Calm support when you’re facing the family courts on your own.
If you’re representing yourself in family court — divorce, child arrangements, or financial proceedings — you don’t have to do it alone. I’m a McKenzie Friend based in Bedfordshire, and I sit alongside people who can’t, or don’t want to, instruct a solicitor.
This isn’t legal advice. I’m not a barrister or a solicitor. What I am is a calm, organised person who knows the system, and has seen it from the other side, and can carry some of the weight whilst you focus on what matters most.
What is a McKenzie Friend?
A McKenzie Friend is a person who provides moral support, takes notes, helps with paperwork, and quietly assists you in and out of court. It’s an officially recognised role in the UK courts and exists because the system simply isn’t designed for the number of people who now go through it without legal representation.
I can’t speak on your behalf in the courtroom (only barristers can do that), but I can be there with you — and I can do a lot of the work that happens outside the courtroom too. And we have to seek permission before I enter the courtroom.
(I have a DBS – police check – and had training in addition to life experience)
How I help
Sitting alongside you in hearings. I’ll come with you to court, take notes you can read back later (because you won’t remember half of what’s said), and quietly hand you the right bit of paper at the right moment.
Remote prep sessions before each hearing. Video or phone, depending on what works. We go through what’s going to happen, what the judge might ask, and what you want to say — so you walk in with a plan, not panic.
Organising your bundles and paperwork. Family court paperwork is brutal. Statements, evidence, correspondence, court orders — all with deadlines and formatting rules. We will work together to get it done. It is not impossible.
Practical and emotional support throughout. Between hearings, the silence can be the hardest bit. I’m someone you can email, or ring when a letter lands and you don’t know what it means. Calm, in your corner, for as long as you need.
Who this is for
People going through the family courts who:
– Can’t afford a solicitor (legal aid is harder to get than it used to be)
– Are part-way through a case and feeling out of their depth
– Want someone calm beside them on the day
– Need help organising the mountain of paperwork that comes with a family case
– Just don’t want to do this alone
Where
In-person support for hearings is offered in Bedfordshire and the surrounding counties — most courts within a sensible drive.
Remote prep, paperwork help, and ongoing support is available to anyone in England and Wales. We can do most of what matters by video call and email.
How it works
- A free chat. Drop me a line. We’ll talk about your case, what you need, and whether I’m the right fit. No pressure.
- A clear agreement. Before we start, you’ll know exactly what I’ll do, what I won’t, and what it’ll cost. In writing.
- Support that flexes. You might want me for one hearing, or all the way through. Up to you. Things change in family cases — I work with that.
Pricing
My current introductory rate is £25 per hour. That covers everything: prep calls, paperwork, hearings, emails between, the lot. Travel costs may apply for in-person hearings outside Bedfordshire.
I’ll always agree estimated time with you up front, so there are no surprises. And if your situation is genuinely tight, talk to me — I’d rather help where I can than turn someone away.
What I’m not
Just so we’re clear: I’m not a lawyer. I can’t tell you what the law says, what you should do legally, or how a judge will rule. For those things, you need a solicitor or barrister.
What I do is everything around the law — the organising, the calm, the company. The bit that often makes the biggest difference to how the whole thing feels.
If you’d like to talk
Call me on 07961 548 495 or email me rachel.clarkeva@gmail.com.
We can have a chat about what’s going on and whether I’m the right person to help.
You’re not alone in this. And it doesn’t have to be as overwhelming as it feels right now.
Rachel Clarke 