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    Working with a McKenzie Friend

    Written by Billy Kukadia · Last reviewed 23 October 2026

    Illustrative image: Billy Kukadia adding coloured tabs to a thick ring binder at a desk

    In short

    A McKenzie Friend can offer moral support, take notes, help with papers and quietly give advice.

    Tell the court and the other side in advance; the court can refuse or limit that help.

    You remain in charge of your own case.

    What you need

    Put the hearing papers in one place and make a note of what you would like help finding or organising. Think about the practical support that would help you present your own case: notes, papers or a quiet person beside you. Keep that different from asking someone to run the case for you.

    Have a short list of questions about the support itself. What preparation would you like to do together? What would help on the day? If you are paying for help, keep the written fee agreement with your notes so you know what has been agreed before any work starts.

    Read the practice guidance before making plans for attendance. A McKenzie Friend is not automatically allowed to do everything you might hope for. The judge decides, and the court can refuse or limit help. It is better to discuss those boundaries plainly while preparing than leave them unclear until the hearing.

    Step by step

    1. Agree what kind of support you want

      Moral support, note-taking, help with case papers and quiet advice are within the guidance. Talk through which of those would be useful to you. The purpose is to support you while you present your case, not to put another person in charge of what you say or do.

    2. Tell the court and the other side

      Let the court and the other side know in advance that you would like a McKenzie Friend with you. The court can refuse or limit a McKenzie Friend's help. Paying for help does not change that.

    3. Organise the papers together

      Work through your papers so you can find what you need. Use the can/cannot limits above while you organise your papers. Keep your own words and decisions at the centre of preparation rather than expecting the helper to take over the case.

    4. Keep the limits clear on the day

      A McKenzie Friend may take notes, offer moral support and quietly help. The court can refuse or limit support, including where the helper appears to be running the case.

    5. Understand the fee before work begins

      Read the agreement with the practical help you have asked for in mind, and raise anything you do not understand before work starts.

    Free help

    You can also contact these services to ask about help. Support Through Court offers practical support. Civil Legal Advice is for people who qualify for legal aid; ask about that route rather than assuming paid McKenzie Friend support is your only option.

    • Support Through Court

      0300 081 0006

      Ask about practical support with court.

    • Civil Legal Advice

      0345 345 4345

      If you qualify for legal aid.

    How we can help, and what we can't

    We can help prepare your papers and offer quiet support while you present your own case, subject to the judge allowing it. We are not solicitors or a law firm. We do not act as your agent or sign court documents. Our McKenzie Friend service page explains this role in full, so any arrangement starts with the same understanding. The first conversation is free; after that, we agree what we will do and the fee in writing before any work starts. McKenzie Friend support.