- 4.8 ⭐ 138 Reviews
Central Coast Lawyers for Families, Estates, Property and Court
A family-run Central Coast firm with two offices, two generations of Ryan lawyers, and a pooled team experience of more than 80 years.
- Two Central Coast offices: Toukley and Erina
- Over 80 years of combined legal experience across our team
- Members of the NSW Law Society Professional Standards Scheme
- PEXA Certified Member
A Central Coast Local Law Firm with a Big Firm Mentality
The Ryan family has been practising law on the Central Coast for the better part of fifty years. John Ryan was admitted as a solicitor in December 1979 and has practised on the Coast since 1984. His son Tony Ryan now leads the firm as Solicitor Director and runs a team with deep practice across the matters Central Coast families and businesses actually face.
We’re a local firm that runs like a bigger one. Two offices, one team. Toukley at the north end of the Coast and Erina on the Gosford side, so wherever you live between Budgewoi and Woy Woy, you can meet us close to home.
Most of our new work comes from word of mouth: past clients, current clients, and other Central Coast solicitors who refer matters they don’t run in-house. Referral-driven firms can’t afford to drop the ball. You get a named solicitor on your matter, plain-English advice on where you stand, and a fixed quote (or a stage-by-stage estimate for litigation) before any further work starts.
What We Help With
We’re a generalist Central Coast firm, which means most families and small businesses can use us across the major legal events of their lives without changing lawyers.
How Working With Us Actually Works
Most people who call a lawyer are already worried about cost and tired of being kept in the dark. Here’s what to expect when you brief us.
1. The first conversation
You book online or call us on 02 4397 1500. We take a short brief over the phone, ask what's urgent, and set up an initial scoping consultation. Phone, Zoom, Teams, or in person at Toukley or Erina, whatever suits.
2. A scoped quote
At the consultation, we work out what your matter actually requires. Then we give you a written quote before any further work starts. For straightforward matters like a simple will or an uncontested conveyance, that's a fixed fee. For litigation and contested estates, it's a stage-by-stage estimate so you can see what you're agreeing to.
3. A named solicitor
You get a named solicitor on your matter. You won't be passed around the office every time you call. If you email or call and they're in court, our practice manager will get you a time they can call back.
4. Updates on a schedule, not on request
We update you at the steps that matter (filing, response, listing, settlement) so you're not chasing us for news. If something changes, you hear from us first.
The People Who'll Be Working On Your Matter
We’re a small team by design. Most of the people listed below have been with Ryan & Ryan or its predecessor firm for years.
What Our Central Coast Clients Say
Reviews from clients on the Central Coast who have worked with our team on estate, family, criminal and property matters.
Two Central Coast Offices, Whole-Coast Coverage
Our Toukley office covers the northern Coast and our Erina office covers the south. Same firm, same team, two front doors. Most clients come to us. We also meet by Zoom or Teams, or come to you for matters that warrant it (estate executors in aged-care facilities, for instance). We appear regularly at the three Central Coast Local Courts: Wyong Local Court, Gosford Local Court, and Woy Woy Local Court.
Common Questions Before You Call Us
Our initial consultation is a paid scoping session. After it, you get a written quote (fixed fee where the matter allows, stage-by-stage estimates for litigation) so you can decide whether to proceed before any further work starts. Call us on 02 4397 1500 to confirm the current consultation fee.
You can apply for probate yourself, but most executors instruct a solicitor because the Supreme Court’s filing requirements are strict and small errors cause delays. We handle the application, advertise the intended distribution, and run the estate administration so the executor isn’t carrying the legal load on top of the personal one.
You may be eligible to make a family provision claim under the Succession Act 2006 (NSW) if you’re an eligible person (which includes spouses, de facto partners, children, former spouses in some cases, and certain dependants) and you can show inadequate provision was made for you. Claims usually have to be filed within 12 months of the date of death, though out-of-time extensions are possible. Book a consultation so we can assess your situation.
We appear routinely at Wyong, Gosford and Woy Woy Local Courts, and we travel to other Local Courts across NSW when our clients have charges listed there. We also brief barristers in Newcastle and Sydney for District and Supreme Court matters.
Yes. We act for interstate buyers buying property on the Central Coast, and we handle conveyancing for clients with Queensland and Victorian property as well. We’re PEXA-certified for electronic settlements.
That doesn’t change much for our advice to you. We can still take instructions, work out the right strategy (negotiation, mediation, or court), and respond to anything their lawyer sends. Book a consultation and bring any correspondence you’ve received.
Ready to talk to a Central Coast lawyer?
You can book online with Tony Ryan, request a callback at a time that suits, or call the office directly. If you’re not sure which area of law your matter falls under, our intake form on the contact page will route you to the right person.