Permitted Assignments Any Lender may, in the ordinary course of its business and in accordance with applicable law, at any time assign to one or more banks or other entities ("PURCHASERS") all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including, without limitation, its Commitment, all Loans owing to it, all of its participation interests in existing Letters of Credit, and its obligation to participate in additional Letters of Credit hereunder) in accordance with the provisions of this SECTION 13.3. Each assignment shall be of a constant, and not a varying, ratable percentage of all of the assigning Lender's rights and obligations under this Agreement. Such assignment shall be effected through an Assignment Agreement substantially in the form of EXHIBIT A hereto and shall not be permitted hereunder unless such assignment is either for all of such Lender's rights and obligations under the Loan Documents or, without the prior written consent of the Agent, involves Loans and Commitments in an aggregate amount of at least $5,000,000. The consent of the Agent and, prior to the occurrence of a Default or Unmatured Default, the Borrower (which consent, in each such case, shall not be unreasonably withheld), shall be required prior to an assignment becoming effective with respect to a Purchaser which is not a Lender or an Affiliate thereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Lender may at any time, without the consent of the Borrower or the Agent, assign all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement and its Notes to a Federal Reserve Bank; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that no such assignment shall release the transferor Lender from its obligations hereunder.
