Don’t Miss Key Legal Updates
Sample Question 1: Duties to the Court and Third Parties
Scenario
A solicitor specialising in criminal litigation represents a client charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
The client maintains his innocence, pleads not guilty, and gives evidence in his own defence. Following the trial, the client is acquitted.
After the acquittal, the client privately admits to the solicitor that he was, in fact, guilty — meaning he committed perjury while giving evidence.
Question
Which of the following best describes the action the solicitor should now take?
Answer Options
1
Write to the court disclosing the client’s guilt, thereby fulfilling the duty to act with integrity.
2
Take no further action, as the knowledge of perjury was obtained after the trial and does not amount to complicity in misleading the court.
3
Contact the Crown Prosecution Service to request a retrial, thereby upholding the administration of justice.
4
Instruct the client to confess to the prosecution and warn that failure to do so will require the solicitor to withdraw.
5
Inform the victim that the client was guilty, thereby fulfilling the duty to act with honesty.
Correct Answer
Option 2: Take no further action, as the knowledge of perjury was obtained after the trial and does not amount to complicity in misleading the court.
Explanation
Option 2 accurately reflects the solicitor’s professional obligations.
Once proceedings have concluded, the solicitor’s knowledge of the client’s perjury does not make them complicit in misleading the court. Under Paragraph 1.4 of the SRA Code of Conduct for Solicitors, RELs and RFLs, solicitors must not mislead the court — but this duty applies only while proceedings are ongoing.
The solicitor remains bound by the duty of confidentiality (Paragraph 6.3) and must not disclose the client’s admission without consent or legal obligation.
Although the solicitor must act with integrity (SRA Principle 5) and uphold
the rule of law (Principle 1), these do not override the fundamental duty of confidentiality and acting in the client’s best interests (Principle 7).
Why the Other Options Are Incorrect
Option A: Disclosing the client’s guilt would breach confidentiality and the duty to act in the client’s best interests, contrary to SRA Principle 7.
Option C: Contacting the CPS would similarly breach confidentiality and is not legally required.
Option D: There is no obligation for the client to reveal guilt after acquittal; the solicitor’s role in the matter has concluded.
Option E: Contacting the victim would be a serious breach of confidentiality and professionalism, violating SRA Principle 4 (Honesty).
Key Learning Point
After criminal proceedings conclude, a solicitor’s duty of confidentiality continues — even when a client later admits wrongdoing.
The solicitor must not reveal that information unless required by law or authorised by the client.
Relevant SRA Principles & Provisions
Principle 1: Uphold the rule of law and the proper administration of justice.
Principle 4: Act with honesty.
Principle 5: Act with integrity.
Principle 7: Act in each client’s best interests.
SRA Code of Conduct: Paragraphs 1.4 and 6.3.
Sample Question 2: Duties to the Court and Third Parties
Scenario
A solicitor represents a client who has pleaded guilty to assaulting a member of staff in a public house.
At the sentencing hearing, the court asks the solicitor to confirm whether the client’s list of previous convictions is complete and accurate.
The solicitor notices that a prior conviction for assaulting a bartender the previous year has been omitted.
After advising the client that the list should be corrected, the client instructs the solicitor to confirm it as accurate regardless.
Question
Which of the following best explains what action the solicitor should take?
Answer Options
1
Inform the client that the solicitor must cease to act, as they cannot knowingly mislead the court.
2
Follow the client’s instruction, as the duty to act in the client’s best interests overrides the duty not to mislead the court.
3
Continue to act but inform the court that the list is inaccurate, as silence would breach the duty to uphold the proper administration of justice.
4
Correct the list, then cease to act, to fulfil the duty to uphold the administration of justice.
5
Continue to act but neither confirm nor deny the accuracy of the list, thereby avoiding misleading the court.
Correct Answer
Option 1: Inform the client that the solicitor must cease to act, as they cannot knowingly mislead the court.
Explanation
A solicitor must never knowingly mislead the court, even when acting on their client’s instructions.
Under Paragraph 1.4 of the SRA Code of Conduct for Solicitors, RELs and RFLs, the duty to the court and the proper administration of justice takes precedence over the duty to act in a client’s best interests.
If a client insists on a course of action that would mislead the court, the solicitor must refuse to comply and, if necessary, cease to act.
Disclosing the inaccuracy without the client’s consent would breach confidentiality, so withdrawal is the appropriate course.
Why the Other Options Are Incorrect
Option B: The duty to the court overrides the duty to act in the client’s best interests; the solicitor cannot knowingly mislead.
Option C: Disclosure without consent breaches confidentiality; withdrawal, not revelation, is correct.
Option D: Correcting the list without client consent breaches confidentiality and professional duty.
Option E: Remaining silent when asked directly by the court is misleading by omission.
Key Learning Point
When duties to the client and duties to the court conflict, the duty to the court prevails.
A solicitor must refuse to mislead and withdraw if compliance with instructions would breach that obligation.
Relevant SRA Principles & Provisions
Principle 1: Uphold the rule of law and the proper administration of justice.
Principle 4: Act with honesty.
Principle 5: Act with integrity.
SRA Code of Conduct: Paragraph 1.4 — “You must not mislead, or attempt to mislead, your clients, the court or others.
Sample Question 3: Conflict of interests
Scenario
A solicitor is approached by two clients following a road traffic accident.
One client was the driver of a car, and the other was the passenger in the same vehicle. Both wish to claim compensation for their injuries, believing that the truck driver involved in the collision was mostly at fault.
However, the Police Accident Report indicates that both drivers were speeding at the time of the collision.
Question
Can the solicitor act for both the car driver and the passenger in pursuing their claims?
Answer Options
1
Yes, because both clients are claiming against the truck driver, so there is no conflict or risk of conflict.
2
Yes, because both clients believe the truck driver was mainly at fault, so there is no conflict of interest.
3
Yes, because the driver and passenger have a substantially common interest, making it reasonable to act for both.
4
No, because although they have a substantially common interest, it would not be reasonable for the solicitor to act for both.
5
No, because a conflict of interest, or a significant risk of one, exists between the driver and the passenger, and they do not share a substantially common interest.
Correct Answer
Option 5: No, because a conflict of interest, or a significant risk of one, exists between the driver and the passenger, and they do not share a substantially common interest.
Explanation
The solicitor must not act for clients where there is a conflict of interest or a significant risk of such a conflict (SRA Code of Conduct, Paragraph 6.2).
Here, the passenger may later need to claim against the car driver as well as the truck driver in order to recover full compensation.
This creates a clear divergence of interests, as the driver’s and passenger’s legal positions are potentially adverse.
Because their objectives differ — one may be a potential defendant to the other — they do not have a “substantially common interest” nor are they “competing for the same objective” as defined in the SRA Glossary.
Therefore, neither exception to Paragraph 6.2 applies, and the solicitor cannot act for both parties.
Why the Other Options Are Incorrect
Option A & B: Both overlook the clear risk that the passenger’s best claim may include action against the car driver, creating a direct conflict.
Option C: The clients’ interests are not “substantially common” — one could be legally liable to the other.
Option D: Although it would indeed be unreasonable, the key issue is that no valid “common interest” exists at all.
Key Learning Point
A solicitor must avoid acting where clients’ interests may conflict or where there is a significant risk of future conflict.
Even where clients appear aligned, differing legal positions can quickly make dual representation unethical.
Relevant SRA Principles & Provisions
Principle 5: Act with integrity.
Principle 7: Act in each client’s best interests
SRA Code of Conduct: Paragraph 6.2 – “You must not act if there is a conflict, or a significant risk of a conflict, between the duties owed to two or more clients.”
SRA Glossary: Definitions of “substantially common interest” and “competing for the same objective”
Sample Question 4: SRA principles
Scenario
A newly qualified solicitor in a firm’s litigation department is scheduled to meet a client to discuss an upcoming court hearing.
The solicitor’s supervisor is unavailable and instructs the junior solicitor to reassure the client that “there are no major issues” and that “the prospects of success are good.”
Shortly before the meeting, while reviewing the case file, the solicitor discovers a Costs Warning Notice issued by the court.
The notice states that the client must provide security for costs because the claim has “little prospect of success.”
There is no evidence on file that the client has been informed of this development.
Question
Which of the following best describes what the newly qualified solicitor should do?
Answer Options
1
Follow the supervisor’s instructions, assuming the client already knows about the Costs Warning Notice since it appears on the file.
2
Follow the supervisor’s instructions because it is not the solicitor’s client or case and responsibility lies with the supervisor.
3
Cancel the meeting and tell the client that the supervisor is unavailable due to unforeseen circumstances.
4
Attend the meeting, inform the client that prospects are poor, and insist that the client withdraw or settle the claim immediately.
5
Attend the meeting, explain the Costs Warning Notice to the client, and advise them to consider settlement or withdrawal based on the court’s assessment.
Correct Answer
Option 5: Attend the meeting, explain the Costs Warning Notice to the client, and advise them to consider settlement or withdrawal based on the court’s assessment.
Explanation
Under SRA Principle 7, a solicitor must act in the client’s best interests, which includes providing honest, accurate, and material information about their case.
Paragraph 6.1 of the SRA Code of Conduct for Solicitors, RELs and RFLs requires solicitors to keep clients informed of material developments.
By explaining the Costs Warning Notice and its implications, the solicitor ensures the client receives the information necessary to make an informed decision.
Although this action conflicts with the supervisor’s instructions, the solicitor’s primary professional duty is to the client and to the court, not to their supervisor.
Why the Other Options Are Incorrect
Option A: Assuming the client already knows about the Costs Warning Notice risks misleading them. Failing to disclose material information breaches Principles 4, 5, and 7 (Honesty, Integrity, and Client Interests).
Option B: Responsibility to uphold professional standards applies to every solicitor, regardless of seniority or file ownership.
Option C: Providing an untrue reason for cancelling the meeting would be dishonest and undermine public trust in the profession (Principle 2).
Option D: Although more transparent, insisting on a specific outcome removes the client’s autonomy; solicitors should advise, not dictate decisions.
Key Learning Point
A solicitor’s duties to act honestly, with integrity, and in the client’s best interests outweigh instructions from a supervisor that conflict with professional standards.
Clients must always be kept informed of material information affecting their case.
Relevant SRA Principles & Provisions
Principle 2: Uphold public trust and confidence in the legal profession
Principle 4: Act with honesty.
Principle 5: Act with integrity.
Principle 5: Act in the best interests of each client
SRA Code of Conduct (Paragraph 6.1): Keep clients informed of material information about their matter
Sample Question 5: Confidentiality and Duty of Disclosure
Scenario
A solicitor is instructed by a new client to handle the purchase of a residential property.
Twelve months earlier, the solicitor had acted for a former client who sold the same property at a significantly reduced price.
The solicitor is aware that the former client sold the house because it had been flooded twice within the previous three years.
The new client is unaware of this history and has not raised any questions about potential flooding risks.
Question
Which of the following best describes the solicitor’s professional duties regarding disclosure of this information?
Answer Options
1
The solicitor may disclose the flooding risk only with the former client’s consent.
2
The solicitor must disclose the flooding risk to the new client, as the duty of disclosure overrides confidentiality.
3
The solicitor has no duty to disclose the flooding risk because it is not material to the new retainer.
4
The solicitor may disclose the flooding risk because confidentiality ends once the previous retainer concludes.
5
The solicitor must disclose the flooding risk because doing so is in the new client’s best interests.
Correct Answer
Option 1: The solicitor may disclose the flooding risk only with the former client’s consent.
Explanation
A solicitor owes an ongoing duty of confidentiality to all current and former clients under Paragraph 6.3 of the SRA Code of Conduct for Solicitors, RELs and RFLs.
This duty prohibits disclosure of confidential information obtained during a previous retainer unless:
- The former client consents, or
- Disclosure is required or permitted by law.
Although the flooding history is relevant to the new client’s purchase, the solicitor cannot reveal it without breaching confidentiality owed to the former client.
The duty of confidentiality outweighs the duty to disclose material facts to a new client.
The solicitor must therefore act carefully — declining to act if continuing the instruction would put them in conflict with professional obligations.
Why the Other Options Are Incorrect
Option B: Incorrect — the duty of confidentiality does not yield to the duty of disclosure.
Option C: Incorrect — the flooding information is clearly material to the new retainer, but it cannot be disclosed.
Option D: Incorrect — the duty of confidentiality continues even after a retainer ends.
Option E: Incorrect — acting in the new client’s best interests cannot justify breaching another client’s confidentiality.
Key Learning Point
A solicitor’s duty of confidentiality survives the termination of the retainer.
Information obtained from a former client cannot be disclosed to a new client without the former client’s consent, even if doing so would benefit the new client.
Relevant SRA Principles & Provisions
Principle 2: Act in a way that upholds public trust and confidence in the legal profession
Principle 4: Act with honesty
Principle 5: Act with integrity
Principle 7: Act in the best interests of each client
SRA Code of Conduct (Paragraph 6.3): You must keep the affairs of current and former clients confidential unless disclosure is required or permitted by law or the client consents.
Sample Question 6: Acting with Integrity – SRA Principles
Scenario
A solicitor is instructed by a client in connection with a commercial contract negotiation.
The solicitor attends a meeting with the other party’s solicitor to discuss and finalise certain contractual terms.
After the meeting, the solicitor informs the client that a written note of the discussion will be prepared immediately. However, the solicitor fails to create the note at that time.
Several months later, a dispute arises between the parties over the interpretation of one of the contract terms.
The client asks to see the solicitor’s written note from the original meeting. Unable to recall the meeting in detail, the solicitor prepares a note based on what they believe must have been discussed and dates it as if it were written on the day of the meeting.
Question
Has the solicitor acted in accordance with the SRA Principles?
Answer Options
1
Yes, because the solicitor acted honestly and did the best they could in the circumstances.
2
Yes, because the duty to act in the client’s best interests overrides other duties.
3
Yes, because the solicitor’s actions prevented professional embarrassment to their firm.
4
No, because the solicitor has not acted with integrity.
5
No, because the solicitor has not acted with independence.
Correct Answer
Option 4: No, because the solicitor has not acted with integrity.
Explanation
Under the SRA Principles, solicitors must act with integrity (Principle 5) and honesty (Principle 4) at all times.
By preparing a retrospective note and dating it as if it had been created on the day of the meeting, the solicitor misrepresented the facts, even if unintentionally seeking to help the client or avoid embarrassment.
This conduct undermines public trust and confidence in the profession, contrary to SRA Principle 2.
The proper course would have been to explain to the client that no contemporaneous note existed and provide a clearly dated retrospective summary, distinguishing it from an original record.
Why the Other Options Are Incorrect
Option A: The solicitor’s conduct cannot be considered honest when the note was deliberately misdated — this misleads the client and risks misleading others.
Option B: Acting in the client’s best interests never justifies misleading conduct; integrity takes precedence.
Option C: Avoiding embarrassment is irrelevant to professional duties and cannot excuse dishonesty.
Option E: While independence is essential, the breach here concerns integrity, not external influence.
Key Learning Point
A solicitor must always act with integrity, even in difficult situations.
Misleading clients or others, whether by omission or by creating false impressions, breaches the core principles of the profession.
Relevant SRA Principles & Provisions
Principle 2: Uphold public trust and confidence in the legal profession
Principle 4: Act with honesty
Principle 5: Act with integrity
SRA Code of Conduct (Paragraph 1.4): You must not mislead, or attempt to mislead, clients, the court, or others.
Sample Question 7: Duties to the Court and Third Parties
Scenario
A solicitor is representing the defendant in a criminal trial.
While preparing the defence case, the solicitor interviews a potential witness.
During the interview, it becomes apparent that the witness’s account contradicts the defendant’s version of events and could undermine the defence case if presented in court.
Question
How should the solicitor’s professional duties apply in this situation?
Answer Options
1
The solicitor’s duty to act in the client’s best interests requires them to persuade the witness to change their evidence.
2
The solicitor is not obliged to call the witness but must ensure they do not mislead the court.
3
The solicitor’s duty to uphold the administration of justice requires them to call the witness regardless of the evidence.
4
The solicitor must draw the court’s attention to the witness’s evidence because it may affect the outcome of the case.
5
The solicitor’s duty to act with integrity requires them to inform the prosecution about the witness’s evidence.
Correct Answer
Option 2: The solicitor is not obliged to call the witness but must ensure they do not mislead the court.
Explanation
A solicitor’s duty to act in the client’s best interests (SRA Principle 7) must always be balanced with their duty to the court and the proper administration of justice (SRA Principle 1).
The solicitor is not required to call a witness whose testimony is adverse to the defence case.
However, they must not mislead the court—for example, by implying that no such witness exists or that their evidence supports the defence position.
Under Paragraph 1.4 of the SRA Code of Conduct, solicitors must never mislead or attempt to mislead the court or others.
The continuing duty of confidentiality (Paragraph 6.3) does not justify allowing inaccurate impressions or falsehoods to remain uncorrected.
Why the Other Options Are Incorrect
Option A: Persuading a witness to alter their evidence would be dishonest and unethical, breaching SRA Principles 4 and 5.
Option C: Solicitors are not required to call every witness; doing so may conflict with the client’s interests.
Option D: There is no duty to reveal adverse evidence to the court unless silence would amount to misleading it.
Option E: Informing the prosecution of the witness’s evidence would breach the solicitor’s duty of confidentiality (SRA Code 6.3).
Key Learning Point
A solicitor must never mislead the court, yet is not obliged to call a witness whose testimony is detrimental to their client’s case.
Professional integrity lies in balancing the duty to the court with the duty to the client, ensuring that neither is compromised.
Relevant SRA Principles & Provisions
Principle 1: Uphold the rule of law and the proper administration of justice
Principle 4: Act with honesty
Principle 5: Act with integrity
Principle 7: Act in each client’s best interests
SRA Code of Conduct (Paragraph 1.4): You must not mislead, or attempt to mislead, the court or others.
SRA Code of Conduct (Paragraph 6.3): Maintain client confidentiality.
Sample Question 8: Acting with Honesty – SRA Principles
Scenario
A solicitor’s husband is caught speeding, driving at 100 mph in a 40 mph zone.
He already has several penalty points on his driving licence and risks disqualification.
In an attempt to protect him, the solicitor submits a false statement to the police, claiming that she was driving the car at the time of the offence.
The solicitor has been qualified for six months and works in her firm’s commercial property department.
Question
Which of the following best describes the likely professional conduct sanctions the solicitor will face?
Answer Options
1
The solicitor will face mild sanctions due to her junior status.
2
The solicitor will face no sanctions because the SRA Principles do not apply to conduct outside work.
3
The solicitor will face mild sanctions because speeding is a minor offence.
4
The solicitor will face mild sanctions for failing to uphold public trust and confidence in the profession.
5
The solicitor will face severe sanctions for acting dishonestly.
Correct Answer
Option 5: The solicitor will face severe sanctions for acting dishonestly.
Explanation
The SRA Principles apply to solicitors both inside and outside their professional practice.
The key issue is not the speeding offence itself, but the dishonesty involved in making a false statement to the police.
By doing so, the solicitor has breached several core principles, including:
- Principle 4: Act with honesty
- Principle 5: Act with integrity
- Principle 2: Uphold public trust and confidence in the profession
- Principle 1: Uphold the rule of law and the proper administration of justice
Dishonesty is always treated as a serious professional breach and typically attracts severe sanctions, such as striking off or suspension.
The solicitor’s junior status or inexperience does not mitigate the gravity of deliberate dishonesty, particularly when it involves misleading a public authority.
Why the Other Options Are Incorrect
Option A: Junior status does not excuse deliberate misconduct — dishonesty is judged objectively and severely.
Option B: The SRA Principles apply to conduct in private life where it calls into question a solicitor’s integrity or fitness to practise.
Option C: The offence at issue is dishonesty, not speeding; the latter alone would not invoke disciplinary action.
Option D: The solicitor’s actions go beyond merely undermining public trust — they constitute active dishonesty, warranting severe sanctions.
Key Learning Point
The SRA Principles extend beyond the workplace.
A solicitor’s behaviour in private life can lead to professional consequences if it involves dishonesty, lack of integrity, or conduct likely to damage public confidence in the legal profession.
Relevant SRA Principles & Provisions
Principle 1: Uphold the rule of law and the proper administration of justice
Principle 2: Maintain public trust and confidence in the profession
Principle 4: Act with honesty
Principle 5: Act with integrity
SRA Code of Conduct (Paragraph 1.2): You must act in a way that upholds public trust and confidence in the solicitors’ profession.
Sample Question 9: Confidentiality and Misdelivered Documents
Scenario
A solicitor is acting for the claimant in a contractual dispute.
Shortly before the final hearing, a confidential brief to counsel prepared by the defendant’s solicitors is accidentally delivered to the claimant’s solicitor’s office.
The solicitor recognises that the document has been sent in error and that it likely contains privileged material belonging to the opposing party.
Question
What should the solicitor do?
Answer Options
1
Read the brief and inform the client of any contents relevant to their case.
2
Immediately return the brief to the defendant’s solicitors without reading it.
3
Read the brief and make use of its contents at the final hearing.
4
Ask the client for instructions on whether to return the brief.
5
Destroy the brief without reading it.
Correct Answer
Option 2: Immediately return the brief to the defendant’s solicitors without reading it.
Explanation
Where a solicitor receives confidential or privileged information by mistake, they must immediately cease reviewing the material and return it to the sender upon recognising the error.
Reading or using such documents would amount to a breach of confidentiality and could lead to professional misconduct.
This principle was confirmed in Ablitt v Mills & Reeve (1995) and is reflected in Paragraph 6.4(d) of the SRA Code of Conduct, which provides an express exception to the duty to disclose information to a client where that information was obtained through an error and is privileged.
The solicitor’s duty to act with integrity (Principle 5) and in accordance with the proper administration of justice (Principle 1) overrides any perceived advantage to the client.
Why the Other Options Are Incorrect
Option A: Reading and disclosing privileged information breaches confidentiality and professional ethics.
Option C: Using such information would be a serious ethical violation and could result in disciplinary sanctions.
Option D: The duty to maintain professional integrity and return the document arises immediately; client instructions are irrelevant.
Option E: Destroying the brief interferes with proper rectification of the error; the correct approach is to return it unread.
Key Learning Point
When a solicitor receives privileged or confidential material by mistake, they must not read, copy, or use it, and must return it immediately to the sender.
The duty to act with integrity and uphold public confidence outweighs any tactical benefit to the client.
Relevant SRA Principles & Provisions
Principle 1: Uphold the rule of law and the proper administration of justice
Principle 5: Act with integrity
Principle 7: Act in the best interests of each client
SRA Code of Conduct (Paragraph 6.4(d)) – Exception to disclosure duty for privileged information sent in error
Case Reference: Ablitt v Mills & Reeve [1995]
Sample Question 10: Own Interest Conflicts
Scenario
A solicitor is approached by a prospective client seeking representation in a boundary dispute.
The client owns land adjacent to a company’s warehouse, and the company has recently erected a fence that encroaches onto the client’s property.
During the initial consultation, the solicitor informs the prospective client that they are a director of the company in question but reassures them that:
- The solicitor does not act for the company, and
- All client information will be kept confidential.
Question
Is the solicitor able to act for the prospective client?
Answer Options
1
Yes, because the prospective client is aware of the solicitor’s directorship.
2
Yes, because effective safeguards are in place to protect the prospective client’s confidential information.
3
Yes, because the directorship and the solicitor’s professional work are unrelated.
4
No, because there is an own interest conflict.
5
No, because there is a conflict of interest between the prospective client and the company.
Correct Answer
Option 4: No, because there is an own interest conflict.
Explanation
This situation creates an own interest conflict under Paragraph 6.1 of the SRA Code of Conduct for Solicitors, RELs and RFLs.
An own interest conflict arises where a solicitor’s personal interests — in this case, their position as a director of the company involved in the dispute — compete with the interests of a current or prospective client.
Even though the company is not the solicitor’s client, the solicitor’s directorship means they owe statutory duties to the company under the Companies Act 2006.
These duties could influence or appear to influence the solicitor’s professional judgment when advising the client, making it impossible to act independently and in the client’s best interests.
Importantly, there are no exceptions to the prohibition on acting in cases of an own interest conflict.
Disclosure of the relationship or consent from the client does not remove the conflict.
Why the Other Options Are Incorrect
Option A: Client awareness or consent does not cure an own interest conflict.
Option B: Confidentiality safeguards do not address the issue of divided loyalty.
Option C: The solicitor’s personal role as a company director is inherently linked to the dispute and creates a conflict of duties.
Option E: This is not a conflict of interest between clients — the company is not a client — but an own interest conflict involving the solicitor personally.
Key Learning Point
A solicitor must not act where personal interests conflict, or could conflict, with a client’s interests.
An own interest conflict cannot be managed, mitigated, or consented to — it completely prevents the solicitor from acting.
Relevant SRA Principles & Provisions
Principle 5: Act with integrity
Principle 7: Act in each client’s best interests
SRA Code of Conduct (Paragraph 6.1): “You do not act if there is an own interest conflict or a significant risk of such a conflict.”
Companies Act 2006, Sections 171–177: Directors’ duties to the company.