Accredited Mediator & Solicitor Director

Ioanita Gentles

Ioanita is the firm’s Principal Solicitor and Director. She is a respected and sought-after family lawyer, with a 25-year track record in achieving successful outcomes in all areas of family law.

With a professional background in civil and personal injury litigation, Ioanita brings clarity and effectiveness to what is often a confusing and frustrating process. She is highly skilled in solving the legal and financial problems that arise from relationship breakdowns, most often without heading to Court.

If a matter does have to proceed to Court, she has a wealth of experience having practised successfully in London, Auckland and Sydney. Ioanita has built her family law practice both in Sydney and Parramatta Registries.

Ioanita is naturally approachable, compassionate and discreet. She will identify your rights and possible strategies to enable you to make decisions for you and your family’s future.

She has an interest in assisting clients without the need for making court applications where the client and their partner are amicable and share a common goal of helping to meet some of the other person’s needs. She is a Nationally Accredited Mediator and the President and founding member of Collaborative Professionals Northern Beaches. Her efforts in these areas have paid off with success stories from clients on the testimonials page.

When you are not sure what you can do during separation, call Ioanita for valuable family law advice.

Senior Paralegal

Flora Johnson

Flora is approachable, down to earth and committed to assisting clients to the very best of her ability. She understands the difficulties associated with the breakdown of a relationship and the importance of reaching the best possible outcome for all parties involved.

Flora has been working in the legal industry for over 10 years in both Australia and overseas. She started as a legal secretary specialising in personal injury for a firm in the UK and completed her level 3 Diploma in Law & Practice, before moving to Australia 8 years ago. She has since worked for a number of firms in and around Sydney gathering experience in family law, wills & probate and conveyancing.

Outside of work Flora is the mother of 2 young boys, who keep her on her toes. She loves to bake, travel and be outdoors.

Senior Legal Assistant

Lee Susans

Lee Susans joined Gentles Family Lawyers in June 2020. She has over 25 years experience working in the Legal profession on the Northern Beaches. Lee is responsible for the daily operations of the firm and assists in a secretarial support role.

Lee is a Northern Beaches local who loves Manly, having lived here for the past 11 years. She and her husband Craig are well-known Queenscliff Surf Club members. She loves making the most of the beautiful beaches around the area and enjoys spending time with the family and playing Golf.

Bookkeeping

Elly Speers

Elly is a Financial Assistant at Gentleslaw.

Senior Paralegal

Glenda Johnstone

Glenda joined Gentles Family Lawyers in 2016 and is now a Senior Paralegal within the firm. She brings experience, maturity and empathy to the service of our clients. Following 23 years with a Sydney law firm working in the Property Law Department, Glenda combined working as a legal liaison in her family’s publishing business with family responsibilities and then returned to the legal industry.

Glenda has completed the professional education course at Macquarie University Law School in Conveyancing Law & Practice and is an affiliate member of the Australian Institute of Conveyancers NSW Division.

The Northern Beaches has been her home for more than 20 years, and she enjoys spending time with her son, going to the theatre and pursuing her interest in Philosophy.