A McKenzie friend assists a litigant in person in a court of law in England and Wales, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia by prompting, taking notes, and quietly giving advice. The role of a McKenzie friend has evolved over time. With the removal of legal aid for standard family applications in court, their role is becoming more popular. Some would argue it is essential. Often, a McKenzie friend will have some form of professional training.

The right to a McKenzie friend was established in the 1970 case of McKenzie v McKenzie. Although in many cases a McKenzie friend may be an actual friend, it is often somebody with knowledge of the area and the presumption is heavily in favour of admitting a McKenzie friend into court. However, as with every profession, there are good and bad. It can be difficult to find a McKenzie you can trust. We have compiled a list of McKenzie friends that our members have used previously and have provided good feedback on their services. We are keen to grow our list, should you wish to join us please get in touch via email to info@fathersjusticeuk.co.uk We are happy for you to check your McKenzie friend against a list of concern we have compiled from feedback we have received.

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Costs vary and it is wholly dependent on experience.

A McKenzie Friend should be able to demonstrate good knowledge, have reviews of work, ideally a website and insurance (where possible). Ball park figures, based on sourcing information from various websites and our own McKenzie Friend’s fee scales are as follows:

Half Day – £225

Full Day – £300

Per Hour – £60-£75

If your McKenzie is trying to charge you more than that is a concern. If your McKenzie is charging you far less that, by it’s very nature, that could also be a concern.

There are two broad areas of law; Civil Law (Family Law comes under this umbrella) and Criminal Law.

We will continue to advocate self-representation in family court, Litigant in Person, but there are times where you may face allegations of domestic abuse that are reported to the police and an investigation begins. In these instances, we would always encourage you to seek legal advice and support. Investigations such as this are dealt with under criminal law.

Fathers Justice UK Support and Advice have, from its inception in 2013, built good working relationships with a number of organisations and companies. It is not lost on us that, on occasion, we may need to refer a member of our community to other agencies and companies.

One such company is Emery, Halil & Brown. We have worked with them closely in several cases and they have always been passionate, professional and supportive. They offer a national service and emergency helpline 0208 519 5500. Our contact is Bal Sian.

Please only contact them if you are facing a criminal matter. This is not a service provided by FJUK and therefore fees may apply.

Please contact us for more information

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