Jil Birnbaum

Solicitor

Art & Luxury
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Expertise

Jil joined Wedlake Bell in November 2022 from Charles Russell Speechlys, where she gained broad litigation and transactional experience in the art, classic cars and luxury markets. She previously worked in-house at leading auction houses Christie’s and Phillips.

Jil advises on both contentious and non-contentious matters and has particular expertise in transactional work. Her non-contentious practice involves:

  • Advising clients on buying and selling art and luxury assets.
  • Drafting commercial agreements and terms and conditions of business.
  • Luxury asset financing.

Jil also assists private collectors in numerous consignments of art and luxury assets to museums, galleries and auction houses and acts for artists in negotiating commission and representation agreements.

Jil’s contentious practice focuses on disputes involving copyright, conversion, disputed ownership and breach of contract. She has experience acting for claimants in relation to recovering Nazi-looted art.

She represents a broad range of clients – from artists, HNWIs, collectors, dealers, financiers, galleries and institutions- to other luxury goods businesses such as classic car dealerships.

Jil has contributed to the editing of the Encyclopaedia of Forms and Precedents, Vol. 34 (Sale of Goods), and has obtained an MSc in Art Law, Art Business and Art History from Christie’s Education.

Jil is a member of a number of professional organisations focused on the art market, such as the Professional Advisors to the International Art Market, the International Next Generation and the Institute of Art Law.

Career History

  • Phillips, Legal Department 2018-2019
  • Charles Russell Speechlys LLP 2019-2022
  • Wedlake Bell LLP

Publications

Contributor to Sale of Goods – Volume 34 of the Encyclopaedia of Forms & Precedents.

Additional Information

Member of:

  • Professional Advisors to the International Art Market – The International Next Generation
  • The Institute of Art & Law

News

Art and Responsibility: Lessons Learned from Unscrupulous Advisers

The art market has witnessed several high-profile fraud and theft cases involving art advisers and dealers in recent years. Last year, art dealer Inigo Philbrick was sentenced to prison afterRead more