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04 September 2026 / Dominic Regan
Issue: 8175 / Categories: Opinion , Profession , Costs , Liability
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The insider: 4 September 2026

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© Getty images
Spoons: Supporter of independent door control
Enforcement headaches, reluctant judgments & surprising outcomes: Dominic Regan surveys the legal landscape

Securing judgment is often only the start of a drawn-out process to secure satisfaction of the order. In DBLP Sea Cow Ltd v Stefensen [2026] EWHC 1735 (Ch), the claimant had judgment for US$7.125m. To date, it had recovered a modest £119. This was a contempt application, the defendant having failed to comply with orders to reveal where the money had gone. The excellent David Reade KC secured a maximum two-year sentence, although the defendant was outside the jurisdiction. On the plus side, Mr Justice Mellor went out of his way to praise a lovely skeleton accompanied by a beautiful bundle.

A vigorous approach to enforcement was seen in 56 Fellows Road Ltd v ABC Block Management Ltd [2026] EWCA Civ 401. Here, a High Court enforcement officer went in pursuit of an unsatisfied judgment of £7,700 against the Fellows Road property company of which Mr Wolanski was a director. In order to make a point,

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Harneys—Maggie Kwok & George Weston

Harneys—Maggie Kwok & George Weston

Harneys senior leadership appointments

Freeths—Keith Browne & Jim Jordan

Freeths—Keith Browne & Jim Jordan

Freeths strengthens London Construction and Engineering practice with two strategic senior hires

Anthony Collins—Laura Moss

Anthony Collins—Laura Moss

Anthony Collins announces strategic hire to deepen skills base in the social business sector

NEWS
NLJ's latest Charities Appeals Supplement has been published in this week’s issue
A client cannot use a costs assessment to investigate whether their solicitor received commission on an after-the-event (ATE) insurance premium, the Court of Appeal has held
Law firms cannot be compelled to disclose documents protected by unwaived legal professional privilege (LPP) during misconduct investigations, the High Court has clarified
Solicitors have urged regulators not to impose unnecessary cost and complexity on third-party litigation funding
International demand for UK legal services is surging, with exports at record levels, according to Law Society research
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