Governing Law; Disputes This Agreement shall in accordance with Section 5-1401 of the General Obligations Law of New York in all respects be construed, governed, applied and enforced under the internal laws of the State of New York without giving effect to the principles of conflicts of laws and be deemed to be an agreement entered into in the State of New York and made pursuant to the laws of the State of New York. Except as otherwise set forth in Article “19” of this Agreement, the parties agree that they shall be deemed to have agreed to binding arbitration with respect to the entire subject matter of any and all disputes relating to or arising under this Agreement including, but not limited to, the specific matters or disputes as to which arbitration has been expressly provided for by other provisions of this Agreement and that any such arbitration shall be commenced exclusively in New York, New York. Any such arbitration shall be by a panel of three arbitrators and pursuant to the commercial rules then existing of the American Arbitration Association in the State of New York, County of New York. In all arbitrations, judgment upon the arbitration award may be entered in any court having jurisdiction. The parties specifically designate the courts in the City of New York, State of New York as properly having jurisdiction for any proceeding to confirm and enter judgment upon any such arbitration award. The parties hereby consent to and submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York in any action or proceeding and submit to personal jurisdiction over each of them by such courts. The parties hereby waive personal service of any and all process and specifically consent that in any such action or proceeding brought in the courts of the State of New York, any service of process may be effectuated upon any of them by certified mail, return receipt requested, in accordance with Paragraph “C” of this Article “21” of this Agreement. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any manner permitted by law. The parties agree, further, that the prevailing party in any such arbitration as determined by the arbitrators shall be entitled to such costs and attorney's fees, if any, in connection with such arbitration as may be awarded by the arbitrators. In connection with the arbitrators’ determination for the purpose of which party, if any, is the prevailing party, they shall take into account all of the factors and circumstances including, without limitation, the relief sought, and by whom, and the relief, if any, awarded, and to whom. In addition, and notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, a party shall not be deemed to be the prevailing party in a claim seeking monetary damages, unless the amount of the arbitration award exceeds the amount offered in a legally binding writing by the other party by fifteen (15%) percent or more. For example, if the party initiating arbitration (“A”) seeks an award of one hundred thousand ($100,000) dollars plus costs and expenses, the other party (“B”) has offered A fifty thousand ($50,000) dollars in a legally binding written offer prior to the commencement of the arbitration proceeding, and the arbitration panel awards any amount less than fifty-seven thousand five hundred ($57,500) dollars to A, the panel should determine that B has “prevailed”. The arbitration panel shall have no power to award non-monetary or equitable relief of any sort. It shall also have no power to award (i) damages inconsistent with any applicable agreement between the parties or (ii) punitive damages or any other damages not measured by the prevailing party’s actual damages; and the parties expressly waive their right to obtain such damages in arbitration or in any other forum. In no event, even if any other portion of these provisions is held invalid or unenforceable, shall the arbitration panel have power to make an award or impose a remedy which could not be made or imposed by a court deciding the matter in the same jurisdiction. Discovery shall be permitted in connection with the arbitration only to the extent, if any, expressly authorized by the arbitration panel upon a showing of substantial need by the party seeking discovery. All aspects of the arbitration shall be treated as confidential. The parties and the arbitration panel may disclose the existence, content or results of the arbitration only as provided in the rules of the American Arbitration Association in New York, New York. Before making any such disclosure, a party shall give written notice to all other parties and shall afford such parties a reasonable opportunity to protect their interest.
