Gregor Kleinknecht
Gregor qualified as a German Rechtsanwalt in 1995 and as an English solicitor in 1996.
Following a career at two leading international City of London law firms and at a US law firm, Gregor founded and led the boutique firm of Klein Solicitors. He joined Hunters as a Partner in the Dispute Resolution and Business Services departments upon the merger of the two firms in February 2014.
Gregor has a broadly based practice with an emphasis on international commercial dispute resolution and, in particular, on complex and high value cross-border and multi-jurisdictional arbitration and litigation cases. He is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and an accredited mediator with ADR Group.
Two other aspects of Gregor’s practice are a strong contentious and non-contentious international IP practice, focusing on brand protection, and the exploitation, protection and enforcement of trademarks, domain names, design rights and copyright; and a leading practice in art and cultural heritage law.
Gregor’s clients have to date included sovereign governments, multi-national corporations, banks and other financial institutions, an Ivy League University, but also small innovative start-up companies, art galleries, dealers and collectors, artists and sports personalities, family offices and private clients.
Department
Languages
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FRENCH
-
GERMAN
FRENCH
GERMAN
Awards
Chambers HNW 2021
Ranked in Band 2 for Art and Cultural Property Law
“One of the names you come across often. He is extremely bright and knows this area inside out and is good with clients.”
“He is a really personable lawyer, and has international experience in art and cultural property matters.”
The Law Reviews Expert Panel 2021
The Art Law Review; chapter on the United Kingdom
Spear's 500 2021
Art Advisors
Chambers & Partners UK 2021
Band 2 for Art and Cultural Property Law
“He is an excellent communicator and very personable. He can break everything down into a really digestible fashion, which is a real skill.”
The Legal 500 UK 2021
Leading Individual in ‘Art and Cultural Property’
“Gregor Kleinknecht knows the art market like the back of his hand”
“We value Gregor Kleinknecht’s tailored, client-based approach, whereby he takes pains to understand our concerns, what we are seeking to achieve and our budget, before presenting the options and following through as agreed”
“Gregor Kleinknecht is outstanding, with a profound understanding of issues relating to art law”
Chambers HNW 2020
Ranked in Band 2 for Art and Cultural Property Law
“He is “brilliant”, “very knowledgeable and experienced“ and “a calm, sensible and knowledgeable lawyer.”
“A commentator notes “I like him very much – he is very, very focused, professional and down to earth. He is a calming influence and he has a very measured approach.”
Chambers & Partners UK 2020
Ranked in Band 3 for Art and Cultural Property Law
“He is extremely knowledgeable about the art market and particularly strong on contractual matters.”
The Legal 500 UK 2020
Leading Individual in ‘Art and Cultural Property’
“Gregor Kleinknecht has huge knowledge of cross-border and multi-jurisdictional transactions and is an excellent detail man.”
“Gregor Kleinknecht is very experienced and pushes hard for his client.”
Chambers HNW 2019
Ranked in Band 3 for Art and Cultural Property Law
“Gregor is 'incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about art'”
“He has a breadth of experience in art law to be considered an expert. He can handle litigation and the IP side of things as well. He is the total package”
“Recognised as 'very clear and very efficient'. He 'always responds very promptly'”
Chambers UK 2019
Ranked in Band 3 in the Art and Cultural Property Department
“Recognised as 'very knowledgeable, thoughtful and efficient, and is keen to give the client the best advice and get the right results'”
The Legal 500 2019
Recommended in the Art and Cultural Property section
Chambers UK 2018
Ranked in Band 3 in the Art and Cultural Property Department
“Recognised for his 'enormous skill with art law, and his ability to handle different art legal issues with immense pressure and skill. He explains confusing or tricky situations very clearly and acts decisively and firmly on the clients behalf'”
The Legal 500 2017
Listed in the Art and Cultural Property section
“'Prominent in the area' and a 'tough litigator'”
Chambers HNW 2017
Ranked in Band 3 for Art and Cultural Property Law
Chambers UK 2016
“Recommended as 'very involved and is one of the few I would think of as being an art market specialist'”
The Legal 500 2016
Recommended in the Art and Cultural Property section
“Referrers note that he has 'a great eye for detail and is very hardworking'”
Corporate Live Wire 2014
Lawyer of the Year in the category Intellectual Property – UK
Corporate Live Wire 2013
Lawyer of the Year in the category Litigation – UK
MEMBERSHIPS
Professional Memberships:
The Law Society, Rechtsanwaltskammer Frankfurt am Main, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Deutsche Institution für Schiedsgerichtsbarkeit (DIS), Art Resolve, International Bar Association (IBA), Union Internationale des Avocats (UIA), American Bar Association Section of International Law (ABA)(Member of the Steering Committee for Art & Cultural Heritage), Professional Advisers to the International Art Market (PAIAM)(Chair of the Board); Art Investment Council (AIC); Lawyers Committee for Cultural Heritage Preservation (LCCHP), Institut für Kunst und Recht.
Corporate Memberships:
London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), Institute of Art and Law (IAL), Art Law Foundation, Lawyers Volunteering for the Arts, German-British Chamber of Industry & Commerce, Franco-British Lawyers Society.
Personal Memberships:
The Arts Club, Fondation Maeght, National Farmers Union (NFU), Royal Yachting Association (RYA), Goodwood Road Racing Company, Wadebridge Coasters Cycling Club, British Cycling.
Department
Languages
-
FRENCH
-
GERMAN
Awards
Chambers HNW 2021
Ranked in Band 2 for Art and Cultural Property Law
“One of the names you come across often. He is extremely bright and knows this area inside out and is good with clients.”
“He is a really personable lawyer, and has international experience in art and cultural property matters.”
The Law Reviews Expert Panel 2021
The Art Law Review; chapter on the United Kingdom
Spear's 500 2021
Art Advisors
Chambers & Partners UK 2021
Band 2 for Art and Cultural Property Law
“He is an excellent communicator and very personable. He can break everything down into a really digestible fashion, which is a real skill.”
The Legal 500 UK 2021
Leading Individual in ‘Art and Cultural Property’
“Gregor Kleinknecht knows the art market like the back of his hand”
“We value Gregor Kleinknecht’s tailored, client-based approach, whereby he takes pains to understand our concerns, what we are seeking to achieve and our budget, before presenting the options and following through as agreed”
“Gregor Kleinknecht is outstanding, with a profound understanding of issues relating to art law”
Chambers HNW 2020
Ranked in Band 2 for Art and Cultural Property Law
“He is “brilliant”, “very knowledgeable and experienced“ and “a calm, sensible and knowledgeable lawyer.”
“A commentator notes “I like him very much – he is very, very focused, professional and down to earth. He is a calming influence and he has a very measured approach.”
Chambers & Partners UK 2020
Ranked in Band 3 for Art and Cultural Property Law
“He is extremely knowledgeable about the art market and particularly strong on contractual matters.”
The Legal 500 UK 2020
Leading Individual in ‘Art and Cultural Property’
“Gregor Kleinknecht has huge knowledge of cross-border and multi-jurisdictional transactions and is an excellent detail man.”
“Gregor Kleinknecht is very experienced and pushes hard for his client.”
Chambers HNW 2019
Ranked in Band 3 for Art and Cultural Property Law
“Gregor is 'incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about art'”
“He has a breadth of experience in art law to be considered an expert. He can handle litigation and the IP side of things as well. He is the total package”
“Recognised as 'very clear and very efficient'. He 'always responds very promptly'”
Chambers UK 2019
Ranked in Band 3 in the Art and Cultural Property Department
“Recognised as 'very knowledgeable, thoughtful and efficient, and is keen to give the client the best advice and get the right results'”
The Legal 500 2019
Recommended in the Art and Cultural Property section
Chambers UK 2018
Ranked in Band 3 in the Art and Cultural Property Department
“Recognised for his 'enormous skill with art law, and his ability to handle different art legal issues with immense pressure and skill. He explains confusing or tricky situations very clearly and acts decisively and firmly on the clients behalf'”
The Legal 500 2017
Listed in the Art and Cultural Property section
“'Prominent in the area' and a 'tough litigator'”
Chambers HNW 2017
Ranked in Band 3 for Art and Cultural Property Law
Chambers UK 2016
“Recommended as 'very involved and is one of the few I would think of as being an art market specialist'”
The Legal 500 2016
Recommended in the Art and Cultural Property section
“Referrers note that he has 'a great eye for detail and is very hardworking'”
Corporate Live Wire 2014
Lawyer of the Year in the category Intellectual Property – UK
Corporate Live Wire 2013
Lawyer of the Year in the category Litigation – UK
MEMBERSHIPS
Professional Memberships:
The Law Society, Rechtsanwaltskammer Frankfurt am Main, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Deutsche Institution für Schiedsgerichtsbarkeit (DIS), Art Resolve, International Bar Association (IBA), Union Internationale des Avocats (UIA), American Bar Association Section of International Law (ABA)(Member of the Steering Committee for Art & Cultural Heritage), Professional Advisers to the International Art Market (PAIAM)(Chair of the Board); Art Investment Council (AIC); Lawyers Committee for Cultural Heritage Preservation (LCCHP), Institut für Kunst und Recht.
Corporate Memberships:
London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), Institute of Art and Law (IAL), Art Law Foundation, Lawyers Volunteering for the Arts, German-British Chamber of Industry & Commerce, Franco-British Lawyers Society.
Personal Memberships:
The Arts Club, Fondation Maeght, National Farmers Union (NFU), Royal Yachting Association (RYA), Goodwood Road Racing Company, Wadebridge Coasters Cycling Club, British Cycling.
