conflict of interests policy
candid takes avoiding any conflicts of interests very seriously.
We define a conflict of interests in the same way as the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
A conflict of interests is any situation where:
(i) we owe separate duties to act in the best interests of two or more clients in relation to the same or related matters, and those duties conflict, or there is a significant risk that those duties may conflict (a "client conflict"); or
(ii) our duty to act in the best interests of any client in relation to a matter conflicts, or there is a significant risk that it may conflict, with our own interests in relation to that or a related matter (an "own interest conflict").
In all our contracts with our clients we include a clause which means we must avoid any conflict of interests in our work for you. If we breach that obligation we are in breach of contract and you would have legal remedies, including the right to claim damages for losses arising from our breach.
We always take a cautious approach to potential conflicts of interests. We collect basic information at the start of any new work which enables us to check for conflicts of interests before starting work. If one exists, we do not take on the work.
Even if there is a possibility that just the appearance of a conflict of interests could arise (whether or not an actual conflict of interests could happen), we consult with our relevant existing clients (and, subject to confidentiality, our potential client) before taking on the work.
Your interests in your confidential information are also protected, even after we stop working for you. We enter into a confidentiality agreement (sometimes known as an "NDA" or "Non-Disclosure Agreement") with all our clients and our standard confidentiality agreement protects information from being disclosed to the wrong people or misused for as long as the information remains confidential.
If you have any questions or concerns about conflicts of interests (or confidentiality), please contact us and we will address them as a priority.