LD 1609
pg. 48
Page 47 of 148 An Act To Establish the Uniform Partnership Act Page 49 of 148
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LR 1469
Item 1

 
shareholders of a corporation and members of a limited liability
company, partners remain personally liable for their personal
misconduct.

 
In cases of partner misconduct, Section 401(c) sets forth a
partnership's obligation to indemnify the culpable partner where
the partner's liability was incurred in the ordinary course of
the partnership's business. When indemnification occurs, the
assets of both the partnership and the culpable partner are
available to a creditor. However, Sections 306(c), 401(b), and
807(b) make clear that a partner who is not otherwise liable
under Section 306(c) is not obligated to contribute assets to the
partnership in excess of agreed contributions to share the loss
with the culpable partner. (See Comments to Sections 401(b) and
807(b). regarding a slight variation in the context of priority
of payment of partnership obligations.) Accordingly, Section
306(c) makes clear that an innocent partner is not personally
liable for specified partnership obligations, directly or
indirectly, by way of contribution or otherwise.

 
Although the liability shield protections of Section 306(c)
may be modified in part or in full in a partnership agreement
(and by way of private contractual guarantees), the modifications
must constitute an intentional waiver of the liability
protections. See Sections 103(b), 104(a), and 902(b). Since the
mere act of filing a statement of qualification reflects the
assumption that the partners intend to modify the otherwise
applicable partner liability rules, the final sentence of
subsection (c) makes clear that the filing negates inconsistent
aspects of the partnership agreement that existed immediately
before the vote to approve becoming a limited liability
partnership. The negation only applies to a partner's personal
liability for future partnership obligations. The filing however
has no effect as to previously created partner obligations to the
partnership in the form of specific capital contribution
requirements.

 
Inter se contribution agreements may erode part or all of the
effects of the liability shield. For example, Section 807(f)
provides that an assignee for the benefit of creditors of a
partnership or a partner may enforce a partner's obligation to
contribute to the partnership. The ultimate effect of such
contribution obligations may make each partner jointly and
severally liable for all partnership obligations - even those
incurred while the partnership is a limited liability
partnership. Although the final sentence of subsection (c)
negates such provisions existing before a statement of
qualification is filed, it will have no effect on any amendments
to the partnership agreement after the statement is filed.


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