LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION [FORM OF] INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
Exhibit 10.148
XXX RESEARCH CORPORATION
[FORM OF] INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
[FORM OF] INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
This Indemnification Agreement (“Agreement”) is made as of by and
between Xxx Research Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and
(“Indemnitee”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the Company desires to attract and retain the services of highly qualified
individuals, such as Indemnitee, to serve the Company;
WHEREAS, in order to induce Indemnitee to continue to provide services to the Company, the
Company wishes to provide for the indemnification of, and advancement of expenses to, Indemnitee to
the maximum extent permitted by law;
WHEREAS, the Bylaws of the Company (the “Bylaws”) require indemnification of the
officers and directors of the Company, and Indemnitee may also be entitled to indemnification
pursuant to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”);
WHEREAS, the Bylaws and the DGCL expressly provide that the indemnification provisions set
forth therein are not exclusive, and thereby contemplate that contracts may be entered into between
the Company and members of the board of directors, officers and other persons with respect to
indemnification;
WHEREAS, the Company and Indemnitee recognize the difficulty that companies sometimes
experience obtaining appropriate levels of liability insurance for the companies’ directors,
officers, employees, agents and fiduciaries, the significant cost of such insurance and the limited
scope of coverage of such insurance;
WHEREAS, the Company and Indemnitee further recognize the significant amount of corporate
litigation in general, subjecting directors, officers, employees, agents and fiduciaries to
expensive litigation risks at the same time as the cost, limited availability and scope of coverage
of liability insurance continues, constituting substantial challenges for the Company;
WHEREAS, Indemnitee does not regard the protection currently provided by applicable law, the
Company’s governing documents and available insurance as adequate under the present circumstances,
and the Indemnitee and certain other directors, officers, employees, agents and fiduciaries of the
Company may not be willing to continue to serve in such capacities without additional protection;
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) has determined that the
increased difficulty in attracting and retaining highly qualified persons such as Indemnitee is
detrimental to the best interests of the Company’s stockholders and that the Company should act to
assure such persons that there will be increased certainty of such protection in the future;
WHEREAS, it is reasonable, prudent and necessary for the Company contractually to obligate
itself to indemnify, and to advance expenses on behalf of, such persons to the fullest extent
permitted by applicable law so that they will serve or continue to serve the Company free from
undue concern that they will not be so indemnified; and
WHEREAS, this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the indemnification provided
in the Bylaws and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto, and shall not be deemed a substitute
therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder.
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. Services to the Company. Indemnitee agrees to serve as a
[director][officer] of the Company. Indemnitee may at any time and for any reason resign from such
position (subject to any other contractual obligation or any obligation imposed by operation of
law), in which event the Company shall have no obligation under this Agreement to continue
Indemnitee in such position. This Agreement shall not be deemed an employment contract between the
Company (or any of its subsidiaries or any Enterprise) and Indemnitee. The foregoing
notwithstanding, this Agreement shall continue in force after Indemnitee has ceased to serve as a
[director][officer] of the Company.
Section 2. Definitions
As used in this Agreement:
(a) A “Company Change in Control” shall be deemed to have occurred if (a) any
“Person” (as that term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended) is or becomes (except in a transaction approved in advance by the Board) the beneficial
owner (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under such Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the
Company representing 20% or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding
securities, or (b) during any period of two consecutive years, individuals who at the beginning of
such period constitute the Board cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority thereof
unless the election of each director who was not a director at the beginning of the period was
approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who were directors
at the beginning of the period.
(b) “Corporate Status” describes the status of a person who is or was a director,
officer, employee or agent of the Company or of any other corporation, partnership or joint
venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise which such person is or was serving at
the request of the Company.
(c) “Enterprise” shall mean the Company and any other corporation, partnership, joint
venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise of which Indemnitee is or was serving at
the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary.
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(d) “Expenses” shall include all reasonable attorneys’ fees, retainers, court costs,
transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, duplicating costs, printing and
binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, and all other disbursements or
expenses of the types customarily 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 also shall 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, supersedes bond, or other appeal bond or its equivalent.
Expenses, however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee or the amount of
judgments or fines against Indemnitee.
(e) “Independent Counsel” means a law firm, or a partner (or, if applicable, member)
of such a law firm, that is experienced in matters of corporation law and neither presently 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 the Indemnitee
under this Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar indemnification agreements), or (ii)
any other party to the Proceeding giving rise to a claim for indemnification 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. The Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees and expenses of the
Independent Counsel referred to above and to fully indemnify such counsel against any and all
Expenses, claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its
engagement pursuant hereto.
(f) “Proceeding” means any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, arbitration,
alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation (whether designated by the investigative
agency as a formal investigation or otherwise), inquiry, administrative hearing or any other
actual, threatened or completed proceeding, whether brought in the right of the Company or
otherwise and whether of a civil, criminal, administrative, regulatory or investigative nature, in
which Indemnitee was, is or will be involved as a party or otherwise by reason of the fact of the
Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, by reason of any action taken by Indemnitee or of any action on his
[or her] part while acting in his [or her] Corporate Status, or by reason of the fact that he [or
she] is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of
another Enterprise, in each case whether or not serving in such capacity at the time any liability
or expense is incurred for which indemnification, reimbursement, or advancement of expenses can be
provided under this Agreement; provided, however, that the term “Proceeding” shall not include any
action, suit or arbitration initiated by Indemnitee to enforce Indemnitee’s rights under this
Agreement.
Section 3. Indemnity in Third-Party Proceedings. The Company shall indemnify
Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3 if Indemnitee is, or is threatened
to be made, a party to or a participant in any Proceeding, other than a Proceeding by or in the
right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 3, Indemnitee
shall be indemnified against all Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually
and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on his behalf in connection with such
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Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a
manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company and, in
the case of a criminal proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was
unlawful. Indemnitee shall not enter into any settlement in connection with a Proceeding without
the Company’s prior consent, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld.
Section 4. Indemnity in Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company. The Company
shall indemnify Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 4 if Indemnitee is, or
is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant in any Proceeding by or in the right of the
Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 4, Indemnitee shall be
indemnified against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf in
connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good
faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the
Company. No indemnification for Expenses shall be made under this Section 4 in respect of any
claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been finally adjudged by a court to be
liable to the Company, unless and only to the extent that the Delaware Court of Chancery (the
“Delaware Court”) or any court in which the Proceeding was brought shall determine upon
application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the
case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification for such expenses as the
Delaware Court or such other court shall deem proper.
Section 5. Indemnification for Expenses of a Party Who is Wholly or Partly Successful.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee is a party
to or a participant in and is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in any Proceeding or in
defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, in whole or in part, the Company shall indemnify
Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection therewith.
If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or
otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in such Proceeding, the
Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against (a) all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him
or on his behalf in connection with each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter and (b) any
claim, issue or matter related to any such successfully resolved claim, issue or matter. For
purposes of this Section and without limitation, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in
such a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, shall be deemed to be a successful
result as to such claim, issue or matter.
Section 6. Indemnification for Expenses of a Witness. Notwithstanding any other
provision of this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of his Corporate Status, a
witness in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party, he shall be indemnified against all
Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf in connection therewith.
Section 7. Additional Indemnification.
(a) Notwithstanding any limitation in Sections 3, 4, or 5, the Company shall indemnify
Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by law if Indemnitee is a party to or is threatened to
be made a party to any Proceeding (including a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to
procure a judgment in its favor) against all Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts
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paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the
Proceeding.
(b) For purposes of Section 7(a), the meaning of the phrase “to the fullest extent permitted
by law” shall include, but not be limited to:
(i) to the fullest extent permitted by the provision of the DGCL that authorizes or
contemplates additional indemnification by agreement, or the corresponding provision of any
amendment to or replacement of the DGCL or such provision thereof; and
(ii) to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by any amendments to or replacements of the
DGCL adopted after the date of this Agreement that increase the extent to which a corporation may
indemnify its officers and directors.
Section 8. Exclusions. Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement to the
contrary, the Company shall not be obligated under this Agreement to make any indemnity:
(a) for which payment has actually been made to or on behalf of Indemnitee under any insurance
policy or other indemnity provision, except with respect to any excess beyond the amount paid under
any insurance policy or other indemnity provision;
(b) for an accounting of profits made from the purchase and sale (or sale and purchase) by
Indemnitee of securities of the Company within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or similar provisions of state statutory law or common law;
(c) for claims initiated or brought by Indemnitee, except (i) with respect to actions or
proceedings brought to establish or enforce a right to receive Expenses or indemnification under
this Agreement or any other agreement or insurance policy or under the Company’s Certificate of
Incorporation (the “Charter”) or Bylaws now or hereafter in effect relating to indemnification,
(ii) if the Board has approved the initiation or bringing of such claim, or (iii) as otherwise
required under Delaware law; or
(d) for which payment is prohibited by applicable law.
Section 9. Advances of Expenses. The Company shall advance, to the extent not
prohibited by law, the reasonable Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any
Proceeding. Such advancement shall be made within twenty (20) days after the receipt by the
Company of a statement or statements requesting such advances (which shall include invoices
received by Indemnitee in connection with such Expenses—the invoices to afford sufficient detail to
permit the Company to assess the reasonableness of the Expense advancement requested; provided,
however, that in the case of invoices in connection with legal services, references to legal work
performed or to expenditures made that would cause Indemnitee to waive any privilege accorded by
applicable law may be redacted from the invoice) from time to time, whether prior to or after final
disposition of any Proceeding. Indemnitee shall reasonably cooperate with the Company to manage
Expenses, and such cooperation may be considered in assessing the reasonableness of Expenses that
are the subject of an advancement request; provided, however, that nothing in this sentence shall
be construed to undermine the purpose of
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this Agreement or to purport to modify the professional obligations of Indemnitee’s legal
counsel. Advances shall be unsecured and interest free. Advances shall be made without regard to
Indemnitee’s ability to repay the expenses and without regard to Indemnitee’s ultimate entitlement
to indemnification under the other provisions of this Agreement. Advances shall include any and
all reasonable Expenses incurred pursuing an action to enforce this right of advancement. The
Indemnitee shall qualify for advances upon the execution and delivery to the Company of this
Agreement which shall constitute an undertaking providing that the Indemnitee undertakes to the
fullest extent required by law to repay the advance if and to the extent that it is ultimately
determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final judgment, not subject to appeal, that
Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company. This Section 9 shall not apply to any
claim made by Indemnitee for which indemnity is excluded pursuant to Section 8. The right to
advances under this paragraph shall in all events continue until final disposition of any
Proceeding, including any appeal therein.
Section 10. Procedure for Notification and Defense of Claim.
(a) To obtain indemnification under this Agreement, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a
written request therefor to the Company.
(b) The Company will be entitled, but not obliged, to participate in the Proceeding at its own
expense.
Section 11. Procedure Upon Application for Indemnification.
(a) Upon written request by Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to Section 10(a), a
determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement thereto
shall be made in the specific case by the Board, by a majority vote of the directors of the Company
who are not parties to the Proceeding, and, if it is so determined that Indemnitee is entitled to
indemnification, payment to Indemnitee shall be made within ten (10) days after such determination.
In the event that (i) there are no disinterested directors serving on the Board, (ii) no
determination of entitlement to indemnification shall have been made pursuant to the preceding
sentence within sixty (60) days after receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification,
(iii) a determination is made pursuant to the preceding sentence that Indemnitee is not entitled to
indemnification under this Agreement, or (iv) there has been a Company Change in Control prior to
the determination by the Board, Indemnitee shall be entitled to have his [or her] entitlement to
indemnification to be determined by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board, a copy
of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee and, if it is so determined by Independent Counsel that
Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, payment to Indemnitee shall be made within ten (10) days
after such determination.
(b) Indemnitee shall cooperate with the Board or Independent Counsel, as applicable, making
such determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing
to the Board or such counsel, as applicable, 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 to such determination. Any costs or expenses
(including attorneys’ fees and disbursements) incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the
Board or Independent
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Counsel, as applicable, shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as to
Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification) and the Company hereby indemnifies and agrees to hold
Indemnitee harmless therefrom.
(c) In the event that Indemnitee exercises his [or her] right to have his [or her] entitlement
to indemnification determined by Independent Counsel as contemplated by Section 11(a), the
Independent Counsel shall be selected by Indemnitee. The Company may, within ten (10) days after
written notice of such selection, deliver to the Indemnitee 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 meet the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 2
of this Agreement, and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of such
assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the person so selected shall act as Independent
Counsel. If such written objection is so made and substantiated, 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. If, within twenty (20) days after the
later of submission by Indemnitee of a written request for indemnification pursuant to Section
10(a) hereof, and the final disposition of the Proceeding, including any appeal therein, no
Independent Counsel shall have been selected and not objected to, the Indemnitee may petition a
court of competent jurisdiction for resolution of any objection which shall have been made by the
Company to the selection of Independent Counsel and/or for the appointment as Independent Counsel
of a person selected by the court or by such other person as the court shall designate, and the
person with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the person so appointed shall act as
Independent Counsel under Section 11(a) hereof. Upon the due commencement of any judicial
proceeding or arbitration pursuant to Section 13(a) of this Agreement, Independent Counsel shall be
discharged and relieved of any further responsibility in such capacity (subject to the applicable
standards of professional conduct then prevailing).
(d) In the event that Independent Counsel is selected to make the determination of
Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification as contemplated by clause (ii) or (iii) of the second
sentence of Section 11(a), neither the failure of the Board to have made a determination that
indemnification is proper in the circumstances because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard
of conduct, nor an actual determination by the Board that Indemnitee has not met such applicable
standard of conduct, shall create a presumption that Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard
of conduct, and the Independent Counsel making such determination shall be bound by the
presumptions set forth in Section 12.
(e) The rights set forth in this Section 11 with respect to Indemnitee selecting Independent
Counsel to determine Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification shall be in addition to, and not
in lieu of, Indemnitee’s rights set forth in Section 13.
Section 12. Presumptions and Effect of Certain Proceedings.
(a) In making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the
Board or Independent Counsel, as applicable, making such determination shall presume that
Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement if Indemnitee has submitted a
request for indemnification in accordance with Section 10(a) of this Agreement, and
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the Company shall have the burden of proof to overcome that presumption in connection with the
making by the Independent Counsel of any determination contrary to that presumption. Neither the
failure of the Board or of Independent Counsel to have made a determination prior to the
commencement of any action pursuant to this Agreement that indemnification is proper in the
circumstances because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct, nor an actual
determination by the Board or by Independent Counsel that Indemnitee has not met such applicable
standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that Indemnitee has
not met the applicable standard of conduct.
(b) The termination of any Proceeding or of any claim, issue or matter therein, by judgment,
order, settlement or conviction, or upon a plea of guilty, nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall
not (except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement) of itself adversely affect the right
of Indemnitee to indemnification or create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith
and in a manner which he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the
Company or, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to
believe that his conduct was unlawful.
(c) For purposes of any determination of good faith, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted
in good faith if Indemnitee’s action is based on the records or books of account of the Enterprise,
including financial statements, or on information supplied to Indemnitee by the officers of the
Enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Enterprise or
the Board or counsel selected by any committee of the Board or on information or records given or
reports made to the Enterprise by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser,
investment banker or other expert selected with reasonable care by the Company or the Board or any
committee of the Board. The provisions of this Section 12(c) shall not be deemed to be exclusive
or to limit in any way the other circumstances in which the Indemnitee may be deemed to have met
the applicable standard of conduct set forth in this Agreement.
(d) The knowledge and/or actions, or failure to act, of any director, officer, agent or
employee of the Enterprise shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right
to indemnification under this Agreement.
Section 13. Remedies of Indemnitee.
(a) Subject to Section 13(e), in the event that (i) a determination is made pursuant to
Section 11 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this
Agreement, (ii) advancement of Expenses is not timely made pursuant to Section 9 of this Agreement,
(iii) no determination of entitlement to indemnification shall have been made pursuant to Section
11(a) of this Agreement within sixty (60) days after receipt by the Company of the request for
indemnification, (iv) payment of indemnification is not made pursuant to Section 5 or 6 or the last
sentence of Section 11(b) of this Agreement within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a
written request therefor, or (v) payment of indemnification pursuant to Section 3, 4 or 7 of this
Agreement is not made within ten (10) days after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is
entitled to indemnification, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication by a court of his
entitlement to such indemnification or advancement of Expenses. Alternatively, Indemnitee, at his
option, may seek an award in arbitration to be conducted by a single arbitrator pursuant to the
Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration
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Association. Indemnitee shall commence such 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 13(a); provided, however, that the foregoing clause shall
not apply in respect of a proceeding brought by Indemnitee to enforce his rights under Section 5 of
this Agreement. The Company shall not oppose Indemnitee’s right to seek any such adjudication or
award in arbitration.
(b) In the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 11(a) of this
Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding or
arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 13 shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo
trial, or arbitration, on the merits and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of that
adverse determination. In any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this
Section 13, the Company shall have the burden of proving Indemnitee is not entitled to
indemnification or advancement of Expenses, as the case may be.
(c) If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 11(a) 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 13, absent (i) 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, or (ii) a
prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law.
(d) The Company shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding or arbitration
commenced pursuant to this Section 13 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 the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall
indemnify Indemnitee against any and all Expenses and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall (within
ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor) advance, to the extent
not prohibited by law, such Expenses to Indemnitee, which are incurred by Indemnitee in connection
with any action brought by Indemnitee for indemnification or advance of Expenses from the Company
under this Agreement or under any directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies maintained
by the Company, regardless of whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to such
indemnification, advancement of Expenses or insurance recovery, as the case may be, in the suit for
which indemnification or advances is being sought.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, no determination as to
entitlement to indemnification under this Agreement shall be required to be made prior to the final
disposition of the Proceeding, including any appeal therein.
Section 14. Non-exclusivity; Survival of Rights; Insurance; Subrogation.
(a) The rights of indemnification and to receive advancement of Expenses as 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, the Bylaws, any agreement, a vote of stockholders or a
resolution of directors, or otherwise. No amendment, alteration or repeal of this Agreement or of
any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right
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of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any action taken or omitted by such
Indemnitee in his Corporate Status prior to such amendment, alteration or repeal. To the extent
that a change in Delaware law, whether by statute or judicial decision, permits greater
indemnification or advancement of Expenses than would be afforded currently under the Charter,
Bylaws and this Agreement, it is the intent of the parties hereto that Indemnitee shall enjoy by
this Agreement the greater benefits so afforded by such change. No right or remedy herein
conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right and
remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now
or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right
or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any
other right or remedy.
(b) The Company currently maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability
insurance for directors, officers, employees, or agents of the Company or of any other Enterprise,
and to the extent liability insurance coverage of comparable scope can continue to be purchased at
reasonable cost, the Company shall continue to maintain such coverage. Indemnitee shall be covered
by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the
coverage available for any such director, officer, employee or agent under such policy or policies.
If, at the time of the receipt of a notice of a claim pursuant to the terms hereof, the Company
has director and officer liability insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of the
commencement of such proceeding 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
proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies. Where it is feasible to do so without
materially impairing the Indemnitee’s ability to defend himself [or herself] in a Proceeding,
Indemnitee agrees to cooperate with the Company to maximize the insurance coverage applicable to a
particular Proceeding, including without limitation by agreeing to be jointly represented by legal
counsel with other directors, officers, employees, agents or fiduciaries of the Company who are
also involved with the Proceeding, or by agreeing to legal representation by a legal services
provider acceptable to the insurance carrier(s) that underwrite the liability insurance coverage
purchased by the Company; provided, however, that nothing in this sentence shall be construed to
pressure an Indemnitee’s or his [or her] legal counsel to violate any applicable rule of
professional responsibility applicable to legal counsel’s provision of legal services.
(c) 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.
(d) The Company shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any payment of amounts
otherwise indemnifiable hereunder (or for which advancement is provided hereunder) if and to the
extent that Indemnitee has otherwise actually received such payment under any insurance policy,
contract, agreement or otherwise.
(e) The Company’s obligation to indemnify or advance Expenses hereunder to Indemnitee who is
or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer,
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employee or agent of any other Enterprise shall be reduced by any amount Indemnitee has
actually received as indemnification or advancement of Expenses from such other Enterprise. Where
Indemnitee has indemnification rights relating to a Proceeding through both the Company and any
other Enterprise involved with the Proceeding and the other Enterprise disputes primary
responsibility to advance Expenses to or indemnify Indemnitee, the indemnification rights under
this Agreement shall apply; provided, however, that the Company’s agreement to protect Indemnitee
will be without prejudice to any rights the Company may have to seek from such other Enterprise
reimbursement of any Expenses or other amounts paid on behalf of Indemnitee.
Section 15. Duration of Agreement. This Agreement shall continue until and terminate
upon the later of: (a) ten (10) years after the date that Indemnitee shall have ceased to serve as
a [director][officer] of the Company or (b) one (1) year after the final termination of any
Proceeding, including any appeal, then pending in respect of which Indemnitee is granted rights of
indemnification or advancement of Expenses hereunder and of any proceeding commenced by Indemnitee
pursuant to Section 13 of this Agreement relating thereto. This Agreement shall be binding upon
the Company and its successors and assigns and shall inure to the benefit of Indemnitee and his
heirs, executors and administrators. 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 the 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.
Section 16. 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 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 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 17. Enforcement.
(a) The Company expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered into this Agreement and
assumed the obligations imposed on it hereby in order to induce Indemnitee to serve as a
[director][officer] of the Company, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon
this Agreement in serving as a [director][officer] of the Company.
(b) This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to
the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral, written and
implied, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof; provided, however,
that this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of
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the Charter of the Company, the Bylaws of the Company and applicable law, and shall not be
deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder.
Section 18. Modification and Waiver. No supplement, modification or amendment, or
wavier of any provision, of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by the
parties thereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall
constitute a waiver of any other provisions of this Agreement nor shall any waiver constitute a
continuing waiver.
Section 19. Notice by Indemnitee. Indemnitee agrees promptly to notify the Company in
writing upon being served with any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, information
or other document relating to any Proceeding or matter which may be subject to indemnification or
advancement of Expenses covered hereunder. The failure of Indemnitee to so notify the Company
shall not relieve the Company of any obligation which it may have to the Indemnitee under this
Agreement or otherwise.
Section 20. Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications under
this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if (a) delivered by
hand and receipted for by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been
directed, (b) mailed by certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third business
day after the date on which it is so mailed, (c) mailed by reputable overnight courier and
receipted for by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed or
(d) sent by facsimile transmission, with receipt of oral confirmation that such transmission has
been received:
(a) If to Indemnitee, at such address as Indemnitee shall provide to the Company.
(b) If to the Company to:
or to any other address as may have been furnished to Indemnitee by the Company.
Section 21. Contribution. To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, if
the indemnification provided for in this Agreement is unavailable to Indemnitee for any reason
whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying Indemnitee, shall contribute to the amount
incurred by Indemnitee, whether for judgments, fines, penalties, excise taxes, amounts paid or to
be paid in settlement and/or for Expenses, in connection with any claim relating to an
indemnifiable event under this Agreement, in such proportion as is deemed fair and reasonable in
light of all of the circumstances of such Proceeding in order to reflect (i) the relative benefits
received by the Company and Indemnitee as a result of the event(s) and/or transaction(s) giving
cause to such Proceeding; and/or (ii) the relative fault of the Company (and its directors,
officers, employees and agents) and Indemnitee in connection with such event(s) and/or
transaction(s).
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Section 22. Applicable Law and Consent to Jurisdiction. This Agreement and the legal
relations among the parties shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with,
the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to its conflict of laws rules. Except with
respect to any arbitration commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 13(a) of this Agreement, the
Company and Indemnitee hereby irrevocably and unconditionally (i) agree that any action or
proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement shall be brought only in the
Delaware Court, and not in any other state or federal court in the United States of America or any
court in any other country, (ii) consent to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Delaware
Court for purposes of any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement,
(iii) appoint, to the extent such party is not otherwise subject to service of process in the State
of Delaware, The Corporation Trust Company, Wilmington, Delaware as its agent in the State of
Delaware as such party’s agent for acceptance of legal process in connection with any such action
or proceeding against such party with the same legal force and validity as if served upon such
party personally within the State of Delaware, (iv) waive any objection to the laying of venue of
any such action or proceeding in the Delaware Court, and (v) waive, and agree not to plead or to
make, any claim that any such action or proceeding brought in the Delaware Court has been brought
in an improper or inconvenient forum.
Section 23. 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. Only one such counterpart signed by the
party against whom enforceability is sought needs to be produced to evidence the existence of this
Agreement.
Section 24. Miscellaneous. 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.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be signed as of the day and year
first above written.
XXX RESEARCH CORPORATION |
||||
By: | ||||
[Name] | ||||
[Office] | ||||
By: | ||||
[Indemnitee] | ||||
[Name] | ||||
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