Form of Amended & Restated Indemnity Agreement
EX-10.47 11 k12678exv10w47.htm FORM OF AMENDED & RESTATED INDEMNITY AGREEMENT exv10w47
EXHIBIT 10.47
FORM OF AMENDED AND RESTATED INDEMNITY AGREEMENT
This Amended and Restated Indemnity Agreement (this Agreement) is entered into on , 200_, by and between LEAR CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation (the Company), and (Indemnitee) and amends and restates, in its entirety, the Indemnity Agreement dated August 3, 2005 by and between the Company and Indemnitee.
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the Companys Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the Charter) requires indemnification of the Companys directors and permits indemnification of the Companys officers to the fullest extent permitted by law; the Companys Bylaws (the Bylaws) require indemnification of the Companys officers and directors if such officers and/or directors, as the case may be, meet the applicable standard of conduct under the circumstances; and Indemnitee may also be entitled to indemnification pursuant to the Delaware General Corporation Law (the DGCL).
WHEREAS, the Charter, Bylaws and the DGCL expressly provide that the indemnification provisions set forth therein are not exclusive, and thereby contemplate that contracts may be entered into between the Company and members of the Board of Directors of the Company (the Board) and officers of the Company with respect to indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, advancement of expenses and reimbursement rights.
WHEREAS, the statutes and judicial decisions regarding the duties of directors and officers are often difficult to apply, ambiguous, or conflicting, and therefore fail to provide such directors and officers with adequate, reliable knowledge of legal risks to which they are exposed or information regarding the proper course of action to take.
WHEREAS, directors and officers of companies and other business enterprises are being increasingly subjected to expensive and time-consuming litigation relating to, among other things, matters that traditionally would have been brought only against the Company or business enterprise itself.
WHEREAS, plaintiffs often seek damages in such large amounts and the costs of litigation may be so great (whether or not the case is meritorious), that the defense and/or settlement of such litigation is usually beyond the personal resources of directors and officers.
WHEREAS, the uncertainties relating to insurance and to indemnification have increased the difficulty of attracting and retaining such persons.
WHEREAS, the Board has determined that the increased difficulty in attracting and retaining such persons is detrimental to the best interests of the Company and its stockholders and that the Company should act to assure such persons that there will be increased certainty of such protection in the future.
WHEREAS, it is reasonable, prudent and necessary for the Company contractually to obligate itself to indemnify, hold harmless, exonerate and to advance expenses on behalf of, such persons to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law so that they will serve or continue to serve the Company free from undue concern that they will not be so protected against such liabilities.
WHEREAS, this Agreement is a supplement to, and in furtherance of, the Charter and Bylaws (and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto) and any insurance purchased by the Company with respect to the matters set forth in this Agreement, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder.
WHEREAS, Indemnitee may not be willing to serve as an officer or director without adequate protection, and the Company desires Indemnitee to serve in such capacity. Indemnitee is willing to serve, continue to serve and to take on additional service for or on behalf of the Company on the condition that he or she be so indemnified by the Company.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the covenants contained herein, the Company and Indemnitee do hereby covenant and agree as follows:
1. Services to the Company. Indemnitee will serve or continue to serve, at the will of the Company, as an officer or director of the Company for so long as Indemnitee is duly elected or appointed or until Indemnitee tenders his or her resignation.
2. Definitions. As used in this Agreement:
(a) Affiliated Entity means, with respect to Indemnitee, an entity or person (i) for which Indemnitee serves as a director, managing director, officer, trustee, general partner or in any other similar capacity, (ii) that controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with Indemnitee or any Affiliated Entity or (iii) that is an immediate family member of Indemnitee. Control shall mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of an entity, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise. Immediate family member of Indemnitee includes Indemnitees spouse (whether or not such person resides with Indemnitee), parents, stepparents, children, stepchildren, siblings, mothers and fathers-in-law, sons and daughters-in-law, and brothers and sisters-in-law and any other person (other than a tenant or employee) sharing Indemnitees household.
(b) Beneficial Owner and Beneficial Ownership shall have the meaning given to such term in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act.
(c) A Change in Control shall be deemed to occur as of the first day any one or more of the following events occur:
(i) Any Person becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing more than twenty-five percent (25%) of the combined voting power of the Companys then outstanding securities.
- 2 -
(ii) During any period of twenty-six (26) consecutive months (not including any period prior to the execution of this Agreement), individuals who at the beginning of that period constitute the Board cease for any reason (other than death, disability or voluntary retirement) to constitute a majority of the Board. For this purpose, any new directors whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Companys stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then still in office, and who either were directors at the beginning of the period or whose election or nomination for election was so approved, will be deemed to have been a director at the beginning of any twenty-six (26) month period under consideration.
(iii) The stockholders of the Company approve: (A) a plan of complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company; (B) an agreement for the sale or disposition of all or substantially all the Companys assets; or (C) a merger, consolidation or reorganization of the Company with or involving any other corporation, other than a merger, consolidation or reorganization that would result in the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior thereto continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity) at least eighty percent (80%) of the combined voting power of the voting securities of the Company (or the surviving entity) outstanding immediately after the merger, consolidation, or reorganization.
provided, however, that a Change in Control shall not be deemed to result upon the occurrence of the events in (i), (ii) or (iii) above if such events occurred as a result of any actions taken by, or that were initiated by, an Affiliated Entity or Affiliated Entities.
(d) Corporate Status shall mean the status of a person who is or was a director, officer, trustee, general partner, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of the Company or of any other Enterprise for which such person is or was serving at the request of the Company.
(e) Delaware Court shall mean the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware.
(f) Disinterested Director shall mean a director of the Company who is not and was not a party to the Proceeding in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee.
(g) Enterprise shall mean the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company and any other corporation, constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger to which the Company (or any of its wholly owned subsidiaries) is a party, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise of which Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, trustee, general partner, managing member, employee, agent or fiduciary.
- 3 -
(h) Exchange Act shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(i) Expenses shall include all reasonable direct and indirect costs, fees and expenses of any type or nature, including, without limitation, all reasonable attorneys fees and costs, retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, fees of private investigators and professional advisors, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, fax transmission charges, secretarial services and all other disbursements or expenses of the types customarily incurred in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, being or preparing to be a witness in, settlement or appeal of, or otherwise participating in, a Proceeding. Expenses also shall include Expenses incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Proceeding, including without limitation the premium, security for, and other costs relating to any cost bond, supersedeas bond, or other appeal bond or its equivalent. Expenses, however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee or the amount of judgments or fines against Indemnitee.
(j) Independent Counsel shall mean a law firm, or a member of a law firm, that is experienced in matters of corporation law and neither presently is, nor in the past five years has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company, Indemnitee or any Affiliated Entity in any matter material to such party (other than with respect to matters concerning the Indemnitee under this Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar indemnification agreements), or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding giving rise to a claim for indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term Independent Counsel shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitees rights under this Agreement.
(k) Person shall have the meaning as set forth in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act as in effect on the date hereof; provided, however, that Person shall exclude (i) the Company; (ii) any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company; and (iii) any corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the Companys stockholders in substantially the same proportion as their ownership of stock of the Company.
(l) Proceeding shall include any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, arbitration, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing, appeal or any other actual, threatened or completed proceeding, whether brought in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil (including intentional or unintentional tort claims), criminal, administrative or investigative nature, in which Indemnitee was, is or will be involved as a party or otherwise by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director or officer of the Company, by reason of any action (or failure to act) taken by him or her or of any action (or failure to act) on his or her part while acting as a director or officer of the Company, or by reason of the fact that he or she is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, trustee, general partner, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other Enterprise, in each case whether or not serving in such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification, holding harmless, exoneration, reimbursement, or advancement of expenses can be provided under this Agreement.
- 4 -
(m) Subsidiary shall mean, with respect to any Person, any corporation or other entity of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities or equity interests is owned, directly or indirectly, by that Person.
(n) (i) References to fines shall include any excise tax assessed on Indemnitee with respect to any employee benefit plan; (ii) references to serving at the request of the Company shall include any service as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of the Company which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries; (iii) none of the Companys directors or officers who serves as a director, officer, trustee, general partner, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent for an entity, other than the Company or its Subsidiaries or affiliated entities (including employee benefit plans), shall be deemed to be serving at the request of the Company for purposes of this Agreement without an express authorizing resolution adopted by the Board or a committee thereof; and (iv) If Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in a manner not opposed to the best interests of the Company as referred to in this Agreement.
3. Indemnity in Third-Party Proceedings. The Company shall indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3 if Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant (as a witness or otherwise) in any Proceeding, other than a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 3, Indemnitee shall be indemnified, held harmless and exonerated against all Expenses, judgments, liabilities, fines and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on his or her behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company and, in the case of a criminal Proceeding had no reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.
4. Indemnity in Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company. The Company shall indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 4 if Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant (as a witness or otherwise) in any Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 4, Indemnitee shall be indemnified, held harmless and exonerated against all Expenses, judgments, liabilities, fines and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement), actually and reasonably incurred by him or her on his or her behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. No indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration for Expenses, judgments, liabilities, fines and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement) shall be made under this
- 5 -
Section 4 in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been finally adjudged by a court to be liable to the Company, unless and only to the extent that any court in which the Proceeding was brought, or the Delaware Court, shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to such indemnification, hold harmless and exoneration rights.
5. Indemnification for Expenses of a Party Who is Wholly or Partly Successful. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee is a party to (or a participant in) and is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in any Proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, in whole or in part, the Company shall indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee against all Expenses, liabilities, fines and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses, fines and amounts paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection therewith. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in such Proceeding, the Company shall indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee against all Expenses, liabilities, fines and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses, fines and amounts paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred by him or her or on his or her behalf in connection with each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter. If the Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding, the Company also shall indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee against all Expenses, liabilities, fines and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses, fines and amounts paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred in connection with a claim, issue or matter related to any claim, issue, or matter on which the Indemnitee was successful. For purposes of this Section and without limitation, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in such a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, by reason of settlement, judgment, order or otherwise, shall be deemed to be a successful result as to such claim, issue or matter so long as there has been no finding that Indemnitee (i) did not act in good faith, or (ii) did not act in a manner reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, or (iii) with respect to any criminal proceeding, had reasonable grounds to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.
6. Indemnification For Expenses of a Witness. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of his or her Corporate Status, a witness in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party, he or she shall be indemnified, held harmless and exonerated against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or her or on his or her behalf in connection therewith.
7. Additional Indemnification, Hold Harmless and Exoneration Rights.
(a) Notwithstanding any limitation in Sections 3, 4, or 5, the Company shall indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by law if Indemnitee is a party to or threatened to be made a party to any Proceeding (including a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor) against all Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest,
- 6 -
assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid or payable) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the Proceeding.
(b) For purposes of Section 7(a), the meaning of the phrase to the fullest extent permitted by law shall include, but not be limited to:
(i) to the fullest extent permitted by the provision of the DGCL that authorizes or contemplates additional indemnification by agreement, or the corresponding provision of any amendment to or replacement of the DGCL, and
(ii) to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by any amendments to or replacements of the DGCL adopted after the date of this Agreement that increase the extent to which a corporation may indemnify, hold harmless or exonerate its officers and directors.
8. Exclusions. Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement, the Company shall not be obligated under this Agreement to make any indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration payment in connection with any claim made against Indemnitee:
(a) for which payment has actually been received by or on behalf of Indemnitee under any insurance policy or other indemnity provision, except with respect to any excess beyond the amount actually received under any insurance policy, contract, agreement or other indemnity provision or otherwise; or
(b) for an accounting of profits made from the purchase and sale (or sale and purchase) by Indemnitee of securities of the Company within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act or similar provisions of state statutory law or common law; or
(c) prior to a Change in Control, in connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee, including any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee against the Company or its directors, officers, employees or other indemnitees, unless (i) the Board authorized the Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) prior to its initiation or (ii) the Company provides the indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration payment in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Company under applicable law.
9. Advances of Expenses; Defense of Claim.
(a) Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, and to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Company shall advance the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any Proceeding as soon as practicable, but in any event, within thirty (30) days after the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements requesting such advances from time to time, whether prior to or after final disposition of any Proceeding. Advances shall be unsecured and interest free. Advances shall be made without regard to Indemnitees ability to repay the Expenses and without regard to Indemnitees ultimate entitlement to be indemnified, held harmless or exonerated under the other provisions of this Agreement. Advances shall include any and all reasonable Expenses incurred pursuing a
- 7 -
Proceeding to enforce this right of advancement, including Expenses incurred preparing and forwarding statements to the Company to support the advances claimed. The Indemnitee shall qualify for advances, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, solely upon the execution and delivery to the Company of an undertaking providing that the Indemnitee undertakes to repay the advance to the extent that it is ultimately determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified, held harmless or exonerated by the Company under the provisions of this Agreement, the Charter or Bylaws, applicable law or otherwise. This Section 9(a) shall not apply to any claim made by Indemnitee for which indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration payment is excluded pursuant to Section 8.
(b) The Company will be entitled to participate in the Proceeding at its own expense.
(c) The Company shall not settle any action, claim or Proceeding (in whole or in part) which would impose any Expense, judgment, fine, penalty or limitation on the Indemnitee without the Indemnitees prior written consent.
10. Procedure for Notification and Application for Indemnification.
(a) Within sixty (60) days after being served with any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, inquiry, information or other document relating to any Proceeding or matter which may be subject to indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration rights under this Agreement, or advancement of Expenses covered hereby, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written notice identifying the Proceeding. The omission by the Indemnitee to notify the Company will not relieve the Company from any liability which it may have to Indemnitee (i) otherwise than under this Agreement, and (ii) under this Agreement unless and only to the extent the Company can establish that such omission to notify resulted in actual prejudice to the Company.
(b) Indemnitee may thereafter deliver to the Company a written application to indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee in accordance with this Agreement. Such application(s) may be delivered from time to time and at such time(s) as Indemnitee deems appropriate in his or her sole discretion. Following such a written application for indemnification by Indemnitee, the Indemnitees entitlement to such indemnification shall be determined according to Section 11(a) of this Agreement.
11. Procedure Upon Application for Indemnification.
(a) A determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to Indemnitees entitlement to indemnification shall be made in the specific case by one of the following methods, which shall be at the election of Indemnitee: (i) by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even though less than a quorum of the Board, or (ii) by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee. The Company promptly will advise Indemnitee in writing with respect to any determination that
- 8 -
Indemnitee is or is not entitled to indemnification, including a description of any reason or basis for which indemnification has been denied. If it is so determined that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, payment to Indemnitee shall be made as soon as practicable, but in no event more than thirty (30) days, after such determination. Indemnitee shall reasonably cooperate with the person, persons or entity making such determination with respect to Indemnitees entitlement to indemnification, including providing to such person, persons or entity upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to such determination. Any costs or Expenses (including attorneys fees and disbursements) incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons or entity making such determination shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitees entitlement to indemnification) and the Company hereby indemnifies, exonerates and agrees to hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom.
(b) In the event the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, the Independent Counsel shall be selected as provided in this Section 11(b). Indemnitee shall select the Independent Counsel and shall give written notice to the Company advising it of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected and certifying that the Independent Counsel so selected meets the requirements of Independent Counsel as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement. The Company may, within thirty (30) days after such written notice of selection shall have been received, deliver to Indemnitee a written objection to such selection; provided, however, that such objection may be asserted only on the ground that the Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of Independent Counsel as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement, and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of such assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the person so selected shall act as Independent Counsel. If such written objection is so made and substantiated, the Independent Counsel so selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until such objection is withdrawn or a court of competent jurisdiction has determined that such objection is without merit. If, within forty-five (45) days after submission by Indemnitee of a written request for indemnification pursuant to Section 10(a) hereof, no Independent Counsel shall have been selected and not objected to, either the Company or Indemnitee may petition a court of competent jurisdiction for resolution of any objection which shall have been made by the Company to Indemnitees selection of Independent Counsel and/or for the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected by the Court or by such other person as the Court shall designate, and the person with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the person so appointed shall act as Independent Counsel under Section 11(a) hereof. Upon the due commencement of any judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to Section 13(a) of this Agreement, Independent Counsel shall be discharged and relieved of any further responsibility in such capacity (subject to the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing).
(c) The Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees and expenses of Independent Counsel and to fully indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate such Independent Counsel against any and all Expenses, claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto.
- 9 -
12. Presumptions and Effect of Certain Proceedings.
(a) In making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the person, persons or entity making such determination shall presume that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement if Indemnitee has submitted a request for indemnification in accordance with Section 10(a) of this Agreement, and the Company shall have the burden of proof to overcome that presumption in connection with the making by any person, persons or entity of any determination contrary to that presumption. Neither the failure of the Company (including by its directors or independent legal counsel) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of any action pursuant to this Agreement that indemnification is proper in the circumstances because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct, nor an actual determination by the Company (including by its directors or independent legal counsel) that Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct.
(b) If the person, persons or entity empowered or selected under Section 11 of this Agreement to determine whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification shall not have made a determination within ninety (90) days after receipt by the Company of the request therefor, the requisite determination of entitlement to indemnification shall be deemed to have been made and Indemnitee shall be entitled to such indemnification, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitees statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law as set forth in a final judicial determination; provided, however, that such 90-day period may be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional thirty (30) days, if the person, persons or entity making the determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification in good faith requires such additional time for the obtaining or evaluating of documentation and/or information relating thereto.
(c) The termination of any Proceeding or of any claim, issue or matter therein, by judgment, order, settlement or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not (except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement) of itself adversely affect the right of Indemnitee to indemnification or create a presumption that Indemnitee did not meet any particular standard of conduct, did not act in good faith and in a manner which he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company or, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.
(d) For purposes of any determination of good faith, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith and in a manner which he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company if Indemnitees action is based on the records or books of account of the Enterprise, including financial statements, or on information, opinions, reports or statements supplied to Indemnitee by the directors or officers of the Enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Enterprise or on information or records given or reports made to the Enterprise by an independent certified public accountant, investment banker or by an appraiser or other expert selected with the reasonable care by the Enterprise. The provisions of this Section 12(d) shall not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any way the other circumstances in which the Indemnitee may be deemed or found to have met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in this Agreement.
- 10 -
(e) The knowledge and/or actions, or failure to act, of any other director, officer, trustee, partner, managing member, fiduciary, agent or employee of the Enterprise shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnification under this Agreement.
13. Remedies of Indemnitee.
(a) In the event that (i) a determination is made pursuant to Section 11 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, (ii) advancement of Expenses, to the fullest extent permitted by law, is not timely made pursuant to Section 9 of this Agreement, (iii) no determination of entitlement to indemnification shall have been made pursuant to Section 11(a) of this Agreement within ninety (90) days after receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification, (iv) payment of indemnification is not made pursuant to Section 5, 6, 7 or the last sentence of Section 11(a) of this Agreement within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, or (v) payment of indemnification pursuant to Section 3 or 4 of this Agreement is not made within thirty (30) days after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication by the Delaware Court of his or her entitlement to such indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration or advancement of Expenses rights. Alternatively, Indemnitee, at his or her option, may seek an award in arbitration to be conducted by a single arbitrator pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association. Except as set forth herein, the provisions of Delaware law (without regard to its conflicts of laws rules) shall apply to any such arbitration. The Company shall not oppose Indemnitees right to seek any such adjudication or award in arbitration.
(b) In the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 11(a) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 13 shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial, or arbitration, on the merits and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of that adverse determination. In any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 13 the Company shall have the burden of proving Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified, held harmless, exonerated or to receive advancement of Expenses, as the case may be, and the Company may not refer to or introduce into evidence any determination pursuant to Section 11(a) of this Agreement adverse to Indemnitee for any purpose.
(c) If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 11(a) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall be bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 13, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitees statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law.
- 11 -
(d) In the event that Indemnitee, pursuant to this Section 13, seeks a judicial adjudication of or an award in arbitration to enforce his or her rights under, or to recover damages for breach of, this Agreement, Indemnitee shall be entitled to recover from the Company, and shall be indemnified, held harmless and exonerated by the Company against, any and all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in such judicial adjudication or arbitration. If it shall be determined in said judicial adjudication or arbitration that Indemnitee is entitled to receive part but not all of the indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration or advancement of Expenses sought, the Indemnitee shall be entitled to recover from the Company, and shall be indemnified, held harmless and exonerated by the Company against, any and all Expenses reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with such judicial adjudication or arbitration.
(e) The Company shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 13 that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court or before any such arbitrator that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by law against all Expenses and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall (within thirty (30) days after the Companys receipt of a written request therefore) advance to Indemnitee such Expenses which are incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any judicial proceeding or arbitration brought by Indemnitee (i) to enforce his or her rights under, or to recover damages for breach of, this Agreement or any other indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration or advancement agreement or provision of the Charter or Bylaws, now or hereafter in effect or (ii) for recovery or advances under any insurance policy maintained by any person or the Company for the benefit of Indemnitee, regardless of whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to such indemnification, advancement of Expenses or insurance recovery, as the case may be.
(f) If the Company fails to pay any amount due to Indemnitee hereunder within the time periods specified herein, then the Company shall pay to Indemnitee interest on such amount at the prime rate then in effect for the period commencing with the date on which such amount was required to be paid hereunder and ending with the date on which such payment is made by the Company to Indemnitee.
14. Security. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, to the extent requested by Indemnitee and approved by the Board, the Company may at any time and from time to time provide security to Indemnitee for the Companys obligations hereunder through an irrevocable bank line of credit, funded trust or other collateral. Any such security, once provided to Indemnitee, may not be revoked or released without the prior written consent of Indemnitee.
15. Non-exclusivity; Survival of Rights; Insurance; Subrogation.
(a) The rights of Indemnitee to be indemnified, held harmless and exonerated and to advancement of Expenses as provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the Charter, the Bylaws, any agreement, a vote of stockholders or a resolution of directors, or otherwise. No amendment, alteration or repeal of this Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any action taken or omitted by such Indemnitee in his or her Corporate Status prior to such amendment, alteration
- 12 -
or repeal. To the extent that a change in applicable law, whether by statute or judicial decision, permits greater indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration rights or advancement of Expenses than would be afforded currently under the Charter, the Bylaws or this Agreement, it is the intent of the parties hereto that Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits so afforded by such change. No right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right and remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy.
(b) To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for directors, officers, trustees, partners, managing members, fiduciaries, employees, or agents of the Company or of any other Enterprise which such person serves at the request of the Company, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any such director, trustee, partner, managing member, fiduciary, officer, employee or agent under such policy or policies. If, at the time the Company receives notice from any source of a Proceeding as to which Indemnitee is a party or a participant (as a witness or otherwise), the Company has director and officer liability insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of such Proceeding to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the respective policies. The Company shall thereafter take all necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of the Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such Proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies.
(c) In the event of any payment under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all papers required and take all action necessary to secure such rights, including execution of such documents as are necessary to enable the Company to bring suit to enforce such rights.
(d) The Companys obligation to indemnify, hold harmless, exonerate or advance Expenses hereunder to Indemnitee who is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, trustee, partner, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other Enterprise shall be reduced by any amount Indemnitee has actually received as indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration payments or advancement of expenses from such other Enterprise.
(e) The DGCL, the Charter and the Bylaws permit the Company to purchase and maintain insurance or furnish similar protection or make other arrangements including, but not limited to, providing a trust fund, letter of credit, or surety bond (Indemnification Arrangements) on behalf of Indemnitee against any liability asserted against him or her or incurred by or on behalf of him or her or in such capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, or arising out of his or her Corporate Status as such, whether or not the Company would have the power to indemnify, hold harmless or exonerate him or her against such liability under the provisions of this Agreement or under the DGCL, as it may then be in effect. The purchase, establishment, and maintenance of any such Indemnification Arrangement shall not in any way limit or affect the rights and obligations of the Company or of the
- 13 -
Indemnitee under this Agreement except as expressly provided herein, and the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company and the Indemnitee shall not in any way limit or affect the rights and obligations of the Company or the other party or parties thereto under any such Indemnification Arrangement
16. Duration of Agreement. This Agreement shall continue until and terminate upon the later of: (a) ten (10) years after the date that Indemnitee shall have ceased to serve as a director or officer, trustee, partner, managing member, fiduciary of the Company or as a director, officer, employee or agent of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise which Indemnitee served at the request of the Company; or (b) one (1) year after the final termination of any Proceeding (including any appeal thereto) then pending in respect of which Indemnitee is granted rights of indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration or advancement of Expenses hereunder and of any proceeding commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 13 of this Agreement relating thereto (including any rights of appeal of any Proceeding described in Section 13). This Agreement shall be binding upon the Company and its successors and assigns and shall inure to the benefit of Indemnitee and his or her heirs, executors and administrators.
17. Period of Limitations. No legal action shall be brought and no cause of action shall be asserted by or in the right of the Company against Indemnitee, Indemnitees spouse, heirs, executors or personal or legal representatives after the expiration of two (2) years from the date of accrual of such cause of action, and any claim or cause of action of the Company shall be extinguished and deemed released unless asserted by the timely filing of a legal action within such two-year period; provided, however, that if any shorter period of limitations is otherwise applicable to any such cause of action, such shorter period shall govern.
18. Severability. If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement (including without limitation, each portion of any Section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law; (b) such provision or provisions shall be deemed reformed to the extent necessary to conform to applicable law and to give the maximum effect to the intent of the parties hereto; and (c) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any Section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested thereby.
19. Additional Acts. If for the validation of any of the provisions in this Agreement any act, resolution, approval or other procedure is required, the Company undertakes to cause such act, resolution, approval or other procedure to be affected or adopted in a manner that will enable the Company to fulfill its obligations under this Agreement.
- 14 -
20. Enforcement and Binding Effect.
(a) The Company expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered into this Agreement and assumed the obligations imposed on it hereby in order to induce Indemnitee to serve as a director or officer of the Company, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this Agreement in serving as a director or officer of the Company.
(b) Without limiting any of the Indemnitees rights under the Charter or Bylaws, this Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral, written and implied, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof.
(c) The indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration and advancement of Expenses rights provided by or granted pursuant to this Agreement shall be binding upon and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns (including any direct or indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company), shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or of any other Enterprise at the Companys request, and shall inure to the benefit of Indemnitee and his or her spouse, assigns, heirs, devisees, executors and administrators and other legal representatives.
(d) The Company shall require and cause any successor (whether direct or indirect by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all, substantially all or a substantial part, of the business and/or assets of the Company, by written agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnitee, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place.
(e) The Company and Indemnitee agree herein that a monetary remedy for breach of this Agreement, at some later date, may be inadequate, impracticable and difficult of proof, and further agree that such breach may cause Indemnitee irreparable harm. Accordingly, the parties hereto agree that Indemnitee may enforce this Agreement by seeking, among other things, injunctive relief and/or specific performance hereof, without any necessity of showing actual damage or irreparable harm and that by seeking injunctive relief and/or specific performance, Indemnitee shall not be precluded from seeking or obtaining any other relief to which he or she may be entitled. The Company and Indemnitee further agree that Indemnitee shall be entitled to such specific performance and injunctive relief, including temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions and permanent injunctions, without the necessity of posting bonds or other undertaking in connection therewith. The Company acknowledges that in the absence of a waiver, a bond or undertaking may be required of Indemnitee by the Court, and the Company hereby waives any such requirement of such a bond or undertaking.
21. Modification and Waiver. No supplement, modification or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions of this Agreement nor shall any waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
- 15 -
22. Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given (a) if delivered by hand and receipted for by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed, or (b) if mailed by certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third (3rd) business day after the date on which it is so mailed:
(a) If to Indemnitee, at the address indicated on the signature page of this Agreement, or such other address as Indemnitee shall provide in writing to the Company.
(b) If to the Company to Lear Corporation, Attention: General Counsel, 21557 Telegraph Road, Southfield, Michigan 48033 or to any other address as may have been furnished in writing to Indemnitee by the Company.
23. Contribution. To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, if the indemnification, hold harmless and exoneration rights provided for in this Agreement is unavailable to Indemnitee for any reason whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying, holding harmless and exonerating Indemnitee, shall contribute to the amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether for judgments, fines, penalties, excise taxes, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement and/or for Expenses, in connection with any claim relating to an indemnifiable event under this Agreement, in such proportion as is deemed fair and reasonable in light of all of the circumstances of such Proceeding in order to reflect (i) the relative benefits received by the Company and Indemnitee as a result of the event(s) and/or transaction(s) giving cause to such Proceeding; and/or (ii) the relative fault of the Company (and its directors, officers, employees and agents) and Indemnitee in connection with such event(s) and/or transaction(s).
24. Applicable Law and Consent to Jurisdiction. This Agreement and the legal relations among the parties shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to its conflict of laws rules. Except with respect to any arbitration commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 13(a) of this Agreement, the Company and Indemnitee hereby irrevocably and unconditionally (i) agree that any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement shall be brought only in the Delaware Court, and not in any other state or federal court in the United States of America or any court in any other country, (ii) consent to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Delaware Court for purposes of any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement, (iii) irrevocably appoint, to the extent such party is not a resident of the State of Delaware, RL&F Service Corp., One Rodney Square, 10th Floor, 10th and King Streets, Wilmington, Delaware 19801 as its agent in the State of Delaware as such partys agent for acceptance of legal process in connection with any such action or proceeding against such party with the same legal force and validity as if served upon such party personally within the State of Delaware, (iv) waive any objection to the laying of venue of any such action or proceeding in the Delaware Court, and (v) waive, and agree not to plead or to make, any claim that any such action or proceeding brought in the Delaware Court has been brought in an improper or inconvenient forum, or is subject, in whole or in part, to a jury trial.
25. Identical Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. Only one such counterpart signed by the party against whom enforceability is sought needs to be produced to evidence the existence of this Agreement.
- 16 -
26. Miscellaneous. Use of the masculine pronoun shall be deemed to include usage of the feminine pronoun where appropriate. The headings of the paragraphs of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction thereof.
[Signature page follows]
- 17 -
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be signed as of the day and year first above written.
LEAR CORPORATION | ||||||
By: | ||||||
Daniel A. Ninivaggi | ||||||
Executive Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel | ||||||
INDEMNITEE | ||||||
Name: | ||||||
Title: | ||||||
Address: |