Richard Edwards QC Art Law Prize

The Richard Edwards QC Art Law prize is founded in memory of Richard Edwards QC (1966-2021).

Richard Edwards QC Born in 1966 in Birmingham, Richard was educated at Malvern College and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he studied English Literature. He graduated in 1988 with a first class degree. Between 1988 and 1991 he worked at the Leger Gallery, Old Bond Street.

After completing the GDL, Bar Finals and pupillage, Richard practised as a barrister from 3 Verulam Buildings, Gray’s Inn. Alongside a wide-ranging commercial law practice, Richard developed a pre-eminent specialism in the field of disputes about art and cultural property. His best-known cases included Thwaytes v Sotheby’s (2015), Accidia v Simon C Dickinson Ltd [2010], and Coleridge v Sotheby’s [2012].

Richard was a person of deep culture, intelligence in its best sense, and rare decency and warmth. Everything intensely interested him – literature, poetry, music, art, philosophy, mathematics. Ferociously curious about all intellectual and artistic activity, he intended his cultural interests to be part of his life, and rose early every workday, so that he could read and play his violin before going into Chambers.

Richard died on 13 January 2021 following a sudden brain haemorrhage.

The essay prize is intended to stand as a tribute and memorial to Richard, as a leading figure in the field of art and cultural property law and as a nurturer of emerging talents in others, whose untimely loss deprived his family (Claire, Elizabeth and Louis) of an exceptional person, and deprived the legal world, and his many friends and colleagues, of a great legal talent and a beacon of humanity.

The Essay Prize

Aims and objectives

This is the inaugural essay prize. Our aims and objectives in founding it are:

to establish a memorial to Richard, recognising his eminence in the art law field, and his commitment to the encouragement and support of students and young lawyers;
to promote art and cultural property law and practice in all their respects;
to encourage those considering a future in the world of art, law or both, and to provide opportunities for access to established practitioners and to work in the field.

The Essay

Essayists are invited to submit an essay, of no more than 3000 words (including title and footnotes), on the following topic:

“In the future, legal disputes involving the authenticity or attribution of art will be resolved by science and technology, not connoisseurship. Discuss.”

The Prize

The prizes will be:

1^st place: £2500, and one week work experience with the Stephenson Harwood Art Law Group
2^nd place: £1000, and one week internship at the Institute of Art and Law
3^rd place: £500

In addition, there will be a prize of a 2-day placement in Sotheby’s “Working in the Arts” programme for the best essay written by an undergraduate or GDL student.

The winning essays will be published in Art Antiquity and Law, IAL’s quarterly journal, and on the 3VB website.

Eligibility and Deadlines

In 2026 the competition is open to undergraduate and postgraduate students aged 26 or under as of Friday 27 November 2026.

Essayists are asked to register their interest (to include name, date of birth and academic status) by email to Petra Bailey, preferably by Wednesday 14 October 2026 (later registrations will be accepted). Queries about eligibility can be made to the same email address.

Essays must be received by midnight on Friday 27 November 2026 at the same email address.

Entrants will be asked to (i) for evidence of their academic status; and (ii) that AI has not been used to generate the content of the essay (use for research is permitted).

The winners will be announced in early January 2027, with an awards event to follow later in January 2027.