REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

(b)           Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Section 2, in the event the Commission does not permit the Company to register all of the Registrable Securities in the Registration Statement because of the Commission’s application of Rule 415, the number of Registrable Securities to be registered on such Registration Statement will be reduced in the following order (i) first, the Registrable Securities represented by the total number of Warrant Shares owned by the Holders, applied on a pro rata basis, and (ii) second, the Registrable Securities represented by the Conversion Shares, applied on a pro rata basis, applied on a pro rata basis.  The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to file additional Registration Statements to register the Registrable Securities that were not registered in the initial Registration Statement and are not saleable under Rule 144 without limitation as promptly as possible but in no event later than on the Filing Date and in a manner permitted by the Commission.  For purposes of this Section 2(b), “Filing Date” means with respect to each subsequent Registration Statement filed pursuant hereto, the later of (i) sixty (60) days following the sale of substantially all of the Registrable Securities included in the initial Registration Statement or any subsequent Registration Statement and (ii) six (6) months following the effective date of the initial Registration Statement or any subsequent Registration Statement, as applicable, or such earlier date as permitted by the Commission.  For purposes of this Section 2(b), “Effectiveness Date” means with respect to each subsequent Registration Statement filed pursuant hereto, the earlier of (A) the ninetieth (90th) day following the filing date of such Registration Statement (or in the event such Registration Statement receives a “full review” by the Commission, the one hundred twentieth (120th) day following such filing date) or (B) the date which is within three (3) Business Days after the date on which the Commission informs the Company (i) that the Commission will not review such Registration Statement or (ii) that the Company may request the acceleration of the effectiveness of such Registration Statement; providedthat, if the Effectiveness Date falls on a Saturday, Sunday or any other day which shall be a legal holiday or a day on which the Commission is authorized or required by law or other government actions to close, the Effectiveness Date shall be the following Business Day.

 

(c)           Each Holder agrees to furnish to the Company a completed Selling Stockholder Questionnaire not more than ten (10) Business Days following the date of this Agreement. Each Holder further agrees that it shall not be entitled to be named as a selling security holder in the Registration Statement or use the Prospectus for offers and resales of Registrable Securities at any time, unless such Holder has returned to the Company a completed and signed Selling Stockholder Questionnaire. If a Holder of Registrable Securities returns a Selling Stockholder Questionnaire after the deadline specified in the previous sentence, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to take such actions as are required to name such Holder as a selling security holder in the Registration Statement or any pre-effective or post-effective amendment thereto and to include (to the extent not theretofore included) in the Registration Statement the Registrable Securities identified in such late Selling Stockholder Questionnaire; provided that the Company shall not be required to file an additional Registration Statement solely for such shares. Each Holder acknowledges and agrees that the information in the Selling Stockholder Questionnaire will be used by the Company in the preparation of the Registration Statement and hereby consents to the inclusion of such information in the Registration Statement.

3.           Registration Procedures.

                      In connection with the Company’s registration obligations hereunder, the Company shall:

 

(a)           Prepare and file with the Commission, on or prior to the Filing Date, a Registration Statement on Form S-1 (or another appropriate form in accordance herewith) in accordance with the plan of distribution as set forth on Exhibit A hereto and in accordance with applicable law, and cause the Registration Statement to become effective and remain effective as provided herein; provided, however, that not less than five (5) Business Days prior to the filing of the Registration Statement or any related Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, the Company shall (i) furnish to the Holders copies of all such documents proposed to be filed, which documents will be subject to the review of such Holders, and (ii) cause its officers and directors, counsel and independent certified public accountants to respond to such inquiries as shall be necessary to conduct a reasonable review of such documents.  The Company shall not file the Registration Statement or any such Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto to which the Purchasers shall reasonably object in writing within three (3) Business Days of their receipt thereof.

 

 

(b)           (i) Prepare and file with the Commission such amendments, including post-effective amendments, to the Registration Statement as may be necessary to keep the Registration Statement continuously effective as to the applicable Registrable Securities for the Effectiveness Period and prepare and file with the Commission such additional Registration Statements as necessary in order to register for resale under the Securities Act all of the Registrable Securities; (ii) cause the related Prospectus to be amended or supplemented by any required Prospectus supplement, and as so supplemented or amended to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 (or any similar provisions then in force) promulgated under the Securities Act; (iii) respond as promptly as possible, but in no event later than ten (10) Business Days, to any comments received from the Commission with respect to the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto and as promptly as possible provide the Holders true and complete copies of all correspondence from and to the Commission relating to the Registration Statement; (iv) file the final prospectus pursuant to Rule 424 of the Securities Act no later than two (2) Business Days following the date the Registration Statement is declared effective by the Commission; and (v) comply in all material respects with the provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act with respect to the disposition of all Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement during the Effectiveness Period in accordance with the intended methods of disposition by the Holders thereof set forth in the Registration Statement as so amended or in such Prospectus as so supplemented.

 

(c)           Notify the Holders of Registrable Securities as promptly as possible (and, in the case of (i)(A) below, not less than three (3) Business Days prior to such filing, and in the case of (iii) below, on the same day of receipt by the Company of such notice from the Commission) and (if requested by any such Person) confirm such notice in writing no later than one (1) Business Day following the day:  (i)(A) when a Prospectus or any Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement is filed; (B) when the Commission notifies the Company whether there will be a “review” of such Registration Statement and whenever the Commission comments in writing on such Registration Statement and (C) with respect to the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment, when the same has become effective; (ii) of any request by the Commission or any other Federal or state governmental authority for amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information; (iii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement covering any or all of the Registrable Securities or the initiation or threatening of any Proceedings for that purpose; (iv) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification or exemption from qualification of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction, or the initiation or threatening of any Proceeding for such purpose; and (v) of the occurrence of any event that makes any statement made in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference untrue in any material respect or that requires any revisions to the Registration Statement, Prospectus or other documents so that, in the case of the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be, it will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of the Prospectus, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading.

(d)    Use its commercially reasonable efforts to avoid the issuance of, or, if issued, obtain the withdrawal of, as promptly as possible, (i) any order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or (ii) any suspension of the qualification (or exemption from qualification) of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction.

 

(e)    If requested by the Holders of a majority in interest of the Registrable Securities, (i) promptly incorporate in a Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement such information as the Company reasonably agrees should be included therein and (ii) make all required filings of such Prospectus supplement or such post-effective amendment as soon as practicable after the Company has received notification of the matters to be incorporated in such Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment.

 

(f)   If requested by any Holder, furnish to such Holder, without charge, at least one conformed copy of each Registration Statement and each amendment thereto, including financial statements and schedules, all documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference, and all exhibits to the extent requested by such Person (including those previously furnished or incorporated by reference) promptly after the filing of such documents with the Commission.

 

(g)   Promptly deliver to each Holder, without charge, as many copies of the Prospectus or Prospectuses (including each form of prospectus) and each amendment or supplement thereto as such Persons may reasonably request; and subject to the provisions of Sections 3(m) and 3(n), the Company hereby consents to the use of such Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto by each of the selling Holders in connection with the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities covered by such Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto.

 

(h)   Prior to any resale of Registrable Securities, use its commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify or cooperate with the selling Holders in connection with the registration or qualification (or exemption from such registration or qualification) of such Registrable Securities for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions within the United States as any Holder requests in writing, to keep each such registration or qualification (or exemption therefrom) effective during the Effectiveness Period and to do any and all other acts or things necessary or advisable to enable the disposition in such jurisdictions of the Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not then so qualified or to take any action that would subject it to general service of process in any such jurisdiction where it is not then so subject or subject the Company to any material tax in any such jurisdiction where it is not then so subject.

 

(i)    Cooperate with the Holders to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing Registrable Securities to be sold pursuant to a Registration Statement, which certificates, to the extent permitted by the Purchase Agreement and applicable federal and state securities laws, shall be free of all restrictive legends, and to enable such Registrable Securities to be in such denominations and registered in such names as any Holder may request in connection with any sale of Registrable Securities.

 

(j)    Upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by Section 3(c)(vi), as promptly as possible, prepare a supplement or amendment, including a post-effective amendment, to the Registration Statement or a supplement to the related Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference, and file any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered, neither the Registration Statement nor such Prospectus will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of the Prospectus, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading.

 

(k)           Use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause all Registrable Securities relating to the Registration Statement, to continue to be quoted or listed on a securities exchange, quotation system or market, if any, on which similar securities issued by the Company are then listed or traded as and when required pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.

 

(l)           Comply in all material respects with all applicable rules and regulations of the Commission and make generally available to its security holders all documents filed or required to be filed with the Commission, including, but not limited, to, earning statements satisfying the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 not later than 45 days after the end of any 12-month period (or 90 days after the end of any 12-month period if such period is a fiscal year) commencing on the first day of the first fiscal quarter of the Company after the effective date of the Registration Statement, which statement shall conform to the requirements of Rule 158.

5.           Indemnification.

 

(a)           Indemnification by the Company.  The Company shall, notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, indemnify and hold harmless each Holder, the officers, directors, managers, partners, members, shareholders, agents, brokers, investment advisors and employees of each of them, each Person who controls any such Holder (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) and the officers, directors, agents and employees of each such controlling Person, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs (including, without limitation, costs of preparation and attorneys’ fees) and expenses (collectively, “Losses”), as incurred, arising out of or relating to any violation of securities laws or untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Prospectus or any form of prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus, or arising out of or relating to any omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of any Prospectus or form of prospectus or supplement thereto, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, except to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statements or omissions are based solely upon information regarding such Holder or such other Indemnified Party furnished in writing to the Company by such Holder for use therein.  The Company shall notify the Holders promptly of the institution, threat or assertion of any Proceeding of which the Company is aware in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

(b)           Indemnification by Holders.  Each Holder shall, severally and not jointly, indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, officers, agents and employees, each Person who controls the Company (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act and Section 20 of the Exchange Act), and the directors, officers, agents and employees of such controlling Persons, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against all Losses, as incurred, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Prospectus, or any form of prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto, or arising  out of or based upon any omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of any Prospectus or form of prospectus or supplement thereto, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or omission is contained in any information so furnished in writing by such Holder or other Indemnifying Party to the Company specifically for inclusion in the Registration Statement or such Prospectus.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, each Holder shall be liable under this Section 5(b) only for the lesser of (a) the actual damages incurred or (b) that amount as does not exceed the gross proceeds to such Holder as a result of the sale of his/her/its Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement.

 

(c)           Conduct of Indemnification Proceedings.  If any Proceeding shall be brought or asserted against any Person entitled to indemnity hereunder (an “Indemnified Party”), such Indemnified Party promptly shall promptly notify the Person from whom indemnity is sought (the “Indemnifying Party”) in writing, and the Indemnifying Party shall be entitled to assume the defense thereof, including the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party and the payment of all fees and expenses incurred in connection with defense thereof; provided that the failure of any Indemnified Party to give such notice shall not relieve the Indemnifying Party of its obligations or liabilities pursuant to this Agreement, except (and only) to the extent that it shall be finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction (which determination is not subject to appeal or further review) that such failure shall have proximately and materially adversely prejudiced the Indemnifying Party.

An Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such Proceeding and to participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Party or Parties unless: (1) the Indemnifying Party has agreed in writing to pay such fees and expenses; or (2) the Indemnifying Party shall have failed promptly to assume the defense of such Proceeding and to employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Party in any such Proceeding; or (3) the named parties to any such Proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party, and such parties shall have been advised by counsel that a conflict of interest is likely to exist if the same counsel were to represent such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party (in which case, if such Indemnified Party notifies the Indemnifying Party in writing that it elects to employ separate counsel at the expense of the Indemnifying Party, the Indemnifying Party shall not have the right to assume the defense thereof and such counsel shall be at the expense of the Indemnifying Party).  The Indemnifying Party shall not be liable for any settlement of any such Proceeding effected without its written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed.  No Indemnifying Party shall, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened Proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Party is a party and indemnity has been sought hereunder, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such Proceeding.

 

(d)           Contribution. If a claim for indemnification under Section 5(a) or 5(b) is due but unavailable to an Indemnified Party because of a failure or refusal of a governmental authority to enforce such indemnification in accordance with its terms (by reason of public policy or otherwise), then each Indemnifying Party, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Party, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party as a result of such Losses, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Indemnifying Party on the one hand and the Indemnified Party on the other from the offering of the Warrants.  If, but only if, the allocation provided by the foregoing sentence is not permitted by applicable law, the allocation of contribution shall be made in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in the foregoing sentence but also the relative fault, as applicable, of the Indemnifying Party and Indemnified Party in connection with the actions, statements or omissions that resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.  The relative fault of such Indemnifying Party and Indemnified Party shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any action in question, including any untrue statement of a material fact or omission of a material fact, has been taken or made by, or relates to information supplied by, such Indemnifying Party or Indemnified Party, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such action, statement or omission.  The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of any Losses shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 5(c), any reasonable attorneys’ or other reasonable fees or expenses incurred by such party in connection with any Proceeding to the extent such party would have been indemnified for such fees or expenses if the indemnification provided for in this Section was available to such party in accordance with its terms.  In no event shall any selling Holder be required to contribute an amount under this Section 5(d) in excess of the gross proceeds received by such Holder upon sale of such Holder’s Registrable Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement giving rise to such contribution obligation.

The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section are in addition to any liability that the Indemnifying Parties may have to the Indemnified Parties pursuant to applicable law.

6.           Rule 144.

 

     As long as any Holder owns Warrants or Registrable Securities, the Company covenants to timely file (or obtain extensions in respect thereof and file within the applicable grace period) all reports required to be filed by the Company after the date hereof pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.  As long as any Holder owns Warrants or Registrable Securities, if the Company is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, it will prepare and furnish to the Holders and make publicly available in accordance with Rule 144(c) promulgated under the Securities Act, annual and quarterly financial statements, together with a discussion and analysis of such financial statements in form and substance substantially similar to those that would otherwise be required to be included in reports required by Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, as well as any other information required thereby, in the time period that such filings would have been required to have been made under the Exchange Act.  The Company further covenants that it will take such further action as any Holder may reasonably request, all to the extent reasonably required from time to time to enable such Person to sell Conversion Shares and Warrant Shares without registration under the Securities Act within the limitation of the exemptions provided by Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act, including providing any legal opinions relating to such sale pursuant to Rule 144.  Upon the request of any Holder, the Company shall deliver to such Holder a written certification of a duly authorized officer as to whether it has complied with such requirements.

7.           Miscellaneous.

 

(a)           Remedies.  In the event of a breach by the Company or by a Holder of any of their obligations under this Agreement, such Holder or the Company, as the case may be, in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights granted by law and under this Agreement, including recovery of damages, will be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this Agreement.  Each of the Company and each Holder agrees that monetary damages would not provide adequate compensation for any losses incurred by reason of a breach by it of any of the provisions of this Agreement and hereby further agrees that, in the event of any action for specific performance in respect of such breach, it shall waive the defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.

 

(b)           No Inconsistent Agreements.  The Company has not entered into, and shall not enter into on or after the date of this Agreement, any agreement with respect to its securities that is inconsistent with the rights granted to the Holders in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof.  Other than the purchasers in the private placement that closed on April 22, 2010, the Company has not previously entered into any agreement that is currently in effect granting any registration rights with respect to any of its securities to any Person.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, without the written consent of the Holders of a majority of the then outstanding Registrable Securities, the Company shall not grant to any Person the right to request the Company to register any securities of the Company under the Securities Act unless the rights so granted are subject in all respects to the prior rights in full of the Holders set forth herein, and are not otherwise in conflict with the provisions of this Agreement.

 

(c)           Intentionally Left Blank.

 

(d)           Piggy-Back Registrations for Registrable Securities.  If at any time when there is not an effective Registration Statement covering Warrant Shares, the Company shall determine to prepare and file with the Commission a registration statement relating to an offering for its own account or the account of others under the Securities Act of any of its equity securities, other than on Form S-4 or Form S-8 (each as promulgated under the Securities Act) or their then equivalents relating to equity securities to be issued solely in connection with any acquisition of any entity or business or equity securities issuable in connection with stock option or other employee benefit plans, the Company shall send to each Holder of Registrable Securities written notice of such determination and, if within ten (10) calendar days after receipt of such notice, or within such shorter period of time as may be specified by the Company in such written notice as may be necessary for the Company to comply with its obligations with respect to the timing of the filing of such registration statement, any such Holder shall so request in writing (which request shall specify the Registrable Securities intended to be disposed of by the such Holder), the Company will cause the registration under the Securities Act of all Registrable Securities which the Company has been so requested to register by the Holder, to the extent requisite to permit the disposition of the Registrable Securities so to be registered, provided that if at any time after giving written notice of its intention to register any securities and prior to the effective date of the registration statement filed in connection with such registration, the Company shall determine for any reason not to register or to delay registration of such securities, the Company may, at its election, give written notice of such determination to such Holder and, thereupon, (i) in the case of a determination not to register, shall be relieved of its obligation to register any Registrable Securities in connection with such registration (but not from its obligation to pay expenses in accordance with Section 4 hereof), and (ii) in the case of a determination to delay registering, shall be permitted to delay registering any Registrable Securities being registered pursuant to this Section 7(d) for the same period as the delay in registering such other securities. The Company shall include in such registration statement all or any part of such Registrable Securities such Holder requests to be registered; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to register any Registrable Securities pursuant to this Section 7(d) that are eligible for sale pursuant to Rule 144 of the Securities Act.  In the case of an underwritten public offering, if the managing underwriter(s) or underwriter(s) should reasonably object to the inclusion of the Registrable Securities in such registration statement, then if the Company after consultation with the managing underwriter should reasonably determine that the inclusion of such Registrable Securities would materially adversely affect the offering contemplated in such registration statement, and based on such determination recommends inclusion in such registration statement of fewer or none of the Registrable Securities of the Holders, then (x) the number of Registrable Securities of the Holders included in such registration statement shall be reduced among such Holders based upon the number of Registrable Securities requested to be included in the registration in the order set forth in Section 2(b) hereof, if the Company after consultation with the underwriter(s) recommends the inclusion of fewer Registrable Securities, or (y) none of the Registrable Securities of the Holders shall be included in such registration statement, if the Company after consultation with the underwriter(s) recommends the inclusion of none of such Registrable Securities; provided, however, that if securities are being offered for the account of other persons or entities as well as the Company, such reduction shall not represent a greater fraction of the number of Registrable Securities intended to be offered by the Holders than the fraction of similar reductions imposed on such other persons or entities (other than the Company).  For purposes of this Section 7(d), Registrable Securities shall include any shares actually issued to the Purchasers pursuant to the Securities Escrow Agreement.

(g)           Amendments and Waivers.  The provisions of this Agreement, including the provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof may not be given, unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Company and the Holders of a majority of the then outstanding Registrable Securities.

 

(h)           Notices.  Any notice, demand, request, waiver or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing and shall be effective (a) upon hand delivery, telecopy or facsimile at the address or number designated below (if delivered on a business day during normal business hours where such notice is to be received), or the first business day following such delivery (if delivered other than on a business day during normal business hours where such notice is to be received) or (b) on the second business day following the date of mailing by express courier service, fully prepaid, addressed to such address, or upon actual receipt of such mailing, whichever shall first occur.  The addresses for such communications shall be:

If to any Purchaser:  At the address of such Purchaser set forth on Exhibit A to this Agreement, as the case may be, with copies to Purchaser’s counsel as set forth on Exhibit A or as specified in writing by such Purchaser.

             Any party hereto may from time to time change its address for notices by giving at least ten (10) days written notice of such changed address to the other party hereto.

 

(i)           Successors and Assigns.  This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their successors and permitted assigns and shall inure to the benefit of each Holder and its successors and assigns.  The Company may not assign this Agreement or any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Holder.  Each Purchaser may assign its rights hereunder in the manner and to the Persons as permitted under the Purchase Agreement.

 

(j)           Assignment of Registration Rights.  The rights of each Holder hereunder, including the right to have the Company register for resale Registrable Securities in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, shall be automatically assignable by each Holder to any Person who acquires all or a portion of the Warrants or the Registrable Securities if: (i) the Holder agrees in writing with the transferee or assignee to assign such rights, and a copy of such agreement is furnished to the Company within a reasonable time after such assignment, (ii) the Company is, within a reasonable time after such transfer or assignment, furnished with written notice of (a) the name and address of such transferee or assignee, and (b) the securities with respect to which such registration rights are being transferred or assigned, (iii) following such transfer or assignment the further disposition of such securities by the transferee or assignees is restricted under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws unless such securities are registered in a Registration Statement under this Agreement (in which case the Company shall be obligated to amend such Registration Statement to reflect such transfer or assignment) or are otherwise exempt from registration, (iv) at or before the time the Company receives the written notice contemplated by clause (ii) of this Section, the transferee or assignee agrees in writing with the Company to be bound by all of the provisions of this Agreement, and (v) such transfer shall have been made in accordance with the applicable requirements of the Purchase Agreement.  The rights to assignment shall apply to the Holders (and to subsequent) successors and assigns.

 

(k)         Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and, all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same Agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other parties hereto, it being understood that all parties need not sign the same counterpart.  In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission, such signature shall create a valid binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) the same with the same force and effect as if such facsimile signature were the original thereof.

 

(l)          Governing Law; Jurisdiction.  This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to any of the conflicts of law principles which would result in the application of the substantive law of another jurisdiction.  This Agreement shall not be interpreted or construed with any presumption against the party causing this Agreement to be drafted.  The Company and the Holders agree that venue for any dispute arising under this Agreement will lie exclusively in the state or federal courts located in New York County, New York, and the parties irrevocably waive any right to raise forum non conveniens or any other argument that New York is not the proper venue.  The Company and the Holders irrevocably consent to personal jurisdiction in the state and federal courts of the state of New York.  The Company and the Holders consent to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof.  Nothing in this Section 7(k) shall affect or limit any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.  The Company and the Holders hereby agree that the prevailing party in any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the Purchase Agreement, shall be entitled to reimbursement for reasonable legal fees from the non-prevailing party.  The parties hereby waive all rights to a trial by jury.

(m)           Cumulative Remedies.  The remedies provided herein are cumulative and not exclusive of any remedies provided by law.

 

(n)           Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable in any respect, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and the parties hereto shall use their reasonable efforts to find and employ an alternative means to achieve the same or substantially the same result as that contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or restriction.  It is hereby stipulated and declared to be the intention of the parties that they would have executed the remaining terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions without including any of such that may be hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.

 

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

 

(p)           Shares Held by the Company and its Affiliates. Whenever the consent or approval of Holders of a specified percentage of Registrable Securities is required hereunder, Registrable Securities held by the Company or its Affiliates (other than any Holder or transferees or successors or assigns thereof if such Holder is deemed to be an Affiliate solely by reason of its holdings of such Registrable Securities) shall not be counted in determining whether such consent or approval was given by the Holders of such required percentage.

 

(q)           Independent Nature of Purchasers.  The Company acknowledges that the obligations of each Purchaser under the Transaction Documents are several and not joint with the obligations of any other Purchaser, and no Purchaser shall be responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations of any other Purchaser under the Transaction Documents.  The Company acknowledges that the decision of each Purchaser to purchase Securities pursuant to the Purchase Agreement has been made by such Purchaser independently of any other Purchaser and independently of any information, materials, statements or opinions as to the business, affairs, operations, assets, properties, liabilities, results of operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company or of its Subsidiaries which may have been made or given by any other Purchaser or by any agent or employee of any other Purchaser, and no Purchaser or any of its agents or employees shall have any liability to any Purchaser (or any other person) relating to or arising from any such information, materials, statements or opinions.  The Company acknowledges that nothing contained herein, or in any Transaction Document, and no action taken by any Purchaser pursuant hereto or thereto (including, but not limited to, the (i) inclusion of a Purchaser in the Registration Statement and (ii) review by, and consent to, such Registration Statement by a Purchaser) shall be deemed to constitute the Purchasers as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a presumption that the Purchasers are in any way acting in concert or as a group with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.  The Company acknowledges that each Purchaser shall be entitled to independently protect and enforce its rights, including without limitation, the rights arising out of this Agreement or out of the other Transaction Documents, and it shall not be necessary for any other Purchaser to be joined as an additional party in any proceeding for such purpose.  The Company acknowledges that it has elected to provide all Purchasers with the same terms and Transaction Documents for the convenience of the Company and not because it was required or requested to do so by the Purchasers.  The Company acknowledges that such procedure with respect to the Transaction Documents in no way creates a presumption that the Purchasers are in any way acting in concert or as a group with respect to the Transaction Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby.

The shares may also be sold under Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“Securities Act”), if available, rather than under this prospectus.  The selling security holders have the sole and absolute discretion not to accept any purchase offer or make any sale of shares if they deem the purchase price to be unsatisfactory at any particular time.

 

The selling security holders may pledge their shares to their brokers under the margin provisions of customer agreements.  If a selling security holder defaults on a margin loan, the broker may, from time to time, offer and sell the pledged shares.

 

Broker-dealers engaged by the selling security holders may arrange for other broker-dealers to participate in sales. Broker-dealers may receive commissions or discounts from the selling security holders (or, if any broker-dealer acts as agent for the purchaser of shares, from the purchaser) in amounts to be negotiated, which commissions as to a particular broker or dealer may be in excess of customary commissions to the extent permitted by applicable law.

 

If sales of shares offered under this prospectus are made to broker-dealers as principals, we would be required to file a post-effective amendment to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.  In the post-effective amendment, we would be required to disclose the names of any participating broker-dealers and the compensation arrangements relating to such sales.