FALA Celebrates Independence Day in Helsinki; 2016

Click here for actual published newspaper article.

On July 4, 2014, the Finnish-American Lawyers’ Association (FALA) gathered for cocktails in  Hotel Marski in Helsinki.  Benjamin W. Tuiskula, Esq., an American born and educated lawyer who is working for White & Case’s Helsinki office, organized the event to correspond with a July 4^th picnic sponsored by the Finnish American Club based in Helsinki. However, due to rain, the picnic was cancelled and the FALA members met at the Marski Hotel instead.

Attending were FALA members from the USA and Finland and friends. The FALA attorney members from the USA attending were Robert Saasto, Esq., (FALA President); Ernest Saasto, Esq. (FALA Vice President); and Kimberly Saasto, Esq. (just passed bar exam in New York).  The FALA attorney members from Finland attending were Pauliina Tenhunen, Esq. (managing partner of Castren & Snellman, the largest law firm in Helsinki);  Matias Palve, Esq. (FALA membership committee chairman, general counsel for Attendo Oy, social and health care services); Anneli Lonnberg, Esq. (retired administrative judge in Helsinki and Turku); and Benjamin W. Tuiskula, Esq. (senior associate at White & Case in Helsinki).

The theme was Independence Day USA. Appropriately dressed for the occasion in traditional red white and blue were Klaus-Peter Finke-Harkonen, a senior global business developer, and Matias Palve, Esq., who spent several months as an intern with Robert Saasto, Esq., learning the American legal system before returning to Finland.

The former head of Suomi Seura, Martti Haikio, attended with his wife Tytti. He is a historian and accomplished author in Finland. His many books include Nokia: The Inside Story; The History of Alko ( the Finnish monopoly distributor of alcohol); Presidental Choice (1993 Kekkonen); and A Brief History of Modern Finland. 

Robert Alan Saasto, Esq.

President FALA

First row: Ben Tuiskala and wife Annukka; Tytti and husband Martti Haikio Second row: Bruno Lonnberg husband and Anneli Lonnberg (white suit); Robert Saasto; Pauliina Tenhunen Last row: Lotta Lonnberg; Matias Palve; Ernest Saasto; Peter Finke

First row: Martti Haikio; Kimberly Saasto; Tarja Koskela; Reeta Saastamoin Second row: Annukka Tuiskala ; Ernest Saasto; Tytti Haiki Last row: Ben Tuiskala; Matias Palve, Robert Saasto; Peter Finke; Pauliina Tenhunen

Matias Palve on left and Peter Finke on right