Art Law & More
We have an unrivalled pedigree of providing excellent legal advice to individuals, institutional collectors, estates and trustees, galleries, art and antique dealers on art law issues for 300 years.
Our art lawyers advise on issues from the disputed authenticity of Old Masters, to conditional exemption claims and cutting-edge issues facing street artists.
Our outstanding reputation reflects the experience and expertise that we have accumulated, which itself helps us to understand the quirks peculiar to the fields in which our art law clients invest, work and flourish.
With offices in two of London’s largest artistic hubs, Mayfair and Bankside, our team has a thorough understanding of the market. Blending arts knowledge and legal expertise ensures we get the best results for our clients, which include artists and their estates, international auction houses, private and institutional collectors, galleries, art and antique dealers, valuers and independent advisors, trustees and leading landed estates, and financiers.
How we help
Our cross-departmental art law experts advise on:
- Commercial issues to enable you to manage your gallery, business or collection
- Heritage property and tax planning
- Dispute resolution involving art, cultural and luxury assets and disagreements with galleries or museums
- Property issues for artists, galleries and museums
- Issues involving the valuing and division of art and luxury assets arising on divorce.
What sets us apart is our understanding of the unique issues and concerns that apply to the art world, and our ability to draw on an extensive network of contacts, including experts, valuers and institutions, where necessary. The team are founder members of PAIAM (Professional Advisers to the International Arts Market), are members of IAL (Institute of Art Law) and are recommended by BADA (British Antique Dealers Association).
We have an award-winning blog and dedicated Twitter and Instagram feeds that keep our readers up to date on art law and art market news. Discover our dedicated Art Law & More blog.
Click here to see our Art Law Glossary.
Recommended reading
Stricter EU controls on the import of cultural goods are set to reshape the international art market ahead of Regulation 2019/880 coming into force in June 2025. Partner, Fred Clark and Trainee, Abi Meho explore the implications for art market participants—from heightened compliance demands to questions around provenance and personal liability.
Read more 01 Apr 2025 Boodle Hatfield announces promotions of Sophie Henwood and Fred Clark to PartnerLeading private wealth and real estate law firm, Boodle Hatfield, is delighted to announce the promotion of Sophie Henwood and Fred Clark to Partner, effective from 1 April 2025. Both Sophie and Fred trained and qualified at the firm through our graduate recruitment programme and have since built strong relationships and reputations in their respective Real Estate and Corporate & Arts markets.
Read more 27 Nov 2024 Boodle Hatfield advises the L.A Mayer Museum for Islamic Art on the loan of Marie Antoinette’s jewelled watchBoodle Hatfield has advised the L.A Mayer Museum for Islamic Art in Jerusalem on the loan of Abraham-Louis Breguet’s legendary Marie Antoinette timepiece to London’s Science Museum. This historic watch, celebrated as “the world’s most famed,” will feature in the Versailles: Science and Splendour exhibition, running from 12 December 2024 to 21 April 2025.
Read more 26 Jun 2024 Leading private wealth & real estate firm Boodle Hatfield announces continued financial growthBoodle Hatfield, a leading private wealth and real estate law firm, announces today that fee income during the 2023-24 financial year remained strong at £33.1m in a shortened financial . Due to basis period reform changes affecting all law firms, this financial year was truncated to 11 month.
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