Trustee and Securities Administrator Not Liable for Certificates The Trustee and the Securities Administrator make no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Agreement or of the Certificates (other than, in the case of the Securities Administrator, the certificate of authentication on the Certificates) or of any Mortgage Loan, or related document save that the Trustee and the Securities Administrator represent that, assuming due execution and delivery by the other parties hereto, this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by it and constitutes its valid and binding obligation, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms except that such enforceability may be subject to (A) applicable bankruptcy and insolvency laws and other similar laws affecting the enforcement of the rights of creditors generally, and (B) general principles of equity regardless of whether such enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law. The Trustee and the Securities Administrator shall not be accountable for the use or application by the Depositor of funds paid to the Depositor in consideration of the assignment of the Mortgage Loans to the Trust Fund by the Depositor or for the use or application of any funds deposited into the Distribution Account or any other fund or account maintained with respect to the Certificates. The Trustee and the Securities Administrator shall not be responsible for the legality or validity of this Agreement or the validity, priority, perfection or sufficiency of the security for the Certificates issued or intended to be issued hereunder. Except as otherwise provided herein, the Trustee and the Securities Administrator shall have no responsibility for filing any financing or continuation statement in any public office at any time or to otherwise perfect or maintain the perfection of any security interest or lien granted to it hereunder or to record this Agreement.
Depositor as Certificateholder The Depositor in its individual or any other capacity may become the owner or pledgee of Certificates and may otherwise deal with the Owner Trustee or its Affiliates as if it were not the Depositor.
Successor Trustee or Securities Administrator Any successor trustee or successor securities administrator appointed as provided in Section 9.07 of this Agreement shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Depositor and its predecessor trustee or predecessor securities administrator an instrument accepting such appointment hereunder, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the predecessor trustee or predecessor securities administrator shall become effective and such successor trustee or successor securities administrator without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become fully vested with all the rights, powers, duties and obligations of its predecessor hereunder, with the like effect as if originally named as trustee or securities administrator herein. The predecessor trustee or predecessor securities administrator shall deliver to the successor trustee or successor securities administrator all Mortgage Loan Documents and related documents and statements to the extent held by it hereunder, as well as all monies, held by it hereunder, and the Depositor and the predecessor trustee or predecessor securities administrator shall execute and deliver such instruments and do such other things as may reasonably be required for more fully and certainly vesting and confirming in the successor trustee or successor securities administrator all such rights, powers, duties and obligations. No successor trustee or successor securities administrator shall accept appointment as provided in this Section unless at the time of such acceptance such successor trustee or successor securities administrator shall be eligible under the provisions of Section 9.06 and the appointment of such successor trustee or successor securities administrator shall not result in a downgrading of any Class of Certificates by any Rating Agency, as evidenced by a letter from each Rating Agency. Upon acceptance of appointment by a successor trustee or successor securities administrator as provided in this Section, the Depositor shall mail notice of the succession of such trustee hereunder to all Holders of Certificates at their addresses as shown in the Certificate Register. If the Depositor fails to mail such notice within ten (10) days after acceptance of appointment by the successor trustee or successor securities administrator, the successor trustee or successor securities administrator shall cause such notice to be mailed at the expense of the Depositor.
Resignation and Removal of the Trustee or the Certificate Administrator Each of the Trustee and the Certificate Administrator may at any time resign and be discharged from the trusts hereby created (i) by giving written notice of resignation to the other such party, the Depositor, the Initial Purchasers, the Servicer, the Special Servicer, the Certificate Administrator, the Certificate Registrar (if other than the Trustee), the Trustee, the Companion Loan Holders and the 17g-5 Information Provider, who shall post such notice on the 17g-5 Information Provider’s Website pursuant to Section 8.14(b), and by mailing notice of resignation by first class mail, postage prepaid, to the Trust Interest Owners at their addresses appearing on the Certificate Register, not less than 60 days before the date specified in such notice when, subject to Section 8.8, such resignation is to take effect, and (ii) only upon acceptance by a successor Trustee or Certificate Administrator, as applicable, appointed by the Depositor in accordance with Section 8.8 meeting the qualifications set forth in Section 8.6. Upon receipt of such notice of resignation, the Depositor shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee or Certificate Administrator, as applicable, the appointment of which would not, in and of itself, result in a downgrade, qualification or withdrawal by the Rating Agency of the then-current ratings assigned to the Certificates, as evidenced by a written confirmation from the Rating Agency, in triplicate, which written confirmation shall be delivered to the resigning Trustee or Certificate Administrator, and to the successor Trustee or Certificate Administrator, as applicable. If no successor Trustee or Certificate Administrator shall have been so appointed and shall have accepted appointment within 30 days after the giving of such notice of resignation, the resigning Trustee or Certificate Administrator, as applicable, may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee or Certificate Administrator, as applicable, at the expense of the Trust. If at any time any of the following occur: (x) the Trustee or the Certificate Administrator shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of Section 8.6 and shall fail to resign after written request for the Trustee’s or the Certificate Administrator’s resignation by the Depositor, the Servicer or the Special Servicer, as applicable; (y) the Trustee or the Certificate Administrator materially defaults in the performance of its obligations under this Agreement; or (z) if at any time the Trustee or the Certificate Administrator shall become incapable of action, or shall be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent, or a receiver of the Trustee or the Certificate Administrator or of either of their property shall be appointed, or any public officer shall take charge or control of the Trustee or Certificate Administrator or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation, then in any such case, the Depositor may remove the Trustee or the Certificate Administrator, as applicable, and appoint a successor Trustee or Certificate Administrator, as applicable, by written instrument, in duplicate, executed by an authorized officer of the Depositor, one copy of which instrument shall be delivered to the Trustee or the Certificate Administrator, as applicable, so removed and one copy to the successor Trustee or Certificate Administrator, as applicable. Holders of Certificates evidencing, in the aggregate, not less than a majority of the Voting Rights of the outstanding Certificates, may at any time remove the Trustee or the Certificate Administrator and appoint a successor Trustee or Certificate Administrator, as applicable, by written instrument or instruments, in triplicate, signed by such Holders or their attorney-in-fact duly authorized, one complete set of which instrument or instruments shall be delivered to the Depositor (with a copy to the Servicer and the Special Servicer), one complete set to the Trustee or the Certificate Administrator, as applicable, so removed and one complete set to the successor(s) so appointed. Notice of any removal of the Trustee or the Certificate Administrator and acceptance of appointment by the successor Trustee or Certificate Administrator shall be given to the Rating Agencies (through the successor 17g-5 Information Provider’s Website, as applicable) and the Initial Purchasers by the successor Trustee or Certificate Administrator, as applicable. No removal of the Trustee or the Certificate Administrator shall be effective until all reasonable fees, costs, expenses and Advances (including interest thereon) to which it is entitled have been paid to the Trustee or Certificate Administrator, as applicable, in full; provided that, if the Trustee or the Certificate Administrator is terminated by the Depositor pursuant to the first sentence of this paragraph, or if the Trustee or the Certificate Administrator is terminated with cause by the Holders of Certificates evidencing, in the aggregate, more than 50% of the Voting Rights of all Certificates as provided above in this paragraph, then the terminated party shall be required to pay all reasonable costs and expenses (including those incurred by the other parties hereto (including, without limitation, the reasonable fees of counsel)) to transfer the rights and obligations of the terminated party to a successor trustee or certificate administrator, as applicable; and provided, further, that if the Trustee or the Certificate Administrator is terminated without cause by the Holders of Certificates evidencing more than 50% of the Voting Rights of all Certificates as provided above in this paragraph, then such Holders will be required to pay all the reasonable costs and expenses of the terminated party necessary to effect the transfer of the rights and obligations of the terminated party to a successor trustee or certificate administrator, as applicable. Any resignation or removal of the Trustee or Certificate Administrator shall not become effective until acceptance of the appointment by the successor Trustee or Certificate Administrator, as applicable, as provided in Section 8.8.
Trustee and Certificate Administrator May Own Certificates The Trustee, the Certificate Administrator and any agent of the Trustee or the Certificate Administrator, each, in its individual capacity or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Certificates, and may deal with the Depositor and the Master Servicer in banking transactions, with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee, the Certificate Administrator or such agent, as the case may be.
Trustee and Securities Administrator May Own Certificates The Trustee and the Securities Administrator in its individual capacity or in any capacity other than as Trustee hereunder may become the owner or pledgee of any Certificates with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee or the Securities Administrator, as applicable, and may otherwise deal with the parties hereto.
Grantor Trust Administration (a) The Tax Administrator shall treat the Grantor Trust Pool, for tax return preparation purposes, as a Grantor Trust under the Code. The Tax Administrator shall also perform on behalf of the Grantor Trust Pool all reporting and other tax compliance duties that are the responsibility of such Grantor Trust Pool under the Code or any compliance guidance issued by the IRS or any state or local taxing authorities. The expenses of preparing and filing such returns shall be borne by the Tax Administrator.
(b) The Tax Administrator shall pay out of its own funds any and all routine tax administration expenses of the Trust Fund incurred with respect to the Grantor Trust Pool (but not including any professional fees or expenses related to audits or any administrative or judicial proceedings with respect to the Trust Fund that involve the IRS or state tax authorities which extraordinary expenses shall be payable or reimbursable to the Tax Administrator from the assets in the Grantor Trust Pool, unless otherwise provided in Section 10.02(e) or 10.02(f)).
(c) The Tax Administrator shall prepare or cause to be prepared, submit to the Trustee for execution (and the Trustee shall timely execute and timely return to the Tax Administrator) and timely file all of the Tax Returns in respect of the Grantor Trust Pool. The expenses of preparing and filing such returns shall be borne by the Tax Administrator without any right of reimbursement therefor. Except as provided in Section 10.02(h), 10.02(i) and 10.02(j), the Tax Administrator shall comply with such requirement by filing IRS Form 1041, indicating the name and address of the Trust and signed by the Tax Administrator but otherwise left blank, IRS Form 1099 or any other such form as may be applicable. There shall be appended to each such form a schedule for each Certificateholder indicating such Certificateholder’s share of income and expenses of the Trust for the portion of the preceding calendar year in which such Certificateholder possessed an Ownership Interest in a Certificate. Such form shall be prepared in sufficient detail to enable reporting on the cash or accrual method of accounting, as applicable, and to report on such Certificateholder’s fiscal year if other than the calendar year.
(d) The other parties hereto shall provide on a timely basis to the Tax Administrator or its designee such information with respect to the Grantor Trust Pool as is in its possession and reasonably requested by the Tax Administrator to enable it to perform its obligations under this Section 10.02. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Depositor, within ten (10) days following the Tax Administrator’s request therefor, shall provide in writing to the Tax Administrator such information as is reasonably requested by the Tax Administrator for tax purposes, and the Tax Administrator’s duty to perform its reporting and other tax compliance obligations under this Section 10.02 shall be subject to the condition that it receives from the Depositor such information possessed by the Depositor that is necessary to permit the Tax Administrator to perform such obligations.
(e) The Tax Administrator shall perform on behalf of the Grantor Trust Pool all reporting and other tax compliance duties that are required in respect thereof under the Code, the Grantor Trust Provisions or other compliance guidance issued by the IRS or any state or local taxing authority, including the furnishing to Certificateholders of the schedules described in Section 10.02(c).
(f) The Tax Administrator shall perform its duties hereunder so as to maintain the status of the Grantor Trust Pool as Grantor Trust under the Grantor Trust Provisions (and the Trustee, the Master Servicers and the Special Servicers shall assist the Tax Administrator to the extent reasonably requested by the Tax Administrator and to the extent of information within the Trustee’s, the Master Servicers’ or the Special Servicers’ possession or control). None of the Tax Administrator, Master Servicers, the Special Servicers or the Trustee shall knowingly take (or cause the Grantor Trust Pool to take) any action or fail to take (or fail to cause to be taken) any action that, under the Grantor Trust Provisions, if taken or not taken, as the case may be, could result in an Adverse Grantor Trust Event, unless the Tax Administrator has obtained or received an Opinion of Counsel (at the expense of the party requesting such action or at the expense of the Trust Fund if the Tax Administrator seeks to take such action or to refrain from taking any action for the benefit of the Certificateholders) to the effect that the contemplated action will not result in an Adverse Grantor Trust Event. None of the other parties hereto shall take any action or fail to take any action (whether or not authorized hereunder) as to which the Tax Administrator has advised it in writing that the Tax Administrator has received or obtained an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that an Adverse Grantor Trust Event could result from such action or failure to act. In addition, prior to taking any action with respect to the Grantor Trust Pool, or causing the Trust Fund to take any action, that is not expressly permitted under the terms of this Agreement, the Master Servicers and the Special Servicers shall consult with the Tax Administrator or its designee, in writing, with respect to whether such action could cause an Adverse Grantor Trust Event to occur. The Tax Administrator may consult with counsel to make such written advice, and the cost of same shall be borne by the party seeking to take the action not permitted by this Agreement, but in no event at the cost or expense of the Trust Fund, the Tax Administrator or the Trustee.
(g) If any tax is imposed on the Grantor Trust Pool pursuant to the Code or any applicable provisions of state or local tax laws, then such tax, together with all incidental costs and expenses (including penalties and reasonable attorneys’ fees), shall be charged to and paid by: (i) the Trustee, if such tax arises out of or results from a breach of any of its obligations under Article IV, Article VIII or this Section 10.02 (which breach constitutes negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct); (ii) the Certificate Administrator, if such tax arises out of or results from a breach by the Certificate Administrator of any of its obligations under Article IV, Article VIII or this Section 10.02 (which breach constitutes negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct); (iii) the Tax Administrator, if such tax arises out of or results from a breach by the Tax Administrator of any of its obligations under Article IV, Article VIII or this Section 10.02 (which breach constitutes negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct); (iv) a Master Servicer, if such tax arises out of or results from a breach by such Master Servicer of any of its obligations under Article III or this Section 10.02 (which breach constitutes negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct); (v) a Special Servicer, if such tax arises out of or results from a breach by such Special Servicer of any of its obligations under Article III or this Section 10.02 (which breach constitutes negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct); or (vi) the Trust, out of the Trust Fund, in all other instances. Any such amounts payable by the Trust in respect of taxes shall be paid by the Trustee out of amounts on deposit in the Distribution Account.
(h) The Grantor Trust is a WHFIT that is a WHMT. The Tax Administrator will report as required under the WHFIT Regulations to the extent such information as is reasonably necessary to enable the Tax Administrator to do so is provided to the Tax Administrator on a timely basis. The Certificate Administrator shall provide such information in its possession to the Tax Administrator on a timely basis. With respect to the Class A-S, Class B, Class C and Class PEX Certificates, the Tax Administrator is hereby directed to assume that DTC is the only “middleman” as defined by the WHFIT Regulations unless the Depositor provides the Tax Administrator with the identities of other “middlemen” that are Certificateholders. The Tax Administrator will report as required under the WHFIT Regulations to the extent such information as is reasonably necessary to enable the Tax Administrator to do so, and is not in its possession, is provided to the Tax Administrator on a timely basis. The Tax Administrator will not be liable for any tax reporting penalties that may arise under the WHFIT Regulations as a result of a determination by the IRS that is contrary to the first sentence of this paragraph.
(i) The Tax Administrator, in its discretion, will report required WHFIT information using either the cash or accrual method, except to the extent the WHFIT Regulations specifically require a different method. The Tax Administrator will be under no obligation to determine whether any Certificateholder uses the cash or accrual method. The Tax Administrator will make available WHFIT information to Certificateholders annually. In addition, the Tax Administrator will not be responsible or liable for providing subsequently amended, revised or updated information to any Certificateholder, unless requested by the Certificateholder.
(j) The Tax Administrator shall not be liable for failure to meet the reporting requirements of the WHFIT Regulations nor for any penalties thereunder if such failure is due to: (i) the lack of reasonably necessary information being provided to the Tax Administrator or (ii) incomplete, inaccurate or untimely information being provided to the Tax Administrator. Each owner of a class of securities representing, in whole or in part, beneficial ownership of an interest in a WHFIT, by acceptance of its interest in such class of securities, will be deemed to have agreed to provide the Tax Administrator with information regarding any sale of such securities, including the price, amount of proceeds and date of sale. Absent receipt of such information, and unless informed otherwise by the Depositor, the Tax Administrator will assume there is no secondary market trading of WHFIT interests.
(k) To the extent required by the WHFIT Regulations, the Tax Administrator will use reasonable efforts to publish on an appropriate website the CUSIPs for the Certificates that represent ownership of a WHFIT. The CUSIPs so published will represent the Rule 144A CUSIPs. The Tax Administrator will not publish any associated Regulation S CUSIPs. The Tax Administrator will make reasonable good faith efforts to keep the website accurate and updated to the extent CUSIPs have been received. Absent the receipt of a CUSIP, the Tax Administrator will use a reasonable identifier number in lieu of a CUSIP. The Tax Administrator will not be liable for investor reporting delays that result from the receipt of inaccurate or untimely CUSIP information.
The Owner Trustee It is expressly understood and agreed by the parties hereto that (i) this Agreement is executed and delivered by Wilmington Trust, National Association on behalf of the Trust not individually or personally but solely as owner trustee of the Trust under the Trust Agreement of the Trust dated the date hereof in the exercise of the powers and authority conferred upon and vested in Wilmington Trust, National Association as owner trustee of the Trust under such Trust Agreement, (ii) each of the representations, undertakings and agreements herein made on the part of the Trust is made and intended not as the personal representation, undertaking or agreement of Wilmington Trust, National Association, but is made and intended for the purpose of binding only the Trust and (iii) nothing herein contained shall be construed as creating any liability on the part of Wilmington Trust, National Association, individually or personally, to perform any covenant or obligation of the Trust, either expressed or implied, contained herein, all such liability, if any, being expressly waived by the parties hereto and by any Person claiming by, through or under the parties hereto.
Duties of Trustee and Securities Administrator The Trustee, prior to the occurrence of a Master Servicer Event of Default and after the curing or waiver of all Master Servicer Events of Default which may have occurred, and the Securities Administrator each undertake to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Agreement as duties of the Trustee and the Securities Administrator, respectively. During the continuance of a Master Servicer Event of Default, the Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Agreement, and use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of such person’s own affairs. Any permissive right of the Trustee enumerated in this Agreement shall not be construed as a duty. Each of the Trustee and the Securities Administrator, upon receipt of all resolutions, certificates, statements, opinions, reports, documents, orders or other instruments furnished to it, which are specifically required to be furnished pursuant to any provision of this Agreement, shall examine them to determine whether they conform on their face to the requirements of this Agreement. If any such instrument is found not to conform on its face to the requirements of this Agreement, the Trustee or the Securities Administrator, as the case may be, shall take such action as it deems appropriate to have the instrument corrected, and if the instrument is not corrected to its satisfaction, the Securities Administrator shall provide notice to the Trustee thereof and the Trustee shall provide notice to the Certificateholders. No provision of this Agreement shall be construed to relieve the Trustee or the Securities Administrator from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act or its own misconduct; provided, however, that:
(i) Prior to the occurrence of a Master Servicer Event of Default, and after the curing or waiver of all such Master Servicer Events of Default which may have occurred with respect to the Trustee and at all times with respect to the Securities Administrator, the duties and obligations of the Trustee and the Securities Administrator shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this Agreement, neither the Trustee nor the Securities Administrator shall be liable except for the performance of such duties and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Agreement, no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Agreement against the Trustee or the Securities Administrator and, in the absence of bad faith on the part of the Trustee or the Securities Administrator, respectively, the Trustee or the Securities Administrator, respectively, may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee or the Securities Administrator, respectively, that conform to the requirements of this Agreement;
(ii) Neither the Trustee nor the Securities Administrator shall be liable for an error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer or Responsible Officers of the Trustee or an officer or officers of the Securities Administrator, respectively, unless it shall be proved that the Trustee or the Securities Administrator, respectively, was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts; and
(iii) Neither the Trustee nor the Securities Administrator shall be liable with respect to any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders of Certificates evidencing, in aggregate, not less than 25% (or such other percentage set forth in this Agreement) of the aggregate Certificate Principal Balance of the Certificates relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or the Securities Administrator or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee or the Securities Administrator under this Agreement.
The Trust Agreement The Trust Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally or by equitable principles relating to enforceability.
