⭐TBE VIP: Victoria Barnett and Tina Marshall-Kelliher | One Family Law
Victoria Barnett and Tina Marshall-Kelliher are Co-founders of One Family Law in Bath. The practice centres on the personalised single-solicitor approach that encourages collaboration and cost-effective solutions while working to achieve the best outcomes together.
Can you tell us about your first full-time job?
Victoria: My first full-time job was in a cafe in the covered Market in Oxford. I trained as a barista and loved meeting people. I also seem to have developed a lifelong love of coffee, or rather a caffeine addiction! It was a fantastic way to build people skills, work under pressure and enjoy a really social environment.
Tina: I left school at 16. I’d gone to an all-girls school and, being honest, it was quite strict and not the happiest days of my life. My first full-time job was in retail, working for a jeweller. I actually really enjoyed it – you meet so many people, and in a jeweller’s the interaction is usually longer than in other retail roles, so conversations really flow. I used the job to save as much as I could before going travelling, and it taught me early on that the working week is long… so you need to enjoy what you do as much as possible!
What did you learn early on in your career that has stayed with you?
Victoria: One of my earliest lessons was that great colleagues really matter. When you feel supported and challenged in equal measure, you perform better, work feels easier and you make better decisions!
Tina: One of the biggest things I learned early in my career is that people going through separation or divorce are often in a place of real fear. They’re scared about money, about the future, and most of all about losing time or connection with their children. That fear can push people into reacting in ways that don’t always serve them well. I realised quite quickly that if you can help minimise the fear and rebuild communication, you can support people far more effectively.
I also learned that you gain access to incredibly personal information, sometimes things their closest friends or even family don’t know. That’s a privileged position, and it has always stayed with me that it must be treated with absolute respect.
Who inspires you (a) professionally and (b) personally?
Victoria: I’m professionally inspired when clients approach divorce as a transition rather than simply an ending. The ones who adapt thoughtfully, who choose growth over conflict, often emerge with renewed perspective and strength. It is inspiring to see.
Personal inspiration? That’s a tough one! I’ll admit I’m a Swiftie and at the end of a tough day, nothing beats dancing in the kitchen with my kids to her tunes! It also helps that she’s a remarkable, strong woman who handles immense pressure while staying true to her vision and evolving on her own terms.
Tina: Professionally, I’m inspired by any solicitor who is willing to pick up the phone and actually talk things through – someone who focuses on what works best for the couple rather than hiding behind aggressive letters. Those conversations nearly always lead to better outcomes, and I admire anyone who practices in that way.
Personally, my biggest inspiration is my children. Being a teenager today is a tough call, and I see them navigate it all with sensitivity, humour and a huge amount of resilience.
What three pieces of advice would you give to someone starting out on a similar career path?
Victoria:
- Find the right team, supportive colleagues matter far more than a big-firm name.
- Evolve on your own terms; don’t become what others expect you to be.
- Take time out when you need it. Rest and reflection are as important as hard work.
Tina: Feel the fear..and do it anyway.
Where do you see yourself in ten years?
Victoria: In 10 years, I hope I’m still doing work I love, helping people navigate tricky situations sensibly and with compassion. Our firm is growing this year, which is so exciting. I hope I’m surrounded by a strong team that supports and inspires each other.
Tina: I’d like to have a bit more balance between work and the rest of life. Hopefully still working, but ideally focusing only on couples who want to deal with things constructively and reach a fair outcome together, rather than those who are set on fighting it out. That’s the work we specialise in at One Family Law.
What do you do to keep yourself and One Family Law at the top of your game?
Victoria: Walking my dog each morning helps me clear my head and set priorities for the day, which I find really helpful. A sense of humour and perspective is essential – and I get this in spades from my business partner Tina. She helps to keep things grounded. Together we make a strong team and it feels like we can tackle most challenges between us.
Tina: Honestly, we keep ourselves and One Family Law at the top of our game by simply being ourselves and doing good work. We listen carefully to what actually matters to clients and what they want to achieve, rather than pushing them down a path that isn’t right for them. Our firm acts with real integrity – something that feels increasingly rare – and people can spot a phoney a mile off. A lot of firms pay lip service to the kind of work we do; we genuinely believe in it, and we practise what we say.
What are you most proud of in your career to date?
Victoria: I’m most proud of taking the leap with Tina and setting up One Family Law just over two years ago. It took courage and a lot of hard work, but I’m really proud of what we’ve built – a firm that supports clients who want to approach divorce differently, and the freedom to work in a way that works for us.
Tina: I’m most proud of the fact that, two years ago Victoria and I had the courage to set up our own firm based on the One Couple One Solicitor model. We genuinely believe in helping couples deal with separation together, using one lawyer, and at the time it wasn’t a traditional or widely accepted way of practising. I’m really proud that we trusted our instincts, believed in the approach, and had the guts to build a firm around it.
What’s next on your professional bucket list?
Victoria: Continuing to grow One Family Law, expanding the ways that we can support clients going through divorce or separation, and building a team that’s even stronger and more dynamic.
I believe it is possible to combine expertise with a more compassionate, client-focused approach and that when families are working together to figure out the next steps, rather than against each other, you get better outcomes for all involved.
Tina: Growth, but the right kind of growth. I want One Family Law to expand while staying true to our message and the way we work. Our focus is helping couples navigate a time of crisis in a way that calms things down rather than fuels the fire, and any expansion has to protect that. For me, it’s about growing with integrity and keeping our service centred on that approach.
