What makes Primerus special is on display for all of us to see

By John C. Buchanan

There is a certain mystique about Primerus™ that goes far beyond the traditional bounds of membership in a professional, charitable, or social organization.

It has been a point of pride for members since we adopted our Six Pillars more than 30 years ago, guiding principles that have come to define our role and our standing in the legal profession.

This aura was particularly evident at the spring meeting of the Primerus™

Defense Institute, which held its 2023 Convocation at the Wild Dunes Resort in the Isle of Palms, South Carolina, a beautiful community located between the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway just a few miles from the historic city of Charleston.

As has become custom at such Primerus™ gatherings, members began the annual get-together with a special purpose in mind – to give back to the community by volunteering time for a worthy cause.

In this instance, it was to work in teams of three to sweep the beach of unsightly and potentially environmentally harmful debris, collecting it in scores of bags to be later examined by local officials interested in determining what trash reveals about us. It is an environmental exercise known as “contemporary archaeology” and speaks all too truthfully and informatively about the lives that litterers lead.

On the other hand, what we discovered while conducting our sweep was something we’ve known for years – working in unison for a meaningful purpose is a bonding experience that fosters friendships and promotes understanding.

In other words, there can be no pretense when you are marching up and down the beach with trash bag in hand. Everyone – no matter their age, experience, professional standing, or financial place in life – is an equal when assigned the task of picking up garbage. Suddenly, trash collecting had become the great equalizer, the ultimate icebreaker for those who were unacquainted with each other.

Which ranks among the chief reasons why we engage in such team-building activities on the opening day of each major Primerus™ event, setting a positive tone that invariably resonates throughout our summits, conferences, and convocations.

It was in evidence again in early May at the Primerus™ International Summit in New York. There, we spent the opening hours of the gathering packing food boxes for Crossroads Community Services, a Manhattan-based nonprofit that provides nutritious meals and safe shelter for New Yorkers in need.

It was an enriching experience that further cemented our commitment to the Sixth Pillar of Primerus™ –community service.

The importance of giving back, of course, is at the heart of Primerus™, and reflects our desire to uphold the five other Pillars, which include Integrity, Excellent Work Product, Reasonable Fees, Continuing Legal Education, and Civility. Like each link in an unbreakable chain, each Pillar is tied to another, forming the foundation for an organization that is welcoming, diverse, and inclusive.

As an organization, we take collective pride in living up to the standard of “Good People Who Happen to Be Good Lawyers™.” For us, it is more than just a catch phrase, but instead is indicative of a willingness to “do good” simply because it has become ingrained in our culture.

While we believe in the concept of inclusivity, we also insist that every Primerus™ firm is thoroughly vetted to ensure that they meet standards of excellence in terms of honesty, integrity, accountability, and work product. These are standards that can’t be compromised, ignored, or violated, otherwise we run the risk of breaking a trust and sullying a reputation that we have spent years methodically building.

This edition of the Paradigm™ that you are about to read is an important part of our commitment to excellence. It is one of the instruments we use to engage readers in somewhat of an ongoing dialogue that can take many forms in today’s internet-driven world.

We hope that it will further your sense of belonging, developing a publishing kinship with you that highlights the best of the Primerus™ community.

Best regards,