John R. Cahill
John is a litigator and transactional lawyer focusing on legal matters in the art world. His clients include artists, artist’s estates, art advisors, art borrowers, art lenders, auctioneers, art collectors (leading and new), charities/nonprofits, galleries, insurers, investors, museums, and virtual platforms. With more than 30 years of experience, John has helped clients avoid litigation, successfully litigated important cases when necessary, and advised clients on art transactions (commissions, consignments, gifts, insurance, investments, purchases, sales, loans, licenses, etc.), including some of the largest and most complex deals in the art market.
While John has spent his career primarily in the private practice of law (including a pro bono practice), he has also been the General Counsel of Phillips and occupied a C-suite role at Sotheby’s in which he oversaw financial deal-making globally and oversaw its art-lending affiliate. He has also served as pro bono counsel to the Appraisers Association of America.
John is a past Chair of the field’s leading art law committee (advocating for legislation to protect artists and art experts). He has taught and lectured frequently at many venues (including universities and the academic programs of Christie’s and Sotheby’s), and published articles, book chapters, and educational materials on art law topics.
Named as one of the “Art World’s Most Powerful Lawyers” by Artnet News, John is often sought out by art journalists for background analysis and commentary, and he has been quoted in prominent media and publications in the United States and internationally.
Chambers High Net Worth has recognized John as a top-tier art lawyer and quoted sources praising his “experience and expertise” and describing him as “a true intellect . . . incredibly knowledgeable on all things art-related.”
Ronald W. Adelman
Ronald W. Adelman is a litigator and transactional lawyer. He has broad experience in virtually all areas of commercial practice, with a particular focus in the fields of art law, intellectual property (copyright, trademark and related matters, and entertainment law) and defamation.
Ron has successfully represented clients at all stages of litigation, including numerous appeals, in courts, in arbitrations, and in administrative tribunals, most notably the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. In the field of art law, Ron has worked on numerous notable cases, including the representation of a client in the Knoedler litigation who was defrauded into purchasing a forged artwork. He has also frequently achieved highly favorable results for clients prior to the commencement of formal litigation. His transactional expertise is centered on providing general advice to clients and drafting complex agreements, particularly with respect to the licensing of intellectual property and entertainment and art-related matters.
Ron graduated from Columbia College in 1984 and from Fordham University School of Law, cum laude, in 1989, where he served as the Writing and Research Editor of the Fordham Law Review. He received an LL.M. from Columbia Law School in media and telecommunications law in 1996. Ron served as a law clerk to Judge William H. Timbers of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in 1989-90, and subsequently worked as a litigation associate at Debevoise & Plimpton (1990-93), Patterson, Belknap, Webb & Tyler (1993-95) and Kramer, Levin, Naftalis & Frankel (1997-2002). From 2002 to 2007, Ron was counsel to Robert S. Meloni, P.C., specializing in the fields of entertainment and intellectual property law. From 2007 to 2019, he was counsel to the predecessor of ARTxLAW PLLC, and joined ARTxLAW in 2023 after spending four years as counsel to Stropheus LLC. He is admitted to practice in New York, in the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and in the United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.
ARTxLAW PLLC is a New York professional limited liability company; its sole member is CAHILLxLAW PLLC. John R. Cahill is the sole member of CAHILLxLAW PLLC.