Abstract: We investigate the Lambda (1520) photoproduction in the (gamma) over right arrowp -> K+ Lambda(1520) reaction within the effective Lagrangian method near threshold. In addition to the “background” contributions from the contact, t-channel K-exchange, and s-channel nucleon pole terms, which were already considered in previous studies, the contribution from the nucleon resonance N*(2080) (spin-parity J(P) = 3/2(-)) is also considered. We show that the inclusion of the nucleon resonance N*(2080) leads to a fairly good description of the new LEPS differential cross-section data, and that these measurements can be used to determine some of the properties of this latter resonance. However, serious discrepancies appear when the predictions of the model are compared to the photon-beam asymmetry, which was also measured by the LEPS Collaboration.