Intellectual Property Law

What kind of lawyers deal with the trafficking of illegal antiquities?

I'm at the beginning of training to be a lawyer and I'm really interested in this area of law but have no idea what lawyers who deal with this field are called. Any ideas?

Public Comments

1. There are attorneys that do "art law" believe it or not. But government attorneys for the respective involved countries also have a hand in it.
2. Well, it depends on whether you mean the criminal or civil sides of the arena. A prosecutor would handle criminal convictions for violation of laws regulating trafficking in antiquities. But a prosecutor would do a lot more than that one area. Same with a defense attorney. If you mean on the civil side of the field, you could get into licensing and transactional law, handing import licenses and contracts, or legislative counsel for those making the regulations, or any of a dozen other ways the law intersects with that topic.
3. If you have a museum in your city contact the curator and ask about this. I'm sure he/she can refer you to somebody who knows all about it.
4. Sorry I don't know either. However recently I read about a number of high value art items that have "turned up" after many many years. A few paintings were stolen from a country house in the USA.... and many years later they were identified as stolen just before they went on auction at one of the big London Auction houses. Spielberg recently was found to have purchased a painting which had been originally stolen. "Russian Classroom" or something. Good luck with it... I would imagine that maybe there is legal departments with some firms which specialise in this field. However I suspect you will have to do your degree, LPC, training contract (in 4 seats) and then can choose your speciality.