EXHIBIT 10.16
SonicWALL, Inc.
Indemnification Agreement
This Indemnification Agreement ("Agreement") is entered by and among
SonicWALL, Inc., a California corporation (the "Company"), and each of the
indemnities listed on the signature pages hereto (collectively, the
"Indemnitees"), at and as of the date or dates set forth on the signature pages
hereto.
RECITALS
A. The Company and Indemnitees recognize the continued difficulty in
obtaining liability insurance for its directors, officers, employees,
controlling persons, agents and fiduciaries, the significant increases in the
cost of such insurance and the general reductions in the coverage of such
insurance.
B. The Company and Indemnitees further recognize the substantial
increase in corporate litigation in general, subjecting directors, officers,
employees, controlling persons, agents and fiduciaries to expensive litigation
risks at the same time as the availability and coverage of liability insurance
has been severely limited.
C. Indemnitees do not regard the current protection available as
adequate under the present circumstances, and Indemnitees and other directors,
officers, employees, controlling persons, agents and fiduciaries of the Company
may not be willing to serve in such capacities without additional protection.
D. The Company (i) desires to attract and retain the involvement of
highly qualified groups, such as Indemnitees, to serve the Company and, in part,
in order to induce each Indemnitee to be involved with the Company and (ii)
wishes to provide for the indemnification and advancing of expenses to each
Indemnitee to the maximum extent permitted by law.
E. In view of the considerations set forth above, the Company desires
that each Indemnitee be indemnified by the Company as set forth herein.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Company and each Indemnitee hereby agrees as
follows:
1. Indemnification.
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a. Indemnification of Expenses. The Company shall indemnify and
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hold harmless each Indemnitee (including its respective directors, officers,
partners, employees, agents and spouses) and each person who controls any of
them or who may be liable within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or Section 20 of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), to the fullest extent
permitted by law if such Indemnitee was or is or becomes a party to or witness
or other participant in, or is threatened to be made a party to or witness or
other participant in, or is threatened to be made a party to or witness or other
participant in, any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, proceeding or
alternative dispute resolution mechanism, or any hearing, inquiry or
investigation that such Indemnitee believes might lead to the institution of any
such action, suit, proceeding or alternative dispute resolution mechanism, or
any hearing, inquiry or investigation that such Indemnitee believes might lead
to the institution of any such action, suit, proceeding or alternative dispute
resolution mechanism, whether civil, criminal, administrative, investigative or
other (hereinafter a "Claim") by reason of (or arising in part out of) any event
or occurrence related to the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director, officer,
employee, controlling person, agent or fiduciary of the Company, or any
subsidiary of the Company, or is or was serving at the request of the Company as
a director, officer, employee, controlling person, agent or fiduciary of another
corporation, partnership, joint venture,
trust or other enterprise, or by reason of any action or inaction on the part of
such Indemnitee while serving in such capacity including, without limitation,
any and all losses, claims, damages, expenses and liabilities, joint or several
(including any investigation, legal and other expenses incurred in connection
with, and any amount paid in settlement of, any action, suit, proceeding or any
claim asserted) under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or other federal or
state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise, which relate
directly or indirectly to the registration, purchase, sale or ownership of any
securities of the Company or to any fiduciary obligation owed with respect
thereto (hereinafter an "Indemnification Event") against any and all expenses
(including attorneys' fees and all other costs, expenses and obligations
incurred in connection with investigating, defending a witness in or
participating in (including on appeal), or preparing to defend, be a witness in
or participate in, any such action, suit, proceeding, alternative dispute
resolution mechanism, hearing, inquiry or investigation), judgments, fines,
penalties and amounts paid in settlement (if such settlement is approved in
advance by the Company, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld) of
such Claim and any federal, state, local or foreign taxes imposed on Indemnitee
as a result of the actual or deemed receipt of any payments under this Agreement
(collectively, hereinafter "Expenses"), including all interest, assessments and
other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses.
Such payment of Expenses shall be made by the Company as soon as practicable but
in any event no later than five days after written demand by the Indemnitee
therefor is presented to the Company.
b. Reviewing Party. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) the
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obligations of the Company under Section 1(a) shall be subject to the condition
that the Reviewing Party (as described in Section 10(e) hereof) shall not have
determined (in a written opinion, in any case in which the Independent Legal
Counsel referred to in Section 1(c) hereof is involved) that Indemnitee would
not be permitted to be indemnified under applicable law, and (ii) each
Indemnitee acknowledges and agrees that the obligation of the Company to make an
advance payment of Expenses to Indemnitee pursuant to Section 2(a) (an "Expense
Advance") shall be subject to the condition that, if, when and to the extent
that the Reviewing Party determines that Indemnitee would not be permitted to be
so indemnified under applicable law, the Company shall be entitled to be
reimbursed by Indemnitee (who hereby agrees to reimburse the Company) for all
such amounts theretofore paid; provided, however, that if Indemnitee has
commenced or thereafter commences legal proceedings in a court of competent
jurisdiction to secure a determination that Indemnitee should be indemnified
under applicable law, any determination made by the Reviewing Party that
Indemnitee would not be permitted to be indemnified under applicable law shall
not be binding and Indemnitee shall not be required to reimburse the Company for
any Expense Advance until a final judicial determination is made with respect
thereto (as to which all rights of appeal therefrom have been exhausted or
lapsed). Indemnitee's obligation to reimburse the Company for any Expense
Advance shall be unsecured and no interest shall be charged thereon. If there
has not been a Change in Control (as defined in Section 10(c) hereof), the
Reviewing Party shall be selected by the Board of Directors, and if there has
been such a Change in Control (other than a Change in Control which has been
approved by a majority of the Company's Board of Directors who were directors
immediately prior to such Change in Control), the Reviewing Party shall be the
Independent Legal Counsel referred to in Section 1(c) hereof. If there has been
no determination by the Reviewing Party or if the Reviewing Party determines
that Indemnitee substantively would not be permitted to be indemnified in whole
or in part under applicable law, Indemnitee shall have the right to commence
litigation seeking an initial determination by the court or challenging any such
determination by the Reviewing Party or any aspect thereof, including the legal
or factual bases therefor, and the Company hereby consents to service of process
and to appear in any such proceeding. Any determination by the Reviewing Party
otherwise shall be conclusive and binding on the Company and Indemnitee.
c. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section
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1(a) above for any reason is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be
unavailable to an Indemnitee in respect of any losses, claims, damages, expenses
or liabilities referred to therein, then the Company, in lieu of indemnifying
such Indemnitee thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by
such Indemnitee as a result of such losses, claims, damages, expenses or
liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative
benefits received by the Company and the Indemnitees, 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 and the
Indemnitees in connection with the action or inaction which resulted in such
losses, claims, damages, expenses or liabilities, as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations.
The Company and the Indemnitees agree that it would not be just and
equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 1(c) were determined by pro
rata or per capita allocation or by any other method of allocation which does
not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately
preceding paragraph.
d. Survival Regardless of Investigation. The indemnification and
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contribution provided for in this Section 1 will remain in full force and effect
regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Indemnitees or any
officer, director, employee, agent or controlling person of the Indemnitees.
e. Change in Control. The Company agrees that if there is a Change
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in Control of the Company (other than a Change in Control which has been
approved by a majority of the Company's Board of Directors who were directors
immediately prior to such Change in Control) then, with respect to all matters
thereafter arising concerning the rights of Indemnitees to payments of Expenses
under this Agreement or any other agreement or under the Company's Articles of
Incorporation or Bylaws as now or hereafter in effect, Independent Legal Counsel
(as defined in Section 10(d) hereof) shall be selected by the Indemnitees and
approved by the Company (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld).
Such counsel, among other things, shall render its written opinion to the
Company and Indemnitees as to whether and to what extent Indemnitees would be
permitted to be indemnified under applicable law. The Company agrees to abide by
such opinion and to pay the reasonable fees of the Independent Legal Counsel
referred to above and to fully indemnify such counsel against any and all
expenses (including attorneys' fees), claims, liabilities and damages arising
out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto.
f. Mandatory Payment of Expenses. Notwithstanding any other
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provision of this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitees have been successful
on the merits or otherwise, including, without limitation, the dismissal of an
action without prejudice, in the defense of any action, suit, proceeding,
inquiry or investigation referred to in Section 1(a) hereof or in the defense of
any claim, issue or matter therein, each Indemnitee shall be indemnified against
all Expenses incurred by such Indemnitee in connection herewith.
2. Expenses; Indemnification Procedure.
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a. Advancement of Expenses. The Company shall advance all Expenses
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incurred by Indemnitees. The advances to be made hereunder shall be paid by the
Company to Indemnitees as soon as practicable but in any event no later than
five days after written demand by such Indemnitees therefor to the Company.
b. Notice/Cooperation by Indemnitees. Indemnitees shall give the
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Company notice in writing as soon as practicable of any Claim made against
Indemnitees for which indemnification will or could be sought under this
Agreement. Notice to the Company shall be directed to the Chief Executive
Officer of the Company at the address shown on the signature page of this
Agreement (or such other address as the Company shall designate in writing to
Indemnitees).
c. No Presumptions; Burden of Proof. For purposes of this
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Agreement, the termination of any Claim by judgment, order, settlement (whether
with or without court approval) or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo
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contendere, or its equivalent, shall not create a presumption that Indemnitees
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did not meet any particular standard of conduct or have any particular belief or
that a court has determined that indemnification is not permitted by applicable
law. In addition, neither the failure of the Reviewing Party to have made a
determination as to whether Indemnitee has met any particular standard of
conduct or had any particular belief, nor an actual determination by the
Reviewing Party that Indemnitee has not met such standard of conduct or did not
have such belief, prior to the commencement of legal proceedings by Indemnitee
to secure a judicial determination that Indemnitee should be indemnified under
applicable law, shall be a defense to Indemnitee's claim or create a presumption
that Indemnitee has not met any particular standard of conduct or did not have
any particular belief. In connection with any determination by the Reviewing
Party or otherwise as to whether Indemnitee is entitled to be indemnified
hereunder, the burden of proof shall be on the Company to establish that
Indemnitee is not so entitled.
d. Notice to Insurers. If, at the time of the receipt by the
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Company of a notice of a Claim pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof, the Company has
liability insurance in effect which may cover such Claim, the Company shall give
prompt notice of the commencement of such Claim to the insurers in accordance
with the procedures set forth in each of the policies. The Company shall
thereafter take all necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers to pay,
on behalf of Indemnitees, all amounts payable as a result of such action, suit,
proceeding, inquiry or investigation in accordance with the terms of such
policies.
e. Selection of Counsel. In the event the Company shall be
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obligated hereunder to pay the Expenses of any Claim, the Company shall be
entitled to assume the defense of such Claim, with counsel approved by the
applicable Indemnitee (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld), upon
the delivery to such Indemnitee of written notice of its election to do so.
After delivery of such notice, approval of such counsel by the Indemnitee and
the retention of such counsel by the Company, the Company will not be liable to
such Indemnitee under this Agreement for any fees of counsel subsequently
incurred by such Indemnitee with respect to the same Claim; provided that, (i)
the Indemnitee shall have the right to employ such Indemnitee's counsel in any
such Claim at the Indemnitee's expense and (ii) if (A) the employment of counsel
by the Indemnitee has been previously authorized by the Company, (B) such
Indemnitee shall have reasonably concluded that there is a conflict of interest
between the Company and such Indemnitee in the conduct of any such defense, or
(C) the Company shall not continue to retain such counsel to defend such Claim,
then the fees and expenses of the Indemnitee's counsel shall be at the expense
of the Company. The Company shall have the right to conduct such defense as it
sees fit in its sole discretion, including the right to settle any claim against
any Indemnitee without the consent of such Indemnitee.
3. Additional Indemnification Rights; Nonexclusivity.
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a. Scope. The Company hereby agrees to indemnify Indemnitees to
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the fullest extent permitted by law, even if such indemnification is not
specifically authorized by the other provisions of this Agreement, the Company's
Articles of Incorporation, the Company's Bylaws or by statute. In the event of
any change after the date of this Agreement in any applicable law, statute or
rule which expands the right of a California corporation to indemnify a member
of its Board of Directors or an officer, employee, controlling person, agent or
fiduciary, it is the intent of the parties hereto that Indemnitees shall enjoy
by this Agreement the greater benefits afforded by such change. In the event of
any change in the applicable law, statute or rule which narrows the right of a
California corporation to indemnify a member of its Board of Directors or an
officer, employee, agent or fiduciary, such change, to the extent not otherwise
required by such law, statute or rule to be applied to this Agreement, shall
have no effect on this Agreement or the parties' rights and obligations
hereunder except as set forth in Section 8(a) hereof.
b. Nonexclusivity. The indemnification provided by this Agreement
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shall be in addition to any rights to which Indemnitees may be entitled under
the Company's Articles of Incorporation, its Bylaws, any agreement, any vote of
shareholders or disinterested directors, the California Corporations Code, or
otherwise. The indemnification provided under this Agreement shall continue as
to each Indemnitee for any action such Indemnitee took or did not take while
serving in an indemnified capacity even though the Indemnitee may have ceased to
serve in such capacity.
4. No Duplication of Payments. The Company shall not be liable under
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this Agreement to make any payment in connection with any Claim made against any
Indemnitee to the extent such Indemnitee has otherwise actually received payment
(under any insurance policy, Articles of Incorporation, Bylaw or otherwise) of
the amounts otherwise indemnifiable hereunder.
5. Partial Indemnification. If any Indemnitee is entitled under any
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provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for any portion of
Expenses incurred in connection with any Claim, but not, however, for all of the
total amount thereof, the Company shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for
the portion of such Expenses to which such Indemnitee is entitled.
6. Mutual Acknowledgment. The Company and each Indemnitee acknowledge
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that in certain instances, Federal law or applicable public policy may prohibit
the Company from indemnifying its directors,
officers, employees, controlling persons, agents or fiduciaries under this
Agreement or otherwise. Each Indemnitee understands and acknowledges that the
Company has undertaken or may be required in the future to undertake with the
Securities and Exchange Commission to submit the question of indemnification to
a court in certain circumstances for a determination of the Company's rights
under public policy to indemnify the Indemnitees.
7. Liability Insurance. To the extent the Company maintains liability
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insurance applicable to directors, officers, employees, control persons, agents
or fiduciaries, each of the Indemnitees shall be covered by such policies in
such a manner as to provide Indemnitees the same rights and benefits as are
accorded to the most favorably insured of the Company's directors, if such
Indemnitee is a director, or of the Company's officers, if such Indemnitee is
not a director of the Company but is an officer; or of the Company's key
employees, controlling persons, agents or fiduciaries, if such Indemnitee is not
an officer or director but is a key employee, agent, control person, or
fiduciary.
8. Exceptions. Any other provision herein to the contrary
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notwithstanding, the Company shall not be obligated pursuant to the terms of
this Agreement:
a. Claims Initiated by Indemnitee. To indemnify or advance
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expenses to any Indemnitee with respect to Claims initiated or brought
voluntarily by such Indemnitee and not by way of defense, except (i) with
respect to actions or proceedings to establish or enforce a right to indemnify
under this Agreement or any other agreement or insurance policy or under the
Company's Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws now or hereafter in effect
relating to Claims for Indemnifiable Events, (ii) in specific cases if the Board
of Directors has approved the initiation or bringing of such Claim, or (iii) as
otherwise required under Section 317 of the California Corporations Code,
regardless of whether such Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to
such indemnification, advance expense payment or insurance recovery, as the case
may be; or
b. Claims Under Section 16(b). To indemnify any Indemnitee for
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expenses and the payment of profits arising from the purchase and sale by such
Indemnitee of securities in violation of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act or
any similar successor statute; or
c. Claims Excluded Under Section 317 of the California
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Corporations Code. To indemnify any Indemnitee if (i) he did not act in good
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faith and in a manner reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best
interests of the Company, or (ii) with respect to any criminal action or
proceeding, the Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe his conduct was
unlawful, or (iii) the Indemnitee shall have been adjudged to be liable to the
Company unless and only to the extent the court in which such action was brought
shall permit indemnification as provided in Section 317(c) of the California
Corporations Code.
9. Period of Limitations. No legal action shall be brought and no
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cause of action shall be asserted by or in the right of the Company against any
Indemnitee, any Indemnitee's estate, spouse, heirs, executors or personal or
legal representatives after the expiration of five years from the date of
accrual of such cause of action, and any claim or cause of action of the Company
shall be extinguished and deemed released unless asserted by the timely filing
of a legal action within such five-year period; provided, however, that if any
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shorter period of limitations is otherwise applicable to any such cause of
action, such shorter period shall govern.
10. Construction of Certain Phrases.
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a. For purposes of this Agreement, references to the "Company"
shall include, in addition to the resulting corporation, any constituent
corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a
consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would
have had power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers, employees,
agents or fiduciaries, so that if Indemnitee is or was a director, officer,
employee, agent, control person, or fiduciary of such constituent corporation,
or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a
director, officer, employee, control person, agent or fiduciary of another
corporation, partnership, joint venture, employee benefit plan, trust or other
enterprise, each Indemnitee shall stand in the same position under the
provisions of this Agreement with respect to the resulting or surviving
corporation as each Indemnitee would have with respect to such constituent
corporation if its separate existence had continued.
b. For purposes of this Agreement, references to "other
enterprises" shall include employee benefit plans; references to "fines" shall
include any excise taxes assessed on any Indemnitee with respect to an employee
benefit plan; and references to "serving at the request of the Company" shall
include any service as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of the
Company which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director,
officer, employee, agent or fiduciary with respect to an employee benefit plan,
its participants or its beneficiaries; and if any Indemnitee acted in good faith
and in a manner such Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in the interest of the
participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan, such Indemnitee
shall be deemed to have acted in a manner "not opposed to the best interests of
the Company" as referred to in this Agreement.
c. For purposes of this Agreement a "Change in Control" shall be
deemed to have occurred if (i) after the Company becomes subject to Section 12
of the Exchange Act, any "person" (as such term is used in Sections 13(d)(3) and
14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act), other than a trustee or other fiduciary holding
securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or a corporation owned
directly or indirectly by the shareholders of the Company in substantially the
same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company, (A) who is or
becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the
Company representing 10% or more of the combined voting power of the Company's
then outstanding Voting Securities, increases his beneficial ownership of such
securities by 5% or more over the percentage so owned by such person, or (B)
becomes the "beneficial owner" (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under said Exchange
Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing more
than 20% of the total voting power represented by the Company's then outstanding
Voting Securities, (ii) during any period of two consecutive years, individuals
who at the beginning of such period constitute the Board of Directors of the
Company and any new director whose election by the Board of Directors or
nomination for election by the Company's shareholders was approved by a vote of
at least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who either were
directors at the beginning of the period or whose election or nomination for
election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute a
majority thereof, or (iii) the shareholders of the Company approve a merger or
consolidation of the Company with any other corporation other than a merger or
consolidation which would result in the Voting Securities of the Company
outstanding immediately prior thereto continuing to represent (either by
remaining outstanding or by being converted into Voting Securities of the
surviving entity) at least a majority of the total voting power represented by
the Voting Securities of the Company or such surviving entity outstanding
immediately after such merger or consolidation, or the shareholders of the
Company approve a plan of complete liquidation of the Company or an agreement
for the sale or disposition by the Company of (in one transaction or a series of
transactions) all or substantially all of the Company's assets.
d. For purposes of this Agreement, "Independent Legal Counsel"
shall mean an attorney or firm of attorneys, selected in accordance with the
provisions of Section 1(d) hereof, who shall not have otherwise performed
services for the Company or any Indemnitee within the last three years (other
than with respect to matters concerning the right of any Indemnitee under this
Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar indemnity agreements).
e. For purposes of this Agreement, a "Reviewing Party" shall mean
any appropriate person or body consisting of a member or members of the
Company's Board of Directors or any other person or body appointed by the Board
of Directors who is not a party to the particular Claim for which Indemnitees
are seeking indemnification, or Independent Legal Counsel.
f. For purposes of this Agreement, "Voting Securities" shall mean
any securities of the Company that vote generally in the election of directors.
11. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more
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counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original.
12. Binding Effect; Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be
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binding upon and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties
hereto and their respective successors, assigns, including any direct or
indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or
substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company, spouses, heirs,
and personal and legal representatives. The Company shall require and cause any
successor (whether direct or indirect by purchase, merger, consolidation or
otherwise) to all, substantially all, or a substantial part, of the business
and/or assets of the Company, by written agreement in form
and substance satisfactory to each Indemnitee, expressly to assume and agree
to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the
Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place. This
Agreement shall continue in effect with respect to Claims relating to
Indemnifiable Events regardless of whether any Indemnitee continues to serve as
a director, officer, employee, agent, controlling person, or fiduciary of the
Company or of any other enterprise, including subsidiaries of the Company, at
the Company's request.
13. Attorneys' Fees. In the event that any action is instituted by an
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Indemnitee under this Agreement or under any liability insurance policies
maintained by the Company to enforce or interpret any of the terms hereof or
thereof, any Indemnitee shall be entitled to be paid all Expenses incurred by
such Indemnitee with respect to such action, regardless of whether such
Indemnitee is ultimately successful in such action, and shall be entitled to the
advancement of Expenses with respect to such action, unless, as a part of such
action, a court of competent jurisdiction over such action determines that each
of the material assertions made by such Indemnitee as a basis for such action
was not made in good faith or was frivolous. In the event of an action
instituted by or in the name of the Company under this Agreement to enforce or
interpret any of the terms of this Agreement, the Indemnitee shall be entitled
to be paid all Expenses incurred by such Indemnitee in defense of such action
(including costs and expenses incurred with respect to Indemnitee counterclaims
and cross-claims made in such action), and shall be entitled to the advancement
of Expenses with respect to such action, unless, as a part of such action, a
court having jurisdiction over such action determines that each of such
Indemnitee's material defenses to such action was made in bad faith or was
frivolous.
14. Notice. All notices and other communications required or permitted
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hereunder shall be in writing, shall be effective when given, and shall in any
event be deemed to be given (a) five (5) days after deposit with the U.S. Postal
Service or other applicable postal service, if delivered by first class mail,
postage prepaid, (b) upon delivery, if delivered by hand, (c) one (1) business
day after the business day of deposit with Federal Express or similar overnight
courier, freight prepaid, or (d) one (1) day after the business day of delivery
by facsimile transmission, if deliverable by facsimile transmission, with copy
by first class mail, postage prepaid, and shall be addressed if to Indemnitees,
at each Indemnitee's address as set forth on Schedule A attached hereto, and if
to the Company at the address of its principal corporate offices (attention:
Secretary) or at such other address as such party may designate by ten (10)
days' advance written notice to the other party hereto.
15. Consent to Jurisdiction. The Company and each Indemnitee each
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hereby irrevocably consent to the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of
California for all purposes in connection with any action or proceeding which
arises out of or relates to this Agreement.
16. Severability. The provisions of this Agreement shall be severable
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in the event that any of the provisions hereof (including any provision within a
single section, paragraph or sentence) are held by a court of competent
jurisdiction to be invalid, void or otherwise unenforceable, and the remaining
provisions shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law.
Furthermore, to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement
(including, without limitations, each portion of this Agreement containing any
provision held to be invalid, void or otherwise unenforceable, that is not
itself invalid, void or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect
to the intent manifested by the provision held invalid, illegal or
unenforceable.
17. Choice of Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and its
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provisions construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of
California, as applied to contracts between California residents, entered into
and to be performed entirely within the State of California, without regard to
the conflict of laws principles thereof.
18. Subrogation. In the event of payment under this Agreement, the
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Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights
of recovery of Indemnitee who shall execute all documents required and shall do
all acts that may be necessary to secure such rights and to enable the Company
effectively to bring suit to enforce such rights.
19. Amendment and Termination. No amendment, modification, termination
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or cancellation of this Agreement shall be effective unless it is in writing
signed by all parties hereto. No waiver of any
of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver
of any other provisions hereof (whether or not similar) nor shall such waiver
constitute a continuing waiver.
20. Integration and Entire Agreement. This Agreement sets forth the
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entire understanding between the parties hereto and supersedes and merges all
previous written and oral negotiations, commitments, understandings and
agreements relating to the subject matter hereof between the parties hereto.
21. No Construction as Employment Agreement. Nothing contained in this
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Agreement shall be construed as giving any Indemnitee any right to be retained
in the employ of the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
22. Corporate Authority. The Board of Directors of the
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Company has approved the terms of this Agreement.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this
Agreement as of the date set forth below.
SonicWALL, Inc.
By: ___________________________________
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Chief Executive Officer
Address: SonicWALL, Inc.
0000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
INDEMNITEE:
/s/ ___________________________________
Name:
Address: SonicWALL, Inc.
0000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
Dated as of: October 17, 2001
