No. _______-1-1 $150,000 COMPLIANCE SYSTEMS CORPORATION Secured Convertible Debenture Due: March 16, 2009

 

 

 

No. _______- 1-1

$150,000

 

 

 

 

 

This Secured Convertible Debenture (the “Debenture”) is issued by COMPLIANCE SYSTEMS CORPORATION, a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), to CORNELL CAPITAL PARTNERS, L.P. (the “Holder”), pursuant to that certain Securities Purchase Agreement (the “Securities Purchase Agreement”) dated March 16, 2007.

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the Company hereby promises to pay to the Holder or its successors and assigns the principal sum of One Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($150,000) together with accrued but unpaid interest on or before March 16, 2009 (the “Maturity Date”) in accordance with the following terms:

 

Section 1. General Terms

 

(a) Interest. Interest shall accrue on the outstanding principal balance hereof at an annual rate equal to ten percent (10%). Interest shall be calculated on the basis of a 365-day year and the actual number of days elapsed, to the extent permitted by applicable law. Interest hereunder shall be paid on the Maturity Date (or sooner as provided herein) to the Holder or its assignee in whose name this Debenture is registered on the records of the Company regarding registration and transfers of Debentures in cash or in Common Stock (valued at the Closing Bid Price on the Trading Day immediately prior to the date paid) at the option of the Company.

 

(b)  Security. The Debenture is secured by (i) the Pledged Collateral (as this term is defined in the Security Agreement by and between the Company and Montgomery Equity Partners, LP (“Montgomery”), an affiliate of Holder, dated March 8, 2006 (the “Security Agreement”) and the UCC-1 filed with New York Department of State Filing No.: 200603140232846 and the UCC-1 filed with Nevada Secretary of State Filing No.: 2006008088-6, (ii) the Pledged Collateral (as this term is defined in the Subsidiary Security Agreement by an between Telephone Blocking Services Corporation and the Holder dated March 8, 2006 (referred to as a “Subsidiary Security Agreement”) and the UCC-1 filed with New York Department of State Filing No.: 200603140233987, (iii) the Pledged Collateral (as this term is defined in the Subsidiary Security Agreement by and between Callcenter Tools, Inc. and Montgomery dated March 8, 2006 (referred to as a “Subsidiary Security Agreement”) and the UCC-1 filed with New York Department of State, Filing No.: 0603140233331, (iv) the Pledged Collateral (as this term is defined in the Subsidiary Security Agreement by and between Jasmin Communications, Inc. and Montgomery dated March 8, 2006 (referred to as a “Subsidiary Security Agreement”) and the UCC-1 filed with New York Department of State Filing No.: 200603140233305, (v) the Pledged Collateral (as this term is defined in the Subsidiary Security Agreement by and between Call Compliance.com, Inc. and Montgomery dated March 8, 2006 (referred to as a “Subsidiary Security Agreement”) and the UCC-1 filed with Delaware Secretary of State Filing No.: 6085570 0, (vi) the Pledged Collateral (as this term is defined in the Subsidiary Security Agreement by and between Call Compliance, Inc. and the Holder dated March 8, 2006 (referred to as a “Subsidiary Security Agreement”) and the UCC-1 filed with New York Department of State Filing No.: 200603140233381 (all such security agreements referred to in this section shall be collectively referred to as the “Security Agreement”), (vii) the pledge and escrow agreement of even date herewith (the “Company Pledge Agreement”), and (viii) the Patent Collateral (as this term is defined in the Security Agreement (Patent) by and between the Company and the Holder dated the date hereof (the “Security Agreement (Patent)”) (the Security Agreement, the Company Pledge Agreement and the Security Agreement (Patent) are collectively the “Security Documents”).  

 

Section 2. Events of Default.

 

(a) An “Event of Default”, wherever used herein, means any one of the following events (whatever the reason and whether it shall be voluntary or involuntary or effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court, or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body):

 

(i) Any default in the payment of the principal of, interest on or other charges in respect of this Debenture, free of any claim of subordination, as and when the same shall become due and payable whether upon an Optional Redemption (as defined in Section 3(a)), the Maturity Date, by acceleration, or otherwise;

 

(ii) The Company or any subsidiary of the Company shall commence, or there shall be commenced against the Company or any subsidiary of the Company under any applicable bankruptcy or insolvency laws as now or hereafter in effect or any successor thereto, or the Company or any subsidiary of the Company commences any other proceeding under any reorganization, arrangement, adjustment of debt, relief of debtors, dissolution, insolvency or liquidation or similar law of any jurisdiction whether now or hereafter in effect relating to the Company or any subsidiary of the Company or there is commenced against the Company or any subsidiary of the Company any such bankruptcy, insolvency or other proceeding which remains undismissed for a period of sixty-one (61) days; or the Company or any subsidiary of the Company is adjudicated insolvent or bankrupt; or any order of relief or other order approving any such case or proceeding is entered; or the Company or any subsidiary of the Company suffers any appointment of any custodian, private or court appointed receiver or the like for it or any substantial part of its property which continues undischarged or unstayed for a period of sixty one (61) days; or the Company or any subsidiary of the Company makes a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; or the Company or any subsidiary of the Company shall fail to pay, or shall state that it is unable to pay, or shall be unable to pay, its debts generally as they become due; or the Company or any subsidiary of the Company shall call a meeting of its creditors with a view to arranging a composition, adjustment or restructuring of its debts; or the Company or any subsidiary of the Company shall by any act or failure to act expressly indicate its consent to, approval of or acquiescence in any of the foregoing; or any corporate or other action is taken by the Company or any subsidiary of the Company for the purpose of effecting any of the foregoing;

 

(iii) The Company or any subsidiary of the Company shall default in any of its obligations under any other debenture or any mortgage, credit agreement or other facility, indenture agreement, factoring agreement or other instrument under which there may be issued, or by which there may be secured or evidenced any indebtedness for borrowed money or money due under any long term leasing or factoring arrangement of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company in an amount exceeding $100,000, whether such indebtedness now exists or shall hereafter be created and such default shall result in such indebtedness becoming or being declared due and payable prior to the date on which it would otherwise become due and payable;

 

(iv) The Common Stock shall cease to be quoted for trading or listing for trading on any of (a) the American Stock Exchange, (b) New York Stock Exchange, (c) the Nasdaq National Market, (d) the Nasdaq Capital Market, or (e) the Nasdaq OTC Bulletin Board (“OTC”) (each, a “Primary Market”) and shall not again be quoted or listed for trading on any Primary Market within five (5) Trading Days of such delisting;

 

(v) The Company or any subsidiary of the Company shall be a party to any Change of Control Transaction (as defined in Section 6);

 

(vi) The Company shall fail to file the Underlying Shares Registration Statement (as defined in Section 6) with the Commission (as defined in Section 6), or the Underlying Shares Registration Statement shall not have been declared effective by the Commission, in each case within the time periods set forth in the Investor Registration Rights Agreement (“Registration Rights Agreement”) dated the date hereof between the Company and the Holder;

 

(vii) If the effectiveness of the Underlying Shares Registration Statement lapses for any reason or the Holder shall not be permitted to resell the shares of Common Stock underlying this Debenture under the Underlying Shares Registration Statement, in either case, for more than five (5) consecutive Trading Days or an aggregate of eight Trading Days (which need not be consecutive Trading Days);

 

(viii) The Company shall fail for any reason to deliver Common Stock certificates to a Holder prior to the fifth (5^th) Trading Day after a Conversion Date, or the Company shall provide notice to the Holder, including by way of public announcement, at any time, of its intention not to comply with requests for conversions in accordance with the terms hereof;

 

(ix) The Company shall fail for any reason to deliver the payment in cash pursuant to a Buy-In (as defined herein) within three (3) days after notice is claimed delivered hereunder;

 

(x) The Company shall fail to observe or perform any other covenant, agreement or warranty contained in, or otherwise commit any breach or default of any provision of this Debenture (except as may be covered by Section 2(a)(i) through 2(a)(ix) hereof) or any Transaction Document (as defined in Section 6) which is not cured with in the time prescribed, or an Event of Default under any other debenture issued to the Holder in connection with the Securities Purchase Agreement shall occur;

 

(b) During the time that any portion of this Debenture is outstanding, if any Event of Default has occurred, the full principal amount of this Debenture, together with interest and other amounts owing in respect thereof, to the date of acceleration shall become at the Holder's election, immediately due and payable in cash, provided however, the Holder may request (but shall have no obligation to request) payment of such amounts in Common Stock of the Company. Furthermore, in addition to any other remedies, the Holder shall have the right (but not the obligation) to convert this Debenture at any time after (x) an Event of Default or (y) the Maturity Date at the Conversion Price then in-effect. The Holder need not provide and the Company hereby waives any presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, and the Holder may immediately and without expiration of any grace period enforce any and all of its rights and remedies hereunder and all other remedies available to it under applicable law. Such declaration may be rescinded and annulled by Holder at any time prior to payment hereunder. No such rescission or annulment shall affect any subsequent Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon. Except with respect to the limitation set forth in Section 4(b)(i) hereof upon an Event of Default, notwithstanding any other provision of this Debenture or any Transaction Document, the Holder shall have no obligation to comply with or adhere to any limitations, if any, on the conversion of this Debenture or the sale of the Underlying Shares.

 

Section 3. Redemptions.

 

(a) Company’s Optional Cash Redemption. The Company at its option shall have the right to redeem (“Optional Redemption”) a portion or all amounts outstanding under this Debenture prior to the Maturity Date provided that as of the date of the Holder’s receipt of a Redemption Notice (as defined herein) (i) the Closing Bid Price of the of the Common Stock, as reported by Bloomberg, LP, is less than the Conversion Price, (ii) the Underlying Share Registration Statement is effective, and (iii) no Event of Default has occurred. The Company shall pay an amount equal to the principal amount being redeemed plus a redemption premium (“Redemption Premium”) equal to twenty percent (20%) of the principal amount being redeemed, and accrued interest, (collectively referred to as the “Redemption Amount”). In order to make a redemption, the Company shall first provide written notice to the Holder of its intention to make a redemption (the “Redemption Notice”) setting forth the amount of principal it desires to redeem. After receipt of the Redemption Notice the Holder shall have three (3) business days to elect to convert all or any portion of this Debenture, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 4(b). On the fourth (4^th) business day after the Redemption Notice, the Company shall deliver to the Holder the Redemption Amount with respect to the principal amount redeemed after giving effect to conversions effected during the three (3) business day period.

 

Section 4. Conversion.

 

(a) Conversion at Option of Holder.

 

(i) This Debenture shall be convertible into shares of Common Stock at the option of the Holder, in whole or in part at any time and from time to time, after the Original Issue Date (as defined in Section 6) (subject to the limitations on conversion set forth in Section 4(b) hereof). The number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon a conversion hereunder equals the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the outstanding amount of this Debenture to be converted by (y) the Conversion Price (as defined in Section 4(c)(i)). The Company shall deliver Common Stock certificates to the Holder prior to the Fifth (5^th) Trading Day after a Conversion Date.

 

(ii) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if on any Conversion Date: (1) the number of shares of Common Stock at the time authorized, unissued and unreserved for all purposes, or held as treasury stock, is insufficient to pay principal and interest hereunder in shares of Common Stock; (2) the Common Stock is not listed or quoted for trading on the a Primary Market; or (3) the Company has failed to timely satisfy a conversion; then, at the option of the Holder, the Company, in lieu of delivering shares of Common Stock pursuant to Section 4(a)(i), shall deliver, within three (3) Trading Days of each applicable Conversion Date, an amount in cash equal to the product of the outstanding principal amount to be converted divided by the applicable Conversion Price, and multiplied by the highest Closing Bid Price of the stock from date of the conversion notice till the date that such cash payment is made.

 

Further, if the Company shall not have delivered any cash due in respect of conversion of this Debenture by the fifth (5^th) Trading Day after the Conversion Date, the Holder may, by notice to the Company, require the Company to issue shares of Common Stock pursuant to Section 4(c), except that for such purpose the Conversion Price applicable thereto shall be the lesser of the Conversion Price on the Conversion Date and the Conversion Price on the date of such Holder demand. Any such shares will be subject to the provisions of this Section.

 

(iii) The Holder shall effect conversions by delivering to the Company a completed notice in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (a “Conversion Notice”). The date on which a Conversion Notice is delivered is the “Conversion Date.” Unless the Holder is converting the entire principal amount outstanding under this Debenture, the Holder is not required to physically surrender this Debenture to the Company in order to effect conversions. Conversions hereunder shall have the effect of lowering the outstanding principal amount of this Debenture plus all accrued and unpaid interest thereon in an amount equal to the applicable conversion. The Holder and the Company shall maintain records showing the principal amount converted and the date of such conversions. In the event of any dispute or discrepancy, the records of the Holder shall be controlling and determinative in the absence of manifest error.

 

(b) Certain Conversion Restrictions.

 

(i) The Company shall not effect any conversions of this Debenture and the Holder shall not have the right to convert any portion of this Debenture or receive shares of Common Stock as payment of interest hereunder to the extent that after giving effect to such conversion or receipt of such interest payment, the Holder, together with any affiliate thereof, would beneficially own (as determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules promulgated thereunder) in excess of 4.99% of the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to such conversion or receipt of shares as payment of interest. Since the Holder will not be obligated to report to the Company the number of shares of Common Stock it may hold at the time of a conversion hereunder, unless the conversion at issue would result in the issuance of shares of Common Stock in excess of 4.99% of the then outstanding shares of Common Stock without regard to any other shares which may be beneficially owned by the Holder or an affiliate thereof, the Holder shall have the authority and obligation to determine whether the restriction contained in this Section will limit any particular conversion hereunder and to the extent that the Holder determines that the limitation contained in this Section applies, the determination of which portion of the principal amount of this Debenture is convertible shall be the responsibility and obligation of the Holder. If the Holder has delivered a Conversion Notice for a principal amount of this Debenture that, without regard to any other shares that the Holder or its affiliates may beneficially own, would result in the issuance in excess of the permitted amount hereunder, the Company shall notify the Holder of this fact and shall honor the conversion for the maximum principal amount permitted to be converted on such Conversion Date in accordance with the periods described in Section 4(a)(i) and, any principal amount tendered for conversion in excess of the permitted amount hereunder shall remain outstanding under this Debenture. The provisions of this Section may be waived by a Holder (but only as to itself and not to any other Holder) upon not less than sixty-five (65) days prior notice to the Company. Other Holders shall be unaffected by any such waiver.

 

(c) Conversion Price and Adjustments to Conversion Price.

 

(i) The conversion price in effect on any Conversion Date shall be equal to the lesser of (a) Ten Cents ($0.10) (the “Fixed Conversion Price”) or (b) eighty percent (80%) of the lowest Volume Weighted Average Price of the Common Stock during the five (5) trading days immediately preceding the Conversion Date as quoted by Bloomberg, LP (the “Market Conversion Price”). The Fixed Conversion Price and the Market Conversion Price are collectively referred to as the “Conversion Price.” The Conversion Price may be adjusted pursuant to the other terms of this Debenture.

 

(ii) If the Company, at any time while this Debenture is outstanding, shall (a) pay a stock dividend or otherwise make a distribution or distributions on shares of its Common Stock or any other equity or equity equivalent securities payable in shares of Common Stock, (b) subdivide outstanding shares of Common Stock into a larger number of shares, (c) combine (including by way of reverse stock split) outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, or (d) issue by reclassification of shares of the Common Stock any shares of capital stock of the Company, then the Conversion Price shall be multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock (excluding treasury shares, if any) outstanding before such event and of which the denominator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding after such event. Any adjustment made pursuant to this Section shall become effective immediately after the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to receive such dividend or distribution and shall become effective immediately after the effective date in the case of a subdivision, combination or re-classification.

 

(iii) If the Company, at any time while this Debenture is outstanding, shall issue rights, options or warrants to all holders of Common Stock (and not to the Holder) entitling them to subscribe for or purchase shares of Common Stock at a price per share less than the Conversion Price, then the Conversion Price shall be multiplied by a fraction, of which the denominator shall be the number of shares of the Common Stock (excluding treasury shares, if any) outstanding on the date of issuance of such rights or warrants (plus the number of additional shares of Common Stock offered for subscription or purchase), and of which the numerator shall be the number of shares of the Common Stock (excluding treasury shares, if any) outstanding on the date of issuance of such rights or warrants, plus the number of shares which the aggregate offering price of the total number of shares so offered would purchase at the Conversion Price. Such adjustment shall be made whenever such rights or warrants are issued, and shall become effective immediately after the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to receive such rights, options or warrants. However, upon the expiration of any such right, option or warrant to purchase shares of the Common Stock the issuance of which resulted in an adjustment in the Conversion Price pursuant to this Section, if any such right, option or warrant shall expire and shall not have been exercised, the Conversion Price shall immediately upon such expiration be recomputed and effective immediately upon such expiration be increased to the price which it would have been (but reflecting any other adjustments in the Conversion Price made pursuant to the provisions of this Section after the issuance of such rights or warrants) had the adjustment of the Conversion Price made upon the issuance of such rights, options or warrants been made on the basis of offering for subscription or purchase only that number of shares of the Common Stock actually purchased upon the exercise of such rights, options or warrants actually exercised.

 

(iv) If the Company or any subsidiary thereof, as applicable, at any time while this Debenture is outstanding, shall issue shares of Common Stock or rights, warrants, options or other securities or debt that are convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Common Stock (“Common Stock Equivalents”) entitling any Person to acquire shares of Common Stock, at a price per share less than the Conversion Price (if the holder of the Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalent so issued shall at any time, whether by operation of purchase price adjustments, reset provisions, floating conversion, exercise or exchange prices or otherwise, or due to warrants, options or rights per share which is issued in connection with such issuance, be entitled to receive shares of Common Stock at a price per share which is less than the Conversion Price, such issuance shall be deemed to have occurred for less than the Conversion Price), then, at the sole option of the Holder, the Conversion Price shall be adjusted to mirror the conversion, exchange or purchase price for such Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents (including any reset provisions thereof) at issue. Such adjustment shall be made whenever such Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents are issued. The Company shall notify the Holder in writing, no later than one (1) business day following the issuance of any Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalent subject to this Section, indicating therein the applicable issuance price, or of applicable reset price, exchange price, conversion price and other pricing terms. No adjustment under this Section shall be made as a result of issuances of Excluded Securities.

 

(v) If the Company, at any time while this Debenture is outstanding, shall distribute to all holders of Common Stock (and not to the Holder) evidences of its indebtedness or assets or rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase any security, then in each such case the Conversion Price at which this Debenture shall thereafter be convertible shall be determined by multiplying the Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to the record date fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to receive such distribution by a fraction of which the denominator shall be the Closing Bid Price determined as of the record date mentioned above, and of which the numerator shall be such Closing Bid Price on such record date less the then fair market value at such record date of the portion of such assets or evidence of indebtedness so distributed applicable to one outstanding share of the Common Stock as determined by the Board of Directors in good faith. In either case the adjustments shall be described in a statement provided to the Holder of the portion of assets or evidences of indebtedness so distributed or such subscription rights applicable to one share of Common Stock. Such adjustment shall be made whenever any such distribution is made and shall become effective immediately after the record date mentioned above.

 

(vi) In case of any reclassification of the Common Stock or any compulsory share exchange pursuant to which the Common Stock is converted into other securities, cash or property, the Holder shall have the right thereafter to, at its option, (A) convert the then outstanding principal amount, together with all accrued but unpaid interest and any other amounts then owing hereunder in respect of this Debenture into the shares of stock and other securities, cash and property receivable upon or deemed to be held by holders of the Common Stock following such reclassification or share exchange, and the Holder of this Debenture shall be entitled upon such event to receive such amount of securities, cash or property as the shares of the Common Stock of the Company into which the then outstanding principal amount, together with all accrued but unpaid interest and any other amounts then owing hereunder in respect of this Debenture could have been converted immediately prior to such reclassification or share exchange would have been entitled, or (B) require the Company to prepay the outstanding principal amount of this Debenture, plus all interest and other amounts due and payable thereon. The entire prepayment price shall be paid in cash. This provision shall similarly apply to successive reclassifications or share exchanges.

 

(vii) Whenever the Conversion Price is adjusted pursuant to Section 4 hereof, the Company shall promptly mail to the Holder a notice setting forth the Conversion Price after such adjustment and setting forth a brief statement of the facts requiring such adjustment.

 

(viii) If (A) the Company shall declare a dividend (or any other distribution) on the Common Stock; (B) the Company shall declare a special nonrecurring cash dividend on or a redemption of the Common Stock; (C) the Company shall authorize the granting to all holders of the Common Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase any shares of capital stock of any class or of any rights; (D) the approval of any stockholders of the Company shall be required in connection with any reclassification of the Common Stock, any consolidation or merger to which the Company is a party, any sale or transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, of any compulsory share exchange whereby the Common Stock is converted into other securities, cash or property; or (E) the Company shall authorize the voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Company; then, in each case, the Company shall cause to be filed at each office or agency maintained for the purpose of conversion of this Debenture, and shall cause to be mailed to the Holder at its last address as it shall appear upon the stock books of the Company, at least twenty (20) calendar days prior to the applicable record or effective date hereinafter specified, a notice stating (x) the date on which a record is to be taken for the purpose of such dividend, distribution, redemption, rights or warrants, or if a record is not to be taken, the date as of which the holders of the Common Stock of record to be entitled to such dividend, distributions, redemption, rights or warrants are to be determined or (y) the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange is expected to become effective or close, and the date as of which it is expected that holders of the Common Stock of record shall be entitled to exchange their shares of the Common Stock for securities, cash or other property deliverable upon such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange, provided, that the failure to mail such notice or any defect therein or in the mailing thereof shall not affect the validity of the corporate action required to be specified in such notice. The Holder is entitled to convert this Debenture during the 20-day calendar period commencing the date of such notice to the effective date of the event triggering such notice.

 

(ix) In case of any (1) merger or consolidation of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company with or into another Person, or (2) sale by the Company or any subsidiary of the Company of more than one-half of the assets of the Company in one or a series of related transactions, a Holder shall have the right to (A) exercise any rights under Section 2(b), (B) convert the aggregate amount of this Debenture then outstanding into the shares of stock and other securities, cash and property receivable upon or deemed to be held by holders of Common Stock following such merger, consolidation or sale, and such Holder shall be entitled upon such event or series of related events to receive such amount of securities, cash and property as the shares of Common Stock into which such aggregate principal amount of this Debenture could have been converted immediately prior to such merger, consolidation or sales would have been entitled, or (C) in the case of a merger or consolidation, require the surviving entity to issue to the Holder a convertible Debenture with a principal amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of this Debenture then held by such Holder, plus all accrued and unpaid interest and other amounts owing thereon, which such newly issued convertible Debenture shall have terms identical (including with respect to conversion) to the terms of this Debenture, and shall be entitled to all of the rights and privileges of the Holder of this Debenture set forth herein and the agreements pursuant to which this Debentures were issued. In the case of clause (C), the conversion price applicable for the newly issued shares of convertible preferred stock or convertible Debentures shall be based upon the amount of securities, cash and property that each share of Common Stock would receive in such transaction and the Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to the effectiveness or closing date for such transaction. The terms of any such merger, sale or consolidation shall include such terms so as to continue to give the Holder the right to receive the securities, cash and property set forth in this Section upon any conversion or redemption following such event. This provision shall similarly apply to successive such events.

 

(d) Other Provisions.

 

(i) The Company shall at all times reserve and keep available out of its authorized Common Stock the full number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of all outstanding amounts under this Debenture; and within three (3) Business Days following the receipt by the Company of a Holder's notice that such minimum number of Underlying Shares is not so reserved, the Company shall promptly reserve a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock to comply with such requirement.

 

(ii) All calculations under this Section 4 shall be rounded up to the nearest $0.0001 or whole share.

 

(iiii) The Company covenants that it will at all times reserve and keep available out of its authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock solely for the purpose of issuance upon conversion of this Debenture and payment of interest on this Debenture, each as herein provided, free from preemptive rights or any other actual contingent purchase rights of persons other than the Holder, not less than such number of shares of the Common Stock as shall (subject to any additional requirements of the Company as to reservation of such shares set forth in this Debenture or in the Transaction Documents) be issuable (taking into account the adjustments and restrictions set forth herein) upon the conversion of the outstanding principal amount of this Debenture and payment of interest hereunder. The Company covenants that all shares of Common Stock that shall be so issuable shall, upon issue, be duly and validly authorized, issued and fully paid, nonassessable and, if the Underlying Shares Registration Statement has been declared effective under the Securities Act, registered for public sale in accordance with such Underlying Shares Registration Statement.

 

(iv) Upon a conversion hereunder the Company shall not be required to issue stock certificates representing fractions of shares of the Common Stock, but may if otherwise permitted, make a cash payment in respect of any final fraction of a share based on the Closing Bid Price at such time. If the Company elects not, or is unable, to make such a cash payment, the Holder shall be entitled to receive, in lieu of the final fraction of a share, one whole share of Common Stock.

 

(v) The issuance of certificates for shares of the Common Stock on conversion of this Debenture shall be made without charge to the Holder thereof for any documentary stamp or similar taxes that may be payable in respect of the issue or delivery of such certificate, provided that the Company shall not be required to pay any tax that may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the issuance and delivery of any such certificate upon conversion in a name other than that of the Holder of such Debenture so converted and the Company shall not be required to issue or deliver such certificates unless or until the person or persons requesting the issuance thereof shall have paid to the Company the amount of such tax or shall have established to the satisfaction of the Company that such tax has been paid.

 

(vi) Nothing herein shall limit a Holder's right to pursue actual damages or declare an Event of Default pursuant to Section 2 herein for the Company 's failure to deliver certificates representing shares of Common Stock upon conversion within the period specified herein and such Holder shall have the right to pursue all remedies available to it at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief, in each case without the need to post a bond or provide other security. The exercise of any such rights shall not prohibit the Holder from seeking to enforce damages pursuant to any other Section hereof or under applicable law.

 

(vii) In addition to any other rights available to the Holder, if the Company fails to deliver to the Holder such certificate or certificates pursuant to Section 4(a)(i) by the fifth (5^th) Trading Day after the Conversion Date, and if after such fifth (5^th) Trading Day the Holder purchases (in an open market transaction or otherwise) Common Stock to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by such Holder of the Underlying Shares which the Holder anticipated receiving upon such conversion (a “Buy-In”), then the Company shall (A) pay in cash to the Holder (in addition to any remedies available to or elected by the Holder) the amount by which (x) the Holder's total purchase price (including brokerage commissions, if any) for the Common Stock so purchased exceeds (y) the product of (1) the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that such Holder anticipated receiving from the conversion at issue multiplied by (2) the market price of the Common Stock at the time of the sale giving rise to such purchase obligation and (B) at the option of the Holder, either reissue a Debenture in the principal amount equal to the principal amount of the attempted conversion or deliver to the Holder the number of shares of Common Stock that would have been issued had the Company timely complied with its delivery requirements under Section 4(a)(i). For example, if the Holder purchases Common Stock having a total purchase price of $11,000 to cover a Buy-In with respect to an attempted conversion of Debentures with respect to which the market price of the Underlying Shares on the date of conversion was a total of $10,000 under clause (A) of the immediately preceding sentence, the Company shall be required to pay the Holder $1,000. The Holder shall provide the Company written notice indicating the amounts payable to the Holder in respect of the Buy-In.

 

Section 5. Notices.  Any notices, consents, waivers or other communications required or permitted to be given under the terms hereof must be in writing and will be deemed to have been delivered: (i) upon receipt, when delivered personally; (ii) upon receipt, when sent by facsimile (provided confirmation of transmission is mechanically or electronically generated and kept on file by the sending party); or (iii) one (1) Trading Day after deposit with a nationally recognized overnight delivery service, in each case properly addressed to the party to receive the same. The addresses and facsimile numbers for such communications shall be:

If to the Company, to:	Compliance Systems Corporation
	90 Pratt Oval
	Glen Cove, NY 11542
	Attention: Dean Garfinkel
	Telephone:  ###-###-####
	Facsimile:  ###-###-####
With a copy to:	Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Preston Gates Ellis LLP
	201 South Biscayne Boulevard, Suite 2000
	Miami, Florida 33131
	Attention: Clayton E. Parker, Esq.
	Telephone:  ###-###-####
	Facsimile:  ###-###-####

If to the Holder:	Cornell Capital Partners, L.P.
	101 Hudson Street, Suite 3700
	Jersey City, NJ 07303
	Attention: Mark Angelo
	Telephone:  ###-###-####
With a copy to:	David Gonzalez, Esq.
	101 Hudson Street - Suite 3700
	Jersey City, NJ 07302
	Telephone:  ###-###-####
	Facsimile:  ###-###-####

or at such other address and/or facsimile number and/or to the attention of such other person as the recipient party has specified by written notice given to each other party three (3) business days prior to the effectiveness of such change. Written confirmation of receipt (i) given by the recipient of such notice, consent, waiver or other communication, (ii) mechanically or electronically generated by the sender's facsimile machine containing the time, date, recipient facsimile number and an image of the first page of such transmission or (iii) provided by a nationally recognized overnight delivery service, shall be rebuttable evidence of personal service, receipt by facsimile or receipt from a nationally recognized overnight delivery service in accordance with clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above, respectively.

 

Section 6. Definitions. For the purposes hereof, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

 

“Approved Stock Plan” means a stock option plan that has been approved by the Board of Directors of the Company prior to the date of the Securities Purchase Agreement, pursuant to which the Company’s securities may be issued only to any employee, officer or director for services provided to the Company.

 

“Business Day” means any day except Saturday, Sunday and any day which shall be a federal legal holiday in the United States or a day on which banking institutions are authorized or required by law or other government action to close.

 

“Change of Control Transaction” means the occurrence of (a) an acquisition after the date hereof by an individual or legal entity or “group” (as described in Rule 13d-5(b)(1) promulgated under the Exchange Act) of effective control (whether through legal or beneficial ownership of capital stock of the Company, by contract or otherwise) of in excess of fifty percent (50%) of the voting securities of the Company (except that the acquisition of voting securities by the Holder shall not constitute a Change of Control Transaction for purposes hereof), (b) a replacement at one time or over time of more than one-half of the members of the board of directors of the Company which is not approved by a majority of those individuals who are members of the board of directors on the date hereof (or by those individuals who are serving as members of the board of directors on any date whose nomination to the board of directors was approved by a majority of the members of the board of directors who are members on the date hereof), (c) the merger, consolidation or sale of fifty percent (50%) or more of the assets of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company in one or a series of related transactions with or into another entity, or (d) the execution by the Company of an agreement to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound, providing for any of the events set forth above in (a), (b) or (c).

 

“Closing Bid Price” means the price per share in the last reported trade of the Common Stock on a Primary Market or on the exchange which the Common Stock is then listed as quoted by Bloomberg, LP.

 

“Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Common Stock” means the common stock, par value $0.001, of the Company and stock of any other class into which such shares may hereafter be changed or reclassified.

 

“Conversion Date” shall mean the date upon which the Holder gives the Company notice of their intention to effectuate a conversion of this Debenture into shares of the Company’s Common Stock as outlined herein.

 

“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

“Excluded Securities” means, (a) shares issued or deemed to have been issued by the Company pursuant to an Approved Stock Plan (b) shares of Common Stock issued or deemed to be issued by the Company upon the conversion, exchange or exercise of any right, option, obligation or security outstanding on the date prior to date of the Securities Purchase Agreement, provided that the terms of such right, option, obligation or security are not amended or otherwise modified on or after the date of the Securities Purchase Agreement, and provided that the conversion price, exchange price, exercise price or other purchase price is not reduced, adjusted or otherwise modified and the number of shares of Common Stock issued or issuable is not increased (whether by operation of, or in accordance with, the relevant governing documents or otherwise) on or after the date of the Securities Purchase Agreement, and (c) the shares of Common Stock issued or deemed to be issued by the Company upon conversion of this Debenture.

 

“Original Issue Date” shall mean the date of the first issuance of this Debenture regardless of the number of transfers and regardless of the number of instruments, which may be issued to evidence such Debenture.

 

“Person” means a corporation, an association, a partnership, organization, a business, an individual, a government or political subdivision thereof or a governmental agency.

 

“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

“Trading Day” means a day on which the shares of Common Stock are quoted on the OTC or quoted or traded on such Primary Market on which the shares of Common Stock are then quoted or listed; provided, that in the event that the shares of Common Stock are not listed or quoted, then Trading Day shall mean a Business Day.

 

“Transaction Documents” means the Securities Purchase Agreement or any other agreement delivered in connection with the Securities Purchase Agreement, including, without limitation, the Security Agreement, the Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions, and the Registration Rights Agreement.

 

“Underlying Shares” means the shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of this Debenture or as payment of interest in accordance with the terms hereof.

 

“Underlying Shares Registration Statement” means a registration statement meeting the requirements set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement, covering among other things the resale of the Underlying Shares and naming the Holder as a “selling stockholder” thereunder.

 

Section 7. Except as expressly provided herein, no provision of this Debenture shall alter or impair the obligations of the Company, which are absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of, interest and other charges (if any) on, this Debenture at the time, place, and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed. This Debenture is a direct obligation of the Company. This Debenture ranks pari passu with all other Debentures now or hereafter issued under the terms set forth herein. As long as this Debenture is outstanding, the Company shall not and shall cause their subsidiaries not to, without the consent of the Holder, (i) amend its certificate of incorporation, bylaws or other charter documents so as to adversely affect any rights of the Holder; (ii) repay, repurchase or offer to repay, repurchase or otherwise acquire shares of its Common Stock or other equity securities other than as to the Underlying Shares to the extent permitted or required under the Transaction Documents; or (iii) enter into any agreement with respect to any of the foregoing.

 

Section 8. This Debenture shall not entitle the Holder to any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company, including without limitation, the right to vote, to receive dividends and other distributions, or to receive any notice of, or to attend, meetings of stockholders or any other proceedings of the Company, unless and to the extent converted into shares of Common Stock in accordance with the terms hereof.

 

Section 9. If this Debenture is mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed, the Company shall execute and deliver, in exchange and substitution for and upon cancellation of the mutilated Debenture, or in lieu of or in substitution for a lost, stolen or destroyed Debenture, a new Debenture for the principal amount of this Debenture so mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed but only upon receipt of evidence of such loss, theft or destruction of such Debenture, and of the ownership hereof, and indemnity, if requested, all reasonably satisfactory to the Company.

 

Section 10. No indebtedness of the Company is senior to this Debenture in right of payment, whether with respect to interest, damages or upon liquidation or dissolution or otherwise. Without the Holder’s consent, the Company will not and will not permit any of their subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, enter into, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any indebtedness of any kind, on or with respect to any of its property or assets now owned or hereafter acquired or any interest therein or any income or profits there from that is senior in any respect to the obligations of the Company under this Debenture.

 

Section 11. This Debenture shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New Jersey, without giving effect to conflicts of laws thereof. Each of the parties consents to the jurisdiction of the Superior Courts of the State of New Jersey sitting in Hudson County, New Jersey and the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey sitting in Newark, New Jersey in connection with any dispute arising under this Debenture and hereby waives, to the maximum extent permitted by law, any objection, including any objection based on forum non conveniens to the bringing of any such proceeding in such jurisdictions.

 

Section 12. If the Company fails to strictly comply with the terms of this Debenture, then the Company shall reimburse the Holder promptly for all fees, costs and expenses, including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees and expenses incurred by the Holder in any action in connection with this Debenture, including, without limitation, those incurred: (i) during any workout, attempted workout, and/or in connection with the rendering of legal advice as to the Holder’s rights, remedies and obligations, (ii) collecting any sums which become due to the Holder, (iii) defending or prosecuting any proceeding or any counterclaim to any proceeding or appeal; or (iv) the protection, preservation or enforcement of any rights or remedies of the Holder.

 

Section 13. Any waiver by the Holder of a breach of any provision of this Debenture shall not operate as or be construed to be a waiver of any other breach of such provision or of any breach of any other provision of this Debenture. The failure of the Holder to insist upon strict adherence to any term of this Debenture on one or more occasions shall not be considered a waiver or deprive that party of the right thereafter to insist upon strict adherence to that term or any other term of this Debenture. Any waiver must be in writing.

 

Section 14. If any provision of this Debenture is invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the balance of this Debenture shall remain in effect, and if any provision is inapplicable to any person or circumstance, it shall nevertheless remain applicable to all other persons and circumstances. If it shall be found that any interest or other amount deemed interest due hereunder shall violate applicable laws governing usury, the applicable rate of interest due hereunder shall automatically be lowered to equal the maximum permitted rate of interest. The Company covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it shall not at any time insist upon, plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay, extension or usury law or other law which would prohibit or forgive the Company from paying all or any portion of the principal of or interest on this Debenture as contemplated herein, wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, or which may affect the covenants or the performance of this indenture, and the Company (to the extent it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefits or advantage of any such law, and covenants that it will not, by resort to any such law, hinder, delay or impeded the execution of any power herein granted to the Holder, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such as though no such law has been enacted.

 

Section 15. Whenever any payment or other obligation hereunder shall be due on a day other than a Business Day, such payment shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day.

 

Section 16. This Debenture is exchangeable for an equal aggregate principal amount of Debentures of different authorized denominations, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same. No service charge will be made for such registration of transfer or exchange.

 

Section 17. THE PARTIES HEREBY KNOWINGLY, VOLUNTARILY AND INTENTIONALLY WAIVE THE RIGHT ANY OF THEM MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY LITIGATION BASED HEREON OR ARISING OUT OF, UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY TRANSACTION DOCUMENT OR ANY COURSE OF CONDUCT, COURSE OF DEALING, STATEMENTS (WHETHER VERBAL OR WRITTEN) OR ACTIONS OF ANY PARTY. THIS PROVISION IS A MATERIAL INDUCEMENT FOR THE PARTIES’ ACCEPTANCE OF THIS AGREEMENT.

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Secured Convertible Debenture to be duly executed by a duly authorized officer as of the date set forth above.

 

	COMPANY:
	COMPLIANCE SYSTEMS CORPORATION
	By: /s/ Dean Garfinkel
	Name: Dean Garfinkel
	Title: Chairman

 

 

 

 

 

 

TO:

The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to convert $      of the principal amount of Debenture No. _______-1-1 into Shares of Common Stock of COMPLIANCE SYSTEMS CORPORATION, according to the conditions stated therein, as of the Conversion Date written below.

 

Conversion Date:
Amount to be converted:	$
Conversion Price:	$
Number of shares of Common Stock to be issued:
Amount of Debenture Unconverted:	$
Please issue the shares of Common Stock in the following name and to the following address:
Issue to:
Authorized Signature:
Name:
Title:
Broker DTC Participant Code:
Account Number: