FORM OF INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
Exhibit 10.8
FORM OF
This Indemnification Agreement (“Agreement”) is made as of ___, 2007, by and between
Atlas Acquisition Holdings Corp., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and
(“Indemnitee”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, highly competent persons have become more reluctant to serve publicly-held
corporations as [directors] [officers] or in other capacities unless they are provided with
adequate protection through insurance or adequate indemnification against inordinate risks of
claims and actions against them arising out of their service to and activities on behalf of the
corporation;
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) has determined that, in order to
attract and retain qualified individuals, the Company will attempt to maintain on an ongoing basis,
at its sole expense, liability insurance to protect persons serving the Company and its
subsidiaries, if any, from certain liabilities. Although the furnishing of such insurance has been
a customary and widespread practice among United States-based corporations and other business
enterprises, the Company believes that, given current market conditions and trends, such insurance
may be available to it in the future only at higher premiums and with more exclusions. At the same
time, directors, officers, and other persons in service to corporations or business enterprises are
being increasingly subjected to expensive and time-consuming litigation relating to, among other
things, matters that traditionally would have been brought only against the Company or business
enterprise itself. The Bylaws and Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company
require indemnification of the officers and directors of the Company. Indemnitee may also be
entitled to indemnification pursuant to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the
“DGCL”). The Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation expressly provides for the Company
to indemnify its officers and directors to the fullest extent permitted by Section 145 of the DGCL,
and thereby contemplates that contracts may be entered into between the Company and members of the
Board and officers with respect to indemnification;
WHEREAS, the uncertainties relating to such insurance and to indemnification have increased
the difficulty of attracting and retaining such persons;
WHEREAS, the Board has determined that the increased difficulty in attracting and retaining
such persons is detrimental to the best interests of the Company’s stockholders and that the
Company should act to assure such persons that there will be increased certainty of such protection
in the future;
WHEREAS, it is reasonable, prudent, and necessary for the Company contractually to obligate
itself to indemnify, and to advance expenses on behalf of, such persons to the fullest extent
permitted by applicable law so that they will serve or continue to serve the Company free from
undue concern that they will not be so indemnified;
WHEREAS, this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Bylaws of the Company and
any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to
diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder;
WHEREAS, Indemnitee does not regard the protection available under the Company’s Bylaws and
insurance as adequate in the present circumstances, and may not be willing to serve as an officer
or director without adequate protection, and the Company desires Indemnitee to serve in such
capacity. Indemnitee is willing to serve, continue to serve, and take on additional service for or
on behalf of the Company on the condition that he be so indemnified; and
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the covenants contained herein, the
Company and Indemnitee do hereby covenant and agree as follows:
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Section 1. SERVICES TO THE COMPANY. Indemnitee agrees to serve as a [director] [officer] of
the Company. Indemnitee may at any time and for any reason resign from such position (subject to
any other contractual obligation or any obligation imposed by operation of law), in which event the
Company shall have no obligation under this Agreement to continue Indemnitee in such position.
This Agreement shall not be deemed an employment contract between the Company (or any of its
subsidiaries or any Enterprise (as defined below)) and Indemnitee. Indemnitee specifically
acknowledges that Indemnitee’s employment with the Company (or any of its subsidiaries or any
Enterprise), if any, is at will, and the Indemnitee may be discharged at any time for any reason,
with or without cause, except as may be otherwise provided in any written employment contract
between Indemnitee and the Company (or any of its subsidiaries or any Enterprise), other applicable
formal severance policies duly adopted by the Board, or, with respect to service as a director or
officer of the Company, by the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation, the Company’s Bylaws, and
the DGCL. The foregoing notwithstanding, this Agreement shall continue in force after Indemnitee
has ceased to serve as an [officer] [director] of the Company.
Section 2. DEFINITIONS. As used in this Agreement:
(a) A “Change in Control” shall be deemed to occur upon the earliest to occur after the date
of this Agreement of any of the following events:
(i) Acquisition of Stock by Third Party. Any Person (as defined below) is or becomes the
Beneficial Owner (as defined below), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company
representing forty percent (40%) or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s
then-outstanding securities;
(ii) Change in Board. During any period of two (2) consecutive years (not including any
period prior to the execution of this Agreement), individuals who at the beginning of such period
constitute the Board, and any new director (other than a director designated by a person who has
entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a transaction described in Sections 2(a)(i) or
2(a)(iii)) 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 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 at least a majority of the members of
the Board; and
(iii) Corporate Transactions. The effective date of a merger or consolidation of the Company
with any other entity, other than a merger or consolidation which would result in the voting
securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior to such merger or consolidation continuing
to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the
surviving entity) more than 51% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of the
surviving entity outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation and with the power to
elect at least a majority of the board of directors or other governing body of such surviving
entity.
For purposes of this Section 2(a), the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(A) “Person” shall have the meaning as set forth in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”); PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that Person shall exclude (i) the Company, (ii) any trustee or other
fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company, and
(iii) any corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the
Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the
Company.
(B) “Beneficial Owner” shall have the meaning given to such term in Rule 13d-3
under the Exchange Act; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that Beneficial Owner shall exclude any
Person otherwise becoming a Beneficial Owner by reason of the stockholders of the
Company approving a merger of the Company with another entity.
(b) “Corporate Status” describes the status of a person who is or was a director, officer,
employee, or agent of the Company or of any Enterprise.
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(c) “Disinterested Director” means a director of the Company who is not and was not a party to
the Proceeding in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee.
(d) “Enterprise” shall mean the Company and any other corporation, limited liability company,
partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan, or other enterprise of which Indemnitee
is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, agent, or
fiduciary.
(e) “Expenses” shall include all reasonable attorneys’ fees, retainers, court costs,
transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, duplicating costs, printing and
binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, and all other disbursements or
expenses of the types customarily incurred in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to
prosecute or defend, investigating, being or preparing to be a witness in, or otherwise
participating in, a Proceeding (as defined below). Expenses also shall include (i) expenses
incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Proceeding, including without limitation
the premium, security for, and other costs relating to any cost bond, supersedeas bond, or other
appeal bond or its equivalent, and (ii) for purposes of Section 13(d) of this Agreement only,
expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the interpretation, enforcement, or defense of
Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement, by litigation or otherwise. Expenses, however, shall not
include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee or the amount of judgments or fines against
Indemnitee.
(f) “Independent Counsel” means a law firm, or a member of a law firm, that is experienced in
matters of corporation law and neither presently is, nor in the past five years has been, retained
to represent: (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any matter material to either such party (other than
with respect to matters concerning the Indemnitee under this Agreement, or of other indemnitees
under similar indemnification agreements), or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding giving rise to
a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent
Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct
then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee
in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement. The Company agrees to pay the
reasonable fees and expenses of the Independent Counsel referred to above and to fully indemnify
such counsel against any and all Expenses, claims, liabilities, and damages arising out of or
relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto.
(g) “Proceeding” shall include any threatened, pending, or completed action, suit,
arbitration, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative
hearing, or any other actual, threatened, or completed proceeding, whether brought in the right of
the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil, criminal, administrative, legislative, or
investigative nature, including any appeal therefrom, in which Indemnitee was, is, or will be
involved as a party, potential party, non-party witness, or otherwise by reason of the fact that
Indemnitee is or was a director or officer of the Company, by reason of any action taken by him or
of any action on his part while acting as director or officer of the Company, or by reason of the
fact that he is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, or
agent of another corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, or
other enterprise, in each case whether or not serving in such capacity at the time any liability or
expense is incurred for which indemnification, reimbursement, or advancement of expenses can be
provided under this Agreement; except one initiated by an Indemnitee to enforce his rights under
this Agreement.
(h) References to “other enterprise” shall include employee benefit plans; references to
“fines” shall include any excise tax assessed with respect to any employee benefit plan; 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; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in
the best interests of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be
deemed to have acted in manner “not opposed to the best interests of the Company” as referred to in
this Agreement.
Section 3. INDEMNITY IN THIRD-PARTY PROCEEDINGS. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee in
accordance with the provisions of this Section 3 if Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a
party to or a participant in any Proceeding, other than a Proceeding by or in the right of the
Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 3, Indemnitee shall be
indemnified to the fullest extent permitted by
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applicable law against all Expenses, judgments, fines, and amounts paid in settlement actually
and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on his behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any
claim, issue, or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably
believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company and, in the case of a
criminal proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful.
Section 4. INDEMNITY IN PROCEEDINGS BY OR IN THE RIGHT OF THE COMPANY. The Company shall
indemnify Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 4 if Indemnitee is, or is
threatened to be made, a party to or a participant in any Proceeding by or in the right of the
Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 4, Indemnitee shall be
indemnified to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law against all Expenses actually and
reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue,
or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be
in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. No indemnification for Expenses shall be
made under this Section 4 in respect of any claim, issue, or matter as to which Indemnitee shall
have been finally adjudged by a court to be liable to the Company, unless and only to the extent
that the Delaware Court of Chancery or any court in which the Proceeding was brought shall
determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the
circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification.
Section 5. INDEMNIFICATION FOR EXPENSES OF A PARTY WHO IS WHOLLY OR PARTLY SUCCESSFUL.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by
applicable law and to the extent that Indemnitee is a party to (or a participant in) and is
successful, on the merits or otherwise, in any Proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue, or
matter therein, in whole or in part, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses
actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection therewith. If Indemnitee is not wholly
successful in such Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but
less than all claims, issues, or matters in such Proceeding, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee
against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf in connection with
each successfully resolved claim, issue, or matter. If the Indemnitee is not wholly successful in
such Proceeding, the Company also shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses reasonably
incurred in connection with a claim, issue, or matter related to any claim, issue, or matter on
which the Indemnitee was successful. For purposes of this Section 5 and without limitation, the
termination of any claim, issue, or matter in such a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without
prejudice, shall be deemed to be a successful result as to such claim, issue, or matter.
Section 6. INDEMNIFICATION FOR EXPENSES OF A WITNESS. Notwithstanding any other provision of
this Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and to the extent that Indemnitee
is, by reason of his Corporate Status, a witness in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a
party, he shall be indemnified against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or on
his behalf in connection therewith.
Section 7. Additional Indemnification.
(a) Notwithstanding any limitation in Sections 3, 4, or 5 of this Agreement, the Company shall
indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law if Indemnitee is a party to
or threatened to be made a party to any Proceeding (including a Proceeding by or in the right of
the Company to procure a judgment in its favor) against all Expenses, judgments, fines, and amounts
paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the
Proceeding.
(b) For purposes of Section 7(a), the meaning of the phrase “to the fullest extent permitted
by applicable law” shall include, but not be limited to:
(i) to the fullest extent permitted by the provision of the DGCL that authorizes or
contemplates additional indemnification by agreement, or the corresponding provision of any
amendment to or replacement of the DGCL, and
(ii) to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by any amendments to or replacements of the
DGCL adopted after the date of this Agreement that increase the extent to which a corporation may
indemnify its officers and directors.
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Section 8. EXCLUSIONS. Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement, the Company shall not
be obligated under this Agreement to make any indemnity in connection with any claim:
(a) for which payment has actually been made to or on behalf of Indemnitee under any insurance
policy or other indemnity provision, except with respect to any excess beyond the amount paid under
such insurance policy or other indemnity provision; or
(b) for (i) an accounting of profits made from the purchase and sale (or sale and purchase) by
Indemnitee of securities of the Company within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act (as
defined in Section 2(a) hereof) or similar provisions of state statutory law or common law, or (ii)
any reimbursement of the Company by the Indemnitee of any bonus or other incentive-based or
equity-based compensation or of any profits realized by the Indemnitee from the sale of securities
of the Company, as required in each case under the Exchange Act (including any such reimbursements
that arise from an accounting restatement of the Company pursuant to Section 304 of the
Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 (the “Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act”), or the payment to the Company of profits
arising from the purchase and sale by Indemnitee of securities in violation of Section 306 of the
Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act), or
(c) except as provided in Section 13(d) of this Agreement, in connection with any Proceeding
(or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee, including any Proceeding (or any part of
any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee against the Company or its directors, officers, employees,
or other indemnitees, unless (i) the Board authorized the Proceeding (or any part of any
Proceeding) prior to its initiation or (ii) the Company provides the indemnification, in its sole
discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Company under applicable law.
Section 9. ADVANCES OF EXPENSES. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the
contrary, the Company shall advance, to the extent not prohibited by law, the Expenses incurred by
Indemnitee in connection with any Proceeding, and such advancement shall be made within thirty (30)
days after the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements requesting such advances from
time to time, whether prior to or after final disposition of any Proceeding. Advances shall be
unsecured and interest free. Advances shall be made without regard to Indemnitee’s ability to
repay the Expenses and without regard to Indemnitee’s ultimate entitlement to indemnification under
the other provisions of this Agreement. Advances shall include any and all reasonable Expenses
incurred pursuing an action to enforce this right of advancement, including Expenses incurred
preparing and forwarding statements to the Company to support the advances claimed. The Indemnitee
shall qualify for advances upon the execution and delivery to the Company of this Agreement, which
shall constitute an undertaking providing that the Indemnitee undertakes to repay the advance to
the extent that it is ultimately determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by
the Company. This Section 9 shall not apply to any claim made by Indemnitee for which indemnity is
excluded pursuant to Section 8.
Section 10. PROCEDURE FOR NOTIFICATION AND DEFENSE OF CLAIM.
(a) Indemnitee shall notify the Company in writing of any matter with respect to which
Indemnitee intends to seek indemnification or advancement of Expenses hereunder as soon as
reasonably practicable following the receipt by Indemnitee of written notice thereof. The written
notification to the Company shall include a description of the nature of the Proceeding and the
facts underlying the Proceeding. To obtain indemnification under this Agreement, Indemnitee shall
submit to the Company a written request, including therein or therewith such documentation and
information as is reasonably available to Indemnitee and is reasonably necessary to determine
whether and to what extent Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification following the final
disposition of such action, suit, or proceeding. The omission by Indemnitee to notify the Company
hereunder will not relieve the Company from any liability which it may have to Indemnitee hereunder
or otherwise than under this Agreement, and any delay in so notifying the Company shall not
constitute a waiver by Indemnitee of any rights under this Agreement. The Secretary of the Company
shall, promptly upon receipt of such a request for indemnification, advise the Board in writing
that Indemnitee has requested indemnification.
(b) The Company will be entitled to participate in the Proceeding at its own expense.
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Section 11. PROCEDURE UPON APPLICATION FOR INDEMNIFICATION.
(a) Upon written request by Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to Section 10(a) of this
Agreement, a determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement
thereto shall be made in the specific case: (i) if a Change in Control shall have occurred, by
Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to
Indemnitee; or (ii) if a Change in Control shall not have occurred (A) by a majority vote of the
Disinterested Directors, even though less than a quorum of the Board, (B) by a committee of
Disinterested Directors designated by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even though
less than a quorum of the Board, (C) if there are no such Disinterested Directors or, if such
Disinterested Directors so direct, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board, a copy
of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee, or (D) if so directed by the Board, by the stockholders
of the Company; and, if it is so determined that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, payment
to Indemnitee shall be made within ten (10) days after such determination. Indemnitee shall
cooperate with the person, persons or entity making such determination with respect to Indemnitee’s
entitlement to indemnification, including providing to such person, persons, or entity upon
reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise
protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary
to such determination. Any costs or Expenses (including attorneys’ fees and disbursements)
incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons, or entity making such
determination shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitee’s
entitlement to indemnification) and the Company hereby indemnifies and agrees to hold Indemnitee
harmless therefrom.
(b) In the event the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by
Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, the Independent Counsel shall be selected as
provided in this Section 11(b). If a Change in Control shall not have occurred, the Independent
Counsel shall be selected by the Board, and the Company shall give written notice to Indemnitee
advising him of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected. If a Change in Control shall
have occurred, the Independent Counsel shall be selected by Indemnitee (unless Indemnitee shall
request that such selection be made by the Board, in which event the preceding sentence shall
apply), and Indemnitee shall give written notice to the Company advising it of the identity of the
Independent Counsel so selected. In either event, Indemnitee or the Company, as the case may be,
may, within ten (10) days after such written notice of selection shall have been given, deliver to
the Company or to Indemnitee, as the case may be, a written objection to such selection; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that such objection may be asserted only on the ground that the Independent Counsel so
selected does not meet the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 2 of this
Agreement, and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of such
assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the person so selected shall act as Independent
Counsel. If such written objection is so made and substantiated, the Independent Counsel so
selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until such objection is withdrawn or a
court has determined that such objection is without merit. If, within twenty (20) days after the
later of submission by Indemnitee of a written request for indemnification pursuant to Section
10(a) hereof and the final disposition of the Proceeding, no Independent Counsel shall have been
selected and not objected to, either the Company or Indemnitee may petition a court of competent
jurisdiction for resolution of any objection which shall have been made by the Company or
Indemnitee to the other’s selection of Independent Counsel and/or for the appointment as
Independent Counsel of a person selected by the Court or by such other person as the Court shall
designate, and the person with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the person so
appointed shall act as Independent Counsel under Section 11(a) hereof. Upon the due commencement
of any judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to Section 13(a) of this Agreement, Independent
Counsel shall be discharged and relieved of any further responsibility in such capacity (subject to
the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing).
Section 12. PRESUMPTIONS AND EFFECT OF CERTAIN PROCEEDINGS.
(a) In making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the
person or persons or entity making such determination shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited
by law, presume that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement if Indemnitee
has submitted a request for indemnification in accordance with Section 10(a) of this Agreement, and
the Company shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, have the burden of proof to
overcome that presumption in connection with the making by any person, persons, or entity of any
determination contrary to that presumption. Neither the failure of the Company (including by its
directors or independent legal counsel) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of
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any action pursuant to this Agreement that indemnification is proper in the circumstances
because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct, nor an actual determination by the
Company (including by its directors or independent legal counsel) that Indemnitee has not met such
applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that
Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct.
(b) Subject to Section 13(e) of this Agreement, if the person, persons, or entity empowered or
selected under Section 11 of this Agreement to determine whether Indemnitee is entitled to
indemnification shall not have made a determination within sixty (60) days after receipt by the
Company of the request therefor, the requisite determination of entitlement to indemnification
shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, be deemed to have been made and Indemnitee
shall be entitled to such indemnification, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material
fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially
misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of such
indemnification under applicable law; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that such 60-day period may be extended
for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional thirty (30) days, if the person, persons, or
entity making the determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification in good faith
requires such additional time for the obtaining or evaluating of documentation and/or information
relating thereto; and PROVIDED, FURTHER, that the foregoing provisions of this Section 12(b) shall
not apply (i) if the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by the
stockholders pursuant to Section 11(a) of this Agreement and if (A) within fifteen (15) days after
receipt by the Company of the request for such determination the Board has resolved to submit such
determination to the stockholders for their consideration at an annual meeting thereof to be held
within seventy-five (75) days after such receipt and such determination is made thereat, or (B) a
special meeting of stockholders is called within fifteen (15) days after such receipt for the
purpose of making such determination, such meeting is held for such purpose within sixty (60) days
after having been so called and such determination is made thereat, or (ii) if the determination of
entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 11(a) of
this Agreement.
(c) The termination of any Proceeding or of any claim, issue, or matter therein, by judgment,
order, settlement, or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not
(except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement) of itself adversely affect the right of
Indemnitee to indemnification or create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and
in a manner which he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the
Company or, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to
believe that his conduct was unlawful.
(d) Reliance as Safe Harbor. For purposes of any determination of good faith, Indemnitee
shall be deemed to have acted in good faith if Indemnitee’s action is based on the records or books
of account of the Enterprise, including financial statements, or on information supplied to
Indemnitee by the officers of the Enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of
legal counsel for the Enterprise or on information or records given or reports made to the
Enterprise by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert
selected with the reasonable care by the Enterprise. The provisions of this Section 12(d) shall
not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any way the other circumstances in which the
Indemnitee may be deemed to have met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in this
Agreement.
(e) Actions of Others. The knowledge and/or actions, or failure to act, of any director,
officer, agent, or employee of the Enterprise shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of
determining the right to indemnification under this Agreement.
Section 13. REMEDIES OF INDEMNITEE.
(a) Subject to Section 13(e), in the event that (i) a determination is made pursuant to
Section 11 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this
Agreement, (ii) advancement of Expenses is not timely made pursuant to Section 9 of this Agreement,
(iii) no determination of entitlement to indemnification shall have been made pursuant to Section
11(a) of this Agreement within ninety (90) days after receipt by the Company of the request for
indemnification, (iv) payment of indemnification is not made pursuant to Section 5 or 6 or the last
sentence of Section 11(a) of this Agreement within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a
written request therefor, (v) payment of indemnification pursuant to Section 3, 4, or 7 of this
Agreement is not made within ten (10) days after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is
entitled to indemnification, or (vi) in the event that the Company or any other person takes or
threatens to take any action to declare this Agreement void or unenforceable, or institutes any
litigation or other action or Proceeding designed to
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deny, or to recover from, the Indemnitee the benefits provided or intended to be provided to
the Indemnitee hereunder, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication by a court of his
entitlement to such indemnification or advancement of Expenses. Alternatively, Indemnitee, at his
option, may seek an award in arbitration to be conducted by a single arbitrator pursuant to the
Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association. Indemnitee shall commence
such proceeding seeking an adjudication or an award in arbitration within 180 days following the
date on which Indemnitee first has the right to commence such proceeding pursuant to this Section
13(a); PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the foregoing clause shall not apply in respect of a proceeding
brought by Indemnitee to enforce his rights under Section 5 of this Agreement. The Company shall
not oppose Indemnitee’s right to seek any such adjudication or award in arbitration.
(b) In the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 11(a) of this
Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding or
arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 13 shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo
trial, or arbitration, on the merits and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of that
adverse determination. In any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this
Section 13 the Company shall have the burden of proving Indemnitee is not entitled to
indemnification or advancement of Expenses, as the case may be.
(c) If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 11(a) of this Agreement that
Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall be bound by such determination in any
judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 13, absent (i) a misstatement
by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s
statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a
prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law.
(d) The Company shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, be precluded from
asserting in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 13 that the
procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding, and enforceable and shall
stipulate in any such court or before any such arbitrator that the Company is bound by all the
provisions of this Agreement. It is the intent of the Company that the Indemnitee not be required
to incur legal fees or other Expenses associated with the interpretation, enforcement, or defense
of Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement by litigation or otherwise because the cost and expense
thereof would substantially detract from the benefits intended to be extended to the Indemnitee
hereunder. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against any and all Expenses and, if requested
by Indemnitee, shall (within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request
therefor) advance, to the extent not prohibited by law, such Expenses to Indemnitee, which are
incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any action brought by Indemnitee for indemnification or
advance of Expenses from the Company under this Agreement or under any directors’ and officers’
liability insurance policies maintained by the Company, regardless of whether Indemnitee ultimately
is determined to be entitled to such indemnification, advancement of Expenses or insurance
recovery, as the case may be.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, no determination as to
entitlement to indemnification under this Agreement shall be required to be made prior to the final
disposition of the Proceeding.
Section 14. NON-EXCLUSIVITY; SURVIVAL OF RIGHTS; INSURANCE; SUBROGATION.
(a) The rights of indemnification and to receive advancement of Expenses as provided by this
Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be
entitled under applicable law, the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation, the Company’s Bylaws,
any agreement, a vote of stockholders or a resolution of directors, or otherwise. No amendment,
alteration, or repeal of this Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any
right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any action taken or omitted by such
Indemnitee in his Corporate Status prior to such amendment, alteration, or repeal. To the extent
that a change in Delaware law, whether by statute or judicial decision, permits greater
indemnification or advancement of Expenses than would be afforded currently under the Company’s
Bylaws, Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, and this Agreement, it is the intent of
the parties hereto that Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits so afforded
by such change. No right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right
or remedy, and every other right and remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other
right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise.
The
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assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the
concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy.
(b) To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing
liability insurance for directors, officers, employees, or agents of the Company or of any
Enterprise, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their
terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any such director, officer, employee, or
agent under such policy or policies. If, at the time of the receipt of a notice of a claim
pursuant to the terms hereof, the Company has director and officer liability insurance in effect,
the Company shall give prompt notice of the commencement of such proceeding to the insurers in
accordance with the procedures set forth in the respective 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 proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies.
(c) In the event of any 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 papers
required and take all action necessary to secure such rights, including execution of such documents
as are necessary to enable the Company to bring suit to enforce such rights.
(d) The Company’s obligation to indemnify or advance Expenses hereunder in respect of
Indemnitee’s service to an Enterprise shall be reduced by any amount Indemnitee has actually
received as indemnification or advancement of Expenses from such Enterprise.
Section 15. DURATION OF AGREEMENT. This Agreement shall continue until and terminate upon the
later of: (a) ten (10) years after the date that Indemnitee shall have ceased to serve as a
[director] [officer] of the Company or (b) one (1) year after the final termination of any
Proceeding then pending in respect of which Indemnitee is granted rights of indemnification or
advancement of Expenses hereunder and of any proceeding commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section
13 of this Agreement relating thereto. This Agreement shall be binding upon the Company and its
successors and assigns and shall inure to the benefit of Indemnitee and his heirs, executors, and
administrators.
Section 16. SEVERABILITY. If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to
be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever:
(a) the validity, legality, and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement
(including without limitation, each portion of any Section of this Agreement containing any such
provision held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal, or
unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and shall remain enforceable to
the fullest extent permitted by law, (b) such provision or provisions shall be deemed reformed to
the extent necessary to conform to applicable law and to give the maximum effect to the intent of
the parties hereto, and (c) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement
(including, without limitation, each portion of any Section of this Agreement containing any such
provision held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal, or
unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested thereby.
Section 17. ENFORCEMENT.
(a) The Company expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered into this Agreement and
assumed the obligations imposed on it hereby in order to induce Indemnitee to serve as a director
or officer of the Company, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this
Agreement in serving as a director or officer of the Company.
(b) This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to
the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral, written,
and implied, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Certificate of
Incorporation of the Company, the Bylaws of the Company, and applicable law, and shall not be
deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder.
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Section 18. MODIFICATION AND WAIVER. No supplement, modification, or amendment of this
Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by the parties thereto. No waiver of any of
the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other
provisions of this Agreement nor shall any waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
Section 19. NOTICE BY INDEMNITEE. Indemnitee agrees promptly to notify the Company in writing
upon being served with any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, information, or
other document relating to any Proceeding or matter which may be subject to indemnification or
advancement of Expenses covered hereunder. The failure of Indemnitee to so notify the Company
shall not relieve the Company of any obligation which it may have to the Indemnitee under this
Agreement or otherwise.
Section 20. NOTICES. All notices, requests, demands, and other communications under this
Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if (a) delivered by hand
and receipted for by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed,
(b) mailed by certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third business day after
the date on which it is so mailed, (c) mailed by reputable overnight courier and receipted for by
the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed, or (d) sent by
facsimile transmission, with receipt of oral confirmation that such transmission has been received:
(a) If to Indemnitee, at the address indicated on the signature page of this Agreement, or
such other address as Indemnitee shall provide to the Company.
(b) If to the Company, to
Atlas Acquisition Holdings Corp.
c/o Hauslein & Company, Inc.
00000 XX Xxxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx 00000
Attn: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
c/o Hauslein & Company, Inc.
00000 XX Xxxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx 00000
Attn: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
or to any other address as may have been furnished to Indemnitee by the Company.
Section 21. CONTRIBUTION. To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, 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 under this Agreement, in such proportion as is deemed fair and reasonable in
light of all of the circumstances of such Proceeding 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 Proceeding, and/or (ii) the relative fault of the Company (and its directors,
officers, employees, and agents) and Indemnitee in connection with such event(s) and/or
transaction(s).
Section 22. APPLICABLE LAW AND CONSENT TO JURISDICTION. This Agreement and the legal
relations among the parties shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with,
the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to its conflict of laws rules. Except with
respect to any arbitration commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 13(a) of this Agreement, the
Company and Indemnitee hereby irrevocably and unconditionally (i) agree that any action or
proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement shall be brought only in the
Chancery Court of the State of Delaware (the “Delaware Court”), and not in any other state or
federal court in the United States of America or any court in any other country, (ii) consent to
submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Delaware Court for purposes of any action or proceeding
arising out of or in connection with this Agreement, (iii) waive any objection to the laying of
venue of any such action or proceeding in the Delaware Court, and (iv) waive, and agree not to
plead or to make, any claim that any such action or proceeding brought in the Delaware Court has
been brought in an improper or inconvenient forum.
Section 23. IDENTICAL COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in one or more
counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which
together shall
10
constitute one and the same Agreement. Only one such counterpart signed by the party against
whom enforceability is sought need to be produced to evidence the existence of this Agreement.
Section 24. MISCELLANEOUS. Use of the masculine pronoun shall be deemed to include usage of
the feminine pronoun where appropriate. The headings of the paragraphs 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.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be signed as of the day and year
first above written.
| ATLAS ACQUISITION HOLDINGS CORP. | INDEMNITEE | |||||||
| Name: | ||||||||
| Address: | ||||||||
By: |
||||||||
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