A conflict of interest (COI) occurs when an individual or organization is involved in multiple interests, one of which could possibly corrupt the motivation for an act in the other.

The presence of a conflict of interest is independent from the execution of impropriety. Therefore, a conflict of interest can be discovered and voluntarily defused before any corruption occurs.

Judicial disqualification, also referred to as recusal, refers to the act of abstaining from participation in an official action such as a legal proceeding due to a conflict of interest of the presiding court official or administrative officer. Applicable statutes or canons of ethics may provide standards for recusal in a given proceeding or matter. Providing that the judge or presiding officer must be free from disabling conflicts of interest makes the fairness of the proceedings less likely to be questioned.

In the legal profession, the duty of loyalty owed to a client prohibits an attorney (or a law firm) from representing any other party with interests adverse to those of a current client. The few exceptions to this rule require informed written consent from all affected clients. In some circumstances, a conflict of interest can never be waived by a client. In perhaps the most common example encountered by the general public, the same firm should not represent both parties in a divorce or child custody case.

Alan Mark Grayson (born March 13, 1958) is a former U.S. Representative for Florida's 8th congressional district, serving from 2009 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district Grayson represented lies in central Florida and includes portions of Orange Lake, Marion, and Osceola Counties. Most of Orlando is in the district, including Walt Disney World. Grayson was defeated for re-election in 2010 by Republican Daniel Webster.

Grayson was born in the Bronx, New York City, New York, United States, to a Jewish family, the son of Dorothy Ann (née Sabin) and Daniel Franklin Grayson. He graduated from Bronx High School of Science in 1975 and worked his way through Harvard College as a janitor and nightwatchman, graduating in 1978 in the top two percent of his class, summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa with an A.B. in economics. After working two years as an economist, he returned to Harvard for graduate studies. In 1983, he earned a J.D. magna cum laude from Harvard Law School and a Masters of Public Policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government. Additionally, he completed the course work and passed the general exams for a PhD in government.

Lieutenant-Colonel Leigh Arbuthnot Alexander (4 July 1898 – 28 April 1943) was a career soldier and battalion commander. He also played first-class cricket in three matches in the 1920s. He was born at Umzinto, Colony of Natal, South Africa, and he was killed in action in Burma.

Alexander was the son of Major William Alexander and Ethel Rubina Arbuthnot and brother of Gilbert Alexander.

He commanded the 3rd Bn, 2nd Gurkha Rifles, and took part in the 1st Chindit expedition, a deep penetration raid behind Japanese lines, with the 77th Indian Infantry Brigade, when he died during the operation. His is buried in Taukkyan War Cemetery.

Rob Herring is a South African-born British former professional motocross racer.

Herring competed in the F.I.M. motocross world championship and was also a eleven-time British motocross national champion. In 1994, Herring joined Paul Malin and Kurt Nicoll to win the Motocross des Nations for Great Britain and Great Britain haven't done so after that for 18 years.

After his competitive career, Herring worked as a stuntman in the film industry, working in films such as the Quantum of Solace^{[citation needed]}, The Bourne Ultimatum, War Horse. Knight & Day. Herring also conducts motocross schools throughout Great Britain, on a 1-on-1 or group basis.

Dr. Margaret Ann Hamburg (born July 12, 1955, Chicago, Illinois) is an American physician and medical/public health administrator. She currently serves as Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

She has served as Vice President for Biological Programs, Nuclear Threat Initiative, Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the New York City Commissioner of Health. She was nominated in March 2009 by President Barack Obama to become the Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and was sworn in on May 22, 2009.

Dr. Margaret Hamburg is the daughter of Dr. Beatrix Hamburg and Dr. David A.Hamburg, both physicians. Her mother, Beatrix, was the first African-American woman to attend Vassar College and to earn a degree from the Yale University School of Medicine (which had previously excluded black students). Her father, David, of Jewish descent, had a career in academic medicine and mental illness research, public policy, and philanthropic leadership. She is married to artificial intelligence researcher Peter Fitzhugh Brown, with whom she has two children.