Confidentiality Avoiding conflicts is at the heart of a lawyer's obligations to a client along with confidentiality. These obligations are not ones of conscience but of strict obligation. If a friend tells you something in confidence, you know you are not meant to pass on the information. But what if that information seriously affects another friend? You are told about an affair and one of the parties is married to another friend of yours? Do you tell? You were told in confidence but possibly feel an obligation to be open and honest with the other friend. For you it is a matter of conscience. For a solicitor it is a conflict of interests and governed by the Solicitors Practice Rules, which have the force of law. A solicitor is bound to disclose all information he has that could affect a client so should the client be told of the affair? BUT this clashes with the solicitor's duty to keep confidential what has been learned from another client so the information about the affair cannot be divulged. A conflict between two duties has arisen. The solicitor would be wrong whether the affair is disclosed or not. AND it is for this reason that a solicitor may sometimes decline to act for you. The solicitor knows or believes that a conflict exists or may arise at sometime in the future that means one or another client will not be properly represented. It is also why a great deal of what you feel is unimportant information may be asked for at a first appointment. We do our best to act in the best interests of our clients. There is an important exception to confidentiality arising under the Money Laundering Regulations. Please call for more information. ....