Heritage

Heritage is a cornerstone of our culture, playing a vital role in our understanding of the past and connecting us to one another in the present. We support our clients in numerous and distinct situations relating to heritage, whether that is ensuring compliance with the multitude of national and international laws that affect acquisitions, advising on the requirements to protect heritage during planning and construction or developing incentives and policies to revitalise and preserve ancient traditions and customs.

We advise on acquisitions, loans, import and export and repatriation of cultural property and antiquities. We work closely with our clients to consider the legal issues in a transaction or loan, how sales in different jurisdictions have impacted title, reconciling conflict of law issues, due diligence and good faith acquisition. We are known for our experience and knowledge of the legal systems around the world relating to cultural property including state ownership of antiquities and restrictions on export. We are regularly instructed for our expertise in advising on international conventions and treaties and immunity from seizure in cross border matters.

Members of our team are well known for their expertise in prevention of illicit trafficking and destruction of cultural property and we have represented countries of origin in claims to recover cultural property during conflict. Our team are consulted by international organisations and governments around the world in analysing and drafting new legislation and policy and we sit on numerous advisory bodies in this area.

We also provide expertise in planning, development and infrastructure projects and work side by side with archaeologists and experts at all stages of a project from compliance with impact assessments to unexpected finds and discoveries.

Client Testimonies

“encyclopaedic and phenomenal knowledge of cultural property and heritage matters”

“first port of call for advice on cultural heritage issues”

“exceptional lawyer with expertise in restitution matters”

“incredible and knowledge for cultural property is next to none… a star”