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Michael McCullough, Partner

Michael McCullough
Michael McCullough’s art law practice covers a broad area of the art market. He advises galleries, auctioneers and collectors on a variety of matters regarding consignment agreements, collaborative legal arrangements, authenticity issues, ownership issues, and many others. Mr. McCullough has extensive experience in the unique issues that affect online auctioneers and art sellers; he worked on many of the early efforts to sell art and antiques online, and works with the top online auctioneers in today’s market. During his ten years as compliance counsel at Sotheby’s, he gained extensive experience in the full range of commercial and regulatory concerns involved in art market transactions.

Education

Prior Legal Experience

  • Michael McCullough LLC, Managing Partner (2010-2014)
  • Sotheby’s, Inc., Associate Counsel (1998-2008)
  • Ace Young, Inc., Associate Counsel (1995-1998)

Publications

Commentary

Speaking

  • Instructor, “Art Law for Art Market Practitioners,” Asia Institute of Art & Finance (AIAF), Shanghai, China, September 21-22, 2019.
  • Instructor, “Art Law for Art Market Practitioners,” Asia Institute of Art & Finance (AIAF), Shanghai, China, January 18-20, 2019.
  • Panelist, “New Business Models in the International Art Market,” Shanghai Dialogue Forum on August 9, 2018, hosted by Shanghai Free Trade Zone Culture Investment Company and China Association of Auctioneers.
  • Keynote Speaker, Asia Art & Finance Forum 2018, Asia Institute of Art & Finance (AIAF), March 28, 2018, Shanghai, China
  • “Brexit through the Gift Shop: ‘National Treasure’ and the Global Art and Cultural Property Trade”
    Panelist, ABA Art & Cultural Heritage Law Committee, International Section Meeting, Washington DC 2017
  • “Finance and Lending in the International Art Market”
    Moderator, ABA Art & Cultural Heritage Law Committee Conference 2017
  • “A New Normal for Collecting Antiquities in a Post-Loot Culture ”
    Panelist, TEFAF New York Fall, 2016 2016
  • “Regulation of the Art Market in China, India & Japan ”
    Moderator, ABA Art & Cultural Heritage Law Committee, International Section Meeting, Tokyo Japan 2016
  • “The Role of Online Auctions in the International Art Market ”
    Panelist, Cardozo Law School Conference 2016
  • “Legal and Ethical Issues in the Sport Memorabilia Market ”
    Moderator, ABA Art & Cultural Heritage Law Committee 2016
  • “Art Law Part I: Fakes and Forgery in the Contemporary Art Market: Diligence, Contracts and Remedies”
    Moderator/Panelist, ABA Art & Cultural Heritage Law Committee, International Section Meeting, New York New York 2016
  • “The History of Appropriation in the Art World”
    Panelist, Affordable Art Fair, NYC, 2015 2015
  • “Regulated Properties: What the Law has to Say About Them”
    Panelist, American Society of Appraisers, 2015 International Appraisers Conference 2015
  • “Destruction and Looting of Cultural Property in Syria and Iraq”
    Moderator, ABA Art & Cultural Heritage Law Committee Conference 2015
  • “Legal Practice in the Auction House”
    Speaker, ABA Art & Cultural Heritage Law Committee 2015
  • “New Laws on the Trade in Objects Containing Endangered Species”
    Panelist, Asia Week Educational Panel, New York 2015
  • “Saving Africa’s Elephants, Changing the Art Scene ”
    Panelist, Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts 2014
  • “Director’s Order 210: Clarifying the Confusion”
    Panelist, Appraisers Association of America National Conference 2014
  • “Hot Topics in Art Law”
    Panelist, New York City Bar Association 2014
  • “Evening Discussion on the Basic Issues for Collectors and Dealers”
    Panelist, First Republic Bank, New York 2014
  • “U.S. Federal Power and the Repatriation of Cultural Artifacts”
    Moderator, New York City Bar Association 2014
  • “Roundtable on Reform: US Cultural Property Policy, Law and the Public Interest”
    Panelist, National Arts Club, Washington, DC 2014
  • “Recent Complex Art and Tax Law Cases ”
    Panelist, Art Law Day 2013, New York University 2013
  • “Symposium on the 30th Anniversary of the Cultural Property Implementation Act ”
    Panelist, New York City Bar Association 2013
  • “Foreign Lenders and Risk Management; Immunities”
    Panelist, Legal Issues in Museum Administration 2013
  • “Art Litigation and Dispute Resolution Institute ”
    Panelist, New York County Lawyer’s Association 2012
  • “Legal Update on Collecting Ancient Coins”
    Speaker, Ancient Coin Collector’s Guild, NYINC Open Meeting 2012
  • “How to Earn a Living Dangerously”
    Panelist, International Bar Association Annual Conference, Chicago, Illinois 2006

Professional Activities

Affiliations