Search Site
Menu

Know Your Role: Fiduciary Duties of the Corporate Director

For most legal issues, Texas corporations are governed by the Texas Business Organizations Code.  However, one topic that is not expressly addressed is the fiduciary duties of corporate directors.  Instead, case law has established the principle that directors owe their corporations three general fiduciary duties: a duty of obedience, a duty of care, and a duty of loyalty.  As a corporate director, each of your actions must take into consideration these duties, and failure to do so could result in substantial damage to both the company and yourself.

The duty of obedience prohibits a director from pursuing actions outside of the authorized powers of the corporation, but this duty is rarely an area of concern given that most modern corporate laws define corporate powers broadly and permit extensive purpose clauses in the certificate of formation. Therefore, courts rarely impose personal liability on directors for illegal or ultra vires acts of corporate agents unless the directors either participated in the act or had actual knowledge of the act.

The duty of care requires a director to be diligent and prudent in managing the corporation’s affairs. The established standard for this duty requires that a director handle its corporate duties with such care as an ordinarily prudent person would use under similar circumstances. However, compliance with this duty is aided by the principle known as the business judgment rule, which provides that a director who acts in good faith and without corrupt motive will generally not be held liable for mistakes of business judgment that damage corporate interests.  This caveat thereby protects all but obvious fraudulent or illegal conduct.  Therefore, directors may, in good faith and with ordinary care, rely on information, opinions, reports, or statements prepared or presented by officers or employees of the corporation, or by legal counsel and others with professional or other expertise without being overly concerned with violating the duty of care.

The final duty, the duty of loyalty, requires honesty, good faith and loyal conduct towards the best interests of the company.  While case law does provide examples of certain transactions or conduct that implicate the duty of loyalty, such as self-dealing and usurpation of a corporate opportunity, similar to the duty of care, most corporation laws include stipulations that leave the door open for interested-director transactions so long as there is full disclosure by the interested director and approval by the disinterested directors or the shareholders.  Likewise, even without full disclosure, the transaction will oftentimes withstand challenge if it passes scrutiny for “fairness” to the corporation.

While each of these obligations are potentially weakened by the various exceptions and limited applications, it is still critical for directors to understand their role in the corporate structure and to respect the duties placed upon them.  A corporation depends on its leaders, and as a director, you owe it to your company to fulfill your duties.

Brian Albert

Phone: 281-367-122

Fax: 281-210-1361

[email protected] 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Contact a Dedicated Texas Business Lawyer To Schedule a Consultation
Call 281-367-1222 or contact us online to schedule a meeting.

Strong In Action

  • Spring 2021

    The Strong Firm prevails in dispositive motion regarding Texas economic loss rule resulting in dismissal of claims again party.

    Read More
  • Spring 2019

    The Strong Firm successfully forecloses first priority lien against multi-million dollar commercial asset.

    Read More
  • Spring 2021

    The Strong Firm secures writ of reentry after unlawful lockout of commercial tenant.

    Read More
  • Spring 2021

    The Strong Firm prevails in writ of mandamus proceeding involving denial of temporary restraining order to stop foreclosure sale.

    Read More
  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  • Peer Rated 2022 Award
  • Clio Client-Centered Certification

Recent Blog Posts

Navigating Employment Law Concerns: A Guide To The Biggest Risks for Texas Employers

Navigating Employment Law Concerns: A Guide To The Biggest Risks for Texas Employers As trusted legal advisors, we understand the complexities and challenges that employers face when navigating the landscape of employment law. With the ever-evolving regulatory environment, it's crucial for employers to stay informed and proactive in addressing legal concerns. One
Read More
Navigating Employment Law Concerns: A Guide To The Biggest Risks for Texas Employers

Asset Flow in Estate Planning

Planning for the distribution of your assets upon your passing can seem a daunting task regardless of the size of your estate.  However, planning for how those assets will be distributed, and ensuring your estate plan accounts for your desired distribution, is essential. In this article, we will discuss the
Read More
Asset Flow in Estate Planning

Kelly Sullivan Joins The Strong Firm P.C. As Senior Counsel

The Strong Firm P.C. is excited to announce the addition of Kelly Sullivan to its team of experienced attorneys. Kelly adds exceptional strength to the firm’s established practice areas based on her wealth of experience in the areas of Litigation, Labor and Employment Law, Business Law and Governmental Law, Zoning
Read More
Kelly Sullivan Joins The Strong Firm P.C. As Senior Counsel

The Future of Non-Compete Agreements: Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Agreement

In July 2021, President Biden signed an Executive Order aiming to limit the use of restrictive covenants in employment relationships. Opening with the premise that “a fair, open, and competitive marketplace has long been a cornerstone of the American economy, while excessive market concentration threatens basic economic liberties, democratic accountability,
Read More
The Future of Non-Compete Agreements: Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Agreement
  • Video Vault


    Watch videos done by our legal team to gain a better understanding of your legal needs. Our lawyers give video insight into areas such as Real Estate, Business Law, Mergers & Acquisitions and much more.
Contact us

Quick Contact Form