EXHIBIT 1.1
EXECUTION COPY
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LOISLAW.COM, INC.
3,980,000 Shares/1/
Common Stock
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
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September 29, 1999
PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES INCORPORATED
DAIN RAUSCHER WESSELS
U.S. BANCORP PIPER JAFFRAY, INC.
PRUDENTIALSECURITIES.COM
As Representatives of the several Underwriters
c/o Prudential Securities Incorporated
One New York Plaza
New York, New York 10292
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Loislaw.com, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and Douglas
W. Parker, Sr., a stockholder of the Company (the "Selling Stockholder") hereby
severally confirm their agreement with the several underwriters named in
Schedule 1 hereto (the "Underwriters"), for whom you have been duly authorized
to act as representatives (in such capacities, the "Representatives"), as set
forth below. If you are the only Underwriters, all references herein to the
Representatives shall be deemed to be to the Underwriters.
1. Securities. Subject to the terms and conditions herein contained, the
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Company proposes to issue and sell, and the Selling Stockholder proposes to
sell, severally, to the several Underwriters an aggregate of 3,900,000 shares
and 80,000 shares, respectively, (the "Firm Securities") of the Company's Common
Stock, par value $.001 per share ("Common Stock"). The Company also proposes to
issue and sell to the several Underwriters not more than 597,000 additional
shares of Common Stock if requested by the Representatives as provided in
Section 3 of this Agreement. Any and all shares of Common Stock to be purchased
by the Underwriters pursuant to such options are referred to herein as the
"Option Securities", and the Firm Securities and any Option Securities are
collectively referred to herein as the "Securities".
/1/ Plus an option to purchase from the Company up to 597,000 additional shares
to cover over-allotments.
2(A). Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company
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represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each of the several Underwriters
that:
(a) A registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-81107) with respect
to the Securities, including a prospectus subject to completion, has been filed
by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission")
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), and one or more
amendments to such registration statement may have been so filed. After the
execution of this Agreement, the Company will file with the Commission either
(i) if such registration statement, as it may have been amended, has been
declared by the Commission to be effective under the Act, either (A) if the
Company relies on Rule 434 under the Act, a Term Sheet (as hereinafter defined)
relating to the Securities, that shall identify the Preliminary Prospectus (as
hereinafter defined) that it supplements containing such information as is
required or permitted by Rules 434, 430A and 424(b) under the Act or (B) if the
Company does not rely on Rule 434 under the Act, a prospectus in the form most
recently included in an amendment to such registration statement (or, if no such
amendment shall have been filed, in such registration statement), with such
changes or insertions as are required by Rule 430A under the Act or permitted by
Rule 424(b) under the Act, and in the case of either clause (i)(A) or (i)(B) of
this sentence as have been provided to and approved by the Representatives prior
to the execution of this Agreement, or (ii) if such registration statement, as
it may have been amended, has not been declared by the Commission to be
effective under the Act, an amendment to such registration statement, including
a form of prospectus, a copy of which amendment has been furnished to and
approved by the Representatives prior to the execution of this Agreement. The
Company may also file a related registration statement with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Act for the purpose of registering certain
additional shares of Common Stock, which registration shall be effective upon
filing with the Commission. As used in this Agreement, the term "Original
Registration Statement" means the registration statement initially filed
relating to the Securities, as amended at the time when it was or is declared
effective, including all financial schedules and exhibits thereto and including
any information omitted therefrom pursuant to Rule 430A under the Act and
included in the Prospectus (as hereinafter defined); the term "Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement" means any registration statement filed with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Act (including the Registration
Statement and any Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus incorporated therein at
the time such Registration Statement becomes effective); the term "Registration
Statement" includes both the Original Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement; the term "Preliminary Prospectus" means each prospectus
subject to completion filed with such registration statement or any amendment
thereto (including the prospectus subject to completion, if any, included in the
Registration Statement or any amendment thereto at the time it was or is
declared effective); the term "Prospectus" means:
(A) if the Company relies on Rule 434 under the Act, the Term Sheet
relating to the Securities that is first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(7)
under the Act, together with the Preliminary Prospectus identified therein
that such Term Sheet supplements;
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(B) if the Company does not rely on Rule 434 under the Act, the prospectus
first filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act; or
(C) if the Company does not rely on Rule 434 under the Act and if no
prospectus is required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act,
the prospectus included in the Registration Statement;
and the term "Term Sheet" means any term sheet that satisfies the requirements
of Rule 434 under the Act. Any reference herein to the "date" of a Prospectus
that includes a Term Sheet shall mean the date of such Term Sheet.
(b) The Commission has not issued any order preventing or suspending use of
any Preliminary Prospectus. When any Preliminary Prospectus was filed with the
Commission it (i) contained all statements required to be stated therein in
accordance with, and complied in all material respects with the requirements of,
the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and (ii) did
not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any
material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. When the
Registration Statement or any amendment thereto was or is declared effective, it
(i) contained or will contain all statements required to be stated therein in
accordance with, and complied or will comply in all material respects with the
requirements of, the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder and (ii) did not or will not include any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading. When the Prospectus or any Term Sheet that
is a part thereof or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus is filed with
the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) (or, if the Prospectus or part thereof or
such amendment or supplement is not required to be so filed, when the
Registration Statement or the amendment thereto containing such amendment or
supplement to the Prospectus was or is declared effective) and on the Firm
Closing Date and any Option Closing Date (both as hereinafter defined), the
Prospectus, as amended or supplemented at any such time, (i) contained or will
contain all statements required to be stated therein in accordance with, and
complied or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of, the
Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and (ii) did not
or will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any
material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The foregoing
provisions of this paragraph (b) do not apply to statements or omissions made in
any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto
or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of
any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein.
(c) If the Company has elected to rely on Rule 462(b) and the Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement has not been declared effective (i) the Company has filed
a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement in compliance with and that is effective
upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(b) and has received confirmation of its receipt
and (ii) the Company has given irrevocable instructions for transmission of the
applicable filing fee in connection with the filing of the Rule 462(b)
Registration
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Statement, in compliance with Rule 111 promulgated under the Act or the
Commission has received payment of such filing fee.
(d) The Company has no subsidiaries. The Company has been duly organized
and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of
Delaware and is duly qualified to transact business as a foreign corporation and
is in good standing under the laws of all other jurisdictions where the
ownership or leasing of its properties or the conduct of its business requires
such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified does not amount
to a material liability or disability to the Company.
(e) The Company has full power (corporate and other) to own or lease its
properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus; and the Company has full power (corporate and other) to
enter into this Agreement and to carry out all the terms and provisions hereof
to be carried out by it.
(f) The Company has an authorized, issued and outstanding capitalization as
set forth in the Prospectus or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most
recent Preliminary Prospectus. All of the issued shares of capital stock of the
Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and
nonassessable. The Firm Securities and the Option Securities have been duly
authorized and at the Firm Closing Date or the related Option Closing Date (as
the case may be), after payment therefor in accordance herewith, will be validly
issued, fully paid and nonassessable. No holders of outstanding shares of
capital stock of the Company are entitled as such to any preemptive or other
rights to subscribe for any of the Securities, and no holder of securities of
the Company has any right which has not been fully exercised or waived to
require the Company to register the offer or sale of any securities owned by
such holder under the Act in the public offering contemplated by this agreement.
(g) The capital stock of the Company conforms to the description thereof
contained in the Prospectus or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most
recent Preliminary Prospectus.
(h) Except as disclosed in the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in
existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus), there are no outstanding (A)
securities or obligations of the Company convertible into or exchangeable for
any capital stock of the Company, (B) warrants, rights or options to subscribe
for or purchase from the Company any such capital stock or any such convertible
or exchangeable securities or obligations, or (C) obligations of the Company to
issue any shares of capital stock, any such convertible or exchangeable
securities or obligations, or any such warrants, rights or options.
(i) The financial statements and schedules of the Company included in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in
existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus) fairly present the financial
position of the Company and the results of operations and changes in financial
condition as of the dates and periods therein specified. Such financial
statements and schedules have been prepared in accordance with generally
accepted accounting
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principles consistently applied throughout the periods involved (except as
otherwise noted therein). The selected financial data set forth under the
caption "Selected Financial Data" in the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is
not in existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus) fairly present, on the
basis stated in the Prospectus (or such Preliminary Prospectus), the information
included therein.
(j) KPMG LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of the
Company and delivered their report with respect to the audited consolidated
financial statements and schedules included in the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus), are independent public accountants as required by the
Act and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder.
(k) The execution and delivery of this Agreement have been duly authorized
by the Company and this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the
Company, and is the valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable
against the Company in accordance with its terms.
(l) No legal or governmental proceedings are pending to which the Company
or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which the property of the Company is
subject that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus and are not described therein (or, if the Prospectus is not in
existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus), and, to the Company's
knowledge, no such proceedings have been threatened against the Company or with
respect to any of its properties; and no contract or other document is required
to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed
as an exhibit to the Registration Statement that is not described therein (or,
if the Prospectus is not in existence, in the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus) or filed as required.
(m) The issuance, offering and sale of the Securities to the Underwriters
by the Company pursuant to this Agreement, the compliance by the Company with
the other provisions of this Agreement and the consummation of the other
transactions herein contemplated do not (i) require the consent, approval,
authorization, registration or qualification of or with any governmental
authority, except such as have been obtained, such as may be required under
state securities or blue sky laws and, if the registration statement filed with
respect to the Securities (as amended) is not effective under the Act as of the
time of execution hereof, such as may be required (and shall be obtained as
provided in this Agreement) under the Act, or (ii) conflict with or result in a
breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a
default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, lease or other material
agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company
or any of its properties are bound, or the charter documents or by-laws of the
Company, or any statute or any judgment, decree, order, rule or regulation of
any court or other governmental authority or any arbitrator applicable to the
Company.
(n) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or, if the Prospectus is not in
existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, the Company has not sustained
any material loss or interference with its business or properties from fire,
flood, hurricane, accident or other calamity, whether or not covered
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by insurance, or from any labor dispute or any legal or governmental proceeding
and there has not been any material adverse change, or any development that may
reasonably be expected to result in a material adverse change, in the condition
(financial or otherwise), management, business prospects, net worth, or results
of the operations of the Company, except in each case as described in or
contemplated by the Prospectus or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the
most recent Preliminary Prospectus.
(o) The Company has not, directly or indirectly, (i) taken any action
designed to cause or to result in, or that has constituted or which might
reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the
price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the
Securities or (ii) since the filing of the Registration Statement (A) sold, bid
for, purchased, or paid anyone any compensation for soliciting purchases of, the
Securities or (B) paid or agreed to pay to any person any compensation for
soliciting another to purchase any other securities of the Company (except for
the sale of Securities by the Selling Stockholder under this Agreement).
(p) The Company has not distributed and, prior to the later of (i) the
Closing Date and (ii) the completion of the distribution of the Securities, will
not distribute any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of
the Securities other than the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto,
any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement
thereto, or other materials, if any permitted by the Act.
(q) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in
existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus), (1) the Company and its
subsidiaries have not incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or
contingent, nor entered into any material transaction not in the ordinary course
of business; (2) the Company has not purchased any of its outstanding capital
stock, nor declared, paid or otherwise made any dividend or distribution of any
kind on its capital stock; and (3) there has not been any material change in the
capital stock, short-term debt or long-term debt of the Company and its
consolidated subsidiaries, except in each case as described in or contemplated
by the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus).
(r) The Company has good and marketable title in fee simple to all items of
real property and marketable title to all personal property owned by the
Company, in each case free and clear of any security interests, liens,
encumbrances, equities, claims and other defects, except such as do not
materially and adversely affect the value of such property and do not materially
interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such property by the
Company, and any real property and buildings held under lease by the Company are
held under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases, with such exceptions as are
not material and do not materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be
made of such property and buildings by the Company, in each case except as
described in or contemplated by the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in
existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus).
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(s) No labor dispute with the employees of the Company exists or, to the
Company's knowledge, is threatened or imminent that may reasonably be expected
to result in a material adverse change in the condition (financial or
otherwise), business prospects, net worth or results of operations of the
Company, except as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus (or, if the
Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus).
(t) The Company owns or possesses all material patents, patent
applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, licenses, copyrights and
proprietary or other confidential information described as being owned by it in
the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus), and the Company has not received any notice of
infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of any third party with respect
to any of the foregoing which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an
unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would result in a material adverse
change in the condition (financial or otherwise), business prospects, net worth
or results of operations of the Company, except as described in or contemplated
by the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus).
(u) The Company is insured by insurers of recognized financial
responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent
and customary in the businesses in which they are engaged; the Company has not
been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for; and neither the
Company nor any such subsidiary has any reason to believe that it will not be
able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires
or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to
continue its business at a cost that would not materially and adversely affect
the condition (financial or otherwise), business prospects, net worth or results
of operations of the Company, except as described in or contemplated by the
Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus).
(v) The Company possesses all certificates, authorizations and permits
issued by the appropriate federal, state or foreign regulatory authorities
necessary to conduct its business, and the Company has not received any notice
of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such
certificate, authorization or permit, except (i) where the failure to have
obtained such certificate, authorization or permit, or the revocation or
modification thereof, would not result in a material adverse change in the
condition (financial or otherwise), business prospects, net worth or results of
operations of the Company or (ii) as described in or contemplated by the
Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus).
(w) The Company is not required to register as an investment company under
the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and this transaction will not
cause the Company to become an investment company subject to registration under
such Act.
(x) The Company has filed all foreign, federal, state and local tax returns
that are required to be filed or has requested extensions thereof (except in any
case in which the failure so to file would not have a material adverse effect on
the Company) and has paid all taxes required to be paid by it and any other
assessment, fine or penalty levied against it, to the extent that any of
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the foregoing is due and payable, except for any such assessment, fine or
penalty that is currently being contested in good faith or as described in or
contemplated by the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the
most recent Preliminary Prospectus).
(y) The Company is not in violation of any federal or state law or
regulation relating to occupational safety and health or to the storage,
handling or transportation of hazardous or toxic materials and the Company has
received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of it under
applicable federal and state occupational safety and health and environmental
laws and regulations to conduct its business, and the Company is in compliance
with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval, except
any such violation of law or regulation, failure to receive required permits,
licenses or other approvals or failure to comply with the terms and conditions
of such permits, licenses or approvals which would not, singly or in the
aggregate, result in a material adverse change in the condition (financial or
otherwise), business prospects, net worth or results of operations of the
Company, except as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus (or, if the
Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus).
(z) Each certificate signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to
the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement
shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Company to each
Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.
(aa) The Company does not own any shares of stock or any other equity
securities of any corporation or have any equity interest in any firm,
partnership, association or other entity, that is required to be described in
the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus) and is not so described.
(bb) The Company maintains a system of internal accounting controls
sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (1) transactions are executed in
accordance with management's general or specific authorizations; (2)
transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial
statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to
maintain asset accountability; (3) access to assets is permitted only in
accordance with management's general or specific authorization; and (4) the
recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at
reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any
differences.
(cc) The Company is not in default in any material respect, and no event
has occurred which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such
a default in the due performance and observance of any term, covenant or
condition of any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, material lease or other
material agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the
Company or any of its properties is bound.
2(B). Representations and Warranties of the Selling Stockholder. The
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Selling Stockholder represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each of the
several Underwriters that:
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(a) The Selling Stockholder has full power to enter into this Agreement and
to sell, assign, transfer and deliver to the Underwriters the Securities to be
sold by the Selling Stockholder hereunder in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement; and this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the
Selling Stockholder, and is the valid and binding agreement of the Selling
Stockholder, enforceable against the Selling Stockholder in accordance with its
terms.
(b) The Selling Stockholder has duly executed and delivered a Power of
Attorney (the "Power-of-Attorney"), in the form heretofore delivered to the
Representatives, appointing Kyle D. Parker as the Selling Stockholder's
attorney-in-fact (the "Attorney-in-Fact") with authority to execute, deliver and
perform this Agreement on behalf of the Selling Stockholder. Certificates in
negotiable form, endorsed in blank or accompanied by blank stock powers duly
executed, with signatures appropriately guaranteed, representing the Securities
to be sold by the Selling Stockholder hereunder have been delivered to the
Attorney-in-Fact pursuant to the Power-of-Attorney for the purpose of delivery
pursuant to this Agreement. The Selling Stockholder has full power to enter
into the Power-of-Attorney and to perform his obligations thereunder. The
Selling Stockholder agrees that each of the Securities represented by the
certificates on deposit with the Attorney-in-Fact is subject to the interests of
the Underwriters hereunder, that the arrangements made for such custody, the
appointment of the Attorney-in-Fact and the right, power and authority of the
Attorney-in-Fact to execute and deliver this Agreement, to agree on the price at
which the Securities (including the Selling Stockholder's Securities) are to be
sold to the Underwriters, and to carry out the terms of this Agreement, are to
that extent irrevocable and that the obligations of the Selling Stockholder
hereunder shall not be terminated, except as provided in this Agreement or the
Power-of-Attorney, by any act of the Selling Stockholder, by operation of law or
otherwise, by the death or incapacity of the Selling Stockholder, in the case of
a trust or estate by the death of the trustee or trustees or the executor or
executors or the termination of such trust or estate, or by the occurrence of
any other event. If the Selling Stockholder, trustee or executor should die or
become incapacitated or any such trust should be terminated, or if any other
event should occur, before the delivery of such Securities hereunder, the
certificates for such Securities deposited with the Attorney-in-Fact shall be
delivered by the Attorney-in-Fact in accordance with the respective terms and
conditions of this Agreement as if such death, incapacity, termination,
liquidation or dissolution or other event had not occurred, regardless of
whether or not the Attorney-in-Fact shall have received notice thereof.
(c) The Selling Stockholder is the lawful owner of the Securities to be
sold by the Selling Stockholder hereunder and upon sale and delivery of, and
payment for, such Securities, as provided herein, assuming the Underwriters have
purchased the Securities for value in good faith and without notice of any
security interest, lien, encumbrance, equity, claim or other adverse claim, the
Selling Stockholder will convey good and valid title to such Securities, free
and clear of any security interests, liens, encumbrances, equities, claims or
other adverse claims (other than those arising by or through the Underwriters).
(d) The Selling Stockholder has not, directly or indirectly, (i) taken any
action designed to cause or result in, or that has constituted or which might
reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the
price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale
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or resale of the Securities or (ii) since the filing of the Registration
Statement (A) sold, bid for, purchased, or paid anyone any compensation for
soliciting purchases of, the Securities or (B) paid or agreed to pay to any
person any compensation for soliciting another to purchase any other securities
of the Company (except for the sale of Securities by the Selling Stockholder
under this Agreement).
(e) The Selling Stockholder has reviewed the Prospectus (or, if the
Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus) and the
Registration Statement, and the information regarding the Selling Stockholder
set forth therein under the caption "Selling Stockholder" is complete and
accurate.
(f) The sale by the Selling Stockholder of Securities pursuant hereto is
not prompted by any adverse information known to the Selling Stockholder
concerning the Company that is not set forth in the Registration Statement or
the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus).
(g) The sale of the Securities to the Underwriters by the Selling
Stockholder pursuant to this Agreement, the compliance by the Selling
Stockholder with the other provisions of this Agreement and the Power of
Attorney and the consummation of the other transactions herein contemplated do
not (i) require the consent, approval, authorization, registration or
qualification of or with any governmental authority, except such as have been
obtained, such as may be required by the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc. or under state securities or blue sky laws and, if the
registration statement filed with respect to the Securities (as amended) is not
effective under the Act as of the time of execution hereof, such as may be
required (and shall be obtained as provided in this Agreement) under the Act, or
(ii) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and
provisions of, or constitute a default in any material respect under any
indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, material lease or other material agreement
or instrument to which the Selling Stockholder is a party or by which the
Selling Stockholder or any of his properties are bound or any statute or any
judgment, decree, order, rule or regulation of any court or other governmental
authority or any arbitrator applicable to the Selling Stockholder.
(h) Each certificate signed by the Selling Stockholder and delivered to the
Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement shall
be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Selling Stockholder to each
Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.
3. Purchase, Sale and Delivery of the Securities. (a) On the basis of the
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representations, warranties, agreements and covenants herein contained and
subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, (A) the Company agrees to
issue and sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters,
severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company, at a purchase
price of $________ per share, the number of Firm Securities set forth opposite
the name of such Underwriter in Column (a) of Schedule I hereto and (B) the
Selling Stockholder agrees to sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the
Underwriters, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Selling
Stockholder at a purchase price of $_________ per share, the number of Firm
Securities set
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forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Column (b) of Schedule I hereto.
One or more certificates in definitive form for the Firm Securities that the
several Underwriters have agreed to purchase hereunder, and in such denomination
or denominations and registered in such name or names as the Representatives
request upon notice to the Company at least 48 hours prior to the Firm Closing
Date, shall be delivered by or on behalf of the Company and the Selling
Stockholder to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the
Underwriters, against payment by or on behalf of the Underwriters of the
purchase price therefor by wire transfer in same-day funds (the "Wired Funds")
to the respective accounts of the Company and the Selling Stockholder. Such
delivery of and payment for the Firm Securities shall be made at the offices of
Testa, Hurwitz & Thibeault, 125 High Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02110 at 9:30
A.M., New York time, on __________, 1999, or at such other place, time or date
as the Representatives, the Company and the Selling Stockholder may agree upon
or as the Representatives may determine pursuant to Section 9 hereof, such time
and date of delivery against payment being herein referred to as the "Firm
Closing Date". The Company and the Selling Stockholder will make such
certificate or certificates for the Firm Securities available for checking and
packaging by the Representatives at the offices in New York, New York of the
Company's transfer agent or registrar or of Prudential Securities Incorporated
at least 24 hours prior to the Firm Closing Date.
(b) For the purpose of covering any over-allotments in connection with the
distribution and sale of the Firm Securities as contemplated by the Prospectus,
the Company hereby grants to the several Underwriters an option to purchase,
severally and not jointly, the Option Securities. The purchase price to be paid
for any Option Securities shall be the same price per share as the price per
share for the Firm Securities set forth above in paragraph (a) of this Section
3. The option granted hereby may be exercised as to all or any part of the
Option Securities from time to time within thirty days after the date of the
Prospectus (or, if such 30th day shall be a Saturday or Sunday or a holiday, on
the next business day thereafter when the New York Stock Exchange is open for
trading). The Underwriters shall not be under any obligation to purchase any of
the Option Securities prior to the exercise of such option. The Representatives
may from time to time exercise the option granted hereby by giving notice in
writing or by telephone (confirmed in writing) to the Company setting forth the
aggregate number of Option Securities as to which the several Underwriters are
then exercising the option and the date and time for delivery of and payment for
such Option Securities. Any such date of delivery shall be determined by the
Representatives but shall not be earlier than two business days or later than
five business days after such exercise of the option and, in any event, shall
not be earlier than the Firm Closing Date. The time and date set forth in such
notice, or such other time on such other date as the Representatives and the
Company may agree upon or as the Representatives may determine pursuant to
Section 9 hereof, is herein called the "Option Closing Date" with respect to
such Option Securities. Upon exercise of the option as provided herein, the
Company shall become obligated to sell to each of the several Underwriters, and,
subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, each of the Underwriters
(severally and not jointly) shall become obligated to purchase from the Company
the same percentage of the total number of the Option Securities as to which the
several Underwriters are then exercising the option as such Underwriter is
obligated to purchase of the aggregate number of Firm Securities, as adjusted by
the Representatives in such manner as they deem advisable to avoid fractional
shares. If the option is exercised as to all or any portion of the Option
Securities, one or more certificates in definitive form for such Option
-11-
Securities, and payment therefor, shall be delivered on the related Option
Closing Date in the manner, and upon the terms and conditions, set forth in
paragraph (a) of this Section 3, except that reference therein to the Firm
Securities and the Firm Closing Date shall be deemed, for purposes of this
paragraph (b), to refer to such Option Securities and Option Closing Date,
respectively.
(c) The Company and the Selling Stockholder hereby acknowledge that the
wire transfer by or on behalf of the Underwriters of the purchase price for any
Securities does not constitute closing of a purchase and sale of the Securities.
Only execution and delivery of a receipt for Securities by the Underwriters
indicates completion of the closing of a purchase of the Securities from the
Company or the Selling Stockholder. Furthermore, in the event that the
Underwriters wire funds to the Company or the Selling Stockholder prior to the
completion of the closing of a purchase of Securities, the Company and the
Selling Stockholder hereby acknowledge that until the Underwriters execute and
deliver a receipt for the Securities, by facsimile or otherwise, the Company and
the Selling Stockholder will not be entitled to the Wired Funds and shall return
the Wired Funds to the Underwriters as soon as practicable (by wire transfer of
same-day funds) upon demand. In the event that the closing of a purchase of
Securities is not completed and the Wired Funds are not returned by the Company
or the Selling Stockholder to the Underwriters on the same day the Wired Funds
were received by the Company or the Selling Stockholder, the Company and the
Selling Stockholder agree to pay to the Underwriters in respect of each day the
Wired Funds are not returned by it, in same-day funds, interest on the amount of
such Wired Funds in an amount representing the Underwriters' cost of financing
as reasonably determined by Prudential Securities Incorporated.
(d) It is understood that any of you, individually and not as one of the
Representatives, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment on behalf of
any Underwriter or Underwriters for any of the Securities to be purchased by
such Underwriter or Underwriters. No such payment shall relieve such
Underwriter or Underwriters from any of its or their obligations hereunder.
4. Offering by the Underwriters. Upon your authorization of the release
-----------------------------
of the Firm Securities, the several Underwriters propose to offer the Firm
Securities for sale to the public upon the terms set forth in the Prospectus.
5(A). Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees with each
-------------------------
of the Underwriters that:
(a) The Company will use its best efforts to cause the Registration
Statement, if not effective at the time of execution of this Agreement, and any
amendments thereto to become effective as promptly as possible. If required,
the Company will file the Prospectus or any Term Sheet that constitutes a part
thereof and any amendment or supplement thereto with the Commission in the
manner and within the time period required by Rules 434 and 424(b) under the
Act. During any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is required
to be delivered under the Act, the Company (i) will comply with all requirements
imposed upon it by the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder to the extent necessary to permit the continuance of sales of or
dealings in the Securities in accordance with the provisions hereof and of the
Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, and (ii) will not file with the
Commission the Prospectus, Term
-12-
Sheet or the amendment referred to in the second sentence of Section 2A(a)
hereof, any amendment or supplement to such Prospectus, Term Sheet or any
amendment to the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement of which the Representatives previously have been advised and
furnished with a copy for a reasonable period of time prior to the proposed
filing and as to which filing the Representatives shall not have given their
consent. The Company will prepare and file with the Commission, in accordance
with the rules and regulations of the Commission, promptly upon request by the
Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters, any amendments to the
Registration Statement or amendments or supplements to the Prospectus that may
be necessary or advisable in connection with the distribution of the Securities
by the several Underwriters, and will use its best efforts to cause any such
amendment to the Registration Statement to be declared effective by the
Commission as promptly as possible. The Company will advise the Representatives,
promptly after receiving notice thereof, of the time when the Registration
Statement or any amendment thereto has been filed or declared effective or the
Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto has been filed and will
provide evidence satisfactory to the Representatives of each such filing or
effectiveness.
(b) The Company will advise the Representatives, promptly after receiving
notice or obtaining knowledge thereof, of (i) the issuance by the Commission of
any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Original Registration
Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or any amendment thereto or
any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the
Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, (ii) the suspension of the
qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, (iii)
the institution, threatening or contemplation of any proceeding for any such
purpose or (iv) any request made by the Commission for amending the Original
Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, for amending
or supplementing the Prospectus or for additional information. The Company will
use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order and, if any
such stop order is issued, to obtain the withdrawal thereof as promptly as
possible.
(c) The Company will cooperate with you and counsel for the Underwriters in
connection with the qualification of the Securities for offering and sale under
the securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may
designate and will continue such qualifications in effect for as long as may be
reasonably necessary to complete the distribution of the Securities, provided,
--------
however, that in connection therewith the Company shall not be required to
- -------
qualify as a foreign corporation or to execute a general consent to service of
process in any jurisdiction.
(d) If, at any time prior to the later of (i) the final date when a
prospectus relating to the Securities is required to be delivered under the Act
or (ii) the Option Closing Date, any event occurs as a result of which the
Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, would include any untrue statement
of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make
the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading, or if for any other reason it is necessary at any time to
amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with the Act or the rules or
regulations of the Commission thereunder, the Company will promptly notify the
Representatives thereof and, subject to Section 5A(a) hereof, will prepare and
file with the
-13-
Commission, at the Company's expense, an amendment to the Registration Statement
or an amendment or supplement to the Prospectus that corrects such statement or
omission or effects such compliance.
(e) The Company will, without charge, provide (i) to the Representatives
and to counsel for the Underwriters a conformed copy of the registration
statement originally filed with respect to the Securities and each amendment
thereto (in each case including exhibits thereto) or any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement, (ii) to each other Underwriter, a conformed copy of such
registration statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and each
amendment thereto (in each case without exhibits thereto) and (iii) so long as a
prospectus relating to the Securities is required to be delivered under the Act,
as many copies of each Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment
or supplement thereto as the Representatives may reasonably request; without
limiting the application of clause (iii) of this sentence, the Company, not
later than (A) 6:00 P.M., New York City time, on the date of determination of
the public offering price, if such determination occurred at or prior to 10:00
A.M., New York City time, on such date or (B) 2:00 P.M., New York City time, on
the business day following the date of determination of the public offering
price, if such determination occurred after 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on
such date, will deliver to the Underwriters, without charge, as many copies of
the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto as the Representatives
may reasonably request for purposes of confirming orders that are expected to
settle on the Firm Closing Date.
(f) The Company, as soon as practicable, will make generally available to
its securityholders and to the Representatives an earnings statement of the
Company that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158
thereunder.
(g) The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities
as set forth under "Use of Proceeds" in the Prospectus.
(h) The Company will not, directly or indirectly, without the prior written
consent of Prudential Securities Incorporated, on behalf of the Underwriters,
offer, sell, offer to sell, contract to sell, pledge, grant any option to
purchase or otherwise sell or dispose (or announce any offer, sale, offer of
sale, contract of sale, pledge, grant of any option to purchase or other sale or
disposition) of any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into,
or exchangeable or exercisable for, shares of Common Stock for a period of 180
days after the date hereof, except pursuant to this Agreement and except (i) for
issuances pursuant to the exercise of employee stock options granted or to be
granted under the Company's stock option plans or pursuant to the Company's
Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as such plans exist on the date hereof, provided
that prior to any such issuance of securities under such plans, the
Representatives shall have received a Lock-up Agreement (as defined in Section
7(f) hereto) from each person to be issued such securities or (ii) pursuant to
the terms of convertible securities of the Company outstanding on the date
hereof. Prudential Securities Incorporated may, in its sole discretion, at any
time and without prior notice, release all or any portion of the shares of
Common Stock subject to such agreement.
-14-
(i) The Company will not, directly or indirectly, (i) take any action
designed to cause or to result in, or that has constituted or which might
reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the
price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the
Securities or (ii) (A) sell, bid for, purchase, or pay anyone any compensation
for soliciting purchases of, the Securities or (B) pay or agree to pay to any
person any compensation for soliciting another to purchase any other securities
of the Company (except for the sale of Securities by the Selling Stockholder
under this Agreement).
(j) The Company will obtain the agreements described in Section 7(f) hereof
prior to the Firm Closing Date.
(k) If at any time during the 25-day period after the Registration
Statement becomes effective or the period prior to the Option Closing Date, any
rumor, publication or event relating to or affecting the Company shall occur as
a result of which in your opinion the market price of the Common Stock has been
or is likely to be materially affected (regardless of whether such rumor,
publication or event necessitates a supplement to or amendment of the
Prospectus), the Company will, after notice from you advising the Company to the
effect set forth above, forthwith prepare, consult with you concerning the
substance of, and disseminate a press release or other public statement,
reasonably satisfactory to you, responding to or commenting on such rumor,
publication or event.
(l) If the Company elects to rely on Rule 462(b), the Company shall both
file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in compliance with
Rule 462(b) and pay the applicable fees in accordance with Rule 111 promulgated
under the Act by the earlier of (i) 10:00 P.M. Eastern time on the date of this
Agreement and (ii) the time confirmations are sent or given, as specified by
Rule 462(b)(2).
(m) The Company will cause the Securities to be duly included for quotation
on The Nasdaq Stock Market's National Market (the "Nasdaq National Market")
prior to the Firm Closing Date. The Company will use its best efforts to cause
the Securities to remain included for quotation on the Nasdaq National Market
following the Firm Closing Date.
5(B). Covenants of the Selling Stockholder. The Selling Stockholder
------------------------------------
covenants and agrees with each of the Underwriters that:
(a) the Selling Stockholder will not, directly or indirectly, without the
prior written consent of Prudential Securities Incorporated, offer, sell, offer
to sell, contract to sell, pledge, grant any option to purchase or otherwise
sell or dispose (or announce any offer, sale, offer of sale, contract of sale,
pledge, grant of any option to purchase or other sale or disposition) of any
Securities legally or beneficially owned by the Selling Stockholder or any
securities convertible into, or exchangeable or exercisable for, Securities for
a period of 180 days after the date hereof. Prudential Securities Incorporated
may, in its sole discretion, at any time and without prior notice, release all
or any portion of the shares of Common Stock subject to such agreements;
provided, however, that notwithstanding the foregoing restrictions on transfer
- -------- -------
(collectively, the
-15-
"Restrictions"), the Selling Stockholder shall be permitted to make the
following transfers: (i) transfers of shares of Common Stock made by gift,
provided the donee thereof agrees in writing to be bound by the Restrictions;
(ii) transfers of shares of Common Stock to members of the Selling Stockholder's
immediate family or to a trust or similar estate planning entity established for
the benefit of the Selling Stockholder or members of the Selling Stockholder's
immediate family, provided that each transferee agrees in writing to be bound by
the Restrictions; and (iii) transfers of shares of Common Stock to the
transferor's affiliates, as such term is defined in Rule 405 under the Act,
provided that each transferee agrees in writing to be bound by the Restrictions.
(b) the Selling Stockholder will not, directly or indirectly, (i) take any
action designed to cause or result in, or that has constituted or which might
reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the
price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the
Securities or (ii) (A) sell, bid for, purchase, or pay anyone any compensation
for soliciting purchases of, the Securities or (B) pay or agree to pay to any
person any compensation for soliciting another to purchase any other securities
of the Company (except for the sale of Securities by the Selling Stockholder
under this Agreement).
(c) in order to document the Underwriters' compliance with the reporting
and withholding provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended,
with respect to the transactions herein contemplated, such Selling Stockholder
agrees to deliver to you prior to or on the Firm Closing Date, as hereinafter
defined, a properly completed and executed United States Treasury Department
Form W-8 or W-9 (or other applicable form of statement specified by Treasury
Department regulations in lieu thereof).
(d) As soon as the Selling Stockholder is advised thereof, the Selling
Stockholder will advise the Representatives (and immediately confirm such advice
in writing), (i) of receipt by the Selling Stockholder or by any representative
or agent of the Selling Stockholder, of any communication from the Commission
relating to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Preliminary
Prospectus, or any notice or order of the Commission relating to the Company or
the Selling Stockholder in connection with the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement and (ii) of the happening of any event which makes or may make any
statement made in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Preliminary
Prospectus untrue or that requires the making of any change in the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus or such Preliminary Prospectus, as the case may be, in
order to make any such statement, in light of the circumstances in which it was
made, not misleading.
6. Expenses. The Company will pay all costs and expenses incident to the
--------
performance of its obligations and those of the Selling Stockholder under this
Agreement, whether or not the transactions contemplated herein are consummated
or this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 11 hereof, including all
costs and expenses incident to (i) the printing or other production of documents
with respect to the transactions, including any costs of printing the
registration statement originally filed with respect to the Securities and any
amendment thereto, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, any Preliminary
Prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendment or
-16-
supplement thereto, this Agreement and any blue sky memoranda, (ii) all
arrangements relating to the delivery to the Underwriters of copies of the
foregoing documents, (iii) the fees and disbursements of the counsel, the
accountants and any other experts or advisors retained by the Company, (iv)
preparation, issuance and delivery to the Underwriters of any certificates
evidencing the Securities, including transfer agent's and registrar's fees, (v)
the qualification of the Securities under state securities and blue sky laws,
including filing fees and fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters
relating thereto, (vi) the filing fees of the Commission and the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. relating to the Securities, (vii) any
quotation of the Securities on the Nasdaq National Market, (viii) all expenses
of the Company's officers in connection with any meetings with prospective
investors in the Securities and (ix) advertising relating to the offering of the
Securities which has been specifically requested by the Company and not the
Underwriters. If the sale of the Securities provided for herein is not
consummated because any condition to the obligations of the Underwriters set
forth in Section 7 hereof is not satisfied, because this Agreement is terminated
pursuant to Sections 11(a)(i) and (ii) hereof or because of any failure, refusal
or inability on the part of the Company to perform all obligations and satisfy
all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder other than by
reason of a default by any of the Underwriters, the Company will reimburse the
Underwriters severally upon demand for all out-of-pocket expenses (including
counsel fees and disbursements) that shall have been reasonably incurred by them
in connection with the proposed purchase and sale of the Securities. The Company
shall not in any event be liable to any of the Underwriters for the loss of
anticipated profits from the transactions covered by this Agreement.
7. Conditions of the Underwriters' Obligations. The obligations of the
-------------------------------------------
several Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Firm Securities shall be
subject, in the Representatives' sole discretion, to the accuracy of the
representations and warranties of the Company and the Selling Stockholder
contained herein as of the date hereof and as of the Firm Closing Date, as if
made on and as of the Firm Closing Date, to the accuracy of the statements of
the Company's officers made pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the
performance by the Company and the Selling Stockholder of their respective
covenants and agreements hereunder and to the following additional conditions:
(a) If the Original Registration Statement or any amendment thereto filed
prior to the Firm Closing Date has not been declared effective as of the time of
execution hereof, the Original Registration Statement or such amendment and, if
the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 462(b), the Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement shall have been declared effective not later than the earlier of (i)
11:00 A.M., New York time, on the date on which the amendment to the
registration statement originally filed with respect to the Securities or to the
Registration Statement, as the case may be, containing information regarding the
initial public offering price of the Securities has been filed with the
Commission and (ii) the time confirmations are sent or given as specified by
Rule 462(b)(2), or with respect to the Original Registration Statement, or such
later time and date as shall have been consented to by the Representatives; if
required, the Prospectus or any Term Sheet that constitutes a part thereof and
any amendment or supplement thereto shall have been filed with the Commission in
the manner and within the time period required by Rules 434 and 424(b) under the
Act; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or
any amendment thereto shall have been issued, and no proceedings for that
purpose shall have been instituted or threatened or, to the knowledge of the
Company, the Selling Stockholder or the Representatives,
-17-
shall be contemplated by the Commission; and the Company and the Selling
Stockholder shall have complied with any request of the Commission for
additional information (to be included in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus or otherwise).
(b)(1) The Representatives shall have received an opinion, dated the Firm
Closing Date, of Thompson & Knight, P.C., counsel for the Company, to the effect
that:
(i) the Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a
corporation in good standing under the laws of Delaware and is duly
qualified to transact business as a foreign corporation and is in good
standing under the laws of the State of Arkansas;
(ii) the Company has corporate power to own or lease its properties
and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus, and the Company has corporate power to enter into this
Agreement and to carry out all the terms and provisions hereof to be
carried out by it;
(iii) the Company has an authorized, issued and outstanding
capitalization as set forth in the Prospectus; all of the issued shares of
capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued
and are fully paid and nonassessable, have been issued in compliance with
all applicable federal and state securities laws and, to the knowledge of
such counsel, were not issued in violation of or subject to any preemptive
rights or other rights to subscribe for or purchase securities; the Firm
Securities have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of
the Company and, when issued and delivered to and paid for by the
Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid
and nonassessable; the Securities have been duly included for trading on
the Nasdaq National Market; no holders of outstanding shares of capital
stock of the Company are entitled as such to any preemptive or other rights
to subscribe for any of the Securities under the Company's Certificate of
Incorporation or By-laws; and no holders of securities of the Company have
any rights that have not been waived to have such securities registered
under the Registration Statement;
(iv) the statements set forth under the heading "Description of
Capital Stock" in the Prospectus, insofar as such statements purport to
summarize certain provisions of the capital stock of the Company, provide a
fair summary of such provisions; and the statements set forth under the
headings "Certain Transactions" in the Prospectus, insofar as such
statements constitute a summary of the legal matters, documents or
proceedings referred to therein, provide a fair summary of such legal
matters, documents and proceedings in all materials respects;
(v) the execution and delivery of this Agreement have been duly
authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company and this
Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Company;
-18-
(vi) To the knowledge of such counsel, (A) no legal or governmental
proceedings are pending to which the Company is a party or to which the
property of the Company is subject that are required to be described in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus and are not described therein,
and, to the knowledge of such counsel, no such proceedings have been
threatened against the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or with respect
to any of their respective properties and (B) no contract or other document
is required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus
or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement that is not
described therein or filed as required;
(vii) the issuance, offering and sale of the Securities to the
Underwriters by the Company pursuant to this Agreement, the compliance by
the Company with the other provisions of this Agreement and the
consummation of the other transactions herein contemplated do not (A)
require the consent, approval, authorization, registration or qualification
of or with any governmental authority, except such as have been obtained
and such as may be required by the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc. or under state securities or blue sky laws, or (B) conflict
with or result in a breach or violation of (1) any of the terms and
provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed
of trust, lease or other agreement or instrument, that is material to the
Company and known to such counsel and to which the Company is a party or by
which the Company or any of its properties are bound, (2) the charter
documents or by-laws of the Company or (3) any statute or any judgment,
decree, order, rule or regulation of any court or other governmental
authority or any arbitrator known to such counsel and applicable to the
Company, the violation of which would have a material adverse effect on the
Company;
(viii) the Registration Statement is effective under the Act; any
required filing of the Prospectus, or any Term Sheet that constitutes a
part thereof, pursuant to Rules 434 and 424(b) has been made within the
time period required by Rules 434 and 424(b); and, to the knowledge of such
counsel after due inquiry, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of
the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto has been issued, and,
to the knowledge of such counsel, no proceedings for that purpose have been
instituted or threatened or are contemplated by the Commission;
(ix) the Registration Statement originally filed with respect to the
Securities and each amendment thereto, any Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement and the Prospectus (in each case, other than the financial
statements, schedules and other financial information contained therein, as
to which such counsel need express no opinion) comply as to form in all
material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act and the rules
and regulations of the Commission thereunder; and
(x) if the Company elects to rely on Rule 434, the Prospectus is
not "materially different", as such term is used in Rule 434, from the
prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time of its
effectiveness or an effective post-effective amendment thereto (including
such information that is permitted to be omitted pursuant to Rule 430A).
-19-
Such counsel shall make the statements set forth in the following
paragraph: During the course of the preparation of the Registration Statement,
we participated in conferences with officials and representatives of the
Company, representatives of the Underwriters and KPMG LLP, the independent
certified public accountants of the Company, at which the contents of the
Registration Statement and Prospectus and related matters were discussed.
Although we have not verified the accuracy or completeness of the statements
contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, nor have we passed
upon or assumed any responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the
statements contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, no facts
have come to our attention that lead us to believe that, at the time the
Registration Statement became effective, the Registration Statement (other than
the financial statements including supporting schedules and other financial and
statistical information, as to which we express no comment) contained any untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or
that the Prospectus, on the date it was issued, contained any untrue statement
of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading (other than the financial statements including supporting
schedules and other financial and statistical information, as to which we
express no comment).
In rendering any such opinion, such counsel may rely, as to matters of
fact, to the extent such counsel deems proper, on certificates of responsible
officers of the Company and public officials.
References to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus in this
paragraph (b) shall include any amendment or supplement thereto at the date of
such opinion.
(b)(2) The Representatives shall have received an opinion, dated the Firm
Closing Date, of Thompson & Knight, P.C. (or such other counsel acceptable to
the Representatives) substantially to the effect that:
(i) this Agreement and the Power-of-Attorney have been duly executed
and delivered by the Selling Stockholder; the Power-of-Attorney is the
legal, valid, binding and enforceable instrument of the Selling
Stockholder, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws
affecting creditors' rights generally and subject, as to enforceability, to
general principles of equity and public policy (regardless of whether
enforcement is sought in a proceeding in equity or at law);
(ii) the delivery by the Selling Stockholder to the several
Underwriters of certificates for the Securities being sold hereunder by the
Selling Stockholder against payment therefor as provided herein, assuming
the Underwriters have purchased the Securities for value in good faith and
without any notice of any security interest, lien, encumbrance, equity,
claim or other adverse claim, will convey good and valid title to such
Securities to the several Underwriters, free and clear of all security
interests, liens, encumbrances, equity, claims or other adverse claims
(other than those arising by or through the Underwriters); and
-20-
(iii) the sale of the Securities to the Underwriters by the Selling
Stockholder pursuant to this Agreement, the compliance by the Selling
Stockholder with the other provisions of this Agreement and the
consummation of the other transactions herein contemplated do not (i)
require the consent, approval, authorization, registration or qualification
of or with any governmental authority, except such as have been obtained
and such as may be required by the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc. or under state securities or blue sky laws, or (ii) conflict
with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions
of, or constitute a default under any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust,
lease or other agreement or instrument that is material to the Selling
Stockholder and known to such counsel, to which such Selling Stockholder is
a party or by which the Selling Stockholder or any of the Selling
Stockholder's properties are bound, or any statute or any judgment, decree,
order, rule or regulation of any court or other governmental authority or
any arbitrator applicable to the Selling Stockholder the violation of which
would prevent the Selling Stockholder from performing its obligations
hereunder.
In rendering any such opinion, such counsel may rely, as to matters of
fact, to the extent such counsel deems proper, on certificates of the Selling
Stockholder and representations and warranties of the Company and the Selling
Stockholder contained herein and in the Power of Attorney.
(c) The Representatives shall have received an opinion, dated the Firm
Closing Date, of Testa, Hurwitz & Thibeault, LLP, counsel for the Underwriters,
with respect to the issuance and sale of the Firm Securities, the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, and such other related matters as the
Representatives may reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to
such counsel such documents as they may reasonably request for the purpose of
enabling them to pass upon such matters.
(d) The Representatives shall have received from KPMG LLP a letter or
letters dated, respectively, the date hereof and the Firm Closing Date, in form
and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect that:
(i) they are independent accountants with respect to the Company
within the meaning of the Act and the applicable rules and regulations
thereunder;
(ii) in their opinion, the audited financial statements and schedules
examined by them and included in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus comply in form in all material respects with the applicable
accounting requirements of the Act and the related published rules and
regulations;
(iii) on the basis of a reading of the latest available interim
unaudited condensed financial statements of the Company, a reading of the
unaudited amounts for web-based product revenues, CD-ROM product revenues,
total revenues, cost of revenues, loss from operations, net loss and net
loss per share for the six months ending June 30, 1999 and of the unaudited
---------------------------
financial statements of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries for
the
-21-
periods from which such amounts are derived, carrying out certain specified
procedures (which do not constitute an examination made in accordance with
generally accepted auditing standards) that would not necessarily reveal
matters of significance with respect to the comments set forth in this
paragraph (iii), a reading of the minute books of the shareholders, the
board of directors and any committees thereof of the Company, and inquiries
of certain officials of the Company who have responsibility for financial
and accounting matters, nothing came to their attention that caused them to
believe that:
(A) the unaudited condensed financial statements of the Company
included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus do not comply in
form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements
of the Act and the related published rules and regulations thereunder or
are not in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles applied
on a basis substantially consistent with that of the audited financial
statements included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus;
(B) the unaudited amounts for Web-based product revenues, CD-ROM
product revenues, total revenues, cost of revenues, loss from operations,
net loss and net loss per share, included in the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus do not agree with the amounts set forth in any unaudited
financial statements for those same periods or are not in conformity with
generally accepted accounting principles applied on a basis substantially
consistent with that of the corresponding amounts in the audited financial
statements included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus; and
(C) at a specific date not more than five business days prior to the
date of such letter, there were any changes in the capital stock or long-
term debt of the Company or any decreases in net current assets or
stockholders' equity of the Company, in each case compared with amounts
shown on the June 30, 1999 unaudited balance sheet included in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus, or for the period from July 1,
1999 to such specified date there were any decreases, as compared with the
---
corresponding period in the preceding year, in of the Company except in all
------------------------------------------
instances for changes, decreases or increases set forth in such letter;
(iv) they have carried out certain specified procedures, not
constituting an audit, with respect to certain amounts, percentages and
financial information that are derived from the general accounting records
of the Company and are included in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus under the captions Prospectus Summary, Risk Factors, Use of
Proceeds, Dilution, Capitalization, Selected Financial Data, Management's
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,
Business, Management, Certain Transactions, Description of Capital Stock
and Shares Eligible for Future Sale and in Exhibit 11 to the Registration
Statement, and have compared such amounts, percentages and financial
information with such records of the Company and with information derived
from such records and have found them to be in agreement, excluding any
questions of legal interpretation.
-22-
In the event that the letters referred to above set forth any such
changes, decreases or increases, it shall be a further condition to the
obligations of the Underwriters that (A) such letters shall be accompanied by a
written explanation of the Company as to the significance thereof, unless the
Representatives deem such explanation unnecessary, and (B) such changes,
decreases or increases do not, in the sole judgment of the Representatives, make
it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the purchase and delivery of the
Securities as contemplated by the Registration Statement, as amended as of the
date hereof.
References to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus in this
paragraph (d) with respect to either letter referred to above shall include any
amendment or supplement thereto at the date of such letter.
(e) The Representatives shall have received a certificate, dated the Firm
Closing Date, of the principal executive officer and the principal financial or
accounting officer of the Company to the effect that:
(i) the representations and warranties of the Company in this
Agreement are true and correct as if made on and as of the Firm Closing
Date; the Registration Statement, as amended as of the Firm Closing Date,
does not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state
any material fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,
and the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented as of the Firm Closing Date,
does not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state
any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and
the Company has performed all covenants and agreements and satisfied all
conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Firm
Closing Date;
(ii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement or any amendment thereto has been issued, and, to the Company's
knowledge, no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or
threatened or are contemplated by the Commission; and
(iii) subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is
given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, neither the Company
nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained any material loss or interference
with their respective businesses or properties from fire, flood, hurricane,
accident or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from
any labor dispute or any legal or governmental proceeding, and there has
not been any material adverse change, or any development involving a
prospective material adverse change, in the condition (financial or
otherwise), management, business prospects, net worth or results of
operations of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, except in each case
as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus.
(f) The Representatives shall have received from each person who is a
director or officer of the Company or who owns shares of Common Stock an
agreement ("Lock-up Agreement") to the
-23-
effect that such person will not, directly or indirectly, without the prior
written consent of Prudential Securities Incorporated, on behalf of the
Underwriters, offer, sell, offer to sell, contract to sell, pledge, grant any
option to purchase or otherwise sell or dispose (or announce any offer, sale,
offer of sale, contract of sale, pledge, grant of any option to purchase or
other sale or disposition) of any shares of Common Stock or any securities
convertible into, or exchangeable or exercisable for, shares of Common Stock for
a period of 180 days after the date of this Agreement; provided, however, that
-------- -------
notwithstanding the Restrictions, such person shall be permitted to make the
following transfers: (i) transfers of shares of Common Stock made by gift,
provided the donee thereof agrees in writing to be bound by the Restrictions;
(ii) transfers of shares of Common Stock to members of such person's immediate
family or to a trust or similar estate planning entity established for the
benefit of such person or members of such person's immediate family, provided
that each transferee agrees in writing to be bound by the Restrictions; and
(iii) transfers of shares of Common Stock to the transferor's affiliates, as
such term is defined in Rule 405 under the Act, provided that each transferee
agrees in writing to be bound by the Restrictions. Prudential Securities
Incorporated may, in its sole discretion, at any time and without prior notice,
release all or any portion of the shares of Common Stock subject to such
agreements.
(g) On or before the Firm Closing Date, the Representatives and counsel for
the Underwriters shall have received such further certificates, documents or
other information as they may have reasonably requested from the Company.
(h) Prior to the commencement of the offering of the Securities, the
Securities shall have been included for trading on the Nasdaq National Market.
All opinions, certificates, letters and documents delivered pursuant to
this Agreement will comply with the provisions hereof only if they are
reasonably satisfactory in all material respects to the Representatives and
counsel for the Underwriters. The Company shall furnish to the Representatives
such conformed copies of such opinions, certificates, letters and documents in
such quantities as the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters shall
reasonably request.
The respective obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase and pay
for any Option Securities shall be subject, in their discretion, to each of the
foregoing conditions to purchase the Firm Securities, except that all references
to the Firm Securities and the Firm Closing Date shall be deemed to refer to
such Option Securities and the related Option Closing Date, respectively.
8. Indemnification and Contribution. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify
---------------------------------
and hold harmless each Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any
Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act"), against any losses,
claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Underwriter or
such controlling person may become subject under the Act or otherwise, insofar
as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof)
arise out of, caused by, related to, based upon or arising out of or in
connection with:
-24-
(i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement made by the
Company in Section 2(A) of this Agreement,
(ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material
fact contained in (A) the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto,
any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement
thereto or (B) any application or other document, or any amendment or
supplement thereto, executed by the Company or based upon written
information furnished by or on behalf of the Company filed in any
jurisdiction in order to qualify the Securities under the securities or
blue sky laws thereof or filed with the Commission or any securities
association or securities exchange (each an "Application"),
(iii) the omission or alleged omission to state in the Registration
Statement or any amendment thereto, any Preliminary Prospectus or the
Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Application a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading; or
(iv) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material
fact contained in any audio or visual materials, including, without
limitation, slides, videos, films and tape recordings used in connection
with the marketing of the Securities, including, without limitation,
statements communicated to securities analysts employed by the
Underwriters,
and will reimburse, as incurred, each Underwriter and each such controlling
person for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter
or such controlling person in connection with investigating, defending against
or appearing as a third-party witness in connection with any such loss, claim,
damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the Company will not be
-------- -------
liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or
liability arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission made in such registration statement or
any amendment thereto, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any
amendment or supplement thereto or any Application in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter
through the Representatives specifically for use therein; and provided, further,
-------- -------
that the Company will not be liable to any Underwriter or any person controlling
such Underwriter with respect to any such untrue statement or omission made in
any Preliminary Prospectus that is corrected in the Prospectus (or any amendment
or supplement thereto) if the person asserting any such loss, claim, damage or
liability purchased Securities from such Underwriter but was not sent or given a
copy of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) at or prior to the written
confirmation of the sale of such Securities to such person in any case where
such delivery of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) is required by the
Act, unless such failure to deliver the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented)
was a result of noncompliance by the Company with Section 5A(d) and (e) of this
Agreement. If the Company's reimbursement of legal or other expenses incurred
by an Underwriter or controlling person is subsequently determined by a court of
competent jurisdiction to be required to be remitted back to the Company, each
Underwriter or controlling person will promptly return to the Company all
amounts received from the Company.
-25-
This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which the Company
may otherwise have. The Company will not, without the prior written consent of
the Underwriter or Underwriters purchasing, in the aggregate, more than fifty
percent (50%) of the Securities, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of
any judgment in any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in
respect of which indemnification may be sought hereunder (whether or not any
such Underwriter or any person who controls any such Underwriter within the
meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act is a party to
such claim, action, suit or proceeding), unless such settlement, compromise or
consent includes an unconditional release of all of the Underwriters and such
controlling persons from all liability arising out of such claim, action, suit
or proceeding.
(b) The Selling Stockholder agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the
Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signs the Registration
Statement, each Underwriter and each person who controls the Company or any
Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the
Exchange Act against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the
Company, any such director, officer, such Underwriter or any such controlling
person may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar
as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof)
arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement made by the Selling Stockholder in Section 2(B) of this Agreement,
(ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact
contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto, any
Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto,
or any Application or (iii) the omission or the alleged omission to state
therein a material fact required to be stated in the Registration Statement or
any amendment thereto, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any
amendment or supplement thereto, or any Application or necessary to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made,
not misleading, but with respect to clauses (ii) and (iii) of this sentence only
to the extent that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission
or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by the Selling Stockholder specifically for
use therein; provided, however, that the Selling Stockholder will not be liable
-------- -------
to any Underwriter or any person controlling such Underwriter with respect to
any such untrue statement or omission made in any Preliminary Prospectus that is
corrected in the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) if the
person asserting any such loss, claim, damage or liability purchased Securities
from such Underwriter but was not sent or given a copy of the Prospectus (as
amended or supplemented) at or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of
such Securities to such person in any case where such delivery of the Prospectus
(as amended or supplemented) is required by the Act, unless such failure to
deliver the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) was a result of
noncompliance by the Company with Section 5A(d) and (e) of this Agreement; and,
subject to the limitation set forth immediately preceding this clause, will
reimburse, as incurred, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the
Company, any such director, officer, such Underwriter or any such controlling
person in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim,
damage, liability or any action in respect thereof. If the Selling
Stockholder's reimbursement of legal or other expenses incurred by any one of
the persons or entities specified in the preceding sentence is subsequently
determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be required to be remitted
back to the Selling Stockholder, each such person or
-26-
entity will promptly return to the Selling Stockholder all amounts received from
the Selling Stockholder. In no event, however, shall the liability of the
Selling Stockholder for indemnification under this Section 8(b), contribution
under Section 8(e), or breach of the representations and warranties contained in
Section 2(B) exceed the proceeds, net of underwriting discounts and commissions,
received by the Selling Stockholder from the Underwriters in the offering. This
indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which the Selling
Stockholder may otherwise have. The Selling Stockholder will not, without the
prior written consent of the Underwriter or Underwriters purchasing, in the
aggregate, more than fifty percent (50%) of the Securities, settle or compromise
or consent to the entry of any judgment in any pending or threatened claim,
action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification may be sought
hereunder (whether or not any such Underwriter or any person who controls any
such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of
the Exchange Act is a party to such claim, action, suit or proceeding), unless
such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of all
of the Underwriters and such controlling persons from all liability arising out
of such claim, action, suit or proceeding.
(c) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, will indemnify and hold
harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signed the
Registration Statement, the Selling Stockholder and each person, if any, who
controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20
of the Exchange Act against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which
the Company or any such director, officer or controlling person or the Selling
Stockholder may become subject under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such
losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out
of or are based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any
material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto,
any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement
thereto, or any Application or (ii) the omission or the alleged omission to
state therein a material fact required to be stated in the Registration
Statement or any amendment thereto, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus
or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Application or necessary to make
the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to
the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission
or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through the
Representatives specifically for use therein: and, subject to the limitation set
forth immediately preceding this clause, will reimburse, as incurred, any legal
or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company or any such director,
officer or controlling person or the Selling Stockholder in connection with
investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or any action
in respect thereof. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any
liability which such Underwriter may otherwise have.
(d) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8 of
notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a
claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this
Section 8, notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof; but the
omission so to notify the indemnifying party will not relieve it from any
liability which it may have to any indemnified party otherwise than under this
Section 8. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party, and
it notifies the indemnifying party of the
-27-
commencement thereof, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate
therein and, to the extent that it may wish, jointly with any other indemnifying
party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel
satisfactory to such indemnified party; provided, however, that if the
-------- -------
defendants in any such action include both the indemnified party and the
indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded
that there may be one or more legal defenses available to it and/or other
indemnified parties which are different from or additional to those available to
the indemnifying party, the indemnifying party shall not have the right to
direct the defense of such action on behalf of such indemnified party or parties
and such indemnified party or parties shall have the right to select separate
counsel to defend such action on behalf of such indemnified party or parties.
After notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its
election so to assume the defense thereof and approval by such indemnified party
of counsel appointed to defend such action, the indemnifying party will not be
liable to such indemnified party under this Section 8 for any legal or other
expenses, other than reasonable costs of investigation, subsequently incurred by
such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof, unless (i) the
indemnified party shall have employed separate counsel in accordance with the
proviso to the next preceding sentence (it being understood, however, that in
connection with such action the indemnifying party shall not be liable for the
expenses of more than one separate counsel (in addition to local counsel) in any
one action or separate but substantially similar actions in the same
jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances,
designated by the Representatives in the case of paragraph (a) of this Section
8, representing the indemnified parties under such paragraph (a) who are parties
to such action or actions) or (ii) the indemnifying party does not promptly
retain counsel satisfactory to the indemnified party or (iii) the indemnifying
party has authorized the employment of counsel for the indemnified party at the
expense of the indemnifying party. After such notice from the indemnifying party
to such indemnified party, the indemnifying party will not be liable for the
costs and expenses of any settlement of such action effected by such indemnified
party without the consent of the indemnifying party.
(e) In circumstances in which the indemnity agreement provided for in the
preceding paragraphs of this Section 8 is unavailable or insufficient, for any
reason, to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims,
damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), each indemnifying party,
in order to provide for just and equitable contribution, shall contribute to the
amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) in such
proportion as is appropriate to reflect (i) the relative benefits received by
the indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and the indemnified party on
the other from the offering of the Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided
by the foregoing clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, not only such
relative benefits but also the relative fault of the indemnifying party or
parties on the one hand and the indemnified party on the other in connection
with the statements or omissions or alleged statements or omissions that
resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect
thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative
benefits received by the Company and the Selling Stockholder on the one hand and
the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as
the total proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the
Company and the Selling Stockholder bear to the total underwriting discounts and
commissions received by the Underwriters. The relative fault of the parties
shall be determined by reference to,
-28-
among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material
fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to
information supplied by the Company, the Selling Stockholder or the
Underwriters, the parties' relative intents, knowledge, access to information
and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission, and any other
equitable considerations appropriate in the circumstances. The Company, the
Selling Stockholder and the Underwriters agree that it would not be equitable if
the amount of such contribution were determined by pro rata or per capita
allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such
purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account
the equitable considerations referred to above in this paragraph (d).
Notwithstanding any other provision of this paragraph (d), no Underwriter shall
be obligated to make contributions hereunder that in the aggregate exceed the
total public offering price of the Securities purchased by such Underwriter
under this Agreement, less the aggregate amount of any damages that such
Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay in respect of the same or any
substantially similar claim, and no person guilty of fraudulent
misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11 (f) of the Act) shall be
entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation. The Underwriters' obligations to contribute hereunder are
several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not
joint, and contributions among Underwriters shall be governed by the provisions
of the Prudential Securities Incorporated Master Agreement Among Underwriters.
For purposes of this paragraph (e), each person, if any, who controls an
Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the
Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and
each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the
Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within
the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, shall
have the same rights to contribution as the Company.
9. Default of Underwriters. If one or more Underwriters default in their
-----------------------
obligations to purchase Firm Securities or Option Securities hereunder and the
aggregate number of such Securities that such defaulting Underwriter or
Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase is ten percent or less of the
aggregate number of Firm Securities or Option Securities to be purchased by all
of the Underwriters at such time hereunder, the other Underwriters may make
arrangements satisfactory to the Representatives for the purchase of such
Securities by other persons (who may include one or more of the non-defaulting
Underwriters, including the Representatives), but if no such arrangements are
made by the Firm Closing Date or the related Option Closing Date, as the case
may be, the other Underwriters shall be obligated severally in proportion to
their respective commitments hereunder to purchase the Firm Securities or Option
Securities that such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to
purchase. If one or more Underwriters so default with respect to an aggregate
number of Securities that is more than ten percent of the aggregate number of
Firm Securities or Option Securities, as the case may be, to be purchased by all
of the Underwriters at such time hereunder, and if arrangements satisfactory to
the Representatives are not made within 36 hours after such default for the
purchase by other persons (who may include one or more of the non-defaulting
Underwriters, including the Representatives) of the Securities with respect to
which such default occurs, this Agreement will terminate without liability on
the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company or the Selling
Stockholder other than as provided in Section 10 hereof. In the event of any
default by one or more Underwriters as described in this Section 9, the
Representatives shall
-29-
have the right to postpone the Firm Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as
the case may be, established as provided in Section 3 hereof for not more than
seven business days in order that any necessary changes may be made in the
arrangements or documents for the purchase and delivery of the Firm Securities
or Option Securities, as the case may be. As used in this Agreement, the term
"Underwriter" includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this
Section 9. Nothing herein shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from
liability for its default.
10. Survival. The respective representations, warranties, agreements,
--------
covenants, indemnities and other statements of the Company, its officers, the
Selling Stockholder and the several Underwriters set forth in this Agreement or
made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to this Agreement shall
remain in full force and effect, regardless of (i) any investigation made by or
on behalf of the Company, any of its officers or directors, the Selling
Stockholder, any Underwriter or any controlling person referred to in Section 8
hereof and (ii) delivery of and payment for the Securities. The respective
agreements, covenants, indemnities and other statements set forth in Sections 6
and 8 hereof shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any
termination or cancellation of this Agreement.
11. Termination. (a) This Agreement may be terminated with respect to the
-----------
Firm Securities or any Option Securities in the sole discretion of the
Representatives by notice to the Company and the Selling Stockholder given prior
to the Firm Closing Date or the related Option Closing Date, respectively, in
the event that the Company or the Selling Stockholder shall have failed, refused
or been unable to perform all obligations and satisfy all conditions on its part
to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior thereto or, if at or prior to
the Firm Closing Date or such Option Closing Date, respectively,
(i) the Company or any of its subsidiaries shall have, in the sole
judgment of the Representatives, sustained any material loss or
interference with their respective businesses or properties from fire,
flood, hurricane, accident or other calamity, whether or not covered by
insurance, or from any labor dispute or any legal or governmental
proceeding or there shall have been any material adverse change, or any
development involving a prospective material adverse change (including
without limitation a change in management or control of the Company), in
the condition (financial or otherwise), business prospects, net worth or
results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, except in each
case as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus (exclusive of any
amendment or supplement thereto);
(ii) trading in the Common Stock shall have been suspended by the
Commission;
(iii) trading in the Common Stock shall have been suspended by the
Nasdaq National Market or trading in securities generally on the New York
Stock Exchange or Nasdaq National Market shall have been suspended or
minimum or maximum prices shall have been established on such exchange or
market system;
(iv) a banking moratorium shall have been declared by New York or
United States authorities; or
-30-
(v) there shall have been (A) an outbreak or escalation of
hostilities between the United States and any foreign power, (B) an
outbreak or escalation of any other insurrection or armed conflict
involving the United States or (C) any other calamity or crisis or material
adverse change in general economic, political or financial conditions
having an effect on the U.S. financial markets that, in the sole judgment
of the Representatives, makes it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with
the public offering or the delivery of the Securities as contemplated by
the Registration Statement, as amended as of the date hereof.
(b) Termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 11 shall be
without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section
10 hereof.
12. Information Supplied by Underwriters. The statements set forth in the
-------------------------------------
last paragraph on the front cover page and under the heading "Underwriting" in
any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus (to the extent such statements
relate to the Underwriters) constitute the only information furnished by any
Underwriter through the Representatives to the Company for the purposes of
Sections 2A(b) and 8 hereof. The Underwriters confirm that such statements (to
such extent) are correct.
13. Notices. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and, if
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sent to any of the Underwriters, shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or
facsimile transmission and confirmed in writing to Prudential Securities
Incorporated, One New York Plaza, New York, New York 10292, Attention: Equity
Transactions Group, with a copy to Testa, Hurwitz & Thibeault, LLP, 125 High
Street, Boston, MA 02110, Attention: Lawrence S. Wittenberg, Esq.; and if sent
to the Company, shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile
transmission and confirmed in writing to the Company at 105 North 28th Street,
Van Buren, AR 72956, Attention: Kyle D. Parker, with a copy to Thompson &
Knight, P.C., 1700 Pacific Avenue, Suite 3300, Dallas, TX 75201, Attention:
Kenn W. Webb, Esq.; and if sent to the Selling Stockholder, shall be delivered
or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission and confirmed in writing to the
Selling Stockholder at 2720 S. Waldron, Fort Smith, AR 72903.
14. Successors. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and shall be
----------
binding upon the several Underwriters, the Company and the Selling Stockholder
and their respective successors and legal representatives, and nothing expressed
or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any
other person any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect
of this Agreement, or any provisions herein contained, this Agreement and all
conditions and provisions hereof being intended to be and being for the sole and
exclusive benefit of such persons and for the benefit of no other person except
that (i) the indemnities of the Company and the Selling Stockholder contained in
Section 8 of this Agreement shall also be for the benefit of any person or
persons who control any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act
or Section 20 of the Exchange Act and (ii) the indemnities of the Underwriters
contained in Section 8 of this Agreement shall also be for the benefit of the
directors of the Company, the officers of the Company who have signed the
Registration Statement and any person or persons who control the Company within
the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act and the
Selling
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Stockholder. No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed a
successor because of such purchase.
15. Applicable Law. The validity and interpretation of this Agreement,
--------------
and the terms and conditions set forth herein, shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without giving
effect to any provisions relating to conflicts of laws.
16. Consent to Jurisdiction and Service of Process. All judicial
----------------------------------------------
proceedings arising out of or relating to this Agreement may be brought in any
state or federal court of competent jurisdiction in the State of New York, and
by execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Selling Shareholder accepts for
itself and in connection with its properties, generally and unconditionally, the
nonexclusive jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts and waives any defense of
forum non conveniens and irrevocably agrees to be bound by any judgment rendered
thereby in connection with this Agreement. The Selling Shareholder designates
and appoints Kyle D Parker, and such other persons as may hereafter be selected
by the Selling Shareholder irrevocably agreeing in writing to so serve, as its
agent to receive on its behalf service of all process in any such proceedings in
any such court, such service being hereby acknowledged by the Selling
Shareholder to be effective and binding service in every respect. A copy of any
such process so served shall be mailed by registered mail to the Selling
Shareholder at its address provided in Section 13 hereof; provided, however,
-------- -------
that, unless otherwise provided by applicable law, any failure to mail such copy
shall not affect the validity of service of such process. If any agent
appointed by the Selling Shareholder refuses to accept service, the Selling
Shareholder hereby agrees that service of process sufficient for personal
jurisdiction in any action against the Selling Shareholder in the State of New
York may be made by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, to
the Selling Shareholder at its address provided in Section 13 hereof, and the
Selling Shareholder hereby acknowledges that such service shall be effective and
binding in every respect. Nothing herein shall affect the right to serve
process in any other manner permitted by law or shall limit the right of any
Underwriter to bring proceedings against the Selling Shareholder in the courts
of any other jurisdiction.
17. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more
------------
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which
together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
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If the foregoing correctly sets forth our understanding, please indicate
your acceptance thereof in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon
this letter shall constitute an agreement binding the Company and each of the
several Underwriters.
Very truly yours,
LOISLAW.COM, INC.
By: __________________________________
Name: Kyle D. Parker
Title: Chief Executive Officer
SELLING STOCKHOLDER
By: Douglas W. Parker, Sr.
By:___________________________________
Kyle D. Parker, Attorney-in-Fact
The foregoing Agreement is hereby
confirmed and accepted as of the
date first above written.
PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES INCORPORATED
DAIN RAUSCHER WESSELS
U.S. BANCORP PIPER JAFFRAY
PRUDENTIALSECURITIES.COM
By: PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES INCORPORATED
By:___________________________
Name: Jean-Claude Canfin
Title: Managing Director
For itself and on behalf of the Representatives.
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SCHEDULE I
UNDERWRITERS
(a) (b)
Number of
Number of Firm Firm Securities to
Securities to be Purchased
Underwriter be Purchased from from the Selling
- ----------- the Company Stockholder
----------- -----------
Prudential Securities Incorporated.......
Dain Rauscher Wessels
U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray, Inc.
- --------------------------------
PrudentialSecurities.com
- ------------------------
[insert names of other Underwriters
- -----------------------------------
alphabetically by bracket or in other
-------------------------------------
order determined by Prudential
------------------------------
Securities Incorporated -
-------------------------
Equity Transactions Group]
--------------------------
_______________
Total ..............
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