What is a McKenzie Friend?

A McKenzie Friend is a person who supports a litigant in person in court by taking notes, helping with paperwork and offering practical and moral support. They are not a solicitor and do not provide legal representation unless the court grants additional rights.

Can I go to family court without a solicitor?

Yes. Many people represent themselves in UK family court as litigants in person. Bridge The Gap shares community observations and resources to help you understand the process. It does not provide legal advice.

What is Bridge The Gap?

Bridge The Gap is a community-built platform by litigants and McKenzie Friends that highlights the gaps between what people assume about family court and what actually happens.

Bridge The Gap

Celebrating our McKenzie Friends

The people holding the bridge up

Every one listed here chose to be findable

McKenzie Friend

Abbie Conway

Midlands (Northampton)

In their words

Experienced, empathic McKenzie Friend and trained counsellor providing full support throughout the family court process, specialis…

Thank you for holding the bridge up

McKenzie Friend

Amanda Walker

South East

Worth celebrating

CEO, New Leaf Domestic Abuse Service

Thank you for holding the bridge up

McKenzie Friend

Anna Hussain

London & England / Wales

In their words

Dedicated McKenzie Friend specialising in family law support, helping litigants navigate court procedures with confidence and clar…

Thank you for holding the bridge up

McKenzie Friend

Christine Rawson

South East

How they help

Note-taking in court · Court accompaniment · Procedural guidance

Thank you for holding the bridge up

McKenzie Friend

David Gibbs

North West

How they help

Court accompaniment · Case preparation · Note-taking in court

Thank you for holding the bridge up

McKenzie Friend

Deborah Jones

East Midlands & England / Wales

Financial proceedings & navigation

Knowing where you are in the financial case, what comes next, and how to prepare for each stage of it.

Founder, Bridge The Gap

McKenzie Friend

Emma Louise Bell

North East

How they help

Court accompaniment · Case preparation · Note-taking in court

Thank you for holding the bridge up

McKenzie Friend

Gergely Fried

East Anglia & England / Wales

In their words

Founder of Everyman Justice, providing practical McKenzie Friend support to parents and grandparents involved in Family Court proc…

Thank you for holding the bridge up

McKenzie Friend

Jennie Sutton

Midlands (Cheltenham, Gloucestershire)

In their words

Award-winning divorce coach and Professional McKenzie Friend providing practical, hard-hitting guidance for women facing separatio…

Thank you for holding the bridge up

McKenzie Friend

Naomi Simpson

London

In their words

Professional McKenzie Friend providing courtroom support, case preparation, and ongoing guidance for self-represented litigants.

Thank you for holding the bridge up

Thank you, every one of you.

10 McKenzie Friends on the bridge, giving their time and know-how to people who arrive with nothing but a court date.

Find support near you

familycourtbridge.org

Celebrating our McKenzie Friends

The people holding the bridge up

Every one listed here chose to be findable

familycourtbridge.org1 / 12

Screen-record this reel for TikTok — every McKenzie Friend appears once, opening and closing with the celebration frames.

TikTok caption

Family court is hard to walk through alone. These are the McKenzie Friends who give their time, their knowledge and their steady presence to people who arrive with nothing but a court date. Every one of them chose to be findable, free to read, and open to being asked. To every McKenzie Friend on the bridge: thank you. Find support near you: familycourtbridge.org/find-your-support Nothing in this video is legal advice. McKenzie Friends are not regulated. #McKenzieFriend #FamilyCourt #LitigantInPerson #FamilyLaw #CourtSupport #BridgeTheGap

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