Exhibit 10.23
MONTEREY BAY BANCORP, INC.
FORM OF INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
This Indemnification Agreement ("Agreement") is made as of this _____ day
of August, 2002, by and between Monterey Bay Bancorp, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), and _______________ ("Indemnitee").
WHEREAS, the Company and Indemnitee recognize the increasing difficulty in
obtaining directors' and officers' liability insurance, the significant
increases in the cost of such insurance and the general reductions in the
coverage of such insurance;
WHEREAS, the Company and Indemnitee further recognize the substantial
increase in corporate litigation in general, subjecting officers and directors
to expensive litigation risks at the same time as the availability and coverage
of liability insurance has been severely limited;
WHEREAS, Indemnitee does not regard the current protection available as
adequate under the present circumstances, and Indemnitee and other officers and
directors of the Company may not be willing to continue to serve as officers and
directors without additional protection; and
WHEREAS, the Company desires to attract and retain the services of highly
qualified individuals, such as Indemnitee, to serve as officers and directors of
the Company and to indemnify its officers and directors so as to provide them
with the maximum protection permitted by law.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Company and Indemnitee hereby agree as follows:
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Monterey Bay Bancorp, Inc.
Form Of Indemnification Agreement, Continued
1. Indemnification.
(a) Third Party Proceedings. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee if
Indemnitee is or was a party or is threatened to be made a party to any
threatened, pending, or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil,
criminal, administrative, or investigative (other than an action by or in the
right of the Company), by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was a
director, officer, employee, or agent of the Company, by reason of any action or
inaction on the part of Indemnitee while an officer or director or by reason of
the fact that Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a
director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint
venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys'
fees), judgments, fines, and amounts paid in settlement (if such settlement is
approved in advance by the Company, which approval shall not be unreasonably
withheld) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with such
action, suit, or proceeding if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner
Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of
the Company, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no
reasonable cause to believe Indemnitee's conduct was unlawful. The termination
of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or
upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a
presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which
Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of
the Company, and with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had
reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitee's conduct was unlawful.
(b) Proceedings By or in the Right of the Company. The Company shall
indemnify Indemnitee if Indemnitee was or is a party or is threatened to be made
a party to any threatened, pending, or completed action or suit by or in the
right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact
that Indemnitee is or was a director, officer, employee, or agent of the
Company, by reason of any action or inaction on the part of Indemnitee while an
officer, or director or by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was serving
at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, or agent of
another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, or other enterprise,
against expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably incurred by
Indemnitee in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit
if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed
to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company and except that no
indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to
which Indemnitee shall have been adjudged to be liable to the Company unless and
only to the extent that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or the
court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application
that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances
of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such
expenses which the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or such other
court shall deem proper. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Indemnitee shall have no
right to indemnification for expenses and the payment of profits arising from
the purchase and sale by Indemnitee of securities in violation of Section 16(b)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any similar successor
statute.
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Monterey Bay Bancorp, Inc.
Form Of Indemnification Agreement, Continued
(c) Mandatory Payment of Expenses. To the extent that Indemnitee has
been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit, or
proceeding referred to in Subsections (a) and (b) of this Section 1 or the
defense of any claim, issue, or matter therein, Indemnitee shall be indemnified
against expenses (including attorneys' fees) and any costs of settlement
(including amounts paid in settlement if such settlement is approved in advance
by the Company, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld) actually and
reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection therewith.
2. Expenses; Indemnification Procedure.
(a) Advancement of Expenses. The Company shall advance all expenses
actually and reasonably incurred by the Indemnitee in connection with the
investigation, defense, settlement or appeal of any civil or criminal action,
suit, or proceeding referenced in Section 1(a) or (b) hereof. Indemnitee hereby
undertakes to repay such amounts advanced only if, and to the extent that, it
shall ultimately be determined that the Indemnitee is not entitled to be
indemnified by the Company as authorized hereby. The advances to be made
hereunder shall be paid by the Company to the Indemnitee within twenty (20) days
following delivery of a written request therefor by the Indemnitee to the
Company.
(b) Notice/Cooperation by Indemnitee. Indemnitee shall, as a condition
precedent to his right to be indemnified under this Agreement, give the Company
notice in writing as soon as practicable of any claim made against Indemnitee
for which indemnification will or could be sought under this Agreement. Notice
to the Company shall be directed to the Secretary of the Company at the address
shown on the signature page of this Agreement (or such other address as the
Company shall designate in writing to Indemnitee). Notice shall be deemed
received five (5) days after the date postmarked, if sent by domestic certified
or registered mail, properly addressed; otherwise when such notice shall
actually be received by the Company. In addition, Indemnitee shall (i) give the
Company such information and cooperation as it may reasonably require and as
shall be within Indemnitee's power and (ii) upon request of the Company testify
at, or be deposed in connection with, any proceeding to adjudicate or consider a
Claim against Indemnitee for which indemnification will or could be sought under
this Agreement.
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Monterey Bay Bancorp, Inc.
Form Of Indemnification Agreement, Continued
(c) Procedure. Any indemnification and advances provided for in
Section 1 and this Section 2 shall be made no later than forty-five (45) days
after receipt of the written request of Indemnitee. If a claim under this
Agreement, under any statute, or under any provision of the Company's
Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws providing for indemnification, is not
paid in full by the Company within forty-five (45) days after a written request
for payment thereof has first been received by the Company, Indemnitee may, but
need not, at any time thereafter bring an action against the Company to recover
the unpaid amount of the claim and, if successful in whole or in part,
Indemnitee shall also be entitled to be paid for the expenses (including
attorneys' fees) of bringing such action. It shall be a defense to any such
action (other than an action brought to enforce a claim for expenses incurred in
connection with any action, suit or proceeding in advance of its final
disposition) that Indemnitee has not met the standards of conduct which make it
permissible under applicable law for the Company to indemnify Indemnitee for the
amount claimed, but the burden of proving such defense shall be on the Company,
and Indemnitee shall be entitled to receive interim payments of expenses
pursuant to Subsection 2(a) unless and until such defense may be finally
adjudicated by court order or judgment from which no further right of appeal
exists. It is the parties' intention that, if the Company contests Indemnitee's
right to indemnification, the question of Indemnitee's right to indemnification
shall be for the court to decide, and neither the failure of the Company
(including its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel, or its
shareholders) to have made a determination that indemnification of Indemnitee is
proper in the circumstances because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard
of conduct required by applicable law, nor an actual determination by the
Company (including its Board of Directors, any committee or subgroup of the
Board of Directors, independent legal counsel, or its shareholders) that
Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall create a
presumption that Indemnitee has or has not met the applicable standard of
conduct.
(d) Notice to Insurers. If, at the time of the receipt of a notice of
a claim pursuant to Subsection 2(b) hereof, the Company has director and officer
liability insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of the
commencement of such proceeding to the insurers in accordance with the
procedures set forth in the respective policies. The Company shall thereafter
take all necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf
of the Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such proceeding in
accordance with the terms of such policies.
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Monterey Bay Bancorp, Inc.
Form Of Indemnification Agreement, Continued
(e) Selection of Counsel. In the event the Company shall be obligated
under Subsection 2(a) hereof to pay the expenses of any proceeding against the
Indemnitee, the Company, if appropriate, shall be entitled to assume the defense
of such proceeding, with counsel approved by the Indemnitee, which counsel may
be counsel for the Company, upon the delivery to the Indemnitee of written
notice of its election so to do. After delivery of such notice, approval of such
counsel by the Indemnitee and the retention of such counsel by the Company, the
Company will not be liable to the Indemnitee under this Agreement for any fees
of counsel subsequently incurred by the Indemnitee with respect to the same
proceeding, provided that (i) the Indemnitee shall have the right to employ his
counsel in any such proceeding, at the Indemnitee's sole expense; and (ii) if
(A) the employment of counsel by the Indemnitee has been previously authorized
by the Company, (B) the Indemnitee shall have reasonably concluded that there
may be a conflict of interest between the Company and the Indemnitee in the
conduct of any such defense or (C) the Company shall not, in fact, have employed
counsel to assume the defense of such proceeding, the fees and expenses of
Indemnitee's counsel shall be at the expense of the Company.
3. Additional Indemnification Rights; Nonexclusivity.
(a) Scope. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the
Company hereby agrees to indemnify the Indemnitee to the fullest extent
permitted by law, notwithstanding that such indemnification is not specifically
authorized by the other provisions of this Agreement, the Company's Certificate
of Incorporation, the Company's By-laws or by statute. In the event of any
change, after the date of this Agreement, in any applicable law, statute, or
rule which expands the right of a Delaware corporation to indemnify a member of
its board of directors or an officer, such changes shall be, ipso facto, within
the purview of Indemnitee's rights and Company's obligations, under this
Agreement. In the event of any change in any applicable law, statute or rule
which narrows the right of a Delaware corporation to indemnify a member of its
board of directors or an officer, such changes, to the extent not otherwise
required by such law, statute or rule to be applied to this Agreement shall have
no effect on this Agreement or the parties' rights and obligations hereunder.
(b) Nonexclusivity. The indemnification provided by this Agreement
shall not be deemed exclusive of any rights to which an Indemnitee may be
entitled under the Company's Certificate of Incorporation, its By-laws, any
agreement, any vote of stockholders or disinterested Directors, the General
Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, or otherwise, both as to action in
Indemnitee's official capacity and as to action in another capacity while
holding such office (each an "Indemnified Capacity"). The indemnification
provided under this Agreement shall continue as to Indemnitee for any action
taken or not taken while serving in an Indemnified Capacity even though he may
have ceased to serve in an Indemnified Capacity at the time of any action, suit
or other covered proceeding.
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Monterey Bay Bancorp, Inc.
Form Of Indemnification Agreement, Continued
4. Partial Indemnification. If Indemnitee is entitled under any provision
of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for some or a portion of the
expenses, judgments, fines or penalties actually and reasonably incurred by him
in the investigation, defense, appeal or settlement of any civil or criminal
action, suit or proceeding, but not, however, for the total amount thereof, the
Company shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for the portion of such
expenses, judgments, fines or penalties to which Indemnitee is entitled.
5. Mutual Acknowledgment. Both the Company and Indemnitee acknowledge that
in certain instances, Federal law or public policy may override Delaware law and
prohibit the Company from indemnifying its directors and officers under this
Agreement or otherwise. For example, the Company and Indemnitee acknowledge that
the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") has taken the position that
indemnification is not permissible for liabilities arising under certain federal
securities laws, federal legislation prohibits indemnification for certain
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended ("ERISA"),
violations, and the Company, as the holding Company for a federal savings
institution, is subject to the prohibitions and limitations on indemnification
set forth in the federal banking laws including, without limitation, Section
8(k) and 18(k), of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations
promulgated thereunder. Indemnitee understands and acknowledges that the Company
has undertaken or may be required in the future to undertake with the SEC to
submit the question of indemnification to a court in certain circumstances for a
determination of the Company's right under public policy to indemnify Indemnitee
and agrees that he will be bound by the findings of such court.
6. Officer and Director Liability Insurance. The Company shall, from time
to time, make the good faith determination whether or not it is practicable for
the Company to obtain and maintain a policy or policies of insurance with
reputable insurance companies providing the officers and directors of the
Company with coverage for losses from wrongful acts, or to ensure the Company's
performance of its indemnification obligations under this Agreement. Among other
considerations, the Company will weigh the costs of obtaining such insurance
coverage against the protection afforded by such coverage. In all policies of
director and officer liability insurance, the Indemnitee shall be named as an
insured in such a manner as to provide the Indemnitee the same rights and
benefits as are accorded to the most favorably insured of the Company's
directors, if the Indemnitee is a director; or of the Company's officers, if the
Indemnitee is not a director of the Company but is an officer. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, the Company shall have no obligation to obtain or maintain such
insurance if the Company determines in good faith that such insurance is not
reasonably available, the premium costs for such insurance are disproportionate
to the amount of coverage provided, the coverage provided by such insurance is
limited by exclusions so as to provide an insufficient benefit, or the
Indemnitee is covered by similar insurance maintained by a subsidiary of the
Company.
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Monterey Bay Bancorp, Inc.
Form Of Indemnification Agreement, Continued
7. Severability. Nothing in this Agreement is intended to require or shall
be construed as requiring the Company to do or fail to do any act in violation
of applicable law. The Company's inability, pursuant to court order, to perform
its obligations under this Agreement shall not constitute a breach of this
Agreement. The provisions of this Agreement shall be severable as provided in
this Section 7. If this Agreement or any portion hereof shall be invalidated on
any ground by any court of competent jurisdiction, then the Company shall
nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee to the full extent permitted by any applicable
portion of this Agreement that shall not have been invalidated, and the balance
of this Agreement not so invalidated shall be enforceable in accordance with its
terms.
8. Exceptions. Any other provision herein to the contrary notwithstanding,
the Company shall not be obligated pursuant to the terms of this Agreement:
(a) Claims Initiated by Indemnitee. To indemnify or advance expenses
to Indemnitee with respect to proceedings or claims initiated or brought
voluntarily by Indemnitee and not by way of defense, except with respect to
proceedings brought to establish or enforce a right to indemnification under
this Agreement or any other statute or law or otherwise as required under
Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, but such indemnification or
advancement of expenses may be provided by the Company in specific cases if the
Board of Directors finds it to be appropriate; or
(b) Lack of Good Faith. To indemnify Indemnitee for any expenses
incurred by the Indemnitee with respect to any proceeding instituted by
Indemnitee to enforce or interpret this Agreement, if a court of competent
jurisdiction determines that each of the material assertions made by the
Indemnitee in such proceeding was not made in good faith or was frivolous; or
(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not be obligated
to indemnify Indemnitee for expenses or liabilities of any type whatsoever
(including, but not limited to, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or
penalties, and amounts paid in settlement) which have been paid directly to
Indemnitee by an insurance carrier under a policy of officers' and directors'
liability insurance maintained by the Company.
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Monterey Bay Bancorp, Inc.
Form Of Indemnification Agreement, Continued
9. Construction of Certain Phrases.
(a) For purposes of this Agreement, references to the "Company" shall
include, in addition to the resulting corporation, any constituent corporation
(including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or
merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would have had power and
authority to indemnify its directors, officers, and employees or agents, so that
if Indemnitee is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such
constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent
corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation,
partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, Indemnitee shall stand in
the same position under the provisions of this Agreement with respect to the
resulting or surviving corporation as Indemnitee would have with respect to such
constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued.
(b) For purposes of this Agreement, references to "other enterprises"
shall include employee benefit plans; references to "fines" shall include any
excise taxes assessed on Indemnitee with respect to an employee benefit plan;
and references to "serving at the request of the Company" shall include any
service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company which imposes
duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee or agent
with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants, or beneficiaries;
and if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably
believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an
employee benefit plan Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in a manner "not
opposed to the best interests of the Company" as referred to in this Agreement.
10. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more
counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original.
11. Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon the
Company and its successors and assigns, and shall inure to the benefit of
Indemnitee and Indemnitee's estate, heirs, legal representatives and assigns.
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Monterey Bay Bancorp, Inc.
Form Of Indemnification Agreement, Continued
12. Attorneys' Fees. In the event that any action is instituted by
Indemnitee under this Agreement to enforce or interpret any of the terms hereof,
Indemnitee shall be entitled to be paid all court costs and expenses, including
reasonable attorneys' fees, actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee with
respect to such action, unless as a part of such action, the court of competent
jurisdiction determines that each of the material assertions made by Indemnitee
as a basis for such action were not made in good faith or were frivolous. In the
event of an action instituted by or in the name of the Company under this
Agreement or to enforce or interpret any of the terms of this Agreement,
Indemnitee shall be entitled to be paid all court costs and expenses, including
attorneys' fees, incurred by Indemnitee in defense of such action (including
with respect to Indemnitee's counterclaims and cross-claims made in such
action), unless as a part of such action the court determines that each of
Indemnitee's material defenses to such action were made in bad faith or were
frivolous.
13. Notice. All notices, requests, demands and other communications under
this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed duly given (i) if
delivered by hand and receipted for by the party addressee or (ii) if mailed by
certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third business day
after the mailing date. Addresses for notice to either party are as shown on the
signature page of this Agreement, or as subsequently modified by written notice.
14. Consent to Jurisdiction. The Company and the Indemnitee each hereby
irrevocably consent to the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of Delaware
for all purposes in connection with any action proceeding which arises out of or
relates to this Agreement and agree that any action instituted under this
Agreement shall be brought only in the state courts of the State of Delaware.
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Monterey Bay Bancorp, Inc.
Form Of Indemnification Agreement, Continued
15. Choice of Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and its provisions
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, as applied to
contracts between Delaware residents entered into and to be performed entirely
within Delaware.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of
the date first above written.
MONTEREY BAY BANCORP, INC.
567 Auto Center Drive
Watsonville, California 95076
By:
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Name:
Title:
AGREED TO AND ACCEPTED:
INDEMNITEE:
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Name:
Address:
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