Caecilia Dance

Caecilia advises artists, collectors, galleries, auction houses, artists’ estates and other art market participants on a broad range of issues relating to the art and luxury world. She has experience of advising on buying and selling art and luxury assets (including classic cars), artists’ rights, intellectual property (IP), import and export, art finance, anti-money laundering (AML) and sanctions, and issues related to the authenticity of artworks. She has a particular interest in the restitution of Nazi-looted art and cultural heritage more generally.

While her practice is predominantly non-contentious, Caecilia also advises on art disputes, having gained extensive commercial litigation experience in a previous role.

• Advising on high-profile cases relating to the restitution of artworks lost or misappropriated during the Nazi period.
• Advising artists and artists’ estates on the protection and exploitation of intellectual property rights.
• Advising a private bank on an art-secured loan to a prominent collector.
• Providing a commercial gallery with ongoing advice on the UK sanctions and AML regimes.
• Advising on a broad range of sale and purchase and consignment agreements across the art and luxury sectors.

• Co-author of “The Battle for Sunken Treasures: Restitution’s Next Frontier” (https://wedlakebell.com/the-battle-for-sunken-treasures-restitutions-next-frontier-2/)
• Quoted in the Guardian article, “Return looted shipwreck treasures to countries of origin as reparations for slavery, says lawyer” (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/12/return-looted-shipwreck-treasures-to-countries-of-origin-as-reparations-for-slavery-says-lawyer)

Caecilia is a member of Professional Advisors to the International Art Market (PAIAM), the Association of Women in the Arts (AWITA), the Art Lawyers Association (ALA) and the Institute of Art and Law (IAL).

She speaks fluent German and intermediate level Russian.