4,000,000 Shares Class A Common Stock UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

Exhibit 99

4,000,000 Shares

U.S. XPRESS ENTERPRISES, INC.

Class A Common Stock

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

December 9, 2004

XXXX XXXXX XXXX XXXXXX, INCORPORATED

XXXXXX XXXXXX & COMPANY, INC.

BB&T CAPITAL MARKETS, A DIVISION OF XXXXX & XXXXXXXXXXXX, INC.

XXXXXXXX INC.

As Representatives of the Several Underwriters,

c/x Xxxx Xxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxx, Incorporated

000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx

Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000

Dear Sirs:

1. Introductory. U.S. Xpress Enterprises, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”) proposes to issue and sell 2,000,000 shares of its Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Securities”), and the stockholders listed in Schedule A hereto (the “Firm Selling Stockholders”) propose severally to sell an aggregate of 2,000,000 outstanding shares of the Securities (such 4,000,000 shares of Securities being hereinafter referred to as the “Firm Securities”). The stockholders listed in Schedule B hereto (the “Optional Selling Stockholders”) also propose to sell to the Underwriters, at the option of the Underwriters, an aggregate of not more than 600,000 additional shares of the Securities, as set forth below (such 600,000 additional shares being hereinafter referred to as the “Optional Securities”). The Firm Securities and the Optional Securities are herein collectively called the “Offered Securities”. The Firm Selling Stockholders and the Optional Selling Stockholders are herein collectively called the “Selling Stockholders.” The Company and the Selling Stockholders hereby agree with the several Underwriters named in Schedule C hereto (the “Underwriters”) as follows:

2. Representations and Warranties of the Company and the Selling Stockholders. (a) The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the several Underwriters, as of the date hereof and as of each Closing Date (as defined below), that:

(i) A registration statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-120549) relating to the Offered Securities, including a form of prospectus, has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) and either (A) has been declared effective under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Act”) and is not proposed to be amended or (B) is proposed to be amended by amendment or post-effective amendment. If such registration statement (the “initial registration statement”) has been declared effective, either (A) an additional registration statement (the “additional registration statement”) relating to the Offered Securities may have been filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(b) (“Rule 462(b)”) under the Act and, if so filed, has become effective upon filing pursuant to such Rule and the Offered Securities all have been duly registered under the Act pursuant to the initial registration statement and, if applicable, the additional registration statement or (B) such an additional registration statement is proposed to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(b) and will become effective upon filing pursuant to such Rule and upon such filing the Offered

Securities will all have been duly registered under the Act pursuant to the initial registration statement and such additional registration statement. If the Company does not propose to amend the initial registration statement or if an additional registration statement has been filed and the Company does not propose to amend it, and if any post-effective amendment to either such registration statement has been filed with the Commission prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the most recent amendment (if any) to each such registration statement has been declared effective by the Commission or has become effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(c) (“Rule 462(c)”) under the Act or, in the case of the additional registration statement, Rule 462(b). For purposes of this Agreement, “Effective Time” with respect to the initial registration statement or, if filed prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the additional registration statement means (A) if the Company has advised the Representatives that it does not propose to amend such registration statement, the date and time as of which such registration statement, or the most recent post-effective amendment thereto (if any) filed prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, was declared effective by the Commission or has become effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(c), or (B) if the Company has advised the Representatives that it proposes to file an amendment or post-effective amendment to such registration statement, the date and time as of which such registration statement, as amended by such amendment or post-effective amendment, as the case may be, is declared effective by the Commission. If an additional registration statement has not been filed prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement but the Company has advised the Representatives that it proposes to file one, “Effective Time” with respect to such additional registration statement means the date and time as of which such registration statement is filed and becomes effective pursuant to Rule 462(b). “Effective Date” with respect to the initial registration statement or the additional registration statement (if any) means the date of the Effective Time thereof. The initial registration statement, as amended at its Effective Time, including all material incorporated by reference therein, including all information contained in the additional registration statement (if any) and deemed to be a part of the initial registration statement as of the Effective Time of the additional registration statement pursuant to the General Instructions of the Form on which it is filed and including all information (if any) deemed to be a part of the initial registration statement as of its Effective Time pursuant to Rule 430A(b) (“Rule 430A(b)”) under the Act, is hereinafter referred to as the “Initial Registration Statement”. The additional registration statement, as amended at its Effective Time, including the contents of the initial registration statement incorporated by reference therein and including all information (if any) deemed to be a part of the additional registration statement as of its Effective Time pursuant to Rule 430A(b), is hereinafter referred to as the “Additional Registration Statement”. The Initial Registration Statement and the Additional Registration Statement are hereinafter referred to collectively as the “Registration Statements” and individually as a “Registration Statement”. The form of prospectus relating to the Offered Securities, as first filed with the Commission pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 424(b) (“Rule 424(b)”) under the Act or (if no such filing is required) as included in a Registration Statement, including all material incorporated by reference in such prospectus, is hereinafter referred to as the “Prospectus”. No document has been or will be prepared or distributed in reliance on Rule 434 under the Act.

(ii) If the Effective Time of the Initial Registration Statement is prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement: (A) on the Effective Date of the Initial Registration Statement, the Initial Registration Statement conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission (“Rules and Regulations”) and did not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (B) on the Effective Date of the Additional Registration Statement (if any), each Registration Statement conformed or will conform, in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations and did not include, or will not include, any untrue statement of a material fact and did not omit, or will not omit, to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and (C) on the date of this Agreement, the Initial Registration Statement and, if the Effective Time of the Additional Registration Statement is prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Additional Registration Statement each conforms, and at the time of filing of the Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) or (if no such filing is required) at the Effective Date of the Additional Registration Statement in which the Prospectus is included, each Registration Statement and the Prospectus will conform, in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations, and neither of such documents includes, or will include, any untrue statement of a material fact or omits, or will omit, to state any material fact required

to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. If the Effective Time of the Initial Registration Statement is subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement: on the Effective Date of the Initial Registration Statement, the Initial Registration Statement and the Prospectus will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations, neither of such documents will include any untrue statement of a material fact or will omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and no Additional Registration Statement has been or will be filed. The two preceding sentences do not apply to statements in or omissions from a Registration Statement or the Prospectus based upon written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information is that described as such in Section 7(c) hereof.

(iii) The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, when they were filed with the Commission, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and none of such documents contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, when such documents are filed with Commission, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and will not contain an 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.

(iv) The Company has been duly incorporated and is an existing corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Nevada, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus; and the Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation in good standing in all other jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or other), business, properties, results of operations or prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole (a “Material Adverse Effect”).

(v) Each of the subsidiaries of the Company listed on Schedule D hereto (the “Subsidiaries”) has been duly incorporated or organized and is an existing corporation or other entity in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus; and each of the Subsidiaries is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation or other entity in good standing in all other jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; all of the issued and outstanding capital stock or other equity interests of each of the Subsidiaries are owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company (except as set forth on Schedule D), have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable, and, except as disclosed in the Prospectus, are free from liens, encumbrances and defects. Other than its ownership of each of the Subsidiaries, the Company does not own or control, either directly or indirectly, any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, association or other entity. U.S. Xpress, Inc., a Nevada corporation, U.S. Xpress Leasing, Inc., a Tennessee corporation, and Xpress Global Systems, Inc., a Georgia corporation, constitute all of the “significant subsidiaries” of the Company (as defined in Rule l-02(w) of Regulation S-X) (the “Material Subsidiaries”).

(vi) The Offered Securities and all other outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized; all outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are, and when the Offered Securities are delivered and paid for in accordance with this Agreement on each Closing Date (as defined below), such Offered Securities will be, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and will conform to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus; and the stockholders of the Company have no preemptive rights with respect to the Securities. Upon payment for and delivery of the Offered Securities to be sold by the Company pursuant to this Agreement, the Underwriters will acquire good and valid title to such Offered Securities, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, preemptive rights, subscription rights, other rights to purchase, voting or transfer restrictions and other claims.

(vii) Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or other like payment in connection with this offering.

(viii) There are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Act with respect to any securities of the Company owned or to be owned by such person or to require the Company to include such securities in the securities registered pursuant to a Registration Statement or in any securities being registered pursuant to any other registration statement filed by the Company under the Act.

(ix) The Company has filed with The Nasdaq Stock Market a Listing of Additional Shares Notification Form with respect to the Offered Securities not fewer than 15 days prior to the First Closing Date (as defined below).

(x) No consent, approval, authorization, or order of, or filing with, any governmental agency or body or any court is required to be obtained or made by the Company for the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in connection with the sale of the Offered Securities, except such as have been obtained and made under the Act and such as may be required under state securities laws or the by-laws or rules and regulations of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (“NASD”).

(xi) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated will not (i) result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under (a) any statute, rule, regulation or order of any governmental agency or body or any court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their properties, (b) any agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of such Subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is subject, or (c) the charter or by-laws of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (ii) result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge, claim or encumbrance upon any property or asset of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, except where a breach, violation or default of the type specified in clauses (i)(a) and (i)(b) above and the liens, charges, claims or encumbrances described in clause (ii) above would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has full power and authority to authorize, issue and sell the Offered Securities as contemplated by this Agreement.

(xii) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

(xiii) Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, the Company and each of its Subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real properties and all other properties and assets owned by them, in each case free from liens, encumbrances and defects that would materially affect the value thereof or materially interfere with the use made or to be made thereof by them; and except as disclosed in the Prospectus, the Company and each of its Subsidiaries hold all leased real or personal property under valid and enforceable leases with no exceptions that would materially interfere with the use made orto be made thereof by them.

(xiv) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries possess such certificates, authorities, licenses or permits issued by appropriate governmental agencies or bodies (“Permits”) necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, except for such failures to have Permits that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries have not received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such Permit that, if determined adversely to the Company or each of its Subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and its Subsidiaries have fulfilled and performed all of their obligations with respect to such Permits, and no event or change in condition has occurred which allows, or after notice or lapse of time or both would allow, revocation or termination thereof or result in any other impairment of the rights of the holder of any such Permit, except as to such qualifications as are set forth in the Prospectus and

except for such failures, events, or changes which would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(xv) Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, no labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent which would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xvi) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries own or possess adequate trademarks, trade names and other rights to inventions, know-how, patents, copyrights, confidential information and other intellectual property (collectively, “intellectual property rights”) necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, or presently employed by them, and have not received any notice of infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any intellectual property rights that, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect.

(xvii) Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of any statute, any rule, regulation, decision or order of any governmental agency or body or any court, domestic or foreign, relating to the use, disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or relating to the protection or restoration of the environment or human exposure to hazardous or toxic substances (collectively, “environmental laws”), owns or operates any real property contaminated with any substance that is subject to any environmental laws, is liable for any off-site disposal or contamination pursuant to any environmental laws, or is subject to any claim relating to any environmental laws, which violation, contamination, liability or claim would individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect; and the Company is not aware of any pending investigation which might lead to such a claim.

(xviii) Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, there are no pending actions, suits or proceedings against or affecting the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties that, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect, or would materially and adversely affect the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement, or which are otherwise material in the context of the sale of the Offered Securities; and no such actions, suits or proceedings are threatened or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated.

(xix) Ernst & Young LLP, who have certified certain of the financial statements filed with the Commission as part of or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, are independent public accountants as required by the Act and the Rules and Regulations. The financial statements included or incorporated by reference in each Registration Statement and the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates shown and their results of operations and cash flows for the periods shown, and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with the generally accepted accounting principles in the United States applied on a consistent basis (“GAAP”); and the as adjusted columns therein reflect the proper application of those adjustments to the corresponding historical financial statement amounts

(xx) Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the Prospectus, there has been no material adverse change, nor any development or event involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition (financial or other), business, properties or results of operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole. Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, (i) except in the ordinary course of business, the Company and its Subsidiaries have not incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or contingent, nor entered into any material transaction; and (ii) the Company has not purchased any of its outstanding capital stock, nor declared, paid or otherwise made any dividend or distribution of any kind on its capital stock other than ordinary and customary dividends.

(xxi) The Company is subject to the reporting requirements of either Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act and files reports with the Commission on the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval (XXXXX) system. The Company and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement meet the requirements and comply with the conditions of the Rules and Regulations and the Act to the use of a

Registration Statement on Form S-3. The Company has timely made all filings required under either Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act during the one year period preceding the date on which the Initial Registration Statement was originally filed.

(xxii) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Offered Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Prospectus, will not be an “investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940.

(xxiii) Except as would not result in a Material Adverse Effect: (A) all federal, state and local Tax Returns required to be filed by the Company have been timely filed; (B) all such Tax Returns were correct and complete in all material respects; (C) the Company has timely paid all amounts due in respect of Taxes (whether or not shown on any Tax Return), or has otherwise set up reserves in accordance with GAAP in respect of all Taxes for any periods not fully determined and such reserves are reasonable; (D) there are no pending, or to the Company’s knowledge, threatened, actions or proceedings for the assessment or collection of Taxes against the Company, and, to the Company’s knowledge, no authority intends to assess any additional Taxes for any period for which Tax Returns have been filed; (E) the Company has not failed to pay any Taxes which could result in an encumbrance on its assets; (F) the Company is not currently the beneficiary of any extension of time within which to file any Tax Return; (G) during the past five (5) years, no claim has ever been made by an authority in a jurisdiction where the Company does not file Tax Returns that it is or may be subject to taxation by that jurisdiction; (H) the Company has withheld and paid all Taxes required to have been withheld and paid in connection with amounts paid or owing to any employee, independent contractor, creditor, stockholder, or other third party; and (I) the Company has not waived any statute of limitations in respect of Taxes or agreed to any extension of time with respect to a Tax assessment or deficiency. For the purposes of the foregoing, (x) “Tax” or “Taxes” means any federal, state, local, or foreign income, gross receipts, license, payroll, employment, excise, severance, stamp, occupation, premium, windfall profits, environmental (including taxes under Internal Revenue Code section 59A), customs duties, capital stock, franchise, profits, withholding, social security (or similar), unemployment, disability, real property, personal property, sales, use, transfer, registration, value added, alternative or add-on minimum, estimated, or other tax of any kind whatsoever, including any interest, penalty, or addition thereto, whether disputed or not, and including any obligation to indemnify or otherwise assume or succeed to the Tax liability of another person and (y) “Tax Return” means any return, declaration, report, claim for refund, or information return or statement relating to Taxes, including any schedule or attachment thereto, and including any amendment thereof.

(xxiv) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries is in compliance in all material respects with all presently applicable provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (“ERISA”); no “reportable event” (as defined in ERISA) has occurred with respect to any “pension plan” (as defined in ERISA) for which the Company and each of its Subsidiaries would have any liability; the Company and each of its Subsidiaries has not incurred and does not expect to incur liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or withdrawal from, any “pension plan” or (ii) Sections 412 or 4971 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (the “Code”); and each “pension plan” for which the Company or any Subsidiary would have any liability that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified in all material respects and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.

(xxv) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries maintains a system of internal 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.

(xxvi) The Company is in compliance in all material respects with applicable provisions of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 (the “Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act”) that are effective and is actively taking steps to

ensure that it will be in compliance in all material respects with other applicable provisions of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act upon the effectiveness of such provisions.

(xxvii) The Company has implemented the “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) of the Exchange Act) required in order for the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Company to engage in the review and evaluation process mandated by the Exchange Act. The Company’s “disclosure controls and procedures” are reasonably designed to ensure that all information (both financial and non-financial) required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Rules and Regulations, and that all such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure and to make the certifications of the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Company required under the Exchange Act with respect to such reports.

(xxviii) The Company has not distributed any offering materials in connection with the offering and sale of the Offered Securities, other than the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any other offering materials permitted by the Securities Act; and the Company has not taken and will not directly take any action designed to cause or result in, or which constitutes or might reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security to facilitate the sale of the Offered Securities,

(xxix) The descriptions of the policies of insurance that the Company and its Subsidiaries carry, or are covered by, contained in the Prospectus are accurate and complete in all material respects and such policies of insurance are in full force and effect.

(b) Each Selling Stockholder severally represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the several Underwriters that:

(i) Such Selling Stockholder has full right, power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement, to perform its obligations hereunder and to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. This Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus have been duly and validly authorized by such Selling Stockholder. This Agreement has been duly and validly executed and delivered by such Selling Stockholder and constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of such Selling Stockholder. If such Selling Stockholder is a partnership, such Selling Stockholder has been duly formed and organized and is in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of formation.

(ii) Such Selling Stockholder has full right, power and authority to execute and deliver a Custody Agreement and Power of Attorney in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, to perform its obligations thereunder and to consummate the transactions contemplated by thereby. The Custody Agreement and Power of Attorney and the transactions contemplated thereby have been duly and validly authorized by such Selling Stockholder. The Custody Agreement and Power of Attorney have each been duly and validly executed and delivered by such Selling Stockholder and constitute the legal, valid and binding obligation of such Selling Stockholder, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and except as enforceability may be subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law). Counterparts of such Selling Stockholder’s Custody Agreement, duly signed by (i) LaSalle Bank, N.A., as custodian (in such capacity, the “Custodian”) and (ii) Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx Xxxxxxx-Xxxxxx and Xxx X. Xxxxxx as such Selling Stockholders’ attorneys-in-fact (each, in such capacity, an “Attorney-In-Fact”) have been delivered to the Company and the Underwriters on or prior to the date of this Agreement.

(iii) Such Selling Stockholder agrees that the Firm Securities and Optional Securities, if any, to be sold by such Selling Stockholder, whether or not on deposit with the Custodian, are subject to the interests of

the Underwriters, that the arrangements made for such custody are to that extent irrevocable, and that the obligations of such Selling Stockholder hereunder shall not be terminated, except as provided in this Agreement or in the Custody Agreement and Power of Attorney, by any act of such Selling Stockholder, by operation of law or by the occurrence of any other event. If such Selling Stockholder should die or become incapacitated, or if any other event should occur affecting the legal status or capacity of such Selling Stockholder before the delivery of the Firm Securities and the Optional Securities, if any, to be sold by such a Selling Stockholder hereunder, the documents evidencing the Firm Securities and the Optional Securities, if any, to be sold by such Selling Stockholder then on deposit with the Custodian shall be delivered by the Custodian in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement as if such event had not occurred, regardless of whether or not the Custodian shall have received notice thereof.

(iv) Such Selling Stockholder has and on each Closing Date hereinafter mentioned will have valid and unencumbered title to the Offered Securities to be delivered by such Selling Stockholder on such Closing Date and full right, power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to sell, assign, transfer and deliver the Offered Securities to be delivered by such Selling Stockholder on such Closing Date hereunder; and upon the delivery of and payment for the Offered Securities on each Closing Date hereunder the several Underwriters will acquire valid and unencumbered title to the Offered Securities to be delivered by such Selling Stockholder on such Closing Date.

(v) Such Selling Stockholder has reviewed and is familiar with the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and (i) has no knowledge of any information with regard to the Company or the Subsidiaries which (A) is not disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and (B) concerns an event or circumstance that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) has no knowledge of any misstatement of a material fact or failure to state a material fact necessary to make the statements in the Prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and (iii) is not prompted to sell the Offered Securities to be sold by such Selling Stockholder by any material information concerning the Company or any Subsidiary which is not set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

(vi) Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between such Selling Stockholder and any person that would give rise to a valid claim against such Selling Stockholder or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or other like payment in connection with this offering.

(vii) No consent of, from or with any judicial, regulatory or other legal or governmental agency or body or any third party, foreign or domestic, is required for the execution, delivery and performance by such Selling Stockholder of this Agreement or its Custody Agreement and Power of Attorney, or consummation by such Selling Stockholders of the transactions contemplated herein or therein, except such as have been obtained under the Securities Act and such as may be required under the state or foreign securities laws, the blue sky laws of any jurisdiction or the NASD in connection with the purchase and distribution of such Selling Stockholder’s Firm Securities and such Selling Stockholder’s Optional Securities, if any, by the Underwriters.

(viii) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the Power of Attorney and the Custody Agreement by such Selling Stockholder and consummation of any of the other transactions contemplated herein and therein by such Selling Stockholder or the fulfillment of the terms hereof by such Selling Stockholder will not (A) conflict with, result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default (or an event that with notice or lapse of time, or both, would constitute a default) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of such Selling Stockholder pursuant to any law, statute, rule or regulation or the terms of any indenture or other agreement or instrument to which such Selling Stockholder is party or bound, or to which any of the property or assets of such Selling Stockholder is subject, (B) result in any violation or breach of any judgment, order, decree statute, rule or regulation applicable to such Selling Stockholder of any court or any public, governmental or regulatory agency or body, administrative agency or arbitrator having jurisdiction over such Selling Stockholder or (C) the organizational documents of any Selling Stockholder that is a partnership, except

where a conflict, breach, violation, default, lien, charge, or encumbrance of the type specified in clause (A) above would not have a materially adverse effect upon such Selling Stockholder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.

(ix) Such Selling Stockholder does not have any registration or other similar rights to have any equity or debt securities registered for sale by the Company under the Registration Statement or included in the offering of the Firm Securities and the Optional Securities.

(x) Such Selling Stockholder has not distributed any offering materials in connection with the offering and sale of the Offered Securities, other than the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any other offering materials permitted by the Securities Act; and such Selling Stockholder has not taken and will not directly take any action designed to cause or result in, or which constitutes or might reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security to facilitate the sale of the Offered Securities.

3. Purchase, Sale and Delivery of Offered Securities. On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company and each Firm Selling Stockholder agree, severally and not jointly, to sell to each Underwriter, and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company and each Firm Selling Stockholder, at a purchase price of $24.05 per share, that number of Firm Securities (rounded up or down, as determined by Xxxx Xxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxx, Incorporated (“Xxxx Xxxxx”) in its discretion, in order to avoid fractions) obtained by multiplying 2,000,000 Firm Securities in the case of the Company and the number of Firm Securities set forth opposite the name of such Firm Selling Stockholder in Schedule A hereto, in the case of a Firm Selling Stockholder, in each case by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of Firm Securities set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule B hereto and the denominator of which is the total number of Firm Securities.

Certificates in negotiable form for the Offered Securities to be sold by the Firm Selling Stockholders hereunder have been placed in custody, for delivery under this Agreement, under Custody Agreements made with the Custodian. Each Selling Stockholder agrees that the shares represented by the certificates held in custody for the Selling Stockholders under such Custody Agreements are subject to the interests of the Underwriters hereunder, that the arrangements made by the Selling Stockholders for such custody are to that extent irrevocable, and that the obligations of the Selling Stockholders hereunder shall not be terminated by operation of law, whether by the death of any individual Selling Stockholder or the occurrence of any other event, or in the case of a partnership, by the death of any partner or partners or the dissolution of such partnership. If any individual Selling Stockholder or any such partner or partners should die, or if any other such event should occur, or if any of such partnerships should be dissolved, before the delivery of the Offered Securities hereunder, certificates for such Offered Securities shall be delivered by the Custodian in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement as if such death or other event or termination had not occurred, regardless of whether or not the Custodian shall have received notice of such death or other event or termination.

The Company and the Custodian will deliver the Firm Securities to the Representatives through the facilities of the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct, for the accounts of the Underwriters, against payment of the purchase price in Federal (same day) funds by wire transfer to an account or accounts at a bank or banks designated by the Company or a Firm Selling Stockholder and reasonably acceptable to Xxxx Xxxxx drawn to the order of the Company in the case of 2,000,000 shares of Firm Securities and the Firm Selling Stockholders listed on Schedule A hereto in the case of an aggregate of 2,000,000 shares of Firm Securities, at the office of Xxxxx Xxxxxxx LLP, Baltimore, Maryland, at 9:00 A.M., Baltimore time, on December 15, 2004, or at such other time not later than seven full business days thereafter as Xxxx Xxxxx and the Company determine, such time being herein referred to as the “First Closing Date”. For purposes of Rule 15c6-l under the Exchange Act, the First Closing Date (if later than the otherwise applicable settlement date) shall be the settlement date for payment of funds and delivery of securities for all the Offered Securities sold pursuant to the offering. The certificates for the Firm Securities so to be delivered will be in definitive or book-entry form, in such denominations and registered in such names as Xxxx Xxxxx requests and will be made available for checking and packaging at the office of DTC or its designated custodian, unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct, at least 24 hours prior to the First Closing Date.

In addition, upon written notice from Xxxx Xxxxx given to the Company and the Optional Selling Stockholders from time to time not more than 30 days subsequent to the date of the Prospectus, the Underwriters may purchase all or less than all of the Optional Securities at the purchase price per Offered Security to be paid for the Firm Securities. The Optional Selling Stockholders agree to sell to the Underwriters the number of Optional Securities specified in such notice, and the Underwriters agree, severally and not jointly, to purchase such Optional Securities. If the option is exercised in part, the Optional Selling Stockholders will sell the amount that is proportional to the total number of Optional Securities listed on Schedule B. Such Optional Securities shall be purchased for the account of each Underwriter in the same proportion as the number of Firm Securities set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name bears to the total number of Firm Securities (subject to adjustment by Xxxx Xxxxx to eliminate fractions) and may be purchased by the Underwriters only for the purpose of covering over-allotments made in connection with the sale of the Firm Securities. No Optional Securities shall be sold or delivered unless the Firm Securities previously have been, or simultaneously are, sold and delivered. The right to purchase the Optional Securities or any portion thereof may be exercised from time to time and to the extent not previously exercised may be surrendered and terminated at any time upon notice by Xxxx Xxxxx to the Company.

Each time for the delivery of and payment for the Optional Securities, being herein referred to as an “Optional Closing Date”, which may be the First Closing Date (the First Closing Date and each Optional Closing Date, if any, being sometimes referred to as a “Closing Date”), shall be determined by Xxxx Xxxxx but shall be not later than five full business days after written notice of election to purchase Optional Securities is given. The Custodian will deliver the Optional Securities being purchased on each Optional Closing Date to the Representatives, through the facilities of DTC, unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct, for the accounts of the several Underwriters, against payment of the purchase price therefor in Federal (same day) funds by wire transfer to an account or accounts at a bank or banks designated by the Optional Selling Stockholders and reasonably acceptable to Xxxx Xxxxx drawn to the order of the Optional Selling Stockholders, at the above office of Xxxxx Xxxxxxx LLP, Baltimore, Maryland. The certificates for the Optional Securities being purchased on each Optional Closing Date will be in definitive or book-entry form, in such denominations and registered in such names as Xxxx Xxxxx requests upon reasonable notice prior to such Optional Closing Date and will be made available for checking and packaging at the above office of DTC or its designated custodian, unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct, at a reasonable time in advance of such Optional Closing Date.

4. Offering by Underwriters. It is understood that the several Underwriters propose to offer the Offered Securities for sale to the public as set forth in the Prospectus.

5. Certain Agreements of the Company and the Selling Stockholders. The Company and the Selling Stockholders agree with the several Underwriters and, as applicable, the Company agrees with the Selling Stockholders that:

(a) If the Effective Time of the Initial Registration Statement is prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will file the Prospectus with the Commission pursuant to and in accordance with subparagraph (1) (or, if applicable and if consented to by Xxxx Xxxxx, subparagraph (4)) of Rule 424(b) not later than the earlier of (A) the second business day following the execution and delivery of this Agreement or (B) the fifteenth business day after the Effective Date of the Initial Registration Statement. The Company will advise Xxxx Xxxxx promptly of any such filing pursuant to Rule 424(b). If the Effective Time of the Initial Registration Statement is prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement and an additional registration statement is necessary to register a portion of the Offered Securities under the Act but the Effective Time thereof has not occurred as of such execution and delivery, the Company will file the additional registration statement or, if filed, will file a post-effective amendment thereto with the Commission pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 462(b) on or prior to 10:00 P.M., Baltimore time, on the date of this Agreement or, if earlier, on or prior to the time the Prospectus is printed and distributed to any Underwriter, or will make such filing at such later date as shall have been consented to by Xxxx Xxxxx.

(b) The Company will advise Xxxx Xxxxx promptly of any proposal to amend or supplement the initial or any additional registration statement as filed or the related prospectus or the Initial Registration Statement, the Additional Registration Statement (if any) or the Prospectus and will not effect such amendment or supplementation without the consent of Xxxx Xxxxx; and the Company will also advise Xxxx Xxxxx promptly

of the effectiveness of each Registration Statement (if its Effective Time is subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement) and of any amendment or supplementation of a Registration Statement or the Prospectus and of the institution by the Commission of any stop order proceedings in respect of a Registration Statement and will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order and to obtain as soon as possible its lifting, if issued.

(c) If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the Offered Securities is required to be delivered under the Act in connection with sales by any Underwriter or dealer, any event occurs as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or if, in the opinion of counsel for the Company or the Underwriters, it is necessary at any time to amend the Prospectus to comply with the Act, the Company will promptly notify Xxxx Xxxxx and the Selling Stockholders of such event and will promptly prepare and file with the Commission, at its own expense, an amendment or supplement which will correct such statement or omission or an amendment which will effect such compliance. Neither the consent of Xxxx Xxxxx to, nor the Underwriters’ delivery of, any such amendment or supplement shall constitute a waiver of any of the conditions set forth in Section 6.

(d) As soon as practicable, but not later than the Availability Date (as defined below), the Company will make generally available to its securityholders an earnings statement covering a period of at least 12 months beginning after the Effective Date of the Initial Registration Statement (or, if later, the Effective Date of the Additional Registration Statement) which will satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act. For the purpose of the preceding sentence, “Availability Date” means the 45th day after the end of the fourth fiscal quarter following the fiscal quarter that includes such Effective Date, except that, if such fourth fiscal quarter is the last quarter of the Company’s fiscal year, “Availability Date” means the 90th day after the end of such fourth fiscal quarter.

(e) The Company will furnish to the Representatives copies of each Registration Statement (one (1) of which will be signed and will include all exhibits), each related preliminary prospectus, and, so long as a prospectus relating to the Offered Securities is required to be delivered under the Act in connection with sales by any Underwriter or dealer, the Prospectus and all amendments and supplements to such documents, in each case in such quantities as Xxxx Xxxxx reasonably requests. The Prospectus shall be so furnished on or prior to 3:00 P.M., Baltimore time, on the business day following the later of the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the Effective Time of the Initial Registration Statement. All other such documents shall be so furnished as soon as available. The Company will pay the expenses of printing and distributing to the Underwriters all such documents.

(f) The Company will arrange for the qualification of the Offered Securities for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as Xxxx Xxxxx designates and will continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution.

(g) For a period of 90 days after the date of the initial public offering of the Offered Securities, the Company will not offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, or file with the Commission a registration statement under the Act relating to, any additional shares of its Securities or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any shares of its Securities, or publicly disclose the intention to make any such offer, sale, pledge, disposition or filing, without the prior written consent of Xxxx Xxxxx except issuances of Securities pursuant to the conversion or exchange of convertible or exchangeable securities or the exercise of warrants or options, in each case outstanding on the date hereof, grants of stock options pursuant to the terms of a plan in effect on the date hereof or issuances of Securities pursuant to the exercise of such options, issuances of Securities in an acquisition transaction, or the filing of registration statements on Form S-8 relating to benefit plans or on Form S-4 relating to a business combination transaction under Rule 145 of the Act.

(h) The Company will pay all costs, fees, taxes and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company and the Selling Stockholders under this Agreement, whether or not the transactions contemplated herein are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, including all costs,

fees, taxes and expenses incident to (i) the printing, filing or other production of documents with respect to the transactions, including any costs of printing the Registration Statement originally filed with respect to the Offered Securities and any amendment thereto, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, this Agreement and any blue sky memoranda, (ii) all arrangements relating to the mailing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of the foregoing documents, (iii) the fees, expenses and disbursements of the counsel, accountants and any other experts or advisors retained by the Company, (iv) preparation, printing, issuance and delivery to the Underwriters of any certificates evidencing the Offered Securities, including transfer agent’s and registrar’s fees, (v) the registration or qualification of the Offered Securities under state securities and blue sky laws and the real estate syndication laws of the several states, including filing fees and fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters relating thereto, (vi) the filing fees in connection with the review and clearance of the offering of the Offered Securities by the NASD relating to the Offered Securities, (vii) the listing of the Offered Securities on the Nasdaq National Market, (viii) expenses of the Company related to meetings with prospective investors in the Offered Securities (other than expenses specifically approved by the Representatives to be paid for by the Underwriters), (ix) advertising approved by the Company relating to the offering of the Offered Securities (other than shall have been specifically approved by the Representatives to be paid for by the Underwriters), and (x) any transfer taxes imposed on the sale by the Company of the Offered Securities to the Underwriters.

(i) The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of its Offered Securities as set forth under “Use of Proceeds” in the Prospectus.

(j) The Company will not, at any time, directly or indirectly, (i) take any action designed to cause or to result in, or that has constituted or which might reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Offered Securities or (ii) (A) sell, bid for, purchase, or pay anyone any compensation for soliciting purchases of, the Offered Securities or (B) pay or agree to pay to any person any compensation for soliciting another to purchase any other securities of the Company.

(k) The Company will use its best efforts to cause the Offered Securities to be duly authorized for listing by the Nasdaq National Market prior to the First Closing Date and to maintain the listing of the Offered Securities on the Nasdaq National Market or a national securities exchange for a period of two years after the First Closing Date and thereafter unless the Company’s Board of Directors determines that it is no longer in the best interests of the Company for the Offered Securities to continue to be so listed.

(1) During the period when the Prospectus is required to be delivered under the Act or the Exchange Act in connection with sales of the Offered Securities, the Company will file all documents required to be filed by it with the Commission pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15 of the Exchange Act within the time periods required by the Exchange Act.

(m) Each Selling Stockholder agrees, for a period of 90 days after the date of the initial public offering of the Offered Securities, not to offer, sell, contract to sell (including any short sale), pledge, hypothecate, grant any option, right or warrant for the sale of, purchase any option or contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, or otherwise encumber, dispose of or transfer, directly or indirectly, any shares of Securities or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any shares of Securities, enter into a transaction which would have the same effect, or enter into any swap, hedge or other arrangement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Securities, whether any such aforementioned transaction is to be settled by delivery of the Securities or such other securities, in cash or otherwise, or publicly disclose the intention to make any such offer, sale, pledge or disposition, or to enter into any such transaction, swap, hedge or other arrangement, without, in each case, the prior written consent of Xxxx Xxxxx.

6. Conditions of the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Firm Securities on the First Closing Date and the Optional Securities to be purchased on each Optional Closing Date will be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company and the Selling Stockholders herein, to the accuracy of the statements of Company officers made pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company and the Selling Stockholders of their obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions precedent:

(a) The Representatives shall have received a letter, dated the date of delivery thereof (which, if the Effective Time of the Initial Registration Statement is prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, shall be on or prior to the date of this Agreement or, if the Effective Time of the Initial Registration Statement is subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, shall be prior to the filing of the amendment or post-effective amendment to the registration statement to be filed shortly prior to such Effective Time), of Ernst & Young LLP confirming that they are an independent registered public accounting firm within the meaning of the Act and the applicable published Rules and Regulations thereunder and stating to the effect that:

(i) in their opinion the financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2003 and 2002, examined by them and included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statements comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the related published Rules and Regulations;

(ii) they have performed the procedures specified by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the “PCAOB”) for a review of interim financial information as described in XX 000, Xxxxxxx Financial Information, on the unaudited financial statements as of and for the three month period ended March 31, 2004, the three month and six month periods ended June 30, 2004, and the three month and nine month periods ended September 30, 2004, included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statements.;

(iii) on the basis of the review referred to in clause (ii) above, a reading of the latest available interim financial statements of the Company, inquiries of officials of the Company who have responsibility for financial and accounting matters and other specified procedures, nothing came to their attention that caused them to believe that:

(A) the unaudited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statements do not comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the related published Rules and Regulations or any material modifications should be made to such unaudited financial statements for them to be in conformity with GAAP;

(B) at the date of the latest available balance sheet read by such accountants, or at a subsequent specified date not more than three business days prior to the date of this Agreement, there was any change in the capital stock or any increase in short-term indebtedness or long-term debt of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries or, at the date of the latest available balance sheet read by such accountants, there was any decrease in consolidated net current assets or stockholders’ equity, as compared with amounts shown on the latest balance sheet included in the Prospectus; or

(C) for the period from the closing date of the latest income statement included in the Prospectus to the closing date of the latest available income statement read by such accountants there were any decreases, as compared with the corresponding period of the previous year and with the period of corresponding length ended the date of the latest income statement included in the Prospectus, in consolidated operating revenue or in the total or per share amounts of consolidated net income;

except in all cases set forth in clauses (B) and (C) above for changes, increases or decreases which the Prospectus discloses have occurred or may occur or which are described in such letter;

(iv) they have compared specified dollar amounts (or percentages derived from such dollar amounts)

and other financial information contained in the Registration Statements (in each case to the extent that such dollar amounts, percentages and other financial information are derived from the general accounting records of the Company and its Subsidiaries subject to the internal controls of the Company’s accounting system or are derived directly from such records by analysis or computation) with the results obtained from inquiries, a reading of such general accounting records and other procedures specified in such letter and have found such dollar amounts, percentages and other financial information to be in agreement with such results, except as otherwise specified in such letter.

For purposes of this subsection, (i) if the Effective Time of the Initial Registration Statements is subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, “Registration Statements” shall mean the initial registration statement as proposed to be amended by the amendment or post-effective amendment to be filed shortly prior to its Effective Time, (ii) if the Effective Time of the Initial Registration Statements is prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement but the Effective Time of the Additional Registration Statement is subsequent to such execution and delivery, “Registration Statements” shall mean the Initial Registration Statement and the additional registration statement as proposed to be filed or as proposed to be amended by the post-effective amendment to be filed shortly prior to its Effective Time, and (iii) “Prospectus” shall mean the prospectus included in the Registration Statements.

(b) If the Effective Time of the Initial Registration Statement is not prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, such Effective Time shall have occurred not later than 10:00 P.M., Baltimore time, on the date of this Agreement or such later date as shall have been consented to by Xxxx Xxxxx. If the Effective Time of the Additional Registration Statement (if any) is not prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, such Effective Time shall have occurred not later than 10:00 P.M., Baltimore time, on the date of this Agreement or, if earlier, the time the Prospectus is printed and distributed to any Underwriter, or shall have occurred at such later date as shall have been consented to by Xxxx Xxxxx. If the Effective Time of the Initial Registration Statement is prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission in accordance with the Rules and Regulations and Section 5(a) of this Agreement. Prior to such Closing Date, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement shall have been issued, and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or, to the knowledge of any Selling Stockholder, the Company or the Representatives, shall be contemplated by the Commission.

(c) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, there shall not have occurred (i) any change, or any development or event involving a prospective change, in the condition (financial or other), business, properties or results of operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as one enterprise which, in the judgment of a majority in interest of the Underwriters including the Representatives, is material and adverse and makes it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with completion of the public offering or the sale of and payment for the Offered Securities; (ii) any downgrading in the rating of any debt securities of the Company by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined for purposes of Rule 436(g) under the Act), or any public announcement that any such organization has under surveillance or review its rating of any debt securities of the Company (other than an announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading, and no implication of a possible downgrading, of such rating); (iii) any change in U.S. or international financial, political or economic conditions or currency exchange rates or exchange controls as would, in the judgment of a majority in interest of the Underwriters including the Representatives, be likely to prejudice materially the success of the proposed issue, sale or distribution of the Offered Securities, whether in the primary market or in respect of dealings in the secondary market; (iv) any material suspension or material limitation of trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq National Market, or any setting of minimum prices for trading on such exchange or market, or any suspension of trading of any securities of the Company on any exchange or market or in the over-the-counter market; (v) any banking moratorium declared by U.S. Federal or New York authorities; (vi) any major disruption of settlements of securities or clearance services in the United States; or (vii) any attack on, outbreak or escalation of hostilities or act of terrorism involving the United States, any declaration of war by Congress or any other national or international calamity or emergency if, in the judgment of a majority in interest of the Underwriters including the Representatives, the effect of any such attack, outbreak, escalation, act, declaration, calamity or emergency, singly or together with any other event specified in this clause (vii), makes it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with completion of the public offering or the sale of and payment for the Offered Securities.

(d) The Representatives shall have received an opinion, dated such Closing Date, of Xxxxxxx Law Firm, P.C., L.L.O., counsel for the Company, to the effect that:

(i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is an existing corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Nevada, with corporate power and authority to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus; and the Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation in good standing in all other jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified would not, individually or in the aggregate, be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect;

(ii) Each of the Material Subsidiaries has been duly incorporated and is an existing corporation or entity in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, with power and authority to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus; and each of the Material Subsidiaries is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation or entity in good standing in all other jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified would not, individually or in the aggregate, be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect; all of the issued and outstanding capital stock or other equity interests of each of the Material Subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable, and, except as set forth on Schedule D, are owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company, and, to the knowledge of such counsel, are free from liens, encumbrances and defects except for liens, encumbrances or defects disclosed in the Prospectus;

(iii) The Offered Securities delivered on such Closing Date and all other outstanding shares of the Common Stock of the Company have been duly authorized; all outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are, and, when the Offered Securities are delivered and paid for in accordance with this Agreement on such Closing Date, such Offered Securities will be, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and will conform to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus; and (A) the stockholders of the Company have no statutory preemptive rights with respect to the Securities, and (B) to the knowledge of such counsel, the stockholders of the Company have no contractual preemptive rights with respect to the Securities;

(iv) Except as set forth in the Prospectus, to such counsel’s knowledge, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Act with respect to any securities of the Company owned or to be owned by such person or to require the Company to include such securities in the securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or in any securities being registered pursuant to any other registration statement filed by the Company under the Act;

(v) No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or filing with, any governmental agency or body or any court is required to be obtained or made by the Company for the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in connection with the sale of the Offered Securities, except such as have been obtained and made under the Act and such as may be required under state securities laws or the by-laws or rules and regulations of the NASD;

(vi) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein or therein contemplated will not result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, (A) any statute, rule, or regulation that such counsel has, in the exercise of customary professional diligence, recognized as applicable to the Company, any Material Subsidiary, or to transactions of the type contemplated by this Agreement (except that such counsel need not express an opinion regarding any federal securities laws or Blue Sky or state securities laws) or, to such counsel’s knowledge, any order of any governmental agency or body or any court having jurisdiction over the Company, any Material Subsidiary or any of their properties, (B) any loan agreement, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust or other agreement or instrument filed as an exhibit to or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003, or the Company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2004, June 30, 2004 and September 30, 2004, to which the Company or any Material Subsidiary is a party or by which the Company or any Material Subsidiary is bound or to which any of the properties of the Company or any Material Subsidiary

is subject, or (C) the charter or by-laws of the Company or any Material Subsidiary, except where a breach, violation or default of the type specified in clause (B) above would not, individually or in the aggregate, be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect;

(vii) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Offered Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Prospectus will not be, required to be registered as an “investment company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940;

(viii) The Initial Registration Statement was declared effective under the Act as of the date and time specified in such opinion, the Additional Registration Statement (if any) was filed and became effective under the Act as of the date and time (if determinable) specified in such opinion, the Prospectus either was filed with the Commission pursuant to the subparagraph of Rule 424(b) specified in such opinion on the date specified therein or was included in the Initial Registration Statement or the Additional Registration Statement (as the case may be), and, to the knowledge of such counsel, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement or any part thereof has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or contemplated under the Act, and each Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and each amendment or supplement thereto, as of their respective effective or issue dates, complied as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations; and the reports incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, when they were filed with the Commission complied as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder; the descriptions in the Registration Statements and Prospectus of statutes, legal and governmental proceedings and contracts and other documents are accurate in all material respects and fairly present in all material respects the information required to be shown; and such counsel do not know of any legal or governmental proceedings required to be described in a Registration Statement or the Prospectus which are not described as required or of any contracts or documents of a character required to be described in a Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to a Registration Statement which are not described and filed as required; it being understood that such counsel need express no opinion as to the financial statements or other financial or statistical data contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statements or the Prospectus; and

(ix) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

In addition to the matters set forth above, such counsel shall also include a statement to the effect that, in connection with the preparation of the Registration Statements and the Prospectus, such counsel has participated in conferences with officers and representatives of the Company, the accountants of the Company, the Underwriters, and counsel for the Underwriters, at which conferences such counsel made inquiries of such persons and others and discussed the contents of the Registration Statements and the Prospectus, and that, while the limitations inherent in verification of factual matters involved in the registration process are such that counsel is not passing upon the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained in the Registration Statements or Prospectus (except as specified above in this Section 6(d)), subject to the foregoing and based on such participation, inquiries, and discussions, such counsel has no reason to believe that any part of a Registration Statement or any amendment thereto, as of its effective date or as of such Closing Date, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or that the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, as of its issue date or as of such Closing Date, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; it being understood that such counsel need express no comment as to the financial statements or other financial or statistical data contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statements or the Prospectus.

(e) The Representatives shall have received an opinion, dated such Closing Date, of Xxxxxxx Law Firm, P.C., L.L.O., counsel for the Selling Stockholders, to the effect that:

(i) To the knowledge of such counsel, (A) each Selling Stockholder has valid and unencumbered title to the Offered Securities to be sold by such Selling Stockholder on each Closing Date which Offered

Securities are represented by the certificates being concurrently deposited with the Custodian, pursuant to the Custody Agreement (the “Custody Agreement”), between such Selling Stockholder and the Custodian, and has full right, power and authority to sell, assign, transfer and deliver the Offered Securities delivered by such Selling Stockholder on such Closing Date hereunder, and (B) upon delivery thereof and payment therefor in accordance with this Agreement, and assuming such Underwriters are bona fide purchasers, the several Underwriters will have acquired valid and unencumbered title to the Offered Securities purchased by them from such Selling Stockholder on such Closing Date hereunder;

(ii) No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or filing with, any governmental agency or body or any court is required to be obtained or made by any Selling Stockholder for the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Custody Agreement in connection with the sale of the Offered Securities sold by the Selling Stockholders, except such as have been obtained and made under the Act and such as may be required under state securities laws or the by-laws or rules and regulations of the NASD;

(iii) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the Custody Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein and therein contemplated will not result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under (A) any statute, any rule, or regulation that such counsel has, in the exercise of customary professional diligence, recognized as applicable to any Selling Stockholder or to transactions of the type contemplated by this Agreement or the Custody Agreement (except that such counsel need not express an opinion regarding any federal securities laws or Blue Sky or state securities laws) or, to such counsel’s knowledge, any order of any governmental agency or body or any court having jurisdiction over any Selling Stockholder or any of their properties or (B) to such counsel’s knowledge, any agreement or instrument to which any Selling Stockholder is a party or by which any Selling Stockholder is bound or to which any of the properties of any Selling Stockholder is subject;

(iv) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each Selling Stockholder; and

(v) Each of the Custody Agreement and the Power of Attorney, dated the date of the Custody Agreement, of each Selling Stockholder has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by such Selling Stockholder and constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of such Selling Stockholder enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles.

(f) The Representatives shall have received from Xxxxx Xxxxxxx LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated such Closing Date, with respect to the incorporation of the Company, the validity of the Offered Securities delivered on such Closing Date, the Registration Statements, the Prospectus and other related matters as the Representatives may require, and the Selling Stockholders and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters. In rendering such opinion, Xxxxx Xxxxxxx LLP may rely as to the incorporation of the Company and the validity of the Offered Securities upon the opinion of Xxxxxxx Law Firm, P.C., L.L.O. referred to above.

(g) The Representatives shall have received a certificate, dated such Closing Date, of the President and the Chief Financial Officer of the Company in which such officers, to their knowledge after reasonable investigation, shall state that: the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct; the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to such Closing Date; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of any Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are contemplated by the Commission; the Additional Registration Statement (if any) satisfying the requirements of subparagraphs (1) and (3) of Rule 462(b) was filed pursuant to Rule 462(b), including payment of the applicable filing fee in accordance with Rule 11 l(a) or (b) under the Act, prior to the time the Prospectus was printed and distributed to any Underwriter; and, subsequent to the respective dates of the most recent financial statements in the Prospectus, there has been no material adverse change, nor any development or event involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition (financial or other), business, properties or results of

operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole except as set forth in the Prospectus or as described in such certificate.

(h) The Representatives shall have received a letter, dated such Closing Date, of Ernst & Young LLP which meets the requirements of subsection (a) of this Section, except that the specified date referred to in such subsection will be a date not more than three days prior to such Closing Date for the purposes of this subsection.

(i) On or prior to the date of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received lockup letters from each director and executive officer of the Company.

(j) Each Selling Stockholder will deliver to Xxxx Xxxxx a properly completed and executed United States Treasury Department Form W-9 (or other applicable form or statement specified by the United States Treasury Department regulations in lieu thereof).

(k) The Firm Securities to be sold by the Company have been approved for quotation upon notice of issuance on the Nasdaq National Market.

(l) The representations and warranties of the Company and each of the Selling Stockholders shall be true and correct as of the Closing Date and such parties shall have complied with all agreements and conditions on their part to be performed or satisfied prior to the Closing Date.

(m) The NASD shall not have raised any objection to the underwriting terms and compensation in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby.

The Selling Stockholders and the Company will furnish the Representatives with such conformed copies of such opinions, certificates, letters and documents as the Representatives reasonably request. Xxxx Xxxxx may in its sole discretion waive on behalf of the Underwriters compliance with any conditions to the obligations of the Underwriters hereunder, whether in respect of an Optional Closing Date or otherwise.

7. Indemnification and Contribution. (a) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its partners, members, directors and officers and each person, if any who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act (the “Underwriter Indemnitees”), against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Underwriter may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any Registration Statement, the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any related preliminary prospectus, or arise out of or are 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, and will reimburse each Underwriter for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement in or omission or alleged omission from any of such documents in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in subsection (c) below; and provided, further, that with respect to any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement in or omission or alleged omission from any preliminary prospectus, the indemnity agreement contained in this subsection (a) shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter from whom the person asserting any such losses, claims, damages or liabilities purchased the Offered Securities concerned, to the extent that a prospectus relating to such Offered Securities was required to be delivered by such Underwriter under the Act in connection with such purchase and any such loss, claim, damage or liability of such Underwriter results from the fact that there was not sent or given to such person, at or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of such Offered Securities to such person, a copy of the Prospectus (exclusive of material incorporated by reference therein) if the Company had previously furnished copies thereof to such Underwriter.

(b) Each Selling Stockholder will severally, and not jointly, indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriter Indemnitees against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Underwriter may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any Registration Statement, the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any related preliminary prospectus, or arise out of or are 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, and will reimburse each Underwriter for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Selling Stockholders will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement in or omission or alleged omission from any of such documents in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by an Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in subsection (c) below; and provided, further, that with respect to any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement in or omission or alleged omission from any preliminary prospectus, the indemnity agreement contained in this subsection (b) shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter from whom the person asserting any such losses, claims, damages or liabilities purchased the Offered Securities concerned, to the extent that a prospectus relating to such Offered Securities was required to be delivered by such Underwriter under the Act in connection with such purchase and any such loss, claim, damage or liability of such Underwriter results from the fact that there was not sent or given to such person, at or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of such Offered Securities to such person, a copy of the Prospectus (exclusive of material incorporated by reference therein) if the Company had previously furnished copies thereof to such Underwriter. In no event, however, shall the aggregate liability of any Selling Stockholder for indemnification under this Section 7(b) and for breaches of its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements contained herein or otherwise exceed the amount of the net proceeds received by such Selling Stockholder from the sale of Offered Securities hereunder.

(c) Each Underwriter will severally and not jointly indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act, and each Selling Stockholder against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which they or any of them may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any Registration Statement, the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any related preliminary prospectus, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or the 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 reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, and will reimburse any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company and each Selling Stockholder in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as such expenses are incurred, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the following information in the Prospectus furnished on behalf of each Underwriter: (A) the concession and reallowance figures appearing in the fifth paragraph under the caption “Underwriting”; and (B) the information related to stabilizing transactions appearing in the 1l^th paragraph (solely with respect to the representations of the Underwriters) under the caption “Underwriting.”

(d) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 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 subsection (a), (b) or (c) above, notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof; but the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under subsection (a), (b) or (c) above except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided further that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an indemnified party otherwise than under subsection (a), (b) or (c) above. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party and it notifies an indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate therein and, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such

indemnified party under this Section for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation so long as the indemnifying party continues to diligently defend such action with counsel satisfactory to the indemnified party. In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its own counsel at its own expense. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the indemnifying party shall pay as incurred (or within 30 days of presentation) the fees and expenses of the counsel retained by the indemnified party in the event (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel, (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them or (iii) the indemnifying party shall have failed to assume the defense and employ counsel acceptable to the indemnified party within a reasonable period of time after notice of commencement of the action. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened action in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party unless such (i) settlement includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on any claims that are the subject matter of such action 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 an indemnified party.

(e) If the indemnification provided for in this Section is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a), (b) or (c) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in subsection (a), (b) or (c) above (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling Stockholders on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company and the Selling Stockholders 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 as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling Stockholders 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 and the Selling Stockholders bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters. As between the Company and the Selling Stockholders only, however, the relative benefits shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and each Selling Stockholder, respectively. 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, the Selling Stockholders or the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The amount paid by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (e) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim which is the subject of this subsection (e). The Company, the Selling Stockholders and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this subsection (e) 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 subsection (e). Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (e), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission, and no Selling Stockholder shall be required to contribute more than the net proceeds received by such Selling Stockholder from the sale of Securities hereunder. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations in this subsection (e) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint.

(f) The obligations of the Company and the Selling Stockholders under this Section shall be in addition to any liability which the Company and the Selling Stockholders may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the Act; and the obligations of the Underwriters under this Section shall be in addition to any liability which the respective Underwriters may

otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each director of the Company, to each officer of the Company who has signed a Registration Statement and to each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Act.

8. Default of Underwriters. If any Underwriter or Underwriters default in their obligations to purchase Offered Securities hereunder on either the First Closing Date or any Optional Closing Date and the aggregate number of shares of Offered Securities that such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase does not exceed 10% of the total number of shares of Offered Securities that the Underwriters are obligated to purchase on such Closing Date, Xxxx Xxxxx may make arrangements satisfactory to the Company and the Selling Stockholders for the purchase of such Offered Securities by other persons, including any of the Underwriters, but if no such arrangements are made by such Closing Date, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated severally, in proportion to their respective commitments hereunder, to purchase the Offered Securities that such defaulting Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase on such Closing Date. If any Underwriter or Underwriters so default and the aggregate number of shares of Offered Securities with respect to which such default or defaults occur exceeds 10% of the total number of shares of Offered Securities that the Underwriters are obligated to purchase on such Closing Date and arrangements satisfactory to Xxxx Xxxxx, the Company and the Selling Stockholders for the purchase of such Offered Securities by other persons are not made within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement will terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter, the Company or the Selling Stockholders, except as provided in Section 9 (provided that if such default occurs with respect to Optional Securities after the First Closing Date, this Agreement will not terminate as to the Firm Securities or any Optional Securities purchased prior to such termination). In the event of a default by an Underwriter or Underwriters, as set forth in this Section 8, the First Closing Date or Optional Closing Date, as the case may be, may be postponed for such period, not exceeding seven business days, as you, as Representatives, may determine in order that the required changes in the Registration Statement or in the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this Section. “Nothing herein will relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.

9. Survival of Certain Representations and Obligations. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Selling Stockholders, of the Company or 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, or statement as to the results thereof, made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, any Selling Stockholder, the Company or any of their respective representatives, officers or directors or any controlling person, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Offered Securities. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 8 or if for any reason the purchase of the Offered Securities by the Underwriters is not consummated, the Company shall remain responsible for the expenses to be paid or reimbursed by it pursuant to Section 5 and the respective obligations of the Company, the Selling Stockholders, and the Underwriters pursuant to Section 7 shall remain in effect, and if any Offered Securities have been purchased hereunder the representations and warranties in Section 2 and all obligations under Section 5 shall also remain in effect. If the purchase of the Offered Securities by the Underwriters is not consummated for any reason other than solely because of the termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 8 or the occurrence of any event specified in clause (iii), (iv), (v), (vi) or (vii) of Section 6(c), the Company will reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket expenses (including fees and disbursements of counsel) reasonably incurred by them in connection with the offering of the Offered Securities.

10. Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and, if sent to the Underwriters, will be mailed, delivered or faxed and confirmed to the Representatives, c/x Xxxx Xxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxx Incorporated, 000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, Attention: Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx, with a copy, which shall not constitute notice, to Xxxxx Xxxxxxx LLP, 0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, Attention: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx, Xx., or, if sent to the Company or the Selling Stockholders or any of them, will be mailed, delivered or faxed and confirmed to 0000 Xxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx 00000, Attention: Xxx X. Xxxxxx, with a copy, which shall not constitute notice, to Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx Law Firm, P.C., L.L.O., 000 X. 00^xx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 000, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000; provided, however, that any notice to an Underwriter pursuant to Section 7 will be mailed, delivered or faxed and confirmed to such Underwriter.

11. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective personal representatives and successors and the officers and directors and controlling persons referred to in

Section 7, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.

12. Representation. The Representatives will act for the several Underwriters in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and any action under this Agreement taken by the Representatives jointly or by Xxxx Xxxxx will be binding upon all the Underwriters.

13. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same Agreement.

14. Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Maryland, without regard to principles of conflicts of laws.

The Company hereby submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal and state courts in the State of Maryland in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

If the foregoing is in accordance with the Representatives’ understanding of our agreement, kindly sign and return to the Company one of the counterparts hereof, whereupon it will become a binding agreement among the Selling Stockholders, the Company and the several Underwriters in accordance with its terms.

Very truly yours,


U.S. XPRESS ENTERPRISES, INC.

By:		/s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
		Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
		Title: President and Treasurer

THE SELLING STOCKHOLDERS LISTED ON

SCHEDULES A AND B HERETO

XXXXXXX X. XXXXX

/s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx

Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx

XXX X. XXXXXX

/s/ Xxx X. Xxxxxx

Xxx X. Xxxxxx


XXXXX FAMILY PARTNERSHIP

By:		/s/ Xxx X. Xxxxxx
		Xxx X. Xxxxxx, Attorney-in-Fact


XXXXXX FAMILY PARTNERSHIP

By:		/s/ Xxx X. Xxxxxx
		Xxx X. Xxxxxx, Attorney-in-Fact

The foregoing Underwriting Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the date first above written.


XXXX XXXXX XXXX XXXXXX, INCORPORATED
XXXXXX XXXXXX & COMPANY, INC,
BB&T CAPITAL MARKETS, A DIVISION OF XXXXX &
XXXXXXXXXXXX, INC.
XXXXXXXX INC.

Acting on behalf of themselves and as the

Representatives of the several Underwriters.


By XXXX XXXXX XXXX XXXXXX, INCORPORATED

By		/s/ X X Xxxxxxx, Xx.
		Authorized Representative

SCHEDULE A


Firm Selling Stockholder		Number of Firm Securities to be Sold
Xxx X. Xxxxxx		900,000
Xxxxxx Family Partnership		100 000
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx		900,000
Xxxxx Family Partnership		100,000

Total		2,000,000

SCHEDULE B


Optional Selling Stockholder		Number of Optional Securities to be Sold
Xxx X. Xxxxxx		550,000
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx		50,000

Total		600,000

SCHEDULE C


Underwriter		Number of Firm Securities to be Purchased

Xxxx Xxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxx Incorporated		1,500,000

Xxxxxx Xxxxxx & Company, Inc.		900,000

BB&T Capital Markets, a division of Xxxxx & Xxxxxxxxxxxx, Inc.		800,000

Xxxxxxxx Inc.		800,000

Total		4,000,000

SCHEDULE D

Subsidiaries


		U.S. Xpress, Inc., a Nevada corporation

		U.S. Xpress Leasing, Inc., a Tennessee corporation

		Xpress Global Systems, Inc., a Georgia corporation

		Xpress Company Store, Inc., a Tennessee corporation

		Xpress Air, Inc., a Tennessee corporation

		Xpress Holdings, Inc., a Nevada corporation

		Xpress Colorado, Inc., a Georgia corporation

		Xpress Nebraska, Inc., a Nebraska corporation

		Colton Xpress, LLC, a California corporation

		Xpress Receivables, LLC, a Nevada limited liability company

		Xpress Waiting, Inc., a Nevada corporation

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4,000,000 Shares Class A Common Stock UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

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