About

Olalla Garcia-Arreciado is a Senior Associate (Spanish-Qualified) in our family team. She supports UHNW and HNW clients and much of her caseload has a cross-border element, where she brings her expertise in international family law.

Olalla seeks to build and implement long-term, effective solutions for clients that are involved in contentious or non-contentious family matters, including: divorce, separation and nullity, cohabitation, pre and post-nuptial agreements, financial relief applications, and private children matters and injunctions.

She has particular expertise in dealing with cases that present jurisdictional/forum issues or to which international conventions, European regulations or foreign law are applicable, as well as in securing the enforcement of orders abroad. She has dealt with matters presenting international ramifications in countries such as Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Ukraine, Russia, Kenya, Mexico, UAE, USA and most EU countries.

Olalla has considerable experience conducting, assisting and advising in matters comprising substantial assets, located both in the UK and abroad, including trusts and other offshore structures of up to £1bn.

Further to advising on English, European and international family law, Olalla is also a qualified Spanish lawyer (Abogado) and a native Spanish speaker. This allows her to assist both English-speaking clients with interests in Spain (e.g. enforcing a financial order against a property in Spain) and Spanish-speaking clients with interests in the UK, using her combined knowledge of the common and civil law systems. She is also in charge of Howard Kennedy's Spain and LatAm desk, with a focus on strengthening the bonds with Spanish-speaking professionals and clients across the globe.

Olalla is a member of Resolution and is often involved with other specialised associations, such as the IAFL, Reunite and ASIME. She has been recognised as a 'Rising Star' by Spear's and as a 'Key Lawyer' by Legal 500. In 2024, Olalla was awarded the IAFL Young Lawyers' Award.

Recent work

  • Advising the Liechtenstein-based trustee of a substantial trust worth over $1bn in relation to divorce proceedings in England to which one of the beneficiaries was a party.
  • Acting for M in relation to her Schedule 1 claims against F, a known footballer nearing the end of his career, in a case involving complex issues around uncertainties surrounding F's future earnings and the high liquidity of his assets.
  • Acting for H, a known footballer, in relation to his divorce, jurisdictional dispute, financial remedy proceedings and children dispute involving an application for their permanent relocation abroad.
  • Acting for H, a known musician, in relation to his divorce and financial remedy proceedings, involving the complex valuation of H's business and royalties.
  • Acting for W in relation to the implementation and enforcement of a consent order involving property transfers in various countries and foundation issues.
  • Acting for M, who had been previously found to have abducted her son by returning him from the UK to Spain, in successfully obtaining the child's permanent relocation to Spain with M in proceedings before the High Court.

Accolades

  • Named one of the 2024 eprivateclient NextGen Leaders
  • Winner of the IAFL Young Lawyers' Award 2024
  • Ranked as a Rising Star, Spear's 500 Family Law Index 2021, 2022 and 2023
  • Listed as Key Lawyer, Private client: Family, Legal 500 2021, 2022 and 2023

Did you know

Olalla is an avid reader and cinephile, and fervently supports the independent Prince Charles Cinema. She is originally from Huelva, in sunny southwestern Spain.

Spanish and English footballs.

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