Would you like to do more than sympathise or donate money to the poor?

Or are you currently working with the poor and find you would like to be able to provide more help when they face demands from statutory authorities and court proceedings for non-credit related debt and fines?

You can support vulnerable families and individuals as a McKenzie Friend when they are facing local authorities, bailiffs or court appearances for debt. There is a legal right to a friend in court won by a man called McKenzie.

When you act as a McKenzie Friend, you can accompany the debtor to court hearings, assist  them to prepare statement of means, facts, circumstances and chronology for the courts, local authorities and housing association, and help represent his/her case. A McKenzie Friend is not a formal legal representative and is not entitled to address the court. Therefore, you do not need to have legal training to be a McKenzie Friend.

A McKenzie Friend provides personal support to the vulnerable debtor through the trauma of litigation, speak for them when asked in the courts, and remain available for further support thereafter.

You can read more on the legal position of a McKenzie Friend in the United Kingdom in the link below. If you would like to know more, Wikipedia provides a brief history on McKenzie Friend.

Find out how you can become a McKenzie Friend here.