Art and cultural property

Robert Blower

Robert specialises in all aspects of private client work, in particular lifetime tax and estate planning, issues relating to offshore assets, trusts, UK landed estates and heritage property. Clients include individuals, both UK domiciled and many non-UK domiciled, their trusts and companies. Robert acts for many highly influential and international families advising on the structuring of assets in many parts of the world. He also acts for many UK entrepreneurs and business owners, as well as art collectors and estate owners. Robert has a large Middle East practice and a particular expertise in structuring trusts so that they comply with the Islamic Shariah rules on the devolution of family assets. He has also carried out a great deal of UK heritage tax work, in particular in relation to conditional exemption and offers in lieu of tax. Robert regularly advises trustees (including charitable trustees) on their duties and responsibilities and also brings Court applications on behalf of trustees.

Roland Foord

Roland is the firm's senior partner and a full time commercial disputes expert. He has deep experience particularly in the professional services and fine art sectors where he has practised throughout his career. Roland leads our teams in these sectors and is highly ranked in them by the directories. His work covers a broad range of commercial disputes taking place in the High Court and in arbitration. Most of Roland's work has an international dimension and he is also experienced in managing multi-jurisdictional disputes. Much of his work involves management of risk and the avoidance of claims, nipping problems in the bud and working with clients to resolve issues early and cost-effectively and keep them out of court. Roland has a long and extensive experience of acting for and against professional firms, particularly those in accountancy and law sectors and has been closely involved in several leading cases. He has been described as a "very good, very tough litigator," by Chambers UK 2022 in this area. In the fine art sector, Roland advises a broad range of clients from auction houses and dealers to museums and private collectors. His work in this area goes well beyond disputes, for example about title and attribution. He regularly advises on matters ranging from the sale and purchase of fine art to the standard terms of business of major market players to export, looted art and related issues. Roland is a member of the Art, Cultural and Institutions Committee of the IBA and recognised by Chambers & Partners for his experience handling high-value disputes within Art and Cultural Property Law. They describe him as "enormously impressive, a good tactician and knows the area back to front." In Legal 500, Roland is recognised for having "unparalleled experience in the field, with noted leadership and unassailable credibility." Roland is ranked in the Hall of Fame by Chambers in both the Professional Negligence and Art and Cultural Property categories.

Ceris Gardner

Ceris is a partner and head of the Charity and Philanthropy practice and head of the Immigration practice. Ceris' areas of expertise include tax, estate planning, family governance, charity law and philanthropy and immigration. She advises UK and non-UK domiciled and resident individuals, families, estates and trustees on UK and international tax and succession issues, establishing UK and offshore trusts, family limited partnerships and other cross border asset-holding structures.Ceris also has a wealth of experience advising on immigration, philanthropy and art and heritage property matters. Her wide-ranging experience means that, for clients, she is eminently qualified to take on the role of their trusted adviser.Ceris is well known for advising both grant-making and operational charities on matters of charity law and tax with a particular emphasis recently on governance and risk issues. She has twice won the "Trusted Advisor of the Year" award at the STEP Private Client Awards, a coveted accolade which is based on votes of STEP members. She appears on the 2019 Private Client Global Elite, which is the list of the world's elite lawyers advising UHNW.Ceris is named as a Leading Individual in the Legal 500 Directory and is ranked in Band 1 in the Chambers HNW guide 2020. She was named as one of the UK's Top Ten Tax and Trust Lawyers by Spear's Magazine in 2019 and 2020 and appears in the 2020 Spears 500. She was also ranked by Best Lawyers 2021 as a leading specialist in Charity Law, Art Law and Trusts and Personal Tax. Ceris is a trustee of Crimestoppers UK, Philanthropy Impact and National Philanthropic Trust Transatlantic and is Chair of the board of trustees of National Philanthropic Trust UK.

Karen Sanig

Karen founded Art Law at Mishcon de Reya in 1995. Clients she represents, across the globe, include artists and their estates, collectors, dealers, art foundations and charities, auction houses, galleries, museums and governments. Karen advises on a wide range of art related matters such as sale and purchase of art, artists' rights, their legacy, creation and management of artists estates, disputes over attribution, authenticity and ownership, cultural heritage matters, restitution of looted cultural property and anti-money laundering regulations. The legal directories describe Karen as 'pre-eminent in the field of art and cultural property'. She often features on 'Front Row', BBC Radio 4's flagship culture programme. Karen is quoted widely on art related legal issues and contributes to leading art publications including the Art Newspaper and Apollo. She is honorary legal counsel for the State Hermitage Foundation Museum, Israel. Karen is also a Trustee of Camden Arts Centre.

Abby Brindley

Abby is a Managing Associate in the firm's Private department where she works on a wide range of commercial disputes for both companies and individuals.  As a member of Art Law, Abby acts for galleries, auction houses, artists, collectors, foundations and other public and private institutions in relation to disputes concerning ownership, provenance, attribution and restitution of artworks. Abby has specialist knowledge and interest in the evolving area of data protection and regularly advises on rights and obligations, acting for both individuals and companies. She also provides training on data protection issues for the firm and its clients. Abby is a member of the organisation of Professional Advisors to the International Art Market (PAIAM).

Simon Chadwick

Simon is an Managing Associate in the Mishcon Private department.  He has experience in acting for a wide variety of clients ranging from companies to high net worth individuals to charities, across a wide range of domestic and international commercial disputes. Simon has a particular interest in art and cultural property law and, as a member of the Art Law team, advises galleries, auction houses, artists, collectors, foundations and other public and private institutions on non-contentious and contentious art related matters. Before starting his carrier in law, Simon worked for an Italian commercial art dealership in Mayfair and Milan for seven years. This experience, and his understanding of the market, has proved invaluable when working with individuals, galleries and institutions on both contentious and non-contentious art matters. Simon has previously been recognised in Legal 500’s 2020 Art and Cultural Property directory as being a Rising Star and in Chambers & Partners HNW 2020 as an Associate to Watch.

William Charrington

William advises corporate clients, institutions and individuals on a wide range of contentious matters. His practice includes disputes arising out of commercial contracts, civil fraud, professional negligence and judicial review. He has experience of all stages of the litigation process from initial pre-action advice up to trial, and of alternative forms of dispute resolution such as mediation and arbitration. William has particular experience of acting in complex civil fraud disputes relating to banking. He advises on applications for interim relief including freezing and asset disclosure orders. His broad practice also includes advising clients on art related disputes and inquest proceedings.

Daniel McClean

Daniel McClean specialises in art and cultural property law working with leading artists, estates, advisers, collectors, dealers, galleries, foundations, and museums. Daniel is actively involved in the art world as an independent curator and writer and has commercial gallery experience. Enthusiastic and approachable, he offers bespoke advice tailored to the needs of art world clients, including: artists, collectors, dealers, galleries and museums. He advises clients on a range of contentious and non-contentious issues from disputes involving the ownership, export and authenticity of artworks and antiques to the drafting of agency, consignment, commissioning, and sale agreements. His clients include Artangel (where he is a board member), Tate, La Colección Jumex (Mexico City), Gagosian Gallery, Pilar Corrias Gallery and the Keith Arnatt Estate. He also specialises in intellectual property law and regularly advises artists and photographers on intellectual property agreements and disputes. Daniel is the commissioning editor of ‘Dear Images: Art, Copyright and Culture’ (2002) and ‘The Trials of Art’ (2007). He co-wrote ‘Commissioning Contemporary Art: A Handbook for Curators, Collectors and Artists’, with Louisa Buck and published by Thames & Hudson (Autumn 2012). He writes a regular column for Art Review on art legal issues and teaches Art Law at the Sotheby’s Institute of Art (London). He is a regular writer for the international contemporary art magazines, Art Review and Frieze. Daniel is a member of the Art Law Committee of the International Bar Association.

Isabel Paintin

Isabel advises predominantly UK-domiciled Private Clients and Charitable Organisations on a wide range of legal issues including wills and estate planning, ownership of chattels and Charity administration. She has a particular interest in art transactions and heritage matters and advises on the sale, purchase, loan and financing of heritage assets as well as heritage taxation issues. She is a member of the firm's Art & Heritage Group.

Till Vere-Hodge

Till is a partner and heads up the firm's dedicated Art and Cultural Property group. He advises international private collectors, art dealers and auction houses, galleries and museums, as well as art investors and advisors, in relation to both contentious and non-contentious matters. Till has built up particular expertise in handling restitution claims to looted artworks. He has reviewed actual and potential claims, advised on, and/or successfully negotiated amicable resolutions to more than three dozen claimed artworks and collectibles. He regularly lectures at various Art Law forums and comments in the media on matters pertaining to Art and Cultural Property Law. Prior to his career in the law, Till worked for several years in international diplomacy and for a Member of Parliament at Westminster.

Rudy Capildeo

Rudy joined Wedlake Bell together with Tim Maxwell as joint Head of the Art & Luxury group. He advises a broad range of international clients ranging from private collectors, artists and galleries/dealers to museums, financial institutions and off-shore trustees on a variety of complex, commercial matters. He also has a strong client base who operate in the classic car, fine violin and fine wine worlds. His practice is predominantly non-contentious, and involves the purchase and sale of artworks and other high value collectibles, luxury asset financing, the protection of artists’ rights and the import and export of artworks, classic cars and other luxury assets. He also advises on the purchase and sale of yachts.

Simon Fitzpatrick

Partner

Hetty Gleave

Partner

Amanda Gray

Amanda Gray is a Partner in Mishcon Private, specialising in Art Law and the related field of Luxury Assets. She is Practice Lead for Art Law and chairs Mishcon's firm-wide multi-disciplinary Luxury Assets Group. Amanda is valued by her clients for her commercial, flexible approach and depth of knowledge across a diverse range of legal problems faced by those operating within the art market and luxury assets fields. In addition to her Art Law practice, Amanda, as a long standing private client lawyer, has been able to bring her experience of dealing with sensitive personal situations to assisting bereaved families with inquests and advising clients on a range of medical negligence issues and loss of mental capacity. An art law specialist with over 13 years experience, she is valued by her clients for her commercial and solution driven approach and depth of knowledge. Her client base includes collectors, dealers, auction houses, artists, public and private institutions and foundations. She assists clients across a diverse range of contentious and non-contentious legal problems faced by those operating within the art market and luxury assets fields. These include sale and purchase agreements, art and antique collection management, loan and agency agreements, artists' resale rights regulations, special projects, bringing new discoveries to the market place and advising the art market on anti-money laundering regulations. Her specialist contentious work includes claims arising from due diligence issues including authentication and title claims, disputes arising out of breaches of contract, negligence and misrepresentation. Matters are often international, high value, and high profile with significant commercial and personal implications for the reputation and legacy of those involved.  As a leading member of our multi-disciplinary Luxury Assets Group, Amanda provides advice to clients on luxury assets including classic cars, bloodstock and jewellery, each with nuances individual to their respective fields. Amanda is a Trustee of the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA); the pro-bono General Counsel for Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft, Sussex, which houses the permanent collection of works by the Ditchling Guild and is a member of the Responsible Art Market committee, London Chapter.

Natasha Hassall

Natasha is a Partner in the Private Client and Tax team. Natasha advises on long term estate planning, handling both onshore and offshore trusts, tax planning and wills. She is very experienced in dealing with large landed estates, family offices and, in particular, heritage property issues. She undertakes a great deal of work involving complicated trusts; asset protection and devolution; and capital tax planning and also looks after several large families based outside the UK.

Tim Maxwell

Tim blends commercial litigation, private wealth experience with a market leading specialism in art law and cultural property law. He has been separately recognised for his expertise in relation to other luxury assets such as collector cars and wine whilst also advising on matters involving musical instruments, jewellery and yachts. Tim is instructed by a wide spectrum of clients ranging from artists to government institutions. Tim has been involved in notable cases involving artists’ rights, street art & brands, insurance, art finance, auction house conduct, attribution & authenticity, provenance & title, export & import, fraud, fakes & forgeries, guarantees, restitution & recovery.

Adrian Parkhouse

Adrian is head of the art and heritage group. He has broad experience of all aspects of dispute resolution. He also has leading experience of art-related disputes. Adrian is a CEDR accredited mediator. He has led teams in a number of major commercial cases this year, acting both for claimants and defendants on a range of matters.

Mark Stephens

Specialising in international, appellate and complex litigation,  Mark Stephens has undertaken some of the highest profile cases in the country and abroad. Mark is a solicitor with an expertise in constitutional, human rights, IP, media and regulatory work, defamation, privacy, media, art and cultural property, data protection and freedom of information, trusts litigation, intellectual property and international arbitration disputes. Mark has created a niche in international comparative media law and regulation. He acts in judicial reviews, Privy Council cases- Ultimate Appeal Court for parts of the Commonwealth, as well as, regulatory cases and inquiries. Mark practices before every level of court in England and Wales and also abroad before international tribunals and courts. He is also a Privy Council agent regularly working with a range of overseas lawyers. Mark is a qualified mediator. He can also assist clients in jurisdictions outside of the UK and has been retained by a number of governments to advise and to represent their interests including, Republic of Cyprus, Jamaica, Libya, Mauritius, and the Russian Republic. He has been appointed by the Foreign Secretary to the FCO Free Expression advisory board and the Lord Chancellor to be a Champion for the Community Legal Service. Mark became board chair of Internews Europe, an international charity dedicated to freedom of expression and trusted media in 2018. Mark chairs a number of bodies including, Internews, the Management Committee of the Programme in Comparative Media Law and Policy Wolfson College, Oxford Centre for Socio Legal Studies and the Bianca Jagger Human Rights Foundation. He is former chair of the Contemporary Art Society, Global Network Initiative, Global Witness the University of East London the Design Artists Copyright Society. And former President of the Commonwealth Lawyers Association. Mark is responsible for innovating the Business & Human Rights portfolio of Cygnet Healthcare in his role as Non-Executive Director. Cygnet is the UK arm of UHS, the largest and most respected healthcare provider in the USA, and provides a wide range of services for individuals with mental health needs, autism and learning disabilities within the UK. He additionally sits on the board as a Trustee of Index of Censorship, the Bianca Jagger Human Rights Foundation, Commonwealth Lawyers Association and Council of the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute and Human Dignity Trust. Mark regularly appears in print, on radio and television. Mark also lectures at Universities and Higher Education Institutions around the world. Mark has contributed to seven books, Miscarriages of Justice: a review of justice in error (1999), International Libel and Privacy Handbook all four editions (2005), (2009), (2013), (2016) published by Bloomberg Press, La Presunción de Inocenicia Y Los Juicios Paralelos (2013) published by Wolters Kluwer (Spain) for the Fundación Fernando Pombo/Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo., Media Law & Ethics in the 21st Century (2014) published by Palgrave MacMillan, This is not a book about Gavin Turk (2014) published by Trolley Books, Media Law and Policy in the Internet Age (2016) published by Hart an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing, Media Law International (3rd Edition) - Specialist Guide for Global Leaders in Media Law Practice (2016) published by Media Law International. He is also on the editorial boards of Communications Lawyer, Copyright World and European Intellectual Property Review.