Cultural assets & art

Our cultural assets and art practice advises art collectors, galleries, museums and art market professionals worldwide on the issues connected with fine and decorative art, antiques and heritage property.

We provide a global service from our offices in London, New York, Hong Kong, Geneva and Milan. Our lawyers are not simply lawyers, they are authors, former general counsel of the main auction houses, and hold public appointment so they have in-depth understanding of the international art.

We act for individuals, businesses and non-profit organizations. Clients ask us for assistance with cross-border art transactions, dispute resolution, tax planning and regulatory matters (including import/export duties, customs regulations and anti money-laundering compliance). We also advise on the protection and exploitation of intellectual property rights.

Recent work

  • Retained by the Tate Gallery as principal legal adviser.
  • Assisting with the purchase of a (multi-million dollar). painting by de Chirico, sold by a London private museum to a US collector.
  • Recovering several important paintings stolen from the Bakwin family in Massachusetts.
  • Acting for the Archdiocese of Benevento in connection with the recovery of a manuscript that disappeared during the Nazi era and is now at the British Library.
  • Winning significant damages for a Swiss collector whose Anish Kapoor sculpture was lost by a specialist shipping firm.
  • Representing an influential London contemporary art gallery in an appeal against Customs adverse rulings.

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