Standard of Conduct To the extent that the provisions of Section 8(a) are inapplicable to a Claim related to an Indemnifiable Event that shall have been finally disposed of, any determination of whether Indemnitee has satisfied any applicable standard of conduct under New York law that is a legally required condition to indemnification of Indemnitee hereunder against Losses relating to such Claim and any determination that Expense Advances must be repaid to the Company (a “Standard of Conduct Determination”) shall be made as follows: (i) if no Change in Control has occurred, (A) by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even if less than a quorum of the Board, (B) by a committee of Disinterested Directors designated by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even though less than a quorum or (C) if there are no such Disinterested Directors, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion addressed to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee; and (ii) if a Change in Control shall have occurred, (A) if the Indemnitee so requests in writing, by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even if less than a quorum of the Board or (B) otherwise, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion addressed to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee.
Making the Standard of Conduct Determination The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause any Standard of Conduct Determination required under Section 8(b) to be made as promptly as practicable. If the person or persons designated to make the Standard of Conduct Determination under Section 8(b) shall not have made a determination within thirty days after the later of (A) receipt by the Company of a written request from Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to Section 7 (the date of such receipt being the “Notification Date”) and (B) the selection of an Independent Counsel, if such determination is to be made by Independent Counsel, then Indemnitee shall be deemed to have satisfied the applicable standard of conduct; provided that such 30-day period may be extended for a reasonable time, if the person or persons making such determination in good faith requires such additional time to obtain or evaluate information relating thereto. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, no determination as to entitlement of Indemnitee to indemnification under this Agreement shall be required to be made prior to the final disposition of any Claim.
Selection of Independent Counsel for Standard of Conduct Determination If a Standard of Conduct Determination is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 8(b)(i), the Independent Counsel shall be selected by the Board, and the Company shall give written notice to Indemnitee advising of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected. If a Standard of Conduct Determination is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 8(b)(ii), the Independent Counsel shall be selected by Indemnitee, and Indemnitee shall give written notice to the Company advising it of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected. In either case, Indemnitee or the Company, as applicable, may, within five days after receiving written notice of selection from the other, deliver to the other a written objection to such selection; provided, however, that such objection may be asserted only on the ground that the Independent Counsel so selected does not satisfy the criteria set forth in the definition of “Independent Counsel” in Section 1, and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of such assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the person or firm so selected shall act as Independent Counsel. If such written objection is properly and timely made and substantiated, (i) the Independent Counsel so selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until such objection is withdrawn or a court has determined that such objection is without merit; and (ii) the non-objecting party may, at its option, select an alternative Independent Counsel and give written notice to the other party advising such other party of the identity of the alternative Independent Counsel so selected, in which case the provisions of the two immediately preceding sentences, the introductory clause of this sentence and numbered clause (i) of this sentence shall apply to such subsequent selection and notice. If applicable, the provisions of clause (ii) of the immediately preceding sentence shall apply to successive alternative selections. If no Independent Counsel that is permitted under the foregoing provisions of this Section 8(e) to make the Standard of Conduct Determination shall have been selected within twenty days after the Company gives its initial notice pursuant to the first sentence of this Section 8(e) or Indemnitee gives its initial notice pursuant to the second sentence of this Section 8(e), as the case may be, either the Company or Indemnitee may petition a court of competent jurisdiction to resolve any objection which shall have been made by the Company or Indemnitee to the other’s selection of Independent Counsel and/or to appoint as Independent Counsel a person to be selected by such court or such other person as the court shall designate, and the person or firm with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the person or firm so appointed will act as Independent Counsel. In all events, the Company shall pay all of the reasonable fees and expenses of the Independent Counsel incurred in connection with the Independent Counsel’s determination pursuant to Section 8(b).
Standard of Services All services to be rendered by SCM hereunder shall be performed in a professional, competent and timely manner subject to the supervision of the Board of Directors of the Corporation on behalf of the Funds. The details of the operating standards and procedures to be followed by SCM in the performance of the services described above shall be determined from time to time by agreement between SCM and the Corporation.
Conduct of the Parties The parties will not engage in behaviour that is, or may reasonably be considered to be intimidating, bullying, or harassing or commit any act or behaviour which is offensive or abusive in connection with this Agreement.
Standard of Work All work to be performed by or for Tenant pursuant hereto shall be performed diligently and in a first class, workmanlike manner, and in compliance with all applicable laws, ordinances, regulations and rules of any public authority having jurisdiction over the Premises and/or Tenant and Landlord’s insurance carriers. Landlord shall have the right, but not the obligation, to inspect periodically the work on the Premises, and Landlord may require changes in the method or quality of the work.
Conduct of the Business (a) From the date hereof until the Closing Date, or the earlier termination of this Agreement pursuant to Article IX, except to the extent described in Schedule 5.01 or otherwise required or specifically permitted by this Agreement, the Company shall: (i) conduct the Business in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice in all material respects (including with respect to capital expenditures, the timely making of any budgeted or emergency capital expenditures or capital expenditures that are required to maintain the Business in compliance with any applicable Laws), unless the Parent shall have otherwise consented in writing (which consent will not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed); (ii) maintain in effect the insurance coverage described on Schedule 7.16 (or reasonably equivalent replacement coverage); (iii) use its commercially reasonable efforts to preserve the present relationships of the Business with suppliers, vendors, licensees and other Persons with which the Business has business relations; (iv) maintain in effect the Business Licenses (if any) in accordance with the terms thereof and renew any Business License that would otherwise expire pursuant to the terms thereof between the date of this Agreement and the Closing; (v) use its commercially reasonable efforts to keep, or to cause Spoonful to keep, available the services of the Business Employees subject to the normal hiring and firing of Business Employees in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and (vi) use commercially reasonable efforts to preserve intact its business organization, value as a going concern and relationships with third parties (including lessors, licensors, suppliers, distributors and customers) and employees. (b) From the date hereof until the Closing Date, or the earlier termination of this Agreement pursuant to Article IX, except to the extent described in Schedule 5.01 or otherwise required or specifically permitted by this Agreement or consented to in writing by the Parent (which consent will not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), the Company shall refrain from: (i) issuing, selling or delivering any of its Company LLC Interests or other Equity Interests or issuing or selling any securities convertible into, or options with respect to, or warrants to purchase or rights to subscribe for, any of its Company LLC Interests or other Equity Interests (or amending any term of any of the foregoing); (ii) effecting any recapitalization, reclassification, dividend, split or like change in its capitalization other than dividends in the in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and the terms and conditions of the Company’s Organizational Documents; (iii) amending its Organizational Documents; (iv) making any redemption or purchase of any of its of its Company LLC Interests or other Equity Interests; (v) (A) merging, consolidating or combining with any Person or (B) acquiring any material assets, except for acquisitions of inventory, equipment and supplies in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice; (vi) permitting any of the assets of the Company to become subject to a Lien (other than a Permitted Lien) or selling, leasing, licensing or otherwise disposing of any assets or securities, including by merger, consolidation, asset sale or other business combination, other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice; (vii) making any loans or advances to, or any investments in, any other Person (in the case of loans or advances to employees, in excess of $100,000 in the aggregate for all such loans and advances); (viii) pledging or otherwise encumbering of its Company LLC Interests or other Equity Interests; (ix) excepting as required or specifically permitted by this Agreement, entering into or amending any Contract with the Manager or any officer of the Company; (x) increasing any benefits under any Employee Benefit Plan or increasing the compensation payable or paid, whether conditionally or otherwise, to any employee, officer, manager or consultant of Company (other than (A) any increase adopted in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice in respect of the compensation of any employee whose annual base compensation does not exceed $125,000 after giving effect to such increase or (B) any increase in benefits or compensation required by Law or required pursuant to the terms of an existing Employee Benefit Plan); (xi) becoming liable in respect of any guarantee (other than a guarantee by the Company of a Liability of the Company that is made in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice) or incur, assume or otherwise become liable in respect of any Indebtedness; (xii) repaying, prepaying or otherwise discharging or satisfying any Indebtedness or other material Liabilities, other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, or waiving, cancelling or assigning any claims or rights of substantial value other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice; (xiii) making any capital expenditures that are in the aggregate in excess of $100,000 (other than capital expenditures contemplated by the capital expenditure budget attached to Schedule 5.01, emergency capital expenditures or capital expenditures that are required to maintain the Business in compliance with any applicable Laws); (xiv) making any change in its methods of accounting or accounting practices (including with respect to reserves) or any Tax election; filing any amended Tax Return; electing or changing any method of accounting for Tax purposes; settling any Action or claim in respect of Taxes; or consenting to any extension or waiver of the limitations period for the assessment of any Tax; (xv) settling, agreeing to settle, waiving or otherwise compromising any pending or threatened Actions or claims (A) involving potential payments by or to the Company of more than $100,000 in aggregate, (B) that admit Liability or consent to non-monetary relief, or (C) that otherwise are or would reasonably be expected to be material to the Company or the Business; (xvi) entering into, adopt, terminate, modify, renew or amend in any material respect (including by accelerating material rights or benefits under) any Contract unless such Contract requires payments by the Company of less than $10,000 per month and that can be terminated by the Company upon 60 days’ or less notice without penalty; (xvii) writing up or writing down any of its material assets of the Company or revalue its inventory or reserves in respect of its accounts receivable; (xviii) taking any action or failing to take any action that would result in any of the representations and warranties set forth in this Agreement becoming false or inaccurate in any material respect; or (xix) authorizing, agreeing or committing or entering into a Contract to do any of the foregoing.
Conduct of the Company’s Business During the period from the date of this Agreement and continuing until the earlier of the Effective Time and the date nominees of Parent or Subsidiary constitute a majority of the members of the board of trustees of the Company (such earlier time, the “Control Time”), except either as consented to in writing (including by email or other electronic transmission) by Parent in response to a written or oral request therefore from the Company (which response shall not be unreasonably delayed), the Company shall, and shall cause its subsidiaries to, conduct its and their business in the ordinary course and use commercially reasonable efforts to conduct its and their business relationships with third parties and to keep available the services of their present officers and employees, provided that it does not require additional compensation, and preserve its and their relationships with customers, suppliers and others having business dealings with the Company and its subsidiaries, and to maintain the Company’s qualification as a REIT, in each case subject to the terms of or contemplated by this Agreement. In addition, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, except as expressly permitted in this Agreement, from the date hereof until the Control Time, the Company shall not, and shall cause its subsidiaries not to: (a) (i) authorize, declare or pay any dividends on or make other distributions in respect of any of its stock (except for dividends by a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company to its parent and except for distributions necessary for the Company to maintain its REIT qualification, avoid the incurrence of any taxes under Section 857 of the Code, avoid the imposition of any excise taxes under Section 4981 of the Code, or avoid the need to make one or more extraordinary or disproportionately larger distributions to meet any of the three preceding objectives), (ii) split, combine or reclassify any of its stock or issue or authorize or propose the issuance of any other securities or (iii) repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any shares of stock of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any other securities thereof or any rights, warrants or options to acquire any such shares or other securities; (b) except in accordance with the Share Option Agreement, issue, deliver, sell, pledge or encumber, or authorize or propose the issuance, delivery, sale, pledge or encumbrance of, any shares of its beneficial interests, stock or any other security; (c) amend or propose to amend its declaration of trust, certificate of incorporation or bylaws (or similar organizational documents); (d) (i) acquire or agree to acquire any material assets (including securities) outside the ordinary course or merge or consolidate with any person or engage in any similar transaction or (ii) make any loans, advances or capital contributions to, or investments in, any other person, other than to the Company or any wholly owned subsidiary of the Company and other than loans to auto dealers in the ordinary course of business which would, when originated, qualify as Eligible Receivables under the Warehouse Line; (e) sell, lease, license, encumber or otherwise dispose of any of its assets or any interest therein, other than in the ordinary course (including the disposition of any assets acquired as a result of a foreclosure), or adopt a plan of complete or partial liquidation, dissolution, merger, consolidation, restructuring or other reorganization; (f) incur or suffer to exist any indebtedness for borrowed money or guarantee any such indebtedness, guarantee any debt of others, enter into any “keep-well” or other agreement to maintain any financial statement condition of another person or enter into any arrangement having the economic effect of any of the foregoing, except for borrowings under the Warehouse Line; (g) make or rescind any Tax election or settle or compromise any Tax liability of the Company or any of its subsidiaries; (h) make or agree to make any capital expenditures other than in amounts of less than $75,000 in the aggregate; (i) pay, discharge, settle or satisfy any Claim (whether absolute, accrued, asserted or unasserted, contingent or otherwise), other than the payment, discharge, settlement or satisfaction, in the ordinary course of business or in accordance with their terms, of Claims whether recognized or disclosed in the most recent financial statements (or the notes thereto) of the Company included in the Company Filed SEC Documents or incurred since the date of such financial statements in the ordinary course of business except for cash payments (x) paid by any insurer or person other than the Company and any subsidiary of the Company, plus (y) an amount paid by the Company or any subsidiary of the Company not exceeding $100,000 per Claim, liability or obligation or $500,000 for all Claims in the aggregate. (j) (i) modify, amend or terminate any material contract, (ii) waive, release or assign any material rights or claims, (iii) waive the benefits of, or agree to modify in any manner, any confidentiality, standstill or similar agreement, or fail to enforce any such agreement to the fullest extent practicable, including by seeking injunctive relief and specific performance or (iv) except, with respect to this clause (iv), in the ordinary course of business, enter into any material contracts or transactions; (i) increase the compensation or benefits of any director, trustee, officer or employee, except for, in the cases of non-officer employees, increases in the ordinary course that are consistent with past practice, (ii) adopt any material amendment to a Benefit Plan, (iii) enter into, amend or modify any employment, consulting, severance, termination or similar agreement with any director, trustee, officer or employee, (iv) accelerate the payment of compensation or benefits to any director, officer or employee, (v) take any action to fund or in any other way secure the payment of compensation or benefits under any Benefit Plan or compensation agreement or arrangement; or change any actuarial or other assumption used to calculate funding obligations with respect to any pension plan or change the timing or manner in which contributions to any pension plan are made or the basis on which such contributions are determined or (vi) take any action that could give rise to severance benefits payable to any officer, trustee, director, or employee of the Company or any subsidiary as a result of consummation of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; provided that nothing in this paragraph (k) shall preclude the payment by the Company of accrued, but unpaid bonuses to employees for 2004 and retroactive salary adjustments in each case as set forth in Section 6.1(k) of the Company Disclosure Schedule; (l) take any action to exempt or make not subject to or to otherwise waive or cause to be inapplicable (x) the provisions of any Takeover Statute or (y) Section 7.2 of the Declaration of Trust, in each case to any individual or entity (other than Parent or its subsidiaries), or any action taken thereby, which individual, entity or action would have otherwise been subject to the restrictive provisions thereof and not exempt therefrom; (m) take any action to delist the Shares from Nasdaq; (n) make any material change to its methods of accounting in effect on the date hereof, except as required by changes in GAAP as concurred with by the Company’s independent auditors, or change its fiscal year; (o) enter into any transaction with any of its affiliates other than pursuant to arrangements in effect on the date hereof which have been disclosed to Parent; (p) accelerate the collection of receivables or defer the payment of payables, or modify the payment terms of any receivables or payables, in each case, other than in the ordinary course of business; (q) securitize, or create any financing arrangements in the nature of a collateralized debt obligation with respect to, any accounts receivable, loans or other assets; (r) amend or modify the existing agreement between Company and Company Financial Advisor; or (s) authorize any of, or commit or agree to take any of, the foregoing actions or any action that would result in a breach of any representation, warranty or agreement of the Company contained in this Agreement as of the date when made or as of any future date or would result in any of the conditions to the Merger not being satisfied or in a material delay in the satisfaction of such conditions.
Presumptions; Burden and Standard of Proof The parties intend and agree that, to the extent permitted by law, in connection with any Determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification hereunder by any person, including a court: (i) it will be presumed that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement (notwithstanding any Adverse Determination), and the Company or any other person or entity challenging such right will have the burden of proof to overcome that presumption in connection with the making by any person, persons or entity of any determination contrary to that presumption; (ii) the termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful; (iii) Indemnitee will be deemed to have acted in good faith if Indemnitee’s action is based on the records or books of account of the Company, including financial statements, or on information supplied to Indemnitee by the officers, employees, or committees of the board of directors of the Company, or on the advice of legal counsel or other advisors (including financial advisors and accountants) for the Company or on information or records given in reports made to the Company by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert or advisor selected by the Company; and (iv) the knowledge and/or actions, or failure to act, of any director, officer, agent or employee of the Company or relevant enterprises will not be imputed to Indemnitee in a manner that limits or otherwise adversely affects Indemnitee’s rights hereunder. The provisions of this Section 9(g) shall not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any way the other circumstances in which Indemnitee may be deemed to have met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in this Agreement.
Conduct of Third Party Claims If the matter or circumstance that may give rise to a Claim other than a Tax Claim is a result of or in connection with a claim by a third party (a “Third Party Claim”) then: 11.4.1 the Purchaser shall, to the extent reasonably practicable and subject to Applicable Law, consult with the Seller in relation to the conduct of the Third Party Claim and shall take reasonable account of the views of the Seller before taking any action in relation to the Third Party Claim; 11.4.2 no admissions in relation to the Third Party Claim shall be made by or on behalf of the Purchaser or any member of the Purchaser’s Group and the Third Party Claim shall not be compromised, disposed of or settled without the written consent of the Seller, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed; 11.4.3 subject to the Seller indemnifying the Purchaser or member of the Purchaser’s Group concerned against all reasonable costs and expenses (including legal and professional costs and expenses) that may be incurred thereby, the Purchaser shall, or the Purchaser shall procure that the members of the Purchaser’s Group shall, take such action as the Seller may reasonably request to avoid, dispute, deny, defend, resist, appeal, compromise or contest the Third Party Claim; 11.4.4 the Seller shall, subject in each case to being paid all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses: (i) make available to the Purchaser and the relevant Group Company such persons and all such information as the Purchaser may reasonably request for assessing, contesting, disputing, defending, compromising or appealing the Third Party Claim; and (ii) shall give the Purchaser and the relevant Group Company reasonable access to its premises and to its books and records for such purpose during normal business hours on any Business Day following reasonable notice being given to the Seller; 11.4.5 subject to 11.4.3, the Seller shall be entitled at its own expense and in its absolute discretion, by notice in writing to the Purchaser, to assume conduct of any Third Party Claim and to have the conduct of any related proceedings, negotiations or appeals; 11.4.6 if the Seller sends a notice to the Purchaser pursuant to Clause 11.4.5 and until such time as any final compromise, agreement, expert determination or non-appealable decision of a court or tribunal of competent jurisdiction is made in respect of that Third Party Claim or that Third Party Claim is otherwise finally disposed of: (i) the Purchaser shall, and the Purchaser shall procure that any member of the Purchaser’s Group shall: (a) give, subject to being paid all reasonable costs and expenses, all such information and assistance including access to premises and personnel, and the right to examine and copy or photograph any assets, accounts, documents and records (excluding, in each case, information or documents which are protected by legal professional privilege but including, in each case, information or documents that are subject to common interest privilege), as the Seller may reasonably request, including instructing such professional or legal advisers as the Seller may nominate to act on behalf of the Purchaser or other member of the Purchaser’s Group concerned but in accordance with the Seller’s instructions, provided that the appointment of such adviser or advisers shall have been approved in writing by the Purchaser (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed); and (b) not make any admission of liability, agreement or compromise in relation to that Third Party Claim without the prior written approval of the Seller (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed); (ii) the Seller shall: (a) consult with the Purchaser and take reasonable account of the views of the Purchaser before taking any action in relation to the Third Party Claim; (b) without prejudice to its ability to defend the Third Party Claim, conduct the Third Party Claim with a view to minimising any material harm to the goodwill and reputation of the Wider Group or the Purchaser’s Group; (c) keep the Purchaser informed of all relevant matters relating to the Third Party Claim and shall promptly forward or procure to be forwarded to the Purchaser copies of all correspondence and other written communications with such other information, including non-written records (except information or documents which are protected by legal professional privilege), relating to the Third Party Claim; (d) not make any admission of liability, settlement or compromise of the Third Party Claim without the written consent of the Purchaser, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed. If the Purchaser or member of the Purchaser’s Group fails to consent to a settlement or compromise, the maximum liability of the Seller shall (without prejudice to Clause 10) not exceed the full amount of the proposed settlement or compromise and the Purchaser or member of the Purchaser’s Group shall be liable for any damages awarded in excess of the proposed settlement or compromise and costs incurred from (and including) the date the Seller notified the Purchaser of the settlement or compromise; and (e) indemnify, save as set out in Clause 11.4.6(ii)(d), the Purchaser or other member of the Purchaser’s Group concerned against all reasonable costs and expenses (including legal and professional costs and expenses) that may be incurred as a result of the Seller assuming conduct of the Third Party Claim. 11.4.7 The covenants in this Clause 11.4 may be enforced: (i) by any Group Company against the Seller; and (ii) by any member of the Seller’s Group against the Purchaser or a Group Company, under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Xxx 0000. 11.4.8 The provisions of this Clause 11.4 may be varied or terminated by agreement between the Seller and the Purchaser (and the Purchaser may also release or compromise in whole or in part any liability in respect of rights or claims contemplated by this Clause 11.4) without the consent of any Group Company.