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Appraisers Association of America Art Law Day at NYU, November 6, 2015

Posted by Nicholas O'Donnell on September 15, 2015 at 6:34 AM

I always look forward to registering for Art Law Day: Current Legal Issues for Appraisers, Attorneys, and Collectors hosted by the NYU School of Professional Studies and the Appraisers Association of America (in connection with the AAA annual meeting). This year’s schedule has been announced, and as usual it is excellent. Hope to see you there.

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Topics: Heather Gray, Studio Legale Jacobacci & Associati, Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz P.C., Howard Spiegler, ARIS Title Insurance Corporation, John Cahill, Diana Wierbicki, Inc., Gary S. Castle, Baker & McKenzie, Art Law Day, Elysium Management LLC, Judith Pearson, Huntington T. Block, Linda Sandell, Gurr Johns, Adria Hillman, Lori Spector Fine Art, Ann-Marie Richard, Amy Goldrich, Marnin Michaels, Events, Massimo Sterpi, Elizabeth von Habsburg, Cahill Partners LLP, Ronald Minkoff, Robert Suiter, Herrick Feinstein LLP, Anchin Block & Anchin LLP, Zürich, Winston Art Group, Withers Bergman LLP, Lori Spector

With New Congress, Resale Royalties Bill and Foreign Cultural Exchange Jurisdictional Immunity Clarification Act Are Dead (Again)

Posted by Nicholas O'Donnell on January 5, 2015 at 9:49 AM

A quirk of parliamentary procedure is that any bill in Congress exists only for so long as that particular Congress is in session. This week, the 114th Congress took its seats, meaning that any bill not passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate, and signed by the President, is a dead letter. This is the fate of many, many bills—indeed most.

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Topics: Legislation, Resale Royalties, Chuck Close, Moral Rights, Nazi-looted art, Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, 28 U.S. § 1605, Art Law Day, 114th Congress, 22 U.S.C. § 2459, City of Amsterdam, Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), FSIA, expropriation exception”, droit de suite, IFSA, Foreign Sovereign Immunities, Senate, House of Representatives, Immunity from Seizure Act, President, Foreign Cultural Exchange Jurisdictional Immunity

REMINDER—Art Law Day Next Friday, November 7, 2014

Posted by Nicholas O'Donnell on October 29, 2014 at 9:40 AM

Art Law Day at the Appraisers Association of America’s annual conference is next Friday, November 7, 2014 at NYU's Kimmel Center. Sullivan & Worcester LLP will be sponsoring the event as a Friend of Art Law Day this year, about which we are very excited.

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Topics: The Changing Laws for the Sale of Endangered Speci, Monica Kreshik, NYU SCPS, International Director of Restitution, The Frick Collection, miGavel Auctions/Lark Mason Associates, Resale Royalties, Pollock-Krasner Foundation, Betty Krulik Fine Art Limited, American Royalties Too Act, Michael McCullough, Pearlstein & McCullough LLP, authentication, IRS/Tax Free Exchange, Richard Levin, New York University, American Alliance of Museums, Suzanne Goldstein Baker, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Cravath Swaine & Moore LLP, Art Law Day, Department of Environmental Conservation, Ulf Biscof, New Legislation for Authentication Experts, Baker Tilly Virchow Krause LLP, Jerrold Nadler, Christie's, Appraisal, Detroit Institute of Arts, Amy Goldrich, Betty Krulik, Restitution, Randi Schuster, Events, Christopher Marinello Art Recovery International L, Cahill Partners LLP, Elizabeth von Habsburg Winston Art Group, Monica Dugot, Copyright, Appraisers Association of America, Marianne Rosenberg, Terry Shtob, Antiquities, Ford W. Bell, Craig Hoover, Bankruptcy and the Detroit Institute of Arts, Lark Mason, Kimmel Center, Wildlife Trade and Conservation Branch, Detroit Bankruptcy, Diane Wierbicki, Investment Property Exchange Services, Samuel Sachs II, Biscof & Paetow Rechtsanwälte, Withers Bergman LLP, Judith Bresler, Paul Rosenberg

Rep. Jerrold Nadler, American Royalties, Too Act Sponsor, Added to Speakers at Appraisers Association of America Art Law Day on November 7, 2014 at NYU

Posted by Nicholas O'Donnell on October 8, 2014 at 5:34 AM

Art Law Day at the Appraisers Association of America’s annual conference is now less than a month away. Held at the NYU Kimmel Center, this year’s event will be held on Friday November 7, 2014. Sullivan & Worcester LLP is excited to be a Friend of Art Law Day this year.

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Topics: Legislation, The Changing Laws for the Sale of Endangered Speci, Monica Kreshik, NYU SCPS, International Director of Restitution, The Frick Collection, miGavel Auctions/Lark Mason Associates, Resale Royalties, Pollock-Krasner Foundation, Betty Krulik Fine Art Limited, American Royalties Too Act, Michael McCullough, Pearlstein & McCullough LLP, authentication, IRS/Tax Free Exchange, Richard Levin, New York University, American Alliance of Museums, Suzanne Goldstein Baker, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Cravath Swaine & Moore LLP, Art Law Day, Department of Environmental Conservation, Ulf Biscof, New Legislation for Authentication Experts, Baker Tilly Virchow Krause LLP, Christie's, Appraisal, Detroit Institute of Arts, Amy Goldrich, Betty Krulik, Restitution, Randi Schuster, Events, Christopher Marinello Art Recovery International L, Cahill Partners LLP, Elizabeth von Habsburg Winston Art Group, Monica Dugot, Appraisers Association of America, Marianne Rosenberg, Terry Shtob, Ford W. Bell, Craig Hoover, Bankruptcy and the Detroit Institute of Arts, Lark Mason, Kimmel Center, Wildlife Trade and Conservation Branch, Detroit Bankruptcy, Diane Wierbicki, Investment Property Exchange Services, Samuel Sachs II, Biscof & Paetow Rechtsanwälte, Withers Bergman LLP, Judith Bresler, Paul Rosenberg

Sullivan & Worcester LLP Pleased To Become a Friend of the Appraisers Association of America Art Law Day on November 7, 2014

Posted by Nicholas O'Donnell on August 21, 2014 at 3:50 AM

I'm pleased to announce that Sullivan & Worcester LLP has signed on as a Friend of Art Law Day at the annual conference of the Appraisers Association of America. The schedule has recently been released and registration is now available. Held once against at New York University Kimmel Center, this year’s event will be held on Friday November 7, 2014. The schedule is below and promises to be a fascinating day. Hope to see you there!

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Topics: The Changing Laws for the Sale of Endangered Speci, Monica Kreshik, NYU SCPS, International Director of Restitution, The Frick Collection, miGavel Auctions/Lark Mason Associates, Pollock-Krasner Foundation, Betty Krulik Fine Art Limited, Michael McCullough, Pearlstein & McCullough LLP, authentication, IRS/Tax Free Exchange, Richard Levin, New York University, American Alliance of Museums, Suzanne Goldstein Baker, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Cravath Swaine & Moore LLP, Art Law Day, Department of Environmental Conservation, Ulf Biscof, New Legislation for Authentication Experts, Baker Tilly Virchow Krause LLP, Christie's, Detroit Institute of Arts, Amy Goldrich, Betty Krulik, Restitution, Randi Schuster, Events, Christopher Marinello Art Recovery International L, Cahill Partners LLP, Elizabeth von Habsburg Winston Art Group, Monica Dugot, Appraisers Association of America, Marianne Rosenberg, Terry Shtob, Ford W. Bell, Craig Hoover, Bankruptcy and the Detroit Institute of Arts, Lark Mason, Kimmel Center, Wildlife Trade and Conservation Branch, Detroit Bankruptcy, Diane Wierbicki, Investment Property Exchange Services, Samuel Sachs II, Biscof & Paetow Rechtsanwälte, Withers Bergman LLP, Judith Bresler, Paul Rosenberg

Analysis and Views Develop on New York Art Authentication Protection Bill

Posted by Nicholas O'Donnell on June 26, 2014 at 4:34 AM

As we reported back in February, the State Assembly and Senate are considering parallel versions of an amendment to the New York Arts & Cultural Affairs Law that would enhance protections for art authenticators by raising the burden of proof and providing for prevailing-party attorneys’ fees. Our view was, and remains, that the law would be an improvement on the status quo because it would protect the player that often has the least upside in an authentication but who may find herself the target of the disappointed party’s wrath.

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Topics: Donn Zaretsky, Andy Warhol Foundation, Art in America, Daniel Grant, New York State Assembly, authentication, Tracy Zwick, American Rule, Bill No. A09016, Art Law Day, New York Observer, clear and convincing evidence, Wolfgang Beltracchi, Art Law Committee, Chagall Committee, Appraisers Association of America, Keith Haring Foundation, New York Arts and Cultural Affairs Law, New York City Bar Association, authenticator, M. Knoedler & Co., Chagall, Senate Bill No. S06794

Proposed Amendment to New York Arts and Cultural Affairs Law Would Protect Authenticators

Posted by Nicholas O'Donnell on April 30, 2014 at 6:03 AM

It was first reported at the Appraisers Association of America’s Art Law Day in November, 2013 that the New York City Bar Association’s Art Law Committee had drafted a proposed revision to New York’s Art and Cultural Affairs Law to address the rights of authenticators. That proposal, publicized a month later, has now become an actual bill introduced in the New York State Assembly, as Senate Bill No. S06794 and Assembly Bill No. A09016. The bills were then referred to their respective committees for further deliberation.

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Topics: Andy Warhol Foundation, New York State Assembly, authentication, American Rule, Bill No. A09016, Art Law Day, clear and convincing evidence, Appraisal, Wolfgang Beltracchi, Art Law Committee, Chagall Committee, Appraisers Association of America, Keith Haring Foundation, New York Arts and Cultural Affairs Law, New York City Bar Association, authenticator, M. Knoedler & Co., Chagall, Senate Bill No. S06794

Proposed Legislation in New York Would Help Shield Authentication Experts from Liability

Posted by Nicholas O'Donnell on November 11, 2013 at 6:34 AM

At Friday's Art Law Day at the annual meeting of the Appraisers Association of America, Judith Bresler gave the keynote address on the topic of the complications created by prosective liability for authentication experts. As prominent cases ranging from the Knoedler forgeries to the decision by the Warhol Foundation and others to cease authenticating works have shown, the opinion of experts as to whether a work of art is indeed by a particular artist is a recurring and important issue. Not only do transactions worth tens of millions of dollars rest on that authentication, absent a robust exchange of opinions about authorship, frauds and forgeries are actually encouraged. As it stands, many qualified authenticators and experts have simply judged that giving an opinion is too great a risk to facing a defamation, fraud, or negligence claim, on which they will usually prevail but only after great expense. As Bresler said, “when authenticators are afraid to practice their profession, it has a far reaching effect.”

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Topics: Legislation, Knoedler, authentication, Knoedler forgeries, Warhol Foundation, Art Law Day, Appraisal, Appraisers Association of America, New York City Bar Association, Judith Bresler

Appraisers Association of America Art Law Day at New York University November 8, 2013

Posted by Nicholas O'Donnell on October 22, 2013 at 6:21 AM

The Appraisers Association of America is hosting its annual Art Law Day on November 8, 2013 at the Kimmel Center at NYU. The schedule, from the event page, is below. This is always a content-packed and thought-provoking day. They keynote address about legislation for authentication experts should be fascinating, and is particularly timely. See you there!

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Topics: Karen Sanig, Yuri Yanchyshyn, AXA Art Insurance Corporation, Christopher Robinson, New York University, ARIS Title Insurance Corporation, Steve Pincus, GV Art Conservation, John Cahill, Theresa Melchiorre, Citi Commercial Bank, Art Law Day, Judith Pearson, DePaul University of Law, Yael Weitz, Chris Marinello, Ralph Lerner, David Gorenberg, Appraisal, Jill Arnold, Laurie Rush, Betty Krulik, Events, Simon Hornby, DeWitt Stern Group, Elizabeth von Habsburg, iGavel Auctions, Herrick Feinstein LLP, Appraisers Association of America, Terry Shtob, Art Recovery International, Lark Mason, IRS, Crozier Fine Arts, Mishcon de Reya, Patty Gerstenblith, Dean Nicyper, Winston Art Group, Period Furniture Conservation LLC, Michael McCoullough LLC, Withers Bergman LLP, Gloria Velandia, Judith Bresler

Possible Settlement of IRS Dispute Over Rauschenberg's "Canyon"

Posted by Nicholas O'Donnell on November 13, 2012 at 10:50 AM

At Friday’s outstanding Art Law Day presented by the Appraisers Association of America, among the highlights were talks by Ralph Lerner and Judith Bresler, co-authors of the indispensable Art Law (just published in its fourth edition). As part of a panel on Philanthropy and the Law, Lerner gave a notable update on one of the biggest art law stories of the year, the Sonnabend heirs’ battle with the IRS over Robert Rauschenberg’s collage Canyon.

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Topics: Art Law Day, Ralph Lerner, IRS Art Advisory Panel, Canyon, Robert Rauschenberg, Events, Appraisers Association of America, 1918 Migratory Bird Act, 1940 Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, Tax, Ileana Sonnabend, Judith Bresler

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About the Blog


The Art Law Report provides timely updates and commentary on legal issues in the museum and visual arts communities. It is authored by Nicholas M. O'Donnell, partner in our Art & Museum Law Practice.

The material on this site is for general information only and is not legal advice. No liability is accepted for any loss or damage which may result from reliance on it. Always consult a qualified lawyer about a specific legal problem.

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