The Art Law Podcast

Katie and Steve continue discussing the Barnes Foundation with attorney Ralph Wellington, who represented the Barnes Foundation during its successful but extremely controversial multi-year effort to amend its founding documents and create a new arts education center in Philadelphia. They discuss the origins of the Foundation, its governing documents, financial struggles, and evolution over the many decades since Albert Barnes' death in 1951, as well as the legal doctrines at play in "breaking" the terms Barnes created for the Foundation. Notes for this episode: https://artlawpodcast.com/2026/02/17/barnes-part-ii-the-legal-battles/ Follow the Art Law Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artlawpodcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@artlawpodcast Katie and Steve discuss topics based on news and magazine articles and court filings and not based on original research unless specifically noted.

In a captivating discussion, art critic Blake Gopnik shares insights from his biography of Albert Barnes, the remarkable figure who rose from poverty to become a modern art mogul. Gopnik delves into Barnes's radical approach to art, his philanthropic vision for the Barnes Foundation, and his contentious personality, which led to legal battles after his death. The conversation explores Barnes's rejection of elite society, his groundbreaking educational methods influenced by John Dewey, and the unique blending of personal and foundation funds that shaped his legacy.

Maggie Hoag, Senior VP and Deputy General Counsel at Christie's, shares her fascinating journey from art intern to a top art lawyer. She delves into the evolving role of legal work at auction houses and the impact of globalization on art law. Maggie discusses the importance of direct communication with sellers to resolve issues efficiently and shares insights on integrating legal teams into business strategies. She also offers advice for aspiring art lawyers on training and gaining practical experience in this unique field.

Jane Levine, a regulatory and compliance expert in the art market and former chief global compliance counsel at Sotheby's, dives into the critical topic of anti-money laundering (AML) regulations in the U.S. art world. She discusses the implications of the proposed Art Market Integrity Act and its efforts to amend the Bank Secrecy Act. Topics include beneficial ownership checks, the cultural barriers to client due diligence, and the drive behind the legislation aimed at curbing illicit financing. Levine emphasizes proactive compliance measures and how art businesses can adapt to new regulations.

Katie and Steve speak with Swiss art lawyer Florian Schmidt-Gabain about Switzerland's (very) recent establishment of an "Independent Committee for Cultural Property with a Burdened Past" that will hear ownership disputes about Nazi-looted art as well cultural property acquired during the colonial era. They discuss why it has taken the Swiss so long to establish a process like this, the unique role of Switzerland during WWII, the challenges of the mostly voluntary and non-binding process, and the many questions that remain open as implementation unfolds. Notes for this episode: https://artlawpodcast.com/2025/09/04/switzerland-starts-to-address-cultural-property-with-a-burdened-past/ Follow the Art Law Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artlawpodcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@artlawpodcast Katie and Steve discuss topics based on news and magazine articles and court filings and not based on original research unless specifically noted.

Guests Stephen Urice, a law professor at the University of Miami specializing in art law, and Simon Frankel, a judge and Stanford law instructor, discuss their careers and the revision of the crucial textbook, 'Law, Ethics, and the Visual Arts.' They delve into the evolution of art law education, emphasizing the importance of engaging with contemporary issues such as cultural property ownership and artistic authenticity. The conversation also highlights innovative teaching methods to tackle complex topics and encourages interactive debates to enhance student engagement.

Katie and Steve discuss the recent decision by the New York Supreme Court granting the Manhattan District Attorney request for a turnover order directing the Art Institute of Chicago to return a drawing by Egon Schiele, "Russian War Prisoner," that the museum acquired in 1966. Katie and Steve review the history of the ownership of the drawing by Fritz Grünbaum, a cabaret singer who was killed by the Nazis in 1941, and the legal proceedings involving his art collection leading up to this controversial decision. Notes for this episode: https://artlawpodcast.com/2025/07/01/an-update-on-the-manhattan-das-turnover-proceeding-against-the-art-institute-of-chicago/ Follow the Art Law Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artlawpodcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@artlawpodcast Katie and Steve discuss topics based on news and magazine articles and court filings and not based on original research unless specifically noted.

Steve and Katie speak with Swiss art lawyer Anne Laure Bandle about the subject of her book "The Sale of Misattributed Artworks and Antiques at Auction" - the problem of "sleepers," or misattributed and undervalued works of art sold at auction. We all dream of buying a painting at a yard sale that we later discover to be worth millions of dollars. On this podcast, we discuss the market incentives and structures that prevent discovery of sleepers. Notes for this episode: https://artlawpodcast.com/2025/04/24/the-problem-of-sleepers/ Follow the Art Law Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artlawpodcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@artlawpodcast Katie and Steve discuss topics based on news and magazine articles and court filings and not based on original research unless specifically noted.

Steve and Katie welcome back Professor Amy Adler to discuss the First Amendment's free speech protections as they apply to artistic expression in the context of several recent incidents. Specifically, they discuss the police seizure of certain Sally Mann photographs from the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth in the context of obscenity and child pornography laws, the removal of the For Freedoms billboard depicting the march on Selma in Montgomery, Alabama, and the lawsuit about the Nirvana "Nevermind" album cover depicting a naked baby. Notes for this episode: https://artlawpodcast.com/2025/03/25/updates-on-art-free-speech-and-government-censorship/ Follow the Art Law Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artlawpodcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@artlawpodcast Katie and Steve discuss topics based on news and magazine articles and court filings and not based on original research unless specifically noted.

Katie and Steve speak with renowned German art lawyer Dr. Katharina Garbers-von Boehm about the law of title in Germany as it applies to art, including the concepts of good and bad faith in considering ownership, the legal primacy of possession, and the doctrine of adverse possession that allows possessors of stolen property, like Nazi-looted art, to take good title after a certain number of years. They discuss differences under U.S. law, particularly with respect to stolen property, soft laws that encourage voluntary actions that the law may foreclose, and recent German law developments surrounding Nazi-looted art. Notes for this episode: https://artlawpodcast.com/2025/02/21/the-law-of-stolen-art-in-germany/ Follow the Art Law Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artlawpodcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@artlawpodcast Katie and Steve discuss topics based on news and magazine articles and court filings and not based on original research unless specifically noted.