James Scarborough, Bishop's Stortford divorce and family law solicitor

How can I help you?

I qualified in 2013 and worked in Cambridge, Bromley and St Albans before joining Tees in 2022. Before joining Tees, I was a Partner at a national specialist family law firm.

Since qualifying, I have largely specialised in divorce and financial disputes. This has meant I have developed experience involving various different assets and asset structures, including trusts, businesses and pensions. In doing so, I understand the importance of quickly identifying when it is necessary to seek input from third party experts, such as accountants or actuaries.

In addition to the above, I have experience in advising on financial claims by unmarried parents on behalf of a child, nuptial agreements, arrangements for children (including relocation disputes) and cohabitation agreements.

I have been a member of Resolution since qualifying.

Delivering what you need

I am regularly commended for my calm and reassuring approach, which I am told “instils a huge amount of confidence”.

I believe it is important that my clients are clear from the outset about what they should expect, not just in relation to the key issues but also the process, timings and potential costs. This means I discuss my clients’ priorities early and give realistic advice on how likely it might be for us to succeed in achieving those.

I am recognised as a “key lawyer” in the Legal500, a legal publication which ranks law firms and individual lawyers.

What else should you know?

I strongly advocate non-court dispute resolution (NCDR) – i.e., trying to resolve disputes outside of the court process (which is overburdened and under-resourced). In particular, arbitration can often be a means of finalising a dispute quickly and cost-effectively. I have significant experience reaching successful outcomes in this way, which I often discuss with my clients. However, my penchant for NCDR does not prevent me from making court applications where I believe necessary – and indeed, I have ample experience in such applications.

I work predominantly from the Bishop’s Stortford office but can also meet clients in other locations or via video call.

When I'm not at work, I spend time with my family, playing sports (anything with a ball, especially football, cricket, and skiing), and going on holiday!