INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
Exhibit 10.2
THIS INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”) is made and entered into this day of , 2020, between Cheniere Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and (“Indemnitee”).
INTRODUCTION:
A. Indemnitee, as a member of the Company’s Board of Directors, an officer of the Company and/or a fiduciary under certain of the Company’s employee benefit plans, performs valuable services for the Company.
B. The Company and Indemnitee recognize the substantial increase in corporate litigation in general, subjecting directors, officers, employees, controlling persons, agents and fiduciaries to expensive litigation risks at the same time as the availability and coverage of liability insurance has been severely limited.
C. The Company’s Amended and Restated Bylaws, as amended (the “Bylaws”), provide for the indemnification of the directors, officers, employees and agents of the Company to the maximum extent authorized by Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, as amended (“DGCL”).
D. Indemnitee desires to ensure that the indemnification currently provided to Indemnitee under the Bylaws is not changed in the future as a result of an amendment to the Bylaws, and Indemnitee may not be willing to serve or continue to serve in such capacities without additional protection.
E. The Bylaws and the DGCL, by their non-exclusive nature, permit contracts between the Company and its directors, officers, employees, controlling persons, agents or fiduciaries with respect to indemnification.
F. The Company (i) desires to attract and retain the involvement of highly qualified individuals, such as Indemnitee, to serve the Company and, in part, in order to induce Indemnitee to be involved with the Company, and (ii) wishes to provide for the indemnification and advancing of expenses to Indemnitee to the maximum extent permitted by law.
G. In view of the considerations set forth above, the Company desires that Indemnitee be indemnified by the Company as set forth herein.
H. Capitalized words are defined in the text of this Agreement or in Section 10.
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AGREEMENT:
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of Indemnitee’s service to the Company, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Indemnity of Indemnitee
The Company hereby agrees to indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Company’s Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended (the “Certificate”), the Bylaws or by statute. In the event of any change after the date of this Agreement in any applicable law, statute or rule that expands the right of a Delaware corporation to indemnify a member of its Board of Directors or an officer, employee, controlling person, Selling Shareholder, agent or fiduciary, it is the intent of the parties hereto that Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits afforded by such change. In the event of any change in any applicable law, statute or rule that narrows the right of a Delaware corporation to indemnify a member of its Board of Directors or an officer, employee, controlling person, Selling Shareholder, agent or fiduciary, such change, to the extent not otherwise required by such law, statute or rule to be applied to this Agreement, shall have no effect on this Agreement or the parties’ rights and obligations hereunder except as set forth in Section 8(a) hereof.
2. Indemnification Rights
(a) Indemnification of Expenses. The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee, together with Indemnitee’s partners, affiliates, employees, agents and spouse and each person who controls any of them or who may be liable within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), or Section 20 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), to the fullest extent permitted by law if Indemnitee was or 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, any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, proceeding or alternative dispute resolution mechanism, or any Pre-Claim Inquiry, hearing, inquiry or investigation that Indemnitee in good faith reasonably believes might lead to the institution of any such action, suit, proceeding or alternative dispute resolution mechanism, whether civil, criminal, administrative, investigative or other (hereinafter a “Claim”) against any and all expenses (including attorneys’ fees and all other costs, expenses and obligations 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 such action, suit, proceeding, alternative dispute resolution mechanism, Pre-Claim Inquiry, hearing, inquiry or investigation), judgments, fines, penalties, Asset Protection Costs, Personal Reputation Expenses, Liberty Protection Costs, and amounts paid in settlement (if such settlement is approved in advance by the Company, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld) of any Claim and any federal, state, local or foreign taxes imposed on Indemnitee as a result of the actual or deemed receipt of any payments under this Agreement (collectively, hereinafter “Expenses”), including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses, incurred in any jurisdiction (both foreign and domestic) by Indemnitee by reason of (or arising in part out of) any event or occurrence related to the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director, officer, employee, controlling person, Selling Shareholder, agent or fiduciary of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company, or is or was
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serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, controlling person, agent or fiduciary of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, or by reason of any action or inaction on the part of Indemnitee while serving in such capacity including, without limitation, any and all losses, claims, damages, expenses and liabilities, joint or several (including any investigation, legal and other expenses incurred in connection with, and any amount paid in settlement of, any action, suit, proceeding or any claim asserted) under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise, that relate directly or indirectly to the registration, purchase, sale or ownership of any securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or to any fiduciary obligation owed with respect thereto (hereinafter an “Indemnification Event”). Such payment of Expenses shall be made by the Company as soon as practicable but in any event no later than 25 days after written demand by Indemnitee therefor is presented to the Company.
(b) Reviewing Party. If the Reviewing Party (as described in Section 10(e) hereof) shall have determined (in a written opinion, in any case in which the Independent Legal Counsel (as defined below) is involved) that Indemnitee would not be permitted to be indemnified under applicable law, then (i) the Company shall not be obligated to provide any indemnification under Section 1 or 2 and (ii) Indemnitee acknowledges and agrees that the Company shall not be obligated to make an advance payment of Expenses to Indemnitee pursuant to Section 3(a) (an “Expense Advance”) and Indemnitee agrees to reimburse the Company for such Expense Advance; 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) and until such time, Indemnitee shall be entitled to receive interim payments of expenses pursuant to Section 2(a). Indemnitee’s obligation to reimburse the Company for any Expense Advance shall be unsecured and no interest shall be charged thereon. If there has not been a Change in Control (as defined in Section 10(d) hereof), the Reviewing Party shall be selected by the Board of Directors, and if there has been a Change in Control (other than a Change in Control that 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 an attorney or firm of attorneys selected by the Board of Directors who shall not have otherwise performed services for the Company or any Indemnitee within the last three years (other than with respect to matters concerning the right of any Indemnitee under this Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar indemnity agreements) (the “Independent Legal Counsel”). 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 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.
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(c) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 2(a) above is for any reason held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unavailable to an Indemnitee in respect of any losses, claims, damages, expenses or liabilities referred to therein (after a final judicial determination is made with respect thereto, and as to which all rights of appeal therefrom have been exhausted or lapsed), then the Company, in lieu of indemnifying Indemnitee thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by Indemnitee as a result of such losses, claims, damages, expenses or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and Indemnitee, or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company and Indemnitee in connection with the action or inaction that resulted in such losses, claims, damages, expenses or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. In connection with the registration of the Company’s (or a subsidiary’s) securities, the relative benefits received by the Company (or its subsidiary) and Indemnitee shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions that the net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company (or its subsidiary) and the Indemnitee, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the applicable prospectus, bear to the aggregate public offering price of the securities so offered. The relative fault of the Company (or its subsidiary) and Indemnitee shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company (or its subsidiary) or Indemnitee and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The Company and Indemnitee agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 2(c) were determined by pro rata or per capita allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph. In connection with the registration of the Company’s (or a subsidiary’s) securities, in no event shall an Indemnitee be required to contribute any amount under this Section 2(c) in excess of the lesser of (i) that proportion of the total of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities indemnified against equal to the proportion of the total securities sold under such registration statement that is being sold by Indemnitee or (ii) the proceeds received by Indemnitee from its sale of securities under such registration statement. No person found guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not found guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
(d) Survival Regardless of Investigation. The indemnification and contribution provided for herein will remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of Indemnitee or any officer, director, employee, agent or controlling person of Indemnitee.
(e) Mandatory Payment of Expenses. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee has been successful on the merits or otherwise, including, without limitation, the dismissal of an action without prejudice, in the defense of any action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation referred to in Section 2(a) hereof or in the defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection herewith.
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3. Expenses; Indemnification Procedure
(a) Advancement of Expenses. The Company shall advance all Expenses incurred by Indemnitee. The advances to be made hereunder shall be paid by the Company to Indemnitee as soon as practicable but in any event no later than 25 days after written demand by Indemnitee therefor to the Company.
(b) Notice/Cooperation by Indemnitee. Indemnitee shall give the Company notice in writing in accordance with Section 14 of this Agreement as soon as practicable of any Claim made against Indemnitee for which indemnification will or could be sought under this Agreement.
(c) No Presumptions; Burden of Proof. For purposes of this Agreement, the termination of any Claim by judgment, order, settlement (whether with or without court approval) or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere, 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. In connection with any determination by the 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.
(d) Directors & Officers Liability Insurance. The company will obtain and maintain a policy or policies of D&O insurance with one or more reputable insurance companies providing Indemnitee with coverage in such amount(s) as may be determined by the Board of Directors for losses and Expenses paid or incurred by Indemnitee for a Claim, and to insure, to the extent of its terms, the Company’s performance of its indemnity obligations under this Agreement. The Company is solely responsible for all premiums, deductibles, retentions, co-insurance and other expenses associated with the procurement and maintenance of such policies.
(e) Notice to Insurers. Upon receipt by the Company of a notice of Claim pursuant to Section 3(b) above, the Company will give prompt notice to each D&O liability insurer in accordance with the procedures set forth in each of the Company’s D&O liability policies. The Company acknowledges that under each policy it may act on behalf of the Indemnitees to give and receive notice, pay or receive premiums, provide cancellation or renewal instructions and accept any revisions or amendments, among other things, as detailed in the respective insurance policies.
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In the unlikely event the Company should decline indemnification to Indemnitee pursuant to Section 8 below, the Company will take all necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of Indemnitee, all amounts payable in accordance with the terms of such policies.
(f) Selection of Counsel. If Indemnitee is not an officer of the Company, he, together with the other directors who are not officers of the Company (the “Outside Directors”), shall be entitled to employ, and, to the extent indemnifiable pursuant to Section 2, be reimbursed for the fees and disbursements of, counsel separate from that chosen by Indemnitees who are officers of the Company. The principal counsel for Outside Directors (the “Principal Counsel”) shall be determined by majority vote of the Outside Directors, and the principal counsel for Indemnitees who are not Outside Directors (the “Separate Counsel”) shall be determined by majority vote of such Indemnitees, in each case subject to the consent of the Company (not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed). The obligation of the Company to reimburse Indemnitee for the fees and disbursements of counsel hereunder shall not extend to the fees and disbursements of any counsel employed by Indemnitee other than the Principal Counsel or the Separate Counsel, as the case may be, unless Indemnitee has interests that are different from those of the other Indemnitees or defenses available to him that are in addition to or different from those of the other Indemnitees such that the Principal Counsel or the Separate Counsel, as the case may be, would have an actual or potential conflict of interest in representing Indemnitee. The Company will take all action that is necessary or desirable to cause the insurers to consent to the two sets of counsel referenced above.
4. Non-exclusivity
The indemnification provided by this Agreement shall be in addition to any rights to which Indemnitee may be entitled under the Certificate, the Bylaws, any agreement, any vote of stockholders or disinterested directors, the DGCL, or otherwise. The indemnification provided under this Agreement shall continue as to Indemnitee for any action Indemnitee took or did not take while serving in an indemnified capacity even though Indemnitee may have ceased to serve in such capacity.
5. No Duplication of Payments
The Company shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any payment in connection with any Claim made against any Indemnitee to the extent Indemnitee has otherwise actually received payment (under any insurance policy, the Certificate, the Bylaws or otherwise) of the amounts otherwise indemnifiable hereunder, except to the extent Indemnitee has paid Expenses or attorney’s fees that are subject to reimbursement under any insurance policy.
6. Partial Indemnification
If any Indemnitee is entitled under any provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for any portion of Expenses incurred in connection with any Claim, but not, however, for all of the total amount thereof, the Company shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for the portion of such Expenses to which Indemnitee is entitled.
7. Mutual Acknowledgement
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The Company and Indemnitee acknowledge that in certain instances, Federal law or applicable public policy may prohibit the Company from indemnifying its directors, officers, employees, controlling persons, agents or fiduciaries under this Agreement or otherwise. Each Indemnitee understands and acknowledges that the Company has undertaken or may be required in the future to undertake with the Securities and Exchange Commission to submit the question of indemnification to a court in certain circumstances for a determination of the Company’s rights under public policy to indemnify Indemnitee.
8. Exceptions
Any other provision herein to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company shall not be obligated pursuant to the terms of this Agreement:
(a) Claims Initiated by Indemnitee. To indemnify or advance expenses to any Indemnitee with respect to Claims initiated or brought voluntarily by Indemnitee and not by way of defense, except (i) with respect to actions or proceedings to establish or enforce a right to indemnify under this Agreement or any other agreement or insurance policy or under the Certificate or the Bylaws now or hereafter in effect relating to Claims for Indemnifiable Events, (ii) in specific cases if the Company’s Board of Directors has approved the initiation or bringing of such Claim, or (iii) as otherwise required under Section 145 of the DGCL, regardless of whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to such indemnification, advance expense payment or insurance recovery, as the case may be; or
(b) Claims Under Section 16(b). To indemnify Indemnitee for expenses and the payment of profits arising from the purchase and sale by Indemnitee of securities in violation of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act or any similar successor statute; or
(c) Claims Excluded Under Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. To indemnify Indemnitee if (i) Indemnitee did not act in good faith or in a manner reasonably believed by such Indemnitee to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, or (ii) with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful, or (iii) Indemnitee shall have been adjudged to be liable to the Company unless and only to the extent the court in which such action was brought shall permit indemnification as provided in Section 145(b) of the DGCL.
9. 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 any Indemnitee, any Indemnitee’s estate, spouse, heirs, executors or personal or legal representatives after the expiration of five 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 five-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.
10. Construction of Certain Phrases
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(a) For purposes of this Agreement, references to the “Company” shall include, in addition to the resulting corporation, any constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger that, if its separate existence had continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers, employees, agents or fiduciaries, so that if Indemnitee is or was a director, officer, employee, agent, control person, or fiduciary of such constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee, control person, agent or fiduciary of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, employee benefit plan, trust or other enterprise, Indemnitee shall stand in the same position under the provisions of this Agreement with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as Indemnitee would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued.
(b) For purposes of this Agreement, references to “other enterprises” shall include employee benefit plans; references to “fines” shall include any excise taxes assessed on any Indemnitee with respect to an employee benefit plan; and references to “serving at the request of the Company” shall include any service as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of the Company that imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or its beneficiaries; and if any Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in the interests of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the Company” as referred to in this Agreement.
(c) For purposes of this Agreement, “Affiliate” means (i) any entity in which the Company, directly or indirectly, owns 10% or more of the combined Voting Securities, (ii) any “parent corporation” of the Company (as defined in Section 424(e) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), (iii) any “subsidiary corporation” of any such parent corporation (as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code) of the Company and (iv) any trades or businesses, whether or not incorporated which are members of a controlled group or are under common control (as defined in Sections 414(b) or (c) of the Code) with the Company.
(d) For purposes of this Agreement a “Change in Control” shall be deemed to have occurred if (i) any “person” (as defined in Section 3(a)(9) of the Exchange Act), and as modified in Section 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act) other than (A) the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (B) any employee benefit plan of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (C) any Affiliate, (D) a company owned, directly or indirectly, by stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of the Company, or (E) an underwriter temporarily holding securities pursuant to an offering of such securities (a “Person”), becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 of the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 30% or more of the shares of voting stock of the Company then outstanding; provided, however, that an initial public offering of common stock of the Company shall not constitute a Change of Control; (ii) the consummation of any merger, organization, business combination or consolidation of the Company or one of its subsidiaries with or into any other company, other than a merger, reorganization, business combination or consolidation which would result in the holders of the Voting Securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior thereto holding securities which represent immediately after such merger, reorganization, business combination or consolidation more than 50% of the combined
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voting power of the voting securities of the Company or the surviving company or the parent of such surviving company; (iii) the consummation of a sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, other than a sale or disposition if the holders of the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior thereto hold securities immediately thereafter which represent more than 50% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of the acquiror, or parent of the acquiror, of such assets, or the stockholders of the Company approve a plan of complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company; or (iv) individuals who, as of the date of this Agreement, constitute the board of directors of the Company (the “Incumbent Board”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the board of directors of the Company; provided, however, that any individual becoming a director subsequent to the date of this Agreement whose election by the board of directors of the Company, was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then comprising the Incumbent Board shall be considered as though such individual were a member of the Incumbent Board, but excluding, for this purpose, any such individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of an election contest with respect to the election or removal of directors or other solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a person other than the board of directors of the Company.
(e) For purposes of this Agreement, a “Reviewing Party” shall mean, if and when appointed by the Board of Directors, 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 of Directors who is not a party to the particular Claim for which Indemnitee is seeking indemnification, or Independent Legal Counsel.
(f) For purposes of this Agreement, “Voting Securities” shall mean any securities of the Company that vote generally in the election of directors.
(g) For purposes of this Agreement, “Asset Protection Costs” shall mean reasonable and necessary Expenses paid or incurred by the Indemnitee to:
| i) | oppose any effort by an Enforcement Body to seize or otherwise enjoin the Indemnitee’s personal assets or real property; or |
| ii) | obtain the discharge or revocation of a court order entered against Indemnitee which in any way impairs the use of such Indemnitee’s personal assets or real property. |
(h) For purposes of this Agreement, “Enforcement Body” means:
| i) | any federal, state, local or foreign law enforcement authority or other governmental investigative authority (including, but not limited to the United States Department of Justice, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, and any Attorney General); or |
| ii) | the enforcement unit of any securities or commodities exchange or other self-regulatory organization. |
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(i) For purposes of this Agreement, “Personal Reputation Expenses” shall mean reasonable and necessary Expenses paid or incurred by or on behalf of an Indemnitee to counteract any negative statement about the Indemnitee made by an authorized representative of an Enforcement Body included in a press release or published by any print or electronic media outlet.
(j) For purposes of this Agreement, “Liberty Protection Costs” means reasonable and necessary Expenses paid or incurred by an Indemnitee to lawfully seek his or her release from any arrest or confinement to:
| i) | a specific residence; or |
| ii) | a secure custodial premises operated by or on behalf of a law enforcement authority; or |
| iii) | payment of premiums or bonds or other financial instruments required by a court to guarantee the Indemnitee’s contingent obligation to pay a specified amount, but only if the payment(s) are incurred or imposed outside the United States. |
(k) For purposed of this Agreement, “Pre-Claim Inquiry Costs” shall mean reasonable and necessary expenses paid or incurred by an Indemnitee to respond to a verifiable request for an Indemnitee to
| i) | appear at a meeting or interview; or |
| ii) | produce documents, |
if such request comes from
| i) | an Enforcement Body; or |
| ii) | the Company. |
A Pre-Claim Inquiry also means the arrest or confinement of an Indemnitee to:
| i) | a specific residence; or |
| ii) | a secure custodial premises operated by or on behalf of a law enforcement authority. |
(l) For purposes of this Agreement, “Selling Shareholder” shall mean an Indemnitee who sells a security as described in Section 12(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1993 or any similar securities law or regulation of any state or any common law.
11. Counterparts
This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original.
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12. Binding Effect; Successors and Assigns
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, and personal and legal representatives. The Company shall require and cause any successor (whether direct or indirect by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all, substantially all, or a substantial part, of the business and/or assets of the Company, by written agreement in form and substance satisfactory to Indemnitee, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place. This Agreement shall continue in effect with respect to Claims relating to Indemnifiable Events regardless of whether any Indemnitee continues to serve as a director, officer, employee, agent, controlling person, or fiduciary of the Company or of any other enterprise, including subsidiaries of the Company, at the Company’s request.
13. Attorneys’ Fees
In the event that any action is instituted by an Indemnitee under this Agreement or under any liability insurance policies maintained by the Company to enforce or interpret any of the terms hereof or thereof, any Indemnitee shall be entitled to be paid all Expenses incurred by Indemnitee with respect to such action (including, without limitation, attorney’s fees), regardless of whether Indemnitee is ultimately successful in such action, and shall be entitled to the advancement of Expenses with respect to such action, unless, as a part of such action, a court of competent jurisdiction over such action determines that the material assertions made by Indemnitee as a basis for such action were not made in good faith or were frivolous, provided, however, that until such determination is made, Indemnitee shall be entitled to receive payment of Expense Advances hereunder with respect to such action. In the event of an action instituted by or in the name of the Company under this Agreement to enforce or interpret any of the terms of this Agreement, Indemnitee shall be entitled to be paid all Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in defense of such action (including costs and expenses incurred with respect to Indemnitee counterclaims and cross-claims made in such action), and shall be entitled to the advancement of Expenses with respect to such action, unless, as a part of such action, a court having jurisdiction over such action determines that each of the Indemnitee’s material defenses to such action was made in bad faith or were frivolous.
14. Notice
All notices and other communications required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing, shall be effective when given, and shall in any event be deemed to be given (a) five calendar days after deposit with the U.S. Postal Service or other applicable postal service, if delivered by first class mail, postage prepaid, (b) upon delivery, if delivered by hand, (c) one business day after the business day of deposit with Federal Express or similar overnight courier, freight prepaid, or (d) one day after the business day of delivery by facsimile transmission, if deliverable by facsimile transmission, with copy by first class mail, postage prepaid, and shall be addressed if to Indemnitee, at Indemnitee’s address as set forth beneath Indemnitee’s signature to this Agreement and if to the Company at the address of its principal corporate offices (attention: Chief Executive Officer) or at such other address as such party may designate by ten calendar days’ advance written notice to the other party hereto.
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15. Consent to Jurisdiction
The Company and Indemnitee each hereby irrevocably consent to the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of Delaware for all purposes in connection with any action or proceeding that arises out of or relates to this Agreement and agree that any action instituted under this Agreement shall be commenced, prosecuted and continued only in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware in and for New Castle County, which shall be the exclusive and only proper forum for adjudicating such a claim.
16. 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, and the remaining provisions shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law. Furthermore, to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of this Agreement containing any provision held to be invalid, void or otherwise unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, void or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested by the provision held invalid, illegal or unenforceable.
17. Choice of Law
This Agreement shall be governed by and its provisions construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, as applied to contracts between Delaware residents, entered into and to be performed entirely within the State of Delaware, without regard to the conflict of laws principles thereof.
18. 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 documents required and shall do all acts that may be necessary to secure such rights and to enable the Company effectively to bring suit to enforce such rights.
19. Amendment and Termination
No amendment, modification, termination or cancellation of this Agreement shall be effective unless it is in writing signed by all 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.
20. Integration and Entire Agreement
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This Agreement sets forth the entire understanding between the parties hereto and supersedes and merges all previous written and oral negotiations, commitments, understandings and agreements relating to the subject matter hereof between the parties hereto.
21. No Construction as Employment Agreement
Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed as giving the Indemnitee any right to be retained in the employ of the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
22. Corporate Authority
The Board of Directors of the Company has approved the terms of this Agreement.
[Signature page follows.]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Indemnification Agreement on and as of the day and year first above written.
| COMPANY: | ||
| CHENIERE ENERGY, INC. | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
| INDEMNITEE: | ||
|
| ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
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