Bron O’Loan’s journey into family law wasn’t a straight line—it was a bold pivot. A former primary school teacher turned IT corporate trainer and university lecturer, Bron came to the legal profession with a rich tapestry of experience—and a vision.
Now the founder and principal of O’Loan Family Law (OLFL), a thriving Sydney-based firm with a team of over a dozen, Bron has become known not just for her practice, but for her philosophy—one that puts values, people, and purpose at the centre of everything.
From Education to Entrepreneurship
With a CV that includes product management, marketing, and even founding an e-commerce fashion business (which she ran with a team of six), Bron brings rare business acumen to her legal work. She jokes that her “early mid-life crisis” in her late 30s led her to study law—and that discovering family law was like finally finding her professional home.
A Pandemic Pivot
Bron didn’t start OLFL because she had always dreamed of running her own firm. “I had no intention of starting a business,” she explains. “Then COVID hit. I was working from home and everything felt uncertain—but I began to wonder if I could do it.” But that’s exactly what makes her story so powerful for other family lawyers navigating their own growth.
At first, she didn’t believe in herself. “Over time, that thought shifted. I started to back myself. And once I made that mental leap, things began to move.”
From the outset, Bron’s vision was clear: she wanted to run a resolution-first practice that supported clients to achieve outcomes without unnecessary litigation. She says: “That became our point of difference. We’d focus on settlement and client care.”
Scaling With Intention
Bron didn’t stay a sole practitioner for long. “I realised early on—I didn’t want to be on the tools forever. So my first hire was someone senior to replace me. It was scary financially, but it freed me up to actually grow the business.”
Her advice to others scaling their firms?
“You cannot grow a business and carry all the legal work yourself. Replace yourself early. Yes, it’s expensive. But it’s the only way you can truly build.”
“Don’t play small. If your dream is to hire a paralegal and a solicitor—10x it. Dream bigger. As long as you have the business acumen behind you, the support and the systems and processes, you’ll grow into it faster than you think.
Today, the team is approaching 15 staff and moving past what Bron calls the “growing pain point”—that tricky stage where a small boutique starts transforming into a more mature practice. The key, she says, has been systems and processes.
“We’ve worked hard, particularly over the past two years, to put solid processes in place. That’s what has allowed us to scale without losing quality.”
Keeping the Culture Strong
How do you preserve your firm’s identity as it grows?
“For us, it’s all about values,” Bron explains. OLFL has four core values that are everywhere—on the walls, in meetings, and even in staff recognition.
“We do an annual kickoff retreat where we all get together as a team and plan. Each month we nominate a ‘Star of the Month’—someone who’s exemplified one of our values. You’ve got to live those values every day if you want the culture to survive growth.”
Bron also uses strong internal communication systems. “We run weekly huddles with the whole team, leadership meetings, and share targets transparently so everyone knows where we’re going and why.”
Lessons from the Trenches
Bron is candid about the mistakes she made along the way. Her top lessons?
1. Hire slowly, fire quickly. “You can’t let the wrong person stay too long. It damages the team. I made the mistake of hiring a friend once. Some inappropriate behaviours came to light and it was incredibly tough for me to make the Captain’s call to end the relationship. I sat on it for far too long and the person ended up leaving of their own accord. I should have stepped up sooner, for the good of the firm.”
2. Know your data. “Understand your leads, your conversion rates, your ROI. Who’s bringing in clients? Who’s best at consults? Without data, you’re guessing.”
3. Invest in yourself. “I didn’t get a mentor for almost two years. That was a mistake. You need someone to challenge you, guide you, and help you grow.”
She also believes in evolving mentorship. “As your business grows, your mentors need to change. You need different skills at each stage.” Bron encourages others to get out to local business events (not necessarily just legal ones) to meet other likeminded businesspeople who may be potential mentors for you in the future.
What’s Next?
Bron’s not capping her firm’s growth. “Stagnation is death in business,” she says. “We’ll keep growing organically, because we’re ready for it.”
One exciting new project? Hiring for a newly created role—an Intake & Onboarding Specialist—designed for a former family lawyer who wants to stay connected to the profession without managing files.
“It’s perfect for someone looking to take a side-step—law-adjacent. They’ll guide clients through those first, vulnerable stages and ensure they’re fully supported from day one.” Hopefully we can find that unicorn!
