CUSTOMER AGREEMENT FOR INTRODUCED CLEARANCE ACCOUNTS
EXHIBIT 1
Bear Xxxxxxx
The Bear Xxxxxxx Companies Inc.
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
(000) 000-0000
The Bear Xxxxxxx Companies Inc.
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
(000) 000-0000
This document is a binding contract and contains obligations that can be enforced against you.
Please read carefully, sign and return.
Your brokerage firm (“Brokerage Firm”), acting on your behalf, introduces your account(s) to
Bear, Xxxxxxx Securities Corp. (“Clearing Agent”), a subsidiary of The Bear Xxxxxxx Companies Inc.
which, in turn, carriers your account(s) and clears (i.e., processes) your securities transactions
as your Brokerage Firm directs. This agreement (“Agreement”) sets forth the terms and conditions
on which Clearing Agent and other subsidiaries of The Bear Xxxxxx Companies Inc. will open and
maintain account(s) in your name. Your signature confirms that you agree to and are bound by the
provisions of this Agreement.
1. PARTIES. The parties to this Agreement are you and all present and future subsidiaries of
The Bear Xxxxxxx Companies Inc. (each subsidiary is referred to as a “Clearing Agent entity” and
all Clearing Agent entities are referred to collectively as the “Clearing Agent Group”). You agree
that your Brokerage Firm and its employees are third-party beneficiaries of this Agreement, and
that the terms and conditions hereof, including the arbitration provision, shall be applicable to
all matters between or among any of you, your Brokerage Firm and its employees and the Clearing
Agent Group and its employees.
2. APPLICABLE LAWS, RULES AND REGULATIONS.
(a) All transactions shall be subject to the applicable laws, rules and regulations
(“Applicable Laws”) of all federal, state and self-regulatory authorities including, but not
limited to, the rules and regulations of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and
the constitution, rules and customs of the exchange or market (and clearing house) where such
transactions are executed.
(b) The Clearing Agent Group is committed to complying with U.S. statutory and regulatory
requirements designed to combat money laundering and terrorist financing. The USA PATRIOT ACT
requires that all financial institutions obtain certain identification documents or other
information in order to comply with their customer identification procedures. Until you provide
the required information or documents, the Clearing Agent Group may not be able to open or maintain
account(s) or effect any transactions for you.
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3. SATISFACTION OF YOUR LIABILITIES; SECURITY INTERST AND LIEN.
(a) You agree to satisfy, upon demand, any indebtedness to a Clearing Agent entity, to pay any
debt balance in any of your accounts and, in the event of a sell order by you, to deliver the
applicable security in good deliverable form no later than the deadline set by the Clearing Agent
Group.
(b) All of your property held by or under the control of a Clearing Agent entity is subject to
a lien to secure the payment and performance of your liabilities and obligations to each Clearing
Agent entity, and you hereby grant each Clearing Agent entity a lien on and a valid and first
priority, perfected, continuing security interest in the following: (i) all property, including all
investment property, held, carried or controlled by or through any Clearing Agent entity in which
you presently have or in which you acquire an interest in the future, including all property in
each account in your name, (ii) any and all rights, claim or causes of action you may now or
hereafter have against any Clearing Agent entity and (iii) all proceeds of or distributions on the
foregoing (collectively (i) through (iii) are referred to in this Agreement as “Collateral”).
(c) Any Collateral held by a Clearing Agent entity is held by such Clearing Agent entity as
agent and bailee for itself and all other Clearing Agent entities. Each Clearing Agent entity
holding Collateral shall, without your further consent, comply with (i) entitlement orders or
instructions for a Clearing Agent entity with respect to the Collateral and (ii) if such Clearing
Agent entity holding Collateral is a commodity intermediary, any instructions to such Clearing
Agent entity from another Clearing Agent entity to apply any value distributed on account of a
commodity contract. Additionally, each Clearing Agent entity holding Collateral has the right, in
its sole discretion, to not comply with (i) any entitlement order or instructions for a Clearing
Agent entity with respect to the Collateral and (ii) if such Clearing Agent entity holding
Collateral is a commodity intermediary, any instructions to such Clearing Agent entity from another
Clearing Agent entity to apply any value distributed on account of a commodity contract.
Additionally, each Clearing Agent entity holding Collateral has the right, in its sole discretion,
to not comply with (i) any entitlement order or instruction from you or a third party with respect
to the Collateral and (ii) any instruction from you to apply any value on account of any commodity
contract, if a Clearing Agent entity requests that such order or instruction not be complied with
in order to maintain security for the payment and performance of your obligations and liabilities
to it. You agree that the actions of a Clearing Agent entity in not complying with orders or
instructions as allowed in the preceding sentence satisfy any duties the Clearing Agent Group may
have under the New York Uniform Commercial Code (“NYUCC”).
(d) You agree that your execution of this Agreement shall constitute notice to each Clearing
Agent entity of the security interest you have granted to each other Clearing Agent entity herein,
and each Clearing Agent entity holding Collateral is on notice of the security interest granted to
each other Clearing Agent entity.
(e) The reasonable costs and expenses of collection of any such indebtedness or debit balance,
including but not limited to attorneys’ fees and expenses, shall be payable by you to the Clearing
Agent Group.
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(f) In order to secure the payment and performance of any of your outstanding liabilities and
obligations to any Clearing Agent entity, the Clearing Agent Group may, to the fullest extent
permitted by law, without prior notice to you, use, apply or transfer Collateral as it determines.
Unless otherwise agreed in writing, the Clearing Agent Group may register and hold Collateral in
its name or the name of its designee.
(g) You appoint the Clearing Agent Group with full power as your true and lawful
attorney-in-fact, to the fullest extent permitted by law, for the purpose of perfecting the
security interest granted in this Agreement and taking any action and executing any instrument that
the Clearing Agent Group deems necessary or advisable to accomplish the purposes of this Agreement.
4. REPRESENTATIONS BY YOU. You represent and covenant that (a) you have the right to pledge
and assign Collateral to the Clearing Agent Group and (b) Collateral is and shall at all times be
free and clear of any liens, claims or encumbrances, except in favor of a Clearing Agent entity.
5. DEPOSITS ON TRANSACTIONS. Your Brokerage Firm and the Clearing Agent Group may require you
to deposit cash or other property, acceptable to your Brokerage Firm or the Clearing Agent Group,
as the case may be, as Collateral, in your account(s) in such amounts as your Brokerage Firm or the
Clearing Agent Group, as applicable, determines in its or their sole discretion and you agree to
comply with any such request by no later than the deadline set by your Brokerage Firm or the
Clearing Agent Group, as applicable.
6. BREACH, BANKRUPTCY OR DEFAULT.
(a) Each Clearing Agent entity may elect to consider you in default of any or all agreements
you may then have with it if (i) you do not pay any liability or perform any obligation to any
Clearing Agent entity by the time you are obligated to do so; (ii) you otherwise breach, repudiate
or default under this Agreement or any other agreement you may have with any Clearing Agent entity;
(iii) you commence a proceeding in bankruptcy or insolvency or one is commenced against you; (iv)
any guarantor, co-signer or other party (a “Responsible Party”) liable on or providing security for
your obligations to any Clearing Agent entity defaults in an obligation to the Clearing Agent Group
or commences a proceeding in bankruptcy or insolvency or one is commenced against it; (v) an
attachment is made against your or a Responsible Party’s account(s) with any Clearing Agent entity;
(vi) a receiver is appointed with respect to you, any of your assets or the assets of a Responsible
Party; (vii) if you are a natural person, you die or become incompetent, and if you are an entity,
you merge, liquidate or dissolve; or (viii) an event, circumstance or condition occurs that, in the
Clearing Agent Group’s judgment, materially impairs your creditworthiness, your ability to timely
perform your obligations to the Clearing Agent Group or otherwise causes us to view ourselves as
insecure. The occurrence of any of the foregoing is referred to as an “Event of Default.”
(b) Upon the election by the Clearing Agent Group to consider you in default, each Clearing
Agent entity shall have all of the rights and remedies of a secured party upon
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default under the NYUCC and other Applicable Laws and may, without notice to you, among other
things, (i) foreclose, collect, sell or otherwise liquidate any Collateral a Clearing Agent entity
selects in its sole discretion, in any order and at any time, and apply, in a manner determined by
the Clearing Agent Group in its sole discretion, the proceeds to satisfy any of your obligations or
liabilities to any Clearing Agent entity and (ii) buy any property that may have been sold short.
At any sale of Collateral or other sale or purchase permitted hereunder or otherwise, the Clearing
Agent Group may sell or purchase to or from itself or third parties, and you hereby acknowledge and
agree that the securities subject to such sale or purchase are instruments traded in a recognized
market. You will pay each Clearing Agent entity for any loses and costs incurred by such Clearing
Agent entity as a result of any default by you. You waive marshalling of assets and any similar
doctrine dealing with the application of collateral.
7. EXECUTIVE FEES AND SERVICE CHARGES. Your account(s) will be charged brokerage commissions
and/or other fees in connection with the execution of transactions (“Execution Fees’) and may be
charged certain other fees for other services furnished to you (“Service Fees”). All Execution
Fees and certain Service Fees shall be determined by your Brokerage Firm. Execution Fees may be
changed from time to time without prior notice to you and Service Fees may be changed from time to
time upon thirty (30) days’ prior written notice to you and, in each case, you agree to be bound
thereby.
8. CONFIRMATION REPORTS AND ACCOUNT STATEMENTS. Confirmation reports of the execution of
orders shall be conclusive if not objected to in writing by you within the shorter of (i) the
applicable settlement cycle of the subject transactions or (ii) three (3) business days after such
documents have been transmitted to you by mail or otherwise. Statements of account(s) shall be
conclusive if not objected to in writing by you within ten (10) days after transmission. In all
cases, the Clearing Agent Group and your Brokerage Firm reserve the right to challenge your
objections
9. TRUTH-IN-LENDING; DEBIT BALANCES. You hereby acknowledge receipt of the Clearing Agent
Group’s Truth-in-Lending disclosure statement. Interest will be charged on any debit balances in
your account(s) in accordance with the methods described in such statement or in any amendment or
revision thereto which may be provided to you. Any debit balance, which is not paid at the close
of an interest period, will be added to the opening balance for the next interest period.
10. ALLOCATION OF RESPONSIBILITIES TO YOUR BROKERAGE FIRM. You hereby acknowledge receipt of
the disclosure statement mailed by the Clearing Agent Group pursuant to Rule 382 of the New York
Stock Exchange, Inc. As disclosed in such statement, the Clearing Agent Group is responsible only
for certain specific functions related to processing your transactions, carrying your account(s)
and extending credit in your margin account(s), if any. Your Brokerage Firm is solely and
completely responsible for all other functions required of registered securities brokerage firms by
Applicable Laws, including, but not limited to, all investment advice and recommendations made to
you, including but not limited to the purchase or sale of securities. Your Brokerage Firm is
neither an affiliate nor an agent of the Clearing Agent Group.
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11. AUTHORIZATION TO FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS. Your Brokerage Firm is responsible for accepting
from you and executing (or arranging for the execution of) orders for your account(s) to buy or
sell securities, or to transfer or deliver funds or securities to you or third parties.
Accordingly, unless a Clearing Agent entity receives from you prior written notice to the contrary,
the Clearing Agent Group may accept and process from your Brokerage Firm, without any inquiry or
investigation: (a) orders, which the Clearing Agent Group has agreed to clear, for the purchase or
sale of securities and other property in your account(s), on margin or otherwise, or for the
delivery of funds to you or third parties, and (b) any other instructions concerning your
account(s) or the property herein. The Clearing Agent Group also has the right, exercisable in its
sole discretion, to refuse to accept orders, cancellations or any other instruction for your
account(s) and to require you to furnish any additional documentation it deems necessary. You
understand and agree that the Clearing Agent Group shall have no responsibility or liability to you
for any acts or omissions of your Brokerage Firm, its officers, employees or agents.
12. COLLECTION AND OTHER ACCOUNT-RELATED COSTS. You hereby agree to pay, on demand, all
reasonable costs, fees, expenses, liabilities and damages incurred by the Clearing Agent Group or
your Brokerage Firm, as the case may be (“Costs”), in connection with (i) enforcing its rights
hereunder, (ii) any investigation, litigation or proceeding involving your account(s) or any
property therein, (iii) your or any other person authorized to act on your behalf (A) use of or
access to Electronic Service (as defined in paragraph 22 below) or (B) failure to comply with any
terms, conditions or limitations applicable to such Electronic Service, (iv) any breach or failure
by you to perform any term or provision of this Agreement, any other agreement between you and any
Clearing Agent entity or any agreement governing your use of or access to any Electronic Service,
or (v) the Clearing Agent Group acting in refinance upon your instructions or the instructions of
your Brokerage Firm or any other person authorized to act on your behalf, if any. In each case and
whether or not demand has been made therefor, you herby authorize the Clearing Agent Group to
change your account(s) for any and all such Costs.
13. NATURE OF SERVICES. The Clearing Agent Group will not provide you with any legal, tax,
accounting or investment advice. The Clearing Agent Group’s employees are not authorized to give
you any such advice and you will not solicit or rely upon any such advice from them or from the
Clearing Agent Group whether in connection with transactions in or for any of your accounts or
otherwise. You hereby agree and acknowledge that any such advice you may receive is provided by
your Brokerage Firm or other source independent of the clearing Agent Group. For the avoidance of
doubt, while your Brokerage Firm may provide you with investment research or market interpretations
it has received from the Clearing Agent Group or with access to a Clearing Agent Group web site
containing such information, your Brokerage Firm is solely responsible for your use of any such
materials and any investment recommendations made therein.
14. CONTROL OR RESTRICTED SECURITIES. Prior to placing an order in connection with any
securities subject to Rule 144 or 145(d) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, you shall
advise the Clearing Agent Group of the status of the securities and furnish it with the necessary
documents to clear legal transfer. You acknowledge that there may be delays involved with the
processing of control or restricted securities and that the Clearing Agent Group
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will not be liable for any losses caused directly or indirectly by such delays. The Clearing Agent
Group may in its sole discretion, require that control or restricted securities not be sold or
transferred until such securities clear legal transfer.
15. IMPARTIAL LOTTERY ALLOCATION. You agree that, in the event the Clearing Agent Group holds
on your behalf bonds or preferred stock in its name, in the name of its designee or in bear form
which are called in part, you will participate in the impartial lottery allocation system for such
called securities in accordance with the rules of the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. or any other
appropriate self-regulatory organization. When any such call is favorable, no allocation will be
made to any account with respect to which the Clearing Agent Group has actual knowledge that any
officer, director or employee of the Clearing Agent Group has any financial interest until all
other customers have been satisfied on an impartial lottery basis.
16. WAIVER, ASSIGNMENT, NOTICES AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY.
(a) Neither the Clearing Agent Group’s failure to insist at any time upon strict compliance
with the terms of this Agreement nor any continued course of such conduct on its part shall
constitute or be considered a waiver by the Clearing Agent Group of any of its rights or privileges
hereunder. Any assignment of your rights and obligations hereunder or your interest in any
property held by or through the Clearing Agent Group without obtaining the prior written consent of
an authorized representative of the Clearing Agent Group shall be null and void. Each Clearing
Agent entity reserves the right to assign any of its rights or obligations hereunder to any other
Clearing Agent entity without prior notice to you. Notices and other communications (including,
without limitation, margin calls) delivered, faxed, sent by express delivery service or mailed to
the address provided by you shall, until the Clearing Agent Group has received notice in writing of
a different address, be deemed to have been personally delivered to you whether actually received
or not. Notices and other communications may also be provided to you verbally. Such notices and
other communications left for you on your answering machine, or otherwise, shall be deemed to have
been delivered to you whether actually received or not. Notices and other communications from you
to the Clearing Agent Group shall be in writing. You hereby authorize the Clearing Agent Group to
accept facsimile copies of this or any other document or instruction as if it were the original and
to accept signatures on facsimiles as if they were originals.
(b) You agree that, no Clearing Agent entity shall have any liability for any consequential,
incidental or any similar damages and you hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waive any right
you may have to claim or recover any such damages (even if you have informed the Clearing Agent
Group of the possibility or likelihood of such damages).
17. FREE CREDIT BALANCES. You hereby authorize the Clearing Agent Group to use any free
credit balance in any of your accounts in accordance with all applicable rules and regulations and
to pay interest thereon at such rate or rates and under such conditions as are established from
time to time by the Clearing Agent Group for such accounts) and for the amounts of cash so used.
In accordance with applicable regulations, free credit balances are carried in customers’ accounts
pending, and with a view towards, reinvestments. The Clearing
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Agent Group may determine not to pay interest on free credit balances including, by way of example
but not limited to, free credit balances representing either (i) uncollected funds or (ii) funds
that are deposited and subsequently withdrawn prior to the expiration of the minimum time period
required by the Clearing Agent Group.
18. RESTRICTIONS ON ACCOUNTS. The Clearing Agent Group or your Brokerage Firm, in its or
their sole discretion, may restrict or prohibit trading of securities or other property in any of
your accounts and you shall nevertheless remain liable for all of your obligations and liabilities
to the Clearing Agent Group and your Brokerage Firm under the Agreement or otherwise.
19. CREDIT REPORTS AND OTHER INFORMATION. You authorize the Clearing Agent Group and your
Brokerage Firm, in its or their sole discretion, to make or obtain reports concerning your credit
standing and business conduct. You may make a written request for a description of the nature and
scope of the reports made or obtained by the Clearing Agent Group and the same will be provided to
you within a reasonable period of time. You further agree to provide the Clearing Agent Group
and/or your Brokerage Firm, on request, with such additional information or certification as may be
required by Clearing Agent Group of Applicable Laws.
20. SHORT AND LONG SALES. In placing any sell order for a short account, you will designate
the order as such and hereby authorize the Clearing Agent Group or your Brokerage Firm, as the case
may be, to xxxx the order as being “short”. In placing any sell order for a long account, you will
designate the order as such and hereby authorize the Clearing Agent Group or your Brokerage Firm,
as the case may be, to xxxx the order as being “long”. The designation by you of a sell order as
being for a long account shall constitute a representation by you that you own the security with
respect to which the sell order has been placed, that such security may be sold without restriction
in the open market and that, if the Clearing Agent Group does not have the security in its
possession at the time you place the sell order, you shall deliver the security by settlement date
in good deliverance form or pay to the Clearing Agent Group or your Brokerage Firm, as the case may
be, any losses and expenses it or they may incur or sustain as a result of your failure to make
delivery on a timely basis.
21. MARGIN AND OTHER COLLATERAL REQUIREMENTS.
(a) [(Applicable only to margin account(s)] You hereby agree to deposit and maintain such
margin in your margin account(s), if any, as the Clearing Agent Group may in its sole discretion
require, and you agree to pay on demand any debit balance owing with respect to any of your margin
accounts. Margin calls may be communicated orally, without subsequent written confirmation.
(b) In addition, you further agree to deposit promptly and maintain such other collateral with
the Clearing Agent Group as is required by Applicable Laws or any other agreement or open
transaction you may have with your Brokerage Firm or any Clearing Agent entity.
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(c) No demands, calls, tenders or notices that the Clearing Agent Group or your Brokerage Firm
may have made or given in the past shall obligate the Clearing Agent Group to make or give the same
in the future.
22. ON-LINE AND ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS. If you or any other person authorized to act on your
behalf accesses or uses any Internet site or on-line or other electronic system operated for or by
the Clearing Agent Group or your Brokerage Firm or any account access, trading, order entity or
other services, systems, capabilities or content available through any of the foregoing (each, and
“Electronic Service”), you acknowledge and agree that such Electronic Service is being made
available to you or such other person without any warranty whatsoever, wither express or implied,
and you agree that any such access or use will be solely at your own risk, and neither your
Brokerage Firm nor the Clearing Agent Group will have any liability whatsoever relating to or
arising out of any such access, use, or any problems with or failures of any Electronic Service.
Moreover, you agree that if you or any person authorized to act on your behalf are given any
digital certificate(s), user name(s) and/or password(s) which may be required to access or use any
Electronic Services (collectively, “User Code(s)”), (a) you shall preserve the confidentiality of
such User Codes; (b) you shall restrict access to the User Codes to those persons who are duly
authorized to act on your behalf; (c) you shall notify your Brokerage Firm and the Clearing Agent
Group immediately in the event any such User Codes is lost, stolen or the confidentiality of any
such User Code has been compromise in any way or the authority of any person to act on your behalf
has been revoked or limited; and (d) you are responsible for and will be bound by all statements
made, orders entered, and instructions, trades, agreements, assents and consents communicated under
any such user Code, to the same extent that the same was under your duly signed writing.
23. CONSENT TO LOAN, PLEDGE OR USE OF SECURITIES IN MARGIN ACCOUNTS. [(Applicable only to
margin account(s)] To the greatest extent permitted under Applicable Laws, you hereby authorize
the Clearing Agent Group to lend either to itself or to others and to otherwise use, sell or pledge
any securities held by the Clearing Agent Group in your margin account(s), if any, to convey
therewith all attendant rights of ownership (including voting rights) and to use all such property
as collateral for the Clearing Agent Group’s general loans or other obligations or with respect to
repurchase transactions. Any such property, together with all attendant rights of ownership, may
be pledged, repledged, sold, hypothecated or rehypothecated or become subject to repurchase
transactions either separately or in common with other property for any amounts due to the Clearing
Agent Group thereon and the Clearing Agent Group shall have no obligations to retain a like amount
of similar property in its possession and control. You hereby acknowledge that, as a result of
such activities, (i) the Clearing Agent Group may receive and retain certain benefits to which you
will not be entitled and (ii) the securities in your margin account(s) may be used as collateral b
the Clearing Agent Group for loans made to it in excess of your indebtedness to the Clearing Agent
Group. In certain circumstances, such loans or other use may limit, in whole or in part, you
ability to exercise voting and other attendant rights or ownership with respect to the loaned or
pledged securities.
24. LEGALLY BINDING. You here by agree that the terms of this Agreement shall be binding upon
you and your estate, heirs, executors, administrators, personal representatives, successors and
assigns. Your further agree that all purchases, sales and other transactions shall be for you
account(s) in accordance with your oral or written instructions given to your
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Brokerage Firm. You hereby waive any and all defenses that any instruction with respect to
any of your accounts was not in writing as may be required by the Statute of Frauds or any similar
Applicable Laws.
25. AMENDMENT; TERMINATION.
(a) You agree that the Clearing Agent Group may modify the terms of the Agreement at any time
upon your prior written notice to you. By continuing to accept services from the Clearing Agent
Group thereafter, you will have indicated your acceptance of any such modification. If you do not
accept such modification, you must notify the Clearing Agent Group in writing; your account(s) may
then be terminated by the Clearing Agent Group, after which you will remain liable to the Clearing
Agent Group for all outstanding liabilities and obligation. Otherwise, the Agreement may not be
modified absent a written instrument signed by an authorized representative of the Clearing Agent
Group.
(b) You may close any of your accounts at any time by giving instructions to your Brokerage
Firm or if you are unable to reach your Brokerage Firm, then by providing Clearing Agent Group
written notice; provided, that the Clearing Agent Group receives all securities and/or other
property for which account(s) are short and you have satisfied all of your outstanding liabilities
and obligations which you owe to any Clearing Agent entity for any reason whatsoever.
(c) The Clearing Agent Group reserves the right to terminate the Agreement or your account(s)
at any time for any reason. The provisions of this Agreement shall survive termination of this
Agreement and/or closure of your account(s) insofar to the period prior to termination of this
Agreement or closure of your account(s).
(d) On termination of the Agreement or closure of your account(s), it will be your
responsibility to issue instructions in writing with regard to assets held in your account(s).
Unless and until the Clearing Agent Group receives such instructions, it will be under no
obligation to take any action with regard to your assets. You agree that you will be responsible
for any transaction costs associates with your instructions, including commissions and related
costs.
26. GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY THE SUBSTANTIVE LAWS OF THE STATE OF
NEW YORK WITHOUT GIVING EFFECT TO ANY CONFLICTS OF LAW PRINCIPLES THEREOF.
27. ARBITRATION; CONSENT TO JURISDICTION; SERVICE OF PROCESS.
28.
(a) THIS AGREEMENT CONTAINS A PREDISPUTE ARBITRATION CLAUSE. BY SIGNING AN ARBITRATION
AGREEMENT THE PARTIES AGREE AS FOLLOWS:
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• | ALL PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT ARE GIVING UP THE RIGHT TO XXX EACH OTHER IN COURT, INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY, EXCEPT AS PROVIDED BY THE RULES OF THE ARBITRATION FORUM IN WHICH A CLAIM IS FILES. | ||
• | ARBITRATION AWARDS ARE GENERALLY FINAL AND BINDING; A PARTY’S ABILITY TO HAVE A COURT REVERSE OR MODIFY AN ARBITRATION AWARD IS VERY LIMITED. | ||
• | THE ABILITY OF THE PARTIES OF OBTAIN DOCUMENTS, WITNESS STATEMENTS AND OTHER DISCOVERY IS GENERALLY MORE LIMITED IN ARBITRATION THAN IN COURT PROCEEDINGS. | ||
• | THE ARBITRATORS DO NOT HAVE TO EXPLAIN THE REASON(S) FOR THEIR AWARD. | ||
• | THE PANEL OF ARBRITRATORS WILL TYPICALL INCLUDE A MINORITY OF ARBITRATORS WHO WERE OR ARE AFFILIATED WITH THE SECURITIES INDUSTRY. | ||
• | THE RULES OF SOME ARBITRATION FORUMS MAY IMPOSE TIME LIMITS FOR BRINGING A CLAIM IN ARBRITATION IN SOME CASES, A CLAIM THAT IS INELIGIBLE FOR ARBITRATION MAY BE BROUGHT IN COURT. | ||
• | THE RULES OF THE ARBITRATION FORUM IN WHICH THE CLAIM IS FILED, AND ANY AMENDMENTS THERETO, SHALL BE INCORPORATED INTO THIS AGREEMENT. | ||
• | NO PERSON SHALL BRING A PUTATIVE OR CERTIFIED CLASS ACTION TO ARBRITRATION, NOR SEEK TO ENFORCE ANY PRE-DISPUTE ARBITRATION AGREEMENT AGAINST ANY PERSON WHO HAS INITIATED IN COURT A PUTATIVE CLASS ACTION OR WHO IS A MEMBER OF A PUTATIVE CLASS WHO HAS NOT OPTED OUT OF THE CLASS WITH RESPECT TO ANY CLAIMS ENCOMPASED BY THE PUTATIVE CLASS ACTION UNTIL |
(i) | THE CLASS CERTIFICATION IS DENIED; |
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(ii) | THE CLASS IS DECERTIFIED; OR | ||
(iii) | THE CUSTOMER IS EXCLUDED FROM THE CLASS BY THE COURT, SUCH FORBEARANCE TO ENFORCE AN AGREEMENT TO ARBITRATE SHALL NOT CONSTITUE A WAIVER OF ANY RIGHTS UNDER THIS AGREEMENT EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT STATED HEREIN. |
• | BY SIGNING THIS AGREEMENT YOU AND THE CLEARING AGENT GROUP AGREE, THAT CONTROVERSIES ARISING UNDER OR RELATING TO ANY ACTIVITY OR THIS AGREEMENT BETWEEN |
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YOU AND THE CLEARING AGENT GROUP, ITS PREDECESSORS, AND ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE SUCCESSORS, ASSIGNS, AND ANY OF THEIR DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES AND ANY OTHER CONTROL PERSONS AND ANY OF THEIR AGENTS, WHETHER ARISING PRIOR TO, ON OR SUBSEQUENT TO THE DATE HEREOF, SHALL BE DETERMIEND BY ARBITRAITON. ANY ARBITRATION UNDER THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE HELD ONLY AT THE FACILITIES OF, BEFORE AN ARBITRATION PANEL APPOINTED BY, AND PURSUANT TO RULES OF THE NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE, INC. OR THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SECURITIES DEALERS, INC. YOU MAY ELECT ONE OF THE FOREGOING FORUMS FOR ARBITRATION, BUT IF YO FAIL TO MAKE SUCH ELECTION BY REGISTERED MAIL OR TELLEGRAM ADDRESSED TO BEAR, XXXXXXX SECURITIES CORP., 000 XXXXXXX XXXXXX, XXX XXXX, XXX XXXX 00000, ATTENTION: CHIEF LEGAL OFFICER (OR ANY OTHER ADDRESS OF WHICH YOU ARE ADVISE DIN WRITING), BEFORE THE EXPIRATION OF TEN (10) DAYS AFTER RECEIPT OF A WRITTEN REQUEST FROM THE CLEARING AGENT GROUP TO MAKE SUCH ELECTION, THEN THE CLEARING AGENT GROUP MAY MAKE SUCH ELECTION, THE AWARD OF THE ARBITRATORS, OR OF THE MAJORITY OF THEM, SHALL BE FINAL, AND JUDGMENT UPON THE AWARD RENDERED MAY BE ENTERED IN ANY COURT, STTE OR FEDERAL, HAVING JURISDICTION. |
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subparagraph (a) above, either party may, at any time
prior to the initial arbitration hearing pertaining to such dispute or controversy, seek by
application to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York or the Supreme Court
of the State of New York for the County of New York any such temporary or provisional relief or
remedy (“provisional remedy”) provided for by the laws of the U.S. or the laws of the State of New
York as would be available in an action based upon such dispute or controversy in the absence of an
agreement to arbitrate. The parties acknowledge and agree that it is their intention to have any
such application for a provisional remedy decided by the Court to which it is made and that such
application shall not be referred to or settled by arbitration. No such application to either said
Court for a provisional remedy, nor any act or conduct by either party in furtherance of or in
opposition to such application, shall constitute a relinquishment or waiver of any right to have
the underlying dispute or controversy with respect to which such application is made settled by
arbitration in accordance with subparagraph (a) above.
(c) With respect to any application for a provisional remedy and any application for judgment
on an arbitration award, each party irrevocably (i) submit to the jurisdiction of the U.S. District
Court for the Southern District of New York or the Supreme Court of the State of New York for the
County of New York, (ii) waives any objection which it may have at any time to the laying of venue
of any proceedings brought in any such court, waives any claim that such proceedings have been
brought in an inconvenient forum and further waives the right to object, with respect to such
proceedings, that such court does not have any
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jurisdiction over such party, and (iii) consents to service of process by certified mail,
return receipt requested, to the address provided for herein.
(d) You hereby agree to receive service of process in connection with any legal matters or
actions or proceedings based upon, arising out of or relating in any way to this Agreement by
confirmed, return-receipt requested mail and that delivery shall be presumed if such service is
mailed to the address maintained by the Clearing Agent Group in its records and the requested
receipt is returned.
28. SEVERABILITY. If and to the extent any term or provision herein is or should become
invalid or unenforceable, then (i) the remaining terms and provisions hereof shall be unimpaired
and remain in full force and effect and (ii) the invalid or unenforceable provision or term or
provision that is valid and enforceable and that comes closest to expressing the intention of such
invalid or unenforceable term or provision.
29. EXTRAORDINARY EVENTS. The Clearing Agent Group shall not be liable for losses caused
directly or indirectly by suspension of trading, wars, civil disturbances, terrorism, strikes,
natural calamities, labor or material shortages, government restrictions, acts or omission of
exchanges, specialists, markets, clearance organizations or information providers, delays in mails,
delays or inaccuracies in the transmission of orders or information, governmental, exchange or
self-regulatory organization laws, rules or actions, or any other causes beyond the Clearing Agent
Group’s control that may or delay the performance of the Clearing Agent Group’s obligations.
30. HEADINGS. The headings of the provisions hereof are for ease of reference only and shall
not affect the interpretation or application of this agreement or in any way modify or qualify any
of the rights or obligations provided for hereunder.
31. TELEPHONE AND ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS. You hereby authorize the clearing Agent Group to
monitor and/or record any or all telephone and/or electronic communications between you and the
Clearing Agent Group or any of the Clearing Agent Group employees or agents. You agree that such
recordings may be used in connection with a dispute between the parties. You acknowledge that the
Clearing Agent Group may determine not to make or keep such recordings and that such determination
shall not in any way affect any party’s rights.
32. CUMULATIVE RIGHTS; ENTIRE AGREEMENT. The rights of each Clearing Agent entity set forth
in this Agreement and in each other agreement you may have with any Clearing Agent entity are
cumulative and in addition to any other rights and remedies that any Clearing Agent entity may have
and shall supersede any limitation on or any requirement for the exercise of such rights and
remedies that is inconsistent with the terms of this or any other such agreement. The provisions
of this Agreement shall supersede any inconsistent provisions of any other agreement entered into
between you and any Clearing Agent entity, unless you will take such action as is necessary to
cooperate with the Clearing Agent Group with respect to Collateral and delivery and perfection
thereof. Except as set forth above, this Agreement represents the
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entire agreement and understanding between you and the Clearing Agent Group concerning the
subject matter hereof.
33.
CAPACITY TO CONTRACT; AFFILIATIONS. You represent that you are of legal age to enter into
contracts in the state of your domicile and that, unless you have notified the Clearing Agent Group
to the contrary, neither you nor any member of your immediate family is: (i) an employee or member
of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., (ii) an employee of any corporation or
firm engaged in the business of dealing, as broker or principal, in securities, options or futures
or (iv) an employee of any bank, trust company or insurance company. Persons signing on behalf of
others should indicate the titles or capacities in which they are signing. If the undersigned is
signing on behalf of others, the undersigned hereby represents that the person(s) or entity(ies) on
whose behalf it is signing is/are authorized to enter into this Agreement and that the undersigned
is duly authorized to sign this Agreement and make the representations herein in the name and on
behalf of such other person(s) or entity(ies). Subject to the preceding sentence, you represent
that only the undersigned has any interest in the account(s) established pursuant to this
Agreement. In addition, unless you advise the Clearing Agent Group in writing to the contrary, you
represent that you are not an affiliate (as defined in Rule 144(a)(1) under The Securities Act of
1933) of the issuer of any security held in any of your accounts.
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BY SIGNING THIS AGREEMENT, YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT:
1. | THE SECURITIES IN YOUR MARGIN ACCOUNT(S), IF ANY, AND ANY SECURITIES FOR WHICH YOU HAVE NOT FULLY PAID, TOGETHER WITH ALL ATTENDANT OWNERSHIP RIGHTS, MAY BE USED BY THE CLEARING AGENT GROUP OR SOLD OR PLEDGED TO THE CLEARING AGENT GROUP OR TO OTHERS; AND |
2. YOU HAVE RECEIVED A COPY OF THIS AGREEMENT.
THIS AGREEMENT IS DATED AS OF DECEMBER 2, 2005
THIS AGREEMENT CONTAINS A PRE-DISPUTE ARBITRATION CLAUSE AT PARAGRAPH 27, PAGE 2.
(Account Number)
Xxx X. Xxxxxx
(Typed or Printed Name)
X /s/ Xxx X. Xxxxxx
(Signature)
(Typed or Printed Name)
X
(Signature)
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