Amico Direct Access was founded by Laura Rosefield and Hannah Budd, a former criminal barrister and former family law solicitor, who now work as Divorce Consultants. Together, they have extensive experience in the Family Court.
Guiding you through the Family Court cost-effectively
Amico Direct Access offers legal, practical and emotional support for individuals who are representing themselves – through choice or necessity – in the Family Court and who are using the services of a barrister to advise and represent them at hearings.
Sometimes called Direct Access or Public Access, this route means you hire a barrister for court representation and key legal advice, but you stay on record as a litigant in person. It can reduce costs and give you more control. Yet there can still be a lot of admin, communication, and organisation—especially if you are new to legal procedures.
What is Direct Access?
Direct Access, also known as Public Access, means to use directly the services of a barrister, without using a solicitor.
Solicitors instruct barristers to provide clients with advice at key points in their case and to represent them at court hearings.
Since 2004 it has been possible for members of the public to use barristers directly, without the need to instruct a solicitor. You would formally be on the Family Court record as a “litigant in person”, representing yourself, meaning that you would deal directly with the court and the other party or their solicitors.
For those going through a separation or divorce, the advantage to this arrangement is that it can reduce costs and give you more control. There will be a lot of admin, communication and organisation, for which you will be directly responsible. This can be hard, especially if you are unfamiliar with the court process. Not all individuals or cases are suited to it.
We would discuss with you whether Direct Access is appropriate for you or if you need a solicitor to represent you. If this is the case, we would help you identify a solicitor who is best suited to your case.
How our approach helps
- Stay Informed, not overwhelmed: we help you understand the broad timeline of what to expect, from preliminary hearings to final outcomes, and what you will need to do at each stage. This stops you wondering “How long will this go on and what do I need to do?”
- Keep costs clear: we will help you manage the funds that you have and ensure that they are used in the best possible way for your case.
- Things we can help with include: drafting paperwork (statements, applications, financial disclosure forms etc), compiling court bundles and barristers’ papers, helping with correspondence with the other side and the court, preparing you for giving evidence in court and supporting you with co-parenting communications.
- Day to day support: you will always have us, as your professional friend, available to provide as much or as little support as you need.
- Connecting you with high quality advice: we only suggest barristers from chambers that we know and trust, who are highly regarded and experienced specialists in the field for which you require advice.
Who we work with
We work with a wide variety of clients, including men and women who have been married, cohabiting or in a civil partnership.
We can help with financial disputes between you and/or proceedings concerning the arrangements for your children, as well as other Family Law issues, such as non-molestation and occupation orders.
We have particular expertise in assisting with high conflict cases, often where there has been domestic abuse and trauma.
We offer bespoke support tailored to your exact needs.
We would be delighted to discuss working together with you.