Thomas Kearns Quoted on VARA Claims in Law360’s 2026 FIFA World Cup Legal Review

Olshan Real Estate Law Of Counsel Thomas Kearns was quoted in a Law360 article (subscription required) summarizing the major legal and regulatory issues that emerged during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Among the issues is a dispute over artists’ rights after Florida-based artist Robert Wyland sued FIFA and other entities over the destruction of his “Whaling Wall” mural in downtown Dallas. Wyland alleges that the mural was painted over to make way for World Cup promotional artwork, violating the federal Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA), which protects certain works of visual art from intentional destruction or modification. While Wyland’s case is still in its early stages, Tom said that, “Assuming there is no written agreement with the artist waiving the applicability of VARA, the artist seems to have the perfect VARA case. It’s a perfect example of how a property owner can get caught up in the excitement of a big event like the World Cup being next door and miss sending a crucial notice.”