Passionate about art and culture, our lawyers draw on a wealth of expertise and experience to help clients across this sector navigate its rules and complexities.
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Mark Stephens | Consultant
Chambers UK 2026Howard Kennedy has experience with art industry-specific issues such as artist-gallery representation, resale restrictions and other nuances of art purchases, consignments and sales, and IP (including moral rights). This experience is informed by a genuine passion for the art world, and exposure thereto in the form of relationships with artists and galleries and a commitment to attend exhibitions and art fairs, etc.
The art world is a notoriously opaque and often unregulated market with its own rules. This world can seem daunting and impenetrable to outsiders. With our knowledge and expertise, we empower our clients to navigate it.
We act for artists and estates; galleries, auction houses and dealers; collectors and foundations; museums and public collections; charities and public organisations - as well as governments and nation states. Our clients value our insights and holistic advice and the fact that they don't have to teach us how the art world works before they retain us. We are also able to connect our clients with appraisers, insurers, storage companies, art-secured lenders, foreign lawyers, and art advisors around the world.
We advise artists and estates who are household names, and emerging artists at the start of their careers. Galleries and dealers entrust their most important commercial agreements to us and instruct us to resolve their most consequential disputes. Nation states turn to us when the heritage on which their national identities are built is at stake.
Our clients in this sector seek our advice on their interactions with other sectors, including technology, media, music, fashion, publishing and entertainment. We help them make the best strategic decisions which align with their brand and creative ambitions, whether the specialism they need is intellectual property, commercial contracts, employment, regulatory compliance, banking, tax or real estate. When business cannot be separated from what is personal, as is so often the case in art, we have the right experts in private client, family law and immigration.
Unlike a lot of law firms that operate in this sphere solely as a result of their having to handle expensive objects for wealthy clients, Howard Kennedy works hand in glove with every aspect of the art world. Our work spans almost every legal specialism within the firm, and whether the matter at hand involves antiquities or artificial intelligence – Howard Kennedy has expertise that we can field to assist you.
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We are proud to be recognised for our outstanding performance and dedication to our clients. Explore the awards we have achieved, showcasing our pursuit of excellence in the legal field.
Successfully defending a London art dealer in a negligence claim brought by an established trust
Advising trustees of an offshore trust about the optimum holding structure to shelter a valuable art collection from UK tax
We administered the estate of a renowned artist, preparing and negotiating the sale of art and representation agreements with well-known galleries
Providing legal advice to an established national institution and their trustees, commercial galleries and artists over a potentially controversial/ challenging art collection
Acting for Mullion Group in connection with £24m facility made available to them by Emirates NBD Bank PSJC to refinance a portfolio of residential investment and development properties in London and the South East.
Securing a new Sponsor License for an growing construction consultancy, assisting them in recruiting their first migrant worker
Joint venture with Kings Crescent Homes. Acted for equity fund who were providing guarantees and security to Homes England as part of the transaction, and entering into shareholders arrangements with borrower.
Advising a household name real estate business on complex employee relations issues and enforcing restrictive covenants against departing employees.
Acting for a high-profile magazine editor in her exit negotiations; securing a favourable financial settlement and protecting her professional reputation.
Advising a well-known UK film producer, on obtaining a Sponsor Licence Application, resident labour market test and Tier 2 Worker Visa.
Advising a high net worth family that owns the group of companies on their numerous property investments and international business interests.
Advising the executors and trustees of a multi-million pound estate, incorporating complex family trusts and companies, to ensure tax efficient succession.
Providing legal advice to the Head of a Family Office on UK succession and inheritance tax considerations as part of a multi-jurisdictional estate planning exercise.
Representing the wife in divorce proceedings, where her husband had created complex offshore trust structures during the marriage.
Advising the beneficiary of an multi-jurisdictional estate as a consequence of the deceased's children alleging their late father's last will was invalid.
Acting for a high-profile sports star on family arrangements with several international career commitments.
A Chinese National on an application for Indefinite Leave to Remain after entering the UK on a student visa.
Advised on complex EU settlement applications for EU citizens and their family members to reside in the UK and permits successfully obtained.
Advising and assisting with EU deportation at appeal and conducting advocacy.
German national who had a Permanent Residence card but due to work overseas was concerned he could be refused naturalisation, this was successfully applied for.
A medical professional from Ghana who had refused Certificate of Sponsorship, on a successful Tier 2 visa application.
A Greek national on the successful application for British Citizenship for her two daughters who had a British father.
Successful securing a Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) visa for a Lebanese fashion designer submitting an application within 5 working days.
Assisting a South African national (settled in the UK) on the successful appeal of his son's settlement application was initially refused.
An individual on the successful nationality application right to register his son as a British citizen and have a UK passport granted.
Advised an individual at a well-known tech company on a Tier 4 to Tier 2 switching visa application.
Advising a husband on his divorce, looking at whether he or his family business owned assets and what was available for division.
Advising a sports personality on his divorce including how to handle his future earnings which will continue to be significant.
Acting for wife in divorce and financial proceedings with significant assets including valuable artworks.
Advising a Premier-League and international footballer on his post-nuptial agreement following a pre-nuptial agreement we drafted before the marriage.
Advising a housing charity on ceasing its operations and transferring activities and funds to a national charity with overlapping operations.
Changing the terms of a literary prize fund.
Having a charity restored to the register after the Charity Commission had removed it.
Countering press allegations that a charity had used improper means of fundraising.
Forming a charity to deliver counselling to overseas refugees in a conflict zone.
Recovering funds from a trustee who had misappropriated money, and handling Charity Commission concerns.
Registering a national craft association as a charity and drafting a new constitution for it.
Restructuring a charity where there was doubt about the identity of its trustees and procedures for electing the management board.
Converting an unincorporated charity into a charitable incorporated organisation with a new constitution.
Making a successful urgent application to the Court of Protection to allow a deputy to sell shares in a family company.
Making a successful application to the Court of Protection objecting to the registration of a Lasting Power of Attorney.
Obtaining approval to an application for permission to make lifetime gifts on behalf of a person lacking capacity to mitigate inheritance tax exposure.
Acting for an attorney applying for a Statutory Will opposed by family members, primarily concerning succession to the family home.
Successfully defending a trustee of a significant family trust against allegations of breach of trust.
Acting as independent trustees solving complex issues of corporate and trust governance and directorial responsibility for a longstanding contentious trust dispute.
Regularly acting for clients who are either bringing or defending claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975.
Advising the beneficiary of an estate as a consequence of the deceased's children alleging their late father's last will was invalid.
Working with our family team in representing a wife where her husband had created complex trust structures during the marriage.
Advising ultra-high-net-worth clients on a claim brought against them for recovery of a significant debt allegedly owed by them.
Advising the Executive Management team of a large UK company on succession planning strategies, particularly involving their shareholdings.
Advising the head of a family office on UK succession and inheritance tax advice as part of a multi-jurisdictional estate planning exercise.
Advising a husband and wife with their estate planning objectives, taking into account valuable shares, and share options owned by the husband.
Advising family members on tax efficient structures to transfer a business from one generation using trusts and other corporate vehicles.
Advising a non-UK domiciled client on gifting UK residential property and the alternative structuring options available to minimise inheritance tax.
Advising the executive management team of a large UK company on succession planning strategies, particularly involving their shareholdings.
Advising on lifetime gifting making regular gifts out of income.
Advising on the anti-avoidance rules known as gifts with reservation of benefit and ways to mitigate.
Advising the head of a family office on UK succession and inheritance tax advice as part of a multi-jurisdictional estate planning exercise.
Acting for a foreign national on establishing an offshore trust to hold his valuable UK property portfolio.
Advising a non-domiciled UK resident about capital gains tax mitigation for a foreign property investment using an appropriate offshore structure.
Advising the trustee of an offshore trust concerning the optimum holding structure to shelter from UK tax a valuable art collection.
Advising on trust and personal tax implications arising out of a complex real estate financing/development transaction.
Ongoing UK trust, tax, legal, and succession advice to members of an UHNW family and their offshore structures.
Advising trustees and beneficiaries on restructuring an offshore trust before the settlor lost protection from US federal estate tax.
Preparing trustee powers of attorneys annually for complex family trusts.
Advising a client, diagnosed with dementia, about obtaining medical evidence confirming their mental capacity and helping them to register the LPA.
Advising high-profile client on interaction between health & welfare LPA + written advance decision, ensuring his wishes regarding end of life medical treatment were covered.
Preparing LPAs (property and financial affairs, and health and welfare) for a married couple, advising on choice of attorneys and appropriate guidance.
Preparing property and financial affairs LPAs, one for the individual's personal affairs and one for business, where having one attorney wasn't appropriate.
Dealing with the administration of an estate and advising the trustees of the continuing offshore trusts from a UK perspective.
Advising on the administration of multi-jurisdictional estate including domicile issues that have a bearing on the law of succession.
Advising the Executive Management team of a large UK company on succession planning strategies, particularly involving their shareholdings.
Advising the head of a family office on UK succession and inheritance tax advice as part of a multi-jurisdictional estate planning exercise.
Advising the spouse in a claim against them under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975.
Advising a husband and wife with their estate planning objectives using both complex Wills and trusts to achieve their aims.
Advising the executrix of an estate as a consequence of the deceased's children alleging their late father's last Will was invalid.
Ongoing UK trust, tax, legal and succession advice to members of an UHNW family and their offshore structures.
Acting for the trustee of a significant family trust, advising on a claim for breach of trust against another trustee.
Administering the estate and literary estate of a notable Nobel prize winning author.
Administering a complex multi-jurisdictional estate with domicile issues that has a bearing on the law of succession.
Administering the estate of a notable artist, preparing and negotiating the sale of art and representation agreements with galleries.
Advising the spouse in a claim against them under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975.
Assisting executors located outside the UK to understand and manage UK inheritance tax issues arising from substantial assets situated in the UK.
Co-ordinating the administration of an estate with assets in the UK, Monaco, Dubai, and France, providing complex conflict of laws advice.
Advising a non-UK domiciled individual on becoming a tax resident in the UK.
Advising a UK family who emigrated to minimise IHT exposure on their UK assets, working with lawyers in other jurisdictions.
Advising a non-resident individual on ownership structures for UK residential property and other assets.
Advising a retired entrepreneur before his arrival in the UK on wealth structuring to optimise use of his non-domiciled status.
Acting for the UK heirs of a foreign domiciled family member concerning UK tax planning opportunities for the estate.
Advising non-UK domiciled clients on the UK tax treatment of their income and capital gains arising outside the UK.
Advising on trust and personal tax implications arising out of a complex real estate financing/development transaction.
Advising the managing partner of a private equity firm, creating a number of trust structures to shelter his assets from inheritance tax.
Acting as independent trustees to solve complex issues of corporate and trust governance following a longstanding contentious trust dispute.
Providing ongoing UK trust, tax, legal, and succession advice to members of an ultra-high-net-worth family and their offshore structures.
Advising on trust and personal tax implications for a complex real estate transaction, the ultimate beneficial owners are two offshore trusts.
Providing UK tax and estate planning advice to a high net worth individual with a complex family situation resulting in complicated succession planning issues.
Advising the head of a family office on UK succession and inheritance tax advice as part of a multi-jurisdictional estate planning exercise.
Advising a husband and wife with their estate planning objectives using both complex wills and trusts to achieve their aims.
Providing UK tax and structuring advice to a high net worth family investing in UK residential real estate to achieve maximum UK tax efficiency.
Ongoing UK tax, structuring and succession advice concerning high-value UK residential properties held by senior members of an overseas royal family.
Ongoing UK trust, tax, legal and succession advice to members of an ultra high net worth family and their offshore structures.
Advising an ex professional footballer on his estate planning.
Advising principal directors and shareholders of an international business on UK domicile and residence position, UK tax implications, and family/succession matters.
Ongoing UK trust, tax, legal and succession advice to members of an ultra-high-net-worth family and their offshore structures.
Ongoing UK tax, structuring and succession advice concerning high-value UK residential properties held by senior members of an overseas royal family.
UK tax and estate planning advice to a high profile individual with a complex family situation resulting in complicated succession planning issues.
Advising a husband and wife with their estate planning objectives using both complex wills and trusts to achieve their aims.
Advising the executive management team of a large UK company on succession planning strategies, particularly involving their shareholdings.
Advising on the purchase of a Challenger 604 which is being based in central Africa to provide medivac services.
Advising an art dealer on a serious claim against them for alleged negligence and collusion relating to the sale of a high value painting.
Providing succession and IHT advice to the Head of a Family office, with multi-jurisdictional estate planning considerations.
Advising on the purchase of a Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) from an Far Eastern government on behalf of a high-net-worth individual Middle Eastern client.
Advising the principal directors and shareholders of an international business about UK domicile, tax residence and family/succession matters.
Advising on the purchase of a BBJ from the estate of a US billionaire on behalf of a high-net-worth individual European client.
Coordinating a complex estate administration with valuable assets based in Monaco, Dubai, France and UK with multiple laws and assets restrictions in place.
Advising the executors of an estate on the sale of a valuable collection of Indian miniatures to a museum in New York.
Advising on a high profile dispute with the Arts Council of England regarding its refusal to provide a permanent EU export licence for a painting owned by Kathleen Simonis, attributed to the Italian early Renaissance master, Giotto di Bondone.
Preparing a sponsor licence and skilled worker visas for high-net-worth tech entrepreneur.
Acting for Meem Gallery in a claim against Sotheby's as to a misrepresentation of the provenance of a bronze statue purchased at an auction.
Advising on the purchase of a new Gulfstream G650ER from the manufacturer and the related financing provided by a leading European bank.
Advising on the purchase of a Boeing 757 and a Boeing 737 from airlines for conversion to luxury VVIP aircraft available for private charter.
Representing a football manager in a wrongful dismissal claim against their former club.
Advising football players and managers with global reputations on defamation claims.
Advising a former premiership football player in relation to a multi-jurisdictional claim against his adviser and agent.
Representing a heavyweight boxer in a hearing before the British Boxing Board of Control.
Working with Premier League players on assessing the impact that international placements would have on the player’s UK immigration status.
Advising on a separation agreement between a Premiership footballer and his former partner.
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