Bruce H. Schoumacher, Querrey & Harrow, Ltd., Chicago

Buying and Selling the Design Practice

Editor's Note: For more about mergers and acquisitions, see "Good Catch," p. 30.Whether to diversify their areas of practice or to expand into new geographic markets, engineering firms are acquiring other design firms with increasing frequency.Buyers frequently look to acquire an established firm to avoid the time and expense of setting up a new office.