The Alliance sprung from an initial partnership with Lambert Smith Hampton and its parent company, the Atkins Co. "After we established a relationship with Lambert, we explored the possibility of expanding," Julien J. Studley, chairman and CEO of Julien J. Studley Inc. and chairman of GPA tells GlobeSt.cm. "We agreed that we did not want to [expand] via acquisition, but rather through an alliance of independent firms."

Member firms include Studley in the US; LSH in the UK and Ireland; LSH Hellas in Greece, the Balkans, Cyprus and Eastern Europe; Angermann in Germany; Beltico in Belgium; Jacobus Recourt in the Netherlands; Lipton in France; and Forcadell in Argentina, Chile and Spain. Clients of these companies include AOL Time Warner, Deutsche Bank AG, Hewlett Packard and McDonald's.

"These companies are truly independent companies," says Studley. " It's important to note that the alliance is a partnership but not a profit center." Companies using the alliance's services will not be charged, although at some point "brokers may decide to share their fees," Studley says.