Law students offer court support as ‘McKenzie Friends’
Law students from the University of 天发娱乐棋牌_天发娱乐APP-官网|下载 are taking part in a new initiative to provide support to defendants appearing in court.
A total of 17 undergraduates have signed up to be ‘McKenzie Friends’ at the small claims court in 天发娱乐棋牌_天发娱乐APP-官网|下载.
A McKenzie Friend accompanies a defendant in court if they don’t have legal representation, providing help via note taking, emotional support, helping to explain the process, or prompting the defendant.
The project is a new collaboration between the university and 天发娱乐棋牌_天发娱乐APP-官网|下载 County Court, and students will be in court once a month on a Monday to provide assistance and support.
Second year Law student Maddy Nicholl, 20, is Vice President of the university’s Global Legal Clinic and has led the McKenzie Friends project.
She said: “This project has been an invaluable opportunity for my personal and professional growth. It has allowed me to develop important skills, including networking with the judiciary, having had the privilege of hosting His Honour Judge Philip Glen.
“Spending time in court, learning the procedures firsthand, and witnessing the real-life impact of our work has deepened my understanding of the justice system and strengthened my commitment to ensuring that access to justice is available to everyone.”
Lizzie Brook, 20, is studying Law with Psychology and is volunteering as a McKenzie Friend. She said: “By offering much-needed emotional support and helping clients navigate the court process, we can make a real difference.”
Keagan Smith, supervising solicitor at the university’s Law School, said: “McKenzie Friends is a great scheme that assists members of the public to have better representation in court and feel more comfortable and not just isolated in what can be a stressful situation.
“It’s fantastic experience for the students who want to become solicitors or barristers because it gives them court exposure and an understanding of what the court processes are.
“It is also a chance for them to develop emotional support skills that are important when supporting clients through the court process, and it helps student to understand clients’ needs.”
The McKenzie Friends access to justice scheme is named after a divorce case in England in 1969 when the petitioner lost legal aid and sought support from an Australian barrister whose legal qualifications were not recognised in the UK.
The students will next be available as McKenzie Friends at the small claims court in 天发娱乐棋牌_天发娱乐APP-官网|下载 on Monday 12 May. If you would like to request McKenzie Friend support on other dates, contact the university’s Legal Clinic at legalclinic@soton.ac.uk .