Noel J. Saleh
Noel J. Saleh has been practicing immigration law for over 40 years representing clients all over the globe. He is recognized nationally as a leading immigrant advocate. Locally he is a champion of justice for many communities including clients from Yemen, Nigeria, Mexico, Vietnam, El Salvador, Jamaica, Canada, Kosovo, and more.
Outside of his private practice, Noel further demonstrates his commitment to the immigrant communities of the United States by serving various positions with local civil liberties organizations: He is a past president of the ACCESS and has served on the ACCESS Board since 1989. He has a long term affiliation with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) where has served as the Interim Executive Director and Post 9/11, Safe and Free Project Staff Attorney.
In addition, he has served on the boards of the National Immigration Forum (NIF); the Rights Working Group; Palestine Aid Society of America; American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee; National Lawyers Guild; the Fair Housing Center of Metropolitan Detroit and as a member of the Michigan Advisory Committee to the U. S. Civil Rights Commission.
In his free time, Noel enjoys spending time with dear friends and family. His hobbies also include reading, gardening, traveling (especially to Spain!), and the fine arts.
Cesilie J. Cordovilla
Cesilie Cordovilla has been working in the field of immigration law since 2012. Prior to joining the firm, Cesilie was a Board of Immigration Appeals Accredited Representative at Catholic Charities in Evansville, Indiana, and a legal assistant at other immigration firms. She was hired as a Law Clerk at the Saleh & Cordovilla Immigration Law (formerly The Law Office of N.J. Saleh) in March 2018. On November 12, 2020, she was sworn in to the State Bar of Michigan. She was quickly promoted to Partner on August 1, 2022 as she warranted given her leadership in the office and expertise in the field.
Fluent in Spanish, Cesilie has represented countless individuals from Mexico, Central and South America. Her success in asylum work for individuals from Nicaragua and Venezuela, among others, is something we celebrate often in our office. She also enjoys working on other kinds of removal defense, waivers, naturalizations, etc.
Outside of work, Cesilie also enjoys staying active in the community by working in various social justice groups and volunteering. She is a facilitator of the UUAA Immigration Action Coalition, an urgent responder with the Washtenaw Interfaith Coalition of Immigration Rights, and a founding member of Washtenaw Congregational Sanctuary. Her hobbies include cooking, traveling, reading, pottery, and spoiling her dog.