Reliance by Collateral Agent The Collateral Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing (including any electronic message, internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper Person. The Collateral Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to have been made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon. The Collateral Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for Borrower), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts.
The Collateral Agent (a) Secured Party hereby irrevocably appoints and authorizes the Collateral Agent to take such action as agent on its behalf and to exercise such powers under this Agreement as are delegated to the Collateral Agent by the terms hereof, together with all such powers as are reasonably incidental thereto.
(b) The obligations of the Collateral Agent hereunder are only those expressly set forth in this Agreement.
(c) The Collateral Agent may consult with legal counsel, independent public accountants and other experts selected by it and shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the advice of such counsel, accountants or experts.
(d) Neither the Collateral Agent nor any of its directors, officers, agents or employees shall be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in connection with this Agreement (1) with the consent or at the request of Secured Party or (2) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct. The Collateral Agent shall not incur any liability by acting in reliance upon any notice, consent, certificate, statement, or other writing (which may be a bank wire, telex or similar writing) believed by it to be genuine or to be signed by the proper party or parties.
(e) Pledgor shall indemnify the Collateral Agent against any cost, expense (including counsel fees and disbursements), claim, demand, action, loss or liability (except such as result from the Collateral Agent’s gross negligence or willful misconduct) that the Collateral Agent may suffer or incur in connection with this Agreement or any action taken or omitted by the Collateral Agent hereunder.
(f) Beyond the exercise of reasonable care in the custody thereof, the Collateral Agent shall have no duty as to any Collateral in its possession or control or in the possession or control of any agent, bailee, clearing corporation or securities intermediary or any income thereon or as to the preservation of rights against prior parties or any other rights pertaining thereto. The Collateral Agent shall be deemed to have exercised reasonable care in the custody and preservation of the Collateral if the Collateral is accorded treatment substantially equal to that which it accords its own property, and shall not be liable or responsible for any loss or damage to any of the Collateral, or for any diminution in the value thereof, by reason of the act or omission of any agent, bailee, clearing corporation or securities intermediary selected by the Collateral Agent in good faith (or selected by an agent, bailee, clearing corporation or securities intermediary so selected by the Collateral Agent or by any agent, bailee, clearing corporation or securities intermediary selected in accordance with this parenthetical phrase).
(g) Any corporation or association into which the Collateral Agent may be converted or merged, or with which it may be consolidated, or to which it may sell or transfer its agency business or assets as a whole or substantially as a whole, or any corporation or association resulting from any such conversion, sale, merger, consolidation or transfer to which it is a party, shall, subject to the prior written consent of Secured Party, be and become a successor Collateral Agent hereunder and vested with all of the title to the Collateral and all of the powers, discretions, immunities, privileges and other matters as was its predecessor without, except as provided above, the execution or filing of any instrument or any further act, deed or conveyance on the part of any of the parties hereto, anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding.
Secured Party In performing its obligations under this Agreement, the Secured Party is subject to, and entitled to the benefits of, the terms of the Indenture that apply to the Indenture Trustee.
Rights of the Collateral Agent (i) The Collateral Agent may conclusively rely and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting on any document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper Person. The Collateral Agent need not investigate any fact or matter stated in any such document. The Collateral Agent shall not be obligated to communicate with or deal in any way with any Secured Party other than the Trustee and any Additional Pari Passu Agent. In determining (x) the amount of Secured Obligations outstanding under the Indenture or any Permitted Additional Pari Passu Lien Agreement or (y) whether the consent of any Secured Party to any amendment, waiver or other action under this Agreement or any other Security Document has been obtained, the Collateral Agent may conclusively rely on any statement by the Trustee or the applicable Additional Pari Passu Agent as to such matter.
(ii) The Collateral Agent may act through its attorneys and agents and shall not be responsible for the misconduct or negligence of any attorney or agent appointed with due care.
(iii) The Collateral Agent shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith that it believes to be authorized or within the rights or powers conferred upon it by this Agreement or any other Security Document. Whenever in the administration of this Agreement or any Security Document the Collateral Agent shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Collateral Agent (unless other evidence be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, conclusively rely upon an Officers’ Certificate.
(iv) Unless otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement or any other Security Document, any demand, request, direction or notice from any Grantor shall be sufficient if evidenced by an Officer’s Certificate.
(v) The Collateral Agent shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Agreement or any other Security Document at the request or direction of any of the Secured Parties unless such Secured Parties shall have offered to the Collateral Agent reasonable security and indemnity reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent against the costs, expenses and liabilities that might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction.
(vi) The Collateral Agent shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or documents, but the Collateral Agent, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Collateral Agent shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine during normal business hours and upon reasonable notice the books, records and premises of any Grantor, personally or by agent or attorney at the sole cost of the Grantors, and shall incur no liability or additional liability of any kind by reason of such inquiry or investigation.
(vii) The rights, privileges, protections and benefits given to the Collateral Agent, including, without limitation, its rights to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Collateral Agent in each of its capacities hereunder, and to each agent, custodian and other Persons employed to act hereunder or under any Security Document.
(viii) The Collateral Agent may request that the Issuers deliver an Officers’ Certificate setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Agreement or any other Security Document, which Officers’ Certificate may be signed by any person authorized to sign an Officers’ Certificate, including any person specified as so authorized in any such certificate previously delivered and not superseded
(ix) The permissive right of the Collateral Agent to take or refrain from taking any actions enumerated in this Agreement or any other Security Document shall not be construed as a duty.
Possessory Collateral Agent as Gratuitous Bailee for Perfection (a) The Applicable Authorized Representative agrees to hold any Shared Collateral constituting Possessory Collateral that is part of the Shared Collateral in its possession or control (or in the possession or control of its agents or bailees) as gratuitous bailee and agent for the benefit of each other First Lien Secured Party and any assignee solely for the purpose of perfecting the security interest granted in such Possessory Collateral, if any, pursuant to the applicable First Lien Security Documents, in each case, subject to the terms and conditions of this Section 2.09; provided that at any time after the Discharge of the First Lien Obligations of the Series for which the Applicable Authorized Representative is acting, the Applicable Authorized Representative shall (at the sole cost and expense of the Grantors), promptly deliver all Possessory Collateral to the Applicable Authorized Representative (after giving effect to the Discharge of such First Lien Obligations) together with any necessary endorsements reasonably requested by the Applicable Authorized Representative (or make such other arrangements as shall be reasonably requested by the Applicable Authorized Representative to allow the Applicable Authorized Representative to obtain control of such Possessory Collateral). Pending delivery to the Applicable Authorized Representative, each other Collateral Agent agrees to hold any Shared Collateral constituting Possessory Collateral, from time to time in its possession, as gratuitous bailee and agent for the benefit of each other First Lien Secured Party and any assignee, solely for the purpose of perfecting the security interest granted in such Possessory Collateral, if any, pursuant to the applicable First Lien Security Documents, in each case, subject to the terms and conditions of this Section 2.09.
(b) The duties or responsibilities of the Applicable Authorized Representative and each other Collateral Agent under this Section 2.09 shall be limited solely to holding any Shared Collateral constituting Possessory Collateral as gratuitous bailee and agent for the benefit of each other First Lien Secured Party for purposes of perfecting the Lien held by such First Lien Secured Parties therein.
Relation to Other Security Documents The provisions of this Agreement shall be read and construed with the other Loan Documents referred to below in the manner so indicated.
Rights and Remedies of the Collateral Agent (a) In addition to the rights and remedies set forth herein or otherwise available at law or in equity, after a collateral event of default (as specified in Section 13.01(b)) hereunder, the Collateral Agent shall have all of the rights and remedies with respect to the Collateral of a secured party under the UCC (whether or not the UCC is in effect in the jurisdiction where the rights and remedies are asserted) and the TRADES Regulations and such additional rights and remedies to which a secured party is entitled under the laws in effect in any jurisdiction where any rights and remedies hereunder may be asserted. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, such remedies may include, to the extent permitted by applicable law, (1) retention of the Notes underlying Pledged Applicable Ownership Interests in Notes, the Pledged Treasury Securities and/or the Pledged Applicable Ownership Interests in the Treasury Portfolio in full satisfaction of the Holders’ obligations under the Purchase Contracts and the Purchase Contract Agreement and/or (2) sale of the Notes underlying Pledged Applicable Ownership Interests in Notes, the Pledged Treasury Securities or the Pledged Applicable Ownership Interests in the Treasury Portfolio in one or more public or private sales.
(b) Without limiting any rights or powers otherwise granted by this Agreement to the Collateral Agent or under applicable law, in the event the Collateral Agent is unable to make payments to the Company on account of Proceeds of (i) the Notes underlying Pledged Applicable Ownership Interests in Notes (other than any interest payments thereon), (ii) Pledged Applicable Ownership Interests in the Treasury Portfolio, or (iii) the Pledged Treasury Securities as provided in this Agreement in satisfaction of the Obligations of the Holder of the Units of which such Notes underlying Pledged Applicable Ownership Interests in Notes, such Pledged Applicable Ownership Interests in the Treasury Portfolio or such Pledged Treasury Securities are a part under the related Purchase Contracts, the inability to make such payments shall constitute a “collateral event of default” hereunder and the Collateral Agent shall, for the benefit of the Company, have and may exercise, with reference to such Notes underlying Pledged Applicable Ownership Interests in Notes, Pledged Treasury Securities or Pledged Applicable Ownership Interests in the Treasury Portfolio, as applicable, any and all of the rights and remedies available to a secured party under the UCC and the TRADES Regulations after default by a debtor, and as otherwise granted herein or under any applicable law.
(c) Without limiting any rights or powers otherwise granted by this Agreement to the Collateral Agent or under applicable law, the Collateral Agent is hereby irrevocably authorized to receive, collect and apply to the satisfaction of the Obligations all payments with respect to (i) the Notes underlying Pledged Applicable Ownership Interests in Notes (other than any interest payments thereon), (ii) the Pledged Treasury Securities and (iii) the Pledged Applicable Ownership Interests in the Treasury Portfolio, subject, in each case, to the provisions of this Agreement, and as otherwise provided herein.
(d) The Purchase Contract Agent and each Holder agrees that, from time to time, upon the written request of the Collateral Agent, the Purchase Contract Agent, on behalf of such Holder, shall execute and deliver such further documents and do such other acts and things as the Collateral Agent may reasonably request in order to maintain the Pledge, and the perfection and priority thereof, and to confirm the rights of the Collateral Agent hereunder. The Purchase Contract Agent shall have no liability to any Holder for executing any documents or taking any such acts requested by the Collateral Agent hereunder, except for liability for its own negligent acts, its own negligent failure to act or its own willful misconduct.
Rights to Collateral (a) The Non-Lender Secured Parties shall not have any right whatsoever to do any of the following: (i) exercise any rights or remedies with respect to the Collateral (such term, as used in this Section 8, having the meaning assigned to it in the Credit Agreement) or to direct the Collateral Agent to do the same, including, without limitation, the right to (A) enforce any Liens or sell or otherwise foreclose on any portion of the Collateral, (B) request any action, institute any proceedings, exercise any voting rights, give any instructions, make any election, notify account debtors or make collections with respect to all or any portion of the Collateral or (C) release any Granting Party under this Agreement or release any Collateral from the Liens of any Security Document or consent to or otherwise approve any such release; (ii) demand, accept or obtain any Lien on any Collateral (except for Liens arising under, and subject to the terms of, this Agreement); (iii) vote in any Bankruptcy Case or similar proceeding in respect of Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries (any such proceeding, for purposes of this clause (a), a “Bankruptcy”) with respect to, or take any other actions concerning the Collateral; (iv) receive any proceeds from any sale, transfer or other disposition of any of the Collateral (except in accordance with this Agreement); (v) oppose any sale, transfer or other disposition of the Collateral; (vi) object to any debtor-in-possession financing in any Bankruptcy which is provided by one or more Lenders among others (including on a priming basis under Section 364(d) of the Bankruptcy Code); (vii) object to the use of cash collateral in respect of the Collateral in any Bankruptcy; or (viii) seek, or object to the Lenders or Agents seeking on an equal and ratable basis, any adequate protection or relief from the automatic stay with respect to the Collateral in any Bankruptcy.
(b) Each Non-Lender Secured Party, by its acceptance of the benefits of this Agreement and the other Security Documents, agrees that in exercising rights and remedies with respect to the Collateral, the Collateral Agent and the Lenders, with the consent of the Collateral Agent, may enforce the provisions of the Security Documents and exercise remedies thereunder and under any other Loan Documents (or refrain from enforcing rights and exercising remedies), all in such order and in such manner as they may determine in the exercise of their sole business judgment. Such exercise and enforcement shall include, without limitation, the rights to collect, sell, dispose of or otherwise realize upon all or any part of the Collateral, to incur expenses in connection with such collection, sale, disposition or other realization and to exercise all the rights and remedies of a secured lender under the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect from time to time in any applicable jurisdiction. The Non-Lender Secured Parties by their acceptance of the benefits of this Agreement and the other Security Documents hereby agree not to contest or otherwise challenge any such collection, sale, disposition or other realization of or upon all or any of the Collateral. Whether or not a Bankruptcy Case has been commenced, the Non-Lender Secured Parties shall be deemed to have consented to any sale or other disposition of any property, business or assets of Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries and the release of any or all of the Collateral from the Liens of any Security Document in connection therewith.
(c) Notwithstanding any provision of this Subsection 8.1, the Non-Lender Secured Parties shall be entitled subject to each applicable Intercreditor Agreement to file any necessary responsive or defensive pleadings in opposition to any motion, claim, adversary proceeding or other pleadings (A) in order to prevent any Person from seeking to foreclose on the Collateral or supersede the Non-Lender Secured Parties’ claim thereto or (B) in opposition to any motion, claim, adversary proceeding or other pleading made by any Person objecting to or otherwise seeking the disallowance of the claims of the Non-Lender Secured Parties. Each Non-Lender Secured Party, by its acceptance of the benefits of this Agreement, agrees to be bound by and to comply with each applicable Intercreditor Agreement and authorizes the Collateral Agent to enter into the Intercreditor Agreements on its behalf.
(d) Each Non-Lender Secured Party, by its acceptance of the benefits of this Agreement, agrees that the Collateral Agent and the Lenders may deal with the Collateral, including any exchange, taking or release of Collateral, may change or increase the amount of the Borrower Obligations and/or the Guarantor Obligations, and may release any Granting Party from its Obligations hereunder, all without any liability or obligation (except as may be otherwise expressly provided herein) to the Non-Lender Secured Parties.
Non-Reliance on Collateral Agent The Collateral Agent shall not be required to keep itself informed as to the performance or observance by the Purchase Contract Agent or any Holder of Securities of this Agreement, the Purchase Contract Agreement, the Securities or any other document referred to or provided for herein or therein or to inspect the properties or books of the Purchase Contract Agent or any Holder of Securities. The Collateral Agent shall not have any duty or responsibility to provide the Company with any credit or other information concerning the affairs, financial condition or business of the Purchase Contract Agent or any Holder of Securities (or any of their affiliates) that may come into the possession of the Collateral Agent or any of its affiliates.
Notification to Account Debtors and Other Persons Obligated on Collateral If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing:
(a) the Company shall, at the request and option of the Secured Party, notify account debtors and other persons obligated on any of the Collateral of the security interest of the Secured Party in any account, chattel paper, general intangible, instrument or other Collateral and that payment thereof is to be made directly to the Secured Party or to any financial institution designated by the Secured Party as the Secured Party’s agent therefor;
(b) the Secured Party may itself, without notice to or demand upon the Company, so notify account debtors and other persons obligated on Collateral;
(c) after the making of such a request or the giving of any such notification, the Company shall hold any proceeds of collection of accounts, chattel paper, general intangibles, instruments and other Collateral received by the Company as trustee for the Secured Party, for the benefit of the Secured Party, without commingling the same with other funds of the Company and shall turn the same over to the Secured Party in the identical form received, together with any necessary endorsements or assignments; and
(d) the Secured Party shall apply the proceeds of collection of accounts, chattel paper, general intangibles, instruments and other Collateral and received by the Secured Party to the payment of the Obligations, such proceeds to be immediately credited after final payment in cash or other immediately available funds of the items giving rise to them.
