Agency Flashcards
when might a state require an agent’s appointment to be in writing?
when the agency relates to interests in property (e.g. power of attorney)
what is the primary way to establish status as a principal?
individual’s intent to delegate an act and control the way in which an act is performed by another
partnership defined
A partnership is an association of two or more persons for the purpose of carrying on as co-owners of a business for profit
who may serve as an agent?
any person with minimal capacity (need not have capacity to form K
the consensual nature of the agency relationship requires an agent to:
- have minimal capacity
- manifest assent and consent to act on the principal behalf; and
- manifest assent to be subject to principal’s control
steps for establishing agency relationship
- Principal manifests assent to agent
- agent acts on P’s behalf
- agent’s actions are subject to P’s control
- agent manifests assent (or otherwise consents)
what is the dominant factor in determining whether someone is an employee?
the level of control an employer exerts over an agent’s day to day activities
most important factor in determining whether someone is an independent contractor
not subject to principal’s control regarding physical conduct (i.e. means and methods) of agent performance
what other term might an IC be referred to as?
a non employee agent
what relationship is present between a trustee and the settlor (person who puts property in trust for beneficiaries)?
trustee is agent who maintains a fiduciary relationship with and holds property for benefit of settlor
characterize the relationship of an employee of an advertising firm working on the account of a firm’s customer
the employees working on a customer’s case are considered subagents of the firm. the firm is liable to the principal for the employees’ conduct
what duty does a subagent have?
a duty of loyalty to both principal and appointing agent
difference in capacity requirements for principal vs. agent
a principal, to be bound by agent’s actions and to enter into the relationship, must have capacity both to 1. consent to to agency rel and 2. enter into transaction to which agent purports to bind principal (e.g. contract)
vs. can be agent so long as physical and mental capacity to do what appointed to do
can an unincorporated association have the capacity to form agency relationships? (and what is an unincorporated association?)
it’s a non-legal entity where people voluntarily associate with mutual consent or purpose - like a club
they do not have the capacity to form agency relationships
equal dignities rule
requirement present in some statutes that require a writing for principal’s authorization of an agent to be valid (the dignity of an agreement is “equal” to the underlying transaction). protects the principal against third party actions
but NOT against action brought by agent against principal (b/c 3rd party can ask to see the writing and if they don’t they’re SOL)
An agent has the power to bind the principal to a K when…
i. the agent has actual authority (express or implied);
ii. the agent has apparent authority; or
iii. the principal is estopped from denying the agent’s authority.
for express (actual) authority to exist, what is required? (and by what standards are they measured)?
the principal’s manifestation must
- cause the agent to believe that the agent is doing what the principal wants (subjective standard)
- and the agent’s belief that they are doing what the P wants must be reasonable (objective standard)
define implied actual authority
allows an agent to take whatever actions, designated or implied in P’s manifestations, are properly necessary to achieve P’s objectives, based on agent’s reasonable understanding of the manifestations and objectives of the P