Exhibit 6
PROFESSIONALLY MANAGED PORTFOLIOS
DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
This Agreement, made as of the day of , 1996 between PROFESSIONALLY
MANAGED PORTFOLIOS, a Massachusetts business trust (the "Trust"), and FIRST FUND
DISTRIBUTORS, INC. a Delaware corporation (the "Distributor").
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, the Trust is engaged in business as an open-end management
investment company and is registered as such under the Investment Company Act of
l940 (the "1940 Act"), and it is in the interest of the Trust to offer its class
of shares entitled the [ ] FUND (the "Fund") for sale continuously; and
WHEREAS, the Distributor is registered as a broker-dealer under the
Securities Exchange Act of l934 (the "1934 Act") and is a member in good
standing of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD");
and
WHEREAS, the Trust and the Distributor wish to enter into an agreement
with each other with respect to the continuous offering of the shares of
beneficial interest of the Fund (the "Shares"), to commence after the
effectiveness of amendment to the registration statement filed pursuant to the
Securities Act of 1933 (the "1933 Act") and the 1940 Act relating to the Fund.
NOW, THEREFORE, the parties agree as follows:
l. Appointment of Distributor. The Trust hereby appoints the
Distributor as its exclusive agent to sell and to arrange for the sale of the
Shares, on the terms and for the period set forth in this Agreement, and the
Distributor hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to act hereunder directly
and/or through the Trust's transfer agent in the manner set forth in the
Prospectuses (as defined below). It is understood and agreed that the services
of the Distributor hereunder are not exclusive, and the Distributor may act as
principal underwriter for the shares of any other registered investment company.
2. Services and Duties of the Distributor
(a) The Distributor agrees to sell the Shares, as agent for the Trust,
from time to time during the term of this Agreement upon the terms described in
the Fund's Prospectus. As used in this Agreement, the term "Prospectus" shall
mean the prospectus and statement of additional information of the Fund included
as part of the Trust's Registration Statement, as such prospectus and statement
of additional information may be amended or supplemented
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from time to time, and the term "Registration Statement" shall mean the
Registration Statement most recently filed from time to time by the Trust with
the Securities and Exchange Commission and effective under the 1933 Act and the
1940 Act, as such Registration Statement is amended by any amendments thereto at
the time in effect. The Distributor shall not be obligated to sell any certain
number of Shares.
(b) Upon commencement of the Fund's operations, the Distributor will
hold itself available to receive orders, satisfactory to the Distributor, for
the purchase of the Shares and will accept such orders and will transmit such
orders and funds received by it in payment for such Shares as are so accepted to
the Trust's transfer agent or custodian, as appropriate, as promptly as
practicable. Purchase orders shall be deemed effective at the time and in the
manner set forth in the Prospectus. The Distributor shall not make any short
sales of Shares.
(c) The offering price of the Shares shall be the net asset value per
share of the Shares (as defined in the Declaration of Trust), plus the sales
charge, if any, determined as set forth in the prospectus). The Trust shall
furnish the Distributor, with all possible promptness, an advice of each
computation of net asset value and offering price.
3. Duties of the Trust.
(a) Maintenance of Federal Registration. The Trust shall, at its
expense, take, from time to time, all necessary action and such steps, including
payment of the related filing fees, as may be necessary to register and maintain
registration of a sufficient number of Shares under the 1933 Act. The Trust
agrees to file from time to time such amendments, reports and other documents as
may be necessary in order that there may be no untrue statement of a material
fact in a registration statement or prospectus, or necessary in order that there
may be no omission to state a material fact in the registration statement or
prospectus which omission would make the statements therein misleading.
(b) Maintenance of "Blue Sky" Qualifications. The Trust shall, at its
expense, use its best efforts to qualify and maintain the qualification of an
appropriate number of Shares for sale under the securities laws of such states
as the Distributor and the Trust may approve, and, if necessary or appropriate
in connection therewith, to qualify and maintain the qualification of the Trust
as a broker or dealer in such states; provided that the Trust shall not be
required to amend its Declaration of Trust or By-Laws to comply with the laws of
any state, to maintain an office in any state, to change the terms of the
offering of the Shares in any state, to change the terms of the offering of the
Shares in any state from the terms set forth in its Prospectuses, to qualify as
a foreign corporation in any state or to consent to service of process in any
state other than with respect to claims
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arising out of the offering and sale of the Shares. The Distributor shall
furnish such information and other material relating to its affairs and
activities as may be required by the Trust in connection with such
qualifications.
(c) Copies of Reports and Prospectuses. The Trust shall, at its
expense, keep the Distributor fully informed with regard to its affairs and in
connection therewith shall furnish to the Distributor copies of all information,
financial statements and other papers which the Distributor may reasonably
request for use in connection with the distribution of Shares, including such
reasonable number of copies of its Prospectuses and annual and interim reports
as the Distributor may request and shall cooperate fully in the efforts of the
Distributor to sell and arrange for the sale of the Shares and in the
performance of the Distributor under this Agreement.
4. Conformity with Applicable Law and Rules. The Distributor agrees
that in selling Shares hereunder it shall conform in all respects with the laws
of the United States and of any state in which Shares may be offered, and with
applicable rules and regulations of the NASD.
5. Independent Contractor. In performing its duties hereunder, the
Distributor shall be an independent contractor and neither the Distributor, nor
any of its officers, directors, employees, or representatives is or shall be an
employee of the Trust in the performance of the Distributor's duties hereunder.
The Distributor shall be responsible for its own conduct and the employment,
control, and conduct of its agents and employees and for injury to such agents
or employees or to others through its agents or employees. The Distributor
assumes full responsibility for its agents and employees under applicable
statutes and agrees to pay all employee taxes thereunder.
6. Indemnification.
(a) Indemnification of Trust. The Distributor agrees to indemnify and hold
harmless the Trust and each of its present or former trustees, officers,
employees, representatives and each person, if any, who controls or previously
controlled the Trust within the meaning of Section l5 of the 1933 Act against
any and all losses, liabilities, damages, claims or expenses (including the
reasonable costs of investigating or defending any alleged loss, liability,
damage, claims or expense and reasonable legal counsel fees incurred in
connection therewith) to which the Trust or any such person may become subject
under the 1933 Act, under any other statute, at common law, or otherwise,
arising out of the acquisition of any Shares by any person which (I) may be
based upon any wrongful act by the Distributor or any of the Distributor's
directors, officers, employees or representatives, or (ii) may be based upon any
untrue statement or alleged untrue
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statement of a material fact contained in a registration statement, prospectus,
shareholder report or other information covering Shares filed or made public by
the Trust or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or the omission or
alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading if such statement or
omission was made in reliance upon information furnished to the Trust by the
Distributor. In no case (I) is the Distributor's indemnity in favor of the
Trust, or any person indemnified to be deemed to protect the Trust or such
indemnified person against any liability to which the Trust or such person would
otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross
negligence in the performance of his duties or by reason of his reckless
disregard of his obligations and duties under this Agreement or (ii) is the
Distributor to be liable under its indemnity agreement contained in this
Paragraph with respect to any claim made against the Trust or any person
indemnified unless the Trust or such person, as the case may be, shall have
notified the Distributor in writing of the claim within a reasonable time after
the summons or other first written notification giving information of the nature
of the claim shall have been served upon the Trust or upon such person (or after
the Trust or such person shall have received notice to such service on any
designated agent). However, failure to notify the Distributor of any such claim
shall not relieve the Distributor from any liability which the Distributor may
have to the Trust or any person against whom such action is brought otherwise
than on account of the Distributor's indemnity agreement contained in this
Paragraph.
The Distributor shall be entitled to participate, at its own expense, in the
defense, or, if the Distributor so elects, to assume the defense of any suit
brought to enforce any such claim, but, if the Distributor elects to assume the
defense, such defense shall be conducted by legal counsel chosen by the
Distributor and satisfactory to the Trust, to the persons indemnified defendant
or defendants, in the suit. In the event that the Distributor elects to assume
the defense of any such suit and retain such legal counsel, the Trust, the
persons indemnified defendant or defendants in the suit, shall bear the fees and
expenses of any additional legal counsel retained by them. If the Distributor
does not elect to assume the defense of any such suit, the Distributor will
reimburse the Trust and the persons indemnified defendant or defendants in such
suit for the reasonable fees and expenses of any legal counsel retained by them.
The Distributor agrees to promptly notify the Trust of the commencement of any
litigation of proceedings against it or any of its officers, employees or
representatives in connection with the issue or sale of any Shares.
(b) Indemnification of the Distributor. The Trust agrees to
indemnify and hold harmless the Distributor and each of its
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present or former directors, officers, employees, representatives and each
person, if any, who controls or previously controlled the Distributor within the
meaning of Section l5 of the 1933 Act against any and all losses, liabilities,
damages, claims or expenses (including the reasonable costs of investigating or
defending any alleged loss, liability, damage, claim or expense and reasonable
legal counsel fees incurred in connection therewith) to which the Distributor or
any such person may become subject under the 1933 Act, under any other statute,
at common law, or otherwise, arising out of the acquisition of any Shares by any
person which (I) may be based upon any wrongful act by the Trust or any of the
Trust's trustees, officers, employees or representatives, or (ii) may be based
upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
contained in a registration statement, prospectus, shareholder report or other
information covering Shares filed or made public by the Trust or any amendment
thereof or supplement thereto, or the omission or alleged omission to state
therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading unless such statement or omission was made in
reliance upon information furnished to the Trust by the Distributor. In no case
(I) is the Trust's indemnity in favor of the Distributor, or any person
indemnified to be deemed to protect the Distributor or such indemnified person
against any liability to which the Distributor or such person would otherwise be
subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the
performance of his duties or by reason of his reckless disregard of his
obligations and duties under this Agreement, or (ii) is the Trust to be liable
under its indemnity agreement contained in this Paragraph with respect to any
claim made against Distributor, or person indemnified unless the Distributor, or
such person, as the case may be, shall have notified the Trust in writing of the
claim within a reasonable time after the summons or other first written
notification giving information of the nature of the claim shall have been
served upon the Distributor or upon such person (or after the Distributor or
such person shall have received notice of such service on any designated agent).
However, failure to notify the Trust of any such claim shall not relieve the
Trust from any liability which the Trust may have to the Distributor or any
person against whom such action is brought otherwise than on account of the
Trust's indemnity agreement contained in this Paragraph.
The Trust shall be entitled to participate, at its own expense, in the
defense, or, if the Trust so elects, to assume the defense of any suit brought
to enforce any such claim, but if the Trust elects to assume the defense, such
defense shall be conducted by legal counsel chosen by the Trust and satisfactory
to the Distributor, to the persons indemnified defendant or defendants, in the
suit. In the event that the Trust elects to assume the defense of any such suit
and retain such legal counsel, the Distributor, the persons indemnified
defendant or defendants
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in the suit, shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional legal counsel
retained by them. If the Trust does not elect to assume the defense of any such
suit, the Trust will reimburse the Distributor and the persons indemnified
defendant or defendants in such suit for the reasonable fees and expenses of any
legal counsel retained by them. The Trust agrees to promptly notify the
Distributor of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings against it or
any of its trustees, officers, employees or representatives in connection with
the issue or sale of any Shares.
7. Authorized Representations. The Distributor is not authorized by the
Trust to give on behalf of the Trust any information or to make any
representations in connection with the sale of Shares other than the information
and representations contained in a registration statement or prospectus filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") under the 1933 Act and/or
the 1940 Act, covering Shares, as such registration statement and prospectus may
be amended or supplemented from time to time, or contained in shareholder
reports or other material that may be prepared by or on behalf of the Trust for
the Distributor's use. This shall not be construed to prevent the Distributor
from preparing and distributing tombstone ads and sales literature or other
material as it may deem appropriate. No person other than the Distributor is
authorized to act as principal underwriter (as such term is defined in the 0000
Xxx) for the Fund.
8. Term of Agreement. The term of this Agreement shall begin on the
date first above written, and unless sooner terminated as hereinafter provided,
this Agreement shall remain in effect for a period of two years from that date.
Thereafter, this Agreement shall continue in effect from year to year, subject
to the termination provisions and all other terms and conditions thereof, so
long as such continuation shall be specifically approved at least annually by
the Board of Trustees or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting
securities of the Fund and, concurrently with such approval by the Board of
Trustees or prior to such approval by the holders of the outstanding voting
securities of the Fund, as the case may be, by the vote, cast in person at a
meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval, of a majority of the
trustees of the Trust who are not parties to this Agreement or interested
persons of any such party. The Distributor shall furnish to the Trust, promptly
upon its request, such information as may reasonably be necessary to evaluate
the terms of this Agreement or any extension, renewal or amendment hereof.
9. Amendment or Assignment of Agreement. This Agreement
may not be amended or assigned except as permitted by the 1940
Act, and this Agreement shall automatically and immediately
terminate in the event of its assignment.
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10. Termination of Agreement. This Agreement may be terminated by
either party hereto, without the payment of any penalty, on not more than upon
60 days' nor less than 30 days' prior notice in writing to the other party;
provided, that in the case of termination by the Trust such action shall have
been authorized by resolution of a majority of the trustees of the Trust who are
not parties to this Agreement or interested persons of any such party, or by
vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund.
11. Miscellaneous. The captions in this Agreement are
included for convenience of reference only and in no way define or
delineate any of the provisions hereof or otherwise affect their
construction or effect.
This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which
together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to require the Trust to take
any action contrary to its Declaration of Trust or By-Laws, or any applicable
statutory or regulatory requirement to which it is subject or by which it is
bound, or to relieve or deprive the Board of Trustees of the Trust of
responsibility for and control of the conduct of the affairs of the Trust.
12. Definition of Terms. Any question of interpretation of any term or
provision of this Agreement having a counterpart in or otherwise derived from a
term or provision of the 1940 Act shall be resolved by reference to such term or
provision of the 1940 Act and to interpretation thereof, if any, by the United
States courts or, in the absence of any controlling decision of any such court,
by rules, regulations or orders of the Securities and Exchange Commission
validly issued pursuant to the 1940 Act. Specifically, the terms "vote of a
majority of the outstanding voting securities", "interested persons",
"assignment", and "affiliated person", as used in Paragraphs 8, 9 and 10 hereof,
shall have the meanings assigned to them by Section 2(a) of the 1940 Act. In
addition, where the effect of a requirement of the 1940 Act reflected in any
provision of this Agreement is relaxed by a rule, regulation or order of the
Securities and Exchange Commission, whether of special or of general
application, such provision shall be deemed to incorporate the effect of such
rule, regulation or order.
13. Compliance with Securities Laws. The Trust represents that it is
registered as an open-end management investment company under the 1940 Act, and
agrees that it will comply with all the provisions of the 1940 Act and of the
rules and regulations thereunder. The Trust and the Distributor each agree to
comply with all of the applicable terms and provisions of the 1940 Act,
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the 1933 Act and, subject to the provisions of Section 4(d), all applicable
"Blue Sky" laws. The Distributor agrees to comply with all of the applicable
terms and provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
14. Notices. Any notice required to be given pursuant to this Agreement
shall be deemed duly given if delivered or mailed by registered mail, postage
prepaid, to the Distributor at 0000 X. Xxxxxxxxx Xx., 000-X, Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
or to the Trust on behalf of the Fund at 000 Xxxx 00xx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, XX
00000.
15. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed and
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
16. No Shareholder Liability. The Distributor understands that the
obligations of this Agreement are not binding upon any shareholder of the Trust
personally, but bind only the Trust's property; the Distributor represents that
it has notice of the provisions of the Declaration of Trust disclaiming
shareholder liability for acts or obligations of the Trust.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this
Agreement to be signed by their duly authorized representatives and their
respective corporate seals to be hereunto affixed, as of the day and year first
above written.
PROFESSIONALLY MANAGED PORTFOLIOS
By:
Attest:
FIRST FUND DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
By: _____________________________
Attest:
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