- March 3, 2026
Alison V. Lippa
Senior Counsel
Biography
BIOGRAPHY
Alison has over 25 years’ litigation experience, including in the representation of insurers in state and federal courts in insurance coverage and bad faith litigation. She has litigated cases arising under commercial general liability policies in mass tort and environmental claims, among others, and in multi-party coverage disputes involving issues such as contribution, number of occurrences, exhaustion and allocation.
Alison has a track record of favorable settlements, summary judgments, and trial and appellate victories. Her areas of insurance coverage experience include:
As a senior adviser and strategist, Alison provides critical counsel to management teams and in-house attorneys.
Alison has a track record of favorable settlements, summary judgments, and trial and appellate victories. Her areas of insurance coverage experience include:
- Commercial General Liability
- Environmental/Toxic Torts
- Title insurance and Lender Placed Insurance
- Bad Faith
As a senior adviser and strategist, Alison provides critical counsel to management teams and in-house attorneys.
Memberships
- Bar Association of San Francisco
Awards & Rankings
- California State Bar’s Wiley W. Manuel Pro Bono Services Award
Before Nicolaides
Before joining Nicolaides, Alison worked in private practice as an associate and partner in the insurance coverage practice group at a California-based law firm, and in the financial services practice group of an international law firm. She also served as in-house counsel for the State of Bar of California. Prior to the practice of law, Alison held a number of positions within government and private industry organizations, including the National Association of Attorneys General, the U.S. International Trade Commission, the American Indonesian Chamber of Commerce, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.During law school, Alison served as associate editor of the American Criminal Law Review. She was also a legal extern for the Hon. Roger B. Andewelt of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims.
Outside Nicolaides
Alison enjoys spending time with her two daughters and dogs. She regularly takes advantage of the mountain trails near her home and is an avid runner. Alison also enjoys traveling and has lived abroad in Russia, Switzerland, and Germany.- Obtained summary judgment in favor of insurer regarding application of “unavailability exception” in environmental liability coverage case under Alabama law.
- Following discovery, obtained summary judgment against insured for failure to substantiate “direct physical loss of or damage to” under first-party business interruption policy coverage.
- Obtained full defense verdict in 5-day jury trial in financial services matter in California state court.
- Obtained partial summary judgment in California federal court on statutory, tort and unfair competition claims, thereby significantly limiting the plaintiff’s potential damages and eliminating the possibility of punitive damages.
- Significant litigation experience, including case management, law and motion, discovery and alternative dispute resolution, in state, federal and bankruptcy court at the trial court and appellate levels.
- Analyzed availability of title insurance in claim arising from encumbrances on real property located on Native American land and title issues relating to the insured’s failure to follow the requirements of tribal law.
- Analyzed pollution liability coverage and litigated coverage claims arising from release of solvents at Superfund sites in the Central Valley of California.
- Represented excess carrier in multi-party insurance contribution dispute involving coverage for asbestos bodily injury claims and successfully handled bench trial on the issue of exhaustion of self-insured retentions.
- Participated on litigation team analyzing whether tobacco exclusions in cigarette manufacturer’s liability policies exclude coverage for defense and settlement costs of bodily injury and property damage claims.
- Negotiated resolution of potential bad faith claims by ERISA plan participants and avoided litigation in matter involving plan’s failure to make premium payments on behalf of plan participants.
- Litigated and successfully resolved through mediation bad faith claims against insurers relating to disputes over the potential for coverage under life insurance and long-term disability policies.
- January 22, 2026
- February 26, 2025
- October 27, 2021