England - London • Private client

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Art and cultural property

Wedlake Bell

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The art and luxury market is a growth area for Wedlake Bell LLP, which recently recruited its two new department heads Tim Maxwell and Rudy Capildeo from Charles Russell Speechlys LLP. These highly regarded partners advise artists, private collectors as well as international art galleries on a whole host of issues relating to artists’ rights and high-value title disputes. The group also represents clients in the recovery of artworks that were lost or misappropriated during the Nazi era, and is well equipped to advise on the purchase, sale and financing of art and luxury assets. Senior associate Petra Warrington is another seasoned practitioner.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Following its recruitments, Wedlake Bell has one of the top art and cultural property practices in London. They are excellent from top to bottom, have a genuine understanding of the market and seem to know everyone who matters in the art and cultural sector'.

  • ‘Tim Maxwell has an excellent strategic mind, and is unfazed by whatever is thrown up in the course of colourful litigation. Rudy Capildeo has a way with clients, and opponents, which enables dispute solutions to be magicked out of thin air. His knowledge of the art market is unparalleled'.

  • 'Petra Warrington is a reassuring and calming presence in even the most eventful disputes. She is clearly a partner of the future, and a pleasure to work with. Tamara Bell is impressive beyond her relatively junior years, and one to watch for the future.’

Key clients

  • Design & Artists’ Copyright Society
  • The Artist Collecting Society

Work highlights

  • Represented not-for-profit entities, the Design & Artists Copyright Society (DACS) & the Artists’ Collecting Society (ACS), the two collecting societies responsible for collecting resale royalties on behalf of artists and artists' estates. DACS and ACS filed a claim seeking the disclosure of information relating to sales of artworks which qualify for resale right royalties.

Lawyers

Leading individuals

Rudy Capildeo

Rudy Capildeo

Wedlake Bell LLP

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.

Tim Maxwell

Tim Maxwell

Wedlake Bell LLP

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.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Rudy Capildeo, Tim Maxwell

Other key lawyers

Petra Warrington, Tamara Wakeford

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