Unlike traditional models based on opening dedicated offices, “best friend” agreements or diverse professional services networks, Affinitas was created with a new approach in mind: the ability to offer the common clients of member firms a high-quality, yet, above all, highly uniform service. Clients thus receive identical legal assistance and advice in any of the different countries in the Alliance, as if they were provided by one firm.

Their commitment is such that the firms have entered into a far-reaching strategic agreement with a view to establishing the basis for a potential integration. The agreement allows them to adopt uniform client service criteria, unanimously agreed on among all the member firms and, thus, of a nondiscriminatory nature:

       • They act as a team when matters involve more than one jurisdiction, with the aim        of ensuring a completely seamless service.

       • They share know-how in the different tax and legal practice areas in order to        achieve the highest standard of quality and professional rigor in their work.

       • They agree on the necessary investment to converge their technological systems        and other working tools.

       • They share methods and systems for attracting and training professionals,        including secondments to other Alliance firms, with a view to ensuring the same        working practices and methods.

       • They follow identical service quality control practices. Five working committees        charged with unifying criteria and procedures in the areas of Human Resources,        Professional Practice, Communication and Marketing, Technology, and Foreign        Initiatives, are already fully operational.

The member firms are also agreed that major firms from other countries in the  region that have similar characteristics will progressively join Affinitas, with the aim        of expanding the Alliance’s geographical coverage.