Divorce & Family Law Solicitors in Market Harborough
If your relationship is changing, the days ahead can feel uncertain, and knowing where to turn is rarely straightforward. Belderbos Solicitors is a specialist family-law-only firm supporting people across Market Harborough, Leicestershire and neighbouring Rutland. We advise on divorce and separation, children matters, financial settlements and domestic abuse. Nothing else, which means the team you speak to does this every day.
We act for clients throughout Market Harborough, Leicestershire and neighbouring Rutland, with two offices within easy reach of the town. Whether you are at the very start of thinking about separation or already in the middle of proceedings, we can help. Take the first step with a free, no-obligation discovery call before you commit to anything.
Why choose Belderbos for family law in Market Harborough?
Choosing the right solicitor matters, particularly in a market town where the obvious options are general high-street firms covering everything from conveyancing to wills. Here is why people in Market Harborough choose Belderbos:
- Family law is all we do. We are a specialist family-law-only firm. We are not splitting our attention across other areas of law, which means deeper expertise and sharper, more confident advice on divorce, finances, children and domestic abuse.
- Resolution-accredited. Our solicitors are members of Resolution and hold its specialist accreditations, including Collaborative Family Lawyer and trained Mediator status. We follow the Resolution code of practice: constructive, non-confrontational and focused on long-term outcomes for the whole family.
- Out of court wherever possible. Court is not the only way, and often not the best way. We prioritise mediation, collaborative law, arbitration and lawyer-led negotiation to resolve matters more quickly, more privately and at lower cost than litigation.
- Child-focused and empathetic. Where children are involved, their welfare comes first. We work to protect that while keeping conflict between parents as low as possible.
- A free, no-obligation discovery call. You can speak to us before committing to anything, so you understand your position and your choices before deciding how to proceed.
- Two local offices. Our Leicester office sits roughly 15 miles up the A6, and our staffed Oakham office is a comfortable drive east, so professional family law advice is always close to Market Harborough.
Ready to talk it through? Book your free discovery call or call us on 01572 490660.
Our Market Harborough team
Belderbos runs a single, close-knit family law team across both offices, so wherever you are based around Market Harborough you have the full team behind you. The Leicester office is the nearest to the town, and all four solicitors work across both locations.
- James Belderbos – Director and Founder. James founded the firm with a clear purpose: to offer specialist, family-only legal advice that puts the family's future at the centre of everything. He leads the team and brings more than two decades of experience to every case.
- Sophie Ball – Family Law Solicitor. Sophie advises across the full range of family matters, from divorce and financial settlements to arrangements for children, with a calm, client-focused approach.
- Nick Robertshaw – Family Law Solicitor. Nick brings extensive family law experience and a steady, reassuring manner to even the most difficult cases, helping clients feel supported throughout.
- Emma Potter – Family Law Solicitor. Emma works with clients on divorce, separation and children matters, combining clear practical advice with genuine care for the people behind each case.
You can read more about our approach and values on our Why choose Belderbos page, or see what clients say about us on our testimonials page.
Our family law services in Market Harborough
Divorce and separation
We guide you through every stage of the no-fault divorce process, from the initial application to the final order, and help you separate matters out cleanly if you are not married. See our divorce and separation page.
Children matters
We help parents agree where a child lives and how they spend time with each parent, and we advise on child arrangements orders, specific issue and prohibited steps orders, relocation and more. See children matters.
Financial settlements
Dividing finances on divorce has no fixed formula; it turns on your circumstances. We help you reach a fair settlement and secure it properly through a consent order. Explore financial settlements.
Domestic abuse
If you or your children are at risk, we act quickly to seek protective orders, including non-molestation and occupation orders, with discretion and urgency. Read about domestic abuse.
Nuptial agreements
Whether you are planning to marry or are already married, a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement can give both of you financial clarity and peace of mind. See nuptial agreements.
Cohabitation and separation
Unmarried couples do not have the same automatic legal protections as married ones. We advise on cohabitation agreements, property disputes and separation for couples who live together. See cohabitation.
Out-of-court solutions
Where we can, we keep you out of the courtroom. Our out-of-court solutions include mediation, collaborative law, family arbitration and lawyer-led negotiation: constructive routes that are usually faster, more private and less costly than litigation. See our out-of-court solutions overview.
Court proceedings
When agreement simply is not possible, we represent you firmly and clearly through court proceedings, guiding you through each step so you always know what to expect.
Please note that we are unable to offer legal aid.
Serving Market Harborough, Leicestershire and the surrounding areas
Market Harborough sits in the far south-east of Leicestershire, in the Harborough district, close to the Northamptonshire border and the Welland Valley. From the town we regularly help families across Harborough, Kibworth, Lutterworth, Fleckney, Great Glen, Husbands Bosworth, Theddingworth, Sibbertoft and the surrounding villages, as well as clients further into Northamptonshire and Rutland.
For clients who want to meet in person, our nearest office is in Leicester, roughly 15 miles north up the A6. Our main staffed office in Oakham, Rutland, lies a short drive to the east. You will find full details for both, plus all the ways to get in touch, on our contact page.
Local resources in Market Harborough
Alongside your solicitor, it helps to know where the official services are based.
- Leicester County Court and Family Court. Family proceedings for the Market Harborough area, including divorce, financial remedy and children applications, are dealt with at Leicester County Court and Family Court, 90 Wellington Street, Leicester, LE1 6HG. You can confirm details on the UK court finder.
- Citizens Advice Leicestershire (Market Harborough). For free general guidance on benefits, debt, housing and related issues, Citizens Advice runs a local service from The Symington Building, Adam and Eve Street, Market Harborough, LE16 7AG.
How to reach our family solicitors in Market Harborough
Our nearest meeting point for Market Harborough clients is the Leicester office at 38 Market Street, Leicester, LE1 6DP. Here is how to get there from the town.
- By car. The most direct route is the A6 north for around 15 miles, a journey of roughly 25 to 35 minutes depending on traffic, bringing you into the centre of Leicester. The office is in the heart of the city centre; the nearest car parks are on Newarke Street and at Highcross, both a short walk away.
- By train. Market Harborough station sits on the Midland Main Line, about 16 miles south-east of Leicester, with direct East Midlands Railway services into Leicester taking around 12 to 13 minutes. From Leicester station the office is roughly a ten-minute walk.
- By bus. Regular coach and bus services connect Market Harborough with Leicester, arriving at the city's central bus stations a short walk from the office.
Plan your journey. Our Leicester office is by appointment only, so please contact us to arrange a time before you travel. If a staffed office is more convenient, our Oakham office is reachable to the east via the A47 or A6003.
Accessibility
We want meeting us to be straightforward for everyone. Our Leicester office is in central Leicester and is used by appointment, so it is not permanently staffed; our Oakham office is our main staffed base. If you have any specific access requirements, or would prefer a phone or video appointment rather than travelling in, please let us know when you book and we will do our best to accommodate you.
Frequently asked questions about family law in Market Harborough
Costs depend on the type of matter and how it is resolved; an agreed divorce handled out of court costs far less than a contested case. We keep our pricing transparent and will discuss it openly at your free discovery call, so you know where you stand before committing to anything.
You can apply for a no-fault divorce yourself, but the divorce itself rarely settles the most important issues, namely your finances and arrangements for any children. Getting those right, and having them recorded in a binding consent order, is where specialist advice makes the biggest difference.
Under the no-fault system, there is a minimum timescale of about 26 weeks. After applying, there is a 20-week reflection period before you can apply for the conditional order, then a further six weeks and one day before the final order. In practice, most divorces take seven to eight months, and longer if financial or children matters remain unresolved.
A Child Arrangements Order is the court order that sets out who a child lives with and how they spend time with each parent. The old terms “custody” and “access” are no longer used. The court’s paramount concern is always the welfare of the child, and in many cases parents can agree arrangements without needing an order at all.
Yes. We offer a free, no-obligation discovery call to everyone in the Market Harborough area. It is a relaxed conversation about your situation and your options, with no pressure to instruct us and no charge.
In mediation, a neutral mediator helps you and your former partner reach your own agreement, which is usually quicker, cheaper and less stressful than court. A judge’s decision is final and removes your control over the outcome. Attending a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM) is normally required before a court application can be made, and in many cases mediation resolves matters without court ever becoming necessary.
Book your free discovery call
Picking up the phone or sending that first email is often the hardest part. Our free, no-obligation discovery call is designed to make that step easier. It is a friendly, confidential conversation in which a specialist family law solicitor listens to your situation, explains your options in plain English, and helps you see a clear way forward. There is no charge and no obligation to instruct us.
To book, call us on 01572 490660, email admin@belderbossolicitors.co.uk, or book your free discovery call online. Whether you are in Market Harborough, Harborough, Lutterworth or anywhere across south Leicestershire, we are here to help you move forward with confidence.