In a world where art increasingly intersects with commerce,
culture, and global mobility, navigating the legal landscape of
the art market requires more than technical knowledge — it
demands sensitivity to creativity and a strategic legal vision.
At Aegis Partners LLC, we provide sophisticated and forward-thinking legal counsel across the full spectrum of art law, with a particular focus on the Swiss and international art markets.
Based in Switzerland, we combine global perspective with in-depth knowledge of the Swiss legal and regulatory framework.
Our Art Law practice is led by Joseph Merhai, whose experience and strategic insight guide clients through the legal, financial, and operational complexities of the art world.
We advise artists, collectors, galleries, museums, foundations, auction houses, and cultural institutions, as well as financial intermediaries and other stakeholders engaged in the creation, circulation, and preservation of art and cultural assets.
Our practice is grounded in a deep understanding of both the legal and practical complexities of the international art market. We assist clients in structuring, negotiating, and executing transactions involving artworks and collections, ensuring that each step — from acquisition to disposition — is handled with
precision, discretion, and foresight.
We regularly advise on matters including:
We advise our clients in every field of intellectual property (patent law, trademark and design law, and copyright law), including related areas such as unfair competition. We represent clients in IP litigation on both the federal and cantonal level. In addition, we advise on commercial transactions such as licensing, franchising, all kind of technology transfer issues, and IP due diligence in M&A matters.
The areas of our intellectual property practice include: intellectual property litigation, patents, trademarks, designs, copyrights and entertainment law, unfair competition, technology transfer, licensing and other transactions involving intellectual property rights, drafting and negotiating software and other IT agreements as well as outsourcing contracts, IP support in connection with M&A transactions, including due diligence.
