Assignment or Subletting 25.1. Except as hereinafter provided, Tenant shall not, either voluntarily or by operation of Applicable Laws, directly or indirectly sell, hypothecate, assign, pledge, encumber or otherwise transfer this Lease, or sublet the Premises or any part hereof (each, a “Transfer”), without Landlord’s prior written consent, which consent Landlord may not unreasonably withhold; provided, however, that Tenant shall have the right to assign all or any portion of its interest under this Lease or sublet all or any portion of the Premises without Landlord’s consent to any parent, subsidiary or affiliate of Tenant; or any party that results from a merger or consolidation of Tenant; or any party that acquires all or substantially all of the assets or stock of Tenant (an “Allowable Transfer”). Any Transfer other than an Allowable Transfer shall be referred to herein as a “Subject Transfer”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall Tenant be released from any of its obligations under this Lease.
25.2. In the event Tenant desires to effect a Transfer, then, at least twenty (20) days with respect to a sublease and at least thirty (30) days with respect to any other Transfer, but not more than ninety (90) days in any event, prior to the date when Tenant desires the Transfer to be effective (the “Assignment Date”), Tenant shall provide written notice to Landlord (the “Assignment Notice”) containing information (including references) concerning the character of the proposed transferee, assignee or sublessee; the Assignment Date; any ownership or commercial relationship between Tenant and the proposed transferee, assignee or sublessee; and the consideration and all other material terms and conditions of the proposed Transfer, all in such detail as Landlord shall reasonably require. Tenant shall reimburse Landlord for all reasonable attorneys’ fees and other reasonable out-of-pocket costs incurred by Landlord in reviewing Tenant’s request for such Transfer.
25.3. Landlord, in determining whether consent should be given to a proposed Subject Transfer, may give consideration to the financial strength of such transferee, assignee or sublessee (notwithstanding Tenant remaining liable for Tenant’s performance), and any change in use that such transferee, assignee or sublessee proposes to make in the use of the Premises. In no event shall Landlord be deemed to be unreasonable for declining to consent to a Transfer to a transferee, assignee or sublessee of poor reputation, lacking financial qualifications, seeking a change in the Permitted Use, or jeopardizing directly or indirectly the status of Landlord or any of Landlord’s affiliates as a Real Estate Investment Trust under the Code; provided that (a) Landlord agrees to reasonably evaluate any proposed transferee’s, assignee’s or sublessee’s financial qualifications and (b) Landlord may only consider such financial qualifications in the event that, were the transfer, assignment or sublease to occur, Tenant would no longer occupy any portion of the Premises.
25.4. As conditions precedent to Landlord’s consent to a Subject Transfer, Landlord may require any or all of the following:
(a) Tenant shall remain fully liable under this Lease during the unexpired Term;
(b) Tenant shall provide Landlord with evidence reasonably satisfactory to Landlord that the value of Landlord’s interest under this Lease shall not be diminished or reduced by the proposed Subject Transfer. Such evidence shall include, without limitation, evidence respecting the relevant business experience and financial responsibility and status of the proposed transferee, assignee or sublessee;
(c) Tenant shall reimburse Landlord for Landlord’s actual costs and expenses, including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees, charges and disbursements incurred in connection with the review, processing and documentation of such request;
(d) If a Transfer of the Premises provides for the receipt by, on behalf of or on account of Tenant of any consideration of any kind whatsoever (including, without limitation, a premium rental for a sublease or lump sum payment for an assignment, but excluding Tenant’s reasonable costs in marketing and subleasing the Premises) in excess of the rental and other charges due to Landlord under this Lease, Tenant shall pay twenty-five percent (25%) of all of such excess to Landlord, prior to deductions for any transaction costs incurred by Tenant, including marketing expenses, tenant improvement allowances, alterations, cash concessions, brokerage commissions, attorneys’ fees and free rent. If said consideration consists of cash paid to Tenant, payment to Landlord shall be made upon receipt by Tenant of such cash payment;
(e) The proposed transferee, assignee or sublessee shall agree that, in the event Landlord gives such proposed transferee, assignee or sublessee notice that Tenant is in Default under this Lease, such proposed transferee, assignee or sublessee shall thereafter make all payments otherwise due Tenant directly to Landlord, which payments shall be received by Landlord without any liability being incurred by Landlord, except to credit such payment against those due by Tenant under this Lease, and any such proposed transferee, assignee or sublessee shall agree to attorn to Landlord or its successors and assigns should this Lease be terminated for any reason; provided, however, that in no event shall Landlord or its Lenders, successors or assigns be obligated to accept such attornment;
(f) Any consent to such Transfer shall be effected on Landlord’s forms;
(g) There shall exist no uncured Default or Imminent Default hereunder of which Tenant has been given notice by Landlord.
(h) Such proposed transferee, assignee or sublessee’s use of the Premises shall not require any change to the Permitted Use;
(i) Landlord shall not be bound by any provision of any agreement pertaining to the Transfer, except for Landlord’s written consent to the same;
(j) Tenant shall deliver to Landlord one executed copy of any and all written instruments evidencing or relating to the Transfer; and
(k) A list of Hazardous Materials (as defined in Section 39.7 below), certified by the proposed transferee, assignee or sublessee to be true and correct, that the proposed transferee, assignee or sublessee intends to use or store in the Premises. Additionally, Tenant shall deliver to Landlord, on or before the date any proposed transferee, assignee or sublessee takes occupancy of the Premises, all of the items relating to Hazardous Materials of such proposed transferee, assignee or sublessee as described in Section 39.2.
25.5. Any Transfer that is not in compliance with the provisions of this Section 25 shall be void.
25.6. The consent by Landlord to a Transfer shall not relieve Tenant or proposed transferee, assignee or sublessee from obtaining Landlord’s consent to any further Subject Transfer, nor shall it release Tenant or any proposed transferee, assignee or sublessee of Tenant from full and primary liability under this Lease.
25.7. Notwithstanding any Transfer, Tenant shall remain fully and primarily liable for the payment of all Rent and other sums due or to become due hereunder, and for the full performance of all other terms, conditions and covenants to be kept and performed by Tenant. The acceptance of Rent or any other sum due hereunder, or the acceptance of performance of any other term, covenant or condition thereof, from any person or entity other than Tenant shall not be deemed a waiver of any of the provisions of this Lease or a consent to any Transfer.
25.8. [Intentionally omitted]
25.9. If Tenant sublets the Premises or any potion thereof, Tenant hereby immediately and irrevocably assigns to Landlord, as security for Tenant’s obligations under this Lease, all rent from any such subletting, and appoints Landlord as assignee and attorney-in-fact for Tenant, and Landlord (or a receiver for Tenant appointed on Landlord’s application) may collect such rent and apply it toward Tenant’s obligations under this Lease; provided that, until the occurrence of a Default by Tenant, Tenant shall have the right to collect such rent.
