We were lucky to catch up with Loune-Djenia Askew recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Loune-Djenia, thanks for joining us today. What sort of legacy are you hoping to build. What do you think people will say about you after you are gone, what do you hope to be remembered for?
My desire is to leave a legacy of serving others and pushing my community forward. When I started my law firm, Askew & Associates, P.A., I knew that my mission statement would be based on Galatians 5:13. With the help of my mentor, Tremaine Hemans, Esq., I chose “Service with Love.” as my firm’s slogan. Those three words truly embody what I set out to do as an attorney.
I understand that I am here to help others. Especially being a Black Woman and Haitian Immigrant, many of my clients gravitate to me because they trust someone who looks like them to help them navigate their legal issues. I speak fluent creole, so my creole-speaking clients feel comfortable expressing themselves without being misunderstood. The fact that I was born Haiti, allows me to understand the needs of the Haitian community in a way another attorney may not.
As a servant leader, I volunteer with the Haitian Lawyers Association, providing free legal services to the underserved immigrant community in South Florida. Additionally, my firm even takes on Pro Bono & Low Bono cases to advocate for and defend clients who have been taken advantage of and are in hopeless situations.
At Askew & Associates, P.A. our primary practice areas are Estate Planning (Wills & Trusts), Immigration Law & Real Estate Closings. All three practice areas are client-focused which allows us to put the client’s needs and best interests first. Additionally, I make the time to serve at community events catered to educating the underserved black & brown community on the benefits of putting a proper estate plan in place and titling real estate in the best way to protect generation wealth.
When all is said and done, I want to positively impact the lives of the people that I cross paths with.
Loune-Djenia, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I decided to practice law when I was only nine years old. My mother was an attorney in Haiti and she also studied Humanitarian Law here in the U.S. I like to say that law was in my blood. But ultimately, advocating for others is a part of my destiny & purpose.
At Askew & Associates, P.A. our primary practice areas are Estate Planning (Wills & Trusts), Immigration Law & Real Estate Closings. We help clients typically when they are making major life decisions. Whether it is deciding to migrate to the U.S. or to purchase one of the biggest assets they will own during their lifetime, our clients know that with Attorney Askew in their corner, they will receive accurate legal advice from an attorney who truly cares about their case and is committed to providing a solution to their problems.
One of my proudest moments to date, is my first pro bono immigration case that I took when I started the law firm. We were able to successfully get a client who was detained by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) released to her family after spending four months in a Louisiana Detention Center prior to receiving us as her representative.
At Askew & Associates, P.A. we pride ourselves on personalized service, providing our clients with excellent customer service, and the peace of my mind that they are hiring a passionate and responsive counselor.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
Faith, determination, and perseverance are my keys to success. Even prior to starting my own law firm, I had to learn to work hard for the things I wanted in life. I migrated to the United States with my single mother when I was eight years old. I joined elementary school in the middle of the school year and had to adapt very quickly. I had to learn English and work hard to keep up with my school’s curriculum, all while adjusting to the culture of a completely different country. I am happy to say that I was able to pass successfully and even excel throughout my academic career.
My mother always called me “wise beyond my years,” but I truly believe that experience made me grow up much more quickly than most of my peers. It made me view life very differently. I am naturally a very goal-oriented person and love to plan life out in as much detail as possible. Nevertheless, I embrace change and I am not afraid to pivot when I need to and make new plans. This allows me to have a growth mindset and view myself as a lifelong student.
Whether I am learning a new area of law, like when I decided to offer real estate closings as one of my firm’s practice areas. Or learning breathing techniques to improve mindfulness and my overall quality of life. I view myself as someone who is willing to work hard, work smart and let God do the rest.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
During early 2022, I was very focused on building the real estate law practice of the firm. When the real estate market changed, I had to take a look at the estate planning and immigration practice and determine to grow them as well. Since then, I have increased my firm’s video marketing in both estate planning and immigration. I have even done some seasonal promotions for estate planning such as over the Christmas holiday and during Black History Month. This decision to pivot has been extremely beneficial for my firm overall.
In 2022, the firm’s primary source of revenue came from referrals. So far in 2023, the firm has increased in receiving leads from social media and google and continues to do so on a daily basis. As a result, we are on track to exceeding our 2022 achievements and growing the firm to another level in 2023.
I am continuously learning to remain flexible in my approach to growing the law firm. I now network with business owners from various industries on a weekly basis in my local Business Network International (BNI) chapter. There is “more than one way to skin a cat” and growing a business is not industry specific.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.askewlawpa.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/askewlawpa/?utm_medium=copy_link
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AskewLawPA
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loune-djenia-askew-982298123
- Other: Askew & Associates, P.A. Servicing all of Florida for Estate Planning & Real Estate Closings and providing Immigration Services for all 50 U.S. states. 3500 N ST RD 7, SUITE 300, 2, Lauderdale Lakes, FL 33319 Hours: M-F 9AM-5PM Phone: (954) 546-2699 Email: [email protected]
Image Credits
-Brandon Smith, Just B. Still Photography -The Miami Times