Exhibit 3.2
AMENDED AND RESTATED
BY-LAWS
of
DECIBEL THERAPEUTICS, INC.
dated as of September 25, 2023
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| ARTICLE I |
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| OFFICES |
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SECTION 1. | REGISTERED OFFICE | 1 | ||||
SECTION 2. | OTHER OFFICES | 1 | ||||
| ARTICLE II |
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| MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS |
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SECTION 1. | ANNUAL MEETINGS | 1 | ||||
SECTION 2. | SPECIAL MEETINGS | 1 | ||||
SECTION 3. | VOTING | 1 | ||||
SECTION 4. | QUORUM | 2 | ||||
SECTION 5. | NOTICE OF MEETINGS | 2 | ||||
SECTION 6. | ACTION WITHOUT MEETING | 2 | ||||
| ARTICLE III |
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| DIRECTORS |
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SECTION 1. | NUMBER AND TERM | 2 | ||||
SECTION 2. | RESIGNATIONS | 2 | ||||
SECTION 3. | VACANCIES | 3 | ||||
SECTION 4. | REMOVAL | 3 | ||||
SECTION 5. | COMMITTEES | 3 | ||||
SECTION 6. | MEETINGS | 3 | ||||
SECTION 7. | QUORUM | 4 | ||||
SECTION 8. | COMPENSATION | 4 | ||||
SECTION 9. | ACTION WITHOUT MEETING | 4 | ||||
| ARTICLE IV |
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| OFFICERS |
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SECTION 1. | OFFICERS | 4 | ||||
SECTION 2. | MANAGING DIRECTOR | 4 | ||||
SECTION 3. | VICE PRESIDENTS | 4 | ||||
SECTION 4. | TREASURER | 4 | ||||
SECTION 5. | SECRETARY | 5 | ||||
SECTION 6. | ASSISTANT TREASURERS AND ASSISTANT SECRETARIES | 5 | ||||
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| ARTICLE V |
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| MISCELLANEOUS |
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SECTION 1. | CERTIFICATES OF STOCK | 5 | ||||
SECTION 2. | LOST CERTIFICATES | 5 | ||||
SECTION 3. | TRANSFER OF SHARES | 5 | ||||
SECTION 4. | STOCKHOLDERS RECORD DATE | 6 | ||||
SECTION 5. | DIVIDENDS | 6 | ||||
SECTION 6. | FISCAL YEAR | 6 | ||||
SECTION 7. | CHECKS | 6 | ||||
SECTION 8. | NOTICE AND WAIVER OF NOTICE | 7 | ||||
SECTION 9. | CORPORATE SEAL | 7 | ||||
| ARTICLE VI |
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| INDEMNIFICATION |
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SECTION 1. | DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS | 7 | ||||
SECTION 2. | EMPLOYEES AND OTHER AGENTS | 7 | ||||
SECTION 3. | EXPENSES | 7 | ||||
SECTION 4. | ENFORCEMENT | 8 | ||||
SECTION 5. | NON-EXCLUSIVITY OF RIGHTS | 9 | ||||
SECTION 6. | SURVIVAL OF RIGHTS | 9 | ||||
SECTION 7. | INSURANCE | 9 | ||||
SECTION 8. | AMENDMENTS | 9 | ||||
SECTION 9. | SAVING CLAUSE | 9 | ||||
SECTION 10. | CERTAIN DEFINITIONS | 9 | ||||
| ARTICLE VII |
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| AMENDMENTS |
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ARTICLE I
OFFICES
SECTION 1. REGISTERED OFFICE – The address, including street, number, city, and county, of the registered office of Decibel Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Corporation”) in the State of Delaware is the Corporation Trust Company, 1209 Orange Street, City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, State of Delaware 19801; and the name of the registered agent of the corporation in the State of Delaware at such address is Corporation Trust Company.
SECTION 2. OTHER OFFICES – The Corporation may have other offices, either within or without the State of Delaware, at such place or places as the Board of Directors may from time to time select or the business of the Corporation may require.
ARTICLE II
MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS
SECTION 1. ANNUAL MEETINGS – Annual meetings of stockholders for the election of directors, and for such other business as may be stated in the notice of the meeting, shall be held at such place, either within or without the State of Delaware, and at such time and date as the Board of Directors, by resolution, shall determine and as set forth in the notice of the meeting. If the Board of Directors fails so to determine the time, date and place of meeting, the annual meeting of stockholders shall be held at the registered office of the Corporation on the first Tuesday in May. If the date of the annual meeting shall fall upon a legal holiday, the meeting shall be held on the next succeeding business day. At each annual meeting, the stockholders entitled to vote shall elect a Board of Directors and they may transact such other corporate business as shall be stated in the notice of the meeting.
SECTION 2. SPECIAL MEETINGS – Special meetings of the stockholders for any purpose or purposes may be called by the Chairman, the Managing Director or the Secretary, or by resolution of the Board of Directors.
SECTION 3. VOTING – Each stockholder entitled to vote in accordance with the terms of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation and these By-Laws may vote in person or by proxy, but no proxy shall be voted after three years from its date unless such proxy provides for a longer period. All elections for directors shall be decided by plurality vote; all other questions shall be decided by majority vote except as otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation or the laws of the State of Delaware.
A complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, arranged in alphabetical order, with the address of each, and the number of shares held by each, shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting, during ordinary business hours, for a period of at least ten days prior to the meeting, either at a place within the city where the meeting is to be held, which place shall be specified in the notice of the meeting, or, if not so specified, at the place where the meeting is to be held. The list shall also be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof, and may be inspected by any stockholder who is entitled to be present.
SECTION 4. QUORUM – Except as otherwise required by law, by the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation or by these By-Laws, the presence, in person or by proxy, of stockholders holding shares constituting a majority of the voting power of the Corporation shall constitute a quorum at all meetings of the stockholders. In case a quorum shall not be present at any meeting, a majority in interest of the stockholders entitled to vote thereat, present in person or by proxy, shall have the power to adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until the requisite amount of stock entitled to vote shall be present. At any such adjourned meeting at which the requisite amount of stock entitled to vote shall be represented, any business may be transacted that might have been transacted at the meeting as originally noticed; but only those stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting as originally noticed shall be entitled to vote at any adjournment or adjournments thereof.
SECTION 5. NOTICE OF MEETINGS – Written notice, stating the place, date and time of the meeting, and the general nature of the business to be considered, shall be given to each stockholder entitled to vote thereat, at his or her address as it appears on the records of the Corporation, not less than ten nor more than sixty days before the date of the meeting. No business other than that stated in the notice shall be transacted at any meeting without the unanimous consent of all the stockholders entitled to vote thereat.
SECTION 6. ACTION WITHOUT MEETING – Unless otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, any action required or permitted to be taken at any annual or special meeting of stockholders may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a consent in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by the holders of outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted. Prompt notice of the taking of the corporate action without a meeting by less than unanimous written consent shall be given to those stockholders who have not consented in writing.
ARTICLE III
DIRECTORS
SECTION 1. NUMBER AND TERM – The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed under the direction of a Board of Directors which shall consist of not less than one person. The exact number of directors shall initially be one and may thereafter be fixed from time to time by the Board of Directors. Directors shall be elected at the annual meeting of stockholders and each director shall be elected to serve until his or her successor shall be elected and shall qualify. A director need not be a stockholder.
SECTION 2. RESIGNATIONS – Any director may resign at any time. Such resignation shall be made in writing, and shall take effect at the time specified therein, and if no time be specified, at the time of its receipt by the Chairman, the Managing Director or the Secretary. The acceptance of a resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.
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SECTION 3. VACANCIES – If the office of any director becomes vacant, the remaining directors in the office, though less than a quorum, by a majority vote, may appoint any qualified person to fill such vacancy, who shall hold office for the unexpired term and until his or her successor shall be duly chosen. If the office of any director becomes vacant and there are no remaining directors, the stockholders, by the affirmative vote of the holders of shares constituting a majority of the voting power of the Corporation, at a special meeting called for such purpose, may appoint any qualified person to fill such vacancy.
SECTION 4. REMOVAL – Except as hereinafter provided, any director or directors may be removed either for or without cause at any time by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power entitled to vote for the election of directors, at an annual meeting or a special meeting called for the purpose, and the vacancy thus created may be filled, at such meeting, by the affirmative vote of holders of shares constituting a majority of the voting power of the Corporation.
SECTION 5. COMMITTEES – The Board of Directors may, by resolution or resolutions passed by a majority of the whole Board of Directors, designate one or more committees, each committee to consist of one or more directors of the Corporation.
Any such committee, to the extent provided in the resolution of the Board of Directors, or in these By-Laws, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board of Directors in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation.
SECTION 6. MEETINGS – The newly elected director(s) may hold their first meeting for the purpose of organization and the transaction of business, if a quorum be present, immediately after the annual meeting of the stockholders; or the time and place of such meeting may be fixed by consent of all the Directors.
Regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held without notice at such places and times as shall be determined from time to time by resolution of the Board of Directors.
Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the Chairman or the Managing Director or by the Secretary on the written request of any director, on at least one day’s notice to each director (except that notice to any director may be waived in writing by such director) and shall be held at such place or places as may be determined by the Board of Directors, or as shall be stated in the notice of the meeting.
Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation or these By-Laws, members of the Board of Directors, or any committee designated by the Board of Directors, may participate in any meeting of the Board of Directors or any committee thereof by means of a conference telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and such participation in a meeting shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.
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SECTION 7. QUORUM – A majority of the Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. If at any meeting of the Board of Directors there shall be less than a quorum present, a majority of those present may adjourn the meeting from time to time until a quorum is obtained, and no further notice thereof need be given other than by announcement at the meeting which shall be so adjourned. The vote of the majority of the Directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board of Directors unless the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation or these By-Laws shall require the vote of a greater number.
SECTION 8. COMPENSATION – Directors shall not receive any stated salary for their services as directors or as members of committees, but by resolution of the Board of Directors a fixed fee and expenses of attendance may be allowed for attendance at each meeting. Nothing herein contained shall be construed to preclude any director from serving the Corporation in any other capacity as an officer, agent or otherwise, and receiving compensation therefor.
SECTION 9. ACTION WITHOUT MEETING – Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors or of any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting if a written consent thereto is signed by all members of the Board of Directors or of such committee, as the case may be, and such written consent is filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board of Directors or such committee.
ARTICLE IV
OFFICERS
SECTION 1. OFFICERS – The officers of the Corporation shall be a Managing Director and a Secretary, all of whom shall be elected by the Board of Directors and shall hold office until their successors are duly elected and qualified. In addition, the Board of Directors may elect a Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and such Vice Presidents, Assistant Secretaries and Assistant Treasurers as it may deem proper. The Board of Directors may appoint such other officers and agents as it may deem advisable, who shall hold their offices for such terms and shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as shall be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors.
SECTION 2. MANAGING DIRECTOR – The Managing Director shall be the Chief Operating Officer of the Corporation. He or she shall have the general powers and duties of supervision and management usually vested in the office of President of a corporation.
SECTION 3. VICE PRESIDENTS – Vice Presidents, if any, shall have such powers and shall perform such duties as shall be assigned to them, respectively, by the Board of Directors.
SECTION 4. CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER – The Chief Financial Officer, if any, shall have such powers and shall perform such duties as shall be assigned to them by the Board of Directors.
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SECTION 5. TREASURER – The Treasurer shall have the custody of the Corporate funds and securities and shall keep full and accurate account of receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the Corporation. He or she shall deposit all moneys and other valuables in the name and to the credit of the Corporation in such depositaries as may be designated by the Board of Directors. He or she shall disburse the funds of the Corporation as may be ordered by the Board of Directors, the Chairman or the Managing Director, taking proper vouchers for such disbursements. He or she shall render to the Chairman, the Managing Director and Board of Directors at the regular meetings of the Board of Directors, or whenever they may request it, an account of all his or her transactions as Treasurer and of the financial condition of the Corporation. If required by the Board of Directors, he or she shall give the Corporation a bond for the faithful discharge of his or her duties in such amount and with such surety as the Board of Directors shall prescribe. If there is no Treasurer appointed by the Board of Directors of the Corporation, the duties of Treasurer shall be vested in the Chief Financial Officer.
SECTION 6. SECRETARY – The Secretary shall give, or cause to be given, notice of all meetings of stockholders and of the Board of Directors and all other notices required by law or by these By-Laws, and in case of his or her absence or refusal or neglect so to do, any such notice may be given by any person thereunto directed by the Chairman or the Managing Director, or by the Board of Directors, upon whose request the meeting is called as provided in these By-Laws. He or she shall record all the proceedings of the meetings of the Board of Directors, any committees thereof and the stockholders of the Corporation in a book to be kept for that purpose, and shall perform such other duties as may be assigned to him or her by the Board of Directors, the Chairman or the Managing Director.
SECTION 7. ASSISTANT TREASURERS AND ASSISTANT SECRETARIES – Assistant Treasurers and Assistant Secretaries, if any, shall be elected and shall have such powers and shall perform such duties as shall be assigned to them, respectively, by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE V
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 1. CERTIFICATES OF STOCK – Each stockholder shall be entitled to a certificate of stock certifying the number of shares owned by such stockholder in the Corporation. Certificates of stock of the Corporation shall be of such form and device as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine. If authorized by the Board of Directors, the Corporation may issue some or all of the shares of stock of the Corporation without certificates.
SECTION 2. LOST CERTIFICATES – A new certificate of stock may be issued in the place of any certificate theretofore issued by the Corporation, alleged to have been lost or destroyed, and the Board of Directors may, in its discretion, require the owner of the lost or destroyed certificate, or such owner’s legal representatives, to give the Corporation a bond, in such sum as they may direct, not exceeding double the value of the stock, to indemnify the Corporation against any claim that may be made against it on account of the alleged loss of any such certificate, or the issuance of any such new certificate.
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SECTION 3. TRANSFER OF SHARES – The shares of stock of the Corporation shall be transferable only upon its books by the holders thereof in person or by their duly authorized attorneys or legal representatives, and upon such transfer the old certificates shall be surrendered to the Corporation by the delivery thereof to the person in charge of the stock and transfer books and ledgers, or to such other person as the Board of Directors may designate, by whom they shall be cancelled, and new certificates shall thereupon be issued. A record shall be made of each transfer and whenever a transfer shall be made for collateral security, and not absolutely, it shall be so expressed in the entry of the transfer.
SECTION 4. STOCKHOLDERS RECORD DATE – In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, or to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, or entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights, or entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board of Directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors and which record date: (1) in the case of determination of stockholders entitled to vote at any meeting of stockholders or adjournment thereof, shall, unless otherwise required by law, not be more than sixty nor less than ten days before the date of such meeting; (2) in the case of determination of stockholders entitled to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, shall not be more than ten days from the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors; and (3) in the case of any other action, shall not be more than sixty days prior to such other action. If no record date is fixed: (1) the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given, or, if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held; (2) the record date for determining stockholders entitled to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting when no prior action of the Board of Directors is required by law, shall be the first day on which a signed written consent setting forth the action taken or proposed to be taken is delivered to the Corporation in accordance with applicable law, or, if prior action by the Board of Directors is required by law, shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution taking such prior action; and (3) the record date for determining stockholders for any other purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution relating thereto. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board of Directors may fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting.
SECTION 5. DIVIDENDS – Dividends upon the capital stock of the Corporation shall in the discretion of the Board of Directors from time to time be declared by the Board of Directors out of funds legally available therefor after setting aside of proper reserves.
SECTION 6. FISCAL YEAR – The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be determined by resolution of the Board of Directors.
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SECTION 7. CHECKS – All checks, drafts or other orders for the payment of money, notes or other evidences of indebtedness issued in the name of the Corporation shall be signed by such officer or officers, or agent or agents, of the Corporation, and in such manner as shall be determined from time to time by resolution of the Board of Directors.
SECTION 8. NOTICE AND WAIVER OF NOTICE – Whenever any notice is required to be given under these By-Laws, personal notice is not required unless expressly so stated, and any notice so required shall be deemed to be sufficient if given by depositing the same in the United States mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the person entitled thereto at his or her address as it appears on the records of the Corporation, and such notice shall be deemed to have been given on the day of such mailing. Stockholders not entitled to vote shall not be entitled to receive notice of any meetings except as otherwise provided by law. Whenever any notice is required to be given under the provisions of any law, or under the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation or of these By-Laws, a waiver thereof, in writing and signed by the person or persons entitled to said notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to such required notice.
SECTION 9. CORPORATE SEAL – The corporate seal shall have inscribed thereon the name of the Corporation and the words “Corporate Seal, Delaware.”
ARTICLE VI
INDEMNIFICATION
SECTION 1. DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS – The Corporation shall indemnify its directors and officers to the extent not prohibited by the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”) or any other applicable law; provided, however, that the Corporation may modify the extent of such indemnification by individual contracts with its directors and officers; and, provided, further, that the Corporation shall not be required to indemnify any director or officer in connection with any proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person unless (i) such indemnification is expressly required to be made by law, (ii) the proceeding was authorized by the Board of Directors of the Corporation, (iii) such indemnification is provided by the Corporation, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Corporation under the DGCL or any other applicable law or (iv) such indemnification is required to be made under subsection (d).
SECTION 2. EMPLOYEES AND OTHER AGENTS – The Corporation shall have power to indemnify its employees and other agents as set forth in the DGCL or any other applicable law. The Board of Directors shall have the power to delegate the determination of whether indemnification shall be given to any such person to such officers or other persons as the Board of Directors shall determine.
SECTION 3. EXPENSES – The Corporation shall advance to any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that he is or was a director or officer, of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director or officer of another Corporation, partnership, joint
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venture, trust or other enterprise, prior to the final disposition of the proceeding, promptly following request therefor, all expenses incurred by any director or officer in connection with such proceeding; provided, however, that if the DGCL requires, an advancement of expenses incurred by a director or officer in his or her capacity as a director or officer (and not in any other capacity in which service was or is rendered by such indemnitee, including, without limitation, service to an employee benefit plan) shall be made only upon delivery to the Corporation of an undertaking (hereinafter an “undertaking”), by or on behalf of such indemnitee, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined by final judicial decision from which there is no further right to appeal (hereinafter a “final adjudication”) that such indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified for such expenses under this section or otherwise.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, unless otherwise determined pursuant to paragraph (e) of this section, no advance shall be made by the Corporation to an officer of the Corporation (except by reason of the fact that such officer is or was a director of the Corporation in which event this paragraph shall not apply) in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, if a determination is reasonably and promptly made (i) by a majority vote of directors who were not parties to the proceeding, even if not a quorum, or (ii) by a committee of such directors designated by a majority vote of such directors, even though less than a quorum, or (iii) if there are no such directors, or such directors so direct, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, that the facts known to the decision-making party at the time such determination is made demonstrate clearly and convincingly that such person acted in bad faith or in a manner that such person did not believe to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation.
SECTION 4. ENFORCEMENT – Without the necessity of entering into an express contract, all rights to indemnification and advances to directors and officers under this Bylaw shall be deemed to be contractual rights and be effective to the same extent and as if provided for in a contract between the Corporation and the director or officer. Any right to indemnification or advances granted by this section to a director or officer shall be enforceable by or on behalf of the person holding such right in any court of competent jurisdiction if (i) the claim for indemnification or advances is denied, in whole or in part, or (ii) no disposition of such claim is made within ninety (90) days of request therefor. To the extent permitted by law, the claimant in such enforcement action, if successful in whole or in part, shall be entitled to be paid also the expense of prosecuting the claim. In connection with any claim for indemnification, the Corporation shall be entitled to raise as a defense to any such action that the claimant has not met the standards of conduct that make it permissible under the DGCL or any other applicable law for the Corporation to indemnify the claimant for the amount claimed. In connection with any claim by an officer of the Corporation (except in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that such officer is or was a director of the Corporation) for advances, the Corporation shall be entitled to raise a defense as to any such action clear and convincing evidence that such person acted in bad faith or in a manner that such person did not believe to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, or with respect to any criminal action or proceeding that such person acted without reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was lawful. Neither the failure of the Corporation (including its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel or its stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such action that indemnification of the claimant is proper in the circumstances because the officer or director has met the applicable standard of
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conduct set forth in the DGCL or any other applicable law, nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel or its stockholders) that the claimant has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that claimant has not met the applicable standard of conduct. In any suit brought by a director or officer to enforce a right to indemnification or to an advancement of expenses hereunder, the burden of proving that the director or officer is not entitled to be indemnified, or to such advancement of expenses, under this section or otherwise shall be on the Corporation.
SECTION 5. NON-EXCLUSIVITY OF RIGHTS – The rights conferred on any person by this Bylaw shall not be exclusive of any other right which such person may have or hereafter acquire under any applicable statute, provision of the Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in such person’s official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding office. The Corporation is specifically authorized to enter into individual contracts with any or all of its directors, officers, employees or agents respecting indemnification and advances, to the fullest extent not prohibited by the DGCL, or by any other applicable law.
SECTION 6. SURVIVAL OF RIGHTS – The rights conferred on any person by this Bylaw shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or other agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person.
SECTION 7. INSURANCE – To the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL or any other applicable law, the Corporation, upon approval by the Board of Directors, may purchase insurance on behalf of any person required or permitted to be indemnified pursuant to this section.
SECTION 8. AMENDMENTS – Any repeal or modification of this section shall only be prospective and shall not affect the rights under this Bylaw in effect at the time of the alleged occurrence of any action or omission to act that is the cause of any proceeding against any agent of the Corporation.
SECTION 9. SAVING CLAUSE – If this Bylaw or any portion hereof shall be invalidated on any ground by any court of competent jurisdiction, then the Corporation shall nevertheless indemnify each director and officer to the full extent not prohibited by any applicable portion of this section that shall not have been invalidated, or by any other applicable law. If this section shall be invalid due to the application of the indemnification provisions of another jurisdiction, then the Corporation shall indemnify each director and officer to the full extent under any other applicable law.
SECTION 10. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS – For the purposes of this Bylaw, the following definitions shall apply:
(a) The term “proceeding” shall be broadly construed and shall include, without limitation, the investigation, preparation, prosecution, defense, settlement, arbitration
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and appeal of, and the giving of testimony in, any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative.
(b) The term “expenses” shall be broadly construed and shall include, without limitation, court costs, attorneys’ fees, witness fees, fines, amounts paid in settlement or judgment and any other costs and expenses of any nature or kind incurred in connection with any proceeding.
(c) The term the “Corporation” shall include, in addition to the resulting Corporation, any constituent Corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers, and employees or agents, so that any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such constituent Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another Corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under the provisions of this section with respect to the resulting or surviving Corporation as he would have with respect to such constituent Corporation if its separate existence had continued.
(d) References to a “director,” “officer,” “employee,” or “agent” of the Corporation shall include, without limitation, situations where such person is serving at the request of the Corporation as, respectively, a director, officer, employee, trustee or agent of another Corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise.
(e) References to “other enterprises” shall include employee benefit plans; references to “fines” shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to an employee benefit plan; and references to “serving at the request of the Corporation” shall include any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee, or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants, or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation” as referred to in this section.
ARTICLE VII
AMENDMENTS
These By-Laws may be altered, amended or repealed at any annual meeting of the stockholders (or at any special meeting thereof if notice of such proposed alteration, amendment or repeal to be considered is contained in the notice of such special meeting) by the affirmative vote of the holders of shares constituting a majority of the voting power of the Corporation. Except as otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, the Board of Directors may by majority vote of those present at any meeting at which a quorum is present alter, amend or repeal these By-Laws, or enact such other By-Laws as in their judgment may be advisable for the regulation and conduct of the affairs of the Corporation.
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