PARTNERS GROUP PRIVATE EQUITY (MASTER FUND), LLC LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT
Exhibit (a)(1)
THIS LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT of Partners Group Private Equity (Master Fund), LLC
(the “Fund”) is dated and effective as of ___, 2008 by and among Partners Group (USA), Inc.,
each member of the Board of Managers of the Fund, and each person hereinafter admitted to the Fund
and reflected on the books of the Fund as a Member.
WITNESSETH :
WHEREAS, the Fund heretofore has been formed as a limited liability company under the Delaware
Limited Liability Company Act, pursuant to the Certificate dated as of August 4, 2008 and filed
with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on August 4, 2008;
NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual covenants hereinafter
set forth, it is hereby agreed as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
For purposes of this Agreement:
Section 1.1 “Accounting Period” means the period beginning upon the commencement of
operations of the Fund and, thereafter, each period beginning on the day after the last day of the
preceding Accounting Period and ending on the first to occur of the following: (i) the last day of
each calendar quarter; (ii) the last day of each taxable year of the Fund; (iii) the day preceding
the effective date on which a contribution of capital is made to the Fund; (iv) the Valuation Date
with respect to any repurchase of an Interest or portion thereof by the Fund, or the day preceding
the effective date of any redemption of any Interest or portion thereof of any Member or the
complete withdrawal by a Member; (v) the day preceding the day on which a substituted Member is
admitted to the Fund; or (vi) the effective date on which any amount is credited to or debited from
the Capital Account of any Member other than an amount to be credited to or debited from the
Capital Accounts of all Members in accordance with their respective Investment Percentages. The
Fund’s final Accounting Period shall end on the effective date of the dissolution of the Fund.
Section 1.2 “Administration Agreement” means the administration agreement entered
into between the Administrator and the Fund under which the Administrator will provide certain
administrative services to the Fund in exchange for certain fees, as amended or restated from time
to time.
Section 1.3 “Administration Fee” means the fee paid to the Administrator for its
services out of the Fund’s assets.
Section 1.4 “Administrator” means , or any person who may hereafter,
directly or indirectly, succeed or replace as the administrator of the Fund.
Section 1.5 “Adviser” means Partners Group (USA), Inc., or any person who may
hereafter directly or indirectly, succeed or replace Partners Group (USA), Inc. as investment
adviser of the Fund.
Section 1.6 “Advisers Act” means the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended and
the rules, regulations and orders thereunder from time to time, or any successor law.
Section 1.7 “Affiliate” means “affiliated person” as such term is defined in the
Investment Company Act.
Section 1.8 “Agreement” means this Limited Liability Company Agreement, as amended or
restated from time to time.
Section 1.9 “Board of Managers” means the Board of Managers established pursuant to
Section 2.6 hereof.
Section 1.10 “Capital Account” means, with respect to each Member, the capital
account established and maintained on behalf of such Member pursuant to Section 5.3 hereof.
Section 1.11 “Capital Contribution” means the contribution, if any, made, or to be
made, as the context requires, to the capital of the Fund by a Member.
Section 1.12 “Certificate” means the Certificate of Formation of the Fund and any
amendments thereto as filed with the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware.
Section 1.13 “Code” means the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended, and as hereafter amended from time to time, or any successor law.
Section 1.14 “Confidential Information” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 8.11.
Section 1.15 “Delaware Act” means the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act as in
effect on the date hereof and as amended from time to time, or any successor law.
Section 1.16 “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,
and the rules, regulations and orders thereunder, as amended from time to time, or any successor
law.
Section 1.17 “Expiration Date” means a date set by the Board of Managers occurring no
sooner than 20 business days after the commencement date of the repurchase offer, provided that
such Expiration Date may be extended by the Board of Managers in its sole discretion.
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Section 1.18 “Extraordinary Expenses” means all expenses incurred by the Fund outside
of the ordinary course of its business, including, without limitation, costs incurred in connection
with any claim, litigation, arbitration, mediation, government investigation or dispute and the
amount of any judgment or settlement paid in connection therewith, or the enforcement of the Fund’s
rights against any person or entity; costs and expenses for indemnification or contribution payable
by the Fund to any person or entity (including, without limitation, pursuant to the indemnification
obligations described under Section 3.7 of this Agreement); expenses of a reorganization,
restructuring or merger of the Fund; expenses of holding, or soliciting proxies for, a meeting of
Members (except to the extent relating to items customarily addressed at an annual meeting of a
registered closed-end management investment company); and the expenses of engaging a new
administrator, custodian, transfer agent or escrow agent.
Section 1.19 “Final Payment” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.4.
Section 1.20 “Fiscal Year” means the period beginning on the commencement of
operations of the Fund and ending on the first March 31 following such date, and thereafter each
period commencing on April 1 of each year and ending on March 31 of each year (or on the date of a
final distribution pursuant to Section 6.2 hereof), unless the Board of Managers shall designate
another fiscal year for the Fund that is a permissible taxable year under the Code.
Section 1.21 “Form N-2” means the Fund’s Registration Statement on Form N-2 filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as amended from time to time.
Section 1.22 “Fund” means the limited liability company governed hereby, as such
limited liability company may from time to time be constituted.
Section 1.23 “Independent Managers” means those Managers who are not “interested
persons” of the Fund as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act.
Section 1.24 “Initial Closing Date” means the first date on or as of which a Member
other than Partners Group is admitted to the Fund.
Section 1.25 “Initial Payment” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.4.
Section 1.26 “Interest” means the entire ownership interest in the Fund at any
particular time of a Member or Partners Group, or other person to whom an Interest or portion
thereof has been transferred pursuant to Section 4.3 hereof, including the rights and obligations
of such Member or other person under this Agreement and the Delaware Act. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, in the event that the Fund establishes multiple Capital Accounts for a single Member
pursuant to Section 5.3(d) hereof, the term “Interest” shall, with respect to such Member, refer
separately, where the context so requires, to each portion of its ownership interest in the Fund
represented by each such Capital Account as if it were held by a separate Member.
Section 1.27 “Investment Company Act” means the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended, and the rules, regulations and orders thereunder, as amended from time to time, or any
successor law.
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Section 1.28 “Investment Management Agreement” means the investment management
agreement entered into between the Fund and the investment adviser of the Fund, as amended or
restated from time to time.
Section 1.29 “Investment Percentage” means a percentage established for each Capital
Account on the Fund’s books as of the start of an Accounting Period, determined by dividing the
balance of such Capital Account as of the start of such Accounting Period by the sum of the
balances of all Capital Accounts of all Members as of the start of such Accounting Period, as
adjusted for any Capital Contributions and any repurchases of Interests as of the start of such
Accounting Period.
Section 1.30 “Losses” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.7.
Section 1.31 “Manager” means each natural person who serves on the Board of Managers
and any other natural person who, from time to time, pursuant to the terms of this Agreement shall
serve on the Board of Managers. Each Manager shall constitute a “manager” of the Fund within the
meaning of the Delaware Act.
Section 1.32 “Member” means any person who shall have been admitted to the Fund as a
member in such person’s capacity as a member of the Fund. For purposes of the Delaware Act, the
Members shall constitute a single class or group of members.
Section 1.33 “Net Asset Value” means the total value of all assets of the Fund, less
an amount equal to all accrued debts, liabilities and obligations of the Fund.
Section 1.34 “Net Profit” or “Net Loss” means the amount by which the Net
Asset Value on the last day of an Accounting Period exceed (in the case of Net Profit) or are less
than (in the case of Net Loss) the Net Asset Value as of the commencement of the same Accounting
Period, including any net change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation of investments and
realized income and gains or losses and expenses (including offering and organizational expenses),
such amount to be adjusted to exclude any changes in the Net Asset Value that are attributable to
any items to be allocated among the Capital Accounts of the Members on a basis which is not in
accordance with the Members’ respective Investment Percentages.
Section 1.35 “Organizational Expenses” means the expenses incurred by the Fund in
connection with its formation, its initial registration as an investment company under the
Investment Company Act, and the initial offering of Interests.
Section 1.36 “Organizational Member” means Partners Group.
Section 1.37 “Partners Group” means Partners Group (USA), Inc.
Section 1.38 “Person” or “person” means any individual, entity, corporation,
partnership, association, limited liability company, joint-stock company, trust, estate, joint
venture, organization or unincorporated organization.
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Section 1.39 “Portfolio Fund” means a pooled investment vehicle or registered
investment company.
Section 1.40 “Portfolio Fund Manager” means a portfolio manager of a Portfolio Fund.
Section 1.41 “Portfolio Fund Payment Date” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 4.4.
Section 1.42 “Promissory Note” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.4.
Section 1.43 “Repurchase Date” means the day after the Valuation Date.
Section 1.44 “Securities” means securities (including, without limitation, equities,
debt obligations, options, other “securities” as that term is defined in Section 2(a)(36) of the
Investment Company Act), and other financial instruments of United States and non-U.S. entities and
commodities, including, without limitation, capital stock; shares of beneficial interests;
partnership interests and similar financial instruments; bonds, notes, debentures (whether
subordinated, convertible or otherwise); currencies; commodities; interest rate, currency,
commodity, equity and other derivative products, including, without limitation, (i) futures
contracts (and options thereon) relating to stock indices, currencies, U.S. Government securities
and debt securities of foreign governments, other financial instruments and all other commodities,
(ii) swaps, options, warrants, caps, collars, floors and forward rate agreements, (iii) spot and
forward currency transactions and (iv) agreements including brokerage account agreements relating
to or securing such transactions; equipment lease certificates, equipment trust certificates;
loans; accounts and notes receivable and payable held by trade or other creditors; trade
acceptances; contract and other claims; executory contracts; participations; open and closed-end
registered and unregistered investment companies; money market funds; obligations of the United
States or any state thereof, foreign governments and instrumentalities of any of them; commercial
paper; and other obligations and instruments or evidences of indebtedness of whatever kind or
nature; in each case, of any person, corporation, government or other entity whatsoever, whether or
not publicly traded or readily marketable.
Section 1.45 “Securities Transactions” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 2.5.
Section 1.46 “Transfer” means the assignment, transfer, sale, encumbrance, pledge or
other disposition of all or any portion of an Interest; verbs, adverbs or adjectives such as
“Transfers,” “Transferred” and “Transferring” shall have correlative meanings.
Section 1.47 “Valuation Date” means the date on which the value of Interests being
repurchased will be determined by the Board of Managers in its sole discretion and which date shall
be approximately 65 days, but in no event earlier than 60 days, after the Expiration Date.
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ARTICLE II
ORGANIZATION; ADMISSION OF MEMBERS; BOARD OF MANAGERS
Section 2.1 Formation of Limited Liability Company. The Organizational Member and
any other person designated by the Board of Managers are designated as authorized persons, within
the meaning of the Delaware Act, to execute, deliver and file all certificates (and any amendments
and/or restatements thereof) required or permitted by the Delaware Act to be filed in the office of
the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware. The Board of Managers shall cause to be executed
and filed with applicable governmental authorities any other instruments, documents and
certificates which, in the opinion of the Fund’s legal counsel, may from time to time be required
by the laws of the United States of America, the State of Delaware or any other jurisdiction in
which the Fund shall determine to do business, or any political subdivision or agency thereof, or
which such legal counsel may deem necessary or appropriate to effectuate, implement and continue
the valid existence and business of the Fund.
Section 2.2 Name. The name of the Fund shall be “Partners Group Private Equity
(Master Fund), LLC” or such other name as the Board of Managers hereafter may adopt upon
(i) causing an appropriate amendment to the Certificate to be filed in accordance with the Delaware
Act and (ii) sending notice thereof to each Member. The Fund’s business may be conducted under the
name of the Fund or, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any other name or names deemed
advisable by the Board of Managers.
Section 2.3 Principal and Registered Office. The Fund shall have its principal
office at 000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000, or at such other place
designated from time to time by the Board of Managers. The Fund shall have its registered office
in the State of Delaware at 0000 Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx 000, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, and shall
have the Corporation Service Company as its registered agent at such registered office for service
of process in the State of Delaware, unless a different registered office or agent is designated
from time to time by the Board of Managers in accordance with the Delaware Act.
Section 2.4 Duration. The term of the Fund commenced on the filing of the
Certificate with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware and shall continue until the Fund
is dissolved pursuant to Section 6.1 hereof.
Section 2.5 Business of the Fund.
(a) The business of the Fund is (i) to, directly or through the purchase of interests
in Portfolio Funds, purchase, sell (including short sales), invest and trade in Securities
(collectively, “Securities Transactions”) and (ii) to engage in any financial or
derivative transactions relating thereto or otherwise and to exercise such rights and
powers as are permitted to be exercised by limited liability companies under the Delaware
Act. The officers of the Fund may execute, deliver and perform all contracts, agreements,
subscription documents and other undertakings and engage in all activities and
transactions as may in the opinion of the Board of Managers be necessary or advisable to
carry out the Fund’s objectives or business.
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(b) The Fund shall operate as a closed-end management investment company in
accordance with the Investment Company Act and subject to any fundamental policies and
investment restrictions set forth in the Form N-2.
Section 2.6 The Board of Managers.
(a) Prior to the Initial Closing Date, the Organizational Member may, in its sole
discretion, designate and elect persons to serve as Managers on the Board of Managers.
Following the effectiveness of this Agreement, each Manager shall agree to be bound by all
of the terms of this Agreement applicable to Managers. The Board of Managers may, subject
to the provisions of paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 2.6 with respect to the number
of and vacancies in the position of Manager and the provisions of Section 3.3 hereof with
respect to the election of Managers by Members, designate as a Manager any person who
shall agree to the provisions of this Agreement pertaining to the obligations of Managers.
The names and mailing addresses of the Managers shall be set forth in the books and
records of the Fund. The number of Managers shall be fixed from time to time by the Board
of Managers.
(b) Each Manager shall serve as a Manager for the duration of the term of the Fund,
unless his or her status as a Manager shall be sooner terminated pursuant to Section 4.1
hereof. If any vacancy in the position of a Manager occurs, the remaining Managers may
appoint a person to serve in such capacity, provided such appointment is in accordance
with the Investment Company Act, so long as immediately after such appointment at least
two-thirds of the Managers then serving would have been elected by the Members. The
Managers may call a meeting of Members to fill any vacancy in the position of Manager, and
shall do so when required by the Investment Company Act, within 60 days after any date on
which Managers who were elected by the Members cease to constitute a majority of the
Managers then serving on the Board of Managers.
(c) In the event that no Manager remains, the Adviser shall promptly call a meeting
of the Members, to be held within 60 days after the date on which the last Manager ceased
to act in that capacity, for the purpose of determining whether to continue the business
of the Fund and, if the business shall be continued, of electing the required number of
Managers to the Board of Managers. If the Members shall determine at such meeting not to
continue the business of the Fund or if the required number of Managers is not elected
within 60 days after the date on which the last Manager ceased to act in that capacity,
then the Fund shall be dissolved pursuant to Section 6.1 hereof and the assets of the Fund
shall be liquidated and distributed pursuant to Section 6.2 hereof.
Section 2.7 Members. The Board of Managers may admit one or more Members as of the
beginning of each calendar month or at such other times as the Board of Managers may determine. A
Person may be admitted to the Fund as a Member without having signed this Agreement. This
Agreement shall not be unenforceable by reason of it not having been signed by a person being
admitted as a Member. The Board of Managers, in its sole and absolute discretion, may reject
requests to purchase Interests in the Fund. The Board of
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Managers may, in its sole discretion, suspend or terminate the offering of the Interests at
any time. The books and records of the Fund shall be revised to reflect the name and Capital
Contribution of each Member that is admitted to the Fund.
Section 2.8 Organizational Member. The initial Capital Contribution to the Fund by
the Organizational Member shall be represented by an Interest. Upon the admission to the Fund of
any additional Member pursuant to Section 2.7, the Organizational Member shall be entitled to the
return of all or a portion of its Capital Contribution, if any, without interest or deduction, and
to withdraw from the Fund.
Section 2.9 Both Managers and Members. A Member may at the same time be a Manager
and a Member, or the Adviser and a Member, in which event such Member’s rights and obligations in
each capacity shall be determined separately in accordance with the terms and provisions hereof and
as provided in the Delaware Act.
Section 2.10 Limited Liability. Except as otherwise provided under applicable law or
in this Agreement, each Member will be liable for the debts, obligations and liabilities of the
Fund only to the extent of its Capital Account balance. To the fullest extent permitted under
applicable law, the Managers and the Adviser shall not be liable for the Fund’s debts, obligations
and liabilities.
ARTICLE III
MANAGEMENT
Section 3.1 Management and Control.
(a) Management and control of the business of the Fund shall be vested in the Board
of Managers, which shall have the right, power and authority, on behalf of the Fund and in
its name, to exercise all rights, powers and authority of “managers” under the Delaware
Act and to do all things necessary and proper to carry out the objective and business of
the Fund and its duties hereunder. No Manager shall have the authority individually to
act on behalf of or to bind the Fund except within the scope of such Manager’s authority
as delegated by the Board of Managers. The parties hereto intend that, except to the
extent otherwise expressly provided herein, (i) each Manager shall be vested with the same
powers, authority and responsibilities on behalf of the Fund as are customarily vested in
each director of a Delaware corporation and (ii) each Independent Manager shall be vested
with the same powers, authority and responsibilities on behalf of the Fund as are
customarily vested in each Manager of a closed-end management investment company
registered under the Investment Company Act that is organized as a Delaware corporation
who is not an “interested person” of such company as such term is defined in the
Investment Company Act. During any period in which the Fund shall have no Managers, the
Adviser shall continue to serve as investment adviser to the Fund and shall have the
authority to manage the business and affairs of the Fund, but only until such time as one
or more Managers are elected by the Members or the Fund is dissolved in accordance with
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Section 6.1. The Managers may make Capital Contributions and maintain their own
Interests in the Fund.
(b) Members shall have no right to participate in and shall take no part in the
management or control of the Fund’s business and shall have no right, power or authority
to act for or bind the Fund. Members shall have the right to vote on any matters only as
provided in this Agreement or on any matters that require the approval of the holders of
voting securities under the Investment Company Act or as otherwise required in the
Delaware Act.
(c) The Board of Managers may delegate to any Person, including without limitation
the officers of the Fund designated pursuant to Section 3.2(c), the Adviser or any
committee of the Board of Managers, any rights, power and authority vested by this
Agreement in the Board of Managers to the extent permissible under applicable law.
Section 3.2 Actions by the Board of Managers.
(a) Unless otherwise provided in this Agreement, the Board of Managers shall act
only: (i) by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Managers (which majority shall
include any requisite number of Independent Managers required by the Investment Company
Act) present at a meeting duly called at which a quorum of the Managers shall be present
(in person or, if in person attendance is not required by the Investment Company Act, in
person or by telephone) or (ii) by the written consent of a majority of the Managers
without a meeting, if permissible under the Investment Company Act.
(b) The Board of Managers may designate from time to time a Chairman who shall
preside at all meetings. Meetings of the Board of Managers may be called by the Chairman,
the President of the Fund, or any two Managers, and may be held on such date and at such
time and place as the Board of Managers shall determine. Each Manager shall be entitled
to receive written notice of the date, time and place of such meeting within a reasonable
time in advance of the meeting. Notice need not be given to any Manager who shall attend
a meeting without objecting to the lack of notice or who shall execute a written waiver of
notice with respect to the meeting. Managers may attend and participate in any meeting by
telephone, except where in person attendance at a meeting is required by the Investment
Company Act. A majority of the Managers then in office shall constitute a quorum at any
meeting.
(c) The Board of Managers may designate from time to time agents and employees of the
Fund or other Persons, including without limitation employees of the Adviser or its
affiliates, who shall have the same powers and duties on behalf of the Fund (including the
power to bind the Fund) as are customarily vested in officers of a Delaware corporation,
and designate them as officers of the Fund with such titles as the Board of Managers shall
determine.
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Section 3.3 Meetings of Members.
(a) Actions requiring the vote of the Members may be taken at any duly constituted
meeting of the Members at which a quorum is present. Meetings of the Members may be
called by the Board of Managers or by Members holding a majority of the total number of
votes eligible to be cast by all Members as determined pursuant to clause (b) of this
Section 3.3, and may be held at such time, date and place as the Board of Managers shall
determine. The Board of Managers shall arrange to provide written notice of the meeting,
stating the date, time and place of the meeting and the record date therefor, to each
Member entitled to vote at the meeting within a reasonable time prior thereto. Failure to
receive notice of a meeting on the part of any Member shall not affect the validity of any
act or proceeding of the meeting, so long as a quorum shall be present at the meeting.
The presence in person or by proxy of Members holding a majority of the total number of
votes eligible to be cast by all Members as of the record date shall constitute a quorum
at any meeting. In the absence of a quorum, a meeting of the Members may be adjourned by
action of a majority of the Members present in person or by proxy without additional
notice to the Members. Except as otherwise required by any provision of this Agreement or
of the Investment Company Act, (i) those candidates receiving a plurality of the votes
cast at any meeting of Members shall be elected as Managers, and (ii) all other actions of
the Members taken at a meeting shall require the affirmative vote of Members holding a
majority of the total number of votes eligible to be cast by those Members who are present
in person or by proxy at such meeting.
(b) Each Member shall be entitled to cast at any meeting of Members a number of votes
equivalent to such Member’s Investment Percentage (expressed as a numeral). The Board of
Managers shall establish a record date not less than 10 nor more than 120 days prior to
the date of any meeting of Members to determine eligibility to vote at such meeting and
the number of votes which each Member will be entitled to cast thereat, and shall maintain
for each such record date a list setting forth the name of each Member and the number of
votes that each Member will be entitled to cast at the meeting.
(c) A Member may vote at any meeting of Members by a proxy properly executed in
writing by the Member and filed with the Fund before or at the time of the meeting. A
proxy may be suspended or revoked, as the case may be, by the Member executing the proxy
by a later writing delivered to the Fund at any time prior to exercise of the proxy or if
the Member executing the proxy shall be present at the meeting and decide to vote in
person. Any action of the Members that is permitted to be taken at a meeting of the
Members may be taken without a meeting if consents in writing, setting forth the action
taken, are signed by Members holding a majority of the total number of votes eligible to
be cast or such greater percentage as may be required in order to approve such action.
Section 3.4 Custody of Assets of the Fund. The physical possession of all funds,
Securities or other property of the Fund shall at all times be held, controlled and administered by
one or more custodians retained by the Fund in accordance with the
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requirements of the Investment Company Act and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as
amended.
Section 3.5 Other Activities.
(a) None of the Managers shall be required to devote his or her full time to the
affairs of the Fund, but each shall devote such time as may reasonably be required to
perform his or her obligations under this Agreement.
(b) Any Member, Manager, the Adviser or any of their Affiliates, may engage in or
possess an interest in other business ventures or commercial dealings of every kind and
description, independently or with others, including, but not limited to, acquisition and
disposition of Securities, provision of investment advisory or brokerage services, serving
as managers, officers, employees, advisers or agents of other companies, partners of any
partnership, members of any limited liability company, or trustees of any trust, or
entering into any other commercial arrangements. No Member or Manager shall have any
rights in or to such activities, or any profits derived therefrom.
Section 3.6 Duty of Care.
(a) No Manager, former Manager, officer or former officer of the Fund shall be liable
to the Fund or to any of its Members for any loss or damage occasioned by any act or
omission in the performance of such person’s services under this Agreement, unless it
shall be determined by final judicial decision on the merits from which there is no
further right to appeal that such loss is due to an act or omission of such person
constituting willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties
involved in the conduct of such person’s office or as otherwise required by applicable
law.
(b) A Member not in breach of any obligation hereunder or under any agreement
pursuant to which the Member subscribed for an Interest shall be liable to the Fund, any
other Member or third parties only as required by the Delaware Act or otherwise provided
in this Agreement.
Section 3.7 Indemnification.
(a) To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Fund shall, subject to Section 3.7(b)
hereof, indemnify each Manager, former Manager, officer and former officer of the Fund
(including for this purpose their executors, heirs, assigns, successors or other legal
representatives) from and against all losses, charges, claims, expenses, assessments,
damages, costs and liabilities (collectively, “Losses”), including, but not limited to,
amounts paid in satisfaction of judgments, in compromise, or as fines or penalties, and
reasonable counsel fees and disbursements, incurred in connection with the defense or
disposition of any action, suit, investigation or other proceeding, whether civil or
criminal, before any judicial, arbitral, administrative or legislative body, in which such
indemnitee may be or may have been involved as a party or otherwise, or with which such
indemnitee may be or may have been threatened, while in office or
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thereafter, by reason of being or having been a Manager or officer of the Fund, as
applicable, or the past or present performance of services to the Fund by such indemnitee,
except to the extent such Losses shall have been finally determined in a non-appealable
decision on the merits in any such action, suit, investigation or other proceeding to have
been incurred or suffered by such indemnitee by reason of willful misfeasance, gross
negligence, or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of such
indemnitee’s office. The rights of indemnification provided under this Section 3.7 shall
not be construed so as to provide for indemnification of an indemnitee for any Losses
(including any liability under federal securities laws which, under certain circumstances,
impose liability even on persons that act in good faith) to the extent (but only to the
extent) that such indemnification would be in violation of applicable law, but shall be
construed so as to effectuate the applicable provisions of this Section 3.7 to the fullest
extent permitted by law. Any manager of the Fund appointed by the Organizational Member
prior to the effectiveness of this Agreement shall be deemed to be a “Manager” for
purposes of this Section 3.7.
(b) Expenses, including reasonable counsel fees and disbursements, so incurred by any
such indemnitee (but excluding amounts paid in satisfaction of judgments, in compromise,
or as fines or penalties), shall be paid from time to time by the Fund in advance of the
final disposition of any such action, suit, investigation or proceeding upon receipt of an
undertaking by or on behalf of such indemnitee to repay to the Fund amounts so paid if it
shall ultimately be determined that indemnification of such expenses is not authorized
under Section 3.7(a) hereof.
(c) Any indemnification or advancement of expenses made pursuant to this Section 3.7
shall not prevent the recovery from any indemnitee of any such amount if such indemnitee
subsequently shall be determined in a final decision on the merits of any court of
competent jurisdiction in any action, suit, investigation or proceeding involving the
liability or expense that gave rise to such indemnification or advancement of expenses to
be liable to the Fund or its Members by reason of willful misfeasance, gross negligence,
or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of such indemnitee’s office.
(d) As to the disposition of any action, suit, investigation or proceeding (whether
by a compromise payment, pursuant to a consent decree or otherwise) without an
adjudication or a decision on the merits by a court, or by any other body before which the
proceeding shall have been brought, that an indemnitee is liable to the Fund or its
Members by reason of willful misfeasance, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of the
duties involved in the conduct of such indemnitee’s office, indemnification shall be
provided pursuant to Section 3.7(a) hereof if (i) approved as in the best interests of the
Fund by a majority of the Managers (excluding any Manager who is seeking indemnification
hereunder) upon a determination based upon a review of readily available facts (as opposed
to a full trial-type inquiry) that such indemnitee acted in good faith and in the
reasonable belief that such actions were in the best interests of the Fund and that such
indemnitee is not liable to the Fund or its Members by reason of willful misfeasance,
gross negligence, or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of such
indemnitee’s office, or (ii) the Board of Managers
12
secures a written opinion of independent legal counsel based upon a review of readily
available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry) to the effect that such
indemnitee acted in good faith and in the reasonable belief that such actions were in the
best interests of the Fund and that such indemnitee is not liable to the Fund or its
Members by reason of willful misfeasance, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of the
duties involved in the conduct of such indemnitee’s office.
(e) In any suit brought by an indemnitee to enforce a right to indemnification under
this Section 3.7 it shall be a defense that, and in any suit in the name of the Fund to
recover any indemnification or advancement of expenses made pursuant to this Section 3.7
the Fund shall be entitled to recover such expenses upon a final adjudication that, the
indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in this Section 3.7.
In any such suit brought to enforce a right to indemnification or to recover any
indemnification or advancement of expenses made pursuant to this Section 3.7, the burden
of proving that the indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified, or to any
indemnification or advancement of expenses, under this Section 3.7 shall be on the Fund
(or any Member acting derivatively or otherwise on behalf of the Fund or its Members).
(f) An indemnitee may not satisfy any right of indemnification or advancement of
expenses granted in this Section 3.7 or to which he, she or it may otherwise be entitled
except out of the assets of the Fund, and no Member shall be personally liable with
respect to any such claim for indemnification or advancement of expenses, provided that
Section 3.7(e) shall not limit the rights of the Fund pursuant to Section 2.10.
(g) The rights of indemnification provided hereunder shall not be exclusive of or
affect any other rights to which any person may be entitled by contract or otherwise under
law. Nothing contained in this Section 3.7 shall affect the power of the Fund to purchase
and maintain liability insurance on behalf of any Manager, officer of the Fund or other
person.
(h) To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Adviser and the Administrator, and
any other party serving as the investment adviser or administrator of the Fund or
providing other services to the Fund shall be entitled to indemnification from the Fund
upon such terms and subject to such conditions and exceptions, and with such entitlement
to have recourse to the assets of the Fund with a view to meeting and discharging the cost
thereof as may be provided under the Investment Management Agreement, the Administration
Agreement or any agreement between any such party and the Fund.
Section 3.8 Fees, Expenses and Reimbursement.
(a) Subject to applicable law, the Adviser shall be entitled to receive such fees
per services provided to the Fund as may be agreed to by the Adviser and the Fund
pursuant to the Investment Management Agreement or such other agreements relating to such
services.
13
(b) The Board of Managers may cause the Fund to compensate each Manager who is not an
officer or employee of the Adviser or any of its Affiliates for his or her services
hereunder. In addition, the Fund shall reimburse the Managers for reasonable travel and
other out-of-pocket expenses incurred by them in performing their duties under this
Agreement.
(c) The Fund shall bear all expenses incurred in its business or operations, other
than those specifically assumed by another person. Expenses to be borne by the Fund
include, but are not limited to, the following:
(i) fees and expenses in connection with the organization of the Fund and the offering
and issuance of the Interests;
(ii) all fees and expenses reasonably incurred in connection with the operation of the
Fund such as direct and indirect expenses related to the assessment of prospective
investments (whether or not such investments are consummated), investment structuring,
corporate action, travel associated with due diligence and monitoring activities and
enforcing the Fund’s rights in respect of such investments;
(iii) quotation or valuation expenses;
(iv) the Investment Management Fee and the Administration Fee;
(v) brokerage commissions;
(vi) interest and fees on any borrowings by the Fund;
(vii) professional fees (including, without limitation, expenses of consultants,
experts and specialists);
(viii) research expenses;
(ix) fees and expenses of outside tax or legal counsel (including fees and expense
associated with the review of documentation for prospective investments by the Fund),
including foreign legal counsel;
(x) accounting, auditing and tax preparation expenses;
(xi) fees and expenses in connection with repurchase offers and any repurchases or
redemptions of Interests;
(xii) taxes and governmental fees (including tax preparation fees);
(xiii) fees and expenses of any custodian, subcustodian, transfer agent, and registrar,
and any other agent of the Fund;
14
(xiv) all costs and charges for equipment or services used in communicating information
regarding the Fund’s transactions with any custodian or other agent engaged by the Fund;
(xv) bank service fees;
(xvi) costs and expenses relating to the amendment of this Agreement or the Fund’s
other organizational documents;
(xvii) expenses of preparing, amending, printing, and distributing confidential
memoranda, Statements of Additional Information (and any supplements or amendments thereto),
reports, notices, websites, other communications to Members, and proxy materials;
(xviii) expenses of preparing, printing, and filing reports and other documents with
government agencies;
(xix) expenses of Members’ meetings, including the solicitation of proxies in
connection therewith;
(xx) expenses of corporate data processing and related services;
(xxi) Member recordkeeping and Member account services, fees, and disbursements;
(xxii) expenses relating to investor and public relations;
(xxiii) fees and expenses of the members of the Board of Managers who are not employees
of the Adviser or its Affiliates;
(xxiv) insurance premiums;
(xxv) Extraordinary Expenses; and
(xxvi) all costs and expenses incurred as a result of dissolution, winding-up and
termination of the Fund.
The Adviser and each of its Affiliates shall be entitled to reimbursement from the
Fund for any of the above expenses that they pay on behalf of the Fund.
(d) The Fund may, alone or in conjunction with the Adviser, its Affiliates or any
investment vehicles or accounts for which the Adviser or any Affiliate of the Adviser acts
as general partner, managing member or investment adviser, purchase insurance in such
amounts, from such insurers and on such terms as the Board of Managers shall determine.
15
ARTICLE IV
TERMINATION OF STATUS OF THE ADVISER AND MANAGERS
Section 4.1 Termination of Status of a Manager. The status of a Manager shall
terminate if the Manager (i) shall die; (ii) shall be adjudicated incompetent; (iii) shall
voluntarily withdraw as a Manager (upon not less than 90 days’ prior written notice to the other
Managers, unless the other Managers waive such notice); (iv) shall be removed under Section 4.2;
(v) shall be certified by a physician to be mentally or physically unable to perform his duties
hereunder; (vi) shall be declared bankrupt by a court with appropriate jurisdiction, file a
petition commencing a voluntary case under any bankruptcy law or make an assignment for the benefit
of creditors; (vii) shall have a receiver appointed to administer the property or affairs of such
Manager; (viii) shall have reached the mandatory age for retirement of a Manager that may from time
to time be established by the Board of Managers; or (ix) shall otherwise cease to be a Manager of
the Fund under the Delaware Act.
Section 4.2 Removal of the Managers. Any Manager may be removed with or without
cause either by (a) the vote or written consent of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the Managers not
subject to the removal vote or (b) the vote or written consent of Members holding not less than
two-thirds (2/3) of the total number of votes eligible to be cast by all Members.
Section 4.3 Transfer of Interests of Members.
(a) A Member’s Interest or portion thereof may be Transferred only (i) by operation
of law in connection with the death, divorce, bankruptcy, insolvency or adjudicated
incompetence of such Member or (ii) with the consent of the Fund, which may be withheld in
its sole discretion.
(b) The Fund may not consent to a Transfer of an Interest or portion thereof unless:
(i) the person to whom such Interest is transferred (or each of such person’s beneficial
owners if such a person is a “private investment company” as defined in Rule 205-3(d)(3)
under the Advisers Act, an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act,
or a business development company as defined under the Advisers Act) is a person whom the
Fund believes meets the requirements of paragraph (d)(1) of Rule 205-3 under the Advisers
Act or successor rule thereto, or is otherwise exempt from such requirements; and (ii) the
Fund is provided with a properly completed investor certification in respect of the
proposed transferee. The Fund may also require the Member requesting the Transfer to
obtain, at the Member’s expense, an opinion of counsel selected by the Board of Managers
as to such matters as the Board of Managers may reasonably request.
(c) Any permitted transferee acquiring an Interest or a portion of an Interest by
operation of law in connection with the death, divorce, bankruptcy, insolvency or
adjudicated incompetence of the Member shall be entitled to the allocations and
distributions allocable to the Interest or portion thereof so acquired, to tender the
Interest or portion thereof for repurchase by the Fund and to Transfer such
16
Interest or portion thereof in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, but shall
not be entitled to the other rights of a Member unless and until such transferee becomes a
substituted Member in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, including, without
limitation, Section 2.7 hereof.
(d) If a Member Transfers an Interest or portion thereof with the approval of the
Fund and all of the conditions to such Transfer have been satisfied, the Fund shall as
promptly as practicable take all necessary actions so that each transferee or successor to
whom such Interest or portion thereof is Transferred is admitted to the Fund as a
substituted Member, provided that such transferee shall have executed and delivered either
a counterpart of this Agreement or an instrument, in form and substance acceptable to the
Fund, that has the legal effect of making the transferee a party to this Agreement. Each
transferring Member and transferee agrees to pay all reasonable expenses, including, but
not limited to, attorneys’ and accountants’ fees and disbursements, incurred by the Fund
in connection with such Transfer. Upon the Transfer to another person or persons of a
Member’s entire Interest, such Member shall cease to be a member of the Fund.
(e) Each transferring Member shall indemnify and hold harmless the Fund, the Board of
Managers, the Adviser and each other Member, and any Affiliate of the foregoing against
all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs and expenses (including legal or other
expenses incurred in investigating or defending against any such losses, claims, damages,
liabilities, costs and expenses or any judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement),
joint or several, to which such persons may become subject by reason of or arising from
(i) any Transfer made by such Member in violation of this Section 4.3, and (ii) any
misrepresentation by such Member in connection with any such Transfer.
Section 4.4 Repurchase of Interests.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, no Member or other person holding
an Interest or portion thereof acquired from a Member has the right to require the Fund to
withdraw, redeem or tender to the Fund for repurchase its Interest or any portion thereof.
The Board of Managers may, from time to time and in its sole discretion and on such terms
and conditions as it may determine, cause the Fund to offer to repurchase Interests from
Members, including the Adviser or its Affiliates, pursuant to written tenders by Members.
The Board of Managers, in its sole discretion, will determine the aggregate value of
Interests to be repurchased, which may be a percentage of the value of the Fund’s
outstanding interests. In determining whether the Fund should offer to repurchase
Interests from Members pursuant to written requests and the amount of Interests to be
repurchased, the Board of Managers may consider the following factors, among others:
(i) The liquidity of the Fund’s assets (including, without limitation, fees and costs
associated with withdrawing from Portfolio Funds);
17
(ii) whether any Members have requested to tender Interests or portions of Interests
to the Fund;
(iii) the working capital and liquidity requirements of the Fund;
(iv) the relative economies of scale of the repurchase requests with respect to the
size of the Fund;
(v) the past practice of the Fund in repurchasing Interests;
(vi) the condition of the securities market and the economy generally, as well as
political, national or international developments or current affairs;
(vii) the anticipated tax consequences of any proposed repurchases of Interests; and
(viii) the availability of information as to the value of the Fund’s interests in
Portfolio Funds.
The Board of Managers shall cause the Fund to repurchase Interests or portions thereof
pursuant to written tenders only on terms that the Board of Managers determines to be fair
to the Fund and to all Members.
(b) The Adviser and each of its Affiliates may tender their Interest or a portion
thereof as a Member or Organizational Member, as applicable, under Section 4.4(a) hereof,
without notice to the other Members.
(c) If the Board of Managers determines in its sole discretion that the Fund will
offer to repurchase Interests, the Board of Managers will provide written notice to
Members. Such notice will include: (i) the commencement date of the repurchase offer;
(ii) the Expiration Date on which repurchase requests must be received by the Fund; and
(iii) other information Members should consider in deciding whether and how to participate
in such repurchase opportunity.
(d) The amount due to any Member whose Interest or portion thereof is repurchased
shall, subject to the terms of this Agreement (including, without limitation,
Section 4.4(1)), be an amount equal to the value of the Member’s Capital Account (or
portion thereof being repurchased) based on the Net Asset Value of the Fund as of the
Valuation Date, after reduction for all fees, including any Investment Management Fee or
Administration Fee, any required tax withholding and other liabilities of the Fund to the
extent accrued or otherwise attributable to the Interest or portion thereof being
repurchased. Payment by the Fund to each Member, upon repurchase of such Member’s
Interests shall be made in the form of a promissory note (a “Promissory Note”). Such
payment shall be made as promptly as practicable following the Expiration Date. Any
in-kind distribution of Securities will be valued in accordance with Section 7.4 hereof.
The determination of the value of Interests as of the Valuation Date shall be subject to
adjustment based upon the results of the annual audit of the Fund’s financial statements
for the Fiscal Year in which such Valuation
18
Date occurred. A Member who tenders some but not all of his Interest for repurchase
will be required to maintain a minimum Capital Account balance equal to the amount set
forth, from time to time, in the Fund’s Form N-2. The Board of Managers may, in its sole
discretion, waive this minimum Capital Account balance requirement. The Fund may reduce
the amount to be repurchased from a Member in order to maintain a Member’s minimum Capital
Account balance.
(e) Each Promissory Note issued pursuant to clause (d) of this Section 4.4, which
will be non-interest bearing and non-transferable, shall provide, among other terms
determined by the Fund, in its sole discretion, the following payments. The initial
payment in respect of the Promissory Note (the “Initial Payment”) shall be in an amount
equal to at least 95% of the estimated value of the repurchased Interest or portion
thereof, determined as of the Valuation Date. The Initial Payment shall be made on or
before the tenth business day after the Repurchase Date, provided that if the Fund, in the
sole discretion of the Adviser, has requested withdrawal of capital from any Portfolio
Funds in order to fund the repurchase of Interests, such payment may be postponed until a
reasonable time after the Fund has received at least 95% of the aggregate amount so
requested to be withdrawn by the Fund from Portfolio Funds (the “Portfolio Fund Payment
Date”). The second and final payment in respect of a Promissory Note (the “Final
Payment”) is expected to be in an amount equal to the excess, if any, of (1) the value of
the repurchased Interest or portion thereof, determined as of the Valuation Date based
upon the results of the annual audit of the financial statements of the Fund for the
Fiscal Year in which the Valuation Date of such repurchase occurred, over (2) the Initial
Payment.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Section 4.4 to the contrary, in the event that a
Member has requested the repurchase of a portion of its Interest which would result in
such Member continuing to hold at least 5% of the value of its Interest as of March 31 of
the Fiscal Year ending immediately prior to the Fiscal Year in which such request was
made, the Final Payment in respect of such repurchase shall be made approximately 60 days
after the Repurchase Date, provided that if the Fund, in the sole discretion of the
Adviser, has requested withdrawals of its capital from any Portfolio Funds in order to
fund the repurchase of Interests, such payment may be postponed until a reasonable time
after the applicable Portfolio Fund Payment Date. Such payment shall be in an amount
equal to the excess, if any, of (1) the value of the repurchased Interest or portion
thereof, determined as of the Valuation Date, based upon information known to the Fund as
of the date of the Final Payment, over (2) the Initial Payment. Notwithstanding anything
in this Agreement to the contrary, if, based upon the results of the annual audit of the
financial statements of the Fund for the Fiscal Year in which the Valuation Date of such
repurchase occurred, it is determined that the value at which the Interest was repurchased
was incorrect, the Fund shall, as promptly as practicable after the completion of such
audit, decrease such Member’s Capital Account balance by the amount of any overpayment, or
increase such Member’s Capital Account balance by the amount of any underpayment, as
applicable.
(g) Notwithstanding anything in this Section 4.4 to the contrary, the Board of
Managers shall modify any of the repurchase procedures described in this
19
Section 4.4 if necessary to comply with the regulatory requirements imposed by the
Securities Exchange Commission.
(h) Each Member whose Interest or portion thereof has been accepted for repurchase
will continue to be a Member of the Fund until the Repurchase Date (and thereafter if its
Interest is repurchased in part) and may exercise its voting rights with respect to the
repurchased Interest or portion thereof until the Repurchase Date. Moreover, the Capital
Account maintained in respect of a Member whose Interest or portion thereof has been
accepted for repurchase will be adjusted for the Net Profits or Net Losses of the Fund
through the Valuation Date, and such Member’s Capital Account shall not be adjusted for
the amount withdrawn, as a result of the repurchase, prior to the Repurchase Date.
(i) Upon its acceptance of tendered Interests or portions thereof for repurchase, the
Fund shall maintain daily on its books a segregated account consisting of cash, liquid
securities or interests in Portfolio Funds that the Fund has requested be withdrawn (or
any combination of them) in an amount equal to the aggregate estimated unpaid dollar
amount of the Promissory Notes issued to Members tendering Interests or portions thereof.
(j) Notwithstanding anything in this Section 4.4 to the contrary, the Fund may
suspend, postpone or terminate a repurchase offer upon the determination of a majority of
the Board of Managers (including a majority of Independent Managers) that such suspension,
postponement or termination is advisable for the Fund and its Members, including, without
limitation, circumstances as a result of which it is not reasonably practicable for the
Fund to dispose of its investments or to determine the Net Asset Value or other unusual
circumstances.
(k) Partial Interests of a Member tendered for repurchase will be treated as having
been repurchased on a “first in-first out” basis (i.e., the portion of the Interest
repurchased will be deemed to have been taken from the earliest Capital Contribution made
by such Member (adjusted for subsequent Net Profits and Net Losses) until that Capital
Contribution is decreased to zero, and then from each subsequent Capital Contribution made
by such Member (adjusted for subsequent Net Profits and Net Losses)).
Section 4.5 Mandatory Redemption. The Fund may effect a mandatory redemption of an
Interest of a Member or portion thereof, or any person acquiring an Interest from or through a
Member, in the event that the Board of Managers determines or has reason to believe, each in its
sole discretion, that:
(a) all or a portion of its Interest has been transferred to, or has vested in, any
person, by operation of law as described in Section 4.3(a)(i) hereof;
(b) ownership of the Interest by such Member or other person will cause the Fund to
be in violation of, or subject the Fund or the Adviser to, additional
20
registration or regulation under the securities, commodities or other laws of the
United States or any other jurisdiction;
(c) continued ownership of the Interest may be harmful or injurious to the business
or reputation of the Fund or the Adviser or may subject the Fund, or any Members of the
Fund to an undue risk of adverse tax or other fiscal consequences;
(d) any representation or warranty made by a Member in connection with the
acquisition of an Interest was not true when made or has ceased to be true, or the Member
has breached any covenant made by it in connection with the acquisition of an Interest;
(e) it would be in the best interests of the Fund for the Fund to cause a mandatory
redemption of such Interest; or
(f) The Fund may effect a mandatory redemption of an Interest held by an investment
vehicle that is managed or sponsored by the Adviser or an Affiliate thereof (a “Feeder
Fund”) (or portion thereof) to the extent that such Feeder Fund is redeeming or has
redeemed any interest of an investor in such Feeder Fund (or portion thereof) for reasons
that are similar to those set forth in clauses (a) through (e) of this Section 4.5.
ARTICLE V
CAPITAL
Section 5.1 Contributions to Capital.
(a) The minimum initial contribution of each Member (other than the Organizational
Member or Adviser) to the capital of the Fund shall be the amount set forth, from time to
time, in the Fund’s Form N-2 or such other amount as the Board of Managers may determine
from time to time, in its sole discretion. The amount of the initial contribution of each
Member shall be recorded on the books and records of the Fund upon acceptance as a
contribution to the capital of the Fund. The Managers shall not be entitled to make
voluntary contributions of capital to the Fund as Managers of the Fund, but may make
voluntary contributions to the capital of the Fund as Members. The Adviser and its
Affiliates may make voluntary contributions to the capital of the Fund as Members.
(b) Members may make additional contributions to the capital of the Fund, effective
as of such times as the Board of Managers in its sole discretion, may permit, subject to
the limitations applicable to the admission of Members pursuant to this Agreement. The
minimum additional contribution of each Member (other than the Adviser and its Affiliates)
to the capital of the Fund shall be the amount set forth, from time to time, in the Fund’s
Form N-2 or such other amount as the Board of Managers may determine from time to time, in
its sole discretion. No Member shall be obligated
21
to make any additional contribution to the capital of the Fund except to the extent
otherwise provided in this Agreement.
(c) Except as otherwise permitted by the Board of Managers, (i) initial and any
additional contributions to the capital of the Fund by any Member shall be payable in
cash, and (ii) initial and any additional contributions in cash shall be payable in one
installment in readily available funds prior to the date of the proposed acceptance of the
contribution.
Section 5.2 Rights of Members to Capital. No Member shall be entitled to interest on
his or its Capital Contribution to the Fund, nor shall any Member be entitled to the return of any
capital of the Fund except (i) upon the repurchase by the Fund of a part or all of such Member’s
Interest pursuant to Section 4.4 hereof, or (ii) upon the liquidation of the Fund’s assets pursuant
to Section 6.2 hereof. No Member shall be liable for the return of any such amounts. No Member
shall have the right to require partition of the Fund’s property or to compel any sale or appraisal
of the Fund’s assets.
Section 5.3 Capital Accounts.
(a) The Fund shall maintain a separate Capital Account on its books for each Member.
(b) Each Member’s Capital Account shall have an opening balance equal to the Member’s
initial contribution to the capital of the Fund.
(c) Each Member’s Capital Account shall be (i) increased by the amount of any
additional Capital Contributions by such Member, (ii) decreased for any payments upon
repurchase or in redemption of such Member’s Interest or any distributions in respect of
such Member, and (iii) increased or decreased by such Member’s allocable share of the Net
Profits or Net Losses of the Fund for each Accounting Period.
(d) If requested by a Member, the Fund may elect, in its sole discretion, to establish
and maintain multiple Capital Accounts in respect of an investment in the Fund by such
Member. In such case, Capital Contributions, distributions, redemptions and allocations of
Net Profits and Net Losses shall be determined separately for each such Capital Account as
if it were held by a separate Member and each such separate Capital Account will be treated
as a Capital Account for all purposes pursuant to this Limited Liability Company Agreement.
Section 5.4 Allocation of Net Profit and Loss. Net Profits or Net Losses for each
Accounting Period shall be allocated among and credited to or debited against the Capital Accounts
of the Members in accordance with their respective Investment Percentages as of the start of such
Accounting Period.
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Section 5.5 Allocation of Certain Withholding Taxes and Other Expenditures.
(a) Withholding taxes or other tax obligations incurred by the Fund, directly or
indirectly, that are attributable to any Member, as determined by the Board of Managers,
shall be debited against the Capital Account of such Member as of the close of the
Accounting Period during which the Fund pays or incurs such obligation, and any amounts
then or thereafter distributable to such Member shall be reduced by the amount of such
taxes. If the amount of such taxes is greater than any such distributable amounts, then
such Member and any successor to such Member’s Interest shall pay upon demand to the Fund,
as a Capital Contribution to the Fund, the amount of such excess. The Fund shall not be
obligated to apply for or obtain a reduction of or exemption from withholding tax on
behalf of any Member that may be eligible for such reduction or exemption;
provided that in the event that the Fund determines that a Member is eligible for
a refund of any withholding tax, the Fund may, at the request and expense of such Member,
assist such Member in applying for such refund.
(b) Except as otherwise provided for in this Agreement and unless prohibited by the
Investment Company Act, any material expenditures payable by the Fund, directly or
indirectly, and any other Fund items, to the extent paid or incurred or withheld, directly
or indirectly, on behalf of, or by reason of particular circumstances applicable to, one
or more but fewer than all of the Members, as determined by the Board of Managers, shall
be charged to only those Members on whose behalf such expenditures or items are paid or
incurred or whose particular circumstances gave rise to such expenditures or items. Such
charges or items shall be debited from the Capital Accounts of the applicable Members as
of the close of the Accounting Period during which any such items were paid or accrued by
the Fund.
Section 5.6 Reserves.
(a) Appropriate reserves may be created, accrued and charged against the Net Asset
Value and proportionately against the Capital Accounts of the Members for contingent
liabilities, if any, as of the date any such contingent liability becomes known to the
Fund or the Board of Managers, such reserves to be in the amounts which the Board of
Managers, in its sole discretion deems necessary or appropriate. The Board of Managers
may increase or reduce any such reserves from time to time by such amounts as it in its
sole discretion deems necessary or appropriate. The amount of any such reserve, or any
increase or decrease therein, shall be proportionately charged or credited, as
appropriate, to the Capital Accounts of those parties who are Members at the time when
such reserve is created, increased or decreased, as the case may be; provided,
however, that if any such individual reserve item, adjusted by any increase
therein, exceeds the lesser of $500,000 or 1% of the aggregate value of the Capital
Accounts of all such Members, the amount of such reserve, increase, or decrease instead
shall be charged or credited to those Members who, as determined by the Board of Managers,
in its sole discretion, were Members at the time of the act or omission giving rise to the
contingent liability for which the reserve was established, increased or decreased in
proportion to their Capital Accounts at that time.
23
(b) To the extent permitted under applicable law, if at any time an amount is paid or
received by the Fund (other than contributions to the capital of the Fund, distributions
or repurchases of Interests or portions thereof) and such amount exceeds the lesser of
$500,000 or 1% of the aggregate value of the Capital Accounts of all Members at the time
of payment or receipt and such amount was not accrued or reserved for but would
nevertheless, in accordance with the Fund’s accounting practices, be treated as applicable
to one or more prior Accounting Periods, then such amount shall be proportionately charged
or credited, as appropriate, to those parties who were Members during such prior
Accounting Period or Periods.
(c) To the extent permitted by applicable law, if any amount is required by
paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section 5.6 to be charged or credited to a party who is no
longer a Member, such amount shall be paid by or to such party, as the case may be, in
cash, with interest from the date on which the Board of Managers determines that such
charge or credit is required. In the case of a charge, the former Member shall be
obligated to pay the amount of the charge, plus interest as provided above, to the Fund on
demand; provided, however, that (i) in no event shall a former Member be
obligated to make a payment exceeding the amount of such Member’s Capital Account at the
time to which the charge relates; and (ii) no such demand shall be made after the
expiration of three years from the date on which such party ceased to be a Member. To the
extent that a former Member fails to pay to the Fund, in full, any amount required to be
charged to such former Member pursuant to paragraph (a) or (b), whether due to the
expiration of the applicable limitation period or for any other reason whatsoever, the
deficiency shall be charged proportionately to the Capital Accounts of the Members at the
time of the act or omission giving rise to the charge to the extent feasible, and
otherwise proportionately to the Capital Accounts of the current Members.
Section 5.7 Tax Allocations. For each taxable year, items of income, deduction,
gain, loss or credit shall be allocated for income tax purposes among the Members in such a manner
as to reflect equitably amounts credited or debited to each Member’s Capital Account for the
current and prior taxable years (or relevant portions thereof). Allocations under this Section 5.7
shall be made pursuant to the principles of Sections 704(b) and 704(c) of the Code, and in
conformity with Treasury Regulations Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f), 1.704-1(b)(4)(i) and 1.704-3(e)
promulgated thereunder, as applicable, or the successor provisions to such Section and Regulations.
If, during or immediately following the end of a taxable year, any Member withdraws from the
Fund pursuant to Article IV or Article VI hereof and the Member would (absent this sentence)
recognize gain or loss under Section 731 of the Code as a result of such withdrawal, the Board of
Managers may, in its sole discretion, elect to specially allocate to such Member, for U.S. federal
income tax purposes, any income and gain or loss and deduction (including short-term capital gain
or loss) recognized by the Fund during such taxable year, through and including the date of
withdrawal, in an amount up to that amount of income and gain or loss and deduction which if so
allocated would avoid the Member recognizing gain on the withdrawal under Section 731 of the Code
(ignoring for this purpose, if the Board of Managers determines to do so in its sole discretion,
any adjustments that have been made to the tax basis of the withdrawing Member’s Interest as a
result of any transfers or assignment of its Interest prior
24
to the withdrawal (other than the original issue of the Interest), including by reason of
death). Any such election by the Board of Managers shall, to the extent reasonably practicable as
determined by the Board of Managers in its sole discretion, be applied on an equitable basis to all
Members withdrawing their Interests in full during or as of the end of such taxable year
Section 5.8 Distributions.
(a) The Board of Managers, in its sole discretion, may authorize the Fund to make
distributions in cash or in kind at any time to all of the Members on a pro rata basis in
accordance with the Members’ Investment Percentages. Notwithstanding anything to the
contrary in this Agreement, a Member may be compelled to accept a distribution of any
asset in kind from the Fund despite the fact that the percentage of the value of the asset
distributed to the Member exceeds the percentage of the value of the asset equal to the
Member’s Investment Percentage.
(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, none of the Managers
or the Members (including the Adviser and its Affiliates), nor any other person on behalf
of the Fund, shall make a distribution to the Members on account of their Interest in the
Fund if such distribution would violate the Delaware Act or other applicable law.
ARTICLE VI
DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION
Section 6.1 Dissolution.
(a) The Fund shall be dissolved upon the occurrence of any of the following events:
(i) upon the affirmative vote to dissolve the Fund by either (i) a majority of the
Managers, or (ii) Members holding at least three-quarters (3/4) of the total number of votes
eligible to be cast by all Members; or
(ii) as required by operation of law.
Dissolution of the Fund shall be effective on the day on which the event giving rise to
the dissolution shall occur, but the Fund shall not terminate until the assets of the Fund
have been liquidated in accordance with Section 6.2 hereof and the Certificate has been
canceled.
Section 6.2 Liquidation of Assets.
(a) Upon the dissolution of the Fund as provided in Section 6.1 hereof, one or more
Managers or the Adviser, acting as liquidator under appointment by the Board of Managers
(or, if the Board of Managers does not appoint one or more Managers or the Adviser to act
as liquidator or is unable to perform this function, another liquidator elected by Members
holding a majority of the total number of votes
25
eligible to cast by all Members), shall liquidate, in an orderly manner, the business
and administrative affairs of the Fund. Net Profit and Net Loss during the period of
liquidation shall be allocated pursuant to Article V hereof. The proceeds from
liquidation (after establishment of appropriate reserves for contingencies in such amounts
as the Board of Managers or the liquidator, as applicable, deems appropriate in its sole
discretion) shall, subject to the Delaware Act, be distributed in the following manner:
(i) in satisfaction (whether by payment or the making of reasonable provision for
payment thereof) of the debts and liabilities of the Fund, including the expenses of
liquidation (including legal and accounting expenses incurred in connection therewith), but
not including debt and liabilities to Members, up to and including the date that
distribution of the Fund’s assets to the Members has been completed, shall first be paid on
a pro rata basis;
(ii) such debts, liabilities or obligations as are owing to the Members shall be paid
next in their order of seniority and on a pro rata basis; and
(iii) the Members shall be paid next on a pro rata basis the positive balances of their
respective Capital Accounts after giving effect to all allocations to be made to such
Members’ Capital Accounts for the Accounting Period ending on the date of the distributions
under this Section 6.2(a)(iii).
(b) Anything in this Section 6.2 to the contrary notwithstanding, but subject to the
priorities set forth in Section 6.2(a) above, upon dissolution of the Fund, the Board of
Managers or other liquidator may distribute ratably in kind any assets of the Fund, if the
Board of Managers or other liquidator determines that such a distribution would be in the
interests of the Members in facilitating an orderly liquidation; provided,
however, that if any in-kind distribution is to be made (i) the assets distributed
in kind shall be valued pursuant to Section 7.4 hereof as of the actual date of their
distribution and charged as so valued and distributed against amounts to be paid under
Section 6.2(a) above, and (ii) any profit or loss attributable to property distributed
in-kind shall be included in the Net Profit or Net Loss for the Fiscal Period ending on
the date of such distribution.
(c) If the Board of Managers determines that it is in the best interest of the
Members, the Board of Managers may, in its sole discretion, distribute the assets of the
Fund into and through a liquidating trust to effect the liquidation of the Fund.
ARTICLE VII
ACCOUNTING, TAX MATTERS AND VALUATIONS
Section 7.1 Accounting and Reports.
(a) The Fund shall adopt for tax accounting purposes any accounting method which the
Board of Managers shall decide in its sole discretion is in the best interests of the
Fund. The Fund’s accounts shall be maintained in U.S. currency.
26
(b) As soon as reasonably practicable after receipt of the necessary information from
the Portfolio Funds, the Fund shall furnish to each Member such information regarding the
operation of the Fund and such Member’s Interest as is necessary for Members to complete
federal, state and local income tax or information returns.
(c) Except as otherwise required by the Investment Company Act, or as may otherwise
be permitted by rule, regulation or order, within 60 days after the close of the period
for which a report required under this Section 7.1(c) is being made, the Fund shall send
to each Member a semi-annual report and an annual report (as applicable) containing the
information required by the Investment Company Act. The Fund shall cause financial
statements contained in each annual report furnished hereunder to be accompanied by a
certificate of independent public accountants based upon an audit performed in accordance
with generally accepted accounting principles. The Fund may also furnish to each Member
such other periodic reports and information regarding the affairs of the Fund as it deems
necessary or appropriate in its sole discretion.
(d) Except as set forth specifically in this Section 7.1, no Member shall have the
right to obtain any other information about the business or financial condition of the
Fund, about any other Member or former Member, including information about the Capital
Contribution of a Member, or about the affairs of the Fund. No act of the Fund, Partners
Group, or any other Person that results in a Member being furnished any such information
shall confer on such Member or any other Member the right in the future to receive such or
similar information or constitute a waiver of, or limitation on, the Fund’s ability to
enforce the limitations set forth in the first sentence of this Section 7.1(d).
Section 7.2 Determinations By the Board of Managers.
(a) All matters concerning the determination and allocation among the Members of the
amounts to be determined and allocated pursuant to Article V hereof, including any taxes
thereon and accounting procedures applicable thereto, shall be determined by the Board of
Managers (either directly or by the Adviser, to the extent consistent with its
administrative functions, pursuant to delegated authority) unless specifically and
expressly otherwise provided for by the provisions of this Agreement or as required by
law, and such determinations and allocations shall be final and binding on all the
Members.
(b) The Board of Managers may make such adjustments to the computation of Net Profit
or Net Loss, the allocation of Net Profit or Net Loss with respect to any Member, or any
components (including any items of income, gain, loss or deduction) comprising any of the
foregoing as it considers appropriate to reflect fairly and accurately the financial
results of the Fund and the intended allocation thereof among the Members.
Section 7.3 Tax Matters.
27
(a) The Fund shall prepare and file a federal information tax return in compliance
with Section 6031 of the Code, and any required state and local income tax and information
returns for each tax year of the Fund.
(b) The Board of Managers shall have the exclusive authority and discretion on behalf
of and in the name of the Fund to (i) prepare and file all necessary tax returns and
statements, pay all taxes, assessments and other impositions applicable to the assets of
the Fund and withhold amounts with respect thereto from funds otherwise distributable to
any Member; (ii) make any and all tax elections permitted to be made under the Code, and
any applicable state, local or foreign tax law; and (iii) determine the tax treatment of
any Fund transaction or item for purposes of completing the Fund’s federal, state, local
or foreign tax returns.
(c) If the Fund is required to withhold taxes on any distribution or payment to, or
pay or incur any tax with respect to any income allocable to or otherwise on account of
any Member, the Fund may withhold such amounts and make such payments to such taxing
authorities as are necessary to ensure compliance with such tax laws.
(d) The Board of Managers intends to treat any Member whose Interest is repurchased
in full as a partner of the Fund for federal income tax purposes until the date of the
Final Payment under Section 4.4 hereof, in respect of the repurchased Interest.
(e) The Board of Managers intends for the Fund to be treated as a partnership for
U.S. federal income tax purposes. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary,
neither the Fund nor the Board of Managers shall make an election (i.e., check-the-box)
under Treasury Regulation Section 301.7701-3 for the Fund to be classified for federal
income tax purposes as an association taxable as a corporation.
(f) The Organizational Member shall be designated on the Fund’s annual federal
information tax return, and have full powers and responsibilities, as the “tax matters
partner” of the Fund for purposes of Section 6231(a)(7) of the Code. In the event the
Fund shall be the subject of an income tax audit by any federal, state or local authority,
to the extent the Fund is treated as an entity for purposes of such audit, including
administrative settlement and judicial review, the tax matters partner shall be authorized
to act for, and its decision shall be final and binding upon, the Fund and each Member
thereof. All expenses incurred in connection with any such audit, investigation,
settlement or review shall be borne by the Fund.
Section 7.4 Valuation of Assets.
(a) Except as may be required by the Investment Company Act, the Fund shall calculate
its Net Asset Value as of the close of business on the last day of each Accounting Period.
Except as may be required by the Investment Company Act, the Managers will value or cause
to have valued any Securities or other assets and liabilities of the Fund in accordance
with such valuation procedures as shall be
28
established from time to time by the Board of Managers and which conform to the
requirements of the Investment Company Act. In determining the value of the assets of the
Fund, no value shall be placed on the goodwill or name of the Fund, or the office records,
files, statistical data or any similar intangible assets of the Fund not normally
reflected in the Fund’s accounting records, but there shall be taken into consideration
any items of income earned but not received, expenses incurred but not yet paid,
liabilities, fixed or contingent, and any other prepaid expenses to the extent not
otherwise reflected in the books of account, and the value of options or commitments to
purchase or sell Securities or commodities pursuant to agreements entered into prior to
such valuation date.
(b) The Net Asset Value of the Fund, including the valuation of the investments in
Portfolio Funds determined pursuant to this Section 7.4, shall be conclusive and binding
on all of the Members and all parties claiming through or under them.
(c) The following guidelines shall apply for purposes of determining the Net Asset
Value of the Fund:
(i) The amount payable to a Member or former Member whose Interest or portion thereof
is repurchased pursuant to Article IV shall be treated as a liability of the Fund, until
paid, from (but not prior to) the beginning of the Accounting Period on the Repurchase Date
for such Interest.
(ii) The amount to be received by the Fund on account of any Capital Contributions
pursuant to Article II shall be treated as an asset of the Fund from (but not before) the
beginning of the Accounting Period on the effective date of such Capital Contributions.
(iii) Distributions made pursuant to Section 5.8, other than as of the beginning of an
Accounting Period, shall be treated as an advance and as an asset of the Fund, until the
beginning of the Accounting Period following the date of distribution.
ARTICLE VIII
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
Section 8.1 Amendment of Limited Liability Company Agreement.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this Section 8.1, this Agreement shall be
amended, in whole or in part, with the approval of a majority of the Board of Managers
(including the vote of a majority of the Independent Managers, if required by the
Investment Company Act), and, if required by the Investment Company Act, the approval of
the Members by such vote as is required by the Investment Company Act.
(b) Any amendment to this Agreement that would:
29
(i) increase the obligation of a Member to make any Capital Contribution;
(ii) reduce the Capital Account of a Member other than in accordance with Article V
hereof; or
(iii) modify the events causing the dissolution of the Fund,
may be made only if (x) the written consent of each Member adversely affected thereby is
obtained prior to the effectiveness thereof or (y) such amendment does not become effective
until (A) each Member has received written notice of such amendment (except an amendment
contemplated in Section 8.1(c)(ii) hereof) and (B) any Member objecting to such amendment
has been afforded a reasonable opportunity (pursuant to such procedures as may be
prescribed by the Board of Managers) to tender his or her entire Interest for repurchase by
the Fund.
(c) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the power of the Board of
Managers to amend this Agreement at any time without the consent of the Members includes,
but is not limited to, the power to:
(i) restate this Agreement together with any amendments hereto which have been duly
adopted in accordance herewith to incorporate such amendments in a single, integrated
document;
(ii) amend this Agreement (other than with respect to the matters set forth in
Section 8.1(b) hereof) to change the name of the Fund in accordance with Section 2.2 hereof
or to effect compliance with any applicable law or regulation or to cure any ambiguity or
to correct or supplement any provision hereof which may be inconsistent with any other
provision hereof; and
(iii) amend this Agreement to make such changes as may be necessary or desirable,
based on advice of legal counsel to the Fund, to assure the Fund’s continuing eligibility
to be classified for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a partnership that is not a
“publicly traded partnership” taxable as a corporation under Section 7704(a) of the Code.
(d) The Board of Managers shall give written notice of any proposed amendment to this
Agreement to each Member, which notice shall set forth (i) the text of the proposed
amendment or (ii) a summary thereof and a statement that the text thereof will be
furnished to any Member upon request.
Section 8.2 Special Power of Attorney.
(a) Each Member hereby irrevocably makes, constitutes and appoints the Adviser and
any liquidator of the Fund’s assets appointed pursuant to Section 6.2 hereof with full
power of substitution, the true and lawful representatives and attorneys-in-fact of, and
in the name, place and stead of, such Member, with the power from time
30
to time to make, execute, sign, acknowledge, swear to, verify, deliver, record, file
and/or publish:
(i) any amendment to this Agreement which complies with the provisions of this
Agreement (including the provisions of Section 8.1 hereof);
(ii) any amendment to the Certificate required because this Agreement is amended or as
otherwise required by the Delaware Act; and
(iii) all other such instruments, documents and certificates which, in the opinion of
legal counsel to the Fund, from time to time may be required by the laws of the United
States of America, the State of Delaware or any other jurisdiction in which the Fund shall
determine to do business, or any political subdivision or agency thereof, or that such
legal counsel may deem necessary or appropriate to effectuate, implement and continue the
valid existence and business of the Fund as a limited liability company under the Delaware
Act.
(b) Each Member is aware that the terms of this Agreement permit certain amendments
to this Agreement to be effected and certain other actions to be taken or omitted by or
with respect to the Fund without such Member’s consent. If an amendment to the
Certificate or this Agreement or any action by or with respect to the Fund is taken in the
manner contemplated by this Agreement, each Member agrees that, notwithstanding any
objection that such Member may assert with respect to such action, the attorneys-in-fact
appointed hereby are authorized and empowered, with full power of substitution, to
exercise the authority granted above in any manner which may be necessary or appropriate
to permit such amendment to be made or action lawfully taken or omitted. Each Member is
fully aware that each Member will rely on the effectiveness of this special
power-of-attorney with a view to the orderly administration of the affairs of the Fund.
(c) This power-of-attorney is a special power-of-attorney and is coupled with an
interest in favor of the Adviser and any liquidator of the Fund’s assets, appointed
pursuant to Section 6.2 hereof, and as such:
(i) shall be irrevocable and continue in full force and effect notwithstanding the
subsequent death or incapacity of any Member granting this power-of-attorney, regardless of
whether the Fund, the Board of Managers or any liquidator shall have had notice thereof;
and
(ii) shall survive the delivery of a Transfer by a Member of all or any portion of
such Member’s Interest, except that where the transferee thereof has been approved by the
Board of Managers for admission to the Fund as a substituted Member, or upon withdrawal of
a Member from the Fund pursuant to a repurchase of Interests or otherwise, this
power-of-attorney given by the transferor shall terminate.
Section 8.3 Notices. Notices that may or are required to be provided under this
Agreement shall be made, if to a Member, by regular mail, hand delivery, registered or certified
mail return receipt requested, commercial courier service, telex, telecopier or other electronic
31
means, or, if to the Fund, the Board of Managers, or the Adviser, in writing and delivered in
person, by registered mail, or courier, and shall be addressed to the respective parties hereto at
their addresses as set forth on the books and records of the Fund (or to such other addresses as
may be designated by any party hereto by notice addressed to the Fund in the case of notice given
to any Member, and to each of the Members in the case of notice given to the Fund). Notices to a
Member shall be deemed to have been provided when delivered by hand, on the date indicated as the
date of receipt on a return receipt or when received if sent by regular mail, commercial courier
service, telex, telecopier or other electronic means. Notices to the Fund, the Board of Managers,
or the Adviser shall be effective on the close of business on the day upon which it is actually
received. A document that is not a notice and that is required to be provided under this Agreement
by any party to another party may be delivered by any reasonable means.
Section 8.4 Agreement Binding Upon Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be
binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective heirs, successors,
assigns, executors, trustees or other legal representatives, but the rights and obligations of the
parties hereunder may not be Transferred or delegated except as provided in this Agreement and any
attempted Transfer or delegation thereof that is not made pursuant to the terms of this Agreement
shall be void.
Section 8.5 Applicability of Investment Company Act and Form N-2. The parties hereto
acknowledge that this Agreement is not intended to, and does not set forth the substantive
provisions contained in the Investment Company Act and the Form N-2 which affect numerous aspects
of the conduct of the Fund’s business and of the rights, privileges and obligations of the Members.
Each provision of this Agreement shall be subject to and interpreted in a manner consistent with
the applicable provisions of the Investment Company Act and the Form N-2.
Section 8.6 Choice of Law; Arbitration.
(a) Notwithstanding the place where this Agreement may be executed by any of the
parties hereto, the parties expressly agree that all the terms and provisions hereof shall
be construed under the laws of the State of Delaware, including the Delaware Act, without
regard to the conflict of law principles of such State.
(b) Each Member agrees to submit all controversies arising between or among Members or
one or more Members and the Fund in connection with the Fund or its businesses or
concerning any transaction, dispute or the construction, performance or breach of this or
any other agreement, whether entered into prior to, on or subsequent to the date hereof, to
arbitration in accordance with the provisions set forth below. Each Member understands
that:
(i) arbitration is final and binding on the parties;
(ii) the parties are waiving their rights to seek remedies in court, including the
right to jury trial;
(iii) pre-arbitration discovery is generally more limited than and different from
court proceedings;
32
(iv) the arbitrator’s award is not required to include factual findings or legal
reasoning and a party’s right to appeal or to seek modification of rulings by arbitrators
is strictly limited; and
(v) a panel of arbitrators will typically include a minority of arbitrators who were
or are affiliated with the securities industry.
(c) All controversies referred in Section 8.6 hereof shall be determined by
arbitration before, and only before, an arbitration panel convened by The Financial
Industry Regulatory Authority, to the fullest extent permitted by law. The parties may
also select any other national securities exchange’s arbitration forum upon which a party
is legally required to arbitrate the controversy, to the fullest extent permitted by law.
Such arbitration shall be governed by the rules of the organization convening the panel,
to the fullest extent permitted by law. Judgment on any award of any such arbitration may
be entered in the Supreme Court of the State of New York or in any other court having
jurisdiction over the party or parties against whom such award is rendered. Each Member
agrees that the determination of the arbitrators shall be binding and conclusive upon
them.
(d) No Member shall bring a putative or certified class action to arbitration, nor
seek to enforce any pre-dispute arbitration agreement against any person who has initiated
in court a putative class action or who is a member of a putative class who has not opted
out of the class with respect to any claims encompassed by the putative class action
unless and until: (i) the class certification is denied; (ii) the class is decertified;
or (iii) the Member is excluded from the class by the court. The forbearance to enforce
an agreement to arbitrate shall not constitute a waiver of any rights under this Agreement
except to the extent stated herein.
Section 8.7 Not for Benefit of Creditors. The provisions of this Agreement are
intended only for the regulation of relations among past, present and future Members, Managers and
the Fund. This Agreement is not intended for the benefit of non-Member creditors and no rights are
granted to non-Member creditors under this Agreement.
Section 8.8 Consents. Any and all consents, agreements or approvals provided for or
permitted by this Agreement shall be in writing and a signed copy thereof shall be filed and kept
with the books of the Fund.
Section 8.9 Merger and Consolidation.
(a) The Fund may merge or consolidate with or into one or more limited liability
companies formed under the Delaware Act or other business entities (as defined in
Section 18-209(a) of the Delaware Act) pursuant to an agreement of merger or consolidation
which has been approved in the manner contemplated by Section 18-209(b) of the Delaware
Act.
(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained elsewhere in this Agreement,
an agreement of merger or consolidation approved in accordance with Section 18-209(b) of
the Delaware Act may, to the extent permitted by
33
Section 18-209(b) of the Delaware Act: (i) effect any amendment to this Agreement,
(ii) effect the adoption of a new limited liability company agreement for the Fund if it
is the surviving or resulting limited liability company in the merger or consolidation, or
(iii) provide that the limited liability company agreement of any other constituent
limited liability company to the merger or consolidation (including a limited liability
company formed for the purpose of consummating the merger or consolidation) shall be the
limited liability company agreement of the surviving or resulting limited liability
company.
Section 8.10 Pronouns. All pronouns shall be deemed to refer to the masculine,
feminine, neuter, singular or plural, as the identity of the person or persons, firm or corporation
may require in the context thereof.
Section 8.11 Confidentiality.
(a) A Member may obtain from the Fund, for any purpose reasonably related to the
Member’s Interest, certain confidential information regarding the business affairs or
assets of the Fund as is just and reasonable under the Delaware Act, subject to reasonable
standards (including standards governing what information and documents are to be
furnished, at what time and location, and at whose expense) established by the Board of
Managers (the “Confidential Information”).
(b) Each Member covenants that, except as required by applicable law or any
regulatory body, it will not divulge, furnish or make accessible to any other person the
name or address (whether business, residence or mailing) of any Member or any other
Confidential Information without the prior written consent of the Board of Managers, which
consent may be withheld in its sole discretion.
(c) Each Member recognizes that in the event that this Section 8.11 is breached by
any Member or any of its principals, partners, members, directors, officers, employees or
agents or any of its Affiliates, including any of such Affiliates’ principals, partners,
members, directors, officers, employees or agents, irreparable injury may result to the
non-breaching Members and the Fund. Accordingly, in addition to any and all other
remedies at law or in equity to which the non-breaching Members and the Fund may be
entitled, such Members and the Fund also shall have the right to obtain equitable relief,
including, without limitation, injunctive relief, to prevent any disclosure of
Confidential Information, plus reasonable attorneys’ fees and other litigation expenses
incurred in connection therewith.
(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Fund shall have
the right to keep confidential from the Members for such period of time as it deems
reasonable any information which the Board of Managers reasonably believes to be in the
nature of trade secrets or other information the disclosure of which the Board of Managers
in good faith believes is not in the best interest of the Fund or could damage the Fund or
its business or which the Fund is required by law or by agreement with a third party to
keep confidential.
34
(e) Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing or anything else contained in this
Agreement to the contrary, except as reasonably necessary to comply with applicable
securities and tax laws, each Member (and any employee, representative or other agent
thereof) shall not disclose to any and all persons, without limitation of any kind, the
tax treatment and tax structure of the offering and ownership of an Interest (including
the tax treatment and tax structure of any Fund transactions) and any transaction
described in this Agreement and all materials of any kind (including opinions and other
tax analyses) that are provided to such Member relating to such tax treatment and tax
structure. For this purpose, “tax structure” means any facts relevant to the federal
income tax treatment of the offering and ownership of Interests (including the tax
treatment and tax structure of any Fund transactions) and any transaction described in
this Agreement, and does not include information relating to the identity of the Fund or
its Affiliates. Nothing in this paragraph shall be deemed to require the Fund to disclose
to any Member any information that the Fund is permitted or is required to keep
confidential in accordance with this Agreement or otherwise.
Section 8.12 Certification of Non-Foreign Status. Each Member or transferee of an
Interest from a Member that is admitted to the Fund in accordance with this Agreement shall
certify, upon admission to the Fund and at such other time thereafter as the Board of Managers may
request, whether he or she is a “United States Person” within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of
the Code on forms to be provided by the Fund, and shall notify the Fund within 30 days of any
change in such Member’s status. Any Member who shall fail to provide such certification when
requested to do so by the Board of Managers may be treated as a non-United States Person for
purposes of U.S. Federal tax withholding.
Section 8.13 Severability. If any provision of this Agreement is determined by a
court of competent jurisdiction not to be enforceable in the manner set forth in this Agreement,
each Member agrees that it is the intention of the Members that such provision should be
enforceable to the maximum extent possible under applicable law. If any provisions of this
Agreement are held to be invalid or unenforceable, such invalidation or unenforceability shall not
affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of this Agreement (or portion
thereof).
Section 8.14 Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement among
the parties hereto pertaining to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and
understandings pertaining thereto. It is hereby acknowledged and agreed that, to the extent
permitted by applicable law, the Fund, without the approval of any Member, may enter into written
agreements with Members affecting the terms hereof or of any application in order to meet certain
requirements of such Members. The parties hereto agree that any terms contained in any such
agreement with a Member shall govern with respect to such Member notwithstanding the provisions of
this Agreement or of any application.
Section 8.15 Discretion. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement
or any agreement contemplated herein or in any provisions of law or in equity, to the fullest
extent permitted by law, whenever in this Agreement a person is permitted or required to make a
decision (i) in its “sole discretion” or “discretion” or under a grant of similar authority or
35
latitude, such person shall be entitled to consider only such interests and factors as it
desires, including its own interests, and shall have no duty or obligation to give any
consideration to any interest of or factors affecting the Fund or the Members, or (ii) in its “good
faith” or under another express standard, then such person shall act under such express standard
and shall not be subject to any other or different standard imposed by this Agreement or any other
agreement contemplated herein or by relevant provisions of law or in equity or otherwise.
Section 8.16 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in several counterparts,
all of which together shall constitute one agreement binding on all parties hereto, notwithstanding
that all the parties have not signed the same counterpart.
Section 8.17 THE UNDERSIGNED ACKNOWLEDGES HAVING READ THIS AGREEMENT IN ITS ENTIRETY BEFORE
SIGNING, INCLUDING THE ARBITRATION CLAUSES SET FORTH IN SECTION 8.6 ON PAGES 32 AND 33 AND THE
CONFIDENTIALITY CLAUSES SET FORTH IN SECTION 8.11 ON PAGES 34 AND 35.
36
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the day and year
first above written.
PARTNERS GROUP (USA), INC.,
By: |
||||
Title: |
ADDITIONAL MEMBERS:
Each person who has signed or has had signed on its behalf a Member Signature Page, which shall
constitute a counterpart hereof.
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MANAGERS:
The undersigned hereby acknowledges that it understands and agrees to the provisions of this
Agreement pertaining to the obligations of Managers.
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