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Let's look at another highly regulated product- cars. The high level of regulation means that there are no cars (or very few) on the road without brakes, working lights, relatively modern engines, and airbags. This means that while it would be theoretically possible to make and sell a four wheeled vehicle with an internal combusion engine for a couple of hundred quid, that does not happen because regulations increase the realistic minimum price of a new car sold in this country to around, say, £5,000.
What do people do if they need independent transport who cannot afford £5,000? Many of them get a bike. These are much less highly regulated, do not 'perform' nearly as well as cars in getting people from A to B quickly, and may be less safe in many situations. However, they are a decent transport solution for people who cannot afford a car.
McKenzie friends are just like bikes- perhaps not as good as solicitors or barristers, and possibly more dangerous in some situations, but better than walking yourself.
Solicitors wanting to ban McKenzie friends are like car manufacturers wanting to ban the use of bikes.