Category: Case Law

Drelle v Servis-Terminal: Foreign Judgments & Bankruptcy

Drelle v Servis-Terminal: Foreign Judgments & Bankruptcy

The Supreme Court has settled a question that has troubled cross-border insolvency practitioners for years: whether a creditor can petition for bankruptcy using a foreign judgment that has never been through English recognition proceedings. Drelle v Servis-Terminal LLC [2026] UKSC 29 confirms they can, reshaping the options available to creditors holding judgments from Russia, the US, China and other non-treaty jurisdictions, while leaving debtors’ substantive defences firmly intact. Here’s what changed, and what it means for you.

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Winning on Appeal: Reversing Judicial Errors in Coghlan v Lexlaw [2026]

In complex civil litigation, lower courts can commit critical procedural errors, such as deciding an application based on arguments that were never formally pleaded by the parties. As demonstrated by the High Court’s ruling today in Arran Coghlan & Anor v Lexlaw Ltd, an appellate strategy that holds a lower court to the boundaries of civil procedure can successfully reverse an irregular judgment.

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Defeating HMRC’s £1m VAT Assessment

LEXLAW forced HMRC to withdraw a near £1m VAT best judgment assessment after we demonstrated it had been issued against the wrong taxable person. A historic VAT registration error by HMRC lay at the root of the dispute. Our legal investigation with specialist tax counsel secured HMRC’s total defeat before trial.

HMRC Sent Off in £584k Football Referees Tax Battle

In PGMOL v HMRC [2026] UKFTT 00654 (TC), the First-tier Tribunal determined that National Group football referees engaged by Professional Game Match Officials Ltd were not employees, allowing PGMOL’s appeals against Regulation 80 PAYE determinations and Class 1 NIC decisions worth over £583,000. Our specialist tax dispute solicitors and barristers analyse the multifactorial RMC Stage Three assessment, the significance for employment status disputes, and what this means for HMRC investigations into PAYE and National Insurance.

Interest Rate Swap Mis-selling: Do You Still Have a Claim in 2026?

Interest Rate Swap Mis-selling: Do You Still Have a Claim in 2026?

Thousands of UK businesses were mis-sold complex interest rate hedging products (IRHPs) by major banks between 2001 and 2012. While the FCA’s formal review scheme has closed, significant routes to redress remain open in 2026, particularly for victims of hidden swaps, LIBOR manipulation, and professional negligence. This article explains who can still claim, why time is critical, and what a specialist solicitor can recover for you.

Sections 235 and 236 Insolvency Act 1986: Directors’ Duties to Co-operate with Liquidators

Sections 235 and 236 of the Insolvency Act 1986 impose powerful duties on company directors, officers, employees, and even third parties to co-operate with insolvency office-holders such as liquidators and administrators. Failure to assist properly during liquidation, administration, or bankruptcy can result in personal sanctions, court orders, fines, and even director disqualification.

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Case Study: HMRC Security Notices Overturned – Duma & Rockey v HMRC (Tax Tribunal Appeal)

We are the leading firm representing Directors and Companies facing HMRC Security Notices and we regularly succeed on behalf of clients. Here, our counsel successfully fought HMRC Security Notices that sought to impose over £215,000 in personal liability for VAT and PAYE debts. The case is a landmark victory against HMRC Notices of Requirement to give Security.

Personal Liability Notices (PLNs) Guide 2026: What Directors Need to Know

Personal Liability Notices (PLNs) are a powerful HMRC enforcement mechanism that can make company directors and officers personally liable for unpaid corporate tax debts, including PAYE, National Insurance Contributions, VAT, and CIS. In 2026, PLNs are increasingly used in insolvency and enforcement scenarios, placing directors’ personal assets and professional futures at direct risk.