[Foundation-l] Omidyar Network Commits $2 Million Grant to Wikimedia Foundation

[Anthony]

On Thu, Aug 27, 2009 at 1:46 PM, Thomas Dalton <thomas.dalton at gmail.com>wrote:
>
> "Partner" has different meanings. A partner in a partnership is as you
> describe. A partner is a large (often public) company like a bank is
> just a title for a high ranking employee. I think we are talking at
> cross purposes. If Matt is a partner in the context of a partnership,
> then you are correct, although I don't think the exact nature of his
> legal relationship with Omidyar is relevant.
>

I agree that companies often misuse the term "partner" for people who aren't
actually "partners" (although I can't think of an example, can you?).
 That's why I was careful with what I said: "According to the website, he is
a partner."

That said, Omidyar Network is an LLC.  As a multi-member LLC, you can choose
to run as a corporation, or as a partnership.  Considering that Omidyar
Network is basically a venture capital business, it most likely runs as a
partnership, and not a corporation (for tax reasons).  So if Omidyar Network
is an LLC treated as a partnership, it has partners, and I highly doubt that
it would list someone as a "partner" on its website unless that person was
actually a partner.

It is relevant because if Halprin is a partner with Omidyar Network, LLC,
and doesn't receive any guaranteed payments, then he isn't being paid by
Omidyar Network, LLC to do any particular job.