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EX-10.26 3 l37365exv10w26.htm EX-10.26 exv10w26
Exhibit 10.26
FORM OF INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
This Indemnification Agreement (Agreement) is made as of , 200 by and between Education Management Corporation, a Pennsylvania corporation (the Company), and (Indemnitee).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the Company desires to attract and retain the services of highly qualified individuals, such as Indemnitee, to serve the Company;
WHEREAS, in order to induce Indemnitee to continue to provide services to the Company and/or to one or more of its direct or indirect subsidiaries, the Company wishes to provide for the indemnification of, and advancement of expenses to, Indemnitee to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law;
WHEREAS, the Companys Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation (the Articles) and its Amended and Restated Bylaws (the Bylaws) require indemnification of the officers and directors of the Company, and Indemnitee may also be entitled to indemnification pursuant to the Pennsylvania Business Corporation Law of 1988, as amended (the PBCL);
WHEREAS, the Articles, the Bylaws, and Chapter 17, Subchapter D, of the PBCL expressly provide that the indemnification provisions set forth therein are not exclusive of any other rights to which any person may be entitled under any agreement, and thereby contemplate that contracts may be entered into between the Company and members of the board of directors, officers and other persons with respect to indemnification;
WHEREAS, it is reasonable, prudent and necessary for the Company contractually to obligate itself to indemnify, and to advance expenses on behalf of, such persons to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law so that they will serve or continue to serve the Company free from undue concern that they will not be so indemnified; and
WHEREAS, this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the indemnification provided in the Articles, the Bylaws, and any other agreements applicable to the Indemnitee, and any resolutions adopted pursuant to any of the foregoing, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder.
[WHEREAS, Indemnitee has certain rights to indemnification and/or insurance provided by the Sponsor Indemnitors (as defined below) which Indemnitee and the Sponsor Indemnitors intend to be secondary to the primary obligation of the Company to indemnify Indemnitee as provided herein, with the Companys acknowledgement and agreement to the foregoing being a material condition to Indemnitees willingness to serve on the Board of Directors (the Board).]*
* | Bracketed provisions to be included in indemnification agreements between the Company and the Sponsor Indemnitors designees. |
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the covenants contained herein, the Company and Indemnitee do hereby covenant and agree as follows:
Section 1. Services to the Company. Indemnitee agrees to serve as a director of the Company. Indemnitee may at any time and for any reason resign from such position (subject to any other contractual obligation or any obligation imposed by operation of law), in which event the Company shall have no obligation under this Agreement to continue Indemnitee in such position. This Agreement shall not be deemed an employment contract between the Company (or any of its subsidiaries or any Enterprise) and Indemnitee. The foregoing notwithstanding, this Agreement shall continue in force after Indemnitee has ceased to serve as a director of the Company.
Section 2. Definitions
As used in this Agreement:
(a) Corporate Status describes the status of a person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or of any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise which such person is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary.
(b) Enterprise shall mean the Company and any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise of which Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary.
(c) 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, any federal, state, local or foreign taxes imposed on Indemnitee as a result of the actual or deemed receipt of any payments under this Agreement, ERISA excise taxes and penalties, and all other disbursements or expenses of the types customarily incurred in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, being or preparing to be a witness in, or otherwise participating in, a Proceeding. Expenses also shall include (i) Expenses incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Proceeding, including without limitation the premium, security for, and other costs relating to any cost bond, supersedeas bond, or other appeal bond or its equivalent, and (ii) Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the interpretation, enforcement or defense of Indemnitees rights under this Agreement, by litigation or otherwise. The parties agree that for the purposes of any advancement of Expenses for which Indemnitee has made written demand to the Company in accordance with this Agreement, all Expenses included in such demand that are certified by affidavit of Indemnitees counsel as being reasonable shall be presumed conclusively to be reasonable. Expenses, however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee or the amount of judgments or fines against Indemnitee.
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(d) Proceeding shall include 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 in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil, criminal, administrative legislative, or investigative (formal or informal) nature, including any appeal therefrom, in which Indemnitee was, is or will be involved as a party, potential party, non-party witness or otherwise by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director or officer of the Company, by reason of any action taken by him or of any action on his part while acting as director or officer 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, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, in each case whether or not serving in such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification, reimbursement, or advancement of expenses can be provided under this Agreement. If the Indemnitee believes in good faith that a given situation may lead to or culminate in the institution of a Proceeding, such situation shall be considered a Proceeding under this paragraph.
Section 3. Indemnification. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3 if Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant in any Proceeding, whether or not by or in the right of the Company or otherwise. Pursuant to this Section 3, Indemnitee shall be indemnified to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law against all Expenses, judgments, losses, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred or suffered by Indemnitee or on his behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein. Indemnitee shall not enter into any settlement in connection with a Proceeding without ten (10) days prior notice to the Company. The Company shall not be liable to indemnify the Indemnitee under this Agreement for any amounts paid in settlement of any Proceeding effected without its written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.
For purposes of Section 3, the meaning of the phrase to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law shall include, but not be limited to:
i. to the fullest extent permitted by the provision of the PBCL that authorizes or contemplates additional or supplementary indemnification by agreement, or the corresponding provision of any amendment to or replacement of the PBCL or such provision thereof; and
ii. to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by any amendments to or replacements of the PBCL adopted after the date of this Agreement that increase the extent to which a corporation may indemnify its directors.
Section 4. Indemnification for Expenses of a Party Who is Wholly or Partly Successful. To the extent that Indemnitee is a party to and is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in any Proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, in whole or in part, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him 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
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claims, issues or matters in such Proceeding, the Company shall, at a minimum, indemnify Indemnitee against (a) all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf in connection with each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter and (b) any claim, issue or matter related to any such 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. The foregoing provisions of this Section 4 are in addition to, and not in limitation of, any other rights of the Indemnitee under this Agreement, including, without limitation, under Section 3 and/or Section 8, granting the Indemnitee the right to be indemnified against, and/or receive an advancement of Expenses in respect of, any Proceeding in which the Indemnitee is unsuccessful, in whole or in part.
Section 5. Indemnification For Expenses of a Witness. To the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of his Corporate Status, a witness or otherwise asked to participate 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. Nothing in this Section 5 is intended to limit Indemnitees rights provided for in Section 3.
Section 6. Partial Indemnification. If Indemnitee is entitled under any provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for some or a portion of Expenses, but not, however, for the total amount thereof, the Company shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for the portion thereof to which Indemnitee is entitled.
Section 7. Exclusions. Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement to the contrary, the Company shall not be obligated under this Agreement to make any indemnity:
(a) in connection with a proceeding (or any claim, issue or matter therein or any part thereof) initiated by the Indemnitee, except (i) with respect to actions or proceedings brought to establish or enforce a right to receive Expenses or indemnification under this Agreement or any other agreement or insurance policy or under the Articles or the Bylaws now or hereafter in effect relating to indemnification, (ii) if the Board has approved the initiation or bringing of such claim, (iii) any compulsory counterclaim, compulsory cross-claim, or required joinder made by Indemnitee in a proceeding not initiated by Indemnitee; or (iv) as otherwise required under Pennsylvania law; or
(b) with respect to any act that is established, by a final, unappealable adjudication adverse to the Indemnitee, as having been material to the cause of action so adjudicated and as having constituted either willful misconduct or recklessness; or
(c) for liability imposed in a proceeding by or for the benefit of the Company to recover any profit pursuant to the provisions of Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and regulations thereunder or similar provisions of any applicable state law; provided, however, that the exclusion in this Section 7(c) shall not apply to Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in such a proceeding; or
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(d) [subject to Section 12(c),]* for which payment has actually been made to or on behalf of Indemnitee under any insurance policy or other indemnity provision, except with respect to any excess beyond the amount paid under any insurance policy or other indemnity provision.
Section 8. Advances of Expenses. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Company shall advance, to the extent not prohibited by applicable law, all Expenses incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with any Proceeding, and such advancement shall be made within twenty (20) days after the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements requesting such advances (which shall include invoices received by Indemnitee in connection with such Expenses but, in the case of invoices in connection with legal services, any references to legal work performed or to expenditures made that would cause Indemnitee to waive any privilege accorded by applicable law shall not be included with the invoice) from time to time, whether prior to or after final disposition of any Proceeding. Advances shall be unsecured and interest free. Advances shall be made without regard to Indemnitees ability to repay expenses and without regard to Indemnitees ultimate entitlement to indemnification under the other provisions of this Agreement. Advances shall include any and all Expenses incurred pursuing an action to enforce this right of advancement, including Expenses incurred preparing and forwarding statements to the Company to support the advances claimed. The Indemnitee shall qualify for advances upon the execution and delivery to the Company of this Agreement, which shall constitute an undertaking providing that the Indemnitee undertakes to the fullest extent required by applicable law to repay the amounts advanced (without interest) if and to the extent that it is ultimately determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final judgment, not subject to appeal, that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company. No other form of undertaking shall be required other than the execution of this Agreement. This Section 8 shall not apply to any request for advancement relating to any claim for which indemnity is excluded pursuant to Section 7. The right to advances under this paragraph shall in all events continue until final disposition of any Proceeding.
Section 9. Procedure for Notification and Defense of Claim.
(a) To obtain indemnification or advancement of Expenses under this Agreement, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written request therefor, coupled with appropriate documentation to support the request. The omission by Indemnitee to notify the Company hereunder will not relieve the Company from any liability which it may have to Indemnitee hereunder, under the Articles, the Bylaws, any resolution of the Board providing for indemnification or otherwise, and any delay in so notifying the Company shall not constitute a waiver by Indemnitee of any rights under this Agreement. The Secretary of the Company shall, promptly upon receipt of such a request for indemnification, advise the Board in writing that Indemnitee has requested indemnification.
* | Bracketed provisions to be included in indemnification agreements between the Company and the Sponsor Indemnitors designees. |
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(b) The Company will be entitled to participate in any Proceeding at its own expense.
Section 10. Procedure Upon Application for Indemnification. Upon written request by Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to Section 9(a), payment shall be made within thirty (30) days of the Companys receipt of such request. Indemnification shall be made by the Company without any requirement that any determination be made or any action be taken by the Board, the shareholders, or legal counsel.
Section 11. Remedies of Indemnitee.
(a) Subject to Section 11(d), in the event that (i) payment of indemnification pursuant to Section 3, 4, 5, or 6 of this Agreement is not made within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, (ii) advancement of Expenses is not timely made pursuant to Section 8 of this Agreement, or (iii) in the event that the Company or any other person takes or threatens to take any action to declare this Agreement void or unenforceable, or institutes any litigation or other action or Proceeding designed to deny, or to recover from, the Indemnitee the benefits provided or intended to be provided to the Indemnitee hereunder, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication by a court of his entitlement to such indemnification and/or advancement of Expenses. Alternatively, Indemnitee, at his option, may seek an award in arbitration to be conducted by a single arbitrator pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association. Indemnitee shall commence such proceeding seeking an adjudication or award in arbitration within 180 days following the date on which Indemnitee first has the right to commence such proceeding pursuant to this Section 11(a); provided, however, that the foregoing clause shall not apply in respect of a proceeding brought by Indemnitee to enforce his rights under Section 4 of this Agreement. The Company shall not oppose Indemnitees right to seek any such adjudication or award in arbitration. In any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 11, the Company shall have the burden of proving Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification or advancement of Expenses, as the case may be.
(b) The Company shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 11 that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court or before any such arbitrator that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement. It is the intent of the Company that, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Indemnitee not be required to incur legal fees or other Expenses associated with the interpretation, enforcement or defense of Indemnitees rights under this Agreement by litigation or otherwise because the cost and expense thereof would substantially detract from the benefits intended to be extended to the Indemnitee hereunder. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against any and all Expenses and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall (within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor) advance such Expenses to Indemnitee, which are incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any action brought by Indemnitee for indemnification or advance of Expenses from the Company under this Agreement or under any directors and officers liability insurance policies maintained by the Company, regardless of whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to such indemnification, advancement of Expenses or insurance recovery, as the case may be, in the suit for which indemnification or advances is being sought.
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(c) The termination of any Proceeding or of any claim, issue or matter therein, by judgment, order, settlement or conviction, or upon a plea of guilty, nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not (except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement) of itself adversely affect the right of Indemnitee to indemnification or create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company or, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful. 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.
(d) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, other than Section 8, no determination as to entitlement of Indemnitee to indemnification under this Agreement shall be required to be made prior to the final disposition of the Proceeding.
(e) For purposes of any determination of good faith, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith if Indemnitees 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 the Board or counsel selected by any committee of the Board or on information or records given or reports made to the Enterprise by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser, investment banker or other expert selected with reasonable care by the Company or the Board or any committee of the Board. The provisions of this Section 11(e) shall not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any way the other circumstances in which the Indemnitee may be deemed to have met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in this Agreement.
Section 12. Non-exclusivity; Survival of Rights; Insurance; Subrogation.
(a) The rights of indemnification and to receive advancement of Expenses 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 Articles, the Bylaws, any agreement, a vote of shareholders 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 Pennsylvania law, whether by statute or judicial decision, permits greater indemnification or advancement of Expenses than would be afforded currently under the Articles, 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.
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(b) To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for directors, officers, employees, or agents of the Company or of any other Enterprise, 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. If, at the time of the receipt of a notice of a claim pursuant to the terms hereof, the Company has director and officer liability insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of such claim or of the commencement of a proceeding, as the case may be, to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the respective policies. The Company shall thereafter take all necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of the Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies.
[(c) The Company hereby acknowledges that Indemnitee may have certain rights to indemnification, advancement of expenses and/or insurance provided by ______ and/or certain of its affiliates (collectively, the Sponsor Indemnitors). The Company hereby agrees (i) that it is the indemnitor of first resort (i.e., its obligations to Indemnitee are primary and any obligation of the Sponsor Indemnitors to advance expenses or to provide indemnification for the same expenses or liabilities incurred by Indemnitee are secondary), (ii) that it shall be required to advance the full amount of expenses incurred by Indemnitee and shall be liable for the full amount of all Expenses, judgments, losses, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement to the extent legally permitted and as required by the terms of this Agreement, the Articles and the Bylaws (or any other agreement between the Company and Indemnitee), without regard to any rights Indemnitee may have against the Sponsor Indemnitors, and, (iii) that it irrevocably waives, relinquishes and releases the Sponsor Indemnitors from any and all claims against the Sponsor Indemnitors for contribution, subrogation or any other recovery of any kind in respect thereof. The Company further agrees that no advancement or payment by the Sponsor Indemnitors on behalf of Indemnitee with respect to any claim for which Indemnitee has sought indemnification from the Company shall affect the foregoing and the Sponsor Indemnitors shall have a right of contribution and/or be subrogated to the extent of such advancement or payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee against the Company. The Company and Indemnitee agree that the Sponsor Indemnitors are express third party beneficiaries of the terms of this Section 12(c).]*
(d) [Except as provided in Section 12(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 [(other than against the Sponsor Indemnitors)]*, 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.
(e) [Except as provided in Section 12(c),]* The Company shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any payment of amounts otherwise indemnifiable hereunder (or for which advancement is provided hereunder) if and to the extent that Indemnitee has otherwise actually received such payment under any insurance policy, contract, agreement or otherwise.
* | Bracketed language to be included in indemnification agreements between the Company and the Sponsor Indemnitors designees. |
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(f) [Except as provided in Section 12(c),]* The Companys obligation to indemnify or advance Expenses hereunder to Indemnitee who is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise shall be reduced by any amount Indemnitee has actually received as indemnification or advancement of Expenses from such other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise.
(g) The Company may create a fund of any nature, which may, but need not be, irrevocable or under the control of a trustee, or otherwise secure or insure in any manner, its obligations to indemnify and advance Expenses to the Indemnitee, whether arising under or pursuant to this Agreement or any other agreement or otherwise. In such case, the Indemnitee shall be an intended beneficiary of any such fund or arrangement.
Section 13. Duration of Agreement. This Agreement shall continue until and terminate upon the later of: (a) ten (10) years after the date that Indemnitee shall have ceased to serve as a director of the Company or (b) one (1) year after the final termination of any Proceeding then pending on such ten (10) year anniversary in respect of which Indemnitee is granted rights of indemnification or advancement of Expenses hereunder and of any proceeding commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 11 of this Agreement relating thereto. This Agreement shall be binding upon the Company and its successors and assigns and shall inure to the benefit of Indemnitee and his heirs, executors and administrators. The Company shall require and cause any successor (whether direct or indirect by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all, substantially all or a substantial part, of the business and/or assets of the Company, by written agreement in form and substance satisfactory to the Indemnitee, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place.
Section 14. Severability. If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal or 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 applicable law; (b) such provision or provisions shall be deemed reformed to the extent necessary to conform to applicable law and to give the maximum effect to the intent of the parties hereto; and (c) to the fullest extent 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.
Section 15. 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 a director of the Company, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this Agreement in serving as a director of the Company.
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(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; provided, however, that this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Articles, the Bylaws, the PBCL, any resolution of the Board providing for indemnification and applicable law, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder.
Section 16. Modification and Waiver. No supplement, modification or amendment, or waiver of any provision, of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by 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 of this Agreement nor shall any waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
Section 17. 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 or advancement of Expenses covered hereunder. The failure of Indemnitee 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.
Section 18. Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if (a) delivered by hand and receipted for by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed, (b) mailed by certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third business day after the date on which it is so mailed, (c) mailed by reputable overnight courier and receipted for by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed or (d) sent by facsimile transmission, with receipt of oral confirmation that such transmission has been received:
(a) If to Indemnitee, at the address indicated on the signature page of this Agreement, or such other address as Indemnitee shall provide to the Company.
(b) If to the Company to:
Attn: |
Facsimile: ( ) |
or to any other address as may have been furnished to Indemnitee by the Company.
Section 19. Contribution. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, if the indemnification provided for in this Agreement is unavailable to Indemnitee for any reason whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying Indemnitee, shall contribute to the amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether for judgments, losses, fines, penalties, excise taxes, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement and/or for Expenses, in connection with any claim relating to an indemnifiable event under this Agreement, in such proportion as is deemed fair and reasonable in
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light of all of the circumstances of such Proceeding in order to reflect (i) the relative benefits received by the Company and Indemnitee as a result of the event(s) and/or transaction(s) giving cause to such Proceeding; and/or (ii) the relative fault of the Company (and its directors, officers, employees and agents) and Indemnitee in connection with such event(s) and/or transaction(s).
Section 20. Applicable Law and Consent to Jurisdiction. This Agreement and the legal relations among the parties shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, without regard to its conflict of laws rules. Except with respect to any arbitration commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 11(a) of this Agreement, the Company and Indemnitee hereby irrevocably and unconditionally (i) agree that any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement shall be brought only in the state or federal courts located in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania (the Pennsylvania Court), and not in any other state or federal court in the United States of America or any court in any other country, (ii) consent to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Pennsylvania Court for purposes of any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement, (iii) waive any objection to the laying of venue of any such action or proceeding in the Pennsylvania Court, and (iv) waive, and agree not to plead or to make, any claim that any such action or proceeding brought in the Pennsylvania Court has been brought in an improper or inconvenient forum.
Section 21. 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.
Section 22. Miscellaneous. The headings 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.
[signature page follows]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be signed as of the day and year first above written.
COMPANY: | ||||
By: | ||||
Name: | ||||
Title: |
INDEMNITEE: | ||||
By: | ||||
Name: |
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