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Nicholas O'Donnell was recently quoted in the ABA Journal (Vol. 112, No. 2, Spring 2026) [sub. req'd] in an article titled “A lawyer and a Holocaust survivor help families find items that Nazis seized decades ago." 

The article looks at ongoing efforts to identify and recover art and other property looted from Jewish families during the Holocaust, as well as the legal challenges that continue to shape restitution claims decades later.

Drawing on his experience in art and cultural property law, Nick emphasized that these efforts remain far from complete. “The question I get asked the most is, ‘Are these claims going to be all done soon?’ My answer is always no, because art can be anywhere, hidden,” he said.

Nick also addressed the legal complexities surrounding restitution claims, noting that some cases focus on proving outright theft, while others turn on whether transactions were made under coercion or duress. “There’s a basic recognition that there was no such thing as an arm’s length transaction for groups targeted by the Nazis,” he said, adding that many cases ultimately result in financial settlements or are limited by legal impediments.