Under the 2019 Code of Conduct for Solicitors, which rule addresses conflicts of interest?

• A. The code requires disclosure of all client information
• B. The code prohibits confidentiality
• C. The code requires acting in the best interests of one client only
• D. Para 6.2 Not to act if there is a conflict of interest or significant risk of one

Answer: (D)

Conflicts of interest are addressed by a rule that directly targets when a solicitor’s duties to different clients clash. The 2019 Code of Conduct for Solicitors makes it clear you must not act if there is a conflict of interest or a significant risk of one. This explicit requirement is why the correct choice is the one that states not to act in the presence of a conflict or a real risk of one. It’s about protecting clients, maintaining loyalty, and avoiding any situation where you couldn’t give independent, undivided advice.

The other statements mix up duties. Requiring disclosure of all client information would undermine confidentiality rather than manage it. Confidentiality itself is a fundamental obligation, not something the code aims to prohibit. And while acting in the best interests of a client is essential, the rule about conflicts is a separate, specific safeguard rather than a blanket restriction to act for only one client in every situation.