Sights to behold
Magic of Santa Fe to serve as magnet to 2025 Primerus Global Conference
By Tom Kirvan
One of the most vibrant cities in the American Southwest, the New Mexico capital of Santa Fe will serve as the host of the 2025 Primerus Global Conference on October 8-11, enticing visitors with a lively arts scene, historic architecture, and a tourist-friendly atmosphere for those seeking a walkable city with a rich cultural environment.
The four-day event, which marks its 32nd year on the Primerus calendar, will be staged at the Inn and Spa at Loretto, a premier resort located in the heart of Santa Fe’s historic Plaza district.
“This will be a special Global Conference that will feature the theme of ‘Best Strategies for Challenging Times,’ while also offering opportunities to explore an array of activities and sights that make Santa Fe such a unique place,” said Jack Buchanan, president and founder of Primerus.
The theme of this year’s event is tied to the many changes sweeping the legal landscape under the new presidential administration, Buchanan indicated.
“We are operating in a time of uncertainty, particularly on the economic front with the tariff situation and how it is impacting international trade,” Buchanan said. “A potential trade war could have a significant impact on business in the legal profession, underscoring the importance of developing strategies to counter any negative effects.”
The Global Conference will place special emphasis on the marketing of legal services, highlighting the continuing investments that Primerus has made in that area for the benefit of its members, according to Buchanan.
“Over the past two years, we have revamped and upgraded our website with multi-language capabilities, and we are in the process of enhancing individual web pages for each member firm,” Buchanan indicated. “We also continue to invest in our publications that tell your story to a global audience.
“We also are continuing to grow with the introduction of new licenses for law firms in smaller market areas across the U.S., while expanding our reach in international markets such as Europe and Asia,” Buchanan noted.
Buchanan said that those who come to the conference will have the opportunity to participate in a series of roundtable discussions on marketing, attracting and retaining legal talent, and developing the future leaders of your law firm. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) also is expected to be a hot topic, in addition to issues surrounding cybersecurity, he said.
“We especially encourage young lawyers to attend the conference, to learn from those who have the benefit of years of experience in the legal profession and how best to navigate it,” Buchanan declared. “We invite each member firm to send a representative to the conference, while enjoying the added opportunity to explore the many sights of Santa Fe and greater New Mexico at a time when the summer crowds are gone and the weather is very pleasant.” (See related story.)
As the Santa Fe Travel Insider noted, “The city’s rich and glorious past will be your constant companion as you explore the capital of New Mexico.
“When you walk the streets of downtown Santa Fe, you can almost feel more than 400 years of history following you. Many locations hold the superlative of ‘oldest’ – the oldest capital city, oldest house, oldest church, and the oldest public building – and you’ll want to experience all of them, in addition to a handful of others that do a beautiful job of telling the Santa Fe story.”
Much of Santa Fe’s story, of course, is intertwined with that of nearby Albuquerque, the largest city in the state and the home to one of the most eye-popping events in the world. The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, which will mark its 53rd year in 2025, has become a “Southwest rite of passage each fall,” lighting up the skies over New Mexico’s two most prominent cities that are located just 60 miles apart.
The largest balloon festival in the world is scheduled for October 4-12, coinciding neatly with the dates of the Primerus Global Conference. The event is expected to attract more than 500 hot air balloons and ranks as “the most photographed event on earth, and the largest annual international event held in the United States,” according to The Santa Fe Travel Insider.
“You can experience much of the Balloon Fiesta’s thrill early in the morning,” according to the magazine. “The Mass Ascension launches of 500-plus balloons are not to be missed, occurring at approximately 7 AM and lasting until about 9 AM.”
The elongated and collective liftoff can attract upward of 100,000 spectators each day to the launch field where sky-gazers are provided an up-close look at takeoff procedures, while thousands more gather at landing sites all over the city to watch incoming balloons.
“It is a spectacle that truly is a must-see event,” said Buchanan, a veteran pilot who has logged thousands of hours in the cockpit over the course of his flying career.
Of course, the Santa Fe area also offers an assortment of other side trips for those with a wanderlust, including to nearby Los Alamos, a site that played a pivotal role in the outcome of World War II, and to the beautiful high desert city of Taos, home to several world-class ski resorts.
“There is much to see and do in New Mexico, and we encourage Primerus members to avail themselves of the opportunity to enjoy the surroundings of Santa Fe while taking part in an important Primerus event that features timely and relevant legal programming,” Buchanan said.
“Over the years, our Global Conferences have served as homecoming events for members from around the globe, while also introducing new members and young lawyers to the world of Primerus where they can begin building lasting relationships,” he noted. “An added bonus is the chance to enjoy a travel adventure and to explore a special city and state that has something for everyone.”
