Help with divorce costs?

[stella1w]

A friend of a friend is one month away from the final divorce hearing. Her H is abusive and rich. She has no money and mental health issues. She cannot find a barrister who will represent her without money up front and her solicitor has just fired her because she thinks H will not pay costs even if so ordered. I think proceedings were started before the legal aid cuts. I would be very grateful for any ideas on support groups or understanding lawyers she can approach, thanks.

Thanks. I like the look of red bar..but thought barristers had to be instructed by solicitors?

You can now engage a barrister without a solicitor - although you needed one in times gone by.

She can also use a McKenzie Friend. They are a fraction of a cost of most legal professionals and the good ones are just as good (sometimes better).

Good list here:

www.fnf.org.uk/law-and-information/mckenzie-friends

McKenzie Friends are not legal proffesionals, and she would need to self rep herself. I am not sure op if she is up to that.

Get a free half hour consultantion with a legal aid solicitor and get thier opion on how to progress.

Yes, she is in no state of mind to selfrep and the other side will be represented.

The court now has the power to make interim lump sum and property adjustment orders solely to meet the legal fees of one of the parties.

Thanks collaborate, thatis goof to know, will pass that along.

As Collaborate says, her best bet may be to apply for an interim lump sum order. This is something her former solicitors should have advised in the circumstances tbh.

It's called a Legal Services Order.