OUR TEAM

TILLY RYAN
DIRECTOR
Yolandi Beer
YOLANDI BEER
SENIOR ASSOCIATE
Lisa Middleton Family Lawyer | SR Family Law Gold Coast
LISA MIDDLETON
ASSOCIATE
Tyler Gerbing
TYLER GERBING
SOLICITOR
AMANDA HARRISON
ACCOUNTS MANAGER
Carmen De Bruin
Carmen De Bruin
PRACTICE ADMINISTRATOR
Mya Hipwell
Mya Hipwell
Office Junior

TILLY RYAN​

Tilly has a friendly and approachable manner that immediately puts her clients at ease. She is empathetic in her nature and helps her clients work through complex emotions to get to the real issues. Tilly is a strong advocate who will fight for her clients best interests because she wants to achieve the best possible outcomes for them. Tilly is an avid listener with an ability to quickly grasp the issues and consider the options available for her clients. She is committed to helping her clients see past the emotion of their situation to find out what really is the issue and what their goals are in the short and long term. Her insight and compassion helps her empower her clients to move through each stage of their personal issue and navigate the often overwhelming requirements of the legal system. She has a huge heart and genuinely cares about her clients’ wellbeing. She is determined to ‘better’ the practice of family law.

Tilly was admitted to practice as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland in 2007 and since this time she has worked tirelessly to support and help people through life changing situations. Tilly has a commitment to social justice and has worked across the legal and charity sectors, including as CEO of Melanoma Patients Australia and as a volunteer Director of the Asbestosis and Mesothelioma Association of Australia. Through these roles Tilly has travelled extensively throughout metropolitan and regional Australia and has seen first hand the impact living remotely can have on people’s ability to access quality, reliable and affordable services in their local communities.

She is the proud mother of three beautiful children who she raises with her husband, Sean, in the Gold Coast Hinterland. Tilly enjoys spending time with her parents at their farm in the Somerset Valley and taking family holidays in the Northern Rivers and NSW North Coast. She can also be found indulging her passion for improving youth literacy and promoting creative arts through her various roles volunteering with Somerset Storyfest. Tilly is an avid supporter of creative arts and enjoys visiting and supporting regional and community art galleries and programs.

Director

YOLANDI BEER

Senior Associate

Yolandi provides down-to-earth, straight forward proactive legal advice that clients can understand, enabling them to make an informed decision from a knowledge base. Yolandi strongly believes that a “one size fits all” approach is not appropriate when seeking to resolve legal matters and is passionate about identifying the key issues and needs of her clients and tailoring her approach accordingly. Yolandi is a compassionate, values driven lawyer who is not afraid to stand up for her clients in the face of injustice and inequity.

Yolandi takes a direct and practical approach to resolving issues and is committed to doing as much for her clients as she would for her own family, as she knows how confronting and important her client’s legal issues are to them. Yolandi’s philosophy is that clients are entitled to know from the start what their rights are, what the legal advice will cost them and what the possible outcomes might be.

An experienced Senior Associate, Yolandi completed her Law Degree in 2013 and went on to complete her Diploma in Legal Practical Training in 2014. Yolandi has been admitted to practice as a lawyer of both the High Court of Australia and the Supreme Court of Queensland. During her career Yolandi worked in various areas of law in private practice but she is most proud of the many years she worked in the community legal sector, assisting marginalised clients with family law and domestic violence matters often being either the first point of call or the last resort.

Yolandi is married with two children and when she is not at work or running after a toddler, she is enjoying cake decorating and seeing new places with her family in their caravan.

LISA MIDDLETON

Associate

As your lawyer Lisa will bring to your matter a deep insight into people and business. This insight has developed through her life and business experiences. Lisa brings to her work a unique empathy with and understanding of, client needs, with a focus on finding a resolution without resorting to litigation. She is passionate about family law, and the opportunity this presents, for her to advise and support her clients through their family law issue in a way that empowers them to achieve a timely outcome. Lisa was admitted to practice as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland in 2020 and has focused on her passion for family law since then, volunteering in Community Legal and then working on the Gold Coast.

Lisa has seen the trauma faced by young women in jail, she attained an Honours degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice and her thesis on dealing with trauma in teenage girls in custody was published in The Prison Journal in 2019, this knowledge informs her work in family law. Fluent in French and Italian, prior to coming to the Law, Lisa worked as a legal translator for a law firm in Florence, Italy, and spent many years running her own café and catering businesses in Byron Bay, NSW. These experiences have given Lisa a different perspective through which she engages with people and places, drawing on her understanding of differences in languages and culture.

Lisa is however not all about work, married with two children, life outside the office is busy and Lisa enjoys literature, Japanese cuisine and not surprisingly Italian cuisine, gardening, yoga, and martial arts.

Tyler GErbing

SOLICITOR

Tyler values honesty, approaching every situation with an open mind and efficiency to deliver the best outcomes for clients. He has exceptional communication and problem-solving skills which makes him an excellent advocate for our clients.

Tyler completed his Bachelor of Business/Bachelor of Law in July 2022 and finalised his Diploma in Practical Legal Training in October 2023. Our SR Family Law Director, Tilly Ryan, was proud to move Tyler’s admission to the Queensland Supreme Court to practice as a family lawyer in August 2024.

Outside of work, Tyler enjoys sharpening his jiu-jitsu skills at weekly training sessions. He loves watching AFL games with his brother and father and exploring the beautiful Gold Coast hinterland with friends. Tyler is always up for a game of chess if anyone is interested.

AMANDA HARRISON

ACCOUNTS MANAGER

Amanda brings over ten years’ experience working in the legal industry starting in administrative and secretarial roles and culminating in the last five years’ supporting legal firms, such as SR Family Law to effectively manage the firms accounts and financial records. Amanda is committed to assisting clients with all financial aspects of their family law matter and ensuring a smooth process for clients and lawyers alike.

Amanda’s experience is backed by nationally recognised qualifications in Financial Services, Business and Operations, which means Amanda brings a strong understanding of working within legal accounts and administration to her role as Accounts Manager at SR Family Law.

Outside of work Amanda likes spending time with her family, friends & dog, she enjoys the coastal dining scene and going for walks in nature.

Carmen De Bruin

Practice Administrator

Carmen is driven by a genuine passion for people, ensuring that every client who walks through the doors of The Meeting Place @ HQ or calls SR Family Law’s office receives the respect and care they deserve. With a friendly demeanor and adept organisational skills, Carmen excels at fostering connections and ensuring smooth operations.

Originally from South Africa, Carmen began her career with a degree in Communications and Journalism, honing her knack for storytelling and interpersonal connections. After relocating to Australia with her husband Claude, she ventured into the legal world, balancing roles as a Public Relations Executive, supporting her husband’s law firm, managing an online legal platform, and working part-time for barristers in chambers.

In her free time, Carmen enjoys outdoor adventures with her husband, three lovely daughters, and their furry companions. Carmen also finds joy in reading, jogging, hiking, and hosting friends.

Mya Hipwell

Office Junior

Meet Mya Hipwell, our wonderful Reception Assistant at SR Family Law. Mya is a dedicated and kind-hearted team member and her determination and attention to detail keep everything running smoothly at our front desk and in the office.

Mya has recently embarked on an exciting new chapter, studying Criminology at Griffith University.

When she’s not working or studying, Mya loves spending time with her family, escaping to the tranquillity of their farm in the Southern Downs region.

FAMILY LAW SERVICES - REGIONS WE SERVE

GOLD COAST &
SCENIC RIM REGION
TWEED &
NORTHERN RIVERS REGION
BRISBANE & SURROUNDS -
SOUTH, NORTH, WEST & BAYSIDE
DARLING DOWNS &
LOCKYER VALLEY REGION
SOUTH BURNETT DISTRICT
SOUTHERN DOWNS &
GRANITE BELT REGION

Your Family Law Experts
from the Country to the Coast