Obligation-Conflict Resolution
Case 23-3 (2023) · Post-Public Employment - City Engineer Transitioning to Consultant
Professional obligations conflict, and the board applies no fixed rule for which one wins.
Each resolution is recorded as three edges:
competesWith (the tension),
prevailsOver (the obligation the board allowed to win in this case), and
defeasibleUnder (the situation under which the yielding obligation gives way).
The same tension is then traced across comparable cases, where its resolution shifts with context.
Hover any obligation or state to see its definition; click to open it in OntServe.
How this case resolved it
Engineer D Competitive Procurement Fairness Obligation Instance
prevails over
Engineer D Revolving Door Employment Acceptance Integrity Obligation Instance
the two obligations are in tension (competesWith)
the yielding obligation gives way only under (defeasibleUnder):
- Engineer D Insider Knowledge Advantage
- Engineer D No Formal Revolving Door Prohibition
- Engineer D Post-Employment Conflict of Interest
- Engineer D Revolving Door Employment
Firm AE&R Incumbent Advantage Non-Exploitation Obligation Instance
prevails over
Firm AE&R Honorable Professional Conduct in Procurement Obligation Instance
the two obligations are in tension (competesWith)
No State context committed for this edge.
Engineer D Post-Public-Service Recusal Obligation Instance
prevails over
Engineer D Revolving Door Employment Acceptance Integrity Obligation Instance
the two obligations are in tension (competesWith)
the yielding obligation gives way only under (defeasibleUnder):
- Engineer D Insider Knowledge Advantage
- Engineer D No Formal Revolving Door Prohibition
- Engineer D Post-Employment Conflict of Interest
- Engineer D Revolving Door Employment
Engineer D Faithful Agent Obligation Instance
prevails over
Engineer D Revolving Door Employment Acceptance Integrity Obligation Instance
the two obligations are in tension (competesWith)
the yielding obligation gives way only under (defeasibleUnder):
- Engineer D Insider Knowledge Advantage
- Engineer D No Formal Revolving Door Prohibition
- Engineer D Post-Employment Conflict of Interest
- Engineer D Revolving Door Employment
Featured
Engineer D Revolving Door Conflict Disclosure Obligation Instance
prevails over
Engineer D Revolving Door Employment Acceptance Integrity Obligation Instance
the two obligations are in tension (competesWith)
the yielding obligation gives way only under (defeasibleUnder):
- Engineer D Insider Knowledge Advantage
- Engineer D No Formal Revolving Door Prohibition
- Engineer D Post-Employment Conflict of Interest
- Engineer D Revolving Door Employment
Open tensions recorded without a resolution:
Engineer D Concurrent Employment Negotiation Conflict Avoidance Obligation Instance vs Engineer D Revolving Door Employment Acceptance Integrity Obligation Instance
Engineer D Honorable Professional Conduct in Procurement Obligation Instance vs Engineer D Revolving Door Employment Acceptance Integrity Obligation Instance
What the board concluded
- As to whether it would be ethical for Engineer D to be immediately, directly involved with AE&R's projects with the City, the answer is mixed as multiple considerations and details will affect the outcome.