Key Moments
What This Video Covers
A McKenzie Friend is a lay person who quietly assists a litigant in person in court. The right was set out by the Court of Appeal in McKenzie v McKenzie [1971] P 33 and refined by the Master of the Rolls and the President of the Family Division in the 2010 Practice Guidance. This 2-minute walkthrough sets out what a McKenzie Friend may do (take notes, help with paperwork, suggest questions, sit alongside the litigant in person) and what they may not (address the court without permission, file documents, sign documents, correspond as the party's representative, give legal advice). BC's collaborator scopes reflect this boundary.
Full Transcript
A McKenzie Friend is a lay person who quietly assists a litigant in person in court. The right to that assistance was set out by the Court of Appeal in McKenzie v McKenzie in 1971 and refined by the Master of the Rolls and the President of the Family Division in the 2010 Practice Guidance. A McKenzie Friend is a friend, not a legal representative.
Under the 2010 Practice Guidance, a McKenzie Friend may quietly assist their friend by taking notes, helping them stay organised, and quietly suggesting questions or points the litigant in person might raise. They may sit alongside the litigant in person in court. They may help with paperwork before and after the hearing. None of this requires the court's permission.
A McKenzie Friend may not address the court without the court's express permission, and even then only by way of advocacy not advice. They may not conduct litigation — that means they may not file documents at court on the litigant's behalf, sign documents in the litigant's name, or correspond with the court as the party's representative. They are not a regulated provider of legal services. The Solicitors Regulation Authority and the Legal Services Board have raised concerns about fee-charging McKenzie Friends operating outside any regulatory framework.
BundleCreator's collaborator access reflects this. A McKenzie Friend you invite can read your bundle, comment on it, and suggest edits. They cannot sign on your behalf, file your bundle with the court, or send communications to the court using your account. The work stays yours.
If you need free assistance and a McKenzie Friend is not the right fit, see our "When to Stop and Get Legal Advice" guide — Law Centres, LawWorks, and Advocate are listed there.