Contract
Exhibit 10
THIS AGREEMENT, dated 2004 (the “Effective Date”) (together with all exhibits, this “Agreement”), by and between Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Co., Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company” or “Xxxxxxx Xxxxx”), and [ ] (the “Executive”).
WHEREAS, the Company has the right to deliver a notice to the Executive by September 30, 2004 that it will not extend the term of the severance agreement between the Company and the Executive governing certain payments in connection with a change-in-control of the Company;
WHEREAS, in consideration of the Executive’s agreement to the amendment of certain outstanding equity awards and the covenants and promises contained in this agreement, the Company has agreed that it will not deliver such notice in 2004;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the covenants and agreements hereinafter set forth in this Agreement, the parties agree as follows:
1. | Covenants. The Executive agrees to the following covenants and agrees
that the remedies for failure to comply with these covenants shall be as
set forth herein under the heading “Remedies”. |
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A. | Notice Period. The Executive agrees that for the remainder of his
or her employment, the Executive shall provide the Company and its
affiliates (the “Group Companies”) with at least six months advance
written notice (the “Notice Period”) prior to the termination of the
Executive’s employment. The Executive further agrees that during the
Notice Period, he or she shall remain employed by the Company (and
receive base salary and certain benefits, but will not receive any
payments or distributions or accrue any rights to a bonus or any
payments or distributions under the Variable Incentive Compensation
Program, pro-rata or otherwise) and shall not commence employment with
any other employer. The Executive further agrees that during the Notice
Period, he or she shall not directly or indirectly induce or solicit
any client of the Company to terminate or modify its relationship with
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx.
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B. | Employment by a Competitor. The Executive acknowledges that the
Group Companies are engaged in a global business and that the Executive
has been involved in providing services to the Group Companies
throughout the world. The Executive agrees that, during the period
beginning on the date of the termination of his or her employment and
ending on the date of vesting of his or her Restricted Shares or
Restricted Units and the expiration date of his or her Stock Options or
Stock Appreciation Rights (as those terms are defined in the Company’s
Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plans) granted by the Company, he or
she will not, without the Company’s prior written consent, engage in
any employment, accept or maintain any directorship or other position,
own an interest in, or, as principal, agent, employee, consultant or
otherwise, provide any services to anyone, whether or not for
compensation, in any business that is engaged in competition with the
business of the Group Companies or its affiliates (a “Competitive
Business”). |
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Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Executive may have an interest
consisting of publicly traded securities constituting less than 1 percent
of any class of publicly traded securities in any public company that is
a competing business.
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C. | Non-Solicitation. The Executive agrees that the retention of the
goodwill and franchise value of the Group Companies would be seriously
eroded if employees were to leave the Group Companies. Accordingly the
Executive agrees that he or she will not directly or indirectly solicit
for employment any person who is or was an employee of the Group
Companies at any time during the six-month period immediately preceding
the date of such solicitation.
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D. | No Hire. The Executive agrees that during a period of six months
following his or her termination, he or she will not hire or otherwise
engage, directly or indirectly (including, without limitation, through
an entity with which the Executive is associated), as an employee or
independent contractor of the Executive or of any entity with which the
Executive is associated, any person who is or was an employee of the
Group Companies and who, as of the date of the Executive’s termination
of employment, had the title First Vice President or Managing Director
or higher and reported directly to the Executive or to the Chief
Executive Officer or President of the Company (“Executive, CEO or
President Direct Reports”) or any person with the title First Vice
President or Managing Director or higher who, at the time of the
Executive’s departure, reported directly to the Executive, CEO or
President Direct Reports, provided, however, that this Section 1 D
shall not apply to the Executive, if at the time of his or her
termination he or she is not a direct report to the CEO, or, the
President, if any, of the Company and provided further that the hiring
of any person whose employment was involuntarily terminated by the
Group Companies shall not be a violation of this covenant.
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E. | Non-Disparagement. The Executive will not disparage, portray in a
negative light, or make any statement which would be harmful to, or
lead to unfavorable publicity for, any of the Group Companies, or any
of its or their current or former directors, officers or employees,
including without limitation, in any and all interviews, oral
statements, written materials, electronically displayed materials and
materials or information displayed on internet- or intranet-related
sites; provided however, that this Agreement will not apply to the
extent the Executive is making truthful statements when required by law
or by order of a court or other legal body having jurisdiction or when
responding to any inquiry from any governmental agency or regulatory or
self-regulatory organization.
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F. | Confidentiality. The Executive acknowledges that he or she has
acquired experience, confidential information, trade secrets, know-how
and particular skills in the affairs, practices, client requirements
and trade connections of the Group Companies. Because of the commercial
importance to the Group Companies of this knowledge, information and
the other matters referred to above, the Group Companies have an
important interest in ensuring that after the termination of the
Executive’s employment this knowledge is not used for the personal
benefit of the Executive or to the detriment of the Group Companies.
Therefore, the Executive agrees that following any termination of
employment: he or she will not without prior written consent or as
otherwise required by |
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law, disclose or publish (directly or indirectly) any Confidential
Information to any person or copy, transmit or remove or attempt to use,
copy, transmit or remove any Confidential Information for any purpose.
“Confidential Information” means any information concerning any of the
Group Companies’ business or affairs which is not generally known to the
public and includes, but is not limited to, any file, document, book,
account, list, process, patent, specification, drawing, design, computer
program or file, computer disk, method of operation, recommendation,
report, plan, survey, data, manual, strategy, financial data, client
information or data, or contract which comes to the Executive’s knowledge
in the course of his or her employment or which is generated by him or
her in the course of performing his or her obligations whether alone or
with others.
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The Executive agrees not to disclose the terms of this Agreement or the
circumstances of his or her termination to any other party, except that
the Executive may make such disclosure: on a confidential basis to his or
her tax, financial and legal advisors, his or her immediate family
members, any prospective employer or business partner, provided that, in
each case, such third party agrees to keep the circumstances of the
Executive’s termination and the terms of this Agreement confidential.
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G. | Cooperation. Executive agrees to (i) provide truthful and
reasonable cooperation, including but not limited to his or her
appearance at interviews and depositions, in all legal matters,
including but not limited to regulatory and litigation proceedings
relating to his or her employment or area of responsibility at the
Group Companies, whether or not such matters have already been
commenced and through the conclusion of such matters or proceedings,
and (ii) to provide the Group Companies’ counsel all documents in
Executive’s possession or control relating to such regulatory or
litigation matters. The Company will reimburse Employee for all
reasonable travel expenses in connection with such cooperation. |
The Executive agrees that the covenants contained in paragraphs A-G of this Section 1 are reasonable and necessary to protect the legitimate business interests and goodwill of the Group Companies and that agreeing to comply with such restrictions was an inducement for the Company to agree not to deliver the notice that it will not extend the term of the severance agreement between the Company and the Executive. To the extent that any of the covenants contained in paragraphs A-G of this Section 1 or any other provision of this agreement shall be deemed illegal or unenforceable by a court or other tribunal of competent jurisdiction with respect to (i) any geographic area, (ii) any part of the time period, (iii) any activity or capacity covered by such covenant, or (iv) any other term or provision of such covenant, the covenant shall be construed to the maximum breadth determined to be legal and enforceable and the illegality or unenforceability of any one covenant shall not effect the legality and enforceability of the other covenants.
2. | Amendment of Outstanding Equity Grants: The Executive consents to the
amendment of all his or her previously awarded outstanding grants of
Restricted Units, Restricted Shares, Stock Options and Stock Appreciation
Rights to provide that those awards shall be subject to forfeiture in the
event that the Executive breaches any of the covenants contained in this
Agreement. |
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3. | Remedies.
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A. | Forfeiture of Equity Awards. The Executive agrees that in the
event of a breach of any of the covenants contained herein, that his or
her outstanding equity awards shall be forfeited. |
B. | Injunctive Relief. Without limiting any remedies available, the
Executive acknowledges and agrees that a breach of the covenants
contained in subparagraphs A, C, D, E, F and G of paragraph 1 hereof
will result in material and irreparable injury to the Group Companies
for which there is no adequate remedy at law and that it will not be
possible to measure damages for such injuries precisely. Therefore the
Executive agrees that, in the event of such a breach or threat thereof,
the Group Companies shall be entitled to seek a temporary restraining
order and a preliminary and permanent injunction, without bond or other
security, restraining him or her from engaging in activities prohibited
by subparagraphs A, C, D, E, F and G of paragraph 1 or such other
relief as may be required specifically to enforce any of the covenants
in subparagraphs A, C, D, E, F and G of paragraph 1, provided however,
that the Group Companies shall be entitled to seek injunctive relief
for violations of subparagraph C of paragraph 1 only during the period
beginning on the date of the Executive’s termination from the Group
Companies and ending on the first anniversary of that date.
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C. | Damages. In addition to the remedies called for by subparagraphs A
and B of this paragraph 3, the Group Companies retains the right to
seek damages and other relief for any breach by the Executive of any
covenant contained in this Agreement, provided however, that the Group
Companies shall be entitled to seek damages for violations of
subparagraph C of paragraph 1 only during the period beginning on the
date of the Executive’s termination from the Group Companies and ending
on the first anniversary of that date.
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4. | Legal Matters.
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A. | Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed
in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without giving
effect to the conflicts of laws principles thereof.
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B. | Litigation. The Executive and the Group Companies agree (a) to
arbitrate any and all disputes arising out of or related to this
Agreement before either JAMS (under their Comprehensive Arbitration Rules
and Procedures), the NASD or the NYSE and (b) that judgment on any
arbitration award may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction.
Any arbitration shall be held in the State and County of New York. The
Executive and the Group Companies further agree that the Group Companies
can seek temporary and preliminary injunctive relief in court and submit
to the exclusive jurisdiction of any federal or state courts sitting in
the State of New York, County of New York for that purpose and for any
purposes for which the aid of the court is required with respect to any
arbitration commenced with respect to this Agreement. The Executive and
the Group Companies also agrees not to bring any action or proceeding
arising out of or relating to this Agreement in any court or forum other
than those specified in this paragraph 4.B.
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The Executive and the Group Companies waives any defense of
inconvenient forum to the maintenance of any action or proceeding so
brought and waives any bond, surety, or other security that might be
required of the other party with respect thereto.
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5. | Miscellaneous.
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A. | Headings. The section headings contained in this Agreement are
inserted for convenience only and shall not affect in any way the
meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
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B. | Employment At Will. Nothing in this agreement alters the at will
nature of the Executive’s employment with the Company or any of the
Group Companies the Company and any of the Group Companies remains free
to terminate the Executive’s employment at any time for any reason
without notice (and the notice period in paragraph 1.A of this
Agreement does not apply to such terminations).
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C. | Voluntary Nature of
Agreement. The Executive represents that he or
she is entering into this Agreement voluntarily and has had adequate
opportunity to consider whether or not to sign it and to seek such
counsel as he or she deems appropriate.
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D. | Amendment; Waiver. This Agreement may not be changed orally; it
may only be changed by a writing executed by both parties. Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx’x failure to enforce any provisions of this Agreement will not
constitute waiver of its rights under this Agreement and shall not
operate or be construed as a continuing waiver or as a consent to or
waiver of any subsequent breach hereof.
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E. | No Reliance: Executive is not relying on any representations,
understandings, undertakings, statements, or agreements not expressly
set forth in this Agreement and disclaims any reliance on any such
representations, understandings, undertakings, statements, or
agreements.
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F. | Construction. In the event an ambiguity or question of intent or
interpretation arises, this Agreement shall be construed as if drafted
jointly by the Executive and the Company, and no presumption or burden
of proof shall arise favoring or disfavoring either of them by virtue
of the authorship of any of the provisions of this Agreement. |
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G. | Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original but all
of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
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SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the day and year indicated below.
XXXXXXX XXXXX & CO., INC. |
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By: | ||||
Name: | ||||
Title: | ||||
Signed on: | ||||
EXECUTIVE |
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