Her father, John Johnson (Jack) Nyland was a boilermaker then taxi driver, later becoming the State Secretary of the Transport Workers Union (SA).
Nyland had determined her choice of career at a young age, writing "lawyer" on each occasion the school asked to list her intended occupation.
[1] Nyland received a Commonwealth Scholarship which enabled her to study law at the University of Adelaide,[2] where one of her lecturers was Roma Mitchell.
[3] To be admitted as a solicitor, Nyland required both a law degree and a period as an articled clerk and she had difficulty finding someone to take her, eventually being taken on by Pam Cleland.
[8] Nyland was made a Member of the Order of Australia "For service to the judiciary, to human rights and the equal status of women, and to the community through a range of cultural organisations" on 26 January 2005.