12. Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and effective only on receipt, and, if sent to the Representatives, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to BofA Securities, Inc., 114 West 47th Street, NY8-114-07-01, New York, New York 10036, Attention: High Grade Transaction Management/Legal (fax no.: (212) 901-7881, e-mail: dg.hg_ua_notices@bofa.com); J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, 383 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10179, Attention: Investment Grade Syndicate Desk (fax no.: (212) 834-6081); Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, 1585 Broadway, 29th Floor, New York, New York 10036, Attention: Investment Banking Division (fax no.: (212) 507-8999); Barclays Capital Inc., 745 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019, Attention: Syndicate Registration (fax no.: (646) 834-8133); and U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc., 214 N. Tryon St., 26th Floor, Charlotte, North Carolina 28202, Attention: Debt Capital Markets (fax no.: (704) 335-2393); or, if sent to the Company, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to The Home Depot, Inc., 2455 Paces Ferry Rd., Atlanta, Georgia, 30339-4024 (fax no.: (770) 384-5842), to the attention of the Treasurer and a copy sent to the General Counsel.
13. Patriot Act. In accordance with the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), the Underwriters are required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies their respective clients, including the Company, which information may include the name and address of their respective clients, as well as other information that will allow the Underwriters to properly identify their respective clients.
14. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers, directors, employees, agents and controlling persons referred to in Section 8 hereof, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.
15. No Fiduciary Duty. The Company hereby acknowledges that (a) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters and any affiliate through which it may be acting, on the other, (b) the Underwriters are acting as principal and not as an agent or fiduciary of the Company and (c) the Company’s engagement of the Underwriters in connection with the offering and the process leading up to the offering is as independent contractors and not in any other capacity. Furthermore, the Company agrees that it is solely responsible for making its own judgments in connection with the offering (irrespective of whether any of the Underwriters has advised or is currently advising the Company on related or other matters). The Company agrees that it will not claim that the Underwriters have rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owe an agency, fiduciary or similar duty to the Company, in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto.
16. Applicable Law. This Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to contracts made and to be performed within the State of New York.
17. Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes.
16