Becoming a McKenzie Friend: Training, Standards &amp; Independence

Anna Hussain

London & England / Wales

Naomi Simpson

London

Gergely Fried

East Anglia & England / Wales

Jennie Sutton

Midlands (Cheltenham, Gloucestershire)

Abbie Conway

Midlands (Northampton)

Emma Louise Bell

North East

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No referral fees. No exclusivity. No commercial lock-in.

What training do McKenzie Friends need?

There is no statutory regulation of McKenzie Friends in England and Wales — no mandatory qualification, no licensing body. This means anyone can call themselves a McKenzie Friend. The best practitioners build their understanding through legal study, family court experience, and structured training courses. Look for training that covers: the legal framework (McKenzie v McKenzie [1970], Practice Guidance 2010), family proceedings rules, court etiquette and ethics, and the emotional dynamics of supporting a litigant through proceedings.

Commercial networks vs independent practice

Some organisations train McKenzie Friends and then list them on their own commercial directories — a model where client leads are channelled through the network and the McKenzie Friend's visibility depends on ongoing membership or referral arrangements. Bridge The Gap operates differently: we verify practitioners and list them with full profile transparency, without locking them into a commercial dependency. Their practice is theirs.

What Bridge The Gap looks for

To be listed on Bridge The Gap, McKenzie Friends are asked about: relevant family court experience, professional conduct, transparent pricing, and client feedback. We do not charge referral fees. We do not take a commission. We are not a lead-generation service.

Questions to ask any training provider

Before committing to a McKenzie Friend training course, ask: What does the curriculum cover? Is there an exam or assessment? Will I be required to join a commercial network? Are there ongoing membership or listing fees? Can I list on independent directories? Will my client relationships be mediated through the training organisation?

Did you know?

Most people go into family court believing things that simply aren't true.

The Gaps are short, honest explanations of the most common family court misconceptions — written in plain English, not legal jargon. Each one covers what people believe, why that belief exists, and what the court reality actually is.

MythThe judge reads your papers carefully

Myth"50/50" is standard for child arrangements

MythBeing the better parent is enough

MythCourt will protect you automatically

How Bridge The Gap Can Help

McKenzie Friends

Browse our directory of court support professionals.

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Family Court Reality

Plain-English analyses of the most common family court misconceptions — so you know what to actually expect.

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Resources & Guides

Access guides to court forms, procedures, and resources to help you prepare and present your case effectively.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Your experience matters

Have you been through family court? You know something others don't.

The Gaps are built from real litigant experiences. If you discovered something in your case that nobody warned you about — something that changed how you understood the process — your contribution could help someone else avoid the same shock.

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Ready to find the right support?

Browse our McKenzie Friend directory and find someone who can truly help you navigate the family court process.

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🤝 More on McKenzie Friends & Support

Based on what you're exploring, here's more mckenzie friends & support content you might find useful.

Gap #556

Cafcass will speak to your child before making recommendations about them.

Many parents report that Cafcass officers formed recommendations without direct conversation with their child — particularly older children who could express views. The welfare checklist requires officers to consider the child's wishes and feelings (ascertained in light of their age and understanding), but how those are gathered varies widely between officers. Some parents report their child was never spoken to; others say the conversation was brief or filtered through the other parent. If your child's voice is not being directly heard, you can raise this with the court — the judge decides what weight to give the report, and can direct that the child's views be properly ascertained.

Gap #555

Completing free or low-cost online courses (like Alison) counts as a qualification the court will recognise in family court proceedings.

Free or low-cost online courses (like Alison) do not count as a recognised qualification in UK family court proceedings. The court does not accept unaccredited online certificates as evidence of legal knowledge, parenting ability, or professional competence. A McKenzie Friend's value comes from direct experience of family court procedure, not from completing online courses. If you are a litigant in person, these courses may help you understand general concepts, but they carry no weight with the court and should not be presented as qualifications.

Gap #548

A McKenzie Friend can look at your figures and tell you what a fair settlement amount to ask for is.

A McKenzie Friend cannot give you legal advice on what figure to ask for — that is reserved to a solicitor. What a McKenzie Friend can do is help you understand the process, the factors the court considers, and how to prepare your case. For a fair-figure review of your finances, a solicitor offering a fixed-fee consultation or a free initial appointment is the right port of call. A McKenzie Friend supports you through the process; a solicitor advises you on the law.

Access to Justice Act 1999

The older law on how legal aid worked (replaced by LASPO in 2013), including when someone receiving legal aid might have to pay the other person's legal costs.

Acts in Person

When you represent yourself in court without hiring a solicitor or barrister; you may also be called a 'litigant in person'.

Adjournment of Capital Claims

Keeping a request for a lump sum of money or property open for a while instead of finishing it immediately, just in case someone's situation changes later.

Affidavit

A written statement of facts that you sign in front of a solicitor to swear that everything in it is the truth.