Legal Definitions - collega

Collega

In Roman law, a collega referred to an individual who held a position of authority or responsibility jointly with one or more other persons. It describes someone who shared a role, power, or duty, implying a collaborative or shared capacity to act or make decisions.

Examples:

• Imagine two siblings who are named as co-executors in their parent's will. They are both legally empowered to manage the deceased parent's estate, pay debts, and distribute assets according to the will. Each sibling acts as a collega to the other, sharing the authority and responsibility for administering the estate.

• Consider a situation where a government appoints two individuals to serve as co-chairs of a special commission tasked with investigating a complex public issue. Both individuals possess equal authority to lead meetings, gather evidence, and formulate recommendations. In this scenario, each co-chair functions as a collega, exercising joint authority over the commission's work.

• In a professional partnership, such as an architectural firm, two senior architects might be designated as managing partners, jointly responsible for the firm's operations, client relations, and strategic direction. They share the ultimate decision-making power and accountability for the business. Here, each managing partner acts as a collega, holding shared authority within the firm.