FORM OF INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT, effective as of January 31, 1998, between Lamonts
Apparel, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and
[Name of Indemnitee] (the "Indemnitee").
WHEREAS, it is essential to the Company to retain and attract as
directors and officers the most capable persons available;
WHEREAS, Indemnitee is a director or officer of the Company;
WHEREAS, both the Company and Indemnitee recognize the increased risk
of litigation and other claims being asserted against directors and officers of
public companies in today's environment;
WHEREAS, the By-laws of the Company require the Company to indemnify
and advance expenses to certain of its directors and officers to the fullest
extent permitted by law and the Indemnitee has been serving and continues to
serve as a director or officer of the Company in part in reliance on such
By-laws;
WHEREAS, in recognition of Indemnitee's need for substantial
protection against personal liability in order to enhance Indemnitee's continued
service to the Company in an effective manner, and Indemnitee's reliance on the
aforesaid By-laws, and in part to provide Indemnitee with specific contractual
assurance that the protection promised by such By-laws will be available to
Indemnitee (regardless of, among other things, any amendment to or revocation of
such By-laws or any change in the composition of the Company's Board of
Directors or acquisition transaction relating to the Company), the Company
wishes to provide in this Agreement for the indemnification of and the advancing
of expenses to Indemnitee to the fullest extent (whether partial or complete)
permitted by law and as set forth in this Agreement, and, to the extent
insurance is maintained, for the continued coverage of Indemnitee under the
Company's directors' and officers' liability insurance policies;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and of Indemnitee
continuing to serve the Company directly or, at its request, another enterprise,
and intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS:
(a) CHANGE IN CONTROL: shall be deemed to have occurred if (i) any
"person" (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended), other than a trustee or other fiduciary
holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or a
corporation owned directly or indirectly by the stockholders of the Company in
substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company,
is or becomes the "beneficial owner" (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under said Act),
directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 20% or more of
the total voting power represented by the Company's then outstanding Voting
Securities, or (ii) during any period of two consecutive years, individuals who
at the beginning of such period constitute the Board of Directors of the Company
and any new director whose election by the Board of Directors or nomination for
election by the Company's stockholders was approved by a vote of at least
two-thirds (2/3) of the directors then still in office who either were directors
at the beginning of the period or whose election or nomination for election was
previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute a majority thereof,
or (iii) the stockholders of the Company approve a merger or consolidation of
the Company with any other corporation, other than a merger or consolidation
which would result in the Voting Securities of the Company outstanding
immediately prior thereto continuing to represent (either by remaining
outstanding or by being converted into Voting Securities of the surviving
entity) at least 80% of the total voting power represented by the Voting
Securities of the Company or such surviving entity outstanding immediately after
such merger or consolidation, or the stockholders of the Company approve a plan
of complete liquidation of the Company or an agreement for the sale or
disposition by the Company of (in one transaction or a series of transactions)
all or substantially all the Company's assets.
(b) CLAIM: any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or
proceeding, or any inquiry or investigation, whether instituted by the Company
or any other party, that Indemnitee in good faith believes might lead to the
institution of any such action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal,
administrative, investigative or other.
(c) EXPENSES: include attorneys' fees and all other costs, expenses
and obligations paid or incurred in connection with investigating, defending,
being a witness in or participating in (including on appeal), or preparing to
defend, be a witness in or participate in, any Claim relating to any
Indemnifiable Event.
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(d) INDEMNIFIABLE EVENT: any event or occurrence related to the fact
that Indemnitee is or was a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of
the Company, or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director,
officer, employee, trustee, agent or fiduciary of another corporation,
partnership, joint venture, employee benefit plan, trust or other enterprise, or
by reason of anything done or not done by Indemnitee in any such capacity.
(e) INDEPENDENT LEGAL COUNSEL: an attorney or firm of attorneys,
selected in accordance with the provisions of Section 3, who shall not have
otherwise performed services for the Company or Indemnitee within the last five
years (other than with respect to matters concerning the rights of Indemnitee
under this Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar indemnity
agreements).
(f) REVIEWING PARTY: any appropriate person or body consisting of a
member or members of the Company's Board of Directors or any other person or
body appointed by the Board who is not a party to the particular Claim for which
Indemnitee is seeking indemnification, or Independent Legal Counsel.
(g) VOTING SECURITIES: any securities of the Company that vote
generally in the election of directors.
2. BASIC INDEMNIFICATION ARRANGEMENT.
(a) In the event Indemnitee was, is or becomes a party to or witness
or other participant in, or is threatened to be made a party to or witness or
other participant in, a Claim by reason of (or arising in part out of) an
Indemnifiable Event, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest
extent permitted by law as soon as practicable but in any event no later than
thirty days after written demand is presented to the Company, against any and
all Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement
(including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in
connection with or in respect of such Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties or
amounts paid in settlement) of such Claim. If so requested by Indemnitee, the
Company shall advance (within two business days of such request) any and all
Expenses to Indemnitee (an "Expense Advance").
(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) the obligations of the Company
under Section 2(a) shall be subject to the condition that the Reviewing Party
shall not have determined (in a written opinion, in any case in which the
Independent Legal Counsel referred to in Section 3 hereof is involved) that
Indemnitee would not be
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permitted to be indemnified under applicable law, and (ii) the obligation of the
Company to make an Expense Advance pursuant to Section 2(a) shall be subject to
the condition that, if, when and to the extent that the Reviewing Party
determines that Indemnitee would not be permitted to be so indemnified under
applicable law, the Company shall be entitled to be reimbursed by Indemnitee
(who hereby agrees to reimburse the Company) for all such amounts theretofore
paid; PROVIDED, however, that if Indemnitee has commenced or thereafter
commences legal proceedings in a court of competent jurisdiction to secure a
determination that Indemnitee should be indemnified under applicable law, any
determination made by the Reviewing Party that Indemnitee would not be permitted
to be indemnified under applicable law shall not be binding and Indemnitee shall
not be required to reimburse the Company for any Expense Advance until a final
judicial determination is made with respect thereto (as to which all rights of
appeal therefrom have been exhausted or lapsed). If there has not been a Change
in Control, the Reviewing Party shall be selected by the Board of Directors, and
if there has been such a Change in Control (other than a Change in Control which
has been approved by a majority of the Company's Board of Directors who were
directors immediately prior to such Change in Control), the Reviewing Party
shall be the Independent Legal Counsel referred to in Section 3 hereof. If
there has been no determination by the Reviewing Party or if the Reviewing Party
determines that Indemnitee substantively would not be permitted to be
indemnified in whole or in part under applicable law, Indemnitee shall have the
right to commence litigation in any court in the States of Washington or
Delaware having subject matter jurisdiction thereof and in which venue is proper
seeking an initial determination by the court or challenging any such
determination by the Reviewing Party or any aspect thereof, including the legal
or factual bases therefor, and the Company hereby consents to service of process
and to appear in any such proceeding. Any determination by the Reviewing Party
otherwise shall be conclusive and binding on the Company and Indemnitee.
3. CHANGE IN CONTROL. The Company agrees that if there is a Change in
Control of the Company (other than a Change in Control that has been approved by
a majority of the Company's Board of Directors who were directors immediately
prior to such Change in Control) then with respect to all matters thereafter
arising concerning the rights of Indemnitee to indemnity payments and Expense
Advances under this Agreement or any other agreement or Company By-law now or
hereafter in effect relating to Claims for Indemnifiable Events, the Company
shall seek legal advice only from Independent Legal Counsel selected by
Indemnitee and approved by the Company (which approval shall not be unreasonably
withheld). Such counsel, among other things, shall render its written opinion
to the Company and Indemnitee as to whether and to what extent the Indemnitee
would be permitted to be indemnified under
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applicable law. The Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees of the
Independent Legal Counsel referred to above and to indemnify fully such counsel
against any and all expenses (including attorneys' fees), claims, liabilities
and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement
pursuant hereto.
4. INDEMNIFICATION FOR ADDITIONAL EXPENSES. The Company shall indemnify
Indemnitee against any and all expenses (including attorneys' fees) and, if
requested by Indemnitee, shall (within two business days of such request)
advance such expenses to Indemnitee, which are incurred by Indemnitee in
connection with any action brought by Indemnitee for (i) indemnification or
advance payment of Expenses by the Company under this Agreement or any other
agreement or Company By-law now or hereafter in effect relating to Claims for
Indemnifiable Events and/or (ii) recovery under any directors' and officers'
liability insurance policies maintained by the Company, regardless of whether
Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to such indemnification,
advance expense payment or insurance recovery, as the case may be.
5. PARTIAL INDEMNITY, ETC. If Indemnitee is entitled under any provision
of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for some or a portion of the
Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement of a Claim
but not, however, for all of the total amount thereof, the Company shall
nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for the portion thereof to which Indemnitee is
entitled. Moreover, notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to
the extent that Indemnitee has been successful on the merits or otherwise in
defense of any or all Claims relating in whole or in part to an Indemnifiable
Event or in defense of any issue or matter therein, including dismissal without
prejudice, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses incurred in
connection therewith.
6. BURDEN OF PROOF. In connection with any determination by the
Reviewing Party or otherwise as to whether Indemnitee is entitled to be
indemnified hereunder the burden of proof shall be on the Company to establish
that Indemnitee is not so entitled.
7. NO PRESUMPTIONS. For purposes of this Agreement, the termination of
any claim, action, suit or proceeding, by judgment, order, settlement (whether
with or without court approval) or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo
contendere, or its equivalent, shall not create a presumption that Indemnitee
did not meet any particular standard of conduct or have any particular belief or
that a court has determined that indemnification is not permitted by applicable
law. In addition, neither the failure of the Reviewing Party to have made a
determination as to whether Indemnitee has met
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any particular standard of conduct or had any particular belief, nor an actual
determination by the Reviewing Party that Indemnitee has not met such standard
of conduct or did not have such belief, prior to the commencement of legal
proceedings by Indemnitee to secure a judicial determination that Indemnitee
should be indemnified under applicable law shall be a defense to Indemnitee's
claim or create a presumption that Indemnitee has not met any particular
standard of conduct or did not have any particular belief.
8. NONEXCLUSIVITY, ETC. The rights of the Indemnitee hereunder shall be
in addition to any other rights Indemnitee may have under the Company's By-laws
or the Delaware General Corporation Law or otherwise. To the extent that a
change in the Delaware General Corporation Law (whether by statute or judicial
decision) permits greater indemnification by agreement than would be afforded
currently under the Company's By-laws and this Agreement, it is the intent of
the parties hereto that Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater
benefits so afforded by such change.
9. LIABILITY INSURANCE. To the extent the Company maintains an insurance
policy or policies providing directors' and officers' liability insurance,
Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies, in accordance with its
or their terms, to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any Company
director or officer.
10. PERIOD OF LIMITATIONS. No legal action shall be brought and no cause
of action shall be asserted by or in the right of the Company against
Indemnitee, Indemnitee's spouse, heirs, executors or personal or legal
representatives after the expiration of two years from the date of accrual of
such cause of action, and any claim or cause of action of the Company shall be
extinguished and deemed released unless asserted by the timely filing of a legal
action within such two-year period; PROVIDED, however, that if any shorter
period of limitations is otherwise applicable to any such cause of action such
shorter period shall govern.
11. AMENDMENTS, ETC. No supplement, modification or amendment of this
Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by both of the parties
hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or
shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions hereof (whether or not
similar) nor shall such waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
12. SUBROGATION. In the event of payment under this Agreement, the
Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights
of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all papers required and shall do
everything
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that may be necessary to secure such rights, including the execution of such
documents necessary to enable the Company effectively to bring suit to enforce
such rights.
13. NO DUPLICATION OF PAYMENTS. The Company shall not be liable under
this Agreement to make any payment in connection with any Claim made against
Indemnitee to the extent Indemnitee has otherwise actually received payment
(under any insurance policy, By-law or otherwise) of the amounts otherwise
indemnifiable hereunder.
14. BINDING EFFECT, ETC. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure
to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective
successors, assigns, including any direct or indirect successor by purchase,
merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business
and/or assets of the Company, spouses, heirs, executors and personal and legal
representatives. This Agreement shall continue in effect regardless of whether
Indemnitee continues to serve as an officer or director of the Company or of any
other enterprise at the Company's request.
15. SEVERABILITY. The provisions of this Agreement shall be severable in
the event that any provision hereof (including any provision within a single
section, paragraph or sentence) is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to
be invalid, void or otherwise unenforceable in any respect, and the validity and
enforceability of any such provision in every other respect and of the remaining
provisions hereof shall not be in any way impaired and shall remain enforceable
to the fullest extent permitted by law.
16. GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed and
enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware applicable to
contracts made and to be performed in such state without giving effect to the
principles of conflict of laws.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement
this 31st day of January, 1998.
LAMONTS APPAREL, INC.
By:
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Name: Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxxx
Title: Chairman of the Board,
President and Executive Officer
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[Name of Indemnitee]
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