International divorce lawyer
Maria Bowmer is an experienced divorce and family lawyer with an international background, practicing in Rotterdam. Rotterdam is one of the biggest ports in the world and is a vibrant melting pot of different nationalities and expatriates.
Over the years we have represented many foreign nationals, both living in or outside The Netherlands. Therefore, we are uniquely equipped to handle cases with international aspects. These include cross border disputes regarding marital property, child custody or alimony/ maintenance.
Who we are
Maria Bowmer: Dutch divorce lawyer
Maria is an Irish national and a native English speaker. She moved to The Netherlands at a young age and she studied civil and business law at Leiden University. Maria has been practicing family law for over 20 years and now focuses on divorces for business owners and high net worth individuals. Maria enjoys engaging with clients from all over the world and regularly advises on Dutch law in divorce cases in other countries. She also advises on pre- and post-marital agreements effected in The Netherlands. She is the creator of Dutch Divorce Lawyer.
Selma Akitürkmen
Selma is of Turkish origin and works as our paralegal. She graduated in law from the University of Tilburg in 2023.
How we work
In our view, a working relationship between client and lawyer doesn’t have to be distant. We work through your problems on both a legal and a human level, so you feel heard. Our pragmatic approach means that we will try and find solutions without necessarily going to court, while defending your interests to the utmost.
In international cases, one of the most important factors is to determine which law and jurisdiction is applicable to your case. Based on this analysis, we advise whether filing for a divorce in The Netherlands is really the best option. We then explore if there is a basis to proceed with an out of court settlement. If yes, then we negotiate the divorce with your spouse’s lawyer. Alternatively, we can apply mediation to negotiate a settlement between you as spouses. However, if parties cannot agree, then we will vigorously defend you in court.
Please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have. It would be great to hear from you!