FORM OF INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
Exhibit 10.2
FORM OF INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
THIS INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT (“Agreement”) is made and entered into as of the [ ] day of [ ], 20[ ], by and between CytoDyn Inc., a Colorado corporation (the “Company”), and [insert name] (“Indemnitee”).
WHEREAS, at the request of the Company, Indemnitee currently serves as a [director or officer] of the Company and may, therefore, be subjected to claims, suits or proceedings arising as a result of such service; and
WHEREAS, as an inducement to Indemnitee to serve or continue to serve in such capacity, the Company has agreed to indemnify Indemnitee and to advance expenses and costs incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any such claims, suits or proceedings, to the maximum extent permitted by law; and
WHEREAS, the parties by this Agreement desire to set forth their agreement regarding indemnification and advance of expenses and to supersede any prior agreement to which the Company and Indemnitee are parties regarding these matters;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the covenants contained herein, the Company and Indemnitee do hereby covenant and agree as follows:
Section 1. Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement:
(a) “Change in Control” means a change in control of the Company occurring after the Effective Date of a nature that would be required to be reported in response to Item 6(e) of Schedule 14A of Regulation 14A (or in response to any similar item on any similar schedule or form) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), whether or not the Company is then subject to such reporting requirement; provided, however, that, without limitation, such a Change in Control shall be deemed to have occurred if, after the Effective Date, (i) any “person” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act) is or becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 20% or more of the combined voting power of all of the Company’s then-outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors without the prior approval of at least two-thirds of the members of the Board of Directors in office immediately prior to such person’s attaining such percentage interest; or (ii) at any time, a majority of the members of the Board of Directors are not individuals (A) who were directors as of the Effective Date or (B) whose election by the Board of Directors or nomination for election by the Company’s shareholders was approved by the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the directors then in office who were directors as of the Effective Date or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved.
(b) “Corporate Status” means the status of a person as a present or former director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or as a director, trustee, officer, partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other foreign or domestic corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise of which such person is or was serving in such capacity at the request of the Company. As a clarification and without limiting the circumstances in which Indemnitee may be serving at the request of the Company, service by Indemnitee will be deemed to be at the request of the Company: (i) if Indemnitee serves or served as a director, trustee, officer, partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust or other enterprise (1) of which a majority of the voting power or equity interest is owned directly or indirectly by the Company or (2) the management of which is controlled directly or indirectly by the Company and (ii) if, as a result of Indemnitee’s service to the Company or any of its affiliated entities, Indemnitee is subject to duties by, or required to perform services for, an employee benefit plan or its participants or beneficiaries, including as deemed fiduciary thereof.
(c) “Disinterested Director” means a director of the Company who is not and was not a party to the Proceeding in respect of which indemnification and/or advance of Expenses is sought by Indemnitee.
(d) “Effective Date” means the date set forth in the first paragraph of this Agreement.
(e) “Expenses” means any and all reasonable and out-of-pocket attorneys’ fees and costs, retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, federal, state, local or foreign taxes imposed on Indemnitee as a result of the actual or deemed receipt of any payments under this Agreement, ERISA excise taxes and penalties and any other disbursements or expenses incurred in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, being or preparing to be a witness in or otherwise participating in a Proceeding. Expenses shall also include Expenses incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Proceeding, including, without limitation, the premium, security for and other costs relating to any cost bond, supersedeas bond or other appeal bond or its equivalent.
(f) “Independent Counsel” means a law firm, or a member of a law firm, that is experienced in matters of corporation law and neither is, nor in the past five years has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any matter material to either such party (other than with respect to matters concerning Indemnitee under this Agreement or of other indemnitees under similar indemnification agreements), or (ii) any other party to or participant or witness in the Proceeding giving rise to a claim for indemnification or advance of Expenses hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement.
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(g) “Proceeding” means any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, arbitration, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing or any other proceeding, whether brought by or in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil (including intentional or unintentional tort claims), criminal, administrative or investigative (formal or informal) nature, including any appeal therefrom. If Indemnitee reasonably believes that a given situation may lead to or culminate in the institution of a Proceeding, such situation shall also be considered a Proceeding.
Section 2. Services by Indemnitee. Indemnitee will serve in the capacity set forth in the first recital above. However, this Agreement shall not impose any independent obligation on Indemnitee or the Company to continue Indemnitee’s service to the Company. This Agreement is not an employment contract between the Company (or any other entity) and Indemnitee.
Section 3. General. The Company will indemnify, and advance Expenses to, Indemnitee (a) as provided in this Agreement and (b) otherwise to the maximum extent permitted by Colorado law in effect on the Effective Date and as amended from time to time; provided, however, that no change in Colorado law shall have the effect of reducing the benefits available to Indemnitee hereunder for any act or omission occurring prior to any change in Colorado law. The rights of Indemnitee provided in this Section 3 include, without limitation, the rights set forth in the other sections of this Agreement, including any additional indemnification permitted by Article 109 of the Colorado Business Corporation Act (the “CBCA”).
Section 4. Standard for Indemnification. If, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be, made a party to any Proceeding, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement and all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with any such Proceeding unless it is established that (a) the act or omission of Indemnitee was committed in bad faith, (b) the Indemnitee did not reasonably believe (i) in the case of conduct in an official capacity with the Company, that such conduct was in the Company’s best interest or (ii) in all other cases, that such conduct was at least not opposed to the Company’s best interest, or (c) in the case of any criminal Proceeding, Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful.
Section 5. Certain Limits on Indemnification. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement (other than Section 6), Indemnitee shall not be entitled to:
(a) indemnification hereunder if the Proceeding was one by or in the right of the Company and Indemnitee is adjudged to be liable to the Company; or
(b) indemnification hereunder in connection with any other Proceeding charging that Indemnitee derived an improper personal benefit, whether or not involving action in an official capacity, in which Proceeding Indemnitee was adjudged liable on the basis that Indemnitee derived an improper personal benefit.
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Section 6. Court-Ordered Indemnification. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, a court of appropriate jurisdiction, upon application of Indemnitee and such notice as the court shall require, may order indemnification of Indemnitee by the Company in the following circumstances:
(a) if such court determines that the Indemnitee is entitled to mandatory indemnification under Section 0-000-000 of the CBCA, the court shall order indemnification, in which case the court shall also order the Company to pay the Indemnitee’s reasonable expenses incurred to obtain court-ordered indemnification; or
(b) if such court determines that the Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification in view of all the relevant circumstances, whether or not the Indemnitee met the standard of conduct set forth in Section 7-109-102(1) of the CBCA or was adjudged liable in the circumstances described in Section 7-109-102(4) of the CBCA, the court may order such indemnification as the court deems proper; except that the indemnification with respect to any proceeding in which liability shall have been adjudged in the circumstances described in Section 7-109-102(4) of the CBCA is limited to reasonable expenses incurred in connection with the proceeding and reasonable expenses incurred to obtain court-ordered indemnification.
Section 7. Indemnification for Expenses of an Indemnitee Who is Wholly Successful. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, and without limiting any such provision, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee if Indemnitee is wholly successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any Proceeding to which Indemnitee was a party because of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, against reasonable expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the Proceeding.
Section 8. Advance of Expenses for Indemnitee. If, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be, made a party to any Proceeding, the Company shall advance all Expenses incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with such Proceeding if (a) Indemnitee furnishes to the Company a written affirmation, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit A, of the Indemnitee’s good faith belief that Indemnitee has met the standard of conduct described in Section 0-000-000 of the CBCA, (b) Indemnitee furnishes to the Company a written undertaking, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit A, executed personally or on the Indemnitee’s behalf, to repay the advance if it is ultimately determined that Indemnitee did not meet the standard of conduct, and (c) a determination is made in accordance with Section 0-000-000 of the CBCA that the facts then known to those making the determination would not preclude indemnification under the CBCA. The Company shall make the determination required by Section 0-000-000 of the CBCA within ten days after the receipt by the Company of a written affirmation by Indemnitee and a written undertaking by or on behalf of Indemnitee and the Company shall make such advance or advances within ten days after the determination, if it is determined that the facts then known to those making the determination would not preclude indemnification under the CBCA, whether prior to or after final disposition of such Proceeding and may be in the form of, in the reasonable discretion of Indemnitee (but without duplication) (a) payment of such Expenses directly to third parties on behalf of Indemnitee, (b) advance of funds to Indemnitee in an amount sufficient to pay such Expenses or (c) reimbursement to Indemnitee for Indemnitee’s payment of such Expenses. Such statement or statements shall reasonably evidence the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee and shall include or be preceded or accompanied by the written affirmation by Indemnitee and a written
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undertaking by or on behalf of Indemnitee, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit A. To the extent that Expenses advanced to Indemnitee do not relate to a specific claim, issue or matter in the Proceeding, such Expenses shall be allocated on a reasonable and proportionate basis. The undertaking required by this Section 8 shall be an unlimited general obligation by or on behalf of Indemnitee and shall be accepted without reference to Indemnitee’s financial ability to repay such advanced Expenses and without any requirement to post security therefor.
Section 9. Procedure for Determination of Entitlement to Indemnification.
(a) To obtain indemnification under this Agreement, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written request, including therein or therewith such documentation and information as is reasonably available to Indemnitee and is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification. Indemnitee may submit one or more such requests from time to time and at such time(s) as Indemnitee deems appropriate in Indemnitee’s sole discretion. The officer of the Company receiving any such request from Indemnitee shall, promptly upon receipt of such a request for indemnification, advise the Board of Directors in writing that Indemnitee has requested indemnification.
(b) Upon written request by Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to Section 9(a) above, a determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement thereto shall promptly be made in the specific case: (i) if a Change in Control has occurred, by Independent Counsel, in a written opinion to the Board of Directors, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee, which Independent Counsel shall be selected by the Indemnitee and approved by a majority vote of the full Board of Directors in accordance with Section 7-109-106(3)(a) of the CBCA, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed; or (ii) if a Change in Control has not occurred, (a) by the Board of Directors by a majority vote of those present at a meeting at which a quorum is present, and only those directors not parties to the Proceeding shall be counted in satisfying the quorum; (b) if a quorum cannot be obtained, by a majority vote of a committee of the Board of Directors designated by the Board of Directors, which committee shall consist of two or more directors not parties to the Proceeding; except that directors who are parties to the proceeding may participate in the designation of directors for the committee; or (c) if a quorum cannot be obtained as contemplated, and a committee cannot be established, or, even if a quorum is obtained or a committee is designated, if a majority of the directors constituting such quorum or such committee so directs, the determination required to be made shall be made by (i) Independent Counsel selected by a vote of the Board of Directors or the committee in the manner specified in accordance with Section 7-109-106(3)(a) of the CBCA or (ii) the shareholders. If it is so determined that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall make payment to Indemnitee within ten days after such determination. Indemnitee shall cooperate with the person, persons or entity making such determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing to such person, persons or entity upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary or appropriate to such determination in the discretion of the Board of Directors or Independent Counsel if retained. Any Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons or entity making such determination shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification) and the Company shall indemnify and hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom.
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(c) The Company shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of Independent Counsel, if one is appointed.
Section 10. Remedies of Indemnitee.
(a) If (i) a determination is made pursuant to Section 9(b) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, (ii) advance of Expenses is not timely made pursuant to Section 8 of this Agreement, (iii) no determination of entitlement to indemnification shall have been made pursuant to Section 9(b) of this Agreement within 60 days after receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification, (iv) payment of indemnification is not made pursuant to Section 7 of this Agreement within ten days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, or (v) payment of indemnification pursuant to any other section of this Agreement or the Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws of the Company is not made within ten days after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication in an appropriate court located in the State of Colorado, or in any other court of competent jurisdiction, or to arbitration, conducted by a single arbitrator pursuant to the rules of the Arbitration Service of Portland, Inc., of Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification or advance of Expenses. Indemnitee shall commence a proceeding seeking an adjudication or an award in arbitration within 180 days following the date on which Indemnitee first has the right to commence such proceeding pursuant to this Section 10(a); provided, however, that the foregoing clause shall not apply to a proceeding brought by Indemnitee to enforce Indemnitee’s rights under Section 7 of this Agreement. Except as set forth herein, the provisions of Colorado law (without regard to its conflicts of laws rules) shall apply to any such arbitration. The Company shall not oppose Indemnitee’s right to seek any such adjudication or award in arbitration.
(b) In any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 10, Indemnitee shall be presumed to be entitled to indemnification or advance of Expenses, as the case may be, under this Agreement and the Company shall have the burden of proving that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification or advance of Expenses, as the case may be. If Indemnitee commences a judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to this Section 10, Indemnitee shall not be required to reimburse the Company for any advances pursuant to Section 8 of this Agreement until a final determination is made with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification (as to which all rights of appeal have been exhausted or lapsed). The Company shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 10 that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court or before any such arbitrator that the Company is bound by all of the provisions of this Agreement.
(c) If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 9(b) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall be bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 10, absent a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification that was not introduced into evidence in connection with the determination.
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(d) In the event that Indemnitee is successful in seeking, pursuant to this Section 10, a judicial adjudication of or an award in arbitration to enforce Indemnitee’s rights under, or to recover damages for breach of, this Agreement, Indemnitee shall be entitled to recover from the Company, and shall be indemnified by the Company for, any and all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him in such judicial adjudication or arbitration. If it shall be determined in such judicial adjudication or arbitration that Indemnitee is entitled to receive part but not all of the indemnification or advance of Expenses sought, the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with such judicial adjudication or arbitration shall be appropriately prorated.
(e) Interest shall be paid by the Company to Indemnitee at the maximum rate allowed to be charged for judgments under Title 13, Courts and Court Procedure, of the Colorado Revised Statutes for amounts which the Company pays or is obligated to pay for the period (i) commencing with either the tenth day after the date on which the Company was requested to advance Expenses in accordance with Section 8 of this Agreement or the 60th day after the date on which the Company was requested to make the determination of entitlement to indemnification under Section 9(b) of this Agreement, as applicable, and (ii) ending on the date such payment is made to Indemnitee by the Company.
Section 11. Defense of the Underlying Proceeding.
(a) Indemnitee shall notify the Company promptly in writing upon being served with any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, request or other document relating to any Proceeding which may result in the right to indemnification or the advance of Expenses hereunder and shall include with such notice a description of the nature of the Proceeding and a summary of the facts underlying the Proceeding. The failure to give any such notice shall not disqualify Indemnitee from the right, or otherwise affect in any manner any right of Indemnitee, to indemnification or the advance of Expenses under this Agreement unless the Company’s ability to defend in such Proceeding or to obtain proceeds under any insurance policy is materially and adversely prejudiced thereby, and then only to the extent the Company is thereby actually so prejudiced.
(b) Subject to the provisions of the last sentence of this Section 11(b) and of Section 11(c) below, the Company shall have the right to defend Indemnitee in any Proceeding which may give rise to indemnification hereunder; provided, however, that the Company shall notify Indemnitee of any such decision to defend within 15 calendar days following receipt of notice of any such Proceeding under Section 11(a) above. The Company shall not, without the prior written consent of Indemnitee, which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, consent to the entry of any judgment against Indemnitee or enter into any settlement or compromise which (i) includes an admission of fault of Indemnitee, (ii) does not include, as an unconditional term thereof, the full release of Indemnitee from all liability in respect of such Proceeding, which release shall be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Indemnitee, or (iii) would impose any Expense, judgment, fine, penalty or limitation on Indemnitee. This Section 11(b) shall not apply to a Proceeding brought by Indemnitee under Section 10 of this Agreement.
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(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 11(b) above, if in a Proceeding to which Indemnitee is a party by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, (i) Indemnitee reasonably concludes, based upon an opinion of counsel approved by the Company, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, that Indemnitee may have separate defenses or counterclaims to assert with respect to any issue which may not be consistent with other defendants in such Proceeding, (ii) Indemnitee reasonably concludes, based upon an opinion of counsel approved by the Company, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, that an actual or apparent conflict of interest or potential conflict of interest exists between Indemnitee and the Company, or (iii) if the Company fails to assume the defense of such Proceeding in a timely manner, Indemnitee shall be entitled to be represented by separate legal counsel of Indemnitee’s choice, subject to the prior approval of the Company, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, at the expense of the Company. In addition, if the Company fails to comply with any of its obligations under this Agreement or in the event that the Company or any other person takes any action to declare this Agreement void or unenforceable, or institutes any Proceeding to deny or to recover from Indemnitee the benefits intended to be provided to Indemnitee hereunder, Indemnitee shall have the right to retain counsel of Indemnitee’s choice, subject to the prior approval of the Company, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, at the expense of the Company (subject to Section 10(d) of this Agreement), to represent Indemnitee in connection with any such matter.
Section 12. Non-Exclusivity; Survival of Rights; Subrogation.
(a) The rights of indemnification and advance of Expenses provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the charter or Bylaws of the Company, any agreement or a resolution of the shareholders entitled to vote generally in the election of directors or of the Board of Directors, or otherwise. Unless consented to in writing by Indemnitee, no amendment, alteration or termination of this Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any action taken or omitted by such Indemnitee in Indemnitee’s Corporate Status prior to such amendment, alteration or termination, regardless of whether a claim with respect to such action or inaction is raised prior or subsequent to such amendment, alteration or termination. No right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right or remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right or remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prohibit the concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy.
(b) In the event of any payment under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all papers required and take all action necessary to secure such rights, including execution of such documents as are necessary to enable the Company to bring suit to enforce such rights.
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Section 13. Insurance.
(a) The Company will use its reasonable best efforts to acquire directors and officers liability insurance, on terms and conditions deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors, with the advice of counsel, covering Indemnitee or any claim made against Indemnitee by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status and covering the Company for any indemnification or advance of Expenses made by the Company to Indemnitee for any claims made against Indemnitee by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status. In the event of a Change in Control, the Company shall maintain in force any and all directors and officers liability insurance policies that were maintained by the Company immediately prior to the Change in Control for a period of six years with the insurance carrier or carriers and through the insurance broker in place at the time of the Change in Control; provided, however, (i) if the carriers will not offer the same policy and an expiring policy needs to be replaced, a policy substantially comparable in scope and amount shall be obtained and (ii) if any replacement insurance carrier is necessary to obtain a policy substantially comparable in scope and amount, such insurance carrier shall have an AM Best rating that is the same or better than the AM Best rating of the existing insurance carrier; provided, further, however, in no event shall the Company be required to expend in the aggregate in excess of 250% of the annual premium or premiums paid by the Company for directors and officers liability insurance in effect on the date of the Change in Control. In the event that 250% of the annual premium paid by the Company for such existing directors and officers liability insurance is insufficient for such coverage, the Company shall spend up to that amount to purchase such lesser coverage as may be obtained with such amount.
(b) Without in any way limiting any other obligation under this Agreement, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee for any payment by Indemnitee arising out of the amount of any deductible or retention and the amount of any excess of the aggregate of all judgments, penalties, fines, settlements and Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with a Proceeding over the coverage of any insurance referred to in the previous sentence. The purchase, establishment and maintenance of any such insurance shall not in any way limit or affect the rights or obligations of the Company or Indemnitee under this Agreement except as expressly provided herein, and the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company and the Indemnitee shall not in any way limit or affect the rights or obligations of the Company under any such insurance policies. If, at the time the Company receives notice from any source of a Proceeding to which Indemnitee is a party or a participant (as a witness or otherwise), the Company has director and officer liability insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of such Proceeding to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the respective policies.
Section 14. Coordination of Payments. The Company shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any payment of amounts otherwise indemnifiable or payable or reimbursable as Expenses hereunder if and to the extent that Indemnitee has otherwise actually received such payment under any insurance policy, contract, agreement or otherwise.
Section 15. Contribution. If the indemnification provided in this Agreement is unavailable in whole or in part and may not be paid to Indemnitee for any reason, other than for failure to satisfy the standard of conduct set forth in Section 4 or due to the provisions of Section 5, then, in respect to any Proceeding in which the Company is jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding), to the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying and holding harmless Indemnitee, shall pay, in the first instance, the entire amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether for Expenses, judgments, penalties, and/or amounts paid or to be paid in settlement, in connection with any Proceeding without requiring Indemnitee to contribute to such payment, and the Company hereby waives and relinquishes any right of contribution it may have at any time against Indemnitee.
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Section 16. Duration of Agreement; Binding Effect.
(a) This Agreement shall continue until and terminate on the later of (i) the date that Indemnitee shall have ceased to serve as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or as a director, trustee, officer, partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other foreign or domestic corporation, real estate investment trust, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise that such person is or was serving in such capacity at the request of the Company and (ii) the date that Indemnitee is no longer subject to any actual or possible Proceeding (including any rights of appeal thereto and any Proceeding commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 10 of this Agreement).
(b) The indemnification and advance of Expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, this Agreement shall be binding upon and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns (including any direct or indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company), shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or a director, trustee, officer, partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other foreign or domestic corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise that such person is or was serving in such capacity at the request of the Company, and shall inure to the benefit of Indemnitee and Indemnitee’s spouse, assigns, heirs, devisees, executors and administrators and other legal representatives. No reduction or limitation of any indemnification right pursuant to any provision of the Articles or Bylaws, or of any agreement or vote of shareholders or directors, based on the fact that Indemnitee is no longer serving as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company will be deemed to reduce or limit any of Indemnitee’s rights hereunder.
(c) The Company shall require and cause any successor (whether direct or indirect by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all, substantially all or a substantial part, of the business and/or assets of the Company, by written agreement in form and substance satisfactory to Indemnitee, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place.
(d) The Company and Indemnitee agree that a monetary remedy for breach of this Agreement, at some later date, may be inadequate, impracticable and difficult of proof, and further agree that such breach may cause Indemnitee irreparable harm. Accordingly, the parties hereto agree that Indemnitee may enforce this Agreement by seeking injunctive relief and/or specific performance hereof, without any necessity of showing actual damage or irreparable harm and that by seeking injunctive relief and/or specific performance, Indemnitee shall not be precluded from seeking or obtaining any other relief to which Indemnitee may be entitled. Indemnitee shall further be entitled to such specific performance and injunctive relief, including temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions and permanent injunctions, without the necessity of posting bonds or other undertakings in connection therewith. The Company acknowledges that, in the absence of a waiver, a bond or undertaking may be required of Indemnitee by a court, and the Company hereby waives any such requirement of such a bond or undertaking.
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Section 17. Severability. If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any Section, paragraph or sentence of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law; (b) such provision or provisions shall be deemed reformed to the extent necessary to conform to applicable law and to give the maximum effect to the intent of the parties hereto; and (c) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any Section, paragraph or sentence of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested thereby.
Section 18. Identical Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement.
Section 19. Headings. The headings of the paragraphs of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction thereof.
Section 20. Modification, Termination and Waiver. No supplement, modification, amendment or termination of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by both of the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions hereof (whether or not similar) nor, unless otherwise expressly stated, shall such waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
Section 21. Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if (i) delivered by hand and receipted for by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed, on the day of such delivery, or (ii) mailed by certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third business day after the date on which it is so mailed:
(a) If to Indemnitee, to the address set forth on the signature page hereto.
(b) If to the Company, to:
0 Xxxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx 00000
Attn: Secretary
or to such other address as may have been furnished in writing to Indemnitee by the Company or to the Company by Indemnitee, as the case may be.
Section 22. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of Colorado, without regard to its conflicts of laws rules.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the day and year first above written.
| COMPANY: | ||
| CYTODYN INC. | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
| INDEMNITEE | ||
|
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| Name: [insert name] | ||
| Address: | ||
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EXHIBIT A
AFFIRMATION AND UNDERTAKING TO REPAY EXPENSES ADVANCED
| To: | The Board of Directors of CytoDyn Inc. |
| Re: | Affirmation and Undertaking |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
This Affirmation and Undertaking is being provided pursuant to that certain Indemnification Agreement dated the [ ] day of [ ], 20[ ], by and between CytoDyn Inc., a Colorado corporation (the “Company”), and the undersigned Indemnitee (the “Indemnification Agreement”), pursuant to which I am entitled to advance of Expenses in connection with [Description of Proceeding] (the “Proceeding”).
Terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings specified in the Indemnification Agreement.
I am subject to the Proceeding by reason of my Corporate Status or by reason of alleged actions or omissions by me in such capacity. I hereby affirm my good faith belief that at all times, insofar as I was involved as a [director or officer] of the Company in any of the facts or events giving rise to the Proceeding, I (1) did not act with bad faith or active or deliberate dishonesty, (2) did not receive any improper personal benefit in money, property or services and (3) in the case of any criminal proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that any act or omission by me was unlawful.
In consideration of the advance by the Company for Expenses incurred by me in connection with the Proceeding (the “Advanced Expenses”), I hereby agree that if, in connection with the Proceeding, it is established that (1) an act or omission by me was committed in bad faith, (2) I did not reasonably believe (a) in a case of conduct in an official capacity with the Company, that such conduct was in the Company’s best interests or (b) in all other cases, that such conduct was at least not opposed to the Company’s best interests, (3) I actually received an improper personal benefit in money, property or services, (4) in connection with a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company I am adjudged liable to the Company, or (5) in the case of any criminal proceeding, I had reasonable cause to believe that the act or omission was unlawful, then I shall promptly reimburse the portion of the Advanced Expenses relating to the claims, issues or matters in the Proceeding as to which the foregoing findings have been established.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have executed this Affirmation and Undertaking on this [ ] day of [ ], 20[ ].
| Name: |
