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Legal advisors



The legal advisors on this page offer a variety of paid or specialist advice to artists and a number of other client groups.  For more information on their services, contact them directly or check their websites.  If you are a visual artist or craftsperson living and working in London, you are eligible for the Artlaw's free legal advice service and can send us your legal query via this site.

There are also a number of free legal advice services available to artists and craftspeople who are ineligible for Artlaw's services.

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Davies Arnold Cooper

6-8 Bouverie Street, London EC4Y 8DD — Google Maps
Tel: 020 7936 2222
Fax: 020 7936 2020
Email:
Website: www.dac.co.uk

The firm advises art and antiques dealers, galleries and collectors of art on a wide range of legal issues arising from dealing in, collecting and owning artwork. Philip Davis, head of the Art Law Group, is a specialist in the art sector and has a well-earned reputation for being one of the UK's pre-eminent art lawyers. The firm is recommended by the two main trade associations for professional art and antiques dealers, the British Antique Dealers Association and the Association of Art and Antiques Dealers.
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The Art Loss Register

First Floor, 63/66 Hatton Gardens, London EC1N 8LE — Google Maps
Tel: 020 7841 5780
Email:
Website: www.artloss.com

Database of stolen works of art.
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Briffa

Business Design Centre, Upper Street, London N1 0QH — Google Maps
Tel: 020 7288 6003
Fax: 020 7288 6004
Email:
Website: www.briffa.com

Briffa is an award winning firm of solicitors specialising in the business and law of intellectual property. Provides assitance to designers, developers, creative agencies, publishers, and those working in entertainment, technology and the internet. Other online services include www.designprotect.com the online resource providing legal solutions and management of intellectual property rights for the design industry.
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Citizen's Advice Bureaux

Website: www.adviceguide.org.uk
Website: www.citizensadvice.org.uk

Citizens Advice Bureau are one stop shops where basic advice and information on your rights can be obtained. There are many centres around London and the UK where you can access information about your rights. The CAB offers two online services: online advice and how to find your nearest CAB.
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Community Legal Advice

Tel: 0845 345 4 345
Website: www.communitylegaladvice.org.uk

Legal advice line that has lists of solicitors that take on Legal Aid cases. The helpline can help with queries about debt, employment, benefits and tax credits, housing and education problems if you live on a low income or benefits. Help is available from 9am-6:30pm Monday to Friday.
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Farrer & Co

66 Lincolns Inn Fields, London WC2A 3LH — Google Maps
Tel: 020 7242 2022
Email:
Website: www.farrer.co.uk

Legal advisors specialized in all areas of relevance to museums and galleries:loans and acquisitions of objects, charity and trust law, museum trading, employment law, copyright, building and planning rules, sponsorship and fund-raising.
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Finers Stephens Innocent

179 Great Portland Street, London W1W 5LS — Google Maps
Tel: 020 7323 4000
Fax: 020 7580 7069
Email:
Website: www.fsilaw.co.uk

Finers Stephens Innocent is an 80-lawyer practice providing a full range of high-quality legal services to corporate and commercial clients. The firm is able to provide cradle to the grave support through its eight departments (property, corporate, commercial dispute resolution, IP media, employment, personal injury, private client and family).
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HM Revenue and Customs

Tel: 0845 010 9000
Email:
Website: www.hmrc.gov.uk
Website: www.hmrc.gov.uk/partnerships/fagcwf1.shtml

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) was formed on the 18 April 2005, following the merger of Inland Revenue and HM Customs and Excise Departments. They offer advice on national insurance, statutory maternity, sick pay and tax matters, VAT, regulations on importing and exporting of art/ design products. It is your responsibility to register if you are self-employed, by telephoning your nearest office or on their website.
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Mishcon de Reya

Summit House, 12 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4QD — Google Maps
Tel: 020 7440 7000
Fax: 020 7404 5982
Email:
Website: www.mishcon.co.uk

In 1995 the firm created the art law specialist group. They advise in relation to almost every conceivable aspect of the art market including in relation to artists, dealers, institutional and private collectors, galleries, governments, financiers, artists and collectors estates, art publishers, auction houses, art charities, museums, conservators, curators and art historians.
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Russell Cooke

2 Putney Hill, Putney, London SW15 6AB — Google Maps
8 Bedford Row, London WC1R 4BX
Tel: 020 8789 9111
Tel: 020 7405 6566
Email:
Website: www.russell-cooke.co.uk/serv_c&o_charities.htm

The Charity Team advises a number of arts organisations, from the Arts Council England to many small and newly formed charities, offering practical and cost-effective solutions to everyday problems. Also includes useful links to help you find trustees.
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Scopulus Ltd

39 Alma Road, St Albans Hertfordshire, AL1 3AT — Google Maps
Email:
Website: www.scopulus.co.uk/legaldocs

Their website offers a number of legal documents that can be bought online with free instructions.
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The Society for All Artists

PO BOX 50, Newark, Nottinghamshire NG23 5GY — Google Maps
Tel: 01949 844050
Email:
Website: www.saa.co.uk/Support/

Artists' organisation which offers various services to members, including a free legal help line. In addition membership can include free all risks insurance cover for UK exhibitions and goods in transit.
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Swan Turton

68a Neal Street, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9PA — Google Maps
Tel: 020 7520 9555
Fax: 020 7520 9556
Email:
Website: www.swanturton.com

Swan Turton, media lawyers, have a specialist Photography and Visual Arts section which offers legal advice and support to trade associations, arts organisations, galleries, businesses and individual practitioners in the visual arts. They provide specialised advice on the copyright, moral rights and other intellectual property rights issues, including the new Artist's Resale Right; and on the specialised contracts required in the visual arts for commissions, licensing, residencies, funding and agency and gallery relationships etc. Main contact: Nicholas Sharp who is also a director of a-n The Artists Information Company.
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Toynbee Hall Free Legal Advice Service

Brian Cunningham, Co-ordinator
Legal Advice Centre, Toynbee Hall, 28 Commercial Street, London E1 6LS — Google Maps
Tel: 020 7392 2940
Fax: 020 7377 5964
Email:
Website: www.toynbeehall.org.uk/page.asp?section=00010001000100030001

Four evening sessions and a Saturday morning service each week, involving approximately 60 volunteer lawyers. The lawyers come to Toynbee on a pro-bono basis from a number of different law firms, barristers' chambers and some are postgraduate law students. The service has operated continuously since 1898, helping over 50 people a week on average. See the website for a breakdown of which specific legal areas are covered on which days and evenings. Special women-only sessions available.
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LayerLocator

Website: www.lawyerlocator.co.uk

Online listings of lawyers, searchable by speciality and services provided.
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Community Legal Advice

Tel: 0845 345 4345
Website: www.communitylegaladvice.org.uk
Website: www.communitylegaladvice.org.uk/en/directory

Community Legal Advice is the new name for Community Legal Service Direct. It is confidential independent government funded legal advice line. Will advice if you are eligible for legal aid and has a list of advisers you can contact in your area.
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Interchange Trust Legal Department

Roger Bronkhurst
Hampstead Town Hall Centre, 213 Haverstock Hill, London NW3 4QP — Google Maps
Tel: 020 7692 5860
Fax: 020 7813 7493
Email:
Website: www.interchange.org.uk/content/?q=node/4

InterChange Legal Advisory Service has over 15 years' experience of providing specialised legal advice to charities and voluntary sector organisations at subsidised, affordable rates. They can also assists orginisations in devising their constitutions.
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Can' t Afford a Layer

Share Bright Ltd 21 Harcourt House, Albion Avenue, London SW8 2AB — Google Maps
Tel: 020 8123 2672
Email:
Website: www.cantaffordalawyer.com/contact-us-faqs/

Website and telephone helpline for general legal queries. They are not specifically art oriented but also have downloadable information.Call to speak with their Clerks on from 10am to 6 pm Monday to Friday. You can speak to a barrister by appointment only (normally the same day). As part of their commitment to pro bono, a telephone surgery is held every Monday and Thursday between 10 am and 12 pm on 0207 207 3028. At these times non-practising lawyers are available for time limited free consultations.
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LawWorks

10-13 Lovat Lane, London, EC3R 8DN — Google Maps
Tel: 0207 929 5601
Website: www.lawworks.org.uk/?id=458

The LawWorks works with volunteer legal advisors who provides the legal advice for free to small charities, not for profit, voluntary and community organisations. They can help you with a wide variety of legal work including company law, employment law, intellectual property law, property law, tax/VAT law etc. For individuals they help settle disputes by way of a mediation.
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Collyer Bristow

4 Bedford Row, London WC1R 4TF — Google Maps
Tel: 020 7242 7363
Email:
Website: www.collyerbristow.com


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