What are the fiduciary duties of a corporate officer?

Fiduciary duties are a set of responsibilities that corporate officers have to the company and shareholders. The purpose of the fiduciary duties is to make sure that the officers use their positions for the benefit of the company, not for their own personal gain. In Maryland, corporate officers owe the company and shareholders several different duties which are outlined in the law. The first duty is the duty of care. This duty requires officers to make decisions and act with the same care and attention as a reasonably prudent businessperson would. This means officers should be informed and use their best judgement when making decisions on behalf of the company. The second duty is the duty of loyalty. This duty requires officers to act in the best interest of the company while avoiding self-dealing and conflicts of interest. For example, an officer should not accept personal payments from a supplier for the company or do business with another company the officer has a financial stake in. The third duty is the duty of good faith and fair dealing. This duty requires officers to act honestly and fairly when dealing with the company. This means that the officers should not act with the intent to deceive or defraud the company or its shareholders. These are just a few of the fiduciary duties that corporate officers must follow when conducting business in Maryland. It is important to understand and follow these duties to ensure that corporate officers act in the best interest of the company and its stakeholders.

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