Art Law Associate (Mid/Senior-Level)

About Withers

Law.com International's Law Firm of the Year 2021

For 125 years, our firm has focused on and helped successful people, families, entrepreneurs, family businesses, governments and institutions negotiate the wide range of legal issues they face in their business and personal lives. Over time, we have gained valuable insights into the ways wealth can be generated, preserved, deployed and enhanced. We assist our clients in a variety of industry sectors including real estate, manufacturing, motorsport, luxury brands, sport, hotels and hospitality, technology, energy, art and cultural assets, life sciences, charities and philanthropy and financial services. With 18 offices our experience means we can see the global picture. We provide legal advice across a range of different practice areas including estate planning, personal and corporate tax and, corporate, banking and finance, access to capital (both private and public) both equity and debt, real estate, intellectual property, immigration, international trust structuring, philanthropy, luxury assets, international probate, public international law and international arbitration. 

About Withers Art Law Practice

Withers has a leading global art practice that regularly advises on major art transactions and a wide range of other legal matters with art at its core. Whether advising artists, collectors, galleries, estates, private museums, art consultants, appraisers, or other art industry participants, domestically or internationally, Withers is known for its deep understanding of all facets of the art market. Keeping client objectives front-of-mind, our team takes pride in being solution-oriented and providing clients with practical, accessible advice. Withers is the only art law practice in the US to have the support of a global team across both US coasts, Europe, and Asia Pacific, enabling us to service international art transactions and clients by providing seamless cross-jurisdictional advice coupled with on-the-ground availability. The art practice regularly collaborates closely with our tax, philanthropy, estate planning, dispute resolution, immigration, real estate, and corporate teams to produce clear, comprehensive advice that enables our clients to utilize the depth and variety of our expertise.

Why Withers? 

At Withers we offer our associates unprecedented opportunities to grow and prosper in a truly international law firm. From day one, we provide training and client-facing opportunities that will prepare you to represent and manage complex client relationships. We provide you with the tools you need to be a successful entrepreneurial partner. You will not simply be another cog in the machine; but rather an integral part of a growing and vibrant practice. We love what we do and we have a lot of fun doing it. We welcome you to reach out to us to learn more about our team.

Essential Duties:

• Hands-on work focused on art law, dealing with purchases, sales, loans, consignments and charitable giving of works of art, as well as tax structuring of commercial transactions and estate planning involving works of art.
• Research, write and review art law advice.
• Responsible for advising high net worth individuals, such as art collectors and artists, and their families on tax, trust and estate planning matters, as well as on commercial and business transactions associated with that planning.

Key Skills and Experience

• Minimum of 4 years practicing law.
• Contract/secured transactions related commercial experience or tax (income tax, sales and use tax, estate tax).
• Previous experience working in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong drafting, writing and communication skills.
• Strong project management skill set: ability to balance a large number of competing priorities.
• Desire to work directly with clients and coordinate with intermediaries, with a goal of establishing and maintaining long-term productive relationships.
• Attention to detail.
• Team Player.
• Strong academic credentials.
• Experience in art law or a demonstrated interest in art law or the art market is a plus.
• Experience with Excel and PowerPoint.
• Compensation commensurate with experience ranging from $220,000 – $280,000.

Equal Opportunities Employment Statement 

It is the policy of Withers to provide equal opportunities for all employees in relation to recruitment, training and promotion.  Decisions in these areas will be made only by reference to the requirements of the job and shall not be influenced by any consideration of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race (including color, nationality and ethnic and national origin), religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

If you are interested in applying for employment and need special assistance or an accommodation to use our website to apply for a position, please contact the firm at us.recruiting@withersworldwide.com with your request.  Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation are made on a case-by-case basis.