Associate development at large firms has traditionally centered on facetime with partners, where up-and-coming lawyers put in long hours at the office as they work to make a name for themselves. But with the pandemic forcing associates and partners alike to work from home, that model has been disrupted.

In this week's Legal Speak, reporter Patrick Smith speaks with Keith Wetmore, the former managing partner of Morrison & Foerster who now heads the San Francisco office of legal recruiting giant Major, Lindsey & Africa, about associate development in this new remote work world. As Wetmore sees it, working from home has some key advantages for associates, who can easily and efficiently get exposure to a broader array of partners without having to hop on a plane or temporarily relocate. That's particularly helpful for associates who work in smaller offices or who work closely with specialized partners, he noted. Working with a larger group of partners may ease their path to partnership.