A conflict of interest is a situation in which a person’s personal interests conflict with their professional duties or responsibilities. A conflict of interest should be avoided or disclosed to prevent harm to the client or the registrant. In this case, Arilla’s client, Gwen, wants to co-invest with Arilla in units of a real estate limited partnership. This is a conflict of interest because Arilla may have a personal interest in the investment that could influence her advice to Gwen or affect her ability to act in Gwen’s best interest. For example, Arilla may benefit from the investment at Gwen’s expense, or she may have access to information that Gwen does not have. Therefore, this is a conflict of interest that should be avoided by Arilla. She should decline Gwen’s offer and explain that it would compromise her professional obligations and fiduciary duty to Gwen.

Canadian Investment Funds Course, Unit 2, Section 2.3