Anna O'Connell BCL
Anna O’Connell is a solicitor consultant at Klein Solicitors. She graduated from University College Dublin in 1995 with a BCL (European) law degree, having studied Civil Law at Mont Saint Aignan University in Rouen, France. Anna qualified as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales in 1999. She is a visiting fellow in Cultural Property and Heritage Law at the London School of Economics (LSE) and holds a postgraduate diploma in Asian Art History (University of London, Royal Holloway College).
Prior to joining Klein Solicitors, Anna worked in private practice at two leading City of London law firms (including the London office of a top ranked US law firm) and in the Geneva office of a Swiss law firm, specialising in general commercial law and commercial litigation. During that time, she advised and represented clients active in industry, international trade, energy and finance. She has also completed a training programme at the Competition Law Directorate (DGIV) of the European Commission in Brussels.
More recently, Anna specialised in art and cultural heritage law when she became in-house solicitor at the Art Loss Register with responsibility for the resolution of title disputes involving stolen and looted works of art and antiques as well as general commercial matters. She is an author and recognised expert on anti-seizure laws for artworks loaned abroad temporarily for exhibition. Her work on the subject was published and quoted in a consultation paper issued by the UK’s Department for Culture Media and Sport in 2006. She has spoken on anti-seizure laws on BBC radio.
Anna has contributed to various publications on art and cultural heritage law matters including Art, Antiquity and Law, the American Bar Association Art and Cultural Heritage Law Newsletter, the International Bar Association Art, Cultural Institutions and Heritage Law Newsletter, Antiques Magazine and Gavel Magazine (National Association of Valuers and Auctioneers). She has lectured on art and cultural heritage law at the European Museum Registrars’ Conference in Madrid, Sotheby’s Institute of Art, Contemporary Art Society, Association Art et Droit in Paris, Faculté de Droit, Université Jean Moulin, in Lyon, the UK Museum Registrars Group Conference in London, the Art Lobby Program at Art Basel, and at conferences organised by the Institute for Art and Law.
Anna is a member of the advisory panel of the International Foundation for Cultural Diplomacy, as well as a member of the Law Society of England and Wales, the International Bar Association (IBA) and the Institute of Art and Law. She speaks French, Spanish and Irish.
Anna can be contacted on +44 (0)207 958 9889 or by email to aoc@kleinsolicitors.com.
