Group. According to Patricia Barcellos, chair of the Primerus Business Law Institute of Latin America & Caribbean and attorney at Primerus member firm Barcellos Tucunduva Advogados in Sao Paulo, Brazil, the event was highly successful in bringing clients and Primerus lawyers together. "This event opened doors to many opportunities we hope to explore now," she said. "We have concrete leads to follow up on. That's the kind of thing I am looking for in Amsterdam [at the Global Conference]." Barcellos noted that the quality and content of the educational program at the event was greatly appreciated by clients who attended. Artur Marinho, who has trained approximately 50,000 executives and entrepreneurs in over 300 companies, led an interactive program on human capital and legal management the "day after" closing and the hurdles that end up at the in-house lawyer's desk and how outside counsel can help. This addressed a highly relevant matter for corporate clients in attendance, resulting in a lot of conversation and active participation. Events such as these are also critical to showcase what Primerus firms can do for clients. "In Primerus, we are smaller firms and because we are smaller, we have developed a set of skills sometimes I don't think we really know we have," Barcellos said. "We have learned to interact with a lot of people in order to deliver a task. If we don't have a specific expert on a matter in our own firm, we find it. Teamwork is something we are very skilled at, and our clients need that." Barcellos said this event and other benefits of Primerus membership have which recently celebrated its 60th anniversary. "We were able to position ourselves in the global market," Barcellos said. Her firm has enjoyed referrals from other Primerus firms in South America, the United States and Europe. "My hope is that we are able to see good opportunities and take advantage of them," she said. "Having Primerus with us increases our chances of success in the future." She hopes the same for all Primerus firms. "My advice to other colleagues in Primerus is to always get involved," she said. "Invest some time because if you do, there will be a return. You have to make it another task to do in your day. If you don't do it that way then you're not likely to get the results you would like." |