LACLEDE GAS COMPANY (a Missouri corporation)

EX-1.1 2 dex11.htm PURCHASE AGREEMENT DATED JUNE 6, 2006 Purchase Agreement dated June 6, 2006

Exhibit 1.1

Executed Copy

LACLEDE GAS COMPANY

(a Missouri corporation)

First Mortgage Bonds, 6.15% Series due June 1, 2036

PURCHASE AGREEMENT

Dated: June 6, 2006

LACLEDE GAS COMPANY

(a Missouri corporation)

$55,000,000

First Mortgage Bonds, 6.15% Series due June 1, 2036

PURCHASE AGREEMENT

June 6, 2006

MERRILL LYNCH & CO.

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated

as Representative of the several Underwriters

4 World Financial Center

New York, New York 10080

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Laclede Gas Company, a Missouri corporation (the “Company”), confirms its agreement with Merrill Lynch & Co., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“Merrill Lynch”) and each of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (collectively, the “Underwriters,” which term shall also include any underwriter substituted as hereinafter provided in Section 10 hereof), for whom Merrill Lynch is acting as representative (in such capacity, the “Representative”), with respect to the issue and sale by the Company and the purchase by the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the respective principal amounts set forth in said Schedule A of $55,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s First Mortgage Bonds, 6.15% Series due June 1, 2036 (the “Securities”). The Securities are to be issued pursuant to the Company’s Mortgage and Deed of Trust dated as of February 1, 1945, as amended and supplemented and as it will be further amended and supplemented by the Twenty-Ninth Supplemental Indenture relating to the Securities to be dated as of June 1, 2006 (such further supplemental indenture, the “Supplemental Indenture”), with UMB Bank & Trust, n.a. (who is now acting, under the terms of such Mortgage and Deed of Trust, in place of Mississippi Valley Trust Company), as trustee (the “Trustee”). Such Mortgage and Deed of Trust, as so supplemented and to be supplemented by the Supplemental Indenture, is hereinafter referred to as the “Mortgage.”

The Company understands that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of the Securities as soon as the Representative deems advisable after this Agreement has been executed and delivered.

The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-40362), including the related preliminary prospectus or prospectuses, which registration statement has become effective under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”). Such registration statement covers the registration of the Securities under the 1933 Act. Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will prepare and file a prospectus in accordance with the provisions of Rule 430B (“Rule 430B”) of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1933 Act (the “1933 Act Regulations”) and paragraph (b) of Rule 424 (“Rule 424(b)”) of the 1933 Act Regulations. Any information included in such prospectus that was omitted from such registration statement at the time it became effective but that is deemed to be part of and

included in such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430B is referred to as “Rule 430B Information.” Each prospectus used in connection with the offering of the Securities that omitted Rule 430B Information is herein called a “preliminary prospectus.” Such registration statement, at any given time, including the amendments thereto to such time, the exhibits and any schedules thereto at such time, the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act at such time and the documents otherwise deemed to be a part thereof or included therein by the 1933 Act Regulations, is herein called the “Registration Statement.” The Registration Statement at the time it originally became effective is herein called the “Original Registration Statement.” The final prospectus in the form first furnished to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offering of the Securities, including the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act at the time of the execution of this Agreement and any preliminary prospectuses that form a part thereof, is herein called the “Prospectus.” For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (“EDGAR”).

All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is “contained,” “included” or “stated” in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other information which is incorporated by reference in or otherwise deemed by 1933 Act Regulations to be a part of or included in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to mean and include the filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), which is incorporated by reference in or otherwise deemed by 1933 Act Regulations to be a part of or included in the Registration Statement, such preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be.

SECTION 1. Representations and Warranties.

(a) Representations and Warranties by the Company. The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, the Applicable Time referred to in Section 1(a)(i) hereof and as of the Closing Time referred to in Section 2(b) hereof, and agrees with each Underwriter, as follows:

(i) Registration Statement, Prospectus and Disclosure at Time of Sale. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued under the 1933 Act and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated by the Commission, and any request on the part of the Commission for additional information has been complied with.

At the respective times the Original Registration Statement and each amendment thereto became effective, at each deemed effective date with respect to the Underwriters pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations and at Closing Time, the Registration Statement complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “1939 Act”), and the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1939 Act (the “1939 Act Regulations”), and did not and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

Neither the Prospectus nor any amendments or supplements thereto, at the time the Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement was issued and at Closing Time, included or

will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

Each preliminary prospectus (including the prospectus or prospectuses filed as part of the Original Registration Statement or any amendment thereto) complied when filed with the Commission in all material respects with the 1933 Act Regulations and each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with this offering was identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

As of the Applicable Time, neither (x) any Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below) issued at or prior to the Applicable Time (as defined below) and the Statutory Prospectus (as defined below), all considered together (collectively, the “General Disclosure Package”), nor (y) any individual Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below), when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, included any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

As of the time of the filing with the Commission of the Final Term Sheet (as defined in Section 3(b) hereof), the General Disclosure Package, when considered together with the Final Term Sheet, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

As used in this subsection and elsewhere in this Agreement:

“Applicable Time” means 1:30 p.m. (Eastern time) on June 6, 2006 or such other time as agreed by the Company and Merrill Lynch.

“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 433”), relating to the Securities that (i) is required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) is a “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i), whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, or (iii) is exempt from filing pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Securities or of the offering that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g).

“Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors, as evidenced by its being specified in Schedule C hereto.

“Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not an Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus.

“Statutory Prospectus” as of any time means the prospectus relating to the Securities that is included in the Registration Statement immediately prior to that time, including any document incorporated by reference therein and any preliminary or other prospectus deemed to be a part thereof.

Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the public offer and sale of the Securities or until any earlier date that the issuer notified or notifies Merrill Lynch as described in Section 3(e) hereof, did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein and any preliminary or other prospectus deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified.

The representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430B Information, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (A) made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through Merrill Lynch expressly for use therein or (B) that constitutes the Statement of Eligibility on Form T-1 of the Trustee filed pursuant to the 1939 Act and the 1939 Act Regulations (the “Form T-1”).

(ii) Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (the “1934 Act Regulations”), and, when read together with the other information in the Prospectus, (A) at the time the Original Registration Statement became effective, (B) at the earlier of time the Prospectus was first used and the date and time of the first contract of sale of Securities in this offering and (C) at Closing Time, did not and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

(iii) Independent Accountants. The Company has determined, based upon, without limitation, communications with the accountants who certified the financial statements and supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement, that such accountants are independent public accountants as required by the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations.

(iv) Financial Statements. The financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes, present fairly the financial position of the Company at the dates indicated and the statement of operations, stockholder’s equity and cash flows of the Company for the periods specified; said financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved, except as otherwise set forth therein. The supporting schedules, if any, present fairly in accordance with GAAP the information required to be stated therein. The selected financial data and the summary financial information included in the Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements included in the Registration Statement.

(v) No Material Adverse Change in Business. Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, except as otherwise stated therein, (A) there has been no material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business (a “Material Adverse Effect”), (B) there have been no transactions entered into by the Company, other than those in the ordinary course of business, which are material with respect to the Company, and (C) except for

regular quarterly dividends on the common stock, par value $1.00 per share, and preferred stock, par value $25.00 per share, of the Company in amounts per share that are consistent with past practice, there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock.

(vi) Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Missouri and has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement; and the Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(vii) Good Standing of Subsidiaries. The Company has no subsidiaries.

(viii) Capitalization. The shares of issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company was issued in violation of the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company.

(ix) Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

(x) Authorization of the Mortgage. The Mortgage has been duly and validly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company and duly qualified under the 1939 Act and, when duly executed and delivered by the Company and the Trustee, will constitute a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by certain laws and judicial decisions of the United States of America and the State of Missouri (where the property covered thereby is located) affecting the remedies for the enforcement of the security provided for therein, which laws do not make inadequate the remedies necessary for the realization of the benefits of such security, and subject to the effects of bankruptcy, insolvency (including, without limitation, all laws relating to fraudulent transfers), reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and except as enforcement thereof is subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).

(xi) Authorization of the Securities. The Securities have been duly authorized and, at Closing Time, will have been duly executed by the Company and, when authenticated, issued and delivered in the manner provided for in the Mortgage and delivered against payment of the purchase price therefor as provided in this Agreement, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency (including, without limitation, all laws relating to fraudulent transfers), reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and except as enforcement thereof is subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law), and will be in the form contemplated by, and entitled to the benefit and security of, the Mortgage equally and ratably (except as set forth in the Securities) with the bonds of other series now outstanding under the Mortgage.

(xii) Description of the Securities and the Mortgage. The Securities and the Mortgage will conform in all material respects to the respective statements relating thereto contained in the Prospectus and will be in substantially the respective forms filed or incorporated by reference, as the case may be, as exhibits to the Registration Statement.

(xiii) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts. The Company is not in violation of its charter or by-laws or in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it may be bound, or to which any of its property or assets is subject (collectively, “Agreements and Instruments”), except for such defaults that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the Mortgage and the Securities and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and in the Registration Statement (including the issuance and sale of the Securities and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described in the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds”) and compliance by the Company with its obligations hereunder and under the Mortgage and the Securities have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien (other than lien of the Mortgage), charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company pursuant to, the Agreements and Instruments (except for such conflicts, breaches, defaults or Repayment Events or liens, charges or encumbrances that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect), nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws of the Company or any applicable law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any government, government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its assets, properties or operations. As used herein, a “Repayment Event” means any event or condition which gives the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company.

(xiv) Absence of Labor Dispute. No labor dispute with the employees of the Company exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its principal suppliers, manufacturers, customers or contractors, which, in either case, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xv) Absence of Proceedings. There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, now pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against or affecting the Company, which is required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement (other than as disclosed therein), or which might reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which might reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect the properties or assets thereof or the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement or the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder; the aggregate of all pending legal or governmental proceedings to which the Company is a party or of which any of its property or assets is the subject which are not described in the Registration Statement, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xvi) Accuracy of Exhibits. There are no contracts or documents which are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the documents incorporated by reference therein or to be filed as exhibits thereto which have not been so described and filed as required.

(xvii) Possession of Intellectual Property. The Company owns or possesses, or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks, trade names or other intellectual property (collectively, “Intellectual Property”) necessary to carry on the business now operated by it, and the Company has not received any notice or is otherwise aware of any infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any Intellectual Property or of any facts or circumstances which would render any Intellectual Property invalid or inadequate to protect the interest of the Company therein, and which infringement or conflict (if the subject of any unfavorable decision, ruling or finding) or invalidity or inadequacy, singly or in the aggregate, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xviii) Absence of Manipulation. The Company has not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed to or which has constituted or which would be expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

(xix) Absence of Further Requirements. The Missouri Public Service Commission of the State of Missouri (the “MPSC”) has issued orders authorizing the issuance and sale of the Securities, which orders are in full force and effect; and no other filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any court or governmental authority or agency is necessary or required for the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder, in connection with the offering, issuance or sale of the Securities hereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or for the due execution, delivery or performance of the Mortgage by the Company, except such as have been already obtained or as may be required under the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations or state securities laws and except such as have been already obtained for the qualification of the Mortgage under the 1939 Act.

(xx) Possession of Licenses and Permits. The Company possesses such permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other authorizations (collectively, “Governmental Licenses”) issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to conduct the business now operated by it, except where the failure so to possess would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect; the Company is in compliance with the terms and conditions of all such Governmental Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect; all of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, except when the invalidity of such Governmental Licenses or the failure of such Governmental Licenses to be in full force and effect would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect; the Company has not received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such Governmental Licenses which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxi) Title to Property. The Company has good and sufficient title to the properties described as owned by it in and as subject to the lien of the Mortgage, subject only to excepted encumbrances as defined in the Mortgage and all other restrictions, exceptions, defects and

limitations of title as permitted under the Mortgage to the extent they do not materially impair the Company’s use of its properties in its business (collectively, the “Exceptions”); subject to Section 1(a)(xxii) hereof, the description of such properties set forth in the Mortgage is adequate to constitute the Mortgage a lien thereon and the Mortgage, subject only to the Exceptions, constitutes a valid, direct and first mortgage lien upon such properties, which include substantially all of the permanent physical properties and Franchises (as defined below) (other than those expressly excepted in the Mortgage); all permanent physical properties and Franchises (other than those expressly excepted in or released from the Mortgage) that have been or hereafter may be acquired by the Company after the date of the Supplemental Indenture have become or, upon such acquisition, will become subject to the lien of the Mortgage, subject, however, to the Exceptions and except as limited by bankruptcy law. As used herein, “Franchises” mean all franchises of the Company in or relating to real estate or the occupancy of lands to the extent the granting of a lien or mortgage thereon is permitted by applicable law.

(xxii) Status of Lien. Upon the recordation of the Supplemental Indenture in the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Missouri pursuant to Section 443.451 of the Missouri Revised Statutes, the lien created by the Supplemental Indenture will become effective as to and enforceable against third parties; and all permanent physical properties and Franchises (other than those expressly excepted in or released from the Mortgage) presently owned by the Company are subject to the lien of the Mortgage, subject to the Exceptions.

(xxiii) Investment Company Act. The Company is not required, and upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Prospectus will not be required, to register as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”).

(xxiv) Environmental Laws. Except as described in the Registration Statement and except as would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, (A) the Company is not in violation of any federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common law or any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of human health, the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum products, asbestos-containing materials or mold (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (B) the Company has all permits, authorizations and approvals required under any applicable Environmental Laws and is in compliance with their requirements, (C) there are no pending or threatened administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigation or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law against the Company and (D) there are no events or circumstances that would reasonably be expected to form the basis of an order for clean-up or remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or governmental body or agency, against or affecting the Company relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental Laws.

(xxv) Accounting Controls and Disclosure Controls. The Company maintains a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP

and to maintain accountability for assets; (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as described in the Prospectus, since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, (1) the Company has not identified any material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (2) there has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

The Company employs disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the 1934 Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, and is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive officer or officers and principal financial officer or officers, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding disclosure.

(xxvi) Compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith, including Section 402 thereof related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 thereof related to certifications.

(xxvii) Pending Proceedings and Examinations. The Registration Statement is not the subject of a pending proceeding or examination under Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the 1933 Act, and the Company is not the subject of a pending proceeding under Section 8A of the 1933 Act in connection with the offering of the Securities.

(b) Officer’s Certificates. Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company delivered to the Representative or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.

SECTION 2. Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing.

(a) Securities. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company, at the price set forth in Schedule B, the aggregate principal amount of Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter, plus any additional principal amount of Securities which such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of Section 10 hereof.

(b) Payment. Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates for, the Securities shall be made at the offices of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, 1540 Broadway, New York, New York 10036, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company, at 9:00 a.m. (Eastern time) on the third (fourth, if the pricing occurs after 4:30 p.m. (Eastern time) on any given day) business day after the date hereof (unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10 hereof), or such other time not later than ten business days after such date as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company (such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called “Closing Time”).

Payment shall be made to the Company by wire transfer of immediately available funds to a bank account designated by the Company, against delivery to the Representative for the respective accounts of the Underwriters of certificates for the Securities to be purchased by them. It is understood that each Underwriter has authorized the Representative, for its account, to accept delivery of, receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Securities which it has agreed to purchase. Merrill Lynch, individually and not as representative of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment of the purchase price for the Securities to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds have not been received by Closing Time, but such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from its obligations hereunder.

(c) Denominations; Registration. Certificates for the Securities shall be in such denominations ($1,000 or integral multiples thereof) and registered in such names as the Representative may request in writing at least one full business day before Closing Time. The Securities will be made available for examination and packaging by the Representative in The City of New York not later than 10:00 a.m. (Eastern time) on the business day prior to Closing Time.

SECTION 3. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows:

(a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests; Payment of Filing Fees. The Company, subject to Section 3(b) hereof, will comply with the requirements of Rule 430B and will notify the Representative immediately, and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or new registration statement relating to the Securities shall become effective, or any supplement to the Prospectus or any amended Prospectus shall have been filed, (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission, (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or the filing of a new registration statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or any document incorporated by reference therein or otherwise deemed to be a part thereof or for additional information, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or such new registration statement or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(e) of the 1933 Act concerning the Registration Statement and (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the 1933 Act in connection with the offering of the Securities. The Company will effect the filings required under Rule 424(b), in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)), and will take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus. The Company will make every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any stop order and, if any stop order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.

(b) Filing of Amendments and 1934 Act Documents; Preparation of Final Term Sheet. The Company will give the Representative notice of its intention to file or prepare any amendment to the Registration Statement or new registration statement or any amendment, supplement or revision to either any preliminary prospectus (including any prospectus included in the Original Registration Statement or amendment thereto at the time it became effective) or to the Prospectus, whether pursuant to the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act or otherwise, in each case relating to the Securities, and the Company will furnish the Representative with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing or use, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the Representative or counsel for the Underwriters shall object. The Company has given the Representative notice of any filings made pursuant to the 1934 Act or 1934 Act Regulations within 48 hours prior to the Applicable

Time; the Company will give the Representative notice of its intention to make any such filing from the Applicable Time to Closing Time and will furnish the Representative with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing and will not file or use any such document to which the Representative or counsel for the Underwriters shall object. The Company will prepare a final term sheet (the “Final Term Sheet”) reflecting the final terms of the Securities, substantially in the form attached as Schedule D hereto, and shall file the Final Term Sheet as an “issuer free writing prospectus” pursuant to Rule 433 prior to the close of business two business days after the date hereof; provided that the Company shall furnish the Representative with copies of any the Final Term Sheet a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing and will not use or file any such document to which the Representative or counsel to the Underwriters shall object.

(c) Delivery of Registration Statements. The Company has furnished or will deliver to the Representative and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the Original Registration Statement and of each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein and documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein or otherwise deemed to be a part thereof) and signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and will also deliver to the Representative, without charge, a conformed copy of the Original Registration Statement and of each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for each of the Underwriters. The copies of the Original Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

(d) Delivery of Prospectuses. The Company has delivered to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each preliminary prospectus as such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the 1933 Act. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the period when the Prospectus is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

(e) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. The Company will comply with the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations, the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations and the 1939 Act and the 1939 Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Securities as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus is required by the 1933 Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Securities, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or for the Company, to amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Prospectus in order that the Prospectus will not include any untrue statements of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser, or if it shall be necessary, in the opinion of such counsel, at any such time to amend the Registration Statement or to file a new registration statement or amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to comply with the requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations, the Company will promptly prepare and file with the Commission, subject to Section 3(b) hereof, such amendment, supplement or new registration statement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to comply with such requirements, the Company will use its best efforts to have such amendment or new registration statement declared effective as soon as practicable (if it is not an automatic shelf registration statement with respect to the Securities) and the Company will furnish to the Underwriters such number of copies of such amendment, supplement or new registration statement as the Underwriters may reasonably request. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing

Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement (or any other registration statement relating to the Securities) or the Statutory Prospectus or any preliminary prospectus or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances prevailing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify Merrill Lynch and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.

(f) Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will use its best efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriters, to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions as the Representative may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect for a period of not less than one year from the date hereof; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or so subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject. The Company will also supply the Underwriters with such information as is necessary for the determination of the legality of the Securities for investment under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Underwriters may request.

(g) Rule 158. The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the 1934 Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable an earnings statement for the purposes of, and to provide to the Underwriters the benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act, including by complying with Rule 158 of the 1933 Regulations.

(h) Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Securities in the manner specified in the Prospectus under “Use of Proceeds.”

(i) Restriction on Sale of Securities. Until the earlier to occur of (i) Closing Time and (ii) the date of the termination of the fixed price offering restrictions applicable to the Underwriters, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of Merrill Lynch, directly or indirectly, issue, sell, offer or contract to sell, grant any option for the sale of, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, any debt securities of the Company (other than commercial paper issuances made in the ordinary course of the Company’s business).

(j) Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period when the Prospectus is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the 1934 Act within the time periods required by the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations.

SECTION 3A. Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior consent of the Representative, and each Underwriter represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior consent of the Company and the Representative, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405, required to be filed with the Commission; provided, however, that prior to the preparation of the Final Term Sheet in accordance with Section 3(b) hereof, the Underwriters are authorized to use the information with respect to the final terms of the Securities in communications conveying information relating to the offering to investors. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Company and

the Representative is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Company represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping.

SECTION 4. Payment of Expenses.

(a) Expenses. The Company will pay all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and of each amendment thereto, (ii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of this Agreement, any Agreement among Underwriters, the Mortgage and such other documents as may be required in connection with the offering, purchase, sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities, (iii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the certificates for the Securities to the Underwriters, (iv) the fees and disbursements of the Company’s counsel, accountants and other advisors, (v) the qualification of the Securities under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(f) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees, not to exceed $3,500, and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto, (vi) the printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of each preliminary prospectus, any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus and of the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto and any costs associated with electronic delivery of any of the foregoing by the Underwriters to investors, (vii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto, (viii) the fees and expenses of the Trustee, including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Trustee in connection with the Mortgage and the Securities, (ix) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the Securities, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants, and the cost of aircraft and other transportation chartered in connection with the road show and (x) any fees payable in connection with the rating of the Securities. Except as set forth in this Section 4(a) and Section 4(b) hereof, all fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters shall be paid by the Underwriters.

(b) Termination of Agreement. If this Agreement is terminated by the Representative in accordance with the provisions of Section 5 or Section 9(a)(i) hereof, the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters for all of their out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters.

SECTION 5. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the several Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company contained in Section 1 hereof or in certificates of any officer of the Company delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the following further conditions:

(a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement; Filing of Prospectus; Payment of Filing Fee. The Registration Statement has become effective and at Closing Time no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued under the 1933 Act or proceedings therefor initiated or threatened by the Commission, and any request on the part of the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of counsel to the Underwriters. A prospectus containing the Rule 430B Information shall have been filed with the

Commission in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8) (or a post-effective amendment providing such information shall have been filed and become effective in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430B).

(b) Opinion of Counsel for Company. At Closing Time, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of Closing Time, of Mary C. Kullman, Esq., Chief Governance Officer and Corporate Secretary of the Company, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters, in form and substance to the effect set forth in Exhibit A hereto and to such further effect as counsel to the Underwriters may reasonably request.

(c) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. At Closing Time, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of Closing Time, of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters with respect to the matters set forth in paragraphs 5, 6, 7, 8, 11 and 12 and in clauses (a)(i) and (b) of the sixth to the last paragraph of Exhibit A hereto. In giving such opinion such counsel may rely, as to all matters governed by the laws of jurisdictions other than the law of the State of New York and the federal law of the United States, upon the opinions of counsel satisfactory to the Representative. Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers of the Company and certificates of public officials.

(d) Officers’ Certificate. At Closing Time, there shall not have been, since the date hereof or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus or the General Disclosure Package, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, and the Representative shall have received a certificate of the President or a Vice President of the Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company, dated as of Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has been no such material adverse change, (ii) the representations and warranties in Section 1(a) hereof are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of Closing Time, (iii) the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to Closing Time and (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to their knowledge, contemplated by the Commission.

(e) Accountant’s Comfort Letter. At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the Representative shall have received from Deloitte & Touche LLP a letter dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

(f) Bring-down Comfort Letter. At Closing Time, the Representative shall have received from Deloitte & Touche LLP a letter, dated as of Closing Time, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to Section 5(e) hereof, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business days prior to Closing Time.

(g) Maintenance of Rating. At Closing Time, the Securities shall be rated at least “A3” by Moody’s Investor’s Service Inc., “A” by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group, a division of McGraw-Hill, Inc., and A+ by Fitch Ratings and the Company shall have delivered to the Representative a letter dated as of Closing Time, from each such rating agency, or other evidence satisfactory to the Representative, confirming that the Securities have such ratings; and since the date of this Agreement, (i) there shall not

have occurred a downgrading in the rating assigned to the Securities or any of the Company’s other debt securities by any “nationally recognized statistical rating agency,” as that term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) of the 1933 Regulations, and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review its rating of the Securities or any of the Company’s other debt securities.

(h) Additional Documents. At Closing Time, counsel for the Underwriters shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may require for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Representative and counsel for the Underwriters.

(i) Termination of Agreement. If any condition specified in this Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement may be terminated by the Representative by notice to the Company at any time at or prior to Closing Time, and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 hereof and except that Sections 1, 6, 7 and 8 hereof shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 6. Indemnification.

(a) Indemnification of Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, as such term is defined in Rule 501(b) of the 1933 Regulations (each, an “Affiliate”), its selling agents and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act as follows:

(i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430B Information, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;

(ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section 6(d) hereof) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company;

(iii) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by Merrill Lynch), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above;

provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission (A) made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through Merrill Lynch expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430B Information or any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or (B) that constitutes the Form T-1.

(b) Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers. Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in Section 6(a) hereof, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430B Information or any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through Merrill Lynch expressly for use therein.

(c) Actions against Parties; Notification. Each indemnified party shall give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity agreement. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(a) hereof, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by Merrill Lynch, and, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Company. An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in the defense of any such action; provided, however, that counsel to the indemnifying party shall not (except with the consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party. In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

(d) Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. If at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 6(a)(ii) hereof effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 90 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 75 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.

SECTION 7. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 6 hereof is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.

The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the total underwriting discount received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the Securities as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus.

The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 7. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.

Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.

No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act and each Underwriter’s Affiliates and selling agents shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to the principal amount of Securities set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule A hereto and not joint.

SECTION 8. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive. All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or its Affiliates or selling agents, any person controlling any Underwriter, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (ii) delivery of and payment for the Securities.

SECTION 9. Termination of Agreement.

(a) Termination; General. The Representative may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the Company, at any time at or prior to Closing Time (i) if there has been, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto) or the General Disclosure Package, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, or (ii) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representative, impracticable or inadvisable to market the Securities or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, or (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company has been suspended or materially limited by the Commission, the New York Stock Exchange or the American Stock Exchange, or if trading generally on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange or in the Nasdaq National Market has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by any of said exchanges or by such system or by order of the Commission, the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. or any other governmental authority, or a material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement, or (iv) a material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States, or (v) if a banking moratorium has been declared by Federal, New York or Missouri authorities.

(b) Liabilities. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 hereof, and provided further that Sections 1, 6, 7 and 8 shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 10. Default by One or More of the Underwriters. If one or more of the Underwriters shall fail at Closing Time to purchase the Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase under this Agreement (the “Defaulted Securities”), the Representative shall have the right, within 24 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or any other underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth; if, however, the Representative shall not have completed such arrangements within such 24-hour period, then:

(a) if the number of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10% of the aggregate principal amount of the Securities to be purchased hereunder, each of the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, to purchase the full amount thereof in the proportions that

their respective underwriting obligations hereunder bear to the underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting Underwriters, or

(b) if the number of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the aggregate principal amount of the Securities to be purchased hereunder, this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company.

No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of its default.

In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination of this Agreement, either the Representative or the Company shall have the right to postpone Closing Time for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required changes in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements. As used herein, the term “Underwriter” includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this Section 10.

SECTION 11. Tax Disclosure. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, immediately upon commencement of discussions with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby, the Company (and each employee, representative or other agent of the Company) may disclose to any and all persons, without limitation of any kind, the tax treatment and tax structure of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and all materials of any kind (including opinions or other tax analyses) that are provided to the Company relating to such tax treatment and tax structure. For purposes of the foregoing, the term “tax treatment” is the purported or claimed federal income tax treatment of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the term “tax structure” includes any fact that may be relevant to understanding the purported or claimed federal income tax treatment of the transactions contemplated hereby.

SECTION 12. Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be directed to the Representative at 4 World Financial Center, New York, New York 10080, attention of Karl Newlin, Director; and notices to the Company shall be directed to it at 720 Olive Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63101, attention of Barry C. Cooper, Chief Financial Officer.

SECTION 13. No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (a) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the public offering price of the Securities and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the other hand, (b) in connection with the offering contemplated hereby and the process leading to such transaction each Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, or its stockholder, creditors, employees or any other party, (c) no Underwriter has assumed or will assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the offering contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company on other matters) and no Underwriter has any obligation to the Company with respect to the offering contemplated hereby except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (d) the Underwriters and their respective affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company, and (e) the Underwriters have not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering contemplated hereby and the Company has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.

SECTION 14. Integration. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company and the Underwriters, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof.

SECTION 15. Parties. This Agreement shall each inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors and the controlling persons and officers and directors referred to in Sections 6 and 7 hereof and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors, and said controlling persons and officers and directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.

SECTION 16. GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

SECTION 17. TIME. TIME SHALL BE OF THE ESSENCE OF THIS AGREEMENT. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET FORTH HEREIN, SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.

SECTION 18. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same Agreement.

SECTION 19. Effect of Headings. The Section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to the Company a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement between the Underwriters and the Company in accordance with its terms. It is understood that Merrill Lynch is acting on behalf of each of the other Underwriters pursuant to the authority set forth in a Master Agreement Among Underwriters, a copy of which has been submitted to the Company, but without warranty on its part as to the authority of the other signers thereof.


Very truly yours,

LACLEDE GAS COMPANY

By		/s/ D. H. Yaeger
		Name: D. H. Yaeger
		Title: Chairman, President and CEO

CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED,

as of the date first above written:

MERRILL LYNCH & CO.

MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED

/s/ Karl Newlin

Authorized Signatory

For itself and as Representative of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto.

SCHEDULE A


Name of Underwriter	Principal Amount of Securities
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated	$	36,850,000
A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc.		6,600,000
BNY Capital Markets, Inc. .		3,850,000
Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc.		3,850,000
NatCity Investments, Inc.		3,850,000

Total	$	55,000,000

Sch A-1

SCHEDULE B

1. The initial public offering price of the Securities shall be 99.852% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued interest, if any, from the date of issuance.

2. The purchase price to be paid by the Underwriters for the Securities shall be 98.977% of the principal amount thereof.

3. The interest rate on the Securities shall be 6.15% per annum.

Sch B-1

SCHEDULE C

Final Term Sheet dated June 6, 2006

Sch C-1

SCHEDULE D

June 6, 2006

LACLEDE GAS COMPANY

$55,000,000 First Mortgage Bonds, 6.15% Series due June 1, 2036

Term Sheet


Company:		Laclede Gas Company

Expected Ratings:		A/A3/A+ (S&P/Moody’s/Fitch)

Ranking:		Senior Secured

Principal Amount:		$55,000,000

Pricing Date:		June 6, 2006

Settlement Date:		June 9, 2006

Maturity Date:		June 1, 2036

Interest Payment Dates:		June 1 and December 1 of each year, commencing on December 1, 2006

Benchmark Treasury:		5.375% due 2/15/2031

UST Spot (Px/Yield):		102-30+ / 5.161%

Spread to Benchmark Treasury:		100 basis points

Yield to Maturity:		6.161%

Coupon:		6.15%

Price to Public:		99.852%

Daycount:		30/360

Minimum Denomination:		$1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000

Make-Whole Redemption:		At any time at the Adjusted Treasury Rate plus 15 basis points

CUSIP:		505588 BF 9

Lead Manager:		Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated

Co-Managers:		A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc., BNY Capital Markets, Inc., Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc. and NatCity Investments, Inc.

The Company has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the SEC for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in that registration statement and other documents the Company has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the Issuer and this offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC Web site at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated will arrange to send you the prospectus if you request it by calling Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated toll-free at ###-###-####.

Sch D-1

Exhibit A

[Opinion of Mary C. Kullman, Esq.]

[Letterhead of the Company]

June [ ], 2006

MERRILL LYNCH & CO.

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated

as Representative of the several Underwriters

4 World Financial Center

New York, New York 10080

Ladies and Gentlemen:

I am Chief Governance Officer and Corporate Secretary of Laclede Gas Company (the “Company”) and have acted in that capacity in connection with the issuance and sale by the Company of $55,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of the Company’s First Mortgage Bonds, 6.15% Series due June 1, 2036 (the “Securities”), pursuant to the Purchase Agreement dated June 6, 2006 between the several Underwriters named in Schedule A thereto (collectively, the “Underwriters”), for whom you are acting as representative, and the Company (the “Purchase Agreement”). The Securities are being issued under the Mortgage and Deed of Trust dated as of February 1, 1945, as amended and supplemented by all supplemental indentures thereto, the latest of which is the Twenty-Ninth Supplemental Indenture relating to the Securities dated as of June 1, 2006 (the “Supplemental Indenture”), between UMB Bank & Trust, n.a. (successor to Mississippi Valley Trust Company), as trustee (the “Trustee”), and the Company (as so amended and supplemented, the “Mortgage”). This letter is delivered to you pursuant to Section 5(b) of the Purchase Agreement.

I am familiar with the Restated Articles of Incorporation and the Bylaws, as currently in effect, of the Company (the “Articles” and the “Bylaws,” respectively) and the records of various corporate and other proceedings, including the actions taken by the Company’s Board of Directors relating to the authorization, issuance and sale of the Securities. I have reviewed: (a) the Purchase Agreement; (b) the Mortgage, including the Supplemental Indenture; (c) the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-40362) [describe any amendment thereto, if applicable] (the “Registration Statement”) filed by the Company to register the Securities with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), which is deemed to incorporate by reference the 1934 Act Documents (as defined below); (d) the Prospectus dated July 24, 2000, as

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supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement dated June 6, 2006 [describe any amendment thereto, if applicable], relating to the offer and sale of the Securities (as so supplemented, the “Prospectus”) filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the 1933 Act, which also is deemed to incorporate by reference the 1934 Act Documents; (e) the final term sheet reflecting the final terms of the Securities (the “Final Term Sheet”) filed by the Company with the Commission as an “issuer free writing prospectus” pursuant to Rule 433 under the 1933 Act; (f) the Statutory Prospectus (as defined in the Purchase Agreement), together with the Final Term Sheet [insert other applicable free writing prospectuses] (the “General Disclosure Package”); and (g) the proceedings before the Missouri Public Service Commission (the “MPSC”) for authority to issue and sell the Securities, including the orders entered by the MPSC with respect thereto (the “MPSC Orders”).

I have examined the Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Company for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2005 (the “Annual Report”), the Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q of the Company for the quarterly periods ended December 31, 2005 and March 31, 2006 and the Current Report on Form 8-K of the Company dated December 23, 2005 [describe any other current reports, if applicable] (such Quarterly Reports and Current Report, together with the Annual Report, the “1934 Act Documents”), each as filed with the Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “1934 Act”), and deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

I have examined such other documents and satisfied myself as to such other matters as I have deemed necessary to render the opinions set forth in this letter. In the course of such examination, I have assumed (without independent investigation, verification or inquiry) the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of natural persons, the authenticity of all documents submitted to me as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to me as certified or photostatic copies, and the authenticity of the originals of such latter documents. I have also relied upon information submitted to me by certain officers of the Company with respect to the existence or non-existence of certain facts that form the basis for the opinions set forth herein. Although I have not conducted any independent investigations of the accuracy of various of the matters covered by such information supplied by officers of the Company, I have no reason to believe that any of the matters covered thereby are inaccurate. I have also relied on certain documents, instruments and certificates of public officials. I have not examined the Securities, except a specimen thereof, and have relied upon a certificate of the Trustee as to the authentication thereof. Upon the basis of my familiarity with the foregoing and with the Company’s properties and affairs generally, and as limited by the foregoing and subsequent qualifications and limitations, I am of the opinion that:

1. The Company is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Missouri.

2. The Company is a public utility” within the meaning of Section 386.020(42) of the Missouri Revised Statutes, is duly authorized by the Articles to conduct the utility business that it is described in the Prospectus as conducting, and, by virtue of its possession of valid and subsisting licenses, franchises and permits, and its compliance with the laws of the State of Missouri, is duly authorized to conduct such business in that State.

3. The Company has good and sufficient title to the properties described as owned by it in and as subject to the lien of the Mortgage, subject only to excepted encumbrances as defined in the Mortgage and all other restrictions, exceptions, defects and limitations of title as permitted under the Mortgage to the extent they do not materially impair the Company’s use of its properties in its business (collectively, the “Exceptions”). Subject to paragraph 4 hereof, the description of such properties set forth in the Mortgage is adequate to constitute the Mortgage a lien thereon and the Mortgage, subject only to the Exceptions, constitutes a valid, direct and first

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mortgage lien upon such properties, which include substantially all of the permanent physical properties and Franchises (as defined below) (other than those expressly excepted in the Mortgage). All permanent physical properties and Franchises (other than those expressly excepted in or released from the Mortgage) that have been or hereafter may be acquired by the Company after the date of the Supplemental Indenture have become or, upon such acquisition, will become subject to the lien of the Mortgage, subject, however, to the Exceptions and except as limited by bankruptcy law. As used above, “Franchises” mean all franchises of the Company in or relating to real estate or the occupancy of lands to the extent the granting of a lien or mortgage thereon is permitted by applicable law.

4. The Supplemental Indenture has been recorded in the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Missouri pursuant to Section 443.451 of the Missouri Revised Statutes, and the liens created by the Supplemental Indentures have become effective as to and enforceable against third parties. All permanent physical properties and Franchises (other than those expressly excepted in or released from the Mortgage) presently owned by the Company are subject to the lien of the Mortgage, subject to the Exceptions.

5. The Mortgage has been duly and validly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company, has been duly and validly executed and delivered by the Company, and is a valid and binding instrument enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery thereof by the Trustee and except as the same may be limited by certain laws and judicial decisions of the United States of America and the State of Missouri (where the property covered thereby is located) affecting the remedies for the enforcement of the security provided for therein, which laws do not, in my opinion, make inadequate the remedies necessary for the realization of the benefits of such security, and subject to the effects of bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally, by general equitable principles (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and by an implied covenant of reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing; and the Mortgage has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.

6. The Securities have been duly authorized by the Company and, assuming due authentication thereof by the Trustee and upon payment therefor and delivery thereof in accordance with the Purchase Agreement, subject to the qualifications in paragraph 3 above, will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms and entitled to the benefit and security of the Mortgage equally and ratably (except as set forth in the Securities) with the bonds of other series now outstanding under the Mortgage.

7. The Purchase Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

8. The MPSC has issued the MPSC Orders authorizing the issuance and sale by the Company of the Securities; the issuance and sale of the Securities in accordance with the Purchase Agreement are in conformity with the terms of the MPSC Orders; and no further approval, authorization, consent or other order of any public board or body (other than in connection or in compliance with the provisions of the securities or blue sky laws of any jurisdiction) is legally required for the issuance and sale of the Securities on the terms and conditions set forth in the Purchase Agreement.

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9. To the best of my knowledge, there is not pending or threatened any action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation, to which the Company is a party, or to which the property of the Company is subject, before or brought by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, which would reasonably be expected to result in a material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, or which would reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect the properties or assets of the Company or the consummation of the transactions contemplated in the Purchase Agreement or the performance by the Company of its obligations thereunder.

10. The consummation of the transactions contemplated in the Purchase Agreement and the fulfillment of the terms thereof will not result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, (a) any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust or other material agreement or instrument known to me to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound or to which any of the property of the Company is subject, (b) the Articles or the Bylaws or (c) any order, rule or regulation of any court or other governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its property, or any applicable law or statute, in each case of the United States of America or the State of Missouri, or, to the best of my knowledge, any order, rule or regulation of any other court or other governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its property or any other statute.

11. The statements made in the Prospectus under the captions “Description of First Mortgage Bonds” and “Description of New Bonds,” insofar as they purport to constitute summaries of the terms of the Securities and the Mortgage and any other documents referred to therein, constitute accurate summaries of the terms of such documents in all material respects.

12. The Registration Statement has become and is effective under the 1933 Act; any required filing of each prospectus relating to the Securities (including the Prospectus) pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the 1933 Act has been made in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) thereunder (without reference to Rule 424(b)(8) thereunder); any required filing of each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) pursuant to Rule 433 under the 1933 Act has been made in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 433(d) thereunder; and, to the best of my knowledge, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued under the 1933 Act and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or threatened by the Commission.

13. The Company is not required, and upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Prospectus will not be required, to register as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

I have not independently verified the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements made or included in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the 1934 Act Documents and take no responsibility therefor, except insofar as such statements relate to me and as and to the extent expressly set forth herein. In the course of the preparation of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the General Disclosure Package, I and other members of the Company’s legal department (the “Legal Department”) have participated in conferences with certain of the Company’s officers and employees, with representatives of Deloitte & Touche LLP, the independent accountants for the Company, and with your representatives and counsel. Based on my examination of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the General Disclosure Package, and the investigations made in connection with the preparation of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and the Legal Department’s participation in the

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conferences referred to above, (a) I am of the opinion that (i) each of the Registration Statement, including without limitation the Rule 430B Information (as defined in the Purchase Agreement), and the Prospectus, excluding the documents incorporated by reference therein, as of their respective effective or issue dates (including without limitation each deemed effective date with respect to the Underwriters pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) under the 1933 Act), other than the financial statements and supporting schedules included therein or omitted therefrom, and the Trustee’s Statement of Eligibility on Form T-1 (the “Form T-1”), as to which I need express no opinion, complied as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and (ii) the 1934 Act Documents (other than the financial statements and supporting schedules included therein or omitted therefrom, as to which I need express no opinion), when they were filed with the Commission, complied as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and (b) nothing has come to my attention that would lead me to believe that (i) the Registration Statement (except for financial statements and schedules and other financial data included or incorporated by reference therein or omitted therefrom and the Form T-1, as to which I need make no statement), at the time the Annual Report was filed by the Company with the Commission under the 1934 Act, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) the Registration Statement, including the Rule 430B Information (except for financial statements and schedules and other financial data included or incorporated by reference therein or omitted therefrom and the Form T-1, as to which I need make no statement), at each deemed effective date with respect to the Underwriters pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) under the 1933 Act, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (iii) the Prospectus (except for financial statements and schedules and other financial data included or incorporated by reference therein or omitted therefrom and the Form T-1, as to which I need make no statement), at the time the Prospectus was issued or as of the date hereof, included or includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading or (iv) the General Disclosure Package, other than the financial statements and schedules and other financial data included or incorporated by reference therein or omitted therefrom, as to which I need make no statement, as of the Applicable Time (as defined below), contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. For purposes of this paragraph, the term “Applicable Time” means 1:30 p.m. (Eastern time) on June 6, 2006. With respect to statements contained in the General Disclosure Package, any statement contained in any of the constituent documents shall be deemed to be modified or superseded to the extent that any information contained in subsequent constituent documents modifies or replaces such statement.

In passing upon the form of the Registration Statement, the form of the Prospectus and the form of the 1934 Act Documents, I necessarily assume the correctness and completeness of the statements made by the Company and information included therein and take no responsibility therefor, except insofar as such statements relate to me or as otherwise stated in this letter.

I have examined the portions of the information contained in the Registration Statement that are stated therein to have been made on my authority and, upon my review thereof, I believe such information to be correct.

I am a member of the Bar of the State of Missouri and, except with respect to the matters expressed in paragraphs 8, 9 and 10 above, I do not express any opinion herein as to any matters governed by any laws other than the laws of the State of Missouri and the Federal laws of the United States of America. Further, I express no opinion with respect to any law, rule, regulation or matter regarding: (i) any matters of local law (i.e., laws, rules and regulations of counties, towns, municipalities or special political subdivisions); or (ii) Federal or state antitrust or unfair competition laws.

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I am also delivering this letter to Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, who is entitled to rely upon the opinions set forth in this letter to the same extent as if such opinion were addressed to such firm. This letter is rendered to you and Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP in connection with the above-described transaction. The opinions in this letter may not be relied upon by you or Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP for any other purpose, or relied upon by or furnished to any other person, firm or corporation, without my prior written consent.

The opinions in this letter speak only as of its date. I have no obligation to you or to Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP to update such opinions for changes in law or fact that occur after the date of this letter, even where such change may affect the legal analysis, a legal conclusion or an informational confirmation in this letter.

Very truly yours,

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