23,000,000] Shares MSCI INC. Class A Common Stock (Par Value $0.01 Per Share) UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

Exhibit 1.1

[23,000,000] Shares

MSCI INC.

Class A Common Stock (Par Value $0.01 Per Share)

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

July [—], 2008

Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated

UBS Securities LLC

Banc of America Securities LLC

Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Company, L.L.C.

Xxx-Xxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx (USA) LLC

Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxx, Inc.

Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated

c/o Morgan Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated

0000 Xxxxxxxx

Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx, a Delaware corporation (the “Selling Shareholder”), a shareholder of MSCI Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to sell to the several Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters”) an aggregate of [23,000,000] shares (the “Firm Shares”) of the Company’s Class A Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Class A Common Stock”).

The Selling Shareholder also proposes to sell to the several Underwriters not more than an additional [3,450,000] shares of Class A Common Stock (the “Additional Shares”) if and to the extent that Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated, as a manager of the offering, shall have determined to exercise, on behalf of the Underwriters, the right to purchase such shares of Class A Common Stock granted to the Underwriters in Section 3 hereof. The Firm Shares and the Additional Shares are hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Shares.” The shares of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company to be outstanding after giving effect to the sales contemplated hereby are hereinafter referred to collectively as the “Common Stock.”

The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement, including a prospectus, relating to the Shares. The registration statement as amended at the time it becomes effective, including the information (if any) deemed to be part of the registration statement at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), is hereinafter referred to as the “Registration Statement”; the prospectus in the form first used to confirm sales of Shares (or in the form first made available to the Underwriters by the Company to meet requests of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) is hereinafter referred to as the “Prospectus.” If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement to register additional shares of Common Stock pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the “Rule 462 Registration Statement”), then any reference herein to the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include such Rule 462 Registration Statement.

For purposes of this Agreement, “free writing prospectus” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act, “Time of Sale Prospectus” means the preliminary prospectus together with the free writing prospectuses, if any, and the term sheets communicated pursuant to Rule 134 under the Securities Act, if any, each identified in Schedule II hereto, and “broadly available road show” means a “bona fide electronic road show” as defined in Rule 433(h)(5) under the Securities Act that has been made available without restriction to any person. As used

herein, the terms “Registration Statement,” “preliminary prospectus,” “Time of Sale Prospectus” and “Prospectus” shall include the documents, if any, incorporated by reference therein.

Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated has agreed to reserve a portion of the Shares to be purchased by it under this Agreement for sale to the Company’s directors, officers, employees and business associates and other parties related to the Company (collectively, “Participants”), as set forth in the Prospectus under the heading “Underwriters” (the “Directed Share Program”). The Shares to be sold by Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated and its affiliates pursuant to the Directed Share Program are referred to hereinafter as the “Directed Shares”. Any Directed Shares not orally confirmed for purchase by any Participant by the end of the business day on which this Agreement is executed will be offered to the public by the Underwriters as set forth in the Prospectus.

1. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to and agrees with each of the Underwriters that:

(a) The Registration Statement has become effective; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in effect, and no proceedings for such purpose are pending before or threatened by the Commission.

(b) (i) The Registration Statement, when it became effective, did not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) the Registration Statement and the Prospectus comply and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, (iii) the Time of Sale Prospectus does not, and at the time of each sale of the Shares in connection with the offering when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and at the Closing Date (as defined in Section 5), the Time of Sale Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented by the Company, if applicable, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, (iv) each broadly available road show, if any, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and (v) the Prospectus does not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph do not apply to statements or omissions in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus based upon information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through you expressly for use therein.

(c) The Company is not an “ineligible issuer” in connection with the offering pursuant to Rules 164, 405 and 433 under the Securities Act. Any free writing prospectus that the Company is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act has been, or will be, filed with the Commission in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. Each free writing prospectus that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or that was prepared by or on behalf of or used or referred to by the Company complies or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. Except for the free writing prospectuses, if any, identified in Schedule II hereto, and electronic road shows, if any, each furnished to you before first use, the Company has not prepared, used or referred to, and will not, without your prior consent, prepare, use or refer to, any free writing prospectus.

(d) The Company has been duly incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has the corporate power and authority to own its property and to conduct its business as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(e) Each subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has the corporate power and authority to own its property and to conduct its business as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; all of the issued shares of capital stock of each subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims.

(f) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

(g) The authorized capital stock of the Company will, on the Closing Date (as defined in Section 5), conform as to legal matters to the description thereof contained in each of the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus.

(h) The shares of Common Stock (including the Shares to be sold by the Selling Shareholder) have been duly authorized and are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

(i) The execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, this Agreement will not contravene (i) any provision of applicable law, (ii) any provision of the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of the Company, (iii) any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Company or any of its subsidiaries that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (iv) any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary, except, in the case of clauses (i) and (iv) above, where such contravention would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company or on the power and ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Time of Sale Prospectus. No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency is required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement, except such as may be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares and except for any such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders or qualifications the absence of which would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company or on the power and ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Time of Sale Prospectus.

(j) There has not occurred any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

(k) There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or threatened to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject (i) other than proceedings accurately described in all material respects in the Time of Sale Prospectus and proceedings that would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or on the power or ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Time of Sale Prospectus or (ii) that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and are not so described; and there are no statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not described or filed as required.

(l) Each preliminary prospectus filed as part of the registration statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act, complied when so filed in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

(m) The Company is not required to register as an “investment company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

(n) The Company and its subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“Environmental Laws”), (ii) have received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses and (iii) are in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval, except where such noncompliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals or failure to comply with the terms and conditions of such permits, licenses or approvals would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(o) There are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties) which would, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(p) Except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company or to require the Company to include such securities with the Shares registered pursuant to the Registration Statement.

(q) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, (i) the Company and its subsidiaries have not incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or contingent, nor entered into any material transaction; (ii) the Company has not purchased any of its outstanding capital stock, nor declared, paid or otherwise made any dividend or distribution of any kind on its capital stock other than ordinary and customary dividends; and (iii) there has not been any material change in the capital stock, short term debt or long term debt of the Company and its subsidiaries, except in each case as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, respectively.

(r) The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them which is material to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except such as are described in the Time of Sale Prospectus or such as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its subsidiaries; and any real property and buildings held under lease by the Company and its subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material and do not interfere with

the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company and its subsidiaries, in each case except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

(s) The Company and its subsidiaries own or possess or, to the knowledge of the Company, it or its subsidiaries can acquire on reasonable terms, all material patents, patent rights, inventions, copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks and trade names currently employed by them in connection with the business now operated by them, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any of the foregoing, except in each case which, singly or in the aggregate, would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(t) No material labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists, except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus, or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent; and the Company is not aware of any existing, threatened or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its principal suppliers, manufacturers or contractors that could have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(u) The Company and each of its subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which they are engaged; neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

(v) The Company and its subsidiaries possess all certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate federal, state or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses, except as would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authorization or permit which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

(w) The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in

conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus, since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (i) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (ii) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

(x) Except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Company has not sold, issued or distributed any shares of Common Stock during the six-month period preceding the date hereof, including any sales pursuant to Rule 144A under, or Regulation D or S of, the Securities Act, other than shares issued pursuant to employee benefit plans, qualified stock option plans or other employee compensation plans or pursuant to outstanding options, rights or warrants.

(y) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is required to be registered, licensed or qualified pursuant to the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

(z) Each employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), that is maintained, administered or contributed to by the Company or any of its affiliates for employees or former employees of the Company has been maintained in all material respects in compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). No prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred with respect to any such plan excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption and transactions with respect to which no material liability to the Company has occurred or could reasonably be expected to occur, either individually or in the aggregate; and for each such plan that is subject to the funding rules of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, no “accumulated funding deficiency” as defined in Section 412 of the Code has been incurred, whether or not waived, and the fair market value of the assets of each such plan (excluding for these purposes accrued but unpaid contributions) exceeds the present value of all benefits accrued under such plan determined using reasonable actuarial assumptions.

(aa) The historical consolidated financial statements (including the related notes) set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and present fairly in all material respects the consolidated financial condition, the consolidated results of operations and the consolidated changes in cash flows of the entities purported to be shown thereby in conformity with generally accepted accounting

principles; and the summary and selected historical financial data set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent in all material respects with that of the audited consolidated financial statements set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus or the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements, as the case may be.

(bb) Deloitte & Touche LLP, whose reports are filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement, is and, during the periods covered by their reports, was an independent registered public accounting firm as required by the Securities Act and the published rules and regulations thereunder adopted by the Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States).

(cc) The statistical and market and industry-related data included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, other than the data furnished to the Company by the Underwriters specifically for use therein, are based on or derived from sources that the Company reasonably believes to be reliable and accurate in all material respects.

(dd) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its certificate of incorporation or by-laws or (ii) in default in any material respect, and no event has occurred which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, credit agreement or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it is bound or to which any of its property or assets is subject, except for any default described in clause (ii) which would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(ee) The Company and each of its subsidiaries (to the extent not included in the consolidated tax returns of Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx in the ordinary course of business) have filed all federal, state, local and foreign tax returns required to be filed through the date of this Agreement or have requested extensions thereof (except for cases in which the failure to file would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole) and have paid all taxes required to be paid thereon, and, except as currently being contested in good faith and for which reserves required by generally accepted accounting principles have been created in the financial statements of the Company, no tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries which has had (nor does the Company nor any of its subsidiaries have any notice or knowledge of any tax deficiency which could reasonably be expected to be determined adversely to the Company or its subsidiaries and which could reasonably be expected to have) a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(ff) The Company and its subsidiaries have not, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, has any director, officer, agent, employee or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or its subsidiaries, (A) taken any action, directly or

indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”) or (B) used any of the funds of the Company or its subsidiaries with an unlawful purpose or in an unlawful manner for any contribution, gift, entertainment or other expense relating to political activity or as a means to permit the operation of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or to obtain any concession in contravention of any applicable law, made any direct or indirect payment to any foreign or domestic government official (or “Foreign Official”, as such term is defined in the FCPA) or employee in contravention of any applicable law from any of the funds of the Company or its subsidiaries, or made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment in contravention of any applicable law and (C) the Company, and to the knowledge of the Company, its affiliates, have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA and operate under a Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx program designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.

(gg) Neither the Company, nor any of its subsidiaries, or to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or controlled affiliate of the Company or its subsidiaries is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”).

(hh) The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

(ii) The Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus and any preliminary prospectus comply, and any amendments or supplements thereto will comply, with any applicable laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions in which the Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or any preliminary prospectus, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, are distributed in connection with the Directed Share Program.

(jj) No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency, other than those obtained, is required in connection with the offering of the Directed Shares in any jurisdiction where the Directed Shares are being offered.

(kk) The Company has not offered, or caused Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated to offer, Shares to any person pursuant to the Directed Share Program with the specific intent to unlawfully influence (i) a customer or supplier of the Company to

alter the customer’s or supplier’s level or type of business with the Company, or (ii) a trade journalist or publication to write or publish favorable information about the Company or its products.

2. Representations and Warranties of the Selling Shareholder. The Selling Shareholder represents and warrants to and agrees with each of the Underwriters that:

(a) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by or on behalf of the Selling Shareholder.

(b) The execution and delivery by the Selling Shareholder of, and the performance by the Selling Shareholder of its obligations under, this Agreement will not contravene any provision of applicable law, or the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of the Selling Shareholder, or any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Selling Shareholder or any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Selling Shareholder, and no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency is required for the performance by the Selling Shareholder of its obligations under this Agreement, except such as may be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares.

(c) The Selling Shareholder has, and on the Closing Date will have, valid title to, or a valid “security entitlement” within the meaning of Section 8-501 of the New York Uniform Commercial Code in respect of, the Shares to be sold by the Selling Shareholder free and clear of all security interests, claims, liens, equities or other encumbrances and the legal right and power, and all authorization and approval required by law, to enter into this Agreement and to sell, transfer and deliver the Shares to be sold by the Selling Shareholder or a security entitlement in respect of such Shares.

(d) The Selling Shareholder is not prompted by any information concerning the Company or its subsidiaries which is not set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus to sell its Shares pursuant to this Agreement.

(e) (1) the Registration Statement, when it became effective, did not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (2) the Time of Sale Prospectus does not, and at the time of each sale of the Shares in connection with the offering when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and at the Closing Date (as defined in Section 5), the Time of Sale Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented by the Company, if applicable, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, (3) each broadly available road show, if any, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and (4) the Prospectus does not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to

state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph 2(a)(v) are limited to statements or omissions made in reliance upon information relating to the Selling Shareholder furnished to the Company in writing by the Selling Shareholder expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto.

(f) The Selling Shareholder has no reason to believe that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in Section 1 are not true and correct.

3. Agreements to Sell and Purchase. The Selling Shareholder hereby agrees to sell to the several Underwriters, and each Underwriter, upon the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the conditions hereinafter stated, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Selling Shareholder at $[—] a share (the “Purchase Price”) the number of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule I hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter.

On the basis of the representations and warranties contained in this Agreement, and subject to its terms and conditions, the Selling Shareholder agrees to sell to the Underwriters the Additional Shares, and the Underwriters shall have the right to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to [3,450,000] Additional Shares at the Purchase Price. Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated may exercise this right on behalf of the Underwriters in whole or from time to time in part by giving written notice not later than 30 days after the date of this Agreement. Any exercise notice shall specify the number of Additional Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters and the date on which such shares are to be purchased. Each purchase date must be at least one business day after the written notice is given and may not be earlier than the Closing Date nor later than ten business days after the date of such notice. Additional Shares may be purchased as provided in Section 5 hereof solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments made in connection with the offering of the Firm Shares. On each day, if any, that Additional Shares are to be purchased (an “Option Closing Date”), each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the number of Additional Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as you may determine) that bears the same proportion to the total number of Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date as the number of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule I hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares.

Each of the Company and the Selling Shareholder hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, during the period ending 60 days after the date of the Prospectus, (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or (2) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise.

The restrictions contained in the preceding paragraph shall not apply to (a) the Shares to be sold hereunder, (b) the issuance of shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of options granted under employee stock option plans existing as of the date hereof, (c) grants of employee stock options or restricted stock in accordance with the terms of a plan in effect on the date hereof, (d) transactions by the Selling Shareholder relating to shares of Common Stock or other securities acquired in open market transactions after the completion of the offering of the Shares, provided that no filing under Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), shall be required or shall be voluntarily made in connection with subsequent sales of Common Stock or other securities acquired in such open market transactions, and (e) the issuance by the Company of up to 10,006,989 shares of Common Stock (or options, warrants or convertible securities relating to shares of Common Stock) in connection with bona fide mergers or acquisitions, joint ventures, commercial relationships or other strategic transactions, provided that the acquiree of any such shares of Common Stock (or options, warrants or convertible securities relating to shares of Common Stock) so issued enters into an agreement in the form of Exhibit A hereto with respect to such shares of Common Stock (or options, warrants or convertible securities relating to shares of Common Stock) for the remainder of the 60-day restricted period and possible extension of such period described below in this paragraph. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (1) during the last 17 days of the 60-day restricted period the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs; or (2) prior to the expiration of the 60-day restricted period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the 60-day restricted period, the restrictions imposed by this Agreement shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event. The Company shall promptly notify Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated of any earnings release, news or event that may give rise to an extension of the initial 60-day restricted period.

4. Terms of Public Offering. Each of the Company and the Selling Shareholder are advised by you that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of their respective portions of the Shares as soon after the Registration Statement and this Agreement have become effective as in your judgment is advisable. Each of the Company and the Selling Shareholder are further advised by you that the Shares are to be offered to the public initially at $[—] a share (the “Public Offering Price”) and to certain dealers selected by you at a price that represents a concession not in excess of $[—] a share under the Public Offering Price.

5. Payment and Delivery. Payment for the Firm Shares shall be made to the Selling Shareholder in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City against delivery of such Firm Shares for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on July [—], 2008, or at such other time on the same or such other date, not later than July [—], 2008, as shall be designated in writing by you. The time and date of such payment are hereinafter referred to as the “Closing Date.”

Payment for any Additional Shares shall be made to the Selling Shareholder in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City against delivery of such Additional Shares for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date specified in the corresponding notice described in Section 3 or at such other time on the

same or on such other date, in any event not later than [—], 2008, as shall be designated in writing by Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated.

The Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be registered in such names and in such denominations as you shall request in writing not later than one full business day prior to the Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be. The Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be delivered to you on the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the case may be, for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters, with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the transfer of the Shares to the Underwriters duly paid, against payment of the Purchase Price therefor.

6. Conditions to the Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the Selling Shareholder to sell the Shares to the Underwriters and the several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Firm Shares on the Closing Date are subject to the condition that the Registration Statement shall have become effective not later than 4:30 p.m. (New York City time) on the date hereof.

The several obligations of the Underwriters are subject to the following further conditions:

(a) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date:

(i) there shall not have occurred any downgrading, nor shall any notice have been given of any intended or potential downgrading or of any review for a possible change that does not indicate the direction of the possible change, in the rating accorded any of the securities of the Company, Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx or any of their respective subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as such term is defined for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities Act; and

(ii) there shall not have occurred any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus as of the date of this Agreement that, in Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated’s judgment, is material and adverse and that makes it, in Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated’s judgment, impracticable to market the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

(b) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date:

(i) a certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed by an executive officer of the Company, to the effect set forth in Section 6(a)(i) above and to the effect that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement are true and correct as of the Closing Date and that the Company has complied with all of the agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on its part

to be performed or satisfied hereunder on or before the Closing Date. The executive officer signing and delivering such certificate may rely upon the best of his or her knowledge as to proceedings threatened; and

(ii) a certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed by an executive officer of the Selling Shareholder, to the effect that the representations and warranties of the Selling Shareholder contained in this Agreement are true and correct as of the Closing Date; and that the Selling Shareholder has complied with all of the agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder on or before the Closing Date.

(c) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date opinions, each dated the Closing Date, of Xxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxxx, outside counsel for the Company, substantially in the form attached as Exhibits B-1 and B-2 hereto.

(d) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion, dated the Closing Date, of Xxxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, General Counsel of the Company, substantially in the form attached as Exhibit C hereto.

(e) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion, dated the Closing Date, of Xxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxxx, counsel for the Selling Shareholder, substantially in the form attached as Exhibit D hereto.

(f) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion or opinions of Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date, covering such matters as the Underwriters may reasonably request.

The opinions described in Sections 6(c), 6(d) and 6(e) above shall be rendered to the Underwriters at the request of the Company or the Selling Shareholder as the case may be, and shall so state therein.

(g) The Underwriters shall have received, on each of the date hereof and the Closing Date, a letter dated the date hereof or the Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, from Deloitte & Touche LLP, independent public accountants, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus; provided that the letter delivered on the Closing Date shall use a “cut-off date” not earlier than the date hereof.

(h) The “lock-up” agreements, each substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, between you and each officer and director of the Company set forth on Schedule III hereto, relating to sales and certain other dispositions of shares of Common Stock or certain other securities, delivered to you on or before the date hereof, shall be in full force and effect on the Closing Date.

The several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase Additional Shares hereunder are subject to the delivery to you on the applicable Option Closing Date of such documents as Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated may reasonably request with respect to the good standing of the Company, the due authorization and issuance of the Additional Shares to be sold on such Option Closing Date and other matters related to the issuance of such Additional Shares.

7. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows:

(a) To furnish to you, without charge, [—] signed copies of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and for delivery to each other Underwriter a conformed copy of the Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto) and to furnish to you in New York City, without charge, prior to 10:00 a.m. New York City time on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and during the period mentioned in Section 7(e) or 7(f) below, as many copies of the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus and any supplements and amendments thereto or to the Registration Statement as you may reasonably request.

(b) Before amending or supplementing the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, to furnish to you a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement and not to file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which you reasonably object, and to file with the Commission within the applicable period specified in Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act any prospectus required to be filed pursuant to such Rule.

(c) To furnish to you a copy of each proposed free writing prospectus to be prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company and not to use or refer to any proposed free writing prospectus to which you reasonably object.

(d) Not to take any action that would result in an Underwriter or the Company being required to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of the Underwriter that the Underwriter otherwise would not have been required to file thereunder.

(e) If the Time of Sale Prospectus is being used to solicit offers to buy the Shares at a time when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances, not misleading, or if any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which the Time of Sale Prospectus conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement then on file, or if, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to any dealer upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Time of Sale Prospectus so that the statements in the Time of Sale Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when the Time of Sale Prospectus is delivered to a prospective purchaser,

be misleading or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will no longer conflict with the Registration Statement, or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law.

(f) If, during such period after the first date of the public offering of the Shares as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Securities Act) is required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an Underwriter or dealer, any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Securities Act) is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to the dealers (whose names and addresses you will furnish to the Company) to which Shares may have been sold by you on behalf of the Underwriters and to any other dealers upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Prospectus so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Securities Act) is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law.

(g) To endeavor to qualify the Shares for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as you shall reasonably request; provided that in no event shall the Company or any of its subsidiaries be obligated to qualify to do business as a foreign corporation in any jurisdiction where it is not already so qualified, to file any general consent to service of process, or to subject itself to taxation in any jurisdiction where it is not already subject to taxation.

(h) To make generally available to the Company’s security holders and to you as soon as practicable an earning statement (which need not be audited) covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the date of this Agreement which shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder; provided that such delivery requirement shall be deemed met by the Company’s compliance with its reporting requirements pursuant to the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder.

(i) To comply with all applicable securities and other laws, rules and regulations in each jurisdiction in which the Directed Shares are offered in connection with the Directed Share Program.

8. Expenses. Whether or not the transactions contemplated in this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company agrees to pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including: (i) the

fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel, the Company’s accountants and counsel for the Selling Shareholder in connection with the registration and delivery of the Shares under the Securities Act and all other fees or expenses in connection with the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company and amendments and supplements to any of the foregoing, including all printing costs associated therewith, and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers, in the quantities hereinabove specified, (ii) all costs and expenses related to the transfer and delivery of the Shares to the Underwriters, including any transfer or other taxes payable thereon, (iii) the reasonable cost of printing or producing any Blue Sky or Legal Investment memorandum in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares under state securities laws and all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Shares for offer and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 7(g) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky or Legal Investment memorandum, (iv) all filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters incurred in connection with the review and qualification of the offering of the Shares by the FINRA, (v) all costs and expenses incident to listing the Shares on the New York Stock Exchange, (vi) the cost of printing certificates representing the Shares, (vii) the costs and charges of any transfer agent, registrar or depositary, (viii) half of the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Shares, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the preparation or dissemination of any electronic road show, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations with the prior approval of the Company, and travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants, except that the Underwriters will pay all of the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show, (ix) the document production charges and expenses associated with printing this Agreement, (x) all expenses in connection with any offer and sale of the Shares outside of the United States, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with offers and sales outside of the United States, (xi) all fees and disbursements of counsel incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the Directed Share Program and stamp duties, similar taxes or duties or other taxes, if any, incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the Directed Share Program and (xii) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company hereunder for which provision is not otherwise made in this Section. It is understood, however, that except as provided in this Section, Section 10 entitled “Indemnity and Contribution,” Section 11 entitled “Directed Share Program Indemnification” and the last paragraph of Section 13 below, the Underwriters will pay all of their costs and expenses, including fees and disbursements of their counsel, stock transfer taxes payable on resale of any of the Shares by them, any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make and all of the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with any road show and half of the other costs and expenses relating to any road show as described in (viii) above.

9. Covenants of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter severally covenants with the Company not to take any action that would result in the Company being required to file with the Commission under Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act a free writing prospectus prepared by or

on behalf of such Underwriter that otherwise would not be required to be filed by the Company thereunder, but for the action of the Underwriter.

10. Indemnity and Contribution.

(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and each affiliate of any Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any issuer free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act, any Company information that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities are caused by any such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission based upon information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through you expressly for use therein.

(b) The Selling Shareholder agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and each affiliate of any Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any issuer free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act, any Company information that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but only with reference to information relating to the Selling Shareholder furnished to the Company in writing by the Selling Shareholder expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any issuer free writing prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto.

(c) The Selling Shareholder agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who sign the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of either Section 15 of the

Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any issuer free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act, any Company information that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but only with reference to information relating to the Selling Shareholder furnished in writing by or on behalf of the Selling Shareholder expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto.

(d) Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Selling Shareholder, the directors of the Company, the officers of the Company who sign the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company or the Selling Shareholder within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any issuer free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act, any Company information that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, or the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished any amendments or supplements thereto), or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but only with reference to information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through you expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any issuer free writing prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto.

(e) In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 10(a), 10(b), 10(c) or 10(d), such person (the “indemnified party”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the “indemnifying party”) in writing and the indemnifying party, upon request of the indemnified party, shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party and any others the indemnifying party may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such

indemnified party unless (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel or (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is understood that the indemnifying party shall not, in respect of the legal expenses of any indemnified party in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for (i) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Underwriters and all persons, if any, who control any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act or who are affiliates of any Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act, (ii) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for the Company, its directors, its officers who sign the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of either such Section, (iii) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for the Selling Shareholder and all persons, if any, who control the Selling Shareholder within the meaning of either such Section, and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. In the case of any such separate firm for the Underwriters and such control persons and affiliates of any Underwriters, such firm shall be designated in writing by Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated. In the case of any such separate firm for the Company, and such directors, officers and control persons of the Company, such firm shall be designated in writing by the Company. In the case of any such separate firm for the Selling Shareholder and such control persons of the Selling Shareholder, such firm shall be designated in writing by the Selling Shareholder. The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by the second and third sentences of this paragraph, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement and (iii) such indemnified party shall have given the indemnifying party at least 30 days’ prior written notice of its intention to settle. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding.

(f) To the extent the indemnification provided for in Section 10(a), 10(b), 10(c) or 10(d) is unavailable to an indemnified party or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each indemnifying party under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and the indemnified party or parties on the other hand from the offering of the Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause 10(f)(i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause 10(f)(i) above but also the relative fault of the indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and of the indemnified party or parties on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling Shareholder on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the offering of the Shares shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds from the offering of the Shares (before deducting expenses) received by the Selling Shareholder and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate Public Offering Price of the Shares. The relative fault of the Company and the Selling Shareholder on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company, the Selling Shareholder or the Underwriters, as the case may be, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 10 are several in proportion to the respective number of Shares they have purchased hereunder, and not joint. The liability of the Selling Shareholder under the contribution agreement contained in this paragraph shall be limited to an amount equal to the aggregate Public Offering Price of the Shares sold by the Selling Shareholder under this Agreement.

(g) Each of the Company, the Selling Shareholder and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just or equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 10 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in Section 10(f). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in Section 10(f) shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 10, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged

untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The remedies provided for in this Section 10 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity.

(h) The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section 10 and the representations, warranties and other statements of the Company and the Selling Shareholder contained in this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, any person controlling any Underwriter or any affiliate of any Underwriter, the Selling Shareholder or any person controlling the Selling Shareholder, or the Company, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (iii) acceptance of and payment for any of the Shares.

11. Directed Share Program Indemnification.

(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated, each person, if any, who controls Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act and each affiliate of Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated within the meaning of Rule 405 of the Securities Act (“Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Entities”) from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) (i) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any material prepared by or with the consent of the Company for distribution to Participants in connection with the Directed Share Program or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (ii) caused by the failure of any Participant to pay for and accept delivery of Directed Shares that the Participant agreed to purchase; or (iii) related to, arising out of, or in connection with the Directed Share Program, other than losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or expenses relating thereto) that are finally judicially determined to have resulted from the bad faith, willful misconduct or gross negligence of Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Entities.

(b) In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be instituted involving any Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Entity in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 11(a), the Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Entity seeking indemnity, shall promptly notify the Company in writing and the Company, upon request of the Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Entity, shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Entity to represent the Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Entity and any others the Company may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Entity shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Entity unless (i) the Company shall have agreed to the retention

of such counsel or (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Company and the Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Entity and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. The Company shall not, in respect of the legal expenses of the Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Entities in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Entities. Any such separate firm for the Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Entities shall be designated in writing by Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated. The Company shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the Company agrees to indemnify the Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Entities from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time a Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Entity shall have requested the Company to reimburse it for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by the second and third sentences of this paragraph, the Company agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by the Company of the aforesaid request, (ii) the Company shall not have reimbursed the Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Entity in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement and (iii) such Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Entity shall have given the Company at least 30 days prior written notice of its intention to settle. The Company shall not, without the prior written consent of Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Entity is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Entity, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of the Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Entities from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding.

(c) To the extent the indemnification provided for in Section 11(a) is unavailable to a Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Entity or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then the Company in lieu of indemnifying the Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Entity thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by the Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Entity as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Entities on the other hand from the offering of the Directed Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause 11(c)(i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause 11(c)(i) above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Entities on the other hand in connection with any statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Entities on the other hand in connection with the offering of the Directed Shares shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds from the offering of the Directed Shares (before deducting expenses) and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Entities for the Directed Shares, bear to the aggregate Public Offering Price of the Directed Shares. If the loss, claim, damage or liability is caused by an untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or

alleged omission to state a material fact, the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Entities on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement or the omission or alleged omission relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Entities and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

(d) The Company and the Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Entities agree that it would not be just or equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 11 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Entities were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in Section 11(c). The amount paid or payable by the Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Entities as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Entities in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 11, no Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Entity shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Directed Shares distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages that such Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Entity has otherwise been required to pay. The remedies provided for in this Section 11 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity.

(e) The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section 11 shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Entity or the Company, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (iii) acceptance of and payment for any of the Directed Shares.

12. Termination. The Underwriters may terminate this Agreement by notice given by Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on, or by, as the case may be, any of the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, the NASDAQ Global Market, the Chicago Board of Options Exchange, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange or the Chicago Board of Trade, (ii) trading of any securities of the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over the counter market, (iii) a material disruption in securities settlement, payment or clearance services in the United States shall have occurred, (iv) any moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by Federal or New York State authorities or (v) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis that, in your judgment, is material and adverse and which, singly or together with any other event specified in this clause (v), makes it, in Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated’s judgment, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offer, sale or delivery of the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus.

13. Effectiveness; Defaulting Underwriters. This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto.

If, on the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the case may be, any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Shares that it has or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate number of Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase is not more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of the Shares to be purchased on such date, the other Underwriters shall be obligated severally in the proportions that the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule I bears to the aggregate number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting Underwriters, or in such other proportions as you may specify, to purchase the Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase on such date; provided that in no event shall the number of Shares that any Underwriter has agreed to purchase pursuant to this Agreement be increased pursuant to this Section 13 by an amount in excess of one-ninth of such number of Shares without the written consent of such Underwriter. If, on the Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Firm Shares and the aggregate number of Firm Shares with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Firm Shares to be purchased on such date, and arrangements satisfactory to you, the Company and the Selling Shareholder for the purchase of such Firm Shares are not made within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter, the Company, or the Selling Shareholder. In any such case either you or the Selling Shareholder shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date, but in no event for longer than seven days, in order that the required changes, if any, in the Registration Statement, in the Time of Sale Prospectus, in the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. If, on an Option Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Additional Shares and the aggregate number of Additional Shares with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall have the option to (i) terminate their obligation hereunder to purchase the Additional Shares to be sold on such Option Closing Date or (ii) purchase not less than the number of Additional Shares that such non-defaulting Underwriters would have been obligated to purchase in the absence of such default. Any action taken under this paragraph shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.

If this Agreement shall be terminated by the Underwriters, or any of them, because of any failure or refusal on the part of the Company or the Selling Shareholder to comply with the terms or to fulfill any of the conditions of this Agreement, or if for any reason the Company or the Selling Shareholder shall be unable to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Company and the Selling Shareholder will reimburse the Underwriters or such Underwriters as have so terminated this Agreement with respect to themselves, severally, for all out-of-pocket expenses (including the fees and disbursements of their counsel) reasonably incurred by such Underwriters in connection with this Agreement or the offering contemplated hereunder.

14. Entire Agreement.

(a) This Agreement, together with any contemporaneous written agreements and any prior written agreements (to the extent not superseded by this Agreement) that relate to the offering of the Shares, represents the entire agreement between the Company and the Selling Shareholder, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, with respect to the preparation of any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, the conduct of the offering, and the purchase and sale of the Shares.

(b) The Company acknowledges that in connection with the offering of the Shares: (i) the Underwriters have acted at arms length, are not agents of, and owe no fiduciary duties to, the Company or any other person, (ii) the Underwriters owe the Company only those duties and obligations set forth in this Agreement and prior written agreements (to the extent not superseded by this Agreement), if any, and (iii) the Underwriters may have interests that differ from those of the Company. The Company waives to the full extent permitted by applicable law any claims it may have against the Underwriters arising from an alleged breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the offering of the Shares.

15. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument.

16. Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York. The Company is registered to do business in the State of New York as NY MSCI.

17. Headings. The headings of the sections of this Agreement have been inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not be deemed a part of this Agreement.

18. Notices. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and effective only upon receipt and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered, mailed or sent to you in care of Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated, 0000 Xxxxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, Attention: Equity Syndicate Desk, with a copy to the Legal Department; if to the Company shall be delivered, mailed or sent to MSCI Inc., 00 Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, Attention: Xxxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, General Counsel, and if to the Selling Shareholder, shall be delivered, mailed or sent to Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx, 0000 Xxxxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, Attention: Treasurer.

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Very truly yours,

MSCI INC.

By:
		Name:
		Title:

XXXXXX XXXXXXX

By:
		Name:
		Title:

Accepted as of the date hereof

Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated

UBS Securities LLC

Banc of America Securities LLC

Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Company, L.L.C.

Xxx-Xxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx (USA) LLC

Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxx, Inc.

Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated

Acting severally on behalf of themselves and the several

Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto


By:		Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated

By:
		Name:
		Title:

By:		UBS Securities LLC

By:
		Name:
		Title:

By:
		Name:
		Title:

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23,000,000] Shares MSCI INC. Class A Common Stock (Par Value $0.01 Per Share) UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

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