| | to all employees on a non-discriminatory basis). Reflects for 2008 $9,200 of 401(k) employer matching contributions, $14,395 of health, life and disability insurance premiums and $13,306 of unit distributions received by Mr. Pruett on his unvested phantom units. |
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(f) | | Reflects for 2007 $6,600 of 401(k) employer matching contributions and $14,596 of health, life and disability insurance premiums (which are provided to all employees on a non-discriminatory basis). Reflects for 2008 $8,560 of 401(k) employer matching contributions, $14,364 of health, life and disability insurance premiums and $11,088 of unit distributions received by Mr. McGraw on his unvested phantom units. |
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(g) | | Reflects for 2007 $6,600 of 401(k) employer matching contributions and $14,596 of health, life and disability insurance premiums (which are provided to all employees on a non-discriminatory basis). Reflects for 2008 $8,760 of 401(k) employer matching contributions, $14,364 of health, life and disability insurance premiums and $11,088 of unit distributions received by Mr. Horne on his unvested phantom units. |
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(h) | | Reflects the 2006, 2007 ($198,700) and 2008 ($198,770) compensation expense recognized upon the straight-line amortization of the grant date fair value of the 35,077 restricted units granted to Mr. Morris on March 15, 2006 under his employment agreement using the price at which our units were sold in our March 2006 private equity offering. Reflects also for 2007 the $5,326 and for 2008 the $27,437 of compensation expense recorded for the phantom units granted on February 4, 2008. |
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(i) | | Reflects for 2006 the unit distributions received by Mr. Morris on his unvested restricted units. Reflects for 2007 $43,847 of unit distributions received by Mr. Morris on his unvested restricted units, $5,300 of 401(k) employer matching contributions and $2,641 of health, life and disability insurance premiums (which are provided to all employees on a non-discriminatory basis). Reflects for 2008 $28,414 of unit distributions received by Mr. Morris on his unvested restricted units, $8,269 of 401(k) employer matching contributions, $3,104 of health, life and disability insurance premiums and $6,653 of unit distributions received by Mr. Morris on his unvested phantom units. |
Employment Agreements
Through our wholly-owned subsidiary Legacy Reserves Services, Inc. we have employment agreements with each of our executive officers. These agreements establish that each of our named executive officers is employed by Legacy Reserves Services, Inc., and provide for the employment of Mr. Brown as Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Pruett as President and Chief Financial Officer, Mr. McGraw as Executive Vice President — Business Development and Land, Mr. Horne as Vice President — Operations and Mr. Morris as Controller of our general partner. Each of these agreements became effective upon the completion of our private placement on March 15, 2006, and is terminable either by the executive or by us at any time.
Base Salaries
The employment agreements provide that Messrs. Brown, Pruett, McGraw, Horne and Morris will receive an annual base salary of $200,000, $175,000, $150,000, $150,000 and $125,000, respectively. On August 20, 2007, the board of directors of our general partner approved increased salaries for each of the named executive officers effective September 1, 2007, as follows: Mr. Brown, $250,000; Mr. Pruett, $225,000; Mr. McGraw, $195,000; Mr. Horne, $195,000; and Mr. Morris, $195,000. On August 26, 2008, the board of directors of our general partner approved increased salaries for each of the named executive officers effective September 1, 2008, as follows: Mr. Brown, $325,000; Mr. Pruett, $275,000; Mr. McGraw, $235,000; Mr. Horne, $250,000; and Mr. Morris, $220,000. The employment agreements provide that each executive officer is entitled to participate in equity and non-equity incentive programs that we may establish from time to time and incentive compensation will be paid at the discretion of the board of directors of our general partner. See “Compensation Discussion and Analysis — Components of Compensation — Named Executive Officer Compensation.”
Intellectual Property and Non-Compete Clauses
The employment agreements with each of our named executive officers require that the executive officer must promptly disclose and assign any individual rights that he may have in any intellectual property and business opportunities to us. For purposes of the employment agreements, intellectual property includes inventions, discoveries, processes, designs, methods, substances, articles, computer programs, or improvements and business opportunities include business ideas, prospects, proposals or other opportunities pertaining to the lease, acquisition, exploration, production, gathering or marketing of hydrocarbons and related products and the exploration potential of geographical areas on which hydrocarbon exploration prospects are located. Under the non-compete provisions of these agreements, the executive officers are prohibited from engaging or participating, with any person or entity, in any activity pertaining to the leasing, acquiring, exploring, producing, gathering or marketing of hydrocarbons during the term of the executive officer’s employment and the executive officer may not invest in any other such business unless prior approval is granted in writing by our general partner’s board of directors. The non-compete provisions limit the executives’ right to engage in these activities for a period of six months after termination of employment in counties where we do business, six months in adjacent counties, and limit investment to $500,000 in publicly traded companies engaged in similar businesses for a period of one year after termination unless such competitive activity is approved in writing by a majority of the independent directors of our general partner’s board of directors. The employment agreements also prohibit the executive officer from soliciting any of our employees or customers for two years following termination.
The employment agreements prohibit the executive officers from engaging in or participating in any publicly traded partnership or limited liability company or privately held company contemplating an initial public offering as a limited partnership or a limited liability company that is in direct competition with us for one year following the termination of employment.
The non-compete provisions contained in the employment agreements will not apply to investments by the executive officers made prior to the effective date of their respective employment agreements, provided that the investments were identified in the employment agreement. In addition, the non-compete provisions will not apply if we terminate the executive officer’s employment within one year following a change of control.
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Severance and Change in Control Payments
Pursuant to the terms of the employment agreements, we may be obligated to make severance payments to our named executive officers following the termination of their employment. These benefits are described below under “— Benefits Payable Upon Termination or Change in Control.”
In the event that any payments to which any named executive officer is entitled become subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code, then the board shall provide for the payment of, or otherwise reimburse the executive for the amount of the excise tax. These gross-up payments will be in an amount such that, after payment by the named executive officer of all taxes, including any income tax or excise tax imposed on the gross-up payments, the named executive officer retains an amount equal to the payment before any excise tax is imposed. The gross-up payments, if applicable, will be in addition to any payments made below under “— Severance Benefits” or “— Change in Control Benefits.” Additionally, to the extent any payments to which any named executive officer is entitled is deemed to constitute non-qualified deferred compensation subject to Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code, then we will have the discretion to adjust the terms of such payment or benefit as we deem necessary to comply with the requirements of Section 409A to avoid the imposition of any additional tax or other penalty or interest with respect to such payment or benefit under Section 409A.
Benefits Payable Upon Termination or Change in Control
The following table presents, for each named executive officer, the potential post-employment payments and payments upon a change in control as of December 31, 2008. Set forth below the table is a description of certain post-employment arrangements with our named executive officers, including the severance benefits and change in control benefits to which they are entitled under their employment agreements.
| | | | Before Change in | | After Change in |
| | | | Control w/o | | Control w/o |
| | | | Cause or for | | Cause or for |
Named Executive Officer | | | Benefit | | Good Reason | | Good Reason |
Cary D. Brown | | Severance(a) | | $ | 650,000 | | $ | 975,000 |
| | Bonus(b) | | $ | 345,889 | | $ | 518,833 |
| | Benefits(c) | | $ | 25,512 | | $ | 38,268 |
| | Unit Options(d) | | $ | 52,400 | | $ | 52,400 |
| | Phantom Units(f) | | $ | 128,285 | | $ | 128,285 |
| | Estimated Tax Gross-Ups(g)(h) | | $ | 264,962 | | $ | 425,686 |
Steven H. Pruett | | Severance(a) | | $ | 550,000 | | $ | 825,000 |
| | Bonus(b) | | $ | 289,444 | | $ | 434,166 |
| | Benefits(c) | | $ | 25,512 | | $ | 38,268 |
| | Unit Options(d) | | $ | 52,400 | | $ | 52,400 |
| | Phantom Units(f) | | $ | 128,285 | | $ | 128,285 |
| | Estimated Tax Gross-Ups(g)(h) | | $ | 226,715 | | $ | 362,821 |
Kyle A. McGraw | | Severance(a) | | $ | 470,000 | | $ | 705,000 |
| | Bonus(b) | | $ | 231,689 | | $ | 347,533 |
| | Benefits(c) | | $ | 25,512 | | $ | 38,268 |
| | Unit Options(d) | | $ | 52,400 | | $ | 52,400 |
| | Phantom Units(f) | | $ | 106,904 | | $ | 106,904 |
| | Estimated Tax Gross-Ups(g)(h) | | $ | 194,073 | | $ | 308,503 |
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| | | | Before Change in | | After Change in |
| | | | Control w/o | | Control w/o |
| | | | Cause or for | | Cause or for |
Named Executive Officer | | | Benefit | | Good Reason | | Good Reason |
Paul T. Horne | | Severance(a) | | $ | 500,000 | | $ | 750,000 |
| | Bonus(b) | | $ | 259,222 | | $ | 388,833 |
| | Benefits(c) | | $ | 25,512 | | $ | 38,268 |
| | Unit Options(d) | | $ | 52,400 | | $ | 52,400 |
| | Phantom Units(f) | | $ | 106,904 | | $ | 106,904 |
| | Estimated Tax Gross-Ups(g)(h) | | $ | 208,632 | | $ | 332,115 |
William M. Morris | | Severance(a) | | $ | 440,000 | | $ | 660,000 |
| | Bonus(b) | | $ | 231,556 | | $ | 347,334 |
| | Benefits(c) | | $ | 17,904 | | $ | 26,856 |
| | Units Options(d) | | $ | 34,933 | | $ | 34,933 |
| | Restricted Units(e) | | $ | 222,167 | | $ | 222,167 |
| | Phantom Units(f) | | $ | 64,142 | | $ | 64,142 |
| | Estimated Tax Gross-Ups(g)(h) | | | — | | | — |
____________________
(a) | | If terminated without cause, or executive terminates with good reason, executive is entitled to an amount equal to two years’ annual salary payable in 24 monthly payments, or three years’ annual salary if termination occurs within one year of a change of control. |
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(b) | | Executives are entitled to an average of bonus paid over past two years plus the pro-rata bonus earned in the year of termination but unpaid at the time of termination. |
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(c) | | Executives are entitled to COBRA benefits for the shorter of the severance period or the time at which executive receives substantially similar benefits from a subsequent employer. |
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(d) | | Reflects the grant date fair value of the 20,000 unit options granted on July 17, 2006, all of which are still outstanding at December 31, 2008 except in the case of Mr. Morris who has 13,320 unit options outstanding. |
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(e) | | Reflects the value of restricted units based on the IPO price of $19.00 on January 11, 2007. |
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(f) | | Reflects the grant data fair value of the phantom units granted on February 4, 2008. |
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(g) | | Assumes a federal income tax rate of 35%, an excise tax rate under Section 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code of 20% and a Medicare tax rate of 1.45% and that no payments will constitute “reasonable compensation” under Section 280G(b)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code. |
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(h) | | Assumes that the executive is entitled to a full reimbursement by the Partnership of (i) any excise taxes that are imposed upon the executive as a result of a change in control, (ii) any income and excise taxes that are imposed upon the executive as a result of reimbursement of the excise tax amount and (iii) any additional income and excise taxes that are imposed upon executive as a result of the reimbursement to the executive of any excise or income taxes. |
Severance Benefits
Under the employment agreements, we may be obligated to make severance payments following the termination of each executive officer’s employment if we terminate him without cause or he terminates his employment for good reason, subject to certain cure periods. “Cause” is defined under each employment agreement as:
- the executive officer’s conviction of or plea of nolo contendere to any felony or crime or offense causing substantial harm to the Partnership, general partner, or its direct or indirect subsidiaries, or involving acts of theft, fraud, embezzlement, moral turpitude or similar conducts;
- the executive officer’s repeated intoxication by alcohol or drugs during the performance of his duties;
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- the executive officer’s malfeasance in the conduct of the executive’s duties including, but not limited to, willful and intentional misuse or diversion of any funds, embezzlement or fraudulent or willful material misrepresentations or concealments on any written reports;
- the executive officer’s material failure to perform the duties of his employment consistent with his position, expressly including the provisions of the employment agreements or material failure to follow or comply with the reasonable and lawful written directives of the board;
- a material breach of the employment agreement; or
- a material breach by the executive officer of written policies of the Partnership, the general partner, or any of our direct or indirect subsidiaries.
Each named executive officer will have a 15 day cure period prior to termination for cause under these agreements.
“Good reason” is defined under each employment agreement as:
- a reduction in the executive officer’s base salary;
- the relocation of the executive officer’s primary place of employment to a location more than 20 miles from Midland, Texas; or
- any material reduction in the executive officer’s title, authority or responsibilities.
If the employment of any named executive officer is terminated by us for cause or by the executive officer without good reason, we are not obligated to make any severance payments to the executive officer. The amount that an executive officer is entitled to receive upon a termination of his employment by us without cause or by the executive officer with good reason is based on the executive officer’s salary and his incentive compensation. Under the severance provisions of each executive officer’s employment agreement, they are each entitled to severance pay in the amount of two years’ of annual base salary payable monthly at the highest rate in effect at any time during the 36 month period prior to termination, a lump sum payment equal to the average annual bonus of the two years preceding the termination and an amount equal to the executive’s pro-rata bonus for the fiscal year in which the termination occurs, such pro-rata bonus amount to be paid in a lump sum within 30 days following the date of termination. In addition, the executive officers are entitled to the full costs of the executive’s COBRA continuation coverage for the shorter of the severance period or the time when the executive receives substantially similar benefits from a subsequent employer. In addition, Messrs. Brown and McGraw would have the right to exercise one demand registration right each.
Change in Control Benefits
Pursuant to the employment agreements, we may be required to make payments to named executive officers upon a change in control, which occurs upon any of the following:
- the acquisition by any individual or entity of beneficial ownership of 35% or more of either (i) the then-outstanding equity interests of the Partnership or (ii) the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities of the Partnership entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, provided that the following will not constitute a change of control: any acquisitions from or by the Partnership; any acquisition by a Partnership employee benefit plan; any business combination (x) where persons owning more than 50% of the outstanding equity interests in the Partnership own substantially the same percentages of the entity resulting from such business combination, (y) where no person owns more than 35% of the combined entity, except to the extent such ownership existed prior to the combination, or (z) any combination where at least a majority of the members of the board of the combined entity were also members of board of directors of the Partnership’s general partner at the time of initial execution of any acquisition agreement;
- where individuals who constitute the board at the time of the agreement cease to constitute at least a majority of the board, unless an individual becoming a director subsequent to the date of the agreement was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then comprising the board, excluding any individual whose election occurs as a result of an actual or threatened election contest;
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- consummation of a reorganization, merger, statutory share exchange or consolidation or similar corporate transaction involving the Partnership or any of its subsidiaries, a sale or other disposition of all assets or equity interests of another entity by the Partnership or any of its subsidiaries unless all or substantially all of the individuals and entities that were the beneficial owners of the outstanding equity and voting securities immediately prior to such transaction beneficially own more than 50% of the then-outstanding equity interests and the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities entitled to vote after such business transaction in substantially the same proportions as their ownership immediately prior to such transaction, no person beneficially owns 35% or more of the entity resulting from such transaction, except to the extent that such ownership existed prior to the transaction, and at least a majority of the members of the board of directors of the corporation or equivalent body of any other entity resulting from such transactions were members of the board at the time of the execution of the initial agreement or of the action of the board providing for such transaction; or
- consummation of a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Partnership.
If a termination without cause or by the executive officer with good reason occurs within one year following a change in control, the executive officer will be entitled to a payment of 36 months of his annual base salary determined at the highest rate in effect at any time during the 36 month period prior to termination, payable in a lump sum within 30 days. In addition, the executive will be entitled to receive the average annual bonus of the two years preceding the termination, an amount equal to the executive’s pro-rata bonus for the fiscal year in which the termination occurs (such pro-rata bonus amount to be paid in a lump sum within 30 days following the date of termination) and the full costs of the executive’s COBRA continuation coverage for the shorter of the severance period or the time when the executive receives substantially similar benefits from a subsequent employer.
Outstanding Equity Awards at 2008 Fiscal Year-End
The following table reflects all of the outstanding equity awards held by our named executive officers as of December 31, 2008.
| | Option Awards | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | Equity Incentive | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | Plan Awards: | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Number of | | Number of | | Number of | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Securities | | Securities | | Securities | | | | | | | | Unit Awards | |
| | Underlying | | Underlying | | Underlying | | | | | | | | Number of | | | Market Value | |
| | Unexercised | | Unexercised | | Unexercised | | Option | | | | | Units That | | | of Units That | |
| | Options (#) | | Options (#) | | Unearned | | Exercise | | Option | | | Have Not | | | Have Not | |
Name | | | Exercisable | | Unexercisable | | Options (#) | | Price ($) | | Expiration Date | | | Vested (#) | | | Vested ($)(d) | |
Cary D. Brown | | 13,340 | | 6,660 | | — | | $ | 17.00 | | July 16, 2011 | (a) | | 6,720 | (b) | | $ | 128,285 | |
Steven H. Pruett | | 13,340 | | 6,660 | | — | | $ | 17.00 | | July 16, 2011 | (a) | | 6,720 | (b) | | $ | 128,285 | |
Kyle A. McGraw | | 13,340 | | 6,660 | | — | | $ | 17.00 | | July 16, 2011 | (a) | | 5,600 | (b) | | $ | 106,904 | |
Paul T. Horne | | 13,340 | | 6,660 | | — | | $ | 17.00 | | July 16, 2011 | (a) | | 5,600 | (b) | | $ | 106,904 | |
William M. Morris | | 6,660 | | 6,660 | | — | | $ | 17.00 | | July 16, 2011 | (a) | | 15,053 | (b)(c) | | $ | 286,309 | (e) |
____________________
(a) | | Options vest one-third annually commencing March 15, 2007 and expire five years from the grant date of July 17, 2006. |
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(b) | | Includes the phantom units that were granted on February 4, 2008, which vest annually in one-third increments, beginning on the first anniversary of the grant date, over a three-year period. |
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(c) | | Reflects the unvested portion of the 35,077 restricted units granted on March 15, 2006 which vest one-third annually commencing March 15, 2007. |
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(d) | | Reflects the value of phantom units based on the closing price of our units on the NASDAQ Global Select Market on the grant date or February 4, 2008, of $19.09. |
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(e) | | Reflects the value of restricted units based on the IPO price of $19.00 on January 11, 2007. |
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Option Exercises and Units Vested in 2008
None of our named executive officers exercised unit options during 2008. Mr. Morris realized $238,868 of value on March 14, 2008 when 11,692 of his restricted units vested.
Equity Compensation Plan Information
The following table provides information as of December 31, 2008 with respect to the units that may be issued under our existing equity compensation plans.
| | Number of Securities | | Weighted Average | | |
| | to be Issued Upon | | Exercise Price of | | Number of Securities |
| | Exercise of | | Outstanding | | Remaining Available For |
| | Outstanding Options, | | Options, Warrants | | Future Issuance Under |
Plan Category | | | Warrants and Rights(b) | | and Rights | | Equity Compensation Plan |
Equity compensation plans approved by | | | | | | | |
security holders | | — | | | — | | — |
Equity compensation plans not approved by | | | | | | | |
security holders(a) | | 638,498 | | $ | 19.97 | | 1,236,001 |
Total | | 638,498 | | $ | 19.97 | | 1,236,001 |
____________________
(a) | | Please read “Compensation Discussion and Analysis — Components of Compensation — Long-Term Incentive Compensation” for a description of the material features of the plan, including the awards that may be granted under the plan. This plan did not require approval by our limited partners. |
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(b) | | Includes phantom units, unit options and Unit Appreciation Rights (“UARs”). These phantom units will be settled in cash unless the compensation committee determines that they should be settled in units. These UARs will be settled in cash or, at the discretion of the compensation committee, in units. |
DIRECTOR COMPENSATION
Officers or employees of our general partner and its affiliates who also serve as directors of our general partner did not receive additional compensation for their board service in 2008. In accordance with this policy, neither Cary D. Brown nor Kyle A. McGraw received any compensation for their service as a director in 2008. Each non-employee director and independent director was entitled to receive an annual retainer of $25,000 and up to $1,000 for each board of directors and committee meeting under one hour and $1,500 for each board of directors and committee meeting in excess of one hour for each meeting in excess of the four quarterly meetings scheduled each year. On August 26, 2008, the board of directors of our general partner approved an increase in the annual retainer for non-employee directors and independent directors from $25,000 to $40,000.
Each non-employee director receives an annual grant of 2,500 units, generally corresponding to the service period between each annual election of the board members. In accordance with this policy, Messrs. Dale A. Brown, Granberry, Lawrence, Sullivan, and Vannreceived grants of 2,500 units on August 29, 2008 for their service on our general partner’s board of directors during the period of May 2008 to May 2009. Mr. Granberry received a grant of 583 units upon his election to the board of directors of our general partner on January 23, 2008, which number represents the then customary annual grant of 1,750 units to directors, pro rated for the length of Mr. Granberry’s initial term, with respect to the 2007 — 2008 service period.
In addition to the annual retainer and units paid to board members, the chairmen of our audit, conflicts, compensation, and nominating and governance committees each received an annual retainer for their additional service. For 2008, Mr. Lawrence received $25,000 as chairman of the audit committee, Mr. Sullivan received $8,000 as chairman of both the conflicts committee and nominating and governance committee, and Mr. Vann received $15,000 as chairman of the compensation committee.
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Our general partner’s directors are eligible to receive awards under the LTIP but do not participate in any non-equity incentive plan, pension plan, or deferred compensation plan. Each non-employee director and independent director is reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses in connection with attending meetings of the board of directors or committees. Each director will be indemnified by us for actions associated with being a director to the fullest extent permitted under Delaware law.
The following table sets forth the aggregate compensation awarded to, earned by or paid to our general partner’s directors during 2008.
Director Compensation for the 2008 Fiscal Year
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Change in | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Pension | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Value and | | | | | |
| | | | Fees | | | | | | | | Non-Equity | | Nonqualified | | | | | |
| | | | Earned | | Unit | | | Option | | Incentive Plan | | Deferred | | All Other | | | |
| | | | or Paid | | Awards | | | Awards | | Compensation | | Compensation | | Compensation | | Total |
| | Year | | in Cash ($) | | ($)(a) | | | ($) | | ($) | | Earnings | | ($) | | ($) |
Dale A. Brown | | 2008 | | $ | 49,750 | | $ | 50,225 | | | — | | — | | — | | — | | $ | 99,975 |
William R. Granberry | | 2008 | | $ | 56,500 | | $ | 62,585 | (b) | | | | | | | | | | $ | 119,085 |
G. Larry Lawrence | | 2008 | | $ | 85,750 | | $ | 50,225 | | | — | | — | | — | | — | | $ | 135,975 |
William D. Sullivan | | 2008 | | $ | 67,250 | | $ | 50,225 | | | — | | — | | — | | — | | $ | 117,475 |
Kyle D. Vann | | 2008 | | $ | 71,750 | | $ | 50,225 | | | — | | — | | — | | — | | $ | 121,975 |
____________________
(a) | | Reflects the aggregate grant date fair value computed in accordance with FAS 123(R), which reflects the market price of our units when issued on August 29, 2008. |
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(b) | | Mr. Granberry was issued 583 units at $21.20 per unit on March 25, 2008. These units were granted on January 23, 2008 when Mr. Granberry was elected to the board of directors. |
MANAGEMENT
Executive Officers
The following table shows information for the executive officers of our general partner.
Name | | | Age | | Position with Legacy Reserves GP, LLC |
Cary D. Brown | | 42 | | Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board |
Steven H. Pruett | | 47 | | President, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary |
Kyle A. McGraw | | 49 | | Director, Executive Vice President of Business Development and Land |
Paul T. Horne | | 47 | | Executive Vice President of Operations |
William M. Morris | | 56 | | Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer and Controller |
Officers of our general partner serve at the discretion of the board of directors. None of our executive officers and directors are related except for Dale A. Brown and Cary D. Brown, who are father and son.
Cary D. Brown is Chairman of the board of directors of our general partner and Chief Executive Officer of our general partner and has served in such capacities since our founding in October 2005. Prior to October 2005, Mr. Brown co-founded two businesses, Moriah Resources, Inc. and Petroleum Strategies, Inc. Moriah Resources, Inc. was formed in 1992 to acquire oil and natural gas reserves. Petroleum Strategies, Inc. was formed in 1991 to serve as a qualified intermediary in connection with the execution of Section 1031 transactions for major oil companies, public independents and private oil and natural gas companies.
Mr. Brown has served as Executive Vice President of Petroleum Strategies, Inc. since its inception in 1991. Mr. Brown served as an auditor for Grant Thornton in Midland, Texas from January 1990 to June 1991 and for Deloitte & Touche in Houston, Texas from June 1989 to December 1989. In 1995, Mr. Brown also founded and organized The Executive Oil Conference held in Midland, Texas, which draws over 300 oil and natural gas
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industry professionals each year. Mr. Brown has a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, with honors, from Abilene Christian University. Mr. Brown has 19 years of experience in the oil and natural gas industry with 17 years of experience in the Permian Basin.
Steven H. Pruett is President, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary of our general partner and has served as President and Chief Financial Officer since our founding in October 2005. From January 2005 until he joined our general partner, Mr. Pruett served as a Managing Director at Quantum Energy Partners, a private equity group focused in the energy industry. From August 2004 to December 2004, Mr. Pruett was the President of PSI Management LLC, where his focus was investing in oil and natural gas projects in the Permian Basin. From June 2002 to July 2004, Mr. Pruett was the President of Petroleum Place and its subsidiary, P2 Energy Solutions, an acquisition and divestment advisor and accounting and land software systems developer serving over 100 public oil and natural gas companies. From June 2001 to June 2002, Mr. Pruett was employed by First Permian as its President and Chief Executive Officer until its sale to Energen Corporation. From April 2000 to May 2001, Mr. Pruett served as a Vice President of Enron North America Corp., where he managed 12 active oil and natural gas joint ventures and served as chairman of CGAS, an Appalachian oil and natural gas company. From April 1995 to March 2000, Mr. Pruett was President and Chief Executive Officer of First Reserve Oil & Gas Co., a Permian Basin and Oklahoma oil and natural gas property acquisition and exploitation company. Mr. Pruett has a Bachelor of Science degree in Petroleum Engineering, with high honors, from the University of Texas and a Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard Business School where he was a Baker Scholar. Mr. Pruett has 25 years of experience in the oil and natural gas industry with 20 years of experience in the Permian Basin.
Kyle A. McGraw is a member of the board of directors of our general partner and also serves as the Executive Vice President of Business Development and Land of our general partner and has served in such capacities since our founding in October 2005. Mr. McGraw joined Brothers Production Company in 1983, and has served as its General Manager since 1991 and became President in 2003. During his 23 year tenure at Brothers Production Company, Mr. McGraw has served in numerous capacities including reservoir and production engineering, acquisition evaluation and land management. Mr. McGraw is a registered professional engineer (inactive status) in the state of Texas. Mr. McGraw has a Bachelor of Science degree in Petroleum Engineering from Texas Tech University. Mr. McGraw has 26 years of experience in the oil and natural gas industry in the Permian Basin.
Paul T. Horne is Executive Vice President of Operations of our general partner and has served in such capacity since our founding in October 2005. From January 2000 to the present, Mr. Horne has served as Operations Manager of Moriah Resources, Inc. From January 1985 to January 2000, Mr. Horne worked for Mobil E&P U.S. Inc. in a variety of petroleum engineering and operations management roles primarily in the Permian Basin. Mr. Horne has a Bachelor of Science degree in Petroleum Engineering from Texas A&M University. Mr. Horne has 25 years of experience in the oil and natural gas industry with 23 years of experience in the Permian Basin.
William M. Morris is Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer and Controller of our general partner and has served in such capacity since our founding in October 2005. From January 2000 until he joined our general partner in October 2005, Mr. Morris served as Financial Reporting Manager of Titan Exploration Inc. (from January 2000 through May 2000) and continued in that position upon Titan Exploration Inc.’s merger with the Permian Basin Business Unit of Unocal to form Pure Resources, Inc. (from May 2000 to January 2003) and most recently as a Financial Manager for Pure Resources, Inc. (from February 2003 to September 2005). Mr. Morris is a certified public accountant. Mr. Morris has a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Mathematics, with honors, from the School of Engineering and Applied Science of the University of Virginia and a Master of Business Administration degree from Colgate Darden Graduate School of Business Administration of the University of Virginia. Mr. Morris has 28 years of experience in the oil and natural gas industry with 27 years of experience in the Permian Basin.
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SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT
The following table sets forth the beneficial ownership of our units as of April 3, 2009 for:
- each person known by us to be a beneficial owner of 5% or more of our outstanding units;
- each of the directors of our general partner;
- each named executive officer of our general partner; and
- all directors and executive officers of our general partner as a group.
The amounts and percentage of units beneficially owned are reported on the basis of regulations of the SEC governing the determination of beneficial ownership of securities. Under the rules of the SEC, a person is deemed to be a “beneficial owner” of a security if that person has or shares “voting power,” which includes the power to vote or to direct the voting of such security, or “investment power,” which includes the power to dispose of or to direct the disposition of such security. A person is also deemed to be a beneficial owner of any securities of which that person has a right to acquire beneficial ownership within 60 days ofApril 3, 2009. Under these rules, more than one person may be deemed a beneficial owner of the same securities, and a person may be deemed a beneficial owner of securities as to which he has no economic interest.
Except as indicated by footnote, to our knowledge the persons named in the table below have sole voting and investment power with respect to all units shown as beneficially owned by them, subject to community property laws where applicable.
Percentage of total units beneficially owned is based on 31,074,339 units outstanding as of April 3, 2009. The business address for the beneficial owners listed below is 303 W. Wall, Suite 1400, Midland, Texas 79701.
| | Units Beneficially Owned | |
| | Number | | Percentage | |
Name of Beneficial Owner | | | | | |
Moriah Group(a)(b) | | 5,685,226 | | 18.3 | % |
Moriah Properties, Ltd.(a)(c) | | 5,129,189 | | 16.5 | |
Brothers Group(a)(d) | | 3,554,165 | | 11.4 | |
Brothers Production Properties, Ltd.(a) | | 2,748,236 | | 8.8 | |
Brothers Production Company, Inc.(a)(e) | | 2,926,302 | | 9.4 | |
MBN Properties LP | | 2,642,438 | | 8.5 | |
Directors and Officers | | | | | |
Dale A. Brown(a)(c)(f) | | 6,133,419 | | 19.7 | |
Cary D. Brown(a)(c)(g)(h)(i)(j) | | 5,758,277 | | 18.5 | |
William R. Granberry | | 11,583 | | * | |
Kyle A. McGraw(g)(h)(j)(k) | | 167,951 | | * | |
Kyle D. Vann | | 50,000 | | * | |
William D. Sullivan | | 14,000 | | * | |
G. Larry Lawrence | | 8,250 | | * | |
Steven H. Pruett(a)(g)(h)(j)(l) | | 321,666 | | 1.0 | |
Paul T. Horne(a)(g)(h)(j)(m) | | 148,742 | | * | |
William M. Morris(g)(h)(n)(o) | | 48,397 | | * | |
All directors and executive officers as a group (10 persons) | | 7,519,340 | | 24.2 | |
____________________
* | | Percentage of units beneficially owned does not exceed 1%. |
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(a) | | Assumes that the units held by MBN Properties LP will be distributed to the partners of MBN Properties LP, including Moriah Properties, Ltd., Brothers Production Properties, Ltd., Brothers Production Company, Inc., the Newstone Group, DAB Resources, Ltd. and H2K Holdings, Ltd. as follows: |
Entity | | | Number |
Moriah Properties, Ltd. | | 737,781 |
Brothers Production Properties, Ltd. | | 392,037 |
Brothers Production Company, Inc. | | 10,077 |
Brothers Operating Company, Inc. | | 4,079 |
Newstone Group | | 1,371,038 |
DAB Resources, Ltd. | | 22,881 |
H2K Holdings, Ltd. | | 59,395 |
J&W McGraw Properties, Ltd. | | 45,150 |
Total | | 2,642,438 |
(b) | | Includes 13,756 units owned by Moriah Resources, Inc. and the units held by Moriah Properties, Ltd., as well as 542,281 units held by DAB Resources, Ltd., assuming that the units held by MBN Properties LP are distributed to partners of MBN Properties LP as described in footnote (a) above. |
|
(c) | | Includes 4,391,408 units held by Moriah Properties Ltd., of which 1,500,000 units are pledged as collateral pursuant to a customary brokerage arrangement. |
|
(d) | | Includes units held by Brothers Production Properties, Ltd. and Brothers Production Company, Inc. as well as 35,976 units held by Brothers Operating Company, Inc. and 591,887 units held by J&W McGraw Properties, Ltd., assuming that the units held by MBN Properties LP are distributed to partners of MBN Properties LP as described in footnote (a) above. |
|
(e) | | Brothers Production Company, Inc., in its capacity as general partner of Brothers Production Properties, Ltd., is deemed to beneficially own the partnership interests in us held by Brothers Production Properties, Ltd. as well as 167,989 units it holds directly, assuming that the units held by MBN Properties LP are distributed to partners of MBN Properties LP as described in footnote (a) above. |
|
(f) | | Mr. Dale A. Brown is deemed to beneficially own 13,756 units owned by Moriah Resources, Inc. and the units held by Moriah Properties, Ltd., as well as 542,281 units held by DAB Resources, Ltd., assuming that the units held by MBN Properties LP are distributed to partners of MBN Properties LP as described in footnote (a) above. Mr. Dale A. Brown and Mr. Cary D. Brown share voting and investment power with respect to the units held by Moriah Properties, Ltd. and Moriah Resources, Inc. |
|
(g) | | As described in a Schedule 13D filed on April 8, 2009 by Messrs. Cary D. Brown, McGraw, Pruett, Horne and Morris (the “Senior Management Team”), the Board of Directors received a proposal (the “Proposal”) on April 3, 2009 from Apollo Management VII, LP, a private equity fund (“Apollo Management”), to acquire all of the outstanding units of Legacy at a cash purchase price of $14.00 per unit, subject to adjustment for any distributions paid to the limited partners of Legacy. In the letter submitting the Proposal, Apollo Management stated that the Senior Management Team informed Apollo Management that if the Board of Directors approves the transaction, the Senior Management Team expects to support the approved transaction and invest with Apollo Management in the acquisition of Legacy. As a result, the Senior Management Team may be deemed to be a “group” as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act. There can be no assurance that a transaction pursuant to the Proposal will be consummated. |
|
(h) | | Does not include grants of 16,240 phantom units to Cary D. Brown and Steven H. Pruett, grants of 13,533 phantom units to Kyle A. McGraw and Paul T. Horne and a grant of 8,120 phantom units to William M. Morris. |
|
(i) | | Mr. Cary D. Brown is deemed to beneficially own 13,756 units owned by Moriah Resources, Inc. and the units held by Moriah Properties, Ltd., assuming that the units held by MBN Properties LP are distributed to partners of MBN Properties LP as described in footnote (a) above. Mr. Dale A. Brown and Mr. Cary D. Brown share voting and investment power with respect to the units held by Moriah Properties, Ltd. and Moriah Resources, Inc. |
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(j) | | Includes 20,000 units that may be acquired upon the exercise of vested options. |
|
(k) | | Mr. McGraw is deemed to beneficially own the 147,951 units held by Kyle A. McGraw Family Holdings, Ltd. |
|
(l) | | Mr. Pruett is deemed to beneficially own the 296,935 units held by SHP Capital LP, assuming that the units held by MBN Properties LP are distributed to partners of MBN Properties LP as described in footnote (a) above and that the Newstone Group further distributes the units it receives pro rata to its partners, including 248,459 units to SHP Capital LP. |
|
(m) | | Mr. Horne is deemed to beneficially own the 121,684 units held by H2K Holdings, Ltd., assuming that the units held by MBN Properties LP are distributed to partners of MBN Properties LP as described in footnote (a) above. |
|
(n) | | Includes 35,077 restricted units Mr. Morris was granted upon the closing of our March 2006 private equity offering. |
|
(o) | | Includes 13,320 units that may be acquired upon the exercise of vested options. |
The following table sets forth the beneficial ownership of equity interests of Legacy Reserves GP, LLC:
Name of Beneficial Owner | | | Equity Interest | |
Dale A. Brown(a)(b) | | 55.0 | % |
Cary D. Brown(b)(c) | | 51.0 | |
Kyle A. McGraw | | — | |
William R. Granberry | | — | |
Steven H. Pruett(d) | | 2.1 | |
Kyle D. Vann | | — | |
William D. Sullivan | | — | |
G. Larry Lawrence | | — | |
Paul T. Horne | | 0.4 | |
William M. Morris | | — | |
All directors and executive officers as a group (10 persons) | | 57.5 | |
____________________
(a) | | Assumes that the equity interests held by MBN Properties LP will be distributed to the partners of MBN Properties LP, including Moriah Properties, Ltd., Brothers Production Properties, Ltd., Brothers Production Company, Inc. and the Newstone Group. |
|
(b) | | Includes a 44.5% equity interest held by Moriah Properties, Ltd. and a 4.0% equity interest held by DAB Resources, Ltd. |
|
(c) | | Includes a 44.5% equity interest held by Moriah Properties, Ltd. |
|
(d) | | Assumes that the equity interests beneficially owned by the Newstone Group will be distributed to the members of the Newstone Group, including an entity controlled by Mr. Pruett. |
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
The Moriah Group, the Brothers Group, H2K Holdings and MBN Properties, or our Founding Investors, including members of our general partner’s management team and directors, own an aggregate of 12,102,764 units, which represents a 39% limited partner interest in us. In addition, our general partner owns less than a 0.1% general partner interest in us.
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Distributions and Payments to Our General Partner and Its Affiliates
The following table summarizes the distributions and payments made or to be made by us to our general partner and our Founding Investors in connection with our formation, ongoing operation and any liquidation of the Partnership. These distributions and payments were determined by and among affiliated entities and, consequently, are not the result of arm’s-length negotiations.
Distributions of available cash to our general partner and our Founding Investors | | We will generally make cash distributions of approximately 99.9% to the unitholders pro rata, including our Founding Investors and members of our general partner’s management team and directors, as the holders of an aggregate of 12,102,764 units, and approximately 0.1% to our general partner. Assuming we have sufficient available cash to pay the full amount of our current quarterly distribution on all of our outstanding units for four quarters, our general partner would receive an annual distribution of approximately $38,087 on its approximate 0.1% general partner interest, and our Founding Investors, including members of our general partner’s management team and directors, would receive approximately $25.2 million on their units. |
| | |
Payments to our general partner | | Our general partner is entitled to reimbursement for all expenses it incurs on our behalf. Our partnership agreement provides that our general partner will determine the expenses that are allocable to us in good faith. |
| | |
Withdrawal or removal of our general partner | | If our general partner withdraws or is removed, its general partner interest will either be sold to the new general partner for cash or converted into units, for an amount equal to the fair market value of that interest. |
| | |
Distribution Upon Liquidation |
| | |
Liquidation | | Upon our liquidation, the partners, including our general partner, will be entitled to receive liquidating distributions according to their respective capital account balances. |
Transactions with Related Persons
Office Leases
TCTB Partners, a limited partnership of which Dale A. Brown, Cary D. Brown and Kyle A. McGraw are limited partners, owns the office building in which the principal offices of the Moriah Group, Brothers Group and Petroleum Strategies, Inc. are located. We assumed the existing leases in 2006 for 15,000 square feet of office space. The annual rental payable to TCTB Partners is $95,952, without respect to property taxes and insurance. We also sublease 2,805 square feet of our space to Petroleum Strategies, Inc. at the same rate per square foot that we are charged by TCTB Partners.
In August 2006 we entered in to an additional lease of 20,000 square feet, having an initial five year term with a five year renewal option, with TCTB Partners. Under this additional lease, we occupied 10,000 square feet in 2006, and another 10,000 square feet in June 2007. From September 2006 through May 2007, the monthly rent exclusive of property taxes and insurance was $2,333. From June 2007 through August 2009, the monthly rent exclusive of property taxes and insurance is $5,833.
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Other
Travis McGraw, the brother of Kyle A. McGraw, Executive Vice President of Business Development and Land and a member of the board of directors of our general partner, is an employee of the Partnership serving as our Marketing, Revenue, and Regulatory Reporting Coordinator. We paid Travis McGraw $110,450 as compensation for his services during the year ended December 31, 2008. Travis McGraw’s current annual salary is $107,696 plus a discretionary, non-guaranteed bonus. Additionally, during the year ended December 31, 2008, we retained Scott McGraw, also the brother of Kyle McGraw, as an independent contractor to perform engineering services. We paid Scott McGraw $51,000 during this time as compensation for his services and expect to pay him approximately $12,500 per quarter in 2009 for his contract engineering services.
Review, Approval and Ratification of Transactions with Related Persons
Our partnership agreement contains specific provisions that address potential conflicts of interest between our general partner and its affiliates, on one hand, and us and our subsidiaries, on the other hand. Whenever such a conflict of interest arises, our general partner will resolve the conflict. Our general partner may, but is not required to, seek the approval of such resolution from the conflicts committee of the board of directors of our general partner, which is comprised of independent directors. Our partnership agreement provides that our general partner will not be in breach of its obligations under the partnership agreement or its duties to us or to our unitholders if the resolution of the conflict is:
- approved by the conflicts committee;
- approved by the vote of a majority of the outstanding common units, excluding any common units owned by our general partner or any of its affiliates;
- on terms no less favorable to us than those generally being provided to or available from unrelated third parties; or
- fair and reasonable to us, taking into account the totality of the relationships between the parties involved, including other transactions that may be particularly favorable or advantageous to us.
If our general partner does not seek approval from the conflicts committee and the board of directors of our general partner determines that the resolution or course of action taken with respect to the conflict of interest satisfies either of the standards set forth in the third and fourth bullet points above, then it will be presumed that, in making its decision, the board of directors acted in good faith, and in any proceeding brought by or on behalf of any limited partner or the Partnership, the person bringing or prosecuting such proceeding will have the burden of overcoming such presumption. Unless the resolution of a conflict is specifically provided for in our partnership agreement, our general partner or the conflicts committee may consider any factors it determines in good faith to consider when resolving a conflict. When our partnership agreement requires someone to act in good faith, it requires that person to reasonably believe that he is acting in the best interests of the Partnership, unless the context otherwise requires.
In addition, our code of ethics requires that all employees, including employees, officers and members of the board of directors of our general partner, avoid or disclose any activity that may interfere, or have the appearance of interfering, with their responsibilities to us and our unitholders.
COMPENSATION COMMITTEE INTERLOCKS AND INSIDER PARTICIPATION
No current executive officer served as a member of the board or directors or compensation committee of any other entity (other than our subsidiaries) that has or has had one or more executive officers serving as a member of the board of directors of our general partner or the compensation committee of our general partner.
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INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
BDO Seidman, LLP was our independent registered public accounting firm for our 2008 audit. In connection with this audit, we entered into an engagement agreement with BDO Seidman, LLP, which sets forth the terms by which BDO Seidman, LLP will perform audit services for us. That agreement is subject to alternative dispute resolution procedures. A representative of BDO Seidman, LLP will attend our annual meeting. The representative will have the opportunity to make a statement if he desires to do so and to respond to appropriate questions.
In 2008, the audit committee established a policy regarding pre-approval of all audit and non-audit services provided by our independent registered public accounting firm. The audit committee’s policy is to pre-approve all audit and permissible non-audit services provided by the independent registered public accounting firm. These services may include audit services, audit-related services, and other services. Pre-approval is detailed as to the specific service or category of service and is subject to a specific approval.
The aggregate fees for professional services rendered by our principal accountants, BDO Seidman, LLP, for the years ended December 31, 2008 and 2007 were:
| | Year Ended December 31, |
| | 2008 | | 2007 |
Audit Fees | | $ | 996,385 | | $ | 604,018 |
Audit Related Fees | | $ | 42,885 | | $ | 328,467 |
Tax Fees | | $ | — | | $ | — |
All Other Fees (Executive compensation study) | | $ | 24,900 | | $ | — |
Total | | $ | 1,064,170 | | $ | 932,485 |
In the above table, “Audit Fees” are fees we paid for professional services for the audit of our Consolidated Financial Statements included in our annual report on Form 10-K or for services that are normally provided by our principal accountants in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements and fees for Sarbanes-Oxley 404 audit work. “Audit-Related Fees” are fees billed for assurance and related services in connection with acquisition transactions and related regulatory filings.
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AUDIT COMMITTEE REPORT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2008
The audit committee is responsible for overseeing the Partnership’s financial reporting process, reviewing the financial information that will be provided to unitholders and others, monitoring internal accounting controls, selecting our independent auditors and providing to the board of directors of Legacy Reserves GP, LLC, such additional information and materials as we may deem necessary to make the board of directors of Legacy Reserves GP, LLC, aware of significant financial matters. We operate under a written audit committee charter adopted by the board of directors of Legacy Reserves GP, LLC.
We have reviewed and discussed the audited financial statements of the Partnership for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008 with management and BDO Seidman, LLP, our independent auditor for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008. In addition, we have discussed with BDO Seidman, LLP the matters required to be discussed by Statement on Auditing Standards No. 61 (Communications with Audit Committee). We also have received the written disclosures and the letter from BDO Seidman, LLP, as required by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board Rule 3526 and we have discussed the independence of BDO Seidman, LLP with that firm.
We, the members of the audit committee, are not professionally engaged in the practice of auditing or accounting nor are we experts in the fields of accounting or auditing, including determination of auditor independence. We rely, without independent verification, on the information provided to us and on the representations made by management and the independent auditors. Accordingly, our oversight does not provide an independent basis to determine that management has maintained appropriate accounting and financial reporting principles or appropriate internal controls and procedures designed to assure compliance with accounting standards and applicable laws and regulations. Furthermore, our considerations and discussions referred to above do not assure that the audit of our financial statements has been carried out in accordance with the auditing standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, or that the financial statements are presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Based upon the discussions referred to above, the audit committee recommended to the board of directors that our audited financial statements be included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008.
Members of the audit committee of the Board of |
Directors of Legacy Reserves GP, LLC |
|
G. Larry Lawrence (Chairman) |
William D. Sullivan |
William R. Granberry |
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OTHER MATTERS
Required Vote
Only holders of units as of the Record Date will be entitled to vote in person or by proxy at the Annual Meeting. A majority of issued and outstanding units as of the Record Date represented at the meeting in person or by proxy and entitled to vote at the meeting will constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
Abstentions and broker non-votes will be counted for purposes of determining the presence or absence of a quorum, but will not be included in vote totals and will not affect the outcome of the vote. Provided that a quorum is present at the meeting, the director nominees who receive the greatest number of votes cast for election by unitholders entitled to vote therefor will be elected directors by plurality vote.
Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance
Under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, directors, certain officers, and beneficial owners of 10% or more of any class of the Partnership’s units, or Reporting Persons, are required from time to time to file with the SEC and NASDAQ reports of ownership and changes of ownership. Reporting Persons are required to furnish the Partnership with copies of all Section 16(a) reports they file. Based solely on its review of forms and written representations received from Reporting Persons by it with respect to the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008, the Partnership believes that all filing requirements applicable to the general partner’s officers and directors and the Partnership’s greater than 10% unitholders have been met.
Unitholder Proposals
Any unitholder who wishes to submit a proposal for action to be included in the proxy statement and form of proxy relating to the 2010 annual meeting of unitholders must submit the proposal to us on or before December 18, 2009. Any such proposals should be timely sent to our Secretary at 303 W. Wall, Suite 1400, Midland, Texas 79701. Such proposal must meet all of the requirements of the SEC to be eligible for inclusion in our 2010 proxy materials. Furthermore, proposals by unitholders may be considered untimely if we have not received notice of the proposal within the deadline set under the SEC rules. In no event are limited partners allowed to vote on matters that would cause the limited partners to be deemed to be taking part in the management and control of our business and affairs so as to jeopardize the limited partners’ limited liability under the Delaware limited partnership act or the law of any other state in which we are qualified to do business.
Communications with Directors or the Board of Directors
Unitholders wishing to communicate with the general partner’s board of directors should send any communication to our Secretary at 303 W. Wall, Suite 1400, Midland, Texas 79701. Any such communication should state the number of units beneficially owned by the unitholder making the communication. Communications received are distributed to the board or to any individual director or directors as appropriate, depending upon the directions and the facts and circumstances outlined in the communication. The board of directors has directed the Secretary to forward such communication to the full board of directors or to any individual director or directors to whom the communication is directed, excluding only any communication that does not relate to the business or affairs of the Company or the function or duties of the board of directors or any of its committees, or is a job inquiry or an advertisement or other commercial solicitation or communication.
Availability of Annual Report
The Annual Report to Unitholders of the Partnership for the year ended December 31, 2008, including audited financial statements, is enclosed with this proxy statement but does not constitute a part of the proxy soliciting material. The Partnership will furnish a copy of its Annual Report for the year ended December 31, 2008, without exhibits, free of charge to each person who forwards a written request to our Secretary at 303 W. Wall, Suite 1400, Midland, Texas 79701.
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Using ablack ink pen mark your votes with an X as shown in this example. Please do not write outside the designated areas. | | x |
Annual Meeting Proxy Card
¨PLEASE FOLD ALONG THE PERFORATION, DETACH AND RETURN THE BOTTOM PORTION IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE. ¨ |
A | | Election of Directors – The Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR all the nominees listed. | + |
1. | | Nominees to serve a one-year term: | 01 – Cary D. Brown 04 – G. Larry Lawrence 07 – Kyle D. Vann | 02 – Kyle A. McGraw 05 – William D. Sullivan | 03 – Dale A. Brown 06 – William R. Granberry |
o | | Mark here to voteFOR all nominees | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
o | | Mark here toWITHHOLD vote from all nominees | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
o | | For allEXCEPT – To withhold a vote for one or more nominees, mark the box to the left and the corresponding numbered box(es) to the right. | 01 o | 02 o | 03 o | 04 o | 05 o | 06 o | 07 o |
B | | Authorized Signatures – This section must be completed for your vote to be counted. – Date and Sign Below Please sign exactly as name(s) appears hereon. Joint owners should each sign. When signing as attorney, executor, administrator, corporate officer, trustee, guardian, or custodian, please give full title. | |
Date (mm/dd/yyyy) – Please print date below. | | Signature 1 – Please keep signature within the box. | | Signature 2 – Please keep signature within the box. |
« | « | | | | |
¨PLEASE FOLD ALONG THE PERFORATION, DETACH AND RETURN THE BOTTOM PORTION IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE. ¨ |
Proxy – Legacy Reserves LP
303 W. Wall, Suite 1400
Midland, Texas 79701
THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF LEGACY RESERVES GP, LLC FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING OF UNITHOLDERS OF LEGACY RESERVES LP TO BE HELD ON MAY 14, 2009
The undersigned hereby appoints Steven H. Pruett and William M. Morris, and each of them, any one of whom may act without joinder of the other, with full power of substitution, resubstitution and ratification, attorneys and proxies of the undersigned to vote all units representing limited partnership interests of Legacy Reserves LP which the undersigned is entitled to vote at the annual meeting of unitholders to be held at the Hilton Midland Plaza located at 117 W. Wall, on Thursday, May 14, 2009 at 10:30 a.m., Midland, Texas time, and at any adjournment or postponement thereof, in the manner stated herein as to the matters set forth in the Notice of Annual Meeting and Proxy Statement, and in their discretion on any other matter that may properly come before the meeting.
THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SPECIFICATIONS MADE HEREON. IF NO CONTRARY SPECIFICATION IS MADE, THEN THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED FOR THE ELECTION OF THE DIRECTOR NOMINEES NAMED IN ITEM 1 AND, IN THE DISCRETION OF THE PROXIES, WITH RESPECT TO SUCH OTHER BUSINESS AS MAY PROPERLY COME BEFORE THE MEETING.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF LEGACY RESERVES GP, LLC RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR THE ELECTION OF THE NOMINEES FOR DIRECTOR.
THE UNDERSIGNED HEREBY ACKNOWLEDGES RECEIPT OF THE NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF UNITHOLDERS AND THE PROXY STATEMENT FURNISHED HEREWITH. PLEASE DATE, SIGN AND RETURN THIS PROXY PROMPTLY IN THE ENCLOSED, PRE-ADDRESSED STAMPED ENVELOPE.
(To be Voted and Signed on Reverse Side)