I have been giving a lot of thought to the idea of waiving the duty of loyalty in LLCs in Delaware.  The more I think about it, the more I am okay with the concept of allowing members of an LLC to decide to do away with the duty of loyalty when they form the entity.  Delaware, of course, retains the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing in any contract, and I think parties to a contract should be able to decide the terms of their deal.  

Still, I am sympathetic to those who are concerned about eliminating the duty of loyalty because it does seem rather awful, and yet, I am also a proponent of freedom of contract.  How to reconcile these things?  Well, I am now of the mind that perhaps we need to bring a partnership principle to LLCs to help.  In partnerships, the default rule is that changes to the partnership agreement or acts outside the ordinary course of business require a unanimous vote. See UPA § 18(h) & RUPA § 401(j).  I think changes to the duty of loyalty should have the same requirement, and perhaps that even the rule should be mandatory, not just default.  

At formation, then, those creating an LLC would be allowed to do whatever they want to set their fiduciary duties, up to and including eliminating the consequences for breaches of the duty of loyalty.  This is part of the bargain, and any member who does not agree to the terms need not become a member.  Any member who joins the LLC after formation is then on notice (perhaps even with an affirmative disclosure requirement) that the duty of loyalty has been modified or eliminated.  This is not especially concerning to me. 

What would concern me more is a change in the duty of loyalty after one becomes a member.  That is, if the majority of LLC members could later change the loyalty provision, then that seems problematic to me, as fiduciary duties are not just to protect the majority.  As such, it seems to me more proper that changes to the duty of loyalty, when a member does not have any say in that change, is what should be restricted. Like in changing a partnership agreement, if everyone agrees, then there is not a problem.  And if you accept the provision when you join, it is not a problem.  But you shouldn't have a fiduciary duty removed or modified after the fact without your consent.  

Because the duty of loyalty is a fixture that most people expect, I do see value in requiring (at least for some time) that there be clear disclosure of the applicable to duties to potential LLC members.  But at least for the moment, I am feeling the freedom of contract option on the duty of loyalty is quite reasonable.