A law firm alliance is a collaborative innovation that has varying levels of intimacy, exclusivity, and binding allegiances. If your firm is looking to service a client in a jurisdiction where you do not have an office, and may need counsel on a regular basis but not so frequently or critically that you would merge with a local firm, consider joining an alliance. An alliance is a viable option for building relationships with other counsel and sharing referrals without having to jump into a formal arrangement that could prove too costly, binding or, simply, unnecessary.