(a) A professional corporation shall acquire, or cause to be acquired by a qualified person, the stock of a stockholder, at a price that represents the fair value of the stock as of the date of death or disqualification of the stockholder or transfer of the stock if:
- (1) The stockholder dies;
- (2) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, the stockholder becomes a disqualified person; or
- (3) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, the stock is transferred by operation of law or court judgment to a disqualified person.
(b)
- (1) If the price for stock is determinable in accordance with the articles of incorporation or bylaws of the corporation, or by private agreement, that price controls.
- (2) If the price is not determinable, under paragraph (1) of this subsection, the corporation shall acquire the stock in accordance with the provisions of § 5-114 of this subtitle.
- (3) If the disqualified person rejects the corporation's purchase offer, either the disqualified stockholder, personal representative, transferee, or the corporation may commence a proceeding under § 5-115 of this subtitle to determine the fair value of the stock.
- (c) This section does not require the acquisition of stock in the event of disqualification if the disqualification lasts less than 5 months from the date the disqualification or transfer occurs.
- (d) This section and § 5-114 of this subtitle do not prevent or relieve a professional corporation from paying pension benefits or other deferred compensation to a former stockholder if otherwise permitted by law, including amounts payable pursuant to an agreement between a judge and his former law firm as provided in § 1-203 of the Courts Article.
- (e) A provision for the acquisition of stock contained in a professional corporation's articles of incorporation or bylaws, or in a private agreement, is specifically enforceable.
Added by Acts 1993, c. 413, § 2.