“Authentic” Ramy Torbey on Building GBL Alliance: A Legal Network on Friendship and Trust
- 7 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
Nine years ago, a handful of lawyers sat down together around a table in Paris. No formal meeting, no PowerPoint, just a good dinner and an honest conversation about what was broken in the world of legal networking. From that evening grew something that has since become one of the most distinctive international legal networks in the world: GBL Alliance.
I sat down with Ramy Torbey, one of the founding members of GBL Alliance and managing partner of the Lawfirm Eptalex. His story is one of frustration, friendship, and an unshakeable conviction that real connections are worth more than business cards.
The Frustration That Started It All
“We were tired of traditional networks,” Ramy explains. “Lunches, dinners, networking events, but no real connection, no authenticity, no trust. They were referral hubs, nothing more.”
Ramy was introduced to the circle around Thomas, whom he describes as the driving force behind the early alliance. He joined quickly, and after a meeting in Paris, the direction was clear: GBL Alliance would be the opposite of everything that already existed.
The foundation? Not rankings, not formal structures, but friendship and trust.
“When you choose a lawyer, you don’t choose based on rankings alone. You need someone you trust. And if we work with other lawyers, we need that same trust in place. Add some fun to it, and you have the foundation for something special.”
Business as a By-Product of Connection
What sets GBL Alliance apart is a philosophy rarely heard in the legal world: don’t do business for the sake of doing business. Paradoxical? Not at all.
“We don’t focus on business. We focus on creating real connections. And because of that, business flows naturally. It just happens.”
That approach works. After nine years, GBL continues to grow: in members, in countries, in energy. Events have grown larger, contributions from members have become richer, and yet, as Ramy emphasises, the DNA of the alliance has remained unchanged.
“I looked around at the event yesterday and saw that the spirit is still there. We have a new board, new members, but the culture of GBL is intact. And it’s growing. GBL is here to last.”
One Word: Authentic
Asked for one word that sums up GBL Alliance, Ramy doesn’t need a second to think: “Authentic.”
That feeling also reflects his own place within the alliance. “GBL means I’m part of a large family, people I have a genuine bond with. And those people happen to be amazing lawyers I can do business with.”
That family bond has produced concrete business results too. AbdulX, his firm, which operates like a legal startup, client-obsessed and innovation-driven, grew significantly through the connections GBL provided, including a merger with a fellow founding member of the alliance.
Advice to the Next Generation
GBL Alliance is also looking forward. Around fifty countries remain on the map, and a new generation of lawyers is ready to join.
Ramy’s message to them is clear: be generous.
“Be generous with your time, your energy, your connections, and your presence. That’s the only way you’ll get back tenfold whatever you give, to the alliance and to your fellow members.” And for firms still wondering whether to join? Ramy laughs: “We’re here to take over the world. We’re coming to you. Buckle up, it’s going to be the ride of your lifetime.”
Ramy Torbey is managing partner of Eptalex and a founding member of GBL Alliance. GBL Alliance is an international legal network built on authentic connections and trust.
Want to learn more about GBL Alliance or considering membership? Contact the GBL Board.
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