Monthly Archives: January 2009

How I Define Art

By William F. Zieske If I am going to be writing about art, even the law concerning art and the art world, I feel obligated to tell anyone who might read my blog what I think about art generally. Where to start in defining art? Philosophically, it can be anything that’s not nature. Nature vs. [...]

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Scott Hodes, Emeritus Group Leader

Scott Hodes has been in active practice for more than four decades. As a corporate lawyer, he represents clients in sophisticated corporate transactions from structuring of corporate entities to financing at all levels from private placements to public offerings, and frequently, to counseling clients in merger and acquisition activities. He also handles complex financing transactions [...]

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Coco S. Soodek, Leader

Coco S. Soodek is a deal lawyer who helps creative people of all types make things and make money from those things. Specializing in commercial contracts and protection and exercise of intellectual property rights, Coco helps artists produce monumental works of public art, consign and sell their works, resolve disputes with dealers and protect their [...]

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Charlotte K. Ito

  Charlotte Ito specializes in estate and charitable planning and administration. She helps individuals and families plan their estates, maximize their art collections and preserve the value of their estates. Charlotte represents estates in the valuation and taxation of art collections and assists collectors to create and implement charitable gifting programs.  

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John Barrie

John Barrie’s practice focuses on federal and state tax controversy and transactional matters. He regularly represents individuals and business entities art ownership and valuation tax issues.        His areas of expertise include: Transactions Estate, tax, govt Estate planning Disputes re: estate taxes Estate planning for artists Valuation John works in the firm’s Washington, [...]

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John-Paul Benitez

John-Paul (JP) Benitez is a young corporate deal lawyer who helps Coco and the rest of the Art Law Team make things and make money from those things.         Specifically, JP has: Worked and negotiated with advertising agencies and their clients. Represented an audio-visual artist negotiate a cooperation agreement with a state [...]

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Jason Berne

Jason Berne specializes in banking and finance and has extensive experience helping banks and borrowers collateralize loans with works of art and antiquities.       His areas of expertise include: Transactions Art security financing Jason works in the firm’s Chicago office. He can be reached by email or at (312) 602-5043.

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Evan Chuck

Evan Chuck is a commercial lawyer specializing in cross border transactions. Splitting his time between Los Angeles and Shanghai, where he leads that office for Bryan Cave, Evan has managed deals in China, Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, Japan, Thailand, Italy, Germany and Mexico, and the US. He helps exhibitors navigate trade laws to import [...]

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Anita Esslinger

Anita Esslinger specializes in commercial and corporate deals across the world. Having emigrated to the UK from the US, Anita has unique and invaluable knowledge and perspective on doing business in countries around the world. As an art lawyer, Anita helps people comply with UK Export Controls and Customs Issues involving artworks and antiquities.   [...]

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More from JP

By John Paul Benitez, Attorney at Law The Art Newspaper breaks this story. While not an earth shattering revelation, the clipping at least helps keep an important concept in the collective conscience of the art community: armed negotiating for your best interests isn’t a strategy exclusive to the suit-and-tie set. The rules of engagement apply [...]

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