Mari-Claudia Jiménez, a prominent figure in the international art market and former chairman and president of the Americas at Sotheby's, has joined global law firm Withers to launch Withers Art and Advisory, a hybrid legal-art advisory practice based in New York. The new venture will provide collectors, estates, and institutions with integrated market advice and legal counsel on acquiring and holding art, combining real-time market insight with transactional legal expertise. Jiménez, a barred attorney, has overseen landmark deals including the restitution and sale of five Kazimir Malevich paintings, the $106.5 million sale of Picasso's *Nude, Green Leaves and Bust*, and the record-breaking $922 million Macklowe collection auction.
This move matters because it signals a shift toward greater professionalism and ethical standards in the often opaque art advisory market. By offering unbiased, legally accountable advice without conflicts of interest—unlike many uncredentialed advisers—Jiménez aims to elevate the bar for client counsel in the art world. The practice will operate alongside Withers's global art law team, covering tax, IP, litigation, and estate planning, and is expected to expand with additional specialists, potentially reshaping how high-value art transactions are managed and advised upon.