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EXHIBIT 4.1
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
THIS REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of October 30, 2000 between
Investwell Investments Limited ("Purchaser") and Xxxxxx.xxx Corporation, a
Delaware corporation (the "Company").
WHEREAS, simultaneously with the execution and delivery of this
Agreement, pursuant to a Common Stock Purchase Agreement dated the date hereof
(the "Purchase Agreement") the Purchaser has committed to purchase up to
$40,000,000 of the Company's Common Stock (terms not defined herein shall have
the meanings ascribed to them in the Purchase Agreement) and the Warrant; and
WHEREAS, the Company desires to grant to the Purchaser the registration
rights set forth herein with respect to the Shares and the shares issuable upon
exercise of the Warrant from time to time (collectively, the "Securities").
NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereto mutually agree as follows:
Section 1. Registrable Securities. As used herein the term "Registrable
Security" means the Securities until (i) such Securities have been disposed of
pursuant to the Registration Statement, (ii) such Securities have been sold
under circumstances under which all of the applicable conditions of Rule 144 (or
any similar provision then in force) under the Securities Act ("Rule 144") are
met, (iii) such Securities have been otherwise transferred to persons who may
trade such Securities without restriction under the Securities Act, and the
Company has delivered a new certificate or other evidence of ownership for such
Securities not bearing a restrictive legend or (iv) such time as, in the opinion
of counsel to the Company, such Securities may be sold without any time, volume
or manner limitations pursuant to Rule 144(k) (or any similar provision then in
effect) under the Securities Act. The term "Registrable Securities" means any
and/or all of the Securities falling within the foregoing definition of a
"Registrable Security." In the event of any merger, reorganization,
consolidation, recapitalization or other change in corporate structure affecting
the Common Stock, such adjustment shall be deemed to be made in the definition
of "Registrable Security" as is appropriate in order to prevent any dilution or
enlargement of the rights granted pursuant to this Agreement.
Section 2. Restrictions on Transfer. The Purchaser acknowledges and
understands that in the absence of an effective Registration Statement
authorizing the resale of the Securities as provided herein, the Securities are
"restricted securities" as defined in Rule 144. The Purchaser understands that
no disposition or transfer of the Securities may be made by Purchaser in the
absence of (i) an opinion of counsel to the Purchaser, in form and substance
reasonably satisfactory to the Company, that such transfer may be made without
registration under the Securities Act or (ii) such registration.
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With a view to making available to the Purchaser the benefits of Rule
144, the Company agrees to:
(a) comply with the provisions of paragraph (c)(1) of Rule 144;
and
(b) file with the SEC in a timely manner all reports and other
documents required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
under the Exchange Act; and, if at any time it is not required to file such
reports but in the past had been required to or did file such reports, it will,
upon the request of the Purchaser, make available other information as required
by, and so long as necessary to permit sales of, its Registrable Securities
pursuant to Rule 144.
Section 3. Registration Rights With Respect to the Securities.
(a) The Company agrees that it will prepare and file with the
Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), within forty-five (45) days after
the date hereof, a registration statement (on Form S-3 and/or S-1, or other
appropriate form of registration statement) under the Securities Act (the
"Registration Statement"), at the sole expense of the Company (except as
provided in Section 3(c) hereof), so as to permit a public offering and resale
of the Securities under the Securities Act by Purchaser.
The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the
Registration Statement to become effective within ninety (90) days of the date
hereof or five (5) Trading Days following the Company's receipt of notice from
the SEC that the Registration Statement may be declared effective, and will
within said five (5) Trading Days request acceleration of effectiveness. The
Company will notify Purchaser of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement
within one Trading Day of such event.
(b) The Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to
maintain the Registration Statement or post-effective amendment filed under this
Section 3 effective under the Securities Act until the earliest of (i) the date
that all the Securities may be disposed of by Purchaser pursuant to the
Registration Statement, (ii) the date that all of the Securities have been sold
by Purchaser pursuant to the Registration Statement, (iii) the date the holders
thereof receive an opinion of counsel to the Company, which opinion shall be
reasonably acceptable to the Purchaser, that the Securities may be sold under
the provisions of Rule 144 without limitation as to volume, (iv) all Securities
have been otherwise transferred to persons who may trade such shares without
restriction under the Securities Act, and the Company has delivered a new
certificate or other evidence of ownership for such securities not bearing a
restrictive legend, or (v) all Securities may be sold without any time, volume
or manner limitations pursuant to Rule 144(k) or any similar provision then in
effect under the Securities Act in the opinion of counsel to the Company, which
counsel shall be reasonably acceptable to the Purchaser (the "Effectiveness
Period").
(c) All fees, disbursements and out-of-pocket expenses and costs
incurred by the Company in connection with the preparation and filing of the
Registration Statement under subparagraph 3(a) and in complying with applicable
securities and Blue Sky
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laws (including, without limitation, all attorneys' fees of the Company) shall
be borne by the Company. The Purchaser shall bear the cost of underwriting
and/or brokerage discounts, fees and commissions, if any, applicable to the
Securities being registered and the fees and expenses of its counsel. The
Purchaser and its counsel shall have a reasonable period, not to exceed five (5)
Trading Days, to review the proposed Registration Statement or any amendment
thereto, prior to filing with the SEC, and the Company shall provide the
Purchaser with copies of any comment letters received from the SEC with respect
thereto within two (2) Trading Days of receipt thereof. The Company shall make
reasonably available for inspection by Purchaser, any underwriter participating
in any disposition pursuant to the Registration Statement, and any attorney,
accountant or other agent retained by the Purchaser or any such underwriter all
relevant financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and
properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, and cause the Company's
officers, directors and employees to supply all information reasonably requested
by the Purchaser or any such underwriter, attorney, accountant or agent in
connection with the Registration Statement, in each case, as is customary for
similar due diligence examinations; provided, however, that all records,
information and documents that are designated in writing by the Company, in good
faith, as confidential, proprietary or containing any material non-public
information shall be kept confidential by the Purchaser and any such
underwriter, attorney, accountant or agent (pursuant to an appropriate
confidentiality agreement in the case of the Purchaser, underwriter, attorney,
accountant or agent), unless such disclosure is made pursuant to judicial
process in a court proceeding (after first giving the Company an opportunity
promptly to seek a protective order or otherwise limit the scope of the
information sought to be disclosed) or is required by law, or such records,
information or documents become available to the public generally or through a
third party not in violation of an accompanying obligation of confidentiality;
and provided further that, if the foregoing inspection and information gathering
would otherwise disrupt the Company's conduct of its business, such inspection
and information gathering shall, to the maximum extent possible, be coordinated
on behalf of the Purchaser and the other parties entitled thereto by one firm of
counsel designed by and on behalf of the majority in interest of the Purchaser
and other parties. The Company shall qualify any of the Securities for sale in
such states as the Purchaser reasonably designates and shall furnish
indemnification in the manner provided in Section 6 hereof. However, the Company
shall not be required to qualify in any state which will require an escrow or
other restriction relating to the Company and/or the sellers, or which will
require the Company to qualify to do business in such state or require the
Company to file therein any general consent to service of process. The Company
at its expense will supply the Purchaser with copies of the Registration
Statement and the prospectus included therein and other related documents in
such quantities as may be reasonably requested by the Purchaser.
(d) The Company shall not be required by this Section 3 to
include the Purchaser's Securities in any Registration Statement which is to be
filed if, in the opinion of counsel for both the Purchaser and the Company (or,
should they not agree, in the opinion of another counsel experienced in
securities law matters acceptable to counsel for the Purchaser and the Company)
the proposed offering or other transfer as to which such registration is
requested is exempt from applicable federal and state securities laws and would
result in all purchasers or transferees obtaining securities which are not
"restricted securities", as defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act.
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(e) If at any time or from time to time after the effective date
of the Registration Statement, the Company notifies the Purchaser in writing of
the existence of a Potential Material Event (as defined in Section 3(f) below),
the Purchaser shall not offer or sell any Securities or engage in any other
transaction involving or relating to Securities, from the time of the giving of
notice with respect to a Potential Material Event until the Purchaser receives
written notice from the Company that such Potential Material Event either has
been disclosed to the public or no longer constitutes a Potential Material Event
(the "Suspension Period"); provided, however, that, if a Suspension Period
occurs during any periods commencing on a Trading Day a Draw Down Notice is
deemed delivered and ending ten (10) Trading Days following the end of the
corresponding Draw Down Pricing Period, then the Company must compensate the
Purchaser for any net decline in the market value of any Securities held by the
Purchaser at the beginning of any such Suspension Period, or committed to be
purchased by the Purchaser, through the end of such Suspension Period. Net
decline shall be calculated as the difference between the highest VWAP during
the applicable Suspension Period and the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately
following a properly delivered notice to the Purchaser that such Suspension
Period has ended. If a Potential Material Event shall occur prior to the date
the Registration Statement is filed, then the Company's obligation to file the
Registration Statement shall be delayed without penalty for not more than thirty
(30) calendar days. The Company must give Purchaser notice of the existence of a
Potential Material Event in writing at least two (2) Trading Days prior to the
first day of any Suspension Period, if lawful to do so.
(f) "Potential Material Event" means any of the following: (a)
the possession by the Company of material information that is not ripe for
disclosure in a registration statement, as determined in good faith by the Chief
Executive Officer or the Board of Directors of the Company or that disclosure of
such information in the Registration Statement would be detrimental to the
business and affairs of the Company; or (b) any material engagement or activity
by the Company which would, in the good faith determination of the Chief
Executive Officer or the Board of Directors of the Company, be adversely
affected by disclosure in a registration statement at such time, which
determination shall be accompanied by a good faith determination by the Chief
Executive Officer or the Board of Directors of the Company that the Registration
Statement would be materially misleading absent the inclusion of such
information.
Section 4. Cooperation with Company. The Purchaser will cooperate with
the Company in all respects in connection with this Agreement, including timely
supplying all information reasonably requested by the Company (which shall
include all information regarding the Purchaser and proposed manner of sale of
the Registrable Securities required to be disclosed in the Registration
Statement) and executing and returning all documents reasonably requested in
connection with the registration and sale of the Registrable Securities and
entering into and performing its obligations under any underwriting agreement,
if the offering is an underwritten offering, in usual and customary form, with
the managing underwriter or underwriters of such underwritten offering. The
Purchaser shall consent to be named as an underwriter in the Registration
Statement. Purchaser acknowledges that in accordance with current SEC policy,
the Purchaser will be named as the underwriter of the Securities in the
Registration Statement.
Section 5. Registration Procedures. If and whenever the Company is
required by any of the provisions of this Agreement to effect the registration
of any of the Registrable
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Securities under the Securities Act, the Company shall (except as otherwise
provided in this Agreement), as expeditiously as possible, subject to the
Purchaser's assistance and cooperation as reasonably required:
(a) prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and
supplements to the Registration Statement and the prospectus used in connection
therewith as may be necessary to keep such registration statement effective and
to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the sale or
other disposition of all securities covered by such registration statement
whenever the Purchaser of such Registrable Securities shall desire to sell or
otherwise dispose of the same (including prospectus supplements with respect to
the sales of securities from time to time in connection with a registration
statement pursuant to Rule 415 promulgated under the Securities Act) and (ii)
take all lawful action such that each of (A) the Registration Statement and any
amendment thereto does not, when it becomes effective, 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 and
(B) the prospectus forming part of the Registration Statement, and any amendment
or supplement thereto, does not at any time during the Registration Period
include 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
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(b) prior to the filing with the SEC of any Registration
Statement (including any amendments thereto) and the distribution or delivery of
any prospectus (including any supplements thereto), provide draft copies thereof
to the Purchaser and reflect in such documents all such comments as the
Purchaser (and its counsel) reasonably may propose and (ii) furnish to the
Purchaser such numbers of copies of a prospectus including a preliminary
prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any prospectus, as applicable, in
conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act, and such other
documents, as the Purchaser may reasonably request in order to facilitate the
public sale or other disposition of the securities owned by the Purchaser;
(c) register and qualify the Registrable Securities covered by
the Registration Statement under New York blue sky laws (subject to the
limitations set forth in Section 3(c) above), and do any and all other acts and
things which may be reasonably necessary or advisable to enable the Purchaser to
consummate the public sale or other disposition in such jurisdiction of the
securities owned by the Purchaser, except that the Company shall not for any
such purpose be required to qualify to do business as a foreign corporation in
any jurisdiction wherein it is not so qualified or to file therein any general
consent to service of process;
(d) list such Registrable Securities on the Principal Market,
and any other exchange on which the Common Stock of the Company is then listed,
if the listing of such Registrable Securities is then permitted under the rules
of such exchange or the Nasdaq Stock Market;
(e) notify the Purchaser at any time when a prospectus relating
thereto covered by the Registration Statement is required to be delivered under
the Securities Act, of the happening of any event of which it has knowledge as a
result of which the prospectus included in
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the Registration Statement, as then in effect, includes an untrue statement of a
material fact or omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the
circumstances then existing; in the event of such a happening, the Company shall
prepare and file a curative amendment under Section 5(a) as quickly as is
reasonably practicable;
(f) as promptly as practicable after becoming aware of such
event, notify the Purchaser who holds Registrable Securities being sold (or, in
the event of an underwritten offering, the managing underwriters) of the
issuance by the SEC or any state authority of any stop order or other suspension
of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement at the earliest possible time
and take all reasonable lawful action to effect the withdrawal, recission or
removal of such stop order or other suspension;
(g) cooperate with the Purchaser to facilitate the timely
preparation and delivery of certificates for the Registrable Securities to be
offered pursuant to the Registration Statement and enable such certificates for
the Registrable Securities to be in such denominations or amounts, as the case
may be, as the Purchaser reasonably may request and registered in such names as
the Purchaser may request; and, within three (3) Trading Days after a
Registration Statement which includes Registrable Securities is declared
effective by the SEC, deliver and cause legal counsel selected by the Company to
deliver to the transfer agent for the Registrable Securities (with copies to the
Purchaser whose Registrable Securities are included in such Registration
Statement) an appropriate instruction and, to the extent necessary, an opinion
of such counsel;
(h) take all such other lawful actions reasonably necessary to
expedite and facilitate the disposition by the Purchaser of their Registrable
Securities in accordance with the intended methods therefor provided in the
prospectus which are customary for issuers to perform under the circumstances;
(i) in the event of an underwritten offering, promptly include
or incorporate in a prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment to the
Registration Statement such information as the managing underwriters reasonably
agree should be included therein and to which the Company does not reasonably
object and make all required filings of such prospectus supplement or
post-effective amendment as soon as practicable after it is notified of the
matters to be included or incorporated in such prospectus supplement or
post-effective amendment; and
(j) maintain a transfer agent for its Common Stock.
Section 6. Indemnification.
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the
Purchaser and each person, if any, who controls the Purchaser within the meaning
of the Securities Act ("Distributing Purchaser") against any losses, claims,
damages or liabilities, joint or several (which shall, for all purposes of this
Agreement, include, but not be limited to, all reasonable costs of defense and
investigation and all reasonable attorneys' fees), to which the Distributing
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Purchaser may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as
such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof)
arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement
of any material fact contained in the Registration Statement, or any related
preliminary prospectus, final prospectus or amendment or supplement thereto, or
arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein
a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading; provided, however, that the Company will not
be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or
liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement,
preliminary prospectus, final prospectus or amendment or supplement thereto in
reliance upon, and in conformity with, written information furnished to the
Company by the Distributing Purchaser specifically for use in the preparation
thereof. This Section 6(a) shall not inure to the benefit of any Distributing
Purchaser with respect to any person asserting such loss, claim, damage or
liability who purchased the Registrable Securities which are the subject thereof
if the Distributing Purchaser failed to send or give (in violation of the
Securities Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder) a copy of
the prospectus contained in such Registration Statement to such person at or
prior to the written confirmation to such person of the sale of such Registrable
Securities, where the Distributing Purchaser was obligated to do so under the
Securities Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. This
indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which the Company may
otherwise have.
(b) Each Distributing Purchaser agrees that it will indemnify
and hold harmless the Company, and each officer, director of the Company or
person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities
Act, against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (which shall, for all
purposes of this Agreement, include, but not be limited to, all reasonable costs
of defense and investigation and all reasonable attorneys' fees) to which the
Company or any such officer, director or controlling person may become subject
under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages
or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon
any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained
in the Registration Statement, or any related preliminary prospectus, final
prospectus or amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon
the omission or the alleged omission to state therein a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,
but in each case only to the extent that such untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission was made in the Registration
Statement, preliminary prospectus, final prospectus or amendment or supplement
thereto in reliance upon, and in conformity with, written information furnished
to the Company by such Distributing Purchaser specifically for use in the
preparation thereof. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any
liability which the Distributing Purchaser may otherwise have. Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary herein, the Distributing Purchaser shall not be liable
under this Section 6(b) for any amount in excess of the net proceeds to such
Distributing Purchaser as a result of the sale of Registrable Securities
pursuant to the Registration Statement.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this
Section 6 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party
will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party
under this Section 6, notify the indemnifying
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party of the commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the
indemnifying party will not relieve the indemnifying party from any liability
which it may have to any indemnified party except to the extent of actual
prejudice demonstrated by the indemnifying party. In case any such action is
brought against any indemnified party, and it notifies the indemnifying party of
the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate
in, and, to the extent that it may wish, jointly with any other indemnifying
party similarly notified, assume the defense thereof, subject to the provisions
herein stated and after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified
party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party
will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 6 for any legal
or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection
with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation, unless
the indemnifying party shall not pursue the action to its final conclusion. The
indemnified party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such
action and to participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of
such counsel shall not be at the expense of the indemnifying party if the
indemnifying party has assumed the defense of the action with counsel reasonably
satisfactory to the indemnified party; provided that if the indemnified party is
the Distributing Purchaser, the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at
the expense of the indemnifying party if (i) the employment of such counsel has
been specifically authorized in writing by the indemnifying party, or (ii) the
named parties to any such action (including any impleaded parties) include both
the Distributing Purchaser and the indemnifying party and the Distributing
Purchaser shall have been advised by such counsel that there may be one or more
legal defenses available to the indemnifying party different from or in conflict
with any legal defenses which may be available to the Distributing Purchaser (in
which case the indemnifying party shall not have the right to assume the defense
of such action on behalf of the Distributing Purchaser, it being understood,
however, that the indemnifying party shall, in connection with any one such
action or separate but substantially similar or related actions in the same
jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances, be
liable only for the reasonable fees and expenses of one separate firm of
attorneys for the Distributing Purchaser, which firm shall be designated in
writing by the Distributing Purchaser and be approved by the indemnifying
party). No settlement of any action against an indemnified party shall be made
without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, which consent shall
not be unreasonably withheld.
All fees and expenses of the indemnified party (including reasonable
costs of defense and investigation in a manner not inconsistent with this
Section and all reasonable attorneys' fees and expenses) shall be paid to the
indemnified party, as incurred, within ten (10) Trading Days of written notice
thereof to the indemnifying party; provided, that the indemnifying party may
require such indemnified party to undertake to reimburse all such fees and
expenses to the extent it is finally judicially determined that such indemnified
party is not entitled to indemnification hereunder).
Section 7. Contribution. In order to provide for just and equitable
contribution under the Securities Act in any case in which (i) the indemnified
party makes a claim for indemnification pursuant to Section 6 hereof but is
judicially determined (by the entry of a final judgment or decree by a court of
competent jurisdiction and the expiration of time to appeal or the denial of the
last right of appeal) that such indemnification may not be enforced in such case
notwithstanding the fact that the express provisions of Section 6 hereof provide
for
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indemnification in such case, or (ii) contribution under the Securities Act may
be required on the part of any indemnified party, then the Company and the
applicable Distributing Purchaser shall contribute to the aggregate losses,
claims, damages or liabilities to which they may be subject (which shall, for
all purposes of this Agreement, include, but not be limited to, all reasonable
costs of defense and investigation and all reasonable attorneys' fees), in
either such case (after contribution from others) on the basis of relative fault
as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault shall
be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state
a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company on the one hand
or the applicable Distributing Purchaser on the other hand, and the parties'
relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or
prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the Distributing Purchaser
agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this
Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of
allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred
to in this Section 7. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a
result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect
thereof) referred to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to include any
legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in
connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. No person
guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of
the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was
not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 7, in no event shall
any (i) the Purchaser be required to undertake liability to any person under
this Section 7 for any amounts in excess of the dollar amount of the net
proceeds to be received by the Purchaser from the sale of the Purchaser's
Registrable Securities (after deducting any fees, discounts and commissions
applicable thereto) pursuant to any Registration Statement under which such
Registrable Securities are to be registered under the Securities Act,
underwriter be required to undertake liability to any person hereunder for any
amounts in excess of the aggregate discount, commission or other compensation
payable to such underwriter with respect to the Registrable Securities
underwritten by it and distributed pursuant to the Registration Statement.
Section 8. Notices. All notices, demands, requests, consents, approvals,
and other communications required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing
and, unless otherwise specified herein, shall be delivered as set forth in the
Purchase Agreement.
Section 9. Assignment. Neither this Agreement nor any rights of the
Purchaser or the Company hereunder may be assigned by either party to any other
person. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (a) the provisions of this Agreement
shall inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by, any transferee of any of
the Common Stock purchased by the Purchaser pursuant to the Purchase Agreement
other than through open-market sales, and (b) upon the prior written consent of
the Company, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed in the
case of an assignment to an affiliate of the Purchaser, the Purchaser's interest
in this Agreement may be assigned at any time, in whole or in part, to any other
person or entity (including any affiliate of the Purchaser) who agrees to be
bound hereby.
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Section 10. Counterparts/Facsimile. This Agreement may be executed in
two or more counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original, but all of
which, when together shall constitute but one and the same instrument, and shall
become effective when one or more counterparts have been signed by each party
hereto and delivered to the other party. In lieu of the original, a facsimile
transmission or copy of the original shall be as effective and enforceable as
the original.
Section 11. Remedies and Severability. The remedies provided in this
Agreement are cumulative and not exclusive of any remedies provided by law. If
any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a
court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable,
the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth
herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected,
impaired or invalidated, and the parties hereto shall use their best efforts to
find and employ an alternative means to achieve the same or substantially the
same result as that contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or
restriction. It is hereby stipulated and declared to be the intention of the
parties that they would have executed the remaining terms, provisions, covenants
and restrictions without including any of such that may be hereafter declared
invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.
Section 12. Conflicting Agreements. The Company shall not enter into any
agreement with respect to its securities that is inconsistent with the rights
granted to the holders of Registrable Securities in this Agreement or otherwise
prevents the Company from complying with all of its obligations hereunder.
Section 13. Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for reference
purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of
this Agreement.
Section 14. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to
contracts made in New York by persons domiciled in New York City and without
regard to its principles of conflicts of laws. Any action may be brought as set
forth in the Purchase Agreement. Any party shall have the right to seek
injunctive relief from any court of competent jurisdiction in any case where
such relief is available. Any dispute under this Agreement shall be submitted to
arbitration under the American Arbitration Association (the "AAA") in New York
City, New York, and shall be finally and conclusively determined by the decision
of a board of arbitration consisting of three (3) members (hereinafter referred
to as the "Board of Arbitration") selected as according to the rules governing
the AAA. The Board of Arbitration shall meet on consecutive business days in New
York City, New York, and shall reach and render a decision in writing (concurred
in by a majority of the members of the Board of Arbitration) with respect to the
amount, if any, which the losing party is required to pay to the other party in
respect of a claim filed. In connection with rendering its decisions, the Board
of Arbitration shall adopt and follow the laws of the State of New York. To the
extent practical, decisions of the Board of Arbitration shall be rendered no
more than thirty (30) calendar days following commencement of proceedings with
respect thereto. The Board of Arbitration shall cause its written decision to be
delivered to all parties involved in the dispute. The Board of Arbitration shall
be authorized and is directed to enter a default judgment against any party
refusing to participate in the arbitration proceeding within thirty days of any
deadline for such
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participation. Any decision made by the Board of Arbitration (either prior to or
after the expiration of such thirty (30) calendar day period) shall be final,
binding and conclusive on the parties to the dispute, and entitled to be
enforced to the fullest extent permitted by law and entered in any court of
competent jurisdiction. The prevailing party shall be awarded its costs,
including attorneys' fees, from the non-prevailing party as part of the
arbitration award. Any party shall have the right to seek injunctive relief from
any court of competent jurisdiction in any case where such relief is available.
The prevailing party in such injunctive action shall be awarded its costs,
including attorney's fees, from the non-prevailing party.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Registration
Rights Agreement to be duly executed, on this 30th day of October, 2000
XXXXXX.XXX CORPORATION
By: /s/ XXXXXX X. XXXXX
-----------------------------
Xxxxxx Xxxxx, President & CEO
INVESTWELL INVESTMENTS LIMITED
By: /s/ XXXX XXXXXXXX
-----------------------------
Name: Xxxx Xxxxxxxx
Title: Director
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