Frequently Asked Questions

Are you practising lawyers?

No. Although we may have legal qualifications and may be non-practising lawyers and/or have other important professional qualifications that are highly valued in the family law system. We do have many years of hands on experience within the family law courts in a variety of important roles. Also, our knowledge is supplemented from extensive experience of assisting others through the family law system over many years. We may also have personal experience of the system. We know what works and our aim is to get you through the system successfully and as quickly as possible in the circumstances.

Do you have access to legal authorities, books, research and the latest case law?

Yes. We may have similar resources to what many lawyers have and more than some.

What are you going to cost?

Our services are provided on a Fixed Fee basis for the vast majority of our clients which may reduce the hourly rate considerably. Our hourly rate is £58.00 per hour plus Vat, please see our Fees page and our Terms & Conditions page for further details.

Will you be allowed in to court with me?

Yes. As a McKenzie Friend we will sit next to you in court providing quiet advice and support as necessary.

Can you represent me at court and speak for me?

Only at the discretion of the court can we 'advocate' for you (speak for you in court). This is termed 'Rights of Audience' (ROA) and has to be permitted by the judge. At times permission for a client's McKenzie Friend to have ROA is granted but this does depend on the individual judge and the circumstances of the case. Normally ROA would not be given.

I am nervous, mutter and stumble over my words when in court, can you help?

We can help by providing written notes in court and talking quietly to you when necessary to remind you of points you wanted to make. Most people are understandably nervous; particularly the first time but we will keep you focused and support you. Our well crafted position statements we draft for you will assist in ensuring the court understands your view and aims.

Can you help me with my statement and other documents for court?

Yes. We can assist you in drafting documents such as position and witness statements, skeleton arguments and submissions which may reference relevant case law and other authorities. Judges (e.g. Circuit Judge QC and Lord Justice's) have commented positively e.g. "excellent" "beautifully crafted" regarding our submissions and skeleton arguments on behalf of our clients.

Can I arrange a meeting with you to discuss my case?

Yes. We can offer an assessment and advice session which will allow an in-depth discussion of your case to enable us to give you an informed view of the options available and the risks of any course of action.

I want to limit or stop the other parent spending time with our children, will you help me?

We passionately believe in doing what is best for children and we believe that in the vast majority of cases the parents are the best people to decide. The Family Courts will determine any significant issues if the parents are not able to do so, if matters come to their attention.

We assist mothers and fathers who are trying to achieve the best outcome for their children, we certainly do not judge parents but we will as part of our service provide our thoughts which you of course may or may not take up in part or in full.

Research supports the view that shared parenting and significant parenting time by both parents as the circumstances allow are best for children and should be carefully considered.

If there are serious risks of harm to children which could be physical, emotional and/or psychological, then we believe children should be protected from such harm.

What should I be aware of when selecting a McKenzie Friend or lawyer

Crucially, know who your McKenzie Friend or lawyer is. You are dealing with your children and personal finances, it is too important to take chances with.

Google their name and ensure there are no skeletons in the cupboard, treat with caution any excuses for negative reports, particularly press reports.

If they do not specialise solely in family law but also list other areas of law then they will simply be a jack of all trades and master of none. Family law is a complex area of law in many respects and nobody is able to provide a thorough service for their clients in family matters if they are regularly involved in other areas of law.

Do not be taken in by websites that say 'We' but do not list and provide details of their McKenzie Friends or lawyers with a summary of their relevant background, experience and qualifications. A lack of openness and transparency could be a warning sign.

Be careful of McKenzie Friends or lawyers who have a large ego, they will be putting themselves first before your case.

Similarly be very careful of those with an axe to grind as their negative attitude could very well affect your case adversely.

We would suggest some caution in choosing a McKenzie Friend whose experience is simply the product of a short course e.g. day course - As it takes time and experience of court outside of your own case to build up sufficient knowledge and ability to assist parent's effectively.

Transparency about fixed fees and hourly rates on websites is also an indication that you are not going to be hit with additional bills.

We've got the whole country covered

WHY CHOOSE FAMILY LAW DECISIONS

Effective assistance in court
Specialist in family law information
1,200+ family cases
Radically cheaper than traditional lawyers
Skilled work on documents
Experience & qualifications
Assessment & advice sessions Fixed fees
Phone/email assistance

I highly recommend Jeff Botterill to anyone involved in family court matters. His ultra-sharp advice proved to be very helpful. I was particularly amazed how good he was at multi-tasking whilst I was cross-examining: he took accurate notes, prompted new questions and drafted submissions, all at the same time and equally well. Representing myself for the first time at a full-day hearing was emotionally difficult, but his help was reassuring and calming. Thank you Jeff!

– Dr (Ms C.) London

Dear Jeff, Just a quick few lines to thank you again for your support yesterday and the fantastic work you did on our Skeleton Argument. I thought it was exceptional myself but obviously I don’t have legal training. I don’t think you could get a higher accolade than Lord Justice Wood saying that it was a “beautifully crafted" document twice during the hearing.

– Mr B. (London)

My son and I enlisted the support of Colin from the start of the legal process that was instigated in order for him to have contact with his daughter, Colin’s advice and support through each stage was invaluable and this lead ultimately to a court order that gave him everything that he set out to achieve.
I firmly believe that this positive result was achieved through Colin’s advice and more specifically through his negotiating skills at the final hearing as this made a huge impact on the final outcome. I would recommend Colin Brealey to anyone.

– Mr B. (Northamptonshire)

Hello Jeff, and Happy New Year to you.

We’ve been back at court today and finally have a judgement from His Honour Judge Bellamy who has granted me permission to appeal and has agreed to investigations in accordance with our skeleton argument.

I wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart for what you have done for us. HHJ Bellamy commented that it was a very detailed and extremely helpful skeleton argument, so basically you’re brilliant and I owe you so much.

– Ms C. (West Midlands)