SBA 504 loans for Law Firms
Over the last decade, law firms have used SBA 504 financing to fund more than $2.3 billion in office real estate, build-outs, and improvements. We help you secure the same financing — with 10% down, 25-year fixed rates, and a team that knows the 504 program inside out.
The Law Firm SBA 504 market, by the numbers
What ten years of Law Firm SBA 504 loans — pulled directly from the SBA's own data — tell us about how operators finance this business.
Source: SBA 504 loan approvals for NAICS 541110 , FY2016–FY2025. Data via FOIA request, updated quarterly.
What an SBA 504 loan covers for a Law Firm
SBA 504 financing is built for long-term assets — the real estate, infrastructure, and major equipment that anchor a Law Firm business.
Property purchase & land
Own the office your firm practices in instead of renting it. Whether it's a suite in a professional building or a standalone office, 504 lets you buy with 10% down and turn your largest monthly overhead into equity the partners actually keep.
- Office condo units and suites
- Standalone office buildings
- Space in a professional or medical-office building
- Land for a future build
- Buying out your current lease
Ground-up construction
Build an office designed around how your firm works. 504 covers the shell and the build-out — the partner offices, the conference rooms, the reception that sets the tone for clients, and the secure file and server space a practice depends on.
- New standalone office builds
- Full interior build-outs
- Partner offices and associate workspaces
- Conference and client meeting rooms
- Secure file rooms and server closets
Expansion & second locations
Adding partners or opening in a new market? Use 504 to expand into more space, open a second office, or bring on a retiring attorney's practice — without draining the cash flow that keeps the firm running.
- Second and third office locations
- Expanding into adjacent suites
- Adding partner and associate offices
- Acquiring a retiring attorney's practice
- Renovating a space you've acquired
Equipment with long lives
The systems and furnishings that outfit a professional office — and last long enough to finance. 504 is built for big-ticket items with a long useful life, so you spread the cost over the years they'll actually serve the firm.
- IT infrastructure and servers
- Document management and security systems
- Office furniture and casegoods
- Conference room AV systems
- Phone and networking systems
How SBA 504 financing is structured
Three pieces of capital come together so you only put 10% down on a project that might cost millions.
First lien (50%)
APC funds this directly — we're a private direct lender, not a broker. Term and rate quoted upfront.
SBA 504 / CDC (40%)
Second lien, fixed for 25 years through a Certified Development Company. Rates locked at funding.
Borrower equity (10%)
Cash down, retained equity in existing real estate, or seller carry-back in some cases.
What a 504 project for a Law Firm looks like
Three illustrative examples showing typical deal structures, financing splits, and project scopes.
A firm that had rented the same suite for over a decade bought its space as the lease came up for renewal. As an established, general-purpose office deal, the purchase came together at 10% down. The 25-year fixed 504 rate turned an unpredictable lease into equity the partners keep, with a payment that won't climb at the next renewal.
A firm that had outgrown two leased suites built a ground-up office to bring its partners and staff under one roof — offices, conference rooms, and a secure file and server room. As an established firm on general-purpose real estate, the build was structured at 10% down. One 504 loan wrapped the land and the build-out at a long fixed rate.
A single-office firm opened a second location to serve clients in a growing metro across the state. Rather than pulling cash from the flagship, the partners used a 504 loan at 10% down to buy and build out the new office. The long fixed term kept overhead predictable while the new location built its book of business.
Owning your Law Firm property beats leasing — here's the math
Slide the inputs to match your situation. The equity number on the right is what you'd have in 10 years if you owned instead of leased.
Where Law Firm SBA 504 money is going
Geography, deal sizes, top CDCs, and the banks making it happen — all pulled from a decade of SBA data.
Top 10 states by loan volume
| State | Loans | Total funded | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 395 | $449M |
| 2 | Florida | 207 | $121M |
| 3 | Nevada | 83 | $58M |
| 4 | New York | 61 | $45M |
| 5 | Utah | 47 | $33M |
| 6 | Texas | 46 | $39M |
| 7 | Colorado | 46 | $23M |
| 8 | Georgia | 46 | $27M |
| 9 | Arizona | 39 | $22M |
| 10 | Massachusetts | 27 | $13M |
Deal size distribution
Top CDCs financing Law Firms
These Certified Development Companies have funded the most Law Firm SBA 504 deals over the past decade. Click any CDC for their full profile.
Top 10 third-party lenders for Law Firm deals
| # | Lender | Loans | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | JPMorgan Chase Bank | 102 | $110M |
| 2 | Bank of America | 57 | $65M |
| 3 | Zions Bank | 52 | $48M |
| 4 | Wells Fargo Bank | 43 | $80M |
| 5 | City National Bank | 41 | $67M |
| 6 | First Citizens Bank & Trust Company | 29 | $56M |
| 7 | The Bank of Tampa | 20 | $12M |
| 8 | Western Alliance Bank | 15 | $10M |
| 9 | PNC Bank | 14 | $12M |
| 10 | Glacier Bank | 14 | $14M |
What it takes to qualify
SBA 504 has clear, objective criteria. Most Law Firm operators we work with qualify.
Business requirements
- For-profit businessSBA 504 is for operating companies, not investors or holding companies.
- Owner-occupied useYou operate the Law Firm — you're not just buying real estate to lease out.
- US-based and below SBA size limitsMost Law Firm businesses qualify under SBA's small business size thresholds.
- Demonstrated ability to repayCash flow, credit, and business experience all matter — but no perfect score required.
Project requirements
- 51% owner-occupancyYour business must occupy at least 51% of the financed property.
- Eligible use of fundsReal estate, ground-up construction, major equipment, and certain refinances qualify.
- Long useful lifeEquipment financed under 504 must have a useful life over 10 years.
- 10% equity contributionCash, retained property equity, or seller carry — structured to fit your situation.
Most Law Firm operators qualify. The fastest way to know is a 10-minute call. 1-855-504-LOAN
Built for Law Firm financing
We're a direct lender that specializes in SBA 504 — not a broker, not a generalist.
Explore SBA 504 loans by industry
A decade of loan data, case studies, and deal structures for each of the property types we finance most.
Ready to finance your Law Firm project?
Schedule a 15-minute call. No application fee, no obligation.