January 16, 2024
Christopher Robinson published an article entitled “Art Commission Agreements and VARA Moral Rights” in the American Bar Association publication entitled Landslide linked here Landslide December/January 2024 digital issue. The article includes an in-depth discussion of the Second Circuit’s recent controversial decision in Kerson v. Vermont Law School, Inc.“
Rottenberg Lipman Rich attorney Christopher Robinson assisted his client, Mariane Ibrahim Gallery of Chicago and Paris, to negotiate a truly unique project for gallery artist Amoako Boafo – the commission of an original work of art for the three-panel nose cone of a Blue Origin rocket. https://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/amoako-boafo-to-send-triptych-into-space-on-jeff-bezos-s-blue-origin-rocket. “This was a first for me,” commented Chris. “You never know where art law will take you.”
Christopher Robinson, of counsel at Rottenberg Lipman Rich PC, will be presenting on April 30 at the Federal Bar Association’s annual Art Law and Litigation conference on Street Art and Real Property: What Lawyers Need to Know About the Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA). The virtual panel, which runs from 2.30 to 3.30, will explain what rights VARA gives street artists and how they may impact building owners and developers. Chris will discuss the recent 5Pointz case in which damages of $6.75 million plus attorneys fees were awarded to a group of artists for the destruction of their artwork. Philippa Leongard, Deputy Director of the Kernochan Center for Law, Media and the Arts at Columbia Law School, will discuss the cases that have arisen in 5Pointz’ wake.
Chris Robinson’s practice focuses on art law and intellectual property. He was co-counsel for the plaintiffs in the 5Pointz case before the Second Circuit.
Rottenberg Lipman Rich, P.C. is delighted to announce that Mark S. Helweil (mhelweil@rlrpclaw.com), formerly Of Counsel to the firm for 27 years, has become a member of the firm.Read More
On February 29, 2020, Judge Michael A. Shipp of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey granted the motion of our client, Newport Group Inc., to dismiss the breach of contract and negligence action against it for failure to state a claim. The case concerned a variable life insurance policy that was issued under a split-dollar arrangement, and Newport was the purported agent of record and administrator of such policy. Newport is a leading national provider of retirement services.
Richard Rosberger and Zachary Rosenberg handled the matter on behalf of Newport Group Inc.
RLR attorneys, Charles Rich, the head of the real estate practice and Larry Rose, of counsel, successfully represented Nationwide Management Corp in a lease for approximately 5,800 square feet of retail space at 625 West 55th Street for the first Manhattan branch of “Real Life Ninja Academy” as announced in “Real Estate Weekly.”
Negotiations for the lease began in early February 2020 but were stalled initially due to the onset of Covid-19. After extensive negotiations and utilizing various creative Covid-19 contingencies the RLR team successfully brought the transaction to a lease signing in early June 2020 with an expectation of a fall 2020 opening.
Chris Robinson from the firm’s Art Law group recently published the lead article in the American Institute for Conservation (AIC) newsletter on the impact of the Visual Artists Rights Act on the work of conservators. The AIC is the leading professional organization for conservators in museums, universities and private practice.Read the article
Christopher Robinson, Of Counsel, was featured on the recent episode of Brian Ross Investigates on the Law & Crime Network discussing the famous theft of works of art from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. The head of the FBI’s Art Theft Squad, Tim Carpenter, had stated in the first half of the episode that solving this unsolved crime was number one on his wish list. Priceless paintings by Vermeer, Rembrandt, Degas, and Manet among others were stolen from the museum in 1990, and despite a large reward and many leads, the paintings have never been found or the thieves identified. Christopher, an attorney who specializes in art-related matters, commented on the various theories of the crime, and ways in which owners of important works of art can protect their property or seek its recovery in the event of a theft.
Christopher, a former art dealer turned lawyer, focuses his practice on artists, collectors, galleries, auction houses, museums, real estate developers, and publishers in art-related matters, both litigation and transactional. He lectures and writes frequently on issues important to players in the art world, including theft and consignment fraud, collector and dealer due diligence and contracting; copyright, and artists’ rights.
New York, NY, Nov. 29, 2016 – Rottenberg Lipman Rich, P.C. will relocate its New York City office to the historic Helmsley Building, 230 Park Avenue, 18th Floor, New York, NY, on December 10, 2016, after almost 24 years at its current location at 369 Lexington Avenue. RLR subleased 10,400 square feet of renovated, beautifully-appointed office space from Dentons, which vacated the space following its acquisition of McKenna Long & Aldridge in 2015. The sublease runs through June 2026.
RLR managing member Mark Rottenberg stated: “We are excited to move to our new office at The Helmsley Building around the corner from our current location. The move allows our attorneys and staff seamlessly to continue to provide our clients with the highest degree of service and personal attention for at least the next decade in the heart of midtown Manhattan.”
RLR was founded in 1991 and currently has 13 attorneys specializing in litigation, real estate, commercial transactions, art law, and trusts & estates. RLR also maintains an office in Saddle Brook, New Jersey.
For more information, please contact:
Mark M. Rottenberg, Esq.
Managing Member
mrottenberg@rlrpclaw.com
212-661-3080