Is the following a conflict of interest?
You are acting for a landlord that is granting a lease to a company. You have drafted the lease and sent a copy of the lease directly to the company as it had not yet instructed solicitors. One of the directors of the company calls you and asks you to act for the company as well as the landlord.
YES
Is the below okay?
You have just been instructed by a celebrity chef on the purchase of a mansion house in Surrey. At the weekend you tell your friends all about it.
No, This would be a breach of the duty of confidentiality you owe your client
Why would you need to stop acting and for who in this situation?
You are acting for a buyer of a house. You are also acting for their lender. The buyer tells you they intend to let out the property following completion, but ask you not to tell the lender as their interest rate would increase.
You have a duty of disclosure this information, but your duty of confidentiality overrides. You must cease to act for the party you owe the duty of disclosure to.
