11,200,000 Shares GENERAL EMPLOYMENT ENTERPRISES, INC. Common Stock UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

EX-1.1 2 job_ex11.htm UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

EXHIBIT 1.1

 

11,200,000 Shares

 

GENERAL EMPLOYMENT ENTERPRISES, INC.

 

Common Stock

 

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

 

July 22, 2015

 

Roth Capital Partners, LLC 

As Representative of the several

Underwriters listed on Schedule I

888 San Clemente Drive

Newport Beach, CA 92660

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

General Employment Enterprises, Inc., an Illinois corporation (the "Company"), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated in this Underwriting Agreement ("Agreement"), to issue and sell to the several Underwriters listed on Schedule I hereto (collectively, the "Underwriters" and each an "Underwriter") an aggregate of 11,200,000 authorized but unissued shares (the "Underwritten Shares") of the common stock, no par value per share (the "Common Stock"), of the Company.The Company has granted the Underwriters the option to purchase an aggregate of up to 1,680,000 additional shares of Common Stock (the "Additional Shares") as may be necessary to cover over-allotments made in connection with the offering. The Underwritten Shares and Additional Shares are collectively referred to as the "Shares." Roth Capital Partners, LLC ("Roth") is acting as representative of the several Underwriters and in such capacity is hereinafter referred to as the "Representative").

 

The Company and the several Underwriters hereby confirm their agreement as follows:

 

1. Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-204080) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") and the rules and regulations (the "Rules and Regulations") of the Commission thereunder, and such amendments to such registration statement (including post effective amendments) as may have been required to the date of this Agreement and a preliminary prospectus supplement or "red herring" pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act. Such registration statement, as amended (including any post effective amendments) has been declared effective by the Commission. Such registration statement, including amendments thereto (including post effective amendments thereto), the exhibits and any schedules thereto, the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act and the documents and information otherwise deemed to be a part thereof or included therein by Rule 430B under the Securities Act or otherwise pursuant to the Rules and Regulations, is herein called the "Registration Statement." If the Company has filed or files an abbreviated registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the "Rule 462 Registration Statement"), then any reference herein to the term Registration Statement shall include such Rule 462 Registration Statement.

 

 
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The Company is filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act a final prospectus supplement relating to the Shares to a form of prospectus included in the Registration Statement. Such prospectus in the form in which it appears in the Registration Statement is hereinafter called the "Base Prospectus," and such final prospectus supplement as filed, along with the Base Prospectus, is hereinafter called the "Final Prospectus." Such Final Prospectus and any preliminary prospectus supplement or "red herring," in the form in which they shall be filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act (including the Base Prospectus as so supplemented) is hereinafter called a "Prospectus." Any reference herein to the Base Prospectus, the Final Prospectus or a Prospectus shall be deemed to include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act as of the date of such Prospectus.

 

For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, the Rule 462 Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, the Final Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval ("EDGAR") system. All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is "described," "contained," "included" or "stated" in the Registration Statement, the Rule 462 Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, the Final Prospectus or the Prospectus (or other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements, pro forma financial information and schedules and other information which are incorporated by reference in or otherwise deemed by the Rules and Regulations to be a part of or included in the Registration Statement, the Rule 462 Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, the Final Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, the Rule 462 Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, the Final Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to mean and include the subsequent filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), that is deemed to be incorporated therein by reference therein or otherwise deemed by the Rules and Regulations to be a part thereof.

 

2. Representations and Warranties of the Company Regarding the Offering.

 

(a) The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Underwriters, as of the date hereof and as of each Closing Date (as defined in Section 4(c) below) as follows:

 

(i) At each time of effectiveness, at the date hereof and at each Closing Date, the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto complied or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations and did not, does not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. The Time of Sale Disclosure Package (as defined in Section 2(a)(iv)(A)(1) below) as of the date hereof and at each Closing Date, and the Final Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, as of its date, at the time of filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act and at each Closing Date, did not, does not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The representations and warranties set forth in the two immediately preceding sentences shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement or any Prospectus in reliance upon, and in conformity with, written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representative specifically for use in the preparation thereof, which written information is described in Section 7(f). The Registration Statement (including each document incorporated by reference therein) contains all exhibits and schedules required to be filed by the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations. No order preventing or suspending the effectiveness or use of the Registration Statement or any Prospectus is in effect and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or are pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated or threatened by the Commission.

 

 
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(ii) The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and any Prospectus, when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, were filed on a timely basis with the Commission and none of such documents, when they were filed (or, if amendments to such documents were filed, when such amendments were filed), contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus, when such documents are filed with the Commission, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act, and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The Company certifications required by Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14 under the Exchange Act and Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act that are contained in the documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and any Prospectus complied with such laws and the rules and regulations thereunder.

 

(iii) The Company has not distributed any prospectus or other offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares other than the Prospectus and the Time of Sale Disclosure Package.

 

(iv) (A) The Company has provided a copy to the Underwriters of each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below) used in the sale of Shares. The Company has filed all Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses required to be so filed with the Commission, and no order preventing or suspending the effectiveness or use of any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus is in effect and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or are pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated or threatened by the Commission. When taken together with the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus, no Issuer Free Writing Prospectus , as of the date of first use and at all subsequent times through the completion of the public offer and sale of the Shares, has, does or will include (1) any untrue statement of a material fact or omission to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or (2) information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Final Prospectus. The representations and warranties set forth in the immediately preceding sentence shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Final Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon, and in conformity with, written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representative specifically for use in the preparation thereof. As used in this paragraph and elsewhere in this Agreement:

 

(1) "Time of Sale Disclosure Package" means the Base Prospectus, the Prospectus most recently filed with the Commission before the time of this Agreement, including any preliminary prospectus supplement deemed to be a part thereof, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and the description of the transaction provided by any Underwriter through the Representative included on Schedule II.

 

(2) "Issuer Free Writing Prospectus" means any "issuer free writing prospectus," as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act, relating to the Shares that (A) is required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, or (B) is exempt from filing pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) or (d)(8) under the Securities Act, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company's records pursuant to Rule 433(g) under the Securities Act. For the avoidance of doubt, the term "Issuer Free Writing Prospectus" shall not include any "free writing prospectus" (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) that was prepared by any Underwriter or provided to any person by any Underwriter without the knowledge and consent of the Company.

 

(B) At the time of filing of the Registration Statement and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an "ineligible issuer," as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act or an "excluded issuer" as defined in Rule 164 under the Securities Act.

 

(C) Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus satisfied, as of its date of first use and at all subsequent times of its use through the Prospectus Delivery Period, all other conditions as may be applicable to its use as set forth in Rules 164 and 433 under the Securities Act, including any legend, record-keeping or other requirements.

 

 
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(v) The (a) consolidated financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, together with the related notes, and (b) the financial statements of Scribe Solutions, Inc. ("Scribe"), a Florida corporation, together with the related notes, in each case, which are included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (1) comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act; (2) fairly present the financial condition of the Company and Scribe, respectively, as of the dates indicated and the results of operations and cash flows for the periods therein specified; (3) have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States ("GAAP") consistently applied throughout the periods involved; and (4) the supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement present fairly the information required to be stated therein. The assumptions used in preparing the pro forma financial statements incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus provide a reasonable basis for presenting the significant effects directly attributable to the transactions or events described therein, the related pro forma adjustments give appropriate effect to those assumptions, and the pro forma columns therein reflect the proper application of those adjustments to the corresponding historical financial statement amounts. No financial statements, pro forma financial information or schedules are required under the Securities Act to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus other than those that are incorporated by reference as required. To the Company's knowledge, (A) Friedman, LLP, which has expressed its opinion with respect to the consolidated financial statements and schedules of the Company and its subsidiaries filed as a part of the Registration Statement and included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations; and (B) Ralston & Company, PA, which has expressed an opinion with respect to the financial statements of Scribe that are incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus was an independent public accounting firm with respect to Scribe within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Rule and Regulations. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL) included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission's rules and guidelines applicable thereto.

 

(vi) The Company had a reasonable basis for, and made in good faith, each "forward-looking statement" (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Act or Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Final Prospectus or any roadshow or investor presentation delivered to and approved by the Representative for use in connection with the marketing or offering of the Shares (the "Marketing Materials").

 

(vii) All statistical or market-related data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus, or included in the Marketing Materials, are based on or derived from sources that the Company reasonably believes to be reliable and accurate, and the Company has obtained the written consent to the use of such data from such sources, to the extent required.

 

(viii) The Common Stock is registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and is included or approved for inclusion on the NYSE MKT. There is no action pending by the Company or, to the Company's knowledge, the NYSE MKT LLC to delist the Common Stock from the NYSE MKT, nor has the Company received any notification that the NYSE MKT LLC is contemplating terminating such listing. When issued, the Shares will be listed on the NYSE MKT and the Underwriter Warrant Shares shall be listed on the NYSE MKT or such other principal stock exchange on which the Common Stock is listed or traded on the date the Underwriter Warrant Shares are issued.

 

 
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(ix) The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action that is designed to or that has constituted or that would reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares.

 

(x) The Company is not and during the past three years neither the Company nor any predecessor was: (A) a blank check company as defined in Rule 419(a)(2) of the Securities Act, (B) a shell company, other than a business combination shell company, each as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act, or (C) an issuer for an offering of penny stock as defined in Rule 3a51-1 of the Exchange Act.

 

(xi) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the net proceeds thereof, will not be an "investment company," as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

(xii) The Company was at the time of filing the Registration Statement, and at the date hereof, remains eligible to use Form S-3 under the Securities Act. As of the date hereof, the sale of the Shares hereunder complies with the requirements of General Instruction I.B.6 of Form S-3.

 

(xiii) There are no material contracts or documents relating to the Company that are required to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that have not been so filed.

 

(b) Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to the Representative or to the Underwriters' counsel shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters as to the matters covered thereby.

 

3. Representations and Warranties Regarding the Company.

 

(a) The Company represents and warrants to and agrees with, the Underwriters, as of the date hereof and as of each Closing Date, except as otherwise set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, as follows:

 

 
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(i) Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has the power and authority (corporate or otherwise) to own its properties and conduct its business as currently being carried on and as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation in good standing in each jurisdiction in which it owns or leases real property or in which the conduct of its business makes such qualification necessary and in which the failure to so qualify would have or is reasonably likely to result in a material adverse effect upon the business, prospects, properties, operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or in its ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement ("Material Adverse Effect").

 

(ii) The Company has the power and authority to enter into this Agreement and the Underwriter Warrants (as defined below) and to authorize, issue and sell the Shares as contemplated by this Agreement and the Underwriter Warrants. This Agreement has been, and the Underwriter Warrants will be, duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company. This Agreement constitutes, and the Underwriting Agreement will constitute, valid, legal and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective terms, except as rights to indemnity hereunder may be limited by federal or state securities laws and except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting the rights of creditors generally and subject to general principles of equity.

 

(iii) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the Underwriter Warrants and the consummation of the transactions herein or therein contemplated will not (A) result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, any law, rule or regulation to which the Company or any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries is subject, or by which any property or asset of the Company or any such subsidiary is bound or affected, (B) conflict with, result in any violation or breach of, or constitute a default (or an event that with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, or give to others any right of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation (with or without notice, lapse of time or both) of, any agreement, lease, credit facility, debt, note, bond, mortgage, indenture or other instrument (the "Contracts") or obligation or other understanding to which the Company or any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries is a party of by which any property or asset of the Company or any such subsidiary is bound or affected, except to the extent that such conflict, default, termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation right is not reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or (C) result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, the Company's articles of incorporation or by-laws.

 

(iv) Neither the Company nor any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries is in violation or breach of, or in default under, its articles of incorporation, by-laws or other equivalent organizational or governing documents, except, in the case of any subsidiary of the Company, where the violation, breach or default is not reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(v) All consents, approvals, orders, authorizations and filings required on the part of the Company and its subsidiaries in connection with the execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement and the Underwriter Warrants have been obtained or made, other than such consents, approvals, orders and authorizations the failure of which to make or obtain is not reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

 
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(vi) All of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are duly authorized and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, and have been issued in compliance with all applicable securities laws, and conform to the description thereof in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. Except for the issuances of options or restricted stock in the ordinary course of business under the Company's existing equity incentive plans described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus since the respective dates as of which information is provided in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, the Company has not entered into or granted any convertible or exchangeable securities, options, warrants, agreements, contracts or other rights in existence to purchase or acquire from the Company any shares of the capital stock of the Company, other than this Agreement. The Shares, when issued and duly paid for as provided herein, will be duly authorized and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, will be issued in compliance with all applicable securities laws, and will be free of preemptive, registration or similar rights. The shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Underwriter Warrants (the "Underwriter Warrant Shares") have been reserved for issuance and, when issued, paid for and delivered upon exercise of the Underwriter Warrants, will be duly authorized and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, will be issued in compliance with all applicable securities laws, and will be free of preemptive, registration or similar rights.

 

(vii) Other than the subsidiaries of the Company set forth on Schedule III hereto, the Company does not own, directly or indirectly, any capital stock, partnership interest, membership interest or other equity or similar interest in any corporation, partnership, association, limited liability company, trust or other entity. The Company has implemented and maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act), and such controls and procedures are effective to ensure that (A) all material information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commission's rules and forms, and (B) all such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company's management, including its principal executive officer and principal financial officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

 

(viii) The Company has implemented and maintains a system of internal controls over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act) sufficient to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP, including, without limitation, that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management's general or specific authorizations, (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability, (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management's general or specific authorization, (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences, and (E) the interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission's rules and guidelines applicable thereto.

 

 
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(ix) Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has filed all returns (as hereinafter defined) required to be filed with taxing authorities prior to the date hereof, in each case, on a timely basis giving effect to any extension of the time for the filing thereof. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has paid all taxes (as hereinafter defined) shown as due on such returns that were filed and has paid all taxes imposed on or assessed against the Company or such respective subsidiary other than as described or reflected in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The provisions for taxes payable, if any, shown on the financial statements filed with or as part of the Registration Statement (including by way of incorporation by reference) are sufficient for all accrued and unpaid taxes, whether or not disputed, and for all periods to and including the dates of such consolidated financial statements. Except as disclosed in writing to the Representative, (i) no issues have been raised (and are currently pending) by any taxing authority in connection with any of the returns or taxes asserted as due from the Company or any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries, and (ii) no waivers of statutes of limitation with respect to the returns or collection of taxes have been given by or requested from the Company or its direct or indirect subsidiaries. The term "taxes" means all federal, state, local, foreign, and other net income, gross income, gross receipts, sales, use, ad valorem, transfer, franchise, profits, license, lease, service, service use, withholding, payroll, employment, excise, severance, stamp, occupation, premium, property, windfall profits, customs, duties or other taxes, fees, assessments, or charges of any kind whatever, together with any interest and any penalties, additions to tax, or additional amounts with respect thereto. The term "returns" means all returns, declarations, reports, statements, and other documents required to be filed in respect to taxes.

 

(x) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, (a) neither the Company nor any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries has incurred any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent, or entered into any material transactions other than in the ordinary course of business, (b) the Company has not declared or paid any dividends or made any distribution of any kind with respect to its capital stock; (c) there has not been any change in the capital stock of the Company or any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries (other than a change in the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock due to the issuance of shares upon the exercise of outstanding options or warrants or the issuance of restricted stock awards or restricted stock units under the Company's existing equity incentive plans described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or any new grants thereof in the ordinary course of business), (d) there has not been any material change in the Company's long-term or short-term debt, and (e) there has not been the occurrence of any Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xi) There is not pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, any action, suit or proceeding to which the Company or any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries is a party, of which any property or assets of the Company or any such subsidiary is the subject or which has as the subject thereof any executive officer or director of the Company (in such person's capacity as such) before or by any court or governmental agency, authority or body, or any arbitrator or mediator, which, if resolved adversely to the Company or such officer or director, as applicable, is reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xii) The Company and each of its subsidiaries holds, and is in compliance with, all franchises, grants, authorizations, licenses, permits, easements, consents, certificates and orders ("Permits") of any governmental or self-regulatory agency, authority or body required for the conduct of its business, and all such Permits are in full force and effect, in each case except where the failure to hold, or comply with, any of them is not reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

 
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(xiii) The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all property (whether real or personal) described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as being owned by them that are material to the business of the Company, in each case free and clear of all liens, claims, security interests, other encumbrances or defects, except those that are not reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The property held under lease by the Company and its subsidiaries is held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with only such exceptions with respect to any particular lease as do not interfere in any material respect with the conduct of the business of the Company and such subsidiaries.

 

(xiv) The Company and each of its subsidiaries owns or possesses or has valid right to use in the manner currently used in the business of the Company and such subsidiaries all patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, copyrights, licenses, inventions, trade secrets and other intellectual property ("Intellectual Property") necessary for the conduct of the business of the Company and such subsidiaries as currently carried on and as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. To the knowledge of the Company, none of the Intellectual Property owned or used by the Company or any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries, nor the conduct of the business thereof, infringes or otherwise violates any Intellectual Property of others, except where such violation is not reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries has received any notice alleging any such infringement or other violation of, or demanding that the Company enter into a license or pay fees for the use of, any Intellectual Property of others.

 

(xv) The Company and each of its subsidiaries has complied with, is not in violation of, and has not received any notice of violation relating to any law, rule or regulation relating to the conduct of its business, or the ownership or operation of its property and assets, including, without limitation, (A) the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, or any money laundering laws, rules or regulations, (B) any laws, rules or regulations related to health, safety or the environment, including those relating to the regulation of hazardous substances, (C) the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, (D) the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 and the rules and regulations thereunder, and (E) the Employment Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and the rules and regulations thereunder, in each case except where the failure to be in compliance is not reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xvi) Neither the Company nor any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, employee, representative, agent or affiliate of the Company or any such subsidiary is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department ("OFAC"); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Shares contemplated hereby, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.

 

(xvii) The Company and each of its subsidiaries carries, or is covered by, insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as is adequate for the conduct of its business and the value of its properties and as is customary for companies engaged in similar businesses in similar industries. The Company has obtained directors' and officers' insurance in such amounts as are reasonably prudent for the Company.

 

(xviii) No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent that is reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

 
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(xix) Neither the Company, its subsidiaries nor, to its knowledge, any other party is in violation, breach or default of any Contract that is reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xx) No supplier, customer, client or sales agent of the Company has notified the Company that it intends to discontinue or decrease the rate of business done with the Company, except where such decrease is not reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xxi) There are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right (other than rights which have been waived in writing or otherwise satisfied) to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company owned or to be owned by such person or to require the Company to include such securities in the securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or in any securities being registered pursuant to any other registration statement filed by the Company under the Securities Act.

 

(xxii) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, under any agreement or other instrument to which it is a party or is subject, (A) from paying any dividends to the Company, (B) from making any other distribution on such subsidiary's capital stock, (C) from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or (D) from transferring any of such subsidiary's material properties or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company.

 

(xxiii) There are no claims, payments, issuances, arrangements or understandings for services in the nature of a finder's, consulting or origination fee with respect to the introduction of the Company to any Underwriter or the sale of the Shares hereunder or any other arrangements, agreements, understandings, payments or issuances with respect to the Company that may affect the Underwriters' compensation, as determined by FINRA.

 

(xxiv) Except as disclosed to the Representative in writing, the Company has not made any direct or indirect payments (in cash, securities or otherwise) to (i) any person, as a finder's fee, investing fee or otherwise, in consideration of such person raising capital for the Company or introducing to the Company persons who provided capital to the Company, (ii) any FINRA member, or (iii) any person or entity that has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any FINRA member within the 12-month period prior to the date on which the Registration Statement was filed with the Commission ("Filing Date") or thereafter.

 

(xxv) None of the net proceeds of the offering will be paid by the Company to any participating FINRA member or any affiliate or associate of any participating FINRA member, except as specifically authorized herein.

 

(xxvi) To the Company's knowledge, no (i) officer or director of the Company or its direct or indirect subsidiaries, (ii) owner of 5% or more of the Company's unregistered securities or that of any such subsidiary or (iii) owner of any amount of the Company's unregistered securities acquired within the 180-day period prior to the filing with the Commission of the preliminary prospectus supplement relating to the offering contemplated hereby, has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any FINRA member. The Company will advise the Representative and the Underwriters' counsel if it becomes aware that any officer, director or shareholder of the Company or any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries is or becomes an affiliate or associated person of a FINRA member participating in the offering.

 

 
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(xxvii) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has not sold or issued any Common Stock during the six month period preceding the date of the Prospectus, including any sales pursuant to Regulation D under the Securities Act, other than shares issued pursuant to the Company's equity incentive plans described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or pursuant to outstanding options, rights or warrants described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

(xxviii) Other than the Underwriters, no person has the right to act as an underwriter or as a financial advisor to the Company in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

4. Purchase, Sale and Delivery of Shares.

 

(a) On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell the Underwritten Shares to the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the respective number of Underwritten Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto. The purchase price for each Underwritten Share shall be $0.651 per share (the "Per Share Price").

 

(b) The Company hereby grants to the Underwriters the option to purchase some or all of the Additional Shares and, upon the basis of the warranties and representations and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Underwriters shall have the right to purchase, severally and not jointly, all or any portion of the Additional Shares at the Per Share Price as may be necessary to cover over-allotments made in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby. The number of Additional Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter shall be the same percentage (as adjusted by the Representative to eliminate fractional shares) of the total number of Additional Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters as such Underwriter is purchasing of the Underwritten Shares. This option may be exercised by the Representative at any time (but not more than once) on or before the thirtieth day following the date hereof, by written notice from the Representative to the Company (the "Option Notice"). The Option Notice shall set forth the aggregate number of Additional Shares as to which the option is being exercised, and the date and time when the Additional Shares are to be delivered (such date and time being herein referred to as the "Option Closing Date"); provided, however, that the Option Closing Date shall not be earlier than the Firm Closing Date (as defined below) nor earlier than the first business day after the date on which the option shall have been exercised nor later than the fifth business day after the date on which the option shall have been exercised unless the Company and the Representative otherwise agree.

 

Payment of the purchase price for and delivery of the Additional Shares shall be made at the Option Closing Date in the same manner and at the same office as the payment for the Underwritten Shares as set forth in subparagraph (c) below.

 

 
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(c) The Underwritten Shares will be delivered by the Company to the Underwriters against payment of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer of same day funds payable to the order of the Company at the offices of Roth Capital Partners, LLC, 888 San Clemente Drive, Newport Beach, CA 92660, or such other location as may be mutually acceptable, at 6:00 a.m. PST, on the third (or if the Underwritten Shares are priced, as contemplated by Rule 15c6-1(c) under the Exchange Act, after 4:30 p.m. Eastern time, the fourth) full business day following the date hereof, or at such other time and date as the Representative and the Company determine pursuant to Rule 15c6-1(a) under the Exchange Act, or, in the case of the Additional Shares, at such date and time set forth in the Option Notice. The time and date of delivery of the Underwritten Shares is referred to herein as the "Firm Closing Date" and each of the Firm Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, is sometimes referred to herein as a "Closing Date." If the Representative so elects, delivery of the Underwritten Shares and Additional Shares may be made by credit through full fast transfer to the account at The Depository Trust Company designated by the Representative.

 

(d) On each Closing Date, the Company shall issue to the Underwriters (and/or their respective designees) warrants (each an "Underwriter Warrant" and, collectively, the "Underwriter Warrants"), in the form attached hereto as Schedule IV, for the purchase of (i) in the case of the Underwriter Warrants issuable on the Firm Closing Date, an aggregate of 1,120,000 shares of Common Stock, and (ii) in the case of the Underwriter Warrants issuable on the Option Closing Date, a number of shares of Common Stock equal to 10% of the Additional Shares purchased by the Underwriters on the Option Closing Date. The number of Underwriter Warrants shall be allocated among the Underwriters in proportion to the number of Shares underwritten by each Underwriter as set forth on Schedule I hereto.

 

5. Covenants.

 

(a) The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters as follows:

 

(i) During the period beginning on the date hereof and ending on the later of the Option Closing Date (if applicable) or such date, as determined by the Representative, the Prospectus is no longer required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an Underwriter or dealer (the "Prospectus Delivery Period"), prior to amending or supplementing the Registration Statement, including any Rule 462 Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, the Company shall furnish to the Underwriters for review and comment a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement, and the Company shall not file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which any Underwriter reasonably objects.

 

(ii) From the date of this Agreement until the end of the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company shall promptly advise the Underwriters in writing (A) of the receipt of any comments of, or requests for additional or supplemental information from, the Commission, (B) of the time and date of any filing of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, (C) of the time and date that any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement becomes effective and (D) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any order preventing or suspending its use or the use of the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or of any proceedings to remove, suspend or terminate from listing or quotation the Common Stock from any securities exchange upon which it is listed for trading or included or designated for quotation, or of the threatening or initiation of any proceedings for any of such purposes. If the Commission shall enter any such stop order at any time during the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company will use its reasonable efforts to obtain the lifting of such order at the earliest possible moment. Additionally, the Company agrees that it shall comply with the provisions of Rules 424(b), 430A and 430B, as applicable, under the Securities Act and will use its reasonable efforts to confirm that any filings made by the Company under Rule 424(b) or Rule 433 were received in a timely manner by the Commission (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8) or 164(b) of the Securities Act).

 

 
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(iii) (A) During the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company will comply with all requirements imposed upon it by the Securities Act, as now and hereafter amended, and by the Rules and Regulations, as from time to time in force, and by the Exchange Act, as now and hereafter amended, so far as necessary to permit the continuance of sales of or dealings in the Shares as contemplated by the provisions hereof, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. If during such period any event occurs the result of which the Prospectus (or if the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package ) would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances then existing, not misleading, or if during such period it is necessary or appropriate in the opinion of the Company or its counsel or the Representative or counsel to the Underwriters to amend the Registration Statement or supplement the Prospectus (or if the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package ) to comply with the Securities Act or to file under the Exchange Act any document that would be deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Prospectus in order to comply with the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, the Company will promptly notify the Underwriters, allow the Underwriters the opportunity to provide reasonable comments on such amendment, Prospectus supplement or document, and will amend the Registration Statement or supplement the Prospectus (or if the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package) or file such document (at the expense of the Company) so as to correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance.

 

(B) If at any time following the issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurs an event or development the result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or any Prospectus or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances prevailing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company or promptly will notify the Underwriters and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.

 

(iv) The Company shall take or cause to be taken all necessary action to qualify the Shares, for sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as any Underwriter reasonably designates and to continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Shares, except that the Company shall not be required in connection therewith to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified, to execute a general consent to service of process in any state or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise subject.

 

(v) The Company will furnish to the Underwriters and counsel for the Underwriters copies of the Registration Statement, each Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and all amendments and supplements to such documents, in each case as soon as available and in such quantities as the Underwriters may from time to time reasonably request.

 

(vi) The Company will make generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than 15 months after the end of the Company's current fiscal quarter, an earnings statement (which need not be audited) covering a 12-month period that shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 of the Rules and Regulations.

 

 
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(vii) The Company, whether or not the transactions contemplated hereunder are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, will pay or cause to be paid (A) all expenses (including transfer taxes allocated to the respective transferees) incurred in connection with the delivery to the Underwriters of the Shares, (B) all expenses and fees (including, without limitation, fees and expenses of the Company's counsel) in connection with the preparation, printing, filing, delivery, and shipping of the Registration Statement (including the financial statements therein and all amendments, schedules, and exhibits thereto), the Shares, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, (C) all reasonable filing fees and reasonable fees and disbursements of the Underwriters' counsel incurred in connection with the qualification of the Shares for offering and sale by any Underwriter or by dealers under the securities or blue sky laws of the states and other jurisdictions that any Underwriter shall designate, (D) the fees and expenses of any transfer agent or registrar, (E) the reasonable filing fees and reasonable fees and disbursements of Underwriters' counsel incident to any required review and approval by FINRA, of the terms of the sale of the Shares, (F) listing fees, if any, and (G) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder that are not otherwise specifically provided for herein. In addition to the foregoing, the Company will reimburse the Representative for its reasonable expenses incurred in connection with the purchase and sale of the Shares contemplated hereby (the "Underwriters' Expenses") up to a maximum amount of $75,000 for all such expenses unless the Company approves in writing Underwriters' Expenses in excess of such amount in advance. If this Agreement is terminated by the Representative in accordance with the provisions of Section 6 or Section 9, the Company will reimburse the Representative for all out-of-pocket disbursements (including, but not limited to, reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel, travel expenses, postage, facsimile and telephone charges) incurred by the Representative in connection with its investigation, preparing to market and marketing the Shares or in contemplation of performing its obligations hereunder; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to reimburse the Representative pursuant to this sentence for out-of-pocket disbursements in excess of $50,000 in the aggregate. For the avoidance of doubt, nothing contained in this paragraph shall be deemed to limit the Company's indemnification obligations set forth in Section 7.

 

(viii) The Company shall apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Shares to be sold by it hereunder for the purposes set forth in the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and in the Final Prospectus.

 

(ix) The Company has not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, during the Prospectus Delivery Period, any action designed to or which might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, or that has constituted, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares.

 

(x) The Company represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representative, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Company, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus; provided that the prior written consent of the parties hereto shall be deemed to have been given in respect of the free writing prospectuses included in Schedule II. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Company and the Representative is hereinafter referred to as a "Permitted Free Writing Prospectus." The Company represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an "issuer free writing prospectus," as defined in Rule 433, and has complied or will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including timely Commission filing where required, legending and record-keeping.

 

 
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(xi) The Company hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representative, it will not, during the period ending 90 days after the date hereof ("Lock-Up Period"), (i) offer, pledge, issue, sell, contract to sell, purchase, contract to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock; or (ii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise; or (iii) file any registration statement with the Commission relating to the offering of any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock. The restrictions contained in the preceding sentence shall not apply to (1) the Shares to be sold or the Underwriter Warrants issuable hereunder, (2) the issuance of Common Stock upon the exercise of options or warrants or the conversion of preferred stock disclosed as outstanding in the Registration Statement (excluding exhibits thereto), the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (3) the issuance of stock options and the grant of restricted stock awards or restricted stock units to directors, officers or employees or the issuance of Common Stock to directors, in each case pursuant to equity incentive plans described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or subsequently adopted by the Company or (4) the issuance by the Company of shares of Common Stock or securities convertible into, exchangeable for or that represent the right to receive shares of Common Stock in connection with the acquisition by the Company of the securities, business, technology, property or other assets of another person or entity. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (x) the Company issues an earnings release or material news, or a material event relating to the Company occurs, during the last 17 days of the Lock-Up Period, or (y) prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the Lock-Up Period, the restrictions imposed by this clause shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event, unless the Representative waives such extension in writing.

 

6. Conditions of the Underwriters' Obligations. The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder to purchase the Shares are subject to the accuracy, as of the date hereof and at each applicable Closing Date (as if made at such Closing Date), of and compliance with all representations, warranties and agreements of the Company contained herein, the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and the following additional conditions:

 

(a) If filing of the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, is required under the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations, the Company shall have filed the Prospectus (or such amendment or supplement) or such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus with the Commission in the manner and within the time period so required (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8) or 164(b) under the Securities Act); the Registration Statement shall remain effective; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof, any Rule 462 Registration Statement, or any amendment thereof, nor suspending or preventing the use of the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been issued; no proceedings for the issuance of such an order shall have been initiated or threatened; any request of the Commission or the Representative for additional information (to be included in or incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or otherwise) shall have been complied with to the Representative's satisfaction.

 

 
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(b) The Shares shall be qualified for listing on the NYSE MKT.

 

(c) FINRA shall have raised no objection to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements.

 

(d) The Representative shall not have reasonably determined, and advised the Company, that the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, contains an untrue statement of fact which, in the Representative's reasonable opinion, is material, or omits to state a fact which, in the Representative's reasonable opinion, is material and is required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and the Company shall not have promptly taken such action as is necessary to cure such untrue statement of material fact or material omission of fact in a manner acceptable to the Representative.

 

(e) On or after the date hereof (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded any of the Company's securities by any "nationally recognized statistical organization," as that term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities Act, and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, with possible negative implications, its rating of any of the Company's securities.

 

(f) On each applicable Closing Date, there shall have been furnished to the Representative the opinion and negative assurance letters of Loeb & Loeb LLP, dated such Closing Date and addressed to the Representative, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative, to the effect set forth in Schedule V.

 

(g) The Representative shall have received a letter of Friedman LLP and Ralston & Company, PA, on the date hereof and on each applicable Closing Date addressed to the Representative, confirming that they are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act and are in compliance with the applicable requirements relating to the qualifications of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X of the Commission, and confirming, as of the date of each such letter (or, with respect to matters involving changes or developments since the respective dates as of which specified financial information is given in the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, as of a date not prior to the date hereof or more than five days prior to the date of such letter), the conclusions and findings of said firm with respect to the financial information and other matters required by the Representative.

 

(h) On each applicable Closing Date, there shall have been furnished to the Representative a certificate, dated as of such Closing Date and addressed to the Representative, signed by the chief executive officer and the chief financial officer of the Company, in their capacity as officers of the Company, to the effect that:

 

 
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(i) The representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct in all material respects, as if made at and as of the applicable Closing Date, and the Company has complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to such Closing Date;

 

(ii) No stop order or other order (A) suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof or any amendment thereof, (B) suspending the qualification of the Shares for offering or sale, or (C) suspending or preventing the use of the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, has been issued, and no proceeding for that purpose has been instituted or, to their knowledge, is contemplated by the Commission or any state or regulatory body; and

 

(iii) There has been no occurrence of any event resulting or reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect during the period from and after the date of this Agreement and prior to the applicable Closing Date.

 

(i) On or before the date hereof, the Representative shall have received duly executed "lock-up" agreements, in a form acceptable to the Representative, between the Representative and the persons set forth on Schedule VI.

 

(j) On each applicable Closing Date, the Underwriters shall have received duly executed Underwriter Warrants.

 

(k) The Company shall have furnished to the Representative and counsel to the Underwriters such additional documents, certificates and evidence as the Representative or counsel to the Underwriters may have reasonably requested.

 

If any condition specified in this Section 6 shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement may be terminated by the Representative by notice to the Company at any time at or prior to the Firm Closing Date and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party, except that Section 5(a)(vii), Section 7 and Section 8 shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.

  

 
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7. Indemnification and Contribution.

 

(a) The Company agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and employees, and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which such Underwriter or such person may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation if such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company or otherwise in accordance with this Agreement), insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (i) an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, including the information deemed to be a part of the Registration Statement at the time of effectiveness and at any subsequent time pursuant to Rules 430A and 430B of the Rules and Regulations, or arise out of or are based upon the omission from the Registration Statement, or alleged omission to state therein, a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading (ii) an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto (including any documents filed under the Exchange Act and deemed to be incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement or the Prospectus), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Marketing Materials, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, (iii) in whole or in part, any inaccuracy in the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein, or (iv) in whole or in part, any failure of the Company to perform its obligations hereunder or under law, and will reimburse each Underwriter for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by it in connection with evaluating, investigating or defending against such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter through the Representative specifically for use in the preparation thereof, which written information is described in Section 7(f), other than losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or expenses relating thereto) that are finally judicially determined to have resulted from the bad faith or gross negligence of such Underwriter.

 

(b) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, will indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Company, its affiliates, directors, officers and employees, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation, if such settlement is effected with the written consent of such Underwriter), insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or arise out of or are based upon 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, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company through the Representative by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for use in the preparation thereof, which written information is described in Section 7(f), and will reimburse the Company for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with defending against any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action. Notwithstanding any contrary provision contained herein, no Underwriter shall be required to make indemnification payments in any amount, which, when added to all other amounts paid by such Underwriter pursuant to this Section 7, would exceed the amount of the Underwriter's discounts and commissions referenced in Section 4(a) actually received by such Underwriter pursuant to this Agreement.

 

 
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(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve the indemnifying party from any liability that it may have to any indemnified party except, in the case of liability pursuant to this Section 7, to the extent such indemnifying party has been materially prejudiced by such failure. In case any such action shall be brought against any indemnified party, and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate in, and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party, and after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of the indemnifying party's election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof, provided, however, that if (i) the indemnified party has reasonably concluded (based on advice of counsel) that there may be legal defenses available to it or other indemnified parties that are different from or in addition to those available to the indemnifying party, (ii) a conflict or potential conflict exists (based on advice of counsel to the indemnified party) between the indemnified party and the indemnifying party (in which case the indemnifying party will not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party), or (iii) the indemnifying party has not in fact employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to assume the defense of such action within a reasonable time after receiving notice of the commencement of the action, the indemnified party shall have the right to employ a single counsel to represent it in any claim in respect of which indemnity may be sought under subsection (a) or (b) of this Section 7, in which event the reasonable fees and expenses of such separate counsel shall be borne by the indemnifying party or parties and reimbursed to the indemnified party as incurred.

 

The indemnifying party under this Section 7 shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense by reason of such settlement or judgment. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement, compromise or consent to the entry of judgment in any pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is a party or could be named and indemnity was or would be sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement, compromise or consent (a) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability for claims that are the subject matter of such action, suit or proceeding and (b) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

 

(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 7 is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in subsection (a) or (b) above, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and each Underwriter on the other hand from the offering and sale of the Sharesor (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and each Underwriter on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and each Underwriter on the other hand shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Companybear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Final Prospectus. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or an Underwriter (through the Representative) and the parties' relevant intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The Company and each Underwriter agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this subsection (d) were to be determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (d). The amount paid by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending against any action or claim that is the subject of this subsection (d). Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount, which, when added to all other amounts paid by such Underwriter pursuant to this Section 7, would exceed the amount of the Underwriter's discounts and commissions referenced in Section 4(a) actually received by such Underwriter pursuant to this Agreement. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

 

 
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(e) The obligations of the Company under this Section 7 shall be in addition to any liability that the Company may otherwise have and the benefits of such obligations shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act; and the obligations of each Underwriter under this Section 7 shall be in addition to any liability that such Underwriter may otherwise have and the benefits of such obligations shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to the Company and its officers, directors and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act.

 

(f) For purposes of this Agreement, the Representative confirms, and the Company acknowledges, that there is no information concerning the Underwriters furnished in writing to the Company through the Representative by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for preparation of or inclusion in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, other than the statements set forth in the last paragraph on the cover page of the Prospectus and the statements set forth in the "Underwriting" section of the Prospectus and Time of Sale Disclosure Package, only insofar as such statements relate to the amount of selling concession and re-allowance or to over-allotment and related activities that may be undertaken by the Underwriters.

 

8. Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery. All representations, warranties and agreements of the Companyherein or in certificates delivered pursuant hereto, including, but not limited to, the agreements of each Underwriter and the Company contained in Section 5(a)(ix) and Section 7 hereof, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Representative or any Underwriter or any controlling person thereof, or the Company or any of its officers, directors, or controlling persons, and shall survive delivery of, and payment for, the Shares to and by the Underwriters hereunder.

 

9. Termination of this Agreement.

 

(a) The Representative shall have the right to terminate this Agreement by giving notice to the Company as hereinafter specified at any time at or prior to the Firm Closing Date, if in the discretion of the Representative, (i) there has occurred any material adverse change in the securities markets or any event, act or occurrence that has materially disrupted, or in the opinion of the Representative, will in the future materially disrupt, the securities markets or there shall be such a material adverse change in general financial, political or economic conditions or the effect of international conditions on the financial markets in the United States is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representative, inadvisable or impracticable to market the Shares or enforce contracts for the sale of the Shares (ii) trading in the Company's Common Stock shall have been suspended by the Commission or the NYSE MKT or trading in securities generally on the Nasdaq Global Market, Nasdaq Global Select Market, Nasdaq Capital Market, New York Stock Exchange or NYSE MKT shall have been suspended, (iii) minimum or maximum prices for trading shall have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities shall have been required, on the Nasdaq Global Market, Nasdaq Global Select Market, Nasdaq Capital Market, New York Stock Exchange or NYSE MKT, by such exchange or by order of the Commission or any other governmental authority having jurisdiction, (iv) a banking moratorium shall have been declared by federal or state authorities, (v) there shall have occurred any attack on, outbreak or escalation of hostilities or act of terrorism involving the United States, any declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war, any substantial change or development involving a prospective substantial change in United States or international political, financial or economic conditions or any other calamity or crisis, or (vi) the Company suffers any loss by strike, fire, flood, earthquake, accident or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or (vii) in the judgment of the Representative, there has been, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the assets, properties, condition, financial or otherwise, or in the results of operations, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as a whole, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 5(a)(vii) and Section 7 hereof shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination.

 

(b) If the Representative elects to terminate this Agreement as provided in this Section 9, the Company shall be notified promptly by the Representative by telephone, confirmed by letter.

 

 
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10. Default by One or More Underwriters. If on or prior to the Firm Closing Date any Underwriter shall fail or refuse to purchase Shares that it has agreed to purchase hereunder and the aggregate number of Shares which such defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed or refused to purchase does not exceed 10% of the aggregate number of Shares to be purchased on such date, the Representative may make arrangements reasonably satisfactory to the Company for the purchase of such Shares by other persons, but if no such arrangements are made by the Firm Closing Date, the other Underwriter(s) shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, in the proportions that the number of Shares set forth opposite their respective names on Schedule I bears to the aggregate number of Shares set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting Underwriter(s), or in such other proportions as may be specified by the Representative with the consent of the non-defaulting Underwriter(s), to purchase the Shares which such defaulting Underwriter(s) agreed but failed or refused to purchase on such date; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default. The term "Underwriter" as used in this Agreement shall include any person substituted under this Section with like effect as if such person had originally been a party to this Agreement with respect to such Shares. If on or prior to the Firm Closing Date any Underwriter shall fail or refuse to purchase Shares and the aggregate number of Shares with respect to which such default occurs exceeds 10% of the aggregate number of Shares to be purchased on such date, and arrangements reasonably satisfactory to the Representative and the Company for the purchase of such Shares are not made within 48 hours after such default, the Representative or the Company may terminate this Agreement without liability on the part of the Company or the Underwriters with respect thereto; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default. In any such case either the Representative or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Firm Closing Date, but in no event for longer than seven days in order that the required changes, if any, to the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or any other documents or arrangements may be effected..

 

11. Notices. Except as otherwise provided herein, all communications hereunder shall be in writing and, if to the Representative, shall be mailed, delivered or faxed to Roth Capital Partners, LLC, 888 San Clemente Drive, Newport Beach, CA 92660, fax number: (949) 720-7227, Attention: Equity Capital Markets; and if to the Company, shall be mailed, delivered or faxed to it at General Employment Enterprises, Inc., fax number: 630 ###-###-####, Attention: Derek Dewan; or in each case to such other address as the person to be notified may have requested in writing. Any party to this Agreement may change such address for notices by sending to the parties to this Agreement written notice of a new address for such purpose.

 

12. Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns and, in addition, Section 7 of this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns and the controlling persons, officers, directors, employees and each person, if any, who controls the Company or any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 or Section 20 of the Exchange Act referred to in Section 7. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give to any other person, firm or corporation any legal or equitable remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. The term "successors and assigns" as herein used shall not include any purchaser, as such purchaser, of any of the Shares from any Underwriter.

 

 
21
 

 

13. Absence of Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that: (a) the Underwriters have been retained solely to act as underwriter in connection with the sale of the Shares and that no fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship between the Company and any Underwriter has been created in respect of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is advising the Company on other matters; (b) the price and other terms of the Shares set forth in this Agreement were established by the Company following discussions and arms-length negotiations with the Underwriters and the Company is capable of evaluating and understanding and understands and accepts the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; (c) it has been advised that the Underwriters and their respective affiliates are engaged in a broad range of transactions that may involve interests that differ from those of the Company and that no Underwriter has any obligation to disclose such interest and transactions to the Company by virtue of any fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship; and (d) the Company has been advised that each Underwriter is acting, in respect of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, solely for the benefit of such Underwriter, and not on behalf of the Company.

 

14. Amendments and Waivers. No supplement, modification or waiver of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by the party to be bound thereby. The failure of a party to exercise any right or remedy shall not be deemed or constitute a waiver of such right or remedy in the future. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provision hereof (regardless of whether similar), nor shall any such waiver be deemed or constitute a continuing waiver unless otherwise expressly provided.

 

15. Partial Unenforceability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any section, paragraph, clause or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other section, paragraph, clause or provision.

 

16. Authority of Representative. In connection with this Agreement, the Representative will act for or on behalf of the several Underwriters, and any action taken under this Agreement by the Representative will be binding on all Underwriters.

 

17. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

 

18. Submission to Jurisdiction. The Company irrevocably (a) submits to the jurisdiction of any court of the State of California for the purpose of any suit, action, or other proceeding arising out of this Agreement, or any of the agreements or transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (each a "Proceeding"), (b) agrees that all claims in respect of any Proceeding may be heard and determined in any such court, (c) waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any immunity from jurisdiction of any such court or from any legal process therein, (d) agrees not to commence any Proceeding other than in such courts, and (e) waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claim that such Proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum. THE COMPANY (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, ON BEHALF OF ITS RESPECTIVE EQUITY HOLDERS AND CREDITORS) HEREBY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY CLAIM BASED UPON, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT AND THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED BY THIS AGREEMENT, THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT, AND THE PROSPECTUS.

 

19. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed and delivered (which may be by facsimile or other form of electronic transmission) in one or more counterparts and, if executed and delivered in more than one counterpart, the executed counterparts shall each be deemed to be an original and all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.

 

[Signature Page Follows.]

 

 

 
22
 

 

Please sign and return to the Company the enclosed duplicates of this letter whereupon this letter will become a binding agreement between the Company and the Representative in accordance with its terms.

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

  

 

 

GENERAL EMPLOYMENT ENTERPRISES, INC.

 

  

 

 

By:

/s/ Derek Dewan

 

Name:

Derek Dewan

 

Title:

Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board

 

Confirmed as of the date first above-

mentioned by the Representative on

behalf of itself and the several Underwriters.

 

ROTH CAPITAL PARTNERS, LLC

 

By: /s/ Aaron Gurewitz

Name: Aaron Gurewitz

Title: Head of Equity Capital Markets

 

[Signature page to Underwriting Agreement]

 

 
23
 

 

SCHEDULE I

 

 

 

Number of Underwritten Shares to be Sold

 

 

Number of Additional
Shares to be Sold

 

Roth Capital Partners, LLC

 

 

7,280,000

 

 

 

1,092,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maxim Group, LLC

 

 

3,920,000

 

 

 

588,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total

 

 

11,200,000

 

 

 

1,680,000

 

 

 
24
 

 

SCHEDULE II

 

None.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
25
 

 

SCHEDULE III

 

Subsidiaries

 

TRIAD PERSONNEL SERVICES, INC., an Illinois corporation 

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL, INC., an Ohio corporation  

BMPS, INC., an Ohio corporation 

BMCH, INC., an Ohio corporation  

BMCHPA, INC., a Pennsylvania corporation.  

TRIAD LOGISTICS, INC., an Ohio corporation.  

SCRIBE SOLUTIONS, INC., a Florida corporation

 

 
26
 

 

SCHEDULE IV

 

Form of Underwriter Warrant

 

NEITHER THESE SECURITIES NOR THE SECURITIES ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE OF THESE SECURITIES HAVE BEEN REGISTERED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR THE SECURITIES COMMISSION OF ANY STATE IN RELIANCE UPON AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES ACT"), AND, ACCORDINGLY, MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR PURSUANT TO AN AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS AS EVIDENCED BY A LEGAL OPINION OF COUNSEL TO THE TRANSFEROR TO SUCH EFFECT, THE SUBSTANCE OF WHICH SHALL BE REASONABLY ACCEPTABLE TO THE COMPANY. THESE SECURITIES AND THE SECURITIES ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE OF THESE SECURITIES MAY BE PLEDGED IN CONNECTION WITH A BONA FIDE MARGIN ACCOUNT SECURED BY SUCH SECURITIES.

 

GENERAL EMPLOYMENT ENTERPRISES, INC.

 

FORM OF UNDERWRITER WARRANT

 

Warrant No. [___] 

Original Issue Date: July [__], 2015

 

General Employment Enterprises, Inc., an Illinois corporation (the "Company"), hereby certifies that, as partial compensation for services, [________] or its registered assigns (the "Holder"), is entitled to purchase from the Company up to a total [________] ([____]) shares of Common Stock (each such share, a "Warrant Share" and all such shares, the "Warrant Shares"), at any time and from time to time beginning on July 22, 2016 (the "Exercisability Date") and through and including July 22, 2020 (the "Expiration Date"), and subject to the following terms and conditions:

 

1. Definitions. As used in this Warrant, the following terms shall have the respective definitions set forth in this Section 1.

 

"Affiliate" means any Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with a Person, as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 144 promulgated by the SEC pursuant to the Securities Act.

 

"Business Day" means any day except Saturday, Sunday and any day which is a federal legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or required by law or other governmental action to close.

 

"Common Stock" means the common stock of the Company, no par value per share, and any securities into which such common stock may hereafter be reclassified or for which it may be exchanged as a class.

 

"Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

"Exercise Price" means $0.84, subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 9.

 

 
27
 

 

"Fundamental Transaction" means any of the following: (1) the Company effects any merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another Person, (2) the Company effects any sale of all or substantially all of its assets in one or a series of related transactions, (3) any tender offer or exchange offer (whether by the Company or another Person) is completed pursuant to which holders of Common Stock are permitted to tender or exchange their shares for other securities, cash or property, or (4) the Company effects any reclassification of the Common Stock or any compulsory share exchange pursuant to which the Common Stock is effectively converted into or exchanged for other securities, cash or property.

 

"New York Courts" means the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York, Borough of Manhattan.

 

"Original Issue Date" means the Original Issue Date first set forth on the first page of this Warrant.

 

"Person" means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.

 

"SEC" means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

"Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

"Subsidiary" means any "significant subsidiary" as defined in Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X promulgated by the SEC under the Exchange Act.

 

"Trading Day" means (i) a day on which the Common Stock is traded or quoted on a Trading Market, or (ii) if the Common Stock is not traded or quoted on any Trading Market, a day on which the Common Stock is quoted in the over-the-counter market as reported on the applicable tier of OTC Markets LLC (or any similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices); provided, that in the event that the Common Stock is not traded or quoted as set forth in (i) or (ii) hereof, then Trading Day shall mean a Business Day.

 

"Trading Market" means whichever of the New York Stock Exchange, NYSE MKT, the NASDAQ Global Select Market, the NASDAQ Global Market, the NASDAQ Capital Market or the applicable tier of OTC Markets LLC on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date in question.

 

"Warrant Shares" means the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of this Warrant.

 

2. Registration of Warrant. The Company shall register this Warrant upon records to be maintained by the Company for that purpose (the "Warrant Register"), in the name of the record Holder hereof from time to time. The Company may deem and treat the registered Holder of this Warrant as the absolute owner hereof for the purpose of any exercise hereof or any distribution to the Holder, and for all other purposes, absent actual notice to the contrary.

 

 
28
 

 

3. Registration of Transfers. Subject to limitations set forth in Section 4 hereof, the Company shall register the transfer of any portion of this Warrant in the Warrant Register, upon surrender of this Warrant, with the Form of Assignment attached hereto duly completed and signed, to the Company at its address specified herein. Upon any such registration or transfer, a new Warrant to purchase Common Stock, in substantially the form of this Warrant (any such new Warrant, a "New Warrant"), evidencing the portion of this Warrant so transferred shall be issued to the transferee and a New Warrant evidencing the remaining portion of this Warrant not so transferred, if any, shall be issued to the transferring Holder. The acceptance of the New Warrant by the transferee thereof shall be deemed the acceptance by such transferee of all of the rights and obligations of a holder of a Warrant.

 

4. Exercise and Duration of Warrants. This Warrant shall be exercisable by the registered Holder at any time and from time to time from and after July 22, 2016) through and including the Expiration Date. At 6:30 p.m., New York City time on the Expiration Date, which in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(f)(2)(H) shall not be more than five (5) years from July 22, 2015, the portion of this Warrant not exercised prior thereto shall be and become void and of no value. The Company may not call or redeem any portion of this Warrant without the prior written consent of the affected Holder. This Warrant shall not be sold, transferred, assigned, pledged, or hypothecated, or be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put, or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of this Warrant by any person for a period of one year immediately following July 22, 2015, except as provided in FINRA Rule 5110(g)(2). In addition to the foregoing restrictions, for so long as this Warrant remains outstanding, the Holder will not and will cause its employees and controlled Affiliates not to, engage in any transaction constituting a "short sale" (as defined in Rule 200 of Regulation SHO under the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934 Act")) or "collar" (consisting of the establishment of open "put equivalent positions" within the meaning of Rule 16a-1(h) under the Exchange Act) with respect to any stock or securities of the Company in connection with, or in anticipation of, the exercise of this Warrant.

 

5. Delivery of Warrant Shares.

 

(a) To effect exercises hereunder, the Holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Warrant unless this Warrant is being exercised in full or for all of the remaining Warrant Shares issuable hereunder.Upon delivery of the Exercise Notice (in the form attached hereto) to the Company (with the attached Warrant Shares Exercise Log) at its address for notice set forth herein and upon payment of the Exercise Price multiplied by the number of Warrant Shares that the Holder intends to purchase hereunder, the Company shall promptly (but in no event later than three Trading Days) after the Date of Exercise (as defined herein) issue and deliver to the Holder, a certificate for the Warrant Shares issuable upon such exercise. The Company shall, upon request of the Holder and subsequent to the date on which a registration statement covering the resale of the Warrant Shares, if any, has been declared effective by the SEC, use its reasonable best efforts to deliver Warrant Shares hereunder electronically through the Depository Trust Company or another established clearing corporation performing similar functions, if available, provided, that, the Company may, but will not be required to change its transfer agent if its current transfer agent cannot deliver Warrant Shares electronically through the Depository Trust Company. A "Date of Exercise" means the date on which the Holder shall have delivered to the Company: (i) the Exercise Notice (with the Warrant Exercise Log attached to it), appropriately completed and duly signed and (ii) payment of the Exercise Price for the number of Warrant Shares so indicated by the Holder to be purchased. Payment of the Exercise Price shall be made in cash by check or wire transfer in immediately available funds for the number of Warrant Shares being purchased by the Holder upon such exercise.

 

 
29
 

 

(b) If by the fifth Trading Day after a Date of Exercise the Company fails to deliver the required number of Warrant Shares in the manner required pursuant to Section 5(a), then the Holder will have the right to rescind such exercise.

 

(c) If by the third Trading Day after a Date of Exercise the Company fails to deliver the required number of the Warrant Shares in the manner required pursuant to Section 5(a), and if after such third Trading Day and prior to the receipt of such Warrant Shares, the Holder purchases (in an open market transaction or otherwise) shares of Common Stock to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Holder of the shares of Common Stock issuable upon such exercise that the Holder anticipated receiving upon such exercise (a "Buy-In"), then the Company shall (1) pay in cash to the Holder the amount by which (x) the Holder's total purchase price (including brokerage commissions, if any) for the shares of Common Stock so purchased exceeds (y) the amount obtained by multiplying (A) the number of Warrant Shares that the Company was required to deliver to the Holder in connection with the exercise at issue by (B) the closing bid price of shares of Common Stock, on the Date of Exercise and (2) at the option of the Holder, either reinstate the portion of the Warrant and equivalent number of Warrant Shares for which such exercise was not honored or deliver to the Holder the number of shares of Common Stock that would have been issued had the Company timely complied with its exercise and delivery obligations hereunder. The Holder shall provide the Company written notice indicating the amounts payable to the Holder in respect of the Buy-In.

 

(d) The Company's obligations to issue and deliver Warrant Shares in accordance with the terms hereof are absolute and unconditional, irrespective of any action or inaction by the Holder to enforce the same, any waiver or consent with respect to any provision hereof, the recovery of any judgment against any Person or any action to enforce the same, or any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, limitation or termination, or any breach or alleged breach by the Holder or any other Person of any obligation to the Company or any violation or alleged violation of law by the Holder or any other Person, and irrespective of any other circumstance which might otherwise limit such obligation of the Company to the Holder in connection with the issuance of Warrant Shares. Nothing herein shall limit a Holder's right to pursue any other remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the Company's failure to timely deliver certificates representing Warrant Shares upon exercise of the Warrant as required pursuant to the terms hereof.

 

6. Charges, Taxes and Expenses. Issuance and delivery of Warrant Shares upon exercise of this Warrant shall be made without charge to the Holder for any issue or transfer tax, withholding tax, transfer agent fee or other incidental tax or expense in respect of the issuance of such certificates, all of which taxes and expenses shall be paid by the Company; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to pay any tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the registration of any certificates for Warrant Shares or Warrants in a name other than that of the Holder. The Holder shall be responsible for all other tax liability that may arise as a result of holding or transferring this Warrant or receiving Warrant Shares upon exercise hereof.

 

 
30
 

 

7. Replacement of Warrant. If this Warrant is mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed, the Company shall issue or cause to be issued in exchange and substitution for and upon cancellation hereof, or in lieu of and substitution for this Warrant, a New Warrant, but only upon receipt of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Company of such loss, theft or destruction and customary and reasonable indemnity (which shall not include a surety bond), if requested. Applicants for a New Warrant under such circumstances shall also comply with such other reasonable regulations and procedures and pay such other reasonable third-party costs as the Company may prescribe. If a New Warrant is requested as a result of a mutilation of this Warrant, then the Holder shall deliver such mutilated Warrant to the Company as a condition precedent to the Company's obligation to issue the New Warrant.

 

8. Reservation of Warrant Shares. The Company covenants that it will at all times reserve and keep available out of its authorized but unissued and otherwise unreserved Common Stock, solely for the purpose of enabling it to issue Warrant Shares upon exercise of this Warrant as herein provided, the number of Warrant Shares which are then issuable and deliverable upon the exercise of this entire Warrant, free from preemptive rights or any other contingent purchase rights of Persons other than the Holder (taking into account the adjustments and restrictions of Section 9). The Company covenants that all Warrant Shares so issuable and deliverable shall, upon issuance and the payment of the applicable Exercise Price in accordance with the terms hereof, be duly authorized, validly issued and fully paid and nonassessable.

 

9. Certain Adjustments. The Exercise Price and number of Warrant Shares issuable upon exercise of this Warrant are subject to adjustment from time to time as set forth in this Section 9.

 

(a) Stock Dividends and Splits. If the Company, at any time while this Warrant is outstanding, (i) pays a stock dividend on its Common Stock or otherwise makes a distribution on any class of capital stock that is payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivides outstanding shares of Common Stock into a larger number of shares, or (iii) combines outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case the Exercise Price shall be multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately before such event and of which the denominator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event. Any adjustment made pursuant to clause (i) of this paragraph shall become effective immediately after the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to receive such dividend or distribution, and any adjustment pursuant to clause (ii) or (iii) of this paragraph shall become effective immediately after the effective date of such subdivision or combination.

 

(b) Fundamental Transactions. If, at any time while this Warrant is outstanding there is a Fundamental Transaction, then the Holder shall have the right thereafter to receive, upon exercise of this Warrant, the same amount and kind of securities, cash or property as it would have been entitled to receive upon the occurrence of such Fundamental Transaction if it had been, immediately prior to such Fundamental Transaction, the holder of the number of Warrant Shares then issuable upon exercise in full of this Warrant (the "Alternate Consideration"). For purposes of any such exercise, the determination of the Exercise Price shall be appropriately adjusted to apply to such Alternate Consideration based on the amount of Alternate Consideration issuable in respect of one share of Common Stock in such Fundamental Transaction, and the Company shall apportion the Exercise Price among the Alternate Consideration in a reasonable manner reflecting the relative value of any different components of the Alternate Consideration. If holders of Common Stock are given any choice as to the securities, cash or property to be received in a Fundamental Transaction, then the Holder shall be given the same choice as to the Alternate Consideration it receives upon any exercise of this Warrant following such Fundamental Transaction. At the Holder's option and request, any successor to the Company or surviving entity in such Fundamental Transaction shall issue to the Holder a new warrant substantially in the form of this Warrant and consistent with the foregoing provisions and evidencing the Holder's right to purchase the Alternate Consideration for the aggregate Exercise Price upon exercise thereof. The terms of any agreement pursuant to which a Fundamental Transaction is effected shall include terms requiring any such successor or surviving entity to comply with the provisions of this paragraph (b) and ensuring that the Warrant (or any such replacement security) will be similarly adjusted upon any subsequent transaction analogous to a Fundamental Transaction.

 

 
31
 

 

(c) Number of Warrant Shares. Simultaneously with any adjustment to the Exercise Price pursuant to this Section 9, the number of Warrant Shares that may be purchased upon exercise of this Warrant shall be increased or decreased proportionately, so that after such adjustment the aggregate Exercise Price payable hereunder for the adjusted number of Warrant Shares shall be the same as the aggregate Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment.

 

(d) Calculations. All calculations under this Section 9 shall be made to the nearest cent or the nearest 1/100th of a share, as applicable. The number of shares of Common Stock outstanding at any given time shall not include shares owned or held by or for the account of the Company, and the disposition of any such shares shall be considered an issue or sale of Common Stock.

 

(e) Notice of Adjustments. Upon the occurrence of each adjustment pursuant to this Section 9, the Company at its expense will promptly compute such adjustment in accordance with the terms of this Warrant and prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment, including a statement of the adjusted Exercise Price and adjusted number or type of Warrant Shares or other securities issuable upon exercise of this Warrant (as applicable), describing the transactions giving rise to such adjustments and showing in detail the facts upon which such adjustment is based. Upon written request, the Company will promptly deliver a copy of each such certificate to the Holder and to the Company's Transfer Agent.

 

(f) Notice of Corporate Events. If the Company (i) declares a dividend or any other distribution of cash, securities or other property in respect of its Common Stock, including without limitation any granting of rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase any capital stock of the Company or any Subsidiary, (ii) authorizes or approves, enters into any agreement contemplating or solicits shareholder approval for any Fundamental Transaction or (iii) authorizes the voluntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Company, then the Company shall deliver to the Holder a notice describing the material terms and conditions of such transaction (but only to the extent such disclosure would not result in the dissemination of material, non-public information to the Holder) at least 10 calendar days prior to the applicable record or effective date on which a Person would need to hold Common Stock in order to participate in or vote with respect to such transaction, and the Company will take all steps reasonably necessary in order to give the Holder the practical opportunity to exercise this Warrant prior to such time so as to participate in or vote with respect to such transaction; provided, however, that the failure to deliver such notice or any defect therein shall not affect the validity of the corporate action required to be described in such notice.

 

10. [Intentionally Omitted].

 

11. [Intentionally Omitted].

 

 
32
 

 

12. Limitations on Exercise. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the number of Warrant Shares that may be acquired by the Holder upon any exercise of this Warrant (or otherwise in respect hereof) shall be limited to the extent necessary to insure that, following such exercise (or other issuance), the total number of shares of Common Stock then beneficially owned by such Holder and its Affiliates, together with the total number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by any other Persons with which the Holder may be deemed to be a member of a "group" for purposes of Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act, does not exceed 9.99% of the total number of issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock (including for such purpose the shares of Common Stock issuable upon such exercise), as determined by the Holder. For such purposes, beneficial ownership shall be determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. This provision shall not restrict the number of shares of Common Stock that a Holder may receive or beneficially own in order to determine the amount of securities or other consideration that such Holder may receive in the event of a Fundamental Transaction as contemplated in Section 9 of this Warrant. This restriction may not be waived. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Warrant, (a) no term of this Section may be waived by any party, nor amended such that the threshold percentage of ownership would be directly or indirectly increased, (b) this restriction runs with the Warrant and may not be modified or waived by any subsequent holder hereof and (c) any attempted waiver, modification or amendment of this Section will be void ab initio.

 

13. Registration Rights.

 

a. "Piggy-Back" Registration Rights. The Holder shall have the right, for no more than seven (7) years from July 22, 2015, to include all or any portion of the shares of Common Stock underlying this Warrant (the "Registrable Securities") as part of any other registration of securities filed by the Company (other than in connection with a transaction contemplated by Rule 145(a) promulgated under the Securities Act or pursuant to Form S-8 or any equivalent form); provided, however, that if, solely in connection with any primary underwritten public offering for the account of the Company, the managing underwriter(s) thereof shall, in its reasonable discretion, impose a limitation on the number of Warrant Shares which may be included in the registration statement because, in such underwriter(s)' judgment, marketing or other factors dictate such limitation is necessary to facilitate public distribution, then the Company shall be obligated to include in such registration statement only such limited portion of the Registrable Securities with respect to which the Holder requested inclusion hereunder as the underwriter(s) shall reasonably permit. Any exclusion of Registrable Securities shall be made pro rata among the Holders seeking to include Registrable Securities in proportion to the number of Registrable Securities sought to be included by such Holders; provided, however, that the Company shall not exclude any Registrable Securities unless the Company has first excluded all outstanding securities, the holders of which are not entitled to inclusion of such securities in such registration statement or are not entitled to pro rata inclusion with the Registrable Securities. Any holder of Registrable Securities may elect to withdraw such Holder's request for inclusion of Registrable Securities in any piggy-back registration by giving written notice to the Company of such request to withdraw prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement. The Company (whether on its own determination or as the result of a withdrawal by persons making a demand pursuant to written contractual obligations) may withdraw a registration statement at any time prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement. Notwithstanding any such withdrawal, the Company shall pay all expenses incurred by the Holders of Registrable Securities in connection with such piggy-back registration as provided in this Section 13. The Company shall bear all fees and expenses attendant to registering the Registrable Securities pursuant to this Section 13, including the reasonable and documented expenses of a single legal counsel selected by the Holders to represent them in connection with the sale of the Registrable Securities, but the Holders shall pay any and all underwriting commissions or brokerage fees related to the Registrable Securities. In the event of such a proposed registration, the Company shall furnish the then Holders of outstanding Registrable Securities with not less than fifteen (15) days written notice prior to the proposed date of filing of such registration statement. Such notice to the Holders shall continue to be given for each registration statement filed by the Company until such time as all of the Registrable Securities have been sold by the Holder. The holders of the Registrable Securities shall exercise the "piggy-back" rights provided for herein by giving written notice, within ten (10) days of the receipt of the Company's notice of its intention to file a registration statement. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause any registration statement filed pursuant to the piggyback right granted under this Section 13 to remain effective for a period of at least nine (9) consecutive months from the date that the Holders of the Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement are first given the opportunity to sell all of such securities.

 

 
33
 

 

b. Indemnification. The Company shall indemnify the Holder(s) of the Registrable Securities to be sold pursuant to any registration statement hereunder and each person, if any, who controls such Holders within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended ("Exchange Act"), against all loss, claim, damage, expense or liability (including all reasonable attorneys' fees and other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against litigation, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever, whether arising out of any action between any of the Underwriters (as defined below) and the Company or between the any of the Underwriters and any third party or otherwise) to which any of them may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, arising from such registration statement but only to the same extent and with the same effect as the provisions pursuant to which the Company has agreed to indemnify the Underwriters contained in the Underwriting Agreement between Roth Capital Partners, LLC, as representative of several underwriters, and the Company, dated as of July 22, 2015 (the "Underwriting Agreement"). The Holder(s) of the Registrable Securities to be sold pursuant to the Offering, and their successors and assigns, shall severally, and not jointly, indemnify the Company, against all loss, claim, damage, expense or liability (including all reasonable attorneys' fees and other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any claim whatsoever) to which they may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, arising from information furnished by or on behalf of such Holders, or their successors or assigns, in writing, for specific inclusion in such registration statement to the same extent and with the same effect as the provisions contained in Section 7 of the Underwriting Agreement pursuant to which the Underwriters have agreed to indemnify the Company.

 

c. The provisions of this Section 13 shall survive the expiration or exercise in full of this Warrant.

 

14. No Fractional Shares. No fractional shares of Common Stock will be issued in connection with any exercise of this Warrant. In lieu of any fractional shares which would, otherwise be issuable, the Company shall pay cash equal to the product of such fraction multiplied by the closing price of one Warrant Share as reported by the applicable Trading Market on the date of exercise.

 

15. Notices. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries hereunder (including, without limitation, any Exercise Notice) shall be in writing and shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of (i) the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number specified in this Section prior to 6:30 p.m. (New York City time) on a Trading Day, (ii) the next Trading Day after the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number specified in this Section on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 6:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any Trading Day, (iii) the Trading Day following the date of mailing, if sent by nationally recognized overnight courier service, or (iv) upon actual receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given. The addresses for such communications shall be: (i) if to the Company, to General Employment Enterprises, Inc., 184 Shuman Blvd., Suite 420, Naperville, IL 60563, Attn: Andrew Norstrud, or to Facsimile No.: 630 ###-###-#### (or such other address as the Company shall indicate in writing in accordance with this Section), or (ii) if to the Holder, to the address or facsimile number appearing on the Warrant Register or such other address or facsimile number as the Holder may provide to the Company in accordance with this Section.

 

16. Warrant Agent. The Company shall serve as warrant agent under this Warrant. Upon 10 days' notice to the Holder, the Company may appoint a new warrant agent. Any corporation into which the Company or any new warrant agent may be merged or any corporation resulting from any consolidation to which the Company or any new warrant agent shall be a party or any corporation to which the Company or any new warrant agent transfers substantially all of its corporate trust or shareholders services business shall be a successor warrant agent under this Warrant without any further act. Any such successor warrant agent shall promptly cause notice of its succession as warrant agent to be mailed (by first class mail, postage prepaid) to the Holder at the Holder's last address as shown on the Warrant Register.

 

 
34
 

 

17. Miscellaneous.

 

(a) This Warrant shall be binding on and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. Subject to the preceding sentence, nothing in this Warrant shall be construed to give to any Person other than the Company and the Holder any legal or equitable right, remedy or cause of action under this Warrant. This Warrant may be amended only in writing signed by the Company and the Holder and their successors and assigns.

 

(b) All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Warrant shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof. Each party agrees that all legal proceedings concerning the interpretations, enforcement and defense of, or disputes arising under or in connection with, this Warrant and the transactions contemplated hereby or discussed herein ("Proceedings") (whether brought against a party hereto or its respective Affiliates, employees or agents) shall be commenced exclusively in the New York Courts. Each party hereto hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the New York Courts for the adjudication of any Proceeding, and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any Proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any New York Court, or that such Proceeding has been commenced in an improper or inconvenient forum. Each party hereto hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such Proceeding by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Warrant and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any manner permitted by law. Each party hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any Proceeding. If either party shall commence a Proceeding to enforce any provisions of this Warrant, then the prevailing party in such Proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for its attorney's fees and other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such Proceeding.

 

(c) The headings herein are for convenience only, do not constitute a part of this Warrant and shall not be deemed to limit or affect any of the provisions hereof.

 

(d) In case any one or more of the provisions of this Warrant shall be invalid or unenforceable in any respect, the validity and enforceability of the remaining terms and provisions of this Warrant shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and the parties will attempt in good faith to agree upon a valid and enforceable provision which shall be a commercially reasonable substitute therefor, and upon so agreeing, shall incorporate such substitute provision in this Warrant.

 

(e) Prior to exercise of this Warrant, the Holder hereof shall not, by reason of being a Holder, be entitled to any rights of a shareholder with respect to the Warrant Shares.

 

[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK,

 

SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]

 

 
35
 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant to be duly executed by its authorized officer as of the date first indicated above.

 

 

GENERAL EMPLOYMENT ENTERPRISES, INC. 

  

By:

Name:

Derek Dewan

Title:

Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board

 

 

[Signature Page to Warrant]

 

 
36
 

  

EXERCISE NOTICE

GENERAL EMPLOYMENT ENTERPRISES, INC.

WARRANT DATED ________

 

The undersigned Holder hereby irrevocably elects to purchase _____ shares of Common Stock pursuant to the above referenced Warrant. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined have the respective meanings set forth in the Warrant.

 

(1)

The undersigned Holder hereby exercises its right to purchase _____ Warrant Shares pursuant to the Warrant at an exercise price per share of $[ ], and requests that the certificates for such Warrant Shares be issued, in the name of, and delivered to:

 

______________________________________

 

______________________________________

 

______________________________________

 

______________________________________

 

(2)

Pursuant to this Exercise Notice, the Company shall deliver to the holder _____ Warrant Shares in accordance with the terms of the Warrant.

 

 

Dated: ________________, ________

Name of Holder:

 

 

 

 

 

(Print)

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name;

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

(Signature must conform in all respects to name of
holder as specified on the face of the Warrant)

 

 

 
37
 

 

Warrant Shares Exercise Log

 

Date

 

Number of Warrant Shares
Available to be Exercised

 

Number of Warrant
Shares Exercised

 

Number of Warrant Shares
Remaining to be Exercised

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
38
 

 

GENERAL EMPLOYMENT ENTERPRISES, INC.

WARRANT DATED ________

WARRANT NO. [___]

 

FORM OF ASSIGNMENT

 

[To be completed and signed only upon transfer of Warrant]

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto _____ the right represented by the above-captioned Warrant to purchase _____ shares of Common Stock to which such Warrant relates and appoints _____ attorney to transfer said right on the books of the Company with full power of substitution in the premises.

 

 

Dated: _________________________, __________

______________________________________

(Signature must conform in all respects to name of

holder as specified on the face of the Warrant)

 

______________________________________

Address of Transferee:

_______________________________________

 

_______________________________________

 

 

In the presence of

 

____________________________

 

 
39
 

 

SCHEDULE V

 

Company Opinions

 

[Intentionally Omitted]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
40
 

 

 

SCHEDULE VI

 

Parties to Lock-up

 

Derek Dewan

Andrew J. Norstrud

Alex Stuckey

Thomas Williams

Arthur Laffer

George A. Bajalia

Peter J. Tanous

William M. Isaac

Brittany M. Dewan, as trustee of

Derek E. Dewan Irrevocable Trust II, dated 27th of July 2010

Brittany M. Dewan, individually

 

 

41