A time to offer thanks for what we have built over past 33 years
Articles
From the President’s Desk
A time to offer thanks for what we have built over past 33 years
The year 2024 has been a pivotal time for nations large and small in a number of ways... some grand and some unkind. From the history-making shift in our political landscape to the seismic events that jolted coastal regions around the globe, 2024 has been a year of challenge for almost everyone, both personally and professionally.
When Primerus was founded in 1992, optimism was no longer a scarce commodity, as the collapse of the Soviet Union the year before had officially ended the Cold War, signaling a willingness by longtime enemies to consider the fruits of a fresh start.
At the time, leaders from the world’s two most powerful nations were in a mood to let go of age-old anger and grievances in exchange for experiencing the healthy and peaceful benefits that result from the diplomatic process. How refreshing was that?
A cooperative spirit, of course, was also a driving force behind the creation of Primerus, which will mark its 33rd anniversary in February 2025. In short order, Primerus members were knit together by a belief in the Six Pillars – highlighting the standards of Integrity, Excellent Work Product, Reasonable Fees, Continuing Legal Education, Civility, and Community Service.
Over the course of a decade, we grew from a local organization to one national in scope, methodically building an alliance of high-quality law firms that now has members in cities across North America and in more than 50 other countries around the world.
Our international profile reflects a commitment to advancing the legal profession in the eyes of the public everywhere, while also promoting the importance of honesty, trust, and transparency in all walks of life.
The strength and stability of Primerus can be seen in our membership rolls, where a sense of belonging has been cemented over 5, 10, 15, 20, and even 30-plus years. Some of our most senior members, who have been instrumental in fueling our growth, continue to remain active even after ceding their frontline involvement to the next generation of leaders at their respective firms.
Their desire to stay involved in the work of Primerus can be connected largely to the relationships they’ve built over the course of their membership. Many of those bonds were forged at our keystone events – the Global Conference, the International Summit, or the PDI Convocation – where we have created lasting friendships while staying abreast of important legal topics and developments. Some of those events were staged in such cities as Paris, New York, Amsterdam, Miami, and Washington, D.C., affording those attending the opportunity to enjoy sight-seeing excursions as well.
At each major event, we devoted time to a specific community service cause, whether it was packing food boxes for the needy or removing debris from a beach, park, or other environmentally sensitive area. The projects served as testimony to our community’s willingness to embrace good causes, volunteer work that we are delighted to showcase on our Global Day of Giving each December in hopes of spurring greater involvement by members in the year ahead.
When the seeds for Primerus were planted more than three decades ago, my wife, Sheila, and I harbored hopes that our then fledgling organization would someday become a legal force, a worthy vessel that could make a meaningful impact on how our justice system is perceived and how it can best operate.
Thanks to you – our many members – and our talented and dedicated staff, we have achieved a level of success where we all played an important role in making Primerus a model for doing good in a world often at odds with itself.
Best regards,
Jack Buchanan, President