Wells Fargo & Company [Subordinated] [Notes] due Form of Underwriting Agreement

Exhibit 1(a)

Xxxxx Fargo & Company

[Subordinated] [Notes] due

Form of Underwriting Agreement

[DATE]

To the Representatives

named in Schedule I

hereto of the Underwriters

named in Schedule II hereto

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Xxxxx Fargo & Company, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to sell to the underwriters named in Schedule II hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you are acting as Representatives (the “Representatives”), the principal amount of its securities identified in Schedule I hereto (the “Securities”), to be issued under the indenture identified in Schedule I hereto (the “Indenture”), with as the trustee (the “Trustee”). If the firm or firms listed in Schedule II hereto include only the firm or firms listed in Schedule I hereto, then the terms “Underwriters” and “Representatives”, as used herein, shall each be deemed to refer to such firm or firms.

1. Representations and Warranties. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each Underwriter that:

(a) The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”) and has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) an automatic shelf registration statement on such Form as defined in Rule 405 under the Act (the file number of which is set forth in Schedule I hereto) for the registration under the Act of the Securities. Such registration statement, including any amendments thereto, became effective upon filing. The Company proposes to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424 under the Act a supplement to a form of prospectus included in such registration statement relating to the Securities in the form heretofore delivered to you. Such registration statement, including all exhibits thereto (but excluding the Statements of Eligibility on Form T-1), as amended at the date of this Agreement, and including any prospectus supplement relating to the Securities that is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule

424(b) under the Act and deemed part of such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430B under the Act, is hereinafter called the “Registration Statement”; such prospectus in the form in which it appears in the Registration Statement is hereinafter called the “Basic Prospectus” and such supplemented form of prospectus, in the form in which it shall be filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) (including the Basic Prospectus as so supplemented) is hereinafter called the “Final Prospectus”. Any preliminary form of the Final Prospectus which has been or will be filed pursuant to Rule 424 is hereinafter called the “Preliminary Final Prospectus”. Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Final Prospectus or the Final Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 which were filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) on or before the date of this Agreement, or the issue date of the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Final Prospectus or the Final Prospectus, as the case may be; and any reference herein to the terms “amend”, “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Final Prospectus or the Final Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing of any document under the Exchange Act after the date of this Agreement, or the issue date of the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Final Prospectus or the Final Prospectus, as the case may be, and deemed to be incorporated therein by reference.

(b) As of the date hereof, when the Final Prospectus is first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act, when, prior to the Closing Date (as hereinafter defined), any amendment to the Registration Statement becomes effective (including the filing of any document incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement), when any supplement to the Final Prospectus is filed with the Commission and at the Closing Date (as hereinafter defined), (i) the Registration Statement, as amended as of any such time, and the Final Prospectus, as amended or supplemented as of any such time, and the Indenture will comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Trust Indenture Act”) and the Exchange Act and the respective rules thereunder and (ii) neither the Registration Statement, as amended as of any such time, nor the Final Prospectus, as amended or supplemented as of any such time, will contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; provided, however, that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to (i) that part of the Registration Statement which shall constitute the Statements of Eligibility on Form T-1 under the Trust Indenture Act of the Trustee, or (ii) the information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement or the Final Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use in connection with the preparation of the Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus (it being understood and agreed that the only such information contained in the

Registration Statement or Final Prospectus furnished by any Underwriter consists of such information described as such in a letter dated the Closing Date (the “Blood Letter”) delivered by the Representatives to the Company).

(c) At the Applicable Time, the Disclosure Package does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from the Disclosure Package based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in the Blood Letter.

(d) (i) At the time of filing the Registration Statement, (ii) at the time of the most recent amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Act (whether such amendment was by post-effective amendment, incorporated report filed pursuant to Sections 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act or form of prospectus) and (iii) at the time the Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this clause only, of Rule 163(c) under the Act) made any offer relating to the Securities in reliance on the exemption in Rule 163 under the Act, the Company was or is (as the case may be) a “well-known seasoned issuer” as defined in Rule 405 under the Act. The Company agrees to pay the fees required by the Commission relating to the Securities within the time required by Rule 456(b)(1) under the Act without regard to the proviso therein and otherwise in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) under the Act.

(e) At the earliest time after the filing of the Registration Statement that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) under the Act) of the Securities, the Company was not and is not an Ineligible Issuer (as defined in Rule 405 under the Act), without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an Ineligible Issuer.

(f) Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus does not include any information that conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement, including any document incorporated therein and any prospectus supplement deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified. The foregoing sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in the Blood Letter.

(g) Certain Definitions. For purposes hereof:

(i) “Disclosure Package” shall mean (i) the Basic Prospectus, as amended and supplemented to the Applicable Time, (ii) the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses identified in Schedule III hereto, and (iii) any other Free Writing Prospectus that the parties hereto shall hereafter expressly agree in writing to treat as part of the Disclosure Package.

(ii) “Applicable Time” shall mean the Applicable Time listed in Schedule I hereto.

(iii) “Free Writing Prospectus” shall mean a free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 405 under the Act.

(iv) “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” shall mean an issuer free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 433 under the Act, that (i) is required to be filed with the Commission by the Company or (ii) is exempt from filing pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Securities or the offering that does not reflect the final terms.

2. Purchase and Sale. Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at the purchase price set forth in Schedule I hereto, the principal amount of the Securities set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule II hereto.

3. Delivery and Payment. Delivery of and payment for the Securities shall be made at the office, on the date and at the time specified in Schedule I hereto, which date and time may be postponed by agreement between the Representatives and the Company or as provided in Section 8 hereof (such date and time of delivery and payment for the Securities being herein called the “Closing Date”). Delivery of the Securities shall be made to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters against payment by the several Underwriters through the Representatives of the purchase price thereof in the manner set forth in Schedule I hereto. The Company will deliver against payment of the purchase price the Securities in the form of one or more permanent global securities in definitive form deposited with or on behalf of the Trustee as custodian for The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) for credit to the respective accounts of the Underwriters and registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee for DTC. Interests in the permanent global Securities will be held only in book-entry form through DTC, except in the limited circumstances described in the Final Prospectus.

4. Agreements. The Company agrees with the several Underwriters that:

(a) The Company will provide to counsel for the Underwriters one manually executed copy of the Registration Statement, including all exhibits thereto, in the form it became effective and all amendments thereto. Prior to the Closing Date, the Company will not file any amendment of the Registration Statement or supplement (including the Final Prospectus) to the Basic Prospectus unless the Company has furnished you a copy for your review prior to filing and

will not file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which you reasonably object promptly after notice thereof. Neither the Representatives’ consent to, nor the Underwriters’ delivery of, any such amendment or supplement shall constitute a waiver of any of the conditions set forth in Section 5 hereof. Subject to the foregoing sentence, the Company will cause the Final Prospectus to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act not later than the close of business on the second business day following the execution and delivery of this Agreement. The Company will promptly advise the Representatives (i) when the Final Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), (ii) when any amendment to the Registration Statement relating to the Securities shall have become effective, (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment of the Registration Statement or amendment of or supplement to the Final Prospectus or for any additional information, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, or of any notice that would prevent its use, or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose and (v) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose. In the event of the issuance of any stop order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Final Prospectus or Final Prospectus, the Company will use promptly its best efforts to obtain the withdrawal of such stop order.

(b) To prepare a final term sheet in a form approved by you and to file such term sheet pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(ii) under the Act within the time required by such Rule. Any such final term sheet shall be an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.

(c) If there occurs an event or development as a result of which the Disclosure Package would include an untrue statement of a material fact or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances then prevailing, not misleading, the Company will notify promptly the Representatives so that any use of the Disclosure Package may cease until it is amended or supplemented.

(d) If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is required to be delivered under the Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172), any event occurs as a result of which the Final Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading, or if it shall be necessary to amend or supplement the Final Prospectus to comply with the Act or the Exchange Act or the respective rules thereunder, including in connection with use or delivery of the Final Prospectus, the Company will promptly notify you and will, upon your request, prepare and file with the Commission an amendment or supplement which will correct such statement or omission or an amendment which will effect such

compliance. Neither the Representatives’ request for, nor the Underwriters’ delivery of, any such amendment or supplement shall constitute a waiver of any of the conditions set forth in Section 5 hereof.

(e) As soon as practicable, the Company will make generally available to its security holders an earnings statement or statements of the Company and its subsidiaries which will satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act.

(f) The Company will furnish to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, copies of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and each amendment thereto which shall become effective on or prior to the Closing Date and, so long as delivery of a prospectus by an Underwriter or dealer may be required by the Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172), as many copies of any Preliminary Final Prospectus, the Final Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus included in the Disclosure Package and any amendments thereof and supplements thereto as the Representatives may reasonably request. The Company will pay the expenses of printing or other production of all documents relating to the offering and the expenses incurred in distributing the Final Prospectus to the Underwriters.

(g) The Company will arrange for the qualification of the Securities for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate, will maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required to complete the distribution of the Securities; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required 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 general or unlimited service of process in any jurisdiction where it is not now so subject or subject itself to taxation in any jurisdiction where it is not now so subject.

(h) Until the business day following the Closing Date or such earlier time as you may notify the Company, the Company will not, without the consent of the Representatives, offer or sell, or announce the offering of, any debt securities that are substantially similar to the Securities (other than commercial paper) and are covered by the Registration Statement or any other registration statement filed under the Act.

(i) The Company agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representatives, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees with the Company that, unless it has obtained or will obtain, as the case may be, the prior written consent of the Company, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a Free Writing Prospectus required to be filed with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433 under the Act; provided that the prior written consent of the parties hereto shall be deemed to have been given in respect of the Free Writing Prospectuses included in Schedule III hereto. Any such Free Writing Prospectus consented to

by the Representatives or the Company is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Company agrees that (x) it has treated and will treat, as the case may be, each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and (y) it has complied and will comply, as the case may be, with the requirements of Rules 164 and 433 under the Act applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including in respect of timely filing with the Commission, legending and record keeping.

(j) The Company will pay all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, for any filing fees or other expenses (including fees and disbursements of counsel) in connection with qualification of the Securities for sale and determination of their eligibility for investment under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate and the printing of memoranda relating thereto, for any fees charged by investment rating agencies for the rating of the Securities, for any travel expenses of the Company’s officers and employees and any other expenses of the Company in connection with attending or hosting meetings with prospective purchasers of Securities and for expenses incurred in distributing any Preliminary Final Prospectus, the Free Writing Prospectuses included in Schedule III hereto or the Final Prospectus.

(k) The Company will cooperate with the Representatives and use all commercially reasonable efforts to permit the Securities to be eligible for clearance and settlement through DTC, the Euroclear System and Clearstream Banking S.A., as applicable.

5. Conditions to the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Securities shall be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company contained herein as of the date hereof, as of the date of the effectiveness of any amendment to the Registration Statement filed after the date hereof and prior to the Closing Date (including the filing of any document incorporated by reference therein) and as of the Closing Date, to the accuracy of the statements of the Company made in any certificates pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:

(a) No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, as amended from time to time, or any notice under Rule 401(g)(2) that would prevent its use, shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or threatened by the Commission; the Final Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) not later than the close of business on the second business day following the execution and delivery of this Agreement; and the final term sheet contemplated by Section 4(b) hereto, and any other material required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act, shall have been filed with the Commission within the applicable time periods prescribed for such filings by Rule 433.

(b) The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives the opinion of Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx, Senior Counsel of the Company or another of the Company’s lawyers, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that:

(i) the Company has been duly incorporated and is a validly existing corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, has the corporate power and authority to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus, and is duly registered as a financial holding company and a bank holding company under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended; Xxxxx Fargo Bank, National Association (“Xxxxx Fargo Bank”) is a national banking association authorized to transact the business of banking under the National Bank Act of 1864, as amended; and WFC Holdings Corporation (“WFC Holdings” and together with Xxxxx Fargo Bank, the “Significant Subsidiaries”) is a duly organized and validly existing corporation under the laws of the State of Delaware;

(ii) each of the Company and the Significant Subsidiaries is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction which requires such qualification wherein it owns or leases any material properties or conducts any material business, except where the failure to so qualify would not have any material adverse effect upon the business, condition or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole;

(iii) all of the outstanding shares of capital stock of each Significant Subsidiary have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and (except as provided in 12 X.X.X. §00 in the case of Xxxxx Fargo Bank) nonassessable, and are owned directly or indirectly by the Company free and clear of any perfected security interest and, to the knowledge of such counsel, any other security interests, claims, liens or encumbrances;

(iv) the number and type of equity securities the Company is authorized to issue is as set forth in the Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus;

(v) to such counsel’s knowledge, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or threatened which are required to be disclosed in the Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus, other than as disclosed therein, and there is no contract or other document of a character required to be described or referred to in the Registration Statement or required to be filed as an exhibit thereto other than those described or referred to therein or filed or incorporated by reference as exhibits thereto, and the description thereof or references thereto are correct;

(vi) neither the issue and sale of the Securities, nor the consummation of any other of the transactions herein contemplated nor the fulfillment of the terms hereof or the Indenture will result in a breach of, or constitute a default under, any indenture or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any Significant Subsidiary is a party or bound and which constitutes a material contract and is set forth as an exhibit to the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K or any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or Current Reports on Form 8-K, or any other indenture or material agreement or instrument known to such counsel and to which the Company or any Significant Subsidiary is a party or bound, the breach of which would have a material adverse effect on the financial condition of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or violate any order or regulation known to such counsel to be applicable to the Company or any Significant Subsidiary of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body or arbitrator having jurisdiction over the Company or any Significant Subsidiary; nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the Restated Certificate of Incorporation or By-Laws of the Company;

(vii) the statements in the [Preliminary Final Prospectus and the] Final Prospectus (other than statements furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of an Underwriter through the Representatives, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of such information described as such in the Blood Letter) under the captions “Description of Debt Securities”, “Plan of Distribution”, “Description of the Notes”, and “Underwriting” insofar as they purport to summarize certain provisions of documents or laws specifically referred to therein, are accurate summaries of such provisions or laws or of the sources from which such summaries were derived;

(viii) the Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company, has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act, as amended, and (assuming the Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Trustee) constitutes a valid and legally binding instrument enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms (subject, as to enforcement of remedies, to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and subject to general equity principles (regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and except further as enforcement thereof may be limited by any governmental authority that limits, delays or prohibits the making of payments outside the United States); and the Securities have been duly authorized and executed by the Company and, when authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement, the Securities will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in

accordance with their terms and entitled to the benefits of the Indenture (subject, as to enforcement of remedies, to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and subject to general equity principles (regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and except further as enforcement thereof may be limited by any governmental authority that limits, delays or prohibits the making of payments outside the United States);

(ix) the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto have become effective under the Act; to the knowledge of such counsel, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, as amended, or any notice under Rule 401(g)(2) that would prevent its use, has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or threatened; the Registration Statement, the Final Prospectus and each amendment thereof or supplement thereto as of their respective effective or issue dates (other than the financial statements and other financial and statistical information contained therein, other than statements furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of an Underwriter through the Representatives (it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of such information described as such in the Blood Letter) and other than the Statements of Eligibility on Form T-1 included or incorporated by reference therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) complied as to form in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act and the Exchange Act and the respective rules thereunder; and such counsel has no reason to believe that the Registration Statement, or any amendment thereof, at the time it became effective (other than the financial statements and other financial and statistical information contained therein, other than statements furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of an Underwriter through the Representatives (it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of such information described as such in the Blood Letter) and other than the Statements of Eligibility on Form T-1 included or incorporated by reference therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion), contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or that the Final Prospectus, as amended or supplemented (other than the financial statements and other financial and statistical information contained therein, other than statements furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of an Underwriter through the Representatives (it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of such information described as such in the Blood Letter) and other than the Statements of Eligibility on Form T-1 included or incorporated by reference therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion), includes any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;

(x) such counsel has no reason to believe that the Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (other than the financial statements and other financial and statistical information contained therein, other than statements furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of an Underwriter through the Representatives (it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of such information described as such in the Blood Letter) and other than the Statements of Eligibility on Form T-1 included or incorporated by reference therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion);

(xi) this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company; and

(xii) no consent, approval, authorization or order of any court or government agency or body is required for the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein, except such as have been obtained under the Act and the Trust Indenture Act and such as may be required under the Blue Sky laws of any jurisdiction or NASD regulations in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters.

In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely (A) as to matters involving the application of laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Minnesota and the Delaware General Corporation Law or the United States, to the extent deemed proper and specified in such opinion, upon the opinion of counsel who are satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters; and (B) as to matters of fact, to the extent deemed proper, on certificates of responsible officers of the Company and its subsidiaries and public officials.

(c) The Representatives shall have received from their counsel such opinion or opinions, dated the Closing Date, with respect to the issuance and sale of the Securities, the Indenture, the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, the Final Prospectus and other related matters as the Representatives may reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as it requests for the purpose of enabling it to pass upon such matters.

(d) The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a certificate of the Company, signed by any Senior Vice President or Executive Vice President and the principal financial or accounting officer of the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that:

(i) the representations and warranties of the Company in Section 1 hereof are true and correct on and as of the Closing Date with the same effect as if made on the Closing Date, and the Company has complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Date;

(ii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, as amended, or notice under Rule 401(g)(2) that would prevent its use, has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or threatened; and

(iii) since the date of the most recent financial statements included in the Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus, there has been no material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, earnings, business, properties or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus.

(e) At the Closing Date, KPMG LLP shall have furnished to the Representatives a letter or letters (which may refer to letters previously delivered to the Representatives), dated the Closing Date.

(f) As of the Closing Date, there shall not have occurred since the date hereof any change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business, properties, results of operations or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus, as amended or supplemented as of the date hereof, that, in the judgment of the Representatives, is material and adverse and that makes it, in the judgment of the Representatives, impracticable to market the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated by Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus, as so amended or supplemented.

If (i) any of the conditions specified in this Section 5 shall not have been fulfilled when and as provided in this Agreement, or (ii) any of the opinions and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall not be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and their counsel, this Agreement and all obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be cancelled on, or at any time prior to, the Closing Date by the Representatives. Notice of such cancellation shall be given to the Company in writing or by telephone or facsimile confirmed in writing.

6. Reimbursement of Underwriters’ Expenses. If the sale of the Securities provided for herein is not consummated because any condition to the obligations of the Underwriters set forth in Section 5 hereof is not satisfied, because of any termination pursuant to Section 10 hereof or because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company to perform any agreement herein or comply with any provision hereof other than by reason of a default by any

of the Underwriters, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters severally upon demand for all out-of-pocket expenses (including, without limitation, reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel and those described in Section 4(j) hereof) that shall have been incurred by them in connection with the proposed purchase and sale of the Securities.

7. Indemnification and Contribution.

(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter and each person who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement for the registration of the Securities as originally filed or in any amendment thereof, or in the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Final Prospectus, the Final Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment thereof 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, and agrees to reimburse each such indemnified party to the extent set forth below, as incurred, for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; 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 any such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made therein in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein (it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of such information described as such in the Blood Letter). This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have.

(b) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signs the Registration Statement, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to each Underwriter, but only with reference to written information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such Underwriter through the Representatives for use in the preparation of the documents referred to in the foregoing indemnity (it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of such information described as such in the Blood Letter). This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which any Underwriter may otherwise have.

(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 7 of notice of the commencement of any action (including any governmental investigation), such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be

made against the indemnifying party under this Section 7, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party will not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party otherwise than under this Section 7. 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 therein, and to the extent that it shall wish, jointly, with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party). In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to obtain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel or (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential conflicts of interests between them. It is understood that the indemnifying party shall not, in respect of the legal expenses of any indemnified party in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate identified firm (in addition to any identified local counsel) for all such indemnified parties and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. Such firm shall be designated in writing by the Representatives that are indemnified parties in the case of parties to be indemnified pursuant to paragraph (a) of this Section 7 and by the Company in the case of parties to be indemnified pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section 7. An indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its prior written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement (i) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (ii) does not include a statement as to, or an admission of, fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of the indemnified party.

(d) To the extent the indemnification provided for in Section 7(a) or 7(b) hereof is unavailable to an indemnified party or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each indemnifying party under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the

Company, on the one hand, and each Underwriter, on the other hand, from the offering of such Securities 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 Company, on the one hand, and each Underwriter, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and each Underwriter, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of such Securities shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of such Securities (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total discounts and commissions received by each Underwriter in respect thereof. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and each Underwriter, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by such Underwriter and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. Each Underwriter’s obligation to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 shall be several in the proportion that the principal amount of the Securities the sale of which by such Underwriter gave rise to such losses, claims, damages or liabilities bears to the aggregate principal amount of the Securities the sale of which by all Underwriters gave rise to such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, and not joint.

(e) The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just or equitable if contribution pursuant to Section 7(d) hereof were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in Section 7(d) hereof. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in Section 7(d) hereof shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Securities referred to in Section 7(d) hereof that were offered and sold to the public through such Underwriter exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

8. Default by an Underwriter. If any one or more Underwriters shall fail to purchase and pay for any of the Securities agreed to be purchased by such Underwriter or Underwriters hereunder, the remaining Underwriters shall be obligated severally to take up and pay for (in the

respective proportions which the principal amount of Securities set forth opposite their names in Schedule II hereto bear to the aggregate principal amount of Securities set forth opposite the names of all the remaining Underwriters) the Securities which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase; provided, however, that in the event that the aggregate principal amount of Securities which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase shall exceed 10% of the aggregate principal amount of Securities set forth in Schedule II hereto, the remaining Underwriters shall have the right to purchase all, but shall not be under any obligation to purchase any, of such Securities; provided further, that if the remaining Underwriters do not exercise their right to purchase such Securities and arrangements for the purchase of such Securities satisfactory to the Company and the Representatives are not made within 36 hours after such default, then this Agreement will terminate without liability to any nondefaulting Underwriter or the Company. In the event of a default by any Underwriter as set forth in this Section 8, the Closing Date shall be postponed for such period, not exceeding seven days, as the Representatives shall determine in order that the required changes in the Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter of its liability, if any, to the Company and any nondefaulting Underwriter for damages occasioned by its default hereunder.

9. Underwriter Representations and Agreements.

(a) Each Underwriter represents and agrees that (i) it and each of its affiliates has not offered or sold, and will not offer or sell any of the Securities to persons in the United Kingdom in circumstances which have resulted in or will result in the Securities being or becoming the subject of an offer of transferable securities to the public as defined in Section 102B of the Financial Services and Markets Xxx 0000 (as amended) (the “FSMA”); (ii) it and each of its affiliates has complied, and will comply, with all applicable provisions of the FSMA with respect to anything done by it in relation to the Securities in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom; and (iii) it and each of its affiliates has only communicated, or caused to be communicated, and will only communicate, or cause to be communicated, any invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of the FSMA) received by it in connection with the issue or sale of any Securities in circumstances in which Section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply to the Company.

(b) In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area which has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a “Relevant Member State”), each Underwriter represents and agrees that with effect from and including the date on which the Prospectus Directive is implemented in that Relevant Member State (the “Relevant Implementation Date”) it has not made and will not make an offer of the Securities to the public in that Relevant Member State prior to the publication of a prospectus in relation to the Securities which has been approved by the competent authority in that Relevant Member State or, where appropriate, approved in another Relevant Member State and notified to the competent authority in that Relevant Member State, all in accordance with the Prospective Directive, except that it may, with effect from and including the

Relevant Implementation Date, make an offer of the Securities to the public in that Relevant Member State at any time: (i) to legal entities which are authorised or regulated to operate in the financial markets or, if not so authorised or regulated, whose corporate purpose is solely to invest in securities; (ii) to any legal entity which meets two or more of the following criteria: (A) an average of at least 250 employees during the last financial year; (B) a total balance sheet of more than €43,000,000; and (C) an annual net turnover of more than €50,000,000, in each case as determined in accordance with the Prospectus Directive and as shown in its last annual or consolidated accounts; or (iii) in any other circumstances which do not require the publication of a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive.

For the purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer of the Securities to the public” in relation to any Securities in any Relevant Member State means the communication in any form and by any means, presenting sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the Securities to be offered, so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe to the Securities, as the same may be varied in that Relevant Member State by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in that Member State and the expression “Prospectus Directive” means Directive 2003/71/EC and includes any relevant implementing measure in the applicable Relevant Member State.

(c) In the event that the offer or sale of the Securities by an Underwriter in a jurisdiction requires any action on the part of the Company in or with respect to such jurisdiction, such Underwriter represents and agrees that it will (i) inform the Company that the Company is required to take such action prior to the time such action is required to be taken, and (ii) cooperate with and assist the Company in complying with such requirements. Each Underwriter severally agrees that it will, to the best of its knowledge and belief, comply with all applicable securities laws and regulations in force in any jurisdiction in which it purchases, offers, sells or delivers the Securities or possesses or distributes any Preliminary Final Prospectus, the Final Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus or any other offering material relating to the Securities, and will obtain any required consent, approval or permission for its purchase, offer, sale or delivery of the Securities under the laws and regulations in force in any jurisdiction to which it is subject or in which it makes any such purchases, offers, sales or deliveries.

(d) Each Underwriter severally agrees that it will timely file with the Corporate Financing Department of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the “Association”) any documents required to be filed under Rules 2710 and 2720 of the Association’s Conduct Rules relating to the offering of the Securities.

10. Termination. This Agreement shall be subject to termination in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice given to the Company prior to delivery of and payment for the Securities, if prior to such time there shall have occurred any (i) suspension or material limitation of trading generally on the New York Stock Exchange or a material

disruption in settlement services in the United States, (ii) suspension of trading of any securities of the Company on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market, (iii) declaration of a general moratorium on commercial banking activities in California or New York by either Federal or state authorities, (iv) lowering of the rating assigned to any debt securities of the Company by any nationally-recognized securities rating agency or public announcement by any such rating agency that it has under surveillance or review, with possible negative consequences, its rating of any debt securities of the Company or (v) outbreak or escalation of hostilities in which the United States is involved, declaration of war by Congress or change in financial markets or calamity or crisis including, without limitation, an act of terrorism, that, in the judgment of the Representatives, is material and adverse and, in the case of any of the events described in clauses (i) through (v), such event, either alone or together with any other such event, makes it, in the judgment of the Representatives, impracticable to proceed with completion of the public offering of, or sale of and payment for, the Securities.

11. Representations and Indemnities to Survive. The respective agreements, representations, warranties, indemnities and other statements of the Company or its officers and of the Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or the Company or any of the officers, directors or controlling persons referred to in Section 7 hereof, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Securities. The provisions of Sections 6 and 7 hereof shall survive the termination or cancellation of this Agreement.

12. Notices. Unless otherwise provided herein, all notices required under the terms and provisions hereof shall be in writing, either delivered by hand, by mail or by facsimile, telex, telecopier, or telegram and confirmed to the recipient, and any such notice shall be effective when received if sent to the Representatives, at the addresses specified in Schedule I hereto, or if sent to the Company, at 000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, XXX: 0195-171, Xxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, 00000.

13. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers and directors and controlling persons referred to in Section 7 hereof, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.

14. No Fiduciary Duty. The Company hereby acknowledges that (a) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters and any affiliate through which it may be acting, on the other, (b) the Underwriters are acting as principal and not as an agent or fiduciary of the Company and (c) the Company’s engagement of the Underwriters in connection with the offering and the process leading up to the offering is as independent contractors and not in any other capacity. Furthermore, the Company agrees that it is solely responsible for making its own judgments in connection with the offering (irrespective of whether any of the Underwriters has advised or is currently advising the Company on related or other matters). The Company agrees that it will not claim that the Underwriters have rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owe an agency or fiduciary duty to the Company, in connection with the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement or the process leading to such purchase and sale.

15. Integration. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company and the Underwriters, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof.

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

17. Business Day. As used herein, the term “business day” shall mean any day when the Commission’s office in Washington, D.C. is normally open for business.

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to us the enclosed duplicate hereof, whereupon this letter and your acceptance shall represent a binding agreement among the Company and the several Underwriters.


Very truly yours,

XXXXX FARGO & COMPANY

By:
Name:
Title:

The foregoing Agreement is hereby

confirmed and accepted as of the

date specified in Schedule I hereto.

[Insert Representative Signatures]

SCHEDULE I

Underwriting Agreement dated (the “Agreement”)

Registration Statement No.

Indenture:

Indenture, dated as of , between the Company and

Representatives, including addresses:

Title, Purchase Price and Description of Securities:

Title: [Subordinated] [Notes] due

Principal Amount: $

Interest Rate:

Interest Payment Dates:

Maturity:

Denominations: Beneficial interests in the Securities will be held in minimum denominations of $5,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

Price to Public:

Purchase price (include type of funds, if other than Federal Funds, and accrued interest or amortization if applicable):

Sinking fund provisions:

Redemption provisions:

Provisions regarding repayment at the option of Holders:

Applicable Time: [a.m./p.m.] (Eastern time) on the date of the Agreement.

Closing Date, Time and Location: , a.m., New York City time, at the offices of

I-1

SCHEDULE II


Underwriter		Principal Amount
Total		$

II-1

SCHEDULE III

Free Writing Prospectuses Included in Disclosure Package

Final Term Sheet dated prepared pursuant to Section 4(b) of this Agreement.

III-1

Document Metadata

Table of Contents

Wells Fargo & Company [Subordinated] [Notes] due Form of Underwriting Agreement

Document Metadata