Yesterday I had the pleasure of giving a talk for the American Bar Association Art Law Committee, which is part of the International Law Committee. The event took place on line and in person, in the splendid setting of the Giuseppe Guglielmi library, an atmosphere that made the whole experience even more special.
The occasion also gave me the chance to exchange views with my colleague Scott, who practices in New York, on a number of issues I come across every day in my work as an art lawyer. It was a truly stimulating conversation, and it reminded me how valuable it is to step outside one’s own legal system and look at familiar problems through someone else’s eyes.
What struck me most was just how many differences there are between the Italian and the U.S. approaches.
Just think of copyright registration: it is not necessary in Italy, while in the United States it is an important condition for enforcing one’s rights..
Questions that seem straightforward in one jurisdiction can be framed in a completely different way in the other, and these differences have very concrete consequences for the way we advise collectors, galleries, artists and institutions operating across borders.
My thanks go to Scott for the thoughtful exchange, and to the ABA Art Law Committee for the invitation and the warm welcome. I am already looking forward to continuing the dialogue, and to sharing more reflections on these topics here on the blog.
