My Services
- Give you strategic advice on your financial or child dispute.
- Advise on the different methods of dispute resolution.
- Communicate with your ex-partner/spouse to try and reach agreement, and save you the cost, both financial and emotional, of court proceedings.
- Advise on the types of financial remedies available to unmarried people (or those not in a civil partnership).
- Prepare the necessary court application forms and/or advise you on the types of order(s) you should be seeking.
- Accompany you to court to offer moral support and advice on points of law/act as intermediary with your opponent.
- Prepare a letter of instruction for an expert.
- Help you to draft a witness statement in accordance with court protocol.
- Advise on and prepare trial bundles for use in court.
- Research case law and prepare a skeleton argument/position statement on your behalf.
- Draft consent orders, and associated court forms, in financial proceedings.
- Explain the purpose of, and prepare on your behalf, a separation agreement for financial arrangements.
- Advise on and issue enforcement proceedings if appropriate.
- Domestic violence – I can issue emergency proceedings, prepare statements and come along to court with you (if local to south Gloucestershire).
- Read a more detailed description of my family law services here >>
Constraints on a McKenzie Friend’s role
While I work to a code of ethics, these are less restrictive than the constraints imposed on solicitors by the Law Society and Solicitors Regulation Authority.
I do not have rights of audience and therefore cannot, in normal circumstances, address the Judge on your behalf or cross examine your opponent. However, many Judges have been willing to allow me to speak on a client’s behalf now that I am more qualified.
As with other branches of law, family law can be difficult to understand and often seem unfair to clients. It is however worthwhile to ascertain at an early stage your prospects of success so that you can make an informed decision about whether to try and settle your dispute, or initiate/continue with court proceedings. Also an important point to remember is that the role of your McKenzie Friend (or advocate) is to help you present (and/or submit) your case to the judge from a legal perspective, or to advise you how a judge will perceive the merits of your case.
My approach
Particularly where there are children involved, my ethos is to be polite, respectful and as friendly as possible, even when liaising with client’s former spouses.
That is not to say that I cannot “fight your corner” but a hostile approach is counter productive in my experience. My approach is totally anti-discriminatory, that is, I welcome enquiries from both male and female clients, regardless of sexual orientation, socio-economic group, ethnicity or creed.
Client Testimonials
“Samantha was a great help and got my consent order documents in order meticulously and worked very hard to get everything done. Highly recommended.”