Ex-1.1 Underwriting Agreement, by and between Nuance Communications, Inc. and Thomas Weisel Partners LLC, dated June 4, 2008

Contract Categories: Business Finance - Underwriting Agreements
EX-1.1 2 b703628kexv1w1.htm EX-1.1 UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT, BY AND BETWEEN NUANCE COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND THOMAS WEISEL PARTNERS LLC, DATED JUNE 4, 2008. exv1w1
Exhibit 1.1
5,575,000 Shares
Nuance Communications, Inc.
Common Stock
($0.001 par value)
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
June 4, 2008
Thomas Weisel Partners LLC
One Montgomery Street, Suite 3700
San Francisco, CA 94104
Dear Sirs:
     1. Introductory. Nuance Communications, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Company”), agrees with Thomas Weisel Partners LLC (the “Underwriter”) to issue and sell to the Underwriter 5,575,000 shares (“Firm Shares”) of its common stock, par value $0.001 per share (“Common Stock”) and also proposes to issue and sell to the Underwriter, at the option of the Underwriter, an aggregate of not more than 836,250 additional shares (“Optional Shares”) of its Common Stock as set forth below. The Firm Shares and the Optional Shares are herein collectively called the “Offered Shares”. Certain terms used herein are defined in Section 16.
     2. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Underwriter that:
     (a) The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Act and has prepared and filed with the Commission an automatic shelf registration statement, as defined in Rule 405 (File No. 333-147715) on Form S-3, including a related Base Prospectus, for registration under the Act of the offering and sale of the Offered Shares. Such Registration Statement became effective upon filing. The Company may have filed with the Commission, as part of an amendment to the Registration Statement or pursuant to Rule 424(b), one or more preliminary prospectus supplements relating to the Offered Shares, each of which has previously been furnished to the Underwriter. The Company will file with the Commission a final prospectus supplement relating to the Offered Shares in accordance with Rule 424(b). As filed, such final prospectus supplement shall contain all information required by the Act and the rules thereunder, and, except to the extent the Underwriter shall agree in writing to a modification, shall be in all substantive respects in the form furnished to the Underwriter prior to the Execution Time or, to the extent not completed at the Execution Time, shall contain only such specific additional information and other changes (beyond that contained in the Base Prospectus and any Preliminary Prospectus) as the Company has advised the Underwriter, prior to the Execution Time, will be included or made therein. The Registration Statement, at the Execution Time, meets the requirements set forth in Rule 415(a)(1)(x).
     (b) On each Effective Date, the Registration Statement did, and when the Final Prospectus is first filed in accordance with Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date (as defined herein) and on any date on which Optional Shares are purchased, if such date is not the Closing Date (a “settlement date”), the Final

 


 

Prospectus (and any amendment or supplement thereto) will, comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act and the Exchange Act and the respective rules thereunder; on each Effective Date, the Registration Statement did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and on the date of any filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date and any settlement date, the Final Prospectus (together with any amendment or supplement thereto) will not include any 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, however, that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to the information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement or the Final Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of the Underwriter specifically for inclusion in the Registration Statement or the Final Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by or on behalf of the Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8(b) hereof.
     (c) Since the date of the most recent financial statements included in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto), there has been no material adverse change in the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).
     (d) (i) The Disclosure Package and the price to the public, the number of Firm Shares and the number of Optional Shares to be included on the cover page of the Final Prospectus, when taken together as a whole and (ii) each electronic road show when taken together as a whole with the Disclosure Package and the price to the public, the number of Firm Shares and the number of Optional Shares to be included on the cover page of the Final Prospectus, as of the Execution Time, does not contain any 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. The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from the Disclosure Package based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by or on behalf of the Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8(b) hereof.
     (e) (i) At the time of filing the Registration Statement, (ii) at the time of the most recent amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Act (whether such amendment was by post-effective amendment, incorporated report filed pursuant to Sections 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act or form of prospectus), (iii) at the time the Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this clause only, of Rule 163(c)) made any offer relating to the Offered Shares in reliance on the exemption in Rule 163, and (iv) at the Execution Time (with such date being used as the determination date for purposes of this clause (iv)), the Company was or is (as the case may be) a “well-known seasoned issuer” as defined in Rule 405. The Company agrees to pay the fees required by the Commission relating to the Offered Shares within the time required by Rule 456(b)(1) without regard to the proviso therein and otherwise in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r).
     (f) (i) At the earliest time after the filing of the Registration Statement that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2)) of the Offered Shares and (ii) as of the Execution Time (with such date being used as the determination date for purposes of this clause (ii)), the Company was not and is not an Ineligible Issuer (as defined in Rule 405), without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an Ineligible Issuer.

-2-


 

     (g) Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus does not include any information that conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement, including any document incorporated therein by reference and any prospectus supplement deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified. The foregoing sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by or on behalf of the Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8(b) hereof.
     (h) Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which it is chartered or organized with full corporate power and authority to own or lease, as the case may be, and to operate its properties and conduct its business as described in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, and is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and is in good standing under the laws of each jurisdiction which requires such qualification, except where the failure to be in good standing would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect (as defined herein).
     (i) All the outstanding shares of capital stock of each subsidiary have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and nonassessable, and, except as otherwise set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus and except for director nominee shares immaterial in amount, all outstanding shares of capital stock of the subsidiaries are owned by the Company either directly or through wholly owned subsidiaries free and clear of any security interest, claim, lien or encumbrance.
     (j) The Company’s authorized equity capitalization is as set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus; the capital stock of the Company conforms to the description thereof contained in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus; the outstanding shares of Common Stock have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable; the Offered Shares being sold hereunder by the Company have been duly and validly authorized, and, when issued and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriter pursuant to this Agreement, will be fully paid and nonassessable; the Offered Shares being sold hereunder by the Company are duly listed, and admitted and authorized for trading, subject to official notice of issuance, on the NASDAQ Global Select Market; the holders of outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are not entitled to preemptive or other rights to subscribe for the Offered Shares; and, except as set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, no options, warrants or other rights to purchase, agreements or other obligations to issue, or rights to convert any obligations into or exchange any securities for, shares of capital stock of or ownership interests in the Company are outstanding.
     (k) There is no franchise, contract or other document of a character required to be described in the Registration Statement or Final Prospectus, or to be filed as an exhibit thereto, which is not described or filed as required (and the Disclosure Package contains in all material respects the same description of the foregoing matters contained in the Final Prospectus); and the statements in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus under the headings “Description of Capital Stock”, “Certain Material United States Federal Income Tax Consequences”, “Legal Matters” and “Underwriting” fairly summarize the matters therein described in all material respects.
     (l) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
     (m) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Offered Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, will not be an “investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
     (n) No consent, approval, authorization, filing with or order of any court or governmental agency or body is required in connection with the transactions contemplated herein, except such as may be required under the blue sky laws of any jurisdiction in which the Offered Shares are offered and sold by the

-3-


 

Underwriter in the manner contemplated herein and in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus and such as will be obtained or made under the Act.
     (o) Neither the issue and sale of the Offered Shares nor the consummation of any other of the transactions herein contemplated nor the fulfillment of the terms hereof will conflict with, result in a breach or violation of, or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, (i) the charter or by-laws of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (ii) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or bound or to which its or their property is subject, or (iii) any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree applicable to the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of its or their properties, other than in (ii) or (iii), those violations or defaults that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or a material adverse effect on the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
     (p) Except as set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, no holders of securities of the Company have rights to the registration of such securities under the Registration Statement.
     (q) The consolidated historical financial statements and schedules of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries included in the Disclosure Package, the Final Prospectus and the Registration Statement present fairly the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Company as of the dates and for the periods indicated, comply as to form with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved (except as otherwise noted therein). The pro forma financial statements included in the Disclosure Package, the Final Prospectus and the Registration Statement comply as to form with the applicable accounting requirements of Regulation S-X under the Act.
     (r) No action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries or its or their property is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened that (i) could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the performance of this Agreement or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated hereby or (ii) could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business (a “Material Adverse Effect”), except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).
     (s) Each of the Company and each of its subsidiaries owns or leases all such properties as are necessary to the conduct of its operations as presently conducted.
     (t) Neither the Company nor any subsidiary is in violation or default of (i) any provision of its charter or bylaws or comparable constituting documents, (ii) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which it is a party or bound or to which its property is subject, or (iii) any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Company or such subsidiary or any of its properties, as applicable, other than in (ii) or (iii), those violations or defaults that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
     (u) The Company shall have requested and caused BDO Seidman, LLP to have furnished to the Underwriter letters, dated respectively as of the Execution Time and as of the Closing Date, in form and

-4-


 

substance satisfactory to the Underwriter, and in the case of the letter dated as of the Execution Time, substantially in the form of Annex B hereto. The Company shall have requested and caused each of Vitale, Caturano & Company, Ltd. (with respect to Voice Signal Technologies, Inc.) and Deloitte & Touche LLP (with respect to eScription, Inc.), to have furnished to the Underwriter, at the Execution Time and at the Closing Date, accountant’s “comfort” letters (which may refer to letters previously delivered to the Underwriter), dated respectively as of the Execution Time and as of the Closing Date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriter.
     (v) The Company has filed all tax returns that are required to be filed or has requested extensions thereof (except in any case in which the failure so to file would not have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto)) and has paid all taxes required to be paid by it and any other assessment, fine or penalty levied against it, to the extent that any of the foregoing is due and payable, except for any such assessment, fine or penalty that is currently being contested in good faith or as would not have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).
     (w) No labor problem or dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or is threatened or imminent, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its or its subsidiaries’ principal suppliers, contractors or customers, except as would not have a Material Adverse Effect, and except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).
     (x) The Company and each of its subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and, in its judgment, in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which they are engaged; all policies of insurance and fidelity or surety bonds insuring the Company or any of its subsidiaries or their respective businesses, assets, employees, officers and directors are in full force and effect; the Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms of such policies and instruments; there are no claims by the Company or any of its subsidiaries under any such policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause; neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).
     (y) No subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such subsidiary’s property or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company, except as described in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).
     (z) The Company and its subsidiaries possess all licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations issued by all applicable authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses, except as would not have a Material Adverse Effect, and neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authorization or permit which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).

-5-


 

     (aa) The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto), the Company and its subsidiaries’ internal controls over financial reporting are effective and the Company and its subsidiaries are not aware of any material weakness in their internal controls over financial reporting.
     (bb) The Company and its subsidiaries maintain “disclosure controls and procedures” (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act); such disclosure controls and procedures are effective.
     (cc) The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Offered Shares.
     (dd) The Company and its subsidiaries are (i) in compliance with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“Environmental Laws”), (ii) have received and are in compliance with all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses and (iii) have not received notice of any actual or potential liability under any environmental law, except where such non-compliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals, or liability would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto). Except as set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of the subsidiaries has been named as a “potentially responsible party” under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended.
     (ee) None of the following events has occurred or exists: (i) a failure to fulfill the obligations, if any, under the minimum funding standards of Section 302 of the United States Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder with respect to a Plan, determined without regard to any waiver of such obligations or extension of any amortization period; (ii) an audit or investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Department of Labor, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation or any other federal or state governmental agency or any foreign regulatory agency with respect to the employment or compensation of employees by any of the Company or any of its subsidiaries that could have a Material Adverse Effect; (iii) any breach of any contractual obligation, or any violation of law or applicable qualification standards, with respect to the employment or compensation of employees by the Company or any of its subsidiaries that could have a Material Adverse Effect. None of the following events has occurred or is reasonably likely to occur: (i) a material increase in the aggregate amount of contributions required to be made to all Plans in the current fiscal year of the Company and its subsidiaries compared to the amount of such contributions made in the most recently completed fiscal year of the Company and its subsidiaries; (ii) a material increase in the “accumulated post-retirement benefit obligations” (within the meaning of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards 106) of the Company and its subsidiaries compared to the amount of such obligations in the most recently completed fiscal year of the Company and its subsidiaries; (iii) any event or condition giving rise to a liability under Title IV of ERISA that could have a Material Adverse Effect; or (iv) the filing of a claim by one or more employees or former employees of the Company or any of its

-6-


 

subsidiaries related to their employment that could have a Material Adverse Effect. For purposes of this paragraph, the term “Plan” means a plan (within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA) subject to Title IV of ERISA with respect to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries may have any liability.
     (ff) There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company and any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with Section 402, related to loans, and Sections 302 and 906, related to certifications, of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), or, in any material respect, with any other provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
     (gg) None of the Company, its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or Affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”), including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA; and the Company, its subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company, its Affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA.
     (hh) The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements and the money laundering statutes and 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 the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.
     (ii) None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or Affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is currently subject to any sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Offered Shares hereunder, 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 currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.
     (jj) Prior to the Closing Date, the Company will furnish to the Underwriter letters, each substantially in the form of Exhibit A-1 hereto, duly executed by each executive officer and director of the Company and addressed to the Underwriter.
     Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to the Underwriter or counsel for the Underwriter in connection with the offering of the Offered Shares shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company, as to matters covered thereby, to the Underwriter.
     3. Purchase, Sale and Delivery of Offered Shares. On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Company agrees to sell to the Underwriter, and the Underwriter agrees to purchase from the Company, at a purchase price of $17.95 per share, the Firm Shares on the First Closing Date, and subject to this Section 3, the Optional Shares on the Optional Closing Date or Dates.

-7-


 

     The Offered Shares to be purchased by the Underwriter hereunder will be represented by one or more definitive certificates representing global shares of Common Stock in book-entry form which will be deposited by or on behalf of the Company with the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or its designated custodian. The Company will deliver the Firm Shares through the facilities of DTC as instructed by the Underwriter for its account in a form reasonably acceptable to the Underwriter against payment of the purchase price by the Underwriter in Federal (same day) funds by wire transfer to an account at a bank designated by the Company and reasonably acceptable to the Underwriter at the office of Davis Polk & Wardwell, at 9:00 A.M., New York time, on June 10, 2008, or at such other time not later than seven full business days thereafter as the Underwriter and the Company determine, such time being herein referred to as the “First Closing Date”. For purposes of Rule 15c6-1 under the Exchange Act, the First Closing Date (if later than the otherwise applicable settlement date) shall be the settlement date for payment of funds and delivery of securities for all the Offered Shares sold pursuant to the offering. The Firm Shares so to be delivered or evidence of their issuance will be made available for checking at the above office of Davis Polk & Wardwell at least 24 hours prior to the First Closing Date.
     In addition, upon written notice from the Underwriter given to the Company from time to time not more than 30 days subsequent to the date of the Final Prospectus, the Underwriter may purchase all or less than all of the Optional Shares (but not on more than two occasions) at the purchase price per share to be paid for the Firm Shares. The Company agrees to sell to the Underwriter the number of shares of Optional Shares specified in such notice and the Underwriter agrees to purchase such Optional Shares. No Optional Shares shall be sold or delivered unless the Firm Shares previously have been, or simultaneously are, sold and delivered. The right to purchase the Optional Shares or any portion thereof may be exercised from time to time and to the extent not previously exercised may be surrendered and terminated at any time upon notice by the Underwriter to the Company.
     Each time for the delivery of and payment for the Optional Shares, being herein referred to as an “Optional Closing Date”, which may be the First Closing Date (the First Closing Date and each Optional Closing Date, if any, being sometimes referred to as a “Closing Date”), shall be determined by the Underwriter but shall be not later than five full business days after written notice of election to purchase Optional Shares is given. The Company will deliver the Optional Shares being purchased on each Optional Closing Date to or as instructed by the Underwriter for its account in a form reasonably acceptable to the Underwriter against payment of the purchase price therefor in Federal (same day) funds by wire transfer to an account at a bank designated by the Company and reasonably acceptable to the Underwriter, at the above office of Davis Polk & Wardwell. The Optional Shares being purchased on each Optional Closing Date or evidence of their issuance will be made available for checking at the above office of Davis Polk & Wardwell at a reasonable time in advance of such Optional Closing Date.
     4. Offering by Underwriter. It is understood that the Underwriter proposes to offer the Offered Shares for sale to the public as set forth in the Final Prospectus.
     5. Certain Agreements of the Company. The Company agrees with the Underwriter that:
     (a) Filing of Prospectuses. The Company has filed or will file each Statutory Prospectus (including the Final Prospectus) pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 424(b)(2) (or, if applicable and consented to by the Underwriter, subparagraph (5)) not later than the second business day following the earlier of the date it is first used or the execution and delivery of this Agreement. The Company has complied and will comply with Rule 433.
     (b) Filing of Amendments; Response to Commission Requests. The Company will promptly advise the Underwriter of any proposal to amend or supplement the Registration Statement or any Statutory Prospectus at any time and will offer the Underwriter a reasonable opportunity to comment on any such amendment or supplement; and the Company will also advise the Underwriter promptly of (i) the filing of any such amendment or supplement, (ii) any request by

-8-


 

the Commission or its staff for any amendment to the Registration Statement, for any supplement to any Statutory Prospectus or for any additional information, (iii) the institution by the Commission of any stop order proceedings in respect of the Registration Statement or the threatening of any proceeding for that purpose, and (iv) the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Offered Shares in any jurisdiction or the institution or threatening of any proceedings for such purpose. The Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order or the suspension of any such qualification and, if issued, to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.
     (c) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the Offered Shares is (or but for the exemption in Rule 172 would be) required to be delivered under the Act by the Underwriter or any dealer, any event occurs as a result of which the Final Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or if it is necessary at any time to amend the Registration Statement or supplement the Final Prospectus to comply with the Act, the Company will promptly notify the Underwriter of such event and will promptly prepare and file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriter and the dealers and any other dealers upon request of the Underwriter, an amendment or supplement which will correct such statement or omission or an amendment which will effect such compliance. Neither the Underwriter’s consent to, nor the Underwriter’s delivery of, any such amendment or supplement shall constitute a waiver of any of the conditions set forth in Section 7 hereof.
     (d) Rule 158. As soon as practicable, but not later than 16 months, after the date of this Agreement, the Company will make generally available to its securityholders an earnings statement covering a period of at least 12 months beginning after the date of this Agreement and satisfying the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158.
     (e) Furnishing of Prospectuses. The Company will furnish to the Underwriter copies of the Registration Statement, including all exhibits, any Statutory Prospectus, the Final Prospectus and all amendments and supplements to such documents, in each case as soon as available and in such quantities as the Underwriter reasonably requests. The Company will pay the expenses of printing and distributing to the Underwriter all such documents.
     (f) Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company shall promptly from time to time take such action as the Underwriter may reasonably request to qualify the Offered Shares for offering and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as the Underwriter 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 Offered Shares, provided that in connection therewith the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction.
     (g) Reporting Requirements. During a period of five years from the date hereafter, unless otherwise publicly available in electronic format on the website of the Company or the Commission, the Company agrees to furnish to the Underwriter copies of all reports or other communications (financial or other) furnished to stockholders, and to deliver to the Underwriter (i) as soon as they are available, copies of any reports and financial statements furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national securities exchange on which any class of securities of the Company is listed; and (ii) such additional information concerning the business and financial condition of the Company as the Underwriter may from time to time reasonably request (such financial statements to be on a consolidated basis to the extent the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries are consolidated in reports furnished to its stockholders generally or to the Commission).

-9-


 

     (h) Payment of Expenses. The Company agrees to pay the costs and expenses relating to the following matters: (i) the preparation, printing or reproduction and filing with the Commission of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits thereto), each Preliminary Prospectus, if any, the Final Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and each amendment or supplement to any of them; (ii) the printing (or reproduction) and delivery (including postage, air freight charges and charges for counting and packaging) of such copies of the Registration Statement, each Preliminary Prospectus, if any, the Final Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and all amendments or supplements to any of them, as may, in each case, be reasonably requested for use in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities; (iii) the preparation, printing, authentication, issuance and delivery of certificates for the Offered Shares, including any stamp or transfer taxes in connection with the original issuance and sale of the Offered Shares; (iv) the printing (or reproduction) and delivery of this Agreement, any blue sky memorandum and all other agreements or documents printed (or reproduced) and delivered in connection with the offering of the Securities; (v) the registration of the Offered Shares under the Exchange Act and the listing of the Offered Shares on the NASDAQ Global Select Market; (vi) any registration or qualification of the Offered Shares for offer and sale under the securities or blue sky laws of the several states (including filing fees and the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriter relating to such registration and qualification); (vii) any filings required to be made with the Financial Industry Regulation Authority, Inc. (including filing fees and the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriter relating to such filings, provided that, if requested by the Company, the Underwriter shall deliver to the Company a reasonably detailed invoice to the Company itemizing such fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriter); (viii) the fees and expenses of the Company’s accountants and the fees and expenses of counsel (including local and special counsel) for the Company; and (ix) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance by the Company of their obligations hereunder.
     (i) Use of Proceeds. The Company shall use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Offered Shares pursuant to this Agreement in the manner specified in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds”.
     (j) Absence of Manipulation. The Company shall not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any securities of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Offered Shares.
     (l) Restriction on Sale of Common Stock. During the period beginning from the date hereof and continuing to and including the date 60 days after the date of the Final Prospectus (the initial “Lock-Up Period”), the Company agrees not to offer, sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of, except as provided hereunder, any securities of the Company that are substantially similar to the Offered Shares, including but not limited to any securities that are convertible into or exchangeable for, or that represent the right to receive, shares of Common Stock or any such substantially similar securities (other than pursuant to employee stock option plans existing on, or upon the conversion or exchange of convertible or exchangeable securities outstanding as of, the date of this Agreement), without the Underwriter’s prior written consent. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may (i) issue and sell capital stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for capital stock pursuant to any employee stock option plan, stock ownership plan or dividend reinvestment plan in effect on the date hereof that is described in the Registration Statement, (ii) issue capital stock issuable upon the conversion of securities outstanding on the date hereof or the exercise of warrants outstanding on the date hereof and described in the Registration Statement, (iii) file a registration statement with the Commission, or file a prospectus supplement relating to an effective registration statement, in respect of the Company’s 2.75% Senior Convertible Debentures due 2027 (the “Convertible Debentures”) outstanding and any

-10-


 

Common Stock into which the Convertible Debentures are convertible and (iv) offer, sell, contract to sell, otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, shares of capital stock in connection with an acquisition (whether through merger, share purchase, share exchange or otherwise) of a company, division, business or assets or strategic transactions, provided, that no registration statement is filed and no amendment or prospectus supplement relating to an effective registration statement is filed, with respect to such shares, prior to and including the date that is 30 days after the date of the Final Prospectus.
     (m) Licensing. Upon request of the Underwriter, the Company shall furnish, or cause to be furnished, to the Underwriter an electronic version of the Company’s trademarks, servicemarks and corporate logo for use on the website, if any, operated by the Underwriter for the purpose of facilitating the on-line offering of the Offered Shares (the “License”); provided, however, that the License shall be used solely for the purpose described above, is granted without any fee and may not be assigned or transferred.
     6. Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Underwriter, and the Underwriter represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Company, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Offered Shares that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405, required to be filed with the Commission. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Company and the Underwriter is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Company represents that it has treated and agrees that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rules 164 and 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including timely Commission filing where required, legending and record keeping.
     7. Conditions of the Obligations of the Underwriter. The obligations of the Underwriter to purchase and pay for the Firm Shares on the First Closing Date and the Optional Shares to be purchased on each Optional Closing Date will be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company herein (as though made on such Closing Date), to the accuracy of the statements of Company officers made pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions precedent:
     (a) Accountants’ Comfort Letter. The Underwriter shall have received letters, dated, respectively, the date hereof and each Closing Date, of BDO Seidman LLP, Vitale, Caturano & Company, Ltd. (with respect to Voice Signal Technologies, Inc.) and Deloitte & Touche LLP (with respect to eScription, Inc.) confirming that each is a registered public accounting firm and independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Laws and substantially in the form of Schedule B with respect to BDO Seidman LLP and otherwise in a form acceptable to the Underwriter (except that, in any letter dated on a Closing Date, the specified date referred to in Schedule B hereto shall be a date no more than three days prior to such Closing Date).
     (b) Filing of Prospectus. The Final Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Commission and Section 5(a) hereof. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any part thereof shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or, to the knowledge of the Company or the Underwriter, shall be contemplated by the Commission.
     (c) No Material Adverse Change. Subsequent to the Execution Time or, if earlier, the dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment thereof) and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto), there shall not have been (i) any change or decrease specified in the letter or letters referred to in

-11-


 

paragraph (a) of this Section 7 or (ii) any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto) the effect of which, in any case referred to in clause (i) or (ii) above, is, in the sole judgment of the Underwriter, so material and adverse as to make it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Offered Shares as contemplated by the Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment thereof), the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).
     (d) Opinion of Counsel for the Company. The Underwriter shall have received an opinion, dated such Closing Date, of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, counsel for the Company, of the substantive paragraphs set forth on Annex A hereto.
     (e) Opinion of Counsel for the Underwriter. The Underwriter shall have received from Davis Polk & Wardwell, counsel for the Underwriter, such opinion or opinions, dated such Closing Date, with respect to such matters as the Underwriter may require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.
     (f) Officer’s Certificate. The Underwriter shall have received a certificate, dated such Closing Date, of an executive officer of the Company and a principal financial or accounting officer of the Company in which such officers shall state that: the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct; the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to such Closing Date; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or, to the best of their knowledge and after reasonable investigation, are threatened or contemplated by the Commission; and, subsequent to the dates of the most recent financial statements in the Disclosure Package, there has been no material adverse change, nor any development or event involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, properties or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole except as set forth in the Disclosure Package or as described in such certificate.
     (g) Warburg Pincus Lock-Ups. Prior to the Closing Date, each of Warburg Pincus Private Equity VIII, L.P., Warburg Pincus Netherlands Private Equity VIII, C.V.I and WP-WPVIII Investors, L.P. shall have delivered to the Underwriter a letter substantially in the form of Exhibit A-2 hereto.
     (h) Officer and Director Lock-Ups. Prior to the Closing Date, each executive officer and director of the Company shall have delivered to the Underwriter a letter substantially in the form of Exhibit A-1 hereto.
The Company will furnish the Underwriter with such conformed copies of such opinions, certificates, letters and documents as the Underwriter reasonably request. The Underwriter may, in its sole discretion, waive on behalf of the Underwriter compliance with any conditions to the obligations of the Underwriter hereunder, whether in respect of an Optional Closing Date or otherwise.
     8. Indemnification and Contribution. (a) Indemnification of Underwriter. The Company will indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriter, its partners, members, directors, officers, employees, agents, affiliates and each person, if any, who controls the Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (each, an “Indemnified Party”), against any and all losses, claims,

-12-


 

damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Indemnified Party may become subject, under the Act, the Exchange Act, other Federal or state statutory law or regulation or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any part of the Registration Statement at any time, any Statutory Prospectus as of any time, the Final Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and will reimburse each Indemnified Party for any legal or other expenses as reasonably incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending against any loss, claim, damage, liability, action, litigation, investigation or proceeding whatsoever (whether or not such Indemnified Party is a party thereto), whether threatened or commenced, and in connection with the enforcement of this provision with respect to any of the above as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement in or omission or alleged omission from any of such documents in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter through the Underwriter specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Underwriter consists of the information described as such in subsection (b) below.
     (b) Indemnification of Company. The Underwriter will indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors and each of its officers who signs a Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (each, an “Underwriter Indemnified Party”), against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which such Underwriter Indemnified Party may become subject, under the Act, the Exchange Act, other Federal or state statutory law or regulation or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any part of the Registration Statement at any time, any Statutory Prospectus as of any time, the Final Prospectus, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or the alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter through the Underwriter specifically for use therein, and will reimburse any legal or other expenses as reasonably incurred by such Underwriter Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending against any such loss, claim, damage, liability, action, litigation, investigation or proceeding whatsoever (whether or not such Underwriter Indemnified Party is a party thereto), whether threatened or commenced, based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission as such expenses are incurred, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Underwriter consists of the following information in the Final Prospectus furnished on behalf of the Underwriter: the concession and reallowance figures appearing in the Section under the caption “Underwriting”.
     (c) Actions against Parties; Notification. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under subsection (a) or (b) above, notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof; but the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under subsection (a) or (b) above except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided further that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an indemnified party otherwise than under subsection (a) or (b) above. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party and it notifies the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it may wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be

-13-


 

counsel to the indemnifying party), and after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened action in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party unless such settlement (i) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on any claims that are the subject matter of such action and (ii) does not include a statement as to, or an admission of, fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of an indemnified party.
     (d) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in this Section is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in subsection (a) or (b) above (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriter on the other from the offering of the Offered Shares 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 Company on the one hand and the Underwriter on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriter on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriter. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the Underwriter and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The amount paid by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim which is the subject of this subsection (d). Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), the Underwriter shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the shares of Common Stock underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which the Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such 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 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
     9. Survival of Certain Representations and Obligations. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company or its officers and of the Underwriter set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation, or statement as to the results thereof, made by or on behalf of the Underwriter, the Company or any of their respective representatives, officers or directors or any controlling person, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Offered Shares. If the purchase of the Offered Shares by the Underwriter is not consummated for any reason, the Company will reimburse the Underwriter for all out-of-pocket expenses (including fees and disbursements of counsel) reasonably incurred by them in connection with the offering of the Offered Shares, and the respective obligations of the Company and the Underwriter pursuant to Section 8 hereof shall remain in effect. In addition, if any Offered Shares have been purchased hereunder, the representations and warranties in Section 2 and all obligations under Section 5 shall also remain in effect.

-14-


 

     10. Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and, if sent to the Underwriter, will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to the Underwriter at: Thomas Weisel Partners LLC, One Montgomery Street, Suite 3700, San Francisco, CA 94104 Attention: General Counsel, or, if sent to the Company, will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed to ###-###-#### and confirmed to it at 1 Wayside Road, Burlington MA, 01803, Attention: General Counsel.
     11. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers and directors and controlling persons referred to in Section 8, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.
     12. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same Agreement.
     13. Absence of Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (i) the purchase and sale of the Offered Shares pursuant to this Agreement is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriter, on the other, (ii) in connection therewith and with the process leading to such transaction the Underwriter is acting solely as a principal and not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, (iii) the Underwriter has not assumed an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the offering contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether the Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company on other matters) or any other obligation to the Company except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement and (iv) the Company has consulted its own legal and financial advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate. The Company agrees that it will not claim that the Underwriter has rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owes a fiduciary or similar duty to the Company, in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto.
     This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriter, on the other, with respect to the subject matter hereof.
     The Company and the Underwriter hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
     14. Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
     15. Jurisdiction. The Company hereby submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal and state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby. The Company irrevocably and unconditionally waives any objection to the laying of venue of any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby in Federal and state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York and irrevocably and unconditionally waives and agrees not to plead or claim in any such court that any such suit or proceeding in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.
     16. Defined Terms. The terms that follow, when used in this Agreement, shall have the meanings indicated.
     “Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

-15-


 

     “Base Prospectus” shall mean the base prospectus contained in the Registration Statement at the Execution Time.
     “Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions or trust companies are authorized or obligated by law to close in New York City.
     “Commission” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.
     “Disclosure Package” shall mean (i) the Base Prospectus, (ii) the Preliminary Prospectus used most recently prior to the Execution Time, if any, (iii) the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, identified in Schedule IV hereto and (iv) any other Free Writing Prospectus that the parties hereto shall hereafter expressly agree in writing to treat as part of the Disclosure Package.
     “Effective Date” shall mean each date and time that the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment or amendments thereto became or becomes effective.
     “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
     “Execution Time” shall mean the date and time that this Agreement is executed and delivered by the parties hereto.
     “Final Prospectus” shall mean the prospectus supplement relating to the Offered Shares that was first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) after the Execution Time, together with the Base Prospectus.
     “Free Writing Prospectus” shall mean a free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 405.
     “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” shall mean an issuer free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 433.
     “Preliminary Prospectus” shall mean any preliminary prospectus supplement to the Base Prospectus referred to in paragraph 1(a) above which is used prior to the filing of the Final Prospectus, together with the Base Prospectus.
     “Registration Statement” shall mean the registration statement referred to in paragraph 1(i)(a) above, including exhibits and financial statements and any prospectus supplement relating to the Offered Shares that is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) and deemed part of such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430B, as amended on each Effective Date and, in the event any post-effective amendment thereto becomes effective prior to the Closing Date, shall also mean such registration statement as so amended.
     “Statutory Prospectus” with reference to any particular time means the prospectus relating to the Offered Shares that is included in the Registration Statement immediately prior to that time, including all 430B Information and all 430C Information with respect to the Registration Statement. For purposes of the foregoing definition, 430B Information shall be considered to be included in the Statutory Prospectus only as of the actual time that form of prospectus (including a prospectus supplement) is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) and not retroactively.
     “Securities Laws” means, collectively, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (“Sarbanes-Oxley”), the Act, the Exchange Act, the Rules and Regulations, the auditing principles, rules,

-16-


 

standards and practices applicable to auditors of “issuers” (as defined in Sarbanes-Oxley) promulgated or approved by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, the rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) and, as applicable, the rules of the New York Stock Exchange and the NASDAQ Stock Market (“Exchange Rules”).
     “Rule 158”, “Rule 163”, “Rule 164”, “Rule 172”, “Rule 405”, “Rule 415”, “Rule 424”, “Rule 430B” and “Rule 433” refer to such rules under the Act.
     “Well-Known Seasoned Issuer” shall mean a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405.
[Signature Pages Follow]

-17-


 

     If the foregoing is in accordance with the Underwriter’s understanding of our agreement, kindly sign and return to the Company one of the counterparts hereof, whereupon it will become a binding agreement between the Company and the Underwriter in accordance with its terms.
         
  Very truly yours,


Nuance Communications, Inc.
 
 
  By:         /s/ James R. Arnold, Jr.  
  Name:   James R. Arnold, Jr.  
  Title:   Chief Financial Officer    
 
[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]

 


 

     The foregoing Underwriting Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the date first above written.
         
  THOMAS WEISEL PARTNERS LLC
 
 
  By:   /s/ William McLeod  
    Name:   William McLeod  
    Title:   Senior Managing Director  
 
[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]

 


 

SCHEDULE A-1
[Letterhead of officer or director of Company]
Nuance Communications Inc.
Public Offering of Common Stock
June __, 2008
Thomas Weisel Partners LLC
One Montgomery Street, Suite 3700
San Francisco, CA 94104
Ladies and Gentlemen:
               This letter is being delivered to you in connection with the proposed Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”), among Nuance Communications Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and you (the “Underwriter”), relating to an underwritten public offering of Common Stock, $0.001 par value (the “Common Stock”), of the Company.
               In order to induce you to enter into the Underwriting Agreement, the undersigned will not, without your prior written consent, offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of, (or enter into any transaction which is designed to, or might reasonably be expected to, result in the disposition (whether by actual disposition or effective economic disposition due to cash settlement or otherwise) by the undersigned or any affiliate of the undersigned or any person in privity with the undersigned or any affiliate of the undersigned), directly or indirectly, including the filing (or participation in the filing) of a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission in respect of, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission promulgated thereunder with respect to, any shares of capital stock of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for such capital stock, or publicly announce an intention to effect any such transaction, for a period of 60 days after the date of the Underwriting Agreement (the “Lock-Up Period”).
               Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the undersigned may (i) make transfers as a bona fide gift or gifts or pledge, (ii) make transfers either during the undersigned’s lifetime or on death by will or intestacy to the undersigned’s immediate family or to a trust, the beneficiaries of which are the undersigned and a member or members of the undersigned’s immediate family, (iii) make transfers to an affiliate (as that term is defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) of the undersigned or if the undersigned is a partnership, limited liability company, trust, corporation or similar entity, as a transfer or distribution to its partners, members or stockholders, (iv) transfer shares of capital stock of the Company acquired in the open market on or after the date of the Underwriting Agreement, (v) make transfers pursuant to an acquisition of the Company by another person, group of affiliated persons or entity by means of merger or consolidation or any transaction or series of related transactions resulting in the exchange of the outstanding shares of the Company for securities or consideration issued, or caused to be issued, by the acquiring person, group of affiliated persons or entity, (vi) sell shares of capital stock pursuant to a trading plan that complies with Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act (a “10b5-1 Trading Plan”) in existence as of the date hereof, (vii) establish a 10b5-1 Trading Plan or (viii) dispose of shares of restricted stock to the Company to satisfy tax withholding obligations or upon termination of employment with the Company; provided that, in the case of clauses, (i), (ii) and (iii) that the recipient of such gift,

 


 

pledge, transfer or distribution thereof agrees to be bound by the restrictions set forth herein; and provided that, in the case of clause (iv), (a) such sales are not required to be reported in any public report or filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (excluding a Form 3, 5 or 13G or 13D (or amendments thereof) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) during the Lock-Up Period and (b) the undersigned does not otherwise voluntarily effect any public filing or report regarding such sales; and provided that, in the case of clause (vii) the restrictions contained in this agreement shall apply in full force to sales pursuant to a 10b5-1 Trading Plan that was established after the date hereof.
               You may, in your sole discretion, release any of the securities subject to this lockup agreement at any time without notice.
               If for any reason the Underwriting Agreement shall be terminated prior to the Closing Date (as defined in the Underwriting Agreement), the agreement set forth above shall likewise be terminated.
         
  Yours very truly,
 
 
  By:      
    Name:      
    Title:      
 

 


 

SCHEDULE A-2
[Letterhead of Warburg Pincus Entity]
Nuance Communications Inc.
Public Offering of Common Stock
June ___, 2008
Thomas Weisel Partners LLC
One Montgomery Street, Suite 3700
San Francisco, CA 94104
Ladies and Gentlemen:
               This letter is being delivered to you in connection with the proposed Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”), among Nuance Communications Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and you (the “Underwriter”), relating to an underwritten public offering of Common Stock, $0.001 par value (the “Common Stock”), of the Company.
               In order to induce you to enter into the Underwriting Agreement, the undersigned will not, without your prior written consent, offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of, (or enter into any transaction which is designed to, or might reasonably be expected to, result in the disposition (whether by actual disposition or effective economic disposition due to cash settlement or otherwise) by the undersigned or any affiliate of the undersigned or any person in privity with the undersigned or any affiliate of the undersigned), directly or indirectly, including the filing (or participation in the filing) of a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission in respect of, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission promulgated thereunder with respect to, any shares of capital stock of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for such capital stock, or publicly announce an intention to effect any such transaction, for a period of 60 days after the date of the Underwriting Agreement (the “Lock-Up Period”).
               Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the undersigned may (i) make transfers as a bona fide gift or gifts or pledge, (ii) make transfers to an affiliate (as that term is defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) of the undersigned or if the undersigned is a partnership, limited liability company, trust, corporation or similar entity, as a transfer or distribution to its partners, members or stockholders, (iii) transfer shares of capital stock of the Company acquired in the open market on or after the date of the Underwriting Agreement, (iv) make transfers pursuant to an acquisition of the Company by another person, group of affiliated persons or entity by means of merger or consolidation or any transaction or series of related transactions resulting in the exchange of the outstanding shares of the Company for securities or consideration issued, or caused to be issued, by the acquiring person, group of affiliated persons or entity, (v) sell shares of capital stock pursuant to a trading plan that complies with Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act (a “10b5-1 Trading Plan”) in existence as of the date hereof or (vi) establish a 10b5-1 Trading Plan; provided that, in the case of clauses (i) and (ii) that the recipient of such gift, pledge, transfer or distribution thereof agrees to be bound by the restrictions set forth herein; and provided that, in the case of clause (iii), (a) such sales are not required to be reported in any public report or filing with the Securities Exchange Commission (excluding a Form 3, 5 or 13G or 13D (or amendments thereof) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) during the Lock-Up Period and (b) the undersigned does not otherwise voluntarily effect any public filing or report regarding such sales; and provided that, in

 


 

the case of clause (vi) the restrictions contained in this agreement shall apply in full force to sales pursuant to a 10b5-1 Trading Plan that was established after the date hereof.
               The Underwriter may, in its sole discretion, release any of the securities subject to this lockup agreement at any time without notice.
               If for any reason the Underwriting Agreement shall be terminated prior to the Closing Date (as defined in the Underwriting Agreement), the agreement set forth above shall likewise be terminated.
         
  Yours very truly,
 
 
  By:      
    Name:      
    Title:      
 

 


 

SCHEDULE B
Form of BDO Comfort Letter

 


 

ANNEX A
Form of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati Opinion Letter