Gabi Crafti Portrait

Gabi Crafti SC

Bar roll 2007 Silk 2023
  • Commercial Law Tort Law
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Gabi Crafti SC practises in commercial litigation, particularly in the fields of insurance law and other aspects of financial services law, infrastructure/construction law and professional negligence

Since 2017, she has been recognised annually as one of Australia's best insurance barristers in Best Lawyers in Australia, and as one of Victoria's leading construction and infrastructure junior counsel in Doyles Guide.

Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards legislation

Contact

Correspondence
Chambers & Clerk

Aickin Chambers
Level 27 Room 5

200 Queen Street 
Melbourne VIC 3000 

View map

Jane King

03 9225 8558

Expertise

Commercial Law
  • Appellate
  • Banking & Finance
  • Building & Construction
  • Class Actions
  • Contractual Disputes
  • Insurance
Tort Law
  • Professional Negligence

Qualifications

Qualifications

Bachelor of Laws (Hons)

Bachelor of Arts

Admitted

Victoria

Entitled to practise in

State and Territory Courts and Tribunals

Federal Court of Australia

High Court of Australia

Recent Cases

Insurance

Wadren Pty Ltd & Anor v Probuild Constructions (Aust) Pty Ltd (subject to deed of company arrangement) & Ors: acting in Supreme Court of Victoria proceeding for Probuild’s professional indemnity insurer, led by Jeremy Slattery KC, including in [2023] VSC 348

Andrew Norbury Aircraft Pty Ltd v QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited: acted for insured in Federal Court insurance dispute regarding damage to private aircraft, settled

Riseley v Suncorp Portfolio Services Limited & Anor: acted unled for Suncorp in Full Court of Federal Court appeal [2022] FCAFC 8against decision in [2021] FCA 472, regarding review of decision of Superannuation Complaints Tribunal

Opal Tower: acted for insurer in insurance dispute in Federal Court, led by Chris Caleo KC, including appearing in Icon Co (NSW) Pty Ltd v Liberty Mutual Insurance Company Australian Branch[2020] FCA 1493and on appeal in [2021] FCAFC 126and in (No. 2)[2021] FCAFC 131

Clark v National Australia Bank Limited & Anor: acted for MLC Limited in Federal Court class action regarding credit card insurance and personal loan insurance, led by Chris Caleo KC, including in [2020] FCA 652

Macras v Nulis Nominees (Australia) Limited [2018] FCA 1867: acted for MLC Limited in application for review of decision of Superannuation Complaints Tribunal in the Federal Court, unled

Metricon Homes Pty Ltd v Great Lakes Australia: acted for commercial house builder in major and long-running Supreme Court dispute with its liability insurer, led by Jeff Gleeson KC, including appearing in[2017] VSC 749

Miller & Associates Insurance Broking Pty Ltd v BMW Australia Finance Limited(2010) 241 CLR 357: acted for successful appellant in High Court appeal in misleading conduct dispute, led by Jeff Gleeson KC (together with application for special leave and appeal to Victorian Court of Appeal in (2009) 27 VR 243)

Providing advice to insurers and insureds, particularly in respect of:

  • Complex infrastructure and construction projects, including:
  • Victorian Desalination Plant, Wonthaggi, unled
  • Nui Phao Mining Project in Vietnam, led by David Collins KC
  • Metro Tunnel in Victoria, unled
  • Lane Cove Tunnel in New South Wales, led by Chris Caleo KC

  • Other insurance-related matters, including:
    • the 2022 Queensland floods, led by Don Farrands KC
    • the AMP superannuation class action, led by Chris Caleo KC
    • the 2020 cancellation of the Australian Grand Prix, led by Jeff Gleeson KC
    • the ASIC section 912C notice for MLC Limited, unled
Banking and Financial Services (Non-Insurance)

Re Legal Super Pty Ltd [2023] VSC 545:appointed as amicus curiae by Supreme Court of Victoria in judicial advice application by trustee of superannuation fund, unled

Re CARE Super Pty Ltd[2021] VSC 805 and (No 2)[2021] VSC 854: acted as junior to court-appointed amicus curiae, Wendy Harris KC, in Victorian Supreme Court judicial advice application brought by industry superannuation fund trustee

Re HEST Australia Ltd (2021) 66 VR 338: acted as junior to court-appointed contradictor, Wendy Harris KC, in Victorian Supreme Court judicial advice application brought by industry superannuation fund trustee

Ganesh v National Australia Bank Limited [2021] VSCA 45: acted for successful appellant in banking dispute in Victorian Court of Appeal, unled, leading Chris Lum

Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry: acted for MLC Limited, led by Chris Caleo KC

Construction and Infrastructure

Acting for State of Victoria in multiple cladding rectification claims in County Court of VCAT, including in Owners Corporation 1 Plan No PS 707553K v Shangri-La Construction Pty Ltd (ACN 130 534 244) [2023] VCC 1473(Macnamara J), leading Roshan Chaile, and in Owners Corporation No. 1 PS600940E & Ors v L U Simon Builders Pty Ltd & Ors[2023] VCAT 630(Anderson J)

St Falls Pty Ltd v LU Simon Builders Pty Ltd & Ors: acting for applicants in construction defects claims at St Falls Resort in Falls Creek, unled

LCT-MRE Nominees Pty Ltd & Anor v Thiess Pty Limited & Ors: acting for builder’s liability insurer in dispute regarding construction of Lane Cove Tunnel in NSW Supreme Court, led by Garry Rich SC

Downer EDI Engineering Power Pty Ltd v APA Orbost Gas Plant Pty Ltd: acted for APA in Supreme Court of Victoria dispute, leading Roshan Chaile, settled

Lay & Sons Organization Pty Ltd v Sunbuild Pty Ltd: acted for plaintiff in $14 million recovery claim against builder in respect of fire damage to property in Supreme Court of Victoria, leading Conrad Banasik

Catholic Ladies College Limited v S J Higgins Pty Ltd & Ors: acted for architect in building defects claim in County Court, leading Gisela Nip, settled

Long Island Properties Pty Ltd v AMMA Steel Works Pty Ltd: acted for insurer of plaintiff builder in Supreme Court of Victoria proceedings against subcontractor in respect of $1.5 million in fire damage to property, unled

Geelong-Bacchus Marsh Road road-widening works: acted for Head, Transport for Victoria in arbitration regarding dispute with contractor, unled, settled

Owners Corporation No. 1 PS602497J v Salta Constructions Pty Ltd: acted for applicant in $12 million defects claim in VCAT against developer in respect of 150 Clarendon St, East Melbourne, unled, settled

West Gate Tunnel Project: acted for State of Victoria, led by Martin Scott KC

Jemena Northern Gas Pipeline Pty Ltd v Civmec Constructions & Engineering Pty Ltd: acted for Jemena in $30 million dispute regarding construction of Northern Gas Pipeline in Northern Territory, led by Hugh Foxcroft KC, including appearing in [2019] NTSC 52, unled and [2019] NTSC 54, led by Jason Pizer KC

Multiplex Constructions Pty Ltd v Aegis Correctional Partnership Pty Ltd: acted for Multiplex in three-year Supreme Court proceeding regarding construction of Ararat prison, led by Jeff Gleeson KC and leading Brian Mason, settled

Adelaide City Tramline Extension: acted for Downer EDI Works Pty Ltd in a dispute with the South Australian Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure, led by Jeff Gleeson KC

Outer Suburban Arterial Roads Western Roads Upgrade Project, Victoria: advised Amey Consulting Australia Pty Ltd in dispute with WBHO Infrastructure Pty Ltd regarding design services, unled

Adams v Clark Homes Pty Ltd (Building and Property)[2015] VCAT 1658: acted unled for architect firm which was successful in having case against it summarily dismissed

Acted for principal in dispute regarding construction of a wind farm, led by Jeff Gleeson KC, settled

Other Commercial

Inpex Operations Australia Pty Ltd & Anor v Akzonobel NV & Ors: acting for applicants in Federal Court proceeding in multi-billion dollar claim for misleading conduct in respect of a paint product applied at the Ichthys LNG onshore processing plant in the Northern Territory, led by Jeffery Gleeson KC and Tim Breakspear SC, with Harriet Lenigas

Calder & Ors v Hanson Construction Materials Pty Ltd: acting for plaintiffs in commercial dispute regarding land and aggregate extraction in Supreme Court of Victoria, unled

Lanhai Pty Ltd v 7-Eleven Stores Pty Ltd: acted for plaintiff franchisees in successful claim that 7-Eleven misled or deceived them, heard in Supreme Court of Victoria, leading Conrad Banasik, including in [2021] VSC 587 and [2022] VSC 132

Wu v Shi [2019] VCC 858: acted for successful defendant in sale of business dispute, unled

ASIC v Dover Financial Advisors Pty Ltd : acted for respondents in application for pecuniary penalties in Federal Court, led by Jeff Gleeson KC and leading Karan Raghavan, including in (2019) 140 ACSR 561, (2019) 140 ACSR 635 and (2021) 150 ACSR 185

Connective Services Pty Ltd v Lees: acted for defendant directors in derivative action in the Supreme Court of Victoria, led by Michael Borsky KC (including appearing in Slea Pty v Connective Services Pty Ltd [2018] VSC 542 and Slea Pty v Connective Services Pty Ltd[2019] VSC 201)

Maynard v Moneygram Payment Systems Inc[2018] VSC 7: acted for successful respondent in Supreme Court appeal from VCAT in contractual and misleading conduct dispute, unled

Professional Negligence

Lederberger v Mediterranean Olives Financial Pty Ltd: acted for law firm on question of professional negligence on appeal to the Victorian Court of Appeal, led by Jeff Gleeson KC

Kilmore East bushfire class action: acted for Department of Sustainability and Environment in Matthews v Ausnet Electricity Services Pty Ltd in the Supreme Court of Victoria, led by Pat Zappia KC

Acted in various professional negligence proceedings for and against financial services providers (including in separate proceedings unled and led by Maryanne Loughnan KC, Christopher Archibald KC and Jeff Gleeson KC), all settled

Publications

Memberships

Commercial Bar Association

Women Barristers Association

Australian Insurance Law Association

Australasian Professional Indemnity Group

Women in Insurance

Society of Construction Law Australia

Building Dispute Practitioners’ Society

National Association of Women in Construction