A fiduciary duty typically arises in cases in which one party has an obligation to act in the best interest of another party, such as a corporate board member's duty to company shareholders. A breach of fiduciary duty occurs when a party fails to fulfill its fiduciary duty to another party.
A shareholders' agreement is an arrangement among a company's shareholders that describes how the company should be operated and outlines shareholders' rights and obligations. The shareholders' agreement is intended to make sure that shareholders are treated fairly and that their rights are protected.
Board Members have fiduciary, or legal, duties as established in corporate law. These are the duty of care, duty of loyalty, and the duty of obedience. The nature of these three duties can overlap.
What to Think about When You Begin Writing a Shareholder Agreement. Name Your Shareholders. Specify the Responsibilities of Shareholders. The Voting Rights of Your Shareholders. Decisions Your Corporation Might Face. Changing the Original Shareholder Agreement. Determine How Stock can be Sold or Transferred.
This duty requires that majority shareholders act in the best interests of the corporation and consider the interests of minority shareholders, though this does not mean that they cannot act in their own best interests.
A director must also disclose to the corporation facts that could impact the business of the company. It's important to note that fiduciary duties are to the corporation, not to the shareholders.
What Is Duty of Care? Duty of care refers to a fiduciary responsibility held by company directors which requires them to live up to a certain standard of care. This duty—which is both ethical and legal—requires them to make decisions in good faith and in a reasonably prudent manner.
Under the standard rules of contract law, any party to the shareholders' agreement may, if no provision is made in the agreement to resolve disputes, seek a declaration, damages, an injunction or order for specific performance to stop other parties to the agreement acting contrary to its terms.
If you are involved in a company with more than one shareholder, it is a good idea to agree to, and have a properly drafted shareholders agreement in place for the company. A shareholders agreement is a binding contract that sets out the rights and obligations of shareholders.