Art Law in Florida: A Practitioner’s Handbook
Akiba Law PLLC is a Miami-based law firm advising artists, collectors, galleries, dealers, auction businesses, museums, and creative entrepreneurs on…
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The Journal
A curated space where law, art, fashion, business, luxury and culture converge. The Journal explores the ideas, cases, laws and movements shaping creativity and commerce today.
Case Update: Solar Drops Second Gang Starr Lawsuit After Judge Questions Prospect of Duplicative Litigation
When I first wrote about the latest chapter in the legal battle surrounding Gang Starr in September 2025, producer John…
2 Live Crew Tried to Take Back Its Copyrights. A Decades-Old Bankruptcy Got in the Way.
Copyright ownership can last for decades, and the Copyright Act gives many creators an unusual second chance to revisit deals…
When Does a Sculpture Become a Building? East Hampton’s Lawsuit Over Matt Johnson’s Meditating Figure
Large-scale public and private art installations can raise issues well beyond copyright, contracts, and exhibition agreements. Once an artwork reaches…
Eden Gallery Sues Collector Over Alleged $822,390 Unpaid Balance: Lessons for Art Sales on Credit
High-value art transactions are often built on relationships. A collector may purchase repeatedly from the same gallery, payments may be…
MoMA v. MOMACHA: Trademark Strength, Brand Similarity, and Consumer Confusion
A trademark dispute does not always begin with two businesses offering the same product. Confusion can arise when a newer…
When a $2.5 Million Art Loan Ends in Litigation: Lessons for Galleries, Curators, and Property Owners
Long-term art placements can benefit everyone involved. Galleries gain access to potential collectors, property owners enhance their spaces, and residents…
When a Gallery Sells Consigned Art but Does Not Pay the Artist: The Hole Lawsuit and New York’s Trust-Fund Rules
An artwork consignment is not simply an informal arrangement in which a gallery agrees to sell a work and pay…
Your Logo Is on the Shirt. Does That Count as Trademark Use?
Launching a clothing brand involves more than creating a name, designing a logo, and placing it on a garment. How…
45 Antiquities Seized from the Metropolitan Museum of Art: Provenance, Repatriation, and the Importance of Due Diligence
On July 8, 2026, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office announced the return of 59 antiquities, collectively valued at more than…
Florida Interior Designers and Decorators: Are You Regulated? Do You Need a License?
Interior designers and decorators in Florida often face a practical question: am I subject to Florida regulation, and do I…
Jacques Goudstikker’s Stolen Collection Is Still Being Found and Returned
Restitution can’t undo the Holocaust but it can return what was taken and every returned work matters. A Nazi-looted painting…
Van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” Returns to Federal Court: Why Personal Jurisdiction May Bar the Claims Again
The Facts. The heirs of German-Jewish banker and art collector Paul von Mendelssohn-Bartholdy have filed a new lawsuit in the…
Can a Property Owner Erase a Mural? Wyland’s VARA Lawsuit Against FIFA, Building Owner, and Property Manager
Marine artist Wyland has filed a federal lawsuit after his downtown Dallas mural, Ocean Life, also known as Whaling Wall…
Florida Regulations And Laws Governing Auction Houses
Auction sales can feel fast, informal, and governed mostly by custom. But in Florida, auction transactions are not lawless. For…
Florida’s Right of Publicity Law: When Commercial Use of a Person’s Image Requires Consent
Florida’s right of publicity statute protects against the unauthorized commercial use of a person’s identity. In practical terms, that means…
Florida’s Civil Theft Statute: Not Every Dispute Is Theft, But Real Theft Has Real Consequences
Some business disputes are just that: disputes. A customer does not pay. A deal falls apart. A contract is breached….
Matt Akiba Moderates Panel on Art Law At Florida Law Con!
Matt Akiba was invited to moderate a panel at this year’s Florida Law Con, put on by the Miami Dar…
Florida Judgment Liens: When Art, Collectibles, and Other Personal Property May Matter After Judgment
Winning a money judgment is important. Collecting on that judgment is often the harder part. In Florida, a judgment creditor…
Consigning Art in Florida: Why Written Agreements, Notices, and Statutory Formalities Matter
Consignment is common in the art market. An artist may deliver work to a dealer, gallery, or other art business…
Artists Build Brands Too: Why Visual Artists Should Think About Trademarks
Artists often think about copyright first. That makes sense. Copyright protects the artwork itself. But for many visual artists, the…
Matt Speaks to Law Students on “Creative Industries & the Law” Panel
Let’s face it. Being a lawyer who represents artists, fashion brands, and creatives is a cool and non-standard job. Law…
Section 2(f) Trademark Registrations: When a Descriptive Mark Can Still Make It to the Principal Register
A descriptiveness refusal is not always the end of the road. Section 2(f) of the Lanham Act allows some marks…
What Is VARA? A Practical Overview of the Visual Artists Rights Act
The Visual Artists Rights Act, commonly known as VARA, is an important federal statute for visual artists, collectors, galleries, developers,…