Askena
[pronounced: Uh-Skenna]
My late-brother-in-law’s definition for how he lived life - as though it was his final chance, his final destination. He was present in the moment, here for the dirty throw down, always a party in some way. He loved people deeply.
His trademarks: his infamous bear hug and that deep, booming belly laugh…that is a life well-lived.
(noun):
1) The bravery to tune in and live life on your terms.
2) The execution of the mostly fragile contract with an unknown duration.
(verb):
The act of living like Frankie. Book the trip. Throw the party. Quit what steals your energy. Say the first “I’m sorry”. Cheer for others. Be more generous than you need to be.
Remember life can feel long, but it’s really “just a short long”.
(adjective):
A certain kind of juicy. Deliciously wild. Pure, good-hearted, electrifying fun (sometimes literally).
(the law firm):
1) Where law is a tool, not a status.
2) A law firm with heart and fire.
Askena - Basque for "Final"
I wanted to go to law school but when I saw the cost, I decided that was my sign to do something smaller, safer and less risky. I stopped by Frankie's house and delivered the news. Law school was out.
He put everything aside and sat me down to give me that pep talk only a brother can give. It worked.
What I didn’t know was that one conversation would be our very last face-to-face, our “Final, Final” as he would say. Our own Askena.
Frankie was 39 years old when he died unexpectedly at the greedy hands of a Swine Flu breakout. 5 kids. A to-do list on his desk. Payroll to sign. That one last breath, and then there it all sat - none of them to be touched again. That nano-second, that tiny, single, final exhale made all the difference.
About 5 months later, the night before my first law school final, I got the news. I walked out. My sweet classmate drove me to the airport while I prayed flight schedules might magically be redesigned. On the wings of angels, I made it home with minutes to spare. Thankfully, someone exited the ICU while I was trying to get through those same locked doors. I slipped through. A string of miracles aligned to allow me to stand with the rest of my siblings, by his bedside, as the angels attached his new wings. Life’s generosities can be more than we deserve.
The miracles continued: I took a year to love on my family. My Dean, Dean Spence, went to bat for me with the American Bar Association. Professor Kaplan held my spot in her class. They put people over profits and I was allowed back in and I finished school a year earlier than planned. Askena.
The theme of Frankie’s life changed the course of mine, and it still inspires my daily choice. Sweet Askena.
All of this to say, why Askena? Well, for the people who are going through them, lawsuits are rarely about the law. Because we at Askena have lived and lost precious lives, we get that. So when life has handed you your own set of troubles, and you just need a little reminder that it’s all going to work out (while we work it out), reach out to us. We’re ready to help.
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