Rudy Capildeo

Rudy is joint Head of the Arts & Luxury group. He has built a reputation for providing commercially astute and market-sensitive legal advice across all aspects of the art and luxury world.

He works on a broad range of matters, including domestic and international transactions, issues relating to intellectual property rights, the establishment and running of luxury asset funds, and the provision of strategic cultural policy advice. His clients include internationally renowned contemporary artists and their estates, blue-chip galleries, public institutions and private collections. His aim is always to help his clients enjoy the objects that they love.

Rudy’s expertise extends beyond fine art to other luxury assets such as classic cars, wine, high-end musical instruments, yachts, planes, jewellery, timepieces and advancements in the technological field from NFTs to the metaverse.

• Acting on the sale of several museum-quality artworks by globally recognised artists, with individual values ranging from six to nine figures, requiring coordination across international jurisdictions and regulatory frameworks.
• Advising on the acquisition of a historically significant and record-breaking classic car involving complex cross-border negotiations and bespoke auction terms.
• Structuring investment vehicles, including both equity and debt funds, designed to acquire or finance high-value assets, such as fine art, classic cars, musical instruments, watches and other luxury collectables, and advising on the subsequent transactions.
• Supporting public authorities and cultural organisations with strategic legal advice on heritage protection, art and luxury market regulation and legislative reform, often involving multi-stakeholder collaboration and input into the drafting of new legal frameworks.
• Assisting galleries, dealers, artists and their estates in negotiating consignment, commission and representation agreements, both locally and internationally.
• Advising on copyright and moral rights issues in relation to contemporary and digital art.

• Author of the chapter “Copyright protection for painters, sculptors and cartoonists,” The Subject of Literary and Artistic Copyright, published by Edward Elgar (2022) (link here)
• Comment: EU’s new anti-looting law is another blow for legitimate trade, Art Newspaper, 15 November 2024 (link here)
• Rudy is frequently interviewed on topical art and luxury matters for television, radio, and press, including ITV News, Monocle 24, LBC News, The Financial Times, The Times, Tatler, The Art Newspaper, Apollo, and Antiques Trade Gazette.
• Rudy regularly speaks at international conferences such as The Art Business Conference, World Art Foundations, STEP, Responsible Art Market and Thought Leaders 4.

Guest lecturer

• New York City Bar Association
• University of Florence
• Royal Academy of Arts
• Institute of Art & Law
• Sotheby’s Institute of Art
• Christie’s Education

Courtauld Art Law Society