Diana Wierbicki

Practice Areas

Diana is a partner and the head of Withers’ global art practice. In her global leadership role, As the head of our global art practice, Diana works with Withers' attorneys with expertise in various legal areas and located across the US, Europe and Asia to ensure that we have a comprehensive approach to addressing all of our clients' art needs. She works on a wide range of domestic and cross-border art law matters involving antiquities to contemporary collections. Her practice is focused on transactional art law dealing with all aspects of purchases, sales, loans, consignments and charitable giving of works of art, including tax planning and art finance analysis. She reviews millions of dollars in art transactions and assists clients in navigating the web of legal issues that affect art transactions, such as sales tax, income and wealth transfer taxes, money laundering issues, cultural property concerns, contracted private and auction sale issues, tax audits and charitable planning.

Her clients include the industry's top collectors, dealers, galleries, charitable organizations, artists, auction houses and museums. In addition, Diana advises high-net-worth individuals and their families on tax, trust and estate planning matters, as well as on commercial transactions associated with that planning. Art is a unique asset, which presents challenging valuation and family relationship issues that Diana is particularly sensitive to when working with clients. Diana also advises art businesses on all aspects of their transactions, operations and global expansion. She assists artists with their legacy planning and gallery representation.

As a forward thinker, Diana represents clients on many groundbreaking developments that are changing the landscape of the art market, including technology and art and the parallels of fashion and art. She is the co-author of the Fifth Edition of Art Law: The Guide for Collectors, Investors, Dealers & Artist and is a frequent speaker on a variety of issues affecting the art market. An established media commentator, Diana has been quoted in numerous news outlets, including The New York Times, CNN, Bloomberg Business, BBC, as well as having written articles for various publications including Forbes, Trusts & Estates, for which she sits on the editorial board, Crain's, and Wealth Management.

Diana is globally recognized by Chambers as one of the leading lawyers in Art and Cultural Property Law and highly regarded for her advice. One source says "She would be at the top of any list. She has long-standing expertise and contacts within the art world," and adds: "She handles some of the biggest deals for collectors and is highly respected by auction houses and galleries." Another states: "She advises a lot of galleries and is active at high levels. She understands the issues, collectors and the art market." Additionally, the New York Law Journal named Diana to its 2020 list of “New York Trailblazers” she was named as one of Crain's New York Business' 2022 Notable Women in Law.

As a contributor to the art and legal community, Diana serves as Co-chair of the Appraisers Association of America's Art Law Day, served as Chair of the New York City Bar Association's Art Law Committee from 2019 to 2022, as Chair of the American Bar Association's Art and Collectibles Committee, on the Professional Advisory Council of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, on the Board of Trustees for Art 21, on the Planned Giving Advisory Council of the New York Historical Society and as a member of the ArtTable Circle.

Professional Memberships

New York City Bar Association's Art Law Committee, Former Chair 2019-2022

Appraisers Association of America's Art Law Day, Co-Chair

The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Professional Advisory Council

International Bar Association's Art, Cultural Institutions and Heritage Law Committee

New-York Historical Society's Planned Giving Advisory Council

American Bar Association's Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Section

Bruce Museum, former Trustee

Art21 Org, Board of Trustees

American Bar Association's Art and Collectibles Committee, Co-Chair

Trust & Estates' Art, Auction & Antiquities Committee, Editorial Advisory Board Member