Gilva Tisshaw

Gilva Tisshaw is the most experienced family law solicitor currently working in Mid Sussex. She qualified as a solicitor in 1989, after studying law at Nottingham University. Gilva has worked in Haywards Heath since 1996 building up a wealth of local knowledge.

In 2012, Gilva established a specialist family law firm, Tisshaws Family Law Solicitors, with the aim of providing high quality legal expertise within a culture of care. Since then, she has built up a team of likeminded individuals who share this ethos in supporting families through relationship breakdown.

Owing to the stress, time and costs involved in the court process, Gilva has a strong interest in alternative dispute resolution methods for divorce and separation issues. In support of this, she is a member of Resolution and a trained Collaborative Lawyer.

Gilva has a fantastic reputation in the legal profession, due to the exceptional quality of her work and is a member of the Law Society’s Family Law Advanced Panel which is a national network dedicated to supporting families through the legal process.

Gilva has also sat as an Assistant Coroner in Brighton & Hove and has been President of the Southeast England Coroner’s Society. She has also been President of the Sussex Law Society and remains an active member of the committee.

A strong believer that the law must be based on inclusivity, diversity, and equality for all, Gilva was delighted that the initiatives set up to help achieve this led to the firm winning the British Chamber of Commerce Trailblazing Equality Award 2022 for both the Sussex and entire Southeast Regions.

In May 2023, Gilva was proud to be crowned Sussex & Surrey Female Lawyer of the Year at the prestigious Dynamic Awards in Brighton.

When not in the office Gilva enjoys walking, particularly with her two dogs, horse riding on the South Downs, travelling and being a grandmother.