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Description

Conflicts of Interest for Lawyers: Identifying, Preventing and Resolving Situations

Detect a conflict of interest before accepting a matter and secure the firm's decisions

  • 0.43 days — 3 h
  • In-person or virtual
  • Foundation
  • Up to 6 participants

A conflict of interest rarely becomes apparent at the point of engagement. It emerges as a matter develops, when a new client approaches the firm, or when a single practice serves clients with adjacent or competing interests. The lawyer is then obliged to withdraw under conditions that are difficult for the client and costly for the firm.

This three-hour session establishes a detection method that can be applied to every new instruction. Participants work on configurations frequently encountered in practice and build the record-keeping reflexes needed to justify a decision to accept or decline a matter.

Learning objectives

  • Identify situations that create a risk of conflict of interest
  • Apply a verification procedure to every new instruction
  • Assess the scope of professional confidentiality in related matters
  • Decide on a withdrawal and organise the handover of the file
  • Record the checks carried out in order to justify the decisions taken

What makes this programme different

Analysis of configurations genuinely encountered in practice
A checking framework usable from the first client contact
Dedicated time on multi-client practices and their implications

Programme

1Understanding the prohibition and its rationale

What the rule protects

  • Competing interests and the notion of an opposing party
  • Professional confidentiality and confidential information received
  • Independence and loyalty towards the client
  • Implications of sole practice and of practising within a group

2Detecting conflicts at every stage of the matter

A check before any commitment

  • Verification at the point of client intake
  • Developments in the matter and the arrival of new parties
  • Multi-party matters and diverging interests between clients
  • Traceability of the checks performed

3Handling the situation once identified

Withdrawing without damage

  • Decision to withdraw and communication with the client
  • Organising the handover of the file
  • Internal information barriers and their limits
  • Referring the question to the relevant professional authority

Who is it for

Associates and partners in law firms as well as legal assistants and practice administration managers.

Prerequisites

Working in a law firm or contributing to its internal organisation.

Dates & locations

12 scheduled dates between November 2026 and December 2027. Seats are confirmed in the order enquiries are received.

November 2026

December 2026

January 2027

February 2027

March 2027

April 2027

May 2027

June 2027

September 2027

October 2027

November 2027

December 2027

None of these dates suit you? We open additional sessions on request, and any programme can be run privately for your team.

Practical details

Before the programme
Online positioning questionnaire. Your development objectives are shared with the trainer, who tailors the practical case studies to your context.
Teaching methods
Theoretical input, workshops and practical case studies. Digital course materials and method sheets provided.
Assessment
Multiple-choice tests and role-play exercises. Assessment of learning at the start and end of the programme, with immediate and 60-day follow-up evaluations.
After the programme
One year of access to the e-learning platform. Self-assessment of the skills acquired and a 30-day follow-up session with your trainer.
How to register
Registration online or on the basis of a quotation.
Lead time
11 working days after confirmation of registration.
Accessibility
Accessible to people of determination. Contact our accessibility coordinator to design a suitable solution: contact@mpf-academy.ae
Start dates
Rolling intake: in addition to the scheduled sessions, this programme can start on request.