who should earn more: the managing partner or the rainmaker?

that depends.

by marc rosenberg
author of “cpa firm management and governance.”

in allocating partner income, a firm needs to look at all performance attributes of each partner.

from a 35,000 foot altitude, firms should be reviewing these items for each partner:

  1. the partner’s role in the firm, the relative values of the various roles (mp, rainmaker, client handler, qc expert, niche specialist, administrator, etc.) and how well the role was performed.
  2. the extent that the partner achieved his/her goals.

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there are three different roles a partner can play: