Exhibit 3.4
LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT
OF
EDUCATION FUNDING CAPITAL I, LLC
This Limited Liability Company Agreement (together with the schedules
attached hereto, this "Agreement") of Education Funding Capital I, LLC (the
"Company"), is entered into by Grad Partners, Inc., a Delaware corporation, as
the sole equity member (the "Member"), and Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxx, as the Special
Member (as defined on Schedule A hereto). Capitalized terms used and not
otherwise defined herein have the meanings set forth on Schedule A hereto.
The Member, by execution of this Agreement, hereby forms the Company as
a limited liability company pursuant to and in accordance with the Delaware
Limited Liability Company Act (6 Del. C. (S) 18-101 et seq.), as amended from
time to time (the "Act"), and this Agreement and the Member and the Special
Member hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Name.
The name of the limited liability company formed hereby is Education
Funding Capital I, LLC.
Section 2. Principal Business Office.
The principal business office of the Company shall be located at Six
Xxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 000-X, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxx 00000 or such other location
as may hereafter be determined by the Member.
Section 3. Registered Office.
The address of the registered office of the Company in the State of
Delaware is Corporation Trust Center, 0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx
00000.
Section 4. Registered Agent.
The name and address of the registered agent of the Company for service
of process on the Company in the State of Delaware is The Corporation Trust
Company, 0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000.
Section 5. Member.
(a) The mailing address of the Member is set forth on Schedule B
attached hereto. The Member was admitted to the Company as a member of the
Company upon its execution of a counterpart signature page to this agreement.
(b) Subject to Section 9(j), the Member may act by written consent.
(c) Upon the occurrence of any event that causes the Member to cease to
be a member of the Company (other than (i) upon an assignment by the Member of
all of its limited liability company interest in the Company and the admission
of the transferee pursuant to Sections 20 and 22, or (ii) the resignation of the
Member and the admission of an additional member of the Company pursuant to
Sections 21 and 22), each person acting as an Independent Director pursuant to
Section 10 shall, without any action of any Person and simultaneously with the
Member ceasing to be a member of the Company, automatically be admitted to the
Company as a Special Member and shall continue the Company without dissolution.
No Special Member may resign from the Company or transfer its rights as Special
Member unless (i) a successor Special Member has been admitted to the Company as
Special Member by executing a counterpart to this Agreement, and (ii) such
successor has also accepted its appointment as Independent Director pursuant to
Section 10; provided, however, the Special Members shall automatically cease to
be members of the Company upon the admission to the Company of a substitute
Member. Each Special Member shall be a member of the Company that has no
interest in the profits, losses and capital of the Company and has no right to
receive any distributions of Company assets. Pursuant to Section 18-301 of the
Act, a Special Member shall not be required to make any capital contributions to
the Company and shall not receive a limited liability company interest in the
Company. A Special Member, in its capacity as Special Member, may not bind the
Company. Except as required by any mandatory provision of the Act, each Special
Member, in its capacity as Special Member, shall have no right to vote on,
approve or otherwise consent to any action by, or matter relating to, the
Company, including, without limitation, the merger, consolidation or conversion
of the Company. In order to implement the admission to the Company of each
Special Member, each person acting as an Independent Director pursuant to
Section 10 shall execute a counterpart to this Agreement. Prior to its admission
to the Company as Special Member, each person acting as an Independent Director
pursuant to Section 10 shall not be a member of the Company.
Section 6. Certificates.
Xxxxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxxx, is hereby designated as an "authorized person"
within the meaning of the Act, and has executed, delivered and filed the
Certificate of Formation of the Company with the Secretary of State of the State
of Delaware. Upon the filing of the Certificate of Formation with the Secretary
of State of the State of Delaware, her powers as an "authorized person" ceased,
and the Member thereupon became the designated "authorized person" and shall
continue as the designated "authorized person" within the meaning of the Act.
The Member or an Officer shall execute, deliver and file any other certificates
(and any amendments and/or restatements thereof) necessary for the Company to
qualify to do business in any other jurisdiction in which the Company may wish
to conduct business.
The existence of the Company as a separate legal entity shall continue
until cancellation of the Certificate of Formation as provided in the Act.
Section 7. Purposes.
The purpose to be conducted or promoted by the Company is to engage in
the following activities:
2
(a)
(i) (A) to finance and acquire student and other education
related loans (the "Student Loans") and other related rights
and assets and (B) issuing promissory notes or other
securities secured by the assets of the Company;
(ii) to acquire, own, hold, sell, transfer, service, convey,
safekeep, dispose of, pledge, assign, borrow money against,
finance, refinance or otherwise deal with, publicly or
privately and whether with unrelated third parties or with
affiliated entities, Student Loans and related rights and
assets;
(iii) to loan, transfer, or otherwise invest funds received as a
result of the Company's interest in any Student Loans and
related rights and assets and any other income as determined
by the Company's Board of Directors from time to time;
(iv) pledge, sell, liquidate, transfer and otherwise deal with
credit and liquidity support in connection with activities
set forth in clause (iii) above (including, insurance
policies, surety bonds, cash collateral, letters of credit,
lines of credit, purchase and repurchase agreements, minimum
payments agreements, guaranteed investment contracts,
guarantees and other credit or liquidity support)
(collectively, "Credit and Liquidity Support");
(v) to invest cash collateral, reserves and proceeds from
Student Loans and Credit and Liquidity Support;
(vi) to authorize, issue, sell, deliver and incur indebtedness,
obligations and liabilities in the ordinary course of the
Company's business; and
(vii) to engage in any lawful act or activity and to exercise any
powers permitted to limited liability companies organized
under the laws of the State of Delaware that are related or
incidental to and necessary, convenient or advisable for the
accomplishment of the above-mentioned purposes (including
the entering into of interest rate or basis swap, cap, floor
or collar agreements, currency exchange agreements or
similar hedging transactions and referral, management,
servicing and administration agreements).
(b) The Company, by or through any Member, Director or Officer on
behalf of the Company, may enter into and perform the Transaction Documents and
all documents, agreements, certificates, or financing statements contemplated
thereby or related thereto, all without any further act, vote or approval of any
Member, Director, Officer or other Person notwithstanding any other provision of
this Agreement, the Act or applicable law, rule or regulation. The foregoing
authorization shall not be deemed a restriction on the powers of any Member,
Director or Officer to enter into other agreements on behalf of the Company.
3
Section 8. Powers.
Subject to Section 9(j), the Company, and the Board of Directors and the
Officers of the Company on behalf of the Company, (i) shall have and exercise
all powers necessary, convenient or incidental to accomplish its purposes as set
forth in Section 7 and (ii) shall have and exercise all of the powers and rights
conferred upon limited liability companies formed pursuant to the Act.
Section 9. Management.
(a) Board of Directors. Subject to Section 9(j), the business and
affairs of the Company shall be managed by or under the direction of a Board of
one or more Directors designated by the Member. Subject to Section 10, the
Member may determine at anytime in its sole and absolute discretion the number
of Directors to constitute the Board. The authorized number of Directors may be
increased or decreased by the Member at any time in its sole and absolute
discretion, upon notice to all Directors, and subject in all cases to Section
10. The initial number of Directors shall be three (3), one of which shall be an
Independent Director pursuant to Section 10. Each Director elected, designated
or appointed by the Member shall hold office until a successor is elected and
qualified or until such Director's earlier death, resignation, expulsion or
removal. Directors need not be a Member. The initial Directors designated by the
Member are listed on Schedule C hereto.
(b) Powers. Subject to Section 9(j), the Board of Directors shall have
the power to do any and all acts necessary, convenient or incidental to or for
the furtherance of the purposes described herein, including all powers,
statutory or otherwise. Subject to Section 7, the Board of Directors has the
authority to bind the Company.
(c) Meeting of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors of the
Company may hold meetings, both regular and special, within or outside the State
of Delaware. Regular meetings of the Board may be held without notice at such
time and at such place as shall from time to time be determined by the Board.
Special meetings of the Board maybe called by the President on not less than one
day's notice to each Director by telephone, facsimile, mail, telegram or any
other means of communication, and special meetings shall be called by the
President or Secretary in like manner and with like notice upon the written
request of any one or more of the Directors.
(d) Quorum Acts of the Board. At all meetings of the Board, a majority
of the Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business and,
except as otherwise provided in any other provision of this Agreement, the act
of a majority of the Directors present at any meeting at which there is a quorum
shall be the act of the Board. If a quorum shall not be present at any meeting
of the Board, the Directors present at such meeting may adjourn the meeting from
time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a
quorum shall be present. Any action required or permitted to be taken at any
meeting of the Board or of any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting
if all members of the Board or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in
writing, and the writing or writings are filed with the minutes of proceedings
of the Board or committee, as the case may be.
4
(e) Electronic Communications. Members of the Board, or any committee
designated by the Board, may participate in meetings of the Board, or any
committee, by means of telephone conference or similar communications equipment
that allows all Persons participating in the meeting to hear each other, and
such participation in a meeting shall constitute presence in Person at the
meeting. If all the participants are participating by telephone conference or
similar communications equipment, the meeting shall be deemed to be held at the
principal place of business of the Company.
(f) Committees of Directors.
(i) The Board may, by resolution passed by a majority of the
whole Board, designate one or more committees, each
committee to consist of one or more of the Directors of the
Company. The Board may designate one or more Directors as
alternate members of any committee, who may replace any
absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the
committee.
(ii) In the absence or disqualification of a member of a
committee, the member or members thereof present at any
meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not
such members constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint
another member of the Board to act at the meeting in the
place of any such absent or disqualified member.
(iii) Any such committee, to the extent provided in the
resolution of the Board, and subject to, in all cases,
Sections 9(j) and 10, shall have and may exercise all the
powers and authority of the Board in the management of the
business and affairs of the Company. Such committee or
committees shall have such name or names as may be
determined from time to time by resolution adopted by the
Board. Each committee shall keep regular minutes of its
meetings and report the same to the Board when required.
(g) Compensation of Directors; Expenses. The Board shall have the
authority to fix the compensation of Directors. The Directors may be paid their
expenses, if any, of attendance at meetings of the Board, which may be a fixed
sum for attendance at each meeting of the Board or a stated salary as Director.
No such payment shall preclude any Director from serving the Company in any
other capacity and receiving compensation therefor. Members of special or
standing committees maybe allowed like compensation for attending committee
meetings.
(h) Removal of Directors. Unless otherwise restricted by law, any
Director or the entire Board of Directors may be removed or expelled, with or
without cause, at any time by the Member, and, subject to Section 10, any
vacancy caused by any such removal or expulsion may be filled by action of the
Member.
(i) Directors as Agents. To the extent of their powers set forth in this
Agreement and subject to Section 9(j), the Directors are agents of the Company
for the purpose of the Company's business, and the actions of the Directors
taken in accordance with such powers set forth in this Agreement shall bind the
Company. Notwithstanding the last sentence of Section
5
18-402 of the Act, except as provided in this Agreement or in a resolution of
the Directors, a Director may not bind the Company.
(j) Limitations on the Company's Activities.
(i) This Section 9(j) is being adopted in order to comply with
certain provisions required in order to qualify the Company
as a "special purpose entity."
(ii) The Member shall not, so long as any Obligation is
outstanding, amend, alter, change or repeal the definition of
"Independent Director" or Sections 5(c), 7, 8, 9, 10, 20, 21,
22, 23, 24, 25, or 30 or Schedule A of this Agreement without
the unanimous written consent of the Board (including the
Independent Director). Subject to this Section 9(j), the
Member reserves the right to amend, alter, change or repeal
any provisions contained in this Agreement in accordance with
Section 30.
(iii) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement and
any provision of law that otherwise so empowers the Company,
the Member, the Board, any Officer or any other Person,
neither the Member nor the Board nor any Officer nor any
other Person shall be authorized or empowered, nor shall they
permit the Company, without the prior unanimous written
consent of the Member and the Board (including the
Independent Director), to take any Material Action, provided,
however, that the Board may not vote on, or authorize the
taking of, any Material Action, unless there is at least one
Independent Director then serving in such capacity.
(iv) The Board and the Member shall cause the Company to do or
cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in
full force and effect its existence, rights (charter and
statutory) and franchises; provided, however, that the
Company shall not be required to preserve any such right or
franchise if: (1) the Board shall determine that the
preservation thereof is no longer desirable for the conduct
of its business and that the loss thereof is not
disadvantageous in any material respect to the Company. The
Board also shall cause the Company to:
(A) maintain its own separate books and records and bank
accounts;
(B) at all times hold itself out to the public and all other
Persons as a legal entity separate from the Member and
any other Person;
(C) have a Board of Directors separate from that of the
Member and any other Person;
(D) file its own tax returns, if any, as may be required
under applicable law, to the extent (1) not part of a
consolidated group filing a consolidated return or
returns or (2) not treated as a division for tax
6
purposes of another taxpayer, and pay any taxes so
required to be paid under applicable law;
(E) except as contemplated by the Transaction Documents, not
commingle its assets with assets of any other Person;
(F) conduct its business in its own name and strictly comply
with all organizational formalities to maintain its
separate existence;
(G) maintain separate financial statements;
(H) pay its own liabilities only out of its own funds;
(I) maintain an arm's length relationship with its
Affiliates and the Member;
(J) pay the salaries of its own employees, if any;
(K) not hold out its credit or assets as being available to
satisfy the obligations of others;
(L) allocate fairly and reasonably any overhead for shared
office space; use separate stationery, invoices and
checks;
(M) not pledge its assets for the benefit of any other
Person;
(N) correct any known misunderstanding regarding its
separate identity;
(O) maintain adequate capital in light of its contemplated
business purpose, transactions and liabilities;
(P) cause its Board of Directors to meet at least annually
or act pursuant to written consent and keep minutes of
such meetings and actions and observe all other Delaware
limited liability company formalities;
(Q) cause the directors, officers, agents and other
representatives of the Company to act at all times with
respect to the Company consistently and in furtherance
of the foregoing and in the best interests of the
Company.
Failure of the Company, or the Member or Board on behalf of
the Company, to comply with any of the foregoing covenants or
any other covenants contained in this Agreement shall not
affect the status of the Company as a separate legal entity
or the limited liability of the Member or the Directors.
7
(v) So long as any Obligation is outstanding, the Board shall not
cause or permit the Company to:
(A) except as contemplated by the Transaction Documents,
guarantee any obligation of any Person, including any
Affiliate;
(B) engage, directly or indirectly, in any business other
than the actions required or permitted to be performed
under Section 7, the Transaction Documents or this
Section 9(j);
(C) incur, create or assume any indebtedness other than as
expressly permitted under the Transaction Documents;
(D) make or permit to remain outstanding any loan or advance
to, or own or acquire any stock or securities of, any
Person, except that the Company may invest in those
investments permitted under the Transaction Documents
and may make any advance required or expressly permitted
to be made pursuant to any provisions of the Transaction
Documents and permit the same to remain outstanding in
accordance with such provisions;
(E) to the fullest extent permitted by law, engage in any
dissolution, liquidation, consolidation, merger, asset
sale or transfer of ownership interests other than such
activities as are expressly permitted under this
Agreement pursuant to any provision of the Transaction
Documents; or
(F) form, acquire or hold any subsidiary (whether corporate,
partnership, limited liability company or other).
Section 10. Independent Director.
As long as any Obligation is outstanding, the Member shall cause the
Company at all times to have at least one Independent Director who will be
appointed by the Member. To the fullest extent permitted by Section 18-1101(c)
of the Act, the Independent Director shall consider only the interests of the
Company, including its respective creditors, in acting or otherwise voting on
the matters referred to in Section 9(j)(iii). No resignation or removal of an
Independent Director, and no appointment of a successor Independent Director,
shall be effective until the successor Independent Director shall have accepted
his or her appointment by a written instrument and shall have executed a
counterpart to this Agreement as required by Section 5(c). All right, power and
authority of the Independent Directors shall be limited to the extent necessary
to exercise those rights and perform those duties specifically set forth in this
Agreement. Except as provided in the second sentence of this Section 10, in
exercising their rights and performing their duties under this Agreement, any
Independent Director shall have a fiduciary duty of loyalty and care similar to
that of a director of a business corporation organized under the General
Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. No Independent Director shall at any
time serve as trustee in bankruptcy for any Affiliate of the Company.
8
Section 11. Officers.
(a) Officers. The initial Officers of the Company shall be designated
by the Member. The additional or successor Officers of the Company shall be
chosen by the Board and shall consist of at least a President, a Secretary and a
Treasurer. The Board of Directors may also choose one or more Vice Presidents,
Assistant Secretaries and Assistant Treasurers. Any number of offices may be
held by the same person. The Board may appoint such other Officers and agents as
it shall deem necessary or advisable who shall hold their offices for such terms
and shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as shall be determined
from time to time by the Board. The salaries of all Officers and agents of the
Company shall be fixed by or in the manner prescribed by the Board. The Officers
of the Company shall hold office until their successors are chosen and
qualified. Any Officer elected or appointed by the Board may be removed at any
time, with or without cause, by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Board.
Any vacancy occurring in any office of the Company shall be filled by the Board.
The initial Officers of the Company designated by the Member are listed on
Schedule D hereto.
(b) President. The President shall be the chief executive officer of
the Company, shall preside at all meetings of the Board, shall be responsible
for the general and active management of the business of the Company and shall
see that all orders and resolutions of the Board are carried into effect. The
President or any other Officer authorized by the President or the Board shall
execute all bonds, mortgages and other contracts, except: (i) where required or
permitted by law or this Agreement to be otherwise signed and executed,
including Section 7(b); (ii) where signing and execution thereof shall be
expressly delegated by the Board to some other Officer or agent of the Company;
and (iii) as otherwise permitted in Section 11(c).
(c) Vice President. In the absence of the President or in the event of
the President's inability to act, the Vice President, if any (or in the event
there be more than one Vice President, the Vice Presidents in the order
designated by the Directors, or in the absence of any designation, then in the
order of their election), shall perform the duties of the President, and when so
acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon
the President. The Vice Presidents, if any, shall perform such other duties and
have such other powers as the Board may from time to time prescribe.
(d) Secretary and Assistant Secretary. The Secretary shall be
responsible for filing legal documents and maintaining records for the Company.
The Secretary shall attend all meetings of the Board and record all the
proceedings of the meetings of the Company and of the Board in a book to be kept
for that purpose and shall perform like duties for the standing committees when
required. The Secretary shall give, or shall cause to be given, notice of all
meetings of the Member, if any, and special meetings of the Board, and shall
perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board or the President,
under whose supervision the Secretary shall serve. The Assistant Secretary, or
if there be more than one, the Assistant Secretaries in the order determined by
the Board (or if there be no such determination, then in order of their
election), shall, in the absence of the Secretary or in the event of the
Secretary's inability to act, perform the duties and exercise the powers of the
Secretary and shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as the
Board may from time to time prescribe.
9
(e) Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer. The Treasurer shall have the
custody of the Company funds and securities and shall keep full and accurate
accounts of receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the Company and
shall deposit all moneys and other valuable effects in the name and to the
credit of the Company in such depositories as may be designated by the Board.
The Treasurer shall disburse the funds of the Company as may be ordered by the
Board, taking proper vouchers for such disbursements, and shall render to the
President and to the Board, at its regular meetings or when the Board so
requires, an account of all of the Treasurer's transactions and of the financial
condition of the Company. The Assistant Treasurer, or if there shall be more
than one, the Assistant Treasurers in the order determined by the Board (or if
there be no such determination, then in the order of their election), shall, in
the absence of the Treasurer or in the event of the Treasurer's inability to
act, perform the duties and exercise the powers of the Treasurer and shall
perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board may from time
to time prescribe.
(f) Officers as Agents. The Officers, to the extent of their powers set
forth in this Agreement or otherwise vested in them by action of the Board not
inconsistent with this Agreement, are agents of the Company for the purpose of
the Company's business and, subject to Section 9(j), the actions of the Officers
taken in accordance with such powers shall bind the Company.
(g) Duties of Board and Officers. Except to the extent otherwise
provided herein, each Director and Officer shall have a fiduciary duty of
loyalty and care similar to that of directors and officers of business
corporations organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of
Delaware.
Section 12. Limited Liability.
Except as otherwise expressly provided by the Act, the debts,
obligations and liabilities of the Company, whether arising in contract, tort or
otherwise, shall be the debts, obligations and liabilities solely of the
Company, and neither the Member nor the Special Member nor any Director shall be
obligated personally for any such debt, obligation or liability of the Company
solely by reason of being a Member, Special Member or Director of the Company.
Section 13. Capital Contributions.
The Member has contributed to the Company property of an agreed value
as listed on Schedule B attached hereto. In accordance with Section 5(c), the
Special Members shall not be required to make any capital contributions to the
Company.
Section 14. Additional Contributions.
The Member is not required to make any additional capital contribution
to the Company. However, the Member may make additional capital contributions to
the Company at any time upon the written consent of such Member. To the extent
that the Member makes an additional capital contribution to the Company, the
Member shall revise Schedule B of this Agreement.
10
Section 15. Allocation of Profits and Losses.
The Company's profits and losses shall be allocated to the Member.
Section 16. Distributions.
Subject to solvency and adequate capitalization of the Company, at the
close of each quarter a distribution shall be made to the Member in an amount as
determined by the Board of Directors. Notwithstanding any provision to the
contrary contained in this Agreement, the Company shall not be required to make
a distribution to the Member on account of its interest in the Company if such
distribution would violate Section 18-607 of the Act or any other applicable law
or any Transaction Document.
Section 17. Books and Records.
The Board shall keep or cause to be kept complete and accurate books of
account and records with respect to the Company's business. The books of the
Company shall at all times be maintained by the Board. The Member and its duly
authorized representatives shall have the right to examine the Company books,
records and documents during normal business hours. The Company, and the Board
on behalf of the Company, shall not have the right to keep confidential from the
Member any information that the Board would otherwise be permitted to keep
confidential from the Member pursuant to Section 18-305(c) of the Act. The
Company's books of account shall be kept using the method of accounting
determined by the Member. The Company's independent auditor, if any, shall be an
independent public accounting firm selected by the Member.
Section 18. Other Business.
The Member, the Special Member and any Affiliate of the Member or the
Special Member may engage in or possess an interest in other business ventures
(unconnected with the Company) of every kind and description, independently or
with others. The Company shall not have any rights in or to such independent
ventures or the income or profits therefrom by virtue of this Agreement.
Section 19. Exculpation and Indemnification.
(a) Neither the Member nor the Special Member nor any Officer,
Director, Independent Director, employee or agent of the Company nor any
employee, representative, agent or Affiliate of the Member or the Special Member
(collectively, the "Covered Persons") shall be liable to the Company or any
other Person who has an interest in or claim against the Company for any loss,
damage or claim incurred by reason of any act or omission performed or omitted
by such Covered Person in good faith on behalf of the Company and in a manner
reasonably believed to be within the scope of the authority conferred on such
Covered Person by this Agreement, except that a Covered Person shall be liable
for any such loss, damage or claim incurred by reason of such Covered Person's
gross negligence or willful misconduct.
(b) To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, a Covered Person
shall be entitled to indemnification from the Company for any loss, damage or
claim incurred by such
11
Covered Person by reason of any act or omission performed or omitted by such
Covered Person in good faith on behalf of the Company and in a manner reasonably
believed to be within the scope of the authority conferred on such Covered
Person by this Agreement, except that no Covered Person shall be entitled to be
indemnified in respect of any loss, damage or claim incurred by such Covered
Person by reason of such Covered Person's gross negligence or willful misconduct
with respect to such acts or omissions; provided, however, that any indemnity
under this Section 19 by the Company shall be provided out of and to the extent
of Company assets only, and the Member and the Special Member shall not have
personal liability on account thereof; and provided further, that so long as any
Obligation is outstanding, no indemnity payment from funds of the Company (as
distinct from funds from other sources, such as insurance) of any indemnity
under this Section 19 shall be payable from amounts allocable to any other
Person pursuant to the Transaction Documents.
(c) To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, expenses
(including legal fees) incurred by a Covered Person defending any claim, demand,
action, suit or proceeding shall, from time to time, be advanced by the Company
prior to the final disposition of such claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding
upon receipt by the Company of an undertaking by or on behalf of the Covered
Person to repay such amount if it shall be determined that the Covered Person is
not entitled to be indemnified as authorized in this Section 19.
(d) A Covered Person shall be fully protected in relying in good faith
upon the records of the Company and upon such information, opinions, reports or
statements presented to the Company by any Person as to matters the Covered
Person reasonably believes are within such other Person's professional or expert
competence and who has been selected with reasonable care by or on behalf of the
Company, including information, opinions, reports or statements as to the value
and amount of the assets, liabilities, or any other facts pertinent to the
existence and amount of assets from which distributions to the Member might
properly be paid.
(e) To the extent that, at law or in equity, a Covered Person has
duties (including fiduciary duties) and liabilities relating thereto to the
Company or to any other Covered Person, a Covered Person acting under this
Agreement shall not be liable to the Company or to any other Covered Person for
its good faith reliance on the provisions of this Agreement or any approval or
authorization granted by the Company or any other Covered Person. The provisions
of this Agreement, to the extent that they restrict the duties and liabilities
of a Covered Person otherwise existing at law or in equity, are agreed by the
Member and the Special Member to replace such other duties and liabilities of
such Covered Person.
(f) The foregoing provisions of this Section 19 shall survive any
termination of this Agreement.
Section 20. Assignments.
Subject to Section 22, the Member may assign in whole or in part its
limited liability company interest in the Company. If the Member transfers all
of its limited liability company interest in the Company pursuant to this
Section 20, the transferee shall be admitted to the Company as a member of the
Company upon its execution of an instrument signifying its agreement to be bound
by the terms and conditions of this Agreement, which instrument may be
12
a counterpart signature page to this Agreement. Such admission shall be deemed
effective immediately prior to the transfer and, immediately following such
admission, the transferor Member shall cease to be a member of the Company.
Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, any successor to the
Member by merger or consolidation in compliance with the Transaction Documents
shall, without further act, be the Member hereunder, and such merger or
consolidation shall not constitute an assignment for purposes of this Agreement
and the Company shall continue without dissolution.
Section 21. Resignation.
So long as any Obligation is outstanding, the Member may not resign,
except as permitted under the Transaction Documents. If the Member is permitted
to resign pursuant to this Section 21, an additional member of the Company shall
be admitted to the Company, subject to Section 22, upon its execution of an
instrument signifying its agreement to be bound by the terms and conditions of
this Agreement, which instrument may be a counterpart signature page to this
Agreement. Such admission shall be deemed effective immediately prior to the
resignation and, immediately following such admission, the resigning Member
shall cease to be a member of the Company.
Section 22. Admission of Additional Members.
One or more additional members of the Company may be admitted to the
Company with the written consent of the Member.
Section 23. Dissolution.
(a) Subject to Section 9(j), the Company shall be dissolved, and its
affairs shall be wound up upon the first to occur of the following: (i) the
termination of the legal existence of the last remaining member of the Company
or the occurrence of any other event which terminates the continued membership
of the last remaining member of the Company in the Company unless the business
of the Company is continued in a manner permitted by this Agreement or the Act
or (ii) the entry of a decree of judicial dissolution under Section 18-802 of
the Act. Upon the occurrence of any event that causes the last remaining member
of the Company to cease to be a member of the Company, to the fullest extent
permitted by law, the personal representative of such member is hereby
authorized to, and shall, within 90 days after the occurrence of the event that
terminated the continued membership of such member in the Company, agree in
writing (i) to continue the Company and (ii) to the admission of the personal
representative or its nominee or designee, as the case may be, as a substitute
member of the Company, effective as of the occurrence of the event that
terminated the continued membership of the last remaining member of the Company
in the Company.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the
Bankruptcy of the Member or a Special Member shall not cause the Member or
Special Member, respectively, to cease to be a member of the Company and upon
the occurrence of such an event, the business of the Company shall continue
without dissolution.
(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, each of the
Member and the Special Member waives any right it might have to agree in writing
to dissolve the Company
13
upon the Bankruptcy of the Member or a Special Member, or the occurrence of an
event that causes the Member or a Special Member to cease to be a member of the
Company.
(d) In the event of dissolution, the Company shall conduct only such
activities as are necessary to wind up its affairs (including the sale of the
assets of the Company in an orderly manner), and the assets of the Company shall
be applied in the manner, and in the order of priority, set forth in Section
18-804 of the Act.
(e) The Company shall terminate when (i) all of the assets of the
Company, after payment of or due provision for all debts, liabilities and
obligations of the Company shall have been distributed to the Member in the
manner provided for in this Agreement and (ii) the Certificate of Formation
shall have been canceled in the manner required by the Act.
Section 24. Waiver of Partition: Nature of Interest.
Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, to the
fullest extent permitted by law, each of the Member and the Special Member
hereby irrevocably waives any right or power that such Person might have to
cause the Company or any of its assets to be partitioned, to cause the
appointment of a receiver for all or any portion of the assets of the Company,
to compel any sale of all or any portion of the assets of the Company pursuant
to any applicable law or to file a complaint or to institute any proceeding at
law or in equity to cause the dissolution, liquidation, winding up or
termination of the Company. The Member shall not have any interest in any
specific assets of the Company, and the Member shall not have the status of a
creditor with respect to any distribution pursuant to Section 16. The interest
of the Member in the Company is personal property.
Section 25. Benefits of Agreement; No Third-Party Rights.
None of the provisions of this Agreement shall be for the benefit of or
enforceable by any creditor of the Company or by any creditor of the Member or a
Special Member. Nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to create any right in
any Person (other than Covered Persons) not a party hereto, and this Agreement
shall not be construed in any respect to be a contract in whole or in part for
the benefit of any third Person (except as provided in Section 28).
Section 26. Severability of Provisions.
Each provision of this Agreement shall be considered severable and if
for any reason any provision or provisions herein are determined to be invalid,
unenforceable or illegal under any existing or future law, such invalidity,
unenforceability or illegality shall not impair the operation of or affect those
portions of this Agreement which are valid, enforceable and legal.
Section 27. Entire Agreement.
This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the parties with
respect to the subject matter hereof.
14
Section 28. Binding Agreement.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Member
agrees that this Agreement, including, without limitation, Sections 7, 8, 9, 10,
19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 28, and 30, constitutes a legal, valid and binding
agreement of the Member, and is enforceable against the Member by the
Independent Director, in accordance with its terms. In addition, the Independent
Director shall be an intended beneficiary of this Agreement.
Section 29. Governing Law.
This Agreement shall be governed by and construed under the laws of the
State of Delaware (without regard to conflict of laws principles), all rights
and remedies being governed by said laws.
Section 30. Amendments.
Subject to Section 9(j), this Agreement may not be modified, altered,
supplemented or amended except pursuant to a written agreement executed and
delivered by the Member.
Section 31. Counterparts.
This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of
which shall be deemed an original of this Agreement and all of which together
shall constitute one and the same instrument.
Section 32. Notices.
Any notices required to be delivered hereunder shall be in writing and
personally delivered, mailed or sent by telecopy, electronic mail or other
similar form of rapid transmission, and shall be deemed to have been duly given
upon receipt (a) in the case of the Company, to the Company at its address in
Section 2, (b) in the case of the Member, to the Member at its address as listed
on Schedule B attached hereto and (c) in the case of either of the foregoing, at
such other address as may be designated by written notice to the other party.
Section 33. Effectiveness.
Pursuant to Section 18-201(d) of the Act, this Agreement shall be
effective as of the time of the filing of the Certificate of Formation with the
Office of the Delaware Secretary of State on April 22, 2002.
15
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, intending to be legally bound hereby,
has duly executed this Limited Liability Company Agreement as of the ____ day of
_________, 2002.
MEMBER:
GRAD PARTNERS,INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxx
---------------------------
Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxx
--------------------------
Title: Senior Vice President
-------------------------
SPECIAL MEMBER:
/s/ Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
-------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
16
SCHEDULE A
Definitions
A. Definitions
When used in this Agreement, the following terms not otherwise defined
herein have the following meanings:
"Act" has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.
"Affiliate" means, with respect to any Person, any other Person directly or
indirectly Controlling or Controlled by or under direct or indirect common
Control with such Person.
"Agreement" means this Limited Liability Company Agreement of the Company,
together with the schedules attached hereto, as amended, restated or
supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.
"Bankruptcy" means, with respect to any Person, if such Person (i) makes an
assignment for the benefit of creditors, (ii) files a voluntary petition in
bankruptcy, (iii) is adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent, or has entered against it
an order for relief, in any bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings, (iv) files a
petition or answer seeking for itself any reorganization, arrangement,
composition, readjustment, liquidation, dissolution or similar relief under any
statute, law or regulation, (v) files an answer or other pleading admitting or
failing to contest the material allegations of a petition filed against it in
any proceeding of this nature, (vi) seeks, consents to or acquiesces in the
appointment of a trustee, receiver or liquidator of the Person or of all or any
substantial part of its properties, or (vii) if 120 days after the commencement
of any proceeding against the Person seeking reorganization, arrangement,
composition, readjustment, liquidation, dissolution or similar relief under any
statute, law or regulation, if the proceeding has not been dismissed, or if
within 90 days after the appointment without such Person's consent or
acquiescence of a trustee, receiver or liquidator of such Person or of all or
any substantial part of its properties, the appointment is not vacated or
stayed, or within 90 days after the expiration of any such stay, the appointment
is not vacated. The foregoing definition of "Bankruptcy" is intended to replace
and shall supersede and replace the definition of "Bankruptcy" set forth in
Sections 18-101(1) and 18-304 of the Act.
"Board" or "Board of Directors" means the Board of Directors of the
Company.
"Certificate of Formation" means the Certificate of Formation of the
Company filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on April 22,
2002, as amended or amended and restated from time to time.
"Company" means Education Funding Capital I, LLC, a Delaware limited
liability company.
"Control" means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to
direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether
through the ownership of voting
securities or general partnership or managing member interests, by contract or
otherwise. "Controlling" and "Controlled" shall have correlative meanings.
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, a Person shall be deemed to
Control any other Person in which it owns, directly or indirectly, a majority of
the ownership interests.
"Covered Persons" has the meaning set forth in Section 19(a).
"Credit and Liquidity Support" has the meaning set forth in Section
7(1)(iv).
"Directors" means the Persons elected to the Board of Directors from time
to time by the Member, including the Independent Director. A Director is hereby
designated as a "manager" of the Company within the meaning of Section
18-101(10) of the Act.
"Independent Director" means a natural person who, for the five-year period
prior to his or her appointment as Independent Director has not been, and during
the continuation of his or her service as Independent Director is not: (i) an
employee, director, stockholder, partner or officer of the Company or any of its
Affiliates (other than his or her service as an Independent Director of the
Company); (ii) a customer or supplier of the Company or any of its Affiliates;
or (iii) any member of the immediate family of a person described in (i) or
(ii).
"Material Action" means to consolidate or merge the Company with or into
any Person, or sell all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or to
institute proceedings to have the Company be adjudicated bankrupt or insolvent,
or consent to the institution of bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings against
the Company or file a petition seeking, or consent to, reorganization or relief
with respect to the Company under any applicable federal or state law relating
to bankruptcy, or consent to the appointment of a receiver, liquidator,
assignee, trustee, sequestrator (or other similar official) of the Company or a
substantial part of its property, or make any assignment for the benefit of
creditors of the Company, or admit in writing the Company's inability to pay its
debts generally as they become due, or, to the fullest extent permitted by law,
take action in furtherance of any such action, or dissolve or liquidate the
Company.
"Member" means Grad Partners, Inc., as the initial member of the Company,
and includes any Person admitted as an additional member of the Company or a
substitute member of the Company pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement.
"Obligations" shall mean the indebtedness, liabilities and obligations of
the Company under or in connection with this Agreement, the other Transaction
Documents or any related document in effect as of any date of determination.
"Officer" means an officer of the Company described in Section 11.
"Officer's Certificate" means a certificate signed by any Officer of the
Company who is authorized to act for the Company in matters relating to the
Company.
"Person" means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture,
limited liability company, limited liability partnership, association, joint
stock company, trust, unincorporated
A-2
organization, or other organization, whether or not a legal entity, and any
governmental authority.
"Special Member" means, upon such person's admission to the Company as a
member of the Company pursuant to Section 5(c), a person acting as Independent
Director, in such person's capacity as a member of the Company. A Special Member
shall only have the rights and duties expressly set forth in this Agreement.
"Transaction Documents" means, for each transaction, any applicable
Sale/Purchase Agreement, Indenture of Trust and any documents and certificates
delivered in connection therewith.
B. Rules of Construction
Definitions in this Agreement apply equally to both the singular and plural
forms of the defined terms. The words "include" and "including" shall be deemed
to be followed by the phrase "without limitation." The terms "herein," "hereof `
and "hereunder" and other words of similar import refer to this Agreement as a
whole and not to any particular Section, paragraph or subdivision. The Section
titles appear as a matter of convenience only and shall not affect the
interpretation of this Agreement. All Section, paragraph, clause, Exhibit or
Schedule references not attributed to a particular document shall be references
to such parts of this Agreement.
A-3
SCHEDULE B
Member
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Agreed Value of
Initial Capital Membership
Name Mailing Address Contribution Interest
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Grad Partners, Inc. 00000 Xxxx Xxxxx Xxxxx [$__________] 100%
Xxxxx 000
Xxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B-1
SCHEDULE C
DIRECTORS
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx - Independent Director
E-1
SCHEDULE D
OFFICERS
Name Title
---- -----
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx President
Xxxxx X. Xxxxx Senior Vice President-Finance
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx Executive Vice President and
Secretary
Xxxxx X. Xxxxx Executive Vice President and
Treasurer
D-1
