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DSN v Blackpool Football Club Ltd (Rev 1) [2020] EWHC 670 (QB)

Indemnity costs ordered for failure to engage in ADR
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The Court held that the the reasons given for refusing to engage in mediation were inadequate. They were, simply, and repeatedly, that the Defendant "continues to believe that it has a strong defence".  As the judge went on to say: "No defence, however strong, by itself justifies a failure to engage in any kind of alternative dispute resolution."

This judgment is mentioned by Charles Gordon in his article on court encouragement of ADR.

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