Anne-Laure Alléhaut is Counsel in the firm’s Art and Museum Law practice. Anne-Laure started her career at Skadden Arps in M&A before she joined Sotheby’s legal transactional team as a Senior Vice President. Anne-Laure negotiated many of the auction house’s most complex and high value transactions while also overseeing Sotheby’s advisory, appraisal and valuation departments.
Anne-Laure brings 16 years of law firm and in-house experience to the art industry and draws on her broad and deep experience to advise her clients with speed and efficiency. Anne-Laure’s client base includes private collectors, galleries, estates, start-ups, art dealers, museums, advisors and financial institutions. Anne-Laure is recognized by Chambers High Net Worth for her work in Art and Cultural Property Law. In the guide, she is described by clients as, "my absolute favorite lawyer in the world. She is wonderful and extremely reliable. She is meticulous in her approach to negotiations and is always on top of the detail." Another client praised her work: “She was able to help me navigate a highly complex transaction and get it done with extremely favorable terms.” They remark that, "her professionalism, responsiveness, and incredible attitude make her a joy to work with.”
Deal Experience
Auction
- Advise an estate in connection with the sale of artworks at Christie’s, Sotheby’s and galleries. Negotiate and draft guarantee and consignment agreements, consignment agreements and private sales and advised on payment terms, conversions, withdrawals and termination;
- Advise sophisticated collector in connection with structuring third-party guarantees and negotiate irrevocable bids; and
- Negotiate and draft the private sale of a masterwork and provide guidance on all issues from its consignment through its final sale.
Collectors
- Negotiate and draft custody agreements, consignment agreements with galleries and auction houses and sale and purchase of artworks and advise collector on all aspects of the contract, including protecting artwork against creditors, authenticity issues, payment terms, cancellation of auction;
- Draft and negotiate loan agreements for exhibition of artwork in museum and institutions; and
- Advise collectors in connection with disputes, including payment default, sale cancellation, bankruptcy and insurance claims.
Gallery
- Collaborate with gallery in connection with complex structuring of transaction, including in-kind exchange, consignment and sale of artworks;
- Counsel Gallery in connection with their representation of artists and estates, including, advise on authenticity issues, protect artwork from creditors through UCC filing; and
- Draft and negotiate commission agreements, consignment agreements and purchase and sale agreements.
Start-Ups and Corporations
- Advise company in connection with structuring, employment related matters, sales tax and all on-going legal matters and draft corporate formation documents, engagement letters, bill of sale, templates and bespoke arrangements in connection with the sale and purchase of artwork; and
- Work in tandem with NFT start-up to advise them on all art related aspects, including, intellectual property, moral rights, sale and purchase of artwork, management of art collection and insurance.
Advisory
- Represent art advisor in connection with the drafting and negotiating of art advisory agreement, term sheet, commission agreement, consignment of artwork and advise on new business segments;
- Review and collaborate with art advisor in connection with large and complex appraisals; and
- Work collaboratively with art advisors to draft and negotiate gallery consignment agreement, auction consignment agreements and insurance dispute for the benefit of the art advisor’s clients.
Museums and Exempt Organizations
- Negotiate and draft purchase agreements of high value artworks, loan to exhibition and advise museum on legal and reputational risks associated with artwork acquisition;
- Advise Museum in connection with loan and exhibition of artwork by living artist; and
- Work on charity auctions and de-accessioning of artwork for sale at auction.
Real Estate
- Work with real estate conglomerate to negotiate the commission of artwork and the purchase of art collection for use in commercial space; and
- Advise client in connection with consultant art agreement and insurance.
Bar Admissions
Education
- Cornell University (J.D., 2006)
- Cornell Law School (LL.M., with honors, 2004)
- Université Paris X, Nanterre (2003)
- Diplôme d’Etudes Approfondies in International Commercial Law and International Litigation
- Université Paris II, Panthéon-Assas (2002)
- Maîtrise en Droit Français in International Law and Commercial Law
