Conflicts of interest can certainly cause serious harm when they are mishandled, yet their occurrence is not unusual in our professional lives. Organizations and individuals need and value our expertise, and as we take on more roles and opportunities, we’re likely to face situations that might present real or perceived conflicts of interest. Laws, regulations, professional codes of conduct, and company policies all take great care to ensure that those in positions of trust are held to account if they put self-interest ahead of their professional duties. In this course, you’ll learn about some of your key professional obligations regarding conflicts of interest. You’ll also determine how to recognize situations that might pose conflicts of interest so that you can avoid them or deal with them effectively. You’ll consider how to decide whether a conflict of interest should be eliminated outright, or whether the party owed a duty might be better served by managing and mitigating the conflict of interest. And finally, you’ll review potential safeguards that can be used to properly manage and address conflicts of interest when they do arise.