Exhibit 4.8 ESCROW AGREEMENT This Escrow Agreement (this "Agreement") is made and entered into as of the __ day of ______, 1998, by and among McKINNON & COMPANY, INC., a Virginia corporation (the "Underwriter"), GUARANTY CAPITAL TRUST I, a statutory business trust organized under Delaware law (the "Trust") and GUARANTY FINANCIAL CORPORATION, a Virginia corporation (the "Company" and, together with the Trust, the "Offerors"), and WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY, a Delaware banking corporation (the "Escrow Agent"). R E C I T A L S : A. The Offerors propose to sell up to $6.9 million of $____ Convertible Preferred Securities or liquidation amount of $25.00 per convertible preferred security (the "Preferred Securities"), to the public at a price of $25.00 per Preferred Security (the "Offering"). B. The Offerors have retained the Underwriter, as selling agent for the Offerors on a best efforts basis, to sell the Preferred Securities in the Offering, and the Underwriter has agreed to sell the Preferred Securities as the Offerors' selling agent on a best efforts basis in the Offering, and the Underwriter has agreed to serve in this capacity, the terms of which relationship are set forth in an Underwriting Agreement between the Offerors and the Underwriter, the form of which is attached hereto as Exhibit A (the "Underwriting Agreement"). C. The Underwriter will enter into agreements with other brokers/dealers (the "Selected Dealers" or individually, the "Selected Dealer") to assist in the sale of the Preferred Securities. D. The Offerors have agreed to pay the Underwriter a commission of up to $_______. E. The Escrow Agent is willing to hold the proceeds in escrow pursuant to this Agreement. NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual covenants and agreements contained in this Agreement, it is hereby agreed as follows: 1. Establishment of the Escrow Account. On or prior to the date of commencement of the Offering, the parties shall establish a non-interest-bearing account with the Escrow Agent, which escrow account shall be entitled "Guaranty Capital Trust I, Escrow Account" (the "Escrow Account"). The Underwriter shall make, and shall instruct purchasers and Selected Dealers to make payment for the Preferred Securities by wire transfer of immediately available funds as follows: Fed. Funds to be wired to: Wilmington Trust Company Wilmington, Delaware ABA No. 031100092 for credit to the account of Guaranty Capital Trust I-Escrow Account No. _______ Attention: Terri Tavani, Corporate Trust Administration Telephone No. (302) 651-8558 Fax No. (302) 651-8882 The Offerors will make payment of the Underwriter's commission as provided above. 2. Deposits into the Escrow Account. Funds received from the Underwriter, purchasers and Selected Dealers shall be deposited in the Escrow Account. All monies so deposited in the Escrow Account are hereinafter referred to as the "Escrow Amount." The Escrow Account shall be a non-interest-bearing account. 3. Escrow Period. The escrow period (the "Escrow Period") shall begin on _______, 1998 and shall terminate at 5:00 p.m. on ________, 1998, or such other time as shall be mutually agreed upon in writing by the parties. During the Escrow Period, the Offerors acknowledge that they are not entitled to any funds received into escrow and no amounts deposited by the Escrow Agent shall become property of the Offerors or any other entity, or be subject to the debts of the Offerors or any other entity. 4. Delivery of Escrow Account Proceeds. At the Closing Time as defined in the Underwriting Agreement, the Underwriter and Offerors shall provide the Escrow Agent with written directions for the distribution of the Escrow Account, and the Escrow Agent agrees to distribute the Escrow Account pursuant to such written directions. If no direction is received on or before 5:00 p.m., ________, 1998 (unless such time shall be extended by written agreement of the Underwriter, Offerors and the Escrow Agent), the Escrow Agent shall return the Escrow Amount to the parties that made payments to the Escrow Account and this Agreement shall be of no further force or effect. 5. Closing Date. The "Closing Time" shall be that date specified in the Underwriting Agreement. 6. Duties and Rights of the Escrow Agent. The foregoing agreements and obligations of the Escrow Agent are subject to the following provisions: (a) The Escrow Agent's duties hereunder are limited solely to the safekeeping of the Escrow Account in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. It is agreed that the Escrow Agent shall have no other duties or obligations hereunder except as expressly set forth herein, shall be responsible only for the performance of such duties and obligations, shall not be required to take any action otherwise than in accordance with the terms hereof, shall not be required to perform any acts that may violate any applicable laws, and shall not be liable or responsible in any manner for any loss or damage arising by reason of any act or omission to act hereunder or in connection with any of the transactions contemplated hereby, including, but not limited to, any loss or damage that may occur by reason of forgery, false representation, the exercise of its discretion in any particular manner or for any other reason, except any loss or damage arising by reason of its gross negligence or willful misconduct. (b) The Escrow Agent may rely upon, and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon, any written instructions furnished to it hereunder and in good faith believed by it to be genuine or presented by the proper party or parties, and the Escrow Agent may assume that any person or entity purporting to give instructions in connection with provisions hereof has been duly authorized to do so. The Escrow Agent may at any time request written instructions from the Underwriter and the Offerors with respect to the interpretation of this Agreement or of any action to be taken or suffered or not taken hereunder. -2- (c) In the event that the Escrow Agent shall be uncertain about the interpretation of this Escrow Agreement or about its rights or obligations hereunder or the propriety of any action contemplated hereunder, or if the Escrow Agent shall receive instructions with respect to the Escrow Account that are in its opinion in conflict with any other instructions with respect to the Escrow Account that it has received or in conflict with any provision of this Agreement, (i) the Escrow Agent promptly shall notify the Underwriter and the Offerors (and any other involved parties, if necessary) of such uncertainty or inconsistent instructions, (ii) the Escrow Agent shall be entitled to refrain from taking any action other than to keep safely the Escrow Account until it shall be directed otherwise in writing signed by the Underwriter and the Offerors (and any other involved parties, if necessary) or by a final order or judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction, and (iii) if the Escrow Agent does not receive a notice signed by the Underwriter and the Offerors (and any other involved parties, if necessary) resolving such uncertainty or inconsistent instructions within a reasonable time, the Escrow Agent shall have the right (but not the obligation) to file suit in interpleader and obtain an order or judgment from a court of competent jurisdiction requiring all persons involved to interplead and litigate in such court their several claims and rights among themselves and, upon the conclusion thereof, to act in accordance with the resolution of such litigation. 7. Indemnification and Fees of the Escrow Agent. The Underwriter and the Offerors hereby jointly and severally agree to indemnify, defend and save harmless the Escrow Agent from and against any and all losses, expenses (including without limitation, reasonable fees, disbursements and other expenses of counsel), assessments, liabilities, claims, damages, actions, suits or other charges incurred by or assessed against the Escrow Agent for anything done or omitted by it in the performance of its duties hereunder other than as a result of its gross negligence or willful misconduct. In addition to the foregoing, the Underwriter and the Offerors hereby agree that the Escrow Agent shall deduct from the Escrow Account prior to distributing or delivering the Escrow Account in accordance with Section 8 hereof reasonable compensation for the services rendered by the Escrow Agent hereunder. 8. Resignation and Replacement of the Escrow Agent. (a) The Escrow Agent may resign at any time and thereupon be discharged of its duties and obligations as escrow agent hereunder by giving five (5) days' prior written notice thereof to the Underwriter and Offerors. Upon expiration of such five day period, the Escrow Agent shall take no further action until the Underwriter and the Offerors have jointly appointed a successor escrow agent. Upon receipt of written instructions signed by the Underwriter and the Offerors, the Escrow Agent shall promptly turn over the Escrow Account to the successor escrow agent. The Escrow Agent shall thereafter have no further duties or obligations hereunder. (b) The Escrow Agent may be removed and discharged from its duties and obligations as escrow agent hereunder upon the mutual agreement of the Underwriter and the Offerors by delivering a written notice executed by the Underwriter and the Offerors of such removal to the Escrow Agent specifying the date when such removal shall be effective (but such a removal shall in no event be effective prior to the appointment of a successor escrow agent). In the event of such removal, the Underwriter and the Offerors shall, within thirty (30) days after such notice, jointly appoint a successor escrow agent and, upon receipt of written instructions signed by the Underwriter and the Offerors, the Escrow Agent shall promptly turn over the Escrow Account to such successor escrow agent. The Escrow Agent shall thereafter have no further duties or obligations hereunder. -3- 9. Notices. It is further agreed as follows: (a) All notices given hereunder will be in writing, served by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, or by hand-delivery, to the parties at the following addresses: To the Offerors: Guaranty Capital Trust I Guaranty Financial Corporation 1658 State Farm Boulevard Charlottesville, Virginia 22911 Attention: ________________ To the Underwriter: McKinnon & Company, Inc. 1609 First Virginia Building 555 Main Street Norfolk, Virginia 23510 Attention: William J. McKinnon, Jr. To the Escrow Agent: Wilmington Trust Company 1100 North Market Street Wilmington, Delaware 19890 Attention: Jack Beeson 10. Miscellaneous. (a) This Agreement shall be binding upon, inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parries hereto and their respective successors and assigns. (b) If any provision of this Agreement shall be held invalid by any court of competent jurisdiction, such holding shall not invalidate any other provision hereof. (c) This Agreement shall be governed by the applicable laws of the State of Delaware. (d) This Agreement may not be modified except in writing signed by the parties hereto. (e) All demands, notices, approvals, consents, requests and other communications hereunder shall be given in the manner provided in this Agreement. -4- IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed in their respective names, all as of the date first above written. McKINNON & COMPANY, INC. By: ----------------------------------- William J. McKinnon, Jr. President GUARANTY CAPITAL TRUST I By:___________________________________ Trustee GUARANTY FINANCIAL CORPORATION By:___________________________________ Title:________________________________ WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY By:___________________________________ Title:________________________________ -5-