Women’s McKenzie Friend is a specialized support service dedicated to assisting women navigating the family court system in England and Wales. It provides affordable, practical guidance and court accompaniment for matters related to child arrangements and financial orders, offering a cost-effective alternative to traditional legal representation. The service is designed to reduce stress, increase clarity, and empower women during difficult family proceedings.
The service focuses on delivering clear, consistent support to women who are representing themselves in court, particularly those impacted by domestic abuse or financial constraints. With extensive experience in the domestic abuse sector, Women’s McKenzie Friend helps clients achieve fair outcomes, understand legal processes, and maintain stability throughout their case. It emphasizes value, accessibility, and personalized assistance, operating as a lay support service with full professional indemnity insurance.
Services Offered
- Child Arrangements assistance, including applying for or responding to Child Arrangements Orders
- Support with Prohibited Steps Orders and Specific Issues Orders
- Guidance on understanding and engaging with Cafcass
- Preparation of position statements and witness statements
- Support for court hearings, including First Hearing Dispute Resolution Appointments (FHDRA), Finding of Fact Hearings, Dispute Resolution Appointments (DRA), and Final Hearings
- Assistance with varying court orders
- Guidance on breaches of court orders and enforcement applications
- Financial Orders support, including completion of Form A and Form E
- Assistance with maintenance pending suit applications
- Preparation of chronologies and questionnaires
- Filing and serving Statements of Issues and Statements of Costs
- Support for Financial Dispute Resolution (FDR) hearings and First Directions Appointments (FDA)
- On-line support and remote hearing attendance throughout England and Wales
- In-person court attendance in London, Greater London, and the South West of England
- Free 30-minute initial consultation
Women’s McKenzie Friend serves clients across England and Wales, with in-person coverage focused on London and the South West, including courts in Swindon, Oxford, Salisbury, Bath, Bristol, Basingstoke, Southampton, Portsmouth, Winchester, Reading, Exeter, Slough, Brighton, and Guildford. Services are available in English, and support is tailored to women acting as Litigants in Person, especially those affected by domestic abuse or unable to secure legal aid.
