What loan amounts and repayment terms are typical for established solicitor practices?

Established UK solicitor practices typically borrow between £50,000 and £500,000 for working capital, with repayment terms of 2 to 5 years. Larger acquisition or partner buyout facilities can reach £1m to £5m through specialist banks like Allica Bank or OakNorth, where bespoke terms run 5 to 10 years against firm cashflow and partner guarantees.

For day-to-day cashflow, most practices use a flexi-loan or revolving facility rather than a single lump sum. iwoca offers £1,000 to £500,000 on draw-as-you-go terms, useful when conveyancing income is lumpy or legal aid receipts are delayed. Funding Circle term loans of £25,000 to £250,000 over 1 to 5 years suit firms that want a fixed monthly repayment instead.

Repayment profiles for solicitor finance often include interest-only periods at the start, especially if borrowing is tied to a planned office move, IT upgrade or partner buy-in. A 5-year term is the sweet spot for most practices. It keeps monthly servicing manageable without locking the firm into a long-dated commitment that complicates a future merger.

For partner buyouts and equity events, see our partner buyout guide. For working capital comparison across UK lenders, the Allica Bank review and Funding Circle review cover the £150k+ ticket band where most solicitor practices land.