EXHIBIT (d)(9)
FORM OF
SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT made this ___ day of ___________, 2001 between ING Pilgrim
Investments, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the "Manager"), and
Xxxxxxx Investment Partners, L.P., a California limited partnership (the
"Sub-Adviser").
WHEREAS, Pilgrim Equity Trust (the "Fund") is registered under the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), as an open-end,
management investment company;
WHEREAS, the Fund is authorized to issue separate series, each series
having its own investment objective or objectives, policies, and limitations;
WHEREAS, the Fund may offer shares of additional series in the future;
WHEREAS, pursuant to an Investment Management Agreement, dated September
1, 2000, as amended on November 2, 2001 (the "Management Agreement"), a copy of
which has been provided to the Sub-Adviser, the Fund has retained the Manager to
render advisory and management services with respect to certain of the Fund's
series; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to authority granted to the Manager in the Management
Agreement, the Manager wishes to retain the Sub-Adviser to furnish investment
advisory services to one or more of the series of the Fund, and the Sub-Adviser
is willing to furnish such services to the Fund and the Manager.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and mutual covenants
herein contained, it is agreed between the Manager and the Sub-Adviser as
follows:
1. Appointment. The Manager hereby appoints the Sub-Adviser to act as the
investment adviser and manager to the series of the Fund set forth on Schedule A
hereto (the "Series") for the periods and on the terms set forth in this
Agreement. The Sub-Adviser accepts such appointment and agrees to furnish the
services herein set forth for the compensation herein provided.
In the event the Fund designates one or more series (other than the
Series) with respect to which the Manager wishes to retain the Sub-Adviser to
render investment advisory services hereunder, it shall notify the Sub-Adviser
in writing. If the Sub-Adviser is willing to render such services, it shall
notify the Manager in writing, whereupon such series shall become a Series
hereunder, and be subject to this Agreement.
2. Sub-Adviser's Duties. Subject to the supervision of the Fund's Board of
Trustees and the Manager, the Sub-Adviser will provide a continuous investment
program for each Series' portfolio and determine in its discretion the
composition of the assets of each Series' portfolio,
including determination of the purchase, retention, or sale of the securities,
cash, and other investments contained in the portfolio. The Sub-Adviser will
provide investment research and conduct a continuous program of evaluation,
investment, sales, and reinvestment of each Series' assets by determining the
securities and other investments that shall be purchased, entered into, sold,
closed, or exchanged for the Series; when these transactions should be executed;
and what portion of the assets of the Series should be held in the various
securities and other investments in which it may invest. To the extent permitted
by the investment policies of each Series, the Sub-Adviser shall make decisions
for the Series as to foreign currency matters and make determinations as to and
execute and perform foreign currency exchange contracts on behalf of the Series.
The Sub-Adviser will provide the services under this Agreement in accordance
with each Series' investment objective or objectives, policies, and restrictions
as stated in the Fund's Registration Statement filed with the U.S. Securities
and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), as amended, copies of which shall be sent to
the Sub-Adviser by the Manager prior to the commencement of this Agreement and
promptly following any such amendment. The Sub-Adviser further agrees as
follows:
(a) The services of the Sub-Adviser to the Fund under this Agreement
are to be deemed exclusive inasmuch as the Sub-Adviser (including all officers,
directors, employees, owners, principals, successors, parents, subsidiaries, and
affiliates of the Sub-Adviser) agrees that it shall not directly or indirectly
perform advisory duties as herein specified in this Section 2 and its subparts
for any person or entity registered under the 1940 Act other than the Fund
during the term of this Agreement without the prior express written consent of
the Fund. Such written consent shall not be unreasonably withheld if the Fund's
Board of Trustees determines in its discretion that the Sub-Adviser seeks to
provide advisory services to another registered investment company that neither
has nor proposes to have investment objectives and policies similar to those of
any of the Series.
(b) The Sub-Adviser will comply with the 1940 Act and all rules and
regulations thereunder, all other applicable federal and state laws and
regulations, with any applicable procedures adopted by the Fund's Board of
Trustees of which the Sub-Adviser has been sent a copy, and the provisions of
the Registration Statement of the Fund filed under the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended (the "1933 Act"), and the 1940 Act, as supplemented or amended, of
which the Sub-Adviser has received a copy, and with the Manager's portfolio
manager operating policies and procedures as in effect on the date hereof, as
such policies and procedures may be revised or amended by the Manager and agreed
to by the Sub-Adviser. In carrying out its duties under the Sub-Advisory
Agreement, the Sub-Adviser will comply with the following policies and
procedures:
(i) The Sub-Adviser will manage each Series so that it meets
the income and asset diversification requirements of Section 851 of the Internal
Revenue Code.
(ii) The Sub-Adviser will vote all proxies solicited by or
with respect to the issuers of securities which assets of the Series are
invested consistent with any procedures or guidelines promulgated by the Board
or the Manager or, if none, in the discretion of the Sub-
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Adviser based upon the best interests of the Series. The Sub-Adviser will
maintain appropriate records detailing its voting of proxies on behalf of the
Fund and will provide to the Fund at least quarterly a report setting forth the
proposals voted on and how the Series' shares were voted since the prior report,
including the name of the corresponding issuers.
(iii) In connection with the purchase and sale of securities
for each Series, the Sub-Adviser will arrange for the transmission to the
custodian and portfolio accounting agent for the Series on a daily basis such
confirmation, trade tickets, and other documents and information, including, but
not limited to, Cusip, Cedel, or other numbers that identify securities to be
purchased or sold on behalf of the Series, as may be reasonably necessary to
enable the custodian and portfolio accounting agent to perform its
administrative and recordkeeping responsibilities with respect to the Series.
With respect to portfolio securities to be settled through the Depository Trust
Company, the Sub-Adviser will arrange for the prompt transmission of the
confirmation of such trades to the Fund's custodian and portfolio accounting
agent.
(iv) The Sub-Adviser will assist the custodian and portfolio
accounting agent for the Fund in determining or confirming, consistent with the
procedures and policies stated in the Registration Statement for the Fund or
adopted by the Board of Trustees, the value of any portfolio securities or other
assets of the Series for which the custodian and portfolio accounting agent
seeks assistance from or identifies for review by the Sub-Adviser. The parties
acknowledge that the Sub-Adviser is not a custodian of the Series' assets and
will not take possession or custody of such assets.
(v) The Sub-Adviser will provide the Manager, no later than
the 20th day following the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of
each Series and the 45th day following the end of each Series' fiscal year, a
letter to shareholders (to be subject to review and editing by the Manager)
containing a discussion of those factors referred to in Item 5(a) of Form N-1A,
promulgated pursuant to the 1933 and 1940 Acts, in respect of both the prior
quarter and the fiscal year to date.
(vi) The Sub-Adviser will complete and deliver to the Manager
a written compliance checklist in a form provided by the Manager for each month
by the 10th day of the following month.
(vii) The parties agree that in the event that the Manager or
an affiliated person of the Manager sends sales literature or other promotional
material to the Sub-Adviser for its approval and the Sub-Adviser has not
commented within 10 days, the Manager and its affiliated persons may use and
distribute such sales literature or other promotional material.
(c) The Sub-Adviser will make available to the Fund and the Manager,
promptly upon request, any of the Series' investment records and ledgers
maintained by the Sub-Adviser (which shall not include the records and ledgers
maintained by the custodian or portfolio accounting agent for the Fund) as are
necessary to assist the Fund and the Manager to comply
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with requirements of the 1940 Act and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as
amended (the "Advisers Act"), as well as other applicable laws. The Sub-Adviser
will furnish to regulatory authorities having the requisite authority any
information or reports in connection with such services in respect to the Series
which may be requested in order to ascertain whether the operations of the Fund
are being conducted in a manner consistent with applicable laws and regulations.
(d) The Sub-Adviser will provide reports to the Fund's Board of
Trustees for consideration at meetings of the Board on the investment program
for each Series and the issuers and securities represented in each Series'
portfolio, and will furnish the Fund's Board of Trustees with respect to each
Series such periodic and special reports as the Trustees and the Manager may
reasonably request.
3. Broker-Dealer Selection. The Sub-Adviser is authorized to make
decisions to buy and sell securities and other investments for each Series'
portfolio, to select a broker-dealer to effect a transaction, and to negotiate
brokerage commission rates in effecting a security transaction. The
Sub-Adviser's primary consideration in effecting a security transaction will be
to obtain the best execution for the Series, taking into account the factors
specified in the prospectus and/or statement of additional information for the
Series, and determined in consultation with the Manager, which include price
(including the applicable brokerage commission or dollar spread), the size of
the order, the nature of the market for the security, the timing of the
transaction, the reputation, the experience and financial stability of the
broker-dealer involved, the quality of the service, the difficulty of execution,
and the execution capabilities and operational facilities of the firm involved,
and the firm's risk in positioning a block of securities. Accordingly, the price
to a Series in any transaction may be less favorable than that available from
another broker-dealer if the difference is reasonably justified, in the judgment
of the Sub-Adviser in the exercise of its reasonable business judgement and
fiduciary obligations to the Fund, by other aspects of the portfolio execution
services offered. Subject to such policies as the Fund's Board of Trustees or
Manager may determine and consistent with Section 28(e) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934 Act"), the Sub-Adviser shall not be
deemed to have acted unlawfully or to have breached any duty created by this
Agreement or otherwise solely by reason of its having caused a Series to pay a
broker-dealer for effecting a portfolio investment transaction in excess of the
amount of commission another broker-dealer would have charged for effecting that
transaction, if the Sub-Adviser determines in good faith that such amount of
commission was reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research
services provided by such broker-dealer, viewed in terms of either that
particular transaction or the Sub-Adviser's or the Manager's overall
responsibilities with respect to the Series and to their respective other
clients as to which they exercise investment discretion. The Sub-Adviser will
consult with the Manager so that portfolio transactions on behalf of a Series
are directed to broker-dealers on the basis of criteria reasonably considered
appropriate by the Manager. To the extent consistent with these standards, the
Sub-Adviser is further authorized to allocate the orders placed by it on behalf
of a Series to the Sub-Adviser if it is registered as a broker-dealer with the
SEC, to an affiliated broker-dealer, or to such brokers and dealers who also
provide research or statistical material, or other services to the Series, the
Sub-
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Adviser, or an affiliate of the Sub-Adviser. Such allocation shall be in such
amounts and proportions as the Sub-Adviser shall determine consistent with the
above standards, and the Sub-Adviser will report on said allocation regularly to
the Fund's Board of Trustees indicating the broker-dealers to which such
allocations have been made and the basis therefor.
4. Disclosure about Sub-Adviser. The Sub-Adviser has reviewed the most
recent Post-Effective Amendment to the Registration Statement for the Fund filed
with the SEC that contains disclosure about the Sub-Adviser, and represents and
warrants that, with respect to the disclosure about the Sub-Adviser or
information relating, directly or indirectly, to the Sub-Adviser, such
Registration Statement contains, as of the date hereof, no untrue statement of
any material fact and does not omit any statement of a material fact which was
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements contained
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading. The Sub-Adviser further represents and warrants that it is a duly
registered investment adviser under the Advisers Act and will maintain such
registration so long as this Agreement remains in effect. The Sub-Adviser will
provide the Manager with a copy of the Sub-Adviser's Form ADV, Part II at the
time the Form ADV is filed with the SEC.
5. Expenses. During the term of this Agreement, the Sub-Adviser will pay
all expenses incurred by it and its staff and for their activities in connection
with its portfolio management duties under this Agreement. The Manager or the
Fund shall be responsible for all the expenses of the Fund's operations.
6. Compensation. For the services provided to each Series, the Manager
will pay the Sub-Adviser an annual fee equal to the amount specified for such
Series in Schedule A hereto, payable monthly in arrears. The fee will be
appropriately prorated to reflect any portion of a calendar month that this
Agreement is not in effect among the parties. In accordance with the provisions
of the Management Agreement, the Manager is solely responsible for the payment
of fees to the Sub-Adviser, and the Sub-Adviser agrees to seek payment of its
fees solely from the Manager; provided, however, that if the Fund fails to pay
the Manager all or a portion of the management fee under said Management
Agreement when due, and the amount that was paid is insufficient to cover the
Sub-Adviser's fee under this Agreement for the period in question, then the
Sub-Adviser may enforce against the Fund any rights it may have as a third-party
beneficiary under the Management Agreement and the Manager will take all steps
appropriate under the circumstances to collect the amount due from the Fund.
7. Compliance.
(a) The Sub-Adviser agrees to use reasonable compliance techniques
as the Manager or the Board of Trustees may adopt, including any written
compliance procedures.
(b) The Sub-Adviser agrees that it shall promptly notify the Manager
and the Fund (1) in the event that the SEC has censured the Sub-Adviser; placed
limitations upon its activities, functions or operations; suspended or revoked
its registration as an investment adviser; or has commenced proceedings or an
investigation that may result in any of these actions, or (2)
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upon having a reasonable basis for believing that the Series has ceased to
qualify or might not qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter
M of the Internal Revenue Code. The Sub-Adviser further agrees to notify the
Manager and the Fund promptly of any material fact known to the Sub-Adviser
respecting or relating to the Sub-Adviser that is not contained in the
Registration Statement or prospectus for the Fund (which describes the Series),
or any amendment or supplement thereto, or if any statement contained therein
becomes untrue in any material respect.
(c) The Manager agrees that it shall promptly notify the Sub-Adviser
(1) in the event that the SEC has censured the Manager or the Fund; placed
limitations upon either of their activities, functions, or operations; suspended
or revoked the Manager's registration as an investment adviser; or has commenced
proceedings or an investigation that may result in any of these actions, or (2)
upon having a reasonable basis for believing that the Series has ceased to
qualify or might not qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter
M of the Internal Revenue Code.
8. Books and Records. The Sub-Adviser hereby agrees that all records which
it maintains for the Series (including but not limited to documents, manuals,
computer disks and CD-ROMs) are the property of the Fund and further agrees to
surrender promptly to the Fund any of such records upon the Fund's or the
Manager's request in compliance with the requirements of Rule 31a-3 under the
1940 Act, although the Sub-Adviser may, at its own expense, make and retain a
copy of such records. The Sub-Adviser further agrees to preserve for the periods
prescribed by Rule 31a-2 under the 1940 Act the records required to be
maintained by Rule 31a-l under the 1940 Act.
9. Cooperation; Confidentiality. Each party to this Agreement agrees to
cooperate with the other party and with all appropriate governmental authorities
having the requisite jurisdiction (including, but not limited to, the SEC) in
connection with any investigation or inquiry relating to this Agreement or the
Fund. Subject to the foregoing, the Sub-Adviser shall treat as confidential all
information pertaining to the Fund and actions of the Fund, the Manager and the
Sub-Adviser, and the Manager shall treat as confidential and use only in
connection with the Series all information furnished to the Fund or the Manager
by the Sub-Adviser, in connection with its duties under the Agreement except
that the aforesaid information need not be treated as confidential if required
to be disclosed under applicable law, if generally available to the public
through means other than by disclosure by the Sub-Adviser or the Manager, or if
available from a source other than the Manager, Sub-Adviser or the Fund.
10. Representations Respecting Sub-Adviser. The Manager agrees that
neither the Manager, nor affiliated persons of the Manager, shall give any
information or make any representations or statements in connection with the
sale of shares of the Series concerning the Sub-Adviser or the Series other than
the information or representations contained in the Registration Statement,
prospectus, or statement of additional information for the Fund's shares, as
they may be amended or supplemented from time to time, or in reports or proxy
statements for
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the Fund, or in sales literature or other promotional material approved in
advance by the Sub-Adviser, except with the prior permission of the Sub-Adviser.
11. Control. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Agreement, it is
understood and agreed that the Fund shall at all times retain the ultimate
responsibility for and control of all functions performed pursuant to this
Agreement and has reserved the right to reasonably direct any action hereunder
taken on its behalf by the Sub-Adviser.
12. Liability. Except as may otherwise be required by the 1940 Act or the
rules thereunder or other applicable law, the Manager agrees that the
Sub-Adviser, any affiliated person of the Sub-Adviser, and each person, if any,
who, within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act controls the Sub-Adviser
(1) shall bear no responsibility and shall not be subject to any liability for
any act or omission respecting any series of the Fund that is not a Series
hereunder, and (2) shall not be liable for, or subject to any damages, expenses,
or losses in connection with, any act or omission connected with or arising out
of any services rendered under this Agreement, except by reason of willful
misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance of the
Sub-Adviser's duties, or by reason of reckless disregard of the Sub-Adviser's
obligations and duties under this Agreement.
13. Indemnification.
(a) The Manager agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the
Sub-Adviser, any affiliated person of the Sub-Adviser, and each person, if any,
who, within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act controls ("controlling
person") the Sub-Adviser (all of such persons being referred to as "Sub-Adviser
Indemnified Persons") against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities,
or litigation (including legal and other expenses) to which a Sub-Adviser
Indemnified Person may become subject under the 1933 Act, the 1940 Act, the
Advisers Act, under any other statute, at common law or otherwise, arising out
of the Manager's responsibilities to the Fund which (1) may be based upon the
Manager's negligence, willful misfeasance, or bad faith in the performance of
its duties (which could include a negligent action or a negligent omission to
act), or by reason of the Manager's reckless disregard of its obligations and
duties under this Agreement, or (2) may be based upon any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration
Statement or prospectus covering shares of the Fund or any Series, or any
amendment thereof or any 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 Manager or the Fund or to
any affiliated person of the Manager by a Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person;
provided, however, that in no case shall the indemnity in favor of the
Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person be deemed to protect such person against any
liability to which any such person would otherwise be subject by reason of
willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance of its
duties, or by reason of its reckless disregard of obligations and duties under
this Agreement.
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(b) Notwithstanding Section 12 of this Agreement, the Sub-Adviser
agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Manager, any affiliated person of the
Manager, and any controlling person of the Manager (all of such persons being
referred to as "Manager Indemnified Persons") against any and all losses,
claims, damages, liabilities, or litigation (including legal and other expenses)
to which a Manager Indemnified Person may become subject under the 1933 Act,
1940 Act, the Advisers Act, under any other statute, at common law or otherwise,
arising out of the Sub-Adviser's responsibilities as Sub-Adviser of the Series
which (1) may be based upon the Sub-Adviser's negligence, willful misfeasance,
or bad faith in the performance of its duties (which could include a negligent
action or a negligent omission to act), or by reason of the Sub-Adviser's
reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement, or (2)
may be based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material
fact contained in the Registration Statement or prospectus covering the shares
of the Fund or any Series, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or the
omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact known or which
should have been known to the Sub-Adviser and was required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, if such a statement
or omission was made in reliance upon information furnished to the Manager, the
Fund, or any affiliated person of the Manager or Fund by the Sub-Adviser or any
affiliated person of the Sub-Adviser; provided, however, that in no case shall
the indemnity in favor of a Manager Indemnified Person be deemed to protect such
person against any liability to which any such person would otherwise be subject
by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence in the performance
of its duties, or by reason of its reckless disregard of its obligations and
duties under this Agreement.
(c) The Manager shall not be liable under Paragraph (a) of this
Section 13 with respect to any claim made against a Sub-Adviser Indemnified
Person unless such Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person shall have notified the
Manager in writing within a reasonable time after the summons or other first
legal process giving information of the nature of the claim shall have been
served upon such Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person (or after such Sub-Adviser
Indemnified Person shall have received notice of such service on any designated
agent), but failure to notify the Manager of any such claim shall not relieve
the Manager from any liability which it may have to the Sub-Adviser Indemnified
Person against whom such action is brought, except to the extent the Manager is
prejudiced by the failure or delay in giving such notice. In case any such
action is brought against the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person, the Manager will
be entitled to participate, at its own expense, in the defense thereof or, after
notice to the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person, to assume the defense thereof,
with counsel satisfactory to the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person. If the Manager
assumes the defense of any such action and the selection of counsel by the
Manager to represent the Manager and the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person would
result in a conflict of interests and therefore, would not, in the reasonable
judgment of the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person, adequately represent the
interests of the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person, the Manager will, at its own
expense, assume the defense with counsel to the Manager and, also at its own
expense, with separate counsel to the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person, which
counsel shall be satisfactory to the Manager and to the Sub-Adviser Indemnified
Person. The Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person shall bear the fees and expenses of
any additional counsel retained by it, and the Manager shall not be liable to
the Sub-Adviser
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Indemnified Person under this Agreement for any legal or other expenses
subsequently incurred by the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person independently in
connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of
investigation. The Manager shall not have the right to compromise on or settle
the litigation without the prior written consent of the Sub-Adviser Indemnified
Person if the compromise or settlement results, or may result in a finding of
wrongdoing on the part of the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person.
(d) The Sub-Adviser shall not be liable under Paragraph (b) of this
Section 13 with respect to any claim made against a Manager Indemnified Person
unless such Manager Indemnified Person shall have notified the Sub-Adviser in
writing within a reasonable time after the summons or other first legal process
giving information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon such
Manager Indemnified Person (or after such Manager Indemnified Person shall have
received notice of such service on any designated agent), but failure to notify
the Sub-Adviser of any such claim shall not relieve the Sub-Adviser from any
liability which it may have to the Manager Indemnified Person against whom such
action is brought except to the extent the Sub-Adviser is prejudiced by the
failure or delay in giving such notice. In case any such action is brought
against the Manager Indemnified Person, the Sub-Adviser will be entitled to
participate, at its own expense, in the defense thereof or, after notice to the
Manager Indemnified Person, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel
satisfactory to the Manager Indemnified Person. If the Sub-Adviser assumes the
defense of any such action and the selection of counsel by the Sub-Adviser to
represent both the Sub-Adviser and the Manager Indemnified Person would result
in a conflict of interests and therefore, would not, in the reasonable judgment
of the Manager Indemnified Person, adequately represent the interests of the
Manager Indemnified Person, the Sub-Adviser will, at its own expense, assume the
defense with counsel to the Sub-Adviser and, also at its own expense, with
separate counsel to the Manager Indemnified Person, which counsel shall be
satisfactory to the Sub-Adviser and to the Manager Indemnified Person. The
Manager Indemnified Person shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional
counsel retained by it, and the Sub-Adviser shall not be liable to the Manager
Indemnified Person under this Agreement for any legal or other expenses
subsequently incurred by the Manager Indemnified Person independently in
connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of
investigation. The Sub-Adviser shall not have the right to compromise on or
settle the litigation without the prior written consent of the Manager
Indemnified Person if the compromise or settlement results, or may result in a
finding of wrongdoing on the part of the Manager Indemnified Person.
14. Duration and Termination.
(a) This Agreement shall become effective on the date first
indicated above, subject to the condition that the Fund's Board of Trustees,
including a majority of those Trustees who are not interested persons (as such
term is defined in the 0000 Xxx) of the Manager or the Sub-Adviser, and the
shareholders of each Series, shall have approved this Agreement. Unless
terminated as provided herein, this Agreement shall remain in full force and
effect with respect to each Series until the Reapproval Date set forth for such
Series on Schedule B to this Agreement, and shall continue on an annual basis
thereafter with respect to each Series provided
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that such annual continuance is specifically approved each year by (1) the Board
of Trustees of the Fund, or by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting
securities (as defined in the 0000 Xxx) of each Series, and (2) the vote of a
majority of those Trustees who are not parties to this Agreement or interested
persons (as such term is defined in the 0000 Xxx) of any such party to this
Agreement cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such
approval. However, any approval of this Agreement by the holders of a majority
of the outstanding shares (as defined in the 0000 Xxx) of a Series shall be
effective to continue this Agreement with respect to such Series notwithstanding
(1) that this Agreement has not been approved by the holders of a majority of
the outstanding shares of any other Series or (2) that this Agreement has not
been approved by the vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund,
unless such approval shall be required by any other applicable law or otherwise.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement may be terminated with respect to
any Series covered by this Agreement: (1) by the Manager at any time, upon sixty
(60) days' written notice to the Sub-Adviser and the Fund, (2) at any time
without payment of any penalty by the Fund, by the Fund's Board of Trustees or a
majority of the outstanding voting securities of each Series, upon sixty (60)
days' written notice to the Manager and the Sub-Adviser, or (3) by the
Sub-Adviser upon three months' written notice unless the Fund or the Manager
requests additional time to find a replacement for the Sub-Adviser, in which
case the Sub-Adviser shall allow the additional time requested by the Fund or
Manager not to exceed three additional months beyond the initial three-month
notice period; provided, however, that the Sub-Adviser may terminate this
Agreement at any time without penalty, effective upon written notice to the
Manager and the Fund, in the event either the Sub-Adviser (acting in good faith)
or the Manager ceases to be registered as an investment adviser under the
Advisers Act or otherwise becomes legally incapable of providing investment
management services pursuant to its respective contract with the Fund, or in the
event the Manager becomes bankrupt or otherwise incapable of carrying out its
obligations under this Agreement, or in the event that the Sub-Adviser does not
receive compensation for its services from the Manager or the Fund as required
by the terms of this Agreement.
In the event of termination for any reason, all records of each Series for
which the Agreement is terminated shall promptly be returned to the Manager or
the Fund, free from any claim or retention of rights in such record by the
Sub-Adviser, although the Sub-Adviser may, at its own expense, make and retain a
copy of such records. This Agreement shall automatically terminate in the event
of its assignment (as such term is described in the 1940 Act). In the event this
Agreement is terminated or is not approved in the manner described above, the
Sections or Paragraphs numbered 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 of this Agreement shall
remain in effect, as well as any applicable provision of this Section numbered
14 and, to the extent that only amounts are owed to the Sub-Adviser as
compensation for services rendered while the Agreement was in effect, Section 6.
(b) Notices.
Any notice must be in writing and shall be sufficiently given when (1)
delivered in person, (2) dispatched by telegram or electronic facsimile transfer
(confirmed in writing by postage prepaid first class air mail simultaneously
dispatched), (3) sent by internationally
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recognized overnight courier service (with receipt confirmed by such overnight
courier service), or (4) sent by registered or certified mail, to the other
party at the address of such party set forth below or at such other address as
such party may from time to time specify in writing to the other party.
If to the Fund:
Pilgrim Equity Trust
0000 Xxxx Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
If to the Manager:
ING Pilgrim Investments, LLC
0000 Xxxx Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
If to the Sub-Adviser:
Xxxxxxx Investment Partners, L.P.
00000 Xxxx Xxxxx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000-0000
Attention: Xxxxx XxXxxxx-Xxxxxx
15. Amendments. No provision of this Agreement may be changed, waived,
discharged or terminated orally, but only by an instrument in writing signed by
the party against which enforcement of the change, waiver, discharge or
termination is sought, and no amendment of this Agreement shall be effective
until approved by an affirmative vote of (1) the holders of a majority of the
outstanding voting securities of the Series, and (2) the Trustees of the Fund,
including a majority of the Trustees of the Fund who are not interested persons
of any party to this Agreement, cast in person at a meeting called for the
purpose of voting on such approval, if such approval is required by applicable
law.
16. Miscellaneous.
(a) This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of
Delaware, provided that nothing herein shall be construed in a manner
inconsistent with the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, the 1940 Act, the Advisers Act or
rules or orders of the SEC thereunder, and without regard for the conflicts of
laws principle thereof. The term "affiliate" or "affiliated person" as used in
this Agreement shall mean "affiliated person" as defined in Section 2(a)(3) of
the 1940 Act.
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(i) The Fund shall be entitled to commence a civil action
seeking enforcement and/or for breach of this Agreement in any state or federal
court of Delaware. The Sub-Adviser shall submit to the personal jurisdiction of
any such court and shall not contend that the court is not a proper venue for
any such civil action. The parties to this Agreement authorize and direct the
court to: (1) revise and amend the provisions of Section 2 to the extent that
the court finds those provisions too broad or otherwise unenforceable; and (2)
enforce this Agreement as revised or amended.
(ii) The party substantially prevailing in a civil action
brought to enforce and/or for breach of this Agreement shall be entitled to
recover the reasonable attorneys' fees and legal expenses incurred by that party
in that litigation.
(b) The Manager and the Sub-Adviser acknowledge that the Fund enjoys
the rights of a third-party beneficiary under this Agreement, and the Manager
acknowledges that the Sub-Adviser enjoys the rights of a third-party beneficiary
under the Management Agreement.
(c) The captions of this Agreement are included for convenience only
and in no way define or limit any of the provisions hereof or otherwise affect
their construction or effect.
(d) If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid
by a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of this Agreement
shall not be affected thereby, and to this extent, the provisions of this
Agreement shall be deemed to be severable.
(e) Nothing herein shall be construed as constituting the
Sub-Adviser as an agent or co-partner of the Manager, or constituting the
Manager as an agent or co-partner of the Sub-Adviser.
(f) This Agreement may be executed in counterparts.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this instrument to be
executed as of the day and year first above written.
ING PILGRIM INVESTMENTS, LLC
By:
------------------------------
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Senior Vice President
XXXXXXX INVESTMENT PARTNERS, L.P.
By:
------------------------------
Name:
------------------------------
Title:
------------------------------
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SCHEDULE A
TO THE
SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
ING PILGRIM INVESTMENTS, LLC
AND
XXXXXXX INVESTMENT PARTNERS, L.P.
SERIES ANNUAL SUB-ADVISORY FEE
------ -----------------------
ING MidCap Value Fund 0.70%
ING SmallCap Value Fund 0.70%
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SCHEDULE B
TO THE
SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
ING PILGRIM INVESTMENTS, LLC
AND
XXXXXXX INVESTMENT PARTNERS, L.P.
SERIES APPROVED BY BOARD REAPPROVAL DATE
------ ----------------- ---------------
ING MidCap Value Fund , 2001 , 2003
---------- ----------
ING SmallCap Value Fund , 2001 , 2003
---------- ----------
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