Potential Conflicts 7.1. The Board will monitor the Fund for the existence of any material irreconcilable conflict between the interests of the contract owners of all separate accounts investing in the Fund. An irreconcilable material conflict may arise for a variety of reasons, including: (a) an action by any state insurance regulatory authority; (b) a change in applicable federal or state insurance, tax, or securities laws or regulations, or a public ruling, private letter ruling, no-action or interpretative letter, or any similar action by insurance, tax, or securities regulatory authorities; (c) an administrative or judicial decision in any relevant proceeding; (d) the manner in which the investments of any Portfolio are being managed; (e) a difference in voting instructions given by variable annuity contract owners and variable life insurance contract owners; or (f) a decision by a Participating Insurance Company to disregard the voting instructions of contract owners. The Board shall promptly inform the Company if it determines that an irreconcilable material conflict exists and the implications thereof.
7.2. The Company will report any potential or existing material irreconcilable conflict of which it is aware to the Board. The Company will assist the Board in carrying out its responsibilities under the Shared Funding Exemptive Order, by providing the Board with all information reasonably necessary for the Board to consider any issues raised. This includes, but is not limited to, an obligation by the Company to inform the Board whenever contract owner voting instructions are disregarded.
7.3. If it is determined by a majority of the Board, or a majority of its disinterested trustees, that a material irreconcilable conflict exists, the Company and other Participating Insurance Companies shall, at their expense and to the extent reasonably practicable (as determined by a majority of the disinterested trustees), take whatever steps are necessary to remedy or eliminate the irreconcilable material conflict, up to and including: (1) withdrawing the assets allocable to some or all of the separate accounts from the Fund or any Portfolio and reinvesting such assets in a different investment medium, including (but not limited to) another Portfolio of the Fund, or submitting the question whether such segregation should be implemented to a vote of all affected Contract owners and, as appropriate, segregating the assets of any appropriate group (i.e., annuity contract owners, life insurance policy owners, or variable contract owners of one or more Participating Insurance Companies) that votes in favor of such segregation, or offering to the affected contract owners the option of making such a change; and (2) establishing a new registered management investment company or managed separate account. No charge or penalty will be imposed as a result of such withdrawal. The Company agrees that it bears the responsibility to take remedial action in the event of a Board determination of an irreconcilable material conflict and the cost of such remedial action, and these responsibilities will be carried out with a view only to the interests of Contract owners.
7.4. If a material irreconcilable conflict arises because of a decision by the Company to disregard contract owner voting instructions and that decision represents a minority position or would preclude a majority vote, the Company may be required, at the Fund's election, to withdraw the affected Account's investment in the Fund and terminate this Agreement with respect to such Account (at the Company's expense); provided, however that such withdrawal and termination shall be limited to the extent required by the foregoing material irreconcilable conflict as determined by a majority of the disinterested members of the Board. No charge or penalty will be imposed as a result of such withdrawal. The Company agrees that it bears the responsibility to take remedial action in the event of a Board determination of an irreconcilable material conflict and the cost of such remedial action, and these responsibilities will be carried out with a view only to the interests of Contract owners.
7.5. For purposes of Sections 7.3 through 7.4 of this Agreement, a majority of the disinterested members of the Board shall determine whether any proposed action adequately remedies any irreconcilable material conflict, but in no event will the Fund be required to establish a new funding medium for the Contracts. The Company shall not be required by Section 7.3 through 7.4 to establish a new funding medium for the Contracts if an offer to do so has been declined by vote of a majority of Contract owners materially adversely affected by the irreconcilable material conflict.
7.6. If and to the extent that Rule 6e-2 and Rule 6e-3(T) are amended, or Rule 6e-3 is adopted, to provide exemptive relief from any provision of the 1940 Act or the rules promulgated thereunder with respect to mixed or shared funding (as defined in the Shared Funding Exemptive Order) on terms and conditions materially different from those contained in the Shared Funding Exemptive Order, then the Fund and/or the Participating Insurance Companies, as appropriate, shall take such steps as may be necessary to comply with Rules 6e-2 and 6e-3(T), as amended, and Rule 6e-3, as adopted, to the extent such rules are applicable.
Legal Counsel Opinions Upon the request of the Buyer from to time to time, the Company shall be responsible (at its cost) for promptly supplying to the Company’s transfer agent and the Buyer a customary legal opinion letter of its counsel (the “Legal Counsel Opinion”) to the effect that the resale of the Conversion Shares and/or Exercise Shares by the Buyer or its affiliates, successors and assigns is exempt from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act pursuant to Rule 144 (provided the requirements of Rule 144 are satisfied and provided the Conversion Shares and/or Exercise Shares are not then registered under the 1933 Act for resale pursuant to an effective registration statement) or other applicable exemption (provided the requirements of such other applicable exemption are satisfied). In addition, the Buyer may (at the Company’s cost) at any time secure its own legal counsel to issue the Legal Counsel Opinion, and the Company will instruct its transfer agent to accept such opinion. The Company hereby agrees that it may never take the position that it is a “shell company” in connection with its obligations under this Agreement or otherwise.
Legal Counsel; Mutual Drafting Each party recognizes that this is a legally binding contract and acknowledges and agrees that they have had the opportunity to consult with legal counsel of their choice. Each party has cooperated in the drafting, negotiation and preparation of this Agreement. Hence, in any construction to be made of this Agreement, the same shall not be construed against either party on the basis of that party being the drafter of such language. The Executive agrees and acknowledges that he has read and understands this Agreement, is entering into it freely and voluntarily, and has been advised to seek counsel prior to entering into this Agreement and has had ample opportunity to do so.
Legal Counsel Subject to Section 5 hereof, the Required Holders shall have the right to select one legal counsel to review and oversee any registration pursuant to this Section 2 (“Legal Counsel”), which shall be Xxxxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxx LLP or such other counsel as thereafter designated by the Required Holders. The Company and Legal Counsel shall reasonably cooperate with each other in performing the Company’s obligations under this Agreement.
Representation by Legal Counsel Each Party hereto represents that it has been represented by legal counsel in connection with this Agreement and acknowledges that it has participated in the drafting hereof. In interpreting and applying the terms and provisions of this Agreement, the Parties agree that no presumption shall exist or be implied against the Party which drafted such terms and provisions.
Company Counsel Legal Opinions The Agent shall have received the opinions and negative assurance letters, as applicable, of Company Counsel and Intellectual Property Counsel required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7(n) and Section 7(o), as applicable, on or before the date on which such delivery of such opinions and negative assurance letters are required pursuant to Section 7(n) and Section 7(o), as applicable.
Representation By Counsel; Interpretation The parties acknowledge that each party to this Agreement has been represented by counsel in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Accordingly, any rule of Law, or any legal decision that would require interpretation of any claimed ambiguities in this Agreement against the party that drafted it has no application and is expressly waived.
Consultation with Legal Counsel Escrow Agent may consult with its counsel or other counsel satisfactory to it concerning any question relating to its duties or responsibilities hereunder or otherwise in connection herewith and shall not be liable for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in good faith upon the advice of such counsel.
Termination for Conflict of Interest HCA may terminate this Contract by written notice to the Contractor if HCA determines, after due notice and examination, that there is a violation of the Ethics in Public Service Act, Chapter 42.52 RCW, or any other laws regarding ethics in public acquisitions and procurement and performance of contracts. In the event this Contract is so terminated, HCA will be entitled to pursue the same remedies against the Contractor as it could pursue in the event Contractor breaches the contract.
POTENTIAL MATERIAL CONFLICTS 7.1. The Trust agrees that the Board, constituted with a majority of disinterested trustees, will monitor each Portfolio of the Trust for the existence of any material irreconcilable conflict between the interests of the variable annuity contract owners and the variable life insurance policy owners of the Company and/or affiliated companies ("contract owners") investing in the Trust. The Board shall have the sole authority to determine if a material irreconcilable conflict exists, and such determination shall be binding on the Company only if approved in the form of a resolution by a majority of the Board, or a majority of the disinterested trustees of the Board. The Board will give prompt notice of any such determination to the Company.
7.2. The Company agrees that it will be responsible for assisting the Board in carrying out its responsibilities under the conditions set forth in the Trust's exemptive application pursuant to which the SEC has granted the Mixed and Shared Funding Exemptive Order by providing the Board, as it may reasonably request, with all information necessary for the Board to consider any issues raised and agrees that it will be responsible for promptly reporting any potential or existing conflicts of which it is aware to the Board including, but not limited to, an obligation by the Company to inform the Board whenever contract owner voting instructions are disregarded. The Company also agrees that, if a material irreconcilable conflict arises, it will at its own cost remedy such conflict up to and including (a) withdrawing the assets allocable to some or all of the Accounts from the Trust or any Portfolio and reinvesting such assets in a different investment medium, including (but not limited to) another Portfolio of the Trust, or submitting to a vote of all affected contract owners whether to withdraw assets from the Trust or any Portfolio and reinvesting such assets in a different investment medium and, as appropriate, segregating the assets attributable to any appropriate group of contract owners that votes in favor of such segregation, or offering to any of the affected contract owners the option of segregating the assets attributable to their contracts or policies, and (b) establishing a new registered management investment company and segregating the assets underlying the Policies, unless a majority of Policy owners materially adversely affected by the conflict have voted to decline the offer to establish a new registered management investment company.
7.3. A majority of the disinterested trustees of the Board shall determine whether any proposed action by the Company adequately remedies any material irreconcilable conflict. In the event that the Board determines that any proposed action does not adequately remedy any material irreconcilable conflict, the Company will withdraw from investment in the Trust each of the Accounts designated by the disinterested trustees and terminate this Agreement within six (6) months after the Board informs the Company in writing of the foregoing determination; provided, however, that such withdrawal and termination shall be limited to the extent required to remedy any such material irreconcilable conflict as determined by a majority of the disinterested trustees of the Board.
7.4. If and to the extent that Rule 6e-2 and Rule 6e-3(T) are amended, or Rule 6e-3 is adopted, to provide exemptive relief from any provision of the 1940 Act or the rules promulgated thereunder with respect to mixed or shared funding (as defined in the Mixed and Shared Funding Exemptive Order) on terms and conditions materially different from those contained in the Mixed and Shared Funding Exemptive Order, then (a) the Trust and/or the Participating Insurance Companies, as appropriate, shall take such steps as may be necessary to comply with Rule 6e-2 and 6e-3(T), as amended, and Rule 6e-3, as adopted, to the extent such rules are applicable; and (b) Sections 3.5, 3.6, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3 and 7.4 of this Agreement shall continue in effect only to the extent that terms and conditions substantially identical to such Sections are contained in such Rule(s) as so amended or adopted.
