Houston trial firm Ahmad, Zavitsanos, Anaipakos, Alavi & Mensing got word last week that its application for a loan to cover employee paychecks was accepted, the payoff of a several-day process that included dozens of calls to the firm’s banker.

Knowing that funds for the Paycheck Protection Program—part of the $2 trillion COVID-19 pandemic relief bill—are limited, the firm rushed to file its application, said managing partner John Zavitsanos. Under the program, banks will loan up to $10 million to businesses with fewer than 500 employees, but the bill earmarked only $349 billion for that purpose.