Exhibit 10.1


 


__________, 2019


B. Riley Principal Merger Corp.


299 Park Avenue, 21st Floor


New York, New York 10017


 


B. Riley FBR, Inc.


299 Park Avenue, 21st Floor


New York, New York 10017


 


		Re:	Initial Public Offering



 


Ladies and Gentlemen:


 


This letter (this “Letter Agreement”)
is being delivered to you in accordance with the Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”)
entered into by and among B. Riley Principal Merger Corp., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and
B. Riley FBR, Inc., as representative (the “Representative”) of the several underwriters (each, an “Underwriter”
and collectively, the “Underwriters”), relating to an underwritten initial public offering (the “Public Offering”),
of 14,375,000 of the Company’s units (including up to 1,875,000 units that may be purchased to cover over-allotments, if
any) (the “Units”), each comprised of one share of the Company’s Class A common stock, par value
$0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), and one-half of one redeemable warrant. Each whole Warrant (each,
a “Warrant”) entitles the holder thereof to purchase one share of Common Stock at a price of $11.50 per
share, subject to adjustment as described in the Prospectus (as defined below). The Units will be sold in the Public Offering pursuant
to a registration statement on Form S-1 and prospectus (the “Prospectus”) filed by the Company with the
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) and the Company has applied to have the Units
listed on The New York Stock Exchange. Certain capitalized terms used herein are defined in paragraph 12 hereof.


 


In order to induce the Company and the
Underwriters to enter into the Underwriting Agreement and to proceed with the Public Offering and for other good and valuable consideration,
the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, each of B. Riley Principal Sponsor Co., LLC (the “Sponsor”)
and the undersigned individuals, each of whom is a member of the Company’s board of directors and/or management team (each,
an “Insider” and collectively, the “Insiders”), hereby agrees with the Company
as follows:


 


		1.	The Sponsor and each Insider agrees that if the Company seeks stockholder approval of a proposed
Business Combination, then in connection with such proposed Business Combination, it, he or she shall (i) vote any shares of Common
Stock owned by it, him or her in favor of any proposed Business Combination and (ii) not redeem any shares of Common Stock owned
by it, him or her in connection with such stockholder approval. If the Company seeks to consummate a proposed Business Combination
by engaging in a tender offer, the Sponsor and each Insider agrees that it will not sell any shares of Common Stock owned by it,
him or her in connection therewith.



 


		2.	The Sponsor and each Insider hereby agrees that in the event that the Company fails to consummate
a Business Combination within 18 months from the closing of the Public Offering, or such later period approved by the Company’s
stockholders in accordance with the Company’s second amended and restated certificate of incorporation (the “Charter”),
the Sponsor and each Insider shall take all reasonable steps to cause the Company to (i) cease all operations except for the purpose
of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than 10 business days thereafter, subject to lawfully available
funds therefor, redeem 100% of the Common Stock sold as part of the Units in the Public Offering (the “Offering Shares”),
at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account (as defined below), including
interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account and not previously released to the Company to pay its franchise and income
taxes (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding Offering Shares,
which redemption will completely extinguish all Public Stockholders’ rights as stockholders (including the right to receive
further liquidating distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such
redemption, subject to the approval of the Company’s remaining stockholders and the Company’s board of directors, dissolve
and liquidate, subject in each case to the Company’s obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and
other requirements of applicable law. The Sponsor and each Insider agrees to not propose any amendment to the Charter to modify
the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to redeem 100% of the Offering Shares if the Company does not complete
a Business Combination within 18 months from the closing of the Public Offering, unless the Company provides its public stockholders
with the opportunity to redeem their shares of Common Stock upon approval of any such amendment at a per-share price, payable in
cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest earned on the funds held in the Trust
Account and not previously released to the Company to pay its franchise and income taxes, divided by the number of then outstanding
Offering Shares.



 




     


     


    

 


The Sponsor and each Insider acknowledges
that it, he or she has no right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the Trust Account or any other
asset of the Company as a result of any liquidation of the Company with respect to the Founder Shares held by it, him or her. The
Sponsor and each Insider hereby further waives, with respect to any shares of Common Stock held by it, him or her, if any, any
redemption rights it, he or she may have in connection with the consummation of a Business Combination, including, without limitation,
any such rights available in the context of a stockholder vote to approve such Business Combination or a stockholder vote to approve
an amendment to the Charter to modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to redeem 100% of the Offering
Shares if the Company has not consummated a Business Combination within the time period set forth in the Charter or in the context
of a tender offer made by the Company to purchase shares of Common Stock (although the Sponsor, the Insiders and their respective
affiliates shall be entitled to redemption and liquidation rights with respect to any Offering Shares it or they hold if the Company
fails to consummate a Business Combination within 18 months from the date of the closing of the Public Offering).


 


		3.	During the period commencing on the effective date of the Underwriting Agreement and ending 180
days after such date, the Sponsor and each Insider shall not, without the prior written consent of the Representative, (i) sell,
offer to sell, contract or agree to sell, hypothecate, pledge, grant any option to purchase or otherwise dispose of or agree to
dispose of, directly or indirectly, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent
position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”),
and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder, with respect to any Units, shares of Common Stock (including,
but not limited to, Founder Shares), Warrants or any securities convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, shares of
Common Stock owned by it, him or her, (ii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part,
any of the economic consequences of ownership of any Units, shares of Common Stock (including, but not limited to, Founder Shares),
Warrants or any securities convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, shares of Common Stock owned by it, him or her,
whether any such transaction is to be settled by delivery of such securities, in cash or otherwise, or (iii) publicly announce
any intention to effect any transaction specified in clause (i) or (ii). Each of the Insiders and the Sponsor acknowledges and
agrees that, prior to the effective date of any release or waiver, of the restrictions set forth in this paragraph 3 or paragraph
7 below, the Company shall announce the impending release or waiver by press release through a major news service at least two
business days before the effective date of the release or waiver. Any release or waiver granted shall only be effective two business
days after the publication date of such press release. The provisions of this paragraph will not apply if the release or waiver
is effected solely to permit a transfer not for consideration and the transferee has agreed in writing to be bound by the same
terms described in this Letter Agreement to the extent and for the duration that such terms remain in effect at the time of the
transfer.



 




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		4.	In the event of the liquidation of the Trust Account upon the failure of the Company to consummate
its initial Business Combination within the time period set forth in the Charter, the Sponsor (the “Indemnitor”)
agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever (including,
but not limited to, any and all legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any
litigation, whether pending or threatened) to which the Company may become subject as a result of any claim by (i) any third party
for services rendered or products sold to the Company or (ii) any prospective target business with which the Company has entered
into a written letter of intent, confidentiality or other similar agreement or Business Combination agreement (a “Target”);
provided, however, that such indemnification of the Company by the Indemnitor (x) shall apply only to the extent
necessary to ensure that such claims by a third party or a Target do not reduce the amount of funds in the Trust Account to below
the lesser of (i) $10.00 per Offering Share and (ii) the actual amount per Offering Share held in the Trust Account as of the date
of the liquidation of the Trust Account, if less than $10.00 per Offering Share is then held in the Trust Account due to reductions
in the value of the trust assets, less interest earned on the Trust Account which may be withdrawn to pay taxes, (y) shall not
apply to any claims by a third party or a Target which executed a waiver of any and all rights to the monies held in the Trust
Account (whether or not such waiver is enforceable) and (z) shall not apply to any claims under the Company’s indemnity of
the Underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities
Act”). The Indemnitor shall have the right to defend against any such claim with counsel of its choice reasonably
satisfactory to the Company if, within 15 days following written receipt of notice of the claim to the Indemnitor, the Indemnitor
notifies the Company in writing that it shall undertake such defense.



 


		5.	To the extent that the Underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option to purchase up
to an additional 1,875,000 Units within 45 days from the date of the Prospectus (and as further described in the Prospectus), the
[__] agrees to forfeit, at no cost, a number of Founder Shares in the aggregate equal to 468,750 multiplied by a fraction, (i)
the numerator of which is 1,875,000 minus the number of Units purchased by the Underwriters upon the exercise of their over-allotment
option, and (ii) the denominator of which is 1,875,000. The forfeiture will be adjusted to the extent that the over-allotment option
is not exercised in full by the Underwriters so that the Initial Stockholders will own an aggregate of 20.0% of the Company’s
issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock after the Public Offering (not including shares of Common Stock underlying the Private
Placement Units (as defined below)).



 


		6.	(a)The Sponsor and each Insider that is an officer of the Company hereby agrees not to participate
in the formation of, or become an officer or director of, any other any other special purpose acquisition company conducting a
public offering pursuant to the Securities Act or with a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act until the Company
has entered into a definitive agreement regarding an initial Business Combination or unless the Company has failed to complete
a Business Combination within the time period set forth in the Charter.



 


(b)       The
Sponsor and each Insider hereby agrees and acknowledges that: (i) the Underwriters and the Company would be irreparably injured
in the event of a breach by such Sponsor or an Insider of its, his or her obligations under paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6(a), 7(a),
and 7(b), as applicable, of this Letter Agreement (ii) monetary damages may not be an adequate remedy for such breach and (iii)
the non-breaching party shall be entitled to injunctive relief, in addition to any other remedy that such party may have in law
or in equity, in the event of such breach.


 


		7.	(a)The Sponsor and each Insider agrees that it, he or she shall not Transfer any Founder Shares
(or any shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion thereof) until the earlier of (A) one year after the completion of the
Company’s initial Business Combination or (B) subsequent to the Business Combination, (x) if the last sale price of the Common
Stock equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and
the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after the Company’s initial
Business Combination or (y) the date on which the Company completes a liquidation, merger, capital stock exchange, reorganization
or other similar transaction that results in all of the Company’s stockholders having the right to exchange their shares
of Common Stock for cash, securities or other property (the “Founder Shares Lock-up Period”).



 




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(b)       The
Sponsor and each Insider agrees that it, he or she shall not Transfer any Private Placement Units (or any securities underlying
the Private Placement Units), until 30 days after the completion of a Business Combination (the “Private Placement
Units Lock-up Period”, together with the Founder Shares Lock-up Period, the “Lock-up Periods”).


 


(c)       Notwithstanding
the provisions set forth in paragraphs 7(a) and (b), Transfers of the Founder Shares, Private Placement Units and securities underlying
the Private Placement Units that are held by the Sponsor, any Insider or any of their permitted transferees (that have complied
with this paragraph 7(c)), are permitted (a) to the Company’s officers or directors, any affiliate or family member of any
of the Company’s officers or directors, any members of the Sponsor or any affiliate of the Sponsor; (b) in the case of an
individual, by gift to a member of such individual’s immediate family or to a trust, the beneficiary of which is a member
of such individual’s immediate family, an affiliate of such individual or to a charitable organization; (c) in the case of
an individual, by virtue of laws of descent and distribution upon death of such individual; (d) in the case of an individual, pursuant
to a qualified domestic relations order; (e) by private sales or transfers made in connection with the consummation of an initial
Business Combination at prices no greater than the price at which the securities were originally purchased; (f) in the event of
the Company’s liquidation prior to the completion of an initial Business Combination; (g) by virtue of the laws of the State
of Delaware or the Sponsor’s limited liability company agreement upon dissolution of the Sponsor; or (h) in the event of
the Company’s liquidation, merger, capital stock exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction which results in all
of the Company’s stockholders having the right to exchange their shares of Common Stock for cash, securities or other property
subsequent to the Company’s completion of an initial Business Combination; provided, however, that in the case
of clauses (a) through (e) or (g), these permitted transferees must enter into a written agreement with the Company agreeing to
be bound by the transfer restrictions herein.


 


		8.	The Sponsor and each Insider represents and warrants that it, he or she has never been suspended
or expelled from membership in any securities or commodities exchange or association or had a securities or commodities license
or registration denied, suspended or revoked. Each Insider’s biographical information furnished to the Company (including
any such information included in the Prospectus) is true and accurate in all respects and does not omit any material information
with respect to the Insider’s background. Each Insider’s questionnaire furnished to the Company is true and accurate
in all respects. Each Insider represents and warrants that: it, he or she is not subject to or a respondent in any legal action
for, any injunction, cease-and-desist order or order or stipulation to desist or refrain from any act or practice relating to the
offering of securities in any jurisdiction; it, he or she has never been convicted of, or pleaded guilty to, any crime (i) involving
fraud, (ii) relating to any financial transaction or handling of funds of another person, or (iii) pertaining to any dealings in
any securities and it, he or she is not currently a defendant in any such criminal proceeding.



 


		9.	Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, neither the Sponsor nor any officer, nor any affiliate of
the Sponsor or any officer, nor any director of the Company, shall receive from the Company any finder’s fee, reimbursement,
consulting fee, non-cash payments, monies in respect of any repayment of a loan or other compensation prior to, or in connection
with any services rendered in order to effectuate, the consummation of the Company’s initial Business Combination (regardless
of the type of transaction that it is), other than the following, none of which will be made from the proceeds held in the Trust
Account prior to the completion of the initial Business Combination: repayment of a loan and advances up to an aggregate of $300,000
made to the Company by the Sponsor; payment to an affiliate of the Sponsor for certain office space, utilities and secretarial
and administrative support as may be reasonably required by the Company for a total of $10,000 per month; reimbursement for any
reasonable out-of-pocket expenses related to identifying, investigating and consummating an initial Business Combination, and repayment
of loans, if any, and on such terms as to be determined by the Company from time to time, made by the Sponsor or any of the Company’s
officers or directors to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial Business Combination, provided, that,
if the Company does not consummate an initial Business Combination, a portion of the working capital held outside the Trust Account
may be used by the Company to repay such loaned amounts so long as no proceeds from the Trust Account are used for such repayment.
Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into units at a price of $10.00 per unit at the option of the lender. Such units
would be identical to the Private Placement Units (as defined below), including as to exercise price, exercisability and exercise
period of the underlying warrants.



 




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		10.	The Sponsor and each Insider has full right and power, without violating any agreement to which
it is bound (including, without limitation, any non-competition or non-solicitation agreement with any employer or former employer),
to enter into this Letter Agreement and, as applicable, to serve as a director on the board of directors of the Company and hereby
consents to being named in the Prospectus as a director of the Company.



 


		11.	As used herein, (i) “Business Combination” shall mean a merger, capital
stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination, involving the Company and one
or more businesses; (ii) “Founder Shares” shall mean the 3,593,750 shares of Class B common stock owned
by the Sponsor (up to 468,750 Shares of which are subject to complete or partial forfeiture by the Sponsor if the over-allotment
option is not exercised by the Underwriters); (iii) “Initial Stockholders” shall mean the Sponsor and
any Insider that holds Founder Shares; (iv) “Private Placement Units” shall mean the 425,000 units (or
462,500 units if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) that the Sponsor has agreed to purchase for an aggregate purchase
price of $4,250,000 (or $4,625,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full), or $10.00 per unit, in a private placement
that shall occur simultaneously with the consummation of the Public Offering; (v) “Public Stockholders”
shall mean the holders of securities issued in the Public Offering; (vi) “Trust Account” shall mean the
trust fund into which a portion of the net proceeds of the Public Offering shall be deposited; and (vii) “Transfer”
shall mean the (a) sale of, offer to sell, contract or agreement to sell, hypothecate, pledge, grant of any option to purchase
or otherwise dispose of or agreement to dispose of, directly or indirectly, or establishment or increase of a put equivalent position
or liquidation with respect to or decrease of a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act,
and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder with respect to, any security, (b) entry into any swap or
other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of any security,
whether any such transaction is to be settled by delivery of such securities, in cash or otherwise, or (c) public announcement
of any intention to effect any transaction specified in clause (a) or (b).



 


		12.	The Company will maintain an insurance policy or policies providing directors’ and officers’
liability insurance, and each Director shall be covered by such policy or policies, in accordance with its or their terms, to the
maximum extent of the coverage available for any of the Company’s directors or officers.



 


		13.	This Letter Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and understanding of the parties hereto
in respect of the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior understandings, agreements, or representations by or among the
parties hereto, written or oral, to the extent they relate in any way to the subject matter hereof or the transactions contemplated
hereby. This Letter Agreement may not be changed, amended, modified or waived (other than to correct a typographical error) as
to any particular provision, except by a written instrument executed by all parties hereto.



 


		14.	No party hereto may assign either this Letter Agreement or any of its rights, interests, or obligations
hereunder without the prior written consent of the other parties. Any purported assignment in violation of this paragraph shall
be void and ineffectual and shall not operate to transfer or assign any interest or title to the purported assignee. This Letter
Agreement shall be binding on the Sponsor and each Insider and their respective successors, heirs and assigns and permitted transferees.



 




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		15.	Nothing in this Letter Agreement shall be construed to confer upon, or give to, any person or corporation
other than the parties hereto any right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Letter Agreement or of any covenant, condition,
stipulation, promise or agreement hereof. All covenants, conditions, stipulations, promises and agreements contained in this Letter
Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the parties hereto and their successors, heirs, personal representatives
and assigns and permitted transferees.



 


		16.	This Letter Agreement may be executed in any number of original or facsimile counterparts and each
of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but
one and the same instrument.



 


		17.	This Letter Agreement shall be deemed severable, and the invalidity or unenforceability of any
term or provision hereof shall not affect the validity or enforceability of this Letter Agreement or of any other term or provision
hereof. Furthermore, in lieu of any such invalid or unenforceable term or provision, the parties hereto intend that there shall
be added as a part of this Letter Agreement a provision as similar in terms to such invalid or unenforceable provision as may be
possible and be valid and enforceable.



 


		18.	This Letter Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws
of the State of New York, without giving effect to conflicts of law principles that would result in the application of the substantive
laws of another jurisdiction. The parties hereto (i) all agree that any action, proceeding, claim or dispute arising out of, or
relating in any way to, this Letter Agreement shall be brought and enforced in the courts of New York City, in the State of New
York, and irrevocably submit to such jurisdiction and venue, which jurisdiction and venue shall be exclusive and (ii) waive any
objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and venue or that such courts represent an inconvenient forum.



 


		19.	Any notice, consent or request to be given in connection with any of the terms or provisions of
this Letter Agreement shall be in writing and shall be sent by express mail or similar private courier service, by certified mail
(return receipt requested), by hand delivery or facsimile transmission.



 


		20.	This Letter Agreement shall terminate on the earlier of (i) the expiration of the Lock-up Periods
or (ii) the liquidation of the Company; provided, however, that this Letter Agreement shall earlier terminate in the event that
the Public Offering is not consummated and closed by December 31, 2019; provided further that paragraph 4 of this Letter Agreement
shall survive such liquidation.



 


[Signature Page Follows]


 




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	 	Sincerely,
	 	 
	 	B. RILEY PRINCIPAL SPONSOR CO., LLC
	 	 	 
	 	By:	 
	 	 	Name:
	 	 	Title:
	 	 	 
	 	By:	 
	 	 	Name:  Kenneth Young
	 	 	 
	 	By:	 
	 	 	Name:  Daniel Shribman
	 	 	 
	 	By:	 
	 	 	Name:  Patrick J. Bartels, Jr.
	 	 	 
	 	By:	 
	 	 	Name:  James L. Kempner
	 	 	 
	 	By:	 
	 	 	Name:  Timothy M. Presutti
	 	 	 
	 	By:	 
	 	 	Name:  Bryant R. Riley
	 	 	 
	 	By:	     
	 	 	Name:  Robert Suss


 


	Acknowledged and Agreed:	 
	 	 	 
	B. RILEY PRINCIPAL MERGER CORP.	 
	 	 	 	 
	By:	     	 
	 	Name:	           	 
	 	Title:	    	 
	 	 	 	 
	B. RILEY FBR, INC.	 
	 	 	 	 
	By:	    	 
	 	Name:	     	 
	 	Title:	 	 


 


[Signature page to Letter Agreement]