2,300,000 Common Units GLOBAL PARTNERS LP Representing Limited Partner Interests UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
Exhibit 1.1
2,300,000 Common Units
GLOBAL PARTNERS LP
Representing Limited Partner Interests
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
February 3, 2011
MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH
INCORPORATED
BARCLAYS CAPITAL INC.
J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC
As Representatives of the several
Underwriters named in Schedule 1 attached hereto,
c/o Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated
One Bryant Park
New York, NY 10036
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Global Partners LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the Partnership), proposes to issue and sell 2,300,000 common units (the Firm Units), each representing a limited partner interest in the Partnership (the Common Units), to the underwriters (the Underwriters) named in Schedule 1 attached to this agreement (this Agreement). In addition, the Partnership proposes to grant to the Underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional 345,000 Common Units on the terms set forth in Section 2 (the Option Units). The Firm Units and the Option Units, if purchased, are hereinafter collectively called the Units.
This is to confirm the agreement among the Partnership, Global GP LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the General Partner), and Global Operating LLC, a Delaware LLC (Global Operating and, together with the Partnership and the General Partner, the Partnership Parties), and the Underwriters concerning the purchase of the Units by the Underwriters. Global Companies LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (Global Companies), Global Montello Group Corp., a Delaware corporation (Global Montello), Chelsea Sandwich LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (Chelsea Sandwich), Glen Hes Corp., a Delaware corporation (Glen Hes), and Global Energy Marketing, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (Global Marketing), are herein referred to as the Operating Subsidiaries. The Partnership Parties and the Operating Subsidiaries are herein referred to as the Partnership Entities.
1. Representations, Warranties and Agreements of the Partnership Parties. The Partnership Parties jointly and severally represent, warrant and agree that:
(a) Registration; Definitions; No Stop Order. A registration statement on Form S-3 relating to the Units has (i) been prepared by the Partnership in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), and
the rules and regulations (the Rules and Regulations) of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) thereunder; (ii) been filed with the Commission under the Securities Act; and (iii) become effective under the Securities Act. Copies of such registration statement and any amendment thereto have been made available by the Partnership to you as the representatives (the Representatives) of the Underwriters. As used in this Agreement:
(i) Applicable Time means 8:45 a.m. (New York City time) February 3, 2011;
(ii) Effective Date means any date as of which any part of such registration statement relating to the Units became, or is deemed to have become, effective under the Securities Act in accordance with the Rules and Regulations;
(iii) Issuer Free Writing Prospectus means each free writing prospectus (as defined in Rule 405 of the Rules and Regulations) or issuer free writing prospectus (as defined in Rule 433 of the Rules and Regulations) prepared by or on behalf of the Partnership or used or referred to by the Partnership in connection with the offering of the Units;
(iv) Preliminary Prospectus means any preliminary prospectus relating to the Units included in such registration statement or filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations, including any preliminary prospectus supplement thereto relating to the Units;
(v) Pricing Disclosure Package means, as of the Applicable Time, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, together with the pricing information included in Schedule 4 hereto and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus filed or used by the Partnership on or before the Applicable Time, other than a road show that is an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus under Rule 433 of the Rules and Regulations;
(vi) Prospectus means the final prospectus relating to the Units, including any prospectus supplement thereto relating to the Units, as filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations; and
(vii) Registration Statement means, collectively, the various parts of such registration statement, each as amended as of the Effective Date for such part, including any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus and all exhibits to such registration statement.
Any reference to any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Form S-3 under the Securities Act as of the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be. Any reference to the most recent Preliminary Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to the latest Preliminary Prospectus included in the Registration Statement or filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) prior to or on the date hereof. Any reference to any amendment or supplement to any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall
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be deemed to refer to and include any document filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act), after the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, and incorporated by reference in such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be; and any reference to any amendment to the Registration Statement shall be deemed to include any annual report of the Partnership on Form 10-K filed with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the original Effective Date that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement. The Commission has not issued any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and no proceeding or examination for such purpose has be en instituted or threatened by the Commission.
(b) Not an Ineligible Issuer. The Partnership was not at the time of initial filing of the Registration Statement and at the earliest time thereafter that the Partnership or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the Rules and Regulations) of the Units, is not on the date hereof and will not be on the applicable Delivery Date an ineligible issuer (as defined in Rule 405). The Partnership has been since the time of initial filing of the Registration Statement and continues to be eligible to use Form S-3 for the offering of the Units.
(c) Form of Documents. The Registration Statement conformed and will conform in all material respects on the Effective Date and on the applicable Delivery Date, and any amendment to the Registration Statement filed after the date hereof will conform in all material respects when filed, to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations. The most recent Preliminary Prospectus conformed, and the Prospectus will conform, in all material respects when filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) and on the applicable Delivery Date to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations. The documents incorporated by reference in any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus conformed, and any further documents so incorporated will conform, when filed with the Commission, in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act or the Securities Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
(d) Registration Statement. The Registration Statement did not, as of each Effective Date, contain an 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; provided that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Partnership through the Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information is specified in Section 8(e).
(e) Prospectus. The Prospectus will not, as of its date and on the applicable Delivery Date, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Prospectus in reliance upon
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and in conformity with written information furnished to the Partnership through the Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information is specified in Section 8(e).
(f) Documents Incorporated by Reference. The documents incorporated by reference in any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus did not, and any further documents filed and incorporated by reference therein will not, when filed with the Commission, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(g) Pricing Disclosure Package. The Pricing Disclosure Package did not, as of the Applicable Time, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Pricing Disclosure Package in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Partnership through the Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information is specified in Section 8(e).
(h) Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and Pricing Disclosure Package. Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (including, without limitation, any road show that is a free writing prospectus under Rule 433), when considered together with the Pricing Disclosure Package as of the Applicable Time, did not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(i) Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conformed or will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations on the date of first use, and the Partnership has complied with any filing requirements applicable to such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus pursuant to the Rules and Regulations. The Partnership has not made any offer relating to the Units that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus without the prior written consent of the Representatives, except as set forth on Schedule 2 hereto. The Partnership has retained in accordance with the Rules and Regulations all Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses that were not required to be filed pursuant to the Rules and Regulations.
(j) Formation and Qualification of the Partnership. The Partnership has been duly formed and is validly existing in good standing as a limited partnership under the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act (the Delaware LP Act) with full partnership power and authority to own or lease its properties and to conduct its business in all material respects as described in the Registration Statement. The Partnership is duly registered or qualified as a foreign limited partnership for the transaction of business under the laws of each jurisdiction in which the character of the business conducted by it or the nature or location of the properties owned or leased by it makes such registration or
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qualification necessary, except where the failure to so register or qualify would not (i) have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), business, prospects, assets or results of operations of the Partnership Entities, taken as a whole (a Material Adverse Effect), or (ii) subject the limited partners of the Partnership to any material liability or disability.
(k) Formation and Qualification of the General Partner, Global Operating, Global Companies, Global Marketing and Chelsea Sandwich. Each of the General Partner, Global Operating, Global Companies, Global Marketing and Chelsea Sandwich has been duly formed and is validly existing in good standing as a limited liability company under the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act (the Delaware LLC Act) with full limited liability company power and authority to own or lease its properties and to conduct its business, and, in the case of the General Partner, to act as general partner of the Partnership. Each of the General Partner, Global Operating, Global Companies, Global Marketing and Chelsea Sandwich is, or at each Delivery Date will be, duly registered or qualified as a foreign limited liability c ompany for the transaction of business under the laws of each jurisdiction in which the character of the business conducted by it or the nature or location of the properties owned or leased by it makes such registration or qualification necessary, except where the failure so to register or qualify would not (i) have a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) subject the limited partners of the Partnership to any material liability or disability.
(l) Formation and Qualification of the Global Montello and Glen Hes. Each of Global Montello and Glen Hes has been duly incorporated and is validly existing in good standing as a corporation under the Delaware General Corporation Law (the DGCL) with full corporate power and authority to own or lease its properties and to conduct its business. Each of Global Montello and Glen Hes is, or at each Delivery Date will be, duly registered or qualified as a foreign corporation for the transaction of business under the laws of each jurisdiction in which the character of the business conducted by it or the nature or location of the properties owned or leased by it makes such registration or qualification necessary, except where the failure so to register or qualify would not (i) have a Materi al Adverse Effect or (ii) subject the limited partners of the Partnership to any material liability or disability.
(m) Ownership of the General Partner. Alfred Slifka, Richard Slifka, trusts for the benefit of certain of their family members, Larea Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (Larea), and Larea Holdings II LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (Larea II), own all of the membership interests in the General Partner; such membership interests have been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the limited liability company agreement of the General Partner (the General Partner LLC Agreement) and are fully paid (to the extent required under the General Partner LLC Agreement) and nonassessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by Sections 18-607 and 18-804 of the Delaware LLC Act); and each member of the General Partner owns its membership interest in the General Partner free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, security interests, charges or claims (Liens), except restrictions on transferability contained in the General Partner LLC Agreement and the organizational documents of each such member, as applicable.
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(n) Ownership of the General Partner Interest in the Partnership. The General Partner is the sole general partner of the Partnership with a 1.20% general partner interest in the Partnership as of the date hereof (1.07% on the Initial Delivery Date, assuming no purchase of the Option Units on such date); such general partner interest has been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the Third Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Partnership (the Partnership Agreement); and the General Partner owns such general partner interest free and clear of all Liens, except restrictions on transferability contained in the Partnership Agreement and the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated May 14, 2010, by and among the Partnership, the General Partner, Global Oper ating, Global Companies, Global Montello, Chelsea Sandwich, Global Marketing, Gen Hes and GLP Finance (as defined below), Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent, and the other financial institutions party thereto, as amended (the Credit Agreement).
(o) Capitalization of the Partnership. As of the date hereof, the issued and outstanding limited partner interests of the Partnership consist of 13,293,139 Common Units, 5,642,424 subordinated units, each representing a limited partner interest in the Partnership (the Subordinated Units), and the Incentive Distribution Rights (as such term is defined in the Partnership Agreement). All such Common Units, Subordinated Units and Incentive Distribution Rights and the limited partner interests represented thereby have been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the Partnership Agreement and are fully paid (to the extent required under the Partnership Agreement) and nonassessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by Sections 17-607 and 17-804 of the Delaware LP Act).
(p) Ownership of the Sponsor Units. Global Petroleum Corp., a Massachusetts corporation (Global Petroleum), Montello Oil Corporation, a New Jersey corporation (Montello Oil), Sandwich Terminal, L.L.C., a Massachusetts limited liability company (Sandwich Terminal), Chelsea Terminal Limited Partnership, a Massachusetts limited partnership (Chelsea Terminal), Larea, Larea II, Alfred Slifka, Richard Slifka and trusts for the benefit of certain of their family members collectively own 7,424 Common Units and all 5,642,424 Subordinated Units (collectively, the Sponsor Units); Global Petroleum, Montello Oil, Sandwich Terminal, Chelsea Terminal, Larea and Larea II own their respective Sponsor Units and the General Partner owns all of the Incentive Distribution Rights free and clear of all Liens, except restrictions on transferability contained in the Partnership Agreement and the organizational documents of each such owner of the Sponsor Units, as applicable. Alfred Slifka, Richard Slifka and trusts for the benefit of certain of their family members own their respective Sponsor Units free and clear of all Liens, except restrictions on transferability contained in the General Partner LLC Agreement and the trust instrument of each such trust, as applicable.
(q) Ownership of Global Operating. The Partnership owns a 100% membership interest in Global Operating; such membership interest has been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the limited liability company agreement of Global Operating (the Global Operating LLC Agreement) and is fully paid (to the extent required under the Global Operating LLC Agreement) and nonassessable (except
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as such nonassessability may be affected by Sections 18-607 and 18-804 of the Delaware LLC Act); and the Partnership owns such membership interest free and clear of all Liens, other than those created pursuant to the Credit Agreement.
(r) Ownership of Global Companies, Chelsea Sandwich, Global Marketing and Glen Hes. Global Operating owns a 100% membership interest in each of Global Companies, Chelsea Sandwich and Global Marketing and 100% of the capital stock of Global Montello; and Global Companies owns 100% of the capital stock of Glen Hes, in each case free and clear of all Liens, other than those created pursuant to the Credit Agreement. In the case of Operating Subsidiaries that are limited liability companies, such membership interests have been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with their respective limited liability company agreement (collectively, the Operating Subsidiary LLC Agreements) and are fully paid (to the extent required under the applicable Operating Subsidiary LLC Agreement) and non assessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by Sections 18-607 and 18-804 of the Delaware LLC Act). In the case of Operating Subsidiaries that are corporations, such capital stock has been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the DGCL and the charters and bylaws of such corporations and is fully paid and nonassessable.
(s) No Other Subsidiaries. Other than the ownership interests in Global Operating, GLP Finance Corp., a Delaware corporation (GLP Finance), Global Companies, Global Montello, Chelsea Sandwich, Global Marketing and Glen Hes, the Partnership does not own, directly or indirectly, and at each Delivery Date will not own, directly or indirectly, any equity or long-term debt securities of any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, association or other entity. Other than its ownership of its partnership interests in the Partnership, the General Partner does not own, and at each Delivery Date will not own, directly or indirectly, any equity or long-term debt securities of any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, association or other entity. 60; GLP Finance was formed for the sole purpose of being a co-issuer of the Partnerships debt and has no operating assets.
(t) Valid Issuance of the Units. The Units to be issued and sold by the Partnership to the Underwriters hereunder have been duly authorized and, upon payment and delivery in accordance with this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid (to the extent required under the Partnership Agreement) and nonassessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by Sections 17-607 and 17-804 of the Delaware LP Act) and will conform in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus.
(u) No Preemptive Rights, Registration Rights or Options. Except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and for restrictions on transfer contained in the Organizational Documents (as defined below) and the Credit Agreement, there are no preemptive rights or other rights to subscribe for or to purchase, nor any restriction upon the voting or transfer of any equity securities of, any of the Partnership Entities. Neither the filing of the Registration Statement nor the offering or sale of the Units as contemplated by this Agreement gives rise to any rights for or relating to the registration of any Units or other securities of any of the Partnership Entities. There are
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no outstanding options or warrants to purchase any equity interests in any Partnership Entity.
(v) Authority and Authorization. Each of the Partnership Parties has all requisite partnership or limited liability company power and authority, as the case may be, to execute and deliver this Agreement and perform its respective obligations hereunder. The Partnership has all requisite partnership power and authority to issue, sell and deliver the Units, in accordance with and upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the Partnership Agreement and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus. On each Delivery Date, all corporate, partnership and limited liability company action, as the case may be, required to be taken by the Partnership Entities or any of their respective stockholders, members or partners for the authorization, issuance, sale and delivery of the Units, the execution and deliver y by the Partnership Parties of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall have been validly taken.
(w) Authorization of this Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each of the Partnership Parties.
(x) Enforceability of Organizational Agreements.
(i) The Partnership Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the General Partner and is a valid and legally binding agreement of the General Partner, enforceable against the General Partner in accordance with its terms;
(ii) The General Partner LLC Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by Alfred Slifka, Richard Slifka, trusts for the benefit of certain of their family members, Larea and Larea II and is a valid and legally binding agreement of Alfred Slifka, Richard Slifka, trusts for the benefit of certain of their family members, Larea and Larea II, enforceable against Alfred Slifka, Richard Slifka, trusts for the benefit of certain of their family members, Larea and Larea II in accordance with its terms;
(iii) The Global Operating LLC Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Partnership and is a valid and legally binding agreement of Partnership in accordance with its terms;
(iv) Each Operating Subsidiary LLC Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Partnership or Global Operating, as the case may be, and is a valid and legally binding agreement of the Partnership or Global Operating, as applicable;
provided that, with respect to each agreement described in this Section 1(y), the enforceability thereof may be limited by (x) applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws relating to or affecting creditors rights generally and by general principles of equity (regardless of whether such
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enforceability is considered in a proceeding at law or in equity), and (y) public policy, applicable law relating to fiduciary duties and indemnification and an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.
The Partnership Agreement, the General Partner LLC Agreement, the Global Operating LLC Agreement and the Operating Subsidiary LLC Agreements are herein collectively referred to as the Organizational Agreements. The Organizational Agreements, together with the certificates of limited partnership or formation or certificates of incorporation, bylaws and other organizational documents of the Partnership Entities are herein referred to as the Organizational Documents.
(y) No Conflicts. None of the offering, issuance and sale by the Partnership of the Units, the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Partnership Parties or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby (i) conflicts or will conflict with or constitutes or will constitute a violation of the Organizational Documents, (ii) constitutes or will constitute a breach or violation of, or a default (or an event which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default) under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument to which any of the Partnership Entities is a party or by which any of them or any of their respective properties may be bound, (iii) violates or will violate any statute, law or regulation or an y order, judgment, decree or injunction of any court or governmental agency or body directed to any of the Partnership Entities or any of their properties in a proceeding to which any of them or their property is a party, or (iv) results or will result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of any of the Partnership Entities, which breaches, violations, defaults or liens, in the case of clauses (ii), (iii) or (iv), would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(z) No Consents. No permit, consent, approval, authorization, order, registration, filing or qualification (consent) of or with any court, governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Partnership Entities or any of their respective properties is required for the offering, issuance and sale by the Partnership of the Units, the execution, delivery and performance by the Partnership Parties of this Agreement or the consummation by the Partnership Parties of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except for such permits, consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, registrations, filings or qualifications as may be required under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, the Rules and Regulations and state securities or Blue Sky laws and applicable rules and regulations under such laws.
(aa) No Default. No Partnership Entity (i) is in violation of its Organizational Documents, (ii) is in default, and no event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, license or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it is bound or to which any of its properties or assets is subject or (iii) is in violation of any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over it or its property or assets or has failed to obtain any license,
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permit, certificate, franchise or other governmental authorization or permit necessary to the ownership of its property or to the conduct of its business, except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), to the extent any such conflict, breach, violation, failure or default could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(bb) Other Sales. The Partnership has not sold or issued any securities that would be integrated with the offering of the Units contemplated by this Agreement pursuant to the Securities Act, the Rules and Regulations or the interpretations thereof by the Commission.
(cc) No Material Adverse Change. Except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, no Partnership Entity has sustained, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, and since such date, there has not been any change in the net current assets or long-term debt of a Partnership Entity or any adverse change, or any development involving a prospective adverse change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, properties, management, business or prospects of the Partnership Entities taken as a w hole, in each case except as could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(dd) No Liabilities, Material Contracts or Distributions. Since the date as of which information is given in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, the Partnership has not (i) incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or contingent, other than liabilities and obligations that were incurred in the ordinary course of business, (ii) entered into any material transaction not in the ordinary course of business or (iii) declared or paid any distribution on its Common Units.
(ee) Independent Public Accounting Firm - Ernst & Young LLP. Ernst & Young LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of the Partnership Entities, whose report appears in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or is incorporated by reference therein and who have delivered the initial letter referred to in Section 7(g) hereof, are an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Partnership as required by the Securities Act, the Rules and Regulations and the regulations of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.
(ff) Financial Statements. At September 30, 2010, the Partnership would have had, on the consolidated, as adjusted basis indicated in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, a capitalization as set forth therein. The historical financial statements (including the related notes and supporting schedules) included or incorporated by reference in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act and present fairly in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the entities purported to be shown thereby on the basis stated therein, at the dates and for the periods indicated, and have been prepared in conformity with accounting
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principles generally accepted in the United States applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved. The selected financial information contained or incorporated by reference in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus is accurately presented in all material respects and prepared on a basis consistent with the audited and unaudited historical consolidated financial statements, as applicable, from which it has been derived.
(gg) Statistical Data. Any statistical and market-related data included in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Partnership believes to be reliable and accurate, and the Partnership has obtained the written consent to the use of such data from such sources to the extent required.
(hh) Investment Company. No Partnership Entity is, and as of the applicable Delivery Date and, after giving effect to the offer and sale of the Units and the application of the proceeds therefrom as described under Use of Proceeds in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, none of them will be, an investment company within the meaning of such term under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the Investment Company Act), and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
(ii) Legal Proceedings or Contracts to be Described or Filed. There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of the Partnership Parties, threatened against any of the Partnership Entities, or to which any of the Partnership Entities is a party, or to which any of their respective properties is subject, that are required to be described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and are not described as required; and there are no agreements, contracts, indentures, leases or other instruments that are required to be described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement by the Secu rities Act or by the Rules and Regulations that have not been described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus as required or filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement as required by the Securities Act or by the Rules and Regulations.
(jj) No Labor Dispute. Except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, no labor disturbance by the employees of the Partnership Entities exists or, to the knowledge of the Partnership Parties, is imminent that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(kk) ERISA. (i) Each employee benefit plan (within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Security Act of 1974, as amended (ERISA)) for which the Partnership or any member of its Controlled Group (defined as any organization which is a member of a controlled group of corporations within the meaning of Section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code)) would have any liability (each a Plan) has been maintained in compliance with its terms and with the requirements of all applicable statutes, rules and regulations including ERISA and the Code, excluding any failures that individually or in the aggregate are not reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; (ii) with respect to each Plan subject to Title IV of ERISA (a) no reportable event (within the meaning of Section
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4043(c) of ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur, (b) no accumulated funding deficiency (within the meaning of Section 302 of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code), whether or not waived, has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur, (c) the fair market value of the assets under each Plan subject to Title IV of ERISA does not exceed the present value of all benefits accrued under such Plan (determined based on those assumptions used to fund such Plan) by an amount reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect and (d) neither the Partnership or any member of its Controlled Group has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA (other than contributions to the Plan or premiums to the PBGC in the ordinary course and without default) in respect of a Plan (including a multiemployer plan, within the meaning of Section 4001(c) (3) of ERISA); and (iii) each Plan that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code has received a determination letter that it is so qualified, or has timely submitted an application for such a determination that is currently being processed by the IRS, and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.
(ll) Tax Returns. Each of the Partnership Entities has filed all material federal, state, local and foreign income and franchise tax returns required to be filed through the date hereof, subject to permitted extensions, and have paid all taxes due thereon other than those (i) are being contested in good faith or (ii) that, if not paid, would not have a Material Adverse Effect, and the Partnership Parties do not have any knowledge of any tax deficiencies with respect to any Partnership Entity that could, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(mm) No Transfer Taxes. There are no transfer taxes or other similar fees or charges under Federal law or the laws of any state, or any political subdivision thereof, required to be paid in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the issuance by the Partnership or sale by the Partnership of the Units.
(nn) Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. There is and has been no failure on the part of a Partnership Entity that is subject to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and any of the directors or officers of each such entity, in their capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith.
(oo) Permits. The Partnership Entities have such permits, licenses, patents, franchises, certificates of need and other approvals or authorizations of governmental or regulatory authorities (Permits) as are necessary under applicable law to own their properties and conduct their businesses in the manner described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, except for any of the foregoing that could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; each of the Partnership Entities has fulfilled and performed all of its material obligations with respect to the Permits, and no event has occurred that allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination thereof or results in any other impairment of the rights of the holder or any such Permits, except for any of the foregoing that could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
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(pp) Intellectual Property. The Partnership Entities own or possess adequate rights to use all material patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, copyrights, licenses, know-how, software, systems and technology (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses and have no reason to believe that the conduct of their respective businesses will conflict with, and have not received any notice of any claim of conflict with, any such rights of others.
(qq) Environmental Compliance. The Partnership Entities (i) are, and at all times prior hereto were, in compliance with all laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, orders, judgments, decrees, permits or other legal requirements of any governmental authority, including without limitation any international, national, state, provincial, regional, or local authority, relating to the protection of human health or safety, the environment, or natural resources, or to hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (Environmental Laws) applicable to such entity, which compliance includes, without limitation, obtaining, maintaining and complyin g with all permits and authorizations and approvals required by Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses, and (ii) have not received notice of any actual or alleged violation of Environmental Laws, or of any potential liability for or other obligation concerning the presence, disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, except in the case of clause (i) or (ii) where such non-compliance, violation, liability, or other obligation could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or has otherwise already been resolved. Except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, (A) there are no proceedings that are pending, or, to the knowledge of the Partnership Parties, known to be contemplated, against any Partnership Entities under Environmental Laws in which a governmental authority is also a party, other than such proceedings regarding which it is reasonably believed no monetary sanctions of $100,0 00 or more will be imposed, (B) the Partnership Parties are not aware of any issues regarding non-compliance by the Partnership Entities with Environmental Laws, or liabilities or other obligations under Environmental Laws or concerning hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, that could reasonably be expected to have a material effect on the capital expenditures, earnings or competitive position of the Partnership Entities taken as a whole, and (C) the Partnership Parties do not anticipate that the Partnership Entities will be required to incur material capital expenditures relating to Environmental Laws.
(rr) No Restrictions on Subsidiaries. No subsidiary of the Partnership is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Partnership, from making any other distribution on such subsidiarys equity securities, from repaying to the Partnership any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Partnership or from transferring any of such subsidiarys property or assets to the Partnership or any other subsidiary of the Partnership, except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and included in the Credit Agreement.
(ss) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, Etc. No Partnership Entity and, to the knowledge of the Partnership Parties, no director, officer, agent, employee or other
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person associated with or acting on behalf of a Partnership Entity, has (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977; or (iv) made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment.
(tt) Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Partnership Entities are and have been conducted at all times in material compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the Money Laundering Laws) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving any Partnership Entity with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Partnership Parties, threatened.
(uu) Office of Foreign Assets Control. No Partnership Entity and, to the knowledge of the Partnership Parties, no director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of a Partnership Entity 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 Partnership will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person who, to the knowledge of the Partnership Parties, is currently su bject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.
(vv) No Distribution of Other Offering Materials. The Partnership has not distributed and, prior to the later to occur of any Delivery Date and completion of the distribution of the Units, will not distribute any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Units other than any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to which the Representatives have consented in accordance with Section 1(i) or 5(a)(vi) and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus set forth on Schedule 2 hereto.
(ww) Market Stabilization. The Partnership has not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Partnership to facilitate the sale or resale of the Units.
(xx) Title to Properties. The Partnership Entities have good and marketable title to all real property and good title to all personal property described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus as being owned by the Partnership Entities, free and clear of all Liens except (i) as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or (ii) such as do not materially interfere with the use of such properties taken as a whole; provided that,
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with respect to any real property and buildings held under lease by the Partnership Entities, such real property and buildings are held under valid and subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as do not materially interfere with the use of such properties taken as a whole.
(yy) NYSE Listing. The Units have been approved for listing, subject to official notice of issuance, on the New York Stock Exchange.
(zz) Books and Records. The Partnership (i) makes and keeps books, records and accounts that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of assets and (ii) maintains systems of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with managements general or specific authorization; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain accountability for assets; (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with managements general or s pecific authorization; and (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.
(aaa) Insurance. The Partnership Entities maintain insurance covering their properties, operations, personnel and businesses against such losses and risks as is reasonably adequate to protect them and their businesses as is customary for companies engaged in similar businesses in similar industries. None of the Partnership Entities has received notice from any insurer or agent of such insurer that material capital improvements or other material expenditures will have to be made in order to continue such insurance; all such insurance is outstanding and duly in force on the date hereof and will be outstanding and duly in force on each Delivery Date.
(bbb) Disclosure Controls. The Partnership has established and maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act) that (i) are designed to ensure that material information relating to the Partnership, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to the General Partners principal executive officer and its principal financial officer by others within those entities; (ii) have been evaluated for effectiveness and presented in the Partnerships Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009; and (iii) as of December 31, 2009, are effective in all material respects to perform the functions for whi ch they were established.
(ccc) No Significant Deficiency in Internal Control over Financial Reporting. Since the date of the most recent balance sheet of the Partnership reviewed or audited by Ernst & Young LLP and the audit committee of the board of directors of the General Partner, (i) the Partnership has not been advised of (A) except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package, any significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting that are reasonably likely to adversely affect the ability of the Partnership to record, process, summarize and report financial information or (B) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves
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management or other employees who have a significant role in the internal controls over financial reporting of the Partnership, and (ii) since that date, there has been no significant change in internal controls over financial reporting that has materially affected such internal controls.
Any certificate signed by any officer of the Partnership Parties and delivered to the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the offering of the Units shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Partnership Parties, as to matters covered thereby, to each Underwriter.
2. Purchase of the Units by the Underwriters. On the basis of the representations and warranties contained in, and subject to the terms and conditions of, this Agreement, the Partnership agrees to sell 2,300,000 Firm Units to the several Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase the number of Firm Units set forth opposite that Underwriters name in Schedule 1 hereto. The respective purchase obligations of the Underwriters with respect to the Firm Units shall be rounded among the Underwriters to avoid fractional Units, as the Representatives may determine.< /p>
In addition, the Partnership grants to the Underwriters an option to purchase up to 345,000 additional Option Units. Such option is exercisable in the event that the Underwriters sell more Common Units than the number of Firm Units in the offering and as set forth in Section 4 hereof. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the number of Option Units (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional Units as the Representatives may determine) that bears the same proportion to the total number of Option Units to be sold on such Delivery Date as the number of Firm Units set forth in Schedule 1 hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Units.
The price of both the Firm Units and any Option Units purchased by the Underwriters shall be $26.49 per Unit.
The Partnership shall not be obligated to deliver any of the Firm Units or Option Units to be delivered on the applicable Delivery Date, except upon payment for all such Units to be purchased on such Delivery Date as provided herein.
3. Offering of Units by the Underwriters. Upon authorization by the Representatives of the release of the Firm Units, the several Underwriters propose to offer the Firm Units for sale upon the terms and conditions to be set forth in the Prospectus.
4. Delivery of and Payment for the Units. Delivery of and payment for the Firm Units shall be made at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the third full business day following the date of this Agreement or at such other date as shall be determined by agreement between the Representatives and the Partnership. This date and time are sometimes referred to as the Initial Delivery Date. Delivery of the Firm Units shall be made to the Representatives for the account of each Underwriter against payment by the several Underwriters through the Representatives and of the respective aggregate purchase prices of the Firm Units being sold by the Partnership to or upon the order of t he Partnership of the purchase price by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the Partnership. Time shall be of the essence, and
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delivery at the time specified pursuant to this Agreement is a further condition of the obligation of each Underwriter hereunder. The Partnership shall deliver the Firm Units through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York (DTC) unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct.
The option granted in Section 2 will expire 30 days after the date of this Agreement and may be exercised in whole or from time to time in part by written notice being given to the Partnership by the Representatives; provided that if such date falls on a day that is not a business day, the option granted in Section 2 will expire on the next succeeding business day. Such notice shall set forth the aggregate number of Option Units as to which the option is being exercised, the names in which the Option Units are to be registered, the denominations in which the Option Units are to be issued and the date and time, as determined by the Representatives, when the Option Units are to be delivered; provided, however, that this date and time shall not be earlier than the Initial Delivery Date nor, with respect to any Option Securities to be delivered after the Initial Delivery Date, earlier than the second 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. Each date and time the Option Units are delivered is sometimes referred to as an Option Units Delivery Date, and the Initial Delivery Date and any Option Units Delivery Date are sometimes each referred to as a Delivery Date.
Delivery of the Option Units by the Partnership and payment for the Option Units by the several Underwriters through the Representatives shall be made at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the date specified in the corresponding notice described in the preceding paragraph or at such other date as shall be determined by agreement between the Representatives and the Partnership. On the Option Units Delivery Date, the Partnership shall deliver or cause to be delivered the Option Units to the Representatives for the account of each Underwriter against payment by the several Underwriters through the Representatives and of the respective aggregate purchase prices of the Option Units being sold by the Partnership to or upon the order of the Partnership of the purchase price by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the Partnership. Time shall be of the essence , and delivery at the time specified pursuant to this Agreement is a further condition of the obligation of each Underwriter hereunder. The Partnership shall deliver the Option Units through the facilities of DTC unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct.
5. Further Agreements of the Partnership Parties and the Underwriters. (a) The Partnership Parties agree:
(i) To prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by the Representatives and to file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act not later than the Commissions close of business on the second business day following the execution and delivery of this Agreement; to make no further amendment or any supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus prior to the last Delivery Date except as provided herein; to advise the Representatives, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus has been filed and to furnish the Representatives with copies thereof; to file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy or infor mation statements required to be filed by the Partnership with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or
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15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of the Prospectus and for so long as the delivery of a prospectus is required in connection with the offering or sale of the Units; to advise the Representatives, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, of the suspension of the qualification of the Units for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding or examination for any such purpose or of any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or for additional information; and, in the event of the issuance of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Wr iting Prospectus or suspending any such qualification, to use promptly its best efforts to obtain its withdrawal;
(ii) Upon their request, to furnish promptly to each of the Representatives and to counsel for the Underwriters a signed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed with the Commission, and each amendment thereto filed with the Commission, including all consents and exhibits filed therewith;
(iii) To deliver promptly to the Representatives such number of the following documents as the Representatives shall reasonably request: (A) conformed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed with the Commission and each amendment thereto (in each case excluding exhibits other than this Agreement and the computation of per Unit earnings), (B) each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and any amended or supplemented Prospectus, (C) each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and (D) any document incorporated by reference in any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus; and, if the delivery of a prospectus is required at any time after the date hereof in connection with the offering or sale of the Units and if at such time any ev ents shall have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made when such Prospectus is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall be necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus or to file under the Exchange Act any document incorporated by reference in the Prospectus in order to comply with the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, to notify the Representatives and, upon their request, to file such document and to prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter as many copies as the Representatives may from time to time reasonably request of an amended or supplemented Prospectus that will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance;
(iv) To file promptly with the Commission any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus that may, in the judgment of the Partnership Parties or the Representatives, be required by the Securities Act or requested by the Commission;
(v) Prior to filing with the Commission any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, any document incorporated by reference in the Prospectus or any amendment to any document incorporated by reference in the
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Prospectus, to furnish a copy thereof to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters and obtain the consent of the Representatives to the filing;
(vi) Not to make any offer relating to the Units that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus without the prior written consent of the Representatives.
(vii) To comply with all applicable requirements of Rule 433 with respect to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus; and if at any time after the date hereof any events shall have occurred as a result of which any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, would conflict with the information in the Registration Statement, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit 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, if for any other reason it shall be necessary to amend or supplement any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, to notify the Representatives a nd, upon their request, to file such document and to prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter as many copies as the Representatives may from time to time reasonably request of an amended or supplemented Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that will correct such conflict, statement or omission or effect such compliance;
(viii) As soon as practicable after the Effective Date and in any event not later than 16 months after the date hereof, to make generally available to the Partnerships security holders and to deliver to the Representatives an earnings statement of the Partnership Entities (which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations;
(ix) Promptly from time to time to take such action as the Representatives may reasonably request to qualify the Units for offering and sale under the securities laws of Canada and such other jurisdictions as the Representatives may request and to comply with such laws so as to permit the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such jurisdictions for as long as may be necessary to complete the distribution of the Units; provided that in connection therewith the Partnership shall not be required to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation in any jurisdiction in which it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (ii) file a general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction or (iii) subject itself to taxation in any juri sdiction in which it would not otherwise be subject;
(x) For a period commencing on the date hereof and ending on the 60th day after the date of the Prospectus (the Lock-Up Period), not to, directly or indirectly, (1) offer for sale, sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction or device that is designed to, or could be expected to, result in the disposition by any person at any time in the future of) any Common Units or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Units (other than the Units issued pursuant to employee benefit plans, qualified Units option plans or other employee compensation plans existing on the date hereof or pursuant to currently outstanding options, warrants or rights not issued under one of those plans, including g rants or awards made pursuant to the Long-Term Incentive Plan), or sell or grant options, rights or warrants with respect to any Common Units or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Units (other than such grants
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pursuant to plans existing on the date hereof, including grants or awards made pursuant to the Long-Term Incentive Plan), (2) enter into any swap or other derivatives transaction that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic benefits or risks of ownership of such Common Units, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Units or other securities, in cash or otherwise, (3) file or cause to be filed a registration statement, including any amendments, with respect to the registration of any Common Units or securities convertible, exercisable or exchangeable into Common Units or any other securities of the Partnership (other than any registration statement on Form S-8) or (4) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing, in each case without the prior written consent of Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc orporated, Barclays Capital Inc. and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, on behalf of the Underwriters, and to cause the officers and directors of the General Partner and the owners of Sponsor Units, all as set forth on Schedule 3 hereto, to furnish to the Representatives, prior to the Initial Delivery Date, a letter or letters, substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto (the Lock-Up Agreements); provided, however, that any gifts, family transfers and distributions from or to estate planning vehicles shall be exempt from the Lock-Up Period and shall not constitute a violation or breach of the Lock-Up Agreements; provided, further, that the transferees of such Common Units shall be subject to the lock-up provisions hereof and any such transfer shall be subject to and contingent upon the execution of a Lock-Up Agreement by such transferee.
(xi) To apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Units being sold by the Partnership as set forth in the Prospectus;
(b) Each Underwriter severally agrees that such Underwriter shall not include any issuer information (as defined in Rule 433) in any free writing prospectus (as defined in Rule 405) used or referred to by such Underwriter without the prior consent of the Partnership Parties (any such issuer information with respect to whose use the Partnership Parties have given their consent, Permitted Issuer Information); provided that (i) no such consent shall be required with respect to any such issuer information contained in any document filed by the Partnership with the Commission prior to the use of such free writing prospectus and (ii) issuer information, as used in this Section 5(b), sha ll not be deemed to include information prepared by or on behalf of such Underwriter on the basis of or derived from issuer information.
6. Expenses. The Partnership agrees, whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, to pay all costs, expenses, fees and taxes incident to and in connection with (a) the authorization, issuance, sale and delivery of the Units and any stamp duties or other taxes payable in that connection, and the preparation and printing of certificates for the Units; (b) the preparation, printing and filing under the Securities Act of the Registration Statement (including any exhibits thereto), any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto; (c) the distribution of the Registration Statement (including any exhibits thereto), any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, or any document incorporated by reference therein, all as provided in this Agreement; (d) the production and distribution of this Agreement, any supplemental agreement among Underwriters, and any other related documents in connection
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with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Units; (e) any required review by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority of the terms of sale of the Units (including related fees and expenses of counsel to the Underwriters); (f) the listing of the Units on the New York Stock Exchange and/or any other exchange; (g) the qualification of the Units under the securities laws of the several jurisdictions as provided in Section 5(a)(ix) and the preparation, printing and distribution of a Blue Sky Memorandum (including related fees and expenses of counsel to the Underwriters); (h) the investor presentations on any road show undertaken in connection with the marketing of the Units, including, without limitation, expenses associated with any electronic roadshow, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the General Partner and the cost of any a ircraft chartered in connection with the road show; and (i) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Partnership Parties under this Agreement; provided that, except as provided in this Section 6 and in Sections 8 and 11, the Underwriters shall pay their own costs and expenses, including the costs and expenses of their counsel, any transfer taxes on the Units which they may sell and the expenses of advertising any offering of the Units made by the Underwriters.
7. Conditions of Underwriters Obligations. The respective obligations of the Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy, when made and on each Delivery Date, of the representations and warranties of the Partnership Parties contained herein, to the performance by the Partnership Parties of their obligations hereunder, and to each of the following additional terms and conditions:
(a) The Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission in accordance with Section 5(a)(i); the Partnership shall have complied with all filing requirements applicable to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus used or referred to after the date hereof; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been issued and no proceeding or examination for such purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; and any request of the Commission for inclusion of additional information in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or otherwise shall have been complied with.
(b) No Underwriter shall have discovered and disclosed to the Partnership Parties on or prior to such Delivery Date that the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Pricing Disclosure Package, or any amendment or supplement thereto, contains an untrue statement of a fact which, in the opinion of Baker Botts L.L.P., counsel for the Underwriters, is material or omits to state a fact which, in the opinion of such counsel, is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
(c) All corporate proceedings and other legal matters incident to the authorization, form and validity of this Agreement, the Units, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and all other legal matters relating to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be reasonably satisfactory in all material respects to counsel for the Underwriters, and the Partnership Parties shall have furnished to such counsel all documents and information that they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.
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(d) Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. shall have furnished to the Representatives its written opinion, as counsel to the Partnership, addressed to the Underwriters and dated such Delivery Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B.
(e) Edward Faneuil, General Counsel of the General Partner, shall have furnished to the Representatives his written opinion, addressed to the Underwriters and dated such Delivery Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C.
(f) The Representatives shall have received from Baker Botts L.L.P., counsel for the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated such Delivery Date, with respect to the issuance and sale of the Units, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package and other related matters as the Representatives may reasonably require, and the Partnership shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they reasonably request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.
(g) At the time of execution of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP a letter, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, addressed to the Underwriters and dated the date hereof (i) 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 qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X of the Commission, and (ii) stating, as of the date hereof (or, with respect to matters involving changes or developments since the respective dates as of which specified financial information is given in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, as of a date not more than three business days prior to the date hereof), the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and other matters ordinarily covered by accountants comfort letters to underwriters in connection with registered public offerings.
(h) With respect to the letter of Ernst & Young LLP referred to in the preceding paragraph and delivered to the Representatives concurrently with the execution of this Agreement (the initial letter), the Partnership shall have furnished to the Representatives a letter (the bring-down letter) of such accountants, addressed to the Underwriters and dated such Delivery Date (i) 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 qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X of the Commission, (ii) stating, as of the date of the bring-down letter (or, with respect to matters involving changes or developments since the respective dates as of which specified financial information is given in the Prospectus, as of a date not more than three business days prior to the date of the bring-down letter), the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and other matters covered by the initial letter and (iii) confirming in all material respects the conclusions and findings set forth in the initial letter.
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(i) The Partnership Parties shall have furnished to the Representatives a certificate, dated such Delivery Date, signed on behalf of the Partnership by the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of the General Partner stating that:
(i) The representations, warranties and agreements of the Partnership Parties in Section 1 are true and correct on and as of such Delivery Date, and the Partnership Parties have complied with all their agreements contained herein and satisfied all the conditions on their part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to such Delivery Date;
(ii) No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued; and no proceedings or examination for that purpose have been instituted or, to the knowledge of such officers, threatened; and
(iii) They have carefully examined the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package, and, in their opinion, (A) (1) the Registration Statement, as of the latest Effective Date, (2) the Prospectus, as of its date and on the applicable Delivery Date, or (3) the Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, did not and do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact and did not and do not omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (except in the case of the Registration Statement, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, and (B) since the latest Effective Date, no event has occurr ed that should have been set forth in a supplement or amendment to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that has not been so set forth;
(j) (i) none of the Partnership Entities shall have sustained, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree or (ii) since such date there shall not have been any change in the Units or long-term debt of any of the Partnership Entities or any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, partners or shareholders equity, properties, mana gement, business or prospects of the Partnership Entities taken as a whole, the effect of which, in any such case described in clause (i) or (ii), is, in the judgment of the Representatives, so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Units being delivered on such Delivery Date on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.
(k) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement there shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange or the American Stock Exchange or in the over-the-counter market, or trading in any securities of the Partnership on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market, shall have been suspended or materially limited or the settlement of such trading
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generally shall have been materially disrupted or minimum prices shall have been established on any such exchange or such market by the Commission, by such exchange or by any other regulatory body or governmental authority having jurisdiction, (ii) a banking moratorium shall have been declared by federal or state authorities, (iii) the United States shall have become engaged in hostilities, there shall have been an escalation in hostilities involving the United States or there shall have been a declaration of a national emergency or war by the United States or (iv) there shall have occurred such a material adverse change in general economic, political or financial conditions, including, without limitation, as a result of terrorist activities after the date hereof (or the effect of international conditions on the financial markets in the United States shall be such), as to make it, in the jud gment of the Representatives, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or delivery of the Units being delivered on such Delivery Date on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.
(l) The New York Stock Exchange shall have approved the Units for listing, subject only to official notice of issuance.
(m) The Lock-Up Agreements between the Representatives and the officers, directors and unitholders of the Partnership Parties set forth on Schedule 3, delivered to the Representatives on or before the date of this Agreement, shall be in full force and effect on such Delivery Date.
All opinions, letters, evidence and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.
8. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) Each of the Partnership Parties, jointly and severally, shall indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its directors, officers and employees, affiliates of any Underwriter who have participated in the distribution of the Units as an underwriter, and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act, from and against any loss, claim, damage or liability, joint or several, or any action in respect thereof (including, but not limited to, any loss, claim, damage, liability or action relating to purchases and sales of Units), to which that Underwriter, director, officer, employee, affiliate or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, inso far as such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in (A) any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto, (B) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or (C) any Permitted Issuer Information used or referred to in any free writing prospectus (as defined in Rule 405) used or referred to by any Underwriter, (D) any road show (as defined in Rule 433) not constituting an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (a Non-Prospectus Road Show) or (E) any Blue Sky application or other document prepared or executed by the Partnership Parties (or based upon any written information furnished by the Partnership Parties for use therein) specifically for the purpose of qualifying any or all of the Units under the
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securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction (any such application, document or information being hereinafter called a Blue Sky Application) or (ii) (A) the omission or alleged omission to state in the Registration Statement or in any amendment or supplement thereto any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or (B) the omission or alleged omission to state in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any Permitted Issuer Information, any Non-Prospectus Road Show or any Blue Sky Application, any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and shall reimburse each Underwriter and each such director, officer, employee or controlli ng person promptly upon demand for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by that Underwriter, director, officer, employee, affiliate or controlling person in connection with investigating or defending or preparing to defend against any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Partnership Parties 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, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any such amendment or supplement thereto or in any Permitted Issuer I nformation, any Non-Prospectus Road Show or any Blue Sky Application, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information concerning such Underwriter furnished to the Partnership Parties through the Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information consists solely of the information specified in Section 8(e). The foregoing indemnity agreement is in addition to any liability which the Partnership Parties may otherwise have to any Underwriter or to any director, officer, employee or controlling person of that Underwriter.
(b) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, shall indemnify and hold harmless each of the Partnership Parties, their respective directors, officers and employees, and each person, if any, who controls any of the Partnership Parties within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act, from and against any loss, claim, damage or liability, joint or several, or any action in respect thereof, to which the Partnership Parties or any such director, officer, employee or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Prel iminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any Non-Prospectus Road Show or Blue Sky Application, or (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any Non-Prospectus Road Show or Blue Sky Application, any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but in each case only to the extent that the untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information concerning such Underwriter furnished to the Partnership Parties through the Representatives by or on behalf of that Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information is limited to the information set forth in Section 8(e)
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and subject to Section 8(c) shall reimburse the Partnership Party and any such director, manager, officer, employee or controlling person for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Partnership Party or any such director, manager, officer, employee or controlling person in connection with investigating or defending or preparing to defend against any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as such expenses are incurred. The foregoing indemnity agreement is in addition to any liability that any Underwriter may otherwise have to the Partnership Parties or any such director, officer, employee or controlling person.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8 of notice of any claim or the commencement of any action, the indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section 8, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the claim or the commencement of that action; provided, however, that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have under this Section 8 except to the extent it has been materially prejudiced by such failure and, provided, further, that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to an indemnified party otherwise than under this Section 8. If any such claim or action shall be brought against an indemnified party, and it shall notify the indemnifying party thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it wishes, jointly with any other similarly notified indemnifying party, to assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. After notice from the indemnifying party to the indemnified party of its election to assume the defense of such claim or action, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to the indemnified party under this Section 8 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by the indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation; provided, however, that the indemnified party shall have the right to employ counsel to represent jointly the indemnified party a nd those other indemnified parties and their respective directors, officers, employees and controlling persons who may be subject to liability arising out of any claim in respect of which indemnity may be sought under this Section 8 if (i) the indemnified party and the indemnifying party shall have so mutually agreed; (ii) the indemnifying party has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party; (iii) the indemnified party and its directors, officers, employees and controlling persons shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to them that are different from or in addition to those available to the indemnifying party; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnified parties or their respective directors, officers, employees or controlling persons, on the one hand, and the indemnifying party, on the other hand, and representation of both s ets of parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them, and in any such event the fees and expenses of such separate counsel shall be paid by the indemnifying party. No indemnifying party shall (i) without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties to such claim or
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action) unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding and does not include any findings of fact or admissions of fault or culpability as to the indemnified party, or (ii) be liable for any settlement of any such action effected without its written consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), but if settled with the consent of the indemnifying party or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff in any such action, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify and hold harmless any indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by Section 8(c) hereof, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 shall for any reason be unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under Section 8(a), 8(b) or 8(c) in respect of any loss, claim, damage or liability, or any action in respect thereof, referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, (i) in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Partnership Parties, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, from the offering of the U nits or (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 Partnership Parties, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, with respect to the statements or omissions that resulted in such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Partnership Parties, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, with respect to such offering shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Units purchased under this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Partnership, as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus, on the one hand, and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters w ith respect to the Units purchased under this Agreement, as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus, on the other hand. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Partnership Parties or the Underwriters, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Partnership Parties and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 8(d) were to be determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to herein. The amount paid or payable by an
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indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, referred to above in this Section 8(d) shall be deemed to include, for purposes of this Section 8(d), any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8(d), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the net proceeds from the sale of the Units underwritten by it exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise paid or become liable to pay by reason of any untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contrib ution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters obligations to contribute as provided in this Section 8(d) are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint.
(e) The Underwriters severally confirm and the Partnership Parties acknowledge and agree that the statements regarding delivery of Units by the Underwriters set forth on the cover page of, and the table setting forth the name of, and the number of Units to be purchased by, each Underwriter, the concession figure, the paragraphs relating to stabilization, short positions and penalty bids by the Underwriters and electronic distribution appearing under the caption Underwriting in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus are correct and constitute the only information concerning such Underwriters furnished in writing to the Partnership Parties by or on behalf of the Underwriters specifically for inclusion in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any Non-Prospectus Road Show.
9. Defaulting Underwriters. If, on any Delivery Date, any Underwriter defaults in the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, the remaining non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated to purchase the Units that the defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase on such Delivery Date in the respective proportions which the number of Firm Units set forth opposite the name of each remaining non-defaulting Underwriter in Schedule 1 hereto bears to the total number of Firm Units set forth opposite the names of all the remaining non-defaulting Underwriters in Schedule 1 hereto; provided, however, that the remaining non-defaulting Underwriters shall not be obligat ed to purchase any Units on such Delivery Date if the total number of Units that the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase on such date exceeds 9.09% of the total number of Units to be purchased on such Delivery Date, and any remaining non-defaulting Underwriter shall not be obligated to purchase more than 110% of the number of Units that it agreed to purchase on such Delivery Date pursuant to the terms of Section 2. If the foregoing maximums are exceeded, the remaining non-defaulting Underwriters, or those other underwriters satisfactory to the Representatives who so agree, shall have the right, but shall not be obligated, to purchase, in such proportion as may be agreed upon among them, all Units to be purchased on such Delivery Date. If the remaining Underwriters or other underwriters satisfactory to the Representatives do not elect to purchase the Units that the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase on such Delivery Date, this Agreement (or, with respect to any Option Units Delivery Date, the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase, and of the Partnership to sell, the Option Units) shall
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terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Partnership Parties, except that the Partnership Parties will continue to be liable for the payment of expenses to the extent set forth in Sections 6 and 11. As used in this Agreement, the term Underwriter includes, for all purposes of this Agreement unless the context requires otherwise, any party not listed in Schedule 1 hereto that, pursuant to this Section 9, purchases Units that a defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase.
Nothing contained herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of any liability it may have to the Partnership Parties for damages caused by its default. If other Underwriters are obligated or agree to purchase Units of a defaulting or withdrawing Underwriter, either the Representatives or the Partnership may postpone the Delivery Date for up to seven full business days in order to effect any changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Partnership or counsel for the Underwriters may be necessary in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or in any other document or arrangement.
10. Termination. The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be terminated by the Representatives by notice given to and received by the Partnership prior to delivery of and payment for the Firm Units if, prior to that time, any of the events described in Sections 7(j) and 7(k) shall have occurred or if the Underwriters shall decline to purchase the Units for any reason permitted under this Agreement.
11. Reimbursement of Underwriters Expenses. If the Partnership Parties shall fail to tender the Units for delivery to the Underwriters at the First Delivery Date by reason of any failure, refusal or inability on the part of the Partnership Parties to perform any agreement on their part to be performed, or because any other condition of the Underwriters obligations hereunder required to be fulfilled by the Partnership Parties is not fulfilled, the Partnership Parties will reimburse the Underwriters for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses (including fees and disbursements of counsel) incurred by the Underwriters in connection w ith this Agreement and the proposed purchase of the Units, and upon demand the Partnership Parties shall pay the full amount thereof to the Representatives. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 9 by reason of the default of one or more Underwriters, the Partnership Parties shall not be obligated to reimburse any defaulting Underwriter on account of those expenses.
12. Research Analyst Independence. The Partnership Parties acknowledge that the Underwriters research analysts and research departments are required to be independent from their respective investment banking divisions and are subject to certain regulations and internal policies, and that such Underwriters research analysts may hold views and make statements or investment recommendations and/or publish research reports with respect to the Partnership Parties and/or the offering that differ from the views of their respective investment banking divisions. The Partnership Parties hereby waive and release, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that the Partnership Parties may have agai nst the Underwriters with respect to any conflict of interest that may arise from the fact that the views expressed by their independent research analysts and research departments may be different from or inconsistent with the views or advice communicated to the Partnership Parties by such Underwriters investment banking divisions. The Partnership Parties acknowledge that each of the Underwriters is a full service securities firm and as such from time to time, subject to applicable securities laws, may effect transactions for its own account or the account of its customers and
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hold long or short positions in debt or equity securities of the companies that may be the subject of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
13. No Fiduciary Duty. The Partnership Parties acknowledge and agree that in connection with this offering, sale of the Units or any other services the Underwriters may be deemed to be providing hereunder, notwithstanding any preexisting relationship, advisory or otherwise, between the parties or any oral representations or assurances previously or subsequently made by the Underwriters: (i) no fiduciary or agency relationship between the Partnership Parties and any other person, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, exists; (ii) the Underwriters are not acting as advisors, expert or otherwise, to the Partnership Parties, including, without limitation, with respect to the determina tion of the public offering price of the Units, and such relationship between the Partnership Parties, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, is entirely and solely commercial, based on arms-length negotiations; (iii) any duties and obligations that the Underwriters may have to the Partnership Parties shall be limited to those duties and obligations specifically stated herein; and (iv) the Underwriters and their respective affiliates may have interests that differ from those of the Partnership Parties. The Partnership Parties hereby waive any claims that the Partnership Parties may have against the Underwriters with respect to any breach of fiduciary duty in connection with this offering.
14. Notices, Etc. All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in writing, and:
(a) if to the Underwriters, shall be delivered or sent by mail or facsimile transmission to Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, One Bryant Park, New York, NY 10036, Attention: Syndicate Department (Fax: 646 ###-###-####); Barclays Capital Inc., 745 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019, Attention: Syndicate Registration (Fax: 646 ###-###-####); and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, 383 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10179, Attention: Equity Syndicate Desk (Fax: 212 ###-###-####); with a copy, in the case of any notice pursuant to Section 8(e), to Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, One Bryant Park, New York, NY 10036, Attention: ECM Legal (Fax: 212 ###-###-####); and
(b) if to the Partnership, shall be delivered or sent by mail or facsimile transmission to the address of the Partnership set forth in the Registration Statement, Attention: Edward Faneuil (Fax: 781 ###-###-####).
Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall take effect at the time of receipt thereof.
15. Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters, the Partnership Parties, and their respective successors. This Agreement and the terms and provisions hereof are for the sole benefit of only those persons, except that (A) the representations, warranties, indemnities and agreements of the Partnership Parties in this Agreement shall also be deemed to be for the benefit of the directors, officers, employees and affiliates of the Underwriters who have participated in the distribution of
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the Units as underwriters and each person or persons, if any, who control any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act and (B) the indemnity agreement of the Underwriters contained in Section 8(b) of this Agreement shall be deemed to be for the benefit of the directors of the General Partner, the officers of the General Partner who have signed the Registration Statement and any person controlling the Partnership Parties within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, other than the persons referred to in this Section 15, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein.
16. Survival. The respective indemnities, representations, warranties and agreements of the Partnership Parties and the Underwriters contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to this Agreement, shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Units and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any of them or any person controlling any of them.
17. Definition of the Terms Business Day and Subsidiary. For purposes of this Agreement, (a) business day means each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday that is not a day on which banking institutions in New York are generally authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close and (b) subsidiary has the meaning set forth in Rule 405.
18. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
19. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts and, if executed in more than one counterpart, the executed counterparts shall each be deemed to be an original but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.
20. Headings. The headings herein are inserted for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.
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If the foregoing correctly sets forth the agreement between the Partnership Parties and the Underwriters, please indicate your acceptance in the space provided for that purpose below.
| Very truly yours, | ||
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| By: | Global GP LLC, its general partner | |
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| Title: | Chief Operating Officer and Chief |
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| Name: | Thomas J. Hollister |
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| Title: | Chief Operating Officer and Chief |
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| Name: | Thomas J. Hollister |
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Accepted:
MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH
INCORPORATED
BARCLAYS CAPITAL INC.
J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC
For themselves and as Representatives
of the several Underwriters named
in Schedule 1 hereto
By MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH
INCORPORATED
By: | /s/ Paul A. Davis |
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By BARCLAYS CAPITAL INC. |
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By: | /s/ Victoria Hale |
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By J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC |
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By: | /s/ Geoff Paul |
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SCHEDULE 1
Underwriters |
| Number of Firm Units |
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Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated |
| 690,000 |
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Barclays Capital Inc. |
| 690,000 |
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J.P. Morgan Securities LLC |
| 690,000 |
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RBC Capital Markets, LLC |
| 230,000 |
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Total |
| 2,300,000 |
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SCHEDULE 2
ISSUER FREE WRITING PROSPECTUSES
None.
SCHEDULE 3
PERSONS DELIVERING LOCK-UP AGREEMENTS
1. Global Petroleum Corp.
2. Montello Oil Corporation
3. Chelsea Terminal Limited Partnership
4. Larea Holdings LLC
5. Larea Holdings II LLC
6. Sandwich Terminal, L.L.C.
7. Alfred A. Slifka
8. Richard Slifka
9. Eric Slifka
10. Thomas Hollister
11. Edward J. Faneuil
12. Charles A. Rudinsky
13. David K. McKown
14. Robert J. McCool
15. Kenneth I. Watchmaker
16. Amy Cook
17. Karen Dattilo
18. Adam Slifka
19. Andrew Slifka
20. Jennifer Vidal
SCHEDULE 4
ORALLY CONVEYED PRICING INFORMATION
1. Public offering price: $27.60
2. Number of Units offered: 2,300,000
Exhibit A
LOCK-UP LETTER AGREEMENT
MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH
INCORPORATED
BARCLAYS CAPITAL INC.
J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC
As Representatives of the several
Underwriters named in Schedule 1
of the Underwriting Agreement,
c/o Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated
One Bryant Park
New York, NY 10036
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned understands that you and certain other firms (the Underwriters) propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the Underwriting Agreement) providing for the purchase by the Underwriters of common units representing limited partner interests (the Common Units), of Global Partners LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the Partnership), and that the Underwriters propose to reoffer the Common Units to the public (the Offering).
In consideration of the execution of the Underwriting Agreement by the Underwriters, and for other good and valuable consideration, the undersigned hereby irrevocably agrees that, without the prior written consent of Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Barclays Capital Inc. and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, on behalf of the Underwriters, the undersigned will not, directly or indirectly, (1) offer for sale, sell, pledge, or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction or device that is designed to, or could be expected to, result in the disposition by any person at any time in the future of) any Common Units (including, without limitation, Common Units that may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the undersigned in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and Common Units that may be issued upon exercise of any options or warrants) or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Units, (2) enter into any swap or other derivatives transaction that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic benefits or risks of ownership of Common Units, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Units or other securities, in cash or otherwise, (3) make any demand for or exercise any right or cause to be filed a registration statement, including any amendments thereto, with respect to the registration of any Common Units or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Units or any other securities of the Partnership or (4) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing, for a period commencing on the date hereof and ending on the 60th day after the date of the Prospectus relating to the Offering (such 60-day period, the Lock-Up Period); provided, however, that any gifts, family transfers
and distributions from or to estate planning vehicles shall be exempt from the Lock-Up Period and shall not constitute a violation or breach of this Lock-Up Letter Agreement; provided, further, that the transferees of such Common Units shall be subject to the lock-up provisions of the Underwriting Agreement and any such transfer shall be subject to and contingent upon the execution of a Lock-Up Agreement in the form hereof by such transferee.
In furtherance of the foregoing, the Partnership and its transfer agent are hereby authorized to decline to make any transfer of securities if such transfer would constitute a violation or breach of this Lock-Up Letter Agreement.
It is understood that, if the Partnership notifies the Underwriters that it does not intend to proceed with the Offering, if the Underwriting Agreement does not become effective, or if the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Common Units, the undersigned will be released from its obligations under this Lock-Up Letter Agreement.
The undersigned understands that the Partnership and the Underwriters will proceed with the Offering in reliance on this Lock-Up Letter Agreement.
Whether or not the Offering actually occurs depends on a number of factors, including market conditions. Any Offering will only be made pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement, the terms of which are subject to negotiation between the Partnership and the Underwriters.
[Signature page follows]
2
The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this Lock-Up Letter Agreement and that, upon request, the undersigned will execute any additional documents necessary in connection with the enforcement hereof. Any obligations of the undersigned shall be binding upon the heirs, personal representatives, successors and assigns of the undersigned.
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EXHIBIT B
FORM OF OPINION OF VINSON & ELKINS L.L.P.
(a) The Partnership has been duly formed and is validly existing in good standing as a limited partnership under the Delaware LP Act with full partnership power and authority to own or lease its properties and to conduct its business in all material respects as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(b) Each of the General Partner, Global Operating, Global Companies and Chelsea Sandwich has been duly formed and is validly existing in good standing as a limited liability company under the Delaware LLC Act with full limited liability company power and authority to own or lease its properties and to conduct its business in all material respects as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and, in the case of the General Partner, to act as general partner of the Partnership.
(c) Each of Global Montello and Glen Hes has been duly incorporated and is validly existing in good standing as a corporation under the DGCL with full corporate power and authority to own or lease its properties and to conduct its business in all material respects as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(d) The outstanding membership interests of the General Partner have been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the General Partner LLC Agreement and are fully paid (to the extent required under the General Partner LLC Agreement) and nonassessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by Sections 18-607 and 18-804 of the Delaware LLC Act).
(e) The General Partner is the sole general partner of the Partnership with a 1.20% general partner interest in the Partnership; such general partner interest has been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the Partnership Agreement; and the General Partner owns such general partner interest free and clear of all Liens (except as otherwise described in the Prospectus) (i) in respect of which a financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code of the State of Delaware naming the General Partner as a debtor is on file as of a recent date in the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware or (ii) otherwise known to such counsel, without independent investigation, other than those created by or arising under the Delaware LP Act or pursuant to the Credit Agreement.
(f) The Units and the limited partner interests represented thereby have been duly authorized by the Partnership Agreement and, when issued and delivered to the Underwriters against payment therefor in accordance with the terms hereof, will be validly issued, fully paid (to the extent required under the Partnership Agreement) and nonassessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by matters described in Sections 17-607 and 17-804 of the Delaware LP Act and otherwise by matters described in the Pricing Disclosure Package).
(g) The Sponsor Units and Incentive Distribution Rights and the limited partner interests represented thereby have been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance
Annex B-1
with the Partnership Agreement and are fully paid (to the extent required under the Partnership Agreement) and nonassessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by matters described in Sections 17-607 and 17-804 of the Delaware LP Act and otherwise by matters described in the Pricing Disclosure Package).
(h) The Partnership owns a 100% membership interest in Global Operating; such membership interest has been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the Global Operating LLC Agreement and is fully paid (to the extent required under the Global Operating LLC Agreement) and nonassessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by Sections 18-607 and 18-804 of the Delaware LLC Act); and the Partnership owns such membership interest free and clear of all Liens (except as otherwise described in the Pricing Disclosure Package) (i) in respect of which a financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code of the State of Delaware naming the Partnership as a debtor is on file as of a recent date in the office of the Secreta ry of State of the State of Delaware or (ii) otherwise known to such counsel, without independent investigation, other than those created by or arising under the Delaware LLC Act or pursuant to the Credit Agreement.
(i) Global Operating owns a 100% membership interest in each of Global Companies and Chelsea Sandwich and 100% of the capital stock of Global Montello; and Global Companies owns a 100% of the capital stock in Glen Hes. In the case of the Operating Subsidiaries that are limited liability companies, such membership interests have been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the respective Operating Subsidiary LLC Agreements and are fully paid (to the extent required under the applicable Operating Subsidiary LLC Agreement) and nonassessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by Sections 18-607 and 18-804 of the Delaware LLC Act); and Global Operating owns such membership interest free and clear of all Liens (i) in respect of which a financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code of the State of Delaware naming Global Operating as a debtor is on file as of a recent date in the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware or (ii) otherwise known to such counsel, without independent investigation, other than those created by or arising under the Delaware LLC Act or pursuant to the Credit Agreement. In the case of such Operating Subsidiaries that are corporations, such capital stock has been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the DGCL and is fully paid and nonassessable; and Global Operating or Global Companies, as the case may be, owns such capital stock free and clear of all Liens (i) in respect of which a financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code of the State of Delaware naming Global Operating or Global Companies, as applicable, as a debtor is on file as of a recent date in the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware or (ii)& nbsp;otherwise known to such counsel, without independent investigation, other than those created by or arising under the DGCL or pursuant to the Credit Agreement.
(j) Except as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and for restrictions on transfer contained in the Organizational Documents, there are no preemptive rights or other rights to subscribe for or to purchase, nor any restriction upon the voting or transfer of any equity securities of, any of the Partnership Entities arising under any agreement required to be described in the Pricing Disclosure Package or, to such counsels knowledge, to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement by the Act or by the Rules and Regulations. To such counsels knowledge and except as provided in the Partnership Agreement or as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package, neither the filing of the Registration Statement nor the offering or sale of the
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Units as contemplated by this Agreement gives rise to any rights for or relating to the registration of any Units or other securities of any of the Partnership Entities.
(k) Each of the Partnership Parties has all requisite partnership or limited liability company power and authority, as the case may be, to execute and deliver this Agreement and perform its respective obligations hereunder. All partnership and limited liability company action, as the case may be, required to be taken by the Partnership Parties or any of their respective members or partners for the authorization, issuance, sale and delivery of the Units, the execution and delivery by the Partnership Parties of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall have been validly taken.
(l) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each of the Partnership Parties.
(m)
(i) The Partnership Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the General Partner and is a valid and legally binding agreement of the General Partner, enforceable against the General Partner in accordance with its terms;
(ii) The Global Operating LLC Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Partnership and is a valid and legally binding agreement of Partnership in accordance with its terms; and
(iii) Each Operating Subsidiary LLC Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Partnership or Global Operating, as the case may be, and is a valid and legally binding agreement of the Partnership or Global Operating, as applicable;
provided that, with respect to each agreement described in this paragraph (m) the enforceability thereof may be limited by (A) applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws relating to or affecting creditors rights generally and by general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding at law or in equity), and (B) public policy, applicable law relating to fiduciary duties and indemnification and contribution and an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.
(n) None of the offering, issuance and sale by the Partnership of the Units, the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Partnership Parties or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby (i) conflicts or will conflict with or constitutes or will constitute a violation of the Organizational Documents, (ii) constitutes or will constitute a breach or violation of, or a default (or an event which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default) under, or create a Lien under, any agreement or other document filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or to any document incorporated by reference into the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or (iii) violates or will violate the Delaware LP Act, the Delaware LLC Act, the DGCL or federal law which breaches, violations or defaults, in the case of clauses (ii) or (iii), would reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; provided, however that no
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opinion is expressed pursuant to this paragraph with respect to securities and other anti-fraud statutes, rules or regulations.
(o) No permit, consent, approval, authorization, order, registration, filing or qualification (consent) of or with any governmental authority under the Delaware LP Act, the Delaware LLC Act, the DGCL or federal law is required for the offering, issuance and sale by the Partnership of the Units, the execution, delivery and performance by the Partnership Parties of this Agreement or the consummation by the Partnership Parties of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except for such consents as may be required under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, the Rules and Regulations and state securities or Blue Sky laws and applicable rules and regulations under such laws.
(p) To such counsels knowledge, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or threatened against any of the Partnership Entities, or to which any of the Partnership Entities is a party, or to which any of their respective properties is subject, that are required to be described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and are not described as required; and, to such counsels knowledge, there are no agreements, contracts, indentures, leases or other instruments that are required to be described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement by the Act or by the Rules and Regulations that have not been described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus as require d or filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement as required.
(q) The Registration Statement was declared effective under the Securities Act as of the date and time specified in such opinion, and the Prospectus was filed with the Commission pursuant to the subparagraph of Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations specified in such opinion on the date specified therein. To such counsels knowledge, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and no proceeding or examination for such purpose has been instituted or threatened by the Commission.
(r) The Registration Statement, on the latest Effective Date, and the Prospectus, when filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) and on the applicable Delivery Date, appeared, on their face, appropriately responsive, in all material respects, to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations, except that in each case such counsel need express no opinion with respect to the financial statements and the notes and schedules thereto and the independent public accounting firms report thereon or other financial data and statistical data derived from financial data contained or incorporated by reference in or omitted from the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the most recent Prelimina ry Prospectus.
(s) The statements in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus under the captions Description of the Common Units, How We Make Cash Distributions, Conflicts of Interest and Fiduciary Duties and The Partnership Agreement, insofar as they constitute descriptions of agreements or refer to statements of law or legal conclusions are accurate in all material respects; and the Common Units, Subordinated Units and the Incentive Distribution Rights conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus under the captions Description of the Common Units and How We Make Cash Distributions.
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(t) The opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. that is filed as Exhibit 8.1 to the Partnerships Current Report on Form 8-K filed on February [ ], 2011 is confirmed and the Underwriters may rely upon such opinion as if it were addressed to them.
(u) The Partnership is not an investment company within the meaning of and subject to regulation under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
In rendering such opinion, such counsel may (A) rely, without independent investigation or verification, with respect to matters of fact upon certificates of officers and employees of the Partnership Entities and upon information obtained from public officials and from officers, employees and representatives of the Partnership Entities and upon the representations of the Partnership Parties set forth in this Agreement, (B) assume that all documents submitted to them as originals are authentic, that all copies submitted to them conform to the originals thereof, and that the signatures on all documents examined by them are genuine, (C) state that their opinion is limited to federal laws, the Delaware LP Act, the Delaware LLC Act and the DGCL, (D) with respect to the opinions expressed in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) above as to the valid existence and good standing i n the State of Delaware of the Partnership Parties, state that such opinions are based upon certificates and oral assurances by the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, (E) with respect to the opinions expressed in clause (i) of paragraphs (e), (h) and (i) above, respectively, such counsel relied solely on reports, dated as of recent dates, purporting to describe all financing statements on file as of the dates specified therein in the office of the Secretary of the State of Delaware naming the one or more of the Partnership Entities or their affiliates, as debtors, and (F) state that they express no opinion with respect to state or local taxes or tax statutes to which any of the limited partners of the Partnership or equity holders of any of the Partnership Entities may be subject.
In addition, such counsel shall state that they have participated in conferences with officers and other representatives of the Partnership Parties, representatives of the independent registered public accounting firm of the Partnership, and representatives of the Underwriters, at which the contents of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and related matters were discussed, and although such counsel did not independently verify, is not passing upon and does not assume any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (except to the extent specified in paragraph (s) above), on the basis of the foregoing, nothing has come to the attention of such counsel that causes it to believe that:
(A) the Registration Statement, as of its most recent Effective Date, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading;
(B) the Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; or
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(C) that the Prospectus, as of its date and as of such Delivery Date, contained or contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
it being understood that such counsel need not express any statement or belief with respect to (i) the financial statements included or incorporated by reference therein, including the notes and schedules thereto and the independent public accounting firms report thereon, or (ii) the other financial data and statistical data derived from financial data included or incorporated by reference therein.
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EXHIBIT C
FORM OF OPINION OF EDWARD FANEUIL
(a) The Partnership is duly registered or qualified as a foreign limited partnership for the transaction of business under the laws of the jurisdictions set forth on a schedule to such opinion.
(b) Each of the General Partner, Global Operating, Global Companies, Chelsea Sandwich and Global Marketing is duly registered or qualified as a foreign limited liability company for the transaction of business under the laws of the jurisdictions set forth on a schedule to such opinion.
(c) Each of Global Montello and Glen Hes is duly registered or qualified as a foreign corporation for the transaction of business under the laws of the jurisdictions set forth on a schedule to such opinion.
(d) Alfred Slifka, Richard Slifka, trusts for the benefit of certain of their family members, Larea and Larea II collectively own 100% of the outstanding membership interests in the General Partner free and clear of all Liens (i) in respect of which a financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts with respect to Alfred Slifka, Richard Slifka and trusts for the benefit of certain of their family members, and the State of Delaware with respect to Larea and Larea II, in each case naming any of them as a debtor is on file in the office of the Secretary of State of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, as applicable, or (ii) otherwise known to s uch counsel, without independent investigation, other than those created by or arising under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or the Delaware LLC Act or contained in the General Partner LLC Agreement.
(e) Global Petroleum owns 2,267 Common Units and 1,723,196 Subordinated Units, Larea owns 742 Common Units and 564,242 Subordinated Units, Larea II owns 371 Common Units and 282,121 Subordinated Units, Montello Oil owns 3,086 Common Units and 2,344,992 Subordinated Units, Sandwich Terminal owns 11 Common Units and 8,464 Subordinated Units and Chelsea Terminal owns 947 Common Units and 119,409 Subordinated Units and the General Partner owns 100% of the Incentive Distribution Rights, in each case, free and clear of all Liens (i) in respect of which a financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code of the respective states of organization of Global Petroleum, Montello Oil, Larea, Larea II, Chelsea Terminal, Sandwich Terminal or the G eneral Partner naming any of them as debtor is on file as of a recent date in the applicable office of the respective states of their organization, or (ii) otherwise known to such counsel, without independent investigation, other than those created by or arising under the Delaware LP Act or pursuant to the Partnership Agreement. Alfred Slifka, Richard Slifka and trusts for the benefit of certain of their family members collectively own 600,000 Subordinated Units free and clear of all Liens, (i) in respect of which a financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts naming any of them as a debtor is on file as of a recent date in the office of the Secretary of State of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, or (ii) otherwise known to me, without independent investigation, other than those created by or arising under the laws of the
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Commonwealth of Massachusetts or the Delaware LLC Act or contained in the General Partner LLC Agreement and the trust instrument of each such trust, as applicable.
(f) The General Partner LLC Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by Alfred Slifka, Richard Slifka and trusts for the benefit of certain of their family members, Larea and Larea II and is a valid and legally binding agreement of Alfred Slifka, Richard Slifka and trusts for the benefit of certain of their family members, Larea and Larea II, enforceable against Alfred Slifka, Richard Slifka and trusts for the benefit of certain of their family members, Larea and Larea II in accordance with its terms; provided that, with respect to such agreement the enforceability thereof may be limited by (A) applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws relating to or affec ting creditors rights generally and by general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding at law or in equity), and (B) public policy, applicable law relating to fiduciary duties and indemnification and an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.
(g) None of the offering, issuance and sale by the Partnership of the Units, the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Partnership Parties or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby (i) constitutes or will constitute a breach or violation of, or a default (or an event which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default) under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument known to such counsel (other than those filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or to any document incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus) to which any of the Partnership Entities is a party or by which any of them or any of their respective properties may be bound, (ii) violates or will violate any order, judgment, decree or injunction known to him of any court or governmental agency or body of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to which any of the Partnership Entities or any of their properties are subject, or (iii) violates or will violate the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (other than any state securities laws or broker/dealer laws, as to which he need express no opinion) which breaches, violations or defaults would, individually or in the aggregate, be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
In rendering such opinion, such counsel may (A) rely in respect of matters of fact upon certificates of officers and employees of the Partnership Parties and upon information obtained from public officials, (B) assume that all documents submitted to him as originals are authentic, that all copies submitted to him conform to the originals thereof, and that the signatures on all documents examined by him are genuine, (C) state that his opinion is limited to federal laws, the laws of the State of Massachusetts, the Delaware LP Act, the Delaware LLC Act and the DGCL, (D) with respect to the opinions expressed in clause (i) of paragraphs (d) and (e) above, respectively, such counsel relied solely on reports, dated as of recent dates, purporting to describe all financing statements on file as of the dates specified therein in the office of the Secretary of the Stat e of Delaware naming one or more of the Partnership Entities or their affiliates, as debtors, and (E) state that he expresses no opinion with respect to state or local taxes or tax statutes to which any of the limited partners of the Partnership or any of the Partnership Entities may be subject.
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In addition, such counsel shall state that he has participated in conferences with officers and other representatives of the Partnership Parties, representatives of the independent registered public accounting firm of the Partnership, and representatives of the Underwriters, at which the contents of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and related matters were discussed, and although such counsel did not independently verify, is not passing upon and does not assume any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, on the basis of the foregoing, nothing has come to the attention of such counsel that causes him to believe that:
(i) the Registration Statement, at the latest Effective Date, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading;
(ii) the Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; or
(iii) that the Prospectus, as of its date and as of such Delivery Date, contained or contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
it being understood that such counsel need not express any statement or belief with respect to (i) the financial statements included or incorporated by reference therein, including the notes and schedules thereto and the independent public accounting firms report thereon, or (ii) the other financial and statistical data included or incorporated by reference therein.
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