Indemnification Agreements
The Registrant has entered into an Indemnification Agreement with each of its directors (each, a “Director”). The Indemnification Agreement provides that the Registrant will indemnify the Director against any and all expenses, judgments, costs, fines and amounts paid in settlement (collectively, “Losses”), to the fullest extent permitted by law, in connection with any present or future threatened, pending or completed proceeding based upon, arising from, relating to, or by reason of the Director’s status as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of the Registrant or any other entity the Director serves at the request of the Registrant. In addition, the Registrant will advance, to the extent not prohibited by law, the expenses incurred by the Director in connection with any proceeding.
No indemnification may be made to the Director with respect to any proceeding if a final judgment adverse to the Director establishes that the Director engaged in disqualifying conduct. “Disqualifying conduct” means that the Director’s actions or omissions (i) were in breach of the Director’s duty of loyalty to the Registrant and its shareholders, (ii) were not in good faith or involved a knowing violation of law, or (iii) resulted in the receipt by the Director of an improper personal benefit.
Notwithstanding any other provision in the Indemnification Agreement, the Registrant will not be obligated to make any indemnity or advance in connection with any claim made against the Director:
(a) for which payment has actually been made to the Director under any insurance policy, other indemnity provision, contract or agreement;
(b) for (i) an accounting of profits made from the purchase and sale (or sale and purchase) by the Director of securities of the Registrant that did, in fact, violate Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act or (ii) any reimbursement of the Registrant by the Director of any bonus or other incentive-based or equity-based compensation or of any profits realized by the Director from the sale of securities of the Registrant, as required in each case under the Exchange Act;
(c) except as otherwise provided in the Indemnification Agreement, in connection with any proceeding initiated by the Director alone or in concert with others, including any proceeding initiated by the Director against the Registrant or its directors, officers, employees or other Directors, unless (i) the Board of Directors authorized the proceeding prior to its initiation, or (ii) the Registrant provides the indemnification, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Registrant under applicable law; or
(d) in the event that the Registrant is advised, in a written opinion of its regular outside legal counsel, that the Registrant’s performance of any provision of the Indemnification Agreement would violate Section 13(k) of the Exchange Act.
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, if the indemnification provided for in the Indemnification Agreement is unavailable to the Director for any reason, then the Registrant will contribute to Losses incurred by the Director in such proportion as reflects (a) the relative benefits received by the Registrant, on the one hand, and the Director, on the other hand, as a result of the events or transactions giving rise to the proceeding, or (b) if the allocation described in clause (a) above is not permitted by applicable law, the relative fault of the Registrant, on the one hand, and the Director, on the other hand, in connection with such events or transactions.
The Indemnification Agreement provides that, to the extent a change in New Jersey law permits greater indemnification or advancement of expenses than would be afforded under the Registrant’s Certificate of Incorporation, By-laws and the Indemnification Agreement, it is the intent of the parties that the Director will enjoy the greater benefits afforded by the change.
The Registrant also maintains directors’ and officers’ liability insurance coverage with respect to acts or omissions by such directors and officers in their capacity as such.
Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.
Not applicable.
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