FORM OF INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
EXHIBIT
10.1
FORM
OF INDEMNIFICATION
AGREEMENT
THIS
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
is
entered into as of this __ day of _____, 2006, by and between Data Systems
&
Software Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and
___________________________________ ("Indemnitee").
RECITALS
A. The
Company is aware that because of the increased exposure to litigation costs,
talented and experienced persons are increasingly reluctant to serve as
directors and officers of corporations unless they are protected by
comprehensive liability insurance and contractual indemnification
provisions.
B. The
statutes and judicial decisions regarding the duties of directors and officers
are often difficult to apply, ambiguous, or conflicting, and therefore fail
to
provide such directors and officers with adequate guidance regarding the proper
course of action.
C. The
Board
of Directors of the Company (the "Board") has concluded that, in order to
attract and retain talented and experienced individuals to serve as officers
and
directors of the Company and/or its subsidiaries and to encourage such
individuals to the business judgements necessary for the management of the
Company and its subsidiaries, the Company should contractually indemnify its
officers and directors, and the officers and directors of its subsidiaries,
in
connection with claims against such officers and directors in connection with
their services to the Company, and has further concluded that the failure to
provide such contractual indemnification could be detrimental to the Company
and
its stockholders.
NOW,
THEREFORE,
the
parties, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:
1. Definitions.
(a) Agent.
"Agent"
with respect to the Company means any person who is or was a director, officer,
employee or other agent of the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company; or is
or
was serving at the request of, for the convenience of, or to represent the
interests of, the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company as a director, officer,
employee or agent of another entity or enterprise; or was a director, officer,
employee or agent of a predecessor corporation (or other predecessor entity
or
enterprise) of the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company, or was a director,
officer, employee or agent of another entity or enterprise at the request of,
for the convenience of, or to represent the interests of such predecessor
corporation.
(b) Company.“Company”
shall
include, in addition to the resulting corporation, any
constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed
in
a consolidation or merger 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 an Agent of such
constituent corporation, 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.
(c) Expenses.
"Expenses" means all direct and indirect costs of any type or nature whatsoever
(including, without limitation, all attorneys' fees, costs of investigation
and
related disbursements, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties, and
amounts paid in settlement) incurred by the Indemnitee in connection with the
investigation, settlement, defense or appeal of a claim or Proceeding covered
hereby or establishing or enforcing a right to indemnification under this
Agreement.
(d) Proceeding.
"Proceeding" means any threatened, pending or completed claim, counterclaim,
suit or action, whether civil, criminal, administrative, investigative or
otherwise.
(e) Subsidiary.
"Subsidiary" means any corporation or other entity of which more than 10% of
the
outstanding voting securities or other voting interests are owned directly
or
indirectly by the Company, and one or more other Subsidiaries, taken as a
whole.
2. Maintenance
of Liability Insurance.
(a) The
Company hereby covenants and agrees with Indemnitee that the Company shall
obtain and maintain in full force and effect directors' and officers' liability
insurance ("D&O Insurance") in reasonable amounts as the Board of Directors
shall determine from established and reputable insurers, which D&O Insurance
shall in no event be on terms less favorable than those of the current policy,
a
copy of which has been provided to the Indemnitee.
(b) Upon
request by Indemnitee, the Company shall provide evidence of the D&O
Insurance required by Section 2(a) above. The Company shall promptly notify
Indemnitee of any change in the Company's D&O Insurance
coverage.
3. Mandatory
Indemnification.
(a) Third
Party Actions.
If
Indemnitee is a person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a
party
to any Proceeding (other than an action by or in the right of the Company,
which
action is covered by Section 3(b) below) by reason of the fact that Indemnitee
is or was or is claimed to be an Agent of the Company, by reason of anything
done or not done, or alleged to have been done or not done by Indemnitee in
any
such capacity or by reason of the fact that Indemnitee personally guaranteed
any
obligation of the Company at any time, the Company shall defend, indemnify
and
hold harmless Indemnitee against any and all Expenses and liabilities of any
type whatsoever incurred by such person in connection with the investigation,
defense, settlement or appeal of such Proceeding, so long as the Indemnitee
acted in good faith and in a manner the Indemnitee reasonably believed to be
in
or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, and, with respect to any
criminal action or Proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe such person's
conduct was unlawful.
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(b) Actions
by or in the Right of the Company.
If
Indemnitee is a person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a
party
to any Proceeding by or in the right of the Company by reason of the fact that
he is or was an Agent of the Company, or by reason of anything done or not
done,
or alleged to have been done or not done, by him in any such capacity, the
Company shall defend, indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee against any and
all
Expenses and liabilities of any type whatsoever incurred by such person in
connection with the investigation, defense, settlement or appeal of such
Proceeding, so long as the Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner the
Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests
of
the Company and so long as permitted by applicable law; except that no
indemnification under this subsection shall be made, and Indemnitee shall repay
all amounts previously advanced by the Company, in respect of any claim, issue
or matter for which such person is judged in a final, non-appealable decision
to
be liable to the Company by a court of competent jurisdiction, unless and only
to the extent that the court in which such Proceeding was brought or the Court
of Chancery of Delaware shall determine that Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably
entitled to indemnity
(c) Actions
Where Indemnitee Is Deceased.
If
Indemnitee is a person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a
party
to any Proceeding by reason of the fact that he is or was an Agent of the
Company, or by reason of anything done or not done by him in any such capacity,
and prior to, during the pendency of, or after completion of, such Proceeding,
the Indemnitee shall die, then the Company shall defend, indemnify and hold
harmless the estate, heirs and legatees of the Indemnitee against any and all
Expenses and liabilities incurred by or for such persons or entities in
connection with the investigation, defense, settlement or appeal of such
Proceeding on the same basis as provided for the Indemnitee in Sections 3(a)
and
3(b) above.
(d) No
Duplication of Payments.
The
Expenses and liabilities covered hereby shall be net of any payments actually
received by the Indemnitee under any D&O Insurance, the Company’s
Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws, or otherwise.
4. Partial
Indemnification.
If
Indemnitee is found under Section 3, 7 or 12 hereof not to be entitled to
indemnification for all of the Expenses relating to a Proceeding, the Company
shall indemnify the Indemnitee for any portion of such Expenses not specifically
precluded by the operation of such Section 3, 7 or 12.
5. Mandatory
Advancement of Expenses.
Until a
determination to the contrary under Section 7 hereof is made, and unless the
provisions of Section 10 apply, the Company shall advance all Expenses incurred
by Indemnitee in connection with the investigation, defense, settlement or
appeal of any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is a party or is threatened to
be
made a party covered by the indemnification in Section 3 hereof. To the extent
permitted by law, as a condition to such advances, Indemnitee shall, at the
request of the Company, undertake in a reasonable manner to repay such amounts
advanced if it shall ultimately be determined by a final order of a court that
Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company by the terms hereof
or under applicable law. Subject to Section 6 hereof, the advances to be made
hereunder shall be paid by the Company to Indemnitee within 20 days following
delivery of a written request by Indemnitee to the Company, which request shall
be accompanied by vouchers, invoices and similar evidence documenting the
amounts requested.
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6. Indemnification
Procedures.
(a) Promptly
after receipt by Indemnitee of notice to him or her of the commencement or
threat of any Proceeding covered hereby, Indemnitee shall notify the Company
of
the commencement or threat thereof, provided that any failure to so notify
shall
not relieve the Company of any of its obligations hereunder, except to the
extent that such failure or delay increases the liability of the Company
hereunder.
(b) Upon
receipt of notice, pursuant to Section 6(a) above, the Company shall give prompt
notice of the Proceeding to its insurers in accordance with the procedures
set
forth in the applicable policies. The Company shall thereafter take all
necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers to pay all amounts payable
as a result of such Proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies,
and the Indemnitee shall not take any action (by waiver, settlement or
otherwise) which would adversely affect the ability of the Company to obtain
payment from its insurers.
(c) If
the
Company shall be obligated to pay the Expenses of the Indemnitee under this
Agreement, the Company may (and shall if requested by Indemnitee in writing)
assume the defense of the Proceeding to which the Expenses relate, in which
event the Company shall deliver a notice of assumption to Indemnitee. Any
counsel employed by the Company in connection with the defense of such
Proceeding shall be subject to approval by Indemnitee, such approval not to
be
unreasonably withheld or delayed. The Company will not be liable to Indemnitee
under this Agreement for any fees or expenses of counsel incurred by Indemnitee
after delivery of such notice of assumption with respect to such Proceeding;
provided;
however,
that if
Indemnitee shall have provided the Company with an opinion of counsel stating
that there is a strong argument that a conflict of interest exists between
the
Company and Indemnitee in the conduct of any such defense, the fees and Expenses
of Indemnitee's counsel shall be at the expense of the Company. Notwithstanding
the fact that the Company assumes the defense of a Proceeding pursuant to the
preceding sentence, Indemnitee shall have the right to employ his or her own
counsel in any such Proceeding at Indemnitee's expense.
7. Determination
of Right to Indemnification.
(a) To
the
extent Indemnitee has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense
of
any Proceeding, claim, issue or matter covered hereby, Indemnitee need not
repay
any of the Expenses advanced in connection with the investigation, defense
or
appeal of such Proceeding.
(b) If
Section 7(a) is inapplicable, the Company shall remain obligated to indemnify
Indemnitee, and Indemnitee need not repay Expenses previously advanced, unless
the Company, by motion before a court of competent jurisdiction, obtains an
order for preliminary or permanent relief suspending or denying the obligation
to advance or indemnify for Expenses.
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(c) Notwithstanding
a determination by the Board or a court that Indemnitee is not entitled to
indemnification with respect to a specific Proceeding, Indemnitee shall have
the
right to apply to the Court of Chancery of Delaware for the purpose of enforcing
Indemnitee's right to indemnification pursuant to this Agreement.
(d) Notwithstanding
any other provision in this Agreement to the contrary, the Company shall
indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection
with any Proceeding under Section 7(b) or 7(c) and against all Expenses incurred
by Indemnitee in connection with any other Proceeding between the Company and
Indemnitee involving the interpretation or enforcement of the rights of
Indemnitee under this Agreement unless a court of competent jurisdiction finds
that the material claims and/or defenses of Indemnitee in any such Proceeding
were frivolous or made in bad faith.
8. Presumptions
and Burden of Proof; Expenses of Enforcement.
(a) For
purposes of this Agreement, the termination of any Proceeding by judgment or
otherwise 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 connection with any determination as to whether the Indemnitee is
entitled to indemnification or Expense advances hereunder, the burden of proof
shall be on the Company to establish that the Indemnitee is not so entitled,
by
clear and convincing evidence. 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 Company or relevant Subsidiary, including financial statements,
or on information supplied to Indemnitee by the officers of the Company or
relevant Subsidiary in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal
counsel for the Company or relevant Subsidiary, by an independent certified
public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert selected with reasonable
care by the Company or relevant Subsidiary, provided that it was reasonable
under the circumstances for the Indemnitee to rely upon such information or
advice. The knowledge and/or actions, or failure to act, of any other director,
officer, agent or employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries shall
not
be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to
indemnification under this Agreement.
(b) The
Company shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding commenced
in enforcement of this Agreement that the procedures and presumptions of this
Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any
such
court that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this
Agreement.
(d) In
the
event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 7 of this
Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial
proceeding commenced in enforcement of this Agreement shall be conducted in
all
respects as a de novo
trial,
on the merits, and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of that adverse
determination.
(e) 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,
regardless of whether Indemnitee is ultimately successful in such action, and
shall be entitled to the advancement of Expenses 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 Expenses incurred with
respect to Indemnitee’s counterclaims and cross-claims made in such action), and
shall be entitled to the advancement of Expenses with respect to such
action.
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9. Contribution.
If the
indemnification provided for in Section 3 above is unavailable for any reason
other than the statutory limitations set forth in the DGCL, then in respect
of
any Proceeding in which the Company is jointly liable with the Indemnitee the
Company shall contribute to the amount of the Indemnitee’s Expenses in such
proportion as is appropriate to reflect (a) the relative benefits received
by the Company on the one hand and by the Indemnitee on the other hand from
the
transaction from which such Proceeding arose, and (b) the relative fault of
the
Company on the one hand and of the Indemnitee on the other hand in connection
with the events which resulted in such Expenses, as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations. The relative fault of the Company on the one hand
and
of the Indemnitee on the other shall be determined by reference to, among other
things, the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and
opportunity to correct or prevent the circumstances resulting in such Expenses.
The Company agrees that it would not be just and equitable if contribution
pursuant to this Section 9 was determined by pro rata or per capita allocation
or any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable
considerations referred to in the immediately preceding sentence. The foregoing
provisions notwithstanding, no person found guilty of fraudulent
misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act)
shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not found guilty
of
such fraudulent misrepresentation.
10. Certificate
of Incorporation and By-Laws.
The
Company agrees that the Company's Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws
in
effect on the date hereof shall not be amended to reduce, limit, hinder or
delay
(i) the rights of Indemnitee granted hereby or (ii) the ability of the Company
to indemnify Indemnitee as required hereby. The Company further agrees that
it
shall exercise the powers granted to it under its Certificate of Incorporation,
its By-laws and by applicable law to indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent
possible as required hereby.
11. Witness
Expenses.
The
Company agrees to compensate Indemnitee for the reasonable value of his or
her
time spent, and to reimburse Indemnitee for all Expenses (including attorneys'
fees and travel costs) incurred by him or her, in connection with being a
witness, or if Indemnitee is threatened to be made a witness, with respect
to
any Proceeding, by reason of his or her serving or having served as an Agent
of
the Company.
12. Exceptions.
Notwithstanding any other provision hereunder to the contrary, the Company
shall
not be obligated pursuant to the terms of this Agreement:
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(a)
Claims
Initiated by Indemnitee.
To
indemnify or advance Expenses to Indemnitee with respect to any Proceeding
initiated or brought voluntarily by Indemnitee and not by way of defense (other
than Proceedings brought to establish or enforce a right to indemnification
under this Agreement or the provisions of the Company's Certificate of
Incorporation or By-laws unless a court of competent jurisdiction determines
that each of the material assertions made by Indemnitee in such Proceeding
were
not made in good faith or were frivolous);
(b)
Unauthorized
Settlements.
To
indemnify Indemnitee under this Agreement for any amounts paid in settlement
of
a Proceeding covered hereby without the prior written consent of the Company
to
such settlement;
(c) Claims
Under Section 16(b).
To
indemnify Indemnitee for any Proceeding, Expenses or 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;
or
(d) Claims
Excluded Under Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation
Law.
To
indemnify Indemnitee if (i) Indemnitee did not act in good faith or in a manner
reasonably believed by such Indemnitee to be in or not opposed to the best
interests of the Company, or (ii) with respect to any criminal action or
proceeding, Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe Indemnitee’s conduct was
unlawful, or (iii) Indemnitee shall have been adjudged to be liable to the
Company unless and only to the extent the court in which such action was brought
shall permit indemnification as provided in Section 145(b) of the Delaware
General Corporation Law.
13. Non-exclusivity.
This
Agreement is not the exclusive arrangement between the Company and Indemnitee
regarding the subject matter hereof and shall not diminish or affect any other
rights which Indemnitee may have under any provision of law, the Company's
Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws, under employment or other agreements,
or otherwise.
14. Continuation
After Term.
Indemnitee's rights hereunder shall continue after the Indemnitee has ceased
acting as a director or Agent of the Company and the benefits hereof shall
inure
to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of
Indemnitee.
15. Severability.
If any
provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal
or unenforceable, provisions of the Agreement shall not in any way be affected
or impaired thereby, and to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of
this
Agreement shall be construed or altered by the court so as to remain enforceable
and to provide Indemnitee with as many of the benefits contemplated hereby
as
are permitted under law.
16. Counterparts,
Modification and Waiver.
This
Agreement may be signed in counterparts. This Agreement constitutes a separate
agreement between the Company and Indemnitee and may be supplemented or amended
as to Indemnitee only by a written instrument signed by the Company and
Indemnitee, with such amendment binding only the Company and Indemnitee. All
waivers must be in a written document signed by the party to be charged. No
waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be implied by the
conduct of the parties. A waiver of any right hereunder shall not constitute
a
waiver of any other right hereunder (whether or not similar) nor shall such
waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
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17. Notices.
All
notices, demands or other communications required or permitted hereunder shall
be in writing and shall be deemed to have been given to a party (a) when
delivered to such party at the address of such party by any means (including,
without limitation, courier service or personal delivery), (b) three business
days after the same are mailed to such party (through deposit in the United
States mail), by first-class certified or registered mail, return receipt
requested, postage prepaid, to the address of such party, or (c) one day after
the business day of delivery by facsimile transmission, if deliverable by
facsimile transmission, with copy by first class mail, postage prepaid to the
address of such party. The respective address of each party for purposes of
receiving notices, demands or other communications as aforesaid shall be as
follows (or such other address as a party may hereafter designate by notice
delivered to the other parties in accordance with this subsection): (i) for
the
Company, the address of its principal executive offices, attention Chief
Executive Officer (with a copy attention Assistant Secretary) and (ii) for
Indemnitee, the most recent address of the Indemnitee on the Company's records.
18. Governing
Law.
This
Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal
laws of the State of Delaware.
19. Binding
Effect; Successors and Assigns.
This
Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable
by the parties hereto and their respective successors, heirs or assigns. This
Agreement shall continue in effect with respect to Claims relating to
indemnifiable events regardless of whether any Indemnitee continues to serve
as
an Agent of the Company.
20. Consent
to Jurisdiction.
The
Company and Indemnitee each hereby 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.
21. No
Construction as Employment Agreement.
Nothing
contained in this Agreement shall be construed as giving the Indemnitee any
right to be retained in the employ of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries.
22. Corporate
Authority.
The
Board
of Directors of the Company has approved the terms of this
Agreement.
[Signatures
appear on next page]
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IN
WITNESS WHEREOF,
the
parties hereto have entered into this Indemnification Agreement effective as
of
the date first above written.
DATA SYSTEMS & SOFTWARE INC. | ||
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By: | ||
Name: |
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Title: | ||
INDEMNITEE: | ||
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[Name] |
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