Oct. 19, 2009 (PR Newswire) --

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Oct. 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- FTI Consulting, Inc. (NYSE: FCN), the global business advisory firm dedicated to helping organizations protect and enhance their enterprise value, today announced the formation of a joint venture company between FTI and Compass Advisers, LLP, a leading investment banking and financial advisory firm, to create a new investment banking firm dedicated exclusively to the global real estate sector. The new company, called EdgeRock Realty Advisors ("EdgeRock"), will build on FTI's growing market leadership in the real estate sector, which expanded with the company's acquisition of The Schonbraun McCann Group (SMG) in 2008.

Based in New York City, EdgeRock will leverage its strategic partners' deep expertise in real estate, capital markets and restructuring to build an independent investment bank designed to offer clients boutique-style intimacy and long-term advisory relationships. EdgeRock will advise real estate companies, owners and institutional investors on M&A and divestiture transactions, private capital raising, and IPO and other capital markets strategies, while also providing clients with access to FTI's industry-leading restructuring and real estate capital markets advisory expertise.

"This new venture represents another important milestone in FTI's strategy to extend our leadership in key industry sectors by giving clients in those sectors access to the broadest possible array of services and solutions," said Dominic DiNapoli, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for FTI Consulting. "With access to FTI's unequalled real estate and restructuring expertise, as well as Compass' proven track record in capital markets transactions, EdgeRock is built on a uniquely powerful platform and will serve a pressing need in the complex global real estate market."

Serving as Co-CEOs of EdgeRock are Bruce Schonbraun, currently Senior Managing Director and Head of Global Real Estate for FTI Consulting, and Stephen Waters, the Founder and Managing Partner at Compass Advisers. In addition, David Lazarus, formerly Managing Director in the Global Real Estate Group of Lehman Brothers/Barclays Capital, will serve as a Senior Managing Director. The company has already engaged with several clients for ongoing advisory assignments and is actively recruiting professionals for its New York office. More information on EdgeRock is available at www.edgerockadvisors.com.