time, with or without cause. In addition, the Company or an Affiliate may at any time dismiss Optionee from employment, or terminate the term of a director of the Company or an Affiliate, free from any liability or any claim under the Plan or the Option Agreement. Nothing in the Option Agreement shall confer on any person any legal or equitable right against the Company or any Affiliate, directly or indirectly, or give rise to any cause of action at law or in equity against the Company or an Affiliate. The Option granted hereunder shall not form any part of the wages or salary of Optionee for purposes of severance pay or termination indemnities, irrespective of the reason for termination of employment. Under no circumstances shall any person ceasing to be an employee of the Company or any Affiliate be entitled to any compensation for any loss of any right or benefit under the Option Agreement or Plan which such employee might otherwise have enjoyed but for termination of employment, whether such compensation is claimed by way of damages for wrongful or unfair dismissal, breach of contract or otherwise. By participating in the Plan, Optionee shall be deemed to have accepted all the conditions of the Plan and the Option Agreement and the terms and conditions of any rules and regulations adopted by the Committee and shall be fully bound thereby.
(d)Governing Law. The validity, construction and effect of the Plan and the Option Agreement, and any rules and regulations relating to the Plan and the Option Agreement, shall be determined in accordance with the internal laws, and not the law of conflicts, of the State of Delaware.
(e)Severability. If any provision of the Option Agreement is or becomes or is deemed to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction or would disqualify the Option Agreement under any law deemed applicable by the Committee (as defined in the Plan), such provision shall be construed or deemed amended to conform to applicable laws, or if it cannot be so construed or deemed amended without, in the determination of the Committee, materially altering the purpose or intent of the Plan or the Option Agreement, such provision shall be stricken as to such jurisdiction or the Option Agreement, and the remainder of the Option Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.
(f)No Trust or Fund Created. Neither the Plan nor the Option Agreement shall create or be construed to create a trust or separate fund of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between the Company or any Affiliate and Optionee or any other person.
(g)Headings. Headings are given to the Sections and subsections of the Option Agreement solely as a convenience to facilitate reference. Such headings shall not be deemed in any way material or relevant to the construction or interpretation of the Option Agreement or any provision thereof.
(h)Conditions Precedent to Issuance of Shares. Shares shall not be issued, and the Company shall not have any liability for failure to issue Shares, pursuant to the exercise of the Option unless such exercise and the issuance and delivery of the applicable Shares pursuant thereto shall comply with all relevant provisions of law, including, without limitation, the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, the requirements of any applicable Stock Exchange and the Delaware General Corporation Law. As a condition to the exercise of the purchase price relating to the Option, the Company may require that the person exercising or paying the purchase price represent and warrant that the Shares are being purchased only for investment and without any present intention to sell or distribute such Shares if, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, such a representation and warranty is required by law.
(i)Withholding. In order to provide the Company with the opportunity to claim the benefit of any income tax deduction which may be available to it upon the exercise of the Option and in order to comply with all applicable federal or state income tax laws or regulations, the Company may take such action as it deems appropriate to insure that, if necessary, all applicable federal or state payroll, withholding, income or other taxes are withheld or collected from Optionee.
(j)Consultation With Professional Tax and Investment Advisors. The holder of this Option Agreement acknowledges that the grant, exercise, vesting or any payment with respect to this Option Agreement, and the sale or other taxable disposition of the Shares acquired pursuant to the exercise thereof, may have tax consequences pursuant to the Code or under local, state or international tax laws. The holder further acknowledges that such holder is relying solely and exclusively on the holder’s own professional tax and investment advisors with respect to any and all such matters (and is not relying, in any manner, on the Company or any of its employees or representatives). Finally, the holder understands and agrees that any and all tax consequences resulting from the Option Agreement and its grant, exercise, vesting or any payment with respect thereto, and the sale or other taxable disposition of the Shares acquired pursuant to the Plan, is solely and exclusively the responsibility of the holder without any expectation or understanding that the Company or any of its employees or representatives will pay or reimburse such holder for such taxes or other items.
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