Conflicts of Interest
Identifying and managing conflicts when working with competing clients or interests.
Key points
- Conflicts of interest arise when your duties to one client could compromise another
- Working for competitors isn’t automatically a conflict — but sharing confidential information is
- Disclose potential conflicts early and let clients make informed decisions
- When in doubt, prioritise your existing client relationship
What the Code says
The Code of Conduct requires that we “act in the best interests of our clients at all times” and “maintain confidentiality regarding client information, strategies and proprietary data.”
A conflict of interest arises when these duties to one client could be compromised by your relationship with another client, employer, or your own interests. Managing conflicts well is essential to maintaining professional trust.
Types of conflict
Conflicts of interest can take several forms:
Competing clients
Working for two businesses in the same market who compete for the same customers. This is the most common scenario copywriters face.
Supplier relationships
When you’re writing about products or services where you have a financial interest — for example, reviewing software from a company that pays you affiliate commissions.
Personal interests
When your personal views, investments, or relationships could influence your professional judgement — for example, writing for a company owned by a friend or family member.
Confidential knowledge
When knowledge gained from one client could unfairly benefit another — even if you’re not consciously sharing it.
Working with competing clients
Many copywriters work with multiple clients in the same industry. This isn’t inherently problematic — it’s often a sign of valuable specialist expertise.
The key question isn’t “do these clients compete?” but “can I serve both clients’ interests without compromising either?”
This is usually fine:
- Writing for two SaaS companies in different market segments
- Working with competitors on entirely separate, non-strategic projects
- Building expertise in an industry by working with multiple players
This requires careful management:
- Working on strategic messaging for direct competitors simultaneously
- Having access to both companies’ product roadmaps or pricing strategies
- Being asked to position one client against a competitor you also work for
Ask yourself: could knowledge from Client A influence my work for Client B, even subconsciously? If yes, you have a potential conflict to manage.
Managing conflicts
When you identify a potential conflict, you have several options:
1. Disclose and seek consent
Tell affected clients about the situation and let them decide. Many clients will be comfortable if you explain how you’ll manage the conflict. Be specific about what you will and won’t do.
2. Implement information barriers
Keep each client’s information completely separate. Don’t use insights from one to benefit another. This requires discipline but is often workable for non-strategic projects.
3. Limit the scope of work
Accept only non-conflicting work from one or both clients. For example, you might write blog content for both but decline strategic messaging work for the newer client.
4. Decline the work
Sometimes the cleanest solution is to turn down a new project that would create an unmanageable conflict. Protecting your existing client relationship is usually the right priority.
Keep a record of how you identified and managed conflicts. If questions arise later, you’ll be able to demonstrate that you acted thoughtfully and professionally.
When and how to disclose
Disclosure should happen early — ideally before you accept a project that could create a conflict.
What to disclose:
- That you work with (or have worked with) a competitor
- The nature of the work, in general terms
- How you plan to manage any conflict
- Any limitations this places on what you can do for them
What you don’t need to disclose:
- Confidential details about the other client’s projects
- The other client’s identity (unless necessary to explain the conflict)
- Every client you’ve ever worked with in the industry
The goal is to give your client enough information to make an informed decision, not to breach another client’s confidentiality in the process.
Contract considerations
Some clients include non-compete or exclusivity clauses in their contracts. Before signing:
- Read carefully — understand exactly what you’re agreeing to
- Consider the scope — is the restriction reasonable and specific, or overly broad?
- Negotiate if needed — you might agree to exclusivity for direct competitors but not the entire sector
- Factor in the cost — if you’re giving up other work, your pricing should reflect that
If you’ve agreed to exclusivity with one client, honour that commitment. Breaking an exclusivity agreement isn’t just a contract breach — it’s a breach of trust that damages the profession.
Before taking on a new client, review your existing contracts. You may already have exclusivity commitments that prevent you from accepting certain work.
Summary
Conflicts of interest are a normal part of professional life, especially for specialists who build expertise in specific industries. The key is to identify them early, manage them transparently, and always prioritise your clients’ interests over your own convenience.
When you’re unsure, disclose. Clients generally appreciate honesty about potential conflicts far more than they appreciate finding out later that you didn’t mention one.