INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
EXHIBIT 10.1
[FORM OF]
This INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into this [•] day of [•], 2017 (the “Effective Date”) by and between Real Industry, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and [•] (the “Indemnitee”).
WHEREAS, the Company believes it is essential to retain and attract qualified directors and officers;
WHEREAS, the Indemnitee is a director and/or officer of the Company;
WHEREAS, both the Company and the Indemnitee recognize the increased risk of litigation and other claims being asserted against directors and officers of public companies;
WHEREAS, the Company’s Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended (the “Certificate of Incorporation”), requires the Company to indemnify and advance expenses to its directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL (as hereinafter defined);
WHEREAS, the Indemnitee has been serving and intends to continue serving as a director and/or officer of the Company in part in reliance on the indemnification provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation; and
WHEREAS, in recognition of the Indemnitee’s need for (a) substantial protection against personal liability based on the Indemnitee’s reliance on the Certificate of Incorporation, the Company’s Bylaws and the rights afforded under this Agreement, and (b) an inducement to continue to provide effective services to the Company as a director and/or officer thereof, the Company wishes to provide for the indemnification of the Indemnitee and to advance expenses to the Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by law, subject to certain exceptions contained in this Agreement, and, to the extent insurance is maintained by the Company, to provide for the continued coverage of the Indemnitee under the Company’s directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises contained herein and of the Indemnitee continuing to serve the Company directly or, at its request, with another enterprise, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Certain Definitions. |
(a) A “Change in Control” shall be deemed to have occurred if: |
(i) any “person”, as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “Exchange Act”), hereafter becomes the “beneficial owner”, as defined in Rule 13d‑3 of the Exchange Act, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 20% or more of the total combined voting power represented by the Company’s then outstanding Voting |
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Securities, other than (1) a trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company, (2) a corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company, or (3) any current beneficial stockholder or group, as defined by Rule 13d-5 of the Exchange Act, including the heirs, assigns and successors thereof, of beneficial ownership, within the meaning of Rule 13d‑3 of the Exchange Act, of securities possessing more than 50% of the total combined voting power of the Company’s outstanding securities. |
(ii) during any period of two consecutive years, individuals who at the beginning of such period constitute the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) and any new director whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then 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 stockholders 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 80% 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 stockholders of the Company approve a plan of complete liquidation of the Company or an agreement for the sale or disposition by the Company, in one transaction or a series of transactions, of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets. |
(b) “DGCL” shall mean the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended or interpreted; provided, however, that in the case of any such amendment or interpretation, only to the extent that such amendment or interpretation permits the Company to provide broader rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses than were permitted prior thereto. |
(c) “Expense” shall mean attorneys’ fees and all other costs, expenses and obligations paid or incurred in connection with investigating, defending, being a witness in or participating in (including on appeal), or preparing for any of the foregoing, any Proceeding relating to or arising out of any Indemnifiable Event. |
(d) “Indemnifiable Event” shall mean any event or occurrence that takes place either prior to, on or after the execution of this Agreement, related to or arising out of the fact that the Indemnitee is or was a director or officer of the Company or its subsidiaries, or while a director or officer is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, or related to or arising out of anything done or not done by the Indemnitee in any such capacity. |
(e) “Potential Change in Control” shall be deemed to occur if (i) the Company enters into an agreement or arrangement, the consummation of which would result in the occurrence of a Change in Control; (ii) any person (including the Company) publicly announces |
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an intention to take or to consider taking actions which, if consummated, would constitute a Change in Control; (iii) any person (other than a trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company acting in such capacity or a corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company) 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 or her beneficial ownership of such securities by 5% or more over the percentage so owned by such person on the date hereof; or (iv) the Board adopts a resolution to the effect that, for purposes of this Agreement, a Potential Change in Control has occurred. |
(f) “Proceeding” shall mean any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, investigation or proceeding, and any appeal thereof, whether civil, criminal, administrative, arbitrative, investigative or otherwise and/or any inquiry or investigation, whether formal or informal, conducted by the Company or any other party, that the Indemnitee in good faith believes might lead to the institution of any such action. |
(g) “Reviewing Party” shall mean any appropriate person or body consisting of a member or members of the Company’s Board or any other person or body appointed by the Board (including the special independent counsel referred to in Section 6 hereof) who is not a party to the particular Proceeding with respect to which the Indemnitee is seeking indemnification. |
(h) “Voting Securities” shall mean any securities of the Company which vote generally in the election of directors. |
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5. Review Procedure for Indemnification. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (a) the obligations of the Company under Sections 2 and 3 hereof shall be subject to the condition that the Reviewing Party shall not have determined (in a written opinion, in any case in which the special independent counsel referred to in Section 6 hereof is involved) that the Indemnitee would not be permitted to be indemnified under applicable law, and (b) the obligation of the Company to make an Expense Advance pursuant to Section 3 hereof shall be subject to the condition that, if, when and to the extent that the Reviewing Party determines that the Indemnitee would not be permitted to be so indemnified under applicable law, the Company shall be entitled to be reimbursed by the Indemnitee (who hereby agrees to reimburse the Company) for all such amounts theretofore paid; provided, however, that if the Indemnitee has commenced legal proceedings in a court of competent jurisdiction pursuant to Section 5 hereof to secure a determination that the Indemnitee should be indemnified under applicable law, any determination made by the Reviewing Party that the Indemnitee would not be permitted to be indemnified under applicable law shall not be binding and the 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 have lapsed). To the extent permitted by law, the Indemnitee’s obligation to reimburse the Company for Expense Advances pursuant to this Section 4 shall be unsecured and no interest shall be charged thereon. If there has not been a Change in Control, the Reviewing Party shall be selected by the Board, 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 who were directors immediately prior to such Change in Control, the Reviewing Party shall be the special independent counsel referred to in Section 6 hereof. |
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and 3 hereof within 20 calendar days after a written demand has been received by the Company, the Indemnitee shall have the right to commence litigation in any court in the State of Delaware having subject matter jurisdiction thereof and in which venue is proper to recover the unpaid amount of the demand (an “Enforcement Proceeding”) and, if successful in whole or in part, the Indemnitee shall be entitled to be paid any and all Expenses in connection with such Enforcement Proceeding. The Company hereby consents to service of process for such Enforcement Proceeding and to appear in any such Enforcement Proceeding. Any determination by the Reviewing Party otherwise shall be conclusive and binding on the Company and the Indemnitee. Neither the failure of the Reviewing Party to have made a determination prior to the commencement of an Enforcement Proceeding that indemnification of the Indemnitee is proper in the circumstances because the Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the DGCL, nor an actual determination by the Reviewing Party that the Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall create a presumption that the Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct or, in the case of such a suit brought by the Indemnitee, be a defense to such suit. In any suit brought by the Indemnitee to enforce a right to indemnification or to an advancement of Expenses hereunder, or brought by the Company to recover an advancement of Expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the burden of proving that the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified, or to such advancement of Expenses, under this Section 5 or otherwise, shall be on the Company. The Company shall be precluded from asserting in any Proceeding that the provisions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable or that there is insufficient consideration for this Agreement and shall stipulate in court that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement. Failure by the Company to comply with the provisions of this Agreement will cause irreparable and irremediable injury to the Indemnitee, for which a remedy at law will be inadequate. As a result, in addition to any other right or remedy the Indemnitee may have at law or in equity with respect to a breach of this Agreement, the Indemnitee shall be entitled to injunctive or mandatory relief directing specific performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement. |
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claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the engagement of special independent counsel pursuant to this Agreement. |
9. Partial Indemnity. If the Indemnitee is entitled under any provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for some or a portion of the Expenses and Liabilities, but not, however, for all of the total amount thereof, the Company shall nevertheless indemnify the Indemnitee for the portion thereof to which the Indemnitee is entitled. Moreover, notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the extent that the Indemnitee has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any or all Proceedings relating in whole or in part to an Indemnifiable Event or in defense of any issue or matter therein, including dismissal without prejudice, the Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses incurred in connection therewith. |
10. Non-exclusivity. The rights of the Indemnitee hereunder shall be in addition to any other rights the Indemnitee may have under any statute, provision of the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in an official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office. To the extent that a change in the DGCL permits greater indemnification by agreement than would be afforded currently under the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws and this |
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Agreement, it is the intent of the parties hereto that the Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits so afforded by such change. |
12. Settlement of Claims. The Company shall not be liable to indemnify the Indemnitee under this Agreement (a) for any amounts paid in settlement of any action or claim effected without the Company’s written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld; or (b) for any judicial award if the Company was not given a reasonable and timely opportunity, at its expense, to participate in the defense of such action. The Company shall not settle any Proceeding in any manner that would impose any penalty or limitation on, or disclosure obligation with respect to, the Indemnitee without the Indemnitee’s written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. |
13. Presumptions. Upon submitting a written request for indemnification, the Indemnitee shall be presumed to be entitled to indemnification hereunder and the Company shall have the burden of proof in making any determination contrary to such presumption. For purposes of this Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the termination of any Proceeding, action, suit or claim, by judgment, order, settlement (whether with or without court approval) or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere, or its equivalent, shall not (a) create a presumption that the Indemnitee 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 or (b) otherwise adversely affect the rights of the Indemnitee to indemnification except as may be provided herein. |
14. Period of Limitations. No legal action shall be brought and no cause of action shall be asserted with respect to any dispute arising out of this Agreement by or on behalf of the Company or any affiliate of the Company against the Indemnitee, the Indemnitee’s spouse, heirs, executors or personal or legal representatives after the expiration of two years from the date of accrual of such cause of action, or such longer period as may be required by state law under the circumstances, and any claim or cause of action of the Company or its affiliate shall be extinguished and deemed released unless asserted by the timely filing of a legal action within such period; provided, however, that if any shorter period of limitations is otherwise applicable to any such cause of action, such shorter period shall govern. |
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15. Consent and Waiver by Third Parties. The Indemnitee hereby represents and warrants that he or she has obtained all waivers and/or consents from third parties which are necessary to execute and perform this Agreement without being in conflict with any other agreement, obligation or understanding with any such third party. The Indemnitee represents that he or she is not bound by any agreement or any other existing or previous business relationship which conflicts with, or may conflict with, the performance of his or her obligations hereunder or prevent the full performance of his or her duties and obligations hereunder. |
16. Amendment of this Agreement. No supplement, modification or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by both of the 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. Except as specifically provided herein, no failure to exercise or any delay in exercising any right or remedy hereunder shall constitute a waiver thereof. |
18. Subrogation; Attorneys’ Fees. 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 the Indemnitee, who shall execute all papers required and shall do everything that may be necessary to secure such rights, including the execution of such documents necessary to enable the Company effectively to bring suit to enforce such rights. In addition to paragraph 6 of this Agreement, if any proceeding is commenced related to or arising out of this Agreement, any prevailing party shall be entitled to have their Expenses in connection with such proceeding paid by the non-prevailing party. |
19. No Duplication of Payments. The Company shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any payment in connection with any claim made against the Indemnitee to the extent the Indemnitee has otherwise actually received payment (under any insurance policy, charter, bylaw, vote, agreement or otherwise) of the amounts otherwise indemnifiable hereunder. |
20. Binding Effect. This Agreement shall be 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 |
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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 the 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 regardless of whether the Indemnitee continues to serve as a director or officer of the Company or of any other enterprise at the Company’s request. |
21. Severability. The provisions of this Agreement shall be severable in the event that any of the provisions hereof (including any provision within a single section, paragraph or sentence) is 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 limitation, 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. |
22. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware applicable to contracts made and to be performed in such State without giving effect to the principles of conflicts of laws. |
23. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. |
24. Headings. The headings of the sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction thereof. |
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have duly executed and delivered this Agreement as of the date first set forth above.
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THE COMPANY: |
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By: |
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Name: |
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Title: |
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INDEMNITEE: |
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Signature |
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Print Name: |
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