Imagine the following scenario. Generic Systems is a client that your firm has done a little bit of legal work for in the past. Offline Systems, a new client, telephones and asks you to advise it on a takeover bid for Generic.

The Law Society rules are unclear on the conflict position, and you are also concerned about how Generic will feel about you acting against it. But it is a lucrative job, and so you accept and start work on the deal for Offline.