Partnership Flashcards
Partnership definition
A partnership is an association of two or more persons to carry on a for profit business as co owners
Key test to determine whether a business arrangement is a partnership
The key test applied to ascertain whether a business arrangement is a partnership is whether there is a sharing of profits for the business. If so, such an arrangement is generally presumed to be a partnership, and persons who share in the profits are partners.
Receiving profits as payment of a debt
A partnership does not exist between persons when one person receives profits in payment of a debt.
Transferability of a partnership interest
A partner has a transferable partnership interest. This means that they may transfer the right to share in profits and losses of the partnership and to receive distributions.
What happens when a partnership interest is transferred?
The transfer of a partnership interest creates in the transferee a right to receive distributions to which the transferor would otherwise be entitled to.
Allowing partners to inspect books and records
A partnership must provide its partners and their agents with access to all its records.
transferees of a partnership interest’s rights to participate in management and to inspect books
A transferee is not entitled to participate in the management or conduct of the partnership business or access partnership records.
Transferring partnership interest and when that does not make them a partner
A transfer of a partner’s partnership interest does not make the transferee a partner unless the other partner or partners consent to making the transferee a partner.
What is partnership property
Property is partnership property if it is acquired in the name of the partnership. It is the property of the partnership and not of the partners individually
When may a partner use or possess partnership property
A partner may use or possess partnership property only on behalf of the partnership.
Effect of filing a statement of qualification
Filing a statement of qualification, which transforms a partnership into an LLP, does not create a new partnership.
LLP
An LLP is a partnership in which a partner’s personal liability for obligations of the partnership is eliminated.
Partner liability for partnership obligations
A partner is jointly and severally liable for all partnership obligations
When does LLP status start
LLP status is generally only effective on the date that the statement of qualification is filed.
Protection from a partner when converting Pship to LLP
Though a limtied partner in an LLP is not personally liable for an obligation of an LLP, LLP status is only effective on the date the statement of qualification is filed. Thus, they may be liable for judgments levied against the partnership prior to filing the statement of qualification
Partner’s liability for obligations incurred prior to them joining
A person admitted as a partner into an existing partnership is not personally liable for any prior partnerhsip obligations.
Capital contributions and using those to satisfy partnership obligations
Any captital contribution made by an incoming partner to the partnership is at risk for the satisfaction of partnership obligations.
Partner as agent
A partner is an agent of the partnership for the purpose of its business and can contractually bind the partnership when the partner acts with either actual or apparent authority
Partner acts authorized by the partnership
A partner’s act that was authorized by the partnership binds the partnership
Express authority in partnerships
Express authority may arise from the partnership agreement itself, an authorization of the partners, or a statement of authority filed with the state
Apparent authority and partnerships
For apparent authority to apply, the partner must perform the unauthorized act in the ordinary course of apparently carrying on either the partnership buisiness or the business of a kind carried on by the partnership
How a partnership can escape liability when P acts beyond authority
For the partnership to escape liability, the third party generally must possess actual knowledge of the partner’s lack of actual authority.
Fiduciary duties of a partner
A partner owes the partnership and other partners two fiduciary duties – the duty of loyalty and the duty of care.
Duty of loyalty
Under the duty of loyalty, a partner is prohibited from using partnership property or business to derive a personal benefit without notifying the partnership
Duty of care
Under the duty of care, a partner is prohibited from engaging in grossly negligent or reckless conduct, intentional misconduct, or a knowing violation of the law
Partnership actions against partner
A partnership may pursue a legal action against a partner for breach of the partnership agreement or for violating a duty owed to the partnership that caused the partnership harm
Partner actions against other partners
A partner may pursue legal action against the partnership or against another partner to enforce the partner’s rights under the partnership agreement or RUPA
General rule for when a partner may dissociate from Pship
A partner has the power to dissociate from the partnership at any time, even if dissociation is wrongful.
When is a dissociation wrongful if Pship is unlimited by time or undertaking
For a partnership that is unlimited by time or undertaking, a partner’s dissociation is wrongful only when it is in breach of an express provision of the partnership agreement
Partnership at will definition
A partnership at will is an open ended partnership that does not have a fixed termination based on a period of time or particular undertaking