Final answer:
An agent owes fiduciary duties to their client, which are both legally enforceable and reflect a commitment to act in the client's best interests, including maintaining confidentiality and avoiding conflicts of interest.
Step-by-step explanation:
An agent who represents a client owes fiduciary duties to that client. In the realm of law, particularly in the context of agency law, these fiduciary duties include a commitment to act in the best interests of the client. The concept can be likened to the moral obligations discussed by philosopher W.D. Ross, such as a duty of fidelity, which entails keeping promises and being truthful, or a duty of non-maleficence, which is the obligation not to harm others.
While Ross spoke of moral commitments, the legal responsibilities of an agent to their client are specifically defined and legally enforceable. Fiduciary duties imply that the agent must prioritize the client's interests above their own, maintain confidentiality, provide full disclosure, and exercise due diligence in their representation or actions on behalf of the client.
These duties are important when considering any potential conflicts of interests or moral dilemmas that may arise during the agency relationship. For example, if an agent is faced with a conflict between benefiting the client or benefiting themselves, the fiduciary duty they owe to the client should take precedence.