"I had assumed Mr Picave was a solicitor..."

"I did not know Mr Picave was a McKenzie Friend until the hearing was over. I assumed he was a solicitor..." - Mr D, Counsel, Family Law 

 

The quality and competence of a McKenzie Friend vary dramatically. The lack of regulation around McKenzie Friends means almost anyone can be one. There are good and bad solicitors too, but the dierence is that they have all passed legal exams to be in their job, so there is a minimum level of competence. What invariably lets solicitors down is not their capability, but their attitude. They can be arrogant and dismissive, lacking empathy for your case. 

 

A barrister commented to me recently, "The problem with McKenzie Friends is that it's like the wild west. No regulation, no control, it's a gamble..." 

Do we disagree with that comment? No, we don't. We have shared courtrooms with McKenzie Friends who are self-serving, malicious, and entirely ignorant of the court processes. 

 

The team at McKenzie Picave have been working in and around the court for a number of years now. We understand the process, the protocol, and the etiquette. We understand that once we are inside the court, our role is not dissimilar from any other legal representation in the room. We are working to bring the best possible outcome to our client, and to the proceedings. 

 

Our clients say it is all too obvious from the very outset that we are professional and experienced, but more importantly than that, it is all too obvious that we only support campaigns that are fair and underpin the healthy mental interests of all parties. We do not promote hatred, and we do not pursue malicious agendas. 

 

The simple truth is hiring a McKenzie Friend is a necessary evil because legal representation can be so incredibly expensive. 

We urge anyone thinking of hiring a McKenzie Friend to look for full-time, professional practices, working with a number of clients. Remember, your McKenzie Friend will be pitched against legal professionals, so find one who is comfortable in this company. 

 

We genuinely believe the reason we are working with between 70 and 100 clients at any one time is because we have positioned ourselves in the No Man's Land between legal professionals and well- intentioned, poorly equipped McKenzie Friends. 

 

We are a premium brand product with budget brand value. 

 

Get in touch with us today if you require assistance in the Family Court.