EXHIBIT 1.1
AMERICAN HOME MORTGAGE ASSETS LLC
$_____________ (Approximately)
Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates, Series 200__-__
Class A $________________ _____%
Class R $________________ _____%
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
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______________, 200_
[Underwriter]
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Ladies and Gentlemen:
American Home Mortgage Assets LLC, a Delaware limited liability company
(the "Company"), proposes to sell to you (also referred to herein as the
"Underwriter") Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates, Series 200_-_, Class A and
Class R Certificates other than a de minimis portion thereof (collectively, the
"Certificates"), having the aggregate principal amounts and Pass-Through Rates
set forth above. The Certificates, together with the Class M and Class B
Certificates of the same series, will evidence the entire beneficial interest in
the Trust Fund (as defined in the Pooling and Servicing Agreement referred to
below) consisting primarily of a pool (the "Pool") of conventional, fixed-rate,
one- to four-family residential mortgage loans (the "Mortgage Loans") as
described in the Prospectus Supplement (as hereinafter defined) to be sold by
the Company. A de minimis portion of the Class R Certificates will not be sold
hereunder and will be held by the Trustee.
The Certificates will be issued pursuant to a pooling and servicing
agreement (the "Pooling and Servicing Agreement") to be dated as of
________________________, 200_ (the "Cut-off Date") among the Company, as
seller, ______________________________, as master servicer ("Master Servicer"),
and ______________________________, as trustee (the "Trustee"). The Certificates
are described more fully in the Basic Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement
(each as hereinafter defined) which the Company has furnished to you.
1. REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND COVENANTS.
1.1. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with you
that:
(a) The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission") a registration statement (No.
333-________) on Form S-3 for the registration under the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), of Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates
(issuable in series), including the Certificates, which registration
statement has become effective, and a copy of which, as amended to the
date hereof, has heretofore been delivered to you. The Company proposes
to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the rules and
regulations of the Commission under the Act (the "1933 Act
Regulations") a supplement dated ________________, 200_ (the
"Prospectus Supplement"), to the prospectus dated ______________, 200_
(the "Basic Prospectus"), relating to the Certificates and the method
of distribution thereof. Such registration statement (No. 333-________)
including exhibits thereto and any information incorporated therein by
reference, as amended at the date hereof, is hereinafter called the
"Registration Statement"; and the Basic Prospectus and the Prospectus
Supplement and any information incorporated therein by reference,
together with any amendment thereof or supplement thereto authorized by
the Company on or prior to the Closing Date for use in connection with
the offering of the Certificates, are hereinafter called the
"Prospectus". Any preliminary form of the Prospectus Supplement which
has heretofore been filed pursuant to Rule 424, or prior to the
effective date of the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 402(a),
or 424(a) is hereinafter called a "Preliminary Prospectus Supplement."
(b) The Registration Statement has become effective, and the
Registration Statement as of the effective date (the "Effective Date"),
and the Prospectus, as of the date of the Prospectus Supplement,
complied in all material respects with the applicable requirements of
the Act and the 1933 Act Regulations; and the Registration Statement,
as of the Effective Date, did not contain any untrue statement of a
material fact and did not omit to state any material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading and the Prospectus, as of the date of the Prospectus
Supplement, did not, and as of the Closing Date will not, contain an
untrue statement of a material fact and did not and will not omit to
state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading; provided, however, that the Company makes no
representations or warranties as to the information contained in or
omitted from the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any
amendment thereof or supplement thereto relating to the information
identified in Exhibit D (the "Excluded Information"); and provided,
further, that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to
either (i) any information in any Computational Materials or ABS Term
Sheets (each as hereinafter defined) required to be provided by the
Underwriter to the Company pursuant to Section 4.2, except to the
extent of any information set forth therein that constitutes Pool
Information (as defined below), or (ii) as to any information contained
in or omitted from the portions of the Prospectus identified in Exhibit
E (the "Underwriter Information"). As used herein, "Pool Information"
means information with respect to the characteristics of the Mortgage
Loans and administrative and servicing fees, as provided by or on
behalf of the Company to the Underwriter in final form and set forth in
the Prospectus Supplement. The Company acknowledges that, except for
any Computational Materials, the Underwriter Information constitutes
the only information furnished in writing by you or on your behalf for
use in connection with the preparation of the Registration Statement,
any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, and you confirm that the
Underwriter Information is correct.
(c) The Company has been duly formed and is validly existing
as a limited liability company in good standing under the laws of the
State of Delaware and has the requisite power to own its properties and
to conduct its business as presently conducted by it.
(d) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the Company.
(e) As of the Closing Date (as defined herein) the
Certificates will conform in all material respects to the description
thereof contained in the Prospectus and the representations and
warranties of the Company in the Pooling and Servicing Agreement will
be true and correct in all material respects.
1.2. The Underwriter represents and warrants to and agrees with the
Company that:
(a) No purpose of the Underwriter relating to the purchase of
any of the Class R Certificates by the Underwriter is or will be to
enable the Company to impede the assessment or collection of any tax.
(b) The Underwriter has no present knowledge or expectation
that it will be unable to pay any United States taxes owed by it so
long as any of the Certificates remain outstanding.
(c) The Underwriter has no present knowledge or expectation
that it will become insolvent or subject to a bankruptcy proceeding for
so long as any of the Certificates remain outstanding.
(d) No purpose of the Underwriter relating to any sale of any
of the Class R Certificates by the Underwriter will be to enable it to
impede the assessment or collection of tax. In this regard, the
Underwriter hereby represents to and for the benefit of the Company
that the Underwriter intends to pay taxes associated with holding the
Class R Certificates, as they become due, fully understanding that it
may incur tax liabilities in excess of any cash flows generated by the
Class R Certificates.
(e) The Underwriter will, in connection with any transfer it
makes of any of the Class R Certificates, obtain from its transferee
the affidavit required by Section 5.02(i)(B)(1) of the Pooling and
Servicing Agreement, will not consummate any such transfer if it knows
or believes that any representation contained in such affidavit is
false and will provide the Trustee with the Certificate required by
Section 5.02(i)(B)(2) of the Pooling and Servicing Agreement.
(f) The Underwriter hereby certifies that (i) with respect to
any classes of Certificates issued in authorized denominations or
Percentage Interests of less than $25,000 or 20%, as the case may be,
the fair market value of each such Certificate sold to any person on
the date of initial sale thereof by the Underwriter will not be less
than $100,000, and (ii) with respect to each class of Certificates to
be maintained on the book-entry records of The Depository Trust Company
("DTC"), the interest in each such class of Certificates sold to any
person on the date of initial sale thereof by the Underwriter shall not
be less than an initial Certificate Principal Balance of $25,000.
(g) The Underwriter will use its best reasonable efforts to
cause Cede & Co. to issue a commitment letter, prior to the Closing
Date, to DTC stating that Cede & Co. will value the DTC Registered
Certificates (hereinafter defined) on an ongoing basis subsequent to
the Closing Date.
(h) The Underwriter will have funds available at
__________________, in the Underwriter's account at such bank at the
time all documents are executed and the closing of the sale of the
Certificates is completed, except for the transfer of funds and the
delivery of the Certificates. Such funds will be available for
immediate transfer into the account of the Company maintained at such
bank.
(i) As of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date, the
Underwriter has complied with all of its obligations hereunder
including Section 4.2, and, with respect to all Computational Materials
and ABS Term Sheets provided by the Underwriter to the Company pursuant
to Section 4.2, if any, such Computational Materials and ABS Term
Sheets are accurate in all material respects when read in conjunction
with the Prospectus Supplement (taking into account the assumptions
explicitly set forth in the Computational Materials, except to the
extent of any errors therein that are caused by errors in the Pool
Information). The Computational Materials and ABS Term Sheets provided
by the Underwriter to the Company constitute a complete set of all
Computational Materials and ABS Term Sheets that are required to be
filed with the Commission.
1.3. The Underwriter covenants and agrees to pay directly, or reimburse
the Company upon demand for (i) any and all taxes (including penalties and
interest) owed or asserted to be owed by the Company as a result of a claim by
the Internal Revenue Service that the transfer of any of the Class R
Certificates to the Underwriter hereunder or any transfer thereof by the
Underwriter may be disregarded for federal tax purposes and (ii) any and all
losses, claims, damages and liabilities, including attorney's fees and expenses,
arising out of any failure of the Underwriter to make payment or reimbursement
in connection with any such assertion as required in (i) above. In addition, the
Underwriter acknowledges that on the Closing Date immediately after the
transactions described herein it will be the owner of the Class R Certificates
for federal tax purposes, and the Underwriter covenants that it will not assert
in any proceeding that the transfer of the Class R Certificates from the Company
to the Underwriter should be disregarded for any purpose.
2. PURCHASE AND SALE. Subject to the terms and conditions and in
reliance upon the representations and warranties herein set forth, the Company
agrees to sell to you, and you agree to purchase from the Company, the
Certificates (other than for a de minimis portion of the Class R Certificates,
which shall be transferred by the Company to the Trustee) at a price equal to
___% of the aggregate principal balance of the Certificates as of the Closing
Date. There will be added to the purchase price of the Certificates an amount
equal to interest accrued thereon from the Cut-off Date to but not including the
Closing Date. The purchase price for the Certificates was agreed to by the
Company in reliance upon the transfer from the Company to the Underwriter of the
tax liabilities associated with the ownership of the Class R Certificates.
3. DELIVERY AND PAYMENT. Delivery of and payment for the Certificates
shall be made at the office of Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx & Xxxx at 10:00 a.m., New York
time, on ____________, 200__ or such later date as you shall designate, which
date and time may be postponed by agreement between you and the Company (such
date and time of delivery and payment for the Certificates being herein called
the "Closing Date"). Delivery of the Certificates (except for the Class R
Certificates (the "Definitive Certificates")) shall be made to you through the
Depository Trust Company ("DTC") (such Certificates, the "DTC Registered
Certificates"), and delivery of the Definitive Certificates shall be made in
registered, certified form, in each case against payment by you of the purchase
price thereof to or upon the order of the Company by wire transfer in
immediately available funds. The Definitive Certificates shall be registered in
such names and in such denominations as you may request not less than two
business days in advance of the Closing Date. The Company agrees to have the
Definitive Certificates available for inspection, checking and packaging by you
in New York, New York not later than 1:00 p.m. on the business day prior to the
Closing Date.
4. OFFERING BY UNDERWRITER.
4.1. It is understood that you propose to offer the Certificates for
sale to the public as set forth in the Prospectus and you agree that all such
offers and sales by you shall be made in compliance with all applicable laws and
regulations.
4.2. It is understood that you may prepare and provide to prospective
investors certain Computational Materials (as defined below) in connection with
your offering of the Certificates, subject to the following conditions:
(a) The Underwriter shall comply with all applicable laws and
regulations in connection with the use of Computational Materials,
including the No-Action Letter of May 20, 1994 issued by the Commission
to Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx Acceptance Corporation 1, Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx & Co.
Incorporated and Xxxxxx Structured Asset Corporation, as made
applicable to other issuers and underwriters by the Commission in
response to the request of the Public Securities Association dated May
24, 1994 (collectively, the "Xxxxxx/PSA Letter") as well as the PSA
Letter referred to below. The Underwriter shall comply with all
applicable laws and regulations in connection with the use of ABS Term
Sheets, including the No-Action Letter of February 17, 1995 issued by
the Commission to the Public Securities Association (the "PSA Letter"
and, together with the Xxxxxx/PSA Letter, the "No-Action Letters").
(b) For purposes hereof, "Computational Materials" as used
herein shall have the meaning given such term in the No-Action Letters,
but shall include only those Computational Materials that have been
prepared or delivered to prospective investors by or at the direction
of the Underwriter. For purposes hereof, "ABS Term Sheets" and
"Collateral Term Sheets" as used herein shall have the meanings given
such terms in the PSA Letter but shall include only those ABS Term
Sheets or Collateral Term Sheets that have been prepared or delivered
to prospective investors by or at the direction of the Underwriter.
(c) All Computational Materials and ABS Term Sheets provided
to prospective investors that are required to be filed pursuant to the
No-Action Letters shall bear a legend on each page including the
following statement:
"THE INFORMATION HEREIN HAS BEEN PROVIDED SOLELY BY
[UNDERWRITER]. NEITHER THE ISSUER OF THE CERTIFICATES NOR ANY
OF ITS AFFILIATES MAKES ANY REPRESENTATION AS TO THE ACCURACY
OR COMPLETENESS OF THE INFORMATION HEREIN. THE INFORMATION
HEREIN IS PRELIMINARY, AND WILL BE SUPERSEDED BY THE
APPLICABLE PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT AND BY ANY OTHER INFORMATION
SUBSEQUENTLY FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION.
In the case of Collateral Term Sheets, such legend shall also include the
following statement:
"THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN WILL BE SUPERSEDED BY THE
DESCRIPTION OF THE MORTGAGE POOL CONTAINED IN THE PROSPECTUS
SUPPLEMENT RELATING TO THE CERTIFICATES AND [EXCEPT WITH
RESPECT TO THE INITIAL COLLATERAL TERM SHEET PREPARED BY THE
UNDERWRITER] SUPERSEDES ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED IN ANY
COLLATERAL TERM SHEETS RELATING TO THE MORTGAGE POOL
PREVIOUSLY PROVIDED BY [THE UNDERWRITER]."
The Company shall have the right to require additional specific legends or
notations to appear on any Computational Materials or ABS Term Sheets, the right
to require changes regarding the use of terminology and the right to determine
the types of information appearing therein. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this
subsection (c) will be satisfied if all such Computational Materials and ABS
Term Sheets bear a legend in the form set forth in Exhibit I hereto.
(d) The Underwriter shall provide the Company with
representative forms of all Computational Materials and ABS Term Sheets
prior to their first use, to the extent such forms have not previously
been approved by the Company for use by the Underwriter. The
Underwriter shall provide to the Company, for filing on Form 8-K as
provided in Section 5.9, copies (in such format as required by the
Company) of all Computational Materials that are required to be filed
with the Commission pursuant to the No-Action Letters. The Underwriter
may provide copies of the foregoing in a consolidated or aggregated
form including all information required to be filed. All Computational
Materials and ABS Term Sheets described in this subsection (d) must be
provided to the Company not later than 10:00 a.m. New York time one
business day before filing thereof is required pursuant to the terms of
this Agreement. The Underwriter agrees that it will not provide to any
investor or prospective investor in the Certificates any Computational
Materials or ABS Term Sheets on or after the day on which Computational
Materials and ABS Term Sheets are required to be provided to the
Company pursuant to this Section 4.2(d) (other than copies of
Computational Materials or ABS Term Sheets previously submitted to the
Company in accordance with this Section 4.2(d) for filing pursuant to
Section 5.9), unless such Computational Materials or ABS Term Sheets
are preceded or accompanied by the delivery of a Prospectus to such
investor or prospective investor.
(e) All information included in the Computational Materials
shall be generated based on substantially the same methodology and
assumptions that are used to generate the information in the Prospectus
Supplement as set forth therein; provided that the Computational
Materials and ABS Term Sheets or ABS Term Sheets, as the case may be,
may include information based on alternative assumptions if specified
therein. If any Computational Materials or ABS Term Sheets that are
required to be filed were based on assumptions with respect to the Pool
that differ from the final Pool Information in any material respect or
on Certificate structuring terms that were revised prior to the
printing of the Prospectus, the Underwriter shall prepare revised
Computational Materials or ABS Term Sheets, as the case may be, based
on the final Pool Information and structuring assumptions, circulate
such revised Computational Materials and ABS Term Sheets to all
recipients of the preliminary versions thereof that indicated orally to
the underwriter they would purchase all or any portion of the
Certificates and include such revised Computational Materials and ABS
Term Sheets (marked, "as revised") in the materials delivered to the
Company pursuant to subsection (d) above.
(f) The Company shall not be obligated to file any
Computational Materials that have been determined to contain any
material error or omission. In the event that any Computational
Materials or ABS Terms Sheets are determined, within the period which
the Prospectus relating to the Certificates is required to be delivered
under the Act, to contain a material error or omission, the Underwriter
shall prepare a corrected version of such Computational Materials or
ABS Term Sheets, shall circulate such corrected Computational Materials
to all recipients of the prior versions thereof that indicated orally
to the Underwriter they would purchase all or any portion of the
Certificates and shall deliver copies of such corrected Computational
Materials and ABS Term Sheets (marked, "as corrected") to the Company
for filing with the Commission in a subsequent Form 8-K submission
(subject to the Company's obtaining an accountant's comfort letter in
respect of such corrected Computational Materials, which shall be at
the expense of the Underwriter), provided that if any such letter is
required to be revised solely because of a change in the Pool
Information, fifty percent of any additional expenses for such letter
resulting from the change in Pool Information shall be paid by each of
the Underwriter and the Company.
(g) If the Underwriter does not provide any Computational
Materials or ABS Term Sheets to the Company pursuant to subsection (d)
above, the Underwriter shall be deemed to have represented, as of the
Closing Date, that it did not provide any prospective investors with
any information in written or electronic form in connection with the
offering of the Certificates that is required to be filed with the
Commission in accordance with the No-Action Letters, and the
Underwriter shall provide the Company with a certification to that
effect on the Closing Date.
(h) In the event of any delay in the delivery by the
underwriter to the Company of all Computational Materials and ABS Term
Sheets required to be delivered in accordance with subsection (d)
above, or in the delivery of the accountant's comfort letter in respect
thereof pursuant to Section 5.9, the Company shall have the right to
delay the release of the Prospectus to investors or to the Underwriter,
to delay the Closing Date and to take other appropriate actions in each
case as necessary in order to allow the Company to comply with its
agreement set forth in Section 5.9 to file the Computational Materials
and ABS Term Sheets by the time specified therein.
(i) The Underwriter represents that it has in place, and
covenants that it shall maintain internal controls and procedures which
it reasonably believes to be sufficient to ensure full compliance with
all applicable legal requirements of the No-Action Letters with respect
to the generation and use of Computational Materials and ABS Term
Sheets in connection with the offering of the Certificates.
4.3. You further agree that on or prior to the sixth day after the
Closing Date, you shall provide the Company with a certificate, substantially in
the form of Exhibit F attached hereto, setting forth (i) in the case of each
class of Certificates, (a) if less than 10% of the aggregate principal balance
of such class of Certificates has been sold to the public as of such date, the
value calculated pursuant to clause (b)(iii) of Exhibit F hereto, or, (b) if 10%
or more of such class of Certificates has been sold to the public as of such
date but no single price is paid for at least 10% of the aggregate principal
balance of such class of Certificates, then the weighted average price at which
the Certificates of such class were sold expressed as a percentage of the
principal balance of such class of Certificates sold, or (c) the first single
price at which at least 10% of the aggregate principal balance of such class of
Certificates was sold to the public, (ii) the prepayment assumption used in
pricing each class of Certificates, and (iii) such other information as to
matters of fact as the Company may reasonably request to enable it to comply
with its reporting requirements with respect to each class of Certificates to
the extent such information can in the good faith judgment of the Underwriter be
determined by it.
5. AGREEMENTS. The Company agrees with you that:
5.1. Before amending or supplementing the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus with respect to the Certificates, the Company will furnish you with a
copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement.
5.2. The Company will cause the Prospectus Supplement to be transmitted
to the Commission for filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act by means
reasonably calculated to result in filing with the Commission pursuant to said
rule.
5.3. If, during the period after the first date of the public offering
of the Certificates in which a prospectus relating to the Certificates is
required to be delivered under the Act, any event occurs as a result of which it
is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus, as then amended or
supplemented, in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading,
or if it shall be necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with
the Act or the 1933 Act Regulations, the Company promptly will prepare and
furnish, at its own expense, to you, 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 is
delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus will comply
with law.
5.4. The Company will furnish to you, without charge, a copy of the
Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and, so long as delivery of
a prospectus by an underwriter or dealer may be required by the Act, as many
copies of the Prospectus, any documents incorporated by reference therein and
any amendments and supplements thereto as you may reasonably request.
5.5. The Company agrees, so long as the Certificates shall be
outstanding, or until such time as you shall cease to maintain a secondary
market in the Certificates, whichever first occurs, to deliver to you the annual
statement as to compliance delivered to the Trustee pursuant to Section 3.19 of
the Pooling and Servicing Agreement and the annual statement of a firm of
independent public accountants furnished to the Trustee pursuant to Section 3.20
of the Pooling and Servicing Agreement, as soon as such statements are furnished
to the Company.
5.6. The Company will endeavor to arrange for the qualification of the
Certificates for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as you may reasonably
designate and will maintain such qualification in effect so long as required for
the initial distribution of the Certificates; provided, however, that the
Company shall not be required to qualify to do business in any jurisdiction
where it is not now so qualified or to take any action that would subject it to
general or unlimited service of process in any jurisdiction where it is not now
so subject.
5.7. If the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are
consummated, the Company will pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to
the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement, and will
reimburse you for any reasonable expenses (including reasonable fees and
disbursements of counsel) reasonably incurred by you in connection with
qualification of the Certificates for sale and determination of their
eligibility for investment under the laws of such jurisdictions as you have
reasonably requested pursuant to Section 5.6 above and the printing of memoranda
relating thereto, for any fees charged by investment rating agencies for the
rating of the Certificates, and for expenses incurred in distributing the
Prospectus (including any amendments and supplements thereto) to the
Underwriter. Except as herein provided, you shall be responsible for paying all
costs and expenses incurred by you, including the fees and disbursements of your
counsel, in connection with the purchase and sale of the Certificates.
5.8. If, during the period after the Closing Date in which a prospectus
relating to the Certificates is required to be delivered under the Act, the
Company receives notice that a stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement or preventing the offer and sale of the Certificates is
in effect, the Company will advise you of the issuance of such stop order.
5.9. The Company shall file the Computational Materials and ABS Term
Sheets (if any) provided to it by the Underwriter under Section 4.2(f) with the
Commission pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K by 10:00 a.m. on the morning
the Prospectus is delivered to the Underwriter or, the case of any Collateral
Term Sheet required to be filed prior to such date, by 10:00 a.m. on the second
business day following the first day on which such Collateral Term Sheet has
been sent to a prospective investor; provided, however, that prior to such
filing of the Computational Materials and ABS Term Sheets (other than any
Collateral Term Sheets that are not based on the Pool Information) by the
Company, the Underwriter must comply with its obligations pursuant to Section
4.2 and the Company must receive a letter from ___________________________,
certified public accountants, satisfactory in form and substance to the Company
and its counsel, to the effect that such accountants have performed certain
specified procedures, all of which have been agreed to by the Company, as a
result of which they determined that all information that is included in the
Computational Materials (if any) provided by the Underwriter to the Company for
filing on Form 8-K, as provided in Section 4.2 and this Section 5.9, is accurate
without exception. The foregoing letter shall be at the sole expense of the
Underwriter. The Company shall file any corrected Computational Materials
described in Section 4.2(t) as soon as practicable following receipt thereof.
The Company also will file with the Commission within fifteen days of the
issuance of the Certificates a Current Report on Form 8-K (for purposes of
filing the Pooling and Servicing Agreement).
6. CONDITIONS TO THE OBLIGATIONS OF THE UNDERWRITER. The Underwriter's
obligation to purchase the Certificates shall be subject to the following
conditions:
6.1. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement shall be in effect, and no proceedings for that purpose shall be
pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened by the Commission; and
the Prospectus Supplement shall have been filed or transmitted for filing, by
means reasonably calculated to result in a filing with the Commission pursuant
to Rule 424(b) under the Act.
6.2. Since __________, 200_ there shall have been no material adverse
change (not in the ordinary course of business) in the condition of the Company.
6.3. The Company shall have delivered to you a certificate, dated the
Closing Date, of the President, or the Executive Vice President of the Company
to the effect that the signer of such certificate has examined this Agreement,
the Prospectus, the Pooling and Servicing Agreement and various other closing
documents, and that, to the best of his or her knowledge after reasonable
investigation:
(a) the representations and warranties of the Company in this
Agreement and in the Pooling and Servicing Agreement are true and
correct in all material respects; and
(b) the Company has, in all material respects, complied with
all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be
performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date.
6.4. You shall have received the opinions of Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx & Xxxx,
special counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date and substantially to the
effect set forth in Exhibit A and Exhibit B.
6.5. You shall have received from counsel for the Underwriter, an
opinion dated the Closing Date in form and substance satisfactory to the
Underwriter.
6.6. The Underwriter shall have received from certified public
accountants, a letter dated the date hereof and satisfactory in form and
substance to the Underwriter and the Underwriter's counsel, to the effect that
they have performed certain specified procedures, all of which have been agreed
to by the Underwriter, as a result of which they determined that certain
information of an accounting, financial or statistical nature set forth in the
Prospectus Supplement under the captions "Description of the Mortgage Pool",
"Pooling and Servicing Agreement", "Description of the Certificates" and
"Certain Yield and Prepayment Considerations" agrees with the records of the
Company excluding any questions of legal interpretation.
6.7. The Certificates shall have been rated "AAA" by [each of]
[Standard & Poor's Ratings Services] and [Fitch Ratings] and "Aaa" by [Xxxxx'x
Investors Service, Inc.].
6.8. You shall have received the opinion of [Xxxxxxx's Counsel], dated
the Closing Date, substantially to the effect set forth in Exhibit C.
6.9. You shall have received from Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx & Xxxx LLP, special
counsel to the Company, and from in-house counsel to the Company, reliance
letters with respect to any opinions delivered to [Standard & Poor's Ratings
Services] and [Fitch Ratings] and [Xxxxx'x Investors Service, Inc.].
The Company will furnish you with conformed copies of the above
opinions, certificates, letters and documents as you reasonably request.
7. INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION.
7.1. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless you and each
person, if any, who controls you within the meaning of either Section 15 of the
Act or Section 20 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, from and against any
and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities caused by any untrue statement
or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration
Statement for the registration of the Certificates as originally filed or in any
amendment thereof or other filing incorporated by reference therein, or in the
Prospectus or incorporated by reference therein (if used within the period set
forth in Section 5.3 hereof and 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, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, 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 any information
with respect to which the Underwriter has agreed to indemnify the Company
pursuant to Section 7.2; provided, that neither the Company, or you will be
liable in any case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability
arises out of or is based upon any such untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission made therein relating to the Excluded
Information.
7.2. You agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its
directors or officers and any person controlling the Company to the same extent
as the indemnity set forth in clause 7.1 above from the Company to you, but only
with respect to (1) the Underwriter Information and (ii) the Computational
Materials and ABS Term Sheets, except to the extent of any errors in the
Computational Materials or ABS Term Sheets that are caused by errors in the Pool
Information. In addition, you agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Company,
its directors or officers and any person controlling the Company against any and
all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses (including, without
limitation, reasonable attorneys' fees) caused by, resulting from, relating to,
or based upon any legend regarding original issue discount on any Certificate
resulting from incorrect information provided by the Underwriter in the
certificates described in Section 4.3 hereof.
7.3. In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation)
shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be
sought pursuant to either clause 7.1 or 7.2, 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 reasonable
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 reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the
expense of such indemnified party unless (1) 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 connection with any proceeding or related
proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable fees and
expenses of more than one separate firm for all such indemnified parties. Such
firm shall be designated in writing by you, in the case of parties indemnified
pursuant to clause 7. 1 and by the Company, in the case of parties indemnified
pursuant to clause 7.2. The indemnifying party may, at its option, at any time
upon written notice to the indemnified party, assume the defense of any
proceeding and may designate counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified
party in connection therewith provided that the counsel so designated would have
no actual or potential conflict of interest in connection with such
representation. Unless it shall assume the defense of any proceeding 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. If the indemnifying party assumes the defense of
any proceeding, it shall be entitled to settle such proceeding with the consent
of the indemnified party or, if such settlement provides for release of the
indemnified party in connection with all matters relating to the proceeding
which have been asserted against the indemnified party in such proceeding by the
other parties to such settlement, without the consent of the indemnified party.
7.4. If the indemnification provided for in this Section 7 is
unavailable to an indemnified party under clause 7.1 or 7.2 hereof or
insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred
to therein, then the indemnifying party, in lieu of indemnifying such
indemnified party, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such
indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, in
such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits
received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriter on the other from
the offering of the Certificates but also the relative fault of the Company on
the one hand and of the Underwriter, on the other in connection with the
statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The
relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Underwriter on the
other 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
or by the Underwriter, and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to
information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
7.5. The Company and the Underwriter agree that it would not be just
and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro
rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account
of the considerations referred to in clause 7.4, above. The amount paid or
payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages and
liabilities referred to in this Section 7 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 except where the indemnified party is required to bear such
expenses pursuant to clause 7.4; which expenses the indemnifying, party shall
pay as and when incurred, at the request of the indemnified party, to the extent
that the indemnifying party believes that it will be ultimately obligated to pay
such expenses. In the event that any expenses so paid by the indemnifying party
are subsequently determined to not be required to be borne by the indemnifying
party hereunder, the party which received such payment shall promptly refund the
amount so paid to the party which made such payment. No person guilty of
fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act)
shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such
fraudulent misrepresentation.
7.6. The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this
Section 7 and the representations and warranties of the Company in this
Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless (i) any
termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by the Underwriter or
on behalf of the Underwriter or any person controlling the Underwriter or by or
on behalf of the Company and its respective directors or officers or any person
controlling the Company and (iii) acceptance of and payment for any of the
Certificates.
8. TERMINATION. This Agreement shall be subject to termination by
notice given to the Company, if the sale of the Certificates provided for herein
is not consummated because of any failure or refusal on the part of the Company
to comply with the terms or to fulfill any of the conditions of this Agreement,
or if for any reason the Company shall be unable to perform their respective
obligations under this Agreement. If you terminate this Agreement in accordance
with this Section 8, the Company will reimburse you for all reasonable
out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel)
that shall have been reasonably incurred by the Underwriter in connection with
the proposed purchase and sale of the Certificates.
9. CERTAIN REPRESENTATIONS AND INDEMNITIES TO SURVIVE. The respective
agreements, representations, warranties, indemnities and other statements of the
Company or the officers of the Company, and you set forth in or made pursuant to
this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any
investigation, or statement as to the results thereof, made by you or on your
behalf or made by or on behalf of the Company or any of its officers, directors
or controlling persons, and will survive delivery of and payment for the
Certificates.
10. NOTICES. All communications hereunder will be in writing and
effective only on receipt, and, if sent to the Underwriter will be mailed,
delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to you at [___________________________],
Attention: _____________________or if sent to the Company, will be mailed,
delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to it at [____________________________].
11. SUCCESSORS. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be
binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers
and directors and controlling persons referred to in Section 7 hereof, and their
successors and assigns, and no other person will have any right or obligation
hereunder.
12. APPLICABLE LAW. This Agreement will be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
13. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts, of which shall be deemed an original, which taken together shall
constitute one and the same instrument.
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our
agreement, please sign and return to us a counterpart hereof, whereupon this
letter and your acceptance shall represent a binding agreement between the
Company and you.
Very truly yours,
AMERICAN HOME MORTGAGE ASSETS LLC
By:/s/
----------------------------------
Name:
Title: Chief Executive Officer
The foregoing Underwriting Agreement
is hereby confirmed and accepted as
of the date first above written.
[NAME OF UNDERWRITER]
---------------------
By:/s/
-----------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
EXHIBIT A
[XXXXXXX XXXXXXXX & XXXX LLP LETTERHEAD]
-------------- ---, ----
American Home Mortgage Assets LLC [Underwriter]
[Address]
-----------------------------------
[Name of Master Servicer] [Trustee]
[Address of Master Servicer]
-----------------------------------
Opinion: Underwriting Agreement
American Home Mortgage Assets LLC
MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES _____-__
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel to American Home Mortgage Assets LLC (the
"Company") in connection with the issuance and sale by the Company of Mortgage
Pass-Through Certificates, Series ____- ____ (the "Certificates"), pursuant to
the Pooling and Servicing Agreement, dated as of _______________ 1, ____ (the
"Pooling and Servicing Agreement"), among the Company, [Name of Master
Servicer], as master servicer (the "Master Servicer") and [Name of Trustee], as
trustee (the "Trustee"). The Certificates consist of ____________ classes
designated as Class A and Class R (collectively, the "Senior Certificates") and
____________ classes of subordinated certificates designated as Class M and
Class B. Only the Senior Certificates and the Class M Certificates
(collectively, the "Offered Certificates") are being offered under the
Prospectus, dated __________, _____, and the Prospectus Supplement, dated
_________, ____ (the Prospectus Supplement together with the Prospectus, the
"Prospectus").
The Senior Certificates in the aggregate and the Class M Certificates
will evidence initial undivided ownership interests, in a trust fund (the "Trust
Fund") consisting primarily of a pool of one- to four-family first mortgage
loans (the "Mortgage Loans") held by [Name of Custodian], as custodian (the
"Custodian"), pursuant to the Custodial Agreement, dated as of _______________
1, ____, among the Company, the Master Servicer, the Custodian and the Trustee
(the "Custodial Agreement"). ______________________ (the "Purchaser") acquired
the Mortgage Loans through its mortgage loan purchase program from various
seller/servicers. The Purchaser transferred the Mortgage Loans to the Company
pursuant to the Assignment and Assumption Agreement, dated _________ __, ____
(the "Assignment and Assumption Agreement"), in exchange for immediately
available funds, and the Class M and Class B Certificates. The Company will sell
the Class A and the Class R Certificates other than a de minimis portion thereof
(the "Underwritten Certificates") to _______________________ (the
"Underwriter"), pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, dated _____________ __,
____, between the Company and the Underwriter (the "Underwriting Agreement"; the
Pooling and Servicing Agreement, the Custodial Agreement, the Underwriting
Agreement and the Assignment and Assumption Agreement, collectively, the
"Agreements"). Capitalized terms not defined herein have the meanings ascribed
to them in the Agreements. This opinion letter is rendered pursuant to Section
6.4 of the Underwriting Agreement.
In rendering this opinion letter, we have examined the documents
described above and such other documents as we have deemed necessary including,
where we have deemed appropriate, representations or certifications of officers
of parties thereto or public officials. In rendering this opinion letter, except
for the matters that are specifically addressed in the opinions expressed below,
we have assumed (i) the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as
originals and the conformity to the originals of all documents submitted to us
as copies, (ii) the necessary entity formation and continuing existence in the
jurisdiction of formation, and the necessary licensing and qualification in all
jurisdictions, of all parties to all documents, (iii) the necessary
authorization, execution, delivery and enforceability of all documents, and the
necessary entity power with respect thereto and (iv) that there is not any other
agreement that modifies or supplements the agreements expressed in the documents
to which this opinion letter relates and that renders any of the opinions
expressed below inconsistent with such documents as so modified or supplemented.
In rendering this opinion letter, we have made no inquiry, have conducted no
investigation and assume no responsibility with respect to (a) the accuracy of
and compliance by the parties thereto with the representations, warranties and
covenants contained in any document or (b) the conformity of the underlying
assets and related documents to the requirements of the agreements to which this
opinion letter relates.
Our opinions set forth below with respect to the enforceability of any
right or obligation under any agreement are subject to (i) general principles of
equity, including concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair
dealings and the possible unavailability of specific performance and injunctive
relief, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law,
(ii) the effect of certain laws, regulations and judicial and other decisions
upon the availability and enforceability of certain covenants, remedies and
other provisions, including the remedies of specific performance and self-help
and provisions imposing penalties and forfeitures and waiving objections to
venue and forum, (iii) bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership, reorganization,
liquidation, voidable preference, fraudulent conveyance and transfer, moratorium
and other similar laws affecting the rights of creditors or secured parties and
(iv) public policy considerations underlying the securities laws, to the extent
that such public policy considerations limit the enforceability of the
provisions of any agreement which purport or are construed to provide
indemnification with respect to securities law violations. Wherever we indicate
that our opinion with respect to the existence or absence of facts is based on
our knowledge, our opinion is based solely on the current actual knowledge of
the attorneys in this firm who are involved in the representation of parties to
the transactions described herein. In that regard we have conducted no special
or independent investigation of factual matters in connection with this opinion
letter.
In rendering this opinion letter, we do not express any opinion
concerning any law other than the federal laws of the United States, the laws of
the State of New York and the [laws of the State of Delaware]. We do not express
any opinion with respect to the securities laws of any jurisdiction or any other
matter not specifically addressed in the opinions expressed below.
Based upon and subject to the foregoing, it is our opinion that:
1. The Registration Statement has become effective under the 1933 Act,
and, to our knowledge, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement has been issued and not withdrawn, and no proceedings for
that purpose have been instituted or threatened under Section 8(d) of the 1933
Act.
2. The Registration Statement as of the date of the Prospectus
Supplement and the date hereof, and the Prospectus as of the date of the
Prospectus Supplement and the date hereof, other than any financial or
statistical information, Computational Materials and ABS Term Sheets contained
or incorporated by reference therein, as to which we express no opinion herein,
complied as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Act
and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder.
3. To our knowledge, there are no material contracts, indentures or
other documents of a character required to be described or referred to in either
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the
Registration Statement, other than Computational Materials and ABS Term Sheets
as to which we express no opinion herein, and those described or referred to
therein or filed or incorporated by reference as exhibits thereto.
4. The statements made in the Prospectus under the heading "Description
of the Securities," insofar as such statements purport to summarize certain
provisions of the Offered Certificates and the Pooling and Servicing Agreement,
provide a fair summary of such provisions. The statements made in the Basic
Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement, as the case may be, under the headings
"Federal Income Tax Consequences," "Certain Legal Aspects of Mortgage
Loans--Applicability of Usury Laws" and "--Alternative Mortgage Instruments" and
"ERISA Considerations," to the extent that they constitute matters of State of
New York or federal law or legal conclusions with respect thereto, while not
purporting to discuss all possible consequences of investment in the Offered
Certificates, are correct in all material respects with respect to those
consequences or matters that are discussed therein.
5. The Offered Certificates, assuming the execution, authentication and
delivery thereof in accordance with the Pooling and Servicing Agreement and the
delivery thereof and payment therefor in accordance with the Underwriting
Agreement, are validly issued and outstanding and are entitled to the benefits
of the Pooling and Servicing Agreement.
6. The Pooling and Servicing Agreement is not required to be qualified
under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended. The Trust Fund created by the
Pooling and Servicing Agreement is not an "investment company" or "controlled
by" an "investment company" within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended.
7. The Class A Certificates will be "mortgage related securities" as
defined in Section 3(a)(41) of the 1934 Act, as amended, so long as such class
is rated in one of the two highest rating categories by at least one "nationally
recognized statistical rating organization" as that term is used in that
Section.
8. Assuming compliance with the provisions of the Pooling and Servicing
Agreement, for federal income tax purposes, REMIC I and REMIC II will each
qualify as a real estate mortgage investment conduit ("REMIC") within the
meaning of Sections 860A through 860G (the "REMIC Provisions") of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, the Class R-I Certificates will constitute the sole class
of "residual interests" in REMIC I, each class of Offered Certificates will
represent ownership of "regular interests" in REMIC II and will generally be
treated as debt instruments of REMIC II and the Class R-II Certificates will
constitute the sole class of "residual certificates" in REMIC II, within the
meaning of the REMIC Provisions in effect on the date hereof.
9. Assuming compliance with the provisions of the Pooling and Servicing
Agreement, for City and State of New York income and corporation franchise tax
purposes, REMIC I and REMIC II will each be classified as a REMIC and not as a
corporation, partnership or trust, in conformity with the federal income tax
treatment of the Trust Fund. Accordingly, REMIC I and REMIC II will be exempt
from all City and State of New York taxation imposed on its income, franchise or
capital stock, and its assets will not be included in the calculation of any
franchise tax liability.
This opinion letter is rendered for the sole benefit of each addressee
hereof, and no other person or entity is entitled to rely hereon. Copies of this
opinion letter may not be made available, and this opinion letter may not be
quoted or referred to in any other document made available, to any other person
or entity except to (i) any applicable rating agency, credit enhancer or
governmental authority, (ii) any accountant or attorney for any person or entity
entitled hereunder to rely hereon or to whom or which this opinion letter may be
made available as provided herein or (iii) as otherwise required by law.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx & Xxxx LLP
-------------------------------
EXHIBIT B
[XXXXXXX XXXXXXXX & XXXX LLP LETTERHEAD]
-------------- ---, ----
Supplemental Letter: Underwriting Agreement
American Home Mortgage Assets LLC
MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES ____-_____
-----------------------------------------------------
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel to American Home Mortgage Assets LLC (the
"Company") in connection with the issuance and sale by the Company of Mortgage
Pass-Through Certificates, Series ____- ____ (the "Certificates"), pursuant to
the Pooling and Servicing Agreement, dated as of _______________ 1, ____ (the
"Pooling and Servicing Agreement"), among the Company, [Name of Master
Servicer], as master servicer (the "Master Servicer") and [Name of Trustee], as
trustee (the "Trustee"). The Certificates consist of ____________ classes
designated as Class A and Class R (collectively, the "Senior Certificates") and
____________ classes of subordinated certificates designated as Class M and
Class B. Only the Senior Certificates and the Class M Certificates
(collectively, the "Offered Certificates") are being offered under the
Prospectus, dated __________, _____, and the Prospectus Supplement, dated
_________, ____ (the Prospectus Supplement together with the Prospectus, the
"Prospectus").
The Senior Certificates in the aggregate and the Class M Certificates
will evidence initial undivided ownership interests, in a trust fund (the "Trust
Fund") consisting primarily of a pool of one- to four-family first mortgage
loans (the "Mortgage Loans") held by [Name of Custodian], as custodian (the
"Custodian"), pursuant to the Custodial Agreement, dated as of _______________
1, ____, among the Company, the Master Servicer, the Custodian and the Trustee
(the "Custodial Agreement"). [Name of Purchaser] (the "Purchaser") acquired the
Mortgage Loans through its mortgage loan purchase program from various
seller/servicers. The Purchaser transferred the Mortgage Loans to the Company
pursuant to the Assignment and Assumption Agreement, dated _________ __, ____
(the "Assignment and Assumption Agreement"), in exchange for immediately
available funds, and the Class M and Class B Certificates. The Company will sell
the Class A and the Class R Certificates other than a de minimis portion thereof
(the "Underwritten Certificates") to [Name of Underwriter] (the "Underwriter"),
pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, dated _____________ __, ____, between
the Company and the Underwriter (the "Underwriting Agreement"; the Pooling and
Servicing Agreement, the Custodial Agreement, the Underwriting Agreement and the
Assignment and Assumption Agreement, collectively, the "Agreements").
Capitalized terms not defined herein have the meanings ascribed to them in the
Agreements. This opinion letter is rendered pursuant to Section 6.4 of the
Underwriting Agreement.
The primary purpose of our professional engagement was to advise with
respect to legal matters and not to establish factual matters. Many
determinations involved in the preparation of the Prospectus Supplement were
factual. However, at the request of the Seller we reviewed the information
contained in the Prospectus Supplement (other than the information presented in
tabular form) under the captions "Summary of Prospectus Supplement--the Mortgage
Loans," "Risk Factors" and "The Mortgage Pool" (collectively, the
"Information"). We were not engaged to and did not review any other portion of
the Prospectus Supplement or any portion of the Prospectus, and we did not
prepare any of the documents evidencing, or close, any of the Mortgage Loans.
We have not otherwise undertaken any procedures that were intended or
likely to elicit information concerning the accuracy, completeness or fairness
of the Information other than as provided below. We are not otherwise advising
in this letter with respect to the accuracy, completeness or fairness of
statistical, accounting or other financial information contained in the
Information or not contained in the Information and from which the Information
was derived. It is our position that we are not "experts" within the meaning of
Section 11 of the Securities Act of 1933, or "persons" within the meaning of
Section 11(a)(4) thereof, with respect to any portion of the Prospectus
Supplement or the Prospectus, including without limitation such accounting,
financial and statistical information.
Based upon and subject to the foregoing, this is to inform you that no
information has come to the attention of the attorneys in this firm who are
involved in the representation of the Seller in this matter that causes us to
believe that the Information, as of the date of the Prospectus Supplement or
hereof, contained or contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted
or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading.
This letter is rendered for the sole benefit of each addressee hereof,
and no other person or entity is entitled to rely hereon. Copies of this letter
may not be made available, and this letter may not be quoted or referred to in
any other document made available, to any other person or entity except to (i)
any applicable rating agency, credit enhancer or governmental authority, (ii)
any accountant or attorney for any person or entity entitled hereunder to rely
hereon or to whom or which this letter may be made available as provided herein
or (iii) as otherwise required by law.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx & Xxxx LLP
-------------------------------
EXHIBIT C
[TRUSTEE'S COUNSEL'S LETTERHEAD]
----------------, -----
[Underwriter] [Master Servicer]
------------------------------------ ------------------------
------------------------------------ ------------------------
American Home Mortgage Assets LLC [Trustee]
[Address]
------------------------
------------------------
Re: American Home Mortgage Assets LLC MORTGAGE
PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES ____-__
Ladies and Gentlemen:
In connection with the issuance of the above-referenced Certificates
pursuant to the Pooling and Servicing Agreement, dated as of ____________ 1,
_____ (the "Pooling and Servicing Agreement"), among American Home Mortgage
Assets LLC, as Company, [Name of Master Servicer], as Master Servicer and [Name
of Trustee], as Trustee (the "Trustee"), we have been asked to furnish this
opinion. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings
ascribed to such terms in the Pooling and Servicing Agreement.
In arriving at the opinions expressed below, we have examined and
relied upon the originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our
satisfaction, of the Pooling and Servicing Agreement and of such documents,
instruments and certificates, and we have made such investigations of law, as we
have deemed appropriate as the basis for the opinions expressed below. We have
assumed but have not verified that the signatures on all documents that we have
examined are genuine and that each person signing each such document was duly
authorized to sign such document on behalf of the person or entity purported to
be bound thereby.
Based on the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:
1. The Trustee has full corporate power and authority to execute
and deliver the Pooling and Servicing Agreement, the Custodial
Agreement and the Certificates and to perform its obligations
under the Pooling and Servicing Agreement and the Custodial
Agreement.
2. Each of the Pooling and Servicing Agreement and the Custodial
Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by
the Trustee, and the Trustee has duly executed and delivered
the Certificates as provided in the Pooling and Servicing
Agreement.
3. The Pooling and Servicing Agreement is a legal, valid and
binding obligation of the Trustee, enforceable against the
Trustee in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium,
receivership and similar laws affecting the rights of
creditors generally, and subject, as to enforceability, to
general principles of equity, regardless of whether such
enforcement is considered in a proceeding at law or in equity.
We express no opinion as to the laws of any jurisdiction other than the
laws of the State of New York.
We are furnishing this opinion to you solely for your benefit. This
opinion may not be used, circulated, quoted or otherwise referred to for any
other purpose.
Very truly yours,
-------------------------------
EXHIBIT D
Excluded Information
EXHIBIT E
Underwriter Information
EXHIBIT F
_______________, 200_
American Home Mortgage Assets LLC
[Address]
Re: American Home Mortgage Assets LLC, Mortgage
Pass-Through Certificates, Series 200_-__,Class A and
Class R
Pursuant to Section 4 of the Underwriting Agreement, dated
_______________ 200_, between American Home Mortgage Assets LLC and
________________________ (the "Underwriter") relating to the Certificates
referenced above (the "Underwriting Agreement"), the undersigned does hereby
certify that:
(a) The prepayment assumption used in pricing the Certificates was __% SPA.
(b) Set forth below is (i), the first price, as a percentage of the
principal balance of each class of Certificates, in which 10% of the
aggregate principal balance of each such class of Certificates was sold
to the public at a single price, if applicable, or (ii) if more than
10% of a class of Certificates have been sold to the public but no
single price is paid for at least 10% of the aggregate principal
balance of such class of Certificates, then the weighted average price
at which the Certificates of such class were sold expressed as a
percentage of the principal balance of such class of Certificates, or
(iii) if less than 10% of the aggregate principal balance of a class of
Certificates has been sold to the public, the purchase price for each
such class of Certificates paid by the Underwriter expressed as a
percentage of the principal balance of such class of Certificates
calculated by: (1) estimating the fair market value of each such class
of Certificates as of ___________________________, 200_; (2) adding
such estimated fair market value to the aggregate purchase price of
each class of Certificates described in clause (1) or (ii) above; (3)
dividing each of the fair market values determined in clause (1) by the
sum obtained in clause (2); (4) multiplying the quotient obtained for
each class of Certificates in clause (3) by the purchase price paid by
the Underwriter for all the Certificates; and (5) for each class of
Certificates, dividing the product obtained from such class of
Certificates in clause (4) by the original principal balance of such
class of Certificates:
Class A: ___________________
Class R: ___________________
[* less than 10% has been sold to the public]
The prices set forth above do not include accrued interest with respect
to periods before closing.
--------------------------
By:/s/____________________
-----------------------
Name:_____________________
Title:____________________
EXHIBIT G
[Form of Legend]