What we do
Amineddoleh & Associates LLC is an art, cultural heritage, and intellectual property law firm headquartered in New York City. The firm provides premiere legal services to individuals, art institutions, non-profit organizations, and businesses worldwide.
As attorneys handling both complex litigation and transactions, we provide sophisticated legal advice and innovative solutions to a full range of art, cultural heritage, and intellectual property matters. We have experience in a variety of areas, and we are committed to our clients’ success by providing the highest level of services at cost-effective rates.
Our clients include high net-worth individuals, Fortune 500 companies, non-profit organizations, art experts and scholars, art authenticators and scientists, and emerging artists and collectors. As skilled advocates and patrons of the arts, we are deeply committed to the success of our clients.
Art Law
Amineddoleh & Associates LLC is engaged in the most complex work in the field of art law, providing tailored legal guidance to meet our clients’ individual needs.
We have a broad art law practice encompassing both transactional matters and litigation. Amineddoleh & Associates LLC assists clients on all legal issues related to the acquisition, retention and disposition of fine art, and rights to works of artistic creation. We counsel clients on all issues related to the purchase, sale, and ownership of art, in addition to issues related to the creation of fine arts and the performing arts. Our attorneys advise clients on all areas of due diligence, litigation, alternative dispute resolution, and transactions related to artwork, the art market, and the art world. These transactions include the acquisition of valuable art assets, drafting of consignment agreements, the public and private sale of art, the organization and implementation of major exhibitions, charitable giving, structuring business agreements, drafting contracts, complying with international and domestic customs procedures, recovering stolen and looted works for collectors and insurance companies, demanding the return of art looted during conflict, and advising clients on art-related criminal matters. We represent artists, collectors, dealers, auction houses, museums, non-profit organizations, and art market experts both in the United States and abroad. Our firm is also active in the field of art financing. We assist with art-based financing, including art-backed loans for collectors and galleries.
Art and Cultural Heritage Law
The purchase and sale of cultural items is complex and regulated by international laws. Amineddoleh & Associates LLC provides guidance and legal expertise on complex cultural heritage issues related to compliance with international treaties, the domestic and international importation of antiquities, restitution claims by cultural ministries and governmental agencies, and all legal matters related to the purchase and shipment of cultural heritage materials and items. Our founder is a well-known expert in cultural heritage law, serving as a cultural heritage law expert to both domestic and international law enforcement agencies. As a result of years of experience and cooperation with domestic and foreign government agencies, Amineddoleh & Associates LLC provides an unparalleled wealth of cumulative knowledge for cultural heritage matters.
Intellectual Property Law
Amineddoleh & Associates LLC represents artists, musicians, writers, photographers, inventors, and other creative parties seeking to protect their creative endeavors. The firm provides services in all areas of intellectual property law, including patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, unfair competition, and protections under the Visual Artists’ Rights Act (VARA).
Our expertise includes the litigation of matters concerning intellectual property, in addition to all configurations of due diligence, licensing, and prosecution with the United States Patent & Trademark Office and the United States Copyright Office. We also represent clients in cease and desist matters. We use the legal protections under national and international intellectual property law to protect our clients’ creative works and allow them to maximize the potential of their property and branding opportunities.
Our copyright practice includes obtaining, enforcing, licensing, purchasing and selling copyrights and copyrighted material. Our work covers all forms of artistic expression, ranging from digital arts to literary, sculptural, and architectural works. The extent of our practice enables us to provide our clients with the broadest protection for their creative labors.
Luxury Goods, Musical Instruments, and Fashion Law
Whether representing inventors, innovators, start-ups, small businesses, or large companies, Amineddoleh & Associates is committed to protecting and enhancing the value of our clients’ luxury goods, collectibles, and fashion items. We work with clients to create, enforce and protect intellectual property rights, develop their brands, license their brands and products, protect against defamation, and enrich their assets to ensure optimal returns over time.
We also work with collectors, dealers, and investors as they acquire and sell luxury items. As with artwork, luxury items are valuable collectibles that need to be authenticated, insured and appraised for tax purposes. The firm assists with title disputes, authentication, and the purchase and sale of valuable items. Our representations have included matters concerning luxury vehicles, fine watches and collectibles, luxury handbags, Persian carpets and valuable tapestries, musical instruments, designer furniture, and decorative objects.
Representative Matters and Clients
Our firm provides specialized services to stakeholders in the art market, including collectors, dealers, museums, designers, foundations, non-profit organizations, appraisers, and art experts. We also work with artists, designers, photographers, writers, dancers, entertainers, and even magicians, to protect their creative work, intellectual property, moral rights, and publicity rights.
Primary Practice Areas
APPRAISALS • ART DEALERS’ AND AUCTIONEERS’ DUTIES AND RIGHTS • ART-BACKED LOANS AND LENDING AGREEMENTS• ARTISTS’ ESTATES AND FOUNDATIONS • AUTHENTICATION COMMITTEES • AUTHENTICITY AND ATTRIBUTION DISPUTES • CONSIGNMENT AGREEMENTS • CRIMINAL REPRESENTATIONS • CULTURAL PATRIMONY LAWS AND CUSTOMS SERVICE REGULATIONS • DEFAMATION • DUE DILIGENCE • INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ISSUES • INTERNATIONAL ART TRANSACTIONS • INTERNET SALE OF ART • JOINT OWNERSHIP OF WORKS OF ART • LICENSING • LOANS OF ARTWORK • LOOTED AND CONFISCATED WORKS OF ART FROM NAZI ERA AND WARTIME LOOTING • LOST AND STOLEN WORKS OF ART • MORAL RIGHTS AND THE VISUAL ARTISTS’ RIGHTS ACT • NEW MEDIA AGREEMENTS • PRIVATE SALES • RECOVERING STOLEN PROPERTY • TITLE CLEARANCE AND ISSUES RELATED TO STOLEN OBJECTS • VALUATION
Attorneys
Leila A. Amineddoleh
FOUNDER
Specializes in art, cultural heritage, and intellectual property law
Michael C. Rose
OF COUNSEL
Experienced trial and transactional attorney in civil and criminal matters
Maria T. Cannon
ASSOCIATE
Yelena Ambartsumian
OF COUNSEL
Experienced complex commercial litigator
News and Events
Christie’s Pulls Problematic Pieces from Auction
Read on for the full scoop, plus other antiquities news and details about looted art.
Exploring Women’s Unsung Contributions to Art
In honor of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, here’s a firm-favorite blog post highlighting women in the arts.
Fact Sheet: Artificial Intelligence
Key touchpoints and takeaways from the Biden-Harris Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence
Love on the Brain? More Like Love on the Train
This Valentine’s Day, Grand Central is the most romantic spot in New York City.
Sotheby’s Found NOT GUILTY by Jury in New York
Read on for the inside scoop on the most shocking art lawsuit in decades involving Yves Bouvier and Dimitry Rybolovlev
Banksy Surprises the Art World
Banksy’s studio Pest Control announces Love is in the Bin has been renamed Girl without Balloon
Christopher Bishop Fine Art Presents MDNY
Master Drawings New York, the industry’s premiere event for works on paper, launches this week in NYC.
Leila A. Amineddoleh Quoted in NY Times about High-Profile Art Litigation
Our founder, Leila, was sought out as an expert voice on the most high-profile lawsuit the art world has seen in decades.