On February 21, 2025, Columbia Law School’s Kernochan Center hosted its annual Art Law Symposium under the theme:
“The New Deal in Art: Structuring Agreements for a Billion-Dollar Industry.”
Held at Jerome Greene Hall, the event brought together leading lawyers, artists, collectors, gallerists, and museum professionals to explore how legal agreements are evolving in today’s dynamic art market.
Key Highlights:
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Contracts are no longer optional in the art world—they are becoming central tools for navigating complex relationships between artists, dealers, and institutions.
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With the rise of digital art, NFTs, and cross-border transactions, legally sound agreements are vital for protecting rights and ensuring transparency.
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The symposium emphasized that contracts are not just legal paperwork, but frameworks that help shape fair, sustainable ecosystems in the creative industries.
Notable Speakers Included:
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Paul Bain (Partner, Dickinson Wright)
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Gail Albert Halaban (Photographer)
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Jarod Lew (Photographer)
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Nina Levent (Founder, Sapar Contemporary)
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Pierre Valentin (Consultant, Fieldfisher)
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Stephanie Wiles (Director, Yale University Art Gallery)
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Philippa Loengard (Director, Kernochan Center)
Two insightful panel discussions addressed real-world practices, artist perspectives, and legal strategies shaping today’s art market.
🎥 Rewatch the symposium:
This symposium confirms what legal experts have long anticipated:
In the art world of the 21st century, legal structures are not afterthoughts—they are foundations.