12. The constitution of the company: dealing with outsiders

Company Law ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 257-274
Author(s):  
Alan Dignam ◽  
John Lowry

Titles in the Core Text series take the reader straight to the heart of the subject, providing focused, concise, and reliable guides for students at all levels. This chapter explores the legal aspects of transactions made with those outside the company (called outsiders or third parties), with emphasis on how they are determined to be legitimate and binding on the company. It also discusses the ultra vires doctrine and the three particular issues that make it a very tricky problem for the courts; the inclusion of the benefit of the company criterion to the ultra vires issue; the reform of ultra vires; and the application of the general principles of agency in determining whether the company is bound by a particular transaction. The chapter concludes by analysing reforms in the Companies Act 2006 concerning the authority of directors to bind the company or authorise others to do so.

Author(s):  
Alan Dignam ◽  
John Lowry

Titles in the Core Text series take the reader straight to the heart of the subject, providing focused, concise, and reliable guides for students at all levels. This chapter explores the legal aspects of transactions made with those outside the company (called outsiders or third parties), with emphasis on how they are determined to be legitimate and binding on the company. It also discusses the ultra vires doctrine and the three particular issues that make it a very tricky problem for the courts; the inclusion of the benefit of the company criterion to the ultra vires issue; the reform of ultra vires; and the application of the general principles of agency in determining whether the company is bound by a particular transaction. The chapter concludes by analysing reforms in the Companies Act 2006 concerning the authority of directors to bind the company or authorise others to do so.


Author(s):  
Alan Dignam ◽  
John Lowry

Titles in the Core Text series take the reader straight to the heart of the subject, providing focused, concise, and reliable guides for students at all levels. This chapter explores the legal aspects of transactions made with those outside the company (called outsiders or third parties), with emphasis on how they are determined to be legitimate and binding on the company. It also discusses the ultra vires doctrine and the three particular issues that make it a very tricky problem for the courts; the inclusion of the benefit of the company criterion to the ultra vires issue; the reform of ultra vires; and the application of the general principles of agency in determining whether the company is bound by a particular transaction. The chapter concludes by analysing reforms in the Companies Act 2006 concerning the authority of directors to bind the company or authorise others to do so.


Author(s):  
Alan Dignam ◽  
John Lowry

Titles in the Core Text series take the reader straight to the heart of the subject, providing focused, concise, and reliable guides for students at all levels. This chapter is concerned with the duties which a director owes to the company, including duty to act within powers, duty to promote the company’s success, duty to exercise independent judgement, duty not to accept benefits from third parties, and duty to avoid conflicts of interest. After reviewing the general duties of directors under Part 10 of the Companies Act 2006, the chapter discusses the fiduciary position of directors, the remedies for breach of directors’ duties, and the liability of those who assist a director in the course of a breach of fiduciary duty. Finally, it considers three ways in which a director who is in breach of duty may be relieved from liability.


Author(s):  
Alan Dignam ◽  
John Lowry

Titles in the Core Text series take the reader straight to the heart of the subject, providing focused, concise, and reliable guides for students at all levels. This chapter is concerned with the duties which a director owes to the company, including duty to act within powers, duty to promote the company’s success, duty to exercise independent judgement, duty not to accept benefits from third parties, and duty to avoid conflicts of interest. After reviewing the general duties of directors under Part 10 of the Companies Act 2006, the chapter discusses the fiduciary position of directors, the remedies for breach of directors’ duties, and the liability of those who assist a director in the course of a breach of fiduciary duty. Finally, it considers three ways in which a director who is in breach of duty may be relieved from liability.


Author(s):  
Alan Dignam ◽  
John Lowry

Titles in the Core Text series take the reader straight to the heart of the subject, providing focused, concise, and reliable guides for students at all levels. This chapter focuses on one area where the motives of ‘promoters’ (that is, those who form a company) are relevant to the legal aspects of certain activities carried out in the company’s name, especially when they enter into contracts for the company prior to its formal registration. After defining the term ‘promoter’, the chapter discusses the fiduciary duties of promoters and the range of remedies available to the company against a promoter who breaches his fiduciary duties. It then considers problems involving contracts entered into prior to incorporation and the common law position on such contracts. It also explains pre-incorporation contracts, deeds, and obligations under Section 51 of Companies Act 2006 before concluding with an analysis of the issue of corporate mobility in relation to the freedom of establishment.


Author(s):  
Alan Dignam ◽  
John Lowry

Titles in the Core Text series take the reader straight to the heart of the subject, providing focused, concise, and reliable guides for students at all levels. This chapter focuses on one area where the motives of ‘promoters’ (that is, those who form a company) are relevant to the legal aspects of certain activities carried out in the company’s name, especially when they enter into contracts for the company prior to its formal registration. After defining the term ‘promoter’, the chapter discusses the fiduciary duties of promoters and the range of remedies available to the company against a promoter who breaches his fiduciary duties. It then considers problems involving contracts entered into prior to incorporation and the common law position on such contracts. It also explains pre-incorporation contracts, deeds, and obligations under Section 51 of Companies Act 2006 before concluding with an analysis of the issue of corporate mobility in relation to the freedom of establishment.


Company Law ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 51-62
Author(s):  
Alan Dignam ◽  
John Lowry

Titles in the Core Text series take the reader straight to the heart of the subject, providing focused, concise, and reliable guides for students at all levels. This chapter focuses on one area where the motives of ‘promoters’ (that is, those who form a company) are relevant to the legal aspects of certain activities carried out in the company’s name, especially when they enter into contracts for the company prior to its formal registration. After defining the term ‘promoter’, the chapter discusses the fiduciary duties of promoters and the range of remedies available to the company against a promoter who breaches his fiduciary duties. It then considers problems involving contracts entered into prior to incorporation and the common law position on such contracts. It also explains pre-incorporation contracts, deeds, and obligations under section 51 of Companies Act 2006 before concluding with an analysis of the issue of corporate mobility in relation to the freedom of establishment.


Evidence ◽  
2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roderick Munday

Titles in the Core Text series take the reader straight to the heart of the subject, providing focused, concise, and reliable guides for students at all levels. This chapter discusses the following: what constitutes a ‘confession’ under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE), s 82(1)?; at common law, an accused’s silence may amount to an admission, Can a denial ever amount to a ‘confession’ under PACE, s 82(1)?; whether a denial ever amounts to a ‘confession’ under PACE, s 82(1); the conditions of admissibility of confessions under PACE; What if the accused, having first made an inadmissible confession, later makes a further confession that is obtained by proper methods?; Confessions made by mentally handicapped persons (PACE, s 77); the admissibility of evidence discovered in consequence of an inadmissible confession; Using an inadmissible confession to show that the accused speaks, writes, or expresses himself in a particular way; the status of ‘mixed statements’; An accused’s statement to the police is not normally evidence against other co-accused; an accused’s right to use his co-accused’s confession (PACE, s 76A); and confessions by third parties, the prosecution, and the hearsay rule.


Author(s):  
Janet O’Sullivan

Titles in the Core Text series take the reader straight to the heart of the subject, providing focused, concise, and reliable guides for students at all levels. This chapter examines the doctrine of privity in the law of contract. The doctrine of privity dictates that a person who is not a party to the contract cannot be granted contractual rights by the contract or be placed under contractual obligations by it. It explores the rationale of the principle, discusses the authorities that established it, and explores the various common law exceptions to the rule that a third party cannot acquire rights under a contract. This chapter also covers the statutory exception to privity provided in the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999.


Author(s):  
Janet O’Sullivan

Titles in the Core Text series take the reader straight to the heart of the subject, providing focused, concise, and reliable guides for students at all levels. This chapter examines the doctrine of privity in the law of contract. The doctrine of privity dictates that a person who is not a party to the contract cannot be granted contractual rights by the contract or be placed under contractual obligations by it. It explores the rationale of the principle, discusses the authorities that established it, and explores the various common law exceptions to the rule that a third party cannot acquire rights under a contract. This chapter also covers the statutory exception to privity provided in the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999.


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