CYBERDEFENDER CORPORATION INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
Exhibit
10.23
CYBERDEFENDER
CORPORATION
This
Indemnification Agreement (“Agreement”) is made as of October 30, 2006 by and
between
CyberDefender Corporation,
a
California corporation (the “Company”), and
______________________________________ (“Indemnitee”).
WHEREAS,
the
Company and Indemnitee recognize the increasing difficulty in obtaining
directors’ and officers’ liability insurance, the significant increases in the
cost of such insurance and the general reductions in the coverage of such
insurance;
WHEREAS,
the
Company and Indemnitee further recognize the substantial increase in corporate
litigation in general, subjecting officers and directors to expensive litigation
risks at the same time as the availability and coverage of liability insurance
has been severely limited;
WHEREAS,
Indemnitee and other officers and directors of the Company may not be willing
to
continue to serve as officers and directors without additional protection;
and
WHEREAS,
the
Company desires to attract and retain the services of highly qualified
individuals, such as Indemnitee, to serve as officers and directors of the
Company and to indemnify its officers and directors so as to provide them with
the maximum protection permitted by law.
NOW,
THEREFORE,
the
Company and Indemnitee hereby agree as follows:
1.
Indemnification.
(a)
Third Party Proceedings.
The
Company shall indemnify Indemnitee if Indemnitee is or was 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 or proceeding,
whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action
by or in the right of the Company) by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is
or
was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, or any subsidiary
of
the Company, by reason of any action or inaction on the part of Indemnitee
while
an officer or director or by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was
serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent
of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise,
against expenses (including attorneys’ fees, expert
fees,
other professional fees and court costs, and fees and expenses incurred in
connection with any appeals) (“Expenses”), judgments (including punitive and
exemplary damages), penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement (if such
settlement is approved in advance by the Company, which approval shall not
be
unreasonably withheld) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in
connection with such action or proceeding if Indemnitee acted in good faith
and
in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the
Company, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no
reasonable cause to believe Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful. The termination
of any action or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or
upon
a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a
presumption that (i) Indemnitee did not act in good faith,
(ii) Indemnitee did not act in a manner which Indemnitee reasonably
believed to be in the best interests of the Company, or (iii) with respect
to any criminal action or proceeding, Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe
that Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful.
(b)
Proceedings By or in the Right of the Company.
The
Company shall indemnify Indemnitee if Indemnitee was or is 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 or proceeding
by or in the right of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company to procure
a
judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was a
director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, or any subsidiary of the
Company, by reason of any action or inaction on the part of Indemnitee while
an
officer or director or by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was serving
at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of
another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise,
against Expenses and, to the fullest extent permitted by law, amounts paid
in
settlement, in each case to the extent actually and reasonably incurred by
Indemnitee in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or
proceeding if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee
reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the Company and its
shareholders, except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any
claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been adjudged to be
liable to the Company in the performance of Indemnitee’s duty to the Company and
its shareholders unless and only to the extent that the court in which such
action or proceeding is or was pending shall determine upon application that,
in
view of all the circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably
entitled to indemnity for expenses and then only to the extent that the court
shall determine.
2.
Expenses; Indemnification Procedure.
(a)
Advancement of Expenses.
The
Company shall advance all Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with
the
investigation, defense, settlement or appeal of any civil or criminal action
or
proceeding referenced in Section 1(a) or (b) hereof
(but
not
amounts actually paid in settlement of any such action or proceeding).
Indemnitee hereby undertakes promptly to repay such amounts advanced only if,
and to the extent that, it shall ultimately be determined by the court (as
to
which all rights of appeal therefrom have been exhausted or lapsed) that
Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company as authorized
hereby. Indemnitee’s obligation to repay the Company for any such
amounts shall be unsecured and no interest shall be charged thereon. The
advances to be made hereunder shall be paid by the Company to Indemnitee
within five (5) days following delivery of a written request therefor
by Indemnitee to the Company.
(b)
Notice/Cooperation by Indemnitee.
Indemnitee shall give the Company notice in writing as soon as practicable
of
any claim made against Indemnitee for which indemnification will or could be
sought under this Agreement; provided, however, that no failure to provide
or
delay in giving such notice shall be deemed to reduce or limit the Company’s
obligations under this Agreement unless (and only to the extent) such failure
or
delay materially prejudices the Company. 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 Indemnitee). Notice shall be deemed received three
business days after the date postmarked if sent by domestic certified or
registered mail, properly addressed; otherwise notice shall be deemed received
when such notice shall actually be received by the Company. In addition,
Indemnitee shall give the Company such information and cooperation as it may
reasonably require and as shall be within Indemnitee’s reasonable
control.
(c)
Procedure.
Any
indemnification provided for in Section 1 shall be paid no later than
twenty (20) days after receipt of the written request of Indemnitee. If a
claim under this Agreement, under any statute, or under any provision of the
Company’s Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws providing for indemnification, is
not paid in full by the Company within five (5) days after a written
request for payment thereof has first been received by the Company, Indemnitee
may, but need not, at any time thereafter bring an action against the Company
to
recover the unpaid amount of the claim and, subject to Section 14 of this
Agreement, Indemnitee shall also be entitled to be paid for the Expenses of
bringing such action irrespective of the ultimate determination as to
Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification. It shall be a defense to any such
action that Indemnitee has not met the standards of conduct which make it
permissible under applicable law for the Company to indemnify Indemnitee for
the
amount claimed, but the burden of proving such defense shall be on the Company,
and Indemnitee shall be entitled to receive interim payments of Expenses
pursuant to Subsection 2(a) unless and until such defense may be finally
adjudicated by court order or judgment from which no further right of appeal
exists. It is the parties’ intention that if the Company contests Indemnitee’s
right to indemnification, the question of Indemnitee’s right to indemnification
shall be for the court to decide, and neither the failure of the Company
(including its Board of Directors, any committee or subgroup of the Board of
Directors, independent legal counsel, or its shareholders) to have made a
determination that indemnification of Indemnitee is proper in the circumstances
because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct required by
applicable law, nor an actual determination by the Company (including its Board
of Directors, any committee or subgroup of the Board of Directors, independent
legal counsel, or its shareholders) that Indemnitee has not met such applicable
standard of conduct, shall create a presumption that Indemnitee has or has
not
met the applicable standard of conduct.
(d)
Notice to Insurers.
If, at
the time of the receipt of a notice of a claim pursuant to Section 2(b)
hereof, the Company has director and officer liability insurance in effect,
the
Company shall give notice of such claim to the insurers under any applicable
policies in accordance with the procedures set forth in those policies. The
Company shall thereafter take all necessary or desirable action to cause such
insurers to pay, on behalf of the Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result
of
such claim in accordance with the terms of such policies.
(e)
Selection of Counsel.
In the
event the Company shall be obligated under Section 2(a) hereof to pay the
expenses of any proceeding against Indemnitee, the Company, if appropriate,
shall be entitled to assume the defense of such proceeding, with counsel
approved in writing by Indemnitee, which approval shall not be unreasonably
withheld, upon the delivery to Indemnitee of written notice of its election
so
to do. After delivery of such notice, written approval of such counsel by
Indemnitee and the retention of such counsel by the Company, the Company will
not be liable to Indemnitee under this Agreement for any fees of counsel
subsequently incurred by Indemnitee with respect to the same proceeding (other
than the fees of Indemnitee’s counsel in connection with transitioning the
defense of such proceeding to counsel employed by the Company), provided that
(i) Indemnitee shall have the right to employ his counsel in any such
proceeding at Indemnitee’s expense; and (ii) if (A) the employment of
counsel by Indemnitee has been previously authorized by the Company,
(B) Indemnitee shall have reasonably concluded that there may be a conflict
of interest between the Company and Indemnitee in the conduct of any such
defense or (C) the Company shall not, in fact, have employed or shall have
ceased to employ counsel in the defense of such proceeding, then the fees and
expenses of Indemnitee’s counsel shall be at the expense of the Company. Neither
the Company nor the Indemnitee will settle any matter the subject of this
Agreement without the written consent of the other, which will not be
unreasonably withheld.
3.
Additional Indemnification Rights; Nonexclusivity.
(a)
Scope.
Subject
to Section 9 of this Agreement and any other provision of this Agreement
that expressly prohibits, limits or conditions indemnification by the Company,
the Company hereby agrees to indemnify the Indemnitee to the fullest extent
permitted by law, notwithstanding that 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, such changes shall be, ipso facto, within the purview
of Indemnitee’s rights and Company’s obligations, under this Agreement. In the
event of any change in any 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, such changes, 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.
(b)
Nonexclusivity.
The
indemnification provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of
any
rights to which Indemnitee may be entitled under the Company’s Articles of
Incorporation, its Bylaws, any agreement, any vote of shareholders or
disinterested directors, the General Corporation Law of the State of California,
or otherwise, both as to action in Indemnitee’s official capacity and as to
action in another capacity while holding such office. The indemnification
provided under this Agreement shall continue as to Indemnitee for any action
taken or not taken while serving in an indemnified capacity even though he
may
have ceased to serve in such capacity at the time of any action or other covered
proceeding.
4.
Partial Indemnification.
If
Indemnitee is entitled under any provision of this Agreement to indemnification
by the Company for some or a portion of the Expenses, judgments, fines or
penalties actually or reasonably incurred by him in the investigation, defense,
appeal or settlement of any civil or criminal action or proceeding, but not,
however, for the total amount thereof, the Company shall nevertheless indemnify
Indemnitee for the portion of such Expenses, judgments, fines or penalties
to
which Indemnitee is entitled.
5.
Contribution.
If the
indemnification provided for in this Agreement is unavailable to Indemnitee
for
any reason whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying Indemnitee, shall
contribute to the amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether for judgments, fines,
penalties, excise taxes, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement and/or for
Expenses, in connection with any claim relating to an indemnifiable event,
in
such proportion as is deemed fair and reasonable in light of all circumstances
of such action by the court before which such action was brought in order to
reflect (i) the relative benefits received by the Company and Indemnitee as
a result of the event(s) and/or transaction(s) giving cause to such action;
and/or (ii) the relative fault of the Company (and its other directors,
officers, employees and agents) and Indemnitee in connection with such event(s)
and/or transaction(s). Indemnitee’s right to contribution under this
Section 5 shall be determined in accordance with, pursuant to and in the
same manner as, the provisions in Section 1 hereof relating to Indemnitee’s
right to indemnification under this Agreement.
6.
Mutual Acknowledgment.
Both the
Company and Indemnitee acknowledge that in certain instances, Federal law or
applicable public policy may prohibit the Company from indemnifying its
directors and officers under this Agreement or otherwise. Indemnitee understands
and acknowledges that the Company 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 right under public policy to indemnify Indemnitee.
7.
Directors’ and Officers’ Liability Insurance.
The
Company shall, from time to time, make the good faith determination whether
or
not it is practicable for the Company to obtain and maintain a policy or
policies of insurance with reputable insurance companies providing the officers
and directors of the Company with coverage for losses from wrongful acts, or
to
ensure the Company’s performance of its indemnification obligations under this
Agreement. Among other considerations, the Company
will weigh the costs of obtaining such insurance coverage against the protection
afforded by such coverage. The Company hereby covenants and agrees to maintain
such directors’ and officers’ liability insurance coverage on reasonable terms
and in a reasonable amount, unless the Company shall have made a good faith
determination that maintaining such coverage is not practical. In all policies
of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance, Indemnitee shall be named as an
insured in such a manner as to provide Indemnitee the same rights and benefits
as are accorded to the most favorably insured of the Company’s directors or
officers if Indemnitee is a director; or of the Company’s officers, if
Indemnitee is an officer; or of the Company’s key employees, if Indemnitee is
not an officer or director but is a key employee. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
the Company shall have no obligation to obtain or maintain such insurance if
the
Company determines in good faith that such insurance is not reasonably
available, if the premium costs for such insurance are disproportionate to
the
amount of coverage provided, if the coverage provided by such insurance is
limited by exclusions so as to provide an insufficient benefit, or if Indemnitee
is covered by similar insurance maintained by a subsidiary or parent of the
Company.
8.
Severability.
Nothing
in this Agreement is intended to require or shall be construed as requiring
the
Company to do or fail to do any act in violation of applicable law. If any
term
or provision of the Agreement is determined to be invalid, illegal or
unenforceable in whole or in part for any reason, such illegal, unenforceable,
or invalid provisions or part thereof shall be stricken from this Agreement,
and
such provision shall not affect the legality, enforceability, or validity of
the
remainder of this Agreement. If any provision or part of this Agreement is
stricken in accordance with the provisions of this section, then this stricken
provision shall be replaced, to the extent possible, with a legal, enforceable,
and valid provision that is as similar in tenor to the stricken provision as
is
legally possible.
9.
Exceptions.
Any
other provision herein to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company shall not
be
obligated pursuant to the terms of this Agreement:
(a)
Excluded Acts.
To
indemnify Indemnitee for (i) any acts or omissions or transactions from
which a director may not be relieved of liability under the California General
Corporation Law; or (ii) for breach of any duty to the Company or its
shareholders as to circumstances in which indemnity is expressly prohibited
by
Section 317 of the California General Corporation Law; or
(b)
Claims Initiated by Indemnitee.
To
indemnify or advance Expenses to Indemnitee with respect to proceedings or
claims initiated or brought voluntarily by Indemnitee and not by way of defense,
except with respect to proceedings or claims brought to establish or enforce
a
right to indemnification under this Agreement or under any other statute or
law
or otherwise as required under Section 317 of the California General
Corporation Law, but such indemnification or advancement of Expenses may be
provided by the Company in specific cases if the Board of Directors has approved
the initiation or bringing of such proceeding or claim; or
(c)
Lack
of Good Faith.
To
indemnify Indemnitee for any Expenses incurred by the Indemnitee with respect
to
any proceeding instituted by Indemnitee to enforce or interpret this Agreement,
if a court of competent jurisdiction determines that each of the material
assertions made by the Indemnitee in such proceeding was not made in good faith
or was frivolous; or
(d)
Insured Claims.
To
indemnify Indemnitee for Expenses or liabilities of any type whatsoever
(including, but not limited to, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or
penalties, and amounts paid in settlement) which have been paid directly to
Indemnitee by an insurance carrier under a policy of directors’ and officers’
liability insurance maintained by the Company; or
(e)
Claims Under Section 16(b).
To
indemnify Indemnitee for Expenses and the payment of profits arising from the
purchase and sale by Indemnitee of securities in violation of Section 16(b)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any similar successor
statute.
10.
Effectiveness of Agreement.
To the
extent that the indemnification permitted under the terms of certain provisions
of this Agreement exceeds the scope of the indemnification provided for in
the
California General Corporation Law, such provisions shall not be effective
unless and until the Company’s Articles of Incorporation authorize such
additional rights of indemnification. In all other respects, the balance of
this
Agreement shall be effective as of the date set forth on the first page and
may
apply to acts or omissions of Indemnitee which occurred prior to such date
if
Indemnitee was an officer, director, employee or other agent of the Company,
or
was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee
or
agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other
enterprise, at the time such act or omission occurred. All of the Company’s
obligations under this Agreement will continue as long as Indemnitee is subject
to any actual or possible matter which is the subject of this Agreement,
notwithstanding Indemnitee’s termination of service as an officer or director of
the Company.
11.
Construction of Certain Phrases.
(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 or agents, so that if Indemnitee
is
or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such constituent corporation,
or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a
director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint
venture, trust or other enterprise, Indemnitee shall stand in the same position
under the provisions of this Agreement with respect to the resulting or
surviving corporation as 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 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 or agent of the Company which imposes duties on,
or
involves services by, such director, officer, employee or agent with respect
to
an employee benefit plan, its participants, or beneficiaries.
12.
Counterparts.
This
Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall
constitute an original.
13.
Successors and Assigns.
This
Agreement shall be binding upon the Company and its successors (whether direct
or indirect, voluntary or involuntary by purchase, merger or otherwise) and
assigns, and shall inure to the benefit of Indemnitee and Indemnitee’s estate,
heirs, legal representatives and assigns. Any such assumption will not release
the Company from its obligations under this Agreement.
14.
Attorneys’ Fees.
In the
event that any action is instituted or any mediation is commenced by Indemnitee
under this Agreement to enforce or interpret any of the terms hereof, Indemnitee
shall be entitled to be paid all costs and expenses, including reasonable
attorneys’ fees, incurred by Indemnitee with respect to such action or
mediation, unless as a part of such action or mediation, the court of competent
jurisdiction or mediator determines (as to which all rights of appeal therefrom
have been exhausted or lapsed) that each of the material assertions made by
Indemnitee as a basis for such action or mediation was not made in good faith
or
was frivolous. In the event of an action instituted or mediation commenced
by or
in the name of the Company under this Agreement or to enforce or interpret
any
of the terms of this Agreement, Indemnitee shall be entitled to be paid all
costs and expenses, including
attorneys’
fees, incurred by Indemnitee in defense of such action or mediation (including
with respect to Indemnitee’s counterclaims and cross-claims made in such action
or mediation), unless as a part of such action or mediation the court or
mediator determines (as to which all rights of appeal therefrom have been
exhausted or lapsed) that each of Indemnitee’s material defenses to such action
or mediation was made in bad faith or were frivolous.
15.
Notice.
All
notices, requests, demands and other communications under this Agreement shall
be in writing and shall be deemed duly given (i) if delivered by hand and
receipted for by the party addressee, on the date of such receipt, or
(ii) if mailed by domestic certified or registered mail with postage
prepaid, on the third business day after the date postmarked. Addresses for
notice to either party are as shown on the signature page of this Agreement,
or
as subsequently modified by written notice.
16.
Consent to Jurisdiction, Venue.
A
dispute
or claim arising out of or relating to this Agreement (“Dispute”) shall be
resolved in the following manner:
(a)
A
Dispute may be submitted to JAMS for non-binding mediation either prior to
or at
the same time that any civil action with respect to such Dispute is commenced.
Either party may commence mediation by providing to JAMS and the other party
a
written request for mediation, setting forth the subject of the dispute and
the
relief requested. The parties will cooperate with JAMS and with one another
in
selecting a mediator from JAMS panel of neutrals, and in scheduling the
mediation proceedings. The parties covenant that they will participate in the
mediation in good faith. All offers, promises, conduct and statements, whether
oral or written, made in the course of the mediation by any of the parties,
their agents, employees, experts and attorneys, and by the mediator and any
JAMS
employees, are confidential, privileged and inadmissible for any purpose,
including impeachment, in any litigation or other proceeding involving the
parties, provided that evidence that is otherwise admissible or discoverable
shall not be rendered inadmissible or non-discoverable as a result of its use
in
the mediation. The provisions of this Section may be enforced by any court
of
competent jurisdiction.
(b)
Any
civil action with respect to a Dispute may be brought only in the United States
District Court for the Central District of California (Western Division) or
in
any court of the State of California sitting in the City of Los Angeles. Each
party waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection which such
party may now or later have to the laying of venue of any legal action or
proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement as described in this
Section, and any claim that any action or proceeding brought in any such court
has been brought in an inconvenient forum. Both parties hereby authorize and
accept service of process sufficient for personal jurisdiction in any action
against such party as contemplated by this Section by registered or certified
mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, to the party’s address for the
giving of notices as set forth in this Agreement. Any final judgment rendered
against either party in any action or proceeding shall be conclusive as to
the
subject of such final judgment and may be enforced in other jurisdictions in
any
manner provided by law.
17.
Amendments.
Any
repeal or modification of Company’s Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws or any
repeal or modification of the relevant provisions of any applicable law will
not
in any way diminish any of Indemnitee’s rights or the Company’s obligations
under this Agreement. This Agreement cannot be amended except with the written
consent of the Company and Indemnitee. No waiver of any provision of this
Agreement shall be binding on either party unless it is in writing and signed
by
both the Company and Indemnitee.
18.
Choice of Law.
This
Agreement shall be governed by and its provisions construed 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
California.
19.
Subrogation.
In the
event of payment under this Agreement, the 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.
20.
Integration and Entire Agreement.
This
Agreement (i) sets forth the entire understanding between the parties in
respect to the subject matter hereof, (ii) supersedes all previous written
or oral negotiations, commitments, understandings, and agreements relating
to
the subject matter hereof and (iii) merges all prior and contemporaneous
discussion between the parties.
[SIGNATURES
FOLLOW]
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF,
the
parties hereto have executed this Indemnification Agreement as of the date
first
above written.
CyberDefender
Corporation
By:
_________________________________
Xxxx
Xxxxxxxx
Its:
Chief Executive Officer
Address:
00000
Xxxxxxxx Xxxx., Xxxxx 000
Xxx Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
AGREED
TO
AND ACCEPTED BY INDEMNITEE:
_____________________________________
INDEMNITEE
Address: