DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
This Agreement made this 28th day of February, 1997 by and between
ADVISORS SERIES TRUST, a Delaware business trust (the "Trust"), and FIRST FUND
DISTRIBUTORS, INC., a Delaware corporation (the "Distributor").
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, the Trust is registered as an open-end management investment
company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "1940 Act"); and
WHEREAS, the Trust's Agreement and Declaration of Trust permits the
Board of Trustees to divide the Trust's shares of beneficial interest ("Shares")
into separate series ("series") and it is in the interest of the Trust to offer
the Shares of each series for sale continuously; and
WHEREAS, the Distributor is registered as a broker-dealer under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "1934 Act") and is a member in good
standing of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD");
and
WHEREAS, the Trust and the Distributor wish to enter into an agreement
with each other with respect to the continuous offering of the Shares of each
existing and future series of the Trust;
NOW, THEREFORE, the parties agree as follows:
1. APPOINTMENT OF DISTRIBUTOR. The Trust hereby appoints the
Distributor as exclusive agent to sell and to arrange for the sale of the
Shares, on the terms and for the period set forth in this Agreement, and the
Distributor hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to act hereunder directly
and/or through the Trust's transfer agent in the manner set forth in the
Prospectuses (as defined below). It is understood and agreed that the services
of the Distributor hereunder are not exclusive, and the Distributor may act as
principal underwriter for the shares of any other registered investment company.
2. SERVICES AND DUTIES OF THE DISTRIBUTOR.
(a) The Distributor agrees to sell the Shares, as agent for the Trust,
from time to time during the term of this Agreement upon the terms described in
a Prospectus. As used in this Agreement, the term "Prospectus" shall mean a
prospectus and statement of additional information included as part of the
Trust's Registration Statement, as such prospectus and statement of additional
information may be amended or supplemented from time to time, and the term
"Registration Statement" shall mean the Registration Statement most recently
flied from time to time by the Trust with the Securities and Exchange Commission
("SEC") and effective under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "1933 Act") and the
1940 Act, as such Registration Statement is amended by any amendments thereto at
the time in effect. The Distributor shall not be obligated to sell any certain
number of Shares.
(b) Upon commencement of operations of any of the series, the
Distributor will hold itself available to receive orders, satisfactory to the
Distributor, for the purchase of the Shares and will accept such orders and will
transmit such orders and funds received by it in payment for such Shares as are
so accepted to the Trust's transfer agent or custodian, as appropriate, as
promptly as practicable. Purchase orders shall be deemed accepted and shall be
effective at the time and in the manner set forth in the series' Prospectuses.
The Distributor shall not make any short sales of Shares.
(c) The offering price of the Shares shall be the net asset value per
share of the Shares, plus the sales charge, if any, (determined as set forth in
the Prospectuses). The Trust shall furnish the Distributor, with all possible
promptness, an advice of each computation of net asset value and offering price.
(d) The Distributor shall have the right to enter into selected dealer
agreements with securities dealers of its choice ("selected dealers") for the
sale of Shares. Shares sold to selected dealers shall be for resale by such
dealers only at the offering price of the Shares as set forth in the
Prospectuses. The Distributor shall offer and sell Shares only to such selected
dealers as are members in good standing of the NASD.
3. DUTIES OF THE TRUST.
(a) MAINTENANCE OF FEDERAL REGISTRATION. The Trust shall, at its
expense, take, from time to time, all necessary action and such steps, including
payment of the related filing fees, as may be necessary to register and maintain
registration of a sufficient number of Shares under the 1933 Act. The Trust
agrees to file from time to time such amendments, reports and other documents as
may be necessary in order that there may be no untrue statement of a material
fact in a Registration Statement or Prospectus, or necessary in order that there
may be no omission to state a material fact in the Registration Statement or
Prospectus which omission would make the statements therein misleading.
(b) MAINTENANCE OF "BLUE SKY" QUALIFICATIONS. The Trust shall, at its
expense, use its best efforts to qualify and maintain the qualification of an
appropriate number of Shares for sale under the securities laws of such states
as the Distributor and the Trust may approve, and, if necessary or appropriate
in connection therewith, to qualify and maintain the qualification of the Trust
or the series as a broker or dealer in such states; provided that the Trust
shall not be required to amend its Agreement and Declaration of Trust or By-Laws
to comply with the laws of any state, to maintain an office in any state, to
change the terms of the offering of the Shares in any state, to change the terms
of the offering of the Shares in any state from the terms set forth in
Prospectuses, to qualify as a foreign corporation in any state or to consent to
service of process in any state other than with respect to claims arising out of
the offering and sale of the Shares. The Distributor shall furnish such
information and other material relating to its affairs and activities as may be
required by the Trust or its series in connection with such qualifications.
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(c) COPIES OF REPORTS AND PROSPECTUSES. The Trust shall, at its
expense, keep the Distributor fully informed with regard to its affairs and in
connection therewith shall furnish to the Distributor copies of all information,
financial statements and other papers which the Distributor may reasonably
request for use in connection with the distribution of Shares, including such
reasonable number of copies of Prospectuses and annual and interim reports as
the Distributor may request and shall cooperate fully in the efforts of the
Distributor to sell and arrange for the sale of the Shares and in the
performance of the Distributor under this Agreement.
4. CONFORMITY WITH APPLICABLE LAW AND RULES. The Distributor agrees
that in selling Shares hereunder it shall conform in all respects with the laws
of the United States and of any state in which Shares may be offered, and with
applicable rules and regulations of the NASD.
5. INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR. In performing its duties hereunder, the
Distributor shall be an independent contractor and neither the Distributor, nor
any of its officers, directors, employees, or representatives is or shall be an
employee of the Trust in the performance of the Distributor's duties hereunder.
The Distributor shall be responsible for its own conduct and the employment,
control, and conduct of its agents and employees and for injury to such agents
or employees or to others through its agents or employees. The Distributor
assumes full responsibility for its agents and employees under applicable
statutes and agrees to pay all employee taxes thereunder.
6. INDEMNIFICATION.
(a) INDEMNIFICATION OF TRUST. The Distributor agrees to indemnify and
hold harmless the Trust and each of its present or former Trustees, officers,
employees, representatives and each person, if any, who controls or previously
controlled the Trust within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act against
any and all losses, liabilities, damages, claims or expenses (including the
reasonable costs of investigating or defending any alleged loss, liability,
damage, claims or expense and reasonable legal counsel fees incurred in
connection therewith) to which the Trust or any such person may become subject
under the 1933 Act, under any other statute, at common law, or otherwise,
arising out of the acquisition of any Shares by any person which (i) may be
based upon any wrongful act by the Distributor or any of the Distributor's
directors, officers, employees or representatives, or (ii) may be based upon any
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in a
Registration Statement, Prospectus, shareholder report or other information
covering Shares filed or made public by the Trust or any amendment thereof or
supplement thereto, or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading if such statement or omission was made in reliance upon
and in conformity with information furnished to the Trust by the Distributor. In
no case (i) is the Distributor's indemnity in favor of the Trust, or any person
indemnified to be deemed to protect the Trust or such indemnified person against
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any liability to which the Trust or such person would otherwise be subject by
reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance
of the Trust's or such person's duties or by reason of reckless disregard of the
Trust's or such person's obligations and duties under this Agreement or (ii) is
the Distributor to be liable under its indemnity agreement contained in this
Paragraph with respect to any claim made against the Trust or any person
indemnified unless the Trust or such 'person, as the case may be, shall have
notified the Distributor in writing of the claim within a reasonable time after
the summons or other first written notification giving information of the nature
of the claim shall have been served upon the Trust or upon such person (or after
the Trust or such person shall have received notice of such service on any
designated agent). However, failure to notify the Distributor of any such claim
shall not relieve the Distributor from any liability which the Distributor may
have to the Trust or any person against whom such action is brought otherwise
than on account of the Distributor's indemnity agreement contained in this
Paragraph.
The Distributor shall be entitled to participate, at its own expense,
in the defense, or, if the Distributor so elects, to assume the defense of any
suit brought to enforce any such claim, hut, if the Distributor elects to assume
the defense, such defense shall be conducted by legal counsel chosen by the
Distributor and satisfactory to the Trust, and to the persons indemnified as
defendant or defendants, in the suit. In the event that the Distributor elects
to assume the defense of any such suit and retain such legal counsel, the Trust,
and the persons indemnified as defendant or defendants in the suit, shall bear
the fees and expenses of any additional legal counsel retained by them. If the
Distributor does not elect to assume the defense of any such suit, the
Distributor will reimburse the Trust and the persons indemnified defendant or
defendants in such suit for the reasonable fees and expenses of any legal
counsel retained by them. The Distributor agrees to promptly notify the Trust of
the commencement of any litigation of proceedings against it or any of its
officers, employees or representatives in connection with the issue or sale of
any Shares.
(b) INDEMNIFICATION OF THE DISTRIBUTOR. The Trust agrees to indemnify
and hold harmless the Distributor and each of its present or former directors,
officers, employees, representatives and each person, if any, who controls or
previously controlled the Distributor within the meaning of Section 15 of the
1933 Act against any and all losses, liabilities, damages, claims or expenses
(including the reasonable costs of investigating or defending any alleged loss,
liability, damage, claim or expense and reasonable legal counsel fees incurred
in connection therewith) to which the Distributor or any such person may become
subject under the 1933 Act, under any other statute, at common law, or
otherwise, arising out of the acquisition of any Shares by any person which (i)
may be based upon any wrongful act by the Trust or any of the Trust's Trustees,
officers, employees or representatives, or (ii) may be based upon any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in a
Registration Statement, Prospectus, shareholder report or other information
covering Shares filed or made public by the Trust or any amendment thereof or
supplement thereto, or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
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therein not misleading unless such statement or omission was made in reliance
upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Trust by the
Distributor. In no case (i) is the Trust's indemnity in favor of the
Distributor, or any person indemnified to be deemed to protect the Distributor
or such indemnified person against any liability to which the Distributor or
such person would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad
faith, or gross negligence in the performance of such person's duties or by
reason of reckless disregard of such person's obligations and duties under this
Agreement or (ii) is the Trust to be liable under their indemnity agreement
contained in this Paragraph with respect to any claim made against Distributor,
or person indemnified unless the Distributor, or such person, as the case may
be, shall have notified the Trust in writing of the claim within a reasonable
time after the summons or other first written notification giving information of
the nature of the claim shall have been served upon the Distributor or upon such
person (or after the Distributor or such person shall have received notice of
such service on any designated agent). However, failure to notify the Trust of
any such claim shall not relieve the Trust from any liability which the Trust
may have to the Distributor or any person against whom such action is brought
otherwise than on account of the Trust's indemnity agreement contained in this
Paragraph.
The Trust shall be entitled to participate, at its own expense, in the
defense, or, if the Trust so elects, to assume the defense of any suit brought
to enforce any such claim, but if the Trust elects to assume the defense, such
defense shall be conducted by legal counsel chosen by the Trust and satisfactory
to the Distributor and to the persons indemnified as defendant or defendants, in
the suit. In the event that the Trust elects to assume the defense of any such
suit and retain such legal counsel, the Distributor, the persons indemnified as
defendant or defendants in the suit, shall bear the fees and expenses of any
additional legal counsel retained by them. If the Trust does not elect to assume
the defense of any such suit, the Trust will reimburse the Distributor and the
persons indemnified as defendant or defendants in such suit for the reasonable
fees and expenses of any legal counsel retained by them. The Trust agrees to
promptly notify the Distributor of the commencement of any litigation or
proceedings against it or any of its Trustees, officers, employees or
representatives in connection with the issue or sale of any Shares.
7. AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIONS. The Distributor is not authorized by the
Trust to give on behalf of the Trust any information or to make any
representations in connection with the sale of Shares other than the information
and representations contained in a Registration Statement or Prospectus filed
with the SEC under the 1933 Act and/or the 1940 Act, covering Shares, as such
Registration Statement and Prospectus may be amended or supplemented from time
to time, or contained in shareholder reports or other material that may be
prepared by or on behalf of the Trust for the Distributor's use. This shall not
be construed to prevent the Distributor from preparing and distributing
tombstone ads and sales literature or other material as it may deem appropriate.
No person other than the Distributor is authorized to act as principal
underwriter (as such term is defined in the 0000 Xxx) for the Trust.
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8. TERM OF AGREEMENT. The term of this Agreement shall begin on the
date first above written, and unless sooner terminated as hereinafter provided,
this Agreement shall remain in effect for a period of two years from the date
first above written. Thereafter, this Agreement shall continue in effect from
year to year, subject to the termination provisions and all other terms and
conditions thereof, so long as such continuation shall be specifically approved
at least annually by (i) the Board of Trustees or by vote of a majority of the
outstanding voting securities of each series of the Trust and, (ii) by the vote,
cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval,
of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not parties to this Agreement
or interested persons of any such party. The Distributor shall furnish to the
Trust, promptly upon its request, such information as may reasonably be
necessary to evaluate the terms of this Agreement or any extension, renewal or
amendment hereof.
9. AMENDMENT OR ASSIGNMENT OF AGREEMENT. This Agreement may not be
amended or assigned except as permitted by the 1940 Act, and this Agreement
shall automatically and immediately terminate in the event of its assignment.
10. TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT. This Agreement may be terminated by
either party hereto, without the payment of any penalty, on not more than upon
60 days' nor less than 30 days' prior notice in writing to the other party;
provided, that in the case of termination by the Trust such action shall have
been authorized by resolution of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are
not parties to this Agreement or interested persons of any such party, or by
vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of each series of the
Trust.
11. MISCELLANEOUS. The captions in this Agreement are included for
convenience of reference only and in no way define or delineate any of the
provisions hereof or otherwise affect their construction or effect.
This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which
together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to require the Trust to take
any action contrary to its Agreement and Declaration of Trust or By-Laws, or any
applicable statutory or regulatory requirement to which it is subject or by
which it is bound, or to relieve or deprive the Board of Trustees of the Trust
of responsibility for and control of the conduct of the affairs of the Trust.
12. DEFINITION OF TERMS. Any question of interpretation of any term or
provision of this Agreement having a counterpart in or otherwise derived from a
term or provision of the 1940 Act shall be resolved by reference to such term or
provision of the 1940 Act and to interpretation thereof, if any, by the United
States courts or, in the absence of any controlling decision of any such court,
by rules, regulations or orders of the SEC validly issued pursuant to the 1940
Act. Specifically, the terms "vote of a majority of the outstanding voting
securities", "interested persons," "assignment," and "affiliated person," as
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used in Paragraphs 8, 9 and 10 hereof, shall have the meanings assigned to them
by Section 2(a) of the 1940 Act. In addition, where the effect ora requirement
of the 1940 Act reflected in any provision of this Agreement is relaxed by a
rule, regulation or order of the SEC, whether of special or of general
application, such provision shall be deemed to incorporate the effect of such
rule, regulation or order.
13. COMPLIANCE WITH SECURITIES LAWS. The Trust represents that it is
registered as an open-end management investment company under the 1940 Act, and
agrees that it will comply with all the provisions of the 1940 Act and of the
rules and regulations thereunder. The Trust and the Distributor each agree to
comply with all of the applicable terms and provisions of the 1940 Act, the 1933
Act and, subject to the provisions of Section 4(d), all applicable "Blue Sky"
laws. The Distributor agrees to comply with all of the applicable terms and
provisions of the 1934 Act.
14. NOTICES. Any notice required to be given pursuant to this Agreement
shall be deemed duly given if delivered or mailed by registered mail, postage
prepaid, to the Distributor at 0000 X. Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx 000X, Xxxxxxx, XX
00000 or to the Trust at 0000 X. Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx 000X, Xxxxxxx, XX 00000.
15. GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement shall be governed and construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of Arizona.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
executed by their officers designated below on the date first written above.
ADVISORS SERIES TRUST
By:
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Name:
Title:
FIRST FUND DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
By:
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Name:
Title:
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