In normal times, law firm partners looking to make a lateral move, particularly to a firm with a national presence, can expect to spend substantial time in the air. That's not the case right now. And cutting out that travel is serving to compress the timeline for bringing new attorneys on board.

Some recruiters and firm leaders anticipate that a growing comfort with virtual meetings will result in a permanent shift in how hiring is done, even when travel is no longer something to fear.

That means a process that once took at least six months could well become significantly shorter, sometimes as short as six weeks, said San Francisco-based recruiter Avis Caravello. And the benefits can extend after the hiring process is over.