Having previously seen several negative press stories in the media about unscrupulous Mckenzie Friends, I was therefore very sceptical about enlisting the support of one to help me with my civil claim.
I made contact with Debbie after research on the Professional Association of Mckenzie Friends website. I deliberated for several days before actually summing up the courage to contact her.
From discussing a brief outline of my civil case with her during our introductory session, I got the impression that she was very knowledgeable of legal aspects of the law. However, although I felt extremely reassured that she would be a valuable asset to me I was still somewhat sceptical, due to the negative media attention surrounding the conduct of Mckenzie Friends.
With less than 2 weeks to go to my impending court case, I still felt very reluctant to part with money that I could ill afford. However, I soon realised that I would not be able to conduct my case on my own against a defendant party who would be represented by a barrister.
With hindsight, I truly wished that I had enlisted the services of Debbie from the outset of my case. I can say with explicit confidence that had I employed her from the very beginning of my claim the outcome for me would have been very different. With only a short span of 2 days before my hearing, Debbie was able to look at some of the information I had presented to her and was extremely knowledgeable in helping to present to me an honest assessment of the facts of my case relating to the relevant law.
She was honest from the very outset and did not give me any false hope. She helped me to structure my arguments, and to prepare additional material which would support my case at the hearing. I am of the opinion that, had the judge in my case not displayed a bias towards the opposing party, I would have been successful with part of my case.
I can only say that despite only receiving instructions to act for me, within an extremely short timeframe, had it not been for Debbie’s support on the day, I would have been an emotional wreck. Although she was not able to verbally speak on my behalf, just having her beside me put me at immense ease. She was insightful and immediately noticed several inconsistencies in the defendant’s documentation – and picked up on several points that I had previously missed.
It is such a sad fact that due to the negative press about McKenzie Friends, unrepresented claimants will be reluctant to use them and hence end up losing their cases because they are not knowledgeable about the law. There needs to be a more balanced representation of Mckenzie Friends, and the excellent work individuals like Debbie do.
I have nothing but praise for the high level of work and support Debbie provided me with, despite having such a limited amount of time to work with. I would most definitely, without a question of doubt, employ her again without hesitation. I will also be recommending her to other unrepresented individuals I know who have been conducting their cases without support.
Thank you Debbie.
