TRUE RELIGION APPAREL, INC. INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
Exhibit 10.13
TRUE RELIGION APPAREL, INC.
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
THIS INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”) is entered into as of this , by
and between True Religion Apparel, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and [Name of
Indemnitee], a [director/officer] of the Company (the “Indemnitee”).
B A C K G R O U N D
A. The Indemnitee is a [member of the Board of Directors/ officer] of the Company and, in that
capacity, performs a valuable service for the Company. For a variety of reasons, including the
frequency, magnitude and often baseless nature of claims and actions brought against corporate
[directors/officers] generally, it is difficult for corporations to attract and retain highly
competent persons as [directors/officers]. In addition, there exists uncertainty, both as to
matters of “substance” and “procedure,” about the protection against such claims provided by
statutory, charter and bylaw provisions and through “director and officer” insurance.
B. The Company’s Certificate of Incorporation provides for indemnification of, and advancement
of expenses to, the [directors/officers] of the Company to the maximum extent authorized by the
Delaware General Corporation Law, as amended (the “DGCL”), and, together with the DGCL, permit, by
their nonexclusive nature, the establishment of indemnification agreements between the Company and
its [directors/officers].
C. In order to induce the Indemnitee to continue to serve as a [member of the Board of
Directors/ officer] of the Company, and to establish a specific procedure for addressing
indemnification matters if and as they arise, the Company has agreed to a contractual
indemnification arrangement on the terms set forth in this Agreement.
THE PARTIES AGREE AS FOLLOWS:
1. Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the following
meanings:
(a) “Agent” means any person (i) who is or was a director, officer, employee, stockholder
owning, directly or indirectly, more than 5% of the outstanding capital stock of the Company (a
“Controlling Stockholder”), or other agent of the Company or (ii) who is or was serving at the
request of the Company, or otherwise as a result of that person’s relationship with the Company, as
a director, officer, employee, Controlling Stockholder, or other agent of another foreign or
domestic corporation or of any partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise (including
service with respect to employee benefit plans).
(b) “Disinterested Director” means a director of the Company who neither is nor was a party to
the Proceeding in respect of which indemnification is sought under this Agreement or otherwise.
(c) “Expenses” includes any and all direct and indirect costs (including, without limitation,
attorneys’ fees and disbursements, court costs, fees and expenses of witnesses, experts,
professional advisers and private investigators, arbitration expenses, costs of attachment, appeal
or similar bonds, travel expenses, duplicating, printing and binding costs, telephone charges,
postage, delivery service fees, and any and all other disbursements or out-of-pocket expenses)
actually and reasonably incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with either (i) the
investigation, defense, settlement or appeal of, or being a witness or participant in, a Proceeding
(including preparing for any of the foregoing) or (ii) the establishment or enforcement of any
right to indemnification under this Agreement or otherwise or any right to recovery under any
liability insurance policy maintained by the Company; provided, however, that “Expenses” shall not
include any judgments, fines or amounts paid in settlement.
(d) “Independent Counsel” means a law firm or attorney that neither is presently nor in the
past two years has been retained to represent: (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any matter material
to the Company or Indemnitee, or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding in respect of which
indemnification is sought under this Agreement or otherwise. In addition, the term “Independent
Counsel” does not include any law firm or attorney who, under the applicable standards of
professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the
Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s right to indemnification under this
Agreement or otherwise.
(e) “Liabilities” means liabilities and losses of any type whatsoever, including, without
limitation, judgments, fines, excise taxes and penalties (including ERISA excise taxes and
penalties) and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges
paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such liabilities and losses), actually incurred
by Indemnitee in connection with or as a result of a Proceeding.
(f) “Proceeding” means any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding
(including any inquiry, hearing, arbitration proceeding or alternative dispute resolution
mechanism), whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (including any action by or in
the right of the Company), to which Indemnitee is or was a party, witness or other participant, or
is threatened to be made a party, witness or other participant, by reason of the fact that
Indemnitee is or was an Agent, or by reason of anything done or not done by Indemnitee in that
capacity or in any other capacity while serving as an Agent, whether before or after the date of
this Agreement.
2. Agreement to Indemnify. Subject to the terms and conditions of, and in accordance with the
procedures set forth in, this Agreement, the Company shall hold Indemnitee harmless and indemnify
Indemnitee (and Indemnitee’s spouse as provided below), to the fullest extent permitted by the
provisions of the DGCL and other applicable law, from and against all Expenses and Liabilities,
including, without limitation, Expenses and Liabilities arising from any Proceeding brought by or
in the right of the Company or its stockholders. The Company and Indemnitee intend that this
Agreement provide for indemnification in excess of that expressly required or permitted by statute,
including, without limitation, any indemnification provided by the Company’s Certificate of
Incorporation or Bylaws, by vote of its stockholders or directors, or by applicable law. If, after
the date hereof, the DGCL or any other applicable law is amended to
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permit or authorize indemnification of, or advancement of defense expenses to, Indemnitee to a
greater extent than is permitted on the date hereof, references in this Agreement to the DGCL or
any other applicable law shall be deemed to refer to the DGCL or such applicable law as so amended.
3. Procedural Matters.
(a) Initial Request. Whenever Indemnitee believes that, in a specific case, Indemnitee is
then entitled to indemnification under this Agreement or under the Company’s Certificate of
Incorporation or Bylaws, the DGCL or otherwise, Indemnitee shall submit a written notice to the
Company requesting an authorization and determination by the Company to that effect. The notice
shall describe the matter giving rise to the request and be accompanied by all appropriate
supporting documentation reasonably available to Indemnitee.
(b) Determination and Payment. The Company shall make a determination about Indemnitee’s
entitlement to indemnification in the specific case no later than 30 days after receipt of
Indemnitee’s request. In making that determination, the person or persons making the determination
shall presume that Indemnitee met any applicable standard of conduct required for indemnification,
unless the Company shall have affirmatively shown by clear and convincing evidence that Indemnitee
did not meet that standard. The determination shall be made by the Board of Directors by a
majority vote of a quorum consisting of Disinterested Directors. If such a quorum is not
obtainable, or, even if obtainable, a quorum of Disinterested Directors so directs, the
determination shall be made by Independent Counsel in a written opinion obtained at the Company’s
expense. If either of those alternative decision-making processes is not initiated within 20 days
after receipt of Indemnitee’s request, the determination shall be made by the Company’s
stockholders, except that any shares of the Company’s capital stock as to which Indemnitee holds
voting power shall not be entitled to vote. If the person or persons empowered to make the
determination either: (i) affirmatively makes a determination of Indemnitee’s entitlement to
indemnification or (ii) fails to make any determination at all within the 30-day period,
indemnification shall be considered as authorized and proper in the circumstances, and Indemnitee
shall be absolutely entitled to such indemnification, and shall receive payment as promptly as
practicable, in the absence of any misrepresentation of a material fact by Indemnitee in the
request for indemnification, or a specific determination by a court of competent jurisdiction that
all or any part of such indemnification is prohibited by applicable law. If the person or persons
empowered to make the determination find that the Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification,
the Indemnitee shall have the right to apply to a court of competent jurisdiction for the purpose
of enforcing Indemnitee’s right to indemnification pursuant to this Agreement. The termination of
any Proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, arbitration award, conviction or upon a plea of nolo
contendere or its equivalent shall not, of itself, create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act
in good faith and in a manner which he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best
interests of the Company, or that, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, Indemnitee had
reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful.
(c) Advancement of Expenses. If so requested in a writing by Indemnitee accompanied by
appropriate supporting documentation, the Company shall, within 10 days after receipt of the
request, advance funds for the payment of Expenses, whether that request is made
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before or after the final disposition of a Proceeding (including, without limitation, any
criminal Proceeding or any Proceeding brought by or in the right of the Company or its
stockholders), unless there has been a final determination that Indemnitee is not entitled to
indemnification for those Expenses. If required by law at the time of the advance, the payment of
the advance shall be conditioned upon the receipt from Indemnitee of an undertaking (which need not
be secured) to repay the advance to the extent that it is ultimately determined that Indemnitee is
not entitled to such indemnification by the Company. Any dispute concerning the advancement of
Expenses shall be resolved by arbitration before an arbitrator selected by Indemnitee and approved
by the Company. If the parties cannot agree on a single arbitrator, then the claim shall be heard
by a panel of three arbitrators, with one selected by Indemnitee, one selected by the Company and
one selected jointly by the foregoing two arbitrators. Each of the arbitrators shall be a
litigation or corporate attorney with experience in the field of officer and director
indemnification. The arbitrators shall be selected within 15 days after demand for arbitration and
shall render a decision within 30 days after selection, unless good cause is shown for requiring a
longer decision period. The Company shall act in utmost good faith to provide timely information
to the arbitrators and to insure Indemnitee a full opportunity to defend against the Company’s
claim that Indemnitee is not entitled to an advance of Expenses. The Company shall indemnify
Indemnitee against all Expenses incurred by Indemnitee under the dispute resolutions proceedings
set forth in this Subsection 3(c), unless a court of competent jurisdiction finds that each of the
claims and/or defenses by Indemnitee in the action or proceeding for which an advance is sought was
frivolous or made in bad faith.
(d) Enforcement. If Indemnitee has not received a determination of entitlement to
indemnification or an advance, as the case may be, within the applicable time periods for such
actions specified in this Agreement, or if it has been determined that Indemnitee substantively
would not be permitted to be indemnified in whole or in part under applicable law, Indemnitee shall
be entitled to commence an action in any court of competent jurisdiction (including the court in
which the Proceeding as to which Indemnitee seeks indemnification is or was pending) (i) in the
former case, seeking enforcement of Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement or otherwise, or
seeking an initial determination by the court, or (ii) in the latter case, challenging any such
determination or any aspect thereof, including the legal or factual bases therefor. The Company
hereby consents to service of process and to appear generally in any such proceeding. It shall be
a defense to any such action that applicable law does not permit the Company to indemnify
Indemnitee for the amount claimed. In any such action, the Company shall have the burden of
proving that indemnification or advances are not proper in the circumstances of the specific case.
Neither the failure of the Company to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such
action that indemnification is proper under the circumstances because Indemnitee has met the
standard of conduct under applicable law, nor an actual determination by the Company that
Indemnitee has not met such standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a
presumption that Indemnitee has not met that standard of conduct. The Company shall indemnify
Indemnitee for Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the successful establishment or
enforcement, in whole or in part, by Indemnitee of his right to indemnification or advances.
(e) Notice by Indemnitee and Defense of Proceedings. Indemnitee shall promptly notify the
Company in writing upon being served with any summons, citation,
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subpoena,
complaint, indictment, information or other document relating to any matter which may give
rise to a claim for indemnification under this Agreement or otherwise; provided, however, that a
failure of Indemnitee to provide that notice shall relieve the Company from liability only if and
to the extent that the failure materially prejudices the Company’s ability to adequately defend
Indemnitee in the Proceeding. With respect to any Proceeding as to which Indemnitee so notifies
the Company:
(i) The Company shall be entitled to participate at its own expense.
(ii) Except as otherwise provided below, the Company, jointly with any other indemnifying
party similarly notified, shall be entitled to assume the defense of such Proceeding, with counsel
reasonably satisfactory to Indemnitee. After notice from the Company to Indemnitee of the
Company’s election to assume the defense, the Company shall not be liable to Indemnitee under this
Agreement for any Expenses subsequently incurred by Indemnitee, other than as provided below.
Indemnitee shall have the right to employ his own counsel in that Proceeding, but the fees and
expenses of such counsel incurred after notice from the Company of its election so to assume the
defense shall be borne by Indemnitee, except to the extent that (A) the employment of counsel by
Indemnitee has been authorized by the Company, (B) Indemnitee has reasonably concluded that there
may be a conflict of interest between the Company and Indemnitee in the conduct of the defense of
such Proceeding or that counsel selected by the Company may not be adequately representing
Indemnitee, or (C) the Company has not in fact employed counsel to assume the defense of such
Proceeding. In those cases, the fees and expenses of Indemnitee’s own counsel shall be paid by the
Company.
(iii) Neither the Company nor Indemnitee shall unreasonably withhold its or his consent to any
proposed settlement. The Company has no obligation to indemnify and hold Indemnitee harmless under
this Agreement for any amounts paid in settlement of any Proceeding effected without its written
consent. The Company shall not settle any Proceeding in any manner which would impose any penalty
or limitation on Indemnitee without Indemnitee’s written consent.
4. Nonexclusivity. The indemnification provided by this Agreement is not exclusive of or
inconsistent with any rights to which Indemnitee may be entitled under the Company’s Certificate of
Incorporation or Bylaws, any other agreement, any vote of stockholders or directors, the DGCL, or
otherwise, both as to action in Indemnitee’s official capacity and otherwise. If and to the extent
that a change in the DGCL (whether by statute or judicial decision) permits greater indemnification
by agreement than would be afforded currently under the Company’s Bylaws or under 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.
5. Partial Indemnification. If Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification by the Company for
some or a portion of Expenses or Liabilities but not for the total amount, the Company shall
nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for the portion of such Expenses and Liabilities to which
Indemnitee is entitled to be indemnified. 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 Proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein,
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including dismissal
without prejudice, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses incurred by Indemnitee
in connection therewith.
6. Liability Insurance. To the extent the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies
providing directors’ and/or 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, as the case may be. If Indemnitee serves as a
fiduciary of any employee benefit plan of the Company or any of its subsidiary or affiliated
corporations, then to the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies
providing fiduciaries’ 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
fiduciary. Upon notice to the Company, either from Indemnitee or from any other source, of the
commencement or threat of commencement of any Proceeding or matter which may give rise to a claim
for indemnification of Indemnitee and which may be covered by any insurance policy maintained by
the Company, the Company shall promptly give notice to the insurer in accordance with the
procedures prescribed by such policy and shall thereafter take all necessary or appropriate action
to cause such insurer to pay, to or on behalf of Indemnitee all Liabilities and Expenses payable
under such policy with respect to such Proceeding or matter. The Company shall indemnify
Indemnitee for Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any successful action brought by
Indemnitee for recovery under any insurance policy referred to in this Section 6 and shall advance
to Indemnitee the Expenses of such action in the manner provided in Section 3(c) above.
7. Other Sources. Indemnitee shall not be required to exercise any rights Indemnitee may have
against any other parties (for example, under an insurance policy purchased by Indemnitee, the
Company or any other person or entity) before Indemnitee exercises or enforces Indemnitee’s rights
under this Agreement. However, to the extent the Company actually indemnifies Indemnitee or
advances Indemnitee funds in respect of Expenses, the Company shall be entitled to enforce any such
rights which Indemnitee may have against third parties. Indemnitee shall assist the Company in
enforcing those rights if it pays Indemnitee’s costs and expenses of doing so. If Indemnitee is
actually indemnified or advanced Expenses by any such third party, then, for so long as Indemnitee
is not required to disgorge the amounts so received, to that extent the Company shall be relieved
of its obligation to indemnify Indemnitee or to advance Expenses.
8. Certain Relationships. The obligations and rights created under this Agreement shall not
be affected by any amendment to the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws or any other
agreement or instrument to which Indemnitee is not a party, and shall not diminish any other rights
which Indemnitee now or in the future has against the Company or any other person or entity.
9. Severability. If any provision of this Agreement is determined to be unenforceable for any
reason, it shall be adjusted rather than voided, if possible, in order to achieve the intent of the
Company and Indemnitee. In any event, the remaining provisions of this Agreement shall remain
enforceable to the maximum extent possible.
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10. Contribution. If the indemnification provided in Section 2 of this Agreement is
unavailable, then, in respect of any Proceeding in which the Company is jointly liable with
Indemnitee (or would be if joined in the Proceeding), the Company shall contribute to the amount of
Expenses and Liabilities as appropriate to reflect: (i) the relative benefits received by the
Company, on the one hand, and Indemnitee, on the other hand, from the transaction from which the
Proceeding arose, and (ii) the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and of Indemnitee,
on the other, in connection with the events which resulted in such Expenses and Liabilities, as
well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the Company, on the one
hand, and of Indemnitee, on the other, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, the
parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent
the circumstances resulting in such Expenses and Liabilities. The Company agrees that it would not
be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 10 were determined by pro rata
allocation or any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable
considerations described in this Section 10.
11. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in
accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware applicable to contracts made and to be performed
in such state without giving effect to the principles of conflicts of laws. This Agreement is
intended to be an agreement of the type contemplated by Section 145(f) of the DGCL.
12. Notices. All notices and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing
and shall be given by personal or courier delivery, confirmed facsimile or electronic mail
transmission or first class mail, and shall be deemed to have been duly given upon receipt if
personally delivered or delivered by courier, on the date of transmission if transmitted by
facsimile or electronic mail transmission, or three days after mailing if mailed, to the addresses
set forth below each party’s name on the signature page hereto, or to such other address as such
party may designate by notice to the other from time to time.
13. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which
shall constitute an original.
14. Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon the Company and its
successors and assigns, and shall inure to the benefit of Indemnitee and Indemnitee’s spouse,
estate, heirs, executors, administrators, personal or legal representatives and assigns. The
Company shall require any successor corporation (whether by merger, consolidation, or otherwise) by
written agreement in form and substance satisfactory to Indemnitee, expressly to assume and agree
to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be
required to perform if no such succession had taken place.
15. Amendment and Waiver. This Agreement may not be amended except by a writing executed by
both the Company and Indemnitee. No waiver of any provision of this Agreement shall be effective
unless in writing and signed by the party to be charged therewith. A waiver of, or a failure to
insist on, complete compliance with any provision of this Agreement shall not be construed as a
waiver of a subsequent or different non-compliance, breach or default of that or any other
provision of this Agreement.
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16. Acknowledgment. The Company expressly acknowledges that it has entered into this
Agreement and assumed the obligations imposed on the Company under this Agreement in order to
induce Indemnitee to serve or to continue to serve as a director and acknowledges that Indemnitee
is relying on this Agreement in serving or continuing to serve in such capacity. The Company
further agrees to stipulate in any court proceeding that the Company is bound by all of the
provisions of this Agreement.
17. 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, or Indemnitee’s estate, heirs,
executors, administrators 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.
18. Duration of Agreement. This Agreement shall continue in effect for so long as Indemnitee
is subject to any possible Proceeding, regardless of whether Indemnitee continues to serve as an
Agent.
19. Entire Agreement. This document contains the final, complete and exclusive statement of
the agreement between the Company and Indemnitee with respect to the subject matter of this
Agreement and supersedes any prior or contemporaneous understandings, agreements, communications,
correspondence or representations by or between the parties, whether written or oral, relating to
the subject matter of this Agreement.
[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date set forth
in its first paragraph.
| TRUE RELIGION APPAREL, INC. | ||||
| By: | ||||
| Name: | ||||
| Title: | ||||
| Address: | 0000 Xxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx | |||
| Xxx Xxxxxxx, XX 00000 |
| [Name of Indemnitee] |
| Address: | ||||
| Facsimile: | ||||
| E-Mail: |
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