XXXX XXXXXX MULTI-STATE MUNICIPAL SERIES TRUST
DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT made this 31st day of May, 1997 between Xxxx Xxxxxx Multi-State
Municipal Series Trust, an unincorporated business trust organized under the
laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (the "Trust"), and Xxxx Xxxxxx
Distributors Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Distributor");
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, the Trust is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940,
as amended (the "1940 Act"), as a non-diversified open-end investment company
and it is in the interest of the Trust to offer its shares for sale
continuously, and
WHEREAS, the Trust and the Distributor wish to enter into an agreement
with each other with respect to the continuous offering of each Series of the
Trust's transferable shares of beneficial interest, of $.01 par value
("Shares"), in order to promote the growth of the Trust and facilitate the
distribution of its shares.
NOW, THEREFORE, the parties agree as follows:
SECTION 1. Appointment of the Distributor. (a) The Trust hereby appoints
the Distributor as the principal underwriter of the Trust to sell Shares to
the public on the terms set forth in this Agreement and the Trust's
prospectus and the Distributor hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to
act hereunder. The Trust, during the term of this Agreement, shall sell
Shares to the Distributor upon the terms and conditions set forth herein.
(b) The Distributor agrees to purchase Shares, as principal for its own
account, from the Trust and to sell Shares as principal to investors and
securities dealers, including Xxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Inc. ("DWR"), an affiliate
of the Distributor, upon the terms described herein and in the Trust's
prospectus (the "Prospectus") and statement of additional information
included in the Trust's registration statement (the "Registration Statement")
most recently filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "SEC") and effective under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the "1933 Act"), and 1940 Act or as said Prospectus may be otherwise
amended or supplemented and filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 497 under the
1933 Act.
SECTION 2. Exclusive Nature of Duties. The Distributor shall be the
exclusive principal underwriter and distributor of the Trust, except that the
exclusive rights granted to the Distributor to sell the Shares shall not
apply to Shares issued by the Trust: (i) in connection with the merger or
consolidation of any other investment company or personal holding company
with the Trust or the acquisition by purchase or otherwise of all (or
substantially all) the assets or the outstanding shares of any such company
by the Trust; or (ii) pursuant to reinvestment of dividends or capital gains
distributions; or (iii) pursuant to the reinstatement privilege afforded
redeeming shareholders.
SECTION 3. Purchase of Shares from the Trust. (a) The Distributor shall
have the right to buy from the Trust the Shares needed, but not more than the
Shares needed (except for clerical errors in transmission), to fill
unconditional orders for Shares placed with the Distributor by investors and
securities dealers. The price which the Distributor shall pay for the Shares
so purchased from the Trust shall be the net asset value, determined as set
forth in the Prospectus, used in determining the public offering price on
which such orders were based.
(b) The shares are to be resold by the Distributor at the public offering
price, as set forth in Section 3(c) hereof to investors or to securities
dealers including DWR, who have entered into selected dealer agreements with
the Distributor pursuant to Section 7 ("Selected Dealers").
(c) The public offering price(s) of the Shares, i.e., the price per share
at which the Distributor may sell Shares to the public, shall be the public
offering price as set forth in the Prospectus relating to such Shares, but
not to exceed the net asset value at which the Distributor is to purchase the
shares, plus a sales charge not to exceed 4.0% of the public offering price,
subject to reductions for volume purchases. If the public offering price does
not equal an even cent, the public offering price may be adjusted to the
nearest cent.
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(d) The Trust shall have the right to suspend the sale of the Shares at
times when redemption is suspended pursuant to the conditions set forth in
Section 4(e) hereof. The Trust shall also have the right to suspend the sale
of the Shares if trading on the New York Stock Exchange shall have been
suspended, if a banking moratorium shall have been declared by federal or New
York authorities, or if there shall have been some other extraordinary event
which, in the judgment of the Trust, makes it impracticable to sell the
Shares.
(e) The Trust, or any agent of the Trust designated in writing by the
Trust, shall be promptly advised of all purchase orders for Shares received
by the Distributor. Any order may be rejected by the Trust; provided,
however, that the Trust will not arbitrarily or without reasonable cause
refuse to accept orders for the purchase of Shares. The Distributor will
confirm orders upon their receipt, and the Trust (or its agent) upon receipt
of payment therefor and instructions will deliver share certificates for such
Shares or a statement confirming the issuance of Shares. Payment shall be
made to the Trust in New York Clearing House funds. The Distributor agrees to
cause such payment and such instructions to be delivered promptly to the
Trust (or its agent).
(f) With respect to Shares sold by any Selected Dealer, the Distributor is
authorized to direct the Trust's transfer agent to receive instructions
directly from the Selected Dealer on behalf of the Distributor as to
registration of Shares in the names of investors and to confirm issuance of
the Shares to such investors. The Distributor is also authorized to instruct
the transfer agent to receive payment directly from the Selected Dealer on
behalf of the Distributor, for prompt transmittal to the Trust's custodian,
of the purchase price of the Shares. In such event the Distributor shall
obtain from the Selected Dealer and maintain a record of such registration
instructions and payments.
SECTION 4. Repurchase or Redemption of Shares. (a) Any of the outstanding
Shares may be tendered for redemption at any time, and the Trust agrees to
redeem the Shares so tendered in accordance with the applicable provisions
set forth in the Prospectus. The price to be paid to redeem the Shares shall
be equal to the net asset value determined as set forth in the Prospectus.
All payments by the Trust hereunder shall be made in the manner set forth
below. The redemption by the Trust of any of the Shares purchased by or
through the Distributor will not affect the sales charge secured by the
Distributor in the course of the original sale, except that if any Shares are
tendered for redemption within seven business days after the date of the
confirmation of the original purchase, the right to the sales charge shall be
forfeited by the Distributor and the Selected Dealer which sold such shares.
Upon any redemption of Shares the Trust shall pay the total amount of the
redemption price in accordance with applicable provisions of the Prospectus
in New York Clearing House funds.
(b) The Distributor is authorized, as agent for the Trust, to repurchase
Shares, represented by a share certificate which is delivered to any office
of the Distributor in accordance with applicable provisions set forth in the
Prospectus. The Distributor shall promptly transmit to the transfer agent of
the Trust for redemption all Shares so delivered. The Distributor shall be
responsible for the accuracy of instructions transmitted to the Trust's
transfer agent in connection with all such repurchases.
(c) The Distributor is authorized, as agent for the Trust, to repurchase
Shares held in a shareholder's account with the Trust for which no share
certificate has been issued, upon the telephonic or telegraphic request of
the shareholder, or at the discretion of the Distributor. The Distributor
shall promptly transmit to the transfer agent of the Trust, for redemption,
all such orders for repurchase of shares. Payment for shares repurchased may
be made by the Trust to the Distributor for the account of the shareholder.
The Distributor shall be responsible for the accuracy of instructions
transmitted to the Trust's transfer agent in connection with all such
repurchases.
(d) With respect to Shares tendered for redemption or repurchase by any
Selected Dealer on behalf of its customers, the Distributor is authorized to
instruct the transfer agent of the Trust to accept orders for redemption or
repurchase directly from the Selected Dealer on behalf of the Distributor and
to instruct the Trust to transmit payments for such redemptions and
repurchases directly to the Selected Dealer on behalf of the Distributor for
the account of the shareholder. The Distributor shall obtain from the
Selected Dealer, and shall maintain, a record of such orders. The Distributor
is further authorized to obtain from the Trust, and shall maintain, a record
of payments made directly to the Selected Dealer on behalf of the
Distributor.
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(e) Redemption of Shares or payment by the Trust may be suspended at times
when the New York Stock Exchange is closed, when trading on said Exchange is
restricted, when an emergency exists as a result of which disposal by the
Trust of securities owned by it is not reasonably practicable or it is not
reasonably practicable for the Trust fairly to determine the value of its net
assets, or during any other period when the Securities and Exchange
Commission, by order, so permits.
SECTION 5. Duties of the Trust. (a) The Trust shall furnish to the
Distributor copies of all information, financial statements and other papers
which the Distributor may reasonably request for use in connection with the
distribution of the Shares, including one certified copy, upon request by the
Distributor, of all financial statements prepared by the Trust and examined
by independent accountants. The Trust shall, at the expense of the
Distributor, make available to the Distributor such number of copies of the
Prospectus as the Distributor shall reasonably request.
(b) The Trust shall take, from time to time, but subject to the necessary
approval of its shareholders, all necessary action to fix the number of its
authorized Shares and to register Shares under the 1933 Act, to the end that
there will be available for sale such number of Shares as investors may
reasonably be expected to purchase.
(c) The Trust shall use its best efforts to pay the filing fees for an
appropriate number of the Shares for sale under the securities laws of such
states as the Distributor and the Trust may approve. Any qualification to
sell its Shares in a state may be withheld, terminated or withdrawn by the
Trust at any time in its discretion. As provided in Section 8(c) hereof, such
filing fees shall be borne by the Trust. The Distributor shall furnish any
information and other material relating to its affairs and activities as may
be required by the Trust in connection with the sale of its Shares in any
state.
(d) The Trust shall, at the expense of the Distributor, furnish, in
reasonable quantities upon request by the Distributor, copies of annual and
interim reports of the Trust.
SECTION 6. Duties of the Distributor. (a) The Distributor shall sell
Shares of the Trust through DWR and may sell Shares through other securities
dealers and its own Account Executives and shall devote reasonable time and
effort to promote sales of the Shares, but shall not be obligated to sell any
specific number of Shares. The services of the Distributor hereunder are not
exclusive and it is understood that the Distributor may act as principal
underwriter for other registered investment companies so long as the
performance of its obligations hereunder is not impaired hereby. It is also
understood that Selected Dealers, including DWR, may also sell shares for
other registered investment companies.
(b) Neither the Distributor nor any Selected Dealers shall give any
information or make any representations, other than those contained in the
Registration Statement or related Prospectus and any sales literature
specifically approved by the Trust.
(c) The Distributor agrees that it will comply with the applicable terms
and limitations of the Rules of the Association of the National Association
of Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD").
SECTION 7. Selected Dealers Agreements. (a) The Distributor shall have the
right to enter into selected dealers agreements with Selected Dealers for the
sale of Shares. In making agreements with Selected Dealers, the Distributor
shall act only as principal and not as agent for the Trust. Shares sold to
Selected Dealers shall be for resale by such dealers only at the public
offering price set forth in the Prospectus.
(b) Within the United States, the Distributor shall offer and sell Shares
only to Selected Dealers that are members in good standing of the NASD.
(c) The Distributor shall adopt and follow procedures, as approved by the
Fund, for the confirmation of sales of Shares to investors and Selected
Dealers, the collection of amounts payable by investors and Selected Dealers
on such sales, and the cancellation of unsettled transactions, as may be
necessary to comply with the requirements of the NASD, as such requirements
may from time to time exist.
SECTION 8. Payment of Expenses. (a) The Distributor shall bear all
expenses incurred by it in connection with its duties and activities under
this Agreement, including the payment to Selected Dealers
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of any service fees and other expenses for sales of the Trust's Shares
(except such expenses as are specifically undertaken herein by the Trust)
incurred or paid by Selected Dealers, including DWR. The Distributor shall
bear the costs and expenses of preparing, printing and distributing any
supplementary sales literature used by the Distributor or furnished by it for
use by Selected Dealers in connection with the offering of the Shares for
sale. Any expenses of advertising incurred in connection with such offering
will also be the obligation of the Distributor. It is understood and agreed
that, so long as the Trust's Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (the
"Rule 12b-1 Plan") continues in effect, any expenses incurred by the
Distributor hereunder may be paid in accordance with the terms of such Rule
12b-1 Plan.
(b) The Trust shall bear all costs and expenses of the Trust, including
fees and disbursements of legal counsel including counsel to the Trustees of
the Trust who are not interested persons (as defined in the 0000 Xxx) of the
Trust or the Distributor, and independent accountants, in connection with the
preparation and filing of any required Registration Statements and
Prospectuses and Statements of Additional Information and all amendments and
supplements thereto, and the expense of preparing, printing, mailing and
otherwise distributing prospectuses and statements of additional information,
annual or interim reports or proxy materials to shareholders.
(c) The Trust shall pay the filing fees and, if necessary or advisable in
connection therewith, bear the cost and expense of qualifying the Trust as a
broker or dealer, in such states of the United States or other jurisdictions
as shall be selected by the Trust and the Distributor pursuant to Section
5(c) hereof and the cost and expenses payable to each such state for
continuing to offer Shares therein until the Trust decides to discontinue
selling Shares pursuant to Section 5(c) hereof.
SECTION 9. Indemnification. (a) The Trust shall indemnify and hold
harmless the Distributor and each person, if any, who controls the
Distributor against any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense (including
the reasonable cost of investigating or defending any alleged loss,
liability, claim, damage or expense and reasonable counsel fees incurred in
connection therewith) arising by reason of any person acquiring any Shares,
which may be based upon the 1933 Act, or on any other statute or at common
law, on the ground that the Registration Statement or related Prospectus and
Statements of Additional Information, as from time to time amended and
supplemented, or the annual or interim reports to shareholders of the Trust,
includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the
statements therein not misleading, unless such statement or omission was made
in reliance upon, and in conformity with, information furnished to the Trust
in connection therewith by or on behalf of the Distributor; provided,
however, that in no case (i) is the indemnity of the Trust in favor of the
Distributor and any such controlling persons to be deemed to protect the
Distributor or any such controlling persons thereof against any liability to
the Trust or its security holders to which the Distributor or any such
controlling persons would otherwise be subject by reason of willful
misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties
or by reason of reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this
Agreement; or (ii) is the Trust to be liable under its indemnity agreement
contained in this paragraph with respect to any claim made against the
Distributor or any such controlling persons, unless the Distributor or any
such controlling persons, as the case may be, shall have notified the Trust
in writing within a reasonable time after the summons or other first legal
process giving information of the nature of the claim shall have been served
upon the Distributor or such controlling persons (or after the Distributor or
such controlling persons shall have received notice of such service on any
designated agent), but failure to notify the Trust of any such claim shall
not relieve it from any liability which it may have to the person against
whom such action is brought otherwise than on account of its indemnity
agreement contained in this paragraph. The Trust will be entitled to
participate at its own expense in the defense, or, if it so elects, to assume
the defense, of any suit brought to enforce any such liability, but if the
Trust elects to assume the defense, such defense shall be conducted by
counsel chosen by it and satisfactory to the Distributor or such controlling
person or persons, defendant or defendants in the suit. In the event the
Trust elects to assume the defense of any such suit and retain such counsel,
the Distributor or such controlling person or persons, defendant or
defendants in the suit, shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional
counsel retained by them, but, in case the Trust does not elect to assume the
defense of any such suit, it will reimburse the Distributor
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or such controlling person or persons, defendant or defendants in the suit,
for the reasonable fees and expenses of any counsel retained by them. The
Trust shall promptly notify the Distributor of the commencement of any
litigation or proceedings against it or any of its officers or trustees in
connection with the issuance or sale of the Shares.
(b) (i) The Distributor shall indemnify and hold harmless the Trust and
each of its trustees and officers and each person, if any, who controls the
Trust against any loss, liability, claim, damage, or expense described in the
foregoing indemnity contained in subsection (a) of this Section, but only
with respect to statements or omissions made in reliance upon, and in
conformity with, information furnished to the Trust in writing by or on
behalf of the Distributor for use in connection with the Registration
Statement or related Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information, as
from time to time amended, or the annual or interim reports to shareholders.
(ii) The Distributor shall indemnify and hold harmless the Trust and the
Trust's transfer agent, individually and in its capacity as the Trust's
transfer agent, from and against any claims, damages and liabilities which
arise as a result of actions taken pursuant to instructions from, or on
behalf of, the Distributor to: (1) redeem all or a part of shareholder
accounts in the Trust pursuant to Section 4(d) hereof and pay the proceeds
to, or as directed by, the Distributor for the account of each shareholder
whose Shares are so redeemed; and (2) register Shares in the names of
investors, confirm the issuance thereof and receive payment therefor pursuant
to Section 3(f).
(iii) In case any action shall be brought against the Trust or any person
so indemnified by this subsection 9(b) in respect of which indemnity may be
sought against the Distributor, the Distributor shall have the rights and
duties given to the Trust, and the Trust and each person so indemnified shall
have the rights and duties given to the Distributor by the provisions of
subsection (a) of this Section 9.
(c) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 9 is unavailable
or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or
(b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses
(or actions in respect thereof) referred to herein, then each indemnifying
party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified
party as a result of such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses
(or actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to
reflect the relative benefits received by the Trust on the one hand and the
Distributor on the other from the offering of the Shares. If, however, the
allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by
applicable law, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to such amount
paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative
fault of the Trust on the one hand and the Distributor on the other in
connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses,
claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (or actions in respect thereof), as
well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits
received by the Trust on the one hand and the Distributor on the other shall
be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the
offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Trust bear to the total
compensation received by the Distributor, in each case as set forth in the
Prospectus. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among
other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material
fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to
information supplied by the Trust or the Distributor and the parties'
relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct
or prevent such statement or omission. The Trust and the Distributor agree
that it would not be just and equitable if contribution were determined by
pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take
into account the equitable considerations referred to above. The amount paid
or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims,
damages, liabilities or expenses (or actions in respect thereof) referred to
above shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably
incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or
defending any such claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection
(c), the Distributor shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess
of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares distributed by it
to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages
which it 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 0000
Xxx) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of
such fraudulent misrepresentation.
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SECTION 10. Duration and Termination of this Agreement. This Agreement
shall become effective as of the date first above written and shall remain in
force until April 30, 1998, and thereafter, but only so long as such
continuance is specifically approved at least annually by (i) the Board of
Trustees of the Trust, or by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting
securities of the Trust, cast in person or by proxy, and (ii) a majority of
those Trustees who are not parties to this Agreement or interested persons of
any such party and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in this
Agreement or in the operation of the Trust's Rule 12b-1 Plan or in any
agreement related thereto, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose
of voting upon such approval.
This Agreement may be terminated at any time without the payment of any
penalty, by the Trustees of the Trust, by a majority of the Trustees of the
Trust who are not interested persons of the Trust and who have no direct or
indirect interest in this Agreement, or by vote of a majority of the
outstanding voting securities of the Trust, or by the Distributor, on sixty
days' written notice to the other party. This Agreement shall automatically
terminate in the event of its assignment.
The terms "vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities,"
"assignment" and "interested person," when used in this Agreement, shall have
the respective meanings specified in the 1940 Act.
SECTION 11. Amendments of this Agreement. This Agreement may be amended by
the parties only if such amendment is specifically approved by (i) the
Trustees of the Trust, or by the vote of a majority of outstanding voting
securities of the Trust, and (ii) a majority of those Trustees of the Trust
who are not parties to this Agreement or interested persons of any such party
and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in this Agreement or in
any Agreement related to the Trust's Rule 12b-1 Plan, cast in person at a
meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval.
SECTION 12. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance
with the law of the State of New York and the applicable provisions of the
1940 Act. To the extent the applicable law of the State of New York, or any
of the provisions herein, conflict with the applicable provisions of the 1940
Act, the latter shall control.
SECTION 13. Personal Liability. The Declaration of the Trust establishing
Xxxx Xxxxxx Multi-State Municipal Series Trust, dated October 29, 1990, a
copy of which, together with all amendments thereto (the "Declaration"), is
on file in the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,
provides that the name Xxxx Xxxxxx Multi-State Municipal Series Trust refers
to the Trustees under the Declaration collectively as Trustees, but not as
individuals or personally; and no Trustee, shareholder, officer, employee or
agent of Xxxx Xxxxxx Multi-State Municipal Series Trust shall be held to any
personal liability, nor shall resort be had to their private property for the
satisfaction of any obligation or claim or otherwise, in connection with the
affairs of said Xxxx Xxxxxx Multi-State Municipal Series Trust, but the Trust
Estate only shall be liable.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed and delivered this
Agreement as of the day and year first written in New York, New York.
Xxxx Xxxxxx Multi-State Municipal Series Trust
By: /s/
...........................................
Xxxx Xxxxxx Distributors Inc.
By: /s/
...........................................
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