Lawyer Profile: Lauren Sigler-Chain

Lauren, what is your background, can you introduce yourself?

I have a classical legal background in business law, but I also have a bilingual training in English law at Paris X, which I concluded with an LLM in international business in Great Britain.

Being specialized in sports economics, what do you think about eSports?

From the moment it is an activity framed by a regulation that gives rise to competitions, it interests me from a legal point of view, regardless of its medium. Professional e-sportsmen have to follow a healthy lifestyle and face the same disciplinary and sponsorship issues. There are just fewer accidents!

Today, more than e-sports, it is the digital sports economy that is at the heart of my activity, especially online betting.

Do you have other areas of expertise?

In addition to sports law, I act in commercial and real estate litigation.

In sports law, my favorite cases are related to equestrian sports.

Do you have a passion outside the courtroom?

My children and horses. I have several lives in one, I am a lawyer but also a mother of three children and a rider. I ride in show jumping competitions and I even have a small horse farm at a friend’s place in Normandy.

Is it necessary to have a specialty in line with your passions?

I measure every day how lucky I am to be able to combine my passion and my profession, but I don’t think that one can deduce that one must necessarily be passionate about one’s profession to do it well. There are plenty of brilliant colleagues who have passions totally unrelated to their field of practice.

On the other hand, what is necessary in cases as specific as those concerning a sports accident, horse betting or a veterinary expertise on a horse worth several millions, is to have a thorough knowledge of the environment and its stakes in order to be able to understand one’s clients and be a reliable interface for a court.

What surprised you when you started this job?

I was surprised by the positive reception I received from the clients, who were often older men than me from rather patriarchal backgrounds. I felt very quickly respect, listening and interest in the advice given. It was extremely encouraging and rewarding.

Has the place of women in the legal profession changed?

I think that it follows a trajectory already well underway for a few decades with a growing feminization. I am pleased that this place is now also established at the head of the cabinets to tend towards a real parity.

Your greatest pride as a lawyer?

I don’t really take pride in wearing the robe or being called “Master”, but it is above all a sum of small, intense moments that make me love my job: preparing a summary judgment case from one day to the next, pleading and feeling that you are turning the court upside down, receiving a decision and running your finger down to get the result… In fact, this job is full of adrenalin. It’s a daily sports competition and I love it.

A new adventure begins with NMCG… ?

And what an adventure! I had never moved: I did my first internship, was an associate and then partner with the same team at CHAIN. So to take on a new name, to discover a new way of working, new premises and above all a much larger team, all without denying the spirit that has animated us since the beginning, is a huge challenge but so motivating.

I look forward to bringing out the best in both firms to make this NMCG-CHAIN merger a true success.