Exhibit 10.33
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT, effective as of October , 2000, between UNO RESTAURANT
CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and [ ] (the "Indemnitee").
WHEREAS, it is essential to the Company to retain and attract as
directors and officers the most capable persons available;
WHEREAS, Indemnitee is a director or officer of the Company;
WHEREAS, both the Company and Indemnitee recognize the increased risk
of litigation and other claims being asserted against directors and officers of
public companies in today's environment;
WHEREAS, basic protection against undue risk of personal liability of
directors and officers heretofore has been provided through insurance coverage
providing reasonable protection at reasonable cost, and Indemnitee has relied on
the availability of such coverage, but as a result of substantial changes in the
marketplace for such insurance it has become increasingly more difficult to
obtain such insurance on terms providing reasonable protection at reasonable
cost,
WHEREAS, the By-laws of the Company permit the Company to indemnify and
advance expenses to its directors and officers to the full extent permitted by
law and the Indemnitee has been serving and continues to serve as a director or
officer of the Company in part in reliance on such By-laws;
WHEREAS, in recognition of Indemnitee's need for substantial protection
against personal liability in order to enhance Indemnitee's continued service to
the Company in an effective manner, the increasing difficultly in obtaining
satisfactory director and officer liability insurance coverage, and Indemnitee's
reliance on the aforesaid By-laws, and in part to provide Indemnitee with
specific contractual assurance that the protection promised by such By-laws will
be available to Indemnitee (regardless of, among other things, any amendment to
or revocation of such By-laws or any change in the composition of the Company's
Board of Directors or acquisition transaction relating to the Company), the
Company wishes to provide in this Agreement for the indemnification of and the
advancing of expenses to Indemnitee to the fullest extent (whether partial or
complete) permitted by law and as set forth in this Agreement, and, to the
extent insurance is maintained, for the continued coverage of Indemnitee under
the Company's directors' and officers' liability insurance policies,
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and of Indemnitee
continuing to serve the Company directly or, at its request, another enterprise,
and intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties hereto agree as follows:
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1. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS:
(a) CHANGE IN CONTROL: shall be deemed to have occurred if (i) any
"person" (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended), other than a
trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee
benefit plan of the Company or a corporation owned directly or
indirectly by the stockholders of the Company in substantially
the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company,
is or becomes the "beneficial owner" (as defined in Rule 13d-3
under said Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the
Company representing 20% or more of the total voting power
represented by the Company's then outstanding Voting Securities,
or (ii) during any period of two consecutive years, individuals
who at the beginning of such period constitute the Board of
Directors of the Company and any new director whose election by
the Board of Directors or nomination for election by the
Company's stockholders was approved by a vote of at least
two-thirds (2/3) of the directors then still in office who either
were directors at the beginning of the period or whose election
or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for
any reason to constitute a majority thereof, or (iii) the
stockholders of the Company approve a merger or consolidation of
the Company with any other corporation, other than a merger or
consolidation which would result in the Voting Securities of the
Company outstanding immediately prior thereto continuing to
represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted
into Voting Securities of the surviving entity) at least 80% of
the total voting power represented by the Voting Securities of
the Company or such surviving entity outstanding immediately
after such merger or consolidation, or the stockholders of the
Company approve a plan of complete liquidation of the Company or
an agreement for the sale or disposition by the Company of (in
one transaction or a series of transactions) all or substantially
all the Company's assets.
(b) CLAIM: any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or
proceeding, or any inquiry or investigation, whether instituted
by the Company or any other party, that Indemnitee in good faith
believes might lead to the institution of any such action, suit
or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative,
investigative or other.
(c) EXPENSES: include attorneys' fees and all other costs, expenses
and obligations paid or incurred in connection with
investigating, defending, being a witness in or participating in
(including on appeal), or preparing to defend, be a witness in or
participate in, any Claim relating to any Indemnifiable Event.
(d) INDEMNIFIABLE EVENT: any event or occurrence related to the fact
that Indemnitee is or was a director, officer, employee, agent or
fiduciary of the Company, or is or was serving at the request of
the Company as a director, officer, employee, trustee, agent or
fiduciary of another corporation,
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partnership, joint venture, employee benefit plan, trust or other
enterprise, or by reason of anything done or not done by
Indemnitee in any such capacity.
(e) INDEPENDENT LEGAL COUNSEL: an attorney or firm of attorneys,
selected in accordance with the provisions of Section 3, who
shall not have otherwise performed services for the Company or
Indemnitee within the last five years (other than with respect to
matters concerning the rights of Indemnitee under this Agreement,
or of other Indemnitee under similar indemnity agreements).
(f) POTENTIAL CHANGE IN CONTROL: shall be deemed to have occurred if
(i) the Company enters into an agreement, the consummation of
which would result in the occurrence of a Change in Control; (ii)
any person (including the Company) publicly announces an
intention to take or to consider taking actions which if
consummated would constitute a Change in Control; (iii) any
person, other than a trustee or other fiduciary holding
securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or a
corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of
the Company in substantially the same proportions as their
ownership of stock of the Company, who is or becomes the
beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the
Company representing 9.5% or more of the combined voting power of
the Company's then outstanding Voting Securities, increases his
beneficial ownership of such securities by five percentage points
(5%) or more over the percentage so owned by such person; or (iv)
the Board adopts a resolution to the effect that, for purposes of
this Agreement, a Potential Change in Control has occurred.
(g) REVIEWING PARTY: any appropriate person or body consisting of a
member or members of the Company's Board of Directors or any
other person or body appointed by the Board who is not a party to
the particular Claim for which Indemnitee is seeking
indemnification, or Independent Legal Counsel.
(h) VOTING SECURITIES: any securities of the Company which vote
generally in the election of directors.
2. BASIC INDEMNIFICATION ARRANGEMENT. (a) In the event Indemnitee
was, is or becomes a party to or witness or other participant in,
or is threatened to be made a party to or witness or other
participant in, a Claim by reason of (or arising in part out of)
an Indemnifiable Event, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee to
the fullest extent permitted by law as soon as practicable but in
any event no later than thirty days after written demand is
presented to the Company, against any and all Expenses,
judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement
(including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or
payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses,
judgments, fines, penalties or amounts paid in settlement) of
such Claim. If so requested by Indemnitee, the Company shall
advance (within two business days of such request) any and all
Expenses to Indemnitee (an "Expense Advance").
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(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) the obligations of the Company
under Section 2(a) shall be subject to the condition that the
Reviewing Party shall not have determined (in a written opinion,
in any case which the Independent Legal Counsel referred to in
Section 3 hereof is involved) that Indemnitee would not be
permitted to be indemnified under applicable law, and (ii) the
obligation of the Company to make an Expense Advance pursuant to
Section 2(a) shall be subject to the condition that, if, when and
to the extent that the Reviewing Party determines that Indemnitee
would not be permitted to be so indemnified under applicable law,
the Company shall be entitled to be reimbursed by Indemnitee (who
hereby agrees to reimburse the Company) for all such amounts
theretofore paid; provided, however, that if Indemnitee has
commenced or thereafter commences legal proceedings in a court of
competent jurisdiction to secure a determination that Indemnitee
should be indemnified under applicable law, any determination
made by the Reviewing Party that Indemnitee would not be
permitted to be indemnified under applicable law shall not be
binding and Indemnitee shall not be required to reimburse the
Company for any Expense Advance until a final judicial
determination is made with respect thereto (as to which all
rights of appeal therefrom have been exhausted or lapsed). If
there has not been a Change in Control, the Reviewing Party shall
be selected by the Board of Directors, and if there has been such
a Change in Control (other than a Change in Control which has
been approved by a majority of the Company's Board of Directors
who were directors immediately prior to such Change in Control),
the Reviewing Party shall be the Independent Legal Counsel
referred to in Section 3 hereof. If there has been no
determination by the Reviewing Party or if the Reviewing Party
determines that Indemnitee substantively would not be permitted
to be indemnified in whole or in part under applicable law,
Indemnitee shall have the right to commence litigation in any
court in the State of Delaware having subject matter jurisdiction
thereof and in which venue is proper seeking an initial
determination by the court or challenging any such determination
by the Reviewing Party or any aspect thereof, including the legal
or factual bases therefor, and the Company hereby consents to
service of process and to appear in any such proceeding. Any
determination by the Reviewing Party otherwise shall be
conclusive and binding on the Company and Indemnitee.
3. CHANGE IN CONTROL. The Company agrees that if there is a Change
in Control of the Company (other than a Change in Control which
has been approved by a majority of the Company's Board of
Directors who were directors immediately prior to such Change in
Control) then with respect to all matters thereafter arising
concerning the rights of Indemnitee to indemnity payments and
Expense Advances under this Agreement or any other agreement or
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Company By-law now or hereafter in effect relating to Claims for
Indemnifiable Events, the Company shall seek legal advice only
from Independent Legal Counsel selected by Indemnitee and
approved by the Company (which approval shall not be unreasonably
withheld). Such counsel, among other things, shall render its
written opinion to the Company and Indemnitee as to whether and
to what extent the Indemnitee would be permitted to be
indemnified under applicable law. The Company agrees to pay the
reasonable fees of the Independent Legal Counsel referred to
above and to indemnify fully such counsel against any and all
expenses (including attorneys' fees), claims, liabilities and
damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its
engagement pursuant hereto.
4. INDEMNIFICATION FOR ADDITIONAL EXPENSES. The Company shall
indemnify Indemnitee against any and all expenses (including
attorneys' fees) and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall (within
two business days of such request) advance such expenses to
Indemnitee, which are incurred by Indemnitee in connection with
any action brought by Indemnitee for (i) indemnification or
advance payment of Expenses by the Company under this Agreement
or any other agreement or Company By-law now or hereafter in
effect relating to Claims for Indemnifiable Events and/or (ii)
recovery under any directors' and officers' liability insurance
policies maintained by the Company, regardless of whether
Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to such
indemnification, advance expense payment or insurance recovery,
as the case may be.
5. PARTIAL INDEMNITY, ETC. If Indemnitee is entitled under any
provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for
some or a portion of the Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties
and amounts paid in settlement of a Claim but not, however, for
all of the total amount thereof, the Company shall nevertheless
indemnify Indemnitee for the portion thereof to which Indemnitee
is entitled. Moreover, notwithstanding any other provision of
this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee has been successful
on the merits or otherwise in defense of any or all Claims
relating in whole or in part to an Indemnifiable Event or in
defense of any issue or matter therein, including dismissal
without prejudice, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all
Expenses incurred in connection therewith.
6. BURDEN OF PROOF. In connection with any determination by
Reviewing Party or otherwise as to whether Indemnitee is entitled
to be indemnified hereunder the burden of proof shall be on the
Company to establish that Indemnitee is not so entitled.
7. NO PRESUMPTIONS. For purposes of this Agreement, the termination
of any claim, action, suit or proceeding, by judgment, order,
settlement (whether with or without court approval) or
conviction, or upon a plea of nolo
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contender, or its equivalent, shall not create a presumption that
Indemnitee did not meet any particular standard of conduct or
have any particular belief or that a court has determined that
indemnification is not permitted by applicable law. In addition,
neither the failure of the Reviewing Party to have made a
determination as to whether Indemnitee has met any particular
standard of conduct or had any particular belief, nor an actual
determination by the Reviewing Party that Indemnitee has not met
such standard of conduct or did not have such belief, prior to
the commencement of legal proceedings by Indemnitee to secure a
judicial determination that Indemnitee should be indemnified
under applicable law shall be a defense to Indemnitee's claim or
create a presumption that Indemnitee has not met any particular
standard of conduct or did not have any particular belief,
8. NONEXCLUSIVITY, ETC. The rights of the Indemnitee hereunder shall
be in addition to any other rights Indemnitee may have under the
Company's By-laws or the Delaware General Corporation Law or
otherwise. To the extent that a change in the Delaware General
Corporation Law (whether by statute or judicial decision) permits
greater indemnification by agreement than would be afforded
currently under the Company's By-laws and this Agreement, it is
the intent of the parties hereto that Indemnitee shall enjoy by
this Agreement the greater benefits so afforded by such change.
9. LIABILITY INSURANCE. To the extent the Company maintains an
insurance policy or policies providing directors' and officers'
liability insurance, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy
or policies, in accordance with its or their terms, to the
maximum extent of the coverage available for any Company director
or officer.
10. PERIOD OF LIMITATIONS. No legal action shall be brought and no
cause of action shall be asserted by or in the right of the
Company against Indemnitee, Indemnitee's spouse, heirs, executors
or personal or legal representatives after the expiration of two
years from the date of accrual of such cause of action, and any
claim or cause of action of the Company shall be extinguished and
deemed released unless asserted by the timely filing of a legal
action within such two-year period; provided, however, that if
any shorter period of limitations is otherwise applicable to any
such cause of action such shorter period shall govern.
11. AMENDMENTS, ETC. No supplement modification or amendment of this
Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by both of
the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this
Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any
other provisions hereof (whether or not similar) nor shall such
waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
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12. SUBROGATION. In the event of payment under this Agreement, the
Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all
of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all
papers required and shall do everything that may be necessary to
secure such rights, including the execution of such documents
necessary to enable the Company effectively to bring suit to
enforce such right.
13. NO DUPLICATION OF PAYMENTS. The Company shall not be liable under
this Agreement to make any payment in connection with any Claim
made against Indemnitee to the extent Indemnitee has otherwise
actually received payment (under any insurance policy, By-law or
otherwise) of the amounts otherwise Indemnifiable hereunder.
14. BINDING EFFECT, ETC. This Agreement shall be binding upon and
inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties hereto
and their respective successors, assigns, including any direct or
indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or
otherwise to all or substantially all of the business and/or
assets of the Company, spouses, heirs, executors and personal and
legal representatives. This Agreement shall continue in effect
regardless of whether Indemnitee continues to serve as an officer
or director of the Company or of any other enterprise at the
Company's request.
15. SEVERABILITY. The provisions of this Agreement shall be severable
in the event that any of the provisions hereof (including any
provision within a single section, paragraph or sentence) are
held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void or
otherwise unenforceable in any respect, and the validity and
enforceability of any such provision in every other respect and
of the remaining provisions hereof shall not be in any way
impaired and shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent
permitted by law.
16. GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed
and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware
applicable to contracts made and to be performed in such state
without giving effect to the principles of Conflicts of laws.
ATTEST: Uno Restaurant Corporation
By: _________________________ By: ________________________
Xxxxxx X. Xxxx XX, Secretary Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx, President
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