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The contention that the growing legion of litigants-in-person in the family courts rely on suspect free legal advice from unregulated sources is to be tested.

‘Professional’ paid McKenzie Friends associated with fathers’ rights groups play on their “uncertainty and sense of victimhood” to attract business, academic research has found, saying that there needed to be a code of conduct and a greater role for law school clinics in their place.

England and Wales should follow the example of Scotland in banning McKenzie Friends from charging fees, the Judicial Executive Board has proposed. The board also said that McKenzie Friends should be renamed “court supporters”.

CourtNav, an online tool designed to help litigants in person fill out court forms, could be offered not only by an advice service based at the High Court but by advice agencies around the country, it has emerged. It won the access to justice through IT award at this week’s Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year awards.

Emerging countries and large corporations will lead the way on court technology while the UK and USA lag behind, experts at the Global Law Summit in London have predicted just a week after the Civil Justice Council unveiled its blueprint for online dispute resolution.