Art Market Law Firm

Collecting art, antiquities and other luxury items can bring pleasure, often accompanied by emotional attachment. It can also be a method of investment.

The art world, however, comes with a number of legal requirements and obligations. These extend not just to owners and purchasers but also to artists, dealers, museums, galleries, auction houses, art financers and those involved in the storage of such items.

The art market is truly international. The buying, selling and movement of items is often done discreetly, on the basis of confidentiality and trust, and can span multiple jurisdictions.

While such activities are often concluded satisfactorily, situations can arise that require legal expertise and an informed, appropriate response.

These situations can relate to issues such as:

• Defective title – where the ownership of an item cannot be legally transferred because someone else has made a claim on it.
• Provenance – the origins of an item and its chain of ownership.
• Authenticity – whether the item is genuine.
• Attribution – who the actual creator of the item was.
• Non-fungible Tokens (NFTs).
• Anti-money laundering (AML) compliance and sanctions-related matters.
• Looting and illegal transportation of items, including questions of restitution.
• Litigation, mediation, arbitration and recovery of stolen items.

At Rahman Ravelli, we have lawyers who are experts in the legal areas that relate to the art and antiquities markets. Our experience, expertise and international network of specialists ensure that we can address all art-related matters when and where they arise, swiftly and discreetly.

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