Exhibit 10.1
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
THIS INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT (“Agreement”) is made as of October 12, 2022, by and between Bassett Furniture Industries Inc., a Virginia corporation (the “Company”), and [ ] (“Indemnitee”).
RECITALS:
WHEREAS, highly competent persons have become more reluctant to serve publicly-held corporations as directors unless they are provided with adequate indemnification against risks of claims and actions against them arising out of their service to and activities on behalf of the corporation;
WHEREAS, the By-laws of the Company and the Virginia Stock Corporation Act (the “Virginia Act”) expressly provide that the indemnification provisions set forth therein are not exclusive, and thereby contemplate that contracts may be entered into between the Company and members of the board of directors, officers and other persons with respect to indemnification;
WHEREAS, it is reasonable and prudent for the Company contractually to obligate itself to indemnify, and to advance expenses on behalf of its directors, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, so that they will serve or continue to serve the Company free from undue concern that they will not be protected, and to confirm that when they cease to be directors they will continue to be entitled to such indemnification and advancement of expenses; and
WHEREAS, this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Articles of Incorporation of the Company, as amended, By-laws of the Company and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing, Indemnitee’s agreement to provide services to the Company and the covenants contained herein, the Company and Indemnitee do hereby covenant and agree as follows:
Section 1. Services to the Company. Indemnitee agrees to serve as a director of the Company for so long as Indemnitee is duly elected or appointed or until Indemnitee tenders his resignation or is no longer serving in such capacity. Indemnitee may at any time and for any reason resign from either such position (subject to any other contractual obligation or any obligation imposed by operation of law). This Agreement shall not be deemed an employment contract between the Company and Indemnitee. The foregoing notwithstanding, this Agreement shall continue in force after Indemnitee has ceased to serve as a director of the Company.
Section 2. Definitions. As used in this Agreement:
(a) A “Change in Control” shall be deemed to occur upon the earliest to occur after the date of this Agreement of any of the following events:
(i) Acquisition of Stock by Third Party. Any Person (as defined below) is or becomes the Beneficial Owner (as defined below), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing twenty percent (20%) or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities;
(ii) Change in Board of Directors. During any period of two (2) consecutive years (not including any period prior to the execution of this Agreement), individuals who at the beginning of such period constitute the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”), and any new director (other than a director designated by a person who has effected, or entered into an agreement with the Company to effect, a transaction described in Sections 2(a)(i), 2(a)(iii) or 2(a)(iv)) whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s shareholders was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then still in office who either were directors at the beginning of the period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the members of the Board;
(iii) Corporate Transactions. The effective date of a merger or consolidation of the Company with any other entity, other than a merger or consolidation which would result in the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior to such merger or consolidation continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity) more than 50% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of the surviving entity outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation and with the power to elect at least a majority of the Board or other governing body of such surviving entity;
(iv) Dissolution or Disposition of Assets. The approval by the shareholders of the Company of the dissolution of the Company or of an agreement for the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets; and
(v) Other Events. There occurs any other event of a nature that would be required to be reported in response to Item 6(e) of Schedule 14A of Regulation 14A (or a response to any similar item on any similar schedule or form) promulgated under the Exchange Act (as defined below), whether or not the Company is then subject to such reporting requirement.
For purposes of this Section 2(a), the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(A) “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(B) “Person” shall have the meaning as set forth in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act; provided, however, that Person shall exclude (i) the Company, (ii) any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company, and (iii) any entity owned, directly or indirectly, by the shareholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company.
(C) “Beneficial Owner” shall have the meaning given to such term in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act; provided, however, that Beneficial Owner shall exclude any Person otherwise becoming a Beneficial Owner by reason of the shareholders of the Company approving a merger of the Company with another entity, and further provided, that any calculation of securities beneficially owned by a Beneficial Owner shall include securities that are the subject of a derivative instrument that creates for the Beneficial Owner the economic equivalent of ownership in such securities for the Beneficial Owner by tying the value of the derivative instrument to the price or value of such securities.
(b) “Corporate Status” describes the status of a person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or of any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership or joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise which such person is or was serving at the request of the Company.
(c) “Enterprise” shall mean the Company and any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise of which Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary.
(d) “Expenses” shall include all reasonable attorneys’ fees, retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, and all other disbursements or expenses of the types customarily incurred in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, being or preparing to be a witness in, or otherwise participating in, a Proceeding. Expenses also shall include Expenses incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Proceeding, including without limitation the premium, security for, and other costs relating to any cost bond, supersedeas bond, or other appeal bond or its equivalent. Expenses, however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee or the amount of judgments or fines against Indemnitee.
(e) “Independent Counsel” means a law firm, or a member of a law firm, that is experienced in matters of corporation law and neither presently is, nor in the past three years has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any matter material to either such party (other than with respect to matters concerning the Indemnitee under this Agreement, or other indemnitees under similar indemnification agreements), or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement. The Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees and expenses of the Independent Counsel referred to above and to indemnify such counsel fully against any and all Expenses, claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto.
(f) The term “Proceeding” shall include any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, arbitration, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing or any other actual, threatened or completed proceeding, whether brought in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil, criminal, administrative or investigative nature, in which Indemnitee was, is or may be involved as a party or otherwise by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director of the Company, by reason of any action taken by him or of any action on his part while acting as director of the Company, or by reason of the fact that he is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, in each case whether or not serving in such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification, reimbursement or advancement of expenses can be provided under this Agreement including an enforcement action, initiated by Indemnitee to enforce his rights under this Agreement, in which Indemnitee is successful on the merits.
(g) Reference to “other enterprise” shall include employee benefit plans; references to “fines” shall include any excise tax assessed with respect to any employee benefit plan; references to “serving at the request of the Company” shall include any service as a director of the Company which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed not to have engaged in willful misconduct or a knowing violation of criminal law.
Section 3. (a) Indemnity in Proceedings. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, and to such greater extent as applicable law may thereafter from time to time permit, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee if Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant in any Proceeding, including a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 3, Indemnitee shall be indemnified to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law against all Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on his behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, except for indemnification of the Indemnitee for his willful misconduct or his knowing violation of the criminal law.
(a) Settlement
(i) The Company shall have no obligation to indemnify Indemnitee under this Agreement for any amounts paid in settlement of any Proceeding Indemnitee effected without the Company’s prior written consent, not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed.
(ii) The Company shall not, without the prior written consent of Indemnitee (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), consent to the entry of any judgment against Indemnitee or enter into any settlement or compromise unless such settlement solely involves the payment of money by persons other than Indemnitee and includes an unconditional release of Indemnitee from all liability on any matters that are the subject of such Proceeding and an acknowledgment that Indemnitee denies all wrongdoing in connection with such matters.
Section 4. Indemnification for Expenses of a Party Who is Wholly or Partly Successful. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement (other than Section 6(a) or (c) of this Agreement), to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and to the extent that Indemnitee is a party to (or a participant in) and is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in any Proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, in whole or in part, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection therewith. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in such Proceeding, the Company shall, subject to Section 6(a) and (c) of this Agreement, indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf in connection with each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter. If the Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding, the Company also shall, subject to Section 6(a) and (c) of this Agreement, indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses reasonably incurred in connection with a claim, issue or matter related to any claim, issue, or matter on which the Indemnitee was successful. For purposes of this Section 4 and without limitation, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in such a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, shall be deemed to be a successful result as to such claim, issue or matter.
Section 5. Indemnification For Expenses of a Witness. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement (other than Section 6(a) and (c) of this Agreement), to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of his Corporate Status, a witness in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party, he shall be indemnified against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf in connection therewith.
Section 6. Exclusions. Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement, the Company shall not be obligated under this Agreement to make any indemnity in connection with any claim made against Indemnitee:
(a) for which payment has actually been made to or on behalf of Indemnitee under any insurance policy or other indemnity provision, except with respect to any excess beyond the amount paid under any insurance policy or other indemnity provision; or
(b) (i) for an accounting of profits made from the purchase and sale (or sale and purchase) by Indemnitee of securities of the Company within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended or (ii) for any reimbursement of the Company by Indemnitee of any bonus or other incentive-based or equity-based compensation or of any profits realized by Indemnitee from the sale of securities of the Company, as required in each case under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (including any such reimbursements that arise from an accounting restatement of the Company pursuant to Section 304 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 or Section 954 of the Dodd- Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, or the payment to the Company of profits arising from the purchase and sale by Indemnitee of securities in violation of Section 306 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002); or
(c) in connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee, including any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee prior to a Change of Control against the Company or its directors, officers, employees or other indemnitees, unless (i) the Board authorized the Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) prior to its initiation or (ii) the Company provides the indemnification, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Company under applicable law or (iii) as provided in Section 12(a) of this Agreement; or
(d) if a final decision by a court of competent jurisdiction determines that such indemnification is prohibited by applicable law.
Section 7. Advances of Expenses.
(a) Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary but subject to Section 7(c) of this Agreement, the Company shall advance, to the extent not prohibited by law, the Expenses reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any Proceeding, and such advancement shall be made within 10 days after the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements requesting such advances (supported by statements in reasonable detail of Expenses incurred or to be incurred within the next 10 days) from time to time, whether prior to or after final disposition of any Proceeding. Advances shall be unsecured and interest free. Advances shall be made without regard to Indemnitee’s ability to repay the Expenses and without regard to Indemnitee’s ultimate entitlement to indemnification under the other provisions of this Agreement. Advances shall include any and all reasonable Expenses incurred pursuing an action to enforce this right of advancement, including Expenses incurred preparing and forwarding statements to the Company to support the advances claimed. The Indemnitee shall qualify for advances upon the execution and delivery to the Company of this Agreement which shall constitute an undertaking that the Indemnitee will repay the advance to the extent that it is ultimately determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company.
(b) In the event the Company is obligated under this Section 7 hereof to pay, and pays the Expenses of any Proceeding against Indemnitee, the Company, if appropriate, shall be entitled to assume the defense of such Proceeding, with counsel approved by Indemnitee, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld, upon the delivery to Indemnitee of written notice of its election to do so. After delivery of such notice, approval of such counsel by Indemnitee and the retention of such counsel by the Company, the Company will not be liable to Indemnitee under this Agreement for any fees of counsel subsequently incurred by Indemnitee with respect to the same Proceeding, provided that (i) Indemnitee shall have the right to employ his counsel in any such Proceeding at Indemnitee’s expense; and (ii) if (A) the employment of counsel by Indemnitee has been previously authorized by the Company, (B) Indemnitee shall have reasonably concluded that there may be a conflict of interest between the Company and Indemnitee in the conduct of any such defense or (C) the Company shall not, in fact, have employed counsel approved by Indemnitee to assume the defense of such Proceeding, then the fees and expenses of Indemnitee’s counsel shall be at the expense of the Company.
(c) This Section 7 shall not apply to any claim made by Indemnitee for which indemnity is excluded pursuant to Section 6(a), (c) or (d) of this Agreement.
Section 8. Procedure for Notification and Defense of Claim. To obtain indemnification under this Agreement, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written request, including therein or therewith such documentation and information as is reasonably available to Indemnitee and is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification following the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding. The omission to notify the Company will not relieve the Company from any liability which it may have to Indemnitee otherwise than under this Agreement. The Secretary of the Company shall, promptly upon receipt of such a request for indemnification, advise the Board in writing that Indemnitee has requested indemnification.
Section 9. Procedure Upon Application for Indemnification.
(a) Upon written request by Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to the first sentence of Section 8(a), a determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement thereto shall be made in the specific case in accordance with Section 13.1-701B of the Virginia Act. Indemnitee shall cooperate with the person, persons or entity making such determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing to such person, persons or entity upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to such determination. Any costs or expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and disbursements) incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons or entity making such determination shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification) and the Company hereby indemnifies and agrees to hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom.
(b) In the event the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 9(a) hereof, the Independent Counsel shall be selected as provided in this Section 9(b). If a Change in Control shall not have occurred, the Independent Counsel shall be selected by the Board, and the Company shall give written notice to Indemnitee advising him of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected. If a Change in Control shall have occurred, the Independent Counsel shall be selected by Indemnitee (unless Indemnitee shall request that such selection be made by the Board, in which event the preceding sentence shall apply), and Indemnitee shall give written notice to the Company advising it of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected. In either event, Indemnitee or the Company, as the case may be, may, within 10 days after such written notice of selection shall have been given, deliver to the Company or to Indemnitee, as the case may be, a written objection to such selection; provided, however, that such objection may be asserted only on the ground that the Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement, and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of such assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the person so selected shall act as Independent Counsel. If such written objection is so made and substantiated, the Independent Counsel so selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until such objection is withdrawn or a court has determined that such objection is without merit. If, within twenty (20) days after the later of submission by Indemnitee of a written request for indemnification pursuant to Section 9 hereof and the final disposition of the Proceeding, no Independent Counsel shall have been selected and not objected to, either the Company or Indemnitee may petition the Virginia Court (as defined in Section 20 of this Agreement) for resolution of any objection which shall have been made by the Company or Indemnitee to the other’s selection of Independent Counsel and/or for the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected by the Virginia Court or by such other person as the Virginia Court shall designate, and the person with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the person so appointed shall act as Independent Counsel under Section 9(a) hereof. Upon the due commencement of any judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to Section 11(a) of this Agreement, Independent Counsel shall be discharged and relieved of any further responsibility in such capacity (subject to the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing).
Section 10. Presumptions and Effect of Certain Proceedings.
(a) In making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the person or persons or entity making such determination shall presume that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement if Indemnitee has submitted a request for indemnification in accordance with Section 8 of this Agreement, and the Company shall have the burden of proof to overcome that presumption in connection with the making by any person, persons or entity of any determination contrary to that presumption. Neither the failure of the Company (including by its directors or Independent Counsel) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of any action pursuant to this Agreement that indemnification is proper in the circumstances because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct, nor an actual determination by the Company (including by its directors or Independent Counsel) that Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct.
(b) Subject to Section 11(e), if the person, persons or entity empowered or selected under Section 9 of this Agreement to determine whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification shall not have made a determination within sixty (60) days after receipt by the Company of the request therefor, the requisite determination of entitlement to indemnification shall be deemed to have been made and Indemnitee shall be entitled to such indemnification, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law; provided, however, that such 60-day period may be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional thirty (30) days, if the person, persons or entity making the determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification in good faith requires such additional time for the obtaining or evaluating of documentation and/or information relating thereto; and provided, further, that the foregoing provisions of this Section 10(b) shall not apply if the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 9(a) of this Agreement.
(c) The termination of any Proceeding or of any claim, issue or matter therein, by judgment, order, settlement or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not (except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement) of itself adversely affect the right of Indemnitee to indemnification or create a presumption that Indemnitee was guilty of willful misconduct or a knowing violation of criminal law.
(d) Actions of Others. The knowledge and/or actions, or failure to act, of any director, officer, agent or employee of the Enterprise shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnification under this Agreement.
(e) Reliance as a Safe Harbor. For purposes of this Agreement, and without creating any presumption as to a lack of good faith if the following circumstances do not exist, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company if Indemnitee's actions or omissions to act are taken in good faith reliance upon the records of the Company, including its financial statements, or upon information, opinions, reports or statements furnished to Indemnitee by the officers or employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries in the course of their duties, or by committees of the Board or by any other Person (including legal counsel, accountants and financial advisors) as to matters Indemnitee reasonably believes are within such other Person's professional or expert competence and who has been selected with reasonable care by or on behalf of the Company. In addition, the knowledge and/or actions, or failures to act, of any director, officer, agent or employee of the Company shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnity hereunder.
Section 11. Remedies of Indemnitee.
(a) Subject to Section 11(e), in the event that (i) a determination is made, pursuant to Section 9 of this Agreement, that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, (ii) advancement of Expenses is not timely made pursuant to Section 7 of this Agreement, (iii) no determination of entitlement to indemnification shall have been made pursuant to Section 9(a) of this Agreement within 90 days after receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification, (iv) payment of indemnification is not made pursuant to Section 4 or 5 or the last sentence of Section 9(a) of this Agreement within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, or (v) payment of indemnification pursuant to Section 3 of this Agreement is not made within ten (10) days after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication by a court of his entitlement to such indemnification or advancement of Expenses. Alternatively, Indemnitee, at his option, may seek an award in arbitration to be conducted by a single arbitrator pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association. Indemnitee shall commence such proceeding seeking an adjudication or an award in arbitration within one hundred eighty (180) days following the date on which Indemnitee first has the right to commence such proceeding pursuant to this Section 11(a). The Company shall not oppose Indemnitee’s right to seek any such adjudication or award in arbitration.
(b) In the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 9(a) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 9(b) shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial, or arbitration, on the merits and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of that adverse determination. In any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 9(b) the Company shall have the burden of proving Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification or advancement of Expenses, as the case may be.
(c) If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 9(a) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall be bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 11, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law.
(d) The Company shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 11 that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding or enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court or before any such arbitrator that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against any and all Expenses and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall (within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor) advance, to the extent not prohibited by law, such expenses to Indemnitee, which are incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any action brought by Indemnitee for indemnification or advance of Expenses from the Company under this Agreement or under any directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies maintained by the Company, regardless of whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to such indemnification, advancement of Expenses or insurance recovery, as the case may be.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, no determination as to entitlement to indemnification under this Agreement shall be required to be made prior to the final disposition of the Proceeding.
Section 12. Non-exclusivity; Survival of Rights; Insurance; Subrogation.
(a) The rights of indemnification and to receive advancement of Expenses as provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the Company’s Articles of Incorporation, as amended, the Company’s By-laws, any agreement, a vote of shareholders or a resolution of directors, or otherwise. No amendment, alteration or repeal of this Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any action taken or omitted by such Indemnitee in his Corporate Status prior to such amendment, alteration or repeal. To the extent that a change in Virginia law, whether by statute or judicial decision, permits greater indemnification or advancement of Expenses than would be afforded currently under the Company’s Articles of Incorporation, as amended, the Company’s By-laws and this Agreement, it is the intent of the parties hereto that Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits so afforded by such change. No right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right and remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy.
(b) To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for directors, officers, employees or agents of the Company or of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise which such person serves at the request of the Company, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any such director, officer, employee or agent under such policy or policies. If, at the time of the receipt of a notice of a claim eligible for indemnification pursuant to the terms hereof, the Company has director and officer liability insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of the commencement of such proceeding to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the respective policies. The Company shall thereafter take all necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of the Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies.
(c) In the event of any payment under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all papers required and take all action necessary to secure such rights, including execution of such documents as are necessary to enable the Company to bring suit to enforce such rights.
(d) The Company shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any payment of amounts otherwise indemnifiable hereunder (or for which advancement is provided hereunder) if and to the extent that Indemnitee has otherwise actually received such payment under any insurance policy, contract, agreement or otherwise.
(e) The Company’s obligation to indemnify or advance Expenses hereunder to Indemnitee with respect to service at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise shall be reduced by any amount Indemnitee has actually received as indemnification or advancement of expenses from such other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise with respect to such service.
Section 13. Duration of Agreement. This Agreement shall continue until and terminate upon the later of: (i) ten (10) years after the later of the date that Indemnitee shall have ceased to serve as a director of the Company or (ii) one (1) year after the final termination of any Proceeding then pending in respect of which Indemnitee is granted rights of indemnification or advancement of Expenses hereunder and of any proceeding commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 8 of this Agreement relating thereto. This Agreement shall be binding upon the Company and its successors and assigns and shall inure to the benefit of Indemnitee and his heirs, executors and administrators.
Section 14. Severability. If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement (including without limitation, each portion of any Section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law; (b) such provision or provisions shall be deemed reformed to the extent necessary to conform to applicable law and to give the maximum effect to the intent of the parties hereto; and (c) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any Section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested thereby.
Section 15. Enforcement.
(a) The Company expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered into this Agreement and assumed the obligations imposed on it hereby in order to induce Indemnitee to continue to serve as a director of the Company and/or to confirm to Indemnitee that after he ceases to be a director he will continue to be entitled to indemnification and advancement of expenses by the Company, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this Agreement in continuing to serve as a director of the Company and has provided other good and valuable consideration in connection with this Agreement, the sufficiency and receipt of which are hereby acknowledged.
(b) This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral, written and implied, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof; provided, however, that this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of, the Articles of Incorporation of the Company, as amended, the By-laws of the Company and applicable law, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder.
Section 16. Modification and Waiver. No supplement, modification or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by the parties thereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions of this Agreement nor shall any waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
Section 17. Notice by Indemnitee. Indemnitee agrees promptly to notify the Company in writing upon being served with any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, information or other document relating to any Proceeding or matter that may be subject to indemnification or advancement of Expenses covered hereunder. The failure of Indemnitee to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of any obligation that it may have to the Indemnitee under this Agreement or otherwise; provided, however, that a delay in giving such notice shall not deprive Indemnitee of any right to be indemnified under this Agreement unless, and then only to the extent that, such delay is materially prejudicial to the defense of such claim.
Section 18. Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if (a) delivered by hand and receipted for by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed, (b) mailed by certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third business day after the date on which it is so mailed, (c) mailed by reputable overnight courier and receipted for by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed or (d) sent by facsimile transmission, with receipt of oral confirmation that such transmission has been received:
(i) if to Indemnitee, at the address indicated on the signature page of this Agreement, or such other address as Indemnitee shall provide to the Company; and
(ii) if to the Company Secretary, or to any other address as may have been furnished to Indemnitee by the Company or vice versa.
Section 19. Contribution. To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, if the indemnification provided for in this Agreement is unavailable to Indemnitee for any reason whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying Indemnitee, shall contribute to the amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether for judgments, fines, penalties, excise taxes, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement and/or for Expenses, in connection with any claim relating to an indemnifiable event under this Agreement, in such proportion as is deemed fair and reasonable in light of all of the circumstances of such Proceeding in order to reflect (i) the relative benefits received by the Company and Indemnitee as a result of the event(s) and/or transaction(s) giving cause to such Proceeding; and/or (ii) the relative fault of the Company (and its directors, officers, employees and agents) and Indemnitee in connection with such event(s) and/or transaction(s).
Section 20. Applicable Law and Consent to Jurisdiction. This Agreement and the legal relations among the parties shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, without regard to its conflict of laws rules. Except with respect to any arbitration commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 11(a) of this Agreement, the Company and Indemnitee hereby irrevocably and unconditionally (i) agree that any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement shall be brought only in the Circuit Court for the Commonwealth of Virginia (the “Virginia Court”), and not in any other state or federal court in the United States of America or any court in any other country, (ii) consent to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Virginia Court for purposes of any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement, (iii) waive any objection to the laying of venue of any such action or proceeding in the Virginia Court, and (iv) waive, and agree not to plead or to make, any claim that any such action or proceeding brought in the Virginia Court has been brought in an improper or inconvenient forum.
Section 21. Identical Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. Only one such counterpart signed by the party against whom enforceability is sought needs to be produced to evidence the existence of this Agreement.
Section 22. Miscellaneous. Use of the masculine pronoun shall be deemed to include usage of the feminine pronoun where appropriate. The headings of the paragraphs of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction thereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be signed as of the day and year first above written.
| | INDEMNITOR: By: Name: Office: INDEMNITEE Name: Address: |
