Law and Food, Entry 1

March 19, 2004 | By Adam Roberts | 2 Comments

Did you know that I was a law student?

Neither did I!

But, yes, apparently I go to law school. In fact, I better go to bed: I have an 8:45 am class tomorrow.

But it occurred to me that there must be some cross-over between my legal education and my interest in food. Certainly not just the pun on “torts.”

So, as a service to you, faithful reader, I will seek out any interesting food-related legal tid-bits as I move through my final semester.

Today’s tidbit is not so much food related, as Martha Stewart related. It comes from my Business Associations class. We are studying the duty of directors to their companies and, as a function of that, their stockholders. I asked the teacher if Martha’s stockholders could sue her for her devious behavior that basically gutted the company and made their stock worthless.

His response?

“No, because she didn’t do it in her line of duty as a director. Her insider trading was unrelated to her role at the company.”

“But,” I press, “isn’t her image the crux of the company? Doesn’t she owe a duty to her stockholders to maintain that image?”

The class turns to look at me funny.

“No,” he says. “We can’t hold her responsible for everything she does.”

THE MORAL?

Law school is icky. Be a chef.

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