Exhibit No. 5(a)
LIQUID INSTITUTIONAL RESERVES
PRINCIPAL UNDERWRITING CONTRACT
CONTRACT made as of May 9, 2001, between LIQUID INSTITUTIONAL RESERVES, a
Massachusetts business trust, ("Fund"), and XXXXXXX ADVISORS, INC., a Delaware
corporation ("Xxxxxxx Advisors").
WHEREAS the Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940,
as amended ("l940 Act"), as an open-end management investment company and
currently offers three distinct series of shares of beneficial interest
("Series"), each of which corresponds to a distinct portfolio which have been
designated as Xxxxxxx LIR Money Market Fund, Xxxxxxx LIR Government Securities
Fund and Xxxxxxx LIR Treasury Securities Fund and for which the Fund's board of
trustees ("Board") has established an unlimited number of shares of beneficial
interest ("Shares"); and
WHEREAS the Fund desires to retain Xxxxxxx Advisors as principal
underwriter in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares of the
above-referenced Series and of such other Series as may hereafter be designated
by the Board; and
WHEREAS Xxxxxxx Advisors is willing to act as principal underwriter of the
Shares of each such Series on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and mutual covenants
herein contained, it is agreed between the parties hereto as follows:
1. Appointment. The Fund hereby appoints Xxxxxxx Advisors as its exclusive
agent to be the principal underwriter to sell and to arrange for the sale of the
Shares on the terms and for the period set forth in this Contract. Xxxxxxx
Advisors hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to act hereunder. It is
understood, however, that this appointment does not preclude sales of the Shares
directly through the Fund's transfer agent in the manner set forth in the
Registration Statement. As used in this Contract, the term "Registration
Statement" shall mean the currently effective registration statement of the
Fund, and any supplements thereto, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
("1933 Act"), and the 1940 Act.
2. Services and Duties of Xxxxxxx Advisors.
(a) Xxxxxxx Advisors agrees to sell Shares on a best efforts basis
from time to time during the term of this Contract as agent for the Fund and
upon the terms described in the Registration Statement.
(b) Upon the later of the date of this Contract or the initial
offering of Shares to the public by a Series, Xxxxxxx Advisors will hold itself
available to receive purchase orders, satisfactory to Xxxxxxx Advisors, for
Shares of that Series and will accept such orders on behalf of the Fund as of
the time of receipt of such orders and promptly transmit such orders as are
accepted to the Fund's transfer agent. Purchase orders shall be deemed effective
at the time and in the manner set forth in the Registration Statement.
(c) Xxxxxxx Advisors in its discretion may enter into agreements to
sell Shares to such registered and qualified retail dealers, as it may select.
In making agreements with such dealers, Xxxxxxx Advisors shall act only as
principal and not as agent for the Fund.
(d) The offering price of the Shares shall be the net asset value
per share as next determined by the Fund following receipt of an order at
Xxxxxxx Advisors' principal office. The Fund shall promptly furnish Brinson
Advisors with a statement of each computation of net asset value.
(e) Xxxxxxx Advisors shall not be obligated to sell any certain
number of Shares.
(f) To facilitate redemption of Shares by shareholders directly or
through dealers, Xxxxxxx Advisors is authorized but not required on behalf of
the Fund to repurchase Shares presented to it by shareholders and dealers at the
price determined in accordance with, and in the manner set forth in, the
Registration Statement.
(g) Xxxxxxx Advisors shall have the right to use any list of
shareholders of the Fund or any other list of investors which it obtains in
connection with its provision of services under this Contract; provided,
however, that Xxxxxxx Advisors shall not sell or knowingly provide such list or
lists to any unaffiliated person.
3. Authorization to Enter into Dealer Agreements and to Delegate Duties as
Principal Underwriter. With respect to the Shares of any or all Series, Xxxxxxx
Advisors may enter into dealer agreements with any registered and qualified
dealer with respect to sales of Shares or the provision of service activities.
In a separate contract or as part of any such dealer agreement, Xxxxxxx Advisors
also may delegate to any registered and qualified dealer any or all of its
duties specified in this Contract, provided that such separate contract or
dealer agreement imposes on the counterparty bound thereby all applicable duties
and conditions to which Xxxxxxx Advisors is subject under this Contract.
4. Services Not Exclusive. The services furnished by Xxxxxxx Advisors
hereunder are not to be deemed exclusive and Xxxxxxx Advisors shall be free to
furnish similar services to others so long as its services under this Contract
are not impaired thereby. Nothing in this Contract shall limit or restrict the
right of any director, officer or employee of Xxxxxxx Advisors, who may also be
a Board member, officer or employee of the Fund, to engage in any other business
or to devote his or her time and attention in part to the management or other
aspects of any other business, whether of a similar or a dissimilar nature.
5. Compensation.
The Fund shall have no obligation to compensate Xxxxxxx Advisors for
any services performed by it hereunder.
6. Duties of the Fund.
(a) The Fund reserves the right at any time to withdraw offering any
class or classes of Shares of any or all Series by written notice to Xxxxxxx
Advisors at its principal office.
(b) The Fund shall keep Xxxxxxx Advisors fully informed of its
affairs and shall make available to Xxxxxxx Advisors copies of all information,
financial statements, and
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other documents which Xxxxxxx Advisors may reasonably request for use in
connection with the distribution of Shares, including, without limitation,
certified copies of any financial statements prepared for the Fund by its
independent public accountant and such reasonable number of copies of the most
current prospectus, statement of additional information, and annual and interim
reports of any Series as Xxxxxxx Advisors may request, and the Fund shall
cooperate fully in the efforts of Xxxxxxx Advisors to sell and arrange for the
sale of the Shares of the Series and in the performance of Xxxxxxx Advisors
under this Contract.
(c) The Fund shall take, from time to time, all necessary action,
including payment of the related filing fee, as may be necessary to register its
Shares under the 1933 Act to the end that there will be available for sale such
number of Shares as Xxxxxxx Advisors may be expected to sell. The Fund agrees to
file, from time to time, such amendments, reports, and other documents as may be
necessary in order that there will be no untrue statement of a material fact in
the Registration Statement, nor any omission of a material fact which omission
would make the statements therein misleading.
(d) The Fund shall use its best efforts to qualify and maintain the
qualification of an appropriate number of Shares of each Series for sale under
the securities laws of such states or other jurisdictions as Xxxxxxx Advisors
and the Fund may approve, provided that the Fund shall not be required to amend
its Declaration of Trust or By-Laws to comply with the laws of any jurisdiction,
to maintain an office in any jurisdiction, to change the terms of the offering
of the Shares in any jurisdiction from the terms set forth in its Registration
Statement, to qualify as a foreign corporation in any jurisdiction, or to
consent to service of process in any jurisdiction other than with respect to
claims arising out of the offering of the Shares. Xxxxxxx Advisors shall furnish
such information and other material relating to its affairs and activities as
may be required by the Fund in connection with such qualifications.
7. Expenses of the Fund. The Fund shall bear all costs and expenses of
registering the Shares with the Securities and Exchange Commission and
qualifying the Shares for offer and sale with state and other regulatory bodies,
and shall assume expenses related to communications with shareholders of each
Series, including (i) fees and disbursements of its counsel and independent
public accountant; (ii) the preparation, filing and printing of registration
statements and/or prospectuses or statements of additional information required
under the federal securities laws; (iii) the preparation and mailing of annual
and interim reports, prospectuses, statements of additional information and
proxy materials to shareholders; and (iv) the qualifications of Shares for sale
under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as shall be selected by the Fund
and Xxxxxxx Advisors pursuant to Paragraph 6(d) hereof, and the costs and
expenses payable to each such jurisdiction for continuing qualification therein.
8. Expenses of Xxxxxxx Advisors. Xxxxxxx Advisors shall bear all costs and
expenses of (i) preparing, printing and distributing any materials not prepared
by the Fund and other materials used by Xxxxxxx Advisors in connection with the
sale of Shares under this Contract, including the additional cost of printing
copies of prospectuses, statements of additional information, and annual and
interim shareholder reports other than copies thereof required for distribution
to existing shareholders or for filing with any federal or state securities
authorities; (ii) any expenses of advertising incurred by Xxxxxxx Advisors in
connection with such offering; (iii) the expenses of registration or
qualification of Xxxxxxx Advisors as a broker or dealer under federal or state
laws and the expenses of continuing such registration or qualification; and (iv)
all compensation paid to Xxxxxxx Advisors' employees and others for
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selling Shares, and all expenses of Xxxxxxx Advisors, its employees and others
who engage in or support the sale of Shares as may be incurred in connection
with their sales efforts.
9. Indemnification.
(a) The Fund agrees to indemnify, defend and hold Xxxxxxx Advisors, its
officers and directors, and any person who controls Xxxxxxx Advisors within the
meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act, free and harmless from and against any
and all claims, demands, liabilities and expenses (including the cost of
investigating or defending such claims, demands or liabilities and any counsel
fees incurred in connection therewith) which Xxxxxxx Advisors, its officers,
directors or any such controlling person may incur under the 1933 Act, or under
common law or otherwise, arising out of or based upon any alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or arising
out of or based upon any alleged omission to state a material fact required to
be stated in the Registration Statement or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, except insofar as such claims, demands, liabilities or
expenses arise out of or are based upon any such untrue statement or omission or
alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity
with information furnished in writing by Xxxxxxx Advisors to the Fund for use in
the Registration Statement; provided, however, that this indemnity agreement
shall not inure to the benefit of any person who is also an officer or Board
member of the Fund or who controls the Fund within the meaning of Section 15 of
the 1933 Act, unless a court of competent jurisdiction shall determine, or it
shall have been determined by controlling precedent, that such result would not
be against public policy as expressed in the 1933 Act; and further provided,
that in no event shall anything contained herein be so construed as to protect
Xxxxxxx Advisors against any liability to the Fund or to the shareholders of any
Series to which Xxxxxxx Advisors would otherwise be subject by reason of willful
misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties or
by reason of its reckless disregard of its obligations under this Contract. The
Fund shall not be liable to Xxxxxxx Advisors under this indemnity agreement with
respect to any claim made against Xxxxxxx Advisors or any person indemnified
unless Xxxxxxx Advisors or other such person shall have notified the Fund in
writing of the claim within a reasonable time after the summons or other first
written notification giving information of the nature of the claim shall have
been served upon Xxxxxxx Advisors or such other person (or after Xxxxxxx
Advisors or the person shall have received notice of service on any designated
agent). However, failure to notify the Fund of any claim shall not relieve the
Fund from any liability which it may have to Xxxxxxx Advisors or any person
against whom such action is brought otherwise than on account of this indemnity
agreement. The Fund shall be entitled to participate at its own expense in the
defense or, if it so elects, to assume the defense of any suit brought to
enforce any claims subject to this indemnity agreement. If the Fund elects to
assume the defense of any such claim, the defense shall be conducted by counsel
chosen by the Fund and satisfactory to indemnified defendants in the suit whose
approval shall not be unreasonably withheld. In the event that the Fund elects
to assume the defense of any suit and retain counsel, the indemnified defendants
shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by them. If
the Fund does not elect to assume the defense of a suit, it will reimburse the
indemnified defendants for the reasonable fees and expenses of any counsel
retained by the indemnified defendants. The Fund agrees to notify Xxxxxxx
Advisors promptly of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings against
it or any of its officers or Board members in connection with the issuance or
sale of any of its Shares.
(b) Xxxxxxx Advisors agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold the Fund, its
officers and Board members and any person who controls the Fund within the
meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act, free and harmless from and against any
and all claims, demands, liabilities and
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expenses (including the cost of investigating or defending against such claims,
demands or liabilities and any counsel fees incurred in connection therewith)
which the Fund, its Board members or officers, or any such controlling person
may incur under the 1933 Act or under common law or otherwise arising out of or
based upon any alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in
information furnished by Xxxxxxx Advisors to the Fund for use in the
Registration Statement, arising out of or based upon any alleged omission to
state a material fact in connection with such information required to be stated
in the Registration Statement necessary to make such information not misleading,
or arising out of any agreement between Xxxxxxx Advisors and any retail dealer,
or arising out of any supplemental sales literature or advertising used by
Xxxxxxx Advisors in connection with its duties under this Contract. Xxxxxxx
Advisors shall be entitled to participate, at its own expense, in the defense
or, if it so elects, to assume the defense of any suit brought to enforce the
claim, but if Xxxxxxx Advisors elects to assume the defense, the defense shall
be conducted by counsel chosen by Xxxxxxx Advisors and satisfactory to the
indemnified defendants whose approval shall not be unreasonably withheld. In the
event that Xxxxxxx Advisors elects to assume the defense of any suit and retain
counsel, the defendants in the suit shall bear the fees and expenses of any
additional counsel retained by them. If Xxxxxxx Advisors does not elect to
assume the defense of any suit, it will reimburse the indemnified defendants in
the suit for the reasonable fees and expenses of any counsel retained by them.
10. Services Provided to the Fund by Employees of Xxxxxxx Advisors. Any
person, even though also an officer, director, employee or agent of Xxxxxxx
Advisors, who may be or become an officer, Board member, employee or agent of
the Fund, shall be deemed, when rendering services to the Fund or acting in any
business of the Fund, to be rendering such services to or acting solely for the
Fund and not as an officer, director, employee or agent or one under the control
or direction of Xxxxxxx Advisors even though paid by Xxxxxxx Advisors.
11. Duration and Termination.
(a) This Contract shall become effective upon the date written above,
provided that, with respect to any class of Shares of a Series, this Contract
shall not take effect unless such action has first been approved by vote of a
majority of the Board and by vote of a majority of those Board members who are
not interested persons of the Fund ("Independent Board Members"), cast in person
at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such action.
(b) Unless sooner terminated as provided herein, this Contract shall
continue in effect for two years from the above written date. Thereafter, if not
terminated, this Contract shall continue automatically for successive periods of
twelve months each, provided that such continuance is specifically approved at
least annually (i) by a vote of a majority of the Independent Board Members,
cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval,
and (ii) by the Board or with respect to a class of Shares of any given Series
by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of that class of
Shares of such Series.
(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to a class of Shares of a
Series, this Contract may be terminated at any time, without the payment of any
penalty, by vote of the Board, by vote of a majority of the Independent Board
Members or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of that
class of Shares of the Series on sixty days' written notice to Xxxxxxx Advisors
or by Brinson Advisors at any time, without the payment of any penalty, on sixty
days' written notice to the Fund or such Series. This Contract will
automatically terminate in the event of its assignment.
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(d) Termination of this Contract with respect to a class of Shares of any
given Series shall in no way affect the continued validity of this Contract or
the performance thereunder with respect to any other classes of Shares of that
Series or any classes of Shares of any other Series.
12. Amendment of this Contract. No provision of this Contract may be
changed, waived, discharged or terminated orally, but only by an instrument in
writing signed by the party against which enforcement of the change, waiver,
discharge or termination is sought.
13. Notice. Any notice required or permitted to be given by either party
to the other shall be deemed sufficient upon receipt in writing at the other
party's principal offices.
14. Governing Law. This Contract shall be construed in accordance with the
laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to the conflicts of laws
principles thereof, and in accordance with the 1940 Act, provided, however, that
Section 15 below will be construed in accordance with the laws of the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts. To the extent that the applicable laws of the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts conflict with the applicable provisions of the
1940 Act, the latter shall control.
15. Limitation of Liability of the Board Members and Shareholders of the
Fund. The Board members and the shareholders of the Fund shall not be liable for
any obligations of the Fund or any Series under this Contract, and Xxxxxxx
Advisors agrees that, in asserting any rights or claims under this Contract, it
shall look only to the assets and property of the Fund or the particular Series
in settlement of such right or claims, and not to such Board members or
shareholders.
16. Miscellaneous. The captions in this Contract are included for
convenience of reference only and in no way define or delimit any of the
provisions hereof or otherwise affect their construction or effect. If any
provision of this Contract shall be held or made invalid by a court decision,
statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of this Contract shall not be affected
thereby. This Contract shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of
the parties hereto and their respective successors. As used in this Contract,
the terms "majority of the outstanding voting securities," "interested person"
and "assignment" shall have the same meaning as such terms have in the 1940 Act,
subject to such exemption as may be granted by the Securities and Exchange
Commission by any rule, regulation or order. Where the effect of a requirement
of the 1940 Act reflected in any provision of this Contract is relaxed by a
rule, regulation or order of the Securities and Exchange Commission, whether of
special or general application, such provision shall be deemed to incorporate
the effect of such rule, regulation or order.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Contract to be
executed by their officers designated as of the day and year first above
written.
LIQUID INSTITUTIONAL RESERVES
ATTEST:
/s/ Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx By: /s/ Xxx X. Doberman
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Name: Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Name: Xxx X. Doberman
Title: Assistant Secretary Title: Vice President and Secretary
XXXXXXX ADVISORS, INC.
ATTEST:
/s/ Xxxx Xxxxxxx By: /s/ Xxxxxx X Xxxxxxxxx
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Name: Xxxx Xxxxxxx Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
Title: Associate Director Title: Executive Director
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