “Immigration: What's Next?” Worldwide ERC Conference, Los Angeles, CA, June 28, 2018.
Speaker, “LCA and PAF Compliance and Best Practices.” American Immigration Lawyers Association Annual Conference, San Francisco, CA, June 16, 2018.
Quoted, “DACA expiration, TPS elimination threaten 100K+ construction jobs.” Construction Dive, 24 Jan. 2018.
Quoted, “How Immigration Attorneys are Tackling the Trump Era.” Law 360, 8 Nov. 2017.
Quoted, “Government to require interview for some green card holders.” Daily Journal, 30 August 2017.
Quoted, “DOL Seeks More Immigration Information on IT Staffing Firms.” Bloomberg Daily Labor Report, 7 August 2017.
Author, “Draining the Pool: Visa categories related to the entertainment industry may be strongly affected by changes in U.S. immigration policy.” Los Angeles Lawyer, Vol. 40, No. 3, (May 2017): 34-39. Print and web.
Speaker, “Employer Compliance During Enhanced Enforcement - I-9s, Audits, and Site Visits.” Panel presentation, American Immigration Lawyers Association, Southern California Chapter, Los Angeles, CA, April 13, 2017.
Quoted, “Summer Delays Likely As State Dept. Ups Visa Screening.” Law360, 4 April 2017.
Quoted, “How to encourage Hispanic participation amid the construction labor shortage.” Construction Dive, March 30, 2017.
Quoted, “Business immigration lawyers face new queries, requests under Trump.” Daily Journal, March 6, 2017.
Speaker, “Basic and Advanced EB-5 Eligibility Criteria.” Panel presentation, ILW EB-5 Conference, Los Angeles, CA, February 24, 2017.
Quoted, “Trump's Next Immigration Moves May Rock Businesses.” Law360, 13 February 2017.
Speaker, “Immigration Compliance.” Seminar, Association of Corporate Counsel Continuing Legal Education Seminar, Los Angeles, CA, February 1, 2017.
Quoted, “Trump travel ban is ‘scary’ for Hollywood, which relies on a global talent pool.” LA Times, February 1, 2017.
Quoted, “H-1B Visa Lottery Challenge Still Alive.” Bloomberg BNA, September 26, 2016.
Co-author, “New Entrepreneur Rule Gives Foreign Investors Another Immigration Option.” Los Angeles Business Journal, 23 September 2016.
Co-author, “Finding Tech Talent: Hiring International Students from US Universities.” Los Angeles Business Journal, August 29, 2016.
Quoted, “Violators Beware: Immigration Fines Scheduled to Increase Starting Aug. 1.” Bloomberg BNA, July 14, 2016.
Quoted, “2016’s Major Immigration Case Developments: Midyear Report.” Law360, July 1, 2016.
Quoted, “'Truly No Better Option’: H-2B visas for construction workers spark industry controversy.” Construction Dive, June 21, 2016.
Quoted, “With an H-1B Lottery Loss More Likely, A Look at Alternatives May Be in Order.” Bloomberg BNA, March 16, 2016.
Quoted, “O-1 Visa Comparable Evidence Policy May Burden Petitioners.” Law360, March 8, 2016.
Quoted, “When to Apply for Lesser-Known 'B-1 In Lieu OF H-1B' Visa.” Law 360, 24 February 2016.
Quoted, “Four Tips to Ace Your H-1B Petition.” Law360, February 11, 2016.
Quoted, “How to Hold On To Foreign Workers After a Merger.” Law360, February 8, 2016.
Quoted, “Returning H-2B Workers Won't Count Against Visa Cap.” Society for Human Resource Management, February 2, 2016.
Speaker, “Global Immigration Trends and Updates.” Panel presentation, Fragomen Immigration Symposium, Los Angeles, CA, January 27, 2016.
Speaker, “Executive Action on Immigration: What Employers Can Expect in 2015.” Lecture, Worldwide ERC, St. Louis, MO, February 2015.
Speaker, “The Heat Wave is Coming: Preparing for H-1B Season and Alternatives.” Lecture, American Immigration Lawyers Association, Southern California Chapter, Palm Springs, CA, February 2015.
Speaker, “Masters Series on Keys to Immigration Success: What Every Employer Needs to Know About Immigration in the United States.” Lecture, Worldwide ERC, Los Angeles, CA, January 2015.
Author, “Immigration Law Requirements for Employers.” In Advising California Employers and Employees, Continuing Education of the Bar – State Bar of California and the Regents of the University of California, 2015. Print and Electronic.
Speaker, “Hot Topics on Immigration Law.” Panel presentation, The Rutter Group, Los Angeles, CA, May 2014.
Panelist, “Immigration Reform and Its Potential Impact.” Panel presentation, FWD.us, Los Angeles, CA, April 2014.
Speaker, “Executive Action on Immigration: A Long and Winding Road to Reform.” Lecture, FWD.us, Los Angeles, CA, December 2014.
Speaker, “Advanced Topics for EB-5 Practitioners.” Lecture, ILW.com, July 2013.
Chad’s insights
May 16, 2026 | Conference
April 17, 2026 | Blog post
January 22, 2026 — January 23, 2026 | Conference
