Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc.

Exhibit 1.1

$100,000,000

5.50% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2032

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

June 28, 2022

Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxx, Inc.

000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx

Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000

PNC CAPITAL MARKETS LLC

000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx

Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxx 00000

As representatives of the Underwriters listed in Schedule A hereto

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (the “Underwriters”) pursuant to the terms set forth herein (this “Agreement”) $100,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 5.50% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2032 (the “Securities”). The Securities will be issued pursuant to an indenture, to be dated as of the Closing Time (as defined below) (the “Base Indenture”), between the Company and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”), as supplemented by a supplemental indenture thereto relating to the Securities, to be dated as of the Closing Time, between the Company and the Trustee (the “Supplemental Indenture” and, together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”). Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxx, Inc. (“KBW”) and PNC Capital Markets LLC (“PNC”) have agreed to act as representatives of the several Underwriters (in such capacity, the “Representatives”) in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities. The Securities will be issued in book-entry only form to Cede & Co. as nominee of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) pursuant to a blanket letter of representations, dated June 28, 2022, between the Company and DTC.

To the extent there are no additional underwriters listed on Schedule A, the term “Representatives” as used herein shall mean PNC and KBW, as Underwriters, and the term “Underwriters” shall mean either the singular or the plural, as the context requires.

The Company has prepared and filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) an “automatic shelf registration statement,” as defined under Rule 405 (“Rule 405”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), on Form S-3 (File No. 333-237301) covering the public offering and sale from time to time of certain securities of the Company, including the Securities, under the Securities Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Securities Act Regulations”), which automatic shelf registration statement became effective upon filing with the Commission under Rule 462(e) of the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 462(e)”). Such registration statement, as of any time, as amended by any post-effective amendment thereto at such time, including the exhibits and any schedules thereto at such time, the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein at such time pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act and the documents otherwise deemed to be a part thereof as of such time pursuant to Rule 430B of the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 430B”), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement”; provided, that the “Registration Statement” without reference to a time means such registration statement as amended by any post-effective amendment thereto as of the time of the first contract of sale for the Securities, which time shall be considered the “new effective date” of the Registration Statement with respect to the Securities within the meaning of Rule 430B(f)(2), including the exhibits and schedules thereto as of such time, the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein at such time pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act and the documents otherwise deemed to be a part thereof as of such time pursuant to Rule 430B. Each preliminary prospectus supplement and the base prospectus used in connection with the offering of the Securities, including the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act immediately prior to the Applicable Time (as defined below), are collectively referred to herein as a “preliminary prospectus.” Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will prepare and file with the Commission a final prospectus supplement relating to the Securities in accordance with the provisions of Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 424(b)”). The final prospectus supplement and the base prospectus, in the form first furnished to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities, including the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act immediately prior to the Applicable Time (as defined below), are collectively referred to herein as the “Prospectus.” For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (or any successor system) (“XXXXX”).

As used in this Agreement:

“Applicable Time” means 2:30 p.m., New York City time, on Tuesday, June 28, 2022 or such other time as agreed by the Company and the Representatives.

“Pricing Disclosure Package” means each Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus and the most recent preliminary prospectus furnished to the Underwriters for general distribution to investors prior to the Applicable Time, all considered together.

“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means (a) the “Term Sheet” (as defined below) and (b) any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 433”), including, without limitation, any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405) relating to the Securities that is (i) required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) a “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i), whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, or (iii) exempt from filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Securities or of the offering thereof that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g).

“Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to investors, as evidenced by its being specified in Schedule B hereto.

“Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not an Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus.

“Term Sheet” means a pricing term sheet substantially in the form of Schedule C hereto.

All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is “contained,” “included” or “stated” (or other references of like import) in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include all such financial statements and schedules and other information incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, prior to the Applicable Time; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include the filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Exchange Act Regulations”) incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, such preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, at or after the Applicable Time.

SECTION 1.                Representations and Warranties.

(a)               Representations and Warranties by the Company. The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter at the date hereof, the Applicable Time and the Closing Time (as defined below), and agrees with each Underwriter, as follows:

(i)                   Compliance of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and Incorporated Documents. The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act. The Registration Statement is an automatic shelf registration statement under Rule 405, and the offer and sale of the Securities is registered by the Company on such automatic shelf registration statement. Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto has become effective under the Securities Act and the initial effective date of the Registration Statement is not more than three years before the date of this Agreement. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the Securities Act, no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) of the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 401(g)(2)”) has been received by the Company, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information.

Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time of its effectiveness, as of each deemed effective date with respect to the Underwriters pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2), and at the Closing Time, complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act, the Securities Act Regulations, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “Trust Indenture Act”), and the rules and regulations promulgated under the Trust Indenture Act. Each preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, at the time each was filed or is hereafter filed with the Commission and at the Closing Time complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations and are and will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to XXXXX, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, when they became effective or at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and the Exchange Act Regulations.

(ii)                  Accurate Disclosure. Neither the Registration Statement nor any post-effective amendment thereto, at its effective time and at the Closing Time contained, contains or will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. At the Applicable Time, neither (A) the Pricing Disclosure Package nor (B) any individual Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the Pricing Disclosure Package, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Neither the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto, as of its issue date and at the Closing Time, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, at the time the Registration Statement became effective or when such incorporated documents were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, when read together with the other information in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, did not, does not and will not include 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. There are no statutes, regulations, documents or contracts of a character required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, which are not described or filed as required. There are no business relationships or related person transactions involving the Company or any Subsidiary (as defined herein) or any other person required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus that have not been described as required.

The representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto or the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein or the Statement of Eligibility (Form T-1) of the Trustee under the Trust Indenture Act. For purposes of this Agreement, the only information so furnished shall be the following: the discount information appearing in the Prospectus under the heading “Underwriting,” the third sentence in the paragraph under the caption “Underwriting—No Public Trading Market” and the information relating to stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids in the first paragraph under the caption “Underwriting—Price Stabilization; Short Positions” in each of the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (collectively, the “Underwriter Information”).

(iii)                 Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. No Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein, that has not been superseded or modified. If, at any time prior to or as of the Closing Time and following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information then contained in the Registration Statement or as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, if republished immediately following such event or development, would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, (A) the Company has promptly notified or will promptly notify the Representatives thereof and (B) the Company has promptly amended or will promptly amend or supplement such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.

(iv)                 Well-Known Seasoned Issuer. (A) At the original effectiveness of the Registration Statement, (B) at the time of the most recent amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act (whether such amendment was by post-effective amendment, incorporated report filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act or form of prospectus), (C) at the time the Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this clause only, of Rule 163(c) of the Securities Act Regulations) made any offer relating to the Securities in reliance on the exemption of Rule 163 and (D) at the Applicable Time, the Company was and is a “well-known seasoned issuer,” as defined in Rule 405.

(v)                  Company Not Ineligible Issuer. (A) At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, (B) at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the Securities Act Regulations) of the Securities and (C) at the Applicable Time, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405. The Company has paid the registration fee for this offering pursuant to Rule 456(b)(1) under the Securities Act or will pay such fee within the time period required by such rule (without giving effect to the proviso therein) and in any event prior to the Closing Time.

(vi)                 Independent Accountants. Xxxxx, LLP, the accounting firm that certified the financial statements and supporting schedules of the Company that are included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, is (i) an independent public accountant as required by the Securities Act, the Securities Act Regulations, the Exchange Act, the Exchange Act Regulations and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the “PCAOB”), (ii) a registered public accounting firm, as defined by the PCAOB, which has not had its registration superseded or revoked and which has not requested that such registration be withdrawn, and (iii) with respect to the Company, is not and has not been in violation of the auditor independence requirements of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 (the “Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act”) and the rules and regulations of the Commission.

(vii)               Financial Statements; Non-GAAP Financial Measures. The financial statements of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries (as defined below) included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes, comply with the requirements of the Securities Act and present fairly, in each case in all material respects, the financial position of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries (as defined below) at the respective dates and for the respective periods specified. The financial statements of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries (as defined below), at or for the dates indicated, have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved. The supporting schedules, if any, present fairly, in all material respects, in accordance with GAAP the information required to be stated therein. The selected financial data and the summary financial information included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference therein. Except as included therein, no historical or pro forma financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus. To the extent applicable, all disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, if any, regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply in all material respects with Regulation G under the Exchange Act and Item 10(e) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus is updated as necessary to comply with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto and present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position, results of operations and changes in financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries (the “Subsidiaries”) on the basis stated in the Registration Statement at the respective dates or for the respective periods to which they apply.

(viii)               No Material Adverse Change in Business. Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except as otherwise stated therein, (A) there has been no material adverse effect, or any development that would reasonably be expected to result in a material adverse effect, (i) on the general affairs, condition (financial or otherwise), business, properties, prospects, management, financial position, shareholders’ equity, assets, liabilities or results of operations, of the Company and its Subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business or (ii) in the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under, and to consummate the transactions contemplated by, this Agreement (each of (i) and (ii) a “Material Adverse Effect”), (B) there has not been any change in the capital stock, long-term debt or short-term debt of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, except changes in the deposits, Federal Home Loan Bank advances, repurchase agreements and federal fund purchases of Berkshire Bank (the “Bank”), in each case in the ordinary course of the Bank’s business consistent with past practice, (C) there have been no transactions entered into by, and no obligations or liabilities, contingent or otherwise, incurred by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, whether or not in the ordinary course of business, which are material to the Company and the Subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, (D) the Company has not purchased any of its outstanding capital stock and there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock or (E) there has been no material loss or interference with the Company’s business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, in each case, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(ix)                  Good Standing of the Company. The Company is a registered bank holding company under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended, that has elected financial holding company status within the meaning of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended, and has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement; and the Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(x)                  Good Standing of Subsidiaries. The Bank is a bank chartered under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the charter of the Bank is in full force and effect. The Bank is the only “significant subsidiary” of the Company (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X) and is the only depositary institution subsidiary of the Company. Each subsidiary (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) of the Company (each, a “Subsidiary”) has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation or other organization in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, formation or organization, has the requisite corporate or organizational power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and is duly qualified as a foreign corporation or other business entity to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each such Subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and is owned by the Company, directly or through Subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity; none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of any Subsidiary was issued in violation of the preemptive or similar rights of any security holder of such Subsidiary arising by operation of law, or under the articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational documents of the Company or any Subsidiary or under any agreement to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party. The only Subsidiaries of the Company are those listed on Schedule D hereto. The only Subsidiaries of the Company that constitute a “significant subsidiary” as defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X (the “Significant Subsidiaries”) are listed on Exhibit 21.1 to the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Commission. Except for the Subsidiaries, the Company does not own beneficially, directly or indirectly, more than five percent (5%) of any class of equity securities or similar interests in any corporation, business trust, association or similar organization, and is not, directly or indirectly, a partner in any partnership or party to any joint venture.

(xi)                 Capitalization. The authorized, issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company and consolidated long-term debt (i.e. a maturity greater than one year) as of March 31, 2022 is as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus in the column entitled “Actual” under the caption “Capitalization” (except for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to this Agreement, pursuant to reservations, agreements or employee benefit plans referred to in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or pursuant to the exercise of convertible securities or options referred to in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus). The shares of issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company was issued in violation of the preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights of any security holder of the Company arising by operation of law, or under the articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational documents of the Company or any Subsidiary or under any agreement to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party. There have been no long-term borrowings by the Company or its consolidated Subsidiaries since such date.

(xii)                 Authorization of Agreement. The Company has full right, power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder; and all action required to be taken for the due and proper authorization, execution and delivery by it of this Agreement and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby has been duly and validly taken. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

(xiii)               Authorization, Validity and Enforceability of Indenture and Securities. The Indenture has been duly authorized by the Company and, when executed and delivered by the Company and, assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery of the Indenture by the Trustee, the Indenture will constitute a valid, legal and binding agreement of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except to the extent that enforceability may be limited by (a) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer or other similar laws now or hereafter in effect relating to creditors’ rights generally and (b) general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a proceeding at law or in equity). The Indenture has been, and at the Closing Time will be, duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act. The Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Company have been duly authorized by the Company for issuance and sale to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement and, at the Closing Time, will have been duly executed by the Company, and when authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in the manner provided for in the Indenture, and issued and delivered by the Company pursuant to this Agreement against payment of the consideration set forth herein, will constitute valid, legal and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except to the extent that enforceability may be limited by (a) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer or other similar laws now or hereafter in effect relating to creditors’ rights generally and (b) general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a proceeding at law or in equity). The Securities will be in the form contemplated by, and will be entitled to the benefits of, the Indenture. The description of the Indenture contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus conforms in all material respects to the Indenture.

(xiv)               Registration Rights. There are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting any such person registration rights or other similar rights to have any securities registered for resale pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise registered for resale or sold by the Company under the Securities Act by reason of filing of the Registration Statement with the Commission or by reason of the sale of the Securities by the Company pursuant to this Agreement.

(xv)                Description of Securities. The Securities will conform, in all material respects, to all statements relating thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package.

(xvi)               Summaries of Legal Matters. The statements set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the captions “Description of the Notes” and “Certain ERISA Considerations” and under the captions “Regulation and Supervision” and “Legal Proceedings” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, insofar as they purport to describe legal matters or provisions of the laws and regulations or documents referred to therein, are accurate, complete and fair in all material respects; and the statements set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the caption “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations”, insofar as they purport to summarize certain federal income tax laws of the United States, constitute a fair summary of the principal U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the Securities.

(xvii)              Absence of Defaults and Conflicts. The Company is not in violation of its Articles of Incorporation, as amended (the “Charter”), or Bylaws, as amended (the “Bylaws”); none of the Subsidiaries is in violation of its charter, bylaws or other organizational documents and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound, or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary is subject (collectively, “Agreements and Instruments”), or in violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except for such violations or defaults that would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the Indenture and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and therein, and in the Registration Statement (including the issuance and sale of the Securities and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described in the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds”) and compliance by the Company with its obligations hereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary pursuant to, the Agreements and Instruments (except for such conflicts, breaches or defaults, Repayment Events or liens, charges or encumbrances that would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect); nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the Charter or Bylaws of the Company or the charter, bylaws or other organizational document of any Subsidiary; nor will such action result in any violation of any applicable law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any government, government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any Subsidiary or any of their assets, properties or operations (except for such violations that would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect). As used herein, a “Repayment Event” means any event or condition which gives the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any Subsidiary.

(xviii)             New York Stock Exchange Compliance. The Company is in compliance in all material respects with the requirements of the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) for continued listing of the Company’s common stock, $0.01 par value per share (the “Common Stock”), thereon. The Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common Stock under the Exchange Act or the listing of the Common Stock on the NYSE, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission or the NYSE is contemplating terminating such registration or listing. The transactions contemplated by this Agreement will not contravene the rules or regulations of the NYSE.

(xix)                Absence of Labor Dispute. No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any Subsidiary exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent. The Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its or any Subsidiary’s principal suppliers, vendors, customers or contractors, which, in either case, could, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of the Significant Subsidiaries is engaged in any unfair labor practice; except for matters which would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (A) there is (1) no unfair labor practice complaint pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against the Company or any of the Significant Subsidiaries before the National Labor Relations Board or any similar domestic or foreign body, and no grievance or arbitration proceeding arising out of or under collective bargaining agreements is pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened, (2) no strike, labor dispute, slowdown or stoppage pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against the Company or any of the Significant Subsidiaries and (3) no union representation dispute currently existing concerning the employees of the Company or any of the Significant Subsidiaries, (B) to the Company’s knowledge, no union organizing activities are currently taking place concerning the employees of the Company or any of the Significant Subsidiaries and (C) there has been no violation of any federal, state, local or foreign law relating to discrimination in the hiring, promotion or pay of employees, any applicable wage or hour laws or any provision of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (collectively, “ERISA”) or any similar domestic or foreign law or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder concerning the employees of the Company or any of the Significant Subsidiaries.

(xx)                Absence of Proceedings. There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, now pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against or affecting the Company or any Subsidiary, which is required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement (other than as disclosed therein), or which, if determined adversely to the Company or any Subsidiary, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which could materially and adversely affect (i) the properties or assets thereof, or (ii) the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Indenture and this Agreement or the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and thereunder, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, is there any basis for any such action, suit, inquiry, proceeding or investigation; the aggregate of all pending legal or governmental proceedings to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or of which any of their respective property or assets is the subject which are not described in the Registration Statement, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, if determined adversely to the Company or any Subsidiary, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxi)               Bank Holding Company Act. The Company has been duly registered as, and meets in all material respects the applicable requirements for qualification as, a bank holding company and has elected to be treated as a financial holding company under the applicable provisions of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended. The activities of the Subsidiaries are permitted of subsidiaries of a financial holding company under applicable law and the rules and regulations of the Federal Reserve set forth in Title 12 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

(xxii)              Compliance with Bank Regulatory Authorities. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries are in compliance in all material respects with all applicable laws, rules and regulations (including, without limitation, all applicable regulations and orders) of, or agreements with, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (the “CFPB”) and the Massachusetts Commissioner of Banks, as applicable (collectively, the “Bank Regulatory Authorities”), the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the Fair Housing Act, the Truth in Lending Act, the Community Reinvestment Act (the “CRA”), the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, the Bank Secrecy Act and Title III of the USA Patriot Act, to the extent such laws or regulations apply to the Company or the Bank, as applicable. The Company and the Bank have no knowledge of any facts and circumstances, and have no reason to believe that any facts or circumstances exist, that could cause the Bank (A) to be deemed not to be in satisfactory compliance with the CRA and the regulations promulgated thereunder or to be assigned a CRA rating by federal or state banking regulators of lower than “satisfactory,” or (B) to be deemed to be operating in violation, in any material respect, of the Bank Secrecy Act of 1970 as amended by the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (or otherwise known as the “Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act”), the USA Patriot Act (or otherwise known as “Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001”) or any order issued with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws (as defined below). As of March 31, 2022, each of the Company and the Bank met or exceeded the standards necessary to be considered “well capitalized” under the FDIC’s regulatory framework for prompt corrective action. The Bank has a Community Reinvestment Act rating of at least “Satisfactory.” The Bank has been duly chartered, is validly existing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and holds the requisite authority to do business as a state-chartered bank with banking powers under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Bank is the only depository institution subsidiary of the Company and the Bank is a member in good standing of the Federal Home Loan Bank System. The activities of the Bank are permitted under the laws and regulations of Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Since December 31, 2016, the Company, the Bank and each of its subsidiaries have filed all material reports, registrations and statements, together with any required amendments thereto, that it was required to file with the Federal Reserve, the FDIC, and any other applicable federal or state banking authorities. All such reports and statements filed with any such regulatory body or authority are collectively referred to herein as the “Company Reports.” As of their respective dates, the Company Reports complied as to form in all material respects with all the rules and regulations promulgated by the Federal Reserve, the FDIC and any other applicable federal or state banking authorities, as the case may be. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, none of the Company, the Bank nor any of their respective subsidiaries is a party or subject to any formal or informal agreement, memorandum of understanding, consent decree, directive, cease-and-desist order, order of prohibition or suspension, written commitment, supervisory agreement or other written statement as described under 12 U.S.C. 1818(u) with, or order issued by, or has adopted any board resolutions at the request of, the Federal Reserve, the FDIC, the CFPB or any other bank regulatory authority that restricts materially the conduct of its business, or in any manner relates to its capital adequacy, its credit policies or its management, nor have any of them been advised by any Bank Regulatory Authority that it is contemplating issuing or requesting (or is considering the appropriateness of issuing or requesting) any such order, decree, agreement, memorandum of understanding, extraordinary supervisory letter, commitment letter or similar submission, or any such board resolutions or that imposes any restrictions or requirements not generally applicable to bank holding companies or commercial banks. There is no unresolved violation, criticism or exception by any Bank Regulatory Authority with respect to any examination of the Company, the Bank or any of the Company’s other Subsidiaries, which would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxiii)              Absence of Further Requirements. No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any court or governmental agency or body is necessary or required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement in connection with the offering, issuance or sale of the Securities or the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement prior to the Closing Time, except such as have been already obtained or as may be required under the Securities Act, the Securities Act Regulations, the rules of the NYSE, the securities laws of any state or non-U.S. jurisdiction or the rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). All of the information provided to the Underwriters or to counsel for the Underwriters by the Company, its counsel, its officers and directors and the holders of any securities (debt or equity) or options to acquire any securities of the Company in connection with the offering of the Securities is true, complete and correct in all material respects, and any letters, filings or other supplemental information provided to FINRA pursuant to FINRA Rules or National Association of Securities Dealers Conduct Rules are true, complete and correct.

(xxiv)              Possession of Licenses and Permits. The Company and its Subsidiaries possess such permits, licenses, approvals, registrations, memberships, consents and other authorizations (collectively, “Governmental Licenses”) issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to conduct the business now operated by them; the Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all such Governmental Licenses, except where the failure to so comply would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and no event has occurred that allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination of any such Governmental License or result in any other material impairment of the rights of any such Governmental License; all of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, except where the invalidity of such Governmental License or the failure of such Governmental License to be in full force and effect would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such Governmental Licenses. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has failed to file with applicable regulatory authorities any material statement, report, information or form required by any applicable law, regulation or order, all such filings were in material compliance with applicable laws when filed and no material deficiencies have been asserted by any regulatory commission, agency or authority with respect to any such filings or submissions.

(xxv)              Title to Property. The Company and its Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property owned by the Company and its Subsidiaries and good title to all other properties other than Intellectual Property owned by them, in each case, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests, claims, restrictions or encumbrances of any kind except such as (A) are described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or (B) do not materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company or any Subsidiary. All of the leases and subleases material to the business of the Company and its Significant Subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, under which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries holds properties described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, are in full force and effect and are held under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases, and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has any notice of any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or any Subsidiary under any of the leases or subleases mentioned above, or affecting or questioning the rights of the Company or such Subsidiary to the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease.

(xxvi)             Possession of Intellectual Property. The Company and its Subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures and excluding generally commercially available “off the shelf” software programs licensed pursuant to shrink wrap or “click and accept” licenses), systems, technology, trademarks, service marks, trade names or other intellectual property (collectively, “Intellectual Property”) reasonably necessary to carry on the business now operated by them, except where the failure to own or possess such Intellectual Property would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any notice or is otherwise aware of any infringement or misappropriation of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any Intellectual Property or of any facts or circumstances which would reasonably be expected to render any Intellectual Property invalid or inadequate to protect the interest of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries therein, except where such infringement, misappropriation or conflict (if the subject of an unfavorable ruling or finding) or invalidity or inadequacy, singly or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxvii)            Environmental Laws. Except as described in the Registration Statement and except as would not reasonably be expected, singly or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (A) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of any applicable federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common law or any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of human health, the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum products, asbestos-containing materials or mold (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (B) the Company and its Subsidiaries have all permits, authorizations and approvals required for their respective operations under any applicable Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with their requirements, (C) there are no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigation or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (D) to the Company’s knowledge, there are no events or circumstances that would reasonably be expected to result in forming the basis of an order for clean-up or remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or governmental body or agency, against or affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental Laws, and (E) none of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries anticipate material capital expenditures relating to Environmental Laws.

(xxviii)            ERISA. Each employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA, that is maintained, administered or contributed to by the Company or any Subsidiary or any member of the Company’s “control group” (within the meaning of Section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”)) for employees or former employees of the Company and its affiliates (“Plan”) has been maintained in material compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including but not limited to ERISA and the Code. No “prohibited transaction,” within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code has occurred with respect to any such Plan excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption. No “reportable event” (as defined under ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur with respect to any “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company, the Subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates. No “employee benefit plan” (as defined under ERISA) established or maintained by the Company, the Subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates, if such employee benefit plan were terminated, could have any “amount of unfunded benefit liabilities” (as defined under ERISA). Neither the Company, the Subsidiaries nor any of their ERISA Affiliates has incurred or reasonably expects to incur any liability under (A) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or withdrawal from, any “employee benefit plan,” or (B) Sections 412, 4971, 4975 or 4980B of the Code. Each employee benefit plan established or maintained by the Company, the Subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified and nothing has occurred, whether by action or failure to act, which would reasonably be expected to result in the loss of such qualification. With respect to each Plan subject to Title IV of ERISA, the minimum funding standard of Section 302 of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code, as applicable, has been satisfied (without taking into account any waiver thereof or extension of any amortization period) and is reasonably expected to be satisfied in the future (without taking into account any waiver thereof or extension of any amortization period) and the fair market value of the assets under each Plan exceeds the present value of all benefits accrued under such Plan (determined based on those assumptions used to fund such Plan). There is no pending audit or investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Department of Labor, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation or any other governmental agency or any foreign agency.

(xxix)              Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries maintain a system of internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act Regulations) that complies with the requirements of the Exchange Act and the Exchange Act Regulations and has been designed by the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer and is sufficient to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, including that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability; (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences; and (E) the interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement is accurate and fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto. The systems of internal control over financial reporting of the Company and its Subsidiaries are overseen by the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company in accordance with NYSE rules and regulations. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, (i) there has been no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated), (ii) there has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting and (iii) the Company has not been advised of (a) any significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internal controls that could adversely affect the ability of the Company or any Subsidiary to record, process, summarize and report financial data, or any material weakness in internal controls, or (b) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the internal controls of the Company and each of the Subsidiaries.

(xxx)               Disclosure Controls and Procedures. The Company and its Subsidiaries employ disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15 of the Exchange Act Regulations), which (A) are designed to ensure that information 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 Commission’s rules and forms and that material information relating to the Company and its Subsidiaries is made known to the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer by others within the Company and its Subsidiaries to allow timely decisions regarding disclosure, (B) have been evaluated by management of the Company for effectiveness as of the end of the Company’s most recent fiscal quarter, and (C) were then effective in all material respects to perform the functions for which they were established. Based on the evaluation of the Company’s and each Subsidiary’s disclosure controls and procedures described above, the Company is not aware of (1) any significant deficiency in the design or operation of internal controls which could adversely affect the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ ability to record, process, summarize and report financial data or any material weakness in internal controls or (2) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ internal controls. Since the most recent evaluation of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures described above, there have been no changes in internal controls or in other factors that could significantly affect internal controls. Within the next 90 days the Company does not reasonably expect to publicly disclose or report to the Audit Committee or the Board of Directors a material weakness, change in internal control over financial reporting or fraud involving management or other employees who have a significant role in internal control over financial reporting, any violation of, or failure to comply with, the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act or the Exchange Act, or any matter related to internal control over financial reporting which, if determined adversely, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxxi)              Compliance with the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with any provision of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith, including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.

(xxxii)             Pending Procedures and Examinations. The Registration Statement is not the subject of a pending proceeding or examination under Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the Securities Act, and the Company is not the subject of a pending proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act in connection with the offering of the Securities.

(xxxiii)            Payment of Taxes. All United States federal income tax returns of the Company and the Subsidiaries required by law to be filed have been timely filed (taking into account any valid extensions) and all taxes shown by such returns or otherwise assessed, which are due and payable, have been paid, except assessments against which have been or will be promptly contested in good faith and as to which adequate reserves have been provided in the Company’s financials in accordance with GAAP. The Company and the Subsidiaries have filed all other tax returns that are required to have been filed by them pursuant to applicable foreign, state, local or other law, except insofar as the failure to file such returns, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, and have paid all taxes due pursuant to such returns or pursuant to any assessment received by the Company or any Subsidiary except for such taxes, if any, as are being contested in good faith and as to which adequate reserves have been provided. The charges, accruals and reserves on the books of the Company and the Subsidiaries in respect of any income and corporation tax liability for any years not finally determined are adequate to meet any assessments or re-assessments for additional income tax for any years not finally determined. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there is no tax deficiency that has been or would reasonably be expected to be asserted against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or assets.

(xxxiv)            Insurance. The Company and each Subsidiary is insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which they are engaged including, but not limited to, policies covering real and personal property owned or leased by the Company and each Subsidiary against theft, damage, destruction, acts of vandalism and earthquakes; neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for; and the Company has no reason to believe that it or any Subsidiary will not be able to renew their existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. All such insurance is fully in force as of the date hereof. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms of such policies and instruments in all material respects; and there are no material claims by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries under any such policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause.

(xxxv)             Investment Company Act. The Company is not, and upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will not be, an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company” as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”).

(xxxvi)            Absence of Manipulation. Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries, nor any affiliates of the Company or its Subsidiaries, has taken, directly, or indirectly, and neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries, nor any affiliates of the Company or its Subsidiaries, will take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or result in, or which constitutes or would reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company or any “reference security” (as defined in Rule 100 of Regulation M under the Exchange Act) to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities or otherwise, and has taken no action which would directly or indirectly violate Regulation M under the Exchange Act.

(xxxvii)          Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. None of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or, to the best knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent or employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, any of the respective affiliates of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or their respective affiliates has (A) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (B) made or taken an act in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise or authorization of any direct or indirect unlawful payment or giving of money, property, gifts or anything else of value, directly or indirectly, to any foreign or domestic government official (including any officer or employee of a government or government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for public office) from corporate funds; (C) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended (the “FCPA”), or any applicable law or regulations implementing the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, or committed an offense under the Xxxxxxx Xxx 0000 of the United Kingdom, or any other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption statute or regulation; or (D) made, offered, agreed, requested or taken an act in furtherance of any unlawful bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment or benefit in violation of any applicable law, rule or regulation. The Company and its Subsidiaries and their respective affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA and all other applicable anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.

(xxxviii)          Anti-Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries and, to the best knowledge of the Company, their respective affiliates, are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, and the applicable anti-money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions where the Company and its Subsidiaries and their respective affiliates conduct business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency or body (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”); and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court, governmental agency or body involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened. The Company and its Subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company, their respective affiliates, have conducted their businesses in compliance with applicable anti-corruption laws and have instituted and maintain and will continue to maintain policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws.

(xxxix)             OFAC. None of the Company, any of the Subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any officer or director of either the Company or any Subsidiary, any agent, employee, affiliate or person acting on behalf of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is or has been (A) engaged in any services (including financial services), transfers of goods, software, or technology, or any other business activity related to (i) Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Sudan, Syria, the Crimea region of Ukraine claimed by Russia or any other country or territory that is, or whose government is, the subject of sanctions that broadly prohibit dealings with that country or territory (collectively, “Sanctioned Countries” and each, a “Sanctioned Country”), (ii) the government of any Sanctioned Country, (iii) any person, entity or organization located in, resident in, formed under the laws of, or owned or controlled by the government of, any Sanctioned Country, or (iv) any person, entity or organization made subject of any sanctions administered or enforced by the United States Government, including, without limitation, the list of Specially Designated Nationals (“SDN List”) of the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”), or by the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”) and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of this offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any Subsidiary, or any joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of or business with any person, or in any country or territory, that currently is the subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC; (B) engaged in any transfers of goods, technologies or services (including financial services) that may assist the governments of Sanctioned Countries or facilitate money laundering or other activities proscribed by United States laws, rules or regulations; (C) is a person, entity or organization currently the subject of any Sanctions; or (D) located, organized or resident in any Sanctioned Country.

(xl)                 Relationship. No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, shareholders, customers or suppliers of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, on the other, that is required by the Securities Act or Securities Act Regulations to be described in the Registration Statement and/or the Prospectus and that is not so described.

(xli)                Lending Relationship. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company (A) does not have any material lending or other relationship with any bank or lending affiliate of any Underwriter and (B) does not intend to use any of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities to repay any outstanding debt owed to any affiliate of any Underwriter.

(xlii)               No Restrictions on Subsidiaries. Except in each case as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no Subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, under any agreement or other instrument to which it is a party or is subject, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such Subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such Subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such Subsidiary’s properties or assets to the Company or any other Subsidiary of the Company.

(xliii)              Statistical and Market-Related Data. The statistical and market-related data contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources which the Company believes are reliable and accurate, and the Company has obtained the written consent to the use of such data from such sources to the extent required.

(xliv)              Distribution of Offering Material By the Company. The Company has not distributed and will not distribute, prior to the later of the Closing Time and the completion of the Underwriters’ distribution of the Securities, any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities other than the Registration Statement, the preliminary prospectus contained in the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus reviewed and consented to by the Representatives and included in Schedule B hereto or any electronic road show or other written communications reviewed and consented to by the Representatives and listed on Schedule B hereto (each a, “Company Additional Written Communication”). Each such Company Additional Written Communication, when taken together with the Pricing Disclosure Package, did not, and at the Closing Time will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from the Company Additional Written Communication based 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 through the Representatives consists of the Underwriter Information.

(xlv)               Forward-Looking Statements. Each financial or operational projection or other “forward-looking statement” (as defined by Section 27A of the Securities Act or Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (A) was so included by the Company in good faith and with reasonable basis after due consideration by the Company of the underlying assumptions, estimates and other applicable facts and circumstances, and (B) is accompanied by meaningful cautionary statements identifying those factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statement. No such statement was made with the knowledge of an executive officer or director of the Company that it was false or misleading.

(xlvi)              No Fees or Advisory Rights. Other than as contemplated by this Agreement, there is no broker, finder or other party that is entitled to receive from the Company or any Subsidiary any brokerage or finder’s fee or any other fee, commission or payment as a result of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. No person has the right to act as a financial advisor to the Company in connection with the offer and sale of the Securities.

(xlvii)             Deposit Insurance. The deposit accounts of the Bank are insured by the FDIC up to applicable legal limits, the Bank has paid all premiums and assessments required by the FDIC and the regulations thereunder, and no proceeding for the termination or revocation of such insurance is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

(xlviii)            Derivative Instruments. Any and all material swaps, caps, floors, futures, forward contracts, option agreements (other than options issued under the Company’s shareholder-approved benefit plans) and other derivative financial instruments, contracts or arrangements, whether entered into for the account of the Company or one of its Subsidiaries or for the account of a customer of the Company or one of its Subsidiaries, were entered into in the ordinary course of business and in accordance in all material respects with applicable laws, rules, regulations and policies of all applicable regulatory agencies and with counterparties believed by the Company to be financially responsible. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries have duly performed in all material respects all of their obligations thereunder to the extent that such obligations to perform have accrued, and there are no breaches, violations or defaults or allegations or assertions of such by any party thereunder except as would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(xlix)               Termination of Contracts. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, neither the Company nor any Significant Subsidiary has sent or received any communication regarding termination of, or intent not to renew, any of the contracts or agreements referred to or described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and Prospectus, or referred to or described in, or filed as an exhibit to, the Pricing Disclosure Package and Prospectus, and no such termination or non-renewal has been threatened by the Company or any Significant Subsidiary or, to the Company’s knowledge, any other party to any such contract or agreement; and there are no contracts or documents of the Company or any of the Significant Subsidiaries that are required to be described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits thereto by the Securities Act or by the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder that have not been so described and filed.

(l)                   Off-Balance Sheet Transactions. There is no transaction, arrangement or other relationship between the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and an unconsolidated or other off-balance sheet entity which is required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (other than as disclosed therein).

(li)                  Margin Rules. The application of the proceeds received by the Company from the issuance, sale and delivery of the Securities as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will not violate Regulation T, U or X of the Federal Reserve or any other regulation of the Federal Reserve.

(lii)                 Cybersecurity. (A) There has been no security breach or incident, unauthorized access or disclosure, or other compromise of or relating to any of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ information technology and computer systems, networks, hardware, software, data and databases (including the data and information of their respective customers, employees, suppliers, vendors and any third party data maintained, processed or stored by the Company and its Subsidiaries), and any such data processed or stored by third parties on behalf of the Company and its Subsidiaries, equipment or technology (collectively, “IT Systems and Data”), except where such security breach or incident, unauthorized access or disclosure or other compromise would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; (B) neither the Company nor its Subsidiaries have been notified of, and each of them have no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in, any security breach or incident, unauthorized access or disclosure or other compromise to their IT Systems and Data, which breach, incident, unauthorized access or disclosure, or other compromise would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and (C) the Company and its Subsidiaries have implemented appropriate controls, policies, procedures, and technological safeguards to maintain and protect the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of their IT Systems and Data reasonably consistent with industry standards and practices, or as required by applicable regulatory standards. The Company and its Subsidiaries are presently in material compliance with all applicable laws or statutes and all applicable judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of IT Systems and Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification.

(b)               The Bank represents and warrants to each Underwriter at the date hereof, the Applicable Time, the Closing Time and any Date of Delivery, and agrees with each Underwriter, as follows:

(i)           The Bank has been duly chartered and is validly existing as a state-chartered bank in good standing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and has been duly qualified as a foreign bank for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties or conducts any business so as to require such qualification, except where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;

(ii)          Neither the Bank nor any of its subsidiaries is (A) in violation of its articles or certificate of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or governing documents, (B) in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Bank or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which any of them is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Bank or any of its subsidiaries is subject (collectively, the “Bank Instruments”) or (C) in violation of any statute, law, rule, regulation, order, decree of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Bank or any of its subsidiaries; in the case of clauses (B) and (C), except for defaults or violations that would not reasonably be expected, singly or in the aggregate, to result in a material adverse effect (i) on the general affairs, condition (financial or otherwise), business, properties, prospects, management, financial position, shareholders’ equity, assets, liabilities or results of operations, of the Bank and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business or (ii) in the ability of the Bank to perform its obligations under this Agreement (each of (i) and (ii) a “Bank MAE”); and

(iii)           The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Bank, compliance by the Bank with all of the provisions of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated do not and will not contravene, conflict with, or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any Bank Instrument, nor does or will any such action contravene, conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of the articles of incorporation or association or bylaws of the Bank or any statute, order, law, rule, regulation or decree of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Bank or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties, except for such conflicts, breaches, or violations of statutes, orders, laws, rules, regulations or decrees that would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Bank MAE.

(iv)         This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Bank.

(c)               Officer’s Certificates. Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries delivered to the Representatives or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.

SECTION 2.                Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing.

(a)               Sale of Securities. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company, the aggregate principal amount of Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter, at a purchase price equal to 98.75% of the aggregate principal amount thereof.

(b)               Payment. Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of the Securities shall be made at the offices of Hunton Xxxxxxx Xxxxx LLP, 0000 Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000, Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company, at 9:00 a.m. (New York City time) on Thursday, June 30, 2022 (unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of SECTION 11), or such other time not later than 10 business days after such date as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company (such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called “Closing Time”).

Payment shall be made to the Company by wire transfer of immediately available funds to a bank account designated by the Company against delivery of the Securities (in the form of one or more global notes), through the facilities of DTC, to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the Underwriters. It is understood that each Underwriter has authorized the Representatives, for its account, to accept delivery of, receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Securities which it has agreed to purchase. The Representatives, individually and not as representatives of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment of the purchase price for the Securities to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds have not been received by the Closing Time, but such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from its obligations hereunder.

SECTION 3.                Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows:

(a)               Compliance with Commission Requests. Prior to the completion of the distribution of the Securities as contemplated in this Agreement, the Company, subject to SECTION 3(b) hereof will comply with the requirements of Rule 430B of the Securities Act Regulations, and will notify the Representatives immediately, and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or any new registration statement relating to the Securities shall become effective or any amendment or supplement to the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus shall have been used or filed, as the case may be, including any document incorporated by reference therein, in each case only as permitted by SECTION 3 hereof, (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission, (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein, or for additional information, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto or any notice of objection to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) or of the issuance of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the Securities Act concerning the Registration Statement and (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act in connection with the offering of the Securities. The Company will effect all filings required under Rule 424(b), in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)), and will take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus. Until the completion of the distribution of the Securities as contemplated in this Agreement, the Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop, prevention or suspension order and, if any such order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment. If, before all the Securities have been sold by the Underwriters, the Company receives from the Commission a notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) or otherwise ceases to be eligible to use the automatic shelf registration statement form, the Company will (A) promptly notify the Underwriters, (B) promptly file a new registration statement or post-effective amendment on the proper form relating to the Securities in such form as is reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters, (C) use its best efforts to cause such registration statement or post-effective amendment to be declared effective as soon as practicable, and (D) promptly notify the Underwriters of such effectiveness. The Company will take all other action necessary or appropriate to permit the public offering and sale of the Securities to continue as contemplated in the registration statement that was the subject of the Rule 401(g)(2) notice or for which the Company has otherwise become ineligible. References herein to the Registration Statement shall include such new registration statement or post-effective amendment, as the case may be.

(b)               Payment of Filing Fees. The Company shall pay the required Commission filing fees relating to the Securities within the time required by Rule 456(b)(1)(i) of the Securities Act Regulations without regard to the proviso therein and otherwise in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) of the Securities Act Regulations (including, if applicable, by updating the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in accordance with Rule 456(b)(1)(ii) either in a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or on the cover page of a prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)).

(c)               Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. The Company will comply with the Securities Act, the Securities Act Regulations, the Exchange Act and the Exchange Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Securities as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172 of the Securities Act Regulations, would be) required by the Securities Act (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act Regulations) to be delivered in connection with sales of the Securities ending no later than nine months from the date hereof (the “Delivery Period”) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or for the Company, to (i) amend the Registration Statement in order that the Registration Statement will not include 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, (ii) amend or supplement the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order that the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act Regulations) is delivered to a purchaser or (iii) amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, including, without limitation, any document incorporated therein by reference, in order to comply with the requirements of the Securities Act, the Securities Act Regulations, the Exchange Act or the Exchange Act Regulations, the Company will promptly (A) give the Representatives written notice of such event or condition, (B) prepare any amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus comply with such requirements and, a reasonable amount of time prior to any proposed filing or use, furnish the Representatives with copies of any such amendment or supplement and (C) file with the Commission any such amendment or supplement and use its best efforts to have any amendment to the Registration Statement declared effective by the Commission as soon as possible if the Company is no longer eligible to file an automatic shelf registration statement, provided that the Company shall not file or use any such amendment or supplement to which the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters shall object.

(d)               Filing or Use of Amendments or Supplements. During the Delivery Period, the Company (A) will furnish to the Representatives for review, a reasonable period of time prior to the proposed time of filing of any proposed amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, a copy of each such amendment or supplement, and (B) will not amend or supplement the Registration Statement without the Representatives’ prior written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed. Prior to amending or supplementing any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, the Company shall furnish to the Representatives for review, a reasonable amount of time prior to the time of filing or use of the proposed amendment or supplement, a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement. The Company shall not file or use any such proposed amendment or supplement without the Representatives’ prior written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed.

(e)               Delivery of Registration Statements. The Company has furnished or will deliver to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein and documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein) and signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and will also deliver to the Representatives, without charge, a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for each of the Underwriters. The signed copies of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to XXXXX, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

(f)                Delivery of Prospectuses. The Company has delivered to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each preliminary prospectus as such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the Securities Act. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the Delivery Period, such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to XXXXX, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

(g)              Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will take such actions as the Representatives reasonably request to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and non-U.S. jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect during the Delivery Period; provided, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject.

(h)               Earnings Statements. The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the Exchange Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than 16 months after the effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c) of the Securities Act), an earnings statement (satisfying the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations (including Rule 158)).

(i)                Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Securities in the manner specified in the Registration Statement, the preliminary prospectus contained in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under “Use of Proceeds.”

(j)                Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the Delivery Period, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act within the time periods required by, and each such document will meet the requirements of, the Exchange Act and the Exchange Act Regulations.

(k)               Pricing Term Sheet. The Company will prepare the Term Sheet, containing solely a description of the final terms of the Securities and the offering thereof, and after affording the Representatives the opportunity to comment thereon, file the Term Sheet with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) within the time required by such Rule.

(l)                 Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representatives, it will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” or a portion thereof, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433; provided, that the Representatives will be deemed to have consented to any Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectuses listed on Schedule B hereto and any “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i) that has been reviewed by the Representatives. The Company represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each such free writing prospectus consented to, or deemed consented to, by the Representatives as an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and that it has complied and will comply with the applicable requirements of Rule 433 with respect thereto, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus during the Delivery Period there occurred or occurs an event or condition as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Representatives in writing and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to correct such untrue statement or omission.

(m)              Renewal Deadline. If, immediately prior to the third anniversary of the initial effective date of the Registration Statement (the “Renewal Deadline”), any Securities remain unsold by the Underwriters, the Company will, prior to the Renewal Deadline, (i) promptly notify the Representatives in writing and (ii) promptly file, if it is eligible to do so, a new automatic shelf registration statement relating to the Securities, in a form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters. If, at the Renewal Deadline, the Company is not eligible to file an automatic shelf registration statement, the Company will, prior to the Renewal Deadline, (i) promptly notify the Representatives in writing, (ii) promptly file a new shelf registration statement or post-effective amendment on the proper form relating to such Securities, in a form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, (iii) use its reasonable best efforts to cause such registration statement or post-effective amendment to be declared effective within 60 days after the Renewal Deadline and (iv) promptly notify the Representatives in writing of such effectiveness. The Company will take all other action reasonably necessary or appropriate to permit the offering and sale of the Securities to continue as contemplated in the expired Registration Statement. References herein to the “Registration Statement” shall include such new automatic shelf registration statement or such new registration statement or post-effective amendment, as the case may be.

(n)               DTC. The Company will cooperate with the Underwriters and use its best efforts to permit the Securities to be eligible for clearance, settlement and trading through the facilities of DTC.

(o)              Investment Company Act. The Company shall not invest or otherwise use the proceeds received by the Company from its sale of the Securities in such a manner as could require the Company or any of the Subsidiaries to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act.

(p)              Regulation M. The Company will not take, and will ensure that no affiliate of the Company will take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or result in or which constitutes or would reasonably be expected to constitute stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Securities or any reference security with respect to the Securities, whether to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities or otherwise, and the Company will, and shall cause each of its affiliates to, comply with all applicable provisions of Regulation M.

(q)               Trustee, Registrar and Paying Agent. The Company shall engage and maintain, at its expense, a trustee, registrar and paying agent for the Securities.

(r)                Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act. The Company and its Subsidiaries will comply with all effective applicable provisions of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act.

(s)                Restriction on Sale of Securities. During a period of 30 days from the date of this Agreement, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Underwriters, (i) directly or indirectly offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant for the sale of, or lend or otherwise transfer or dispose of, the Notes or any securities that are substantially similar to the Notes, whether owned as of the date hereof or hereafter acquired or with respect to which such person has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition, or file, or cause to be filed, any registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any of the foregoing or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Securities or such other securities, whether any such swap or transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of any Notes or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to the Notes to be sold pursuant to this Agreement.

(t)                 Taxes. The Company will indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriters against any documentary, stamp, issue or similar tax, including any interest and penalties, on the creation, issue and sale of the Securities and on the execution and delivery of this Agreement. All payments to be made by the Company hereunder shall be made without withholding or deduction for or on account of any present or future taxes, duties or governmental charges whatsoever unless the Company is compelled by law to deduct or withhold such taxes, duties or charges. In that event, the Company shall pay such additional amounts as may be necessary in order that the net amounts received after such withholding or deduction shall equal the amounts that would have been received if no withholding or deduction had been made.

(u)               Trademarks. Upon request of any Underwriter, the Company will furnish, or cause to be furnished, to such Underwriter an electronic version of the Company’s trademarks, servicemarks and corporate logo for use on the website, if any, operated by such Underwriter for the purpose of facilitating the on-line offering of the Securities (the “License”); provided that the License shall be used solely for the purpose described above, is granted without any fee and may not be assigned or transferred.

(v)               NRSRO Rating. The Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain a rating by a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” as defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act (“NRSRO”) while any Securities remain outstanding.

SECTION 4.                Payment of Expenses.

(a)               Expenses. Whether or not the transactions contemplated in this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company will pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and each amendment thereto, (ii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of each preliminary prospectus, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto and any costs associated with electronic delivery of any of the foregoing by the Underwriters to investors, (iii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters, including any transfer taxes and any stamp or other duties payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters, (iv) the fees and disbursements of the Company’s counsel, accountants and other advisors, (v) the qualification of the Securities under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of SECTION 3(g) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto, and the fees and expenses of making the Securities eligible for clearance, settlement and trading through the facilities of DTC, (vi) the fees and expenses of any trustee, registrar or paying agent, including the fees and expenses of the Trustee and the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Trustee in connection with the Indenture and the Securities, (vii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the Securities, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants, and the cost of airline tickets and other transportation chartered in connection with the road show, (viii) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters in connection with, the review by FINRA, if required, of the terms of the sale of the Securities, (ix) expenses associated with the ratings of the Securities, (x) the document production charges and expenses associated with printing this Agreement, (xi) the costs and expenses (including, without limitation, any damages or other amounts payable in connection with legal or contractual liability) associated with the reforming of any contracts for sale of the Securities made by the Underwriters caused by a breach of the representation contained in the second sentence of SECTION 1(a)(ii) and SECTION 1(a)(xi) of this Agreement, (xii) the legal fees and expenses (including fees and disbursements of the counsel for the Underwriters), and marketing, syndication and travel expenses and any expenses related to an investor presentation and/or roadshow that are incurred by the Underwriters, and (xiii) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company hereunder for which provision is not otherwise made in this Section 4(a).

(b)               Termination of Agreement. If this Agreement is terminated by the Representatives in accordance with the provisions of SECTION 6, SECTION 10(a) or SECTION 11 hereof, the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters for all of their reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters.

SECTION 5.              Use of Free Writing Prospectuses by Underwriters. Each Underwriter represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior consent of the Company and the Representatives, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405, required to be filed with the Commission.

SECTION 6.                Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the several Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company and the Bank contained herein or in certificates of any officer of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the following further conditions:

(a)               Effectiveness of Registration Statement, etc. The Registration Statement was filed by the Company with the Commission and became effective upon filing in accordance with Rule 462(e) not earlier than three years prior to the date hereof. Each preliminary prospectus, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus shall have been filed as required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)) and Rule 433, as applicable, within the time period prescribed by, and in compliance with, the Securities Act Regulations. As of the date of this Agreement and at the Closing Time, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto shall have been issued under the Securities Act or proceedings therefor initiated or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission, no notice of objection to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) has been received by the Company, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information. The Company shall have paid the required Commission filing fees relating to the Securities within the time period required by Rule 456(b)(1)(i) of the Securities Act Regulations without regard to the proviso therein and otherwise in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) of the Securities Act Regulations and, if applicable, shall have updated the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in accordance with Rule 456(b)(1)(ii) either in a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or on the cover page of a prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b).

(b)               Opinion of Counsel for Company. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion, dated the Closing Time, of Xxxx Xxxxxx, PC, counsel for the Company, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives and substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, respectively, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letters for each of the other Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives.

(c)               Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion, dated the Closing Time, of Hunton Xxxxxxx Xxxxx LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they may request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters. In giving such opinion, such counsel may rely, as to all matters governed by the laws of jurisdictions other than the law of the State of New York and the federal securities laws of the United States, upon the opinions of counsel satisfactory to the Representatives. Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers and other representatives of the Company and its Subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.

(d)               Officers’ Certificate. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received a certificate of the Chief Executive Officer or the President of the Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company, dated as of Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has been no Material Adverse Effect, (ii) the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Time, (iii) the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Time, and (iv) the conditions specified in SECTION 6(a) hereof have been satisfied.

(e)               Comfort Letters. At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received from Xxxxx, LLP a letter with respect to the Company, dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters, confirming that they are a registered public accounting firm and independent registered public accountants as required by the Securities Act and containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(f)                Bring-down Comfort Letter. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received from Xxxxx, LLP a letter with respect to the Company, dated as of the Closing Time, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to SECTION 6(e) hereof, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business days prior to the Closing Time.

(g)               Certificate of the Chief Financial Officer. At the time of the execution of this Agreement and at the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received a certificate executed by the Chief Financial Officer, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives.

(h)               Other Documents. The Underwriters shall have received such other documents as they may reasonably request with respect to other matters related to the sale of the Securities.

(i)                Absence of Rating Downgrade. At the Closing Time, the Securities will be rated Baa3 by Xxxxx’x Investor Services, Inc. and BBB- by Xxxxx Bond Rating Agency, LLC. Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, there shall not have occurred any withdrawal or downgrading, nor shall any notice have been given of (i) any withdrawal or downgrading, (ii) any intended or potential withdrawal or downgrading, or (iii) any review or possible change that does not indicate an improvement, in the rating accorded to the Securities or any other securities of the Company by any NRSRO, and no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, or has changed its outlook with respect to, its rating of the Securities or any other securities of the Company (other than an announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading).

(j)                 DTC. At the Closing Time, the Securities shall be eligible for clearance, settlement and trading through the facilities of DTC.

(k)               No Objection. If applicable, FINRA shall have not raised any objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements relating to the offering of the Securities, which objection has not been withdrawn or otherwise satisfied.

(l)                 No Important Changes. Since the execution of this Agreement, in the judgment of the Representatives, since the respective date hereof or the respective dates of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, there shall not have occurred any Material Adverse Effect.

(m)             Delivery of Prospectus. The Company shall have complied with the provisions hereof with respect to the furnishing of prospectuses, in electronic or printed format, on the New York business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement.

(n)               No Termination Event. On or after the date hereof, there shall not have occurred any of the events, circumstances or occurrences set forth in SECTION 10(a).

(o)               No Legal Impediment to Issuance and/or Sale. No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any federal, state or foreign governmental or regulatory authority that would, as of the Closing Time, prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities by the Company.

(p)               Good Standing. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Time satisfactory evidence of the good standing of the Company and the Bank in their respective jurisdictions of organization, in each case in writing or any standard form of telecommunication from the appropriate governmental authorities of such jurisdictions.

(q)               Additional Documents. At the Closing Time, counsel for the Underwriters shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may reasonably require for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties of the Company, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated shall be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters.

(r)                If any condition specified in this Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement may be terminated by the Representatives by notice to the Company at any time at or prior to Closing Time and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in SECTION 4 and except that SECTION 1, SECTION 6, SECTION 7, SECTION 8, SECTION 9, SECTION 14, SECTION 15, SECTION 16 and SECTION 17 shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 7.                Indemnification.

(a)               Indemnification of Underwriters. The Company and the Bank, jointly and severally, agree to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 501(b) of the Securities Act Regulations (each, an “Affiliate”)), selling agents, officers and directors and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act as follows:

(i)                  against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any “road show”, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;

(ii)                  against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to SECTION 7(d) hereof) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company;

(iii)                 against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the Representatives), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above;

provided, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, or in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the indemnification provided for in this paragraph (a) shall not apply to the Bank to the extent that such indemnification or contribution, as the case may be, by the Bank is found by the Federal Reserve or other applicable federal banking regulatory authority, or in a final judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction, to constitute a covered transaction under Section 23A of the Federal Reserve Act.

(b)               Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers. Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in SECTION 7(a) hereof, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, or in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.

(c)               Actions against Parties; Notification. Each indemnified party shall give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of the indemnity agreement under this SECTION 7 or SECTION 8 hereof. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to SECTION 7(a) hereof, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Representatives, and, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to SECTION 7(b) hereof, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Company. An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in the defense of any such action or, if it so elects within a reasonable time after receipt of such notice, to assume the defense of any suit brought to enforce any such claim; but if it so elects to assume the defense, such defense shall be conducted by counsel chosen by it and approved by the indemnified parties, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld. In the event that an indemnifying party elects to assume the defense of any such suit and retain such counsel, the indemnified party or parties shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel thereafter retained by such indemnified party or parties; provided, however, that the indemnified party or parties shall have the right to employ counsel (in addition to local counsel) to represent the indemnified party or parties who may be subject to liability arising out of any action in respect of which indemnity may be sought against the indemnifying party if (i) the employment of such counsel shall have been authorized in writing by one of the indemnifying parties in connection with the defense of such action, or (ii) in the reasonable judgment of counsel for the indemnified party or parties, there may be legal defenses available to such indemnified person which are different from or in addition to those available to such indemnifying person, in which event the reasonable fees and expenses of appropriate separate counsel shall be borne by the indemnifying party. In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this SECTION 7 or SECTION 8 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

(d)               Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. If at any time an indemnified party shall have validly requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by SECTION 7(a)(ii) effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 60 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 45 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.

SECTION 8.                Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in SECTION 7 hereof is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and the Bank, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) 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 Bank, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.

The relative benefits received by the Company and the Bank, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the Bank, on the one hand, and the total underwriting discount received by the Underwriters, on the other hand, in each case as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the Securities as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus.

The relative fault of the Company and the Bank, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company and the Bank or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

The Company, the Bank and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this SECTION 8 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this SECTION 8. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above in this SECTION 8 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.

Notwithstanding the provisions of this SECTION 8, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting discount received by such Underwriter in connection with the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public.

No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this SECTION 8 are several in proportion to the aggregate principal amount of Securities set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule A hereto and not joint.

For purposes of this SECTION 8, each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act and each Underwriter’s Affiliates, officers, directors and selling agents shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company.

SECTION 9.                Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive. The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in Section 7 and Section 8, and all representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or its Affiliates, officers, directors and or selling agents, any person controlling any Underwriter or the Company’s officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (ii) delivery of and payment for the Securities.

SECTION 10.             Termination of Agreement.

(a)               Termination. The Representatives may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the Company, at any time at or prior to the Closing Time, (i) if there has been, in the reasonable judgment of the Representatives, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any Material Adverse Effect, (ii) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis, including a widespread outbreak of epidemic illnesses (including the novel coronavirus COVID-19 to the extent that there is a material worsening of such outbreak that actually occurs after the date hereof in the markets in which the Company operates), or any change or development involving a prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions, including without limitation as a result of terrorist activities, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the reasonable judgment of the Representatives, impracticable or inadvisable to market the Securities or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company has been suspended or materially limited by the Commission, or the NYSE, (iv) if trading generally on the NYSE has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by any of said exchanges or by order of the Commission, FINRA or any other governmental agency or body, (v) if a material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States or with respect to Clearstream or Euroclear systems in Europe, (vi) there has occurred a downgrading in or withdrawal of the rating assigned to the Securities or any other securities of the Company by any NRSRO, or such organization has publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, or has changed its outlook with respect to, its rating of the Securities or any other securities of the Company, or (vii) if a general moratorium on commercial banking activities has been declared by either federal, New York or Commonwealth of Massachusetts authorities or if there is a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States.

(b)               Liabilities. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in SECTION 4 hereof, and provided further that SECTION 1, SECTION 6, SECTION 7, SECTION 8, SECTION 9, SECTION 14, SECTION 15, SECTION 16 and SECTION 17 shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 11.            Default by One or More of the Underwriters. If one or more of the Underwriters shall fail at the Closing Time to purchase the Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase under this Agreement (the “Defaulted Securities”), the Representatives shall have the right, within 36 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or any other underwriters that are reasonably satisfactory to the Company, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth; if, however, the Representatives shall not have completed such arrangements within such 36-hour period, then:

(i)                   if the number of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10% of the number of Securities to be purchased at the Closing Time, each of the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, to purchase the full amount thereof in the proportions that their respective underwriting obligations hereunder bear to the underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting Underwriters, or

(ii)                  if the number of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the number of Securities to be purchased at the Closing Time, this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter.

No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of its default.

In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination of this Agreement, either the Representatives or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Time for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required changes in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements. As used herein, the term “Underwriter” includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this SECTION 11.

SECTION 12.            Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be directed to the Representatives care of KBW at 000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, attention of Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx, Director, Capital Markets, e-mail: xxxxxx@xxx.xxx and care of PNC at 000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxx 00000, email: XXXXXXXxxxxxxxXxxxxxxXxxxxxx@xxx.xxx; and notices to the Company shall be directed to it at 00 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000, attention of Wm. Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx, email: xxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx, fax (000) 000-0000.

SECTION 13.            No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (a) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the initial public offering price of the Securities and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the other hand, (b) in connection with the offering of the Securities and the process leading thereto, each Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or its shareholders, creditors, employees or any other party, (c) no Underwriter has assumed or will assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company in connection with the offering of the Securities or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company or any of its Subsidiaries on other matters) or any other obligation to the Company in connection with the offering of the Securities except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (d) the Underwriters and their respective Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company, and (e) the Underwriters have not provided any legal, accounting, financial, regulatory or tax advice in connection with the offering of the Securities and the Company has consulted its own respective legal, accounting, financial, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate. The Company waives to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law any claims that it may have against the Underwriters arising from an alleged breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the offering of the Securities.

SECTION 14.            Parties. This Agreement shall each inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters, the Company and the Bank and their respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the Underwriters, the Company and the Bank and their respective successors and the indemnified parties referred to in SECTION 7 and SECTION 8 and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Underwriters, the Company and the Bank and their respective successors, and said controlling persons, Affiliates, selling agents, officers and directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.

SECTION 15.            Trial by Jury. Each of the Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its shareholders and affiliates) and the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

SECTION 16.           GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT, ANY TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREUNDER AND ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY OR DISPUTE ARISING UNDER OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO CONFLICTS OF LAW PRINCIPLES (OTHER THAN SECTIONS 5-1401 AND 5-1402 OF THE NEW YORK GENERAL OBLIGATIONS LAW) THAT WOULD RESULT IN THE APPLICATION OF ANY LAW OTHER THAN THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

SECTION 17.            Consent to Jurisdiction. Each of the parties hereto agrees that any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby shall be instituted in (i) the federal courts of the United States of America located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan or (ii) the courts of the State of New York located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan (collectively, the “Specified Courts”), and irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction (except for proceedings instituted in regard to the enforcement of a judgment of any Specified Court, as to which such jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of the Specified Courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail to such party’s address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any suit, action or proceeding brought in any Specified Court. Each of the parties hereto irrevocably and unconditionally waives any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any Specified Court that any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any Specified Court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.

SECTION 18.             TIME. TIME SHALL BE OF THE ESSENCE OF THIS AGREEMENT. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET FORTH HEREIN, SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.

SECTION 19.             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. The exchange of copies of this Agreement and of signature pages by facsimile or other electronic means shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this Agreement by the parties hereto and may be used in lieu of the original signature pages to this Agreement for all purposes.

SECTION 20.             Effect of Headings. The Section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

SECTION 21.            Entire Agreement; Amendments. This Agreement constitutes the entire Agreement of the parties to this Agreement and supersedes all prior written or oral and all contemporaneous oral agreements, understandings and negotiations with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement may not be amended or modified unless in writing by all of the parties hereto, and no condition herein (express or implied) may be waived unless waived in writing by each party that the condition is meant to benefit.

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to the Company a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement among the Underwriters, the Company and the Bank in accordance with its terms.

	Very truly yours,

	BERKSHIRE HILLS BANCORP, INC.

	/s/Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx
	Name: Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx
	Title: Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

	BERKShIRE Bank

	/s/Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx
	Name: Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx
	Title: Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]

CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED, as of the date first above written:

XXXXX, XXXXXXXX & XXXXX, INC.

By:	/s/Xxxxx Xxxxxx
	Name:	Xxxxx Xxxxxx
	Title:	Managing Director

PNC CAPITAL MARKETS LLC

By:	/s/Xxxx Xxxxxx
	Name:	Xxxx Xxxxxx
	Title:	Managing Director

For themselves and as Representatives of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto.

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]

SCHEDULE A

Name of Underwriter	Aggregate Principal Amount of Securities to be Purchased
Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxx, Inc.	$	50,000,000.00
PNC Capital Markets LLC		50,000,000.00
Total	$	100,000,000.00

SCHEDULE B

Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses

Investor Presentation, filed as a Free Writing Prospectus on June 28, 2022.

The Term Sheet set forth in Schedule C, filed as a Free Writing Prospectus on June 28, 2022.

SCHEDULE C

Term Sheet

Filed pursuant to Rule 433

Issuer Free Writing Prospectus dated June 28, 2022

Supplementing the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement dated

June 28, 2022 (to Prospectus dated March 20, 2020)

Registration No. 333-237301

Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc.

$100,000,000

5.50% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2032

Term Sheet

Issuer:	Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc. (NYSE: BHLB) (the “Company” or “Issuer”)

Securities:	5.50% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2032 (the “Notes”)

Aggregate Principal Amount:	$100,000,000

*Ratings:**	Baa3 (POS) by Xxxxx’x Investor Services BBB- (Stable) by Xxxxx Bond Rating Agency, Inc.

ESG Designation:**	Sustainability Bond with Second Party Opinion provided by Sustainalytics.

Trade Date:	June 28, 2022

Settlement Date:	June 30, 2022 (T+2)

Maturity Date (if not previously redeemed):	July 1, 2032

Coupon:	From and including the Settlement Date to, but excluding, July 1, 2027 or the date of earlier redemption (the “fixed rate period”), a fixed rate of 5.50% per annum, payable semi-annually in arrears. From and including July 1, 2027 to, but excluding, the Maturity Date or the date of earlier redemption (the “floating rate period”), a floating rate per annum equal to the Benchmark rate (which is expected to be Three-Month Term SOFR) (each as defined under “Description of the Notes — Interest” in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement), plus a spread of 249 basis points for each quarterly interest period during the floating rate period, payable quarterly in arrears; provided, however, that if the Benchmark rate is less than zero, the Benchmark rate shall be deemed to be zero.

Interest Payment Dates:	Fixed rate period: January 1 and July 1 of each year, commencing on January 1, 2023. The last interest payment date for the fixed rate period will be July 1, 2027.

	Floating rate period: January 1, April 1, July 1 and October 1 of each year, commencing on October 1, 2027.
Record Dates:	The 15^th calendar day of the month immediately preceding the applicable interest payment date.

Day Count Convention:	Fixed rate period: 30/360.

	Floating rate period: 360-day year and the number of days actually elapsed.

Optional Redemption:	The Company may, at its option, beginning with the interest payment date of July 1, 2027, and on any interest payment date thereafter, redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, from time to time, subject to obtaining the prior approval of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve Board”) to the extent such approval is then required under the rules of the Federal Reserve Board, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes being redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the date of redemption.

Special Redemption:	The Company may redeem the Notes at any time prior to the Maturity Date, including prior to July 1, 2027, in whole, but not in part, subject to obtaining the prior approval of the Federal Reserve Board to the extent such approval is then required under the rules of the Federal Reserve Board, upon the occurrence of a (i) a “Tax Event” (as defined in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement), a “Tier 2 Capital Event” (as defined in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement), or (iii) the Company becoming required to register as an investment company pursuant to the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, in each case, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the date of redemption.

Denominations:	$1,000 minimum denominations and $1,000 integral multiples in excess thereof.

Use of Proceeds:	The Company intends to use an amount equal to the net proceeds from this offering to finance or refinance new or existing assets consistent with the Company’s Sustainable Financing Framework, as may be modified from time to time.  Pending allocation to such assets, the net proceeds may be used for general corporate purposes, including supporting strategic and organic growth and the repayment of other outstanding indebtedness that has no association with carbon-intensive activities.

Price to Public:	100% of aggregate principal amount of the Notes.

Ranking:

The Notes will be general unsecured subordinated obligations of the Company and will be:

junior in right of payment to any of the Company’s existing and future senior indebtedness (as defined under “Description of the Notes – Subordination of the Notes” in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement);

equal in right of payment with any of the Company’s existing and all of the Company’s future indebtedness the terms of which provide that such indebtedness ranks equally with the Notes, including $75.0 million of the Company’s 6.875% fixed-to-floating rate subordinated notes due 2027;

senior in right of payment to any of the Company’s existing or future indebtedness the terms of which provide that such indebtedness ranks junior in right of payment to indebtedness such as the Notes, including $22.9 million of the Company’s junior subordinated debentures relating to two issuances of trust preferred securities; and

effectively subordinated in right of payment to any of the Company’s future secured indebtedness to the extent of the value of the collateral securing such indebtedness, and structurally subordinated to any existing and future liabilities and obligations of its subsidiaries, including without limitation the deposit liabilities, liabilities to general creditors and liabilities arising in the ordinary course of business or otherwise of the Company’s bank subsidiary, Berkshire Bank.


	At March 31, 2022, on a consolidated basis, the Company’s outstanding debt and deposits totaled approximately $10.8 billion, which includes approximately $10.7 billion of deposit liabilities that rank senior to the Notes.  In addition, as of March 31, 2022, the Company (at the holding company level only) had no outstanding indebtedness that would rank senior to the Notes, $75.0 million of outstanding indebtedness that would rank pari passu to the Notes, and $22.9 million of outstanding indebtedness that would rank junior to the Notes.

CUSIP/ISIN:	000000XX0 / US084680AB32

Joint Book-Running Managers:	Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxx, A Xxxxxx Company PNC FIG Advisory, part of PNC Capital Markets LLC

ESG Structuring Agent:	PNC FIG Advisory, part of PNC Capital Markets LLC

* A rating is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities. Ratings may be subject to revision or withdrawal at any time by the assigning rating organization. Each rating should be evaluated independently of any other rating.

** Any such designation is provided for informational purposes only and (a) does not constitute an endorsement of any securities, product or project; (b) does not constitute investment or financial advice; and (c) does not represent any type of credit or securities rating or an assessment of the issuer’s economic performance, financial obligations nor of its creditworthiness.

Note: The Issuer has filed a registration statement (File No. 333-237301) (including a base prospectus) and a preliminary prospectus supplement, dated June 28, 2022 (the “Preliminary Prospectus Supplement”) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the base prospectus in that registration statement, the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement, the final prospectus supplement (when available) and other documents the Issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the Issuer and this offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting XXXXX on the SEC’s website at xxx.xxx.xxx. Alternatively, the Issuer, the underwriters or any dealer participating in the offering will arrange to send you copies of the base prospectus, the related Preliminary Prospectus Supplement or final prospectus supplement (when available) if you request it by calling Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxx, A Xxxxxx Company, toll free at 0-000-000-0000 or by emailing XXXxxxxxxXxxxxxx@xxx.xxx or by calling PNC Capital Markets LLC toll free at 0-000-000-0000 or by emailing XXXXXXXxxxxxxxXxxxxxxXxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.

Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Term Sheet have the meanings given to them in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement. This Term Sheet is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement. The information in this Term Sheet supplements the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement and supersedes the information in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement to the extent it is inconsistent with the information in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement. Other information (including other financial information) presented in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement is deemed to have changed to the extent affected by the information contained herein.

ANY DISCLAIMERS OR OTHER NOTICES THAT MAY APPEAR BELOW ARE NOT APPLICABLE TO THIS COMMUNICATION AND SHOULD BE DISREGARDED. SUCH DISCLAIMERS OR OTHER NOTICES WERE AUTOMATICALLY GENERATED AS A RESULT OF THIS COMMUNICATION BEING SENT VIA BLOOMBERG OR ANOTHER EMAIL SYSTEM.

SCHEDULE D

Subsidiaries of the Company

Name		State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization
Berkshire Bank		Massachusetts
Beacon Comprehensive Services Corp.		New York
RSB Properties, Inc.		New York
CSB Service Corp.		Massachusetts
Legacy Insurance Services of the Berkshires, LLC		Delaware
North Street Securities Corporation		Massachusetts
Woodland Securities, Inc.		Massachusetts
Hampden Investment Corporation II		Massachusetts
Firestone Financial, LLC		Massachusetts
First Choice Loan Services Inc.		New Jersey
Old Spot Properties, LLC		New Jersey
FCB New Jersey Investment Company		New Jersey
Novus Asset Management Inc.		Delaware
Metro Commerce Real Estate		Massachusetts
Berkshire Mortgage Servicing Company		Connecticut
SI Realty Company, Inc.		Connecticut
North Street Insurance Services, Inc.		Massachusetts
Berkshire Hills Capital Trust I		Delaware
SI Capital Trust II		Delaware

EXHIBIT A

Form of Opinion of Company Counsel

[Intentionally Omitted]

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Table of Contents

Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc.

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