Three attorneys, three decades of combined experience, two office locations, and a documented record that includes one partner’s receipt of the American Immigration Lawyers Association’s Pro Bono Champion Award, another’s election to the AILA Board of Governors, and a third’s designation as a recognized expert on Syrian asylum claims with coverage in The Washington Post, Forbes, and Al Jazeera. Aljijakli, Kosseff & Prendergast, LLC handles all aspects of immigration law with an emphasis on deportation defense, asylum, family-based cases, and employment-based immigration. The Cleveland office is at 33790 Bainbridge Road, Suite 209, Cleveland, Ohio 44139, and can be reached at (440) 519-1979.
The Attorneys
Nadeen Aljijakli is a founding partner. Her practice focuses on family-based immigration, asylum, and complex deportation and removal defense cases. She is a recognized expert on Syrian asylum claims, a specialty that emerged from years of handling cases involving one of the world’s largest refugee populations. Her work has been featured in The Washington Post, Forbes, Al Jazeera, and The Plain Dealer. In 2016, she received the Pro Bono Champion Award from the AILA Ohio Chapter for her work providing free legal representation to immigration clients. She is licensed in Ohio and is admitted to practice in federal courts and before USCIS, immigration courts, and the BIA.
Lauren Kosseff is a founding partner whose practice centers on complex deportation and removal defense. She is an expert in asylum cases that raise issues of firm resettlement and material support, two legal doctrines that can complicate asylum claims for individuals who had prior contacts with third countries or groups. Her practice also covers adjustment of status and naturalization, cancellation of removal, waivers of inadmissibility, the immigration consequences of criminal convictions, and federal court litigation. She is licensed in Ohio and admitted to immigration courts and federal courts.
Heather Prendergast is a founding partner whose practice covers complex removal defense including trials, appeals, and federal court litigation; employment-based immigration for skilled professionals; family-based immigration; asylum; and naturalization. She is one of 21 directors elected to serve on the Board of Governors of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, an elected leadership position within the national professional organization for immigration attorneys. She is also an Adjunct Law Professor at Cleveland State University’s Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, where she teaches immigration law. She is licensed in Ohio and admitted to federal courts nationally.
Practice Areas
Asylum and Refugee Status
All three partners handle asylum cases. The firm has specific documented expertise in complex asylum matters, including cases involving Syrian nationals (Nadeen Aljijakli’s specialty), cases with firm resettlement and material support issues (Lauren Kosseff’s specialty), and cases requiring federal court appeals (Heather Prendergast’s practice). Asylum cases range from straightforward applications to highly complex matters with years of immigration court litigation and federal court review.
Deportation and Removal Defense
Removal defense is the firm’s signature practice area. The firm represents individuals in immigration court, before the Board of Immigration Appeals, in federal district courts, and in U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals. The attorneys are admitted to practice in courts and agencies nationwide, allowing them to handle cases that involve multiple jurisdictions.
Family-Based Immigration
Green card applications and adjustment of status for immediate relatives and preference category family members; embassy and consulate processing for applicants outside the United States; and naturalization for lawful permanent residents.
Employment-Based Immigration
Visa petitions and permanent residence applications for skilled workers and their employers. The firm handles both the employee-side and employer-side components of employment-based cases.
Waivers of Inadmissibility
For individuals who are inadmissible to the United States based on prior unlawful presence, criminal history, misrepresentation, prior removal, or other grounds, the firm prepares and files waiver applications. Waiver cases often require substantial documentation of hardship and legal argument on the applicable standards.
Detention and Bond
Representation in bond hearings before immigration judges for individuals held in immigration detention. Securing bond or release while a case is pending can affect the entire litigation strategy for a removal proceeding.
Federal Court Litigation
When Immigration Court and Board of Immigration Appeals decisions go against clients, the next level of review is the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Heather Prendergast’s practice specifically includes federal court litigation at this level. The firm’s collective experience in federal immigration appeals distinguishes it from practices that handle only administrative proceedings.
Non-Immigrant Visas
Student visas, reinstatement of status, and other temporary visa categories for clients who need non-immigrant status while their longer-term immigration matters are resolved.
Offices and Geographic Reach
The firm has offices in Cleveland, Ohio and New York City. The attorneys are admitted to practice before USCIS, immigration courts and federal courts throughout the United States, the Board of Immigration Appeals, ICE, CBP, and at U.S. Consulates and Embassies worldwide. This admission structure means the firm’s representation is not limited to cases arising in Cleveland or New York.
Contact
The Cleveland office can be reached at (440) 519-1979 or by email at [email protected]. The firm’s website is https://akpimmigration.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the AILA Pro Bono Champion Award signify?
The American Immigration Lawyers Association’s Pro Bono Champion Award recognizes attorneys who have made exceptional contributions of free legal services to immigrants in need. Nadeen Aljijakli received the AILA Ohio Chapter’s Pro Bono Champion Award in 2016 for her pro bono work in immigration cases. The award reflects both the volume and quality of her pro bono representation.
What are firm resettlement and material support bars in asylum cases?
These are legal doctrines that can disqualify otherwise valid asylum claims. Firm resettlement applies when an applicant received an offer of permanent residence in a third country before arriving in the United States. Material support applies when an applicant provided support to a designated terrorist organization, even if the support was coerced or given under duress. Lauren Kosseff’s expertise in these issues reflects years of handling cases where these bars apply and developing legal arguments for overcoming them.
What is the AILA Board of Governors?
The American Immigration Lawyers Association’s Board of Governors is the governing body of the national professional organization. Heather Prendergast is one of 21 Directors elected to serve in this capacity. Election to the Board of Governors involves recognition by peers in the immigration law field and an active role in the organization’s policy positions and professional standards.
Does the firm handle cases for clients who are detained?
Yes. Detention and bond representation is a specific service the firm provides. When an individual is detained by immigration authorities, the immediate priority is often a bond hearing before an immigration judge to seek release while the case is pending. The firm represents detained clients in bond hearings and in the underlying removal proceedings.
Can the firm handle a case that has already reached the federal appeals court level?
Yes. Federal court litigation is part of the firm’s practice, and Heather Prendergast specifically handles appeals and petitions for review in U.S. Circuit Courts. The firm is admitted in courts nationwide. Clients who have received an unfavorable decision from the Board of Immigration Appeals can contact the firm to assess whether federal court review is available.