Meet the team

Kristal is the owner and founder of Coastal Lawyers.

Having worked for 13 years with NSW Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) Kristal  has a strong background in criminal prosecutions. Kristal worked extensively in the Local, District and Supreme Courts of NSW. Kristal is currently undertaking her Masters Degree in Family Law. 

As a criminal prosecutor, Kristal represented the crown in a range of complex and high profile cases. These included murder, manslaughter, sexual assault, serious assault, dangerous driving, break and enters and multi million dollar frauds. Her time as a prosecutor set a solid foundation as a criminal defence lawyer.

Kristal is a compassionate and understanding family lawyer. Kristal is passionate about encouraging her clients to avoid expensive litigation by settling their parenting and property matters outside of court.

“Our primary focus at Coastal Lawyers is the incredible families that we guide through the separation process and assisting them to preserving their co-parenting relationship, for the sake of their beautiful children”- Kristal

Kristal is a member of the Legal Aid panels for all criminal law matters, domestic violence, children’s court and family law.

Growing up in public housing herself, Kristal has a strong understanding of the difficulties faced by individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds and is passionate about presenting the best case for her clients and guiding them through the legal maze.

Qualifications:

• Master of Laws (Family Law) – ongoing- 2022
• Graduate Certificate in Criminal Practice
• Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice
• Diploma in Law
• Admitted as a solicitor in the NSW Supreme Court and High Court of Australia.

Achievements

• Finalist as the Women’s Mentor of the Year

Luke works behind the scenes at Coastal Lawyers and is available if you need ‘urgent’ advice after-hours or on weekends.

With a background in general duties policing and having spent a decade investigating allegations of misconduct within a large government agency, Luke knows his way around a brief of evidence.

Luke is a Central Coast boy through and through having grown up at Umina Beach.

Qualifications:

• Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice

• Diploma in Law

• Bachelor of Arts

• Associate Degree in Policing Practices

Sarah is was originally a diploma educated child care teacher for over 19 years. A job which she loved.

After having 3 beautiful children and working with her husband’s successful building company, Sarah decided on a career change.

Sarah studied a Certificate 3 in Business Administration and we were lucky enough to encourage Sarah to come and work with Coastal Lawyers.

Sarah keeps us organised and makes our clients feel at ease with her kind and approachable nature. Sarah also makes sure that the Coastal Lawyers office is always smelling of the most wonderful essential oils.

Qualifications: 

• Certificate III in Business Administration 
• Certificate in Legal Services 

Olivia has over half a decade of experience practising in the areas of estate planning, commercial law and superannuation law.

She has previously led the Hunter/New England Cooperative Legal Service Delivery Program and has a special interest in legal feature writing, of which she has had several published works.

From a young age, Olivia had a passion for literature, research and communications. She began her time at University studying journalism to pursue her passions. A court-reporting activity at a local court however was an “a-ha” moment for Olivia – she realised the law was for her. It drew upon her strengths and supported her love of continuous learning.

Olivia went on to be awarded the University of Notre Dame University Prize in Bioethics and the Law in 2015.

Qualifications:

• Master of Laws (Majoring in Wills and Estates) – 2021
• Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice
• Bachelor of Laws
• Bachelor of Arts (Media and Communications)

To become a lawyer in NSW you have to undertake Practical Legal Training (PLT) under the supervision of an unrestricted lawyer.

Coastal Lawyers have had the privilege of supervising Jayne do her PLT since 2020. 

Jayne brings a wealth of life experience and always has a way of making coastal clients feel very much at ease at court during the most stressful times in their lives.

In a former life, Jayne was a beautician and owned her own business for over 25 years.

Then when she was 51 she decided to pursue her dream of studying law and commenced a bachelor of laws at southern cross university in 2017.

After lots of hard work, grit and determination Jayne is only 3 subjects away from realising her life long dream of becoming a lawyer.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Laws- expected graduation 2020