Standards of conduct for partners
Wis. Stat. § 178.0409
in effect(1) A partner owes to the partnership and the other partners the duties of loyalty and care stated in subs. (2) and (3).
(2) The fiduciary duty of loyalty of a partner includes all of the following duties:
(a) The duty to account to the partnership and hold as trustee for it any property, profit, or benefit derived by the partner in or from any of the following:
1. The conduct or winding up of the partnership’s business.
2. A use by the partner of the partnership’s property.
3. The appropriation of a partnership opportunity.
(b) The duty to refrain from dealing with the partnership in the conduct or winding up of the partnership business as or on behalf of a person having an interest adverse to the partnership.
(c) The duty to refrain from competing with the partnership in the conduct of the partnership’s business before the dissolution of the partnership.
(3) The duty of care of a partner in the conduct or winding up of the partnership business is to refrain from engaging in grossly negligent or reckless conduct or in conduct for which relief or exoneration from liability is not permitted under s. 178.0105 (3) (h).
(4) A partner shall discharge the duties and obligations under this chapter or under the partnership agreement and exercise any rights thereunder consistently with the contractual obligation of good faith and fair dealing.
(5) A partner does not violate a duty or obligation under this chapter or under the partnership agreement solely because the partner’s conduct furthers the partner’s own interest.
(6) All the partners, or one or more disinterested partners with authority to act in the matter, may authorize or ratify, after full disclosure of all material facts, a specific act or transaction by a partner that otherwise would violate the duty of loyalty.
(7) It is a defense to a claim under sub. (2) (b) and any comparable claim in equity or at common law that the transaction was fair to the partnership.
(8) If, as permitted by sub. (6) or the partnership agreement, a partner enters into a transaction with the partnership which otherwise would be prohibited by sub. (2) (b), the partner’s rights and obligations arising from the transaction are the same as those of a person that is not a partner.
Source: WI Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/statutes/178.0409Fetched: 10/7/2026