> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.useportia.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Litigant in person, solicitor, or McKenzie friend

> The difference between representing yourself, instructing a solicitor or barrister, and using a McKenzie friend in a civil case in England and Wales.

When you have a civil dispute in England and Wales, there are several ways you can approach it. You can represent yourself, you can instruct a lawyer, or you can have a McKenzie friend support you. These are not mutually exclusive, and people often move between them as a case develops. Understanding the difference helps you decide what you need and when.

## Representing yourself (litigant in person)

A [litigant in person](/concepts/what-is-a-litigant-in-person) handles their case without a lawyer acting for them. You do the work yourself: understanding the rules, preparing documents, organising evidence, and speaking at any hearing. It avoids legal fees, but it puts the responsibility, and the effort, on you. The court holds you to the same rules as everyone else, while usually making reasonable allowances for the fact that you are not legally trained.

## Instructing a solicitor or barrister

A solicitor or barrister is a qualified, regulated legal professional who can advise you on the law, tell you how strong your case is, and represent you. Solicitors typically handle the conduct of a case and can instruct a barrister for specialist advice or advocacy; barristers specialise in court advocacy and advice. This is the fullest form of help, and it comes at a cost. Some people instruct a lawyer for the whole case; others bring one in only at a particular point, such as a key hearing, which is sometimes called unbundled or limited-scope help.

## Using a McKenzie friend

A McKenzie friend is someone who accompanies a litigant in person to a hearing to provide support. They can sit with you, help you stay organised, quietly give advice, and take notes. What a McKenzie friend generally cannot do is speak for you in court or run your case, as they have no automatic right to address the court. A McKenzie friend does not have to be legally qualified, and the role is about support rather than representation.

## Mixing and matching

These options are not a one-time choice. You might start as a litigant in person, use a free advice service for guidance, bring a McKenzie friend to a hearing for support, and instruct a barrister for a single important stage. The right combination depends on the complexity of your case, what is at stake, and what you can afford.

## Related reading

* [What is a litigant in person](/concepts/what-is-a-litigant-in-person)
* [What legal aid covers](/concepts/what-legal-aid-covers)
* [The stages of a civil claim](/concepts/stages-of-a-civil-claim)

***

Portia is a document-organisation tool for people handling civil disputes in England and Wales. It is not a law firm and does not give legal advice. [Learn what Portia does](https://useportia.ai).