James Belderbos
Professional Overview
James is the founder and director of Belderbos Solicitors and has devoted his career to family law. He advises on divorce, separation, financial matters, arrangements for children, and pre- and post-nuptial and cohabitation agreements.
James established the firm with a clear purpose: to support families through separation with care, strategic judgement and perspective. He is committed to helping clients reorganise their family life constructively wherever possible, keeping children at the heart of decision-making. However, he is not ideological about processes and provides informed advice on collaborative processes or court action on a case-by-case basis. Where delay, obstruction or imbalance threatens a client’s position, James advises firm and timely court action to regain structure and protect long-term interests.
Clients value his calm, empathetic manner and his ability to provide honest, realistic advice. He focuses on identifying the right outcome for each family, offering reassurance while maintaining credibility and control throughout the process. For James, family law is all about helping people navigate through some of the most difficult challenges they face in life.
Areas of Practice
James advises on all aspects of family law, including divorce, financial remedies, children matters, and nuptial and cohabitation agreements. As a trained collaborative lawyer and mediator, he frequently assists clients in resolving disputes outside court. Where litigation is necessary, he guides clients through proceedings strategically and proportionately, often using the court framework to facilitate settlement at the earliest appropriate stage.
Experience and Background
James holds an LLB (Hons) and has practised in family law since qualification. He is a member of Resolution and serves on the Resolution Leicestershire Committee. Over the course of his career, he has developed a practice dedicated exclusively to family law, building a specialist team focused on continuity and personal service. James’ ethos revolves around building a separate but intact family outside of the court process when possible, but appreciates the respect that each unique case demands.
His experience spans both non-court dispute resolution and litigation. While he has a strong commitment to constructive settlement, he has longstanding familiarity with court proceedings and presents cases firmly when required. This balanced experience enables him to assess each situation individually and advise on the most appropriate route from the outset. Clients value James’ ability to evaluate each case strategically and truly select the most appropriate course of action for their circumstances.
Outside the Office
James lives in Oakham with his family and has three children with whom he loves spending his free time. He enjoys gardening, walking and running, having completed several half marathons, and regularly attends local Park Run. He is also a committed, enduring supporter of Leicester Tigers and Leicester City.
Ms P, Leicestershire"James has been acting for my sister with her divorce. I was present at the first meeting and was impressed and pleased with the way he got her to open up and talk to him in a way that I have seldom seen her do.
James has been very firm and honest with my sister throughout the process, guiding her to make difficult decisions, and acting in an empathic and professional manner at all times. I would be very happy to recommend James to anyone going through a similar situation."
Mrs C, Oakham, Rutland"James Belderbos has assisted me and my husband on a number of occasions with family matters and on each occasion, we have enjoyed working with him and feel totally secure and at ease, knowing that we are in the hands of someone with tremendous experience and knowledge.
James always carefully considers all aspects and ramifications before providing opinion or solutions. Without hesitation, I would recommend James to anyone who has a family matter requiring resolution or professional assistance."
Ms B, Nottinghamshire"James was recommended to me when I was new to the area and looking for a good lawyer to help me with my divorce which can be a painful process to go through. Not only was James extremely attentive to accuracy and detail, he showed compassion and kindness (a trait not often associated with lawyers!) and steered me towards reaching a satisfactory result with my divorce."
JW of Mountsorrel"James was recommended to me when I was new to the area and looking for a good lawyer to help me with my divorce which can be a painful process to go through. For me in particular, this is true. It was necessary for me to end my marriage of 45 years which is the biggest step I have undertaken in my entire life but was absolutely right.
At last, like some sort of chrysalis I am emerging to become the butterfly I always was. Throughout a difficult divorce James Belderbos offered both wise and succinct advice together with support. My gratitude is infinite. It is reassuring to know there are solicitors practicing who take their role seriously and professionally. James Belderbos is one."
Mr W, Leicestershire"When I started on the process of divorce after a long marriage I was given 2 bits of very valuable advice. The first was the importance of having a strong team of people around you including friends, family as well as the range of professionals that you also need.
The second piece of advice was to go and see James Belderbos. James has provided me with excellent guidance, he listened to what I wanted and then gave me reasonable and realistic, sometimes hard to swallow but always well thought out and above all honest information and help. I truly believe that James cares about his clients and as a result I believe that I arrived at the best outcome for all parties."
Mr D, Leicestershire"Having met James Belderbos for the first time I found him to be professional, knowledgeable and also very understanding to the sensitive situation with regards to my ex wife and the current situation.
Throughout the whole process James Belderbos always gave sound advice and was always very approachable handling my calls personally which meant a great deal to me.
I would without doubt recommend James Belderbos to anyone requiring a Family Law Professional."
Mr M Loughborough Leicestershire"I approached James regarding my separation and getting my name removed from the deeds of the property I had shared with my ex-partner and where my 10 year old daughter was living.
It was never my intention to deal with this matter through the courts but if I was forced to I would have had done so. With James’s support and advice, we have managed to resolve the matter amicably with a very satisfactory outcome and without the courts. This has been less stressful. It took some time to reach this resolution but the delay was not from our side. We faced challenges including lack of communication and my ex-partner denying my claim until my daughter reached 18 years of age. Despite these difficult situations and with James’s gentle yet firm approach, we managed to overcome them and achieve the outcome I desired with my daughter remaining in the family home.
I would have no hesitation in recommending James, his style and approach which certainly worked for me. Thank you James."
Mr B, Yorkshire"Mr Belderbos represented me. I now have extensive contact with my children despite many difficult challenges – it has changed my life and that of my children for the better.
Obviously a talented and knowledgeable lawyer, just as importantly, James was patient, supportive and understanding – exactly the sort of person you need on your side in difficult times."
Ms W Leicestershire"James Belderbos delivered an excellent professional service.
Great communication, understanding, explained everything clearly and kept me up to date with things. I was made to feel that my needs were of importance any correspondence and telephone calls were responded to very quickly – I would have no hesitation in recommending James."
Ms L, Quorn, Leicestershire"James Belderbos represented me through a divorce. He was easy to talk to and explained anything I didn’t understand in simple terms.
Divorces can be very stressful and personal, but I always felt comfortable talking to James. I highly recommend him because without his knowledge I wouldn’t be where I am today."
Mr H"Having recently finalised my divorce, my representative who came highly recommended to me by my accountant and family friend was James Belderbos.
As you can imagine the divorce process is very daunting as I had no idea of what to expect or do, James spoke to me about the process and options and made me feel instantly more confident and comfortable about the unfortunate process I found myself in.
On our first meeting James laid out a list of options we could take to make the process as easy as possible on both parties, we decided on the collaborative process which suited my situation.
The collaborative process worked well allowing both parties to clearly interact at one time directly to iron out the agreement which you need in a divorce. James was excellent, he instantly became a guide for me advising me on all aspects of the divorce and supporting me throughout.
He made everything clear and explained the next steps to progress, always kept in touch and always responded to any queries I had throughout the process promptly."
Mrs T, Stamford, Lincolnshire"Thank you very much James for your courteous, caring and professionalism. Your advice was very helpful and your empathy throughout was exemplary."
Mr BB"Mr Belderbos represented me. I now have extensive contact with my children despite many difficult challenges – it has changed my life and that of my children for the better.
Obviously a talented and knowledgeable lawyer, just as importantly, James was patient, supportive and understanding – exactly the sort of person you need on your side in difficult times."
Mrs. C, Leicestershire"I would just like to thank James for the help and support given during my divorce. James offered very sound advice and actively encouraged the use of mediation throughout the process. This was most effective and made the process easier to bring to a satisfactory conclusion."
Mrs JL"James Belderbos represented me through a divorce. He was easy to talk to and explained anything I didn’t understand in simple terms. Divorces can be very stressful and personal , but I always felt comfortable talking to James. I highly recommend him because without his knowledge I wouldn’t be where I am today."
Mr K, Lincolnshire"I highly recommend James Belderbos and his team for family law matters. Throughout my divorce, James provided clear and compassionate guidance at every step of the way.
Before our first meeting, James recommended the use of an online tool to gather important information about my situation. This meant that no time was wasted during the initial meeting, and James was well-equipped to assess my needs and recommend a tailored approach.
Given my situation and after outlining the various options, James immediately suggested mediation as the best course of action. James was always available to provide additional help, and all correspondence was thorough, timely, and of excellent quality.
Going through a divorce was emotionally draining, so having experienced, empathetic, and supportive guidance at every step of the way was a huge relief. I would wholeheartedly recommend James and his team."
Mrs S, Stamford"James was recommended to me and I’m so glad he was. He navigated me through a difficult time with absolute empathy, superb insight and professionalism. His manner is not at all intimidating or clinical, which it could so easily could have been in previous experiences with lawyers. I felt 100% supported every step of the way. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend James to anyone."
Mr L Loughborough"When I spoke to James Belderbos regarding separation, divorce and child matters, I found James to have a very open and refreshing approach.
He strongly encouraged a non-combative approach through the use of mediation and collaboration, stating that courts were to be viewed as a last resort in resolving conflict. James was also clear on his message, advice and was punctual in meetings not looking to extend the time unnecessarily. Because of this, I was able to keep meeting times and costs to a minimum.
I would strongly recommend James to anyone who needs a calm guide on the legal complexities of separation and divorce."
Mrs B Melton Mowbray"I am just so glad I chose you to represent, guide and assist with my divorce. You all made it much easier than it could have been; your support, empathy kindness and advice was amazing.
From the first moment I walked into your office, not knowing what to do or what divorce entailed, I felt taken care of.
James is a very kind, empathetic man, very professional and clearly knows his craft. I felt at ease and in good hands. This was a very difficult and scary process; divorce is life changing and I was guided through every step gently and with the utmost care. Every person in the office was supportive and kind at every turn. I am most grateful.
Thank you! I would highly recommend you to anyone facing this mountain to climb."
Quorn, Leicestershire"I contacted James when facing a divorce after being in a loveless marriage for many years. I’d been a stay-at-home mum and had lost my identity and confidence.
I had an initial meeting with James and straight away I felt at ease. He was very approachable and explained the various stages very clearly. It was obvious that James’ focus is to get you through the divorce without being detrimental to the family’s ongoing relationship and saw court as a last option. This was of importance to me as whilst I knew our marriage was over, I didn’t want my children to lose their relationship with their dad.
Sadly, my divorce wasn’t straight forward, and we had to attend court. I found this whole experience very daunting, but James was extremely supportive and recommended a fabulous Barrister. Between them they did a fantastic job. They had the foresight and knowledge to negotiate me a fabulous package which has given me the stability to support my children and the opportunity to find myself again.
I will be forever grateful to them and wouldn’t hesitate in recommending."