A “rainmaker” is a lawyer, usually a partner in a law firm, who creates a lot of new business for their firm by bringing in new clients. An American Bar Association article, Rainmakers: Born or Bred?, distinguishes rainmakers in that “[they] have something extra, something that differentiates them from the rest of the pack. There is a word for it, but lawyers don’t like it. Rainmakers are really good at sales.” The article continues by defining rainmakers as lawyers with at least $4 million annually in business, although this certainly varies by legal market and firm.
[Last updated in December of 2020 by the Wex Definitions Team]