The motivation for top lawyers to make top dollar may seem self-evident. Like elite athletes, many rainmakers are driven by being the best on their team (firm) or in their sport (practice). They know what they’re worth. They may want others to know it too. And they want to keep grinding until it becomes impossible.

But there are also top performers who work to live rather than live to work, recruiters and consultants say, high-achieving, high-earning partners heading toward an early retirement, and the era of skyrocketing partner pay across the industry is helping them make that happen.