Raffaela Pisano
Special Counsel, Melbourne
I am a knowledgeable, pragmatic insurance lawyer with experience across all areas of commercial and insurance litigation.

My practice focuses on professional indemnity, directors’ and officers’ insurance, and banking and securities litigation. I often work on large and complex multiparty disputes including class actions. These require active day-to-day management of internal and external project services teams and key stakeholders.

My clients find me easy to deal with, efficient and responsive, and a source of reliable advice. I previously worked with Sedgwick Group in London and as an insurance claims investigator for Sterling Associates, and always apply my practical insurance experience to my legal work.

Career highlights

  • Acted for former executives of Flavoured Beverages Group Holdings Limited in various cross-claims brought against them in proceedings issued by Asahi Holdings (Australia) Pty Ltd and Asahi Liquor New Zealand Ltd, for losses in excess of NZ$500 million related to alleged misleading and deceptive conduct in the sale of the company's shares
  • VicUrban (Places Victoria); Port of Melbourne Corporation; Transport Accident Commission; WorkSafe Victoria – advised on the insurance arrangements for public and commercial projects, including public–private partnerships
  • Worked on shareholder class actions against Billabong, Sigma Pharmaceuticals and OZ Minerals/Zinifex, and the class action involving the alleged landfill gas contamination of the Brookland Greens Estate
  • Served a six-year ministerial appointment as a member of the Comcover Advisory Council
  • Serving as president of the Victorian Branch of the Australian Insurance Law Association
  • Was president of the Victorian Branch of the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance; a founding member and former committee member of the Victorian Insurance and Reinsurance Discussion Group and the Australian Professional Indemnity Group Inc.
  • Was selected by my peers for inclusion in Best Lawyers between 2014 and 2017