Was Prague your first job away from home?

I went to Poland for six weeks when I first got to the region to fill in for someone else. But the idea was always to make it to Prague. I was offered the job in June 2001, because I wanted to go abroad somewhere, and Linklaters offered to send me to help develop the real estate department in Prague. They asked me on a Friday and wanted an answer by Monday.

It was about that time that people started going the other way, leaving Prague for Warsaw. How did you find Warsaw?

People who live there say it has a really vibrant social scene, but I always found it quite a depressing place compared to Prague. I didn’t find, generally, the Poles as outwardly friendly as the Czechs. In general I think it’s harder to go into a bar in Warsaw to have a beer and talk to someone who’s local than it is here. You don’t even have to speak the language here. But everyone I know who’s lived in Warsaw loves it, so maybe it’s just me.

Why did you want to go abroad in the first place?

Because I’d never worked abroad before. It seemed like the right thing for a 30-year-old to do. I figured if I spent much more time in London that I probably wouldn’t do it. A lot of my friends traveled when they were younger, which I never tried. On the other hand, few of them would move out on a permanent basis.

Prague was pretty “civilized” at that point. Did you still get a hardship package?

Yes. And they also paid the rent, utilities, phone bill and flights home.

Not a bad deal for living in party town.

Not at all.

Was it love at first sight, or did you get dragged into living here without realizing it?

It took about six months, but then I realized it was a nicer working environment, an all-round better lifestyle and [there were] more interesting opportunities professionally.

What’s different these days for newcomers?

The industry’s changed a lot. It’s a lot more sophisticated, there are a lot more people based here rather than just flying in the way they used to. You can’t do that any more, because the market’s so competitive now. It was all a bit less regimented back then. I think it’s much more difficult today.

What are you looking for when you’re interviewing new lawyers?

One of the main things I look at now since we started Wilson & Partners is whether the person will fit into the office environment, as an individual. I definitely don’t just look at the qualifications, because how they’ll work out on a personal level I think is more important initially. It’s difficult to tell if the person will turn into a good lawyer, because you have to work with them to find that out. So in the interview I try to work out if they’ll work in the social context of the office.

How about ambition? Is it acceptable for lawyers to be ambitious?

I think in the Czech Republic you have to be ambitious to be a successful lawyer, which is a bit different than, say, London. There you have to be technically very, very good and adept at managing clients. You don’t necessarily have to stand out and demand to be a partner. That will come in London if you are a technically brilliant lawyer, usually.

I think in the Czech Republic, you have to have some sort of charisma, some ambition and drive. So when you’re looking to employ someone it’s not obvious from day one, it’s something you only find out after a couple of years. I don’t mind admitting that I’m not the world’s best technical lawyer. That’s basically a requirement in London, but over here, there’s more scope for being commercial, assisting in the deals rather than just handling the legal aspects. I’ve always been fairly good at bringing work into the firms I work for, and there was the obvious opportunity to do that in Prague.

Does the legal profession run deep in the Wilson family?

Not at all. When I was younger, I wanted to be an RAF pilot, thanks to Top Gun, but when I was 13, I decided I wanted to be a lawyer. I’ve no idea why. In fact, I spoke to a friend of a friend of my parents when I was 14 to ask him what the job was like. He said it was pretty boring. He’s since become a partner at the firm I was working for and he emailed me two years ago to say “I’m still working as a lawyer, and I still think it’s boring.” I told him I was having the time of my life.

Are you more like your mother or your father?

My father.

In the good ways or the bad?

Both.

Are you a dog or a cat person?

Dogs. Cats roam about too much; dogs are more loyal.

What kind of dog would you like?

A brown and white Cavalier King Charles Spaniel called Maja.

What are you driving at the moment?

A Touareg V10 five-liter bad boy, though I originally wanted a sports car.

What happened?

Honestly, my girlfriend thought it wasn’t as safe as a bigger car. So I got a bigger car that’s still fast.

How’s your golf game? Any time now that you’re running your own company?

I have slightly more time now, actually. And if I play a bit more, I could get it down below 20. I think golf’s a really good way for getting to know your client. It’s very social, you don’t generally talk much about work on the course, and it’s relaxing. I find it a good use of four hours of an afternoon.

What’s your favorite course, and your worst hole?

Pilsen, at the moment. I think it’s an interesting course, but it’s not too difficult. The hardest [hole] for me is probably the 16th, because it’s after a steep hill you have to climb, so I’m generally knackered.

How do you take it when it’s not falling for you? Have you ever broken a club?

Yes. But I was much younger. I tend not to get that upset now, except for a few seconds after the shot. Golf is something I do to relax and enjoy and I accept that I’ll never be brilliant. Though I do plan to win the CiJ Tournament.

What would you recommend for some summer reading?

The Constant Gardener or The Little Drummer Girl, both by John le Carré for a serious read. Both very well written. One of the Barney Thomson series of books by Douglas Lindsay or anything by Colin Bateman or Carl Hiaasen for something more relaxing and satirical.

Favorite movie?

The Godfather: Part II.