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EXHIBIT 10.24
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT, effective as of [DATE], between USEC Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), and [INDEMNITEE] (the "Indemnitee").
WHEREAS, it is essential to the Company to retain and attract as
directors and officers the most capable persons available;
WHEREAS, Indemnitee is a director or officer of the Company;
WHEREAS, both the Company and Indemnitee recognize the increased risk
of litigation and other claims being asserted against directors and officers of
public companies in today's environment;
WHEREAS, the Certificate of Incorporation ("Certificate") and By-laws
of the Company require the Company to indemnify and advance expenses to its
directors and officers to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by law and
the Indemnitee has been serving and continues to serve as a director or officer
of the Company in part in reliance on such Certificate and By-laws;
WHEREAS, in recognition of Indemnitee's need for substantial protection
against personal liability in order to enhance Indemnitee's continued service to
the Company in an effective manner, and in part to provide Indemnitee with
specific contractual assurance that the protection promised by the aforesaid
Certificate and By-laws will be available to Indemnitee (regardless of, among
other things, any amendment to or revocation of such Certificate and By-laws or
any change in the composition of the Company's Board of Directors or acquisition
transaction relating to the Company), the Company wishes to provide in this
Agreement for the indemnification of and the advancing of expenses to Indemnitee
to the fullest extent (whether partial or complete) permitted by law and as set
forth in this Agreement, and, to the extent insurance is obtained or maintained,
for the continued coverage of Indemnitee under the Company's directors' and
officers' liability insurance policies;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and of Indemnitee
continuing to serve the Company directly or, at its request, another enterprise,
and intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Certain Definitions:
(a) Change in Control: shall be deemed to have occurred if (i) any
"person" (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended), other than a
trustee or
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other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit
plan of the Company 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, is or becomes the "beneficial owner" (as defined in
Rule 13d-3 under said Act), directly or indirectly, of
securities of the Company representing 20% or more of the
total voting power represented by the Company's then
outstanding Voting Securities, or (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, or (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 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 transactions) all or substantially all the Company's
assets.
(b) Claim: any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or
proceeding, or any inquiry or investigation, whether
instituted by the Company or any other party, that Indemnitee
in good faith believes might lead to the institution of any
such action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal,
administrative, investigative or other.
(c) Expenses: include attorneys' fees and all other costs,
expenses and obligations paid or incurred in connection with
investigating, defending, being a witness in or participating
in (including on appeal), or preparing to defend, be a witness
in or participate in, any Claim relating to any Indemnifiable
Event.
(d) Indemnifiable Event: any event or occurrence related to the
fact that Indemnitee is or was a director, officer, employee,
agent or fiduciary of the Company, or is or was serving at the
request of the Company
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as a director, officer, employee, trustee, agent or fiduciary
of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, employee
benefit plan, trust or other enterprise, or by reason of
anything done or not done by Indemnitee in any such capacity.
(e) Independent Legal Counsel: an attorney or firm of attorneys,
selected in accordance with the provisions of Section 3, who
shall not have otherwise performed services for the Company or
Indemnitee within the last five years (other than with respect
to matters concerning the rights of Indemnitee under this
Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar indemnity
agreements).
(f) Reviewing Party: (i) the Company's Board of Directors by a
majority vote of directors who were not parties to the
particular Claim for which Indemnitee is seeking
indemnification, or (ii) if there are no such directors, or if
such directors so direct, then Independent Legal Counsel, or
(iii) the stockholders.
(g) Voting Securities: any securities of the Company which vote
generally in the election of directors.
2. Basic Indemnification Arrangement. (a) In the event Indemnitee was,
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, a Claim by reason of (or
arising in part out of) an Indemnifiable Event, the Company shall indemnify
Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by law as soon as practicable but in
any event no later than thirty days after written demand is presented to the
Company, against any and all Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts
paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid
or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses, judgments, fines,
penalties or amounts paid in settlement) of such Claim. Notwithstanding anything
in this Agreement to the contrary, prior to a Change in Control, Indemnitee
shall not be entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Agreement in
connection with any Claim initiated by Indemnitee unless the Board of Directors
has authorized or consented to the initiation of such Claim. If so requested by
Indemnitee, the Company shall advance (within two business days of such request)
any and all Expenses to Indemnitee (an "Expense Advance").
(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) the obligations of the
Company under Section 2(a) shall be subject to the condition that the Reviewing
Party shall not have determined (in a written opinion, in any case in which the
Independent Legal Counsel referred to in Section 3 hereof is involved) that
Indemnitee would not be permitted to be indemnified under applicable law, and
(ii) the obligation of the Company to make an Expense Advance pursuant to
Section 2(a) shall be subject to the
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condition that, if, when and to the extent that the Reviewing Party determines
that Indemnitee would not be permitted to be so indemnified under applicable
law, the Company shall be entitled to be reimbursed by Indemnitee (who hereby
agrees to reimburse the Company) for all such amounts theretofore paid;
provided, however, that if Indemnitee has commenced or thereafter commences
legal proceedings in a court of competent jurisdiction to secure a determination
that Indemnitee should be indemnified under applicable law, any determination
made by the Reviewing Party that Indemnitee would not be permitted to be
indemnified under applicable law shall not be binding and Indemnitee shall not
be required to reimburse the Company for any Expense Advance until a final
judicial determination is made with respect thereto (as to which all rights of
appeal therefrom have been exhausted or lapsed). If there has not been a Change
in Control, the 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), the Reviewing Party
shall be the Independent Legal Counsel referred to in Section 3 hereof. If there
has been no determination by the Reviewing Party or if the Reviewing Party
determines that Indemnitee substantively would not be permitted to be
indemnified in whole or in part under applicable law, Indemnitee shall have the
right to commence litigation in any court in the State of Delaware having
subject matter jurisdiction thereof and in which venue is proper seeking an
initial determination by the court or challenging any such determination by the
Reviewing Party or any aspect thereof, including the legal or factual bases
therefor, and the Company hereby consents to service of process and to appear in
any such proceeding. Except with respect to litigation commenced in accordance
with the preceding sentence, any determination by the Reviewing Party under this
Section 2 shall be conclusive and binding on the Company and Indemnitee.
3. Change in Control. The Company agrees that if there is a Change in
Control of the Company (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) then with respect to all matters thereafter
arising concerning the rights of Indemnitee to indemnity payments and Expense
Advances under this Agreement or any other agreement or Company By-law now or
hereafter in effect relating to Claims for Indemnifiable Events, the Company
shall seek legal advice only from 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 the Indemnitee would
be permitted to be indemnified under applicable law. 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
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damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant
hereto.
4. Indemnification for Additional Expenses. The Company shall indemnify
Indemnitee against any and all expenses (including attorneys' fees) and, if
requested by Indemnitee, shall (within two business days of such request)
advance such expenses to Indemnitee, which are incurred by Indemnitee in
connection with any action brought by Indemnitee for (i) indemnification or
advance payment of Expenses by the Company under this Agreement or any other
agreement or Company By-law now or hereafter in effect relating to Claims for
Indemnifiable Events and/or (ii) recovery 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,
advance expense payment or insurance recovery, as the case may be.
5. Partial Indemnity, Etc. If Indemnitee is entitled under any
provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for some or a
portion of the Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in
settlement of a Claim but not, however, for all of the total amount thereof, the
Company shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for the portion thereof to which
Indemnitee is entitled. Moreover, notwithstanding any other provision of this
Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee has been successful on the merits or
otherwise in defense of any or all Claims relating in whole or in part to an
Indemnifiable Event or in defense of any issue or matter therein, including
dismissal without prejudice, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all
Expenses incurred in connection therewith.
6. Burden of Proof. In connection with any determination by the
Reviewing Party or otherwise as to whether Indemnitee is entitled to be
indemnified hereunder the burden of proof shall be on the Company to establish
that Indemnitee is not so entitled.
7. No Presumptions. For purposes of this Agreement, the termination of
any claim, action, suit or proceeding, by judgment, order, settlement (whether
with or without court approval) or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo
contendere, 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 applicable
law. In addition, neither the failure of the 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 the
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
applicable law shall be a defense to Indemnitee's claim or create a
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presumption that Indemnitee has not met any particular standard of conduct or
did not have any particular belief.
8. Nonexclusivity, Etc. The rights of the Indemnitee hereunder shall be
in addition to any other rights Indemnitee may have under the Company's
Certificate and By-laws or the Delaware General Corporation Law or otherwise.
To the extent that a change in the Delaware General Corporation Law (whether by
statute or judicial decision) permits greater indemnification by agreement than
would be afforded currently under the Company's Certificate and By-laws 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.
9. Liability Insurance. To the extent the Company maintains an insurance
policy or policies providing directors' and officers' liability insurance,
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 Company
director or officer.
10. Period of Limitations. No legal action shall be brought and no cause
of action shall be asserted by or in the right of the Company against
Indemnitee, Indemnitee's spouse, heirs, executors or personal or legal
representatives after the expiration of two years from the date of accrual of
such cause of action, and any claim or cause of action of the Company shall be
extinguished and deemed released unless asserted by the timely filing of a
legal action within such two-year period; provided, however, that if any
shorter period of limitations is otherwise applicable to any such cause of
action such shorter period shall govern.
11. Amendments, Etc. No supplement, modification or amendment of this
Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by both of the parties
hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or
shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions hereof (whether or not
similar) nor shall such waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
12. Subrogation. In the event of 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 shall do
everything that may be necessary to secure such rights, including the execution
of such documents necessary to enable the Company effectively to bring suit to
enforce such rights.
13. No Duplication of Payments. The Company shall not be liable under
this Agreement to make any payment in connection with any Claim made against
Indemnitee to the extent Indemnitee has otherwise actually received payment
(under
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any insurance policy, By-law or otherwise) of the amounts otherwise
indemnifiable hereunder.
14. Binding Effect, Etc. This Agreement shall be 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
and/or assets of the Company, spouses, heirs, executors and personal and legal
representatives. This Agreement shall continue in effect regardless of whether
Indemnitee continues to serve as an officer or director of the Company or of
any other enterprise at the Company's request.
15. Severability. The provisions of this Agreement shall be severable in
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 in any respect, and
the validity and enforceability of any such provision in every other respect and
of the remaining provisions hereof shall not be in any way impaired and shall
remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law.
16. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed
and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware applicable to
contracts made and to be performed in such state without giving effect to the
principles of conflicts of laws.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this
Agreement this ____ day of ________, 1998.
USEC INC.
By
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Name:
Title:
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Name: [Indemnitee]
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