What Is a Litigant in Person?
A litigant in person (LiP) is someone who represents themselves in court without a solicitor or barrister. This is increasingly common in Family Court — whether because legal aid isn't available, solicitors are too expensive, or people simply prefer to manage their own case with the right support beside them.
Why Use a McKenzie Friend?
A McKenzie Friend provides the practical support that makes self-representation viable. We help you prepare your case, draft your documents, organise your evidence, and sit beside you in court — taking notes, offering quiet guidance, and keeping you focused. Our clients regularly tell us their McKenzie Friend experience was more personal, more thorough, and more affordable than their previous experience with solicitors. Read one client's comparison in our guide to affordable alternatives.
How We Help
We provide end-to-end McKenzie Friend support: case assessment, document preparation, court hearing attendance, and ongoing guidance between hearings. Whether your case involves child arrangements, financial remedy, non-molestation orders or any other Family Court matter, we have the expertise to support you effectively.
Starting Prices
Frequently Asked Questions
A McKenzie Friend provides different but complementary support. We cannot give legal advice or speak on your behalf (unless the judge grants permission), but we provide the practical preparation, document drafting and courtroom support that many clients find even more thorough and personal than their experience with solicitors.
In practice, this is very rare. The court's default position is that litigants in person are entitled to have a McKenzie Friend present. Judges can refuse in exceptional circumstances, but this almost never happens in Family Court proceedings.
We offer payment plans and our fees are significantly lower than solicitors. We also offer a free initial consultation to assess your case before you commit. Many of our clients come to us specifically because legal aid isn't available for their case and solicitors' fees are prohibitive.