Marek Procházka studied at the University of Bern in Switzerland, where he became a Swiss lawyer in 1990 and then became a lawyer in the Czech Republic in 1993. He is a founding partner of PRK Partners, specialising in corporate governance, ethics compliance, sustainability, licensing, merchandising, and dispute resolution.
Your law firm celebrated its 30th anniversary of adulthood at the end of 2023, and there was much to celebrate. Can you remember its childhood years?
I grew up in Switzerland and am a Swiss lawyer; it all started in Washington, D.C., where I continued my studies as a Swiss lawyer in the early 1990s. I made friends with colleagues from Czechoslovakia there. At that time, I knew I wanted to work internationally, but as a Swiss lawyer, I did not have so many opportunities, and my Czech background was an advantage in the job market. That is why I finally decided to accept a job in an American office and went to Czechoslovakia. It was only slowly waking up from the lethargy caused by socialism, and the chances of finding a job in newly developing areas were great. I always stood by the idea that whatever you do in life, you must first of all enjoy it. At the same time, it must move you forward. Knowing that something meaningful is taking shape under your hands. And that was true in this case. Today’s PRK Partners office started as Marek Procházka’s law firm, and then I was joined by colleagues from Washington. Our primary interest was in banking. Among other things, we were involved in the preparation of new models of credit agreements for the Czech market. Later, we also started to focus on corporate law. We were approached by clients who wanted help with setting up their own start-ups and establishing themselves on the market, and we tried to advise them as comprehensively as possible. And in that spirit, we gradually grew to what we are today. It was a time when anything was possible; the world was changing. Working with clients was much more than just giving legal advice. It was doing business together in a new market.
Your initial advantage was your knowledge of the international environment, which made you interesting for foreign companies entering the Czech market. What are your strengths today?
I would say that the main advantage is that thanks to our international contacts, we can help Czech clients solve problems both at home and abroad. At the same time, we adjust our goals and focus on the office ourselves. We are not bound by any network of law firms, as is usually the case with companies with an international reach. It is easier for us to offer our clients what is ideal. Another advantage is that many of our partners have lived partly abroad. In addition to our excellent knowledge of foreign languages, we also have valuable experience. I can say that the longer I live in the Czech Republic, the more I perceive the cultural differences compared to German-speaking countries, for example. This often leads to unnecessary misunderstandings which I can correct thanks to my knowledge. And that is where I see my contribution and that of our law firm.
You are part of the Lex Mundi global network. Introduce it and its benefits for clients.
Lex Mundi is a leading global network of independent law firms from around the world. There is one such firm in every country, so member firms must maintain a certain quality to be part of it. The main idea is collaboration, which gives members the opportunity to pool knowledge across member firms. But please note that I say opportunity because no one is forced or obliged to do anything. It is a voluntary collaboration based on maintaining friendly relationships and developing skills. Lex Mundi’s main advantage for clients is that we can choose the right partner for a Czech client even abroad.
You are one of the founding fathers of a law firm. Your specialities include ESG. Do firms in the Czech Republic have these standards sufficiently formulated?
The Czech Republic is still one country that does not pay as much attention to sustainability. Perhaps this is because, compared to Western countries, energy sources were cheaper here in the past, and so today, society does not see the need to save on them. However, the ESG strategy is becoming part of the reality of business and, therefore, needs more attention. ESG regulation brings a number of obligations that are burdensome at first sight. Companies should collect data on their business and use this to evaluate its consequences, whether it is the impact on the environment and social milieu, on business partners or on the relationship with the state. When we look at the current approach of Czech society to sustainability, regulation is perceived as something artificially pushed from above, and I find that unfortunate. It should be seen as an opportunity to improve your products, services, and, at the same time, get data to make your business more efficient. This would then make it easier for entrepreneurs to penetrate global markets, and, given that we are an exporting nation, it could ultimately be to everyone’s benefit. However, at the moment, we are still looking more and more at how much money we can make. This is reflected in the standards being questioned, which, although they are emerging, are still not sufficient.
Thank you for the interview.
