Litigation Control (a) With respect to any Mortgage Loan (other than a Non-Serviced Mortgage Loan), any Serviced Companion Loan or any related REO Loan or related REO Property, the Special Servicer shall, in accordance with the Servicing Standard, direct, manage, prosecute and/or defend any action brought by a Mortgagor, guarantor, or other obligor on the related Note or any Affiliates thereof (each a “Borrower-Related Party”) against the Trust, the Master Servicer and/or the Special Servicer or any predecessor master servicer or special servicer, and represent the interests of the Trust in any litigation relating to the rights and obligations of the Trust, or of the Mortgagor or other Borrower-Related Party under the related Mortgage Loan documents, or with respect to the related Mortgaged Property or other collateral securing such Mortgage Loan (or Serviced Whole Loan), or otherwise with respect to the enforcement of the obligations of a Borrower-Related Party under the related Mortgage Loan documents (“Trust-Related Litigation”). In the event that the Master Servicer is named in any Trust-Related Litigation but the Special Servicer is not named in such Trust-Related Litigation (regardless of whether the Trust is named in such Trust-Related Litigation), the Master Servicer shall notify the Special Servicer of such litigation as soon as practicable but in any event no later than within ten (10) Business Days of the Master Servicer receiving service of such Trust-Related Litigation.
(b) To the extent the Master Servicer is named in the Trust-Related Litigation, and neither the Trust nor the Special Servicer is named, in order to effectuate the role of the Special Servicer as contemplated by the immediately preceding Section 3.32(a), the Master Servicer shall (i) provide monthly status reports to the Special Servicer, regarding such Trust-Related Litigation; (ii) seek to have the Trust replace the Master Servicer as the appropriate party to the lawsuit; and (iii) so long as the Master Servicer remains a party to the lawsuit, consult with and act at the direction of the Special Servicer with respect to decisions and resolutions related to the interests of the Trust in such Trust-Related Litigation, including but not limited to the selection of counsel; provided that the Master Servicer shall have the right to engage separate counsel relating to claims against the Master Servicer to the extent set forth in Section 3.32(e); and provided, however, that if there are claims against the Master Servicer and the Master Servicer has not determined that separate counsel is required for such claims, such counsel shall be reasonably acceptable to the Master Servicer.
(c) The Special Servicer shall not (i) undertake (or direct the Master Servicer to undertake) any material settlement of any Trust-Related Litigation or (ii) initiate any material Trust-Related Litigation unless and until it has notified in writing the Directing Certificateholder (only if the related Mortgage Loan is not an Excluded Loan as to such party and prior to the occurrence and continuance of a Consultation Termination Event) (to the extent the identity of the Directing Certificateholder is actually known to the Special Servicer; provided that the Special Servicer shall make due inquiry of the Certificate Administrator as to the identity of the Directing Certificateholder) and the related holder of any Serviced Companion Loan (if such matter affects such related Serviced Companion Loan) (to the extent the identity of the holder of such Serviced Companion Loan is actually known to the Special Servicer), and the Directing Certificateholder (only if the related Mortgage Loan is not an Excluded Loan with respect to the Directing Certificateholder or the Holder of the majority of the Controlling Class and prior to the occurrence and continuation of a Control Termination Event) has not objected in writing within five (5) Business Days of having been notified thereof and having been provided with all information that the Directing Certificateholder has reasonably requested with respect thereto promptly following its receipt of the subject notice (it being understood and agreed that if such written objection has not been received by the Special Servicer within such five (5) Business Day period, then the Directing Certificateholder shall be deemed to have approved the taking of such action); provided that, if the Special Servicer determines (consistent with the Servicing Standard) that immediate action is necessary to protect the interests of the Certificateholders and, with respect to a Serviced Whole Loan, the related Companion Holders, the Special Servicer may take such action without waiting for the Directing Certificateholder’s response.
(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, neither the Special Servicer nor the Master Servicer shall follow any advice, direction or consultation provided by the Directing Certificateholder or the Risk Retention Consultation Party (or any other party to this Agreement) that would require or cause the Special Servicer or the Master Servicer, as applicable, to violate any applicable law, be inconsistent with the Servicing Standard, require or cause the Special Servicer or the Master Servicer, as applicable, to violate provisions of this Agreement, require or cause the Special Servicer or the Master Servicer, as applicable, to violate the terms of any Mortgage Loan or Serviced Whole Loan, expose any Certificateholder or any party to this Agreement or their Affiliates, officers, directors or agents to any claim, suit or liability, cause any REMIC created hereunder to fail to qualify as a REMIC, result in the imposition of a “prohibited transaction” or “prohibited contribution” tax under the REMIC Provisions or materially expand the scope of the Special Servicer’s or the Master Servicer’s, as the case may be, responsibilities under this Agreement.
(e) Notwithstanding the right of the Special Servicer to represent the interests of the Trust in Trust-Related Litigation, and subject to the rights of the Special Servicer to direct the Master Servicer’s actions in this Section 3.32, the Master Servicer shall retain the right to make determinations relating to claims against the Master Servicer, including but not limited to the right to engage separate counsel and to appear in any proceeding on its own behalf in the Master Servicer’s reasonable discretion, the cost of which shall be subject to indemnification as and to the extent provided in this Agreement.
(f) Further, nothing in this section shall require the Master Servicer to take or fail to take any action which, in the Master Servicer’s good faith and reasonable judgment, may (i) result in a violation of the REMIC Provisions or (ii) subject the Master Servicer to liability or materially expand the scope of the Master Servicer’s obligations under this Agreement.
(g) Notwithstanding the Master Servicer’s right to make determinations relating to claims against the Master Servicer, the Special Servicer shall have the right at any time in accordance with the Servicing Standard to (i) direct the Master Servicer to settle any claims asserted against the Master Servicer (whether or not the Trust or the Special Servicer is named in any such claims or Trust-Related Litigation) (and with respect to any material settlements, with the consent of or in consultation with the Directing Certificateholder prior to the occurrence and continuance of a Control Termination Event or the occurrence and continuance of a Consultation Termination Event, respectively (in each case, other than a Mortgage Loan that is an Excluded Loan as to such party)) and (ii) otherwise reasonably direct the actions of the Master Servicer relating to claims against the Master Servicer (whether or not the Trust or the Special Servicer is named in any such claims or Trust-Related Litigation), provided in either case that (A) such settlement or other direction does not require any admission of liability or wrongdoing on the part of the Master Servicer, (B) the cost of such settlement or any resulting judgment is and shall be paid by the Trust and payment of such cost or judgment is provided for in this Agreement, (C) the Master Servicer is and shall be indemnified as and to the extent provided in this Agreement for all costs and expenses of the Master Servicer incurred in defending and settling the Trust-Related Litigation and for any judgment, (D) any such action taken by the Master Servicer at the direction of the Special Servicer shall be deemed (as to the Master Servicer) to be in compliance with the Servicing Standard and (E) the Special Servicer provides the Master Servicer with assurance reasonably satisfactory to the Master Servicer as to the items in clauses (A), (B) and (C).
(h) In the event both the Master Servicer and the Special Servicer or Trust are named in Trust-Related Litigation, the Master Servicer and the Special Servicer shall cooperate with each other to afford the Master Servicer and the Special Servicer the rights afforded to such party in this Section 3.32. This Section 3.32 shall not apply in the event the Special Servicer authorizes the Master Servicer, and the Master Servicer agrees (both authority and agreement to be in writing), to make certain decisions or control certain Trust-Related Litigation on behalf of the Trust in accordance with the Servicing Standard. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) in the event that any action, suit, litigation or proceeding names the Trustee in its individual capacity, or in the event that any judgment is rendered against the Trustee in its individual capacity, the Trustee, upon prior written notice to the Master Servicer or the Special Servicer, as the case may be, may retain counsel and appear in any such proceeding on its own behalf in order to protect and represent its interests (but not to otherwise direct, manage or prosecute such litigation or claim); (ii) in the event of any action, suit, litigation or proceeding, other than an action, suit, litigation or proceeding relating to the enforcement of the obligations of a Mortgagor, guarantor or other obligor under the related Mortgage Loan documents, or otherwise relating to one or more Mortgage Loans or Mortgaged Properties, neither the Master Servicer nor the Special Servicer shall, without the prior written consent of the Trustee, (A) initiate an action, suit, litigation or proceeding in the name of the Trustee, whether in such capacity or individually, (B) engage counsel to represent the Trustee, or (C) prepare, execute or deliver any government filings, forms, permits, registrations or other documents or take any other similar actions with the intent to cause, and that actually causes, the Trustee to be registered to do business in any state (provided that neither the Master Servicer nor the Special Servicer shall be responsible for any delay due to the unwillingness of the Trustee to grant such consent); and (iii) in the event that any court finds that the Trustee is a necessary party in respect of any action, suit, litigation or proceeding relating to or arising from this Agreement or any Mortgage Loan, the Trustee shall have the right to retain counsel and appear in any such proceeding on its own behalf in order to protect and represent its interests, whether as Trustee or individually (but not to otherwise direct, manage or prosecute such litigation or claim); provided, however, that nothing in this Section 3.32(h) shall be interpreted to preclude the Special Servicer (with respect to any material Trust-Related Litigation, with the consent or consultation of the Directing Certificateholder prior to the occurrence and continuance of a Control Termination Event or the occurrence and continuance of a Consultation Termination Event, respectively, to the extent required in Section 3.32(c) and only to the extent such Mortgage Loan is not an Excluded Loan as to such party) from initiating any action, suit, litigation or proceeding in its name as representative of the Trustee of the Trust.
