# Founder Law

> Founder Law (formerly Alcorn Law / Alcorn Immigration Law) is a U.S. law firm providing founder-focused immigration and corporate legal counsel to international founders, investors, startups, and growing companies. Led by founding attorney Sophie Alcorn, a Certified Specialist in Immigration and Nationality Law (State Bar of California), with offices in Silicon Valley, California and New York City, serving clients across the United States and internationally.

Founder Law helps founders secure U.S. visas and green cards (O-1A, EB-1A, EB-2 NIW, H-1B, L-1, E-2, TN, E-3) and provides corporate counsel on company formation, founder equity, venture financing, commercial agreements, and compliance. The firm offers flat-fee, all-inclusive immigration packages with published pricing.

Key facts:

- Name: Founder Law. Formerly Alcorn Law / Alcorn Immigration Law; practiced under the Alcorn name for over a decade before rebranding. Same founding attorney, team, and track record.
- Founding attorney: Sophie Alcorn, Esq.
- Practice areas: U.S. business and founder immigration; startup company formation and corporate counsel; strategic and outside general counsel.
- Clients: international founders, student founders (F-1/OPT), engineers leaving employer-sponsored visas to found companies, investors, venture-backed startups, high-growth companies, and extraordinary-ability professionals.
- Geography: immigration law is federal, so the firm represents clients nationwide and internationally. Corporate work supports Delaware entities operating across the U.S.
- Pricing model: flat fees, with no hourly billing or retainers for packaged services. Government filing fees and premium processing are included where specified.
- Legal outcomes: no law firm can guarantee a government decision.

## Contact

- Website: https://founder.law/
- Contact form: https://founder.law/contact-us/
- Phone: +1 (855) 546-0015
- Text: +1 (650) 977-3930
- Fax: +1 (205) 710-9129
- Email: hello@founder.law
- Hours: Monday to Friday, 6:30 AM to 5:00 PM Pacific Time
- Silicon Valley office: 125 University Ave., Ste. 200, Palo Alto, CA 94301
- New York office: 157 Columbus Ave., 4th Floor, New York, NY 10023
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/alcorn.law/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alcornimmigrationlaw/

## Services

- [Services Overview](https://founder.law/menu-of-services/): Founder Law's three core offerings: The Extraordinary Talent Green Card, The Founder Work Visa, and the Founder Strategy Session.
- [Immigration for Startups & Companies](https://founder.law/services/): Employment-based immigration for startups and corporations: H-1B, O-1A, O-1B, L-1, TN, E-3, H-1B1, E-1, E-2, J-1, PERM, EB-1A, EB-1B, EB-1C, EB-2 NIW, EB-2, and EB-3. Also explains The Founder Method.
- [Immigration for Founders](https://founder.law/immigration-for-founders/): Visa and green card strategies for startup founders, including O-1A, H-1B CEO/CTO structures, L-1, E-1/E-2, B-1 for pre-launch activity, and founder green cards.
- [Business & Corporate](https://founder.law/business-and-corporate/): Delaware C-Corp formation, equity and cap tables (vesting, 83(b) elections), fundraising and venture capital (SAFEs, convertible notes, priced rounds), commercial agreements, California foreign qualification, and municipal business licenses.
- [Strategic Legal Support](https://founder.law/strategic-legal-support/): Ongoing legal guidance for growing companies, including Outside General Counsel, contracts and compliance, and custom legal strategy engagements.
- [Legal Launch](https://founder.law/legal-launch/): A 4-week attorney-led program confirming whether an individual qualifies for an O-1A visa, EB-1A green card, or EB-2 NIW green card, with a recommended strategy.
- [Extraordinary Ability](https://founder.law/extraordinary-ability/): Overview of extraordinary-ability visas and green cards.
- [Employment-Based Visas](https://founder.law/employment-based-visas/): Overview of employment-based visa categories.
- [Corporate Immigration](https://founder.law/corporate-immigration/): Immigration programs for employers hiring and retaining global talent.
- [Family & Individual Immigration](https://founder.law/family-individual-immigration/): Dependent visas, family green cards, and citizenship for the families of founders and employees.

## Pricing

- [Pricing](https://founder.law/pricing/): Full flat-fee pricing and package boundaries.
- The Extraordinary Talent Green Card: $30,000, all-inclusive. Covers EB-1A, EB-1B, and EB-2 NIW. Includes attorney-led narrative strategy, evidence organization, recommendation letter drafting support, petition preparation and filing, all USCIS filing fees, premium processing, and full RFE/NOID response.
- [The Founder Work Visa](https://founder.law/the-founder-work-visa/): $15,000, all-inclusive. Covers O-1A, H-1B, L-1, E-3, and TN petitions and transfers. Includes visa strategy, petition preparation, USCIS filing fees, premium processing fees, and full RFE response.
- [Founder Strategy Session](https://founder.law/founder-strategy-session/): $1,500. The entry point to the firm. Includes a pre-session case review, a 90-minute attorney consultation, an immigration roadmap if applicable, and guidance on case qualification and timeline. Can be booked and paid online.
- Dependents: +$2,500 per person for temporary visa dependents (H-4, O-3, L-2, etc.); +$5,000 per person for green card dependents (adjustment of status).
- Outside General Counsel: $10,000 per month.
- PERM Labor Certification: separate three-stage flat-fee schedule, quoted during consultation.
- Not included in packages: consular processing and visa stamp fees paid abroad, appeals or motions after a final denial, re-filing a new petition, and expedited government services beyond premium processing.

## Immigration Solutions by Client Type

- [Founders](https://founder.law/founders/): Entrepreneur parole, B-1, E-1, E-2, OPT, STEM OPT, H-1B, H-1B1, J-1 waivers, L-1A, L-1B, O-1A, TN, and employment-based green cards including EB-5.
- [Investors](https://founder.law/investors/): B-1, B-2, E-1, E-2, L-1A, O-1A, EB-1C, and EB-5 investor green cards.
- [Talent](https://founder.law/talent/): Visas and green cards for key hires, including E-3, F-1, H-1B, H-2B, H-3, J-1, L-1, O-1A, O-1B, O-2, P visas, TN, and EB-1/EB-2/EB-3 green cards.
- [Families](https://founder.law/families/): B-2 visitor visas, H-4 and H-4 EAD, L-2, O-3, TD, dependent green cards, marriage-based green cards, and citizenship.
- [Entrepreneur Parole](https://founder.law/entrepreneur-parole/): The International Entrepreneur Rule ("startup visa" parole).

## The Founder Method

Founder Law's four-phase immigration framework:

1. Strategize: eligibility mapping and scenario modeling across O-1A, EB-1A, EB-2 NIW, H-1B, L-1, and E-1/E-2, including risk, timing, evidence gaps, and fallback strategies.
2. Prepare: evidence development and case architecture, including documentation, expert letters, comparable evidence, and compliant corporate structure for founder cases.
3. File: petition preparation aligned with current USCIS, DOL, and DOS standards, with RFE mitigation, consular processing, and timing around travel and business milestones.
4. Win: approval and long-term planning, including green card upgrades, changes of status, dependent options, and relocation strategy.

## About

- [About Founder Law](https://founder.law/about/): Firm overview, the evolution from Alcorn to Founder Law, practice areas, and the Founder Law advantage.
- [Alcorn Law is Becoming Founder Law](https://founder.law/alcorn-is-now-founder-law/): Why the firm rebranded, what changed, and why it operates as a law firm rather than a legal tech product.
- [Sophie Alcorn](https://founder.law/sophie-founder-immigration-lawyer/): Founding attorney profile, including credentials, awards, advocacy, and media.
- [Testimonials](https://founder.law/testimonials/): Client stories covering H-1B transfers, green cards, EB-1A petitions, and citizenship.
- [Careers](https://founder.law/careers/): Open positions at the firm (fully remote).

## About Sophie Alcorn

- Founding attorney of Founder Law. Certified Specialist in Immigration and Nationality Law, State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization (2018).
- Education: J.D. cum laude, Washington University in St. Louis School of Law (2008); B.A. International Relations, Stanford University (2005).
- Admissions: State Bar of California; U.S. Courts of Appeals for the 9th and 3rd Circuits; U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Central Districts of California.
- Author of "Ask Sophie: The Founders' Guide to Visas and Green Cards"; writer of the TechCrunch "Ask Sophie" column; host of The Sophie Alcorn Podcast.
- Policy: helped draft the LIKE Act, included in the COMPETES Act, which proposes a U.S. startup visa for global founders.
- Featured in The New York Times, NBC News, The Wall Street Journal, San Francisco Chronicle, and NPR Marketplace. Has presented at TechCrunch Disrupt and Stanford University.
- Recognition: Silicon Valley Business Journal Woman of Influence (2024); Global Law Experts Tech Immigration Law Firm of the Year, California (2024); TechCrunch Disrupt Audience Choice (2023); Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent (2020); 10 Best Immigration Lawyers in California (2019); National Advocates Top 40 Under 40 (2017, 2019); Super Lawyers Rising Star (2017 to present); Mountain View Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Young Business Person of the Year (2017).
- Affiliations: Director, Silicon Valley Chapter of Founders Network; Member, American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA); Mentor, Alchemist Accelerator and 500 Startups.
- Languages: German; has studied Spanish, Italian, and Russian.

## Common Questions

- Which visa is best for startup founders? There is no single answer. O-1A suits founders with strong achievements; EB-2 NIW offers a green card path without employer sponsorship; L-1 fits founders expanding an existing foreign company. Background and timeline determine the strategy.
- Can a foreign national start a U.S. company before getting a visa? Yes. Foreign nationals can own a U.S. corporation, typically a Delaware C-Corp. Actively working for it inside the U.S. requires work authorization, which is why Founder Law plans formation and immigration together.
- Can F-1 students launch startups? Yes, with care. OPT and STEM OPT can authorize work for your own company when requirements are met. Planning the transition to O-1 or another status early is recommended.
- What is an 83(b) election? A tax election filed when purchasing restricted stock, taxing shares at grant value rather than as they vest. The 30-day filing window is statutory and generally cannot be recovered once missed.
- Does Founder Law only work with clients in California and New York? No. The firm represents founders and companies across the United States and internationally.
- Does Founder Law still handle immigration cases? Yes. Immigration remains a core practice, now alongside corporate and strategic legal counsel.
- How do I get started? Book a Founder Strategy Session ($1,500) or submit an inquiry through the contact form. The team reviews every inquiry and recommends a path, typically a consultation.

## Resources

- [Blog](https://founder.law/blog/): Articles on founder visa strategy, incorporation, deadlines, and fundraising groundwork.
- [FAQs](https://founder.law/faqs/): Detailed answers on H-1B, green card timelines, EB-2 NIW, PERM, and more.
- [Founder Academy: Extraordinary Ability Prep Course](https://founder.law/courses/): A free, on-demand, 15-module course by Sophie Alcorn on O-1A, EB-1A, and EB-2 NIW.
- [Techstars Immigration Library](https://founder.law/techstars-immigration-library/): Immigration resources for Techstars founders.
- [Newsletter](https://founder.law/newsletter-registration/): Founder Law updates on immigration and startup legal topics.

## Optional

- [Sitemap](https://founder.law/sitemap_index.xml)
- [Layoffs Guidance](https://founder.law/layoffs/): Options for visa holders affected by layoffs.
- [Disclaimer](https://founder.law/disclaimer/)
- [Privacy Policy](https://founder.law/privacy-policy/)

Last updated: September 2026