Beverly Hills Bar Association
Committee for the Arts (CFTA)
To Present
“Law, Justice and the Recovery of Holocaust Art”

The Beverly Hills Bar Association Barristers Committee For The Arts (CFTA) will present a unique program, “Law, Justice and the Recovery of Holocaust Art.” on Tuesday, November 16, 2004 from 4 to 7 pm at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Leo S. Bing Theater, 5905 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles.

The program will feature a panel of leading attorneys who are shaping the law on the recovery of Nazi-looted art. The distinguished panel includes E. Randol Schoenberg, Esq., Burris & Schoenberg, LLP; Thad Stauber, Esq., of counsel Sidley Austin Brown & Wood; Steven E. Thomas, Esq., Irell & Manella, LLP; and Simon Frankel, Esq., Howard Rice, Nemorovski Canday Falk & Rabkin, who will share real stories of tragedy, triumph and intrigue behind the cases. The program will be moderated by Christine Steiner, Esq. who is in private practice in Beverly Hills.

Mr. Schoenberg is lead counsel in Altmann v. Republic of Austria, seeking the return of six paintings valued at $200 million from Austria. Earlier this year, Mr. Schoenberg won his argument before the U.S. Supreme Court, rendering an unprecedented opinion holding a foreign country answerable in a Holocaust-related claim. Mr. Frankel and Mr. Stauber will join Mr. Schoenberg in discussing the current state of Nazi-looted art litigation, including claims for valuable art works by Picasso, Klimt and others. Mr. Thomas will in turn discuss private transaction of owners, dealers, galleries and auction houses in his capacity as advisor on the purchase, collection, auction and sale of fine art and cultural property.

The goal for the program is to have leaders in their field discuss and present the most relevant and current information as it relates to the community at large as well as the legal community,” said Irena Raskin, Chair of the CFTA and President-Elect of the BHBA Barristers. “I cannot think of any aspect of art law more important than the recovery of Holocaust art, which involves precedent setting cases trying to provide some modicum of justice to families which have already suffered more than anyone could imagine,” Raskin added. There will be an opportunity for the audience to ask questions as well as a reception after the program sponsored exclusively by Patina. Written materials will be available at the program and for sale on the BHBA website www.bhba.org 

Formed over twenty years ago, the CFTA offers legal and business-oriented programs for entry-level artists, such as visual artists, writers, musicians and actors. In addition, the Committee publishes manuals for use by entry-level artists and their representatives. The goal is to assist artists and others in the art business to protect copyrights, understand contracts, raise funds, spot fraud, and preserve art. To learn more about the CFTA, please visit the website at
www.bhba.org/Committees_Sections/CFTA.htm

The Beverly Hills Bar Association, founded in 1931, is a nationally recognized metropolitan bar association with over 3500 members. Its mission is to serve the legal profession, enhance its professional and ethical standards, facilitate access to the justice system and serve the community. For more information, go to www.bhba.org

Tickets are $20 ($30 at the door), or $45 for Beverly Hills Bar Association members wishing to receive MCLE credit who pay in advance ($55 at the door) and $55 for non-BHBA members wishing to receive MCLE credit ($65 at the door). The Los Angeles County Museum of Art is located at 5905 Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles. To register for the event, please call the Beverly Hills Bar Association (310) 553-6644 or visit www.bhba.org

10-12-2004

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