“Zachary Lerner of Troutman Pepper Locke Reveals the Joys of Teamwork in the Workplace”

Specialization: Insurance transactional and regulatory

Law school and year of graduation: Georgetown Law, 2010

The following has been revised for style.

How long have you been at your firm?

13 years (which includes two mergers, the initial one between Edwards Wildman and Locke Lord, and the latest between Locke Lord and Troutman Pepper).

What influenced your choice of practice area?

I aimed to focus early in my career on a field that would enable me to blend my passion for corporate law with a regulatory/legislative perspective, without needing to present myself in a courtroom daily. Opting for a career in the insurance domain has allowed me to expand my abilities beyond my initial expectations. Being able to assist a European insurance corporation in securing its U.S. approvals in the morning while aiding a global insurance brokerage in finalizing an acquisition in the afternoon keeps my work stimulating and varied. Moreover, while the insurance industry serves as a cornerstone of the global market, experienced U.S. transactional and regulatory lawyers are not as common as one might suspect. This has permitted me to establish my reputation perhaps more swiftly than I might have in different areas of law.

How did you refine your expertise in your field?

I developed my knowledge by absorbing as much content as possible, as frequently as possible. When I began as an associate, I was fortunate to have a fantastic mentor in Jack Dearie, who specialized in the excess and surplus lines insurance sector. Jack guided me and my colleague John Emmanuel, co-author of the “Excess and Surplus Lines Manual,” in elevating our careers. His mentorship and trust in me, which included allowing me to lead client meetings as early as my second year as an associate, instilled the confidence needed to manage client issues successfully. Although, as a devoted tennis enthusiast, it’s hard for me to accept that his retirement is now absorbed by the unfortunate trend of pickleball.

I have also enhanced my skillset through diligent observation over the years. It’s unrealistic to expect to know everything, but striving for it is essential. Being an effective practitioner is not merely about being handed a problem to solve; it necessitates the ability to recognize the problem from the outset. To this end, I continually request my fellow partners to involve me in their projects or training initiatives to continue learning from them, including during formal training sessions.

I also gain knowledge from our clients. I consistently stay attuned to their requirements and what they observe in the market, which enables me to be not just an attorney but also an advisor, utilizing my creativity to devise personalized, bespoke solutions.

Why did you aspire to be a practice area leader?

Primarily, to leverage what I know to be one of the foremost insurance transactional and regulatory practices in the United States, aiding our current and potentially future clients to comprehend the full range of our capabilities. At Locke Lord, our previous co-chairs Jon Biasetti and Brian Casey admirably guided the development of our practice group into the force it is today, and I wish to seamlessly advance their success and vision further.

Accomplishing this objective entails teamwork and strategic planning. There are avenues where we can continue to expand through strategic hiring, both in geographic regions and industry specialties. Our practice group encompasses a coast-to-coast reach, which offers local assistance to our clients but can complicate collaborative efforts. Our combined expertise is invaluable, and a key focus for me is to enhance collaboration among our practice group members and across other practice groups within our new, merged law firm.

I have also always had an interest in the “business” aspect of law. Growing up, I observed my father Mark manage a successful private security enterprise, and while he often teases me about my lack of interest in “sitting in his chair,” witnessing him nurture and steer a successful business has motivated me to explore the managerial side of law.

What competencies are necessary to be a successful practice group leader (i.e., knowledge of the practice, hiring strategies, business development, financial oversight, etc.)?

I believe you must achieve trust and accountability within the group members. Our practice group has been jointly led by two very accomplished partners for many years who are also from a different generation than mine. For my colleagues to genuinely “buy into” my vision for a successful practice group, it requires more than just lectures or meetings; it necessitates action and tangible success. I want people to regard my ideas as bold when I suggest something out of the ordinary, and I aim to be candid with my feedback to my team as well.

Naturally, there are logistical hurdles that accompany the role. Managing numerous moving elements can be daunting, and unlike my spouse Jennifer, who spent years teaching and thrives on organization, I still face challenges in keeping organized. It’s an ongoing development process. Additionally, each practice group at every law firm would like to recruit the “rainmaker” from a rival firm along with their team, but hiring budgets and life circumstances do not allow this occurrence daily. Patience is essential. As they say in Field of Dreams, “if you build it, they will come.”

How do you manage the dual roles of client work and management responsibilities?

By not shouldering everything by myself. Consequently, Troutman Pepper Locke does not solely depend on the practice group leader to determine the group’s direction but also formally designates several other partners to handle distinct roles, such as a “finance partner.”and a “professional advancement associate.” We nurture a cooperative methodology, and although I currently hold a prominent position in our team, I certainly do not stand alone.

Leading by example is also crucial. If I do not dedicate my utmost effort to serving our clients, then why should anyone else? I did not enter this profession, nor accept this position to merely be a manager; I am inherently a practitioner, and one of my main objectives is to showcase to our clients the most robust and capable team I can assemble. Just as I derive benefits from my colleagues’ successes, if I fail to offer strong representation to our clients, it will negatively impact my fellow partners by tarnishing our group’s reputation. As the leader of the practice group, my effectiveness in the market directly influences how clients perceive our group as a whole.

How does holding a practice leadership position provide you a perspective on the broader strategic vision of the firm?

It compels me to step outside of my comfort zone. While I am accustomed to traveling worldwide for marketing and business development initiatives, I tend to be somewhat introverted and have achieved a significant portion of my business growth through publications and online presentations. However, being a practice group leader necessitates more than merely paving your own pathway to success; it involves embracing and valuing the plans and ambitions of others. To this end, our firm emphasizes the importance of getting to know one another, irrespective of geographical boundaries or obvious collaboration prospects. Being a practice group leader provides me insight into the “secret sauce” behind my firm’s success and the achievements of other practice groups and their leaders. This enables me to adopt the “best elements” of what I observe and strive to integrate them into my leadership approach.

What additional roles or experiences assist you in your current position?

For the last several years, I have been at the helm of Locke Lord’s New York corporate group. This role has provided me valuable insights into the requirements of the corporate lawyers within our local office, many of whom engage in practices that differ greatly from my own. My current position, while now more directly related to my area of expertise, introduces the new obligation of managing on an international scale rather than within the limits of my office floor, and it has been an exhilarating transition.

What are the main priorities for your practice field?

Preserve, grow, and collaborate.

Our clientele includes the “who’s who” of the insurance sector, but numerous firms also represent these same entities. We must continually demonstrate to our clients that the role we play for them remains indispensable to their business objectives and strategies. However, mere preservation is insufficient; growth is where we aim and will advance. There are numerous law firms with impressive corporate capabilities, but only a few with genuine insurance transactional and regulatory expertise throughout the United States. We strive to illustrate to our clients in the insurance carrier and distribution sectors that we are a true “one-stop shop” capable of delivering them a full array of general legal services while also being attuned to their distinctive insurance transactional and regulatory requirements.

Finally, collaboration is vital. Every successful professional has at some point in their career operated in a “silo” on a project; it is logical, as you do not achieve partnership at a law firm unless you are exceptionally adept at something, and at various times, you may feel that you can manage it alone. However, whenever I work together with one of my colleagues, they always contribute something valuable that I lack. Perhaps most importantly, collaboration truly enhances the enjoyment of the job. My aspirations of becoming a professional baseball or tennis player did not materialize (I attribute this to being somewhat “vertically challenged,” but I concede there could have been a talent issue). As a consolation, I want to bond with my colleagues and relish their company.

Do you have a wider influence in this capacity regarding enhancing diversity at your firm? If so, how?

Indeed. Troutman Pepper Locke takes diversity in representation, management, and leadership very earnestly. Every practice group has a “DEI partner” dedicated to addressing issues related to the advancement and collaboration with attorneys and staff across a diverse spectrum of race, religion, creed, sexual orientation, and other characteristics. This initiative does not solely originate from our side; our clients are also keen on how we bring a diverse cohort to the table, as their interests can be effectively served by practitioners with varied backgrounds and perspectives.

Is succession planning a component of your responsibilities as a practice group leader, and if so, how?

Absolutely. Personally, I am 39 years old, which implies I would be on the verge of retiring from the sports arena had I been gifted with a completely different physique and skillset. However, my career as an attorney is just beginning to take meaningful form. Regarding other attorneys, our practice group is fortunate to include several senior partners who have established remarkable reputations in our field. Each of them recognizes the significance of effective succession planning for the well-being and sustainability of our group. It is my responsibility and one of my fundamental duties in the coming years to minimize client attrition as the next generation of associates and partners asserts themselves.

Was there anything that took you by surprise about the role?

Whenever someone steps into a management position, the initial thoughts usually revolve around grand and bold notions. Nevertheless, management involves meticulous attention to administrative details, such as budget evaluations and approvals, as well as organizing attendance at industry events. The week following my official appointment as practice group leader, one of my partners and executive committee member Alan Levin advised me to prepare for a barrage of administrative emails and tasks requiring a newfound commitment from me to being responsive and attentive to the nuances that necessitate completion.

How has this role provided you insights into client needs?

Though I am relatively new to the position, being a practice group leader compels you to pay closer attention to how to deliver services beyond your own expertise. Even prior to being practice group leader, I have encountered clients asking me for assistance in areas outside my central practice, and a vital managerial skill is to “recognize what you don’t know.” You must possess enough awareness to pinpoint where a client requires help, even if that assistance is most suitably provided by someone else within the practice group (or the wider firm). You need to be both adequately self-assured and informed to advise a client “you may have a concern” while being honest enough to acknowledge that someone else can better address it.