A partnership is a nominate contract between individuals who, in a spirit of cooperation, agree to carry on an enterprise; contribute to it by combining property, knowledge or activities; and share its profit.

In the Province of Quebec, Book Five of the Civil Code deals with Obligations, Title Two deals with nominate contracts.

Under a civil code of law, a nominate contract is one that has a specific name attached to it (purchase and sale, leasing, loans) to distinguish it from innominate contracts, (those which have no particular name).

Contracts for sale involving goods are governed by Article 2 of the Uniform Commercial Code in most United States and Canadian jurisdictions, however in Quebec such contracts are governed by the Civil Code of Quebec as a nominate contract in the book on the law of obligations.