ABCs of Art Law: H is for Heist

Explore the legal challenges of art theft, from prevention and insurance to stolen artwork recovery.

Art theft presents complex legal challenges for attorneys advising museums, collectors, galleries, insurers, and other stakeholders in the art market. Part of the Center for Art Law’s ABCs of Art Law series, this one-hour program will explore the legal issues surrounding art theft, from prevention and risk management to the legal response and recovery efforts following a theft.

Using the 2025 Louvre heist as a case study, the program will examine the practical considerations that arise before, during, and after an art theft. Speakers will discuss security and risk prevention, the legal responsibilities of institutions and their advisers, insurance considerations, and the challenges of recovering stolen artworks. The discussion will bring together perspectives from art law, museum security, and fine art insurance to help attorneys better understand the roles they may play in preventing theft, responding to incidents, and navigating the aftermath.

The session will be moderated by Irina Tarsis, Esq., Founder and Managing Director, Center for Art Law.

This is a CLE Event. 1 Credit for Professional Practice Pending Approval.

About the Speakers

Pierre Ciric

Founding Member, Ciric Law Firm, PLLC

Pierre Ciric is a founding partner of the Ciric Law Firm, PLLC. Pierre represents French, American and European businesses, non-profits, and individuals in the United States before American jurisdictions. He specializes in commercial litigation, cultural heritage law, non-profit law, as well as trust and estate law. Pierre is currently the Vice President of the French American Bar Association, a non-profit bar association based in New York gathering a large number of Franco-American lawyers and jurists across all United States. Pierre is also a member of the Professional Ethics Committee of the New York County Lawyers Association and a board member of the New York Law School Alumni Association.

Anthony Amore

Director of Security and Chief Investigator, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.

Anthony Amore is an author, art theft expert, and security professional. For the past 20 years, he has served as Director of Security and Chief Investigator at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, where he oversees ongoing efforts to recover thirteen works of art stolen in the museum’s infamous 1990 heist. He has written four nonfiction books on art crime, including The Rembrandt Heist, which was named one of Smithsonian magazine’s ten best history books of 2025. Anthony also writes a Substack on art crime which is accessible at: https://anthonyamore.substack.com/

FRANCES ERB

Underwriting Manager, Fine Art & Private Clients, Switzerland, AXA XL

Frances Erb is Underwriting Manager, Fine Art & Private Clients, Switzerland, at AXA XL, where she specializes in fine art insurance and risk assessment. With an academic background in art history and business management from the University of Glasgow, as well as GIA certifications in diamond, colored stone, and pearl grading, she brings together expertise in art, collectibles, and the insurance industry. Her professional interests include modern and contemporary art, the art market, and fine jewelry. Through her work, she helps clients navigate the risks associated with protecting valuable artworks and collections.

Irina Tarsis

Founder and Managing Director for the Center for Art Law

Irina is an art historian and a practicing attorney admitted to the bar in New York State. She earned her Masters Degree in Art History from Harvard University and her J.D. from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law (NY). Ms. Tarsis launched the Center for Art Law as a blog in 2008/2009. Under her leadership, the Center was incorporated as a stand-alone non-profit organization in December 2017. Ms. Tarsis has served on the faculty of the Teachers College/Columbia University (2020), Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law (2012, 2017-2018) and the European Shoah Legacy Institute/Provenance Research Training Workshops in Vilnius, Lithuania (2013), Athens, Greece and Rome, Italy (2014). Her publications include articles in the IFAR Journal, Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Journal, Cultural Heritage & Arts Review, Library and The Cultural Record, the ArtWatch UK Journal and the Institute of Art & Law’s journal, Art Antiquity and Law.

If you are an attorney seeking CLE credit in NY for this event you must purchase a legal professional ticket. THIS PROGRAM IS PENDING CLE ACCREDITATION.

Financial Aid:

If you are experiencing financial hardship and need assistance for the purchase of a legal professional ticket specifically, please fill out our financial aid application HERE.

CLE CREDITS

This course or program is pending approval in accordance with the requirements of the New York State Continuing Legal Education Board for a maximum of 1 credit hour in Professional Practice. (Please note this is for NEW YORK CLE Credit)