A few years ago when I was a litigant in person (a person going to court without legal representation), I had never heard of a McKenzie Friend. But times have (fortunately) moved on, and litigants in person who cannot pay for a lawyer no longer need to tread the legal path alone.
While McKenzie Friends are not practising lawyers, there are many benefits to using one when you are preparing your legal case.
In this round-up article, I home in on 5 reasons why you may wish to have a McKenzie Friend by your side in court.
1) Empathy
Many McKenzie Friends (myself included), have been where you are now. We were once litigants in person and we understand how difficult it can be to navigate the sea of legal jargon and processes.
McKenzie Friends understand what it means to lay out your life before a court and experience the emotion of re-living certain experiences – and the feeling that life (or some parts of it) are hanging in the balance.
Because of our insights, we bring empathy and understanding to the work we do and how we do it. We understand this is not just ‘a job’. It is about life and it matters.
2) Focus
Because McKenzie Friends tend to operate as a one (wo)man band, we have fewer clients at any given time.
This means we can focus on you and your case more closely, giving you a one-to-one service in the truest sense of the word. It also means that you do not have to wade through a corporate structure to reach us.
When you phone, we answer. When you leave a message, it comes to us direct and we respond. And your case is never shifted along to someone else, unless you move it away yourself.
3) Affordable
While the premise of the McKenzie Friend is free (and it is still possible to find some McKenzie Friends offering free help), the majority of McKenzies charge for their services. Some may also offer a free, initial consultation.
McKenzie Friend fees are a fraction of what law firms charge. And because a McKenzie Friend tends to work outside of a corporate structure, the overheads are low. We do not have (expensive) offices to run or staff to pay – so the cost to you is lower.
4) Clear fees
Visit the website of most McKenzie Friends and you will find that our fees are clearly displayed. Fees may be listed as an hourly rate or or as a fixed rate for a particular service.
Our transparent pricing means that you know exactly how much it will cost from the start. This makes it easier for you to budget and control how much you are spending, while getting the help you need.
5) Adaptable
Being a small operation (of one) means McKenzie Friends can quickly adapt to change. We make fast, ongoing improvements to our services and are ready to continue to make changes if something does not work or is no longer relevant.
The legal landscape is changing and McKenzie Friends are responding to these changes by offering services that really do make a difference to you as a litigant-in-person.
As a Professional McKenzie Friend I use regular feedback to improve my services, and I always try to go that extra mile. I also keep up to date with legal developments to supplement my legal knowledge.
So there you have it. Five good reasons to seek out and work with a McKenzie Friend.
Copyright © Going to Court Alone – Debbie Thomas
Note: When you go to court with a McKenzie Friend, you are known as a ‘litigant in person’ or as ‘unrepresented’.
