Chapter 40 Flashcards
Role of Directors
- All policy making decisions
- Carry out routine corporate business
- Select and remove officers
- Determine capital structure of the corporation
- Declare dividends
- Each director has 1 vote/majority vote
Are directors agents?
No, Because no one individual director can actual bind the corporation to anything
Are directors trustees?
No, Trustees hold title to property for the use/benefit of another. That’s not what directors are doing
Inside Director
A person on a corporation’s board of directors who is also an officer of the corporation
Outside Director
A person on a corporation’s board of directors who does not hold a management position in the corporation
Meetings and Voting Rights of Directors
The dates of regular meetings are usually scheduled by the articles, bylaws, or board resolution
Quorum
The number of member of a decision-making body that must be present before business may be transacted
Corporate Officers and Executives
- hired by the board
*at a minimum most corporations have a President, 1 or more VP, secretary and treasurer - carry out duties stated in the Bylaws
- corporate and managerial officers are agents
- are employees
- Board can remove an officer with or without cause
Duties and liability of directors and officers
Directors and Officers are fiduciaries of the corporation and therefore the duties are those of a fiduciary
Duty of Care
Requires directors/officers:
1. Act in good faith
2. Act as a reasonable prudent director/officer would under the circumstances
3. Act in the best interest of the corporation
So basically (under duty of care) an Officer/Director should…
be attending meetings (that’s how they are informed about decisions they need to make, what is going on in the business, etc.), reasonably supervise work given out, if you disagree with the majority vote – if I am a dissenting board member – get it on the record that you disagreed (by the secretary taking notes)
Business Judgement Rule
Defense to alleged violation by directors and officers of duty of care.
Directors and officers do NOT insure business success (the defense argues that they made sound business decisions even if it didn’t work out the way it was intended)
Business Judgement Rule applies if: Director/Officer….
- took reasonable steps to be informed on the matter
- had a rational basis for the decision AND
- no conflict of interest existed between personal interest and interest of the corporation
If the defense is successful, then the director or officer has not breached the duty of care.
BJR is usually successful unless:
there is evidence of bad faith, fraud, or a clear breach of fiduciary duties.
Duty of Loyalty
“Duty of faithfulness to one’s obligations and duties”
* think of the company before own personal interests
* refrain from self-dealings
* not use corporate funds or information for personal gain