(ii) any Restructuring Transaction, contract, instrument, release, or other agreement or document (including providing any legal opinion requested by any Entity regarding any transaction, contract, instrument, document, or other agreement contemplated by the Plan or the reliance by any Released Party on the Plan or the Confirmation Order in lieu of such legal opinion) created or entered into in connection with the Restructuring Support Agreement, the Original RSA, the Original DIP Commitment Letter, the Initial Amended RSA, the Disclosure Statement, or the Plan, including the Rights Offering, the Backstop Commitment Agreement, the DIP Facility, the Exit Facility or the Amended and Restated 2019 Term Loan Facility;
(iii) the Chapter 11 Cases, the Disclosure Statement, the Plan, the Filing of the Chapter 11 Cases, the pursuit of Confirmation, the pursuit of Consummation, the solicitation of votes with respect to the Plan, the administration and implementation of the Plan, including the issuance or distribution of Securities pursuant to the Plan or the Rights Offering, or the distribution of property under the Plan or any other related agreement with respect to the foregoing; or
(iv) any other related act or omission, transaction, agreement, event, or other occurrence taking place on or before the Effective Date, including, without limitation, all avoidance actions or other relief obtained by the Debtors in the Chapter 11 Cases.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the foregoing, the releases set forth above do not release (i) any claims related to any act or omission that is determined in a Final Order to have constituted willful misconduct, gross negligence, or actual fraud, (ii) the rights of any current employee of the Debtors under any employment agreement or plan, (iii) the rights of the Debtors with respect to any confidentiality provisions or covenants restricting competition in favor of the Debtors under any employment agreement with a current or former employee of the Debtors, (iv) any post-Effective Date obligations of any party or Entity under the Plan, any Restructuring Transaction, or any document, instrument, or agreement (including those set forth in the Plan Supplement) executed to implement the Plan, (v) the rights of Holders of Allowed Claims to receive distributions under the Plan, (vi) any Cause of Action the Debtors may have against Columbia Helicopters, Inc. and its Related Parties, or (vii) any Cause of Action the Debtors may have against any of their former officers or directors as of the Petition Date in respect of payments made and referenced under any separation, retirement, consulting agreement, employment agreement or plan.
Entry of the Confirmation Order will constitute the Bankruptcy Court’s approval, pursuant to Bankruptcy Rule 9019, of the foregoing release, which includes by reference each of the related provisions and definitions contained herein, and further, will constitute the Bankruptcy Court’s finding that the foregoing release is: (i) in exchange for the good and valuable consideration provided by the Released Parties; (ii) a good faith settlement and compromise of the Claims released; (iii) in the best interest of the Debtors and their Estates; (iv) fair, equitable, and reasonable; and (v) given and made after due notice and opportunity for hearing.
| 5. | Releases by Holders of Claims and Interests. |
As of the Effective Date, except as otherwise provided herein, each Releasing Party is deemed to have fully, conclusively, absolutely, unconditionally, irrevocably, and forever released and discharged each Debtor, Reorganized Debtor, and Released Party from any and all Causes of Action, including any derivative claims asserted on behalf of the Debtors, that such Entity would have been legally entitled to assert (whether individually or collectively), based on or relating to, or in any manner arising from, in whole or in part:16
16 | “Releasing Parties” means, collectively, and in each case in its capacity as such: (a) the Debtors; (b) the Reorganized Debtors; (c) the DIP Facility Agent; (d) the DIP Facility Lenders; (e) the Backstop Commitment Parties; (f) the Holders of 2019 Term Loan Facility Claims; (g) the 2019 Term Loan Facility Agent; (h) the Amended and Restated 2019 Term Loan Facility Lenders; (i) the Amended and Restated 2019 Term Loan Facility Agent; (j) the Supporting Noteholders; (k) the Indenture Trustees; (l) the Exit Facility Lenders; (m) the Exit Facility Agent; (n) all Holders of Claims; (o) all Holders of Interests; (p) the Milestone Parties; (q) the Creditors’ Committee and each of its current and former members; (r) each current and former Affiliate of each Entity in clause (a) through (q); and (s) each Related Party of each Entity in clause (a) through (r);provided that any holder of a Claim or Interest that (x) validly opts out of the releases contained in the Plan or (y) files an objection to the releases contained in the Plan shall not be a “Releasing Party”;provided,further, that for the avoidance of doubt, no Holder of a Claim that is party to or has otherwise signed the Restructuring Support Agreement may opt out of the releases. |
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