Vanessa Gulesserian is a special counsel in the insurance group at Colin Biggers & Paisley. She has extensive experience working in insurance litigation and has defended a wide range of professional indemnity and general liability claims, with strength in claims and disciplinary actions against allied health professionals and in property damage claims. Vanessa also advises insurers on policy interpretation and has acted on behalf of insurers in the defence of complex litigated indemnity disputes.

Since joining Colin Biggers & Paisley in 2012, Vanessa has acted for various insurers and their clients, including:

  • Advising and acting for allied health professionals in respect of professional misconduct inquiries and prosecutions.

  • Advising and acting for medical institutions in coronial investigations.

  • Defending high value and complex property damage and business interruption claims involving subsurface engineering, wet pipe systems and general building and construction defects.

  • Acting for various professionals including solicitors, insurance brokers, financial advisers, accountants and engineers in defence of professional indemnity claims. 

  • Defending occupiers and event organisers in liability claims involving catastrophic injuries.

  • Advising on complex contractual and indemnity obligations between parties in subcontract arrangements.

  • Advising and acting for Insurers in complex coverage disputes involving the provisions of the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth).

  • Advising and defending historical abuse claims.

Vanessa regularly presents to clients on a range of insurance and legal topics, and has contributed to a number of articles and publications, including Colin Biggers & Paisley's flagship publication, A Users Guide to Civil Liability. 

Vanessa has a Bachelor of Laws from Macquarie University and Bachelor of Arts from the University of Sydney and is admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of New South Wales, Federal Court and High Court of Australia.