Stephen Lerner, Three

As general counsel and director of regulatory affairs at one of the U.K.'s biggest telecoms companies, Three U.K.'s Stephen Lerner oversees a 100-strong team responsible for driving legal, regulatory and commercial strategies at the company.

Before joining Three more than 15 years ago, Lerner was a lawyer in Clifford Chance's London office for just under four years. It followed a spell at CMS, which he joined after emigrating to the U.K. from Canada.

He talks to Legal Week about the best and worst things about being a lawyer at a large company, his favoured law firms, and having books thrown at him by a mean partner.

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Why did you become a lawyer?

I was always interested in politics and philosophy and studied both during my university undergraduate degree. There is a significant overlap between these disciplines and the study of law, so going to law school felt like the natural career choice.

Who has been the biggest influence on your career?

I am quite fortunate to have worked with so many talented people over the years. I could not pinpoint one person as there are so many people from whom I have learnt so much – but the key influences have not come from the legal profession, but from the inspirational leadership skills displayed by the CEOs that I have worked with (Dave Dyson and Kevin Russell), to the camaraderie I have experienced during my years on the senior management team at Three.

What's your proudest professional moment(s)?

Becoming general counsel at Three and joining at board level.

I think I am able to emphatically and purposely let other people be heard

What's the worst thing that's happened to you while on the job?

Working as a junior lawyer at a big City law firm for a nasty partner nicknamed the Prince of Darkness. I recall that he once threw a book at me.

What's your strongest characteristic?

Getting the most out of my team and others in the work environment. I think I am able to emphatically and purposely let other people be heard. I am very focused on making sure that I create an environment where people with varying styles and approaches have an opportunity to contribute and have a voice. I believe how you achieve something is just as important as what you achieve.

What advice would you give to young lawyers starting out?

Absorb knowhow and training from those around you and get as much practical experience as possible. If you are a transactional lawyer, that means working on as many deals as time permits. Having brilliant technical skills provides the basic foundation for all future roles and will open a lot of doors. Also, think about the industry sectors that interest you where you can have a passion for the outcomes rather than just the work. Our most passionate lawyers have a deep interest in media and the telecommunications market.

What are the best and worst things about your job?

The best: working with such a talented group of individuals who are passionate about Three and with all of us working collaboratively to ensure Three is successful. The worst: maintaining the right balance between family, self and work can, at times, be difficult (especially when working on a large project like our acquisition of U.K. Broadband).

What is the most common mistake that external counsel make when dealing with you?

Some firms over-resource matters. All firms want to do a great job and provide a quality service – but it is important that they keep an eye on the number of lawyers that they throw at the file.

It is all about getting excellent advice

In your experience, how much difference is there in quality between different law firms?

There are vast differences in the quality between different lawyers, and all the law firms that we use have great lawyers and not-so-great lawyers. I try to establish close relationships with our trusted lawyers and if they move firms, our business will usually follow with them.

Which are your favoured law firms?

Constantine Cannon (regulatory); Baker & McKenzie (commercial and employment); Shoosmiths (commercial); Cooke, Young & Keidan (commercial disputes); Ashurst (corporate and commercial); Linklaters (corporate, M&A and regulatory) and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer (competition).

Would you rather: pay less and get adequate advice or pay more and get excellent advice?

It is all about getting excellent advice. My experience is that the quality of the advice is dependent on the quality and effort of the individual lawyers providing the service rather than the size and billing rates of any particular law firm. I often rely on lawyers at small or regional law firms who I know will provide a great service, in preference to big City firms.

How does working in-house compare with private practice?

I cannot speak for other companies but within Three, being an in-house lawyer is a completely different role from being in private practice and the challenges are very different. In-house lawyers within Three partner up with the business units they support and jointly make commercial decisions, taking into account the relevant legal and regulatory guardrails. They then jointly own the consequences of those decisions over many months and years. In private practice, you are not the decision-maker and act only as an adviser on legal risks and consequences. That advice, usually provided over a relatively short duration, will then inform commercial decisions made by the business.

What is the daftest bit of corporate jargon you've heard?

An old boss used to repeatedly tell me: "Don't ask a question you don't know the answer to." I was thinking: "Isn't that the point of asking a question?"

What's the most outdated thing you've experienced in the industry?

That you have to ask your current mobile provider to leave to join a competitor. Although Ofcom, to its credit, has recently made it far easier, the U.K. is still a bit of an anomaly in that regard.

…and the most innovative?

5G home broadband – the ability to get fibre-speed broadband in a box you simply plug in the wall with no wires or engineers is game changing.

Describe your commute in 10 words or less

Non-existent. I live in Windsor, which is only five miles from the office, and I try to work at home at least one day per week.

Favourite boxset(s)?

Currently, it is Peaky Blinders and The Good Place.

Favourite pastime?

Spending time with the family. My 12-year-old son plays rugby on Saturday mornings and my eight-year-old daughter takes ballet and gymnastics lessons and has been learning to ski at the indoor ski dome, so I am a regular attendee at all their weekend events.

Have you ever had a spiritual experience?

No, but I have enjoyed taking mindfulness classes.

What would your motto be?

I do not have a personal motto – but if there was one guiding leadership principle it would be that you should see your role as enabling the success of others.