From TIME · · 1m 20s
Luke Nikas: Art world's fiercest legal fighter
As art market disputes explode, one lawyer has become the go-to fixer for the industry's messiest battles.
In brief
As art market disputes explode, one lawyer has become the go-to fixer for the industry's messiest battles. The art world's explosive growth has created a litigation boom, and Luke Nikas has positioned himself as the essential lawyer for resolving its most high-stakes disputes. Originally reported by TIME.
Art world's money boom creates legal chaos
As spending in the art world has surged over 20 years, so have lawsuits over fake paintings, botched deals, and Nazi-looted art.
Meet the art world's essential lawyer
Luke Nikas, a partner at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, has become the go-to lawyer for the art world's most bitter disputes.
The Knoedler fake paintings scandal
Nikas played a key role in a scandal involving approximately 70 million dollars worth of fake Modernist paintings sold by Knoedler Gallery.
High-profile cases pile up fast
In the past decade, Nikas has handled a messy breakup between art advisers, a wrongful-termination suit from Philadelphia Museum of Art's former director, and a fight over Robert Indiana's legacy.
Indiana legacy case nets 102 million verdict
In April, Nikas secured a 102.2 million dollar jury verdict for Robert Indiana's former business partner after an eight-year dispute over who controls the late artist's legacy.
More litigation means more work for Nikas
As the art world becomes increasingly litigious, Nikas's practice continues to grow with each new high-stakes dispute.
The bottom line
The art world's explosive growth has created a litigation boom, and Luke Nikas has positioned himself as the essential lawyer for resolving its most high-stakes disputes.
