The Naked Fiduciary
61 Pages Posted: 6 Apr 2012 Last revised: 20 Nov 2012
Date Written: 2012
Abstract
Business law is grounded in the common law of fiduciary duty. Courts and policymakers have been loath to abandon that principle. Yet, particularly in the contractual context of limited liability companies (LLCs), the fiduciary label is illusory and may undercut sound governance practices for those entities. This Article presents an in-depth empirical study about governance provisions included in LLC operating agreements and examines the implications of the data in the context of various types of businesses that might choose to organize as LLCs. The Article uses the data and related case studies to offer a new approach to LLC governance - the "coactive” LLC.
Keywords: Limited Liability Companies, LLC, business law, fiduciary, fiduciary duties, default rules, governance, unincorporated entities
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