EXHIBIT 8.1
CUSTODIAN SERVICING AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT made on _______________, 1997, between LKCM Fund,
a Delaware Trust which currently consists of two Funds, the LKCM Equity Fund and
the LKCM Small Cap Equity Fund (hereinafter called the ("Funds"), and FIRSTAR
TRUST COMPANY, a corporation organized under the laws of the State of Wisconsin
(hereinafter called "Custodian"),
WHEREAS, the Funds desire that its securities and cash shall be
hereafter held and administered by Custodian pursuant to the terms of this
Agreement;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements herein
made, the Funds and Custodian agree as follows:
1. DEFINITIONS
The word "securities" as used herein includes stocks, shares,
bonds, debentures, notes, mortgages or other obligations, and any certificates,
receipts, warrants or other instruments representing rights to receive, purchase
or subscribe for the same, or evidencing or representing any other rights or
interests therein, or in any property or assets.
The words "officers' certificate" shall mean a request or
direction or certification in writing signed in the name of any one of the Funds
by any two of the President, a Vice President, the Secretary and the Treasurer
of any one of the Funds, or any other persons duly authorized to sign by the
Board of Trustees.
The word "Board" shall mean Board of Trustees of LKCM Fund.
2. NAMES, TITLES, AND SIGNATURES OF THE FUNDS' OFFICERS
An officer of each of the Funds will certify to Custodian the
names and signatures of those persons authorized to sign the officers'
certificates described in Section 1 hereof, and the names of the members of the
Board of Trustees, together with any changes which may occur from time to time.
The LKCM Fund is authorized to issue separate series of shares of
beneficial interest representing interests in separate investment Funds. The
parties intend that each Fund established by the trust, now or in the future, be
covered by the terms and conditions of this agreement.
3. RECEIPT AND DISBURSEMENT OF MONEY
A. Custodian shall open and maintain a separate account or
accounts in the name of each of the Funds, subject only to draft or order by
Custodian acting pursuant to the terms of this Agreement. Custodian shall hold
in such account or accounts, subject to the provisions hereof, all cash received
by it from or for the account of each of the Funds. Custodian shall make
payments of cash to, or for the account of, each of the Funds from such cash
only:
(a) for the purchase of securities for any one of the Funds
upon the delivery of such securities to Custodian,
registered in the name of any one of the Funds or of the
nominee of Custodian referred to in Section 7 or in proper
form for transfer;
(b) for the purchase or redemption of shares of the common
stock of any one of the Funds upon delivery thereof to
Custodian, or upon proper instructions from the
LKCM Fund;
(c) for the payment of interest, dividends, taxes, investment
adviser's fees or operating expenses (including, without
limitation thereto, fees for legal, accounting, auditing
and custodian services and expenses for printing and
postage);
(d) for payments in connection with the conversion, exchange
or surrender of securities owned or subscribed to by
any one of the Funds held by or to be delivered to
Custodian; or
(e) for other proper corporate purposes certified by
authorized officer of the Fund.
Before making any such payment, Custodian shall receive (and may
rely upon) an officers' certificate requesting such payment and stating that it
is for a purpose permitted under the terms of items (a), (b), (c), or (d) of
this Subsection A, and also, in respect of item (e), upon receipt of an
officers' certificate specifying the amount of such payment, setting forth the
purpose for which such payment is to be made, declaring such purpose to be a
proper corporate purpose, and naming the person or persons to whom such payment
is to be made, provided, however, that an officers' certificate need not precede
the disbursement of cash for the purpose of purchasing a money market
instrument, or any other security with same or next-day settlement, if the
President, a Vice President, the Secretary or the Treasurer of any one of the
Funds issues appropriate oral or facsimile instructions to Custodian and an
appropriate officers' certificate is received by Custodian within two business
days thereafter.
B. Custodian is hereby authorized to endorse and collect all
checks, drafts or other orders for the payment of money received by Custodian
for the account of each of the Funds.
C. Custodian shall, upon receipt of proper instructions, make
federal funds available to the Funds as of specified times agreed upon from time
to time by the Funds and the custodian in the amount of checks received in
payment for shares of the Funds which are deposited into any one of the Funds'
account.
4. SEGREGATED ACCOUNTS
Upon receipt of proper instructions, the Custodian shall
establish and maintain a segregated account(s) for and on behalf of the Fund,
into which account(s) may be transferred cash and/or securities.
5. TRANSFER, EXCHANGE, REDELIVERY, ETC. OF SECURITIES
Custodian shall have sole power to release or deliver any
securities of the Funds held by it pursuant to this Agreement. Custodian agrees
to transfer, exchange or deliver securities held by it hereunder only:
(a) for sales of such securities for the account of any one
of the Funds upon receipt by Custodian of payment
therefore;
(b) when such securities are called, redeemed or retired or
otherwise become payable;
(c) for examination by any broker selling any such securities
in accordance with "street delivery" custom;
(d) in exchange for, or upon conversion into, other securities
alone or other securities and cash whether pursuant to
any plan of merger, consolidation, reorganization,
recapitalization or readjustment, or otherwise;
(e) upon conversion of such securities pursuant to their terms
into other securities;
(f) upon exercise of subscription, purchase or other similar
rights represented by such securities;
(g) for the purpose of exchanging interim receipts or
temporary securities for definitive securities;
(h) for the purpose of redeeming in kind shares of common
stock of any one of the Funds upon delivery thereof to
Custodian; or
(i) for other proper corporate purposes.
As to any deliveries made by Custodian pursuant to items (a),
(b), (d), (e), (f), and (g), securities or cash receivable in exchange therefore
shall be deliverable to Custodian.
Before making any such transfer, exchange or delivery, Custodian
shall receive (and may rely upon) an officers' certificate requesting such
transfer, exchange or delivery, and stating that it is for a purpose permitted
under the terms of items (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), or (h) of this
Section 5 and also, in respect of item (i), upon receipt of an officers'
certificate specifying the securities to be delivered, setting forth the purpose
for which such delivery is to be made, declaring such purpose to be a proper
corporate purpose, and naming the person or persons to whom delivery of such
securities shall be made, provided, however, that an officers' certificate need
not precede any such transfer, exchange or delivery of a money market
instrument, or any other security with same or next-day settlement, if the
President, a Vice President, the Secretary or the Treasurer of the Funds issues
appropriate oral or facsimile instructions to Custodian and an appropriate
officers' certificate is received by Custodian within two business days
thereafter.
6. CUSTODIAN'S ACTS WITHOUT INSTRUCTIONS
Unless and until Custodian receives an officers' certificate to
the contrary, Custodian shall: (a) present for payment all coupons and other
income items held by it for the account of any one of the Funds, which call for
payment upon presentation and hold the cash received by it upon such payment for
the account of any one of the Funds; (b) collect interest and cash dividends
received, with notice to any one of the Funds, for the account of the particular
Funds; (c) hold for the account of each of the Funds hereunder all stock
dividends, rights and similar securities issued with respect to any securities
held by it hereunder; and (d) execute, as agent on behalf of each of the Funds,
all necessary ownership certificates required by the Internal Revenue Code or
the Income Tax Regulations of the United States Treasury Department or under the
laws of any state now or hereafter in effect, inserting any one of the Funds'
name on such certificates as the owner of the securities covered thereby, to the
extent it may lawfully do so.
7. REGISTRATION OF SECURITIES
Except as otherwise directed by an officers' certificate,
Custodian shall register all securities, except such as are in bearer form, in
the name of a registered nominee of Custodian as defined in the Internal Revenue
Code and any Regulations of the Treasury Department issued hereunder or in any
provision of any subsequent federal tax law exempting such transaction from
liability for stock transfer taxes, and shall execute and deliver all such
certificates in connection therewith as may be required by such laws or
regulations or under the laws of any state. Custodian shall use its best efforts
to the end that the specific securities held by it hereunder shall be at all
times identifiable in its records.
The Funds shall from time to time furnish to Custodian
appropriate instruments to enable Custodian to hold or deliver in proper form
for transfer, or to register in the name of its registered nominee, any
securities which it may hold for the account of any one of the Funds and which
may from time to time be registered in the name of any one of the Funds.
8. VOTING AND OTHER ACTION
Neither Custodian nor any nominee of Custodian shall vote any of
the securities held hereunder by or for the account of the Funds, except in
accordance with the instructions contained in an officers' certificate.
Custodian shall deliver, or cause to be executed and delivered, to the
Corporation all notices, proxies and proxy soliciting materials with relation to
such securities, such proxies to be executed by the registered holder of such
securities (if registered otherwise than in the name of the Funds), but without
indicating the manner in which such proxies are to be voted.
9. TRANSFER TAX AND OTHER DISBURSEMENTS
The Funds shall pay or reimburse Custodian from time to time for
any transfer taxes payable upon transfers of securities made hereunder, and for
all other necessary and proper disbursements and expenses made or incurred by
Custodian in the performance of this Agreement.
Custodian shall execute and deliver such certificates in
connection with securities delivered to it or by it under this Agreement as may
be required under the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code and any
Regulations of the Treasury Department issued thereunder, or under the laws of
any state, to exempt from taxation any exemptable transfers and/or deliveries of
any such securities.
10. CONCERNING CUSTODIAN
Custodian shall be paid as compensation for its services pursuant
to this Agreement such compensation as may from time to time be agreed upon in
writing between the two parties. Until modified in writing, such compensation
shall be as set forth in Exhibit A attached hereto. .
Custodian shall not be liable for any action taken in good faith
upon any certificate herein described or certified copy of any resolution of the
Board, and may rely on the genuineness of any such document which it may in good
faith believe to have been validly executed.
The Funds agree to indemnify and hold harmless Custodian and its
nominee from all taxes, charges, expenses, assessments, claims and liabilities
(including counsel fees) incurred or assessed against it or by its nominee in
connection with the performance of this Agreement, except such as may arise from
its or its nominee's own negligent action, negligent failure to act or willful
misconduct. Custodian is authorized to charge any account of the Funds for such
items.
In the event of any advance of cash for any purpose made by Custodian resulting
from orders or instructions of the Funds, or in the event that Custodian or its
nominee shall incur or be assessed any taxes, charges, expenses, assessments,
claims or liabilities in connection with the performance of this Agreement,
except such as may arise from its or its nominee's own negligent action,
negligent failure to act or willful misconduct, any property at any time held
for the account of the Funds shall be security therefore.
Custodian agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each of the Funds from all
charges, expenses, assessments, and claims/liabilities (including counsel fees)
incurred or assessed against it in connection with the performance of this
agreement, except such as may arise from the Funds' own negligent action,
negligent failure to act, or willful misconduct.
11. SUBCUSTODIANS
Custodian is hereby authorized to engage another bank or trust
company as a Subcustodian for all or any part of the Funds' assets, so long as
any such bank or trust company is a bank or trust company organized under the
laws of any state of the United States, having an aggregate capital, surplus and
undivided profit, as shown by its last published report, of not less than Two
Million Dollars ($2,000,000) and provided further that, if the Custodian
utilizes the services of a Subcustodian, the Custodian shall remain fully liable
and responsible for any losses caused to the Funds by the Subcustodian as fully
as if the Custodian was directly responsible for any such losses under the terms
of the Custodian Agreement.
Notwithstanding anything contained herein, if the Funds require
the Custodian to engage specific Subcustodians for the safekeeping and/or
clearing of assets, the Funds agree to indemnify and hold harmless Custodian
from all claims, expenses and liabilities incurred or assessed against it in
connection with the use of such Subcustodian in regard to the Funds' assets,
except as may arise from its own negligent action, negligent failure to act or
willful misconduct.
12. REPORTS BY CUSTODIAN
Custodian shall furnish the Funds periodically as agreed upon
with a statement summarizing all transactions and entries for the account of
each of the Funds. Custodian shall furnish to the Funds, at the end of every
month, a list of each of the Funds' securities showing the aggregate cost of
each issue. The books and records of Custodian pertaining to its actions under
this Agreement shall be open to inspection and audit at reasonable times by
officers of, and of auditors employed by, the Funds.
13. TERMINATION OR ASSIGNMENT
This Agreement may be terminated by the Funds, or by Custodian,
on ninety (90) days notice, given in writing and sent by registered mail to:
Firstar Trust Company
000 X. Xxxxxxxx Xx.
Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
or the Funds to:
LKCM Fund
000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxx Xxxxx, XX 00000
as the case may be. Upon any termination of this Agreement, pending appointment
of a successor to Custodian or a vote of the shareholders of the Funds to
dissolve or to function without a custodian of its cash, securities and other
property, Custodian shall not deliver cash, securities or other property of the
Funds to the Funds, but may deliver them to a bank or trust company of its own
selection, having an aggregate capital, surplus and undivided profits, as shown
by its last published report of not less than Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000)
as a Custodian for the Funds to be held under terms similar to those of this
Agreement, provided, however, that Custodian shall not be required to make any
such delivery or payment until full payment shall have been made by the Funds of
all liabilities constituting a charge on or against the properties then held by
Custodian or on or against Custodian, and until full payment shall have been
made to Custodian of all its fees, compensation, costs and expenses, subject to
the provisions of Section 10 of this Agreement.
This Agreement may not be assigned by Custodian without the
consent of the Funds, authorized or approved by a resolution of its Board of
Trustees.
14. DEPOSITS OF SECURITIES IN SECURITIES DEPOSITORIES
No provision of this Agreement shall be deemed to prevent the use
by Custodian of a central securities clearing agency or securities depository,
provided, however, that Custodian and the central securities clearing agency or
securities depository meet all applicable federal and state laws and
regulations, and the Board of Trustees of the Funds approve by resolution the
use of such central securities clearing agency or securities depository.
15. RECORDS
To the extent that Custodian in any capacity prepares or
maintains any records required to be maintained and preserved by the Funds
pursuant to the provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or
the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, Custodian agrees to make any
such records available to the Funds upon request and to preserve such records
for the periods prescribed in Rule 31a-2 under the Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended.
16. NOTICES
Notices of any kind to be given by either party to the other
party shall be in writing and shall be duly given if mailed or delivered as
follows: Notice to FTC shall be sent to:
Firstar Trust Company
000 X. Xxxxxxxx Xx.
Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
and notice to Funds shall be sent to:
LKCM Fund
000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxx Xxxxx, XX 00000
17. NOTIFICATION OF REGULATORY ACTION
Each party to this Agreement agrees to immediately notify the
other in the event any regulatory agency commences any action or proceeding
against either party.
18. DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY
This Agreement is executed on behalf of LKCM Fund by its officers
in their capacities as officers, and not individually. The obligations of LKCM
Fund under this Agreement are not binding upon LKCM Fund's trustees, officers,
or shareholders individually, but are binding only upon the assets and property
of LKCM Fund, or of the Fund to which the services performed pursuant to this
Agreement relate.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement
to be executed and their respective corporate seals to be affixed hereto as of
the date first above-written by their respective officers thereunto duly
authorized.
Executed in several counterparts, each of which is an original.
LKCM FUND FIRSTAR TRUST COMPANY
By: _____________________________ By: ___________________________
Vice President
Attest:___________________________ Attest: _________________________
Assistant Secretary
CUSTODY SERVICES
ANNUAL FEE SCHEDULE - DOMESTIC FUNDS
EXHIBIT A
ANNUAL FEE BASED UPON MARKET VALUE
1 basis point per year
Minimum annual fee per fund - $3,000
INVESTMENT TRANSACTIONS (purchase, sale, exchange, tender, redemption,
maturity, receipt, delivery): $12.00 per book entry security
(depository or Federal Reserve system) $25.00 per definitive
security (physical) $25.00 per mutual fund trade $75.00 per
Euroclear $ 8.00 per principal reduction on pass-through
certificates $35.00 per option/futures contract $15.00 per
variation margin $15.00 per Fed wire deposit or withdrawal
VARIABLE AMOUNT DEMAND NOTES: Used as a short-term investment, variable amount
notes offer safety and prevailing high interest rates. Our charge, which is 1/4
of 1%, is deducted from the variable amount note income at the time it is
credited to your account.
PLUS OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSES, AND EXTRAORDINARY EXPENSES BASED UPON COMPLEXITY
FEES ARE BILLED MONTHLY, BASED UPON MARKET VALUE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH
