MEMBERSHIP INTEREST PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT by and among HURON CONSULTING GROUP INC., SPELTZ & WEIS LLC, SC HOLDING, LLC, DAVID E. SPELTZ and TIMOTHY C. WEIS Dated as of May 5, 2005
EXHIBIT
2.1
MEMBERSHIP
INTEREST
PURCHASE
AND SALE AGREEMENT
by
and among
XXXXXX
& XXXX LLC,
SC
HOLDING, LLC,
XXXXX
X. XXXXXX
and
XXXXXXX
X. XXXX
Dated
as of May 5, 2005
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Clause |
Page | |
ARTICLE
I |
DEFINITIONS
AND TERMS |
1 |
1.01 |
Specific
Definitions |
1 |
1.02 |
Other
Definitional Provisions |
7 |
ARTICLE
II |
TRANSFER
OF MEMBERSHIP INTERESTS; PURCHASE PRICE AND ADJUSTMENTS |
7 |
2.01 |
Transfer
of Membership Interests |
7 |
2.02 |
Closing
Date Payment; Promissory Notes |
8 |
2.03 |
Working
Capital Adjustment |
8 |
2.04 |
Earn-Out
Payments |
9 |
2.05 |
Sale
Attribution |
11 |
2.06 |
Allocation
of Purchase Price |
12 |
ARTICLE
III |
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY AND SELLERS |
12 |
3.01 |
Organization |
12 |
3.02 |
Authorization |
13 |
3.03 |
Binding
Effect |
13 |
3.04 |
Ownership
of the Company |
13 |
3.05 |
No
Violations |
14 |
3.06 |
Consents
and Approvals |
14 |
3.07 |
Financial
Statements; No Undisclosed Liabilities |
14 |
3.08 |
Engagements |
14 |
3.09 |
Litigation |
15 |
3.10 |
Compliance
with Laws; Permits |
15 |
3.11 |
Contracts |
15 |
3.12 |
Employee
Matters |
16 |
3.13 |
Employee
Benefit Plans |
16 |
3.14 |
Personal
Property |
17 |
3.15 |
Intellectual
Property |
17 |
3.16 |
Insurance |
18 |
3.17 |
Taxes |
18 |
3.18 |
Customers |
18 |
3.19 |
No
Adverse Effects or Changes |
18 |
3.20 |
Brokers
and Finders |
19 |
ARTICLE
IV |
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF PURCHASER |
19 |
4.01 |
Organization |
19 |
4.02 | Authorization |
19 |
- i -
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Clause |
Page | |
4.03 |
Binding
Effect |
20 |
4.04 |
No
Violations |
20 |
4.05 |
Consents
and Approvals |
20 |
4.06 |
Brokers
and Finders |
20 |
4.07 |
Litigation |
20 |
ARTICLE
V |
COVENANTS |
21 |
5.01 |
Conduct
of the Business Pending the Closing |
21 |
5.02 |
Access
to Company Records and Personnel |
21 |
5.03 |
Implementing
Agreement |
21 |
5.04 |
Publicity |
22 |
5.05 |
Professional
Liability Insurance |
22 |
5.06 |
Employee
Matters |
23 |
5.07 |
Tax
Matters |
23 |
5.08 |
Financial
Information Cooperation |
23 |
5.09 |
Non-Competition
Undertaking |
23 |
5.10 |
Post-Closing
Matters |
24 |
ARTICLE
VI |
CONDITIONS
TO CLOSING; TERMINATION |
24 |
6.01 |
General
Conditions |
24 |
6.02 |
Additional
Conditions to Obligations of Sellers |
25 |
6.03 |
Additional
Conditions to Obligations of Purchaser |
25 |
ARTICLE
VII |
CLOSING |
26 |
7.01 |
The
Closing |
26 |
7.02 |
Deliveries
by Sellers |
26 |
7.03 |
Deliveries
by Purchaser |
27 |
ARTICLE
VIII |
TERMINATION |
28 |
8.01 |
Termination |
28 |
8.02 |
Effect
of Termination |
28 |
ARTICLE
IX |
INDEMNIFICATION |
28 |
9.01 |
Indemnification
by Sellers |
28 |
9.02 |
Indemnification
by Purchaser |
29 |
9.03 |
Indemnification
Process |
29 |
9.04 |
Limitations
on Certain Indemnity Payments |
30 |
9.05 |
Survival
of Representations and Warranties |
31 |
9.06 |
Offset
Rights |
31 |
9.07 |
Characterization
of Indemnity Payments |
32 |
- ii
-
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Clause |
Page | |
9.08 |
Mitigation;
Exclusive Remedy |
32 |
ARTICLE
X |
GENERAL
PROVISIONS |
32 |
10.01 |
Transaction
Expenses |
32 |
10.02 |
Notices |
32 |
10.03 |
Amendment;
Assignment |
33 |
10.04 |
Headings
and Schedules |
33 |
10.05 |
Further
Assurances |
33 |
10.06 |
Applicable
Law |
34 |
10.07 |
No
Third Party Rights |
34 |
10.08 |
No
Jury Trial |
34 |
10.09 |
Counterparts |
34 |
10.10 |
Severability |
34 |
10.11 |
Entire
Agreement |
34 |
10.12 |
Waiver |
34 |
10.13 |
Fair
Construction |
34 |
10.14 |
Transfer
Taxes |
35 |
EXHIBITS | ||
Exhibit A-1 | Form of Assignment of Company Membership Interests | |
Exhibit A-2 | Form of Assignment of Holding Membership Interests | |
Exhibit B | Form of Promissory Note | |
Exhibit C | Form of Senior Management Agreement | |
Exhibit D | Form of Opinion of Company Counsel |
- iii -
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
SCHEDULES |
| |
Schedule 1.01(a) | Financial Statements | |
Schedule 1.01(b) | Fixtures and Equipment | |
Schedule 1.01(c) | Managing Directors | |
Schedule 1.01(d) | Sales Attribution Percentage | |
Schedule 2.04 | Earn-Out Multiple | |
Schedule 2.06 | Allocation Schedule | |
Schedule 3.01 | State Qualifications | |
Schedule 3.04 | Percentage Membership Interests | |
Schedule 3.06 | Required Consents | |
Schedule 3.07(b) | Liabilities of the Company | |
Schedule 3.08 | Engagements | |
Schedule 3.09 | Litigation | |
Schedule 3.10(a) | Compliance with Laws | |
Schedule 3.10(b) | Permits | |
Schedule 3.11(a) | Contracts | |
Schedule 3.12 | Employee Matters | |
Schedule 3.13 | Employee Benefit Plans | |
Schedule 3.14 | Seller Owned Assets | |
Schedule 3.15 | Registered Intellectual Property | |
Schedule 3.17 | Insurance | |
Schedule 3.18 | Customers | |
Schedule 3.19 | Adverse Effects or Changes | |
Schedule 4.05 | Purchaser Consents |
- iv -
MEMBERSHIP
INTEREST
PURCHASE
AND SALE AGREEMENT
This
Membership Interest Purchase and Sale Agreement, dated as of May 5, 2005, is by
and among Huron Consulting Group Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Purchaser”),
Xxxxxx & Xxxx LLC, a New Hampshire limited liability company (the
“Company”), SC
Holding, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Holding”), Xxxxx
X. Xxxxxx (“Xxxxxx”) and
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxx (“Weis” and
together with Xxxxxx, collectively, “Sellers”).
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS,
as of the Closing Date, Weis and Holding will own all of the outstanding
membership interests in the Company;
WHEREAS,
as of the Closing Date, Xxxxxx will own all of the outstanding membership
interests in Holding; and
WHEREAS,
Weis desires to sell to Purchaser all of his membership interests in the Company
and Xxxxxx desires to sell to Purchaser all membership interests in Holding, and
Purchaser desires to acquire said membership interests from
Sellers;
NOW
THEREFORE, in consideration of these premises and the mutual undertakings of the
parties set forth herein, the parties hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE
I
DEFINITIONS
AND TERMS
1.01 Specific
Definitions. As used
in this Agreement (including the recitals hereto), the following terms have the
following specified meanings:
“Adjustment
Statement” has the
meaning set forth in Section
2.03(b).
“Advisors” has the
meaning set forth in Section
5.10.
“Affiliate” means,
with respect to any specified Person, (i) any other Person which directly or
indirectly, owns or controls, is under common ownership or control with, or is
owned or controlled by, such specified Person. As used in this definition, the
term “control” means
the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the
direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through ownership
of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.
“Aggregate
Cap” has the
meaning set forth in Section
9.04(b).
“Agreement” means
this Membership Interest Purchase and Sale Agreement, as the same may be amended
or supplemented from time to time in accordance with its terms.
“Allocation
Schedule” has the
meaning set forth in Section
2.06.
“Assignments
of Membership Interests” means
the assignments of membership interests, to be executed and effective as of the
Closing Date, in substantially the form of Exhibits
A-1 and
A-2.
“Base
Working Capital Amount” means
$0.00.
“Business
Day” means
any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banks in New York City
are authorized or obligated by Law or executive order to close.
“Calculation
Periods” has the
meaning set forth in Section
2.04(b).
“Cash
Amount” means
$14,000,000.
“Claim
Notice” has the
meaning set forth in Section 9.03(a).
“Claw-Back
Liabilities” means
Liabilities in respect of fees and/or expenses of the Practice which were paid
to the Company prior to the Closing Date, but which the Company is required to
disgorge or otherwise pay back to a client of the Practice (or its creditors) in
connection with bankruptcy, reorganization or other similar Proceedings
involving the client, net of any accounts realized on allowed claims or other
defenses.
“Closing” means
the closing of the transactions provided for in this Agreement.
“Closing
Date” means
the date on which the Closing occurs.
“Code” means
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“Company” has the
meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.
“Company
Employees” means
the employees/consultants of the Company, other than those who have entered into
a Senior Management Agreement, who are employed by the Company immediately prior
to the Closing.
“Company
Gross Margin” has the
meaning set forth in Section
2.04(b).
“Company
LLC Agreement” means
the Limited Liability Company Agreement of Xxxxxx & Xxxx LLC, originally
dated as of April 11, 2002, between the Company, Weis and Holding, as amended
through the Effective Date.
“Company
Membership Interests” means
the rights and interests of a member of the Company, including those rights and
interests of a member of the Company or of an Economic Interest Owner (as
defined therein), as provided in the Company LLC Agreement.
“Company
Revenue” has the
meaning set forth in Section
2.04(b).
“Completed
Engagements” means
all client engagements, whether written or oral, of the Practice that have been
completed in their entirety prior to the Closing Date.
2
“Confidentiality
Agreement” means
the Confidentiality Agreement, dated January 20, 2005, between Purchaser and the
Company.
“Consent” means
any consent, waiver, approval, authorization, exemption, registration or
declaration.
“Contested
Adjustments” has the
meaning set forth in Section
2.03(b).
“Contract” means
any contract, lease, commitment, understanding, agreement, indenture, mortgage,
note, right, warrant or, instrument, whether written or verbal, which is
intended or purports to be binding and enforceable.
“Cumulative
Earn-Out Payment” has the
meaning set forth in Section
2.04(b).
“Damages” has the
meaning set forth in Section 9.01.
“Deductible” has the
meaning set forth in Section
9.04(a).
“Direct
Claim” has the
meaning set forth in Section 9.03(a).
“Earn-Out
Calculation Statements” has the
meaning set forth in Section
2.04(d).
“Earn-Out
Conditions” has the
meaning set forth in Section
2.04(c).
“Earn-Out
Multiple” has the
meaning set forth in Section
2.04(c).
“Earn-Out
Payments” has the
meaning set forth in Section
2.04(a).
“Earn-Out
Period” has the
meaning set forth in Section
2.04(a).
“ERISA” means
the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.
“ERISA
Affiliate” means,
with respect to any Person, any corporation, trade or business which, together
with such Person, is a member of a controlled group of corporations or a group
of trades or businesses under common control within the meaning of section 414
of the Code.
“Excluded
Liabilities” means
(a) all Liabilities of the Company arising from the conduct of the Practice
prior to the Closing Date, including, (i) all costs and expenses of the Company
incurred incident to the negotiation and preparation of this Agreement and its
performance and compliance with the agreements and conditions hereto, (ii) all
Liabilities arising from the performance of the Completed Engagements or the
In-Process Engagements prior to the Closing Date, (iii) all Liabilities to
employees/consultants of the Company other than as set forth in Section
5.06 and
liabilities arising from the termination of employment or consultancy of any
employee/consultant prior to the Closing, and (iv) all other Liabilities related
to the conduct of the Practice prior to the Closing Date, except Liabilities
reflected in the Final Closing Date Balance Sheet or Liabilities arising in
connection with performance under the Contracts from and after the Closing Date,
and (b) all Liabilities of Holding arising prior to the Closing Date, other than
Liabilities arising under the Holding LLC Agreement.
3
“Final
Closing Date Balance Sheet” has the
meaning set forth in Section
2.03(b).
“Financial
Statements” means
(a) the unaudited financial statements of the Company for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2004, copies of which are set forth in Schedule
1.01(a),
consisting of a balance sheet of the Company at such date and the related
statement of earnings and cash flows for the twelve-month period then ended; and
(b) the unaudited financial statements of the Company for the three-month period
ended March 31, 2005, copies of which are set forth in Schedule
1.01(a),
consisting of a balance sheet of the Company at such date, and the related
statement of earnings and cash flows for the three-month period then
ended.
“Fixtures
and Equipment” means
all of the furniture, fixtures, furnishings, machinery, spare parts, supplies,
equipment and other tangible personal property owned by the Company, wherever
located, including those items set forth on Schedule
1.01(b).
“GAAP” means
U.S. generally accepted accounting principles at the time in
effect.
“Governmental
Authority” means
the government of the United States or any state or political subdivision
thereof and any entity, body or authority exercising executive, legislative,
judicial, regulatory or administrative functions of or pertaining to
government.
“Gross
Margin Target” has the
meaning set forth in Section
2.04(c).
“Holding” has the
meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.
“Holding
LLC Agreement” means
the Limited Liability Company Agreement, dated as of April 29, 2005,
between Holding and Xxxxxx.
“Holding
Membership Interests” means
the rights and interests of a member of Holding, including those rights and
interests of a member of Holding as provided in the Holding LLC
Agreement.
“Huron
Revenue” has the
meaning set forth in Section
2.05(a).
“In-Process
Engagements” means
all client engagements of the Practice, whether written or oral, that are in
process as of the date of this Agreement or the Closing Date.
“Indemnified
Party” has the
meaning set forth in Section 9.03.
“Indemnifying
Party” has the
meaning set forth in Section 9.03.
“Independent
Accountant” has the
meaning set forth in Section
2.03(b).
“Intellectual
Property” means
any and all trademarks, trade names, service marks, patents, copyrights
(including registrations and applications, licenses or rights relating to any of
the foregoing), technology, trade secrets, inventions, know-how, formulae,
computer programs, processes and other intangible assets, properties and
rights.
4
“Judgments” means
any judgments, injunctions, orders, writs, rulings or awards of any court or
other judicial authority or any Governmental Authority of competent
jurisdiction.
“Laws” means
any federal, state, local or foreign law, statute, ordinance, rule, regulation,
order or decree.
“Liability” means
any liability or obligation of any nature, whether known or unknown, accrued,
absolute, contingent or otherwise, and whether due or to become
due.
“Liens” means
all liens, charges, security interests, sureties, options or other encumbrances
whatsoever, other than liens for Taxes not yet due or payable.
“Managing
Directors” means
the individuals identified on Schedule
1.01(c).
“Material
Adverse Effect” means a
material adverse effect on the financial condition, operations, results of
operations or prospects of the Company or on the Company’s, Holding’s or
Sellers’ ability to consummate the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
“Net
Closing Date Working Capital” means
the current assets of the Company less the current liabilities of the Company as
reflected in the Final Closing Date Balance Sheet.
“Permits” means
all permits, authorizations, approvals, registrations, licenses, certificates or
variances granted by or obtained from any federal, state, local or foreign
governmental, administrative or regulatory authority.
“Person” means
an individual, a corporation, a limited liability company, a partnership, an
association, a trust or any other entity or organization.
“Practice” means
the turn-around consulting, business management and other consulting business
conducted by the Company prior to the Closing Date.
“Preliminary
Closing Date Balance Sheet” has the
meaning set forth in Section
2.03(a).
“Proceeding” means
any action, suit, demand, claim or legal, administrative, arbitration or other
alternative dispute resolution proceeding, hearing or
investigation.
“Promissory
Notes” means
the promissory notes, to be executed and effective as of the Closing Date, in
substantially the form of Exhibit
B.
“Purchase
Price” means
(i) the Cash Amount, plus (ii) the aggregate principal amount of the Promissory
Notes, plus (iii) the aggregate amount of the Earn-Out Payments, the Cumulative
Earn-Out Payment and the Sales Attribution Amount earned by Sellers in
accordance with Section
2.04 or
Section
2.05, as the
same may be adjusted in accordance with Section
2.03,
Section
5.05 or
Section
9.07, less
any amount allocated to the undertaking of Sellers in Section
5.09 pursuant
to Schedule
2.06.
“Purchaser” has the
meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.
5
“Purchaser
Indemnified Parties” means
Purchaser, Purchaser’s Affiliates, principals, attorneys, accountants, agents
and employees, and their respective heirs, successors and assigns.
“Related
Agreements” means
the Promissory Notes, the Assignments of Membership Interests, the Senior
Management Agreements, and each other agreement or instrument executed and
delivered in accordance with this Agreement.
“Required
Consents” has the
meaning set forth in Section
3.06.
“Restricted
Period” has the
meaning set forth in Section
5.09(a).
“Restricted
Radius” has the
meaning set forth in Section
5.09(a)(i).
“Sales
Attribution Amount” has the
meaning set forth in Section
2.05(a).
“Sales
Attribution Percentage” means
the percentage set forth on Schedule
1.01(d).
“Seller
Indemnified Parties” means
Sellers and their respective Affiliates, attorneys, accountants, agents and
employees, and their respective heirs, successors and assigns.
“Sellers” has the
meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.
“Sellers’
Benefit Plans” has the
meaning set forth in Section
3.13(a).
“Senior
Management Agreements” means
the Senior Management Agreements, to be executed and effective as of the Closing
Date, in substantially the form of Exhibit
C.
“Separate
Post-Closing Engagement” has the
meaning set forth in Section
5.10.
“Specified
Managing Directors” has the
meaning set forth in Section
6.03(f).
“Xxxxxx” has the
meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.
“Tax
Return” means
any report, return, document, declaration, payee statement or other information
or filing required to be supplied to any Tax authority or any person with
respect to Taxes.
“Tax
Warranties” means
the representations and warranties set forth in Section
3.17.
“Taxes” means
all taxes, however denominated, including any interest or penalties that may
become payable in respect thereof, imposed by any federal, state, local or
foreign government or any agency or political subdivision of any such
government, which taxes shall include all net income, alternative or add-on
minimum tax, gross income, gross receipts, sales, use, goods and services, ad
valorem, earnings, franchise, profits, license, withholding (including all
obligations to withhold or collect for taxes imposed on others), payroll,
employment, excise, severance, stamp, occupation, premium, property, excess
profit or windfall profit tax, custom duty, value added or other tax,
governmental fee or other like assessment or charge of any kind whatsoever,
together with any interest and any penalty, addition to tax, or additional
amount (whether payable directly, by withholding or otherwise).
6
“Third
Party Claim” has the
meaning set forth in Section 9.03(a).
“Title
and Authorization Warranties” means
the representations and warranties set forth in Sections
3.01,
3.02,
3.03,
3.04,
3.05 and 3.06,
4.01,
4.02,
4.03 and
4.04.
“Transaction” has the
meaning set forth in Section
5.10.
“Weis” has the
meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.
1.02 Other
Definitional Provisions.
(a) Any
underscored reference to an Article, Section, clause, Schedule or Exhibit is a
reference to an Article, Section or clause of, or a Schedule or Exhibit to, this
Agreement. The use of the terms “hereunder”, “hereof”, “hereto” and words of
similar import shall refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any
particular Article, Section, or clause of or Exhibit or Schedule to this
Agreement.
(b) Terms
defined in the singular shall have a comparable meaning when used in the plural,
and vice versa.
(c) The words
“include,”
“includes” and
“including” are not
limiting.
(d) The terms
“dollars” and
“$” mean
United States dollars.
(e) The term
“knowledge” means,
with respect to a Seller, the actual knowledge of a Seller, or with respect to
the Company, the actual knowledge of Sellers after diligent inquiry by them of
the Managing Directors of the Company.
ARTICLE
II
TRANSFER
OF MEMBERSHIP INTERESTS;
PURCHASE
PRICE AND ADJUSTMENTS
2.01 Transfer
of Membership Interests.
(a) On the
terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, at the Closing,
Weis shall sell, assign, transfer, and deliver to Purchaser, and Purchaser shall
purchase and acquire from Weis, and take assignment and delivery from Weis, free
and clear of all Liens, the percentage Company Memberships Interest of Weis set
forth opposite Weis’ name on Schedule
3.04(a), which
Company Membership Interests constitute all of the outstanding membership
interests in the Company owned or held by Weis.
(b) On the
terms of subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, at the Closing,
Xxxxxx shall sell, assign, transfer and deliver to Purchaser, and Purchaser
shall purchase and acquire from Xxxxxx, and take assignment and delivery from
Xxxxxx, free and clear of all Liens, the Holding Membership Interests held by
Xxxxxx, which Holding Membership Interests constitutes all of the outstanding
membership interests in Holding.
7
2.02 Closing
Date Payment; Promissory Notes. On the
terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, in
consideration of the transfer of the Company Membership Interests and the
Holding Membership Interests, on the Closing Date, Purchaser shall (i) pay the
Cash Amount to Sellers in proportion to their respective (direct or indirect)
percentage ownership interests in the Company and (ii) deliver to Sellers two
Promissory Notes in the aggregate principal amount of $3,000,000 (with each such
Promissory Note being in such amount as is determined by multiplying such
Seller’s (direct or indirect) percentage ownership interest in the Company by
$3,000,000), and otherwise on the terms and conditions set forth in the form of
Promissory Note set forth in Exhibit
B. The
Cash Amount, and any subsequent payments under the Promissory Notes, shall be
made by means of a wire transfer of immediately available funds to such bank
accounts designated by each Seller on or prior to the date which is no later
than two Business Days prior to the Closing Date, with respect to the payments
due on the Closing Date, or to such other bank accounts as may be designated by
either Seller with respect to any other payments due to such Seller from time to
time.
2.03 Working
Capital Adjustment.
(a) Promptly
following the Closing Date, but in any event within fifteen (15) days thereof,
Sellers shall deliver to Purchaser a balance sheet for the Company as of the
close of business on the Closing Date (the “Preliminary
Closing Date Balance Sheet”). The
Preliminary Closing Date Balance Sheet shall be prepared in a manner which is
consistent with the historical cash basis accounting practices of the Company.
Purchaser shall allow, and shall cause the Company to allow, Sellers full access
to the Company and its personnel and accounting records during normal business
hours for the purpose of preparing the Preliminary Closing Date Balance
Sheet.
(b) Purchaser
shall have fifteen (15) days after delivery of the Preliminary Closing Date
Balance Sheet by Sellers to review the same, and to propose any adjustments
thereto. All adjustments proposed by Purchaser shall be set out in a written
statement delivered to Sellers (the “Adjustment
Statement”) and
shall be incorporated into the Preliminary Closing Date Balance Sheet, except
for such proposed adjustments to which Sellers object within fifteen (15) days
of delivery thereof to Sellers. If Sellers object to the Adjustment Statement
within said fifteen (15) day period (the adjustments to which Sellers object
being referred to herein as the “Contested
Adjustments”),
Purchaser and Sellers shall make the appropriate adjustments to the Purchase
Price (in accordance with Section
2.03(c) with
respect to any uncontested adjustments and shall use reasonable efforts to
resolve their dispute regarding the Contested Adjustments. If a final resolution
thereof is not reached within ten (10) days of Purchaser’s receipt of Sellers’
objections thereto, Purchaser and Seller shall make the appropriate adjustments
to the Purchase Price (in accordance with Section
2.03(c) with
respect to any Contested Adjustments which are no longer in dispute and either
Purchaser or Sellers shall thereafter be entitled to refer any remaining
disputes to a nationally recognized accounting firm acceptable to Purchaser and
Sellers (the “Independent
Accountant”), or in
the absence of agreement on the accounting firm, to Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx LLP. If an
Independent Accountant is retained, each of Purchaser and Sellers shall submit
to the Independent Accountant not later than ten (10) days after its
appointment, a written statement summarizing its position on the Contested
Adjustments, together with such supporting documentation as it deems necessary
or as may be requested by the Independent Accountant. The Independent Accountant
shall be instructed to render its decision as to the Contested Adjustments based
on the terms of this Agreement within thirty (30) days of receipt of the written
positions of Purchaser and Sellers. The decision of the Independent Accountant
as to
8
the
Contested Adjustments shall be final and binding on, and shall not be subject to
appeal by Purchaser or Sellers. The Preliminary Closing Date Balance Sheet shall
be adjusted to reflect the decision of the Independent Accountant as to the
Contested Adjustments, if any, and the other modifications thereto previously
agreed by Purchaser and Sellers (the Preliminary Closing Date Balance Sheet, as
so adjusted, being referred to herein as the “Final
Closing Date Balance Sheet”). The
fees and expenses of the Independent Accountant shall be borne equally by
Purchaser, on the on hand, and Sellers, on the other hand.
(c) The
Purchase Price shall be (i) increased on a dollar-for-dollar basis by the
amount, if any, that the Net Closing Date Working Capital reflected on the Final
Closing Date Balance Sheet exceeds the Base Working Capital Amount or (ii)
decreased on a dollar-for-dollar basis by the amount, if any, that the Net
Closing Date Working Capital reflected on the Final Closing Date Balance Sheet
is less than the Base Working Capital Amount. Purchaser agrees to pay Sellers
(in proportion to their respective ownership interests in the Company) the
amount of any excess determined in accordance with clause
(i) above,
if any, and Sellers agree to pay Purchaser the amount of any deficiency
determined in accordance with clause
(ii) above,
if any, in each case, within three (3) Business Days after the Final Closing
Date Balance Sheet is finally determined in accordance with Section
2.03(b). Said
amount shall be paid with interest at a rate of 4% per annum from (and
including) the Closing Date through (but excluding) the date of payment, by wire
transfer of immediately available funds to such account or accounts as shall be
designated by Purchaser, or Sellers, as the case may be.
2.04 Earn-Out
Payments.
(a) As
additional consideration for the Company Membership Interests and the Holding
Membership Interests, for the three-year period following the first day of the
month immediately following the Closing (collectively referred to herein as, the
“Earn-Out
Period”),
Purchaser shall pay to Sellers with respect to each Calculation Period within
the Earn-Out Period (in proportion to their respective percentage ownership
interests in the Company) such amounts (the “Earn-Out
Payments”) as are
determined in accordance with the following formula:
Earn-Out
Payment = (Company Gross Margin - (Company Revenue x 25%)) x Earn-Out
Multiple
provided
that, in each case, the Earn-Out Conditions have been satisfied for the
applicable Calculation Period. If the Earn-Out Conditions have not been
satisfied for the applicable Calculation Period, then no Earn-Out Payment will
be made with respect to such Calculation Period pursuant to this Section
2.04(a).
(b) As
additional consideration for the Membership Interests, Purchaser shall also pay
Sellers with respect to the entire Earn-Out Period (in proportion to their
respective ownership interests in the Company) an amount (the “Cumulative
Earn-Out Payment”) as is
determined in accordance with the following formula:
Earn-Out
Payment = (Company Gross Margin - (Company Revenue x 25%)) x Earn-Out
Multiple
less the
sum of all Earn-Out Payments previously earned by Sellers pursuant to
Section
2.04(a),
provided that the Earn-Out Conditions have been satisfied for the entire
Earn-Out Period. If the Earn-Out Conditions have not been satisfied for the
entire Earn-Out Period, then no Cumulative Earn-Out Payment will be made
pursuant to this Section
2.04(b).
9
(c) For
purposes of this Section
2.04, the
following additional definitions shall apply:
(i) “Calculation
Periods” with
respect to the Earn-Out Payments means (i) the period beginning on the first day
of the month following the Closing Date and ending on December 31, 2005, (ii)
the twelve-month period beginning on January 1, 2006 and ending on December 31,
2006, (iii) the twelve-month period beginning January 1, 2007 and ending on
December 31, 2007 and (iv) the period beginning on January 1, 2008 and ending in
2008 on the last day of the month in which the Closing Date occurs.
(ii) “Company
Gross Margin” means
Company Revenue for a Calculation Period or the entire Earn-Out Period, as
applicable, less labor and other direct engagement expenses accrued for the
applicable period, including but not limited to salaries, fringe benefits,
incentive compensation, non-reimbursable out-of-pocket expenses (e.g., travel,
housing and other similar expenses not reimbursed by clients or customers) and
contractor payments. For purposes of the computation of Company Gross Margin,
the following expenses shall not be deducted from Company Revenue, (i) expenses
related to long term incentive bonus compensation arrangements, (ii)
out-of-pocket expenses which are reimbursable by clients or customers and (iii)
Earn-Out Payments made or accrued in accordance with this Section
2.04, shall
be excluded. In addition, only inter-company payroll expenses for employees of
other practices of Purchaser and its Affiliates (and non-reimbursable
out-of-pocket expenses and direct benefits expenses attributable to such
employees) seconded to or otherwise engaged on behalf of the Company shall be
included as expenses of the Company for purposes of the calculation of Company
Gross Margin. All other inter-company expenses, including without limitation any
allocated share of accounting, legal, human resources or other overhead items,
shall be excluded from the calculation thereof.
(iii) “Company
Revenue” means
revenue of the Company for a Calculation Period, as determined on an accrual
basis in accordance with GAAP, consistently applied for the Calculation Period.
For purposes of this definition, Company Revenue shall exclude revenue derived
from the reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses by clients or customers of the
Company.
(iv) “Earn-Out
Conditions” means
with respect to a Calculation Period or the entire Earn-Out Period, as
applicable, (i) the Company having achieved or exceeded the Gross Margin Target
for the relevant period, and (ii) the Company Gross Margin for the relevant
period equaling or exceeding 25% of Company Revenue for the relevant
period.
(v) “Earn-Out
Multiple” means
the percentage identified on Schedule
2.04.
(vi) “Gross
Margin Target” means
(i) for any full one-year period within the Earn-Out Period, Company Gross
Margin of $3.0 million (ii) for any partial year period during the Earn-Out
Period, Company Gross Margin of $3.0 million, multiplied by a fraction, the
numerator of which is the number of days in the applicable Calculation Period
and the denominator of which is 365, and (iii) for the entire Earn-Out Period,
Company Gross Margin of $9.0 million.
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(d) Within
sixty (60) days of the end of each Calculation Period within the Earn-Out
Period, Purchaser shall prepare a statement setting forth Purchaser’s
calculation of the amount of the Earn-Out Payment, if any, that is due with
respect to the relevant period, and within sixty (60) days of the end of the
Earn-Out Period, Purchaser shall prepare a statement setting forth Purchaser’s
calculation of the amount of the Cumulative Earn-Out Payment, if any (said
statements being referred to herein as the “Earn-Out
Calculation Statements).”
Concurrently with the delivery of each Earn-Out Calculation Statement, Purchaser
shall pay Sellers the amount of the Earn-Out Payment or Cumulative Earn-Out
Payment, as applicable, reflected thereon by wire transfer of immediately
available funds to such account as shall be designated from time to time by
Sellers. Purchaser shall provide Sellers, in addition to said statements, such
additional documentation and supporting information as may be necessary to allow
Sellers to review and verify Purchaser’s determinations and calculations as
reflected in each such Earn-Out Calculation Statement. If Sellers disagree with
the calculation of the Earn-Out Payment or Cumulative Earn-Out Payment as
reflected in any Earn-Out Calculation Statement, and the parties are unable to
resolve said dispute within thirty (30) days of the delivery of any Earn-Out
Calculation Statement, either party shall be entitled to refer the dispute to
the Independent Accountant for resolution in accordance with the procedures set
forth in Section
2.03(b). The
decision of the Independent Accountant as to the disputed items shall be final
and binding on the parties, and shall not be subject to appeal by Purchaser or
Sellers.
(e) During
the Earn-Out Period, appropriate measures will be taken by Purchaser to ensure
that the Company continues to generate separate financial statements for the
Company sufficient to allow the Earn-Out Payments to be reviewed and calculated
in accordance with this Agreement. In addition, during the Earn-Out Period,
without prior consultation with the Practice Leader of the Company, no Company
Employee or Managing Director shall be transferred or assigned to work for a
separate practice or division of Purchaser. Should a dispute arise between the
Company Practice Leader and a Practice Leader of another practice group of
Purchaser, as to whether a Company Employee or Managing Director should be
transferred or assigned to work for a separate practice or division of
Purchaser, the dispute shall be submitted to the Chief Executive Officer of
Purchaser or his designee for resolution, and the resolution of the Chief
Executive Officer or his designee shall be final. During the Earn-Out Period,
the Practice Leader of the Company shall be designated by the Chief Executive
Officer of Purchaser from among the Managing Directors.
2.05 Sale
Attribution.
(a) As
additional consideration for the Company Membership Interests and the Holding
Membership Interests, Purchaser shall pay to Sellers (in proportion to their
respective percentage ownership interests in the Company), an amount (the
“Sales
Attribution Amount”) equal
to the Sales Attribution Percentage multiplied by the Huron Revenue achieved
during the Earn-Out Period which is derived from referrals made by Sellers or
other employees of the Practice from pre-existing (i.e., existing as of or prior
to the Closing Date) relationships of the Company and its employees. For
purposes hereof, the term “Huron
Revenue” means
amounts earned by Purchaser and its Affiliates (other than the Company) during
the Earn-Out Period in respect of customer or client engagements. For purposes
hereof, Huron Revenue shall exclude revenue derived from the reimbursement of
out-of-pocket expenses by clients or customers of Purchaser and its
Affiliates.
11
(b) The Sales
Attribution Amount shall be calculated by Purchaser with respect to each
Calculation Period, and shall be paid concurrently with the payment of the
Earn-Out Payments, if any, for the relevant period or if no Earn-Out Payment is
paid during any such period, within sixty (60) days after the end of the
applicable period; provided, however, that notwithstanding anything herein to
the contrary, the Sales Attribution Amount to which Sellers may become entitled
in respect of any Calculation Period shall only be paid with respect to that
Calculation Period if the Huron Revenue upon which the amount is based is
actually paid to Purchaser or its Affiliates during the applicable Calculation
Period, and if the corresponding Huron Revenue is not paid to Purchaser or its
Affiliates during the Calculation Period, payment of the Sales Attribution
Amount shall be deferred until the payments are made by Purchaser with respect
to the Calculation Period during which the Huron Revenue was actually paid to
Purchaser or its Affiliates.
(c) Any
dispute related to the calculation of the Sales Attribution Amount shall be
resolved in accordance with the procedures specified in Section
2.04(d) for the
resolution of disputes related to the Earn-Out Calculation
Statements.
2.06 Allocation
of Purchase Price. Sellers
and Purchaser agree to treat the sale of the Company Membership Interests and
Holding Membership Interests contemplated herein for federal and state income
Tax purposes as a sale by Sellers of partnership interests in the Company, and a
purchase by Purchaser of the Company’s assets, as prescribed by Revenue Ruling
99-6. Seller and Purchaser agree that the Purchase Price as may be adjusted by
Section
2.03
(including assumed liabilities) will be allocated among the assets of the
Company in accordance with Schedule
2.06 (the
“Allocation
Schedule”). The
parties agree not to take any position inconsistent with the Allocation Schedule
for Tax reporting purposes. Any adjustment to the purchase price shall be
allocated as provided by Treas. Reg. §1.1060-1(c).
ARTICLE
III
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES
OF
THE COMPANY AND SELLERS
The
Company and Sellers jointly and severally represent and warrant to Purchaser
that the statements contained in this Article III are
correct and complete at and as of the date of this Agreement and will be correct
and complete at and as of the Closing Date as though restated on and as of such
date (except in the case of any representation or warranty that by its terms is
made as of a date specified therein, in which case such representation or
warranty shall be true and correct as of such date):
3.01 Organization.
(a) The
Company is a limited liability company duly organized, validly existing and in
good standing under the Laws of the State of New Hampshire, with all requisite
power and authority to carry on the Practice as it is now being conducted and in
the places where the Practice is now conducted or operated. The Company is duly
licensed or qualified to do business and is in good standing as a foreign
limited liability company in each jurisdiction where the conduct of the Practice
requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified or
licensed or in good standing, as the case may be, would not
12
reasonably
be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The states in which the
Company is qualified or licensed to do business are set forth on Schedule
3.01. The
Company has no direct or indirect subsidiaries and does not hold any ownership
interest in any Person.
(b) Holding
is a limited liability company duly organized, validly existing and in good
standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with all requisite power and
authority to conduct its business as it is now conducted or operated. Holding is
duly licensed or qualified to do business and is in good standing as a foreign
limited liability company in each jurisdiction where the conduct of its business
or the ownership of its assets requires such qualification, except where the
failure to be so qualified or licensed or in good standing, as the case may be,
would not reasonably
be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
3.02 Authorization. Each
Seller, Holding and the Company has the right, power and capacity to execute and
deliver this Agreement and each of the Related Agreements to which it is or will
become a party and to perform its respective obligations under this Agreement
and any Related Agreements to which it is or will become a party and to
consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby. The execution and
delivery of this Agreement by the Company and Holding and the execution and
delivery of each Related Agreement to which it is or will become a party and the
performance by the Company and Holding of its obligations hereunder and
thereunder and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and
thereby are within the powers of the Company and Holding, as applicable, and
have been duly and validly authorized and approved by all necessary limited
liability company action.
3.03 Binding
Effect. This
Agreement has been, and on the Closing Date each of the Related Agreements to
which each Seller, Holding or the Company is or will become a party will have
been, duly and validly executed and delivered by the Company, Holding or
Sellers, as applicable. This Agreement constitutes the legal, valid and binding
obligation of the Company, Holding and each Seller, and each Related Agreement
to which the Company, Holding or either Seller is or becomes a party, when
executed and delivered, will constitute the legal, valid and binding obligation
of the Company, Holding or such Seller, as applicable, in each case, enforceable
against such party in accordance with its terms.
3.04 Ownership
of the Company. All of
the Company Membership Interests are, or as of the Closing Date, will be owned
beneficially and of record by Weis and Holding free and clear of all Liens and
in the percentages specified on Schedule
3.04. All
Holding Membership Interests are, or as of the Closing Date, will be owned
beneficially and of record by Xxxxxx free and clear of all Liens. Sellers have
made available to Purchaser true and correct copies of Company’s and Holding’s
certificates of organization, the Company LLC Agreement and the Holding LLC
Agreement, in each case, as amended through the date hereof. Except for the
Company Membership Interests transferred to Purchaser pursuant to this
Agreement, there are no outstanding ownership or voting interests in the Company
(other than those held by Holding), and there are no options, warrants, calls,
instruments or other rights of any character which would give a third party the
right to acquire any interest in the Company or Holding. The execution and
delivery of the Assignments of Membership Interests at Closing will be
sufficient to transfer (i) the entire legal and beneficial membership interests
of Weis in the Company to Purchaser free and clear of all Liens and (ii) the
entire legal and beneficial membership interests of Xxxxxx in Holding to
Purchaser free and clear of all Liens. As of the Closing Date, Weis
and
13
Holding
will be the only members or holders of any other economic or other interest in
the Company.
3.05 No
Violations. Subject
to the receipt of the Required Consents, the execution, delivery and performance
by the Company, Holding and each Seller of this Agreement and each of the
Related Agreements to which each of them is or will become a party, and the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and such Related
Agreements, do not and will not (i) conflict with or violate any provision of
Company’s or Holding’s organizational documents, (ii) conflict with, result in
the breach of, constitute a default under, result in the termination,
modification or acceleration of any right or obligation of the Company or
Holding under, or give any other party any right to terminate, modify or
accelerate (whether after the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both) any
right or obligation of the Company or Holding under any Contract or result in
the creation of any Lien upon any of the Company’s assets, or (iii) violate
or result in a breach of or constitute a default under any Law or Judgment
applicable to the Practice or any Permit necessary for the conduct of the
Practice as currently conducted.
3.06 Consents
and Approvals. Except
for the Consents described in Schedule
3.06 (the
“Required
Consents”), no
Consent is required to be obtained by the Company, Holding or Sellers from, and
no notice or filing is required to be given by the Company, Holding or Sellers
to, or made by the Company, Holding or Sellers with, any federal, state, local,
foreign or other Governmental Authority or other Person in connection with the
execution, delivery and performance by the Company, Holding and Sellers of this
Agreement and each of the Related Agreements to which each of them is or will
become a party and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement and Related Agreements.
3.07 Financial
Statements; No Undisclosed Liabilities.
(a) The
Financial Statements are correct and complete and accurately reflect the cash
receipts and cash disbursements of the Company, and are consistent with the
books and records of the Company as at the respective dates of, and for the
periods referred to in, the Financial Statements, applied consistently through
the periods involved.
(b) To the
best of Sellers’ and the Company’s knowledge, there are no Liabilities of the
Company, whether accrued, absolute or otherwise, except for Liabilities (i)
reflected in the most recent balance sheet included in the Financial Statements,
(ii) incurred in the ordinary course after the date of said balance sheet
consistent with past practice, (iii) arising under Contracts listed on
Schedule
3.11(a) or (iv)
described on Schedule
3.07(b).
(c) There are
no Liabilities of Holding, whether accrued, absolute, contingent, or otherwise,
except for Liabilities (i) arising under the Holding LLC Agreement and (ii) de
minimus Liabilities arising from its formation.
3.08 Engagements. Except
as set forth in Schedule 3.08, all
services provided by the Company under the Completed Engagements and In-Process
Engagements have in all material respects been in conformity with all applicable
commitments and all express and implied warranties under the Completed
Engagements and In-Process Engagements, and the Company has not been negligent
in the provision of any such services.
14
3.09 Litigation.
(a) Except
as set forth on Schedule
3.09, to the
knowledge of Sellers or the Company, there are no Proceedings pending or
threatened against the Practice, Holding, the Company or any of its officers,
directors, employees or agents in their capacity as such, and neither Sellers
nor the Company have received written notice from a third party asserting facts
or circumstances which are reasonably likely to give rise to the initiation of a
Proceeding against the Company although Purchaser acknowledges that the
Company’s clients are in financial distress and so facts and circumstances exist
that may give rise to a Proceeding by the Company’s clients that could involve
the Company and the Practice. Except as set forth on Schedule
3.09, neither
the Company nor Holding is subject to any Judgment; provided,
however, that a
number of the clients of the Practice are subject to Judgments. Except as set
forth on Schedule
3.09, the
Company has not entered into any agreement to settle or compromise any
Proceeding pending or threatened against it which has involved any obligation
other than the payment of money for which the Company has no continuing
obligation.
(b) There is
no Proceeding pending or, to the Company’s and Sellers’ knowledge, threatened by
or against Sellers, Holding or the Company that seeks to enjoin or obtain
damages in respect of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
3.10 Compliance
with Laws; Permits.
(a) Except
as set forth on Schedule 3.10(a), (i) to
the best of Sellers’ and the Company’s knowledge, the Practice has at all times
been conducted in compliance with applicable Laws (ii) neither the Company
nor any Seller has received any notification from any Governmental Authority or
other Person, alleging that the Practice is being conducted in violation of any
applicable Law or seeking to restrict or impose limitations on the operation of
the Practice.
(b) Schedule
3.10(b) sets
forth an accurate and complete list of all material Permits held by the Company.
All such Permits are in full force and effect and, except as set forth on
Schedule
3.10(b), will
not be affected by the sale of the Company Membership Interests and/or Holding
Membership Interests to Purchaser. Except for such Permits set forth on
Schedule
3.10(b), there
are no Permits needed by the Company which are necessary to conduct the Practice
as it is currently being conducted.
3.11 Contracts.
(a) Schedule
3.11(a) sets
forth an accurate and complete list of all material Contracts of the following
types to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound, or to which its
assets are subject:
(i) any
employment or other Contract of any kind with an employee, officer or member of
the Company or any of their Affiliates, other than any such Contract identified
on Schedule
3.13;
(ii) any loan
agreement, credit facility or other similar Contract pursuant to which the
Company has made or will make any loans or advances, or has or will incur debts
or become a guarantor or surety or pledged its credit on behalf of or otherwise
become responsible with respect to an undertaking by another Person (except for
the negotiation or collection of negotiable instruments in transactions in the
ordinary course);
15
(iii) any
Contract involving a partnership, joint venture, or other cooperative
undertaking;
(iv) any
Contract involving any restriction with respect to the geographic area of
operations or scope or type of business of the Company;
(v) any
Contract involving the provision of consulting or other services by or on behalf
of the Company;
(vi) any
Contract for the lease of real or personal property and, in the case of personal
property, involving the payment of in excess of $50,000 in any
year;
(vii) all
Contracts by which the Company licenses the Intellectual Property of any other
Person or by which the Company licenses its Intellectual Property to another
Person;
(viii) any
Contract that requires the Company to obtain the consent of a third party upon
the occurrence of a change of control or which gives a third party a right of
termination upon the occurrence of a change of control; and
(ix) any
Contract not identified above which is material to the Company or which is not
in the ordinary course of the Company’s business.
(b) Sellers
have delivered to Purchaser accurate and complete copies of each Contract set
forth on Schedule
3.11(a). Each
such Contract is a legal, valid, binding, obligation of the Company and, to the
knowledge of the Company and Sellers, the other Persons party thereto and is
enforceable and in full force and effect. To the knowledge of the Company and
Sellers, (i) no party to any such Contract is in breach or default thereof, and
(ii) no event has occurred which, with notice or lapse of time, would constitute
a breach or default, or permit termination, modification or acceleration under
any such Contract. Other than the Holding LLC Agreement, this Agreement and any
Contract excluded by Holding in connection herewith, Holding is not a party to
any Contract.
3.12 Employee
Matters.
Schedule 3.12 sets
forth an accurate list of the names, titles, annual compensation and all bonus
and similar payments made with respect to such individual for the current and
preceding fiscal year for all officers and employees of the Company. Except as
set forth on Schedule
3.12, to the
knowledge of Sellers, none of the individuals listed on Schedule
3.12 who
remain employed by the Company as of the date of this Agreement intends to
terminate his or her employment with the Company within the next six months.
There are no employees of Holding.
3.13 Employee
Benefit Plans.
(a) Schedule
3.13 contains
a list of each employee benefit plan, program, policy or arrangement maintained
by or contributed to by the Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates or with
respect to which the Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates may have any
liability (collectively, the “Sellers’
Benefit Plans”). An
accurate and complete copy of each Sellers’ Benefit Plan and all Contracts
related thereto, or the funding thereof, each as in effect on
16
the date
hereof, has been supplied to Purchaser. Holding does not now have and never has
had any employees or employee benefit plans.
(b) Compliance
with Law. With
respect to each Sellers’ Benefit Plan:
(i) Each
Sellers’ Benefit Plan complies and has been administered in form and in
operation in all material respects in accordance with its terms and with all
applicable requirements of Law and to the best of Sellers’ and the Company’s
knowledge no event has occurred which will or could cause any such Sellers’
Benefit Plan to fail to comply with such requirements and no notice has been
issued by any Governmental Authority questioning or challenging such
compliance.
(ii) There
have been no “prohibited transactions” (as described in section 406 of ERISA or
section 4975 of the Code) with respect to any Sellers’ Benefit Plan and none of
Sellers, the Company, Honding or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates has
engaged in any prohibited transaction.
(iii) To the
best of Sellers’ and the Company’s knowledge, there have been no acts or
omissions by any of Sellers, the Company or any of their ERISA Affiliates which
have given rise to or may give rise to interest, fines, penalties, taxes or
related charges under section 502 of ERISA or Chapters 43, 47, 68 or 100 of the
Code for which Sellers, Honding, the Company or any of their ERISA Affiliates
may be liable.
(iv) None of
the payments contemplated by Sellers’ Benefit Plans would, in
the aggregate, whether alone or together with any other payments, constitute
excess parachute payments (as defined in section 280G of the Code (without
regard to subsection (b)(4) thereof)).
(v) There are
no actions, suits or claims (other than routine claims for benefits) pending or
to the best of Sellers’ and the Company’s knowledge, threatened involving any
Sellers’ Benefit Plan or the assets thereof and no facts exist which could give
rise to any such actions, suits or claims (other than routine claims for
benefits).
(vi) None of
Sellers’ Benefit Plans is an employee pension plan (within the meaning of
Section 3(2) of ERISA).
3.14 Personal
Property.
Schedule
1.01(b) sets
forth an accurate and complete list of all Fixtures and Equipment owned by the
Company having an original acquisition cost of $5,000 or greater. The Company
has good and valid title to the Fixtures and Equipment. Except for the Fixtures
and Equipment, the tangible personal property leased by the Company and tangible
personal property made available to the Company by its clients or owned by
Sellers and described on Schedule
3.14, the
Company does not regularly make use of any material amount of tangible personal
property necessary for the conduct of the Practice.
3.15 Intellectual
Property.
Schedule
3.15 sets
forth an accurate and complete list of all registered Intellectual Property
owned by the Company. The products and services sold by the Company, and any
processes, methodologies, processes, and other Intellectual
Property
17
employed
by it do not, to the best of Sellers’ and the Company’s knowledge, infringe any
Intellectual Property or confidential or proprietary right of another
Person.
3.16 Insurance.
Schedule
3.16 sets
forth an accurate and complete list of all policies of insurance owned or held
by the Company, true and complete copies of which have been delivered to
Purchaser. All such policies are in full force and effect, all premiums with
respect thereto covering all periods up to and including the date hereof or
Closing Date, as applicable, have been paid, and no notice of cancellation or
termination has been received with respect to any such policy. To the best of
Sellers’ and the Company’s knowledge, such policies are sufficient to comply
with all requirements of Law and of any Contract to which the Company is a
party.
3.17 Taxes.
(a) All Tax
Returns required to be filed by or with respect to the Company or Holding
through the Closing Date have been or will be accurately prepared, and have been
or will be duly and timely filed, and all Taxes for which the Company or Holding
may be held liable (including Taxes withheld from employees’ salaries and all
other withholding Taxes and obligations and all deposits required to be made by
or with respect to the Company or Holding with respect to such withholding Taxes
or otherwise), have been or will be timely paid, or to the extent not due and
payable as of the Closing Date, adequate provision for the payment thereof has
been or will be made on the financial statements or the books of account of the
Company or Holding.
(b) There are
no Tax Liens (other than Liens for current Taxes not yet due and payable) upon
the properties or assets of either the Company or Holding.
(c) The
Company and Holding are currently, and have at all times been, classified for
federal income tax purposes as either a partnership or a disregarded entity.
Neither the Company nor Holding has made an election pursuant to Treas. Reg. §
301.7701-3(c) to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation for
federal income tax purposes.
(d) Neither
Seller is a “foreign person” as defined in Section 1445(f)(3) of the Code, and
the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
(e) Neither
the Company nor Holding is a party to any Tax sharing agreement.
3.18 Customers.
Schedule
3.18 sets
forth the identity of the five largest customers of the Company for the most
recently completed fiscal year, and the revenues derived from each such customer
for said period. Except as set forth on Schedule
3.18, since
January 1, 2005, (i) there has been no adverse change in the business
relationship with any such customer, (ii) there has been no material dispute
between the Company and any such customer, and (iii) no such customer has
indicated that it intends to terminate or reduce the level of services to be
provided to it by the Company.
3.19 No
Adverse Effects or Changes. Except
as set forth on Schedule
3.19, since
January 1, 2005, the Company has conducted the Practice in all material respects
only in the ordinary course and consistent with past practice. Without limiting
the foregoing, except as set forth on Schedule
3.19, since
January 1, 2005, the Company has not:
18
(a) suffered
a Material Adverse Effect;
(b) suffered
any material damage, destruction or loss to any of its assets (whether or not
covered by insurance);
(c) sold,
transferred, conveyed, assigned or otherwise disposed of any of its material
assets or rights;
(d) materially
increased the compensation paid or benefits available to its
employees;
(e) amended
the LLC Agreement, except to permit Holding to become a member of the Company
and to allow Xxxxxx Consulting, LLC to withdraw as a member and to allow the
sale of the Membership Interests contemplated herein;
(f) cancelled
any debts or affirmatively waived any claims or rights of substantial value;
(g) made any
changes to its accounting policies, principles or practices;
(h) made any
Tax election or settle or compromised any federal, state or local Tax liability,
or waived or extend any statute of limitation in respect of any Taxes;
or
(i) in any
other manner, modified or altered the fundamental nature of the
Practice.
3.20 Brokers
and Finders. There
is no investment banker, broker, finder or other intermediary that has been
retained by or is authorized to act on behalf of the Company or Sellers who
might be entitled to any fee or commission from Purchaser in connection with the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
ARTICLE
IV
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF PURCHASER
Purchaser
represents and warrants to Sellers that the statements contained in this
Article IV are
correct and complete at and as of the date of this Agreement and will be correct
and complete at and as of the Closing Date as though restated on and as of such
date (except in the case of any representation or warranty that by its terms is
made as of a date specified therein, in which case such representation or
warranty shall be true and correct as of such date):
4.01 Organization.
Purchaser is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing
under the Laws of the State of Delaware and is duly qualified to do business in
each jurisdiction where the nature of its business requires such
qualification.
4.02 Authorization. The
execution, delivery and performance by Purchaser of this Agreement and each of
the Related Agreements to which Purchaser is or will become a party and the
consummation by Purchaser of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby
are within
19
Purchaser’s
powers and have been duly and validly authorized by all necessary action of
Purchaser.
4.03 Binding
Effect. This
Agreement has been, and on the Closing Date each of the Related Agreements to
which Purchaser is or will become a party will have been, duly and validly
executed and delivered by Purchaser. This Agreement is, and on the Closing Date
each of the Related Agreements to which it is or will be a party will be, the
legal, valid and binding obligations of Purchaser, enforceable against Purchaser
in accordance with their respective terms.
4.04 No
Violations. The
execution, delivery and performance by Purchaser of this Agreement and each of
the Related Agreements to which Purchase is or will become a party, and the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Related
Agreements, do not and will not (i) conflict with or violate any provision
of Purchaser’s Articles of Incorporation or By-Laws, (ii) conflict with, result
in the breach of, constitute a default under, result in the termination,
modification or acceleration of any right or obligation of Purchaser under, or
give any other party any right to terminate, modify or accelerate (whether after
the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both) any right or obligation of
Purchaser under, any agreement, contract, lease, purchase and sale order,
arrangement, commitment or license to which Purchaser is a party or by which
Purchaser or any of its assets or properties is bound or affected or
(iii) violate or result in a breach of or constitute a default under, any
Law or Judgment applicable to Purchaser or by which Purchaser or any of its
assets or properties is bound or affected, except in the cases of clauses
(ii) and
(iii), for any
conflict, breach, default, termination, cancellation, acceleration, violation or
Lien that, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to
materially impair Purchaser’s ability to consummate the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
4.05 Consents
and Approvals. Except
for the Consents described on Schedule
4.05, no
Consent is required to be obtained by Purchaser from, and no notice or filing is
required to be given by Purchaser to or made by Purchaser with, any federal,
state, local, foreign or other Governmental Authority or other Person in
connection with the execution, delivery and performance by Purchaser of this
Agreement and each of the Related Agreements to which Purchaser is or will
become a party and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement and such Related Agreements.
4.06 Brokers
and Finders. There
is no investment banker, broker, finder or other intermediary that has been
retained by or is authorized to act on behalf of Purchaser who might be entitled
to any fee or commission from Sellers in connection with the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
4.07 Litigation. There
is no Proceeding pending or, to Purchaser’s knowledge, threatened against
Purchaser that seeks to enjoin or obtain damages in respect of the consummation
of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
20
ARTICLE
V
COVENANTS
5.01 Conduct
of the Business Pending the Closing. During
the period from the date of this Agreement through the Closing Date, except as
otherwise contemplated by this Agreement or as Purchaser shall otherwise agree
in writing in advance, the Company shall, and Sellers shall cause the Company
to, conduct the Practice in the ordinary and usual course of business in a
manner consistent with past custom and practice, and shall use all commercially
reasonable efforts to preserve intact its present business organization, to make
available to Purchaser the services of the employees of the Company, to preserve
the goodwill and relationships with clients and others having business dealings
with the Practice, to perform in all material respects all of its obligations
under the In-Process Engagements and Contracts, and to cause the Practice to
comply in all material respects with all applicable Laws. Without limiting the
foregoing, during the period from the date of this Agreement through the Closing
Date, except with the consent of Purchaser, or as expressly contemplated hereby,
none of the Company, Holding or Sellers shall take any action that would cause
the representations and warranties set forth in Section
3.19 to be
inaccurate in any material respect without modification of the relevant
disclosure schedule.
5.02 Access
to Company Records, Personnel, Customers. The
Company shall, and Sellers shall cause the Company to, prior to the Closing
Date, permit Purchaser and its employees and representatives to have reasonable
access to the books and records of the Company, during normal business hours and
upon reasonable notice, and shall make the officers and employees of the Company
available to Purchaser as Purchaser and its employees and representatives shall
from time to time reasonably request. In addition, prior to the Closing Sellers
shall arrange for Purchaser to have access to the chairman of the largest client
of Purchaser, Saint Vincent’s Catholic Medical Centers of New York, for the
purpose of discussing that customer’s future relationship with the Company. From
time to time, prior to the Closing, Sellers shall disclose in writing to
Purchaser any matter which, if existing or known prior to the date of this
Agreement, would have been required to be disclosed to Purchaser or which would
render inaccurate any of the representations or warranties set forth in
Article
III. No
information provided to Purchaser pursuant to this Section
5.02 shall be
deemed to cure any breach or inaccuracy of any representation or warranty of the
Company or Sellers for purposes of Schedule 6.03(a), but if,
notwithstanding the disclosure of said information, Purchaser elects to proceed
with the Closing, the information shall be deemed to modify the representations
and warranties to which the disclosure applies for the purposes of Article
IX.
5.03 Implementing
Agreement.
(a) Each of
the parties hereto agrees to use reasonable commercial efforts to take, or cause
to be taken, all action, and do or cause to be done, and to assist and cooperate
with the other parties hereto in doing all things reasonably necessary, proper
and advisable to consummate and make effective, in the most expeditious manner
practicable, the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including, without
limitation, obtaining all Consents, including the Required Consents, from
Governmental Authorities and other Persons required for the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby, and the making of all necessary registrations
and filings with, or to avoid the initiation of any Proceeding by, any
Governmental Authority.
21
(b) Each
party agrees to consult with the other parties with respect to the obtaining of
all Consents necessary or advisable to consummate the transactions contemplated
hereby, and to keep the other parties apprised of the status of matters related
to the completion of the transactions contemplated hereby.
(c) In the
event any Proceeding is initiated by a Governmental Authority or other Person
that questions the validity or legality of the transactions contemplated hereby
or seeks to enjoin said transactions, the parties agree to cooperate in good
faith and use commercially reasonable efforts to defend against such Proceeding,
and if an injunction or other order is issued in any such Proceeding, to use
commercially reasonable efforts to have such order or injunction
lifted.
5.04 Publicity.
(a) Except
as required by Law or the rules or regulations of any stock exchange, none of
the Company, Holding, Sellers or Purchaser shall issue any press release or
public announcement of any kind concerning the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, or otherwise disclose the contents hereof to any Person other than
its employees, agents, legal and financial advisors without the prior consent of
the other parties, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, after the transactions contemplated hereby have
been announced, Purchaser shall be entitled to respond to analysts questions in
the ordinary course in a manner consistent with any previous disclosure made in
accordance with this Section
5.04, and,
make such public announcement, release or disclosure as is required by Law or
the rules or regulations of a stock exchange. Prior to the dissemination of any
press release or other public announcement, the parties will consult with one
another and use their best efforts to agree upon a mutually satisfactory text.
Between the date hereof and the Closing Date, the Company, Sellers and Purchaser
shall develop a process for communication with customers, suppliers and
employees of the Company and other Persons who maintain a similar business or
commercial relationship with the Company with respect to the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
(b) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary in this Agreement, any party hereto (and any of its
officers, directors, employees, agents or other representatives) may disclose to
any and all Persons, without limitation of any kind, the tax treatment and tax
structure (each as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.6011-4) of the
transactions contemplated hereby and all materials of any kind (including
opinions and other tax analyses) that are provided to it related to such tax
treatment and tax structure, except to the extent that maintaining such
confidentiality is necessary to comply with applicable federal or state
securities laws. To the extent not inconsistent with the immediately preceding
sentence, the foregoing authorization does not extend to disclosure of
information, including (i) the identities of the parties or potential
participants in the transactions contemplated hereby, (ii) the existence or
status of any negotiations, or any other term or detail, or portion of any
documents or other materials, not related to the tax treatment or tax structure
of the transactions contemplated hereby.
5.05 Professional
Liability Insurance. Prior
to Closing, the Company shall obtain a “tail insurance” professional liability
insurance policy providing coverage for the operation of the Company with
respect to periods prior to the Closing Date (and providing for two years of
coverage following the expiration of the current policy) that (a) provides not
less than $2,000,000 of insurance coverage, (b) names Purchaser, Xxxxxx and Weis
as additional
22
beneficiaries
thereof and (c) contains such other terms and conditions that are reasonably
satisfactory to Purchaser and Sellers. The
Purchase Price shall be increased by one-half (½) the costs of the tail
insurance (and the insurance will not be reflected in the Preliminary Closing
Date Balance Sheet or Final Closing Date Balance Sheet, either as an asset or a
liability).
5.06 Employee
Matters. From
and after the Closing Date, the Company shall continue to employ the Company
Employees on terms and conditions of employment that apply to similarly situated
employees of Purchaser, as determined by Purchaser in its sole discretion,
subject to the Company’s right to terminate the employment of any Company
Employee at any time. From and after the Closing Date, the terms and conditions
of employment of any Managing Director shall be governed by the terms of such
Managing Director’s Senior Management Agreement.
5.07 Tax
Matters. Sellers
shall not cause the Company to make any Tax election or settle or compromise any
federal, state or local Tax liability, or waive or extend any statute of
limitation in respect of any Taxes without the prior written permission of
Purchaser.
5.08 Financial
Information Cooperation. From
and after the date hereof, Sellers shall cooperate with Purchaser in the
preparation, review and audit of financial statements and other financial
information regarding the Practice that is required to be included in the
financial reports and other public disclosures of Purchaser pursuant to
Regulations S-X and S-K promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, in connection with
the transaction contemplated hereby. Such cooperation shall include the
execution and delivery of a customary representation letter to the accounting
firm responsible for reviewing and auditing such financial statements. The
accounting firm responsible for the review and audit of such financial
statements shall be selected by Purchaser. All costs and expenses incurred in
connection with the preparation, review and audit of such information shall be
paid by Purchaser.
5.09 Non-Competition
Undertaking.
(a) From and
after the Closing Date until the fourth anniversary thereof (the “Restricted
Period”),
neither Seller shall , directly or indirectly:
(i) engage
in, control, advise, manage, serve as a director, officer or employee of, act as
a consultant to, receive any economic benefit from or exert any influence upon,
any business which conducts activities within a 250 mile radius of New York City
(the “Restricted
Radius”)
similar to or competitive with the Practice;
(ii) except on
behalf of Purchaser and its Affiliates, solicit, divert or attempt to solicit or
divert any Person who is, was, or is or was solicited to become, a customer of
the Practice or the Company, or offer to provide or sell to any such Person,
services which are similar to those provided by the Practice; or
(iii) employ,
solicit for employment or encourage to leave their employment with the Company
or with Purchaser or its Affiliates any employee of the Company or of Purchaser
or its Affiliates.
For
purposes of this Section
5.09(a), the
term “directly or indirectly” shall include acts or omissions as proprietor,
partner, joint venturer, employer, salesman, agent, employee, officer,
23
director,
lender or consultant of, or owner of any interest in, any Person. Each Seller
shall cause its Affiliates to comply with the restrictions of this Section
5.09(a)). The
restrictions imposed by clause
(i) of this
Section
5.09(a) shall
not apply to the ownership of one percent (1%) or less of the outstanding
securities of any Person whose securities are listed on a national securities
exchange. In addition, the restriction imposed by clause
(i) of this
Section
5.09 shall
not restrict either Seller, after the third anniversary of the Effective Date
and so long as they are no longer employed by Purchaser or its Affiliates
(including the Company), from becoming an employee of or consultant to any
health care provider (including any such provider owning or operating one or
more hospitals, nursing homes, or assisted living facilities)(but no more than
one provider at any time during the Restricted Period), trade association, union
or lobbying entity, even if the provider, trade association, union or lobbying
entity is within the Restricted Radius.
(b) In the
event of actual or threatened breach of the provisions of this Section 5.09,
Purchaser, in addition to any other remedies available to it for such breach or
threatened breach, including the recovery of damages, shall be entitled to an
injunction restraining Sellers or its Affiliates from such conduct.
(c) Section
5.09(a) shall automatically terminate with respect to any Seller if such
Seller’s employment with the Company and/or Purchaser is terminated other than
for “Cause” or if such Seller terminates his employment for “Good Reason” (as
each of such terms is defined in such Seller’s Senior Management
Agreement).
5.10 Post-Closing
Matters. The
parties acknowledge that Xxxxxxx Xxxx, LLP, Cleveland, Waters and Bass, P.A. and
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx & Associates, P.C. (the “Advisors”) have
represented Sellers and the Company in the transaction described herein (the
“Transaction”), that
the Transaction will result in a change in ownership of the Company at Closing,
and that the Advisors are resigning as counsel and advisors to the Company as of
the Closing. Purchaser and the Company agree that, after the Closing, the
Advisors may continue to represent Sellers on matters relating to the
Transaction (even if adverse to the Company or Purchaser) so long as such
representation of Sellers (i) is not substantially related to the subject matter
of any engagement of such Advisor by the Company or Purchaser after the Closing
(a “Separate
Post-Closing Engagement”) and
(ii) will not involve any actual use by such Advisor of confidential information
that it obtained through any Separate Post-Closing Engagement and that is not
otherwise known to Sellers or available to the public. Furthermore, Purchaser
and the Company agree that any of the following that relate to the Advisors
shall, effective as of the Closing, be deemed to be the personal property of
Sellers and shall not be included as assets of the Company: materials relating
to the negotiation of the Transaction, including letters, e-mails and other
documents, and any attorney-client or similar privilege relating to the
negotiation of the Transaction.
ARTICLE
VI
CONDITIONS
TO CLOSING; TERMINATION
6.01 General
Conditions. The
obligations of each party to this Agreement to consummate the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement shall be subject to the satisfaction at or prior
to the Closing of the following conditions:
24
(a) No order,
statute, rule, regulation, executive order, injunction, stay, decree or
restraining order shall have been enacted, entered, promulgated or enforced by
any court of competent jurisdiction or Governmental Authority that prohibits the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;
and
(b) There
shall not be any Proceeding pending that seeks to enjoin or obtain damages in
respect of the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
6.02 Additional
Conditions to Obligations of Sellers. The
obligation of Sellers to consummate the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement shall be subject to the satisfaction or waiver at or prior to the
Closing of each of the following conditions:
(a) Purchaser
shall have performed and complied in all material respects with all agreements
and covenants required to be performed and complied with by Purchaser under this
Agreement at or prior to the Closing;
(b) The
representations and warranties of Purchaser contained in this Agreement shall be
true and correct at and as of the date of this Agreement and at and as of the
Closing Date as though restated on and as of such date (except in the case of
any representation or warranty that by its terms is made as of a date specified
therein, in which case such representation or warranty shall be true and correct
as of such date);
(c) Sellers
shall have received all of the payments, agreements, documents, instruments, and
other items required to have been delivered by Purchaser in accordance with
Section
7.03;
(d) No event
shall have occurred which could reasonably be expected to have a material
adverse effect on the financial condition of Purchaser which is likely to
adversely affect its ability to make the payments to Sellers contemplated
hereunder or its ability to consummate the transaction contemplated
hereby.
(e) Sellers
shall have received from Purchaser a certificate signed by an officer of
Purchaser as to Purchaser’s compliance with the conditions set forth in
Sections 6.02(a) and
6.02(b).
6.03 Additional
Conditions to Obligations of Purchaser. The
obligation of Purchaser to consummate the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement shall be subject to the satisfaction or waiver at or prior to the
Closing of each of the following conditions:
(a) The
Company, Holding and Sellers shall have performed and complied in all material
respects with all agreements and covenants required to be performed and complied
with by the Company and Sellers under this Agreement at or prior to the
Closing;
(b) The
representations and warranties of the Company, Holding and Sellers contained in
this Agreement shall be true and correct at and as of the date of this Agreement
and at and as of the Closing Date as though restated on and as of such date
(except in the case of any representation or warranty that by its terms is made
as of a date specified therein, in which case such representation or warranty
shall be true and correct as of such date);
25
(c) Purchaser
shall have received all of the agreements, documents, instruments and other
items required to be delivered by Sellers, Holding and the Company in accordance
with Section
7.02;
(d) Purchaser
shall have received written evidence satisfactory to it that (i) all Required
Consents shall have been obtained and (ii) all filings required for the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby shall have been
made;
(e) At least
seventy-five percent (75%) of the employees of the Company (determined as of the
date of this Agreement and disregarding the Specified Managing Directors) shall
remain employed by the Company and shall not have indicated that they intend to
terminate employment with the Company; and Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx X. Xxxx and
at least three other Managing Directors of the Company identified on
Schedule
1.01(c),
(collectively, the “Specified
Managing Directors”) shall
have executed and delivered a Senior Management Agreement as contemplated by
Section
7.02(f);
(f) The
Company shall have obtained the insurance policy contemplated by Section
5.05 and such
insurance policy shall be in full force and effect;
(g) No event
shall have occurred which could reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect; and
(h) Purchaser
shall have received a certificate signed by each Seller as to compliance with
the conditions set forth in Sections 6.03(a) and
6.03(b).
ARTICLE
VII
CLOSING
7.01 The
Closing. Unless
otherwise mutually agreed, the Closing will take place at the offices of Mayer,
Brown, Xxxx & Maw LLP, 0000 Xxxxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, on the later
of (i) May 9, 2005, or (ii) a day that is at the end of a payroll period of the
Company and is at least three (3) Business Days after all of the conditions
(other than conditions with respect to actions to be taken or deliveries to be
made at the Closing itself) set forth in Article
VI are
satisfied or waived. The Closing, and all transactions to occur at the Closing,
shall be deemed to take place at, and shall be effective as of, the opening of
business on the Closing Date.
7.02 Deliveries
by Sellers. At the
Closing, the Company and Sellers shall deliver or cause to be delivered to
Purchaser the following:
(a) Assignments
of Membership Interests, dated as of the Closing Date, duly executed by each
Seller and acknowledged by the Company;
(b) Evidence,
in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Purchaser, that all Required
Consents have been obtained and that all filings required with any Governmental
Authority for the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby shall
have been made;
26
(c) Evidence
that all Liens upon the Company Membership Interests, the Holding Membership
Interests and the assets of the Company and Holding shall have been
released;
(d) A copy of
the certificate of formation of the Company, together with all amendments
thereto, certified by the Secretary of State of New Hampshire, and a certificate
of good standing for the Company from each state in which the Company is
qualified to do business;
(e) Evidence,
in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Purchaser, that the Company LLC
Agreement shall have been amended to permit the assignment of Company Membership
Interests as contemplated herein;
(f) An
opinion, dated as of the Closing Date, of Cleveland, Waters & Bass, P.A.,
counsel for the Company in form and substance satisfactory to Purchaser and
covering the matters identified in Exhibit
D;
(g) Senior
Management Agreements, duly executed by the Specified Managing Directors and
each of the other individuals who have accepted Purchaser’s offer to become a
Managing Director of Purchaser following the Closing; and
(h) all such
other instruments as, in the reasonable opinion of legal counsel to Purchaser,
shall be necessary to vest in Purchaser all rights, title and interest in, to
and under the Company Membership Interests and the Holding Membership Interests
as of the Closing Date.
7.03 Deliveries
by Purchaser. At the
Closing, Purchaser shall deliver or cause to be delivered to Sellers the
following:
(a) The Cash
Amount;
(b) The
Promissory Notes, dated as of the Closing Date, duly executed by
Purchaser;
(c) Assignments
of Membership Interests, dated as of the Closing Date, duly executed by
Purchaser;
(d) Senior
Management Agreements, dated as of the Closing Date, duly executed by Purchaser
in favor of the Specified Managing Directors and each of the other individuals
who have accepted Purchaser’s offer to become Managing Directors of Purchaser
following the Closing; and
(e) All such
other instruments as, in the reasonable opinion of legal counsel to Sellers,
shall be necessary to cause Purchaser to be substituted for Sellers as a member
of the Company.
27
ARTICLE
VIII
TERMINATION
8.01 Termination. This
Agreement may be terminated and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
may be abandoned at any time prior to the Closing:
(a) by the
mutual written agreement of Purchaser and Sellers;
(b) by either
Purchaser or Sellers, by giving written notice of such termination to the other
party, if the Closing shall not have occurred by May 30, 2005;
(c) by either
Purchaser or Sellers, if there shall be any Law or regulation that makes the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement illegal or
otherwise prohibited or if consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement would violate any nonappealable final Judgment of any court or
Governmental Authority having competent jurisdiction; or
(d) by either
Purchaser or Sellers upon a material breach by the other party of any of its
obligations under this Agreement that is not cured within ten Business Days
following notice of such breach to such other party.
8.02 Effect
of Termination. If this
Agreement is terminated as permitted under Section 8.01, such
termination shall be without liability to either party or to any partner,
principal, shareholder, member, director, officer, or representative of such
party and, following such termination, neither party shall have any liability
under this Agreement or relating to the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement to the other party; provided,
however, that no
such termination shall relieve any party that has breached any provision of this
Agreement from liability for such breach, and any such breaching party shall
remain fully liable for any and all Damages incurred or suffered by the other
party to this Agreement as a result of such breach. The Confidentiality
Agreement and Sections
8.02,
10.01,
10.05 and
10.07 of this
Agreement shall survive any termination of this Agreement.
ARTICLE
IX
INDEMNIFICATION
9.01 Indemnification
by Sellers. From
and after the Closing, and subject to the provisions of this Article IX, Sellers
jointly and severally (except as expressly provided in this Article
IX) agree
to pay and to indemnify fully, hold harmless and defend each Purchaser
Indemnified Party from and against any and all Proceedings, charges, complaints,
Judgments, decrees, damages, dues, penalties, fines, costs, amounts paid in
settlement, Liabilities, Taxes, Liens, losses, expenses and fees, including
court costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses (collectively, “Damages”),
arising out of or relating to: (a) any inaccuracy in or breach of any
representation or warranty of the Company or Sellers contained in this
Agreement; (b) any breach of any covenant or agreement of Sellers contained
in Sections
2.03 (Working
Capital Adjustment), 2.06
(Allocation of Purchase Price), 5.04
(Publicity), 5.08
(Financial
28
Information
Cooperation), 5.09
(Non-Competition Undertaking), 10.01
(Transaction Expenses), 10.14
(Transfer Taxes) and this Article
IX of this
Agreement; or (c) all Liabilities for Taxes of the Company, Holding or
Sellers arising with respect to periods (or partial periods) prior to and
including the Closing Date, and (d) the Excluded Liabilities and the Claw-Back
Liabilities; provided,
however, that
for purposes of determining whether there is an inaccuracy or breach in Sellers’
or the Company’s representations and warranties and, therefore, any
indemnification obligation under Section
9.01(a), all
qualifications as to materiality contained in such representations and
warranties shall be ignored.
9.02 Indemnification
by Purchaser. From
and after the Closing, and subject to the provisions of this Article IX,
Purchaser agrees to pay and to indemnify fully, hold harmless, and defend each
Seller Indemnified Party from and against any and all Damages arising out of or
relating to: (a) any inaccuracy in or breach of any representation or
warranty of Purchaser contained in this Agreement; and (b) any breach of
any covenant or agreement of Purchaser contained in this Agreement.
9.03 Indemnification
Process. The
party or parties making a claim for indemnification under this Article IX shall
be, for the purposes of this Agreement, referred to as the “Indemnified
Party” and the
party or parties against whom such claims are asserted under this Article IX shall
be, for the purposes of this Agreement, referred to as the “Indemnifying
Party.” All
claims by any Indemnified Party under this Article IX shall be
asserted and resolved as follows:
(a) In the
event that (i) any Proceeding is asserted or instituted by any Person other than
the parties to this Agreement that could give rise to Damages for which an
Indemnifying Party could be liable to an Indemnified Party under this Agreement
(such Proceeding, a “Third
Party Claim”) or
(ii) any Indemnified Party under this Agreement shall have a claim to be
indemnified by any Indemnifying Party under this Agreement that does not involve
a Third Party Claim (such claim, a “Direct
Claim”), the
Indemnified Party shall with reasonable promptness send to the Indemnifying
Party a written notice specifying the nature of such Third Party Claim or Direct
Claim and the amount or estimated amount thereof, which amount or estimated
amount shall not be conclusive of the final amount, if any, of such Third Party
Claim or Direct Claim (a “Claim
Notice”).
(b) In the
event of a Third Party Claim, the Indemnifying Party shall be entitled to
appoint counsel of the Indemnifying Party’s choice at the expense of the
Indemnifying Party to represent the Indemnified Party and any others the
Indemnifying Party may reasonably designate in connection with such Third Party
Claim (in which case the Indemnifying Party shall not thereafter be responsible
for the fees and expenses of any separate counsel retained by any Indemnified
Party except as set forth below); provided,
however, that
such counsel is reasonably acceptable to the Indemnified Party. Notwithstanding
an Indemnifying Party’s election to appoint counsel to represent an Indemnified
Party in connection with a Third Party Claim, an Indemnified Party shall have
the right to retain separate counsel to conduct the defense of such Third Party
Claim, and, only in the case of clauses
(i) and
(iv) below
(but not clauses
(ii) and
(iii) below),
the Indemnifying Party shall bear the reasonable fees, costs and expenses of
such separate counsel, if (i) the use of counsel chosen by the Indemnifying
Party to represent the Indemnified Party would present such counsel with a
conflict of interest, (ii) the Third Party Claim seeks an injunction or other
equitable relief that would be binding on the Indemnified
29
Party,
(iii) an adverse determination with respect to the Third Party Claim could
reasonably be expected to establish a material adverse precedent as to the
limitations on liability set forth in the Completed Engagements or (iv) the
Indemnifying Party shall not have employed counsel to represent the Indemnified
Party within a reasonable time after notice of the institution of such Third
Party Claim. If and to the extent reasonably requested by the Indemnifying
Party, the Indemnified Party agrees to cooperate with the Indemnifying Party and
its counsel in contesting any Third Party Claim that the Indemnifying Party
defends or, if appropriate and related to the Third Party Claim, in making any
counterclaim against the Person asserting the Third Party Claim, or any
cross-complaint against any Person. No Third Party Claim may be settled or
compromised (y) by the Indemnified Party without the prior written consent
of the Indemnifying Party, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or
delayed, or (z) by the Indemnifying Party without the prior written consent
of the Indemnified Party, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or
delayed. In the event that any Indemnified Party or Indemnifying Party settles
or compromises or consents to the entry of any Judgment with respect to any
Third Party Claim in violation of the preceding sentence, then such violating
party shall pay and indemnify fully, hold harmless and defend the other party
against any incremental or excess Damages under this Article
IX caused
by or arising from such settlement, compromise or consent to the entry of
Judgment in violation of the preceding sentence.
(c) In the
event of a Direct Claim, the Indemnifying Party shall notify the Indemnified
Party within thirty (30) days following receipt of a Claim Notice whether or not
the Indemnifying Party disputes such claim.
(d) From and
after the delivery of a Claim Notice relating to a Third Party Claim, at the
reasonable request of the Indemnifying Party, each Indemnified Party shall grant
the Indemnifying Party and its representatives all reasonable access to the
books, records, personnel and properties of such Indemnified Party to the extent
reasonably related to the matters to which the Third Party Claim relates. All
such access shall be granted during normal business hours and shall be granted
under conditions that will not interfere with the business and operations of
such Indemnified Party. The Indemnifying Party will not, and shall require that
its representatives do not, use (except in connection with such Third Party
Claim) or disclose to any third party other than the Indemnifying Party’s
representatives (except as may be required by applicable Law) any information
obtained pursuant to this Section 9.03(d) that is
designated as confidential by an Indemnified Party.
9.04 Limitations
on Certain Indemnity Payments.
(a) No claim
for indemnification under Section 9.01(a) or
(d) may be
made, and no payment in respect thereof shall be required, unless and to the
extent that the aggregate amount of Damages which the Purchaser Indemnified
Parties have suffered arising out of or with respect to all such matters exceeds
$100,000 (after giving effect to the proviso set forth in Section
9.01 and
crediting any insurance proceeds as contemplated in Section
9.08) (the
“Deductible”) and,
in the event that the Deductible is exceeded, Sellers shall be responsible only
for the amount of the Damages in excess of the Deductible; provided,
however, that
the Purchaser Indemnified Parties shall be entitled to Damages without regard to
the Deductible for (i) any breaches of the Company and Sellers with respect to
the Title and Authorization Warranties and Tax Warranties, but any such Damages
that are not subject to the Deductible shall not be included for purposes of
determining whether
30
the
Deductible has been exceeded with respect to other claims for indemnification
under Section
9.01.
(b) The
aggregate liability for Damages of Sellers under Sections
9.01(a) and
(d) shall
not exceed $500,000 in the aggregate (the “Aggregate
Cap”);
provided,
however, that
the Aggregate Cap shall not apply to claims for indemnification in respect of:
(i) Liabilities arising as a result of the breach or inaccuracy of the Title and
Authorization Warranties, the Tax Warranties and the representations and
warranties set forth in Sections
3.07(a) and
(c),
3.09,
3.11(a),
3.12,
3.13(a),
3.14,
3.18,
3.19 or
3.20; or (ii)
Liabilities within the scope of clause
(b) of the
definition of Excluded Liabilities; provided,
further, that
the Aggregate Cap shall not apply to breaches or inaccuracies of any
representation or warranty of which Seller had actual knowledge prior to the
Closing, as conclusively demonstrated by Purchaser.
(c) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, neither Seller shall be
liable to a Purchaser Indemnified Party for Damages resulting from (i) the
breach by the other Seller of the covenants and agreements set forth in
Section
5.09 or (ii)
the breach of inaccuracy of the Title and Authorization Warranties to the extent
that the representation or warranty relates to the other Seller.
(d) Notwithstanding
anything herein to the contrary, no party shall be liable to the other party or
any Indemnified Party if the other party had actual knowledge, on or before the
Closing Date, of the facts or circumstances giving rise to the breach or
inaccuracy of any representation or warranty which forms the basis of such
party’s claim.
9.05 Survival
of Representations and Warranties. The
representations and warranties of the Company, Sellers and Purchaser contained
in this Agreement shall survive the Closing for the applicable period set forth
in this Section 9.05, and any
and all claims for indemnification under Section 9.01(a) or
9.01(d), or 9.02(a) must be
made prior to the termination of the applicable survival period; provided,
however, that in
the event notice of any claim for indemnification under Section 9.01(a) or
9.01(b), or 9.02(a) shall
have been given prior to the termination of the applicable survival period, then
the matters that are the subject of such indemnification claim shall survive for
purposes of such claim until such time as such claim is finally resolved. All of
the representations and warranties of Sellers, the Company, and Purchaser
contained in this Agreement shall survive for a period of three years following
the date of this Agreement; provided,
however, the Tax
Warranties shall survive for the applicable statute of limitations period and
the Title and Authorization Warranties shall survive indefinitely. It is
understood and agreed that, except as expressly set forth in this Section
9.05, any
indemnification obligation of the Company, Sellers or Purchaser under
Section
9.01 or
9.02,
respectively, shall survive indefinitely.
9.06 Offset
Rights.
Purchaser shall have the right to withhold payments under this Agreement or the
Promissory Notes or offset payments under this Agreement or the Promissory Notes
against any payments that Sellers owe a Purchaser Indemnified Party under this
Article
IX.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the withholding and offset rights set forth in
this Section
9.06 shall in
no way be deemed to limit or override any Purchaser’s other remedies and rights
under this Agreement or under applicable Law.
31
9.07 Characterization
of Indemnity Payments. Any
indemnification payment made pursuant to this Article
IX shall be
treated as an adjustment to the Purchase Price to the maximum extent
possible.
9.08 Mitigation;
Exclusive Remedy. Any
Indemnified Party having a claim under this Article
IX shall
make a good faith effort to recover all Damages from insurers of such
Indemnified Party under applicable insurance policies so as to reduce the amount
of any Damages hereunder. The amount of any Damages shall be reduced by any
amounts actually and irrevocably recovered by the Indemnified Party with respect
to such claim. The rights and remedies of Sellers and Purchaser under this
Article IX are exclusive and in lieu of any and all other rights and remedies
which Sellers and Purchaser may have under this Agreement for monetary relief
(but not injunctive relief) with respect to any breach or failure to perform any
covenant or agreement or representation or warranty set forth in this Agreement.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Article IX is intended to limit
the rights of any holder of a Promissory Note.
ARTICLE
X
GENERAL
PROVISIONS
10.01 Transaction
Expenses. Except
as provided in Section
10.14, each
party to this Agreement shall pay all fees and expenses incurred by it in
connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
10.02 Notices. Any
notices or other communications required or permitted under this Agreement or
otherwise in connection with this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be
deemed to have been duly given when delivered in Person or upon confirmation of
receipt when transmitted by facsimile transmission or on receipt after dispatch
by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, addressed as
follows:
If to
Purchaser to:
000 X.
Xxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attention:
Chief Financial Officer
Facsimile:
(000) 000-0000
with a
copy to:
Mayer,
Brown, Xxxx & Maw LLP
000 Xxxxx
XxXxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention:
Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Facsimile:
(000) 000-0000
32
If to the
Company after the Closing Date, to:
Xxxxxx
& Xxxx LLC
000 X.
Xxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attention:
Chief Financial Officer
Facsimile:
(000) 000-0000
If to
Sellers, or prior to the Closing Date,
the
Company, to:
Xxxxx X.
Xxxxxx
000
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
and
Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxx
0000
Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxx, XX
00000
with a
copy to:
Xxxxxxx
Xxxx, LLP
Xxx
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attention:
Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Facsimile:
(000) 000-0000
or such
other address as the Person to whom notice is to be given has furnished in
writing to the other party. A notice of change in address shall not be deemed to
have been given until received by the addressee.
10.03 Amendment;
Assignment. This
Agreement may not be amended except by an instrument in writing signed by each
of the parties to the Agreement. The Agreement shall be binding upon and inure
to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and
assigns; provided that no assignment of any rights or obligations shall be made
by Sellers without the consent of Purchaser or by Purchaser without the consent
of Sellers, except that Purchaser may assign its rights hereunder without such
consent to any of its Affiliates.
10.04 Headings
and Schedules. The
descriptive headings of the Articles and Sections of this Agreement are inserted
for convenience only and do not constitute a part of this
Agreement.
10.05 Further
Assurances. Upon
the reasonable request of Purchasers, Sellers will on and after the Closing Date
execute and deliver to Purchaser such other documents, releases,
33
assignments
or other instruments as may be required to effectuate the transfer and
assignment of the Company Membership Interests and the Holding Membership
Interests, and to vest in Purchaser legal and beneficial ownership of the
Company Membership Interests and the Holding Membership Interests, and to
otherwise carry out the purposes of this Agreement.
10.06 Applicable
Law. This
Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the domestic
Laws of the State of New York without giving effect to any choice or conflict of
law provision or rule (whether of the State of New York or any other
jurisdiction) that would cause the application of the Laws of any jurisdiction
other than the State of New York.
10.07 No
Third Party Rights. Except
as specifically provided in Article
IX, this
Agreement is intended to be solely for the benefit of the parties to this
Agreement and is not intended to confer any benefits upon, or create any rights
in favor of, any Person other than the parties to this Agreement.
10.08 No
Jury Trial. Each
party to this Agreement irrevocably waives the right to a trial by jury in
connection with any matter arising out of this Agreement and, to the fullest
extent permitted by applicable Law.
10.09 Counterparts. This
Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be
deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute a single
instrument.
10.10 Severability. If any
provision of this Agreement shall be held invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the
validity, legality or enforceability of the other provisions of this Agreement
shall not be affected, and there shall be deemed substituted for the provision
at issue a valid, legal and enforceable provision as similar as possible to the
provision at issue.
10.11 Entire
Agreement. This
Agreement and the Related Agreements set forth the entire understanding and
agreement between the parties as to the matters covered in this Agreement and
the Related Agreements and supersedes and replaces any prior understanding,
agreement or statement of intent, in each case, written or oral, of any and
every nature with respect to such understanding, agreement or
statement.
10.12 Waiver. A party
to this Agreement may (i) extend the time for the performance of any of the
obligations or other acts of the other party to this Agreement, (ii) waive
any inaccuracies in the representations and warranties of the other party
contained in this Agreement or in any document delivered by the other party
pursuant to this Agreement or (iii) waive compliance with any of the
agreements, or satisfaction of any of the conditions, contained in this
Agreement by the other party. Any agreement on the part of a party to this
Agreement to any such extension or waiver shall be valid only if set forth in an
instrument in writing signed by such party.
10.13 Fair
Construction. This
Agreement shall be deemed to be the joint work product of the parties to this
Agreement without regard to the identity of the draftsperson, and any rule of
construction that a document shall be interpreted or construed against the
drafting party shall not be applicable.
34
10.14 Transfer
Taxes. All
national, federal, state, provincial or local transfer taxes in any country,
including excise, sales, use, value added, real property transfer, stamp,
documentary, filing, recordation, notarial and other similar taxes and fees that
may be imposed or assessed as a result of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, together with any interest, additions or penalties with respect
thereto and any interest in respect of such additions or penalties shall be paid
by the party against which such taxes are assessed.
* * * * *
* * * * * *
35
Each of
the parties to this Agreement has executed this Agreement as of the day and year
first above written.
By: /s/
Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Name: Xxxx X.
Xxxxxxx
Title:
CEO
XXXXXX
& XXXX LLC
By: /s/
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxx
Name: Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxx
Title: Manager
SC
HOLDING, LLC
By: Xxxxx
X. Xxxxxx
Name: Xxxxx X.
Xxxxxx
Title: Manager
/ Member
/s/
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Xxxxx X.
Xxxxxx
/s/
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxx
Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxx