Separation Agreement and Plan of Distribution between: Capitol Bancorp Ltd., a Michigan corporation; and Michigan Commerce Bancorp Limited, a Michigan corporation. Dated as of ___________, 2009
EXHIBIT
2.1
Separation
Agreement and Plan of Distribution
between:
Capitol
Bancorp Ltd.,
a
Michigan corporation; and
Michigan
Commerce Bancorp Limited,
a
Michigan corporation.
___________________________
Dated as
of ___________, 2009
___________________________
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Page
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ASSUMPTION OF CERTAIN LIABILITIES; CERTAIN
PAYMENTS;
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AND TRANSITION
ARRANGEMENTS
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11
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14
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20
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Statements and Accounting.
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23
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Corporate Opportunities.
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25
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30
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TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Page
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30
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Other Amounts on a Net Tax Benefit
Basis.
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31
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40
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41
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Exhibit A - Employee
Matters Agreement
Exhibit
B - Tax
Separation Agreement
ii
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Page
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Exhibit
C - Administrative
and Technology Services Agreement
Exhibit
D - Transitional
Trademark License Agreement
Exhibit
E - Transition
Services Agreement
Schedules:
Schedule
1.1(a) - Assumed
Spinco Liabilities
Schedule
1.1(b)
- Spinco
Contracts
Schedule
1.1(c) - Spinco
Liabilities
Schedule
1.1(d) - Spinco
Liabilities related to Indebtedness
Schedule
2.2(f) - Conveyance
of Assets
Schedule2.6(b) - Limitation
of Liability
Schedule
4.1(a) - Spinco
Bank Accounts
Schedule
4.2(a) - Guaranteed
Spinco Liabilities
Schedule
4.2(b) - Guaranteed
Parent Liabilities
Schedule
5.1(a) - Spinco
Actions
Schedule
5.1(b) - Parent
Actions
Schedule
5.1(e) - Joint
Actions
Schedule
7.3
- Intercompany
Accounts
Schedule
8.2 - Shared
Records
Schedule
9.1(a) - Expenses
to be paid by Spinco
Schedule 9.1(b) - Expenses to be paid by
Parent
iii
SEPARATION AGREEMENT AND
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
THIS
SEPARATION AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION (this “Agreement”),
dated as of __________, 2009, by and between Capital Bancorp, Ltd., a Michigan
corporation (“Parent”),
and Michigan Commerce Bancorp Limited, a Michigan corporation (“Spinco”
and together with Parent, the “Parties”,
and each individually, a “Party”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS,
the Board of Directors of Parent has determined that it is in the best interests
of Parent and its shareholders to separate Parent’s existing businesses into two
independent businesses;
WHEREAS,
on or before the Effective Time, Parent shall transfer or cause its subsidiaries
to transfer the Spinco Assets to the Spinco Group and shall cause the Spinco
Group to assume the Spinco Liabilities, all as more fully described in this
Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements;
WHEREAS,
the Board of Directors of Parent has further determined that it is in the best
interests of Parent, Spinco and the shareholders of Parent to distribute to the
holders of the issued and outstanding shares of Parent Common Stock and Parent
Preferred Stock as of the Record Date 95.1% of the outstanding shares of Spinco
Common Stock on the basis of one share of Spinco Common Stock for every [______]
issued and outstanding shares of Parent Common Stock and one share of Spinco
Common Stock for every [____] issued and outstanding shares of Parent Preferred
Stock (the “Distribution”);
WHEREAS,
Parent and Spinco have prepared, and Spinco has filed with the Commission, the
Registration Statement, which includes the Information Statement, and which sets
forth the appropriate disclosure concerning Spinco and the Distribution, and the
Registration Statement has become effective under the Exchange Act;
WHEREAS,
the Distribution is intended to qualify as a tax-free spin-off under
Sections 355 and 368 of the Code; and
WHEREAS,
the parties hereto have determined to set forth herein the principal corporate
and other transactions required to effect the Distribution and to set forth
herein certain other agreements that will govern other matters prior to and
following the Distribution.
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants contained in this Agreement,
the parties hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE
1
DEFINITIONS
1.1 Definitions.
As used
herein, the following terms have the meanings set forth below:
“Action”
means any claim, suit, arbitration, inquiry, proceeding, or investigation by or
before any court, governmental or other regulatory or administrative agency or
commission or any other tribunal.
“Administrative
and Technology Services Agreement” means the Administrative Services
& Technology Agreement, substantially in the form of Exhibit
C, attached hereto, entered into at or before the Effective Time between
Parent and Spinco, as amended from time to time.
“Affiliate”
means, when used with respect to a specified Person, a Person that
directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, is
controlled by, or is under common control with such specified Person. For the
purposes of this definition, “control”, when used with respect to any specified
Person, shall mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to
direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person,
whether through the ownership of voting securities or other interests, by
contract or otherwise.
“Ancillary
Agreements” means all of the written agreements, instruments,
understandings, assignments and other arrangements (other than this Agreement)
entered into in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including,
without limitation, the Employee Matters Agreement, the Tax Separation
Agreement, the Administrative Services & Technology Agreement, the
Transitional Trademark License Agreement, the Transition Services Agreement and
other documents relating to the transfer of assets and liabilities in
contemplation of the Distribution.
“Applicable Rate”
means the Prime Rate plus 2.0% per annum.
“Assets”
means all properties, rights, contracts, leases and claims, of every kind
and description, wherever located, whether tangible or intangible, and whether
real, personal or mixed.
“Assumed Spinco
Liabilities” means those Spinco Liabilities assumed by Parent as set
forth on Schedule
1.1(a).
“Claims
Administration” means the administration of claims made under the Third
Party Policies, including the reporting of claims to the unaffiliated,
third-party insurance carriers that issued the Third Party Policies, management
and defense of such claims, negotiating the resolution of such claims, and
providing for appropriate releases upon settlement of such claims.
“Code”
means the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“Commission”
means Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Confidential
Information” means all business or operational information concerning a
Party and/or its subsidiaries (including (i) earnings reports and
forecasts, (ii) macro-economic reports and forecasts, (iii) business
and strategic plans, (iv) general market evaluations and surveys,
(v) litigation presentations and risk assessments, (vi) budgets,
(vii) financing and credit-related information, (viii) specifications,
ideas and concepts for products and services, (ix) quality assurance
policies, procedures and specifications, (x) customer information,
2
(xi) Software,
(xii) training materials and information, and (xiii) all other
know-how, methodology, procedures, techniques and trade secrets related to
design, development and operational processes) which, prior to or following the
Effective Time, has been disclosed by a Party or its subsidiaries to the other
Party or its subsidiaries, in written, oral (including by recording),
electronic, or visual form to, or otherwise has come into the possession of, the
other (except to the extent that such information can be shown to have been
(i) in the public domain through no action of such Party or its
subsidiaries, (ii) lawfully acquired from other sources by such Party or
its subsidiaries to which it was furnished or (iii) independently developed
by such Party or its subsidiaries; provided, however, in the case
of clause (ii) that, to the furnished Party’s knowledge, such sources did
not provide such information in breach of any confidentiality
obligations).
“Distribution”
is defined in the recitals to this Agreement.
“Distribution
Agent” means Mellon Investor Services, LLC in its capacity as agent for
Parent in connection with the Distribution.
“Distribution
Date” means the date upon which the Distribution shall be effective, as
determined by the Board of Directors of Parent, or such committee of such Board
of Directors as shall be designated by the Board of Directors of
Parent.
“Effective
Time” means 5:00 p.m. Lansing, Michigan time on the Distribution
Date.
“Employee Matters
Agreement” means the Employee Matters Agreement, substantially in the
form of Exhibit
A hereto, entered into at or prior to the Effective Time between Parent
and Spinco, as amended from time to time.
“Exchange Act”
means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
“Force
Majeure” means, with respect to a Party, an event beyond the reasonable
control of such Party (or any Person acting on its behalf), which by its nature
could not have been foreseen by such Party (or such Person), or, if it could
have been foreseen, was unavoidable, and includes acts of God, storms, floods,
earthquakes, hurricanes, riots, pandemics, fires, sabotage, strikes, lockouts,
civil commotion or civil unrest, interference by civil or military authorities,
acts of war (declared or undeclared) or armed hostilities or other national or
international calamity or one or more acts of terrorism.
“Form 10”
means the registration statement on Form 10 filed by Spinco with the Commission
to effect the registration of the Spinco Common Stock pursuant to the Exchange
Act, as such registration statement may be amended from time to
time.
“Governmental
Entity” means any nation or government, any state, municipality or other
political subdivision thereof and any entity, body, agency, commission,
department, board, bureau or court, whether domestic, foreign or multinational,
exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory or administrative
functions of or pertaining to government and any official thereof.
“Group”
means the Parent Group or the Spinco Group, as the context so
requires.
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“Guaranteed
Spinco Liabilities” means the Spinco Liabilities on which any member of
the Parent Group is an obligor by reason of any guarantee or contractual
commitment, including Liabilities under any contract assumed by any member of
the Spinco Group from any member of the Parent Group with respect to which any
member of the Parent Group remains liable.
“Guaranteed
Parent Liabilities” means (i) the Parent Liabilities on which any
member of the Spinco Group is an obligor by reason of any guarantee or
contractual commitment, including Liabilities under any contract assumed by any
member of the Parent Group from any member of the Spinco Group with respect to
which any member of the Spinco Group remains liable, and (ii) the Assumed
Spinco Liabilities.
“Head Records
Coordinator” means the employee designated in writing by a Party as the
person who is responsible for administering the document retention protocol for
Shared Records on behalf of such Party.
“Indebtedness”
means (i) any indebtedness for borrowed money or the deferred purchase
price of property as evidenced by a note, bonds or other instruments,
(ii) obligations as lessee under capital leases, (iii) obligations
secured by any mortgage, pledge, security interest, encumbrance, lien or charge
of any kind existing on any asset owned or held by any Person, whether or not
such Person has assumed or becomes liable for the obligations secured thereby,
(iv) any obligation under any interest rate swap agreement,
(v) accounts payable, (vi) reimbursement obligations with respect to
surety and performance bonds or letters of credit, and (vii) obligations
under direct or indirect guarantees of (including obligations, contingent or
otherwise, to assure a creditor against loss in respect of) indebtedness or
obligations of the kinds referred to in clauses (i), (ii), (iii), (iv),
(v) and (vi) above.
“Indemnifiable
Loss” means any and all damage, loss, liability, and expense (including,
without limitation, reasonable expenses of investigation and reasonable
attorneys’ fees and expenses) in connection with any and all Actions or
threatened Actions.
“Information”
means information, whether or not patentable or copyrightable, in
written, oral, electronic or other tangible or intangible forms, stored in any
medium, including studies, reports, records, books, contracts, instruments,
surveys, discoveries, ideas, concepts, know-how, techniques, designs,
specifications, drawings, blueprints, diagrams, models, prototypes, samples,
flow charts, data, computer data, disks, diskettes, tapes, computer programs or
other software, marketing plans, customer names, communications by or to
attorneys (including attorney-client privileged communications), memos and other
materials prepared by attorneys or under their direction (including attorney
work product), communications and materials otherwise related to or made or
prepared in connection with or in preparation for any legal proceeding, and
other technical, financial, employee or business information or
data.
“Information
Statement” means the information statement required by the Commission to
be sent to each holder of Parent Common Stock or Parent Preferred Stock in
connection with the Distribution, and prepared in accordance with the Exchange
Act.
“Insurance
Administration” means, with respect to each Third Party Policy:
(i) the accounting for premiums, retrospectively-rated premiums, defense
costs, indemnity payments,
4
deductibles
and self-insured retentions, as appropriate, under the terms and conditions of
such Third Party Policy; (ii) the reporting to the relevant unaffiliated,
third-party insurer that issues such Third Party Policy of any losses or claims
which may be covered by such Third Party Policy; and (iii) the distribution
of Insurance Proceeds related to such Third Party Policy, subject to the terms
of Section 4.3.
“Insurance
Proceeds” means those monies (i) received by an insured from an
unaffiliated third-party insurer under any Third Party Policy, or (ii) paid
by such third-party insurer on behalf of an insured under any Third Party
Policy, in either case net of any applicable premium adjustment,
retrospectively-rated premium, deductible, self-insured retentions, or cost of
reserve paid or held by or for the benefit of such insured.
“Insured Claims”
means those Liabilities that, individually or in the aggregate, are
covered within the terms and conditions of any of the Third Party Policies,
whether or not subject to deductibles, co-insurance, uncollectibility or
retrospectively-rated premium adjustments.
“Intercompany
Accounts” means any receivables, payables or loans between any member of
the Parent Group, on the one hand, and any member of the Spinco Group, on the
other hand, that exist prior to the Effective Time and is reflected in the
Records of the relevant members of the Parent Group and the Spinco Group, except
for any such receivables, payables or loans that arise pursuant to this
Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement.
“IRS”
means the United States Internal Revenue Service.
“Joint
Action” means any current or future Action with respect to which it is
unclear at the onset of such Action whether Liabilities will arise primarily in
connection with the Spinco Business or the Parent Business, including any of the
Actions listed on Schedule 5.1(e).
“Law”
means any United States or non-United States federal, national, supranational,
state, provincial, local or similar statute, law, ordinance, regulation, rule,
code, order, requirement or rule of law (including common law).
“Liabilities”
means any and all claims, debts, liabilities and obligations, absolute or
contingent, matured or not matured, liquidated or unliquidated, accrued or
unaccrued, known or unknown, whenever arising, including all costs and expenses
relating thereto, and including, without limitation, those debts, liabilities
and obligations arising under this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, any
law, rule, regulation, action, order or consent decree of any governmental
entity or any award of any arbitrator of any kind, and those arising under any
contract, commitment or undertaking.
“NASDAQ”
means the NASDAQ Stock Market LLC.
“Other Party’s
Marks” is defined in Section 4.5.
“Party” is
defined in the Preamble to this Agreement.
“Parent”
is defined in the Preamble to this Agreement.
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“Parent Accounts”
is defined in Section 4.1(a).
“Parent
Action” means any current or future Action that does not relate primarily
to the Spinco Business and in which one or more members of the Spinco Group is a
defendant or the party against whom any claim or investigation is directed,
including any of the Actions listed on Schedule 5.1(b) , but
excluding any Joint Action.
“Parent
Asset” means:
(a) the
capital stock of each member of the Parent Group; and
(b) except as
otherwise provided in an Ancillary Agreement, all Assets of any member of the
Parent Group or the Spinco Group that are not Spinco Assets.
“Parent Business”
means the business now or formerly conducted by Parent and its present
and former subsidiaries, joint ventures and partnerships, other than the Spinco
Business.
“Parent Common
Stock” means the outstanding shares of common stock of
Parent.
“Parent
Group” means Parent and its subsidiaries, affiliates, joint ventures and
partnerships, excluding any member of the Spinco Group.
“Parent
Indemnitees” is defined in Section 6.1.
“Parent
Liabilities” means (i) Liabilities of any member of the Parent Group
under this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, (ii) the Assumed Spinco
Liabilities and (iii) any other Liabilities of any member of the Spinco
Group or the Parent Group, whether arising before, at, or after the Effective
Time, that do not constitute Spinco Liabilities.
FOR THE
AVOIDANCE OF DOUBT, NO LIABILITY SHALL BE A PARENT LIABILITY SOLELY AS A RESULT
OF PARENT OR ANY OTHER MEMBER OF THE PARENT GROUP BEING NAMED AS PARTY TO, OR
IN, ANY ACTION.
“Parent Preferred
Stock” means the outstanding shares of Series A Noncumulative Convertible
Perpetual Preferred Stock of Parent.
“Person”
means any natural person, firm, individual, corporation, business trust, joint
venture, association, company, limited liability company, partnership or other
organization or entity, whether incorporated or unincorporated, or any
Governmental Entity.
“Policies”
means insurance policies and insurance agreements or arrangements of any
kind (other than life and benefits policies, agreements or arrangements),
including primary, excess and umbrella policies, comprehensive general liability
policies, director and officer liability, fiduciary liability, automobile,
aircraft, property and casualty, business interruption, workers’ compensation
and employee dishonesty insurance policies, bonds and self-insurance company
arrangements, together with the rights, benefits and privileges
thereunder.
6
“Prime
Rate” means the rate of interest announced by Bloomberg from time to time
as the “prime rate,” “prime lending rate,” “base rate” or similar reference
rate. In the event the Prime Rate is discontinued as a standard, the holder
shall designate a comparable reference rate as a substitute therefor. For
purposes hereof, the Prime Rate as published by Bloomberg at xxx.Xxxxxxxxx.xxx
under “Market Data: Rates & Bonds: Key Rates” at the close of business
on each business day shall be the Prime Rate for that day and any immediately
succeeding non-business day or days.
“Record
Date” means the date designated by or under the authority of Parent’s
Board of Directors as the record date for determining the shareholders of Parent
entitled to receive the Distribution.
“Record
Holder” means the Party or its agent in possession or control of the
Shared Record for storage or archival purposes. Each Party shall be deemed to be
the Record Holder for any Shared Record that is possessed or controlled by a
member of such Party’s respective Group.
“Record
Requestor” means the Party or its agent that is not identified as the
Record Holder, which may require or request copies of, or access to, any Shared
Record(s) possessed or controlled by the Record Holder.
“Records”
means any Information, agreements, documents, books, records or
files.
“Registration
Statement” means the registration statement on Form 10 to effect the
registration of the Spinco Common Stock pursuant to the Exchange
Act.
“Request to
Extend Retention Period” means the written request that shall be
delivered by the Record Requestor to the Head Records Coordinator of the Record
Holder within ninety (90) days of the end of the Retention Period
applicable to any specific Shared Record(s) for which the Record Requestor is
seeking an extension of the Retention Period. The written request shall state a
specific extension of the Retention Period of up to, but not in excess of, one
additional (1) year.
“Retained
Liabilities” has the meaning set forth in the definition of “Spinco
Liabilities.”
“Retention
Period” means the retention period applicable to any specific Shared
Record(s), as set forth in Schedule 8.3 to the
Agreement and as it may be extended by a Request to Extend Retention Period,
which period, whether or not extended, shall not exceed seven
(7) years.
“Securities Act”
means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
“Shared
Record(s)” means those Records set forth on Schedule 8.2, as amended
from time to time by written agreement of the Parties.
“Software”
means all computer programs (whether in source code, object code, or
other form), algorithms, databases, compilations and data, and technology
supporting the foregoing, and all documentation, including flowcharts and other
logic and design diagrams, technical,
7
functional
and other specifications, and user and training materials related to any of the
foregoing.
“Spinco”
is defined in the Preamble to this Agreement.
“Spinco
Accounts” is defined in Section 4.1(a).
“Spinco Action”
means any current or future Action relating primarily to the Spinco
Business in which one or more members of the Parent Group is a defendant or the
party against whom a claim or investigation is directed, including any of the
Actions listed on Schedule 5.1(a), but
excluding any Joint Action.
“Spinco Assets”
means:
(a) the
capital stock of Spinco;
(b) the
Spinco Contracts; and
(c) except as
otherwise provided in an Ancillary Agreement, all Assets that are (i) owned
of record or held in the name of a member of the Spinco Group on the
Distribution Date, (ii) treated for internal financial reporting purposes
of Parent prior to the Distribution Date or on the Spinco Business Balance Sheet
as owned by a member of the Spinco Group, (iii) on the Distribution Date
used exclusively by one or more members of the Spinco Group, or
(iv) transferred to a member of the Spinco Group pursuant to any Ancillary
Agreement.
“Spinco
Business” means the business comprised of the Spinco Assets and the
Spinco Liabilities.
“Spinco Business
Balance Sheet” means the consolidated balance sheet of the Spinco Group
as set forth in the Information Statement.
“Spinco Common
Stock” means the outstanding shares of common stock of
Spinco.
“Spinco
Contracts” means the following agreements or arrangements to which Parent
or any of its Affiliates is a party or by which it or any of its Affiliates or
any of their respective Assets is bound, except for any such agreement or
arrangement or part thereof (x) that is expressly contemplated not to be
transferred or assigned by any member of the Parent Group to Spinco, or
(y) that is expressly contemplated to be transferred or assigned to (or
remain with) any member of the Parent Group, in each case, pursuant to any
provision of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement:
(i) any
agreement or arrangement entered into in the name of, or expressly on behalf of,
any division, business unit or member of the Spinco Group;
(ii) any
agreement or arrangement that relates primarily to the Spinco
Business;
8
(iii)
any
agreement or arrangement representing capital or lease obligations of facilities
or equipment primarily used by any member of the Spinco Group;
(iv) any
agreement or arrangement or part thereof that is otherwise expressly
contemplated pursuant to this Agreement or any of the Ancillary Agreements to be
retained by, transferred or assigned to, any member of the Spinco
Group;
(v) any
guarantee, indemnity, representation or warranty of any member of the Spinco
Group relating to, arising out of or resulting from the Spinco Business;
and
“Spinco Group”
means Spinco, any of its respective subsidiaries and affiliates and any
subsidiary or division of any member of the Parent Group that is included in the
assets of the Spinco Business as reflected in the Spinco Business Balance
Sheet.
“Spinco
Indemnitee” is defined in Section 6.2.
“Spinco
Liabilities” means:
(vii)
the
Liabilities listed or described on Schedule 1.1(c) and any and
all Liabilities that are expressly contemplated by this Agreement or any
Ancillary Agreement as Liabilities to be retained, assumed or retired by any
member of the Spinco Group;
(viii)
any and
all Liabilities of Parent, Spinco, or any of their respective Affiliates,
primarily relating to, arising out of or resulting from:
(A) the
operation or conduct of the Spinco Business, or the ownership or use of the
Spinco Assets, as conducted at any time prior to, on or after the Effective Time
(including any Liability relating to, arising out of or resulting from any act
or failure to act by any director, officer, employee, agent or representative of
Parent, Spinco, or any of their respective Affiliates (whether or not such act
or failure to act is or was within such Person’s authority)); or
(B) the
operation or conduct of any business conducted by any member of the Spinco Group
at any time on or after the Effective Time (including any Liability relating to,
arising out of or resulting from any act or failure to act by any director,
officer, employee, agent or representative of Spinco, or any of its Affiliates
after the Effective Time (whether or not such act or failure to act is or was
within such Person’s authority));
(ix) except as
otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement,
Liabilities set forth on the Spinco Business Balance Sheet;
(x) any and
all Liabilities to the extent relating to, arising out of or resulting from any
terminated, sold, discontinued or divested entity, business, real property,
or
9
Asset
formerly and primarily owned or managed by, or associated with any member of the
Spinco Group or the Spinco Business, or arising out of the sale
thereof;
(xi) any
Liabilities relating to or arising out of the acquisition (whether through an
acquisition of stock or assets or a merger, share exchange or other form of
business combination) of any business prior to the Effective Time by any member
of the Spinco Group, except to the extent such Liabilities arise out of or are
based upon the issuance of securities of Parent in any such business combination
transaction;
(xii) Liabilities
arising under or in connection with the Form 10, except to the extent such
Liabilities arise out of or are based upon information about Parent included in
the sections of the Information Statement attached as Exhibit 99.1 to the Form
10 entitled “Summary—Company,” “Summary—Summary of the Spin-Off,” and “The
Spin-Off—Reasons for the Spin-Off”, and excluding information included in the
Information Statement regarding whether the Distribution is
taxable;
(xiii)
any and
all Liabilities, including those Liabilities listed on Schedule 1.1(d), relating to,
arising out of or resulting from any Indebtedness (including debt securities and
asset-backed debt) of any member of the Spinco Group (whether incurred prior to,
on or after the Effective Time);
(xiv)
any and
all Liabilities of the guarantor under the Guaranteed Spinco
Liabilities;
(xv)
any and
all Liabilities relating to, resulting from, or arising out of any Action that
is primarily related to the Spinco Business, including any Spinco
Action;
(xvi)
any and
all obligations of an insured Person under each Third Party Spinco Policy and
each Third Party Policy to the extent related to or arising out of the Spinco
Business; and
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, the Spinco Liabilities shall in any event not
include:
(A) (i) any
Liabilities that are expressly contemplated by this Agreement or any Ancillary
Agreement as Liabilities to be retained or assumed by any member of the Parent
Group, including those set forth on Schedule 1.1(a), and
(ii) the Assumed Spinco Liabilities and any Liabilities of a guarantor
under the Guaranteed Parent Liabilities (the Liabilities under this clause
(A)(i) and (A)(ii), collectively, the “Retained
Liabilities”);
(B) any
Liabilities related or attributable to, or arising in connection with, the
employment, service, termination of employment or termination of service of
Spinco employees, which shall be exclusively governed by the Employee Matters
Agreement; and
(C) any
Liabilities related or attributable to, or arising in connection with, Taxes or
Tax returns, which shall be exclusively governed by the Tax Separation
Agreement.
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FOR THE
AVOIDANCE OF DOUBT, NO LIABILITY SHALL BE A SPINCO LIABILITY SOLELY AS A RESULT
OF SPINCO OR ANY OTHER MEMBER OF THE SPINCO GROUP BEING NAMED AS PARTY TO, OR
IN, ANY ACTION.
“Tax”
shall have the meaning given to such term in the Tax Separation
Agreement.
“Tax Separation
Agreement” means the Tax Separation Agreement, substantially in the form
of Exhibit
B hereto, entered into at or before the Effective Time between Parent and
Spinco, as amended from time to time.
“Third Party
Claim” means a claim or demand made against a Parent Indemnitee or a
Spinco Indemnitee by any Person who is not a Party or an Affiliate of a Party as
to which such Parent Indemnitee or Spinco Indemnitee, as applicable, is or may
be entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Agreement.
“Third Party
Spinco Policies” means all Policies, whether or not in force on the
Effective Time, issued by unaffiliated third-party insurers to Parent, Spinco,
or any of their respective Affiliates that cover risks that relate exclusively
to the Spinco Business.
“Third Party
Policies” means all Policies, whether or not in force on the Effective
Time, issued by unaffiliated third-party insurers to Parent, Spinco or any of
their respective Affiliates that cover risks that relate to both the Parent
Business and the Spinco Business.
“Trademarks”
means all United States and foreign trademarks, service marks, corporate names,
trade names, domain names, logos, slogans, designs, trade dress and other
similar identifiers of source or origin, whether registered or unregistered,
together with the goodwill connected with the use of and symbolized by any of
the foregoing.
“Transitional
Trademark License Agreement” means the Transitional Trademark License
Agreement, substantially in the form of Exhibit
D hereto, entered into at or prior to the Effective Time between
Parent Spinco, as amended from time to time.
“Transition
Services Agreement” means the Transition Services Agreement,
substantially in the form of Exhibit
E hereto, entered into at or prior to the Effective Time between
Parent and Spinco, as amended from time to time.
ARTICLE
2
REORGANIZATION;
CONVEYANCE OF CERTAIN ASSETS;
ASSUMPTION
OF CERTAIN LIABILITIES; CERTAIN PAYMENTS; AND TRANSITION ARRANGEMENTS
2.1
Reorganization.
On or
prior to the Distribution Date and effective as of the Effective Time, Parent
shall transfer and assign to Spinco all of the Spinco Assets in exchange for a
number of shares of Spinco Common Stock that, when combined with the shares of
Spinco Common Stock already owned by Parent, shall equal all the shares to be
distributed as provided in Section 3.3,
below.
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2.2 Conveyance
of Assets; Discharge of Liabilities. Except as
otherwise expressly provided herein or in any of the Ancillary
Agreements:
(a) Effective
as of the Effective Time (i) all Spinco Assets are intended to be and shall
become Assets of the Spinco Group, (ii) all Spinco Liabilities are intended
to be and shall become the Liabilities of the Spinco Group, and (iii) all
other Assets and Liabilities of Parent and its subsidiaries are intended to be
and shall remain exclusively the Assets and Liabilities of the Parent
Group.
(b) Effective
as of the Effective Time, Parent agrees to transfer or cause to be transferred
to Spinco or to such other members of the Spinco Group as Spinco may designate
all right, title and interest of the Parent Group in and to all of the Spinco
Assets.
(c) Spinco
agrees that, effective as of the Effective Time, it will transfer or cause to be
transferred to Parent or to such other member of the Parent Group as Parent may
designate all right, title and interest of the Spinco Group in and to all Assets
that are not Spinco Assets.
(d) Spinco
agrees that it will, or will cause another member of the Spinco Group designated
by Spinco to (i) assume any of the Spinco Liabilities for which a member of
the Spinco Group is not the obligor, effective as of the Effective Time, and
(ii) timely pay and discharge all of the Spinco Liabilities, at and after
the Effective Time.
(e) Parent
agrees that it will, or will cause another member of the Parent Group designated
by Parent to (i) assume any of the Parent Liabilities for which a member of
the Parent Group is not the obligor, effective as of the Effective Time, and
(ii) timely pay and discharge all of the Parent Liabilities, at and after
the Effective Time.
(f) In the
event that any conveyance of an Asset, including conveyance of any Asset listed
in Schedule 2.2(f), required
hereby is not effected at or before the Effective Time, the obligation to
transfer such Asset shall continue past the Effective Time and shall be
accomplished as soon thereafter as practicable.
(g) If any
Asset may not be transferred by reason of the requirement to obtain the consent
of any third party and such consent has not been obtained by the Effective Time,
then (unless otherwise expressly agreed by Parent and Spinco) such Asset shall
not be transferred until such consent has been obtained. Parent and Spinco, as
the case may be, shall (i) cause the owner of such Asset to use
commercially reasonable efforts to provide to the appropriate member of the
other Group all the rights and benefits under such Asset, (ii) cause such
owner to enforce such Asset for the benefit of such member, and (iii) cause
such member to assume all obligations of such Asset, in each case to the extent
that such action does not cause a breach or default under such Asset. Both
parties shall otherwise cooperate and use commercially reasonable efforts to
provide the economic and operational equivalent of an assignment or transfer of
the Asset as of the Effective Time.
(h) From and
after the Effective Time, each Party shall promptly transfer or cause the
members of its Group promptly to transfer to the other Party or the appropriate
member of the other Party’s Group, from time to time, any property received that
is an Asset of the other
12
Party or
a member of its Group. Without limiting the foregoing, funds received by a
member of one Group upon the payment of accounts receivable that belong to a
member of the other Group shall be transferred to the other Group by wire
transfer as promptly as practicable after the receiving party becomes aware of
having received such funds.
(i) Except as
expressly set forth in this Agreement, any Ancillary Agreement, or any
instrument or document contemplated by this Agreement or any Ancillary
Agreement, neither any member of the Parent Group nor any member of the Spinco
Group has made or shall be deemed to have made any representation or warranty as
to (i) the Assets, business or Liabilities retained, transferred or assumed
as contemplated hereby or thereby, (ii) any consents or approvals required
in connection with the transfer or assumption by such party of any Asset or
Liability contemplated by this Agreement, (iii) the value or freedom from
any lien, claim, equity or other encumbrance of, or any other matter concerning,
any Assets of such Party, (iv) the absence of any defenses or right of
setoff or freedom from counterclaim with respect to any claim or other Asset of
such Party, or (v) the legal sufficiency of any assignment, document or
instrument delivered to convey title to any Asset transferred. EXCEPT AS MAY BE
EXPRESSLY SET FORTH IN THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY ANCILLARY AGREEMENT, ALL ASSETS
WERE, OR ARE BEING, TRANSFERRED, OR ARE BEING RETAINED, ON AN “AS IS”, “WHERE
IS” BASIS AND THE RESPECTIVE TRANSFEREES WILL BEAR THE ECONOMIC AND LEGAL RISKS
THAT ANY CONVEYANCE OR OTHER TRANSFER SHALL PROVE TO BE INSUFFICIENT TO VEST IN
THE TRANSFEREE A TITLE THAT IS FREE AND CLEAR OF ANY LIEN, CLAIM, EQUITY OR
OTHER ENCUMBRANCE.
2.3
Ancillary
Agreements. Concurrently
with the execution of this Agreement, Parent and Spinco (or their appropriate
subsidiaries) will duly execute and deliver:
(a) An
Employee Matters Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit
A hereto;
(b) A Tax
Separation Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit
B hereto;
(c) An
Administrative Services and Technology Agreement substantially in the form
of Exhibit
C hereto;
(d) A
Transitional Trademark License Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit
D hereto;
(e) A
Transition Services Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit
E hereto; and
(f) Such
other agreements, leases, subleases, documents, or instruments as the Parties
may agree are necessary or desirable in order to achieve the purposes
hereof.
2.4
Issuance
of Spinco Common Stock. On or
before the Distribution Date, and in exchange for the transfer of the assets as
provided above, and the surrender for reissue of all certificates representing
outstanding Spinco Common Stock, Spinco will issue and deliver to
13
Parent a
single certificate representing shares of Spinco Common Stock constituting all
the shares to be distributed as provided in Section 3.3 below.
2.5
Resignations.
(a) On the
Distribution Date, Spinco will deliver or cause to be delivered to Parent
resignations of each individual who will be an employee of Spinco or another
member of the Spinco Group from and after the Distribution Date and who is an
officer or director of Parent or any of the subsidiaries or affiliates in the
Parent Group immediately prior to the Distribution Date, except as otherwise
agreed to in writing by the Parties.
(b) On the
Distribution Date, Parent will deliver or cause to be delivered to Spinco
resignations of each individual who will be an employee of Parent or another
member of the Parent Group from and after the Distribution Date and who is an
officer or director of Spinco or any of the subsidiaries or affiliates in the
Spinco Group immediately prior to the Distribution Date, except as otherwise
agreed to in writing by the Parties.
2.6
Limitation
of Liability.
(a) Except as
otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, no Party or any member of such
Party’s Group shall have any Liability to any other Party or any member of each
other Party’s Group in the event that any Information exchanged or provided
pursuant to this Agreement (but excluding any such information included in the
Form 10) which is an estimate or forecast, or which is based on an estimate or
forecast, is found to be inaccurate.
(b) Except as
provided in Section 4.2, Section 9.1 or as set forth in subsection (c) below,
neither Party nor any member of such Party’s Group shall have any Liability to
any other Party or any member of such other Party’s Group based upon, arising
out of or resulting from any agreement, arrangement, course of dealing or
understanding existing on or prior to the Effective Time (other than this
Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement or any agreement entered into in connection
herewith or therewith in order to consummate the transactions contemplated
hereby or thereby), and each Party hereby terminates, and shall cause all
members in its Group to terminate, any and all agreements, arrangements, course
of dealings or understandings between it or any members in its Group and the
other Party, or any members of the other Party’s Group, effective as of the
Effective Time (other than this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement or any
agreement entered into in connection herewith or in order to consummate the
transactions contemplated hereby or thereby), unless such agreement,
arrangement, course of dealing or understanding is set forth in any Ancillary
Agreement or on Schedule 2.6(b), and any such
Liability, whether or not in writing, which is not reflected in any Ancillary
Agreement or on such Schedule, is hereby irrevocably cancelled, released and
waived effective as of the Effective Time. No such terminated agreement,
arrangement, course of dealing or understanding (including any provision thereof
which purports to survive termination) shall be of any further force or effect
after the Effective Time.
(c) The
provisions of Section 2.6(b) shall not apply to any of the following
agreements, arrangements, course of dealings or understandings (or to any of the
provisions thereof):
14
(i) any
agreement or arrangement to which any Person other than the Parties and their
respective Affiliates is a Party (it being understood that to the extent that
the rights and obligations of the Parties and the members of their respective
Groups under any such agreements or arrangements constitute Parent Assets or
Spinco Assets, Parent Liabilities, or Spinco Liabilities, such agreements or
arrangements shall be assigned or retained pursuant to this Article II);
and
(ii) any
agreements, arrangements, commitments or understandings to which any
non-wholly-owned subsidiary or non-wholly-owned Affiliate of Parent or Spinco is
a Party.
2.7
Novation
of Liabilities; Consents.
(a) Each
Party, at the request of the other Party, shall use commercially reasonable
efforts to obtain, or to cause to be obtained, any consent, release,
substitution or amendment required to novate or assign all obligations under
agreements, arrangements, licenses and other obligations or Liabilities for
which a member of such Party’s Group and a member of the other Party’s Group are
jointly or severally liable and that do not constitute Liabilities of such other
Party as provided in this Agreement (such other Party, the “Other
Party”), or to obtain in writing the unconditional release of all parties
to such arrangements (other than any member of the Group who assumed or retained
such Liability as set forth in this Agreement), so that, in any such case, the
members of the applicable Group will be solely responsible for such Liabilities;
provided, however, that no
Party shall be obligated to pay any consideration therefor to any third party
from whom any such consent, substitution or amendment is requested (unless such
Party is fully reimbursed by the requesting Party).
(b) If the
Parties are unable to obtain, or to cause to be obtained, any such required
consent, release, substitution or amendment, the Other Party or a member of such
Other Party’s Group shall continue to be bound by such agreement, arrangement,
license or other obligation that does not constitute a Liability of such Other
Party and, unless not permitted by Law or the terms thereof, as agent or
subcontractor for such Party, the Party or member of such Party’s Group who
assumed or retained such Liability as set forth in this Agreement (the “Liable
Party”) shall, or shall cause a member of its Group to, pay, perform and
discharge fully all the obligations or other Liabilities of such Other Party or
member of such Other Party’s Group thereunder from and after the Effective Time;
provided, however, that the
Other Party shall not be obligated to extend, renew or otherwise cause such
agreement, arrangement, license or other obligation to remain in effect beyond
the term in effect as of the Effective Time. The Liable Party shall indemnify
the Other Party and the members of the Other Party’s Group and hold each of them
harmless against any and all Liabilities arising in connection therewith; provided, that the
Liable Party shall have no obligation to indemnify the Other Party or any member
of such Other Party’s Group with respect to any matter to the extent that such
Other Party has engaged in any knowing violation of Law, fraud or
misrepresentation in connection therewith. The Other Party shall, without
further consideration, promptly pay and remit, or cause to be promptly paid or
remitted, to the Liable Party or to another member of the Liable Party’s Group,
all money, rights and other consideration received by it or any member of its
Group in respect of such performance by the Liable Party (unless any such
consideration is an Asset of such Other Party pursuant to this Agreement). If
and when any such consent, release, substitution or amendment
15
shall be
obtained or such agreement, lease, license or other rights or obligations shall
otherwise become assignable or able to be novated, the Other Party shall
promptly assign, or cause to be assigned, all rights, obligations and other
Liabilities thereunder of any member of such Other Party’s Group to the Liable
Party or to another member of the Liable Party’s Group without payment of any
further consideration and the Liable Party, or another member of such Liable
Party’s Group, without the payment of any further consideration, shall assume
such rights and Liabilities.
ARTICLE
3
THE
DISTRIBUTION
3.1 Cooperation
Prior to the Distribution.
(a) Parent
and Spinco shall prepare, and Parent shall mail to the holders of Parent Common
Stock or Parent Preferred Stock, the Information Statement, which shall set
forth appropriate disclosure concerning Spinco, the Distribution and any other
appropriate matters. Parent and Spinco shall also prepare, and Spinco shall file
with the Commission, the Form 10, which shall include the Information Statement.
Parent and Spinco shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Form 10
to become effective under the Exchange Act.
(b) Parent
shall, as the sole shareholder of Spinco, approve and adopt the Spinco employee
benefit plans contemplated by the Employee Matters Agreement and Parent and
Spinco shall cooperate in preparing, filing with the Commission under the
Securities Act and causing to become effective not later than the Distribution
Date any registration statements or amendments thereto that are appropriate to
reflect the establishment of or amendments to any employee benefit plan of
Spinco contemplated by the Employee Matters Agreement, including without
limitation, a Form S-8 with respect thereto.
(c) Parent
and Spinco shall take all such action as may be necessary or appropriate under
the securities or blue sky laws of states or other political subdivisions of the
United States in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
or any Ancillary Agreement.
(d) Spinco
shall prepare, file, and use all reasonable efforts to cause to be approved
prior to the Record Date, the application to permit listing of the Spinco Common
Stock on NASDAQ.
3.2 Conditions
Precedent to the Distribution. Neither
the Distribution nor the related transactions set forth in this Agreement or in
any of the Ancillary Agreements will become effective unless the following
conditions have been satisfied or waived by Parent, in its sole and absolute
discretion, at or before the Distribution Time:
(a) the
private letter ruling from the Internal Revenue Service dated [___], 2009 and
any supplemental rulings received before the date of this Agreement will
continue to be in effect;
16
(b) Parent
will have received an opinion from Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx and Xxxx LLP (which
opinion will rely upon the effectiveness of any private letter ruling received
from the IRS), dated the Distribution Date, in form and substance acceptable to
Parent substantially to the effect that, for U.S. federal income tax purposes,
(i) the Distribution and certain transactions to be effected in connection
with the separation of Parent and Spinco qualify under Sections 355 and/or
368(a) of the Code, and (ii) the Distribution and such transactions will
qualify for tax-free treatment to Parent and to Spinco;
(c) the
Distribution will not violate or result in a breach of any Law or any material
agreement;
(d) the
Registration Statement will have become effective;
(e) the
actions and filings necessary or appropriate under applicable federal or state
securities laws and state blue sky laws in connection with the Distribution will
have been taken;
(f) the
Spinco Common Stock shall have been approved for listing on NASDAQ, subject to
official notice of issuance;
(g) the
Ancillary Agreements will have been executed and delivered by each of the
parties thereto and no party will be in material breach of any Ancillary
Agreement;
(h) all
consents required to be received or made before the Distribution may take place
will have been received or made and be in full force and effect, and this
Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements will not have been terminated and will
not violate, conflict with or result in a breach (with or without the passage of
time) of any Law or any material agreements of Parent;
(i) no
preliminary or permanent injunction or other order, decree, or ruling issued by
a Governmental Authority, and no statute (as interpreted through orders or rules
of any Governmental Authority duly authorized to effectuate the statute), rule,
regulation or executive order promulgated or enacted by any Governmental
Authority will be in effect preventing, or materially limiting the benefits of,
the Distribution;
(j) Spinco
shall have established insurance arrangements with insurers of recognized
financial responsibility for Policies in such amounts and covering such risks as
is adequate for the conduct of the Spinco Business and the value of Spinco’s
properties and as is customary for companies engaged in similar businesses in
similar industries; and
(k) No event
or development shall have occurred or exist that, in the judgment of Parent's
Board of Directors, in its sole discretion, makes it inadvisable to effect the
reorganization, the Distribution or any other transaction related
thereto.
3.3 The
Distribution. On or
before the Distribution Date, subject to satisfaction or waiver of the
conditions set forth in this Agreement, Parent shall deliver to the Distribution
Agent a certificate or certificates representing 95.1% of the then outstanding
shares of Spinco Common Stock held by the Parent Group, endorsed in blank, and
shall instruct the Distribution
17
Agent to
(i) distribute to each holder of record of Parent Common Stock on the Record
Date one (1) share of Spinco Common Stock for every [_____] shares of
Parent Common Stock so held by crediting the holder’s brokerage account, and
(ii) distribute to each holder of Parent Preferred Stock on the Record Date one
(1) share of Spinco Common Stock for every [_____] shares of Parent Preferred
Stock so held by crediting the holder’s brokerage accounts. Spinco
agrees to provide all certificates for shares of Spinco Common Stock that the
Distribution Agent shall require in order to effect the
Distribution.
3.4 Fractional
Shares. No
fractional shares of Spinco Common Stock will be distributed in the
Distribution. The Distribution Agent will be directed to determine
the number of whole shares and fractional shares of Spinco Common Stock
allocable to each holder of Parent Common Stock or Parent Preferred Stock as of
the Distribution Record Date. Upon the determination by the
Distribution Agent of such number of fractional shares, as soon as practicable
after the Record Date, the Distribution Agent, acting on behalf of the holders
thereof, shall sell such fractional shares for cash on the open market and shall
thereafter promptly disburse to each such holder entitled thereto its ratable
portion of the resulting cash proceeds, after making appropriate deductions of
the amounts required to be withheld for United States federal income tax
purposes, if any, and after deducting an amount equal to all brokerage charges,
commissions and transfer taxes attributed to the sale of fractional shares
pursuant to this Section 3.4.
ARTICLE
4
COVENANTS
4.1 Bank
Accounts.
(a) The
Parties agree to take, or cause the respective members of their respective
Groups to take, at the Effective Time (or such earlier time as the Parties may
agree), all actions necessary to amend all agreements or arrangements governing
each bank and brokerage account owned by Spinco or any other member of the
Spinco Group (the “Spinco
Accounts”), including all Spinco Accounts listed or described on Schedule 4.1(a), so that such
Spinco Accounts, if currently linked (whether by automatic withdrawal, automatic
deposit, or any other authorization to transfer funds from or to, hereinafter
“linked”)
to any bank or brokerage account owned by Parent or any other member of the
Parent Group (the “Parent
Accounts”) are de-linked from the Parent Accounts. From and after the
Effective Time, no current or former employee of any member of the Parent Group
shall have any authority to access or control any Spinco Account other than
those who will be Spinco employees.
(b) The
Parties agree to take, or cause the respective members of their respective
Groups to take, at the Effective Time (or such earlier time as the Parties may
agree), all actions necessary to amend all agreements or arrangements governing
the Parent Accounts so that such Parent Accounts, if currently linked to a
Spinco Account, are de-linked from the Spinco Accounts. From and after the
Effective Time, no current or former employee of any member of the Spinco Group
shall have any authority to access or control any Parent Account other than
those who will be Parent employees.
18
(c) With
respect to any outstanding checks issued by Parent, Spinco, or any of their
respective subsidiaries prior to the Effective Time, such outstanding checks
shall be honored following the Effective Time by the entity or Group owning the
account on which the check is drawn.
(d) As
between the two Parties (and the members of their respective Groups) all
payments and reimbursements received after the Effective Time by any Party (or
member of its Group) that relate to a business, Asset or Liability of another
Party (or member of its Group), shall be held by such Party in trust for the use
and benefit of the Party entitled thereto (at the expense of the Party entitled
thereto) and, promptly upon receipt by such Party of any such payment or
reimbursement, such Party shall pay over, or shall cause the applicable member
of its Group to pay over to the other Party the amount of such payment or
reimbursement without right of set-off.
4.2 Guaranteed
Spinco and Parent Liabilities.
(a) Spinco
shall use commercially reasonable efforts (excluding payment of money or
incurrence of Liabilities) to obtain as promptly as practicable after the
Distribution Date the release of all members of the Parent Group from any
obligations with respect to Guaranteed Spinco Liabilities, including removing
all members of the Parent Group from their obligations as guarantors with
respect to the guarantees listed or described on Schedule 4.2(a). In no event
shall any member of the Spinco Group take any action with respect to any
Guaranteed Spinco Liabilities which could be reasonably expected to adversely
affect the Parent Group members in any way, including, without limitation,
extending the term of any Guaranteed Spinco Liabilities or increasing the
liability guaranteed thereunder, unless the guarantee or obligation of all
Parent Group members is released as to any extended or modified liability
obligations under such Guaranteed Spinco Liabilities or Parent otherwise
consents in writing.
(b) Parent
shall use commercially reasonable efforts (excluding payment of money or
incurrence of Liabilities) to obtain as promptly as practicable after the
Distribution Date the release of all members of the Spinco Group from any
obligations with respect to Guaranteed Parent Liabilities to which they have not
been released as of the Distribution Date, including removing all members of the
Spinco Group from their obligations as guarantors with respect to the guarantees
listed or described on Schedule 4.2(b). In no event
shall any member of the Parent Group take any action with respect to any
Guaranteed Parent Liabilities which could be reasonably expected to adversely
affect the Spinco Group members in any way including, without limitation,
extending the term of any Guaranteed Parent Liabilities or increasing the
liability guaranteed thereunder, unless the guarantee or obligation of all
Spinco Group members is released as to any extended or modified liability
obligations under such Guaranteed Parent Liabilities or Spinco otherwise
consents in writing.
(c) In the
event that any Parent Group member is required to pay or otherwise satisfy any
Guaranteed Spinco Liabilities, without limiting any of Parent’s rights and
remedies against Spinco under this Agreement or otherwise, in order to secure
Spinco’s indemnity obligations to Parent hereunder in respect of such Guaranteed
Spinco Liabilities, Parent shall be entitled to all the rights of the payee in
any property of any member of the Spinco Group pledged as security for such
Guaranteed Spinco Liabilities.
19
(d) In the
event that Spinco Group member is required to pay or otherwise satisfy any
Guaranteed Parent Liabilities, without limiting any of Spinco’s rights and
remedies against Parent under this Agreement or otherwise, in order to secure
Parent’s indemnity obligations to Spinco hereunder in respect of such Guaranteed
Parent Liabilities, Spinco shall be entitled to all the rights of the payee in
any property of any member of the Parent Group pledged as security for such
Guaranteed Parent Liabilities.
4.3 Insurance.
(a) Directors and Officers and Fiduciary
Liability Policies. Following the Distribution, Parent will
maintain directors’ and officers’ liability and fiduciary liability insurance
coverage for a period of six (6) years from the Distribution Date for the
directors and officers of Spinco who were directors or officers of Parent or
members of the Parent Group as of the Distribution Date for acts as directors
and officers of members of the Parent Group during periods prior to the
Distribution Date.
(b) Third
Party Policies.
(i) With
respect to Third Party Policies, if an occurrence for which coverage is
available under such Third Party Policies happens prior to the Effective Time,
and a claim arising therefrom has been or is eventually asserted against Spinco
or any other member of the Spinco Group (including any officer, director,
employee or agent thereof) and such claim is reported by Spinco to the carrier,
with a copy to Parent, in accordance with the reporting provision of the
applicable policy, then Parent will, or will cause the members of the Parent
Group that are insured thereunder to, (A) continue to provide Spinco and
any other member of the Spinco Group with access to and coverage under the
applicable Third Party Policies and (B) reasonably cooperate with Spinco
and take commercially reasonable actions as may be necessary or advisable to
assist Spinco in submitting such claims under the applicable Third Party
Policies, provided that Spinco
shall be responsible for its portion of any deductibles or self-insured
retentions or co-payments legally due and owing relating to such
claims. For the avoidance of doubt, if an occurrence for which
coverage is available under such Third Party Policies happens after the
Effective Time (and is not attributable and related to an occurrence which
occurred prior to the Effective Time), or a claim arising from an occurrence
prior to the Effective Time is not reported by Spinco to Parent on or before the
date when such occurrence must be reported to the carrier under the applicable
Third Party Policy, then no payment for any damages, costs of defense, or other
sums with respect to such claim shall be available to Spinco under such Third
Party Policies.
(ii) With
respect to all Third Party Policies, Spinco agrees and covenants (on behalf of
itself and each other member of the Spinco Group, and each other Affiliate of
Spinco) not to make any claim or assert any rights against Parent and any other
member of the Parent Group, or the unaffiliated
third-party insurers of such Third Party Policies, except as expressly provided
under this Section 4.3(b).
(c) Administration
of Third Party Policies; Other Matters.
20
(i) From and
after the Effective Time, Spinco or a member of the Spinco Group shall be
responsible for the administration of all Third Party Spinco Policies and Spinco
shall be responsible for any premium adjustments, audits, deductible bills,
collateral, Taxes and claims handling charges or other expenses associated with
Third Party Spinco Policies.
(ii) With
respect to all Third Party Policies, from and after the Effective Time, the
agent for the applicable policy shall be responsible for the Insurance
Administration and Claims Administration of such Third Party Policies; provided that the
retention of such administrative responsibilities by an agent of Parent is in no
way intended to limit, inhibit or preclude any right to insurance coverage for
any Insured Claim of a named insured under such Third Party Policies as
contemplated by the terms of this Agreement; provided, further, that the
retention of such administrative responsibilities by an agent of Parent shall
not relieve the Person submitting any Insured Claim of the primary
responsibility for reporting such Insured Claim accurately, completely and in a
timely manner, or of such Person’s authority to settle any such Insured Claim
within any period permitted or required by the relevant Third Party
Policy.
(iii) Where
Spinco Liabilities are specifically covered under a Third Party Policy for
periods prior to the Effective Time, or where such Third Party Policy covers
claims made after the Effective Time with respect to an occurrence prior to the
Effective Time, then from and after the Effective Time, Spinco may claim
coverage for Insured Claims under such Third Party Policy as and to the extent
that such insurance is available up to the full extent of the applicable limits
of liability of such Third Party Policy (and may receive any Insurance Proceeds
with respect thereto as contemplated by Section 4.3(b) or Section 4.3(c)(iv)), subject to the terms of this Section 4.3(c).
(iv) Except as
set forth in this Section 4.3, Parent and
Spinco shall not be liable to one another (or any of the members of their
respective Groups) for claims, or portions of claims, not reimbursed by insurers
under any Third Party Policy for any reason not within the control of Parent or
Spinco, including coinsurance provisions, deductibles, quota share deductibles,
self-insured retentions, bankruptcy or insolvency of any insurance carrier(s),
Third Party Policy limitations or restrictions, any coverage disputes, any
failure to timely file a claim by Parent or Spinco (or any of the members of
their respective Groups), or any defect in such claim or its processing. The
liability of Parent and Spinco to one another for such claims is expressly
limited to the amount of Insurance Proceeds received with respect to such claims
and allocated to the respective Parties in accordance with Section 4.3(c)(v). It is expressly understood that the foregoing
provisions in this Section 4.3(c)(iv) shall not limit
any Party’s liability to any other Party for indemnification pursuant to ARTICLE 6.
(v) Except as
otherwise provided in Section 4.3(b), Insurance Proceeds received with respect to
claims, costs and expenses under the Third Party Policies shall be paid, as
appropriate, to Parent with respect to the Parent Liabilities, and Spinco, with
respect to Spinco Liabilities. In the event that the aggregate limits on any
Third Party Policies are exceeded by the aggregate of outstanding Insured Claims
by the Parties or members of their respective Groups, the Parties agree to
allocate the Insurance Proceeds received thereunder based upon their respective
percentage of the total of their bona fide claims which were covered under such
Third
21
Party
Policy, and any Party who has received Insurance Proceeds in excess of such
Party’s respective percentage of Insurance Proceeds shall pay to the other Party
the appropriate amount so that each Party will have received its respective
percentage of Insurance Proceeds pursuant hereto. Each of the Parties agrees to
use commercially reasonable efforts to maximize available coverage under those
Third Party Policies applicable to it, and to take all commercially reasonable
steps to recover from all other responsible parties in respect of an Insured
Claim to the extent coverage limits under a Third Party Policy have been
exceeded or would be exceeded as a result of such Insured Claim.
(vi) In the
event that the Parties or members of their respective Groups have bona fide
claims under any Third Party Policy arising from the same occurrence and for
which a deductible or self-insured retention is payable, the Parties agree that
the aggregate amount of the deductible or self-insured retention paid shall be
borne by the Parties in the same proportion which the Insurance Proceeds
received by each such Party bears to the total Insurance Proceeds received under
the applicable Third Party Policy pursuant to Section 4.3(c)(v), and any Party who has paid more than such
allocable share of the deductible or self-insured retention shall be entitled to
receive from the other Party an appropriate amount so that each Party has borne
its allocable share of the deductible or self-insured retention pursuant
hereto.
(d) Cooperation. The Parties agree
to use (and cause the members in their respective Groups to use) all
commercially reasonable efforts to cooperate with respect to the various
insurance matters contemplated by this Section 4.3.
(e) Miscellaneous.
(i) Nothing
in this Agreement shall be deemed to restrict Spinco or Parent, or any members
of their respective Groups, from acquiring at its own expense any insurance
Policy in respect of any Liabilities or covering any period. Except as otherwise
provided in this Agreement, from and after the Effective Time, Spinco and Parent
shall be responsible for obtaining and maintaining their respective insurance
programs for their risk of loss and such insurance arrangements shall be
separate programs apart from each other and each will be responsible for its own
deductibles and self-insured retentions for such insurance
programs.
(ii) Each of
the Parties intends by this Agreement that a third-party Person, including a
third-party insurer or reinsurer, or other third-party Person that, in the
absence of the Agreement would otherwise be obligated to pay any claim or
satisfy any indemnity or other obligation, shall not be relieved of the
responsibility with respect thereto and shall not be entitled to a “windfall”
(i.e., avoidance of the obligation that such Person would have in the absence of
this Agreement). To the extent that any such Person would receive such a
windfall, the Parties shall negotiate in good faith concerning an amendment of
this Agreement.
4.4 No
Hire; No Solicit.
(a) Subject
to subsection (b) below, none of Parent or Spinco or any member of their
respective Groups will from the Effective Time through and including the
eighteen (18) month anniversary of the Effective Time, without the prior written
consent of the other Party,
22
either
directly or indirectly, on their own behalf or in the service or on behalf of
others, (i) solicit, aid, induce or encourage any individual who is an
employee of a member of the other Party’s Group to leave his or her employment,
or (ii) hire any individual who, at the time of solicitation, is an
employee of a member of the other Party’s Group.
(b) Nothing
in this Section 4.4 shall be deemed to
prohibit any solicitation of any employee or employment of any employee of one
Party or its Group who (i) initially contacted the other Party, a member of
the other Party’s Group or their representatives on his or her own initiative
without any solicitation by such Party, a member of such Party’s Group or their
representatives, (ii) responded to a solicitation directed at the public in
general through advertisement or similar means not targeted specifically at such
employee, the Party or member of the Party’s Group employing such employee,
(iii) was referred to such Party, a member of such Party’s Group or their
representatives, as applicable, by search firms, employment agencies or other
similar entities provided that such entities have not been specifically
instructed by such Party, a member of such Party’s Group or their
representatives to solicit the employee, or (iv) was terminated by the
other Party or a member of the other Party’s Group.
4.5 Trademarks
and Signage. Except as
otherwise specifically provided in any Ancillary Agreement, each Party shall
exercise commercially reasonable efforts to cease (and cause all of the members
of its Group to cease), as soon as reasonably practicable after the Distribution
Date, but in any event within six (6) months thereafter: (i) making
any use of any names or Trademarks that include (A) any of the Trademarks
of the other Party or such other Party’s subsidiaries or Affiliates and
(B) any names or Trademarks related thereto including any names or
Trademarks confusingly similar thereto or dilutive thereof (with respect to each
Party, such Trademarks of the other Party or any of such other Party’s
subsidiaries or Affiliates, the “Other Party
Marks”), and
(ii) holding themselves out as having any affiliation with the other Party
or such other Party’s subsidiaries or Affiliates; provided, however, that the
foregoing shall not prohibit any Party or any member of a Party’s Group from
(1) stating in any advertising or any other communication that it is
formerly a Parent affiliate, (2) making use of any Other Party Xxxx in a
manner that would constitute “fair use” under applicable Law if any unaffiliated
third party made such use or would otherwise be legally permissible for any
unaffiliated third party without the consent of the Party owning such Other
Party Xxxx or (3) as may be required in any regulatory filing or submission
or as may otherwise be required by law. In furtherance of the foregoing, as soon
as practicable, but in no event later than six (6) months following the
Effective Time, each Party shall (and cause all of the other members of its
Group to) remove, strike over or otherwise obliterate all Other Party Marks from
all of such Party’s and its subsidiaries’ and Affiliates’ assets and other
materials, including any vehicles, business cards, schedules, stationery,
packaging materials, displays, signs, promotional materials, manuals, forms,
websites, email, computer software and other materials and
systems. Any use by any Party or any of such Party’s subsidiaries or
Affiliates of any of the Other Party Marks as permitted in this Section 4.5 is subject to their compliance with all quality
control and related requirements and guidelines in effect for the Other Party
Marks as of the Effective Time.
4.6 Auditors
and Audits; Annual and Quarterly Financial Statements and
Accounting.
(a) Each
Party agrees to the following:
23
(i) Annual Financial
Statements. For
the period ending one hundred and eighty (180) days following the Effective
Time and in any event solely with respect to the preparation and audit of each
of the Party’s financial statements for any of the years ended December 31,
2009, 2008 and 2007, each Party shall provide to the other Party on a timely
basis all information reasonably required to meet its schedule for the
preparation, printing, filing, and public dissemination of its annual financial
statements and, to the extent applicable to such Party, for management’s
assessment of the effectiveness of its disclosure controls and procedures and
its internal control over financial reporting in accordance with all applicable
provisions of Regulation S-K, including, without limitation, Items 307 and 308
of Regulation S-K and, to the extent applicable to such party, its auditor’s
audit of its internal control over financial reporting and management’s
assessment thereof in accordance with Section 404 of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act
of 2002 and the Commission’s and Public Company Accounting Oversight Board’s
rules and auditing standards thereunder (such assessments and audit being
referred to as the “Internal Control
Audit and Management Assessments”). Without limiting the generality of
the foregoing, each Party will provide all required financial and other
Information with respect to itself and its subsidiaries to its auditors in a
sufficient and reasonable time and in sufficient detail to permit its auditors
to take all steps and perform all reviews necessary to provide sufficient
assistance to the other Party’s auditors with respect to information to be
included or contained in the other Party’s annual financial statements and to
permit the other Party’s auditors and management to complete the Internal
Control Audit and Management Assessments.
(ii) Access to Personnel and
Records. With respect to the fiscal year 2009, and any future fiscal year
of each of Parent and Spinco, each audited Party shall authorize its auditors,
and use commercially reasonable efforts to cause its respective auditors, to
make available to the other Party’s auditors (the other Party’s auditors,
collectively, the “Other Party’s
Auditors”), at the sole cost and expense of the Party requesting access,
both the personnel who performed or are performing the annual audits of such
audited party (each such Party with respect to its own audit, the “Audited
Party”) and work papers related to the annual audits of such Audited
Party, in all cases within a reasonable time prior to such Audited Party’s
auditors’ opinion date, so that the Other Party’s Auditors are able to perform
the procedures they consider necessary to take responsibility for, or otherwise
to review to the extent deemed required, the work of the Audited Party’s
auditors as it relates to their auditors’ report on or review of such other
Party’s financial statements, all within sufficient time to enable such other
Party to meet its timetable for the printing, filing and public dissemination of
its annual or interim financial statements. In such an event, each Party shall
make available to the Other Party’s Auditors and management its personnel and
Records, at the sole cost and expense of the Party requesting access, in a
reasonable time prior to the Other Party’s Auditors’ opinion or review date and
the other party’s management’s assessment date so that the Other Party’s
Auditors and the other Party’s management are able to prepare its annual or
interim financial statements or to perform the procedures they consider
necessary to conduct the Internal Control Audit and Management
Assessments.
(b) In the
event a Party restates any of its financial statements that include such Party’s
audited or unaudited financial statements with respect to any balance sheet date
or period of operation between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2009,
such Party will deliver to the other Party a substantially final draft, as soon
as the same is prepared, of any report to be filed by such first Party with the
Commission that includes such restated audited or unaudited
24
financial
statements (the “Amended
Financial Report”); provided, however, that such
first Party may continue to revise its Amended Financial Report prior to its
filing thereof with the Commission, which changes will be delivered to the other
Party as soon as reasonably practicable; provided, further, however, that such
first Party’s financial personnel will actively consult with the other Party’s
financial personnel regarding any changes which such first Party may consider
making to its Amended Financial Report and related disclosures prior to the
anticipated filing of such report with the Commission, with particular focus on
any changes which would have an effect upon the other Party’s financial
statements or related disclosures. Each Party will reasonably
cooperate with, and permit and make any necessary employees available to, the
other Party, in connection with the other Party’s preparation of any Amended
Financial Reports.
(c) If any
Party or member of its respective Group is required, pursuant to Rule 3-09 of
Regulation S-X or otherwise, to include in its Exchange Act filings audited
financial statements or other information of the other Party or member of the
other Party’s Group, the other Party shall use commercially reasonable efforts
(i) to provide such audited financial statements or other information, and
(ii) to cause its outside auditors to consent to the inclusion of such
audited financial statements or other information in the Party’s Exchange Act
filings.
(d) Nothing
in this Section 4.6 shall require any Party to
violate any agreement with any third party regarding the confidentiality of
confidential and proprietary information relating to that third party or its
business; provided, however, that in the
event that a Party is required under this Section 4.6 to disclose any such information, such Party shall
use commercially reasonable efforts to seek to obtain such third party’s consent
to the disclosure of such information.
4.7 No
Restrictions on Post-Closing Competitive Activities; Corporate
Opportunities.
(a) Except as
expressly provided herein or in any of the Ancillary Agreements, it is the
explicit intent of each of the Parties that this Agreement shall not include any
non-competition or other similar restrictive arrangements with respect to the
range of business activities that may be conducted by the Parties. Accordingly,
each of the Parties acknowledges and agrees that nothing set forth in this
Agreement shall be construed to create any explicit or implied restriction or
other limitation on (i) the ability of the other Party hereto to engage in
any business or other activity that competes with the business of such Party, or
(ii) the ability of the other Party to engage in any specific line of
business or engage in any business activity in any specific geographic
area.
(b) Except as
expressly provided herein or in any of the Ancillary Agreements, Parent and the
Parent Group shall have the right to, and shall have no duty not to,
(i) engage in the same or similar business activities or lines of business
as Spinco or any other member of the Spinco Group, (ii) do business with
any client or customer of Spinco or any other member of the Spinco Group, and
(iii) employ or otherwise engage any officer or employee of Spinco or any
other member of the Spinco Group, and neither Parent nor the Parent Group nor
any officer or director thereof shall be liable to Spinco or any other member of
the Spinco Group
25
or any of
Spinco’s shareholders for breach of any fiduciary duty by reason of any such
activities of Parent or any other member of the Parent Group or of such person’s
participation therein.
(c) Except as
expressly provided herein or in the Ancillary Agreements, Spinco and the Spinco
Group shall have the right to, and shall have no duty not to, (i) engage in
the same or similar business activities or lines of business as Parent or any
other member of the Parent Group, (ii) do business with any client or
customer of Parent or any other member of the Parent Group, and
(iii) employ or otherwise engage any officer or employee of Parent or any
other member of the Parent Group, and neither Spinco nor the Spinco Group nor
any officer or director thereof shall be liable to Parent or any other member of
the Parent Group or any of Parent’s shareholders for breach of any fiduciary
duty by reason of any such activities of Spinco or the Spinco Group or of such
person’s participation therein.
(d) In the
event that Parent or any other member of the Parent Group acquires knowledge of
a potential transaction or matter that may be a corporate opportunity for both
Parent or any other member of the Parent Group and Spinco or any other member of
the Spinco Group, neither Parent nor any other member of the Parent Group nor
any agent or advisor thereof shall have any duty to communicate or present such
corporate opportunity to Spinco or any other member of the Spinco Group and
shall not be liable to Spinco or any other member of the Spinco Group or to
Spinco’s shareholders for breach of any fiduciary duty as a shareholder of
Spinco by reason of the fact that Parent or any other member of the Parent Group
pursues or acquires such corporate opportunity for itself, directs such
corporate opportunity to another person or entity, or does not present such
corporate opportunity to Spinco or any other member of the Spinco
Group.
(e) In the
event that Spinco or any other member of the Spinco Group acquires knowledge of
a potential transaction or matter that may be a corporate opportunity for both
Parent or any other member of the Parent Group and Spinco or any other member of
the Spinco Group, neither Spinco nor any other member of the Spinco Group nor
any agent or advisor thereof shall have any duty to communicate or present such
corporate opportunity to Parent or any other member of the Parent Group and
shall not be liable to Parent or any other member of the Parent Group or to
Parent’s shareholders for breach of any fiduciary duty by reason of the fact
that Spinco or any other member of the Spinco Group pursues or acquires such
corporate opportunity for itself, directs such corporate opportunity to another
person or entity, or does not present such corporate opportunity to Parent or
any other member of the Parent Group.
(f) For the
purposes of this Section 4.7, “corporate
opportunities” of Spinco or any other member of the Spinco Group shall include,
but not be limited to, business opportunities (i) that Spinco or any other
member of the Spinco Group is financially able to undertake, (ii) that are,
by their nature, in a line of business of Spinco or any other member of the
Spinco Group, including the Spinco Business, (iii) that are of practical
advantage to Spinco or any other member of the Spinco Group, (iv) in which
Spinco or any other member of the Spinco Group has an interest or a reasonable
expectancy, and (v) in which, by embracing the opportunities, Spinco or any
other member of the Spinco Group will cause the self-interest of Parent or any
other member of the Parent Group or any of their officers or directors to be
brought into conflict with that of Spinco or any other member of the Spinco
Group, and “corporate opportunities” of Parent or any other member of the Parent
Group shall include, but not be limited to, business opportunities (i) that
Parent or any other member of the Parent Group is
26
financially
able to undertake, (ii) that are, by their nature, in a line of business of
Parent or any other member of the Parent Group, (iii) that are of practical
advantage to Parent or any other member of the Parent Group, (iv) in which
Parent or any other member of the Parent Group have an interest or a reasonable
expectancy, and (v) in which, by embracing the opportunities, Parent or any
other member of the Parent Group will cause the self-interest of Spinco or any
other member of the Spinco Group or any of their officers or directors to be
brought into conflict with that of Parent or any other member of the Parent
Group.
4.8 Right
of Offset.
(a) To the
extent Parent or any other member of the Parent Group has the right to receive
any amounts hereunder, including under the provisions of Article VI, or under
any Ancillary Agreement or under any other arrangement between any member of the
Parent Group and Spinco or any other member of the Spinco Group, then following
notice of such proposed offset Parent may satisfy such amounts out of and shall
have a right of off-set against any amounts then currently due from Spinco or
any other member of the Spinco Group to Parent or any other member of the Parent
Group hereunder or thereunder. The parties shall conduct a final accounting for
such amounts within sixty (60) days of the Distribution Date, and related
payments required to be made by either Spinco or Parent to the extent the
amounts determined by such final accounting are higher or lower, respectively,
than Parent’s estimate shall be made not later than ninety (90) days after the
Distribution Date.
(b) To the
extent Spinco or any other member of the Spinco Group has the right to receive
any amounts hereunder, including under the provisions of Article VI, or under
any Ancillary Agreement or under any other arrangement between any member of the
Spinco Group and Parent or any other member of the Parent Group, then following
notice of such proposed offset Spinco may satisfy such amounts out of and shall
have a right of off-set against any amounts then currently due from Parent or
any other member of the Parent Group to Spinco or any other member of the Spinco
Group hereunder or thereunder. The parties shall conduct a final accounting for
such amounts within sixty (60) days of the Distribution Date, and related
payments required to be made by either Spinco or Parent to the extent the
amounts determined by such final accounting are higher or lower, respectively,
than Spinco’s estimate shall be made not later than ninety (90) days after the
Distribution Date.
ARTICLE
5
LITIGATION
MATTERS
5.1 Case
Allocation.
(a) As of the
Distribution Date, Spinco shall, and, as applicable, shall cause the other
members of the Spinco Group to, (i) diligently conduct, at its sole cost
and expense, the defense of the Spinco Actions, including but not limited to the
Spinco Actions listed on Schedule 5.1(a) and any
applicable future Spinco Actions; (ii) notify Parent of material litigation
developments related to the Spinco Actions; and (iii) agree not to file any
cross claim or institute separate legal proceedings against Parent in relation
to the Spinco Actions.
27
(b) As of the
Distribution Date, Parent shall, and, as applicable, shall cause the other
members of the Parent Group to, (i) diligently conduct, at its sole cost
and expense, the defense of the Parent Actions, including the Parent Actions
listed on Schedule
5.1(b) and any
applicable future Parent Actions; and (ii) agree not to file any cross
claim or institute separate legal proceedings against Spinco in relation to the
Parent Actions.
(c) Notwithstanding
anything in this Section 5.1 to the contrary,
Parent shall have the right to participate in the defense of any Spinco Action
and to be represented by attorneys of its own choosing and at its sole cost and
expense.
(d) Spinco
shall indemnify and hold harmless Parent and other members of the Parent Group
against Liabilities arising in connection with Spinco Actions, and Parent shall
indemnify and hold harmless Spinco and other members of the Spinco Group against
Liabilities arising in connection with Parent Actions, in each case, in
accordance with the indemnification provisions of Article VI.
(e) As of the
Distribution Date, Parent shall, and, as applicable, shall cause the other
members of the Parent Group to, (i) diligently conduct the defense of the
Joint Actions, including the Joint Actions listed on Schedule 5.1(e) and any
applicable future Joint Actions; (ii) notify Spinco of material litigation
developments related to the Joint Actions; and (iii) agree not to file any
cross claim or institute separate legal proceedings against Spinco in relation
to the Joint Actions; provided that if it
becomes clear that a Joint Action relates primarily to the Spinco Business then
from and after such time such Joint Action shall instead be deemed to be a
Spinco Action subject to clause (a) above; and provided, further, that if it
becomes clear that a Joint Action does not relate primarily to the Spinco
Business then from and after such time such Joint Action shall instead be deemed
to be a Parent Action subject to clause (b) above. Parent and Spinco shall
regularly meet to review and discuss the progress of the Joint Actions and the
classification thereof. Any dispute regarding whether an Action
remains a Joint Action shall be settled pursuant to the dispute resolution
mechanics of Section 9.15.
(f) Until
such time as the respective Liabilities of the members of the Parent Group and
Spinco Group are determined in connection with any Joint Action, Parent and
Spinco shall each pay fifty percent (50%) of the cost and expenses associated
with the defense of such Joint Action. The parties agree that, to effect the
foregoing sharing arrangement, counsel in connection with any Joint Action shall
be instructed to render separate bills to Parent and to Spinco. In the event
that either Party pays any costs or expenses that are the responsibility of the
other Party hereunder, the responsible Party shall promptly reimburse the other
Party for such amounts. Spinco shall have the right to employ separate counsel
to represent it and members of the Spinco Group if Spinco shall have reasonably
concluded that there may be a legal defense available to members of the Spinco
Group that are different from or in addition to those available to Parent or
representation of both Parent (or any member of the Parent Group) and Spinco (or
any member of the Spinco Group) by the same counsel would be inappropriate due
to actual or potential differing interests between them, in which case fees and
expenses of such counsel incurred by Spinco shall be included in the amounts
allocated by the next sentence of this paragraph (f). Upon the determination of
Liability of the members of the Parent Group and Spinco Group in connection with
any Joint Action, Spinco shall indemnify and hold harmless Parent and other
members of the Parent Group against the portion of such Liabilities
relating
28
primarily
to the Spinco Business, and Parent shall indemnify and hold harmless Spinco and
other members of the Spinco Group against the portion of such Liabilities
relating primarily to the Parent Business, including, in each case, the costs
and expenses associated with the defense of such Joint Action since the
beginning of such Joint Action, which shall be allocated between Parent and
Spinco in proportion to the Liability with respect to such Joint Action of
members of the Parent Group, on the one hand, and members of the Spinco Group,
on the other hand. Indemnification pursuant to this Section 5.1(f) shall be in
accordance with the indemnification provisions of Article VI.
5.2 Litigation
cooperation.
(a) Each of
Parent and Spinco agrees that at all times from and after the Effective Time, if
an Action currently exists or is commenced by a third-party with respect to
which a Party (or any member of such Party’s respective Group) is a named
defendant but such Action is otherwise not a Liability allocated to such named
Party under this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, then the other Party
shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the named but not liable
defendant to be removed from such Action and such defendant shall not be
required to make any payments or contribution in connection
therewith.
(b) If, in
the case of any Action involving a matter contemplated by Section 5.1, there is believed to be a conflict of interest
between the Parties, or in the event that any Third Party Claim seeks equitable
relief which would restrict or limit the future conduct of the non-responsible
Party or such Party’s business or operations, such Party shall be entitled to
retain, at the responsible Party’s expense, separate counsel as required by the
applicable rules of professional conduct (which counsel shall be reasonably
acceptable to the responsible Party) and to participate in (but not control) the
defense, compromise, or settlement of that portion of the Action where there is
believed to be a conflict of interest or the Third Party Claim that seeks
equitable relief with respect to the named Party.
(c) Parent
and Spinco shall each use commercially reasonable efforts to make available to
the other, upon written request, its officers, directors, employees and agents,
and the officers, directors, employees and agents of its subsidiaries, as
witnesses to the extent that such individuals may reasonably be required in
connection with any legal, administrative or other proceedings arising out of
the business of the other, or of any entity that is part of the other Party’s
Group in which the requesting Party or a member of its Group may be involved.
The requesting Party shall bear all out-of-pocket expenses in connection
therewith. On and after the Effective Time, in connection with any matter
contemplated by this Section 5.2(c), the Parties will maintain any attorney-client
privilege or work product immunity of any member of any Group as required by
this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement.
ARTICLE
6
INDEMNIFICATION
6.1 Spinco
Indemnification of the Parent Group. On and
after the Distribution Date, Spinco shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless
each member of the Parent Group, and each of their respective directors,
officers, employees and agents (the “Parent
Indemnitees”)
from and against any and all Indemnifiable Losses incurred or suffered by any of
29
the
Parent Indemnitees and arising out of, or due to, (a) the failure of Spinco
or any member of the Spinco Group to pay, perform or otherwise discharge, any of
the Spinco Liabilities, (b) any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of any material fact contained in the preliminary or final Form 10,
the preliminary or final Information Statement or any amendment or supplement
thereto or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading (other than the information about Parent included in the sections of
the Information Statement attached as Exhibit 99.1 to the Form 10 entitled
“Summary—Business,” “Summary—Summary of the Spin-Off,” and “The Spin-Off—Reasons
for the Spin-Off,” or any amendment or supplement thereto), excluding
information in the Information Statement regarding whether the Distribution is
taxable, and (c) any breach by Spinco or any member of the Spinco Group of
this Agreement; provided, that Spinco
shall have no obligation to indemnify Parent or any other member of the Parent
Group with respect to any matter to the extent that such party has engaged in
any knowing violation of Law, fraud or misrepresentation in connection
therewith.
6.2 Parent
Indemnification of Spinco Group. On and
after the Distribution Date, Parent shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless
each member of the Spinco Group and each of their respective directors,
officers, employees and agents (the “Spinco
Indemnitees”)
from and against any and all Indemnifiable Losses incurred or suffered by any of
the Spinco Indemnitees and arising out of, or due to, (a) the failure of
Parent or any member of the Parent Group to pay, perform or otherwise discharge,
any of the Parent Liabilities, (b) any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of any material fact regarding Parent included in the sections of the
Information Statement attached as Exhibit 99.1 to the Form 10 entitled
“Summary—Our Business,” “Summary—The Spin-Off,” and “The Spin-Off—Reasons for
the Spin-Off,” or any amendment or supplement thereto or the omission or alleged
omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and (c) any breach
by Parent or any member of the Parent Group of this Agreement; provided, that Parent
shall have no obligation to indemnify Spinco or any other member of the Spinco
Group with respect to any matter to the extent that such party has engaged in
any knowing violation of Law, fraud or misrepresentation in connection
therewith.
6.3 Contribution.
In
circumstances in which the indemnity agreements provided for in Sections 6.1 and 6.2 are
unavailable or insufficient, for any reason, to hold harmless an indemnified
party in respect of any Indemnifiable Losses arising thereunder, each
indemnifying party, in order to provide for just and equitable contribution,
shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a
result of such Indemnifiable Losses, in proportion to the relative fault of the
indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and the indemnified party on the
other in connection with the statements or omissions or alleged statements or
omissions that resulted in such Indemnifiable Losses, as well as any other
relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the parties 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 Spinco or Parent, the
Parties’ relative intents, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to
correct or prevent such statement or omission, and any other equitable
considerations appropriate in the circumstances.
6.4 Insurance
and Third Party Obligations. No
insurer or any other third party shall be, by virtue of the foregoing
indemnification provisions, (a) entitled to a benefit it
30
would not
be entitled to receive in the absence of such provisions, (b) relieved of
the responsibility to pay any claims to which it is obligated, or
(c) entitled to any subrogation rights with respect to any obligation
hereunder.
6.5 Indemnification
Obligations Net of Insurance Proceeds and Other Amounts on a Net Tax Benefit
Basis.
(a) Any
Liability subject to indemnification or contribution pursuant to this Article
VI, will (i) be net of Insurance Proceeds that actually reduce the amount
of the Liability, (ii) be net of any proceeds received by an Indemnified
Party from any third party for indemnification for such Liability that actually
reduce the amount of the Liability (“Third Party
Proceeds”), (iii) be reduced by any Tax benefit actually realized by
the Indemnified Party (calculated on a with and without basis) arising from the
incurrence or payment of any such Liability and (iv) be increased by any
Tax detriment actually incurred by the Indemnified Party (calculated on a with
and without basis) as a result of the receipt or accrual of the Indemnity
Payment (as defined below) in respect of such Liability. Accordingly, the amount
which any Indemnifying Party is required to pay pursuant to this Article VI to
any Indemnified Party will be reduced by any Insurance Proceeds, Tax benefits
actually realized or Third Party Proceeds theretofore actually recovered by or
on behalf of the Indemnified Party in respect of the related Liability, and
shall be increased by any Tax detriments actually incurred. If an Indemnified
Party receives a payment required by this Agreement from an Indemnifying Party
in respect of any Liability (an “Indemnity
Payment”) and subsequently receives Insurance Proceeds or Third Party
Proceeds, then the Indemnified Party will pay to the Indemnifying Party an
amount equal to the excess of the Indemnity Payment received over the amount of
the Indemnity Payment that would have been due if the Insurance Proceeds or
Third Party Proceeds had been received, realized or recovered before the
Indemnity Payment was made.
If a Tax
benefit or Tax detriment is actually realized or incurred after
the payment of any Indemnity Payment hereunder, the Indemnified or
Indemnifying Party, as the case may be, shall pay to the other the amount of any
such Tax benefit or Tax detriment when actually realized
or incurred. Adjustments will made if any such Tax benefits are
disallowed or such Tax detriments are not ultimately incurred.
(b) An
insurer who would otherwise be obligated to pay any claim shall not be relieved
of the responsibility with respect thereto or, solely by virtue of the
indemnification and contributions provisions hereof, have any subrogation rights
with respect thereto. The Indemnified Party shall use commercially reasonable
efforts to seek to collect or recover any third-party Insurance Proceeds and any
Third Party Proceeds to which the Indemnified Party is entitled in connection
with any Liability for which the Indemnified Party seeks contribution or
indemnification pursuant to this Article VI; provided that the
Indemnified Party’s inability to collect or recover any such Insurance Proceeds
or Third Party Proceeds shall not limit the Indemnifying Party’s obligations
hereunder.
6.6 Notice
and Payment of Claims. If any
Parent or Spinco Indemnitee (the “Indemnified
Party”) determines that it is or may be entitled to indemnification by a
Party (the “Indemnifying
Party”) under this Article VI (other than in connection with any Action
or claim subject to Section 6.7), the
Indemnified Party shall deliver to the Indemnifying Party a written
31
notice
specifying, to the extent reasonably practicable, the basis for its claim for
indemnification and the amount for which the Indemnified Party reasonably
believes it is entitled to be indemnified. After the Indemnifying Party shall
have been notified of the amount for which the Indemnified Party seeks
indemnification, the Indemnifying Party shall, within thirty (30) days after
receipt of such notice, pay the Indemnified Party such amount in cash or other
immediately available funds (or reach agreement with the Indemnified Party as to
a mutually agreeable alternative payment schedule) unless the Indemnifying Party
objects to the claim for indemnification or the amount thereof. If the
Indemnifying Party does not give the Indemnified Party written notice objecting
to such claim and setting forth the grounds therefor within the same thirty (30)
day period, the Indemnifying Party shall be deemed to have acknowledged its
liability for such claim and the Indemnified Party may exercise any and all of
its rights under applicable law to collect such amount.
6.7 Notice
and Defense of Third Party Claims. Promptly following the earlier of (a) receipt of notice of the
commencement by a third party of any Action against or otherwise involving any
Indemnified Party or (b) receipt of information from a third party alleging
the existence of a claim against an Indemnified Party, in either case, with
respect to which indemnification may be sought pursuant to this Agreement (a
“Third Party
Claim”), the
Indemnified Party shall give the Indemnifying Party written notice thereof. The
failure of the Indemnified Party to give notice as provided in this
Section 6.7 shall not relieve the
Indemnifying Party of its obligations under this Agreement, except to the extent
that the Indemnifying Party is prejudiced by such failure to give notice. Within
30 days after receipt of such notice, the Indemnifying Party shall by giving
written notice thereof to the Indemnified Party, (a) acknowledge, as
between the parties hereto, liability for, and at its option elect to assume the
defense of such Third Party Claim at its sole cost and expense or
(b) object to the claim of indemnification set forth in the notice
delivered by the Indemnified Party pursuant to the first sentence of this
Section 6.7 setting forth the grounds
therefor; provided that if the
Indemnifying Party does not within the same thirty (30) day period give the
Indemnified Party written notice acknowledging liability or objecting to such
claim and setting forth the grounds therefor, the Indemnifying Party shall be
deemed to have acknowledged, as between the parties hereto, its liability to the
Indemnified Party for such Third Party Claim. Any contest of a Third Party Claim
as to which the Indemnifying Party has elected to assume the defense shall be
conducted by attorneys employed by the Indemnifying Party and reasonably
satisfactory to the Indemnified Party; provided that the
Indemnified Party shall have the right to participate in such proceedings and to
be represented by attorneys of its own choosing at the Indemnified Party’s sole
cost and expense. If the Indemnifying Party assumes the defense of a Third Party
Claim, the Indemnifying Party may settle or compromise the claim without the
prior written consent of the Indemnified Party; provided that the
Indemnifying Party may not agree to any such settlement pursuant to which any
remedy or relief, other than monetary damages for which the Indemnifying Party
shall be responsible hereunder, shall be applied to or against the Indemnified
Party, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, which consent
shall not be unreasonably withheld. If the Indemnifying Party does not assume
the defense of a Third Party Claim for which it has acknowledged liability for
indemnification under Article VI, the Indemnified Party may require the
Indemnifying Party to reimburse it on a current basis for its reasonable
expenses of investigation, reasonable attorney’s fees and reasonable
out-of-pocket expenses incurred in defending against such Third Party Claim, and
the Indemnifying Party shall be bound by the result obtained with respect
thereto by the Indemnified Party; provided that the
32
Indemnifying
Party shall not be liable for any settlement effected without its consent, which
consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. The Indemnifying Party shall pay to
the Indemnified Party in cash the amount for which the Indemnified Party is
entitled to be indemnified (if any) within 15 days after the final resolution of
such Third Party Claim (whether by the final nonappealable judgment of a court
of competent jurisdiction or otherwise), or, in the case of any Third Party
Claim as to which the Indemnifying Party has not acknowledged liability, within
15 days after such Indemnifying Party’s objection has been resolved by
settlement, compromise or the final nonappealable judgment of a court of
competent jurisdiction.
ARTICLE
7
EMPLOYEE, TAX AND ACCOUNTING
MATTERS; TRANSITION SERVICES
7.1 Employee
Matters Agreement. All
matters relating to or arising out of any employee benefit, compensation or
welfare arrangement in respect of any present and former employee of the Parent
Group or the Spinco Group shall be governed by the Employee Matters Agreement
substantially in the form of Exhibit
A hereto, except as may be expressly stated herein. In the
event of any inconsistency with respect to such matters between the Employee
Matters Agreement and this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, the Employee
Matters Agreement shall govern to the extent of the inconsistency.
7.2 Tax
Separation Agreement. All
matters relating to Taxes shall be governed exclusively by the Tax Separation
Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit B
hereto, except as may be expressly stated herein. In the event of any
inconsistency with respect to such matters between the Tax Separation Agreement
and this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, the Tax Separation Agreement
shall govern to the extent of the inconsistency.
7.3 Intercompany
Accounts.
(a) Each
Intercompany Account outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time, in any
general ledger account of Parent, Spinco or any of their respective Affiliates,
other than those set forth on Schedule 9.1, shall be
satisfied and/or settled by the relevant members of the Parent Group and the
Spinco Group no later than the Effective Time by (i) forgiveness by the
relevant obligor, (ii) one or a related series of distributions of capital,
or (iii) cash payment by the relevant obligor to the relevant obligee, in
each case as agreed to by the Parties.
(b) To the
extent Intercompany Accounts are not satisfied in accordance with
Section 9.1, each Intercompany Account
outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time under any of the general
ledger accounts of Parent, Spinco or any of their respective Affiliates set
forth on Schedule
9.1 shall
continue to be outstanding after the Effective Time and thereafter
(i) shall be an obligation of the relevant Party (or the relevant member of
such Party’s Group), each responsible for fulfilling its (or a member of such
Party’s Group’s) obligations in accordance with the terms and conditions
applicable to such obligation, and (ii) shall be for each relevant Party
(or the relevant member of such Party’s Group) an obligation to a third-party
and shall no longer be an Intercompany Account.
33
7.4 Transition
Services Agreement. All
matters relating to the provision of support and other services by the Parent
Group to the Spinco Group after the Effective Time covered by the Transition
Services Agreement, other than as provided in Section 8.7, shall be governed exclusively by the Transition
Services Agreements substantially in the form of Exhibit
E hereto, except as may be expressly stated herein. In the event of
any inconsistency with respect to such matters between the Transition Services
Agreement and this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, the Transition Services
Agreement shall govern to the extent of the inconsistency.
ARTICLE
8
INFORMATION; SEPARATION OF
DATA; INTEREST
8.1 Provision
of Corporate Records. As soon
as practicable following the Effective Time, Parent and Spinco shall each
arrange for the provision to the other of existing Records in its possession
relating to the other Party or its business and affairs or to any other entity
that is part of such other Party’s respective Group or to the business and
affairs of such other entity.
8.2 Access
to Information. From and
after the Effective Time, Parent and Spinco shall each afford the other and its
accountants, counsel and other designated representatives reasonable access
(including using commercially reasonable efforts to give access to Persons
possessing information) and duplicating rights during normal business hours to
all Records in its possession relating to the business and affairs of the other
Party or a member of its Group (other than data and information subject to an
attorney/client or other privilege), including, but not limited to, the Shared
Records, insofar as such access is reasonably required by the other including,
without limitation, for audit, accounting, regulatory and litigation
purposes.
8.3 Retention
of Records. Except as
otherwise required by law or agreed to in writing, each Party shall, and shall
cause the members of its Group to, retain all information relating to the other
Party’s business and affairs in accordance with the past practice of such Party.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, either Party may destroy or otherwise dispose of
any information at any time in accordance with the corporate record retention
policy maintained by such Party with respect to its own records. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, Shared Records shall be accessed, maintained, preserved,
safeguarded, transferred, disposed of and destroyed in accordance with mutually
agreeable procedures.
8.4 Confidentiality.
(a) Notwithstanding
any termination of this Agreement, the Parties shall hold, and shall cause each
of their respective subsidiaries to hold, and shall each cause their respective
officers, employees, agents, consultants and advisors to hold, in strict
confidence, and not to disclose or release or use, for any ongoing or future
commercial purpose, without the prior written consent of the other Party, any
and all Confidential Information concerning any other Party; provided, that the
Parties may disclose, or may permit disclosure of, Confidential Information
(i) to their respective auditors, attorneys, financial advisors, bankers
and other appropriate consultants and advisors who have a need to know such
information for our auditing and other non-commercial purposes and are informed
of their obligation to, and agree to, hold such information confidential to the
same extent as is applicable to the Parties and in respect of
34
whose
failure to comply with such obligations, the applicable Party will be
responsible, (ii) if the Parties or any of their respective subsidiaries
are required or compelled to disclose any such Confidential Information by
judicial or administrative process or by other requirements of Law or stock
exchange rule, (iii) as required in connection with any legal or other
proceeding by one Party against any other Party, or (iv) as necessary in
order to permit a Party to prepare and disclose its financial statements, or
other required disclosures; provided, further, that each
Party (and members of its Group as necessary) may use, or may permit use of,
Confidential Information of the other Party in connection with such first Party
performing its obligations, or exercising its rights, under this Agreement or
any Ancillary Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that any
demand or request for disclosure of Confidential Information is made pursuant to
clause (iii) above, each Party, as applicable and to the extent not
prohibited by any applicable Laws, shall promptly notify the other of the
existence of such request or demand and shall provide the other a reasonable
opportunity to seek an appropriate protective order or other remedy, which such
Parties will cooperate in obtaining. In the event that such appropriate
protective order or other remedy is not obtained, the Party whose Confidential
Information is required to be disclosed shall or shall cause the other
applicable Party or Parties to furnish, or cause to be furnished, only that
portion of the Confidential Information that is legally required to be disclosed
and shall take commercially reasonable steps to ensure that confidential
treatment is accorded such information.
(b) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary set forth herein, (i) the Parties shall be deemed
to have satisfied their obligations hereunder with respect to Confidential
Information if they exercise the same degree of care (but no less than a
reasonable degree of care) as they take to preserve confidentiality for their
own similar information and (ii) confidentiality obligations provided for
in any agreement between each Party or its subsidiaries and their respective
employees shall remain in full force and effect. Notwithstanding anything to the
contrary set forth herein, Confidential Information of any Party in the
possession of and used by any other Party as of the Effective Time may continue
to be used by such Party in possession of the Confidential Information in and
only in the operation of the Parent Business or the Spinco Business, as the case
may be; provided, such
Confidential Information may be used only so long as the Confidential
Information is maintained in confidence and not disclosed in violation of
Section 8.4(a).
Such continued right to use may not be transferred (directly or indirectly) to
any third party without the prior written consent of the applicable Party,
except pursuant to Section 8.5(b).
(c) Each
Party acknowledges that it and the other members of its Group may have in their
possession confidential or proprietary information of third parties that was
received under confidentiality or non-disclosure agreements with such third
party prior to the Effective Time. Such Party will hold, and will cause the
other members of its Group and their respective representatives to hold, in
strict confidence the confidential and proprietary information of third parties
to which they or any other member of their respective Groups has access, in
accordance with the terms of any agreements entered into prior to the Effective
Time between one or more members of the such Party’s Group (whether acting
through, on behalf of, or in connection with, the separated businesses) and such
third parties.
(d) Upon the
written request of a Party, the other Party shall promptly, (i) deliver to
such requesting Party all original Confidential Information (whether written or
35
electronic)
concerning such requesting Party and/or its subsidiaries, and (ii) if
specifically requested by such requesting Party, destroy any copies of such
Confidential Information (including any extracts there from). Upon the written
request of such requesting Party, the other Party shall cause one of its duly
authorized officers to certify in writing to such requesting Party that the
requirements of the preceding sentence have been satisfied in full.
8.5 Privileged
Matters.
(a) The
Parties recognize that legal and other professional services that have been and
will be provided prior to the Effective Time have been and will be rendered for
the collective benefit of each of the members of the Parent Group and the Spinco
Group, and that each of the members of the Parent Group and the Spinco Group
should be deemed to be the client with respect to such pre-separation services
for the purposes of asserting all privileges which may be asserted under
applicable Law.
(b) The
Parties recognize that legal and other professional services will be provided
following the Effective Time which will be rendered solely for the benefit of
Parent or Spinco, as the case may be. With respect to such post-separation
services, the Parties agrees as follows:
(i) Parent
shall be entitled, in perpetuity, to control the assertion or waiver of all
privileges in connection with privileged information which relates solely to the
Parent Business, whether or not the privileged information is in the possession
of or under the control of Parent or Spinco. Parent shall also be entitled, in
perpetuity, to control the assertion or waiver of all privileges in connection
with privileged information that relates solely to the subject matter of any
claims constituting Parent Liabilities, now pending or which may be asserted in
the future, in any lawsuits or other proceedings initiated against or by Parent,
whether or not the privileged information is in the possession of or under the
control of Parent or Spinco; and
(ii) Spinco
shall be entitled, in perpetuity, to control the assertion or waiver of all
privileges in connection with privileged information which relates solely to the
Spinco Business, whether or not the privileged information is in the possession
of or under the control of Parent or Spinco. Spinco shall also be entitled, in
perpetuity, to control the assertion or waiver of all privileges in connection
with privileged information that relates solely to the subject matter of any
claims constituting Spinco Liabilities, now pending or which may be asserted in
the future, in any lawsuits or other proceedings initiated against or by Spinco,
whether or not the privileged information is in the possession of or under the
control of Parent or Spinco.
(c) The
Parties agree that they shall have a shared privilege, with equal right to
assert or waive, subject to the restrictions in this Section 8.5, with respect to all privileges not allocated
pursuant to the terms of Section 8.5(b). All privileges relating to any claims,
proceedings, litigation, disputes, or other matters which involve both Parent
and Spinco in respect of which both Parties retain any responsibility or
Liability under this Agreement, shall be subject to a shared privilege among
them.
36
(d) No Party
may waive any privilege which could be asserted under any applicable Law, and in
which any other Party has a shared privilege, without the consent of the other
Party, which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed or as provided in
subsections (e) or (f) below. Consent shall be in writing, or shall be
deemed to be granted unless written objection is made upon the Party requesting
such consent within twenty (20) days after notice s given to the other
Party. Each Party shall use its reasonable best efforts to preserve
any privilege held by the other party if that privilege is a shared privilege or
has been allocated to the other party pursuant to Section 8.5(b).
(e) In the
event of any litigation or dispute between or among any of the Parties, or any
members of their respective Groups, either such Party may waive a privilege in
which the other Party or member of such Group has a shared privilege, without
obtaining the consent of the other Party; provided, that such
waiver of a shared privilege shall be effective only as to the use of
information with respect to the litigation or dispute between the relevant
Parties and/or the applicable members of their respective Group’s, and shall not
operate as a waiver of the shared privilege with respect to third
parties.
(f) If a
dispute arises between the Parties or their respective subsidiaries regarding
whether a privilege should be waived to protect or advance the interest of
either Party, each Party agrees that it shall negotiate in good faith, shall
endeavor to minimize any prejudice to the rights of the other Party, and shall
not unreasonably withhold consent to any request for waiver by the other Party.
Each Party specifically agrees that it will not withhold consent to waiver for
any purpose except to protect its own legitimate interests.
(g) Upon
receipt by either Party or by any subsidiary thereof of any subpoena, discovery
or other request which arguably calls for the production or disclosure of
information subject to a shared privilege or as to which the other Party has the
sole right hereunder to assert a privilege, or if either Party obtains knowledge
that any of its or any of its subsidiaries’ current or former directors,
officers, agents or employees have received any subpoena, discovery or other
requests which arguably calls for the production or disclosure of such
privileged information, such Party shall promptly notify the other Party of the
existence of the request and shall provide the other Party a reasonable
opportunity to review the information and to assert any rights it or they may
have under this Section 8.5 or otherwise to
prevent the production or disclosure of such privileged
information.
(h) The
transfer of all Information pursuant to this Agreement is made in reliance on
the agreement of Parent and Spinco as set forth in Section 8.4 and Section 8.5,
to maintain the confidentiality of privileged information and to assert and
maintain all applicable privileges. Nothing provided for herein or in
any Ancillary Agreement shall be deemed a waiver of any privilege that has been
or may be asserted under this Agreement or otherwise.
8.6 Ownership
of Information. Any
Information owned by one Party or any of its subsidiaries that is provided to a
requesting Party pursuant to ARTICLE 6 or this ARTICLE 8 shall be deemed to remain the property of
the providing party. Unless specifically set forth herein, nothing contained in
this Agreement shall be construed as granting or conferring rights of license or
otherwise in any such information.
37
8.7 Separation
of Data. Spinco
acknowledges and agrees that Parent may, after the Effective Time, delete or
cause to be deleted any Information which does not relate to the Spinco Business
which is contained in, stored in or accessible through any Software provided to
Spinco under the Transition Services Agreement or otherwise. The foregoing will
not be deemed to be a violation of any provision of this Agreement or the
Transition Services Agreement. The provisions of Section 8.4 apply to Spinco’s use of any such Information
prior to its deletion.
8.8 Interest.
Except as
otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement or an Ancillary Agreement, all
payments by one Party to the other under this Agreement or any Ancillary
Agreement shall be paid by company check or wire transfer of immediately
available funds to an account in the United States designated by the recipient,
within thirty (30) days after receipt of an invoice or other written
request for payment setting forth the specific amount due and a description of
the basis therefor in reasonable detail. Any amount remaining unpaid beyond its
due date, including disputed amounts that are ultimately determined to be
payable, shall bear interest at a rate of simple interest per annum equal to the
Applicable Rate. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in
any Ancillary Agreement, in no event shall the amount or rate of interest due
and payable exceed the maximum amount or rate of interest allowed by applicable
law and, in the event any such excess payment is made or received, such excess
sum shall be credited as a payment of principal (or if no principal shall remain
outstanding, shall be refunded).
ARTICLE
9
MISCELLANEOUS
9.1 Expenses.
Except as
set forth on Schedule
9.1(a) or as
specifically provided in this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, Parent shall
pay (a) all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the spin-off and
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including, without limitation,
the costs and expenses set forth on Schedule 9.1(b), transfer taxes
and the fees and expenses of the Distribution Agent and of all counsel,
accountants and financial and other advisors), (b) all costs and expenses
incurred in connection with the preparation, execution, delivery and
implementation of this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements and (c) all
legal, filing, accounting, printing, and other expenses in connection with the
preparation, printing and filing of the Form 10 and the Information
Statement.
9.2 Notices. All
notices and communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be
deemed to have been given (a) when received, if such notice or
communication is delivered by facsimile, hand delivery or overnight courier,
and, (b) three (3) business days after mailing if such notice or
communication is sent by United States registered or certified mail, return
receipt requested, first class postage prepaid. All notices and communications,
to be effective, must be properly addressed to the party to whom the same is
directed at its address as follows:
If to
Parent,
to: Capitol
Bancorp Ltd.
Capitol Bancorp Center
000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxx
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attention: General Counsel
38
Fax:
(000) 000-0000
With
copies
to: Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx and Xxxx LLP
000 Xxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx,
Esq.
Fax: (000) 000-0000
If to
Spinco,
to: Michigan
Commerce Bancorp Limited
000 Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx
Xxx
Xxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attention: Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
Fax: (517) [_________]
With
copies
to: ____________________
____________________
____________________
Attention: ____________
Fax: _________________
Either
Party may, by written notice delivered to the other Party in accordance with
this Section 9.2, change the address to which
delivery of any notice shall thereafter be made.
9.3 Amendment
and Waiver. This
Agreement may not be altered or amended, nor may any rights hereunder be waived,
except by an instrument in writing executed by the Party or Parties to be
charged with such amendment or waiver. No waiver of any term,
provision or condition of or failure to exercise or delay in exercising any
rights or remedies under this Agreement, in any one or more instances, shall be
deemed to be, or construed as, a further or continuing waiver of any such term,
provision, condition, right or remedy or as a waiver of any other term,
provision or condition of this Agreement.
9.4 Entire
Agreement. This
Agreement, together with the Ancillary Agreements, constitutes the entire
understanding of the Parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof,
superseding all negotiations, prior discussions and prior agreements and
understandings relating to such subject matter. To the extent that
the provisions of this Agreement are inconsistent with the provisions of any
Ancillary Agreement with respect to the subject matter thereof, the provisions
of such Ancillary Agreement shall prevail to the extent of the
inconsistency.
9.5 Consolidation,
Merger, Etc.; Parties in Interest; Termination.
(a) Neither
Party (referred to in this Section 9.5(a) as a “Transferring
Party”) shall consolidate with or merge into any other entity or convey,
transfer or lease all or any substantial portion of its properties and assets to
any entity, unless, in each case, the other party to such transaction expressly
assumes, by a written agreement, executed and delivered to the other Party
hereto, in form reasonably satisfactory to such other Party, all of the
Liabilities of the Transferring Party under this Agreement and the Ancillary
Agreements and the due and punctual
39
performance
or observance of every agreement, obligation and covenant of this Agreement and
the Ancillary Agreements on the part of the Transferring Party to be performed
or observed.
(b) Neither
of the Parties hereto may assign its rights or delegate any of its duties under
this Agreement without the prior written consent of each other Party. This
Agreement shall be binding upon, and shall inure to the benefit of, the Parties
hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns. Nothing contained
in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to confer any benefits,
rights or remedies upon any Person other than members of the Parent Group and
the Spinco Group and the Parent Indemnitees and Spinco Indemnitees under Article
VI hereof.
(c) This
Agreement (including Article VI hereof) may be terminated and the Distribution
may be amended, modified or abandoned at any time prior to the Distribution by
and in the sole discretion of Parent without the approval of Spinco or the
shareholders of Parent. In the event of such termination, neither Party shall
have any liability of any kind arising from such termination to the other Party
or any other Person. After the Distribution, this Agreement may not be
terminated except by an agreement in writing signed by the Parties; provided, however, that Article
VI shall not be terminated or amended after the Distribution in respect of any
Parent Indemnitee or Spinco Indemnitee without the consent of such
Person.
9.6 Further Assurances and
Consents.
In
addition to the actions specifically provided for elsewhere in this Agreement,
each of the Parties hereto will use commercially reasonable efforts to
(a) execute and deliver such further instruments and documents and take
such other actions as any other Party may reasonably request in order to
effectuate the purposes of this Agreement and to carry out the terms hereof and
(b) take, or cause to be taken, all actions, and do, or cause to be done,
all things, reasonably necessary, proper or advisable under applicable laws,
regulations and agreements or otherwise to consummate and make effective the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including, without limitation,
using commercially reasonable efforts to obtain any consents and approvals, make
any filings and applications and remove any liens, claims, equity or other
encumbrance on an Asset of the other Party necessary or desirable in order to
consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; provided that no
Party hereto shall be obligated to pay any consideration therefor (except for
filing fees and other similar charges) to any third party from whom such
consents, approvals and amendments are requested or to take any action or omit
to take any action if the taking of or the omission to take such action would be
unreasonably burdensome to the Party or its Group or the business
thereof.
9.7 Severability.
In the
event that any one or more of the provisions contained in this Agreement should
be held invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, the validity, legality
and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained herein shall not in any
way be affected or impaired thereby, and the Parties shall endeavor in
good-faith negotiations to replace the invalid, illegal or unenforceable
provisions with valid provisions, the economic effect of which comes as close as
possible to that of the invalid, illegal or unenforceable
provisions.
9.8 Governing
Law; Jurisdiction. This
Agreement shall be construed in accordance with, and governed by, the laws of
the State of Michigan, without regard to the conflicts of law rules of such
state. Each of the parties hereto (a) consents to submit itself to the
40
personal
jurisdiction of the courts of the State of Michigan or any federal court with
subject matter jurisdiction located in the Western District of Michigan (and any
appeals court therefrom) in the event any dispute arises out of this Agreement
or any Ancillary Agreement or any transaction contemplated hereby or thereby,
(b) agrees that it will not attempt to deny or defeat such personal
jurisdiction by motion or other request for leave from any such court, and
(c) agrees that it will not bring any action relating to this Agreement or
any Ancillary Agreement or any transaction contemplated hereby or thereby in any
court other than such courts.
9.9 Counterparts. This
Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be
deemed an original instrument, but all of which together shall constitute one
and the same Agreement.
9.10 Third
Party Beneficiaries. Except as
provided in Article VI and except as specifically provided in any Ancillary
Agreement, this Agreement is solely for the benefit of the Parties and should
not be deemed to confer upon third parties any remedy, claim, liability,
reimbursement, cause of action or other right in excess of those existing
without reference to this Agreement.
9.11 Specific
Performance. The
Parties agree that irreparable damage would occur in the event that the
provisions of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with their
specific terms. Accordingly, it is hereby agreed that the Parties shall be
entitled to provisional or temporary injunctive relief in accordance therewith
in any court of the United States, this being in addition to any other remedy or
relief to which they may be entitled.
9.12 Limitations
of Liability. Notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, no Indemnifying Party shall be
liable to an Indemnified Party for any special, indirect, incidental, punitive,
consequential, exemplary, statutorily-enhanced or similar damages in excess of
compensatory damages (provided that any such liability with respect to a Third
Party Claim shall be considered direct damages) arising in connection with the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Ancillary
Agreements.
9.13 Force Majeure. No Party
(or any Person acting on its behalf) shall have any liability or responsibility
for failure to fulfill any obligation (other than a payment obligation) under
this Agreement or, unless otherwise expressly provided therein, any Ancillary
Agreement, so long as and to the extent to which the fulfillment of such
obligation is prevented, frustrated, hindered or delayed as a consequence of
circumstances of Force Majeure. A Party claiming the benefit of this provision
shall, as soon as reasonably practicable after the occurrence of any such event:
(a) notify the other Party of the nature and extent of any such Force
Majeure condition, and (b) use due diligence to remove any such causes and
resume performance under this Agreement as soon as reasonably
practicable.
9.14 Construction.
The
Parties have participated jointly in the negotiation and drafting of this
Agreement. This Agreement shall be construed without regard to any presumption
or rule requiring construction or interpretation against a party drafting or
causing any instrument to be drafted.
9.15 Disputes.
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(a) Except as
otherwise provided in any Ancillary Agreement, all disputes, controversies or
claims between members of the Parent Group and the Spinco Group, which are
parties to this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, arising out of or relating
to this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement or the performance by the parties
of its or their terms, whether based on contract, tort, statute or otherwise,
including, but not limited to, disputes in connection with claims by third
parties (collectively, “Disputes”),
shall be resolved only in accordance with the provisions of this Section 9.15; provided, however, that nothing
contained herein shall preclude any party to a Dispute from seeking or obtaining
(i) injunctive relief to prevent an actual or threatened breach of any of
the provisions of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, or
(ii) equitable or other judicial relief to enforce the provisions of this
Section 9.15 or to preserve the status quo
pending resolution of Disputes hereunder.
(b) Any party
or parties to a Dispute of either Group may give the parties to the Dispute of
the other Group written notice of the Dispute initiating the procedures
hereunder. Within ten days after delivery of the notice of a Dispute, the
receiving parties shall submit to the other a written response. The notice and
the response shall include a statement of each party’s respective position and a
summary of arguments supporting that position and the name and title of the
executive who will represent the claimants and of any other individual who will
accompany such executive in resolving the Dispute. Within twenty (20) days
after delivery of the first notice, the executives of both Groups shall meet at
a mutually acceptable time and place, and thereafter as often as they reasonably
deem necessary, and shall negotiate in good faith to attempt to resolve the
Dispute. All reasonable requests for information made by one party to the
another will be honored. If the Dispute has not been resolved by negotiation
within forty (40) days of the notice of the Dispute, the board of directors of
Parent and Spinco shall appoint independent committees that will negotiate in
good faith to attempt to resolve the Dispute.
(c) If the
Dispute has not been resolved by negotiation within sixty (60) days of the
notice of Dispute, the Dispute may, by mutual consent of both Parties, be
submitted for resolution by a panel of three arbitrators conducted in accordance
with the CPR Rules for Non-Administered Arbitration or AAA Rules (the “Rules”),
as modified by this Section 9.15. The
claimants acting jointly, on the one hand, and the respondents acting jointly,
on the other hand, shall each appoint one arbitrator within fourteen
(14) days after the claimants give an arbitration notice. The two
arbitrators so appointed shall designate the third arbitrator by mutual
agreement within 30 days after the arbitration notice is given. If the two
arbitrators so appointed fail to designate the third arbitrator within such
period, then any Party may request the International Institute for Conflict
Prevention & Resolution (“CPR”) to
appoint the third arbitrator within fourteen (14) days after such request.
The third arbitrator shall be a lawyer licensed to practice in the State of
Michigan who shall not be related to, employed by, affiliated with or have had a
substantial or ongoing business relationship with any member of either Group.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the amount in dispute is less than $5,000,000,
then the claimants and respondents shall appoint, together, a single arbitrator,
reasonably acceptable to them, licensed to practice in the State of Michigan who
shall not be related to, employed by, affiliated with or have had a substantial
or ongoing business relationship with any member of either Group.
(d) The
arbitration shall be conducted in Lansing, Michigan (or at any other place
agreed upon by the parties and the arbitrators). The parties will facilitate the
arbitration by: (i) making available to one another and to the arbitrators
for examination, inspection and
42
extraction
all documents, books, records and personnel under their control if determined by
the arbitrators to be relevant to the dispute; (ii) conducting arbitration
hearings to the greatest extent possible on successive days; and
(iii) observing strictly the time periods established by this
Section 9.15, the Rules or by the arbitrators
for submission of evidence or briefs. All issues in connection with the Dispute,
including procedural issues, shall be decided by the concurrence of at least two
arbitrators, and all decisions by the arbitrators shall be accompanied by a
written opinion setting forth the findings of fact and conclusions of law relied
upon in reaching the decision. The panel of arbitrators shall decide the issues
submitted to it in accordance with the language and commercial purposes of this
Agreement or the relevant Ancillary Agreement (as applicable); provided that all
questions of law shall be governed by the internal laws of the State of
Michigan, without regard to its conflict of laws rules. The arbitrators’
decision shall be final and binding as to all matters at issue in the Dispute;
provided, however, if necessary
such decision may be enforced by either party in any court having jurisdiction
over the parties or the subject matter of the Dispute. Unless the arbitrators
shall assess the costs and expenses of the arbitration proceeding and of the
Parties differently, each Party shall pay its costs and expenses incurred in
connection with the arbitration proceeding, and the costs and expenses of the
arbitrators shall be shared equally by the Parties.
Signatures
on the Following Page
43
In Witness
Whereof, the undersigned have caused this Separation Agreement and Plan
of Distribution to be executed by their duly authorized officers as of the date
first set forth above.
PARENT:
Capitol
Bancorp Ltd.
By: ____________________________________
Name: Xxxxxx
X. Xxxx
Title: Chairman
and Chief Executive Officer
|
|
SPINCO:
Michigan
Commerce Bancorp Limited
By: ____________________________________
Name: ____________________________________
Title: ____________________________________
|
|
Signature
Page to Separation Agreement and Plan of Distribution