Van Der Hout

What Van Der Hout does

Van Der Hout LLP is a privately held, San Francisco-based immigration law firm founded in 1980 by Marc Van Der Hout. Operating as a Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) under the legal name Van Der Hout LLP, the firm has grown from a solo practice into a nationally recognized, full-service immigration practice with 24 attorneys plus litigation fellows, paralegals, and front-office staff, headquartered at 360 Post Street in San Francisco.

The firm delivers legal services across ten practice areas covering virtually every aspect of U.S. immigration law: business immigration (H-1B, L-1, O-1, E visas, EB-1 through EB-5 permanent residency); family-based immigration; national interest waivers and extraordinary ability petitions; citizenship and naturalization; entrepreneurs and emerging businesses; asylum, humanitarian relief, and survivors of abuse; employer compliance and program management; advice and waivers for convictions, cannabis, and inadmissibility; universities and non-profit institutions; and immigration litigation and appeals. Core technology consists of a secure client portal for case status tracking, online payment, and document handling for sensitive immigration matters. The firm does not operate a software product or API.

Revenue is generated through professional fees charged on a quote-based, per-matter basis, with initial consultations offered at a discounted rate. The go-to-market motion is traditional and sales-led: client acquisition comes through professional reputation, attorney referrals, speaking engagements at AILA conferences, pro bono visibility, and partnerships with employers, universities, and HR professionals requiring immigration services. Customer segments span Fortune 500 enterprises, technology, healthcare, biotechnology, financial services, and construction companies, alongside universities, nonprofits, museums, individual families, humanitarian relief seekers, and immigrant entrepreneurs across the San Francisco Bay Area, California, and nationally.

Name

Van Der Hout

Legal name

Van Der Hout LLP

Website

https://vblaw.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Van Der Hout LLP is a San Francisco-based immigration law firm founded in 1980, employing 24 attorneys to deliver full-service business, family-based, humanitarian, and federal litigation immigration counsel to corporate, institutional, and individual clients nationwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Immigration Legal Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110), Legal Services (5411)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Immigration Legal Services & Representation (Law Firms) (THACAKAF)

Keywords

• Immigration law services
• Business immigration visas
• Family-based immigration
• Asylum and humanitarian relief
• Immigration litigation appeals

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Legal Services - Professional Fees: The firm generates revenue through attorney fees for legal representation in immigration matters including visa applications, green card processing, deportation defense, asylum cases, federal court litigation, and corporate immigration compliance programs. The firm states it offers 'reasonable attorney fees and cost predictability' with initial consultations at rates discounted from standard fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Van Der Hout LLP is a full-service immigration law firm providing legal representation in U.S. immigration matters, including employment-based visas (H-1B, L-1, O-1, E visas, EB-1 through EB-5), family-based immigration, asylum and humanitarian relief, citizenship and naturalization, employer compliance and I-9 audits, and federal court immigration litigation and appeals. The firm serves corporate employers, individuals, families, universities, nonprofits, and entrepreneurs across the United States.

Product overview

Van Der Hout LLP is a full-service immigration law firm offering a comprehensive portfolio of legal services. The firm operates as a unified legal practice rather than a software platform, providing: Business Immigration (H-1B, L-1, O-1, E visas, EB permanent residency); Family-based Immigration (immediate relatives, preference categories, VAWA); National Interest and Extraordinary Ability petitions; Citizenship and Naturalization; Entrepreneurs and Emerging Businesses support; Asylum and Humanitarian relief including TPS; Employer Compliance and Program Management; Criminal/Conviction Waivers; University and Non-profit Institution services; and Immigration Litigation and Appeals. These practice areas collectively address virtually every aspect of U.S. immigration law for individuals, families, employers, and institutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Business Immigration
• Family-based Immigration
• National Interest and Extraordinary Ability
• Citizenship & Naturalization
• Entrepreneurs and Emerging Businesses
• Asylum/Humanitarian/Survivors of Abuse
• Employer Compliance and Program Management
• Advice/Waivers for Convictions/Cannabis/Other
• Universities and Non-profit Institutions
• Immigration Litigation and Appeals

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully litigated the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee v. Reno (LA Eight) case since 1987, establishing precedent for First Amendment rights of immigrants
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Chambers USAminorOthersChambers USA provides independent legal rankings and recognition for law firms and attorneys. Van Der Hout LLP has received the highest rankings from Chambers USA for its immigration practice in California.
• American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)coreOthersVan Der Hout LLP attorneys are active members of AILA, participating in committees, speaking at conferences, and serving in leadership positions. Founding partner Marc Van Der Hout has served on AILA's Board of Governors every year since 1989.
• National Lawyers Guild - National Immigration ProjectcoreOthersMarc Van Der Hout is past chair of the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild and has served on its governing board for 38 years. The firm has received the Carol Weiss King Award twice from this organization.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Berry Appleman & Leiden (BAL): Major corporate immigration law firm offering employment-based visa services, compliance, and litigation support. Closely comparable to Van Der Hout's business immigration and compliance work for Fortune 500 clients.
• Wolfsdorf Rosenthal: Nationally recognized immigration law firm with strong employment-based and family-based practices. Comparable to Van Der Hout in serving high-net-worth individuals, families, and corporate clients on complex immigration matters.
• Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy: Largest global immigration law firm serving corporate and individual clients across all major visa categories. Directly comparable to Van Der Hout in employment-based immigration practice, with a much larger national/international footprint.
• Klasko Immigration Law Partners: Immigration-focused law firm known for business immigration, EB-1/NIW, and immigration litigation. Directly comparable in service mix, EB-1/extraordinary ability specialization, and high-end individual/family clientele.
• Foster Garvey PC: Full-service firm with a substantial immigration practice serving corporate and individual clients. Comparable to Van Der Hout across business immigration, family-based, and immigration litigation matters.

Regional players

• Fredrikson & Byron: Upper-Midwest-based full-service firm with a well-regarded immigration practice. Comparable in business immigration and immigration litigation, but primarily serves a different geographic region than Van Der Hout.

Broad incumbents

• Jackson Lewis: National labor and employment law firm with an immigration practice focused on employer compliance and workforce mobility. Comparable on the employer immigration/compliance side, but immigration is part of a broader employment-law platform.
• Greenberg Traurig: Global full-service law firm with a sizable immigration practice serving multinational corporations. Comparable in employment-based immigration and compliance, with a much broader service portfolio.
• Ogletree Deakins: Large national labor and employment law firm with a significant immigration practice serving enterprise clients. Comparable in employment-based immigration and I-9 compliance, though immigration is one of many practice areas.

Emerging players

• Cyrus Mehta: Nationally recognized immigration boutique led by a prominent immigration attorney, focusing on business immigration, family-based, and complex immigration matters. Comparable in depth of expertise in EB-1/NIW and employment-based immigration.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/vbnsf
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/van-der-hout-brigagliano-&-nightingale-llp
• Xx.com/VBNLawSF

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Van Der Hout