A conflict of interest can come up in many different ways. For example, you may have a conflict because of your interests in:
- Stocks
- Bonds
- Interests through ownership, partnership, LLC (limited liability corporations), etc.
- Consulting arrangements
- Grants, contracts
- Employment
You get the idea...anything that can financially impact you or the interests of others with whom you have a certain relationship. There are certain waivers and exceptions to 18 U.S.C. 208, which we'll examine shortly. But first, let's look at what we mean by the term "particular matter."