Judith Bresler Fellowship
Along with a desire to forge meaningful connections between law and the arts, the Center for Art Law is committed to educating visual artists and the attorneys who defend them. In recognition of the numerous contributions that Judith Bresler (1946-2020) made to advance the art law field as a lawyer, professor, author, mentor, and advocate for the arts, the Center for Art Law is offering the Judith Bresler Fellowship to recent law school graduates.
In 2020, with the passing away of Judith Bresler, the art law community lost a beloved colleague and mentor, a prominent transactional attorney and litigator who co-authored the seminal Art Law Treatise, now in its fifth printing. Judith was a tireless advocate for the advancement of art and law and an inspiration to her colleagues and to all seeking to dedicate themselves to the practice and advancement of art and law.
In her memory, the Center for Art Law is proud to offer the Judith Bresler Fellowship to candidates who exhibit many of the gifts, qualities, and passions that Judith so beautifully embodied.
Read more about the work that Atreya has done in her
2021 Judith Bresler Fellowship Report.
Meet our inagural Judith Bresler Fellow, Atreya Mathur, and see the work
she has done so far.
How to Apply
The application cycle for Academic Year 2023-2024 will open on March 15, 2023.
Position
From teaching Art & Law Workshops to hosting legal clinics, the Center wholeheartedly believes in educating the arts community through an accessible, affordable, and personable approach. In January 2020, the Center launched a Visual Artists’ Immigration Clinic designed to guide international artists through the process of obtaining a visa to work and create in the United States.
The Center currently envisions creating similar artists’ clinics for art consignment contracts and to help artists with planning their estates and legacies, two topics that were of particular interest to Judith.
Under the supervision of the Executive Director, the Judith Bresler Fellow will take the lead on the operation and expansion of the Visual Artists’ Legal Clinics, including:
- To coordinate the planning of clinic sessions;
- To perform field research toward the creation of clinics dedicated to helping artists navigate (1) consignment contracts and artist-dealer relationships, and (2) estate and legacy planning for artists;
- To research, draft, and publish articles on topics related to the clinics’ areas of focus;
- To create a network of resources to promote and expand the mission of the clinics;
- To work with volunteer attorneys, clients, stakeholders, and related organizations on offering relevant and timely pro bono clinical sessions; and
- To collect data from sessions and to prepare reports and presentations on the program performance.
The Judith Bresler Fellow is expected to work 20 hours per week from September through July. At this time, while the Judith Bresler Fellowship will be conducted remotely until further notice, candidates must be located in the United States and preference is given to those residing in New York.
In addition to receiving a stipend of $12,000*, the Judith Bresler Fellow enjoys mentorship and professional development support, as well as access to the Center’s resources and networking opportunities, together an unparalleled exposure to the field of art and cultural heritage law.
* May be increased based on success of fundraising efforts.
Qualifications
The Judith Bresler Fellow will be selected through a review process by the Center’s staff and a committee of professionals in the field of art law.
To be eligible, applicants must be recent graduates (0-2 years after graduation) from an ABA-accredited law school, must show relevant experience before, during, and after college and law school with management and leadership skills, and must have a demonstrated interest in public or community service and advocacy.
In addition, an ideal candidate would demonstrate a dedication to following Judith Bresler’s footsteps: advocacy for the arts and artists, a sincere interest in contributing to the art world and community by writing and publishing, along with an understanding of the importance of mentorship and teaching others.
Application Process
To apply for the Judith Bresler Fellowship, candidates must fill out an application form and gather the following documents:
- Cover letter;
- Resume or CV;
- One letter of recommendation from an academic professor or former supervisor;
- Most recent school transcripts.
The application cycle for Academic Year 2022-2023 is now closed. The 2023-2024 Academic Year, cycle will begin on March 15, 2023 and end on April 30, 2024.
For inquiries, please use the contact form below. Applications received by email will not be considered.
Sponsors
The Center for Art Law gratefully acknowledges the support of the following organizations:
