Exhibit 1
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
______________ __, 0000
XxxxxXxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Inc.
X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
The Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxxxxx Company, LLC
Soundview Technology Group, Inc.
As Representatives of the several Underwriters
c/o FleetBoston Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Inc.
000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxx Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
INTRODUCTORY. Switchboard Incorporated, a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), proposes to issue and sell to the several underwriters named in
Schedule A (the "Underwriters") an aggregate of [5,500,000] shares (the "Firm
Shares") of its Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the "Common Shares").
In addition, the Company has granted to the Underwriters an option to purchase
up to an additional [825,000] Common Shares (the "Option Shares") as provided in
Section 2. The Firm Shares and, if and to the extent such option is exercised,
the Option Shares are collectively called the "Shares". FleetBoston Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx Inc. ("Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx"), X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc., The Xxxxxxxx-
Xxxxxxxx Company, LLC, and Soundview Technology Group, Inc have agreed to act as
representatives of the several Underwriters (in such capacity, the
"Representatives") in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares. As a
part of the offering contemplated by this Agreement, Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx has
agreed to reserve out of the Shares set forth opposite its name on Schedule A to
this Agreement, up to [550,000] Shares, for sale to the Company's employees,
officers, and directors and other parties associated with the Company
(collectively, "Participants"), as set forth in the Prospectus under the heading
"Underwriting" (the "Directed Share Program"). The Shares to be sold by
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx pursuant to the Directed Share Program (the "Directed
Shares") will be sold by Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx pursuant to this Agreement at the
public offering price. Any Directed Shares not orally confirmed for purchase by
any Participants as of 7:00 a.m., San Francisco time, on the first day trading
of the Shares commences will be offered to the public by Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx as
set forth in the Prospectus.
The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission") a registration statement on Form S-1 (File No.
333-90013), which contains a form of prospectus, subject to completion, to be
used
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in connection with the public offering and sale of the Shares. The prospectus,
subject to completion, dated as of February __, 2000 to be used in connection
with such public offering is called the "Preliminary Prospectus." Such
registration statement, as amended, including the financial statements, exhibits
and schedules thereto, in the form in which it was declared effective by the
Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, and the rules and regulations
promulgated thereunder (collectively, the "Securities Act"), including any
information deemed to be a part thereof at the time of effectiveness pursuant to
Rule 430A under the Securities Act, is called the "Registration Statement". Any
registration statement filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the
Securities Act is called the "Rule 462(b) Registration Statement", and from and
after the date and time of filing of the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement the
term "Registration Statement" shall include the Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement. Such prospectus, in the form first used by the Underwriters to
confirm sales of the Shares, is called the "Prospectus". All references in this
Agreement to the Registration Statement, the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement,
the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, or any amendments or supplements to
any of the foregoing, shall include any copy thereof filed with the Commission
pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System
("XXXXX").
The Company hereby confirms its agreements with the Underwriters as
follows:
SECTION 1. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY.
The Company hereby represents, warrants and covenants to each Underwriter
as follows:
(a) Compliance with Registration Requirements. The Registration Statement
and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement have been declared effective by the
Commission under the Securities Act. The staff of the Commission has indicated
to the Company that all of its outstanding comments on the Registration
Statement have been resolved. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement is in effect
and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to
the best knowledge of the Company, are contemplated or threatened by the
Commission.
The Preliminary Prospectus, as of its date, and the Prospectus when filed
complied in all material respects with the Securities Act and, if filed by
electronic transmission pursuant to XXXXX (except as may be permitted by
Regulation S-T under the Securities Act), was identical to the copy thereof
delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offer and sale of
the Shares. Each of the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time it became
effective and at all
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subsequent times, complied and will comply in all material respects with the
Securities Act and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. The Preliminary
Prospectus, as of its date, and the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, as
of its date and at all subsequent times, did not and will not contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order
to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading. The representations and warranties set forth in
the two immediately preceding sentences do not apply to statements in or
omissions from the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement, or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the Prospectus, or any
amendments or supplements thereto, made in reliance upon and in conformity with
information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by
the Representatives expressly for use therein. There are no contracts or other
documents required to be described in the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits
to the Registration Statement which have not been described or filed as
required.
(b) Offering Materials Furnished to Underwriters . The Company has
delivered to the Representatives four complete conformed copies of the
Registration Statement and of each consent and certificate of experts filed as a
part thereof, and conformed copies of the Registration Statement (without
exhibits) and preliminary prospectuses and the Prospectus, as amended or
supplemented to date, in such quantities and at such places as the
Representatives have reasonably requested for each of the Underwriters.
(c) Distribution of Offering Material By the Company . The Company has not
distributed and will not distribute, prior to the later of the Second Closing
Date (as defined below) and the completion of the Underwriters' distribution of
the Shares, any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of
the Shares other than a preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or the
Registration Statement.
(d) The Underwriting Agreement . This Agreement has been duly authorized,
executed and delivered by, and is a valid and binding agreement of, the Company,
enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as rights to indemnification
hereunder may be limited by applicable law and except as the enforcement hereof
may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other
similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors or by
general equitable principles.
(e) Authorization of the Shares . The Shares to be purchased by the
Underwriters from the Company have been duly authorized for issuance and sale
pursuant to this Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Company
pursuant to this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable.
(f) No Applicable Registration or Other Similar Rights . There are no
persons with registration or other similar rights to have any equity or debt
securities registered for sale under the Registration Statement or included in
the offering contemplated by this Agreement, except for such rights as have been
duly waived or have expired by reason of lapse of time following notification of
the Company's intent to file the Registration Statement.
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(g) No Material Adverse Change . Subsequent to the respective dates as of
which information is given in the Prospectus: (i) there has been no material
adverse change, or any development that could reasonably be expected to result
in a material adverse change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in
the earnings, business, operations or prospects, whether or not arising from
transactions in the ordinary course of business, of the Company (any such change
or effect, where the context so requires, is called a "Material Adverse Change"
or a "Material Adverse Effect"); (ii) the Company has not incurred any material
liability or obligation, indirect, direct or contingent, not in the ordinary
course of business nor entered into any material transaction or agreement not in
the ordinary course of business; and (iii) there has been no dividend or
distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company.
(h) Independent Accountants . PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, who have
expressed their opinion with respect to the financial statements (which term as
used in this Agreement includes the related notes thereto) and supporting
schedules filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement and
included in the Prospectus, are independent public or certified public
accountants as required by the Securities Act.
(i) Preparation of the Financial Statements . The financial statements
filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement and included
in the Prospectus present fairly the financial position of the Company as of and
at the dates indicated and the results of their operations and cash flows for
the periods specified. The supporting schedules included in the Registration
Statement present fairly the information required to be stated therein. Such
financial statements and supporting schedules have been prepared in conformity
with generally accepted accounting principles as applied in the United States
applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved, except as may be
expressly stated in the related notes thereto. No other financial statements or
supporting schedules are required to be included in the Registration Statement.
The financial data set forth in the Prospectus under the captions "Summary--
Summary Financial Data", "Selected Financial Data" and "Capitalization" fairly
present the information set forth therein on a basis consistent with that of the
audited financial statements contained in the Registration Statement.
(j) Company's Accounting System. The Company maintains a system of
accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (i)
transactions are executed in accordance with management's general or specific
authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation
of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting
principles and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is
permitted only in accordance with management's general or specific
authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with
existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with
respect to any differences.
(k) Subsidiaries of the Company. The Company has no subsidiaries.
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(l) Incorporation and Good Standing of the Company . The Company has been
duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under
the laws of the jurisdiction in which it is organized with full corporate power
and authority to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the
Prospectus, and is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and is
in good standing under the laws of each jurisdiction which requires such
qualification, except where failure or failures to qualify, individually or in
the aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
(m) Capitalization and Other Capital Stock Matters . The authorized, issued
and outstanding capital stock of the Company is as set forth in the Prospectus
under the caption "Capitalization" (other than for subsequent issuances, if any,
pursuant to employee benefit plans described in the Prospectus or upon exercise
of outstanding options, warrants or convertible securities described in the
Prospectus). The Common Shares (including the Shares) conform in all material
respects to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus. All of the
issued and outstanding Common Shares have been duly authorized and validly
issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and have been issued in compliance with
federal and state securities laws. None of the outstanding Common Shares was
issued in violation of any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other
similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities of the Company. There are
no authorized or outstanding options, warrants, preemptive rights, rights of
first refusal or other rights to purchase, or equity or debt securities
convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for, any capital stock of the
Company issued or granted by the Company, as the case may be, other than those
described in the Prospectus. The description of the Company's stock option,
stock bonus and other stock plans or arrangements, and the options or other
rights granted thereunder, set forth in the Prospectus accurately and fairly
presents the information required to be shown with respect to such plans,
arrangements, options and rights.
(n) Stock Exchange Listing . The Shares have been approved for inclusion on
the Nasdaq National Market, subject only to official notice of issuance.
(o) No Consents, Approvals or Authorizations Required . No consent,
approval, authorization, filing with or order of any court or governmental
agency or regulatory body is required in connection with the transactions
contemplated herein, except such as have been obtained or made under the
Securities Act and such as may be required (i) under the blue sky laws of any
jurisdiction in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by
the Underwriters in the manner contemplated herein and in the Prospectus, (ii)
by the National Association of Securities Dealers, LLC and (iii) by the federal
and provincial laws of Canada.
(p) Non-Contravention of Existing Instruments and Agreements . Neither the
issue and sale of the Shares nor the consummation of any other of the
transactions herein contemplated nor the fulfillment of the terms hereof will
conflict with, result in a breach or violation or imposition of any lien, charge
or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company pursuant to, (i) the
charter or by-laws of the Company, (ii) the terms of any indenture, contract,
lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or
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other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which the
Company is a party or bound or to which its property is subject, except in any
case or cases where such conflicts, breaches, violations or impositions would
not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect or
(iii) any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree applicable
to the Company of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency,
governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the
Company or any of its properties.
(q) No Defaults or Violations . The Company is not in violation or default
of (i) any provision of its charter or by-laws, (ii) the terms of any indenture,
contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or
other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which it is a
party or bound or to which its property is subject or (iii) any statute, law,
rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any court, regulatory body,
administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having
jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties, as applicable, except
any such violations or defaults which would not, singly or in the aggregate,
result in a Material Adverse Change except as otherwise disclosed in the
Prospectus.
(r) No Actions, Suits or Proceedings . No action, suit or proceeding by or
before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator
involving the Company or its property is pending or, to the best knowledge of
the Company, threatened that (i) could reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect on the performance of this Agreement or the consummation of any
of the transactions contemplated hereby or (ii) could reasonably be expected to
result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(s) All Necessary Permits, Etc . The Company possesses such valid and
current certificates, authorizations or permits issued by the appropriate state,
federal or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to conduct its
businesses except where any failure or failures to possess such certificate,
authorization or permit, singly or in the aggregate, would not result in a
Material Adverse Effect, and the Company has not received any notice of
proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of, or non-compliance
with, any such certificates, authorizations or permits which, singly or in the
aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, could
result in a Material Adverse Change.
(t) Title to Properties . The Company has good and marketable title to all
the properties and assets reflected as owned in the financial statements
referred to in Section 1(i) above (or elsewhere in the Prospectus), in each case
free and clear of any security interests, mortgages, liens, encumbrances,
equities, claims and other defects, except such as do not materially and
adversely affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with
the use made or proposed to be made of such property by the Company. The real
property, improvements, equipment and personal property held under lease by the
Company are held under valid and enforceable leases, with such exceptions as are
not material and do not materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be
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made of such real property, improvements, equipment or personal property by the
Company.
(u) Tax Law Compliance . The Company has filed all necessary federal, state
and foreign income and franchise tax returns or has properly requested
extensions thereof and has paid all taxes required to be paid by it and, if due
and payable, any related or similar assessment, fine or penalty levied against
it, except where any failure or failures to file or pay, individually or in the
aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has made
adequate charges, accruals and reserves in the applicable financial statements
referred to in Section 1(i) above in respect of all federal, state and foreign
income and franchise taxes for all periods as to which the tax liability of the
Company has not been finally determined. The Company is not aware of any tax
deficiency that has been or might be asserted or threatened against the Company
that could result in a Material Adverse Change.
(v) Intellectual Property Rights . The Company owns or possesses adequate
rights to use all patents, patent rights or licenses, inventions, collaborative
research agreements, trade secrets, know-how, trademarks, service marks, trade
names and copyrights which are necessary to conduct its businesses as described
in the Registration Statement and Prospectus. None of the Company's software
that it owns includes or incorporates any code obtained from the public domain
or from open source software. The expiration of any patents, patent rights,
trade secrets, trademarks, service marks, trade names or copyrights owned,
possessed or licensed by the Company would not reasonably be expected to result
in a Material Adverse Change that is not otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus;
the Company has not received any notice of, and has no knowledge of, any
infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of the Company by others with
respect to any patent, patent rights, inventions, trade secrets, know-how,
trademarks, service marks, trade names or copyrights; and the Company has not
received any notice of, and has no knowledge of, any infringement of or conflict
with asserted rights of others with respect to any patent, patent rights,
inventions, trade secrets, know-how, trademarks, service marks, trade names or
copyrights which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable
decision, ruling or finding, might have a Material Adverse Effect. There is no
claim being made against the Company regarding patents, patent rights or
licenses, inventions, collaborative research, trade secrets, know-how,
trademarks, service marks, trade names or copyrights. The Company does not in
the conduct of its business as described in the Prospectus infringe or conflict
with any right or patent of any third party, or any discovery, invention,
product or process which is the subject of a patent application filed by any
third party, known to the Company, which such infringement or conflict is
reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Change.
(w) Year 2000 Preparedness . There are no issues related to the Company's
readiness for the "Year 2000 Problem," as described in the Prospectus, that (i)
are of a character required to be described or referred to in the Registration
Statement or Prospectus by the Securities Act which have not been accurately
described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or (ii) might reasonably
be expected to result in any Material Adverse Change. All internal computer
systems and each Constituent
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Component (as defined below) of those systems of the Company fully comply with
Year 2000 Qualification Requirements (as defined below). "Year 2000
Qualifications Requirements" means that the internal computer systems and each
Constituent Component of those systems s of the Company (i) have been designed
to ensure date and time entry recognition and calculations, and date data
interface values that reflect the century, (ii) accurately manage and manipulate
data involving dates and times, including single century formulas and
multi-century formulas, and will not cause an abnormal ending scenario within
the application or generate incorrect values or invalid results involving such
dates, (iii) accurately process any date rollover, and (iv) accept and respond
to two-digit year date input in a manner that resolves any ambiguities as to the
century. "Constituent Component" means all software (including operating
systems, programs, packages and utilities), firmware, hardware, networking
components, and peripherals provided as part of the configuration. The Company
has inquired of material vendors as to their preparedness for the Year 2000 and
has disclosed in the Registration Statement or Prospectus any issues that might
reasonably be expected to result in any Material Adverse Change.
(x) No Transfer Taxes or Other Fees . There are no transfer taxes or other
similar fees or charges under federal law or the laws of any state, or any
political subdivision thereof, required to be paid in connection with the
execution and delivery of this Agreement or the issuance and sale by the Company
of the Shares.
(y) Company Not an "Investment Company" {. The Company has been advised of
the rules and requirements under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended
(the "Investment Company Act"). The Company is not, and after receipt of payment
for the Shares will not be, an "investment company" or an entity "controlled" by
an "investment company" within the meaning of the Investment Company Act and
will conduct its business in a manner so that it will not become subject to the
Investment Company Act.
(z) Insurance . The Company is insured by nationally recognized
institutions with policies held by the Company and in the Company's name in such
amounts and with such deductibles and covering such risks as are generally
deemed adequate and customary for its business including, but not limited to,
policies covering real and personal property owned or leased by the Company
against theft, damage, destruction, acts of vandalism and earthquakes, general
liability and Directors and Officers liability; and none of such policies will
terminate as a result of the issuance of the Shares. The Company has no reason
to believe that it will not be able (i) to renew its existing insurance coverage
as and when such policies expire or (ii) to obtain comparable coverage from
similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its
businesses as now conducted and at a cost that would not result in a Material
Adverse Change. The Company has not been denied any insurance coverage which it
has sought or for which it has applied.
(aa) Labor Matters . To the best of Company's knowledge, no labor
disturbance by the employees of the Company exists or is imminent; and the
Company is
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not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of
Banyan Systems Incorporated ("Banyan Worldwide") or any other of the Company's
material suppliers that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material
Adverse Change.
(bb) No Price Stabilization or Manipulation . The Company has not taken and
will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that might be
reasonably expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the
price of the Common Shares to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares.
(cc) Lock-Up Agreements . Each officer and director of the Company and each
securityholder of the Company has agreed to sign an agreement substantially in
the form attached hereto as Exhibit A or is party to an agreement with the
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Company that such holder will not sell Common Shares within 180 days of the date
hereof without the consent of the Company (the "Lock-up Agreements"). The
Company has provided to counsel for the Underwriters a complete and accurate
list of all securityholders of the Company and the number and type of securities
held by each securityholder. The Company has provided to counsel for the
Underwriters true, accurate and complete copies of all of the Lock-up Agreements
presently in effect or effected hereby. The Company hereby represents and
warrants that it will not release any of its officers, directors or other
securityholders from any Lock-up Agreements currently existing or hereafter
effected without the prior written consent of Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx.
(dd) Related Party Transactions . There are no business relationships or
related-party transactions involving the Company or any other person required to
be described in the Prospectus which have not been described as required.
(ee) No Unlawful Contributions or Other Payments . Neither the Company nor,
to the best of the Company's knowledge, any employee or agent of the Company,
has made any contribution or other payment to any official of, or candidate for,
any federal, state or foreign office in violation of any law or that is required
to be disclosed in the Prospectus.
(ff) Environmental Laws . (i) the Company is in compliance with all rules,
laws and regulations relating to the use, treatment, storage and disposal of
toxic substances and protection of health or the environment ("Environmental
Laws") which are applicable to its business, except where the failure to comply
would not result in a Material Adverse Change, (ii) the Company has received no
notice from any governmental authority or third party of an asserted claim under
Environmental Laws, which claim is required to be disclosed in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, (iii) the Company is not currently aware that it
will be required to make future material capital expenditures to comply with
Environmental Laws and (iv) no property which is owned, leased or occupied by
the Company has been designated as a Superfund site pursuant to the
Comprehensive Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended (42
U.S.C. (S) 9601, et seq.), or otherwise designated as a contaminated site under
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applicable state or local law.
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(gg) ERISA Compliance . The Company and any "employee benefit plan" (as
defined under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended,
and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (collectively,
"ERISA")) established or maintained by the Company or its "ERISA Affiliates" (as
defined below) are in compliance in all material respects with ERISA. "ERISA
Affiliate" means, with respect to the Company, any member of any group of
organizations described in Sections 414(b),(c),(m) or (o) of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations and published
interpretations thereunder (the "Code") of which the Company is a member. No
"reportable event" (as defined under ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably
expected to occur with respect to any "employee benefit plan" established or
maintained by the Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates. No "employee benefit
plan" established or maintained by the Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates,
if such "employee benefit plan" were terminated, would have any "amount of
unfunded benefit liabilities" (as defined under ERISA). Neither the Company nor
any of its ERISA Affiliates has incurred or reasonably expects to incur any
liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or
withdrawal from, any "employee benefit plan" or (ii) Sections 412, 4971, 4975 or
4980B of the Code. Each "employee benefit plan" established or maintained by the
Company or any of ERISA Affiliates that is intended to be qualified under
Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified and nothing has occurred, whether by
action or failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.
(hh) Consents Required in Connection with the Directed Share Program. No
consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any
governmental body or agency, other than those obtained, is required in
connection with the offering of the Directed Shares in any jurisdiction where
the Directed Shares are being offered.
(ii) No Improper Influence in Connection with the Directed Share Program.
The Company has not offered, or caused Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx to offer, Shares to
any person pursuant to the Directed Share Program with the specific intent to
unlawfully influence (i) a customer or supplier of the Company to alter the
customer's or supplier's level or type of business with the Company or (ii) a
trade journalist or publication to write or publish favorable information about
the Company or its products.
Any certificate signed by an officer of the Company and delivered to the
Representatives or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed to be a
representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters
set forth therein.
SECTION 2. PURCHASE, SALE AND DELIVERY OF THE SHARES.
(a) The Firm Shares . The Company agrees to issue and sell to the several
Underwriters the Firm Shares upon the terms herein set forth. On the basis of
the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, and upon the
terms but subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Underwriters agree,
severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective number of
Firm Shares set forth opposite their names on Schedule A. The purchase price per
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Firm Share to be paid by the several Underwriters to the Company shall be $___
per share.
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(b) The First Closing Date . Delivery of the Firm Shares to be purchased by
the Underwriters and payment therefor shall be made by the Company and the
Representatives at 6:00 a.m., San Francisco time, at the offices of Xxxx and
Xxxx LLP, 00 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000 (or at such other place
or time as may be agreed upon among the Representatives and the Company), (i) on
the third (3rd) full business day following the first day that Shares are
traded, (ii) if this Agreement is executed and delivered after 1:30 p.m., San
Francisco time, the fourth (4th) full business day following the day that this
Agreement is executed and delivered or (iii) at such other time and date not
later that seven (7) full business days following the first day that Shares are
traded as the Representatives and the Company may determine (or at such time and
date to which payment and delivery shall have been postponed pursuant to Section
8 hereof), such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called the
"Closing Date;" provided, however, that if the Company has not made available to
the Representatives copies of the Prospectus within the time provided in
Sections 2(g) and 3(e) hereof, the Representatives may, in their sole
discretion, postpone the Closing Date until no later that two (2) full business
days following delivery of copies of the Prospectus to the Representatives.
(c) The Option Shares; the Second Closing Date . In addition, on the basis
of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, and upon the
terms but subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Company hereby grants
an option to the several Underwriters to purchase, severally and not jointly, up
to an aggregate of [825,000] Option Shares from the Company at the purchase
price per share to be paid by the Underwriters for the Firm Shares. The option
granted hereunder is for use by the Underwriters solely in covering any
over-allotments in connection with the sale and distribution of the Firm Shares.
The option granted hereunder may be exercised at any time upon notice by the
Representatives to the Company, which notice may be given at any time within 30
days from the date of this Agreement. The time and date of delivery of the
Option Shares, if subsequent to the First Closing Date, is called the "Second
Closing Date" and shall be determined by the Representatives and shall not be
earlier than three nor later than five full business days after delivery of such
notice of exercise. If any Option Shares are to be purchased, each Underwriter
agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the number of Option Shares
(subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as the
Representatives may determine) that bears the same proportion to the total
number of Option Shares to be purchased as the number of Firm Shares set forth
on Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of
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Firm Shares. The Representatives may cancel the option at any time prior to its
expiration by giving written notice of such cancellation to the Company.
(d) Public Offering of the Shares . The Representatives hereby advise the
Company that the Underwriters intend to offer for sale to the public, as
described in the Prospectus, their respective portions of the Shares as soon
after this Agreement has been executed and the Registration Statement has been
declared effective as the Representatives, in their sole judgment, have
determined is advisable and practicable.
11
(e) Payment for the Shares . Payment for the Shares shall be made at the
First Closing Date (and, if applicable, at the Second Closing Date) by wire
transfer in immediately available-funds to an account designated by the Company.
It is understood that the Representatives have been authorized, for their
own respective accounts and the accounts of the several Underwriters, to accept
delivery of and receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the
Firm Shares and any Option Shares the Underwriters have agreed to purchase.
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx, individually and not as a Representative of the
Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment for any Shares to
be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds shall not have been received by the
Representatives by the First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the
case may be, for the account of such Underwriter, but any such payment shall not
relieve such Underwriter from any of its obligations under this Agreement.
(f) Delivery of the Shares . The Company shall deliver, or cause to be
delivered, a credit representing the Firm Shares to an account or accounts at
The Depository Trust Company, as designated by the Representatives for the
accounts of the Representatives and the several Underwriters at the First
Closing Date, against the irrevocable release of a wire transfer to an account
designated by the Company of immediately available funds for the amount of the
purchase price therefor. The Company shall also deliver, or cause to be
delivered a credit representing the Option Shares the Underwriters have agreed
to purchase at the First Closing Date (or the Second Closing Date, as the case
may be), to an account or accounts at The Depository Trust Company as designated
by the Representatives for the accounts of the Representatives and the several
Underwriters, against the irrevocable release of a wire transfer to an account
designated by the Company of immediately available funds for the amount of the
purchase price therefor. Time shall be of the essence, and delivery at the time
and place specified in this Agreement is a further condition to the obligations
of the Underwriters.
(g) Delivery of Prospectus to the Underwriters . Not later than 12:00 noon
on the second business day following the date the Shares are released by the
Underwriters for sale to the public, the Company shall deliver or cause to be
delivered copies of the Prospectus in such quantities and at such places as the
Representatives shall request.
SECTION 3. COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY.
The Company further covenants and agrees with each Underwriter as follows:
(a) Registration Statement Matters . The Company will (i) use its best
efforts to cause a registration statement on Form 8-A (the "Form 8-A
Registration Statement") as required by the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the
"Exchange Act") to become effective simultaneously with the Registration
Statement, (ii) use its best efforts to cause the Registration Statement to
become effective or, if the procedure in Rule 430A of the Securities Act is
followed, to prepare and timely file with the Commission under Rule 424(b) under
the Securities Act a Prospectus in a form approved by the Representatives
12
containing information previously omitted at the time of effectiveness of the
Registration Statement in reliance on Rule 430A of the Securities Act and (iii)
not file any amendment to the Registration Statement or supplement to the
Prospectus of which the Representatives shall not previously have been advised
and furnished with a copy or to which the Representatives shall have reasonably
objected in writing or which is not in compliance with the Securities Act. If
the Company elects to rely on Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, the Company
shall file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in
compliance with Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act prior to the time
confirmations are sent or given, as specified by Rule 462(b)(2) under the
Securities Act, and shall pay the applicable fees in accordance with Rule 111
under the Securities Act.
(b) Securities Act Compliance . The Company will advise the Representatives
promptly (i) when the Registration Statement or any post- effective amendment
thereto shall have become effective, (ii) of receipt of any comments from the
Commission, (iii) of any request of the Commission for amendment of the
Registration Statement or for supplement to the Prospectus or for any additional
information and (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the use of the
Prospectus or of the institution of any proceedings for that purpose. The
Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order
preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus and to obtain as soon as
possible the lifting thereof, if issued.
(c) Blue Sky Compliance . The Company will cooperate with the
Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters in endeavoring to qualify the
Shares for sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions (both national
and foreign) as the Representatives may reasonably have designated in writing
and will make such applications, file such documents, and furnish such
information as may be reasonably required for that purpose, provided the Company
shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general
consent to service of process in any jurisdiction where it is not now so
qualified or required to file such a consent. The Company will, from time to
time, prepare and file such statements, reports and other documents, as are or
may be required to continue such qualifications in effect for so long a period
as the Representatives may reasonably request for distribution of the Shares.
(d) Amendments and Supplements to the Prospectus and Other Securities Act
Matters . The Company will comply with the Securities Act and the Exchange Act,
and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, so as to permit the
completion of the distribution of the Shares as contemplated in this Agreement
and the Prospectus. If during the period in which a prospectus is required by
law to be delivered by an Underwriter or dealer, any event shall occur as a
result of which, in the judgment of the Company or in the reasonable opinion of
the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters, it becomes necessary to
amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in
the light of the circumstances existing at the time the Prospectus is delivered
to a purchaser, not misleading, or, if it is necessary at any time to amend or
supplement the Prospectus to comply with any law, the Company promptly will
prepare and file with the Commission, and furnish at its own expense to the
Underwriters
13
and to dealers, an appropriate amendment to the Registration Statement or
supplement to the Prospectus so that the Prospectus as so amended or
supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when it is so
delivered, be misleading, or so that the Prospectus will comply with the law.
(e) Copies of any Amendments and Supplements to the Prospectus . The
Company agrees to furnish the Representatives, without charge, during the period
beginning on the date hereof and ending on the later of the First Closing Date
or such date, as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, the Prospectus
is no longer required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an
Underwriter or dealer (the "Prospectus Delivery Period"), as many copies of the
Prospectus and any amendments and supplements thereto as the Representatives may
request.
(f) Insurance. The Company shall obtain Directors and Officers liability
insurance in the minimum amount of $10 million which shall apply to the offering
contemplated hereby.
(g) Notice of Subsequent Events . If at any time during the ninety (90) day
period after the Registration Statement becomes effective, any rumor,
publication or event relating to or affecting the Company shall occur as a
result of which in your opinion the market price of the Company Shares has been
or is likely to be materially affected (regardless of whether such rumor,
publication or event necessitates a supplement to or amendment of the
Prospectus), the Company will, after written notice from you advising the
Company to the effect set forth above, forthwith prepare, consult with you
concerning the substance of and disseminate a press release or other public
statement, reasonably satisfactory to you, responding to or commenting on such
rumor, publication or event.
(h) Use of Proceeds . The Company shall apply the net proceeds from the
sale of the Shares sold by it in the manner described under the caption "Use of
Proceeds" in the Prospectus.
(i) Transfer Agent . The Company shall engage and maintain, at its expense,
a registrar and transfer agent for the Common Shares.
(j) Earnings Statement . As soon as practicable, but no later than [May 15,
2001], the Company will make generally available to its security holders and to
the Representatives an earnings statement (which need not be audited) covering
the twelve-month period ending [March 31, 2001] that satisfies the provisions of
Section 11(a) of the Securities Act.
(k) Periodic Reporting Obligations . During the Prospectus Delivery Period,
the Company shall file, on a timely basis, with the Commission and the Nasdaq
National Market all reports and documents required to be filed under the
Exchange Act.
(l) Agreement Not to Offer or Sell Additional Securities . The Company will
not, without the prior written consent of Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx, for a period of
180 days
14
following the date of the Prospectus, offer, sell or contract to sell, or
otherwise dispose of or enter into any transaction which is designed to, or
could be expected to, result in the disposition (whether by actual disposition
or effective economic disposition due to cash settlement or otherwise by the
Company, any affiliate of the Company or any person in privity with the Company
or any affiliate of the Company) directly or indirectly, or announce the
offering of, any other Common Shares or any securities convertible into, or
exchangeable for, Common Shares; provided, however, that the Company may (i)
issue and sell Common Shares pursuant to any director or employee stock option
plan, stock ownership plan or dividend reinvestment plan of the Company in
effect at the date of the Prospectus and described in the Prospectus so long as
none of those shares may be transferred during the period of 180 days from the
date that the Registration Statement is declared effective (the "Lock-Up
Period") and the Company shall enter stop transfer instructions with its
transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of any such Common Shares,
(ii) issue Common Shares issuable upon the conversion of securities or the
exercise of warrants outstanding at the date of the Prospectus and described in
the Prospectus and the Company shall enter stop transfer instructions with its
transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of any such Common Shares
issued to a party to a Lock-Up Agreement and (iii) issue and sell the Shares
pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.
(m) Future Reports to the Representatives . During the period of three
years hereafter the Company will furnish to the Representatives (i) as soon as
practicable after the end of each fiscal year, copies of the Annual Report of
the Company containing the balance sheet of the Company as of the close of such
fiscal year and statements of income, stockholders' equity and cash flows for
the year then ended and the opinion thereon of the Company's independent public
or certified public accountants; (ii) as soon as practicable after the filing
thereof, copies of each proxy statement, Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q, Current Report on Form 8-K or other report filed by the
Company with the Commission, the National Association of Securities Dealers, LLC
or any securities exchange; and (iii) as soon as available, copies of any report
or communication of the Company mailed generally to holders of its capital
stock.
(n) Directed Share Program. The Company (i) will indemnify Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx for any losses incurred in connection with the Directed Share Program,
(ii) will comply with all applicable securities and other applicable laws, rules
and regulations in each jurisdiction in which the Directed Shares are offered in
connection with the Directed Share Program and (iii) will pay all reasonable
fees and disbursements of counsel incurred by the Underwriters in connection
with the Directed Share Program and any stamp duties, similar taxes or duties or
other taxes, if any, incurred by the underwriters in connection with the
Directed Share Program.
SECTION 4. CONDITIONS OF THE OBLIGATIONS OF THE UNDERWRITERS. The
obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Shares as
provided herein on the First Closing Date and, with respect to the Option
Shares, the Second Closing Date, shall be subject to the accuracy of the
representations and warranties on the part of the Company set forth in Section 1
hereof as of the date hereof and as of the First Closing Date as though then
made and, with respect to the Option Shares, as of the Second Closing
15
Date as though then made, to the timely performance by the Company of its
covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to each of the following
additional conditions:
(a) Compliance with Registration Requirements; No Stop Order; No Objection
from the National Association of Securities Dealers, LLC. The Registration
Statement shall have become effective prior to the execution of this Agreement,
or at such later date as shall be consented to in writing by you; and no stop
order suspending the effectiveness thereof shall have been issued and no
proceedings for that purpose shall have been initiated or, to the knowledge of
the Company or any Underwriter, threatened by the Commission, and any request of
the Commission for additional information (to be included in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus or otherwise) shall have been complied with to the
satisfaction of Underwriters' counsel; and the National Association of
Securities Dealers, LLC shall have raised no objection to the fairness and
reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements.
(b) Corporate Proceedings . All corporate proceedings and other legal
matters in connection with this Agreement, the form of Registration Statement
and the Prospectus, and the registration, authorization, issue, sale and
delivery of the Shares, shall have been reasonably satisfactory to Underwriters'
counsel, and such counsel shall have been furnished with such papers and
information as they may reasonably have requested to enable them to pass upon
the matters referred to in this Section.
(c) No Material Adverse Change. Subsequent to the execution and delivery of
this Agreement and prior to the First Closing Date, or the Second Closing Date,
as the case may be, there shall not have been any Material Adverse Change in the
condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, operations, business or business
prospects of the Company from that set forth in the Registration Statement or
Prospectus, which, in your sole judgment, is material and adverse and that makes
it, in your sole judgment, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the
public offering of the Shares as contemplated by the Prospectus.
(d) Opinion of Counsel for the Company . You shall have received on the
First Closing Date, or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, an opinion
of Xxxx and Xxxx LLP, counsel for the Company, as to the matters identified on
Exhibit B attached hereto, dated the First Closing Date, or the Second Closing
---------
Date, addressed to the Underwriters and with reproduced copies or signed
counterparts thereof for each of the Underwriters.
Counsel rendering the opinion contained in Exhibit B may rely as to
---------
questions of law not involving the laws of the United States or the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts and the State of Delaware upon opinions of local counsel, and
as to questions of fact upon representations or certificates of officers of the
Company, and of government officials, in which case their opinion is to state
that they are so relying and that they have no knowledge of any material
misstatement or inaccuracy in any such opinion, representation or certificate.
Copies of any opinion, representation or certificate so relied upon shall be
delivered to you, as Representatives of the Underwriters, and to Underwriters'
Counsel.
16
(e) Opinion of Counsel for the Underwriters . You shall have received on the
First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, an opinion of
Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxxx, LLP, as to the matters identified on Exhibit C
---------
hereto. The Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they
may have requested for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.
(f) Accountants' Comfort Letter '. You shall have received on the First
Closing Date and on the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, a letter from
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP addressed to the Underwriters, dated the First
Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, confirming that
they are independent certified public accountants with respect to the Company
within the meaning of the Securities Act and the applicable published Rules and
Regulations and based upon the procedures described in such letter delivered to
you concurrently with the execution of this Agreement (herein called the
"Original Letter"), but carried out to a date not more than four (4) business
days prior to the First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the case may
be, (i) confirming, to the extent true, that the statements and conclusions set
forth in the Original Letter are accurate as of the First Closing Date or the
Second Closing Date, as the case may be, and (ii) setting forth any revisions
and additions to the statements and conclusions set forth in the Original Letter
which are necessary to reflect any changes in the facts described in the
Original Letter since the date of such letter, or to reflect the availability of
more recent financial statements, data or information. The letter shall not
disclose any change in the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings,
operations, business or business prospects of the Company from that set forth in
the Registration Statement or Prospectus, which, in your sole judgment, is
material and adverse and that makes it, in your sole judgment, impracticable or
inadvisable to proceed with the public offering of the Shares as contemplated by
the Prospectus. The Original Letter from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP shall be
addressed to or for the use of the Underwriters in form and substance
satisfactory to the Underwriters and shall (i) represent, to the extent true,
that they are independent certified public accountants with respect to the
Company within the meaning of the Act and the applicable published Rules and
Regulations, (ii) set forth their opinion with respect to their examination of
the balance sheet of the Company as of December 31, 1999 and related statements
of operations, shareholders' equity, and cash flows for the twelve (12) months
ended December 31, 1999, (iii) state that PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP has
performed the procedures set out in Statement on Auditing Standards No. 71 ("SAS
71") for a review of interim financial information and providing the report of
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as described in SAS 71 on the financial statements
for each of the quarters in the eight-quarter period ended December 31, 1999
(the "Quarterly Financial Statements"), (iv) state that in the course of such
review, nothing came to their attention that leads them to believe that any
material modifications need to be made to any of the Quarterly Financial
Statements in order for them to be in compliance with generally accepted
accounting principles consistently applied across the periods presented, and
address other matters agreed upon by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and you. In
addition, you shall have received from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP a letter
addressed to the Company and made available to you for the use of the
Underwriters stating that their review of the Company's system of internal
17
accounting controls, to the extent they deemed necessary in establishing the
scope of their examination of the Company's financial statements as of December
31, 1999, did not disclose any weaknesses in internal controls that they
considered to be material weaknesses.
(g) Officers' Certificate '. You shall have received on the First Closing
Date and the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, a certificate of the
Company, dated the First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the case
may be, signed by the Chief Executive Officer or President and the Chief
Financial Officer of the Company, to the effect that, and you shall be satisfied
that:
(i) The representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are
true and correct, as if made on and as of the First Closing Date or the
Second Closing Date, as the case may be, and the Company has complied with
all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be
performed or satisfied at or prior to the First Closing Date or the Second
Closing Date, as the case may be;
(ii) No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been
instituted or are pending or, to the Company's knowledge, threatened under
the Securities Act;
(iii) When the Registration Statement became effective and at all times
subsequent thereto up to the delivery of such certificate, the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, and any amendments or supplements thereto
contained all material information required to be included therein by the
Securities Act and in all material respects conformed to the requirements of
the Securities Act; the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and any
amendments or supplements thereto, did not and do not include any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading;
and, since the effective date of the Registration Statement, there has
occurred no event required to be set forth in an amended or supplemented
Prospectus which has not been so set forth; and
(iv) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in
the Registration Statement and Prospectus, there has not been (a) any
Material Adverse Change (b) any transaction that is material to the Company,
except transactions entered into in the ordinary course of business, (c) any
obligation, direct or contingent, that is material to the Company, incurred
by the Company, except obligations incurred in the ordinary course of
business, (d) any change in the capital stock or outstanding indebtedness of
the Company that is material to the Company, except for the issuance of
Common Shares pursuant to the exercise of options or warrants described in
the Prospectus, or conversion of convertible securities, described in the
Prospectus and the issuance of Shares to the Underwriters pursuant to the
terms of this Agreement, (e) any dividend or distribution of any kind
declared, paid or made on the capital stock of the Company, or (f) any loss
or damage (whether or not insured) to the property of the Company which has
been sustained or will have
18
been sustained which has a Material Adverse Effect on the condition
(financial or otherwise), earnings, operations, business or business
prospects of the Company.
(h) Lock-up Agreement from Certain Stockholders of the Company . The Company
shall have obtained and delivered to you an agreement substantially in the form
of Exhibit A attached hereto from each officer, director and securityholder of
---------
the Company except for holders of options (other than officers and directors) to
purchase Common Shares pursuant to agreements with the Company that provide that
such holders will not dispose of Common Shares purchased upon exercise of such
options without the Company's Consent during the Lock-Up Period.
(i) Stock Exchange Listing . The Shares shall have been approved for
inclusion on the Nasdaq National Market, subject only to official notice of
issuance.
(j) Compliance with Prospectus Delivery Requirements. The Company shall have
complied up to and as of the First Closing Date or Second Closing Date, as the
case may be, with the provisions of Sections 2(g) and 3(e) hereof with respect
to the furnishing of Prospectuses.
(k) Additional Documents . On or before each of the First Closing Date and
the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, the Representatives and counsel for
the Underwriters shall have received such information, documents and opinions as
they may reasonably require for the purposes of enabling them to pass upon the
issuance and sale of the Shares as contemplated herein, or in order to evidence
the accuracy of any of the representations and warranties, or the satisfaction
of any of the conditions or agreements, herein contained.
If any condition specified in this Section 4 is not satisfied when and as
required to be satisfied, this Agreement may be terminated by the
Representatives by notice to the Company at any time on or prior to the First
Closing Date and, with respect to the Option Shares, at any time prior to the
Second Closing Date, which termination shall be without liability on the part of
any party to any other party, except that Section 5 (Payment of Expenses),
Section 6 (Reimbursement of Underwriters' Expenses), Section 7 (Indemnification
and Contribution) and Section 10 (Representations and Indemnities to Survive
Delivery) shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination.
SECTION 5. PAYMENT OF EXPENSES. The Company agrees to pay all costs, fees
and expenses incurred in connection with the performance of its obligations
hereunder and in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including
without limitation (i) all expenses incident to the issuance and delivery of the
Shares (including all printing and engraving costs), (ii) all fees and expenses
of the registrar and transfer agent of the Common Shares, (iii) all necessary
issue, transfer and other stamp taxes in connection with the issuance and sale
of the Shares to the Underwriters, (iv) all fees and expenses of the Company's
counsel, independent public or certified public accountants and other advisors,
(v) all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the preparation,
printing, filing, shipping and distribution of the Registration Statement
(including financial
19
statements, exhibits, schedules, consents and certificates of experts), the
Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, and all amendments and supplements
thereto, and this Agreement (other than fees and expenses of Underwriters
counsel), (vi) all costs and expenses incurred by Underwriters counsel in
connection with the Directed Share Program, (vii) all filing fees, attorneys'
fees and expenses incurred by the Company or the Underwriters in connection with
qualifying or registering (or obtaining exemptions from the qualification or
registration of) all or any part of the Shares for offer and sale under the
state securities or blue sky laws or the provincial securities laws of Canada or
any other country, and, if requested by the Representatives, preparing and
printing a "Blue Sky Survey", an "International Blue Sky Survey" or other
memorandum, and any supplements thereto, advising the Underwriters of such
qualifications, registrations and exemptions, (viii) the filing fees incident
to, and the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters in
connection with, the National Association of Securities Dealers, LLC review and
approval of the Underwriters' participation in the offering and distribution of
the Shares, (ix) the fees and expenses associated with including the Common
Shares on the Nasdaq National Market, (x) all costs and expenses incident to the
preparation and undertaking of "road show" presentations to be made to
prospective investors, and (xi) all other fees, costs and expenses referred to
in Item 13 of Part II of the Registration Statement. Except as provided in this
Section 5, Section 6, and Section 7 hereof, the Underwriters shall pay their own
expenses, including the fees and disbursements of their counsel.
SECTION 6. REIMBURSEMENT OF UNDERWRITERS' EXPENSES'. If this Agreement is
terminated by the Representatives pursuant to Section 4, Section 8, Section 9,
or if the sale to the Underwriters of the Shares on the First Closing Date is
not consummated because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the
Company to perform any agreement herein or to comply with any provision hereof,
the Company agrees to reimburse the Representatives and the other Underwriters
(or such Underwriters as have terminated this Agreement with respect to
themselves), severally, upon demand for all out-of-pocket expenses that shall
have been reasonably incurred by the Representatives and the Underwriters in
connection with the proposed purchase and the offering and sale of the Shares,
including but not limited to fees and disbursements of counsel, printing
expenses, travel and accommodation expenses, postage, facsimile and telephone
charges.
SECTION 7. INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION.
(a) Indemnification of the Underwriters . The Company agrees to indemnify
and hold harmless each Underwriter, its officers and employees, and each person,
if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act
and the Exchange Act against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as
incurred, to which such Underwriter or such controlling person may become
subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or other federal or state
statutory law or regulation, or at common law or otherwise (including in
settlement of any litigation, if such settlement is effected with the written
consent of the Company, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld),
insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect
thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based (i) upon any untrue
statement or alleged
20
untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, or
any amendment thereto, including any information deemed to be a part thereof
pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act, or the omission or alleged
omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
to make the statements therein not misleading; or (ii) upon any untrue statement
or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any preliminary
prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the
omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading; or (iii) in whole or in part upon any inaccuracy in
the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein; or (iv) in
whole or in part upon any failure of the Company to perform its obligations
hereunder or under law; or (v) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement
of any material fact contained in any audio or visual materials provided by the
Company or based upon written information furnished by or on behalf of the
Company including, without limitation, slides, videos, films or tape recordings,
used in connection with the marketing of the Shares, including without
limitation, statements communicated to securities analysts employed by the
Underwriters; or (vi) any act or failure to act or any alleged act or failure to
act by any Underwriter in connection with, or relating in any manner to, the
Shares or the offering contemplated hereby, and which is included as part of or
referred to in any loss, claim, damage, liability or action arising out of or
based upon any matter covered by clause (i), (ii), (iii), (iv) or (v) above,
provided that the Company shall not be liable under this clause (vi) to the
extent that a court of competent jurisdiction shall have determined by a final
judgment that such loss, claim, damage, liability or action resulted directly
from any such acts or failures to act undertaken or omitted to be taken by such
Underwriter through its bad faith or willful misconduct; and to reimburse each
Underwriter and each such controlling person for any and all expenses (including
the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx) as such
expenses are reasonably incurred by such Underwriter or such controlling person
in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying
any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action; provided, however,
that the foregoing indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, claim,
damage, liability or expense to the extent, but only to the extent, arising out
of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or
alleged omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by the Representatives expressly for use in
the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any
amendment or supplement thereto); and provided, further, that with respect to
any preliminary prospectus, the foregoing indemnity agreement shall not inure to
the benefit of any Underwriter from whom the person asserting any loss, claim,
damage, liability or expense purchased Shares, or any person controlling such
Underwriter, if copies of the Prospectus were timely delivered to the
Underwriter pursuant to Section 2 and a copy of the Prospectus (as then amended
or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished any amendments or
supplements thereto) was not sent or given by or on behalf of such Underwriter
to such person, if required by law so to have been delivered, at or prior to the
written confirmation of the sale of the Shares to such person, and if the
Prospectus (as so amended or supplemented) would have cured the defect giving
rise to such loss, claim,
21
damage, liability or expense. The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section
7(a) shall be in addition to any liabilities that the Company may otherwise
have.
(b) Indemnification of the Company, its Directors and Officers . Each
Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless
the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signed the
Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within
the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, against any loss, claim,
damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which the Company, or any such
director, officer or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities
Act, the Exchange Act, or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, or
at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation, if such
settlement is effected with the written consent of such Underwriter), insofar as
such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as
contemplated below) arises out of or is based upon any untrue or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any
preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement
thereto), or arises out of or is based upon the omission or alleged omission to
state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to
the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission
or alleged omission was made in the Registration Statement, any preliminary
prospectus, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), in reliance
upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the
Representatives expressly for use therein; and to reimburse the Company, or any
such director, officer or controlling person for any legal and other expense
reasonably incurred by the Company, or any such director, officer or controlling
person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or
paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action. The indemnity
agreement set forth in this Section 7(b) shall be in addition to any liabilities
that each Underwriter may otherwise have.
(c) Information Provided by the Underwriters. The Company hereby
acknowledges that the only information that the Underwriters have furnished to
the Company expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary
Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) are the
statements set forth in the table in the first paragraph, the second, fourth and
twelfth paragraphs under the caption "Underwriting" in the Prospectus; and the
Underwriters confirm that such statements are correct.
(d) Notifications and Other Indemnification Procedures . Promptly after
receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 7 of notice of the
commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect
thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party under this Section 7, notify
the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof, but the omission
so to notify the indemnifying party will not relieve it from any liability which
it may have to any indemnified party for contribution or otherwise than under
the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 7 or to the extent it is not
prejudiced as a proximate result of such failure. In case any such action is
brought against any indemnified party and such indemnified party seeks or
intends to
22
seek indemnity from an indemnifying party, the indemnifying party will be
entitled to participate in, and, to the extent that it shall elect, jointly with
all other indemnifying parties similarly notified, by written notice delivered
to the indemnified party promptly after receiving the aforesaid notice from such
indemnified party, to assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably
satisfactory to such indemnified party; provided, however, if the defendants in
any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party
and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that a conflict may
arise between the positions of the indemnifying party and the indemnified party
in conducting the defense of any such action or that there may be legal defenses
available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or
additional to those available to the indemnifying party, the indemnified party
or parties shall have the right to select separate counsel to assume such legal
defenses and to otherwise participate in the defense of such action on behalf of
such indemnified party or parties. Upon receipt of notice from the indemnifying
party to such indemnified party of such indemnifying party's election so to
assume the defense of such action and approval by the indemnified party of
counsel, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party
under this Section 7 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by
such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof unless (i) the
indemnified party shall have employed separate counsel in accordance with the
proviso to the next preceding sentence (it being understood, however, that the
indemnifying party shall not be liable for the expenses of more than one
separate counsel (together with local counsel), approved by the indemnifying
party (Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx in the case of Section 7(b) and Section 8),
representing the indemnified parties who are parties to such action), (ii) the
indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel satisfactory to the
indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time
after notice of commencement of the action, or (iii) the indemnifying party has
authorized the employment of counsel for the indemnified party at the expense of
the indemnifying party, in each of which cases the fees and expenses of counsel
shall be at the expense of the indemnifying party.
(e) Settlements . The indemnifying party under this Section 7 shall not be
liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written
consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, but if settled with
such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying
party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party against any loss, claim, damage,
liability or expense by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding
the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested
an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses
of counsel as contemplated by Section 7(d) hereof, the indemnifying party agrees
that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without
its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 60 days
after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such
indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance
with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No indemnifying party
shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any
settlement, compromise or consent to the entry of judgment in any pending or
threatened action, suit or proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party
is or could have been a party and indemnity was or could have been sought
hereunder by such indemnified party, unless
23
such settlement, compromise or consent includes (i) an unconditional release of
such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter
of such action, suit or proceeding and (ii) does not include a statement as to
or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any
indemnified party.
(f) Contribution . If the indemnification provided for in this Section 7 is
unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under
Section 7(a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) then each
indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount paid or payable by
such indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the
relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters
on the other from the offering of the Shares. If, however, the allocation
provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable
law then each indemnifying party shall contribute to such amount paid or payable
by such indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not
only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the
one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or
omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, (or
actions or proceedings in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the
one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same
proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting
expenses) received by the Company bears to the total underwriting discounts and
commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table
on the cover page of the Prospectus. The relative fault shall be determined by
reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement
of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact
relates to information supplied by the Company on the one hand or the
Underwriters on the other and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to
information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The Company and Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable
if contributions pursuant to this Section 7(f) were determined by pro rata
allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such
purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the
equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 7(f). The amount paid
or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) referred to above in
this Section 7(f) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating
or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this
subsection (f), (i) no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in
excess of the underwriting discounts and commissions applicable to the Shares
purchased by such Underwriter and (ii) no person 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 guilty of such
fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters' obligations in this Section 7(f)
to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting
obligations and not joint.
24
(g) Timing of Any Payments of Indemnification . Any losses, claims,
damages, liabilities or expenses for which an indemnified party is entitled to
indemnification or contribution under this Section 7 shall be paid by the
indemnifying party to the indemnified party as such losses, claims, damages,
liabilities or expenses are incurred, but in all cases, no later than forty-five
(45) days of invoice to the indemnifying party.
(h) Survival . The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this
Section 7 and the representation and warranties of the Company set forth in this
Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless of (i)
any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any person
controlling any Underwriter, the Company, its directors or officers or any
persons controlling the Company, (ii) acceptance of any Shares and payment
therefor hereunder, and (iii) any termination of this Agreement. A successor to
any Underwriter, or to the Company, its directors or officers, or any person
controlling the Company, shall be entitled to the benefits of the indemnity,
contribution and reimbursement agreements contained in this Section 7.
(i) Acknowledgements of Parties . The parties to this Agreement hereby
acknowledge that they are sophisticated business persons who were represented by
counsel during the negotiations regarding the provisions hereof including,
without limitation, the provisions of this Section 7, and are fully informed
regarding said provisions. They further acknowledge that the provisions of this
Section 7 fairly allocate the risks in light of the ability of the parties to
investigate the Company and its business in order to assure that adequate
disclosure is made in the Registration Statement and Prospectus as required by
the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.
(j) Indemnification for Directed Share Program. The Company agrees to
indemnify and hold harmless Robertston Xxxxxxxx and its affiliates and each
person, if any, who controls Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx or its affiliates within the
meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange
Act ("Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Entities"), from and against any and all losses,
claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or
other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating
any such action or claim) (i) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in any material prepared by or with the
consent of the Company for distribution to participants in connection with the
Directed Share Program, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state
therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading; (ii) the failure of any participant to pay
for and accept delivery of Directed Shares that the participant has agreed to
purchase; or (iii) related to, arising out of, or in connection with the
Directed Share Program other than losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or
expenses relating thereto) that are finally judicially determined to have
resulted from the bad faith or gross negligence of Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Entities.
SECTION 8. DEFAULT OF ONE OR MORE OF THE SEVERAL UNDERWRITERS. If, on the
First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, any one or
more of
25
the several Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Shares that it or they
have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate number of
Common Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but
failed or refused to purchase does not exceed 10% of the aggregate number of the
Shares to be purchased on such date, the other Underwriters shall be obligated,
severally, in the proportions that the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite
their respective names on Schedule A bears to the aggregate number of Firm
----------
Shares set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting Underwriters, or
in such other proportions as may be specified by the Representatives with the
consent of the non-defaulting Underwriters, to purchase the Shares which such
defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase
on such date. If, on the First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the
case may be, any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to
purchase Shares and the aggregate number of Shares with respect to which such
default occurs exceeds 10% of the aggregate number of Shares to be purchased on
such date, and arrangements satisfactory to the Representatives and the Company
for the purchase of such Shares are not made within 48 hours after such default,
this Agreement shall terminate without liability of any party to any other party
except that the provisions of Section 4, and Section 7 shall at all times be
effective and shall survive such termination. In any such case either the
Representatives or the Company shall have the right to postpone the First
Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, but in no event for
longer than seven days in order that the required changes, if any, to the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus or any other documents or arrangements
may be effected.
As used in this Agreement, the term "Underwriter" shall be deemed to
include any person substituted for a defaulting Underwriter under this Section
8. Any action taken under this Section 8 shall not relieve any defaulting
Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under
this Agreement.
SECTION 9. TERMINATION OF THIS AGREEMENT. Prior to the First Closing Date,
this Agreement may be terminated by the Representatives by notice given to the
Company if (a) at any time (i) trading or quotation in any of the Company's
securities shall have been suspended or limited by the Commission or by the
Nasdaq Stock Market, or trading in securities generally on either the Nasdaq
Stock Market or the New York Stock Exchange shall have been suspended or
limited, or minimum or maximum prices shall have been generally established on
any of such stock exchanges by the Commission or the National Association of
Securities Dealers, LLC; (ii) a general banking moratorium shall have been
declared by any of federal, New York, Delaware or California authorities; (iii)
there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of national or
international hostilities or any crisis or calamity, or any change in the United
States or international financial markets, or any substantial change or
development involving a prospective change in United States' or international
political, financial or economic conditions, as in the judgment of the
Representatives is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or
inadvisable to market the Common Shares in the manner and on the terms
contemplated in the Prospectus or to enforce contracts for the sale of
securities; (iv) in the judgment of the Representatives there shall have
occurred any Material Adverse Change; or (v) the Company shall have sustained a
loss by strike, fire, flood, earthquake, accident or other
26
calamity of such character as in the judgment of the Representatives may
interfere materially with the conduct of the business and operations of the
Company regardless of whether or not such loss shall have been insured or (b) in
the case of any of the events specified in 9(a)(i)-(v), such event singly or
together with any other event, makes it, in your judgment, impractical or
unadvisable to market the Common Shares in the manner and on the terms in the
Prospectus. Any termination pursuant to this Section 9 shall be without
liability on the part of (x) the Company to any Underwriter, except that the
Company shall be obligated to reimburse the expenses of the Representatives and
the Underwriters pursuant to Sections 5 and 6 hereof, (y) any Underwriter to the
Company, or (z) of any party hereto to any other party except that the
provisions of Section 7 shall at all times be effective and shall survive such
termination.
SECTION 10. REPRESENTATIONS AND INDEMNITIES TO SURVIVE DELIVERY. The
respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other
statements of the Company, of its officers and of the several Underwriters set
forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and
effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter
or the Company or any of its or their partners, officers or directors or any
controlling person, as the case may be, and will survive delivery of and payment
for the Shares sold hereunder and any termination of this Agreement.
SECTION 11. NOTICES. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and
shall be mailed, hand delivered or telecopied and confirmed to the parties
hereto as follows:
If to the Representatives:
FLEETBOSTON XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX INC.
000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
Attention: General Counsel
If to the Company:
SWITCHBOARD INCORPORATED
000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
Attention: President
Any party hereto may change the address for receipt of communications by giving
written notice to the others.
27
SECTION 12. SUCCESSORS. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be
binding upon the parties hereto, including any substitute Underwriters pursuant
to Section 8 hereof, and to the benefit of the employees, officers and directors
and controlling persons referred to in Section 7, and to their respective
successors, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder. The
term "successors" shall not include any purchaser of the Shares as such from any
of the Underwriters merely by reason of such purchase.
SECTION 13. PARTIAL UNENFORCEABILITY. The invalidity or unenforceability of
any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the
validity or enforceability of any other Section, paragraph or provision hereof.
If any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason
determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such
minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid
and enforceable.
SECTION 14. GOVERNING LAW PROVISIONS.
(a) Governing Law . This agreement shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the internal laws of the state of New York applicable to
agreements made and to be performed in such state.
(b) Consent to Jurisdiction . Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising
out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby
("Related Proceedings") may be instituted in the federal courts of the United
States of America located in the City of Boston or the courts of the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts in each case located in the City of Boston
(collectively, the "Specified Courts"), and each party irrevocably submits to
the exclusive jurisdiction (except for proceedings instituted in regard to the
enforcement of a judgment of any such court (a "Related Judgment"), as to which
such jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of such courts in any such suit, action or
proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail to such
party's address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any
suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court. The parties
irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of
any suit, action or other proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and
unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any such court that any
such suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court has been brought
in an inconvenient forum. Each party not located in the United States
irrevocably appoints CT Corporation System, which currently maintains a Boston
office at 0 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000, Xxxxxx Xxxxxx of
America, as its agent to receive service of process or other legal summons for
purposes of any such suit, action or proceeding that may be instituted in any
state or federal court in the City of Boston.
SECTION 15. GENERAL PROVISIONS. This Agreement constitutes the entire
agreement of the parties to this Agreement and supersedes all prior written or
oral and all contemporaneous oral agreements, understandings and negotiations
with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement may be executed in two
or more counterparts,
28
each one of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the
signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument. This Agreement may
not be amended or modified unless in writing by all of the parties hereto, and
no condition herein (express or implied) may be waived unless waived in writing
by each party whom the condition is meant to benefit. The Section headings
herein are for the convenience of the parties only and shall not affect the
construction or interpretation of this Agreement.
[The remainder of this page has been intentionally left blank.]
29
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement,
please sign and return to the Company the enclosed copies hereof, whereupon this
instrument, along with all counterparts hereof, shall become a binding agreement
in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours,
SWITCHBOARD INCORPORATED
By:
--------------------------
Name:
--------------------
Title:
--------------------
The foregoing Underwriting Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted by the
Representatives as of the date first above written.
FLEETBOSTON XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX INC. [AND FLEETBOSTON XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX
INTERNATIONAL LIMITED]
X.X. XXXXXX SECURITIES INC.
THE XXXXXXXX-XXXXXXXX COMPANY, LLC
SOUNDVIEW TECHNOLOGY GROUP, INC.
On their behalf and on behalf of each of the several underwriters named in
Schedule A hereto.
----------
By: FLEETBOSTON XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX INC.
By:
---------------------------------
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
30
SCHEDULE A
Number of Firm Shares
To be Purchased
Underwriters ---------------
------------
FleetBoston Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Inc. [and FleetBoston
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx International Limited]...............
X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc...............................
The Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxxxxx Company, LLC.......................
Soundview Technology Group, Inc..........................
________________ ........................................
________________ ........................................
________________ ........................................
________________ ........................................
________________ ........................................
Total...............................................
31
