Robertson and Enrickson Prepared an Agreement to Enter into a Partnership

question 41

Essay

Robertson and Enrickson prepared an agreement to enter into a partnership. Both of the partners realized that outside capital was needed for the firm to begin operations; however, they also realized that their individual and combined credit ratings would not attract sufficient funds. In order to improve the new partnership's ability to attract investment capital, and with the approval of Enrickson, Robertson added his friend Thompson's name to the partnership agreement. Thompson, a well-known personality from a family of means, was not asked to be a partner and knew nothing of Robertson's and Enrickson's actions. Upon seeing Thompson's name on the partnership agreement, a local bank readily agreed to advance Robertson and Enrickson the total sum required to begin operations. The partnership has now failed, and the bank would like to hold Thompson, Robertson and Enrickson liable for the amount of the loan. Will the bank recover from Thompson, Robertson and Enrickson?

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Definitions:

Free-Trade Policies

Economic policies that allow imports and exports to occur without restrictive tariffs, quotas, or other barriers to trade.

Protection

The practice of shielding a sector of the economy from foreign competition.

General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade

An international treaty aimed at promoting international trade by reducing or eliminating trade barriers such as tariffs and quotas; it was replaced by the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 1995.

Voluntary Export Restraint

A self-imposed limitation by exporting countries on the volume of their exports of a particular good.