Opinion ID: 2074647
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Compensation for management services.

Text: Patricia claims the court erred in determining that John was not entitled to any compensation for the services he performed under the management agreement as agent for the trust. An agent is not entitled to any compensation, even for properly performed services, if the agent is guilty of willful and deliberate disobedient conduct constituting a breach of his agency contract. See Walker Land and Cattle Co. v. Daub, 223 Neb. 343, 389 N.W.2d 560 (1986); Allied Securities, Inc. v. Clocker, 185 Neb. 524, 176 N.W.2d 914 (1970); Restatement (Second) Agency § 469 (1958); H. Reuschlein & W. Gregory, Agency and Partnership 149 (1979). In addition, if the agent has already been paid, the principal is entitled to recover the compensation. Reuschlein, supra. The management agreement explicitly stated that the agent was not to hold or manage any funds for the trust. Nevertheless, that is exactly what John did when he invested trust funds in commodities. The court found that this violation of the management agreement was willful and deliberate on his part. We cannot conclude that this finding is clearly erroneous since John was aware of the provision of the agreement prohibiting such conduct. Therefore, John's willful and deliberate disobedience precludes him from receiving compensation for his services and the trust is entitled to recover any payments already made.