(a) request any past, present, or future customers of Seller or any subsidiary of Seller to curtail or cancel their business with Buyer, or any of its affiliates;
(b) disclose the identity of any past, present, or future customers of Seller or any subsidiary of Seller, Buyer, or any subsidiary or affiliate of Buyer to any other person, firm, or entity;
(d) induce or attempt to influence any employee of Seller or any subsidiary of Seller, Buyer, or any affiliate or subsidiary of Buyer to terminate such employee’s employment.
(a) General. Seller and Designated Shareholder, jointly and severally, covenant and agree to defend, indemnify, and hold Buyer and Acquisition Sub and each of their officers, directors, shareholders, controlling persons, affiliates, employees, and agents (each a “Buyer Indemnitee”) harmless for, from, and against, and will pay to the Buyer Indemnities, the amount of any and all damages, losses, liabilities (absolute and contingent), fines, penalties, costs, and expenses, including, without limitation, reasonable counsel fees, costs, and expenses, (collectively “Losses”) (including those incurred in the investigation, defense, or settlement with respect to or arising out of any demand, claim, inquiry, investigation, proceeding, action, or cause of action) or diminution of value, whether or not involving a third-party claim, that any Buyer Indemnitee may suffer or incur by reason of (i) the inaccuracy of any of the representations or warranties of Seller or Designated Shareholder contained in this Agreement, or any of the agreements, certificates, documents, exhibits, or schedules delivered in connection with this Agreement; (ii) the failure of Seller or Designated Shareholder to comply with, or the breach, or the default by Seller or Designated Shareholder of, any of the covenants, warranties, or agreements made by Seller or Designated Shareholder contained in this Agreement, or any of the agreements, certificates, documents, exhibits, or schedules delivered in connection with this Agreement; (iii) any of the Excluded Liabilities; or (iv) Seller’s or Designated Shareholder’s failure to timely discharge any liability or obligation that is not an Assumed Liability.
(b) Security for Seller’s and Designated Shareholder’s Obligations The Cash Payment shall be held by Buyer and Acquisition Sub as security for Seller’s and Designated Shareholder’s obligations under this Section 10.1.
10.2. Indemnification by Buyer. Buyer covenants and agrees to defend, indemnify, and hold Seller and Designated Shareholder harmless for, from, and against, and will pay to Seller and Designated Shareholder the amount of, any and all damages, losses, liabilities (absolute and contingent), fines, penalties, costs, and expenses, including, without limitation, reasonable counsel fees, costs, and expenses (including those incurred in the investigation, defense, or settlement with respect to or arising out of any demand, claim, inquiry, investigation, proceeding, action, or cause of action) or diminution of value, whether or not involving a third-party claim, that Seller or Designated Shareholder may directly or indirectly suffer or incur by reason of (a) the inaccuracy of any of the representations or warranties of Buyer contained in this Agreement or any of the agreements, certificates, documents, exhibits, or schedules delivered in connection with this Agreement; or (b) the failure to comply with, or the breach or the default by Buyer, of any of the covenants, warranties, or agreements made by Buyer in this Agreement or any of the agreements, certificates, documents, exhibits, or schedules delivered in connection with this Agreement; or (c) any Assumed Liability. Buyer shall have no obligation to defend, indemnify, and hold Seller or Designated Shareholder harmless pursuant to this Section 10.2 with respect to any liability that is an Excluded Liability set forth in Section 2.2 .
10.3. Notice and Right to Defend Third-Party Claims. Promptly upon receipt of notice of any claim, demand, or assessment or the commencement of any suit, action, or proceeding with respect to which indemnity may be sought pursuant to this Agreement, the party seeking to be indemnified or held harmless (the “Indemnitee”) shall notify in writing, if possible, within sufficient time to respond to such claim or answer or otherwise plead in such action, the party from whom indemnification is sought (the “Indemnitor ”). In case any claim, demand, or assessment shall be asserted, or suit, action, or proceeding commenced against the
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Indemnitee, the Indemnitor shall be entitled, at the Indemnitor’s expense, to participate therein, and, to the extent that it may wish, to assume the defense, conduct, or settlement thereof, at its own expense, with counsel satisfactory to the Indemnitee, whose consent to the selection of counsel shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, provided that the Indemnitor confirms to the Indemnitee that it is a claim to which its rights of indemnification apply. The Indemnitor shall have the right to settle or compromise monetary claims without the consent of Indemnitee; however, as to any other claim, the Indemnitor shall first obtain the prior written consent from the Indemnitee, which consent shall be exercised in the sole discretion of the Indemnitee. After notice from the Indemnitor to the Indemnitee of Indemnitor’s intent so to assume the defense, conduct, settlement, or compromise of such action, the Indemnitor shall not be liable to the Indemnitee for any legal or other expenses (including, without limitation, settlement costs) subsequently incurred by the Indemnitee in connection with the defense, conduct, or settlement of such action while the Indemnitor is diligently defending, conducting, settling, or compromising such action. The Indemnitor shall keep the Indemnitee apprised of the status of the suit, action, or proceeding and shall make Indemnitor’s counsel available to the Indemnitee, at the Indemnitor’s expense, upon the request of the Indemnitee. The Indemnitee shall cooperate with the Indemnitor in connection with any such claim and shall make personnel, books, and records and other information relevant to the claim available to the Indemnitor to the extent that such personnel, books, and records and other information are in the possession and/or control of the Indemnitee. If the Indemnitor decides not to participate, the Indemnitee shall be entitled, at the Indemnitor’s expense, to defend, conduct, settle, or compromise such matter with counsel satisfactory to the Indemnitor, whose consent to the selection of counsel shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed.
SECTION XI.
GENERAL
11.1. Indemnity Against Finders. Each party hereto shall indemnify and hold the other parties harmless against any claim for finders’ fees based on alleged retention of a finder by it.
11.2. Controlling Law. This Agreement, and all questions relating to its validity, interpretation, performance, and enforcement, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Arizona, notwithstanding any Arizona or other conflict-of-law provisions to the contrary. The parties hereby agree that any dispute which may arise between them arising out of or in connection with this Agreement shall be adjudicated before a court located in Phoenix, Arizona and they hereby submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the state of Arizona and of the federal courts in the District of Arizona with venue in Phoenix, Arizona with respect to any action or legal proceeding commenced by any party, and irrevocably waive any objection they now or hereafter may have respecting the venue of any such action or proceeding brought in such a court or respecting the fact that such court is an inconvenient forum, relating to or arising out of this Agreement or any acts or omissions relating to the sale of the securities hereunder, and consent to the service of process in any such action or legal proceeding by means of registered or certified mail, return receipt requested.
11.3. Notices. All notices, requests, demands, and other communications required or permitted under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given, made, and received when delivered against receipt, 12 hours after being sent by
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facsimile or e-mail, or 72 hours after being sent by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, as set forth below:
If to Buyer or Acquisition Sub:
3231 S. Country Club Way, Suite 102
Tempe, Arizona 85282
Attention: Darren Dierich
Phone: (480) 820-9766, ext. 212
Fax: (480) 820-9768
email: ddierich@clearchoicecorp.com
with a copy given in the manner
prescribed above, to:
Snell & Wilmer, LLP
400 E. Van Buren
Phoenix, Arizona 85004
Attention: Daniel M. Mahoney, Esq.
Phone: (602) 382-6206
Fax: (602) 382-6070
If to Seller or Designated Shareholder:
Allstate Home Loans, Inc.
27 Trumpet Vine
Irvine, CA 92603
Attention: Gregg Shanberg
Phone: (949) 250-6300
Fax: (949) 622-5448
E-mail: GShanberg@allstatefunding.net
Any party may alter the address to which communications or copies are to be sent by giving notice to such other parties of change of address in conformity with the provisions of this paragraph for the giving of notice.
11.4. Binding Nature of Agreement; No Assignment. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns, except that no party may assign, delegate, or transfer such party’s rights or obligations under this Agreement (other than as provided for herein) without the prior written consent of the other parties hereto. Any assignment, delegation, or transfer made in violation of this Section 11.4 shall be null and void.
11.5. Entire Agreement. All Schedules and Exhibits referenced in this Agreement are attached to and form part of this Agreement. This Agreement and the Schedules
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and Exhibits hereto contain the entire understanding among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior and contemporaneous agreements and understandings, inducements, or conditions, express or implied, oral or written, except as herein contained. The express terms hereof control and supersede any course of performance and/or usage of the trade inconsistent with any of the terms hereof. This Agreement may not be modified or amended other than by an agreement in writing.
11.6. Severability. Each and every provision set forth in this Agreement is independent and severable from the others, and no provision shall be rendered unenforceable by virtue of the fact that, for any reason, any other or others of them may be unenforceable in whole or in part. The parties hereto agree that if any provision of this Agreement shall be declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unenforceable for any reason whatsoever, the court may appropriately limit or modify such provision, and such provision shall be given effect to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law.
11.7. Section Headings. The section headings in this Agreement are for convenience only; they form no part of this Agreement and shall not affect its interpretation.
11.8. Gender. Words used herein, regardless of the number and gender specifically used, shall be deemed and construed to include any other number, singular or plural, and any other gender, masculine, feminine, or neuter, as the context requires.
11.9. Survival of Representations and Warranties. The representations or warranties made in or pursuant to Section 4 shall survive the Closing.
11.10. Counterparts; Facsimile. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which shall constitute one and the same agreement, and this Agreement may be executed by facsimile provided that the parties deliver the original execution pages within 48 hours of the Closing.
11.11. Subsidiaries. For purposes of this Agreement, all references to a subsidiary or subsidiaries of Seller or Buyer shall mean any corporation, partnership or limited liability Company in which Seller or Buyer, as the case may be, owns a majority interest or otherwise controls.
11.12. No Obligation to Hire. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall impose, or be deemed to impose, upon Buyer any obligation to employ or retain any persons who are employed by Seller or any of its subsidiaries as of the Closing Date or to offer employment to such persons under similar working conditions as those existing prior to the Closing.
11.13. Assignability. At any time hereafter, Buyer may assign all or part of its rights under this Agreement to any of its affiliates, and any of its affiliates (as applicable) shall receive and enjoy the benefits of all of Seller’s and Designated Shareholder’s obligations hereunder with respect to the rights so assigned.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the day and year first above written.
CLEAR CHOICE FINANCIAL, INC.
Darren Dierich, Chief Financial Officer
BAY CAPITAL CORP.
Darren Dierich, Treasurer
ALLSTATE HOME LOANS, INC.
Gregg Shanberg, President
DESIGNATED SHAREHOLDER:
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