N.Y. Partnership Law Section 121-303
Liability to third parties


(a)

Except as provided in subdivision (d) of this section, a limited partner is not liable for the contractual obligations and other liabilities of a limited partnership unless he is also a general partner or, in addition to the exercise of his rights and powers as a limited partner, he participates in the control of the business. However, if the limited partner does participate in the control of the business, he is liable only to persons who transact business with the limited partnership reasonably believing, based upon the limited partner’s conduct, that the limited partner is a general partner.

(b)

A limited partner does not participate in the control of the business within the meaning of subdivision (a) of this section by virtue of doing one or more of the following:

(1)

being a contractor for or transacting business with, including being a contractor for, or an agent or employee of the limited partnership or of a general partner or an officer, director or shareholder of a corporate general partner, or a member, manager or agent of a limited liability company that is a general partner of the limited partnership, or a partner of a partnership that is a general partner of the limited partnership, or a trustee, administrator, executor, custodian or other fiduciary or beneficiary of an estate or trust which is a general partner, or a trustee, officer, advisor, shareholder or beneficiary of a business trust which is a general partner, or acting in such capacity;

(2)

consulting with and advising or rendering professional services to a general partner with respect to any matter, including the business of the limited partnership;

(3)

acting as surety or endorser for the limited partnership, or guaranteeing or providing security for or lending money to or assuming one or more debts of the limited partnership;

(4)

approving or disapproving an amendment to the partnership agreement, or calling, requesting, or participating in any meeting of general and limited partners or limited partners;

(5)

taking any action to bring, prosecute, or terminate any derivative action brought in the right of the limited partnership;

(6)

proposing, approving, disapproving, or voting on any one or more of the following matters: (A) the amendment of the partnership agreement or certificate of limited partnership; (B) the dissolution and winding up of the limited partnership; (C) the sale, exchange, lease, mortgage, assignment, pledge, or other transfer of, or granting of a security interest in, any asset or assets of the limited partnership; (D) the merger or consolidation of the limited partnership or election to continue the business of the limited partnership; (E) the incurrence, renewal, refinancing or payment or other discharge of indebtedness by the limited partnership; (F) a change in the nature of the business; (G) the admission or removal of a partner; (H) a transaction or other matter involving an actual or potential conflict of interest; (I) in respect of a limited partnership which is registered as an investment company under an act of Congress entitled Investment Company Act of 1940, any matter required by said Investment Company Act of 1940, or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, to be approved by holders of beneficial interests in an investment company; (J) such other matters as are required for submission to limited partners by federal or state securities laws or rules or regulations thereunder, or rules of self-regulatory bodies governing the trading of limited partnership interests; (K) the indemnification of any partner or other person; or (L) such other matters as are stated in the partnership agreement to be subject to approval, disapproval or vote by the limited partners;

(7)

consulting with or advising, or being an officer, director, shareholder, partner, member, manager, agent or employee of, or being a fiduciary for, any person in which the limited partnership has an interest;

(8)

winding up the limited partnership pursuant to § 121-803 (Winding up)section 121-803 of this article; or

(9)

exercising any right or power permitted to limited partners under this article and not specifically enumerated in this subdivision.

(c)

The enumeration in subdivision (b) of this section does not mean that the possession or exercise of any other powers by a limited partner constitutes participation by him in the control of the business of the limited partnership.

(d)

A limited partner who expressly consents in writing to his name being used in the name of the limited partnership is liable to creditors who extend credit to the limited partnership without actual knowledge that the limited partner is not a general partner.

(e)

A limited partner does not participate in the control of the business within the meaning of subdivision (a) of this section regardless of the nature, extent, scope, number or frequency of the limited partner’s possessing or, regardless of whether or not the limited partner has the rights or powers, exercising or attempting to exercise one or more of the rights or powers or having or, regardless of whether or not the limited partner has the rights or powers, acting or attempting to act in one or more of the capacities which are permitted under this section.

Source: Section 121-303 — Liability to third parties, https://www.­nysenate.­gov/legislation/laws/PTR/121-303 (updated Sep. 22, 2014; accessed Oct. 26, 2024).

121‑101
Definitions
121‑102
Partnership name
121‑103
Reservation of partnership name
121‑104
Statutory designation of secretary of state as agent for service of process
121‑104‑A
Resignation for receipt of process
121‑105
Registered agent
121‑106
Records
121‑107
Nature of business
121‑108
Business transactions of partner with the partnership
121‑109
Service of process on limited partnerships
121‑109‑A
Electronic service of process
121‑110
The partnership agreement
121‑201
Certificate of limited partnership
121‑202
Amendment of the certificate of limited partnership
121‑202‑A
Certificate of change
121‑203
Cancellation of certificate
121‑204
Execution of certificates
121‑205
Execution, amendment or cancellation by judicial act
121‑206
Filing with the department of state
121‑207
Liability for false statement in certificate
121‑208
Restated certificate of limited partnership
121‑301
Admission of limited partners
121‑302
Classes and voting by limited partners
121‑303
Liability to third parties
121‑304
Person erroneously believing himself a limited partner
121‑401
Admission of additional general partners
121‑402
Events of withdrawal of a general partner
121‑403
General powers and liabilities
121‑404
Contributions by a general partner
121‑405
Classes and voting by general partners
121‑501
Form of contribution
121‑502
Liability for contributions
121‑503
Sharing of profits and losses
121‑504
Sharing of distributions
121‑601
Interim distributions
121‑602
Withdrawal of a general partner
121‑603
Withdrawal of a limited partner
121‑604
Right to distribution upon withdrawal
121‑605
Distribution in kind
121‑606
Right to distribution
121‑607
Limitations on distribution
121‑701
Nature of partnership interest
121‑702
Assignment of partnership interest
121‑703
Rights of creditor
121‑704
Right of assignee to become limited partner
121‑705
Liability upon assignment
121‑706
Power of estate of deceased or incompetent partner
121‑801
Nonjudicial dissolution
121‑802
Judicial dissolution
121‑803
Winding up
121‑804
Distribution of assets
121‑901
Law governing
121‑902
Application for authority, contents
121‑903
Certificate of amendment
121‑903‑A
Certificate of change
121‑904
Application for authority
121‑905
Surrender of certificate of authority
121‑906
Termination of existence
121‑907
Doing business without certificate of authority
121‑908
Violations
121‑1001
Parties to actions
121‑1002
Limited partners’ derivative action
121‑1003
Security for expenses
121‑1004
Indemnification of general partner
121‑1101
Merger and consolidation of limited partnerships
121‑1102
Procedure for merger or consolidation
121‑1103
Certificate of merger or consolidation
121‑1104
Effect of merger or consolidation
121‑1105
Payment for interest of dissenting limited partners
121‑1106
Mergers and consolidations involving other business entities
121‑1201
Existing limited partnership
121‑1202
Adoption by previously formed limited partnerships
121‑1300
Fees

Accessed:
Oct. 26, 2024

Last modified:
Sep. 22, 2014

§ 121-303’s source at nysenate​.gov

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