No Need to Be a Shareholder to Bring an Action Pursuant to BCL 720(b)
The Second Department noted there is no need to be a shareholder at the time a disputed resolution was adopted to bring an action for waste or breach of fiduciary duty pursuant to Business Corporation Law 720(b):
Unlike Business Corporation Law § 626, which authorizes a shareholder to bring a derivative action in the right of the corporation, Business Corporation Law § 720(b) authorizes a corporation, or an officer or director thereof, to commence an action to redress corporate waste or breach of fiduciary duty owed by officers and directors of the corporation … . While Business Corporation Law § 626(b) requires the plaintiff to be a shareholder at the time of the transaction of which he or she complains, there is no similar rule when a corporation, a director, or an officer commences an action pursuant to Business Corporation Law § 720(b) … . Gabel v Gabel, 2013 NY Slip Op 02050, 2011-10621, Index No 9839/10, 2nd Dept 3-27-13