Peter J. Caruso II
Partner
Peter J. Caruso II specializes in the representation of traditional and online media entities, artists, art organizations, museums, and galleries. His services include the protection of trademark, copyright and intellectual property rights, First Amendment issues, accession, deaccession, stolen art, privacy issues, art import and export, provenance, privacy, and business and corporate matters.
Peter represents the interests of both local and national newspapers, magazines, publishers, broadcasters, bloggers, and website operators. Peter has counseled artists and media publications in the areas of copyright, trademark and fair use, conducted prepublication and prebroadcast review for newspapers and radio stations, conducted advertising and sweepstakes reviews, and defended artists, galleries, museums, media outlets and individuals in defamation cases.
Peter is one of the drafters of the Massachusetts Art Consignment Statute (MGL 104A), which was enacted to afford additional protection to consignors of fine art. He is a lecturer in the Boston University Arts Administration Master’s Program, teaching “Legal Aspects of Arts Administration” to master’s candidates. Peter is an active panel attorney with the Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts of Massachusetts, handling pro bono and reduced-fee art law cases, as well as serving as a primary lecturer in the VLA Artist’s Toolbox program. After a consignment shop closed its doors, his work in securing the release of more than 1,000 pieces of art from federal bankruptcy through the prosecution of claims under the Massachusetts art consignment statute earned him the VLA’s annual “Robert B. Fraser” award as a pro bono counsel of the year in 2004.
After law school, Peter served as an associate and then managing partner of Caruso & Caruso, LLP in Andover, MA.
Selected Publications and Seminars
“Whose Art Is It?” ArtsEditor, December 1999 Issue. (Article dissects Art Preservation Act of Massachusetts)
“To Buy or Not to Buy.” ArtsEditor, August 2000 Issue. (Protecting Collectors from Stolen Art)
Making Art and Making a Living. Arts Foundation of Cape Cod April 2001. Featured Lecturer.
Artist’s Survival Series, Panelist on Copyright and Licensing for Artists, Spring 2001 Symposium. Featured Lecturer.
Boston University Law School Arts Law Association Career Panel, 2000. Panelist.
Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts/Women’s Union Lecture Series. Lecturer. Consignment Agreements and Licensing Agreements for the Modern Artist.
Demystifying the Artist Gallery Agreement. Lecturer. University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth. February 2002.
Copyright, the Artist and the Gallery. Massachusetts College of Art. April 2002.
Gallery Contracts. Lecturer. N2K Conference. Lesley University. October 2002.
Current Legal Issues in the Art World. Lecturer. Boston Bar Association Entertainment & Sports Law Committee. March 2003.
Copyright in the World of Photography. Lecturer. New England School of Photography. 2004 Annual Conference.
Artist Toolbox, Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts. Lecturer. Copyright, Trademark and Intellectual Property for the Artist. 2005-2006 Session.
Artist Toolbox, Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts. Lecturer. Real Estate Law for the Artist. 2005-2006 Session.
Artist Toolbox, Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts. Lecturer. Estate Planning for the Artist. 2005-2006 Session.
Copyright in the World of Photography. Lecturer. New England School of Photography. 2005 Annual Conference.
Artist Toolbox, Volunteer Lawyer’s For the Arts. Lecturer. Copyright, Trademark and Intellectual Property for the Artist. 2006-2007 Session.
Artist Toolbox, Volunteer Lawyer’s For the Arts. Lecturer. Real Estate Law for the Artist. 2006-2007 Session.
Artist Toolbox, Volunteer Lawyer’s For the Arts. Lecturer. Estate Planning for the Artist. 2006-2007 Session.
Copyright in the World of Photography. Lecturer. New England School of Photography. 2006 Annual Conference.
Bar Admissions- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- United States Supreme Court
- United States District Court of Massachusetts
- United States First Circuit Court of Appeals
Education- Suffolk University Law School, J.D., cum laude, 1996
- Colby College, B.A., cum laude, 1993
Memberships- Essex Bar Association
- Massachusetts Bar Association
- Massachusetts Biotechnology Council
Professional Activities- Adjunct Professor, Boston University (Arts Administration) 2007-Present
- Former Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Essex Art Center
- Panel Attorney for the Boston Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts
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