The unexpected interview with Emmanuelle Ragot

Recognised as a Leading lawyer and one of the 100 business women of Luxembourg 2021, Emmanuelle Ragot has been a lawyer for almost 30 years and is ranked international expert in her field of IP Data & TMT, both in advisory and litigation matters, before national and European jurisdictions. 

She was head of IP Data & TMT practice of a Magic Circle firm as well as independent law firms and worked for 8 years in her last position as a partner - head of IP - Data & TMT as well as employment, and oversaw the creation and functioning of a legal innovation hub dedicated to startups with her team.

Recently founder of her own law firm, Emmanuelle Ragot Lawyers & Associates, the Franco-Luxemburger puts her expertise and her ethical and governance values at a top level service of a cosmopolitan clientele in finance and industry as well as in the field of IP, cybersecurity, technology, energy and environment & sustainability as an attorney at law.

Contact Me Emmanuelle Ragot, Avocat à la Cour, at + 352 661 84 42 50, Emmanuelle.ragot@barreau.lu and via Linkedin 

 

1. What gets you out of bed in the morning?

My motivation to have a great personal and professional new day.

2. How would you describe your job to a child?

It is like a playground with many games very often like a chess game where strategy, creativity, loyalty, concentration, team spirit and speed are valued.

3. What is your biggest achievement to date – personal or professional?

All the personal and professional choices I’ve made until today from the easiest to the most difficult ones, expressing my values by creating my own law firm. Achieving a well - balanced life with a rewarding professional legal practice and with enough time to enhance personal interests.

4. What does a typical day look like for you and what are you currently working on?

Ensuring the defined priorities are met according to the client’s deadlines. Answering to client’s requests on their legal challenges (IP, Data Tech, Employment, Commercial, Corporate etc…) and questions whether for their commercial activities or regulatory issues. Defining a strategy with them if any conflict needs to be managed. Legislative’s monitoring and information of my clients if any impact to their activities.

5. What three words would you use to describe your role?

Entrepreneurial CEO & COO…(laughs).

6. If you could switch jobs with someone, who would it be?

Claudine Haigneré, First French and European Cosmonaut on a ‘taxi flight” to the International Space Station as a Soyuz Flight Engineer.

7. What three words would your colleagues use to describe you?

Visionary, Reliable, Rain Maker

8. If you could chose those three words, what would they be?

Human, Nature, Vision

9. If you could choose anyone, who would you pick as your mentor?

Winston Churchill: vision and humor

10. What do you like most about your job?

Its variety. Law is broad and you may learn infinitely and sharing your expertise to assist corporate entities to grow their business is highly motivating. Its unpredictability. You may start your career in London then pleading before the Criminal Court in Paris and few years after before the European Court of Justice on a trademark case. Its challenges. Our job requires us to constantly reinvent ourselves to various expertise and to a broad range of skills from technical - legal - financial to leadership – management and marketing. Last but not least, our job is also of course very international.

11. What advice would you give to recent recruits?

Be daring in your choice and wishes. This profession is tough but may provide the perfect configuration for many of us looking for intellectual challenges, high level of services dedicated to clients, independence, bringing added-value and creating growth, managing people etc…in an international environment.

12. What’s your most memorable awkward moment in your entire career?

Discovering the magic circle law firms in the 90s in London and their working organization including forms of management, coming from Paris where the model was very different, I understood a lot on people management and the pros and cons of each models.

​​​​​​​13. When was the last time you laughed so hard you cried?

Last week exercising virtual improvisational theatre with friends

​​​​​​​14. What is your motto or personal mantra?

“If you’re going through hell, keep going” Winston Churchill

​​​​​​​15. What’s your favorite blog or website?

The daily French newspaper : Le Monde

​​​​​​​16. What’s the most recent app you’ve downloaded but have not used yet?

Flight radar

​​​​​​​17. Given a chance, who would you like to be for a day?

A mix between the daring Alexandra David - Néel and the humoristic Jane Austen.

​​​​​​​18. What’s your favorite line/quote from a film?

Hard choice between those three that make me laugh “May the force be with you” Star Wars / “Bond. James Bond” / “Mama always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get” Forest Gump.

​​​​​​​19. What is your guilty pleasure?

Listening very good music and dancing immediately wherever I can be.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​20. Any holidays coming?

Always planned. It gives perspectives. Sailing this summer with friends on a prior negative test or vaccination.