Dr. Louis Rönsberg – German Art Lawyer

German-qualified Lawyer (Rechtsanwalt) | Partner
Certified Specialist in Commercial and Corporate Law
Certified Specialist in Banking and Capital Markets Law

Dr. Louis Rönsberg is a German art lawyer and partner at SLB LAW in Munich. He advises and represents private collectors, heirs, museums, foundations, galleries, art dealers and auction houses from Germany and abroad on German art law and disputes involving valuable works of art and collections.

He has worked in the field of art law for many years, with a particular focus on art transactions and auctions, art forgery and authenticity disputes, Nazi-looted art and restitution, cultural property law and complex art litigation.

A substantial part of his practice involves international clients and cross-border matters with a connection to Germany. Mandates can be conducted entirely in English.

German Art Law – Areas of Practice

Art law is not a single codified area of German law. Legal disputes involving works of art frequently combine contract and sales law, property law, cultural property law and civil procedure with the particular practices and structures of the international art market.

Dr. Rönsberg advises clients in particular in the following areas:

Art Transactions & Art Sales

Legal advice on the acquisition and sale of valuable works of art and collections, including private sales, purchase agreements, authenticity and attribution, provenance, title, warranties and liability.

He advises both before a transaction and when disputes arise after the acquisition or sale of an artwork.

Art Auctions & Auction Law

Advice and representation in connection with art auctions in Germany, including auction terms and conditions, consignment agreements, catalogue descriptions, authenticity and attribution, reserve prices, provenance, ownership and liability.

Dr. Rönsberg represents bidders, buyers, consignors and auction houses in disputes arising before and after an auction.

Art Forgery & Authenticity Disputes

A particular focus of Dr. Rönsberg’s practice is the legal handling of art forgeries and disputes concerning the authenticity or attribution of artworks.

He advises buyers and sellers when a work purchased as authentic is subsequently challenged or rejected by experts and represents clients in claims concerning rescission of the transaction, repayment of the purchase price and damages.

Such cases frequently require close cooperation between legal counsel, art historians, restorers, scientific experts and other specialists.

Nazi-Looted Art & Restitution

Dr. Rönsberg has extensive experience in matters involving Nazi-looted art, provenance and restitution.

He advises heirs of former owners as well as current holders of artworks, private collectors, museums and foundations on restitution claims and disputed provenance.

His work includes the legal assessment of historical transactions, negotiations concerning restitution claims and representation in complex restitution disputes.

German Cultural Property Law

Dr. Rönsberg advises collectors, dealers, museums and other participants in the art market on German cultural property law, including the German Cultural Property Protection Act (Kulturgutschutzgesetz – KGSG).

His practice includes questions concerning the import and export of artworks and cultural property, export licences, due diligence and provenance requirements as well as seizures and other measures by German authorities.

Art Litigation & Dispute Resolution

As an experienced litigator, Dr. Rönsberg represents clients in complex disputes concerning works of art before German courts.

Cases include disputes relating to art purchases and auctions, authenticity and attribution, ownership and title, restitution, damages and professional liability.

Particular attention is given to questions of evidence and burden of proof. In art disputes, the outcome may depend on expert evidence, provenance research, scientific analysis and the precise documentation of a transaction.

Dr. Rönsberg therefore considers both the substantive legal position and the procedural strategy from the beginning of a matter.

International Clients

The art market is international, while disputes concerning artworks are frequently governed by national law.

A collector may be based in the United States, the United Kingdom, Switzerland or another jurisdiction while the artwork, seller, auction house, museum or relevant transaction is located in Germany.

Dr. Rönsberg regularly advises international clients on matters involving German art law.

This includes questions of applicable law and jurisdiction, cross-border art transactions, disputes with German auction houses and dealers, restitution claims involving German collections and the enforcement or defence of claims before German courts.

Where a matter involves several jurisdictions, he works with specialised lawyers and other advisers abroad where necessary.

Clients can communicate with Dr. Rönsberg and his team entirely in English.

Experience & Recognition

Dr. Louis Rönsberg has advised clients on German art law for many years and has been recognised by leading legal directories for his work in the field.

Best Lawyers has recognised him in The Best Lawyers in Germany for Art Law since 2018. He is also recognised by Best Lawyers for Litigation.

He has repeatedly been listed by Handelsblatt among Germany’s Best Lawyers for his work in Art Law.

Dr. Rönsberg is also recommended by The Legal 500 Germany.

Selected Art Law Matters

Dr. Louis Rönsberg has advised and represented clients in a number of significant art law matters, including:

2025 – Peter Paul Rubens, “Landscape with Cows”
Advice in a restitution matter concerning the painting attributed to Peter Paul Rubens.

2024 – Gustav Klimt, “Portrait of Fräulein Lieser”
Advice in connection with the restitution of Gustav Klimt’s Portrait of Fräulein Lieser in Vienna.

2024 – Ploschitzki v. MARKK
Representation in a restitution dispute concerning a historic Buddha sculpture.

2023 – Heinrich Campendonk, “Wirtshaus”
Advice in a restitution matter concerning Heinrich Campendonk’s Wirtshaus.

2023 – Art Forgery Litigation
Representation in litigation concerning copies of works by Leo Putz and Edward Cucuel.

2022 – Art Kite Collection
Legal advice in connection with the Art Kite Collection, which achieved an auction result of approximately €8.7 million.

2022 – Renaissance Painting
Legal advice concerning a transaction involving a Renaissance painting valued at approximately €10 million.

2019 – Bernheimer v. Free State of Bavaria
Representation in a restitution matter involving the heirs of Munich art dealer Otto Bernheimer.

2018 – Stradivarius “Cobbett” (1721)
Legal advice concerning the sale of the historic Stradivarius violin Cobbett.

2014 – Cornelius Gurlitt / Munich Art Trove
Legal advice in connection with the Cornelius Gurlitt collection and the restitution of works including Henri Matisse’s Sitting Woman and Max Liebermann’s Two Riders on the Beach.

Professional Qualifications

Dr. Louis Rönsberg is admitted to practise as a Rechtsanwalt in Germany.

He is a:

• Certified Specialist in Commercial and Corporate Law (Fachanwalt für Handels- und Gesellschaftsrecht)
• Certified Specialist in Banking and Capital Markets Law (Fachanwalt für Bank- und Kapitalmarktrecht)

He studied law at the Universities of Passau and Würzburg and obtained his doctorate in law (Dr. jur.) from the University of Würzburg.

His professional experience includes work with law firms in Munich, Hamburg and New York.

He joined SLB LAW in 2010 and became a partner in 2012.

Memberships & International Network

Dr. Rönsberg is a member of:

• the Institute for Art and Law (Institut für Kunst und Recht IFKUR e.V.),
• PIN. Freunde der Pinakothek der Moderne e.V., and
• Münchner Kunstverein e.V.

Through the firm’s international network and his membership in IR Global, Dr. Rönsberg has access to specialised lawyers and advisers in numerous jurisdictions for cross-border matters.