Nicola Gilford

Solicitor & Accredited Specialist

Nicola commenced her education at Sassafras Primary School before completing her VCE at St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School in Warragul. In 2004 Nicola completed a double degree in Law and Behavioural Science at Latrobe University, Bundoora. As part of her Behavioural Science training, she became a published co-author in the European Journal of Social Psychology. Whilst studying, Nicola volunteered at the Victoria Legal Aid office in Preston.

Nicola has practiced law with Tyler Tipping & Woods since February of 2005; taking a 6 month leave of absence in 2008 to live and travel in Europe. She was admitted to the Supreme Court of Victoria and the High Court of Australia in 2006 and has been an Accredited Specialist in Family Law since 2015.

Her areas of practice include Family Law (Property and Parenting), Child Protection and Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal applications. Nicola is a member of the Victoria Legal Aid Panel of Practitioners in the areas of Family Law, Child Protection and Family Violence and is also on the referral list at the Victims Assistance Program.

Nicola is always conscious of considering children’s best interests and is committed to pursuing equitable outcomes for her clients. She often appears for young persons (aged between 10 and 18 years) in Child Protection matters which informs her practice. Nicola has extensive experience in negotiation and mediation in attempts to resolve disputes outside of Court. She is also a Solicitor Advocate who appears regularly for clients in the Children’s Court of Victoria, Magistrates’ Court of Victoria, and Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia.

Nicola is a former President of the Gippsland Law Association (having been an office bearer in the GLA executive since 2010) and was a founding member of the Steering Committee of the Gippsland Family Law Pathways Network.