Professor Angie Shareef Hired Hiram Brody to Act as Her

Multiple Choice

Professor Angie Shareef hired Hiram Brody to act as her research student for the summer.The professor had received a very large research grant, and she was required to prepare a detailed budget to explain how she intended to spend the money.On Hiram's first day on the job, Prof Shareef asked him to proofread a budget that she had drafted.Although he found the rest of the task exceptionally boring, Hiram became quite excited when he read the following statement in the document: "I will offer Hiram Brody the position of joint-investigator.That position will require him to resign from his present post as my research assistant and take a leave of absence from his current studies.Given the nature of the project and given his outstanding qualifications, Hiram will be paid $8000 per month for a period of eighteen months." After he finished proofreading the document, Hiram tried to contact Prof Shareef, but was told that she had unexpectedly left the country to be with a sick family member.Hiram then informed the Chair of his University Department that he was resigning as Prof Shareef's research assistant and taking a two-year leave of absence from school.He also left a message on Prof Shareef's telephone answering machine: "I accept.I can't wait to begin working as your joint-investigator." When the professor returned from abroad, however, she told Hiram that she had changed her mind and that she had already hired another student to serve as her joint-investigator.Hiram is furious.He has sued Prof Shareef and claims that she had hired him for that job.Which of the following statements is most likely to be TRUE?

A) The court will uphold Hiram's claim as long as Prof Shareef listened to his telephone message before telling him that she had hired another student.
B) The court will reject Hiram's claim because Prof Shareef did not effectively communicate an offer.
C) The court will reject Hiram's claim as long as Prof Shareef learned that he had resigned as her research assistant before she heard the telephone message in which he accepted the job as her joint-investigator.
D) The court will uphold Hiram's claim because Prof Shareef created a reasonable expectation that he would be hired as her joint-investigator.
E) The court will reject Hiram's claim because he communicated his acceptance by telephone even though he had received Prof Shareef's offer in writing.