+44 (0)20 7832 1111
Welcome to 39 Essex Chambers
39 Essex Chambers is a leading set based in London, Manchester, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Our barristers offer a depth of expertise in a range of specialist sectors and practice areas.
Practice Areas
- Administrative & Public
- Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Banking & Finance
- Civil Liability
- Clinical Negligence
- Commercial
- Construction
- Costs & Litigation Funding
- Court of Protection
- EU Law
- Inquiries & Investigations
- Intellectual Property
- International Arbitration
- International Litigation
- Medical Treatment
- Personal Injury
- Planning, Environment & Property
- Regulatory & Disciplinary
- Tax
39 Essex Chambers regularly produces case reports, articles, newsletters and seminar across a range of areas.
Please subscribe to our mailing list if you would like to receive regular updates.
Art & Cultural Property
What our barristers offer
39 Essex Chambers has a wide ranging Art and Cultural Property Group, comprising leading practitioners who are widely regarded as combining a strong academic background with pragmatism and versatility as well as being easy to work with, and as such members are instructed regularly involved in many significant Art and Cultural Heritage cases over the last few years.
We can draw together teams of barristers who range from experienced silks to the more recently qualified barristers, to offer a comprehensive and cost-effective service, combining strong analytical, advisory and advocacy skills with pragmatism and approachability.
Our experience
Our members specialise in wide ranging issues concerning works of art and cultural objects (such as archaeological finds and objects of value to ingenious peoples), regularly advising clients such as auction houses and galleries, owners, artists, museums and regulators including Arts Council England and Historic England. Members of the group are also Direct Access qualified, and are able to accept instructions directly. Chambers is a corporate member of the Institute of Art and Law.
Areas of legal practice include:
Contractual issues of sale of goods, auctions, bailment, title (including in chattels and real property law, and restitutory/spoliation claims), disputes over attribution, valuation in contract or tort, listed buildings and the removal of works of art, treasure and other laws on finds (including military remains and shipwrecks), export licensing, recovery of unlawfully exported/excavated items, public international law, tax (including inheritance tax, VAT and heritage related provisions, such as conditional exemption and acceptance in lieu).
The team also regularly advises Cultural Institutions concerning the powers and governance of cultural institutions such as museums. These legal issues include: contractual arrangements, powers and duties under statutes (often specific to the institution) and charities law, de-accessioning (so return or sale of items)
Related practice areas
The Art and Cultural Property team draws on the strength of Chambers in Commercial, Planning, Property, Public International and Tax law, to provide comprehensive advice in all areas of Art and Cultural Property.
Click here to download our Art & Cultural Property Capability Statement
Who to contact
Andrew Poyser is the Deputy Senior Clerk for the Art & Cultural Property team and will, along with the clerking team below, be able to help you with any questions.
Andrew Poyser
Call: +44 (0)20 7832 1190
Mobile: +44 (0)7921 880 669
Elliott Hurrell is the Practice Manager for the Art & Cultural Property team and will, along with the clerking team below, be able to help you with any questions.
Elliott Hurrell
Call: +44 (0)20 7634 9023
Mobile: +44 (0)7809 086 843
View clerk's team
Call +44 (0)20 7832 1111 for more information