McKenzie Friend Support · England & Wales
Your hearing is coming. Get support right now.
It's the middle of the night, or the middle of the day, and you're staring at a letter from the court with no idea what it actually means. Nobody's explaining anything to you. Nearly 3 in 4 people in private family law cases are in exactly this position, representing themselves, at courts across England and Wales. A McKenzie Friend sits beside you, helps you prepare, and makes sure you are never doing this alone. That doesn't make it easy. It makes support essential.
Get my free case review★★★★★ 5.0 from 8 verified reviews on Find a McKenzie Friend. Read them
“Helped me feel heard, prepared, and less alone.”
Michael W. · Litigant in person, hearing at short notice · verified on Find a McKenzie Friend · Read all 8 reviews
Inside the McKenzie Friend Portal
Everything a McKenzie Friend would do beside you
Your deadlines, on one timeline
Every date from your order or court letter in one place, with a countdown, so nothing gets missed.
Your statement, in your own words
Talk it through and it becomes a statement in the order the court expects. Your words stay yours.
Your hearing, practised out loud
Answer the questions the judge might ask you, until your own voice sounds steady.
Share documents safely - they delete themselves after 14 days
Send papers through Document Exchange. Files delete themselves after 14 days and every share is kept on a record nobody can edit.
Does this sound like you?
Right now, you might be feeling...
These are the things families tell us, over and over, before their first call with us.
- You don't know what to do next, and there's no one to ask who actually understands the process.
- You're staring at paperwork, forms, deadlines, and none of it is explained in plain English.
- The other side has a solicitor. You don't. And it feels like the odds are already against you.
- You're terrified of saying the wrong thing in front of a judge, or in front of CAFCASS.
- You've lost sleep over this. Your confidence is shot. You feel completely alone in it.
- You're worried this could affect your time with your children, and no one will give you a straight answer.
Free case review
Tell us what’s happening and we will reply by email
A short, unhurried conversation. No pressure, no obligation, no cost. We reply within one working day.
Your information is handled in line with our privacy policy. We never share your details.
What happens next
Your free case review, in three steps
Reach us online
Leave your details below and we will be in touch by email.
We listen
A real conversation about your case and your hearing, not a script.
You know where you stand
Honestly, clearly, and with no pressure to do anything next.
Find your court
Family court support near you in England & Wales
Wherever your hearing is being heard, across England and Wales, we can help you prepare and walk in with someone beside you. Choose your area below.
London (5 courts)
Central Family Court, Royal Courts of Justice, East London Family Court, West London Family Court and Croydon Family Court
South East (4 areas)
South West (1 area)
Midlands (2 areas)
Don't see your area listed? Get in touch anyway, we cover more courts than are listed here.
How we can help
Whatever you're facing, we've likely supported someone through it
We work alongside parents and family members through every stage of the family court process, including:
- Child arrangements: contact, residence and living arrangements for your children.
- Divorce and financial remedy: practical support through the financial fallout of separation.
- Parental alienation: guidance when a child's relationship with a parent is being undermined.
- Domestic abuse and non-molestation orders: protection applications and safeguarding support.
- Court bundles and document preparation: getting your paperwork ready, on time, every time.
- Litigant in person support: practical and procedural support if you're representing yourself.
The standard we hold ourselves to
Regularly commended by the judges we appear before
I have been in family proceedings for three years with my ex-wife and this team has helped us manage every stage of the case with clarity and compassion. The judge commended my McKenzie Friend on two occasions for supporting us through a settlement on the day. Saved money and saved heartache.Paul J., separated parent, three years in family proceedings, settled on the day · verified on Find a McKenzie Friend · Read all 8 reviews
What a McKenzie Friend can and cannot do in court
Can
- Sit beside you in the hearing
- Take notes throughout
- Help you organise and prepare your documents
- Quietly give you advice and prompts during the hearing
- Help you prepare your statement and your position
- Be a steady presence when you are frightened
Cannot
- Address the court on your behalf, unless the judge grants rights of audience
- Sign documents for you
- Manage your case independently of you
- Act as your legal representative
The court has discretion. In most private family cases a McKenzie Friend is permitted as a matter of course, but the judge decides. We will tell you honestly what to expect rather than what you want to hear.
Rated 5 out of 5 by verified clients
From the first phone call, she was calm, compassionate, professional, and very easy to talk to… She helped me feel heard, prepared, and less alone.Michael W., litigant in person, hearing at short notice · verified on Find a McKenzie Friend · Read all 8 reviews in full
Honest questions
What is a McKenzie Friend?
A McKenzie Friend is someone who can sit beside you in family court, take notes, help you organise and prepare your documents and your position, and quietly support and advise you during the hearing itself. It's a recognised, long-standing part of the family court process in England and Wales, used by thousands of litigants in person every year, not a legal loophole or a new idea.
Will it look bad if I bring someone with me to court?
No. Bringing a McKenzie Friend is a normal, recognised part of the family court process, used by thousands of people every year. It does not count against you, judges see it regularly.
Do I need permission to bring a McKenzie Friend?
In most private family cases a McKenzie Friend is permitted as a matter of course, but the judge always has discretion. It is sensible to notify the court in advance, and we will tell you honestly what to expect rather than what you want to hear.
Is a McKenzie Friend the same as a solicitor?
No. A McKenzie Friend provides practical, procedural and emotional support rather than legal representation. We help you prepare and present your own case, we do not act as your solicitor.
Can a McKenzie Friend speak for me in court?
Only if the judge grants rights of audience, which happens occasionally but is not guaranteed. Ordinarily a McKenzie Friend sits beside you, takes notes and quietly advises, while you address the court yourself.
How much does a McKenzie Friend cost?
It depends entirely on what you need, from a single conversation to full hearing support across a longer case. We always agree the scope and cost with you upfront on your free case review call, so nothing is ever a surprise.
Which areas and courts do you cover?
We support families at family courts across England and Wales. Courts where we have supported clients include the Central Family Court, the Royal Courts of Justice, East London Family Court, West London Family Court and Croydon Family Court in London, plus Reading, Brighton and Hove, Worthing, Hastings, Yeovil, Birmingham, Milton Keynes, Cardiff, Newport and Swansea. Wherever your hearing is, get in touch and we will tell you honestly whether and how we can help.
How is the Portal different from McKenzieFriend.ai or CourtCraft Advocate?
All three help you prepare to represent yourself. The Portal is the only one you can try for £9, it comes with a live monthly coaching session with Nabila, and its reviews are verified on Find a McKenzie Friend. Read the honest comparisons: Portal vs McKenzieFriend.ai and Portal vs CourtCraft Advocate.
What happens on the free case review call?
A short, unhurried conversation. We listen to what's happening, tell you honestly where you stand, and explain what your options are. No pressure, no obligation.
You are not alone in this.
Tell us what's happening and where your hearing is, and let someone who understands the process get back to you. Free, no obligation.
Supporting Family LawMcKenzie Friend SupportCalm, practical McKenzie Friend support for parents facing the family court in England and Wales.
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If you or a child is in immediate danger, call 999. National Domestic Abuse Helpline, free 24 hours: 0808 2000 247.
A McKenzie Friend provides practical, procedural and emotional support in family court proceedings in England and Wales. This is not legal representation and a McKenzie Friend does not have an automatic right to address the court. Nothing on this website is legal advice.
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