Elissa Taylor

Elissa Taylor is a barrister with a cross-disciplinary practice spanning criminal law, insurance, regulatory enforcement, and commercial litigation. She regularly appears in courts and tribunals throughout Victoria in matters involving complex intersections of statutory obligations, competing interests, and commercial risk.

Elissa draws on a broad foundation of experience spanning courtroom advocacy, corporate advisory services, and international regulatory work. Her practice is grounded in a strategic and analytical approach, with a focus on resolving disputes efficiently and with clarity.

Criminal and Regulatory Matters

Elissa has extensive experience in criminal law, representing clients in a wide range of matters, including drug offences, violence, driving, and property crimes. She has acted in white-collar and financial crime matters involving corporate misconduct and regulatory prosecutions by agencies such as ASIC and the CDPP. She frequently appears in the Magistrates’, Children’s, and County Courts, including in specialist jurisdictions such as the Drug Court, Koori Court, and ARC List.

Her work also encompasses quasi-criminal and regulatory matters, including proceeds of crime litigation, asset forfeiture, account freezing orders, and disciplinary and enforcement proceedings initiated by regulatory bodies.

Insurance and Commercial Disputes

Elissa has considerable experience in insurance and commercial litigation, with a focus on contractual disputes, liability, compliance issues, and arbitration. She is regularly briefed in insurance matters involving property damage, indemnity issues, and recovery claims. Her work includes disputes concerning liability, quantum, costs, uninsured losses, and subrogated recovery. Elissa brings a practical, commercially informed approach to resolving insurance disputes.

She also has a strong interest in building and construction law, particularly matters involving infrastructure and energy projects. Her experience includes advising on contract negotiation, risk allocation, construction claims, and international project financing. She has acted for businesses, regulators, and institutions in matters involving governance frameworks, statutory duties, and legal risks arising from major projects and operational decision-making.

Background

Before coming to the Bar, Elissa worked as a solicitor advocate at NSW Legal Aid, gaining extensive courtroom experience in both summary and indictable matters. She later served as General Counsel for a hydropower company, advising on corporate governance, regulatory risk, and complex commercial transactions.

Elissa holds a Master of Laws (with distinction) from the University of New South Wales and a Certificate in Entrepreneurship from the University of Maryland. She has delivered CPD seminars on legislative reform, including amendments to the Bail Act 1977.

She read with Anthony Lewis, and her senior mentor is Justin Hannebery KC.

Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards legislation. The information referred to above has been supplied by the barrister concerned. Neither Victorian Bar Inc nor the barrister’s clerk have independently verified the accuracy or completeness of the information and neither accepts any responsibility in that regard.