2,454,734 Shares Encore Capital Group, Inc. Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT dated March 1, 2011 JMP SECURITIES LLC

Exhibit 1.1

2,454,734 Shares

Encore Capital Group, Inc.

Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

dated March 1, 2011

JMP SECURITIES LLC

March 1, 2011

JMP SECURITIES LLC

000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx

Xxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Certain shareholders of Encore Capital Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), named in Schedule I hereto (the “Selling Shareholders”) severally propose to sell to JMP Securities LLC (the “Underwriter”), an aggregate of 2,454,734 shares of the common stock, par value $0.01 per share of the Company (the “Firm Shares”), each Selling Shareholder selling the amount set forth opposite such Selling Shareholder’s name in Schedule I hereto.

The Selling Shareholders also propose to sell to the Underwriter not more than an additional 368,210 shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Additional Shares”), proportionately from each Selling Shareholder, if and to the extent that you shall have determined to exercise the right to purchase such shares of common stock granted to you in Section 3 hereof. The Firm Shares and the Additional Shares are hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Shares.” The shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share of the Company to be outstanding after giving effect to the sales contemplated hereby are hereinafter referred to as the “Common Stock.”

The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement, including a prospectus, on Form S-3 (File No. 333-167074), relating to certain securities (the “Shelf Securities”), including the Shares, to be issued and sold from time to time by the Company and to be sold from time to time by the Selling Shareholders. Such registration statement as amended to the date of this Agreement, and as declared effective by the Commission, includes the information (if any) deemed to be part of the registration statement at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A or Rule 430B under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and is hereinafter referred to as the “Registration Statement,” and the related prospectus covering the Shelf Securities dated June 1, 2010 in the form first used to confirm sales of the Shares (or in the form first made available to the Underwriter by the Company to meet requests of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) is hereinafter referred to as the “Basic Prospectus.” If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement to register additional shares of Common Stock 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. The Basic Prospectus, as supplemented by the prospectus supplement

specifically relating to the Shares in the form first used to confirm sales of the Shares (or in the form first made available to the Underwriter by the Company to meet requests of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) is hereinafter referred to as the “Prospectus,” and the term “preliminary prospectus” means any preliminary form of the Prospectus.

For purposes of this Agreement, “free writing prospectus” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act, “Time of Sale Prospectus” means the preliminary prospectus dated February 28, 2011, together with the free writing prospectuses, if any, each identified in Schedule II hereto, and the pricing information set forth in Schedule III hereto, and “broadly available road show” means a “bona fide electronic road show” as defined in Rule 433(h)(5) under the Securities Act that has been made available without restriction to any person. As used herein, the terms “Registration Statement,” “Basic Prospectus,” “preliminary prospectus,” “Time of Sale Prospectus” and “Prospectus” shall include the documents, if any, incorporated by reference therein. The terms “supplement,” “amendment,” and “amend” as used herein with respect to the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus or free writing prospectus shall include all documents subsequently filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein.

1. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to and agrees with the Underwriter that:

(a) The Registration Statement has become effective; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in effect, and no proceedings for such purpose are pending before or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission. At the time that the Registration Statement was originally declared effective by the Commission, the Company met the then applicable requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act. The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act.

(b)(i) Each document, if any, filed or to be filed pursuant to the Exchange Act and incorporated by reference in the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus complied or will comply when so filed in all material respects with the Exchange Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, (ii) each part of the Registration Statement, when such part became effective, did not contain and each such part, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, 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 not misleading, provided that no representation or warranty is made as to (1) information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement in reliance upon and in conformity with written information

furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein and (2) information furnished to the Company by the Selling Shareholders, (iii) the Registration Statement and the Prospectus comply and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, (iv) the Registration Statement as of the date hereof does 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 not misleading, provided that no representation or warranty is made as to (1) information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein and (2) information furnished to the Company by the Selling Shareholders (v) the Time of Sale Prospectus does not, and at the time of each sale of the Shares in connection with the offering when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and at the Closing Date (as defined in Section 5), the Time of Sale Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented by the Company, if applicable, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, (vi) each broadly available road show, if any, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and (vii) the Prospectus does not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph do not apply to statements or omissions in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus based upon information relating to the Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by you expressly for use therein.

(c) The Company is not an “ineligible issuer” in connection with the offering pursuant to Rules 164, 405 and 433 under the Securities Act. Any free writing prospectus that the Company is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act has been, or will be, filed with the Commission in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. Each free writing prospectus that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or that was prepared by or behalf of or used or referred to by the Company complies or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the

Commission thereunder. Except for the free writing prospectuses, if any, identified in Schedule II hereto, and electronic road shows, if any, each furnished to you before first use, the Company has not prepared, used or referred to, and will not, without your prior consent, prepare, use or refer to, any free writing prospectus.

(d) The Company has been duly incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has the corporate power and authority to own its property and to conduct its business as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(e) Each subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has the corporate power and authority to own its property and to conduct its business as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing (to the extent that the concept of good standing is applicable) in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; all of the issued shares of capital stock of each subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are owned directly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims.

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

(g) The authorized capital stock of the Company conforms as to legal matters to the description thereof contained in each of the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus.

(h) The shares of Common Stock (including the Shares to be sold by the Selling Shareholders) outstanding as of the date hereof have been duly authorized and are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

(i) The execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, this Agreement will not contravene (i) any provision of applicable law or the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of the Company, (ii) any agreement or other

instrument binding upon the Company or any of its subsidiaries that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (iii) any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary, except, in the cases of clauses (ii) and (iii) above for any such contravention that would, singly or in the aggregate, not have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole. No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency is required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement, except such as may be required by the securities or “blue sky” (“Blue Sky”) laws of the various states in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares, and except for any such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders or qualifications the absence of which would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or in the power and ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby.

(j) There has not occurred any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

(k) There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject (i) other than proceedings accurately described in all material respects in the Time of Sale Prospectus and proceedings that would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or on the power or ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Time of Sale Prospectus or (ii) that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and are not so described; and there are no statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents to which the Company is subject or by which the Company is bound that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not described or filed as required.

(l) Each preliminary prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act, complied when so filed in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

(m) The Company is not, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Prospectus will not be, required to register as an “investment company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

(n) The Company and its subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“Environmental Laws”), (ii) have received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses and (iii) are in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval, except (1) where such noncompliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals or failure to comply with the terms and conditions of such permits, licenses or approvals would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (2) as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus.

(o) There are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties) except (i) which would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (ii) as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus.

(p) There are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company or to require the Company to include such securities with the Shares registered pursuant to the Registration Statement, except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus or has been satisfied or waived.

(q) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, nor any director or officer, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any affiliate, employee, agent or representative of the Company or of any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, has taken or will take any action in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization or approval of the payment or giving of money, property, gifts or anything else of value, directly or indirectly, to any “government official” (including any officer or employee of a government or government-owned or controlled entity or

of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office) to influence official action or secure an improper advantage; and the Company and its subsidiaries, and to the Company’s knowledge, its affiliates, have conducted their businesses in compliance with applicable anti-corruption laws and have instituted and currently maintain and will continue to maintain policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws and with the representation and warranty contained herein.

(r) The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in material compliance with all applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act), and the applicable anti-money laundering statutes of jurisdictions where the Company and its subsidiaries conduct business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”), and 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 with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.

(s)(i) The Company represents that neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, nor any director or officer, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any employee, agent, affiliate or representative of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, is an individual or entity (“Person”) that is, or is owned or controlled by a Person that is:

(A) the subject of any applicable sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), the United Nations Security Council (“UNSC”), the European Union (“EU”), Her Majesty’s Treasury (“HMT”), or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor

(B) located, organized or ordinarily resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions (including, without limitation, Burma/Myanmar, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria).

(ii) The Company represents and covenants that, for the past 5 years, it and its subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in, are not now knowingly engaged in, and will not engage in, any dealings or transactions with any Person, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject of Sanctions.

(t) The Company and each of its subsidiaries have timely filed all federal, state, local and foreign tax returns required to be filed through the date of this Agreement or have timely requested extensions thereof (except where the failure to file would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect) and have paid all taxes required to be paid (except for cases in which the failure to pay would not have a material adverse effect, or, except as currently being contested in good faith and for which adequate reserves required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles have been created in the financial statements of the Company), and no tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries which has had (nor does the Company nor any of its subsidiaries have any notice or knowledge of any tax deficiency which could reasonably be expected to be determined adversely to the Company or its subsidiaries and which could reasonably be expected to have) a material adverse effect.

(u) The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them which is material to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except such as are described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus or such as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole and such as do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its subsidiaries; any real property and buildings held under lease by the Company and its subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company and its subsidiaries, in each case except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus.

(v) The Company and its subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire on reasonable terms, all material patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks and trade names currently employed by them in connection with the business now operated by them, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any written notice of infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any of the foregoing except, in each of the foregoing cases, those failures to own or possess or acquire and those notices of infringement which, individually or in the aggregate, would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(w) No material labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent; and the Company is not aware of any existing, threatened or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its principal suppliers, manufacturers or contractors that would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(x) The Company and its subsidiaries and any “employee benefit plan” (as defined under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (collectively, “ERISA”)) established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or their “ERISA Affiliates” (as defined below) are in compliance in all material respects with ERISA. “ERISA Affiliate” means, with respect to the Company or a subsidiary, any member of any group of organizations described in Sections 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), of which the Company or such subsidiary is a member. No “reportable event” (as defined under ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur with respect to any “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates, except for any “reportable event” that would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company or its subsidiaries, taken as a whole. No “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates, if such “employee benefit plan” were terminated, would not comply with applicable funding requirements. Neither the Company, its subsidiaries nor any of their ERISA Affiliates has incurred or reasonably expects to incur any liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or withdrawal from, any “employee benefit plan” or (ii) Sections 412, 4971, 4975 or 4980B of the Code, unless such liability would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole. Each “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified and nothing has occurred, whether by action or failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.

(y) The Company and its subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as the Company believes are prudent and customary in the businesses in which they are engaged. The Company has no reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business.

(z) The historical financial statements (including the related notes and supporting schedule) contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, (i) comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, (ii) present fairly in all material respects the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the entities purported to be shown thereby on the basis stated therein at the respective dates or for the respective periods, and (iii) have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied throughout the periods involved, except to the extent disclosed therein. Nothing has come to the attention of the Company that has caused it to believe that the statistical and market-related data included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus is not based on or derived from sources that are reliable and accurate in all material respects.

(aa) BDO Xxxxxxx, LLP, who has certified certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries and has audited the Company’s internal control over financial reporting and management’s assessment thereof, is an independent public accountant as required by the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

(bb) The Company maintains 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 accordance with U.S. 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. Except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus, since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (i) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (ii) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

(cc) Except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Company has not sold, issued or distributed any shares of Common Stock during the six-month period preceding the date hereof, including any sales pursuant to Rule 144A under, or Regulation D or S of, the Securities Act, other than shares issued pursuant to employee benefit plans, stock option plans or other employee compensation plans or pursuant to outstanding options, rights or warrants.

(dd) The Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act) that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act.

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

(ff) Each material contract, agreement and license to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound is valid, binding, enforceable, and in full force and effect against the Company or its subsidiaries, as applicable, and, to the knowledge of the Company, each other party thereto, except as enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors or by general equitable principles (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in law or equity). Except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus, neither the Company nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any other party is in breach or default in any material respect with respect to any such contract, agreement or license, and, to the knowledge of the Company, no event has occurred which with notice or lapse of time would constitute a material breach or default, or permit termination, modification, or acceleration, under any such contract, agreement or license, except as would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company or its subsidiaries, taken as a whole .

(gg) The Company and its subsidiaries possess, and are in compliance with the terms of, all adequate certificates, authorizations, franchises, licenses and permits (“Permits”) necessary to the conduct of the business now conducted by them, except for such failure to possess any such Permit would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; and, to the Company’s knowledge, the Company and its subsidiaries have not received any written notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Permits that, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus.

(hh) Except pursuant to this Agreement, there is no broker, finder or other party that is entitled to receive from the Company any brokerage or finder’s fee or other fee or commission as a result of any transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

2. Representations and Warranties of the Selling Shareholders. Each Selling Shareholder, severally and not jointly, represents and warrants to and agrees with the Underwriter that:

(a) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by or on behalf of such Selling Shareholder.

(b) The execution and delivery by such Selling Shareholder of, and the performance by such Selling Shareholder of its obligations under, this Agreement will not contravene any provision of applicable law, or the certificate of limited partnership or limited partnership agreement of such Selling Shareholder, or any material agreement or other material instrument binding upon such Selling Shareholder or any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over such Selling Shareholder, in each case, except as would not have a material adverse effect on such Selling Shareholder’s performance of its obligations under this Agreement. No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency is required for the performance by such Selling Shareholder of its obligations under this Agreement, (i) except such as has been obtained or made, (ii) except as may be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares, or (iii) except those the failure to obtain or make would not have a material adverse effect on such Selling Shareholder’s performance of its obligations under this Agreement.

(c) Such Selling Shareholder has, and on the Closing Date will have, valid title to, or a valid “security entitlement” within the meaning of Section 8-501 of the New York Uniform Commercial Code in respect of, the Shares to be sold by such Selling Shareholder free and clear of all security interests, claims, liens, or other encumbrances and the legal right and power, and all authorization and approval required by law, to enter into this Agreement and to sell, transfer and deliver the Shares to be sold by such Selling Shareholder or a security entitlement in respect of such Shares.

(d) Upon payment for the Shares to be sold by such Selling Shareholder pursuant to this Agreement, delivery of such Shares, as directed by the Underwriter, to Cede & Co. (“Cede”) or such other nominee as may be designated by the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), registration of such Shares in the name of Cede or such other nominee and the crediting of such Shares on the books of DTC to securities account of the Underwriter (assuming that neither DTC nor the Underwriter has notice of any adverse claim (within the meaning of Section 8-105 of the New York Uniform Commercial Code (the “UCC”)) to such Shares), (A) DTC shall be a “protected purchaser” of such Shares within the meaning of Section 8-303 of the UCC, (B) under Section 8-501

of the UCC, the Underwriter will acquire a valid security entitlement in respect of such Shares and (C) no action based on any “adverse claim”, within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the UCC, to such Shares may be asserted against the Underwriter with respect to such security entitlement; for purposes of this representation, such Selling Shareholder may assume that when such payment, delivery and crediting occur, (x) such Shares will have been registered in the name of Cede or another nominee designated by DTC, in each case on the Company’s share registry in accordance with its certificate of incorporation, bylaws and applicable law, (y) DTC will be registered as a “clearing corporation” within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the UCC and (z) appropriate entries to the account of the Underwriter on the records of DTC will have been made pursuant to the UCC.

(e) Such Selling Shareholder is not prompted by any material non-public information concerning the Company or its subsidiaries which is not set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus to sell its Shares pursuant to this Agreement.

(f)(i) The Registration Statement, when it became effective, did not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, 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 not misleading, (ii) the Time of Sale Prospectus does not, and at the time of each sale of the Shares in connection with the offering when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and at the Closing Date (as defined in Section 5), the Time of Sale Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented by the Company, if applicable, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, (iii) each broadly available road show, if any, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and (iv) the Prospectus does not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph 2(f) are limited to the information regarding such Selling Shareholder that was furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Selling Shareholder expressly for use in, and actually set forth in, the section of the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus that is titled “Selling Stockholders”.

3. Agreements to Sell and Purchase. Each Selling Shareholder, severally and not jointly, hereby agrees to sell to the Underwriter, and the Underwriter, upon the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the conditions hereinafter stated, agrees to purchase from such Selling Shareholder at $25.35 a share (the “Purchase Price”) the number of Firm Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as you may determine) to be sold by such Selling Shareholder as set forth in Schedule I hereto.

On the basis of the representations and warranties contained in this Agreement, and subject to its terms and conditions, each Selling Shareholder, severally and not jointly, agrees to sell to the Underwriter such Selling Shareholder’s proportionate amount of the Additional Shares, and the Underwriter shall have the right to purchase such Selling Shareholder’s proportionate amount of the Additional Shares (which in the aggregate shall be up to 368,210 Additional Shares) at the Purchase Price, provided, however, that the amount paid by the Underwriter for any Additional Shares shall be reduced by an amount per share equal to any dividends declared by the Company and payable on the Firm Shares but not payable on such Additional Shares. You may exercise this right in whole or from time to time in part by giving written notice not later than 30 days after the date of this Agreement. Any exercise notice shall specify the number of Additional Shares to be purchased by the Underwriter and the date on which such shares are to be purchased. Each purchase date must be at least one business day after the written notice is given and may not be earlier than the closing date for the Firm Shares nor later than ten business days after the date of such notice. Additional Shares may be purchased as provided in Section 5 hereof solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments made in connection with the offering of the Firm Shares. On each day, if any, that Additional Shares are to be purchased (an “Option Closing Date”), the Underwriter agrees to purchase the number of the total number of Additional Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as you may determine) to be purchased on such Option Closing Date.

Each of the Company and each Selling Shareholder, severally and not jointly, hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of JMP Securities LLC, it will not, during the period commencing on the date hereof and ending 90 days after the date of the Prospectus, (1) 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, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock beneficially owned (as such term is used in Rule 13d-3 of the Exchange Act) or any other securities so owned convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock; or (2) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise; or (3) file any registration statement with the Commission relating to the offering of any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock.

The restrictions contained in the preceding paragraph shall not apply to (a) the Shares to be sold hereunder, (b) the issuance by the Company of shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of an option or warrant or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof or the issuance or grant by the Company of options, shares, restricted stock units, restricted stock or other equity or equity-linked securities under any employee benefit plan existing on the date hereof, (c) transactions by a Selling Shareholder relating to shares of Common Stock or other securities acquired in open market transactions after the completion of the offering of the Shares, provided that no filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act shall be required or shall be voluntarily made in connection with subsequent sales of Common Stock or other securities acquired in such open market transactions, (d) transfers by a Selling Shareholder of shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into Common Stock as a bona fide gift, (e) distributions by a Selling Shareholder of shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into Common Stock to limited partners or stockholders of the Selling Shareholder, (f) transfers of Common Stock by a Selling Shareholder (1) in connection with the sale or other bona fide transfer in a single transaction of all or substantially all of such Selling Shareholder’s capital stock, partnership interests, membership interests or other similar equity interests, as the case may be, or all or substantially all of such Selling Shareholder’s assets, in any such case not undertaken for the purpose of avoiding the restrictions imposed by this Agreement or (2) to another corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other business entity so long as the transferee is an affiliate (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) of such Selling Shareholder and such transfer is not for value; provided that in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to clause (d), (e), or (f), (i) each donee, distributee or transferee shall enter into a written agreement accepting the restrictions set forth in the preceding paragraph and this paragraph as if it were a Selling Shareholder and (ii) no filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of shares of Common Stock, shall be required or shall be voluntarily made in respect of the transfer or distribution during the 90-day restricted period, or (g) the establishment of a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of shares of Common Stock, provided that such plan does not provide for the transfer of Common Stock during the 90-day restricted period and no public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act regarding the establishment of such plan shall be required of or voluntarily made by or on behalf of a Selling Shareholder or the Company. In addition, each Selling Shareholder, agrees that, without the prior written consent of JMP Securities LLC, it will not, during the period ending 90 days after the date of the Prospectus, make any demand for, or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of any shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock. Each Selling Shareholder consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of any Shares held by such Selling Shareholder except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.

4. Terms of Public Offering. The Selling Shareholders are advised by you that you propose to make a public offering of their respective portions of the Shares as soon after this Agreement has become effective as in your judgment is advisable. The Selling Shareholders are further advised by you that the Shares are to be offered to the public upon the terms set forth in the Prospectus.

5. Payment and Delivery. Payment for the Firm Shares to be sold by each Selling Shareholder shall be made to such Selling Shareholder in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City against delivery of such Firm Shares for the account of the Underwriter at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on March 4, 2011, or at such other time on the same or such other date, not later than March 11, 2011, as shall be designated in writing by you. The time and date of such payment are hereinafter referred to as the “Closing Date.”

Payment for any Additional Shares shall be made to the Selling Shareholders in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City against delivery of such Additional Shares for the account of the Underwriter at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date specified in the corresponding notice described in Section 3 or at such other time on the same or on such other date, in any event not later than April 18, 2011, as shall be designated in writing by you.

The Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be registered in such names and in such denominations as you shall request in writing not later than one full business day prior to the Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be. The Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be delivered to you on the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the case may be. The Purchase Price payable by the Underwriter shall be reduced by (i) any transfer taxes paid by, or on behalf of, the Underwriter in connection with the transfer of the Shares to the Underwriter duly paid and (ii) any withholding required by law.

6. Conditions to the Underwriter’s Obligations. The obligations of the Underwriter are subject to the following conditions:

(a) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date:

(i) there shall not have occurred any downgrading, nor shall any notice have been given of any intended or potential downgrading or of any review for a possible change that does not indicate the direction of the possible change, in the rating accorded any of the securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as such term is defined for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities Act; and

(ii) there shall not have occurred any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and

its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus as of the date of this Agreement that, in your judgment, is material and adverse and that makes it, in your judgment, impracticable to market the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

(b) The Underwriter shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed by an executive officer of the Company, to the effect set forth in Section 6(a) above and to the effect that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement are true and correct as of the Closing Date and that the Company has complied with all of the agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder on or before the Closing Date.

The officer signing and delivering such certificate may rely upon the best of his or her knowledge as to proceedings threatened.

(c) The Underwriter shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Xxxxx Lovells US LLP, outside counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date, with respect to the matters set forth on Annex A-1 hereto.

(d) The Underwriter shall have received on the Closing Date a negative assurance letter of Xxxxx Lovells US LLP, dated the Closing Date, with respect to the matters set forth on Annex A-2 hereto.

(e) The Underwriter shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate of an officer of Midland Credit Management, Inc., dated the Closing Date, with respect to the matters set forth on Annex A-3 hereto.

(f) The Underwriter shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Xxxx, Libra, Thomson, Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxx, Chartered, company counsel registered in Minnesota, dated the Closing Date, with respect to the matters set forth on Annex A-4 hereto.

(g) The Underwriter shall have received on the Closing Date opinions of (i) Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP, as U.S. counsel to JCF FPK I LP, with respect to the matters set forth on Annex B-1 hereto; (ii) Stikeman Elliott LLP, as Canadian counsel to JCF FPK I LP, with respect to the matters set forth on Annex B-2 hereto; and (iii) Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx LLP, as counsel to Red Mountain Capital Partners II, L.P. and Red Mountain Capital Partners III, L.P., with respect to the matters set forth on Annex B-3 hereto, each dated the Closing Date.

(h) The Underwriter shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP, counsel for the Underwriter, dated as of the Closing Date, as to such matters as you may request.

(i) The Underwriter shall have received, on each of the date hereof and the Closing Date, a letter dated the date hereof or the Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriter, from BDO Xxxxxxx, LLP, independent public accountants, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus; provided that the letter delivered on the Closing Date shall use a “cut-off date” not earlier than the date hereof.

(j) The “lock-up” agreements, each substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, between you and the officers and directors of the Company set forth on Schedule IV hereto, as applicable, relating to sales and certain other dispositions of shares of Common Stock or certain other securities, delivered to you on or before the date hereof, shall be in full force and effect on the Closing Date.

(k) The Underwriter shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed by each Selling Shareholder, to the effect that the representations and warranties of such Selling Shareholder contained in this Agreement are true and correct as of the Closing Date and that such Selling Shareholder has complied with all of the agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder on or before the Closing Date.

The obligations of the Underwriter to purchase Additional Shares hereunder are subject to the delivery to you on the applicable Option Closing Date of such documents as you may reasonably request with respect to the good standing of the Company, the due authorization and issuance of the Additional Shares to be sold on such Option Closing Date and other matters related to the issuance of such Additional Shares.

7. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants with the Underwriter as follows:

(a) To furnish to you, without charge, one conformed copy of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and for delivery to the Underwriter conformed copies of the Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto) and to furnish to you in New York City, without charge, prior to 10:00 a.m. New York City time on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and during the period mentioned in Section 7(e) or 7(f) below, as many copies of the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, and any supplements and amendments thereto or to the Registration Statement as you may reasonably request.

(b) Before amending or supplementing the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, to furnish to you a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement and not to file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which you reasonably object, and to file with the Commission within the applicable period specified in Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act any prospectus required to be filed pursuant to such Rule.

(c) To furnish to you a copy of each proposed free writing prospectus to be prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company and not to use or refer to any proposed free writing prospectus to which you reasonably object.

(d) Not to take any action that would result in the Underwriter or the Company being required to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of the Underwriter that the Underwriter otherwise would not have been required to file thereunder.

(e) If the Time of Sale Prospectus is being used to solicit offers to buy the Shares at a time when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances, not misleading, or if any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which the Time of Sale Prospectus conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement then on file, or if, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriter, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriter and to any dealer upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Time of Sale Prospectus so that the statements in the Time of Sale Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when the Time of Sale Prospectus is delivered to a prospective purchaser, be misleading or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will no longer conflict with the Registration Statement, or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law.

(f) If, during such period after the first date of the public offering of the Shares as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriter the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by the Underwriter or dealer, any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriter, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriter and to the dealers (whose names and addresses you will furnish to the Company) to which Shares may have been sold by you as the Underwriter and to any other dealers upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Prospectus so that

the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law.

(g) To endeavor to qualify the Shares for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as you shall reasonably request; provided, however, that nothing contained herein shall require the Company to qualify to do business in any jurisdiction, to execute a general consent of process in any state or to subject itself to taxation in any jurisdiction in which it is otherwise not subject.

(h) To make generally available to the Company’s security holders and to you as soon as practicable an earning statement covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the date of this Agreement which shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

8. Covenants of the Selling Shareholders. Each Selling Shareholder, severally and not jointly, covenants with the Underwriter to deliver to it (or its agent), prior to or at the Closing Date, a properly completed and executed Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) Form W-9 or an IRS Form W-8, as appropriate, together with all required attachments to such form.

9. Expenses. Whether or not the transactions contemplated in this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company agrees to pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of the Company’s and the Selling Shareholders’ obligations under this Agreement, including: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel, the Company’s accountants and the Selling Shareholders’ respective counsel in connection with the registration and delivery of the Shares under the Securities Act and all other fees or expenses in connection with the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company and amendments and supplements to any of the foregoing, including all printing costs associated therewith, and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriter and dealers, in the quantities hereinabove specified, (ii) all costs and expenses related to the transfer and delivery of the Shares to the Underwriter, including any transfer or other taxes payable thereon (except as provided in the next sentence), (iii) the cost of printing or producing any Blue Sky or legal investment memorandum in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares under state securities laws and all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Shares for offer and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 7(g) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriter in

connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky or legal investment memorandum, provided that such costs, expenses and fees for any Blue Sky or Legal Investment memorandum do not exceed $10,000, (iv) all filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriter incurred in connection with the review and qualification of the offering of the Shares by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., (v) all costs and expenses incident to listing the Shares on the NASDAQ Global Select Market, (vi) the cost of printing certificates representing the Shares, (vii) the costs and charges of any transfer agent, registrar or depositary, (viii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Shares, with prior approval of the Company, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the preparation or dissemination of any electronic road show, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations with the prior approval of the Company and travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants, (ix) the document production charges and expenses associated with printing this Agreement and (x) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company hereunder for which provision is not otherwise made in this Section. Whether or not the transactions contemplated in this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, each Selling Shareholder agrees to pay or cause to be paid all costs and expenses related to the transfer and delivery of such Shares to be sold by such Selling Shareholder to the Underwriter, including any transfer or other taxes payable thereon. It is understood, however, that except as provided in this Section, Section 11 entitled “Indemnity and Contribution” and the last paragraph of Section 12 below, the Underwriter will pay all of their costs and expenses, including fees and disbursements of their counsel, stock transfer taxes payable on resale of any of the Shares by them and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make.

The provisions of this Section shall not supersede or otherwise affect any agreement that the Company and the Selling Shareholders may otherwise have for the allocation of such expenses among themselves.

10. Covenants of the Underwriter. The Underwriter covenants with the Company not to take any action that would result in the Company being required to file with the Commission under Rule 433(d) a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of the Underwriter that otherwise would not be required to be filed by the Company thereunder, but for the action of the Underwriter.

11. Indemnity and Contribution. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriter, each Selling Shareholder, each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter or Selling Shareholder within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and each affiliate of any Underwriter or Selling Shareholder within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act from and against any and all losses, claims,

damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any issuer free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act, any Company information that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities are caused by any such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission based upon information relating to the Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by the Underwriter through you expressly for use therein, or with respect to the indemnification provided by the Company under this Section 11(a) to such Selling Shareholder, each person, if any, who controls such Selling Shareholder within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and each affiliate of such Selling Shareholder within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act, information relating to such Selling Shareholder furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Selling Shareholder to the Company expressly for use therein.

(b) Each Selling Shareholder agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and the directors and officers of the Company who sign the Registration Statement, the Underwriter, each person, if any, who controls the Company or the Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and each affiliate of the Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any issuer free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act, any Company information that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case only with reference to information regarding such Selling Shareholder that was furnished to the Company or the Underwriter in writing by or on behalf of such Selling Shareholder expressly for use in, and actually set forth in, the section of the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus that is titled “Selling Stockholders.” The liability of each Selling Shareholder under the indemnity agreement contained in this paragraph shall be limited to an amount equal to the aggregate net proceeds after underwriting discounts and commissions, but before expenses, to such Selling Shareholder from the sale of the Shares sold by such Selling Shareholder under this Agreement.

(c) The Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Selling Shareholders, the directors of the Company, the officers of the Company who sign the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company or any Selling Shareholder within the meaning of either 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, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any issuer free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act, any Company information that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, or the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished any amendments or supplements thereto), or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but only with reference to information relating to the Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by the Underwriter expressly for use in any Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any issuer free writing prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto.

(d) In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 11(a), 11(b) or 11(c), such person (the “indemnified party”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the “indemnifying party”) in writing and the indemnifying party, upon request of the indemnified party, shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party and any others the indemnifying party may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the reasonably incurred fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any indemnified party 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 party unless (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel or (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is understood that the indemnifying party shall not, in respect of the legal expenses of any indemnified party in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for (i) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for the Underwriter and all persons, if any, who control any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or

Section 20 of the Exchange Act or who are affiliates of the Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act, (ii) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for the Company, its directors, its officers who sign the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of either such Section and (iii) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for each Selling Shareholder and all persons, if any, who control or are affiliated with such Selling Shareholder within the meaning of either such Section, and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. In the case of any such separate firm for the Underwriter and such control persons and affiliates of the Underwriter, such firm shall be designated in writing by JMP Securities LLC. In the case of any such separate firm for the Company, and such directors, officers and control persons of the Company, such firm shall be designated in writing by the Company. In the case of any such separate firm for any Selling Shareholder and such control persons and affiliates of such Selling Shareholder, such firm shall be designated in writing by such Selling Shareholder. The indemnifying party 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 party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement (i) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or failure to act, by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

(e) To the extent the indemnification provided for in Section 11(a), 11(b) or 11(c), is unavailable to an indemnified party or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each indemnifying party under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party 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 indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and the indemnified party or parties on the other hand from the offering of the Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause 11(e)(i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause 11(e)(i) above but also the relative fault of the indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and of the indemnified party or parties on the other hand 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 Selling Shareholders on the one hand and the Underwriter on the other hand in connection with the offering of the Shares shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds from the offering of the

Shares (before deducting expenses) received by each Selling Shareholder and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriter, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate Public Offering Price of the Shares. The relative fault of the Company and the Selling Shareholders on the one hand and the Underwriter on the other hand 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 and the Selling Shareholders or by the Underwriter and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Selling Shareholders’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 11 are several in proportion to the respective number of Shares they sold hereunder, and not joint. The aggregate liability of each Selling Shareholder under the contribution agreement contained in this paragraph shall be limited to an amount equal to the aggregate net proceeds after underwriting discounts and commissions, but before expenses, to such Selling Shareholder from the sale of the Shares sold by such Selling Shareholder under this Agreement.

(f) The Company, the Selling Shareholders and the Underwriter agree that it would not be just or equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 11 were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in Section 11(e). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in Section 11(e) shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 11, the Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages that the 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 remedies provided for in this Section 11 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity.

(g) The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section 11 and the representations, warranties and other statements of the Company and the Selling Shareholders contained in this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of the Underwriter, any person controlling the Underwriter or any affiliate of the Underwriter, any Selling Shareholder or any person controlling any Selling Shareholder, or the Company, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (iii) acceptance of and payment for any of the Shares.

12. Termination. The Underwriter may terminate this Agreement by notice given by you to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on, or by, as the case may be, any of the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, the NASDAQ Global Market, the Chicago Board of Options Exchange, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange or the Chicago Board of Trade, (ii) trading of any securities of the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market, (iii) a material disruption in securities settlement, payment or clearance services in the United States shall have occurred, (iv) any moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by Federal or New York State authorities or (v) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis that, in your judgment, is material and adverse and which, singly or together with any other event specified in this clause (v), makes it, in your judgment, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offer, sale or delivery of the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus.

13. Effectiveness; Defaulting Underwriter. This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto.

If, on the Closing Date, the Underwriter shall fail or refuse to purchase Firm Shares and the aggregate number of Firm Shares with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Firm Shares to be purchased on such date, and arrangements satisfactory to you, the Company and the Selling Shareholders for the purchase of such Firm Shares are not made within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of the Company or the Selling Shareholders. In any such case either you or the relevant Selling Shareholder shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date, but in no event for longer than seven days, in order that the required changes, if any, in the Registration Statement, in the Time of Sale Prospectus, in the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. Any action taken under this paragraph shall not relieve the Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of the Underwriter under this Agreement.

If this Agreement shall be terminated by the Underwriter because of any failure or refusal on the part of any of the Company or any Selling Shareholder to comply with the terms or to fulfill any of the conditions of this Agreement, or if for any reason any of the Company or any Selling Shareholder shall be unable to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the party or parties that have failed or refused to comply with the terms or fulfills any of the conditions of this Agreement or that, for any reason, is unable to perform its or their obligations under this Agreement will reimburse the Underwriter with respect to themselves,

severally, for all out-of-pocket expenses (including the fees and disbursements of their counsel) reasonably incurred by the Underwriter in connection with this Agreement or the offering contemplated hereunder.

14. Entire Agreement. (a) This Agreement, together with any lock-up agreements and any other contemporaneous written agreements or prior written agreements (to the extent not superseded by this Agreement) that relate to the offering of the Shares, represents the entire agreement between the Company and the Selling Shareholders, on the one hand, and the Underwriter, on the other, with respect to the preparation of any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, the conduct of the offering, and the purchase and sale of the Shares.

(b) The Company acknowledges that in connection with the offering of the Shares: (i) the Underwriter has acted at arms length, is not an agent of, and owes no fiduciary duties to, the Company or any other person, (ii) the Underwriter owes the Company only those duties and obligations set forth in this Agreement and prior written agreements (to the extent not superseded by this Agreement), if any, and (iii) the Underwriter may have interests that differ from those of the Company. The Company waives to the full extent permitted by applicable law any claims it may have against the Underwriter arising from an alleged breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the offering of the Shares.

15. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument.

16. Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York.

17. Headings. The headings of the sections of this Agreement have been inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not be deemed a part of this Agreement.

18. Notices. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and effective only upon receipt and if to the Underwriter shall be delivered, mailed or sent to you at JMP Securities LLC, 000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000, Xxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000, Attention: Xx. Xxxxxx X. Xxxx, if to the Company shall be delivered, mailed or sent to 0000 Xxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 000, Xxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000, Attention: General Counsel and if to a Selling Shareholders shall be delivered, mailed or sent to the address for such Selling Shareholder set forth on Schedule I.

[Signature pages follow]


Very truly yours,

ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP, INC.

By:	/s/ J. Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
	Name:	J. Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
	Title:	President and Chief Executive Officer

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]

The Selling Shareholders named in Schedule I hereto, acting severally


JCF FPK I LP

	By: JCF Associates II-A LP, its general partner By: JCF Associates II-A LLC, its general partner By: JCF Associates II LP, its sole member By: JCF Associates II Ltd, its general partner

By:	/s/ Xxx Xxxxxxxx
	Name:	Xxx Xxxxxxxx
	Title:	Managing Director

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]


RED MOUNTAIN CAPITAL PARTNERS II, L.P.

By:		RMCP GP LLC, its general partner

By:		/s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxx
		Name: Xxxx X. Xxxxx
		Title: Authorized Signatory

RED MOUNTAIN CAPITAL PARTNERS III, L.P.

By:		RMCP GP LLC, its general partner

By:		/s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxx
		Name: Xxxx X. Xxxxx
		Title: Authorized Signatory

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]

Accepted as of the date hereof


By:	JMP Securities LLC

By:	/s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
	Name:	Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
	Title:	Managing Director Head of Equity Capital Markets

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]

SCHEDULE I


Selling Shareholder		Number of Firm Shares To Be Sold

JCF FPK I LP 000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx , 00xx Xxxxx Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000		1,535,406

Red Mountain Capital Partners II, L.P. c/o Red Mountain Capital Partners LLC 00000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxx 000 Xxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000		200,190

Red Mountain Capital Partners III, L.P. c/o Red Mountain Capital Partners LLC 00000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxx 000 Xxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000		719,138

Total:		2,454,734

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2,454,734 Shares Encore Capital Group, Inc. Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT dated March 1, 2011 JMP SECURITIES LLC

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