EXHIBIT 10.6
EMACHINES, INC.
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
This Indemnification Agreement ("Agreement") is effective as of August
_____, 1999 by and between emachines, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), and __________________________________, ("Indemnitee").
WHEREAS, the Company desires to attract and retain the services of highly
qualified individuals, such as Indemnitee, to serve the Company and its related
entities;
WHEREAS, in order to induce Indemnitee to continue to provide services to
the Company, the Company wishes to provide for the indemnification of, and the
advancement of expenses to, Indemnitee to the maximum extent permitted by law;
WHEREAS, the Company and Indemnitee recognize the continued difficulty in
obtaining liability insurance for the Company's directors, officers, employees,
agents and fiduciaries, the significant increases in the cost of such insurance
and the general reductions in the coverage of such insurance;
WHEREAS, the Company and Indemnitee further recognize the substantial
increase in corporate litigation in general, subjecting directors, officers,
employees, agents and fiduciaries to expensive litigation risks at the same time
as the availability and coverage of liability insurance has been severely
limited; and
WHEREAS, the Company and Indemnitee desire to continue to have in place the
additional protection provided by an indemnification agreement to provide
indemnification and advancement of expenses to the Indemnitee to the maximum
extent permitted by Delaware law;
WHEREAS, in view of the considerations set forth above, the Company desires
that Indemnitee shall be indemnified and advanced expenses by the Company as set
forth herein;
NOW, THEREFORE, the Company and Indemnitee hereby agree as set forth below.
1. Certain Definitions.
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(a) "Change in Control" shall mean, and shall be deemed to have
occurred if, on or after the date of this Agreement, (i) any "person" (as such
term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended) (the "Exchange Act"), other than a trustee or other fiduciary
holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company acting in such
capacity or a corporation owned directly or indirectly by the stockholders of
the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of
the Company, becomes the "beneficial owner" (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the
Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing
more than 50% of the total voting power represented by the
Company's then outstanding Voting Securities (as defined below), (ii) during any
period of two consecutive years, individuals who at the beginning of such period
constitute the Board of Directors of the Company and any new director whose
election by the Board of Directors or nomination for election by the Company's
stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two thirds (2/3) of the
directors then still in office who either were directors at the beginning of the
period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved,
cease for any reason to constitute a majority thereof, (iii) the stockholders of
the Company approve a merger or consolidation of the Company with any other
corporation other than a merger or consolidation which would result in the
Voting Securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior thereto
continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted
into Voting Securities of the surviving entity) at least 80% of the total voting
power represented by the Voting Securities of the Company or such surviving
entity outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation, or (iv) the
stockholders of the Company approve a plan of complete liquidation of the
Company or an agreement for the sale or disposition by the Company of (in one
transaction or a series of related transactions) all or substantially all of the
Company's assets.
(b) "Claim" shall mean with respect to a Covered Event (as defined
below): any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, proceeding or
alternative dispute resolution mechanism, or any hearing, inquiry or
investigation that Indemnitee in good faith believes might lead to the
institution of any such action, suit, proceeding or alternative dispute
resolution mechanism, whether civil, criminal, administrative, investigative or
other.
(c) References to the "Company" shall include, in addition to
emachines, Inc., any constituent corporation (including any constituent of a
constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger to which emachines, Inc. (or
any of its wholly-owned subsidiaries) is a party which, if its separate
existence had continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its
directors, officers, employees, agents or fiduciaries, so that if Indemnitee is
or was a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of such constituent
corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation
as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of another corporation,
partnership, joint venture, employee benefit plan, trust or other enterprise,
Indemnitee shall stand in the same position under the provisions of this
Agreement with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as Indemnitee
would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate
existence had continued.
(d) "Covered Event" shall mean any event or occurrence related to the
fact that Indemnitee is or was a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary
of the Company, or any subsidiary of the Company, or is or was serving at the
request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of
another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, or
by reason of any action or inaction on the part of Indemnitee while serving in
such capacity.
(e) "Expenses" shall mean any and all expenses (including attorneys'
fees and all other costs, expenses and obligations incurred in connection with
investigating, defending, being a witness in or participating in (including on
appeal), or preparing to defend, to be a witness in or to
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participate in, any action, suit, proceeding, alternative dispute resolution
mechanism, hearing, inquiry or investigation), judgments, fines, penalties and
amounts paid in settlement (if such settlement is approved in advance by the
Company, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld), actually and
reasonably incurred, of any Claim and any federal, state, local or foreign taxes
imposed on the Indemnitee as a result of the actual or deemed receipt of any
payments under this Agreement.
(f) "Expense Advance" shall mean a payment to Indemnitee pursuant to
Section 3 of Expenses in advance of the settlement of or final judgement in any
action, suit, proceeding or alternative dispute resolution mechanism, hearing,
inquiry or investigation which constitutes a Claim.
(g) "Independent Legal Counsel" shall mean an attorney or firm of
attorneys, selected in accordance with the provisions of Section 2(d) hereof,
who shall not have otherwise performed services for the Company or Indemnitee
within the last three years (other than with respect to matters concerning the
rights of Indemnitee under this Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar
indemnity agreements).
(h) References to "other enterprises" shall include employee benefit
plans; references to "fines" shall include any excise taxes assessed on
Indemnitee with respect to an employee benefit plan; and references to "serving
at the request of the Company" shall include any service as a director, officer,
employee, agent or fiduciary of the Company which imposes duties on, or involves
services by, such director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary with respect
to an employee benefit plan, its participants or its beneficiaries; and if
Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to
be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit
plan, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in a manner "not opposed to the
best interests of the Company" as referred to in this Agreement.
(i) "Reviewing Party" shall mean, subject to the provisions of
Section 2(d), any person or body appointed by the Board of Directors in
accordance with applicable law to review the Company's obligations hereunder and
under applicable law, which may include a member or members of the Company's
Board of Directors, Independent Legal Counsel or any other person or body not a
party to the particular Claim for which Indemnitee is seeking indemnification.
(j) "Section" refers to a section of this Agreement unless otherwise
indicated.
(k) "Voting Securities" shall mean any securities of the Company that
vote generally in the election of directors.
2. Indemnification.
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(a) Indemnification of Expenses. Subject to the provisions of Section
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2(b) below, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee for Expenses to the fullest
extent permitted by law if Indemnitee was or is or becomes a party to or witness
or other participant in, or is threatened to be made a party to or witness or
other participant in, any Claim (whether by reason of or arising in part
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out of a Covered Event), including all interest, assessments and other charges
paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses.
(b) Review of Indemnification Obligations. Notwithstanding the
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foregoing, in the event any Reviewing Party shall have determined (in a written
opinion, in any case in which Independent Legal Counsel is the Reviewing Party)
that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified hereunder under applicable
law, (i) the Company shall have no further obligation under Section 2(a) to make
any payments to Indemnitee not made prior to such determination by such
Reviewing Party, and (ii) the Company shall be entitled to be reimbursed by
Indemnitee (who hereby agrees to reimburse the Company) for all Expenses
theretofore paid in indemnifying Indemnitee; provided, however, that if
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Indemnitee has commenced or thereafter commences legal proceedings in a court of
competent jurisdiction to secure a determination that Indemnitee is entitled to
be indemnified hereunder under applicable law, any determination made by any
Reviewing Party that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified hereunder
under applicable law shall not be binding and Indemnitee shall not be required
to reimburse the Company for any Expenses theretofore paid in indemnifying
Indemnitee until a final judicial determination is made with respect thereto (as
to which all rights of appeal therefrom have been exhausted or lapsed).
Indemnitee's obligation to reimburse the Company for any Expenses shall be
unsecured and no interest shall be charged thereon.
(c) Indemnitee Rights on Unfavorable Determination; Binding Effect.
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If any Reviewing Party determines that Indemnitee substantively is not entitled
to be indemnified hereunder in whole or in part under applicable law, Indemnitee
shall have the right to commence litigation seeking an initial determination by
the court or challenging any such determination by such Reviewing Party or any
aspect thereof, including the legal or factual bases therefor, and, subject to
the provisions of Section 14, the Company hereby consents to service of process
and to appear in any such proceeding. Absent such litigation, any determination
by any Reviewing Party shall be conclusive and binding on the Company and
Indemnitee.
(d) Selection of Reviewing Party; Change in Control. If there has not
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been a Change in Control, any Reviewing Party shall be selected by the Board of
Directors, and if there has been such a Change in Control (other than a Change
in Control which has been approved by a majority of the Company's Board of
Directors who were directors immediately prior to such Change in Control), any
Reviewing Party with respect to all matters thereafter arising concerning the
rights of Indemnitee to indemnification of Expenses under this Agreement or any
other agreement or under the Company's certificate of incorporation or bylaws as
now or hereafter in effect, or under any other applicable law, if desired by
Indemnitee, shall be Independent Legal Counsel selected by Indemnitee and
approved by the Company (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld).
Such counsel, among other things, shall render its written opinion to the
Company and Indemnitee as to whether and to what extent Indemnitee would be
entitled to be indemnified hereunder under applicable law and the Company agrees
to abide by such opinion. The Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees of the
Independent Legal Counsel referred to above and to indemnify fully such counsel
against any and all expenses (including attorneys' fees), claims, liabilities
and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement
pursuant hereto. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the
Company shall not be required to pay Expenses of more than one Independent Legal
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Counsel in connection with all matters concerning a single Indemnitee, and such
Independent Legal Counsel shall be the Independent Legal Counsel for any or all
other Indemnitees unless (i) the employment of separate counsel by one or more
Indemnitees has been previously authorized by the Company in writing, or (ii) an
Indemnitee shall have provided to the Company a written statement that such
Indemnitee has reasonably concluded that there may be a conflict of interest
between such Indemnitee and the other Indemnitees with respect to the matters
arising under this Agreement.
(e) Mandatory Payment of Expenses. Notwithstanding any other
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provision of this Agreement other than Section 10 hereof, to the extent that
Indemnitee has been successful on the merits or otherwise, including, without
limitation, the dismissal of an action without prejudice, in defense of any
Claim, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses incurred by
Indemnitee in connection therewith.
3. Expense Advances.
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(a) Obligation to Make Expense Advances. The Company shall make
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Expense Advances to Indemnitee upon receipt of a written undertaking by or on
behalf of the Indemnitee to repay such amounts if it shall ultimately be
determined that the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified therefore by
the Company.
(b) Form of Undertaking. Any obligation to repay any Expense Advances
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hereunder pursuant to a written undertaking by the Indemnitee shall be unsecured
and no interest shall be charged thereon.
(c) Determination of Reasonable Expense Advances. The parties agree
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that for the purposes of any Expense Advance for which Indemnitee has made
written demand to the Company in accordance with this Agreement, all Expenses
included in such Expense Advance that are certified by affidavit of Indemnitee's
counsel as being reasonable shall be presumed conclusively to be reasonable.
4. Procedures for Indemnification and Expense Advances.
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(a) Timing of Payments. All payments of Expenses (including without
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limitation Expense Advances) by the Company to the Indemnitee pursuant to this
Agreement shall be made to the fullest extent permitted by law as soon as
practicable after written demand by Indemnitee therefor is presented to the
Company, but in no event later than forty-five (45) business days after such
written demand by Indemnitee is presented to the Company, except in the case of
Expense Advances, which shall be made no later than forty-five (45) business
days after such written demand by Indemnitee is presented to the Company.
(b) Notice/Cooperation by Indemnitee. Indemnitee shall, as a
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condition precedent to Indemnitee's right to be indemnified or Indemnitee's
right to receive Expense Advances under this Agreement, give the Company notice
in writing as soon as practicable of any Claim made against Indemnitee for which
indemnification will or could be sought under this Agreement. Notice to the
Company shall be directed to the Chief Executive Officer of the Company at the
address shown on
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the signature page of this Agreement (or such other address as the Company shall
designate in writing to Indemnitee). In addition, Indemnitee shall give the
Company such information and cooperation as it may reasonably require and as
shall be within Indemnitee's power.
(c) No Presumptions; Burden of Proof. For purposes of this Agreement,
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the termination of any Claim by judgment, order, settlement (whether with or
without court approval) or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere,
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or its equivalent, shall not create a presumption that Indemnitee did not meet
any particular standard of conduct or have any particular belief or that a court
has determined that indemnification is not permitted by this Agreement or
applicable law. In addition, neither the failure of any Reviewing Party to have
made a determination as to whether Indemnitee has met any particular standard of
conduct or had any particular belief, nor an actual determination by any
Reviewing Party that Indemnitee has not met such standard of conduct or did not
have such belief, prior to the commencement of legal proceedings by Indemnitee
to secure a judicial determination that Indemnitee should be indemnified under
this Agreement or applicable law, shall be a defense to Indemnitee's claim or
create a presumption that Indemnitee has not met any particular standard of
conduct or did not have any particular belief. In connection with any
determination by any Reviewing Party or otherwise as to whether the Indemnitee
is entitled to be indemnified hereunder the burden of proof shall be on the
Company to establish that Indemnitee is not so entitled.
(d) Notice to Insurers. If, at the time of the receipt by the Company
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of a notice of a Claim pursuant to Section 4(b) hereof, the Company has
liability insurance in effect which may cover such Claim, the Company shall give
prompt notice of the commencement of such Claim to the insurers in accordance
with the procedures set forth in the respective policies. The Company shall
thereafter take all necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers to pay,
on behalf of the Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such Claim in
accordance with the terms of such policies.
(e) Selection of Counsel. In the event the Company shall be obligated
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hereunder to provide indemnification for or make any Expense Advances with
respect to the Expenses of any Claim, the Company, if appropriate, shall be
entitled to assume the defense of such Claim with counsel approved by Indemnitee
(which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld) upon the delivery to
Indemnitee of written notice of the Company's election to do so. After delivery
of such notice, approval of such counsel by Indemnitee and the retention of such
counsel by the Company, the Company will not be liable to Indemnitee under this
Agreement for any fees or expenses of separate counsel subsequently retained by
or on behalf of Indemnitee with respect to the same Claim; provided, however,
that, (i) Indemnitee shall have the right to employ Indemnitee's separate
counsel in any such Claim at Indemnitee's expense and (ii) if (A) the employment
of separate counsel by Indemnitee has been previously authorized by the Company,
(B) Indemnitee shall have reasonably concluded that there may be a conflict of
interest between the Company and Indemnitee in the conduct of any such defense,
or (C) the Company shall not continue to retain such counsel to defend such
Claim, then the fees and expenses of Indemnitee's separate counsel shall be
Expenses for which Indemnitee may receive indemnification or Expense Advances
hereunder.
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5. Additional Indemnification Rights; Nonexclusivity.
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(a) Scope. The Company hereby agrees to indemnify the Indemnitee to
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the fullest extent permitted by law, notwithstanding that such indemnification
is not specifically authorized by the other provisions of this Agreement, the
Company's certificate of incorporation, the Company's bylaws or by statute. In
the event of any change after the date of this Agreement in any applicable law,
statute or rule which expands the right of a Delaware corporation to indemnify a
member of its board of directors or an officer, employee, agent or fiduciary, it
is the intent of the parties hereto that Indemnitee shall enjoy by this
Agreement the greater benefits afforded by such change. In the event of any
change in any applicable law, statute or rule which narrows the right of a
Delaware corporation to indemnify a member of its board of directors or an
officer, employee, agent or fiduciary, such change, to the extent not otherwise
required by such law, statute or rule to be applied to this Agreement, shall
have no effect on this Agreement or the parties' rights and obligations
hereunder except as set forth in Section 10(a) hereof.
(b) Nonexclusivity. The indemnification and the payment of Expense
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Advances provided by this Agreement shall be in addition to any rights to which
Indemnitee may be entitled under the Company's certificate of incorporation, its
bylaws, any other agreement, any vote of stockholders or disinterested
directors, the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, or otherwise.
The indemnification and the payment of Expense Advances provided under this
Agreement shall continue as to Indemnitee for any action taken or not taken
while serving in an indemnified capacity even though subsequent thereto
Indemnitee may have ceased to serve in such capacity.
6. No Duplication of Payments. The Company shall not be liable under this
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Agreement to make any payment in connection with any Claim made against
Indemnitee to the extent Indemnitee has otherwise actually received payment
(under any insurance policy, provision of the Company's certificate of
incorporation, bylaws or otherwise) of the amounts otherwise payable hereunder.
7. Partial Indemnification. If Indemnitee is entitled under any provision
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of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for some or a portion of
Expenses incurred in connection with any Claim, but not, however, for all of the
total amount thereof, the Company shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for
the portion of such Expenses to which Indemnitee is entitled.
8. Mutual Acknowledgment. Both the Company and Indemnitee acknowledge
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that in certain instances, federal law or applicable public policy may prohibit
the Company from indemnifying its directors, officers, employees, agents or
fiduciaries under this Agreement or otherwise. Indemnitee understands and
acknowledges that the Company has undertaken or may be required in the future to
undertake with the Securities and Exchange Commission to submit the question of
indemnification to a court in certain circumstances for a determination of the
Company's right under public policy to indemnify Indemnitee.
9. Liability Insurance. To the extent the Company maintains liability
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insurance applicable to directors, officers, employees, agents or fiduciaries,
Indemnitee shall be covered by
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such policies in such a manner as to provide Indemnitee the same rights and
benefits as are provided to the most favorably insured of the Company's
directors, if Indemnitee is a director; or of the Company's officers, if
Indemnitee is not a director of the Company but is an officer; or of the
Company's key employees, agents or fiduciaries, if Indemnitee is not an officer
or director but is a key employee, agent or fiduciary.
10. Exceptions. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the
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Company shall not be obligated pursuant to the terms of this Agreement:
(a) Excluded Action or Omissions. To indemnify Indemnitee for
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Expenses resulting from acts, omissions or transactions for which Indemnitee is
prohibited from receiving indemnification under this Agreement or applicable
law, provided, however, that notwithstanding any limitation set forth in this
Section 10(a) regarding the Company's obligation to provide indemnification,
Indemnitee shall be entitled under Section 3 to receive Expense Advances
hereunder with respect to any such Claim unless and until a court having
jurisdiction over the Claim shall have made a final judicial determination (as
to which all rights of appeal therefrom have been exhausted or lapsed) that
Indemnitee has engaged in acts, omissions or transactions for which Indemnitee
is prohibited from receiving indemnification under this Agreement or applicable
law.
(b) Claims Initiated by Indemnitee. To indemnify or make Expense
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Advances to Indemnitee with respect to Claims initiated or brought voluntarily
by Indemnitee and not by way of defense, counterclaim or crossclaim, except (i)
with respect to actions or proceedings brought to establish or enforce a right
to indemnification under this Agreement or any other agreement or insurance
policy or under the Company's certificate of incorporation or bylaws now or
hereafter in effect relating to Claims for Covered Events, (ii) in specific
cases if the Board of Directors has approved the initiation or bringing of such
Claim, or (iii) as otherwise required under Section 145 of the Delaware General
Corporation Law, regardless of whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be
entitled to such indemnification, or insurance recovery, as the case may be.
(c) Lack of Good Faith. To indemnify Indemnitee for any Expenses
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incurred by the Indemnitee with respect to any action instituted (i) by
Indemnitee to enforce or interpret this Agreement, if a court having
jurisdiction over such action determines as provided in Section 13 that each of
the material assertions made by the Indemnitee as a basis for such action was
not made in good faith or was frivolous, or (ii) by or in the name of the
Company to enforce or interpret this Agreement, if a court having jurisdiction
over such action determines as provided in Section 13 that each of the material
defenses asserted by Indemnitee in such action was made in bad faith or was
frivolous.
(d) Claims Under Section 16(b). To indemnify Indemnitee for expenses
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and the payment of profits arising from the purchase and sale by Indemnitee of
securities in violation of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act, or any similar
successor statute; provided, however, that notwithstanding any limitation set
forth in this Section 10(d) regarding the Company's obligation to provide
indemnification, Indemnitee shall be entitled under Section 3 to receive Expense
Advances hereunder with respect to any such Claim unless and until a court
having jurisdiction over the Claim
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shall have made a final judicial determination (as to which all rights of appeal
therefrom have been exhausted or lapsed) that Indemnitee has violated said
statute.
11. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more
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counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original.
12. Binding Effect; Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be
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binding upon and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties
hereto and their respective successors, 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), spouses, heirs and
personal and legal representatives. The Company shall require and cause any
successor (whether direct or indirect, and whether by purchase, merger,
consolidation or otherwise) to all, substantially all, or a substantial part, of
the business 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. This Agreement
shall continue in effect regardless of whether Indemnitee continues to serve as
a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary (as applicable) of the Company
or of any other enterprise at the Company's request.
13. Expenses Incurred in Action Relating to Enforcement or Interpretation.
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In the event that any action is instituted by Indemnitee under this Agreement or
under any liability insurance policies maintained by the Company to enforce or
interpret any of the terms hereof or thereof, Indemnitee shall be entitled to be
indemnified for all Expenses incurred by Indemnitee with respect to such action
(including without limitation attorneys' fees), regardless of whether Indemnitee
is ultimately successful in such action, unless as a part of such action a court
having jurisdiction over such action makes a final judicial determination (as to
which all rights of appeal therefrom have been exhausted or lapsed) that each of
the material assertions made by Indemnitee as a basis for such action was not
made in good faith or was frivolous; provided, however, that until such final
judicial determination is made, Indemnitee shall be entitled under Section 3 to
receive payment of Expense Advances hereunder with respect to such action. In
the event of an action instituted by or in the name of the Company under this
Agreement to enforce or interpret any of the terms of this Agreement, Indemnitee
shall be entitled to be indemnified for all Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in
defense of such action (including without limitation costs and expenses incurred
with respect to Indemnitee's counterclaims and cross-claims made in such
action), unless as a part of such action a court having jurisdiction over such
action makes a final judicial determination (as to which all rights of appeal
therefrom have been exhausted or lapsed) that each of the material defenses
asserted by Indemnitee in such action was made in bad faith or was frivolous;
provided, however, that until such final judicial determination is made,
Indemnitee shall be entitled under Section 3 to receive payment of Expense
Advances hereunder with respect to such action.
14. Notice. All notices, requests, demands and other communications under
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this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed duly given (i) if
delivered by hand and signed for by the party addressed, on the date of such
delivery, or (ii) if mailed by domestic certified or registered mail with
postage prepaid, on the third business day after the date postmarked. Addresses
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for notice to either party are as shown on the signature page of this Agreement,
or as subsequently modified by written notice.
15. Consent to Jurisdiction. The Company and Indemnitee each hereby
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irrevocably consent to the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of Delaware
for all purposes in connection with any action or proceeding which arises out of
or relates to this Agreement and agree that any action instituted under this
Agreement shall be commenced, prosecuted and continued only in the Court of
Chancery of the State of Delaware in and for New Castle County, which shall be
the exclusive and only proper forum for adjudicating such a claim.
16. Severability. The provisions of this Agreement shall be severable in
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the event that any of the provisions hereof (including any provision within a
single section, paragraph or sentence) are held by a court of competent
jurisdiction to be invalid, void or otherwise unenforceable, and the remaining
provisions shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law.
Furthermore, to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement
(including without limitation each portion of this Agreement containing any
provision held to be invalid, void or otherwise unenforceable, that is not
itself invalid, void or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect
to the intent manifested by the provision held invalid, illegal or
unenforceable.
17. Choice of Law. This Agreement, and all rights, remedies, liabilities,
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powers and duties of the parties to this Agreement, shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware without regard to
principles of conflicts of laws.
18. Subrogation. In the event of payment under this Agreement, the
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Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights
of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all documents required and shall do
all acts that may be necessary to secure such rights and to enable the Company
effectively to bring suit to enforce such rights.
19. Amendment and Termination. No amendment, modification, termination or
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cancellation of this Agreement shall be effective unless it is in writing signed
by both the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this
Agreement shall be deemed to be or shall constitute a waiver of any other
provisions hereof (whether or not similar), nor shall such waiver constitute a
continuing waiver.
20. Integration and Entire Agreement. This Agreement sets forth the
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entire understanding between the parties hereto and supersedes and merges all
previous written and oral negotiations, commitments, understandings and
agreements relating to the subject matter hereof between the parties hereto.
21. No Construction as Employment Agreement. Nothing contained in this
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Agreement shall be construed as giving Indemnitee any right to be retained in
the employ of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliated entities.
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