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Exhibit 10.1
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT (the "Agreement") is made and entered into as
of ___________, 1997, between STAR Telecommunications, Inc., a Delaware
corporation ("the Company"), and <> ("Indemnitee").
WITNESSETH THAT:
WHEREAS, Indemnitee performs a valuable service for the
Company; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company has adopted
Bylaws (the "Bylaws") providing for the indemnification of the officers and
directors of the Company to the maximum extent authorized by Section 145 of the
Delaware General Corporation Law, as amended ("Law"); and
WHEREAS, the Bylaws and the Law, by their nonexclusive nature,
permit contracts between the Company and the officers or directors of the
Company with respect to indemnification of such officers or directors; and
WHEREAS, in accordance with the authorization as provided by
the Law, the Company may purchase and maintain a policy or policies of
director's and officer's liability insurance ("D & O Insurance"), covering
certain liabilities which may be incurred by its officers or directors in the
performance of their obligations to the Company; and
WHEREAS, as a result of recent developments affecting the
terms, scope and availability of D & O Insurance there exists general
uncertainty as to the extent of protection afforded Company officers and
directors by such D & O Insurance and said uncertainty also exists under
statutory and bylaw indemnification provisions; and
WHEREAS, in recognition of past services and in order to
induce Indemnitee to continue to serve as an officer or director of the Company,
the Company has determined and agreed to enter into this contract with
Indemnitee;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of Indemnitee's continued
service as an officer or director after the date hereof, the parties hereto
agree as follows:
1. Indemnity of Indemnitee. The Company hereby agrees to hold
harmless and indemnify Indemnitee to the full extent authorized or permitted by
the provisions of the Law, as such may be amended from time to time, and Article
VII, Section 6 of the Bylaws, as such may be amended. In furtherance of the
foregoing indemnification, and without limiting the generality thereof:
(a) Proceedings Other Than Proceedings by or in
the Right of the Company. Indemnitee shall be entitled to the rights of
indemnification provided in this Section l(a) if, by reason of his Corporate
Status (as hereinafter defined), he is, or is threatened to be
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made, a party to or participant in any Proceeding (as hereinafter defined) other
than a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company. Pursuant to this Section
1(a), Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses (as hereinafter
defined), judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually
and reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf in connection with such
Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if he acted in good faith and
in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests
of the Company and, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, had no reasonable
cause to believe his conduct was unlawful.
(b) Proceedings by or in the Right of the
Company. Indemnitee shall be entitled to the rights of indemnification provided
in this Section 1(b) if, by reason of his Corporate Status, he is, or is
threatened to be made, a party to or participant in any Proceeding brought by or
in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this
Section 1(b), Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses actually and
reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf in connection with such Proceeding
if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not
opposed to the best interests of the Company; provided, however, that, if
applicable law so provides, no indemnification against such Expenses shall be
made in respect of any claim, issue or matter in such Proceeding as to which
Indemnitee shall have been adjudged to be liable to the Company unless and to
the extent that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall determine
that such indemnification may be made.
(c) Indemnification for Expenses of a Party Who
is Wholly or Partly Successful. Notwithstanding any other provision of this
Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of his Corporate Status,
a party to and is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in any Proceeding, he
shall be indemnified to the maximum extent permitted by law against all Expenses
actually and reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf in connection
therewith. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding but is
successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all
claims, issues or matters in such Proceeding, the Company shall indemnify
Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or on
his behalf in connection with each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter.
For purposes of this Section and without limitation, the termination of any
claim, issue or matter in such a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without
prejudice, shall be deemed to be a successful result as to such claim, issue or
matter.
2. Additional Indemnity. In addition to, and without regard to
any limitations on, the indemnification provided for in Section 1, the Company
shall and hereby does indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee against all
Expenses, judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually
and reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf if, by reason of his Corporate
Status he is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or participant in any
Proceeding (including a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company),
including, without limitation, all liability arising out of the negligence or
active or passive wrongdoing of Indemnitee. The only limitation that shall exist
upon the Company's obligations pursuant to this Agreement shall be that the
Company shall not be obligated to make any payment to Indemnitee that is finally
determined (under the procedures, and subject to the presumptions, set forth in
Sections 6 and 7 hereof) to be unlawful under Delaware law.
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3. Contribution in the Event of Joint Liability.
(a) Whether or not the indemnification provided
in Sections 1 and 2 hereof is available, in respect of any threatened, pending
or completed action, suit or proceeding in which Company is jointly liable with
Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such action, suit or proceeding), Company
shall pay, in the first instance, the entire amount of any judgment or
settlement of such action, suit or proceeding without requiring Indemnitee to
contribute to such payment and Company hereby waives and relinquishes any right
of contribution it may have against Indemnitee. Company shall not enter into any
settlement of any action, suit or proceeding in which Company is jointly liable
with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such action, suit or proceeding)
unless such settlement provides for a full and final release of all claims
asserted against Indemnitee.
(b) Without diminishing or impairing the
obligations of the Company set forth in the preceding subparagraph, if, for any
reason, Indemnitee shall elect or be required to pay all or any portion of any
judgment or settlement in any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or
proceeding in which Company is jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if
joined in such action, suit or proceeding), Company shall contribute to the
amount of expenses (including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and amounts
paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred and paid or payable by
Indemnitee in proportion to the relative benefits received by the Company and
all officers, directors or employees of the Company other than Indemnitee who
are jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such action, suit
or proceeding), on the one hand, and Indemnitee, on the other hand, from the
transaction from which such action, suit or proceeding arose; provided, however,
that the proportion determined on the basis of relative benefit may, to the
extent necessary to conform to law, be further adjusted by reference to the
relative fault of Company and all officers, directors or employees of the
Company other than Indemnitee who are jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would
be if joined in such action, suit or proceeding), on the one hand, and
Indemnitee, on the other hand, in connection with the events that resulted in
such expenses, judgments, fines or settlement amounts, as well as any other
equitable considerations which the law may require to be considered. The
relative fault of Company and all officers, directors or employees of the
Company other than Indemnitee who are jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would
be if joined in such action, suit or proceeding), on the one hand, and
Indemnitee, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other
things, the degree to which their actions were motivated by intent to gain
personal profit or advantage, the degree to which their liability is primary or
secondary, and the degree to which their conduct is active or passive.
(c) Company hereby agrees to fully indemnify and
hold Indemnitee harmless from any claims of contribution which may be brought by
officers, directors or employees of the Company other than Indemnitee who may be
jointly liable with Indemnitee.
4. Indemnification for Expenses of a Witness. Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee is, by
reason of his Corporate Status, a witness in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee
is not a party, he shall be indemnified against all Expenses actually and
reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf in connection therewith.
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5. Advancement of Expenses. Notwithstanding any other
provision of this Agreement, the Company shall advance all reasonable Expenses
incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with any Proceeding by
reason of Indemnitee's Corporate Status within ten days after the receipt by the
Company of a statement or statements from Indemnitee requesting such advance or
advances from time to time, whether prior to or after final disposition of such
Proceeding. Such statement or statements shall reasonably evidence the Expenses
incurred by Indemnitee and shall include or be preceded or accompanied by an
undertaking by or on behalf of Indemnitee to repay any Expenses advanced if it
shall ultimately be determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified
against such Expenses. Any advances and undertakings to repay pursuant to this
Section 5 shall be unsecured and interest free. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
the obligation of the Company to advance Expenses pursuant to this Section 5
shall be subject to the condition that, if, when and to the extent that the
Company determines that Indemnitee would not be permitted to be indemnified
under applicable law, the Company shall be entitled to be reimbursed, within
thirty (30) days of such determination, by Indemnitee (who hereby agrees to
reimburse the Company) for all such amounts theretofore paid; provided, however,
that if Indemnitee has commenced or thereafter commences legal proceedings in a
court of competent jurisdiction to secure a determination that Indemnitee should
be indemnified under applicable law, any determination made by the Company that
Indemnitee would not be permitted to be indemnified under applicable law shall
not be binding and Indemnitee shall not be required to reimburse the Company for
any advance of Expenses until a final judicial determination is made with
respect thereto (as to which all rights of appeal therefrom have been exhausted
or lapsed).
6. Procedures and Presumptions for Determination of
Entitlement to Indemnification. It is the intent of this Agreement to secure for
Indemnitee rights of indemnity that are as favorable as may be permitted under
the law and public policy of the State of Delaware. Accordingly, the parties
agree that the following procedures and presumptions shall apply in the event of
any question as to whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this
Agreement:
(a) To obtain indemnification (including, but
not limited to, the advancement of Expenses and contribution by the Company)
under this Agreement, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written request,
including therein or therewith such documentation and information as is
reasonably available to Indemnitee and is reasonably necessary to determine
whether and to what extent Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification. The
Secretary of the Company shall, promptly upon receipt of such a request for
indemnification, advise the Board of Directors in writing that Indemnitee has
requested indemnification.
(b) Upon written request by Indemnitee for
indemnification pursuant to the first sentence of Section 6(a) hereof, a
determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to Indemnitee's
entitlement thereto shall be made in the specific case by one of the following
three methods, which shall be at the election of Indemnitee: (1) by a majority
vote of the disinterested directors, even though less than a quorum, or (2) by
independent legal counsel in a written opinion, or (3) by the stockholders.
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(c) If the determination of entitlement to
indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 6(b)
hereof, the Independent Counsel shall be selected as provided in this Section
6(c). The Independent Counsel shall be selected by Indemnitee (unless Indemnitee
shall request that such selection be made by the Board of Directors). Indemnitee
or the Company, as the case may be, may, within 10 days after such written
notice of selection shall have been given, deliver to the Company or to
Indemnitee, as the case may be, a written objection to such selection; provided,
however, that such objection may be asserted only on the ground that the
Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of "Independent
Counsel" as defined in Section 13 of this Agreement, and the objection shall set
forth with particularity the factual basis of such assertion. Absent a proper
and timely objection, the person so selected shall act as Independent Counsel.
If a written objection is made and substantiated, the Independent Counsel
selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until such objection is
withdrawn or a court has determined that such objection is without merit. If,
within 20 days after submission by Indemnitee of a written request for
indemnification pursuant to Section 6(a) hereof, no Independent Counsel shall
have been selected and not objected to, either the Company or Indemnitee may
petition the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or other court of
competent jurisdiction for resolution of any objection which shall have been
made by the Company or Indemnitee to the other's selection of Independent
Counsel and/or for the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected
by the court or by such other person as the court shall designate, and the
person with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the person so
appointed shall act as Independent Counsel under Section 6(b) hereof. The
Company shall pay any and all reasonable fees and expenses of Independent
Counsel incurred by such Independent Counsel in connection with acting pursuant
to Section 6(b) hereof, and the Company shall pay all reasonable fees and
expenses incident to the procedures of this Section 6(c), regardless of the
manner in which such Independent Counsel was selected or appointed.
(d) In making a determination with respect to
entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the person or persons or entity making
such determination shall presume that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification
under this Agreement if Indemnitee has submitted a request for indemnification
in accordance with Section 6(a) of this Agreement. Anyone seeking to overcome
this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion, by
clear and convincing evidence.
(e) Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in
good faith if Indemnitee's action is based on the records or books of account of
the Enterprise, including financial statements, or on information supplied to
Indemnitee by the officers of the Enterprise in the course of their duties, or
on the advice of legal counsel for the Enterprise or on information or records
given or reports made to the Enterprise by an independent certified public
accountant or by an appraiser or other expert selected with reasonable care by
the Enterprise. In addition, the knowledge and/or actions, or failure to act, of
any director, officer, agent or employee of the Enterprise shall not be imputed
to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnification under
this Agreement. Whether or not the foregoing provisions of this Section 6(e) are
satisfied, it shall in any event be presumed that Indemnitee has at all times
acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not
opposed to the best interests
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of the Company. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the
burden of proof and the burden of persuasion, by clear and convincing evidence.
(f) The Company acknowledges that a settlement
or other disposition short of final judgment may be successful if it permits a
party to avoid expense, delay, distraction, disruption and uncertainty. In the
event that any action, claim or proceeding to which Indemnitee is a party is
resolved in any manner other than by adverse judgment against Indemnitee
(including, without limitation, settlement of such action, claim or proceeding
with or without payment of money or other consideration) it shall be presumed
that Indemnitee has been successful on the merits or otherwise in such action,
suit or proceeding. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the
burden of proof and the burden of persuasion, by clear and convincing evidence.
(g) If the person, persons or entity empowered
or selected under Section 6 to determine whether Indemnitee is entitled to
indemnification shall not have made a determination within thirty (30) days
after receipt by the Company of the request therefor, the requisite
determination of entitlement to indemnification shall be deemed to have been
made and Indemnitee shall be entitled to such indemnification, absent (i) a
misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact
necessary to make Indemnitee's statement not materially misleading, in
connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of such
indemnification under applicable law; provided, however, that such 30 day period
may be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional fifteen (15)
days, if the person, persons or entity making the determination with respect to
entitlement to indemnification in good faith requires such additional time for
the obtaining or evaluating documentation and/or information relating thereto;
and provided, further, that the foregoing provisions of this Section 6(g) shall
not apply if the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made
by the stockholders pursuant to Section 6(b) of this Agreement and if (A) within
fifteen (15) days after receipt by the Company of the request for such
determination the Board of Directors or the Disinterested Directors, if
appropriate, resolve to submit such determination to the stockholders for their
consideration at an annual meeting thereof to be held within seventy five (75)
days after such receipt and such determination is made thereat, or (B) a special
meeting of stockholders is called within fifteen (15) days after such receipt
for the purpose of making such determination, such meeting is held for such
purpose within sixty (60) days after having been so called and such
determination is made threat.
(h) Indemnitee shall cooperate with the person,
persons or entity making such determination with respect to Indemnitee's
entitlement to indemnification, including providing to such person, persons or
entity upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is
not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably
available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to such determination. Any
Independent Counsel, member of the Board of Directors, or stockholder of the
Company shall act reasonably and in good faith in making a determination under
the Agreement of the Indemnitee's entitlement to indemnification. Any costs or
expenses (including attorneys' fees and disbursements) incurred by Indemnitee in
so cooperating with the person, persons or entity making such determination
shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as
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to Indemnitee's entitlement to indemnification) and the Company hereby
indemnifies and agrees to hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom.
7. Remedies of Indemnitee.
(a) In the event that (i) a determination is
made pursuant to Section 6 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to
indemnification under this Agreement, (ii) advancement of Expenses is not timely
made pursuant to Section 5 of this Agreement, (iii) no determination of
entitlement to indemnification shall have been made pursuant to Section 6(b) of
this Agreement within 90 days after receipt by the Company of the request for
indemnification, (iv) payment of indemnification is not made pursuant to this
Agreement within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request
therefor, or (v) payment of indemnification is not made within ten (10) days
after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to
indemnification or such determination is deemed to have been made pursuant to
Section 6 of this Agreement, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication in
an appropriate court of the State of Delaware, or in any other court of
competent jurisdiction, of his entitlement to such indemnification. Indemnitee
shall commence such proceeding seeking an adjudication within 180 days following
the date on which Indemnitee first has the right to commence such proceeding
pursuant to this Section 7(a). The Company shall not oppose Indemnitee's right
to seek any such adjudication.
(b) In the event that a determination shall have
been made pursuant to Section 6(b) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not
entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to this
Section 7 shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial, on the merits
and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of that adverse determination.
(c) If a determination shall have been made
pursuant to Section 6(b) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is entitled to
indemnification, the Company shall be bound by such determination in any
judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to this Section 7, absent a prohibition
of such indemnification under applicable law.
(d) In the event that Indemnitee, pursuant to
this Section 7, seeks a judicial adjudication of his rights under, or to recover
damages for breach of, this Agreement, or to recover under any directors' and
officers' liability insurance policies maintained by the Company the Company
shall pay on his behalf, in advance, any and all expenses (of the types
described in the definition of Expenses in Section 13 of this Agreement)
actually and reasonably incurred by him in such judicial adjudication,
regardless of whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to such
indemnification, advancement of expenses or insurance recovery.
(e) The Company shall be precluded from
asserting in any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to this Section 7 that
the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and
enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court that the Company is bound by
all the provisions of this Agreement.
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8. Non-Exclusivity; Survival of Rights; Insurance;
Subrogation.
(a) The rights of indemnification as provided by
this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which
Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the certificate of
incorporation of the Company, the Bylaws, any agreement, a vote of stockholders
or a resolution of directors, or otherwise. No amendment, alteration or repeal
of this Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right
of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any action taken or omitted by
such Indemnitee in his Corporate Status prior to such amendment, alteration or
repeal. To the extent that a change in the Law, whether by statute or judicial
decision, permits greater indemnification than would be afforded currently under
the Bylaws and this Agreement, it is the intent of the parties hereto that
Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits so afforded by
such change. No right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of
any other right or remedy, and every other right and remedy shall be cumulative
and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or
hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment
of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent
assertion or employment of any other right or remedy.
(b) To the extent that the Company maintains an
insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for directors,
officers, employees, or agents or fiduciaries of the Company or of any other
corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other
enterprise which such person serves at the request of the Company, Indemnitee
shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their
terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any such director,
officer, employee or agent under such policy or policies.
(c) In the event of any payment under this
Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all
of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all papers required
and take all action necessary to secure such rights, including execution of such
documents as are necessary to enable the Company to bring suit to enforce such
rights.
(d) The Company shall not be liable under this
Agreement to make any payment of amounts otherwise indemnifiable hereunder if
and to the extent that Indemnitee has otherwise actually received such payment
under any insurance policy, contract, agreement or otherwise.
9. Exception to Right of Indemnification. Notwithstanding any
other provision of this Agreement, Indemnitee shall not be entitled to
indemnification under this Agreement with respect to any Proceeding brought by
Indemnitee, or any claim therein, unless (a) the bringing of such Proceeding or
making of such claim shall have been approved by the Board of Directors of the
Company or (b) such Proceeding is being brought by the Indemnitee to assert his
rights under this Agreement.
10. Duration of Agreement. All agreements and obligations of
the Company contained herein shall continue during the period Indemnitee is an
officer or director of the
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Company (or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director,
officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture,
trust or other enterprise) and shall continue thereafter so long as Indemnitee
shall be subject to any Proceeding (or any proceeding commenced under Section 7
hereof) by reason of his Corporate Status, whether or not he is acting or
serving in any such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred
for which indemnification can be provided under this Agreement. This Agreement
shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the
parties hereto and their respective successors (including any direct or indirect
successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or
substantially all of the business or assets of the Company), assigns, spouses,
heirs, executors and personal and legal representatives. This Agreement shall
continue in effect regardless of whether Indemnitee continues to serve as an
officer or director of the Company or any other enterprise at the Company's
request.
11. Security. To the extent requested by the Indemnitee and
approved by the Board of Directors of the Company, the Company may at any time
and from time to time provide security to the Indemnitee for the Company's
obligations hereunder through an irrevocable bank line of credit, funded trust
or other collateral. Any such security, once provided to the Indemnitee, may not
be revoked or released without the prior written consent of the Indemnitee.
12. Enforcement.
(a) The Company expressly confirms and agrees
that it has entered into this Agreement and assumed the obligations imposed on
it hereby in order to induce Indemnitee to serve as an officer or director of
the Company, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this
Agreement in serving as an officer or director of the Company.
(b) This Agreement constitutes the entire
agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof
and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral, written and
implied, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof.
13. Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement:
(a) "Corporate Status" describes the status of a
person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent or fiduciary of the
Company or of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee
benefit plan or other enterprise which such person is or was serving at the
express written request of the Company.
(b) "Disinterested Director" means a director of
the Company who is not and was not a party to the Proceeding in respect of which
indemnification is sought by Indemnitee.
(c) "Enterprise" shall mean the Company and any
other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or
other enterprise of which Indemnitee is
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or was serving at the express written request of the Company as a director,
officer, employee, agent or fiduciary.
(d) "Expenses" shall include all reasonable
attorneys' fees, retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts,
witness fees, travel expenses, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs,
telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, and all other disbursements
or expenses of the types customarily incurred in connection with prosecuting,
defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, participating, or
being or preparing to be a witness in a Proceeding.
(e) "Independent Counsel" means a law firm, or a
member of a law firm, that is experienced in matters of corporation law and
neither presently is, nor in the past five years has been, retained to
represent: (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any matter material to either such
party (other than with respect to matters concerning the Indemnitee under this
Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar indemnification agreements), or
(ii) any other party to the Proceeding giving rise to a claim for
indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term "Independent
Counsel" shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of
professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in
representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine
Indemnitee's rights under this Agreement. The Company agrees to pay the
reasonable fees of the Independent Counsel referred to above and to fully
indemnify such counsel against any and all Expenses, claims, liabilities and
damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant
hereto.
(f) "Proceeding" includes any threatened,
pending or completed action, suit, arbitration, alternate dispute resolution
mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing or any other actual,
threatened or completed proceeding, whether brought by or in the right of the
Company or otherwise and whether civil, criminal, administrative or
investigative, in which Indemnitee was, is or will be involved as a party or
otherwise, by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director of the
Company, by reason of any action taken by him or of any inaction on his part
while acting as an officer or director of the Company, or by reason of the fact
that he is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer,
employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or
other enterprise; in each case whether or not he is acting or serving in any
such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which
indemnification can be provided under this Agreement; including one pending on
or before the date of this Agreement; and excluding one initiated by an
Indemnitee pursuant to Section 7 of this Agreement to enforce his rights under
this Agreement.
14. Severability. If any provision or provisions of this
Agreement shall be held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid,
void, illegal or otherwise unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (a) the
validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this
Agreement (including without limitation, each portion of any section of this
Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or
unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not
in any way be affected or impaired thereby and shall remain enforceable to the
fullest extent permitted by law; and (b) to the fullest extent
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possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each
portion of any section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to
be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or
unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested
thereby.
15. Modification and Waiver. No supplement, modification,
termination or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in
writing by both of the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of
this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other
provisions hereof (whether or not similar) nor shall such waiver constitute a
continuing waiver.
16. Notice By Indemnitee. Indemnitee agrees promptly to notify
the Company in writing upon being served with any summons, citation, subpoena,
complaint, indictment, information or other document relating to any Proceeding
or matter which may be subject to indemnification covered hereunder. The failure
to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of any obligation which
it may have to the Indemnitee under this Agreement or otherwise.
17. Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other
communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been
duly given if (i) delivered by hand and receipted for by the party to whom said
notice or other communication shall have been directed, or (ii) mailed by
certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third business day
after the date on which it is so mailed:
(a) If to Indemnitee, to the address set forth
below Indemnitee signature hereto.
(b) If to the Company, to:
STAR Telecommunications, Inc.
000 Xxxx Xx Xx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Chief Executive Officer
or to such other address as may have been furnished to Indemnitee by the Company
or to the Company by Indemnitee, as the case may be.
18. Identical Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in
one or more counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be
an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same
Agreement. Only one such counterpart signed by the party against whom
enforceability is sought needs to be produced to evidence the existence of this
Agreement.
19. Headings. The headings of the paragraphs of this Agreement
are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of
this Agreement or to affect the construction thereof.
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20. Governing Law. The parties agree that this Agreement shall
be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the
State of Delaware without application of the conflict of laws principles
thereof.
21. Gender. Use of the masculine pronoun shall be deemed to
include usage of the feminine pronoun where appropriate.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this
Agreement on and as of the day and year first above written.
STAR TELECOMMUNICATIONS, INC.
By:__________________________
Xxxxxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx,
Chief Executive Officer
________________________
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Address: <>
