Weinhold Legal: Where Orienteering, Law and the Joy of Working with Great People Meet

Weinhold Legal has become a partner of the Orienteering World Cup in Vyšší Brod. Ahead of this exceptional sporting event, the firm also hosted a Czech Orienteering press conference at its Prague offices. Tereza Hošková, an attorney at Weinhold Legal and a member of the KOB TRETRA Praha orienteering club, explains the reasons behind the partnership, the connection between orienteering and law, and when a lawyer can be particularly useful.

Why did Weinhold Legal become a partner of the World Cup?

It came about very naturally. Orienteering has been part of my life for more than a quarter of a century. My husband, Radim, has been involved in the sport for even longer—as a competitor, organiser, Vice-Chair of the Foot Orienteering Section of the Czech Orienteering Federation, and now also as the Sports Director of the World Cup in Vyšší Brod.

We know the people preparing the event and have a close-up view of their work. We know how much time, energy and responsibility they devote to it. Supporting a high-quality project led by great people makes sense to us. We also launched the partnership by hosting a Czech Orienteering press conference ahead of the World Cup at Weinhold Legal’s offices.

How has orienteering influenced your professional journey?

I started working with Dan Weinhold and Milan Polák at Weinhold Legal while I was still studying law. Thirteen years later, this cooperation still makes a great deal of sense to me. I have been practising as an attorney for ten years, now I lead my own team, and I increasingly think about the kind of people we want to work with and the kind of clients we want to work for.

We spend a large part of our lives at work. It therefore matters to me who I share that time with, how we communicate with one another, and whether our work produces something useful. At Weinhold Legal, I have managed to surround myself with colleagues who are excellent professionals and, at the same time, people whose company I genuinely enjoy. I apply the same approach to my relationships with clients.

I enjoy working with people who care about what they are building—people who develop their businesses, take responsibility and want to work together to find good solutions. In my work, it is absolutely essential that I can look the other person in the eye the following week. I therefore make a real effort to ensure that communication and cooperation are open and honest, and I look for the same qualities in our business partners.  

What does the work of a law firm such as Weinhold Legal actually involve?

When people hear the word “lawyer”, many primarily imagine a courtroom, criminal proceedings or a divorce. In reality, our work often consists of providing businesses with day-to-day support. We help people establish companies and structure relationships between shareholders. We support companies in negotiating contracts, obtaining financing or attracting investors, expanding into new markets, acquiring and selling businesses, and launching new products. We also advise on real estate matters.

Legal issues can also arise in connection with marketing campaigns, the introduction of new technologies, changes within work teams, the departure of a key employee, or a dispute with a business partner.

Weinhold Legal focuses primarily on commercial and contract law, transactions, real estate, financing, employment law and dispute resolution. In my own practice, I also specialise in public procurement and compliance, including areas such as data protection, cybersecurity and the rules governing the use of artificial intelligence.

So, when is the right time to contact a lawyer?

I see the work of a lawyer as being similar to the role of a physiotherapist. Of course, they can help with an acute problem. But it is even better when they teach me in good time how to take proper care of things and I occasionally consult them to make sure I am doing the exercises—or making the decisions—correctly. In other words, the emphasis should be on prevention and thorough preparation.

I also see a strong parallel with organising races. A lawyer is not merely a crisis manager who joins the team on race day. They are an integral part of the organising team and help to address numerous issues before something goes wrong.

So as soon as a business idea begins to take shape in my mind, it is a good time to start considering its legal aspects as well. It is also no longer true that legal advice is a luxury service that a start-up or a newly self-employed entrepreneur cannot afford. Our work certainly has value, but we can also adjust our pricing arrangements to reflect a client’s needs. It all comes down to communication and finding a mutually suitable arrangement.

What lessons from orienteering have you brought into your legal practice?

The ability to make decisions, quickly, sometimes under pressure. The ability to stand by a decision and put it into practice. To approach each individual meeting with complete focus—as my husband says: “Careful, Radi, this is going to be important!”

Orienteering has also taught me how to work with incomplete information, choose a direction and continuously respond to what is happening around me. The area where I still have room for improvement is endurance—but that is where the other colleagues on my team complement me very well.

Orienteering has also taught me to respect people who devote their time to a common cause. That is precisely why supporting the World Cup makes sense to us. We are contributing to a wonderful event created by people whose work we truly value.

And if, during the races, we discover that we also have something to discuss professionally with someone, it will be a natural connection between two worlds that already have a great deal in common.

And if you have read all the way to the end, you can arrange a free legal consultation using this QR code. The offer is available to the first ten people to respond. 😉

Tereza Hošková
Attorney, Weinhold Legal
TAP 8971