KKR FINANCIAL HOLDINGS LLC 18,000,000 Common Shares, no par value Underwriting Agreement

Exhibit 1.1

18,000,000 Common Shares, no par value

December 8, 2010

Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated

0000 Xxxxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000

Ladies and Gentlemen:

KKR Financial Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you are acting as representative (the “Representative”), an aggregate of 18,000,000 common shares, no par value, representing limited liability company interests in the Company (the “Underwritten Securities”) and, at the option of the Underwriters, up to an additional 2,700,000 common shares, no par value, representing limited liability company interests in the Company (the “Option Securities”) to cover over-allotments, if any, pursuant to Section 2 hereof. The Underwritten Securities and the Option Securities are herein referred to as the “Securities”. The common shares, no par value, representing limited liability company interests in the Company to be outstanding after giving effect to the sale of the Securities are referred to herein as the “Common Shares” and all the common shares issued and sold pursuant to this Underwriting Agreement shall be Common Shares (as defined in the Operating Agreement (as defined below)).

The Company hereby confirms its agreement with the several Underwriters concerning the purchase and sale of the Securities, as follows:

1. Registration Statement. The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Securities Act”), a registration statement (File No. 333-167479) including a prospectus (the “Basic Prospectus”), relating to the registration of certain securities described therein, including the Securities. Such registration statement, as amended at the time it becomes effective, including the information, if any, deemed pursuant to Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act to be part of the registration statement at the time of its effectiveness (“Rule 430 Information”), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement”; and as used herein, the term “Prospectus” means the Basic Prospectus as supplemented by the prospectus supplement specifically relating to the Securities in the form first used (or made available upon request of

purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) in connection with confirmation of sales of the Securities. If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the “Rule 462 Registration Statement”), then any reference herein to the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include such Rule 462 Registration Statement. Any reference in this Agreement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act, as of the effective date of the Registration Statement or the date of such Prospectus and any reference to “amend”, “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents filed after such date under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Exchange Act”) that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

At or prior to the time when sales of the Securities were first made (the “Execution Time”), the Company had prepared the following information (collectively, the “Disclosure Package”): the Basic Prospectus dated June 11, 2010 and the press release issued by the Company on December 7, 2010 pursuant to Rule 134 under the Securities Act entitled “KKR Financial Holdings LLC Commences Public Offering of Common Shares.”

2. Purchase of the Securities by the Underwriters. (a) The Company agrees to issue and sell the Underwritten Securities to the several Underwriters as provided in this Agreement, and each Underwriter, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective number of Underwritten Securities set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule 1 hereto at a price per share of $9.04 (the “Purchase Price”).

In addition, the Company agrees to issue and sell the Option Securities to the several Underwriters as provided in this Agreement to cover over-allotments in the sale of the Underwritten Securities by the Underwriters, and the Underwriters, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, shall have the option to purchase, severally and not jointly, from the Company the Option Securities at the Purchase Price less an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Underwritten Securities but not payable on the Option Securities.

If any Option Securities are to be purchased, the number of Option Securities to be purchased by each Underwriter shall be the number of Option Securities which bears the same ratio to the aggregate number of Option Securities being purchased as the number of Underwritten Securities set forth

opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule 1 hereto (or such number increased as set forth in Section 10 hereof) bears to the number of Underwritten Securities being purchased from the Company by the several Underwriters, subject, however, to such adjustments to eliminate any fractional shares as the Representative in its sole discretion shall make.

The Underwriters may exercise the option to purchase the Option Securities at any time in whole, or from time to time in part, on or before the thirtieth day following the date of this Agreement, by written notice from the Representative to the Company. Such notice shall set forth the aggregate number of Option Securities as to which the option is being exercised and the date and time when the Option Securities are to be delivered and paid for, which may be the same date and time as the Closing Date (as hereinafter defined) but shall not be earlier than the Closing Date or, with respect to Option Securities to be delivered after the Closing Date, no earlier than two or later than ten full business days (as hereinafter defined) after the date of such notice (unless such time and date are postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10 hereof).

(b) The Company understands that the Underwriters intend to make a public offering of the Securities as soon after the effectiveness of this Agreement as in the judgment of the Representative is advisable, and initially to offer the Securities on the terms set forth in the Prospectus. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters may offer and sell Securities to or through any affiliate of an Underwriter and that any such affiliate may offer and sell Securities purchased by it to or through any Underwriter.

(c) Payment for the Securities shall be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account specified by the Company to the Representative in the case of the Underwritten Securities, at the offices of Xxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP, 000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000 at 10:00 A.M. New York City time on December 13, 2010, or at such other time or place on the same or such other date, not later than the fifth business day thereafter, as the Representative and the Company may agree upon in writing or, in the case of the Option Securities, on the date and at the time and place specified by the Representative in the written notice of the Underwriters’ election to purchase such Option Securities. The time and date of such payment for the Underwritten Securities is referred to herein as the “Closing Date” and the time and date for such payment for the Option Securities, if other than the Closing Date, is herein referred to as the “Additional Closing Date”.

Payment for the Securities to be purchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall be made against delivery to the nominee of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters of the Securities to be purchased on such date in one global certificate representing the Securities (the “Global Certificate”), with any

transfer taxes payable in connection with the sale of such Securities duly paid by the Company. The Global Certificate for the Securities will be made available for inspection by the Representative at the office of Xxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP set forth above not later than 1:00 P.M., New York City time, on the business day prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.

(d) The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters are acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the Company with respect to the offering of Securities contemplated hereby (including in connection with determining the terms of the offering) and not as a financial advisor or a fiduciary to, or an agent of, the Company or any other person. Additionally, neither the Representative nor any other Underwriter is advising the Company or any other person as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction. The Company shall consult with its own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making its own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Underwriters shall have no responsibility or liability to the Company with respect thereto. Any review by the Underwriters of the Company, the transactions contemplated hereby or other matters relating to such transactions will be performed solely for the benefit of the Underwriters and shall not be on behalf of the Company.

3. Representations and Warranties. The Company and KKR Financial Advisors LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Manager”), jointly and severally, represent and warrant to, and agree with, each Underwriter as set forth below in this Section 3 that:

(a) [Intentionally omitted.]

(b) Disclosure Package. The Disclosure Package, at the Execution Time, did not, and at the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by or on behalf of such Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use in such Disclosure Package, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 6(b) hereof.

(c) Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. Other than the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company (including its agents and

representatives, other than the Underwriters in their capacity as such) has not made, used, prepared, authorized, approved or referred to and will not prepare, make, use, authorize, approve or refer to any “written communication” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the Securities (each such communication by the Company or its agents and representatives (other than a communication referred to in clause (i) below) (an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”)) other than (i) any document not constituting a prospectus pursuant to Section 2(a)(10)(a) of the Securities Act or Rule 134 under the Securities Act or (ii) the documents listed on Annex F hereto, each electronic road show and any other written communications approved in writing in advance by the Representative. Each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus complied in all material respects with the Securities Act, has been or will be (within the time period specified in Rule 433) filed in accordance with the Securities Act (to the extent required thereby) and, when taken together with the Basic Prospectus filed prior to the first use of such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, did not, and as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use in such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 6(b) hereof. Each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the public offer and sale of the Securities or until any earlier date that the Company notified or notifies the Representative as described in Section 4(e), did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein.

(d) Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Registration Statement has become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued by the Commission and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act against the Company or related to the offering has been initiated or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission; as of the applicable effective date of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, the Registration

Statement complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act, and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and as of the date of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, the Prospectus does not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by or on behalf of such Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 6(b) hereof.

(e) Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Disclosure Package, when they were filed with the Commission conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and none of such documents contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Disclosure Package, when such documents are filed with the Commission, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

(f) Organization and Good Standing. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has been duly formed or incorporated, as the case may be, and is validly existing as a limited liability company, business or statutory trust, or corporation, as the case may be, in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which it is formed or incorporated, as the case may be, with full limited liability company, trust or corporate power and authority as a limited liability company, business or statutory trust, or corporation, as the case may be, to own, lease and operate its properties and conduct its business as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and each of the Company and its subsidiaries is duly qualified to do business as

a foreign limited liability company, business or statutory trust, or corporation, as the case may be, and is in good standing under the applicable laws of each jurisdiction which requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), members’ or shareholders’ equity, results of operations, assets or business of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole (a “Material Adverse Effect”).

(g) Subsidiary Shares. All the outstanding shares of capital stock, trust securities or limited liability company interests, as the case may be, of each subsidiary have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and nonassessable, and, except as otherwise set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, all outstanding shares, trust securities and limited liability company interests of the subsidiaries are owned by the Company either directly or indirectly, free and clear of any perfected security interest or any other security interests, claims, liens or encumbrances.

(h) Capitalization. The Company’s authorized capitalization is as set forth in the Prospectus under the caption “Capitalization” in the line items “Common shares” and “Preferred shares”. All of the outstanding Common Shares have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable, and the holders of the Common Shares shall not be obligated personally for any of the debts, obligations or liabilities of the Company, whether arising in contract, tort or otherwise, solely by reason of being a member of the Company and are not liable under the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act (the “LLC Act”) or the Operating Agreement (as defined below) to make any capital contributions or other payments to the Company with respect to the Common Shares (however, a holder of Common Shares may be obligated to repay any funds wrongfully distributed to it by the Company and to make other payments under the Operating Agreement, all as described in the Basic Prospectus and the Prospectus under the caption “Description of Shares”); the holders of outstanding Common Shares are not entitled to preemptive rights or other rights to subscribe for the Securities; and, except as set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no options, warrants or other rights to purchase, agreements or other obligations to issue, or rights to convert any obligations into or exchange any securities for, Common Shares, preferred shares representing limited liability company interests in the Company (the “Preferred Shares”) or other ownership interests in the Company are outstanding.

(i) Description of Common Shares. The statements set forth under the heading “Description of Shares” in the Basic Prospectus and the Prospectus, insofar as such statements purport to summarize certain

provisions of the Securities and the Operating Agreement, provide a fair summary of such provisions.

(j) No Consents Required. No consent, approval, authorization, filing with or order of any court or governmental agency or body is required in connection with the transactions contemplated herein, except such as have been obtained under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and such as may be required under the Blue Sky laws of any jurisdiction in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters in the manner contemplated herein and in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(k) No Conflicts. None of the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the issuance and sale of the Securities nor the consummation of any other of the transactions herein contemplated, nor the fulfillment of the terms hereof, nor compliance by the Company and the Manager with the terms and provisions of this Agreement and the Amended and Restated Management Agreement, dated as of May 4, 2007 (as amended, the “Management Agreement”), as applicable, will conflict with, result in a breach or violation of, or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, (i) the charter or by-laws or other organizational or governing documents, as applicable, of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, including, without limitation, the certificate of formation of the Company and the Amended and Restated Operating Agreement of the Company (as amended, the “Operating Agreement”), (ii) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries or the Manager is a party or bound or to which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or the Manager is subject, or (iii) any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree applicable to the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or the Manager, except (solely in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) of this paragraph) for such breaches or violations which would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and which would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

(l) No Registration Rights. No holders or beneficial owners of securities of the Company have rights to the registration of such securities under the Registration Statement.

(m) Financial Statements. The consolidated financial statements of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries incorporated by reference

in the Basic Prospectus, the Prospectus and the Registration Statement present fairly in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates and for the periods indicated, comply as to form with the applicable accounting requirements of the Securities Act and have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis (except as otherwise noted therein). The selected financial data set forth under the caption “Selected Consolidated Financial Data” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009 presents fairly in all material respects, on the basis stated therein, the information included therein.

(n) Legal Proceedings. No action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries or the Manager or any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or of the Manager is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company and the Manager, threatened that if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries or the Manager, as the case may be, (i) could, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the performance of this Agreement or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated hereby or (ii) could, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto filed after the Execution Time).

(o) Conduct of Operations. Each of the Company and each of its subsidiaries owns or leases all such properties as are necessary to the conduct of its operations as presently conducted.

(p) No Violation or Default. Neither the Company nor any subsidiary is in violation or default of (i) any provision of its charter or bylaws or other organizational documents, as applicable, including, without limitation, the certificate of formation of the Company or the Operating Agreement, (ii) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which it is a party or bound or to which its property is subject, or (iii) any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Company or such subsidiary or any properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, as applicable, except (solely in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) of this paragraph) for such defaults or violations which would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Manager is not in violation or default of any provisions of the Management Agreement.

(q) Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the Manager.

(r) The Securities. The Securities have been duly authorized by the Company and, when issued and delivered and paid for as provided herein, will be fully paid and nonassessable and will conform to the descriptions thereof in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and the issuance of the Securities will not be subject to any preemptive or similar rights and the holders of the Securities shall not be obligated personally for any of the debts, obligations or liabilities of the Company, whether arising in contract, tort or otherwise, solely by reason of being a member of the Company and are not liable under the LLC Act or the Operating Agreement to make any capital contributions or other payments to the Company with respect to the Securities (however, a holder of Securities may be obligated to repay any funds wrongfully distributed to it by the Company and to make other payments under the Operating Agreement, all as described in the Basic Prospectus and the Prospectus under the caption “Description of Shares”).

(s) Independent Accountants. Deloitte & Touche LLP, who have rendered their report of independent registered public accounting firm on certain consolidated financial statements of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries and delivered their report dated as of March 1, 2010 with respect to the audited consolidated financial statements included in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, are an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act and the applicable published rules and regulations thereunder and the rules and regulations of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.

(t) Tax and Information Returns. The Company and its subsidiaries have filed all foreign, federal, state and local tax and information returns that are required to be filed or, if applicable, has requested extensions thereof (except in any case in which the failure so to file would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto filed after the Execution Time)) and have paid all taxes required to be paid by any of them and any other assessment, fine or penalty levied against it, to the extent that any of the foregoing is due and payable, except for any such assessment, fine or penalty that is currently being contested in good faith or which, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto filed after the Execution Time).

(u) Insurance. The Company and its subsidiaries carry or are covered by insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as is adequate for the conduct of their respective businesses and the value of their respective assets, except where the failure to maintain such insurance would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(v) No Restrictions on Subsidiaries. No subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s capital stock or other equity interests, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such subsidiary’s property or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company, except as described in or contemplated by the Disclosure Package, the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto filed after the Execution Time) and the Stock Purchase Agreement dated March 4, 2008 among KKR Financial Corp., the Company and Rock Capital 2 LLC relating to the sale of KKR Financial Corp., as amended and restated on June 30, 2008, except that the Company’s special purpose subsidiaries (KKR Financial CLO 2005-2, Ltd., KKR Financial CLO 2006-1, Ltd., KKR Financial CLO 2007-1, Ltd., KKR Financial CLO 2007-4, Ltd., KKR Financial CLO 2007-A, Ltd., KKR Financial CLO 2008-1, Ltd., KKR Financial CLO 2009-1, Ltd., KKR Financial CDO 2005-1, Ltd., KKR Atlantic Funding Trust, KKR Pacific Funding Trust, KKR Financial CLO 2005-1, Ltd. and Wayzata Funding LLC) are precluded from paying any dividends and/or making any distributions of cash or earnings to the Company except as specifically provided in the respective indentures and/or credit agreements, as the case may be, to which such special purpose subsidiaries are parties.

(w) Licenses and Permits. The Company and its subsidiaries possess all licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations issued by the appropriate federal, state or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses, and, to the Company’s knowledge, neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authorization or permit which, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto filed after the Execution Time).

(x) Accounting Controls. The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial

statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.

(y) Disclosure Controls. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain “disclosure controls and procedures” (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act); such disclosure controls and procedures are effective.

(z) Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act. The Company is in compliance in all material respects with all applicable requirements of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations thereunder.

(aa) Compliance with Law. The Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with all applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws, rules and regulations, orders, decrees and judgments, including those relating to transactions with affiliates, except where the failure to so comply would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(bb) Compliance With Environmental Laws and ERISA. Neither the Company nor its subsidiaries nor the Manager has violated, received notice of or knows of any violation by the Company or its subsidiaries or the Manager with respect to any applicable environmental, safety or similar law, or any federal or state law relating to discrimination in the hiring, promotion or pay of employees performing services for the Company or its subsidiaries, or any applicable federal or state wages and hours law, or any provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, the violation of any of which could, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(cc) No Unlawful Payments. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any officer or director purporting to act on behalf of the Company has at any time (i) made any contributions to any candidate for state or national political office, or failed to disclose fully any such contributions, in either case, in violation of law, (ii) made any payment to any state, federal or foreign governmental officer or official, or other person charged with similar public or quasi-public duties, other than payments required or allowed by applicable law, or (iii) engaged in any transactions, maintained any bank account or used any corporate funds except for transactions, bank accounts and funds which have been and are reflected in the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

(dd) No Outstanding Related Party Loans. There are no outstanding loans or advances or guarantees of indebtedness by the Company to or for the benefit of any of the officers, directors, affiliates that are natural persons or representatives that are natural persons of the Company or any of the members of the families of any of them.

(ee) Most Current Data. To the knowledge of the Company, the industry, statistical and market-related data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus is based on or derived from the most current available sources.

(ff) Intangible Property Rights. To the extent applicable, the Company owns or possesses such licenses or other rights to use all material patents, trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights, software, trade secrets, other intangible property rights and know-how (collectively “Intangibles”) as are necessary to entitle the Company to conduct its business, and the Company has not violated or received written notice of any infringement of or conflict with (and the Company does not know of any such infringement of or conflict with) asserted rights of others with respect to any Intangibles that could, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and, without limitation to the foregoing, the Company has a paid-up royalty free and non-exclusive license to use the service xxxx, corporate name and trade name “KKR.”

(gg) Lending Relationships. Except as disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto filed after the Execution Time), the Company (i) does not have any material lending or other relationship with any bank or lending affiliate of any of the Underwriters and (ii) does not intend to use any of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities hereunder to repay any outstanding debt owed to any affiliate of any of the Underwriters.

(hh) Management Agreement. The Management Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by, and is a valid and binding agreement of, the Company and the Manager, enforceable against the Company and the Manager in accordance with its terms, except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by the Enforceability Exceptions.

(ii) REIT. KKR Financial Corp. has satisfied the requirements for qualification and taxation as a real estate investment trust (a “REIT”) under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), for its taxable years ended December 31, 2004 through December 31, 2007 and for the period from January 1, 2008 through June 30, 2008, and KKR Financial Holdings II, LLC has satisfied the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code for its taxable years ended December 31, 2007 through December 31, 2009, and its current and

proposed method of operation will enable it to continue to qualify as a REIT for its taxable year ending December 31, 2010 and thereafter and all statements in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus regarding KKR Financial Corp.’s and KKR Financial Holdings II, LLC’s qualification as a REIT are true, complete and correct in all material respects.

(jj) Investment Advisers Act. The Manager is not prohibited by the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, or the rules or regulations promulgated thereunder from acting under the Management Agreement as contemplated by the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and the Manager is conducting its investment advisory operations as an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, in reliance on the registration of Kohlberg Kravis Xxxxxxx & Co. (Fixed Income) LLC.

4. Further Agreements of the Company. The Company and (for so long as the Manager is the manager under the Management Agreement) the Manager jointly and severally covenants and agrees with each Underwriter that:

(a) Required Filings. The Company will file the final Prospectus with the Commission within the time periods specified by Rule 424(b) and Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act, will file any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act; will file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of the Prospectus and for so long as the delivery of a prospectus is required in connection with the offering or sale of the Securities; and the Company will furnish copies of the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (to the extent not previously delivered) to the Underwriters in New York City prior to 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement in such quantities as the Representative may reasonably request.

(b) Delivery of Copies. The Company will deliver, without charge, (i) to the Representative, a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto, in each case including all exhibits and consents filed therewith; and (ii) to each Underwriter (A) a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) and (B) during the Prospectus Delivery Period (as defined below), as many copies of the Prospectus (including all amendments and supplements thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein) and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as the Representative may reasonably request. As used herein, the term “Prospectus Delivery Period” means such period of time after the first date of the public offering of the Securities as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters a prospectus relating to the Securities is required by

law to be delivered (or required to be delivered but for Rule 172 under the Securities Act) in connection with sales of the Securities by any Underwriter or dealer.

(c) Amendments or Supplements, Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. Before making, preparing, using, authorizing, approving, referring to or filing any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and before filing any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, the Company will furnish to the Representative and counsel for the Underwriters a copy of the proposed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, amendment or supplement for review and will not make, prepare, use, authorize, approve, refer to or file any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representative reasonably objects.

(d) Notice to the Representative. The Company will advise the Representative promptly, and confirm such advice in writing, (i) when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective; (ii) when any supplement to the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment to the Prospectus has been filed; (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or the receipt of any comments from the Commission relating to the Registration Statement or any other request by the Commission for any additional information; (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of any of the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act; (v) of the occurrence of any event within the Prospectus Delivery Period as a result of which the Prospectus, the Disclosure Package or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus, the Disclosure Package or any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading; and (vi) of the receipt by the Company of any notice with respect to any suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offer and sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and the Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, preventing or suspending the use of any of the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or suspending any such qualification of the Securities and, if any such order is issued, will obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.

(e) Ongoing Compliance. (1) If during the Prospectus Delivery Period (i) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which

the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with law, the Company will as soon as reasonably practicable notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representative may designate, such amendments or supplements to the Prospectus as may be necessary so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus will comply with law and (2) if at any time prior to the Closing Date (i) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Disclosure Package as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Disclosure Package is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Disclosure Package to comply with law, the Company will immediately notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission (to the extent required) and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representative may designate, such amendments or supplements to the Disclosure Package as may be necessary so that the statements in the Disclosure Package as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances, be misleading or so that the Disclosure Package will comply with law.

(f) Blue Sky Compliance. The Company will qualify the Securities for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representative shall reasonably request and will continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for distribution of the Securities; provided that the Company shall not be required to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation or other entity or as a dealer in securities in any such jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (ii) file any general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction or (iii) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction if it is not otherwise so subject.

(g) Clear Market. For a period of 45 days after the date of the offering of the Securities, the Company will not (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, or file with the Commission a registration statement under the Securities Act relating to,

any shares of Common Shares or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Shares, or publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge, disposition or filing, or (ii) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Shares or any such other securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Shares or such other securities, in cash or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the Representative; provided that (i) the Company may issue and sell the Securities to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement, (ii) the Company may issue and sell Common Shares or securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, Common Shares pursuant to any employee or director stock option plan, stock ownership plan or distribution reinvestment plan of the Company in effect at the Execution Time, (iii) the Company may issue Common Shares issuable upon the conversion of securities or the exercise of warrants outstanding at the Execution Time, (iv) the Company may file a registration statement on Form S-3 (but not issue any Common Shares or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Shares thereunder) or Form S-8, and (v) subject to prior approval by the Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors, the Company may issue Common Shares, restricted Common Shares or any securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, Common Shares, pursuant to the Company’s 2007 Share Incentive Plan or the Company’s Non-Employee Directors’ Deferred Compensation and Share Award Plan.

(h) Use of Proceeds. The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the heading “Use of Proceeds”.

(i) No Stabilization. The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Securities and will not take any action prohibited by Regulation M under the Exchange Act in connection with the distribution of the Securities contemplated hereby.

(j) Exchange Listing. The Company will use its best efforts to list, subject to notice of issuance, the Securities on the New York Stock Exchange (the “Exchange”).

(k) Reports. During the period three years hereafter, the Company will furnish to the Representative, as soon as they are available, copies of all reports or other communications (financial or other) furnished to holders of the Securities, and copies of any reports and financial statements furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national

securities exchange or automatic quotation system, provided, however, in no event shall the Company be required to furnish copies of any such documents that are filed and publicly accessible via the XXXXX database.

(l) Record Retention. The Company will, pursuant to reasonable procedures developed in good faith, retain copies of each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 433 under the Securities Act.

5. Certain Agreements of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter hereby represents and agrees that it has not used, authorized use of, referred to or participated in the planning for use of, and will not use, authorize use of, refer to or participate in the planning for use of, any “free writing prospectus”, as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act (which term includes use of any written information furnished to the Commission by the Company and not incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and any press release issued by the Company) other than (i) a free writing prospectus that contains no “issuer information” (as defined in Rule 433(h)(2) under the Securities Act) that was not included (including through incorporation by reference) in the Basic Prospectus or a previously filed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, (ii) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed on Annex F or prepared pursuant to Section 3(c) or Section 4(c) above (including any electronic road show), (iii) any free writing prospectus prepared by such underwriter and approved by the Company in advance in writing or (iv) any free writing prospectus that is not required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to applicable rules.

6. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligation of each Underwriter to purchase the Underwritten Securities on the Closing Date or the Option Securities on the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be as provided herein is subject to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:

(a) Registration Compliance; No Stop Order. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceeding for such purpose or pursuant to Section 8A under the Securities Act shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission; the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission under the Securities Act (in the case of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act) and in accordance with Section 4(a) hereof; and all requests by the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Representative.

(b) Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Company contained herein shall be true and correct on the date hereof and on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be; and the statements of the Company and its

officers made in any certificates delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall be true and correct on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.

(c) No Downgrade. Subsequent to the earlier of (A) the Execution Time and (B) the execution and delivery of this Agreement, (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded any of the Company’s debt securities by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization”, as such term is defined in the Exchange Act and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, or has changed its outlook with respect to, its rating of any of the Company’s debt securities (other than an announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading), including any notice given of any intended or potential decrease in any such rating or of a possible change in any such rating that does not indicate the direction of the possible change.

(d) No Material Adverse Change. Subsequent to the Execution Time or, if earlier, the dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment thereto), the Disclosure Package (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto) and the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto), there shall not have been (i) any change or decrease specified in the letter or letters referred to in paragraph (f) of this Section 6 or (ii) any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto) the effect of which, in any case referred to in clause (i) or (ii) above, is, in the sole judgment of the Representative, so material and adverse as to make it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Securities as contemplated by the Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment thereof), the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).

(e) Officer’s Certificate. The Representative shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, a certificate of the chief financial officer or chief accounting officer of the Company and one additional senior executive officer of the Company who is satisfactory to the Representative (i) confirming that such officers have carefully reviewed the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and, to the best knowledge of such officers, the representations set forth in Sections 3(b) and 3(d) hereof are true and correct on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, (ii) confirming that the other representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct and that the Company

has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to such Closing Date and (iii) to the effect set forth in paragraphs (a), (c) and (d) above.

(f) Comfort Letters. On the date of this Agreement and on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, Deloitte & Touche LLP shall have furnished to the Representative, at the request of the Company, letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative, containing statements and information of the type customarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; provided, that the letter delivered on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be shall use a “cut-off” date no more than three business days prior to such Closing Date or such Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.

(g) Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Company. Each of (i) Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP, counsel for the Company, and (ii) Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx, Esq., General Counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representative, at the request of the Company, their written opinion and, in the case of Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP, its 10b-5 statement, dated the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative, to the effect set forth in Annexes A and B, respectively, hereto.

(h) Opinion of Delaware Counsel. Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxx & Finger, P.A., Delaware counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representative their opinion, dated the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative, to the effect set forth in Annex C hereto.

(i) Opinion Related to Tax Matters. Hunton & Xxxxxxxx LLP, special counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representative, at the request of the Company, their written opinion, dated the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative, to the effect set forth in Annex D hereto.

(j) Opinion Related to Other Matters. Dechert LLP, special counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representative, at the request of the Company, their written opinion, dated the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and addressed to the

Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative, to the effect set forth in Annex E hereto.

(k) Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Underwriters. The Representative shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, an opinion and 10b-5 statement of Xxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, with respect to such matters as the Representative may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such documents and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.

(l) No Legal Impediment to Issuance. No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any federal, state or foreign governmental or regulatory authority that would, as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities; and no injunction or order of any federal, state or foreign court shall have been issued that would, as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities.

(m) Exchange Listing. The Securities to be delivered on the Closing Date or Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall have been approved for listing on the Exchange, subject to official notice of issuance.

(n) Lock-up Agreements. The “lock-up” agreements, each substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, between you and Xxxxxxx XxXxxxxx, Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx and Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx relating to sales and certain other dispositions of shares of Common Shares or certain other securities, delivered to you on or before the date hereof, shall be in full force and effect on the Closing Date or Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.

(o) Additional Documents. On or prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, the Company shall have furnished to the Representative such further certificates and documents as the Representative may reasonably request.

(p) All opinions, letters, certificates and evidence mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.

7. Indemnification and Contribution.

(a) Indemnification of the Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, legal fees and other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred), joint or several, that arise out of, or are based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, not misleading, (ii) or any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) or any Disclosure Package (including any Disclosure Package that has subsequently been amended), or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in subsection (b) below. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have.

(b) Indemnification of the Company. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in paragraph (a) above, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (including, without limitation, legal fees and other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred) that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by or on behalf of such Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free

Writing Prospectus or any Disclosure Package, it being understood and agreed upon that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the following information in the Prospectus furnished on behalf of each Underwriter: the third paragraph of text under the caption “Underwriter” in the Prospectus Supplement concerning the terms of offering by the Underwriter; and the seventh paragraph of text under the caption “Underwriter” in the Prospectus Supplement regarding stabilization by the Underwriter. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which any Underwriter may otherwise have.

(c) Notice and Procedures. If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any person in respect of which indemnification may be sought pursuant to either paragraph (a) or (b) above, such person (the “Indemnified Person”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnification may be sought (the “Indemnifying Person”) in writing; provided that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under paragraph (a) or (b) above except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided, further, that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an Indemnified Person otherwise than under paragraph (a) or (b) above. If any such proceeding shall be brought or asserted against an Indemnified Person and it shall have notified the Indemnifying Person thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person (who shall not, without the consent of the Indemnified Person, be counsel to the Indemnifying Person) to represent the Indemnified Person in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and expenses of such counsel related to such proceeding, as incurred. In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless (i) the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary; (ii) the Indemnifying Person has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person; (iii) the Indemnified Person shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or in addition to those available to the Indemnifying Person; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interest between them. It is understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceeding in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons,

and that all such fees and expenses shall be paid or reimbursed as they are incurred. Any such separate firm for any Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and any control persons of such Underwriter shall be designated in writing by the Representative and any such separate firm for the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and any control persons of the Company shall be designated in writing by the Company. The Indemnifying Person shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an Indemnified Person shall have requested that an Indemnifying Person reimburse the Indemnified Person for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by this paragraph, the Indemnifying Person shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by the Indemnifying Person of such request and (ii) the Indemnifying Person shall not have reimbursed the Indemnified Person in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No Indemnifying Person shall, without the written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and indemnification could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless such settlement (x) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (y) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person.

(d) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in paragraphs (a) and (b) above is unavailable to an Indemnified Person or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Person under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, from the offering of the Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the

Underwriters, on the other, shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds (before deducting expenses) received by the Company from the sale of the Securities and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters in connection therewith, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate offering price of the Securities. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, 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 by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

(e) Limitation on Liability. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (d) above. The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in paragraph (d) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the offering of the Securities exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to their respective purchase obligations hereunder and not joint.

(f) Non-Exclusive Remedies. The remedies provided for in this Section 7 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any Indemnified Person at law or in equity.

8. Effectiveness of Agreement. This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto.

9. Termination. This Agreement may be terminated in the absolute discretion of the Representative, by notice to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date or, in the case of the

Option Securities, prior to the Additional Closing Date (i) trading in the Company’s Common Shares shall have been suspended by the Commission or the Exchange; (ii) trading in securities generally on the Exchange shall have been suspended or limited or minimum prices shall have been established on such exchange; (iii) a banking moratorium shall have been declared either by U.S. federal or New York State authorities; or (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities in which the United States is involved or is reasonably likely to become involved, declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war, or other calamity or crisis the effect of which on financial markets is such as to make it, in the sole judgment of the Representative, impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Securities as contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto filed after the Execution Time).

10. Defaulting Underwriter. (a) If, on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, any Underwriter defaults on its obligation to purchase the Securities that it has agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, the non-defaulting Underwriters may in their discretion arrange for the purchase of such Securities by other persons satisfactory to the Company on the terms contained in this Agreement. If, within 36 hours after any such default by any Underwriter, the non-defaulting Underwriters do not arrange for the purchase of such Securities, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of 36 hours within which to procure other persons satisfactory to the non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase such Securities on such terms. If other persons become obligated or agree to purchase the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter, either the non defaulting Underwriters or the Company may postpone the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, for up to five full business days in order to effect any changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the Underwriters may be necessary in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or in any other document or arrangement, and the Company agrees to promptly prepare any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus that effects any such changes. As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” includes, for all purposes of this Agreement unless the context otherwise requires, any person not listed in Schedule 1 hereto that, pursuant to this Section 10, purchases Securities that a defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase.

(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate number of Securities that remain unpurchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate number of Securities to be purchased on such date, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the number of Securities that such

Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder on such date plus such Underwriter’s pro rata share (based on the number of Securities that such Underwriter agreed to purchase on such date) of the Securities of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made.

(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate number of Securities that remain unpurchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate amount of Securities to be purchased on such date, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in paragraph (b) above, then this Agreement or, with respect to any Additional Closing Date, the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase Securities on the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall terminate without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters. Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 10 shall be without liability on the part of the Company, except that the Company will continue to be liable for the payment of expenses as set forth in Section 11 hereof and except that the provisions of Section 7 hereof shall not terminate and shall remain in effect.

(d) Nothing contained herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of any liability it may have to the Company or any non-defaulting Underwriter for damages caused by its default.

11. Payment of Expenses. (a) Whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company will pay or cause to be paid all costs and expenses incident to the performance of its and the Manager’s obligations hereunder, including without limitation, (i) the costs incident to the authorization, issuance, sale, preparation and delivery of the Securities and any taxes payable in that connection; (ii) the costs incident to the preparation, printing and filing under the Securities Act of the Registration Statement, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (including all exhibits, amendments and supplements thereto) and the distribution thereof; (iii) the fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel and independent accountants; (iv) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the registration or qualification and determination of eligibility for investment of the Securities under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representative may reasonably designate and the preparation, printing and distribution of a Blue Sky Memorandum (including the related fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters); (v) all expenses and application fees incurred in connection with any filing with, and clearance of the offering by, FINRA and the approval of the Securities for book-entry transfer by DTC; (vi) all expenses incurred by the Company in connection with any “road show” presentation to potential investors (except that the Underwriters shall pay one-half of the

expenses of any aircraft chartered by the Company and the Underwriters for such “road show” and all of their own costs and expenses, including all travel, lodging and other expenses of the Underwriters incurred by them in connection with any “road show”); and (ix) all expenses and application fees related to the listing of the Securities on the Exchange.

(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the sale of the Securities provided for herein is not consummated because any condition to the obligations of the Underwriters set forth in Section 6 hereof is not satisfied, because of any termination pursuant to Section 9(i) hereof or because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company or the Manager to perform any agreement herein or comply with any provision hereof other than by reason of a default by any of the Underwriters, the Company and the Manager, jointly and severally, will reimburse the Underwriters severally through the Representative on demand for all out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel) that shall have been incurred by them in connection with the proposed purchase and sale of the Securities. If the sale of the Securities provided for herein is not consummated because of any termination pursuant to Sections 9(ii), (iii) or (iv) hereof, the Company and the Manager, jointly and severally, will reimburse the Underwriters severally through the Representative on demand for one-half of all out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel) that shall have been incurred by them in connection with the proposed purchase and sale of the Securities.

12. Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers and directors and any controlling persons referred to in Section 8 hereof. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any other person any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein. No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor merely by reason of such purchase.

13. Survival. The respective indemnities, rights of contribution, representations, warranties and agreements of the Company and the Underwriters contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement or any certificate delivered pursuant hereto shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Securities. The provisions of Section 7 shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any termination of this Agreement or any investigation made by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriters.

14. Certain Defined Terms. For purposes of this Agreement, (a) except where otherwise expressly provided, the term “affiliate” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; (b) the term “business day” means any day other than a day on which banks are permitted or required to be closed in New

York City; and (c) the term “subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

15. Miscellaneous. (a) Authority of the Representative. Any action by the Underwriters hereunder may be taken by the Representative on behalf of the Underwriters, and any such action taken by the Representative shall be binding upon the Underwriters.

(b) Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted and confirmed by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be given to the Representative c/o Morgan Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated, 0000 Xxxxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, Facsimile: (000) 000-0000, Attention: Equity Syndicate.

(c) Governing Law. This Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

(d) Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in counterparts (which may include counterparts delivered by any standard form of telecommunication), each of which shall be an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

(e) Amendments or Waivers. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, nor any consent or approval to any departure therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the parties hereto.

(f) Headings. The headings herein are included for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.

(g) Entire Agreement. This Agreement, together with the exhibits, annexes and schedules hereto, contains the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral or written, with regard to such matters.

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please indicate your acceptance of this Agreement by signing in the space provided below.

	Very truly yours,

	KKR FINANCIAL HOLDINGS LLC


	By:	/s/ XXXXXXX X. XXXXXXXX
		Name: Xxxxxxx X. XxXxxxxx
		Title: Chief Financial Officer


	KKR FINANCIAL ADVISORS LLC


	By:	/s/ XXXXXXX X. XXXXXXXX
		Name: Xxxxxxx X. XxXxxxxx
		Title: Authorized Signatory

Accepted: December 8, 2010

XXXXXX XXXXXXX & CO. INCORPORATED


By:	/s/ XXXXXXX XXXX
	Name: Xxxxxxx Xxxx
	Title: Managing Director

For themselves and on behalf of the several Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto.

Schedule 1

Underwriter		Number of Underwritten Securities
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated		18,000,000
Total		18,000,000

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KKR FINANCIAL HOLDINGS LLC 18,000,000 Common Shares, no par value Underwriting Agreement

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