Industries · professional services
Finance that fits how professional firms actually operate.
Professional services firms operate on time-based billing, partnership structures, and work-in-progress that often runs months ahead of cash. Premises-light operations mean asset finance plays a smaller role than in trade-and-construction; lending is mostly working capital, partnership transitions, and premises ownership.
How professional services financing actually works
Cashflow patterns and lender appetite.
Professional services firms operate on time-based billing, partnership structures, and work-in-progress that often runs months ahead of cash. Premises-light operations mean asset finance plays a smaller role than in trade-and-construction; lending is mostly working capital, partnership transitions, and premises ownership.
We work with specialist programs from major banks (CommBank, NAB, Westpac, BOQ Specialist) that recognise the lower-risk profile of accredited professional firms with steady client books and qualified principals. Pricing is meaningfully better than generic SME lending for eligible firms.
Common products for this industry
Where the money tends to come from.
Sub-product · live
Business overdraft
Smoothing WIP cycles and quarterly billing patterns.
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Unsecured business loans
Partnership buy-in finance, growth capital, technology.
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Owner-occupier purchase
Buying the practice premises rather than leasing.
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Invoice discounting
For practices billing institutional clients on long terms.
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Line of credit
Revolving capacity for ongoing WIP funding.
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Industry lender programs
Specialist appetite for professional services.
- CommBank Business
- NAB Business
- Westpac Business
- BOQ Specialist
- Macquarie Leasing
- Bank of Queensland
These lenders run programs or have specialist teams for this industry. Specific deal fit still depends on your business profile.
Anonymised case studies
Recent professional services situations.
Anonymised to protect client identity. Real shapes of deals we've helped place.
Case study
Law firm partnership buy-in
SituationSenior associate buying into 8-partner firm; partnership entry $400K.
What fitPartnership buy-in loan via specialist professional-services program, 7-year term.
OutcomeRepayment matched to partnership distribution schedule; firm guaranteed entry-payment to vendor.
Case study
Accounting practice expansion
SituationEstablished suburban accounting firm adding two new senior staff plus office expansion.
What fit$300K unsecured business loan plus $80K equipment finance for tech and fitout.
OutcomeCombined facility funded the growth, repayments aligned with expected billing ramp.
Industry questions
Common questions from professional services operators.
Trust account considerations?
Law firm and conveyancer trust accounts are operationally separate from operating accounts; lenders generally won't fund against trust account balances. Operating-account WIP and receivables are the funding base.
Partnership buy-in finance?
Specialist programs from major banks support partnership entry for senior associates and incoming partners. Loans typically run 5 to 10 years, secured against partnership equity plus director's guarantee. We coordinate with firm and partnership documentation.
WIP and disbursement funding?
For matter-heavy firms, specialist WIP and disbursement facilities exist (notably CommBank Professional Services and NAB Specialist Services). They fund matter-by-matter against documented WIP and disbursements; cleanest fit for litigation and project-based practices.
Professional indemnity insurance financing?
PI premiums for some practices run six figures annually and can be financed across a 12-month cycle by specialist insurance premium financiers. We can introduce alongside core practice lending.
Practice succession planning?
Specialist programs support practice purchase and exit transitions; coordinating with the outgoing principal's sale terms is usually the bottleneck. Engage finance early in the succession process, not at the end.
Industry brief
Twenty minutes on the professional services situation.
Tell us where the business is at and what's on the table. We'll come back with a lender shortlist tuned to your industry, or an honest signal that this isn't the right product yet.