EXHIBIT 10.21
ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND WAIVER AGREEMENT
This Agreement ("AGREEMENT"), dated December ___, 2005, is entered into
by and between Xxxxxxxx Properties Trust, a Maryland real estate investment
trust (the "COMPANY") and ____________ ("KEY EMPLOYEE").
1. Acknowledgement. Pursuant to the terms of the Xxxxxxxx Properties Trust
Change in Control Severance Protection Plan for Key Employees (the
"PLAN"), Key Employee is eligible to receive benefits set forth in
Section 4.2 of the Plan upon a Qualifying Termination (as it is defined
in the Plan) of employment.
2. Waiver of Benefits. Key Employee hereby waives any and all rights which
Key Employee has pursuant to the Plan in consideration for the payment
of, prior to January 1, 2006, (i) a lump sum amount equal to the amount
which Key Employee would have been eligible to receive under Section
4.2(b) of the Plan, plus (ii) a lump sum amount equal to the aggregate
sum of all the premiums (both employer and employee portion of such
premiums) that would be payable by the Company to provide for the
benefits set forth in Section 4.2(c) of the Plan. The total payment
amount is listed on Exhibit A of this Agreement.
3. Acceleration of Certain Equity Grants. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
if the Qualifying Termination takes place within three years of the
date of grant of any award of restricted stock or any option in
Brandywine Realty Trust ("BRANDYWINE") which was granted in connection
with the merger of the Company with Brandywine (the "MERGER"), then the
restrictions with respect to any such grant of restricted stock shall
immediately lapse, and any such option granted shall become immediately
vested and exercisable.
4. Section 4999 Tax Gross-Up. Article VI of the Plan, relating to Sections
280G and 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the
"CODE"), shall continue to apply in full force and effect as set forth
in the Plan.
5. Section 409A Tax Gross-Up.
(a) In the event it shall be determined that the payment of the
amounts listed on Exhibit A to this Agreement in 2005 (the "2005
Payments") is or will be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section
409A of the Code or any interest or penalties with respect to such
payment or excise tax (such excise tax, together with any such interest
and penalties, are collectively referred to as the "Excise Tax"), then
Key Employee shall be entitled to receive an additional payment (a
"Gross-Up Payment") in an amount such that after payment by Key
Employee of all taxes (including any interest or penalties imposed with
respect to such taxes), including but not limited to, any income tax,
employment tax or Excise tax, imposed upon the Gross Up Payment, Key
Employee retains an amount of the Gross-Up Payment equal to the Excise
Tax imposed upon the Total Payments. For purposes of determining the
amount of the Gross-Up Payment, Executive shall be deemed to pay
federal income tax and employment taxes at the highest marginal rate of
federal income and employment taxation in the calendar year in which
the Gross-Up Payment is to be made and state and local income taxes at
the highest marginal rate of taxation in the state and locality of
Executive's residence (or, if greater, the state and locality in which
Executive is required to file a nonresident income tax return with
respect to the Payment) on the date of termination, net of the maximum
reduction in federal income taxes that may be obtained from the
deduction of such state and local taxes.
(b) If it is finally determined that any of the Total Payments are
subject to Excise Tax any determinations as to the amount of the
Gross-Up Payment shall be made by an independent accounting firm
selected by the Company (the "Accounting Firm"), which shall provide
its determination (the "Determination"), together with detailed
supporting calculations regarding the amount of any Gross-Up Payment
and any other relevant matter, both to the Company and Key Employee by
no later than ten (10) days following such final determination, or such
earlier time as is requested by the Company or Key Employee (if Key
Employee reasonably believes that any of the Total Payments may be
subject to the Excise Tax). If a Gross-Up Payment is determined to be
payable, it shall be paid to Key Employee within twenty (20) days after
the Determination (and all accompanying calculations and other material
supporting the Determination) is delivered to the Company by the
Accounting Firm. Any determination by the Accounting Firm shall be
binding upon the Company and Key Employee, absent manifest error.
(c) If a claim by a federal, state or local taxing authority is
made against Key Employee, and if Key Employee intends to seek a
Gross-Up Payment with respect thereto under this Section, Key Employee
shall promptly notify (i) the Company in writing of such claims,
setting forth such claims in reasonable detail and providing copies of
any written documentation provided by the taxing authority in
connection with its claims. The Company shall have fifteen (15) days
after receipt of such notice to undertake, conduct and control, through
counsel of its own choosing and at its own expense, the settlement or
defense thereof, and Key Employee shall cooperate with it in connection
therewith; provided, that Key Employee may participate in such
settlement or defense through counsel chosen by Key Employee and paid
at his own expense. So long as the Company is reasonably contesting any
such claim in good faith, Key Employee shall not pay or settle any such
claim without the consent of the Company, which consent shall not be
unreasonably withheld. If the Company does not notify Key Employee in
writing within fifteen (15) days after receipt of the Company's written
notice of a claim to a Gross-Up Payment hereunder that it elects to
undertake the defense thereof, Key Employee shall have the right to
undertake, at the Company's cost, risk and expense, the defense,
compromise or settlement of the claim, but shall not thereby waive any
right to a Gross-Up Payment therefore pursuant to this Agreement. The
Company shall pay Key Employee's expenses as and when incurred.
6. Applicable Law. This Acknowledgment and Waiver will be governed and
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas.
7. No Third-Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement is solely for the benefit
of the parties to this Acknowledgment and Waiver and, except to the
extent the Company is affected hereby, should not be deemed to confer
upon third parties any remedy, claim, liability, reimbursement, claims
or actions or other right in excess of those existing without reference
to this Agreement.
8. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all
of which together constitute one and the same instrument.
9. Severability. Any provision of this Acknowledgment & Waiver that is
prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such
jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or
unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof.
Any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not
invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other
jurisdiction. Without prejudice to any rights or remedies otherwise
available to any party to this Agreement, each party hereto
acknowledges that the obligations of the parties hereto shall be
specifically enforceable.
10. Further Assurances. The parties hereto will execute and deliver or
cause to be executed and delivered such further instruments and
documents and will take such other actions as any other party to this
Acknowledgment and Waiver may reasonably request in order to effectuate
the purpose of this Acknowledgment and Waiver and to carry out the
terms thereof.
11. Successors to Company. This Acknowledgement and Waiver shall be binding
upon and shall inure to the benefit of the Company, its successors and
assigns and the Company shall require any successor or assign to
expressly assume and agree to perform this Acknowledgment and Waiver in
the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be
required to perform it if no such succession or assignment had taken
place. The term "Company" as used herein shall mean a trust,
corporation or other entity acquiring all or substantially all the
assets and business of the Company whether by operation of law or
otherwise.
12. Assignability by Participant. Neither this Acknowledgment and Waiver
nor any right or interest hereunder shall be assignable or transferable
by Key Employee or his or her beneficiaries or legal representatives,
except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution. This
Acknowledgment and Waiver shall inure to the benefit of and be
enforceable by a Key Employee's legal personal representative.
[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Acknowledgment
and Waiver to be duly executed as of the day and year first written above.
KEY EMPLOYEE
______________________________________
[Key Employee Name]
THE COMPANY
XXXXXXXX PROPERTIES TRUST
By: ________________________________
Name: ________________________________
Title: _______________________________
