Chelsea Barcenas

Chelsea Barcenas is a Naples, Florida native and an associate attorney at Zarco Einhorn Salkowski, P.A., where she focuses her practice on franchise and complex commercial litigation. She represents franchisees, area developers, and business owners in disputes in state and federal courts and in arbitration involving franchise agreements, contractual rights, and related commercial claims.

Ms. Barcenas joined the firm as a law clerk during law school and became an associate attorney in September 2026. Her background in tax law, including coursework in corporate taxation, gives her a working fluency with financial statements, business entity structures, and the economics of commercial transactions, which she brings to the analysis of financial records and damages in commercial disputes. She understands that franchisees have invested their capital, time, and energy into building their businesses, and she approaches each matter with a focus on protecting the client's investment and livelihood.

Ms. Barcenas earned her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from St. Thomas University College of Law in 2026, where she attended on a Dean's Merit Scholarship, received the Honorable Peter T. Fay Scholarship, was named to the Dean's List every semester, and completed a certificate in Tax Law. She earned four CALI Excellence for the Future Awards, given to the top-performing student in a course, in International Business Transactions, Legal Writing, Essay Writing for the Bar, and Admiralty and Maritime Torts.

During law school, Ms. Barcenas served as Senior Articles Editor of the St. Thomas Law Review and authored three pieces for the Law Review Forum. She was also a member of the Moot Court program and served in the Academic Success Program, mentoring first-year law students.

Ms. Barcenas is committed to pro bono and community service. She contributed more than 100 hours through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program as an Assistant Site Coordinator and Advanced Tax Preparer, and before law school she served as a volunteer Guardian ad Litem, advocating for children in dependency proceedings.

Ms. Barcenas earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Florida International University in 2020. She is admitted to practice in the State of Florida.

Outside of the office, Ms. Barcenas enjoys traveling, yoga, and running.