Quid Pro Quo

What is quid pro quo?

Quid pro quo is a Latin term that means “something for something.” As a legal concept, it refers to the exchange of goods or services between two parties. One party offers something to another in exchange for something they want. It doesn’t have to involve the exchange of money, but it can in some situations.

In and of itself, quid pro quo can be harmless, particularly when applied to oral contracts between friends or peers. One party agrees to do something for the other party in exchange for something they want. This can be as simple as a landlord asking their neighbor to fix a leaky faucet on a property in exchange for cookies they baked.

However, quid pro quo can have legal implications in business and government. It’s often seen in the workplace as a form of sexual harassment where an employee, often a supervisor, offers a subordinate something they want, like a promotion or time off, in exchange for sexual favors. It can also be used by criminals to bribe or corrupt officials into doing tasks or passing regulations that they otherwise wouldn’t. 

FAQs

Why is quid pro quo illegal?

Quid pro quo isn’t always illegal, but it can be if the exchange puts undue pressure on someone else, like it does in the case of sexual harassment, or if the exchange is for illegal items or services. 

What is another way to say quid pro quo?

You may hear phrases like “tit for tat” and “measure for measure.”

What is an example of quid pro quo?

Quid pro quo can be as harmless as a friend asking for a ride to work in exchange for taking the driver to the airport the next weekend. But it can also be something more complex with serious legal implications. For example, a business owner wanting to start construction on a new building could bribe a city official to approve permits for construction without doing due diligence or research into zoning restrictions.

Can you sue for quid pro quo?

It’s possible to sue for quid pro quo if certain rights are violated or if the law is broken during the process. Employees may be able to sue for sexual harassment if a coworker used quid pro quo to encourage them to perform sexual acts in exchange for something the employee wants or needs. This is why forming an LLC or using another liability-mitigating formation is a good idea. Doing so can protect business owners from personal liability if an employee sues for quid pro quo.