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Exhibit (h)(1)
ST&B DRAFT
04/21/97
[1,200,000] Shares
THE GABELLI CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES FUND, INC.
___% Cumulative Preferred Stock
Liquidation Preference $25 Per Share
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
May __, 1997
XXXXX XXXXXX INC.
GABELLI & COMPANY, INC.
As Representatives of the Several Underwriters
c/o XXXXX XXXXXX INC.
000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Dear Sirs:
The Gabelli Convertible Securities Fund, Inc., a Maryland
corporation (the "Fund"), proposes, upon the terms and conditions set forth
herein, to issue and sell an aggregate of [1,200,000] shares (the "Shares") of
its ___% cumulative preferred stock, liquidation preference $25 per share,
$0.001 par value per share (the "Cumulative Preferred Stock"), to the several
Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto. The Cumulative Preferred Stock will be
authorized by, and subject to the terms and conditions of, the Articles
Supplementary to be adopted in connection with the issuance of the Cumulative
Preferred Stock (the "Articles Supplementary").
The Fund and its investment adviser, Gabelli Funds, Inc., a
New York corporation (the "Adviser"), wish to confirm as follows their agreement
with you (the "Representatives") and the other several Underwriters on whose
behalf you are acting, in connection with the several purchases of the Shares by
the Underwriters.
The Fund has entered into an investment advisory agreement
dated ____________ with the Adviser, a custodian agreement dated _______________
with State Street Bank and Trust Company, a Massachusetts corporation, and a
transfer agency agreement dated _______________ with State Street Bank and Trust
Company. Such agreements are hereinafter referred to as the "Investment Advisory
Agreement", the "Custodian Agreement" and the "Transfer Agency Agreement",
respectively. Collectively, the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Custodian
Agreement and the Transfer Agency Agreement are hereinafter referred to as the
"Fund Agreements". This Underwriting Agreement is hereinafter referred to as the
"Agreement".
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1. Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Fund has
prepared in conformity with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the "1933 Act"), the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the
"1940 Act") and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission") promulgated under the 1933 Act (the "1933 Act
Rules and Regulations") and the 1940 Act (the "1940 Act Rules and Regulations"
and, together with the 1933 Act Rules and Regulations, the "Rules and
Regulations") a registration statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-______) under
the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act (the "registration statement"), including a
prospectus relating to the Shares, and has filed the registration statement and
prospectus in accordance with the 1933 Act and 1940 Act. The Fund also has filed
a notification of registration of the Fund as an investment company under the
1940 Act on Form N-8A (the "1940 Act Notification"). The term "Registration
Statement" as used in this Agreement means the registration statement (including
all financial schedules and exhibits), as amended at the time it becomes
effective under the 1933 Act or, if the registration statement became effective
under the 1933 Act prior to the execution of this Agreement, as amended or
supplemented at the time it became effective, prior to the execution of this
Agreement. If it is contemplated, at the time this Agreement is executed, that a
post-effective amendment to the registration statement will be filed under the
1933 Act and must be declared effective before the offering of the Shares may
commence, the term "Registration Statement" as used in this Agreement means the
registration statement as amended by said post-effective amendment. If the Fund
has filed an abbreviated registration statement to register an additional amount
of Shares pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the 1933 Act (the "Rule 462 Registration
Statement"), then any reference herein to the term "Registration Statement"
shall include such Rule 462 Registrations Statement. The term "Prospectus" as
used in this Agreement means the prospectus and statement of additional
information in the forms included in the Registration Statement or, if the
prospectus and statement of additional information included in the Registration
Statement omit information in reliance on Rule 430A under the 1933 Act Rules and
Regulations and such information is included in a prospectus and statement of
additional information filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 497(h) under
the 1933 Act, the term "Prospectus" as used in this Agreement means the
prospectus and statement of additional information in the forms included in the
Registration Statement as supplemented by the addition of the information
contained in the prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 497(h).
The term "Prepricing Prospectus" as used in this Agreement means the prospectus
and statement of additional information subject to completion in the forms
included in the registration statement at the time of filing of amendment No. 1
to the registration statement with the Commission on May ___, 1997 and as such
prospectus and statement of additional information shall have been amended form
time to time prior to the date of the Prospectus, together with any other
prospectus and statement of
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additional information relating to the Fund other than the Prospectus, approved
in writing by or directly or indirectly prepared by the Fund or the Adviser. It
being understood that the definition of Prepricing Prospectus above shall not
include any Prepricing Prospectus prepared by any Underwriter unless approved in
writing by the Fund or Adviser. The terms "Registration Statement", "Prospectus"
and "Prepricing Prospectus" shall also include any financial statements
incorporated by reference therein.
The Fund has furnished the Representatives with copies of such
registration statement, each amendment to such registration statement filed with
the Commission and each Prepricing Prospectus.
2. Agreements to Sell and Purchase. The Fund hereby agrees,
subject to all the terms and conditions set forth herein, to issue and sell to
each Underwriter and, upon the basis of the representations, warranties and
agreements of the Fund and the Adviser herein contained and subject to all the
terms and conditions set forth herein, each Underwriter agrees, severally and
not jointly, to purchase from the Fund, at a purchase price of $_____ per Share,
the number of Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule
I hereto (or such number of Shares increased as set forth in Section 11 hereof).
3. Terms of Public Offering. The Fund and the Adviser have
been advised by you that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of
their respective portions of the Shares as soon after the Registration Statement
and this Agreement have become effective as in your judgment is advisable and
initially to offer the Shares upon the terms set forth in the Prospectus.
4. Delivery of the Shares and Payment Therefor. Delivery to
the Underwriters of and payment for the Shares shall be made at the office of
Xxxxx Xxxxxx Inc., 000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000, at 10:00 A.M., New
York City time, on May __, 1997 (the "Closing Date"). The place of closing for
the Shares and the Closing Date may be varied by agreement between you and the
Fund.
Certificates for the Shares shall be registered in such names
and in such denominations as you shall request prior to 9:30 A.M., New York City
time, on the second business day preceding the Closing Date. Such certificates
shall be made available to you in New York City for inspection and packaging not
later than 9:30 A.M., New York City time, on the business day next preceding the
Closing Date. The certificates evidencing the Shares shall be delivered to you
on the Closing Date against payment of the purchase price therefor in
immediately available funds.
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5. Agreements of the Fund and the Adviser. The Fund
and the Adviser, jointly and severally, agree with the several
Underwriters as follows:
(a) If, at the time this Agreement is executed and delivered,
it is necessary for the Registration Statement or a post-effective amendment
thereto to be declared effective under the 1933 Act before the offering of the
Shares may commence, the Fund will endeavor to cause the Registration Statement
or such post-effective amendment to become effective under the 1933 Act as soon
as possible and will advise you promptly and, if requested by you, will confirm
such advice in writing (i) when the Registration Statement or such
post-effective amendment has become effective.
(b) The Fund will advise you promptly and, if requested by
you, will confirm such advice in writing: (i) of any request made by the
Commission for amendment of or a supplement to the Registration Statement, any
Prepricing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement to any
of the foregoing) or for additional information, (ii) of the issuance by the
Commission, the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD"),
any state securities commission, any national securities exchange, any
arbitrator, any court or any other governmental, regulatory, self-regulatory or
administrative agency or any official of any order suspending the effectiveness
of the Registration Statement, prohibiting or suspending the use of the
Prospectus, any Prepricing Prospectus or any sales material (as hereinafter
defined), of any notice pursuant to Section 8(e) of the 1940 Act, of the
suspension of qualification of the Shares for offering or sale in any
jurisdiction, or the initiation of any proceeding for any such purposes, (iii)
of receipt by the Fund, the Adviser, any affiliate of the Fund or the Adviser or
any representative or attorney of the Fund or the Adviser of any other material
communication from the Commission, the NASD, any state securities commission,
any national securities exchange, any arbitrator, any court or any other
governmental, regulatory, self-regulatory or administrative agency or any
official relating to the Fund (if such communication relating to the Fund is
received by such person within three years after the date of this Agreement),
the Registration Statement, the 1940 Act Notification, the Prospectus, any
Prepricing Prospectus, any sales material (as hereinafter defined) (or any
amendment or supplement to any of the of foregoing), this Agreement or any of
the Fund Agreements and (iv) within the period of time referred to in paragraph
(f) below, of any material adverse change in the condition (financial or other),
business, prospects, properties, net assets or results of operations of the Fund
or the Adviser or of the happening of any event which makes any statement of a
material fact made in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any sales
material (as herein defined) (or any amendment or supplement to any of the
foregoing) untrue or which requires the making of any additions to or changes in
the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any
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Prepricing Prospectus or any sales materials (as herein defined) (or any
amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing) in order to state a material
fact required by the 1933 Act, the 1940 Act or the Rules and Regulations to be
stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading or of the necessity
to amend or supplement the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any
Prepricing Prospectus or any sales material (as herein defined) (or any
amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing) to comply with the 1933 Act,
the 1940 Act, the Rules and Regulations or any other law or order of any court
or regulatory body. If at any time the Commission, the NASD, any state
securities commission, any national securities exchange, any arbitrator, any
court or any other governmental, regulatory, self-regularity or administrative
agency or any official shall issue any order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement, prohibiting or suspending the use of the Prospectus or
any sales material (as hereinafter defined) (or any amendment or supplement to
any of the foregoing) or suspending the qualification of the Shares for offering
or sale in any jurisdiction, the Fund will make every reasonable effort to
obtain the withdrawal of such order at the earliest possible time.
(c) The Fund will furnish to you, without charge, three signed
copies of the registration statement and the 1940 Act Notification as originally
filed with the Commission and of each amendment thereto, including financial
statements and all exhibits thereto, and will also furnish to you, without
charge, such number of conformed copies of the registration statement as
originally filed and of each amendment thereto, but without exhibits, as you may
request.
(d) The Fund will not (i) (A) file any amendment to the
Registration Statement or make any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus, or
any sales material (as hereinafter defined) of which you shall not previously
have been advised or to which you shall object after being so advised or (ii) so
long as, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, a Prospectus is
required by the 1933 Act to be delivered in connection with sales by any
Underwriter or dealer, file any information, documents or reports pursuant to
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934 Act"), without
delivering a copy of such information, documents or reports to you, as
Representatives of the Underwriters, prior to or concurrently with such filing.
(e) Prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the
Fund has delivered to you, without charge, in such quantities as you have
requested, copies of each form of the Prepricing Prospectus. The Fund consents
to the use, in accordance with the provisions of the 1933 Act and with the state
securities or blue sky laws of the jurisdictions in which the Shares are offered
by the several Underwriters and by dealers,
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prior to the date of the Prospectus, of each Prepricing Prospectus so furnished
by the Fund.
(f) As soon after the execution and delivery of this Agreement
as possible and thereafter from time to time for such period as in the opinion
of counsel for the Underwriters a prospectus is required by the 1933 Act to be
delivered in connection with sales by any Underwriter or dealer, the Fund will
expeditiously deliver to each Underwriter and each dealer, without charge, as
many copies of the Prospectus (and of any amendment or supplement thereto) as
you may request. The Fund consents to the use of the Prospectus (and of any
amendment or supplement thereto) in accordance with the provisions of the 1933
Act and with the state securities or blue sky laws of the jurisdictions in which
the Shares are offered by the several Underwriters and by all dealers to whom
Shares may be sold, both in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares
and for such period of time thereafter as the Prospectus is required by the 1933
Act to be delivered in connection with sales by any Underwriter or dealer. If
during such period of time any event shall occur that in the judgment of the
Fund or in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters is required to be set
forth in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (as then amended or
supplemented) or should be set forth therein in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading, or if it is necessary to supplement or amend the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus to comply with the 1933 Act, the 1940 Act, the Rules
and Regulations or any other federal law, rule or regulation, or any state
securities or blue sky disclosure laws, rules or regulations, the Fund will
forthwith prepare and, subject to the provisions of paragraph (d) above,
promptly file with the Commission an appropriate supplement or amendment
thereto, and will expeditiously furnish to the Underwriters and dealers, without
charge, a reasonable number of copies thereof. In the event that the Fund and
you, as Representatives of the several Underwriters, agree that the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus should be amended or supplemented, the Fund, if
requested by you, will promptly issue a press release announcing or disclosing
the matters to be covered by the proposed amendment or supplement.
(g) The Fund will cooperate with you and with counsel for the
Underwriters in connection with the registration or qualification of the Shares
for offering and sale by the several Underwriters and by dealers under the state
securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as you may designate and will
file such consents to service of process or other documents necessary or
appropriate in order to effect such registration or qualification; provided that
in no event shall the Fund be obligated to qualify to do business in any
jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified or to take any action which would
subject it to service of process in suits, other than those arising out
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of the offering or sale of the Shares, in any jurisdiction where it is not now
so subject.
(h) The Fund will make generally available to its security
holders an earnings statement, which need not be audited, covering a
twelve-month period commencing after the effective date of the Registration
Statement and ending not later than 15 months thereafter, as soon as practicable
after the end of such period, which consolidated earnings statement shall
satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158 of the 1933 Act
Rules and Regulations.
(i) During the period of five years hereafter, the Fund will
furnish to you (i) as soon as available, a copy of each report of the Fund
mailed to stockholders or filed with the Commission or furnished to the New York
Stock Exchange (the "NYSE"), and (ii) from time to time such other information
concerning the Fund as you may request.
(j) If this Agreement shall terminate or shall be terminated
after execution pursuant to any provisions hereof (otherwise than pursuant to
the second paragraph of Section 11 hereof or by notice given by you terminating
this Agreement pursuant to Section 11 or Section 12 hereof) or if this Agreement
shall be terminated by the Underwriters because of any failure or refusal on the
part of the Fund or the Adviser to comply with the terms or fulfill any of the
conditions of this Agreement, the Fund and the Adviser, jointly and severally,
agree to reimburse the Representatives for all out-of-pocket expenses (including
fees and expenses of (i) counsel for the Underwriters and (ii) Financial
Products Group, Inc.) incurred by you in connection herewith.
(k) The Fund will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the
Shares substantially in accordance with the description set forth in the
Prospectus and in such a manner as to comply with the investment objective,
policies and restrictions of the Fund as described in the Prospectus.
(l) The Fund will timely file the requisite copies of the
Prospectus with the Commission pursuant to Rule 497(c) or Rule 497(h) of the
1933 Act Rules and Regulations, whichever is applicable or, if applicable, will
timely file the certification permitted by Rule 497(j) of the 1933 Act Rules and
Regulations and will advise you of the time and manner of such filing.
(m) Except as provided in this Agreement, the Fund will not
sell, contract to sell, or otherwise dispose of any senior securities of the
Fund, or grant any options or warrants to purchase senior securities of the
Fund, for a period of 180 days after the date of the Prospectus, without the
prior written consent of Xxxxx Xxxxxx Inc.
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(n) Except as stated in this Agreement and in the Prepricing
Prospectus and Prospectus, neither the Fund nor the Adviser has taken, nor will
it take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that might reasonably
be expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of
any securities issued by the Fund to facilitate the sale or resale of the
Shares; it being understood that the Underwriters include certain affiliates of
the Adviser and that stabilization or other activity by the Representatives on
behalf of the Underwriters shall not be deemed to be violative of this
representation.
(o) The Fund will use its best efforts to have the Shares
listed, subject to notice of issuance, on the NYSE concurrently with the
effectiveness of the registration statement and to comply with the rules and
regulations of such exchange.
(p) The Fund will use its best efforts to cause the Cumulative
Preferred Stock, prior to the Closing Date, to be assigned a rating of "AAA" by
[Standard & Poor's Ratings Group] (the "Rating Agency").
(q) The Fund and the Adviser will use their best efforts to
perform all of the agreements required of them and discharge all conditions to
closing as set forth in this Agreement.
6. Representations and Warranties of the Fund and the Adviser.
The Fund and the Adviser, jointly and severally, represent and warrant to each
Underwriter that:
(a) Each Prepricing Prospectus included as part of the
registration statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment or
supplement thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 497 of the 1933 Act Rules and
Regulations, complied when so filed in all material respects with the provisions
of the 1933 Act, the 1940 Act and the Rules and Regulations. The Commission has
not issued any order preventing or suspending the use of any Prepricing
Prospectus.
(b) The registration statement in the form in which it became
or becomes effective and also in such form as it may be when any post-effective
amendment thereto shall become effective and the Prospectus and any supplement
or amendment thereto when filed with the Commission under Rule 497 of the 1933
Act Rules and Regulations and the 1940 Act Notification when originally filed
with the Commission and any amendment or supplement thereto when filed with the
Commission, complied or will comply in all material respects with the provisions
of the 1933 Act, the 1940 Act and the Rules and Regulations and did not or will
not at any such times contain an 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, except that this representation and warranty
does not apply to statements in or omissions from the registration statement or
the
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Prospectus made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to
any Underwriter furnished to the Fund in writing by or on behalf of any
Underwriter through you expressly for use therein.
(c) All the outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Fund
have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable
and are free of any preemptive or similar rights; the Shares have been duly
authorized and, when issued and delivered to the Underwriters against payment
therefor in accordance with the terms hereof, will be validly issued, fully paid
and nonassessable and free of any preemptive or similar rights and will conform
to the description thereof in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (and
any amendment or supplement to either of them); and the capital stock of the
Fund conforms to the description thereof in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus (and any amendment or supplement to either of them).
(d) The Fund is a corporation duly organized and validly
existing in good standing under the laws of the State of Maryland with full
corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to
conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus (and any amendment or supplement to either of them), and is duly
registered and qualified to conduct its business and is in good standing in each
jurisdiction or place where the nature of its properties or the conduct of its
business requires such registration or qualification, except where the failure
so to register or qualify does not have a material adverse effect on the
condition (financial or other), business, prospects, properties, net assets or
results of operations of the Fund; and the Fund has no subsidiaries.
(e) There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or,
to the knowledge of the Fund, threatened, against the Fund, or to which the Fund
or any of its properties is subject, that are required to be described in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus (and any amendment or supplement to
either of them) but are not described as required, and there are no agreements,
contracts, indentures, leases or other instruments that are required to be
described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (and any amendment or
supplement to either of them) or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement that are not described or filed as required by the 1933 Act, the 1940
Act or the Rules and Regulations.
(f) The Fund is not in violation of its articles of
incorporation or by-laws, or other organizational documents, or of any law,
ordinance, administrative or governmental rule or regulation applicable to the
Fund or of any decree of the Commission, the NASD, any state securities
commission, any national securities exchange, any arbitrator, any court or
governmental agency, body or official having jurisdiction over
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the Fund, or in default in any material respect in the performance of any
obligation, agreement or condition contained in any bond, debenture, note or any
other evidence of indebtedness or in any material agreement, indenture, lease or
other instrument to which the Fund is a party or by which it or any of its
properties may be bound.
(g) Neither the issuance and sale of the Shares, the
execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement or any of the Fund
Agreements by the Fund, nor the consummation by the Fund of the transactions
contemplated hereby or thereby (A) requires any consent, approval, authorization
or other order of or registration or filing with, the Commission, the NASD, any
state securities commission, any national securities exchange, any arbitrator,
any court, regulatory body, administrative agency or other governmental body,
agency or official (except such as may have been obtained prior to the date
hereof and such as may be required for compliance with the state securities or
blue sky laws of various jurisdictions which have been or will be effected in
accordance with this Agreement) or conflicts or will conflict with or
constitutes or will constitute a breach of, or a default under, the articles of
incorporation, including the Articles Supplementary, or bylaws, or other
organizational documents, of the Fund or (B) conflicts or will conflict with or
constitutes or will constitute a breach of, or a default under, any agreement,
indenture, lease or other instrument to which the Fund is a party or by which it
or any of its properties may be bound, or violates or will violate any statute,
law, regulation or filing or judgment, injunction, order or decree applicable to
the Fund or any of its properties, or will result in the creation or imposition
of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Fund
pursuant to the terms of any agreement or instrument to which it is a party or
by which it may be bound or to which any of its property or assets is subject.
The Fund is not subject to any order of any court or of any arbitrator,
governmental authority or administrative agency.
(h) The accountants, Price Waterhouse LLP, who have certified
or shall certify the financial statements included in the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement to either of them) are
independent public accountants as required by the 1933 Act, the 1940 Act and the
Rules and Regulations.
(i) The financial statements, together with related schedules
and notes, included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus (and any amendment or supplement to either of them), present
fairly the financial position, results of operations and changes in financial
position of the Fund on the basis stated or incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement at the respective dates or for the respective periods to
which they apply; such statements and related schedules and notes have been
prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles
consistently applied
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throughout the periods involved, except as disclosed therein; and the other
financial and statistical information and data included in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus (and any amendment or supplement to either of them)
are accurately presented and prepared on a basis consistent with such financial
statements and the books and records of the Fund.
(j) The execution and delivery of, and the performance by the
Fund of its obligations under, this Agreement and the Fund Agreements have been
duly and validly authorized by the Fund, and this Agreement and the Fund
Agreements have been duly executed and delivered by the Fund and constitute the
valid and legally binding agreements of the Fund, enforceable against the Fund
in accordance with their terms, except as rights to indemnity and contribution
hereunder may be limited by federal or state securities laws.
(k) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement to either of them), subsequent to the
respective dates as of which such information is given in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement to either of them),
the Fund has not incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, or
entered into any transaction, not in the ordinary course of business, that is
material to the Fund, and there has not been any change in the capital stock, or
material increase in the short-term debt or long-term debt, of the Fund, or any
material adverse change, or any development involving or which may reasonably be
expected to involve, a prospective material adverse change, in the condition
(financial or other), business, prospects, properties, net assets or results of
operations of the Fund, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of
business.
(l) The Fund has not distributed and, prior to the later to
occur of (i) the Closing Date and (ii) completion of the distribution of the
Shares, will not distribute any offering material in connection with the
offering and sale of the Shares other than the Registration Statement, the
Prepricing Prospectus, the Prospectus or other materials, if any, permitted by
the 1933 Act, the 1940 Act or the Rules and Regulations.
(m) The Fund has such permits, licenses, franchises and
authorizations of governmental or regulatory authorities ("permits") as are
necessary to own its properties and to conduct its business in the manner
described in the Prospectus (and any amendment or supplement thereto), subject
to such qualifications as may be set forth in the Prospectus; the Fund has
fulfilled and performed all its material obligations with respect to such
permits and no event has occurred which allows, or after notice or lapse of time
would allow, revocation or termination thereof or results in any other material
impairment of the rights of the Fund under any such permit, subject in each case
to such qualification as may be set forth in the Prospectus (and any amendment
or supplement thereto); and, except as described in the
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Prospectus (and any amendment or supplement thereto), none of such permits
contains any restriction that is materially burdensome to the Fund.
(n) The Fund maintains a system of internal accounting
controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (i) transactions are
executed in accordance with management's general or specific authorization and
with the applicable requirements of the 1940 Act, the 1940 Act Rules and
Regulations and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"); (ii)
transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial
statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to
maintain accountability for assets and to maintain compliance with the books and
records requirements under the 1940 Act and the 1940 Act Rules and Regulations;
(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 existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is
taken with respect to any differences.
(o) To the Fund's knowledge, neither the Fund nor any employee
or agent of the Fund has made any payment of funds of the Fund or received or
retained any funds in violation of any law, rule or regulation, which payment,
receipt or retention of funds is of a character required to be disclosed in the
Prospectus.
(p) The Fund has filed all tax returns required to be filed,
which returns are complete and correct, and the Fund is not in default in the
payment of any taxes which were payable pursuant to said returns or any
assessments with respect thereto.
(q) No holder of any security of the Fund has any right to
require registration of shares of common stock, Cumulative Preferred Stock or
any other security of the Fund because of the filing of the registration
statement or consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(r) The Fund, subject to the registration statement having
been declared effective and the filing of the Prospectus under Rule 497 under
the Rules and Regulations, has taken all required action under the 1933 Act, the
1940 Act and the Rules and Regulations to make the public offering and
consummate the sale of the Shares as contemplated by this Agreement.
(s) The conduct by the Fund of its business (as described in
the Prospectus) does not require it to be the owner, possessor or licensee of
any patents, patent licenses, trademarks, service marks or trade names which it
does not own, possess or license.
(t) The Fund is registered under the 1940 Act as a
closed-end diversified management investment company and the 1940
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Act Notification has been duly filed with the Commission and, at the time of
filing thereof and any amendment or supplement thereto, conformed in all
material respects with all applicable provisions of the 1940 Act and the Rules
and Regulations. The Fund is, and at all times through the completion of the
transactions contemplated hereby, will be, in compliance in all material
respects with the terms and conditions of the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act. No
person is serving or acting as an officer, director or investment adviser of the
Fund except in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act and the 1940 Act
Rules and Regulations and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the
"Advisers Act"), and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated
under the Advisers Act (the "Advisers Act Rules and Regulations").
(u) Except as stated in this Agreement and in the Prospectus
(and any amendment or supplement thereto), the Fund has not taken, nor will it
take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or which might reasonably
be expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of
any securities issued by the Fund to facilitate the sale or resale of the
Shares, and the Fund is not aware of any such action taken or to be taken by any
affiliates of the Fund.
(v) The Fund has filed in a timely manner each document or
report required to be filed by it pursuant to the 1934 Act and the rules and
regulations of Commission promulgated thereunder (the "1934 Act Rules and
Regulations"); each such document or report at the time it was filed conformed
to the requirements of the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Rules and Regulations; and
none of such documents or reports contained an untrue statement of any material
fact or omitted to state any material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
(w) All advertising, sales literature or other promotional
material (including "prospectus wrappers," "broker kits," "road show slides" and
"road show scripts") authorized in writing by or directly or indirectly prepared
by the Fund or the Adviser for use in connection with the offering and sale of
the Shares (collectively, "sales material") complied and comply in all material
respects with the applicable requirements of the 1933 Act, the 1940 Act, the
Rules and Regulations and the rules and interpretations of the NASD and no such
sales material contained or contains an untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted or omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading.
(x) This Agreement and each of the Fund Agreements complies in
all material respects with all applicable provisions of the 1940 Act, the 1940
Act Rules and Regulations, the Advisers Act the Advisers Act Rules and
Regulations.
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(y) The Shares have been duly approved for listing upon notice
of issuance on the NYSE and the Fund's registration statement on Form 8-A under
the 1934 Act has become effective.
(z) The Shares have been, or prior to the Closing Date will
be, assigned a rating of "AAA" by the Rating Agency.
(ab) At all times since its inception, as required by
Subchapter M of the Code, the Fund has complied with the requirements to qualify
as a regulated investment company under the Code.
7. Representations and Warranties of the Adviser. The
Adviser represents and warrants to each Underwriter as follows:
(a) The Adviser is a corporation duly organized and validly
existing in good standing under the laws of the State of New York, with full
corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to
conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus (and any amendment or supplement to either of them), and is duly
registered and qualified to conduct its business and is in good standing in each
jurisdiction or place where the nature of its properties or the conduct of its
business requires such registration or qualification, except where the failure
so to register or to qualify does not have a material adverse effect on the
condition (financial or other), business, prospects, properties, net assets or
results of operations of the Adviser and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or
on the ability of the Adviser to perform its obligations under this Agreement
and the Investment Advisory Agreement.
(b) The Adviser is duly registered with the Commission as an
investment adviser under the Advisers Act and is not prohibited by the Advisers
Act, the Advisers Act Rules and Regulations, the 1940 Act or the 1940 Act Rules
and Regulations from acting under the Investment Advisory Agreement for the Fund
as contemplated by the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto).
There does not exist any proceeding or any facts or circumstances the existence
of which could lead to any proceeding which might adversely affect the
registration of the Adviser with the Commission.
(c) There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or,
to the knowledge of the Adviser, threatened against the Adviser, or to which the
Adviser or any of its properties is subject, that are required to be described
in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement
to either of them) but are not described as required or that may reasonably be
expected to involve a prospective material adverse change, in the condition
(financial or other), business, prospects, properties, net assets or results of
operations of the Adviser and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or on the
ability
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of the Adviser to perform its obligations under this Agreement and the
Investment Advisory Agreement.
(d) Neither the execution, delivery or performance of this
Agreement or the Investment Advisory Agreement by the Adviser, nor the
consummation by the Adviser of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby
(A) requires the Adviser to obtain any consent, approval, authorization or other
order of or registration or filing with, the Commission, the NASD, any state
securities commission, any national securities exchange, any arbitrator, any
court, regulatory body, administrative agency or other governmental body, agency
or official or conflicts or will conflict with or constitutes or will constitute
a breach of or a default under, the certificate of incorporation or by-laws, or
other organizational documents, of the Adviser or (B) conflicts or will conflict
with or constitutes or will constitute a breach of or a default under, any
agreement, indenture, lease or other instrument to which the Adviser is a party
or by which it or any of its properties may be bound, or violates or will
violate any statute, law, regulation or filing or judgment, injunction, order or
decree applicable to the Adviser or any of its properties or will result in the
creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or
assets of the Adviser pursuant to the terms of any agreement or instrument to
which it is a party or by which it may be bound or to which any of the property
or assets of the Adviser is subject. The Adviser is not subject to any order of
any court or of any arbitrator, governmental authority or administrative agency.
(e) The execution and delivery of, and the performance by the
Adviser of its obligations under, this Agreement and the Investment Advisory
Agreement have been duly and validly authorized by the Adviser, and this
Agreement and the Investment Advisory Agreement have been duly executed and
delivered by the Adviser and each constitutes the valid and legally binding
agreement of the Adviser, enforceable against the Adviser in accordance with its
terms except as rights to indemnity and contribution hereunder may be limited by
federal or state securities laws.
(f) The Adviser has the financial resources available to it
necessary for the performance of its services and obligations as contemplated in
the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) and under this Agreement
and the Investment Advisory Agreement.
(g) The description of the Adviser in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus (and any amendment or supplement thereto) complied
and comply in all material respects with the provisions the 1933 Act, the 1940
Act, the Advisers Act, the Rules and Regulations and the Advisers Act Rules and
Regulations and did not and will not contain an untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
to make the statements therein, in
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light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(h) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement to either of them), subsequent to the
respective dates as of which such information is given in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement to either of them),
the Adviser has not incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent,
or entered into any transaction, not in the ordinary course of business, that is
material to the Adviser and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, and there has
not been any material adverse change, or any development involving or which may
reasonably be expected to involve, a prospective material adverse change, in the
condition (financial or other), business, prospects, properties, net assets or
results of operations of the Adviser and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole,
whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, or which, in each
case, could have a material adverse effect on the ability of the Adviser to
perform its obligations under this Agreement and the Investment Advisory
Agreement.
(i) The Adviser has such permits, licenses, franchises and
authorizations of governmental or regulatory authorities ("permits") as are
necessary to own its properties and to conduct its business in the manner
described in the Prospectus (and any amendment thereto); the Adviser has
fulfilled and performed all its material obligations with respect to such
permits and no event has occurred which allows, or after notice or lapse of time
would allow, revocation or termination thereof or results in any other material
impairment of the rights of the Adviser under any such permit; and, except as
described in the Prospectus (and any amendment or supplement thereto), none of
such permits contains any restriction that is materially burdensome to the
Adviser.
(j) Except as stated in this Agreement and in the Prospectus
(and in any amendment or supplement thereto), the Adviser has not taken, nor
will it take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or which might
reasonably be expected to cause or result in, stabilization or manipulation of
the price of any securities issued by the Fund to facilitate the sale or resale
of the Shares, and the Adviser is not aware of any such action taken or to be
taken by any affiliates of the Adviser; it being understood that the
Underwriters include certain affiliates of the Adviser and that stabilization or
other activity by the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters shall not be
deemed to be violative of this representation.
(k) This Agreement and the Investment Advisory Agreement
comply in all material respects with all applicable provisions of the 1940 Act,
the 1940 Act Rules and Regulations, the Advisers Act and the Advisers Act Rules
and Regulations.
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(l) Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx is the validly appointed Chairman,
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director of the Adviser and the portfolio
manager of the Fund; Xx. Xxxxxxx has not given notice nor made known an
intention to give notice of termination of his employment and the Adviser knows
of no reason why Xx. Xxxxxxx should be unable to serve as portfolio manager to
the Fund.
8. Indemnification and Contribution. (a) The Fund and the
Adviser, jointly and severally, agree to indemnify and hold harmless each of you
and each other Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter
within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act
from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses,
joint and several (including reasonable costs of investigation) arising out of
or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material
fact contained in any Prepricing Prospectus or in the Registration Statement or
the Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto, or arising out of or
based upon 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, liabilities or
expenses arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or omission or
alleged untrue statement or omission which has been made therein or omitted
therefrom in reliance upon and in conformity with the information relating to
such Underwriter furnished in writing to the Fund by or on behalf of any
Underwriter through you expressly for use in connection therewith; provided,
however, that the indemnification contained in this paragraph (a) with respect
to any Prepricing Prospectus shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter
(or to the benefit of any person controlling such Underwriter) on account of any
such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense arising from the sale of the
Shares by such Underwriter to any person if a copy of the Prospectus shall not
have been delivered or sent to such person within the time required by the 1933
Act and the 1933 Act Rules and Regulations, and the untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement or omission or alleged omission of a material fact contained in
such Prepricing Prospectus was corrected in the Prospectus, provided that the
Fund has delivered the Prospectus to the several Underwriters in requisite
quantity on a timely basis to permit such delivery or sending. The foregoing
indemnity agreement shall be in addition to any liability which the Fund or the
Adviser may otherwise have.
(b) If any action, suit or proceeding shall be brought against
any Underwriter or any person controlling any Underwriter in respect of which
indemnity may be sought against the Fund or the Adviser, such Underwriter or
such controlling person shall promptly notify the Fund or the Adviser, and the
Fund or the Adviser shall assume the defense thereof, including the employment
of counsel and payment of all fees and expenses. Such Underwriter or any such
controlling person shall have the right
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to employ separate counsel in any such action, suit or proceeding and to
participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel
shall be at the expense of such Underwriter or such controlling person unless
(i) the Fund or the Adviser has agreed in writing to pay such fees and expenses,
(ii) the Fund and the Adviser have failed to assume the defense and employ
counsel, or (iii) the named parties to any such action, suit or proceeding
(including any impleaded parties) include both such Underwriter or such
controlling person and the Fund or the Adviser and such Underwriter or such
controlling person shall have been advised by its counsel that representation of
such indemnified party and the Fund or the Adviser by the same counsel would be
inappropriate under applicable standards of professional conduct (whether or not
such representation by the same counsel has been proposed) due to actual or
potential differing interests between them (in which case the Fund and the
Adviser shall not have the right to assume the defense of such action, suit or
proceeding on behalf of such Underwriter or such controlling person). It is
understood, however, that the Fund and the Adviser shall, in connection with any
one such action, suit or proceeding or separate but substantially similar or
related actions, suits or proceedings in the same jurisdiction arising out of
the same general allegations or circumstances, be liable for the reasonable fees
and expenses of only one separate firm of attorneys (in addition to any local
counsel) at any time for all such Underwriters and controlling persons not
having actual or potential differing interests with you or among themselves,
which firm shall be designated in writing by Xxxxx Xxxxxx Inc., and that all
such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. The Fund and
the Adviser shall not be liable for any settlement of any such action, suit or
proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such
written consent, or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff in any such
action, suit or proceeding, the Fund and the Adviser agree to indemnify and hold
harmless any Underwriter, to the extent provided in the preceding paragraph, and
any such controlling person from and against any loss, claim, damage, liability
or expense by reason of such settlement or judgment.
(c) Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to
indemnify and hold harmless the Fund and the Adviser, their directors, any
officers who sign the Registration Statement, and any person who controls the
Fund or the Adviser within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section
20 of the 1934 Act, to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Fund
and the Adviser to each Underwriter, but only with respect to information
relating to such Underwriter furnished in writing by or on behalf of such
Underwriter through you expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the
Prospectus or any Prepricing Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto.
If any action, suit or proceeding shall be brought against the Fund or the
Adviser, any of their directors, any such officer, or any such controlling
person based on the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Prepricing
Prospectus, or any amendment or
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supplement thereto, and in respect of which indemnity may be sought against any
Underwriter pursuant to this paragraph (c), such Underwriter shall have the
rights and duties given to the Fund and the Adviser by paragraph (b) above
(except that if the Fund or the Adviser shall have assumed the defense thereof
such Underwriter shall not be required to do so, but may employ separate counsel
therein and participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of
such counsel shall be at such Underwriter's expense), and the Fund and the
Adviser, their directors, any such officer, and any such controlling person
shall have the rights and duties given to the Underwriters by paragraph (b)
above. The foregoing indemnity agreement shall be in addition to any liability
which the Underwriters may otherwise have.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is
unavailable to an indemnified party under paragraphs (a) or (c) hereof in
respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to
therein, then an indemnifying party, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified
party, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party
as a result of such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (i) in such
proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the
Fund and the Adviser on the one hand (treated jointly for this purpose as one
person) and the Underwriters on the other hand from the offering of the Shares,
or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by
applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the
relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of
the Fund and the Adviser on the one hand (treated jointly for this purpose as
one person) and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements
or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or
expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative
benefits received by the Fund and the Adviser on the one hand (treated jointly
for this purpose as one person) and the Underwriters on the other shall be
deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering
(before deducting expenses) received by the Fund bear to the total underwriting
discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set
forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. The relative fault of
the Fund and the Adviser on the one hand (treated jointly for this purpose as
one person) and the Underwriters 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 Fund and the Adviser on the one hand
(treated jointly for this purpose as one person) or by the Underwriters on the
other hand and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information
and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
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(e) The Fund, the Adviser and the Underwriters agree that it
would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 8 were
determined by a pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as
one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not
take account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (d) above.
The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses,
claims, damages, liabilities and expenses referred to in paragraph (d) above
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 any claim or defending any such action, suit or
proceeding. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8, no Underwriter
shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the
total price of the Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public
exceeds the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been
required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission
or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within
the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution
from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The
Underwriters' obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 8 are several
in proportion to the respective numbers of Shares set forth opposite their names
in Schedule I hereto (or such numbers of Shares increased as set forth in
Section 11 hereof) and not joint.
(f) No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written
consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or
threatened action, suit or 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 includes an unconditional release
of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject
matter of such action, suit or proceeding.
(g) Any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses for
which an indemnified party is entitled to indemnification or contribution under
this Section 8 shall be paid by the indemnifying party to the indemnified party
as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses are incurred. The
indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section 8 and the
representations and warranties of the Fund and the Adviser set forth in this
Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless of (i)
any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any person
controlling any Underwriter, the Fund, the Adviser, their directors or officers,
or any person controlling the Fund or the Adviser, (ii) acceptance of any Shares
and payment therefor hereunder, and (iii) any termination of this Agreement. A
successor to any Underwriter or any person controlling any Underwriter, or to
the Fund, the Adviser, their directors or officers, or any person
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controlling the Fund or the Adviser, shall be entitled to the benefits of the
indemnity, contribution, and reimbursement agreements contained in this Section
8.
9. Conditions of Underwriters' Obligations. The several
obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Shares hereunder are subject to
the following conditions:
(a) If, at the time this Agreement is executed and delivered,
it is necessary for the registration statement or a post-effective amendment
thereto to be declared effective before the offering of the Shares may commence,
the registration statement or such post-effective amendment shall have become
effective not later than 5:30 P.M., New York City time, on the date hereof, or
at such later date and time as shall be consented to in writing by you, and all
filings, if any, required by Rules 497 and 430A under the 1933 Act and the 1933
Act Rules and Regulations shall have been timely made; no stop order suspending
the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or order pursuant to Section
8(e) of the 1940 Act shall have been issued and no proceeding for those purposes
shall have been instituted or, to the knowledge of the Fund, the Adviser or any
Underwriter, threatened by the Commission, and any request of the Commission for
additional information (to be included in the registration statement or the
prospectus or otherwise) shall have been complied with to your satisfaction.
(b) Subsequent to the effective date of this Agreement, there
shall not have occurred (i) any change, or any development involving a
prospective change, in or affecting the condition (financial or other),
business, prospects, properties, net assets, or results of operations of the
Fund or the Adviser and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, not contemplated by
the Prospectus, which in your opinion, as Representatives of the several
Underwriters, would materially, adversely affect the market for the Shares, or
(ii) any event or development relating to or involving the Fund or the Adviser
or any officer or director of the Fund or the Adviser which makes any statement
made in the Prospectus untrue or which, in the opinion of the Fund and its
counsel or the Underwriters and their counsel, requires the making of any
addition to or change in the Prospectus in order to state a material fact
required by the 1933 Act, the 1940 Act or the Rules and Regulations or any other
law to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein
not misleading, if amending or supplementing the Prospectus to reflect such
event or development would, in your opinion, as Representatives of the several
Underwriters, materially adversely affect the market for the Shares.
(c) The Fund shall have furnished to you and to the Rating
Agency, a report showing compliance with the asset coverage requirements of the
1940 Act, a Base Amount Report (as defined in the Prospectus) and a letter from
Price Waterhouse LLP regarding the accuracy of the calculations made by the Fund
in
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such reports, each dated the Closing Date and in form and substance satisfactory
to the Rating Agency and to you.
(d) You shall have received on the Closing Date, an opinion of
Xxxxxxx, Arps, Slate, Xxxxxxx & Xxxx LLP, counsel for the Fund, dated the
Closing Date and addressed to you, as Representatives of the several
Underwriters, to the effect that:
(i) The Fund is a corporation duly incorporated and
validly existing in good standing under the laws of the State of Maryland with
full corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and
to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus (and any amendment or supplement to either of them), and is duly
registered and qualified to conduct its business and is in good standing in each
jurisdiction or place where the nature of its properties or the conduct of its
business requires such registration or qualification, except where the failure
so to register or qualify does not have a material adverse effect on the
condition (financial or other), business, prospects, properties, net assets or
results of operations of the Fund; and the Fund has no subsidiaries;
(ii) The authorized and outstanding capital stock of
the Fund is as set forth under the caption "Capitalization" in the Prospectus;
and the authorized capital stock of the Fund conforms in all material respects
as to legal matters to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus under
the caption "Description of Capital Stock and Other Securities";
(iii) All the shares of capital stock of the Fund
outstanding prior to the issuance of the Shares have been duly authorized and
validly issued, and are fully paid and nonassessable;
(iv) The Shares have been duly authorized and, when
issued and delivered to the Underwriters against payment therefor in accordance
with the terms hereof, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and
free of any preemptive, or to the best knowledge of such counsel after
reasonable inquiry, similar rights that entitle or will entitle any person to
acquire any Shares upon the issuance thereof by the Fund, and will conform to
the description thereof contained in the Prospectus under the caption
"Description of Cumulative Preferred Stock";
(v) The form of certificates for the Shares conforms
to the requirements of the General Corporation Law of Maryland;
(vi) The Registration Statement and all
post-effective amendments, if any, have become effective under the 1933 Act and,
to the best knowledge of such counsel after reasonable inquiry, no stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or order pursuant to
Section 8(e) of the 1940 Act has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose
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are pending before or contemplated by the Commission; and any required filing of
the Prospectus pursuant to Rule 497 has been made in accordance with Rule 497;
(vii) The Fund has corporate power and authority to
enter into this Agreement and each of the Fund Agreements and to issue, sell and
deliver the Shares to the Underwriters as provided herein, and this Agreement
and each of the Fund Agreements have been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the Fund and each is a valid, legal and binding agreement of the
Fund, enforceable against the Fund in accordance with its terms, except as
enforcement of rights to indemnity and contribution hereunder may be limited by
Federal or state securities laws or principles of public policy and subject to
the qualification that the enforceability of the Fund's obligations hereunder
may be limited by bankruptcy, fraudulent conveyance, insolvency, reorganization,
moratorium, and other laws relating to or affecting creditors' rights generally
and by general equitable principles;
(viii) The Fund is not in violation of its articles
of incorporation, including the Articles Supplementary, or bylaws, or other
organizational documents, and to the best knowledge of such counsel after
reasonable inquiry, is not in default in the performance of any material
obligation, agreement or condition contained in any bond, debenture, note or
other evidence of indebtedness, except as may be disclosed in the Prospectus;
(ix) Neither the offer, sale or delivery of the
Shares, the execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement and the Fund
Agreements by the Fund, compliance by the Fund with the provisions hereof or
thereof nor consummation by the Fund of the transactions contemplated hereby and
the Fund Agreements conflicts or will conflict with or constitutes or will
constitute a breach of, or a default under, the articles of incorporation,
including the Articles Supplementary, or bylaws, or other organizational
documents, of the Fund or any agreement, indenture, lease or other instrument to
which the Fund is a party or by which it or any of its properties is bound that
is an exhibit to the Registration Statement, or is known to such counsel after
reasonable inquiry, or will result in the creation or imposition of any lien,
charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Fund, nor will any such
action result in any violation of any existing law, regulation, ruling (assuming
compliance with all applicable state securities or blue sky laws), judgment,
injunction, order or decree known to such counsel after reasonable inquiry,
applicable to the Fund or any of its properties;
(x) No consent, approval, authorization or other
order of, or registration or filing with, the Commission, the NASD, any state
securities commission, any national securities exchange, any arbitrator, any
court, regulatory body, administrative agency or other governmental body,
agency, or
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official is required on the part of the Fund (except such as may have been
obtained prior to the date hereof and such as may be required for compliance
with the state securities or blue sky laws of various jurisdictions which have
been or will be effected in accordance with this Agreement) for the valid
issuance and sale of the Shares to the Underwriters as contemplated by this
Agreement, the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the
Fund Agreements or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and
thereby;
(xi) The 1940 Act Notification, the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus and the Fund's Registration Statement on Form 8-A
under the 1934 Act and any supplements or amendments thereto (except for the
financial statements and the notes thereto and the schedules and other financial
and statistical data included therein, as to which such counsel need not express
any opinion) comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of
the 1933 Act, the 1940 Act, the Rules and Regulations, the 1934 Act and the
rules and regulations promulgated thereunder;
(xii) To the best knowledge of such counsel after
reasonable inquiry, (A) other than as described or contemplated in the
Registration Statement or Prospectus (or any supplement thereto), there are no
legal or governmental proceedings pending or threatened against the Fund, or to
which the Fund or any of its properties is subject, which are required to be
described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus (or any amendment or
supplement to either of them) and (B) there are no agreements, contracts,
indentures, leases or other instruments, that are required to be described in
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement
thereto) or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement that are not
described or filed as required, as the case may be;
(xiii) To the best knowledge of such counsel after
reasonable inquiry, the Fund is not in violation of any law, ordinance,
administrative or governmental rule or regulation applicable to the Fund or of
any decree of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over
the Fund;
(xiv) The statements in the Registration Statement
and Prospectus, insofar as they are descriptions of contracts, agreements or
other legal documents, or refer to statements of law or legal conclusions, are
accurate and present fairly the information required to be shown;
(xv) Each of this Agreement and the Fund Agreements
complies as to form in all material respects with all applicable provisions of
the 1933 Act, the 1940 Act, the Advisers Act, the Rules and Regulations and the
Advisers Act Rules and Regulations;
(xvi) The Fund is duly registered with the Commission
under the 1940 Act as a closed-end diversified management
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investment company; the provisions of the Fund's articles of incorporation,
including the Articles Supplementary, and by-laws comply as to form in all
material respects with the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act and the 1940
Act Rules and Regulations, the provisions of the Fund's articles of
incorporation, including the Articles Supplementary, and by-laws and the
investment policies and restrictions described in the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus under the captions "Investment Objective and Policies" and
"Investment Restrictions" (in both the Prospectus and the statement of
additional information) comply in all material respects with the requirements of
the 1940 Act, and all action has been taken by the Fund as is required of the
Fund by the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act and the Rules and Regulations in
connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares to make the public offering
and consummate the sale of the Shares as contemplated by this Agreement;
(xvii) The Shares are duly authorized for listing,
subject to official notice of issuance, on the NYSE and the Fund's registration
statement on Form 8-A under the 1934 Act is effective;
(xviii) The Fund has full corporate power and
authority, and all necessary governmental authorizations, approvals, orders,
licenses, certificates, franchises and permits of and from all governmental
regulatory officials and bodies (except where the failure so to have any such
authorizations, approvals, orders, licenses, certificates, franchises or
permits, individually or in the aggregate, would not have a material adverse
effect on the business, properties, operations or financial condition of the
Fund), to own its properties and to conduct business as now being conducted, as
described in the Prospectus;
(xix) Except as described in the Prospectus, there
are no outstanding options, warrants or other rights calling for the issuance
of, and such counsel does not know of any commitment, plan or arrangement to
issue, any shares of capital stock of the Fund or any security convertible into
or exchangeable or exercisable for capital stock of the Fund;
(xx) Except as described in the Prospectus, there is
no holder of any security of the Fund or any other person who has the right,
contractual or otherwise, to cause the Fund to sell or otherwise issue to them,
or to permit them to underwrite the sale of, the Shares or the right to have any
securities of the Fund included in the registration statement or the right, as a
result of the filing of the registration statement, to require registration
under the 1933 Act of any securities of the Fund;
(xxi) All sales material complied and comply in all
material respects with the applicable requirements of the 1933 Act, the 1940
Act, the Rules and Regulations and the rules and interpretations of the NASD;
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26
(xxii) At all times since its inception, as required
by Subchapter M of the Code, the Fund has complied with the requirements to
qualify as a regulated investment company under the Code; and
(xxiii) Although counsel has not undertaken, except
as otherwise indicated in their opinion, to determine independently, and does
not assume any responsibility for, the accuracy or completeness of the
statements in the Registration Statement, such counsel has participated in the
preparation of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, including review
and discussion of the contents thereof, and nothing has come to the attention of
such counsel that has caused it to believe that the Registration Statement at
the time the Registration Statement became effective, or the Prospectus, as of
its date and as of the Closing Date, contained an untrue statement of a material
fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or that any amendment or
supplement to the Prospectus, as of its respective date, and as of the Closing
Date, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a
material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (it being
understood that such counsel need express no opinion with respect to the
financial statements and the notes thereto and the schedules and other financial
and statistical data included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus).
In rendering their opinion as aforesaid, counsel may rely upon
an opinion or opinions, each dated the Closing Date, of other counsel retained
by them or the Fund as to laws of any jurisdiction other than the United States
or the State of New York, provided that (1) each such local counsel is
acceptable to the Representatives, (2) such reliance is expressly authorized by
each opinion so relied upon and a copy of each such opinion is delivered to the
Representatives and is, in form and substance satisfactory to them and their
counsel, and (3) counsel shall state in their opinion that they believe that
they and the Underwriters are justified in relying thereon.
(e) You shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of
Xxxxxxx, Arps, Slate, Xxxxxxx & Xxxx LLP, special counsel for the Adviser, dated
the Closing Date and addressed to you, as Representatives of the several
Underwriters, to the effect that:
(i) The Adviser is a corporation duly incorporated
and validly existing in good standing under the laws of the State of New York
with full corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties
and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus (and any amendment or supplement to either of them), and is duly
registered and qualified to conduct its business and is in good standing in each
jurisdiction or place where the nature of its
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properties or the conduct of its business requires such registration or
qualification, except where the failure to so register or qualify does not have
a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or other), business,
prospects, properties, net assets or results of operations of the Adviser and
its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or on the ability of the Adviser to perform
its obligations under this Agreement and the Investment Advisory Agreement;
(ii) The Adviser is duly registered with the
Commission as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act and is not prohibited
by the Advisers Act, the Advisers Act Rules and Regulations, the 1940 Act or the
1940 Act Rules and Regulations from acting under the Investment Advisory
Agreement for the Fund as contemplated by the Prospectus (or any amendment or
supplement thereto);
(iii) The Adviser has corporate power and authority
to enter into this Agreement and the Investment Advisory Agreement, and this
Agreement and the Investment Advisory Agreement have been duly authorized,
executed and delivered by the Adviser and each is a valid, legal and binding
agreement of the Adviser, enforceable against the Adviser in accordance with its
terms except as enforcement of rights to indemnity and contribution hereunder
may be limited by Federal or state securities laws or principles of public
policy and subject to the qualification that the enforceability of the Adviser's
obligations hereunder may be limited by bankruptcy, fraudulent conveyance,
insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, and other laws relating to or affecting
creditors' rights generally and by general equitable principles;
(iv) Neither the execution, delivery or performance
of this Agreement or the Investment Advisory Agreement by the Adviser,
compliance by the Adviser with the provisions hereof or thereof nor consummation
by the Adviser of the transactions contemplated hereby and the Investment
Advisory Agreement conflicts or will conflict with, or constitutes or will
constitute a breach of or default under, the articles of incorporation or
by-laws, or other organizational documents, of the Adviser or any agreement,
indenture, lease or other instrument to which the Adviser is a party or by which
it or any of its properties is bound that is known to such counsel after
reasonable inquiry, or will result in the creation or imposition of any lien,
charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Adviser, nor will any
such action result in any violation of any existing law, regulation, ruling,
judgment, injunction, order or decree known to such counsel after reasonable
inquiry, applicable to the Adviser or any of its properties;
(v) No consent, approval, authorization or other
order of, or registration or filing with, the Commission, the NASD, any state
securities commission, any national securities exchange, any arbitrator, any
court, regulatory body,
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28
administrative agency or other governmental body, agency, or official is
required on the part of the Adviser for the execution, delivery and performance
of this Agreement and the Fund Agreements or the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby and thereby;
(vi) To the best knowledge of such counsel after
reasonable inquiry, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or
threatened against the Adviser or to which the Adviser or any of its properties
is subject, which are required to be described in the Registration Statement or
the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement to either of them) but are not
described as required or may reasonably be expected to include a prospective
material adverse change, in the condition (financial or other), business,
prospects, properties, net assets or results of operations of the Adviser and
its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or on the ability of the Adviser to perform
its obligations under this Agreement and the Investment Advisory Agreement;
(vii) Each of this Agreement and the Investment
Advisory Agreement complies in all material respects with all applicable
provisions of the 1940 Act, the 1940 Act Rules and Regulations, the Advisers Act
and the Advisers Act Rules and Regulations.
(viii) The Adviser has full corporate power and
authority, and all necessary governmental authorizations, approvals, orders,
licenses, certificates, franchises and permits of and from all governmental
regulatory officials and bodies (except where the failure so to have any such
authorizations, approvals, orders, licenses, certificates, franchises or
permits, individually or in the aggregate, would not have a material adverse
effect on the business, properties, operations or financial condition of the
Adviser and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole), to own its properties and to
conduct business as now being conducted, as described in the Prospectus, and to
perform its obligations under the Investment Advisory Agreement; and
(ix) Although counsel has not undertaken, except as
otherwise indicated in their opinion, to determine independently, and does not
assume any responsibility for, the accuracy or completeness of the statements in
the Registration Statement, such counsel has participated in the preparation of
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, including review and discussion
of the contents thereof, and nothing has come to the attention of such counsel
that has caused it to believe that the Registration Statement at the time the
Registration Statement became effective, or the Prospectus, as of its date and
as of the Closing Date, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein not misleading or that any amendment or supplement
to the Prospectus, as of its respective date, and as of the Closing Date,
contained any untrue
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29
statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in
order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading (it being understood that such counsel need
express no opinion with respect to the financial statements and the notes
thereto and the schedules and other financial and statistical data included in
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus).
In rendering their opinion as aforesaid, counsel may rely upon
an opinion or opinions, each dated the Closing Date, of other counsel retained
by them or the Fund as to laws of any jurisdiction other than the United States
or the State of New York, provided that (1) each such local counsel is
acceptable to the Representatives, (2) such reliance is expressly authorized by
each opinion so relied upon and a copy of each such opinion is delivered to the
Representatives and is, in form and substance satisfactory to them and their
counsel, and (3) counsel shall state in their opinion that they believe that
they and the Underwriters are justified in relying thereon.
(f) You shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx, counsel for the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date
and addressed to you, as Representatives of the several Underwriters, with
respect to such matters as the Underwriters may reasonably request.
(g) You shall have received letters addressed to you, as
Representatives of the several Underwriters, and dated the date hereof and the
Closing Date from Price Waterhouse LLP, independent certified public
accountants, substantially in the forms heretofore approved by you.
(h) (i) No order suspending the effectiveness of the
registration statement or the Registration Statement or prohibiting or
suspending the use of the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or
any Prepricing Prospectus or any sales material shall have been issued and no
proceedings for such purpose or for the purpose of commencing an enforcement
action against the Fund, the Adviser or, with respect to the transactions
contemplated by the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) and this
Agreement, any Underwriter, may be pending before or, to the knowledge of the
Fund, the Adviser or any Underwriter or in the reasonable view of counsel to the
Underwriters, shall be threatened or contemplated by the Commission at or prior
to the Closing Date and that any request for additional information on the part
of the Commission (to be included in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus
or otherwise) be complied with to the satisfaction of the Representatives; (ii)
there shall not have been any change in the capital stock of the Fund nor any
material increase in the short-term or long-term debt of the Fund (other than in
the ordinary course of business) from that set forth or contemplated in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or any amendment or Supplement
thereto); (iii) there shall not have been,
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30
subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement
thereto), except as may otherwise be stated in the Registration Statement and
Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any material adverse change
in the condition (financial or other), business, prospects, properties, net
assets or results of operations of the Fund or the Adviser; (iv) the Fund shall
not have any liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent (whether or not in
the ordinary course of business), that are material to the Fund, other than
those reflected in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or any
amendment or supplement to either of them); and (v) all the representations and
warranties of the Fund and the Adviser contained in this Agreement shall be true
and correct on and as of the date hereof and on and as of the Closing Date as if
made on and as of the Closing Date, and you shall have received a certificate,
dated the Closing Date and signed by the chief executive officer and the chief
financial officer of each of the Fund and the Adviser (or such other officers as
are acceptable to you), to the effect set forth in this Section 9(h) and in
Section 9(i) hereof.
(i) That neither the Fund nor the Adviser shall have failed at
or prior to the Closing Date to have performed or complied with any of its
agreements herein contained and required to be performed or complied with by it
hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date.
(j) The Fund shall have delivered and you shall have received
evidence satisfactory to you that the shares of Cumulative Preferred Stock are
rated at least "AAA" by the Rating Agency as of the Closing Date, and there
shall not have been given any notice of any intended or potential downgrading,
or of any review for a potential downgrading, in the rating accorded to the
shares of Cumulative Preferred Stock by the Rating Agency.
(k) The Shares shall have been listed or approved for listing
upon notice of issuance on the NYSE.
(l) The Fund and the Adviser shall have furnished or caused to
be furnished to you such further certificates and documents as you shall have
requested.
All such opinions, certificates, letters and other documents
will be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are satisfactory
in form and substance to you and your counsel.
Any certificate or document signed by any officer of the Fund
or the Adviser and delivered to you, as Representatives of the Underwriters, or
to counsel for the Underwriters, shall be deemed a representation and warranty
by the Fund or the Adviser to each Underwriter as to the statements made
therein.
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31
10. Expenses. The Fund agrees to pay the following costs and
expenses and all other costs and expenses incident to the performance by it of
its obligations hereunder: (i) the preparation, printing or reproduction, and
filing with the Commission of the registration statement (including financial
statements and exhibits thereto), each Prepricing Prospectus, the 1940 Act
Notification, the Prospectus and each amendment or supplement to any of them
(including, without limitation, the filing fees prescribed by the 1933 Act, the
1940 Act and the Rules and Regulations); (ii) the printing (or reproduction) and
delivery (including postage, air freight charges and charges for counting and
packaging) of such copies of the Registration Statement, each Prepricing
Prospectus, the Prospectus, any sales material and all amendments or supplements
to any of them as may be reasonably requested for use in connection with the
offering and sale of the Shares; (iii) the preparation, printing,
authentication, issuance and delivery of certificates for the Shares, including
any stamp taxes in connection with the original issuance and sale of the Shares;
(iv) the printing (or reproduction) and delivery of this Agreement, any dealer
agreements, the preliminary and supplemental blue sky memoranda and all other
agreements or documents printed (or reproduced) and delivered in connection with
the offering of the Shares; (v) the registration of the Shares under the
Exchange Act and the listing of the Shares on the New York Stock Exchange; (vi)
the registration or qualification of the Shares for offer and sale under the
state securities or blue sky laws of the several states as provided in Section
5(g) hereof (including the reasonable fees, expenses and disbursements of
counsel for the Underwriters relating to the preparation, printing or
reproduction, and delivery of the preliminary and supplemental blue sky
memoranda and such registration and qualification); (vii) fees paid to the
Rating Agency; (viii) the transportation and other expenses incurred by or on
behalf of Fund representatives in connection with presentations to prospective
purchasers of the Shares; and (ix) the fees and expenses of the Fund's
accountants and the fees and expenses of counsel (including local and special
counsel) for the Fund and of the transfer agent.
Except as provided in this Section 10, the Underwriters agree
to pay their own costs and expenses of the underwriting, including the fees and
expenses of (i) their counsel and (ii) Financial Products Group, Inc.
11. Effective Date of Agreement. This Agreement shall become
effective: (i) upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto; or
(ii) if, at the time this Agreement is executed and delivered, it is necessary
for the registration statement or a post-effective amendment thereto to be
declared effective before the offering of the Shares may commence, when
notification of the effectiveness of the registration statement or such
post-effective amendment has been released by the Commission. Until such time as
this Agreement shall have become effective, it may be terminated by the Fund, by
notifying you, or
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32
by you, as Representatives of the several Underwriters, by notifying the Fund.
If any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to
purchase Shares which it or they are obligated to purchase hereunder on the
Closing Date, and the aggregate number of Shares which such defaulting
Underwriter or Underwriters are obligated but fail or refuse to purchase is not
more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Shares which the Underwriters are
obligated to purchase on the Closing Date, each non-defaulting Underwriter shall
be obligated, severally, in the proportion which the number of Shares set forth
opposite its name in Schedule I hereto bears to the aggregate number of Shares
set forth opposite the names of all non-defaulting Underwriters or in such other
proportion as you may specify in accordance with Section 20 of the Master
Agreement Among Underwriters of Xxxxx Xxxxxx Inc., to purchase the Shares which
such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters are obligated, but fail or refuse,
to purchase. If any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to
purchase Shares which it or they are obligated to purchase on the Closing Date
and the aggregate number of Shares with respect to which such default occurs is
more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Shares which the Underwriters are
obligated to purchase on the Closing Date and arrangements satisfactory to you
and the Fund for the purchase of such Shares by one or more non-defaulting
Underwriters or other party or parties approved by you and the Fund are not made
within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement will terminate without
liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Fund. In any such
case which does not result in termination of this Agreement, either you or the
Fund 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 and the Prospectus or any other documents or arrangements
may be effected. Any action taken under this paragraph shall not relieve any
defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any such default of any such
Underwriter under this Agreement. The term "Underwriter" as used in this
Agreement includes, for all purposes of this Agreement, any party not listed in
Schedule I hereto who, with your approval and the approval of the Fund,
purchases Shares which a defaulting Underwriter is obligated, but fails or
refuses, to purchase.
Any notice under this Section 11 may be given by telegram,
telecopy or telephone but shall be subsequently confirmed by letter.
12. Termination of Agreement. This Agreement shall be subject
to termination in your absolute discretion, without liability on the part of any
Underwriter to the Fund or the Adviser, by notice to the Fund or the Adviser, if
prior to the Closing Date (i) trading in securities generally on the New York
Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq National Market shall
have been suspended or materially limited,
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33
(ii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities in New York shall
have been declared by either federal or state authorities, or (iii) there shall
have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or other international
or domestic calamity, crisis or change in political, financial or economic
conditions, the effect of which on the financial markets of the United States is
such as to make it, in your judgment, impracticable or inadvisable to commence
or continue the offering of the Shares at the offering price to the public set
forth on the cover page of the Prospectus or to enforce contracts for the resale
of the Shares by the Underwriters. Notice of such termination may be given to
the Fund by telegram, telecopy or telephone and shall be subsequently confirmed
by letter.
13. Information Furnished by the Underwriters. The statements
set forth in the last paragraph on the cover page, the stabilization legend on
the inside cover page, and the statements in the first, third and fifth
paragraphs under the caption "Underwriting" in any Prepricing Prospectus and in
the Prospectus, constitute the only information furnished by or on behalf of the
Underwriters through you as such information is referred to in Sections 6(b) and
8 hereof.
14. Miscellaneous. Except as otherwise provided in Sections 5,
11 and 12 hereof, notice given pursuant to any provision of this Agreement shall
be in writing and shall be delivered (i) if to the Fund or the Adviser, at the
office of the Fund at Xxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx, Xxx Xxxx 10580-1434, Attention:
[insert name and title]; or (ii) if to you, as Representatives of the several
Underwriters, care of Xxxxx Xxxxxx Inc., 000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx
Xxxx 00000, Attention: Adviser, Investment Banking Division.
This Agreement has been and is made solely for the benefit of
the several Underwriters, the Fund, the Adviser, their directors and officers,
and the other controlling persons referred to in Section 8 hereof and their
respective successors and assigns, to the extent provided herein, and no other
person shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement.
Neither the term "successor" nor the term "successors and assigns" as used in
this Agreement shall include a purchaser from any Underwriter of any of the
Shares in his status as such purchaser.
15. Applicable Law; Counterparts. This Agreement shall be
governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York
applicable to contracts made and to be performed within the State of New York.
This Agreement may be signed in various counterparts which
together constitute one and the same instrument. If signed in counterparts, this
Agreement shall not become effective unless at least one counterpart hereof
shall have been executed and delivered on behalf of each party hereto.
34
Please confirm that the foregoing correctly sets forth the
agreement between the Fund and the several Underwriters.
Very truly yours,
THE GABELLI CONVERTIBLE
SECURITIES FUND, INC.
By
----------------------------
GABELLI FUNDS, INC.
By
----------------------------
Confirmed as of the date first above
mentioned on behalf of themselves and the
other several Underwriters named in Schedule
I hereto.
XXXXX XXXXXX INC.
GABELLI & COMPANY, INC.
As Representatives of the Several Underwriters
By XXXXX XXXXXX INC.
By
----------------------------
Managing Director
35
SCHEDULE I
THE GABELLI CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES FUND, INC.
Number of
Underwriter Shares
----------- ------
Xxxxx Xxxxxx Inc.................................................
Gabelli & Company, Inc...........................................
-----------
Total............................................................ [1,200,000]
-----------
