Selena is an associate at Family Law in Partnership. She advises on a wide range of issues associated with the breakdown of marriage and relationships, including complex children and financial matters. Selena’s children cases often involve multi-layered child arrangement issues, including those where the most serious allegations have been made against parents. On financial matters, she assists clients at all stages of their divorce or separation with an approach tailored to their needs and circumstances – be it engaging in negotiation, alternative dispute resolution or court proceedings.

In her work, Selena is regarded for her client care and emotional intelligence, as well as for her sharp technical skills. She is committed to resolving matters in a proactive and sensitive manner, considering all options to achieve a solution that is both sensible and fair. When this is not possible and court proceedings become unavoidable, Selena will take a robust approach to protect her clients’ interests.

Selena was named as a Rising Star by Legal 500 UK 2022 and 2021, which commented “I was extremely impressed with Selena Arbe-Barnes. She was always on top of absolutely everything in our matter (whilst at the same time probably having many other cases requiring her attention). She was always flawlessly and meticulously prepared for client conferences and made excellence look effortless” and “she brings a great deal of maturity and intelligence to her cases and is superb with clients. I would not hesitate in referring cases to her as she is reassuring, clever and very committed to her clients” as well as she “adds enormous value to a case”.

Selena is a fluent Spanish and French speaker. She uses her language skills to assist clients going through court proceedings abroad by working closely with local lawyers and liaising with third parties.

Selena is a member of the British Spanish Law Association and Franco-British Lawyers Society. She is also a member of Resolution.

Selena provides advice on the full range of family law issues.  Recent matters on which she has advised include:

• Advising a client on the successful relocation of her children to the south coast, which was achieved by consent despite the move having initially been opposed, with court proceedings issued by the father.
• Drafting and advising on separation agreements where the parties have chosen to separate, without yet divorcing, in circumstances where they wish to regulate their finances, including where there are substantial business assets in the UK and Hong Kong.
• Securing a client’s return to the family home and the transfer of the property to them, after they had been forced from it following the making of false allegations to the police by their ex-spouse.
• Assisting in financial proceedings following an overseas divorce concerning property assets across Europe, the USA, Middle East and North Africa.
• Advising a client who had been alienated from their children, in proceedings with all findings sought made in my client’s favour. This resulted in the client being successfully reunited with their children and a transfer of residence from the other parent being achieved by consent.

Selena has co-authored a chapter for Resolution’s Family Law Handbook, which she presented at the Family Law Live Conference in November 2020. She has featured in podcasts and webinars on topics ranging from civil partnerships for all, to considerations for cohabiting couples at the start and breakdown of relationships.

Selena has written for industry publications, such as Family Law, the Family Law Journal and Resolution’s The Review, as well as providing comments for the national press on a range of children and divorce-related issues.

Selena qualified as a solicitor at Winckworth Sherwood LLP before joining their family team in 2018.

Selena studied law with French at the University of Bristol (First Class Honours), going on to achieve a distinction in the Legal Practice Course at BPP Law School.

In her spare time Selena is a mentor for The Social Mobility Foundation and a volunteer for Citizens Advice.