conflict of interest legal definition

noun

1. The real or apparent conflict between oneÂ’s personal interest in a matter and oneÂ’s duty to another or to the public in general regarding the same matter.
2. The real, apparent, or potential conflict between the duty owed to one in a matter and the duty owed to another regarding the same matter, especially if the person who owes the duty is a lawyer (such as one who represents two defendants in the same case).