dea-ex42_34.htm



Exhibit 4.2

Description of the Registrant’s Securities Registered Pursuant
to Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended


The common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Common Stock”), of Easterly Government Properties, Inc. (“Easterly,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). The following description sets forth certain general terms and provisions of our Common Stock. These descriptions are in all respects subject to and qualified in their entirety by, and should be read in conjunction with, the applicable provisions of our Articles of Amendment and Restatement (our “Articles”) and our Amended and Restated Bylaws, as amended (our “Bylaws”), each of which is incorporated herein by reference and copies of which are incorporated by reference as exhibits to our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the applicable provisions of the Maryland General Corporation Law (the “MGCL”).

Common Stock

All of the shares of our Common Stock, when issued, will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and all of the shares of our Common Stock have equal rights as to earnings, assets, dividends and voting.

Dividend Rights

Subject to the preferential rights of holders of any other class or series of our stock, holders of shares of our Common Stock are entitled to receive dividends and other distributions on such shares if, as and when authorized by our board of directors and declared by us out of assets legally available therefor.

Voting Rights

Except as may otherwise be specified in the terms of any class or series of our Common Stock, each outstanding share of our Common Stock entitles the holder to one vote on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders, including the election of directors, and, except as may be provided with respect to any other class or series of stock, the holders of shares of our Common Stock will possess the exclusive voting power.

See the sections entitled “Material Provisions of Maryland Law and our Articles and Bylaws—Annual Elections” and “Material Provisions of Maryland Law and our Articles and Bylaws—Supermajority Vote for Extraordinary Corporate Actions”  for more information.

Distributions on Liquidation 

In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, each share of our Common Stock would be entitled to share ratably in all of our assets that are legally available for distribution after payment of or adequate provision for all of our known debts and other liabilities and subject to any preferential rights of holders of preferred stock, if any preferred stock is outstanding at such time, and restrictions on the transfer and ownership of our stock contained in our Articles.

Other Rights 

Holders of shares of our Common Stock generally have no preemptive, appraisal, preferential exchange, conversion, sinking fund or redemption rights. Our Common Stock is freely transferable, except where its transfer is restricted by federal and state securities laws, by contract or by the restrictions in our Articles. 

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Listing

Our Common Stock is listed on the NYSE under the symbol “DEA.”

Transfer Agent and Registrar

The transfer agent and registrar for the shares of our Common Stock is Computershare Trust Company, N.A.

Relationship to Preferred Stock

Our board of directors may authorize the issuance of up to 50,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Preferred Stock”), from time to time, in one or more classes or series. Our Articles authorize our board of directors to classify any unissued shares of Preferred Stock and to reclassify any previously classified but unissued shares of our Common Stock or Preferred Stock into one or more classes or series of Preferred Stock. Prior to the issuance of shares of each class or series, our board of directors is required by the MGCL and our Articles to set, subject to the provisions of our Articles regarding the restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock, the terms, the preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications and terms or conditions of redemption of each such class or series.

See the sections entitled “Certain Provisions of Maryland Law and our Articles and Bylaws—Power to Reclassify our Unissued Shares of Stock” and “Certain Provisions of Maryland Law and our Articles and Bylaws—Power to Increase or Decrease Authorized Shares of Common Stock and Issue Additional Shares of Common and Preferred Stock” for more information. 

Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer

In order for us to qualify as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), our stock must be beneficially owned by 100 or more persons during at least 335 days of a taxable year of 12 months or during a proportionate part of a shorter taxable year (other than the first year for which an election to be a REIT has been made). Also, not more than 50% of the value of the outstanding shares of our stock (after taking into account certain options to acquire shares of stock) may be owned, directly or indirectly or through application of certain attribution rules by five or fewer “individuals” (as defined in the Code to include certain entities, such as private foundations) at any time during the last half of a taxable year (other than the first taxable year for which an election to be a REIT has been made), such test being referred to as the 5/50 test. In addition, if 50% or more of our stock is owned by persons owning 50% or more of another REIT, we could be treated as the successor of that REIT and our REIT status for a certain period would depend on that REIT qualifying as a REIT.

Our Articles contain restrictions on the ownership and transfer of our stock that are intended to assist us in complying with the REIT ownership requirements and in continuing to qualify as a REIT and to prevent us from being treated as a successor of certain entities included in the fund structure of private investment funds that contributed assets in our initial public offering. The relevant sections of our Articles provide that no person or entity may actually own or be deemed to own by virtue of the applicable constructive ownership provisions, more than 7.1% (in value or in number of shares, whichever is more restrictive) of the outstanding shares of each class or series of our stock, or 7.1% in value of the aggregate of the outstanding shares of all classes and series of our stock, in each case excluding any shares of our stock that are not treated as outstanding for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Subject to the exceptions described below, our Articles further prohibit any person or entity from actually or constructively owning shares in excess of these limits. We refer to each of these restrictions as an “ownership limit” and collectively as the “ownership limits.” A person or entity that would have acquired actual, beneficial or constructive ownership of our stock but for the application of the ownership limits or any of the other restrictions on ownership and 

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transfer of our stock discussed below, and, if appropriate in the context, any person or entity that would have been the record owner of such shares, is referred to as a “prohibited owner.”

The applicable constructive ownership rules under the Code are complex and, for instance, may cause stock owned actually or constructively by a group of related individuals and/or entities to be treated as owned constructively by one individual or entity. As a result, the acquisition of less than 7.1% in value of our outstanding stock or less than 7.1% in the value or number of any class or series of our stock (or the acquisition of an interest in an entity that owns, actually or constructively, our stock) by an individual or entity could nevertheless cause that individual or entity, or another individual or entity, to own, constructively or beneficially, in excess of the ownership limits.

Our Articles provide that our board of directors may, prospectively or retroactively, waive the ownership limit with respect to a particular stockholder. In granting such waiver, our board of directors may also require the stockholder receiving such waiver to make certain representations, warranties and covenants related to our ability to qualify as a REIT. As a condition of such waiver, our board of directors may require an opinion of counsel or Internal Revenue Service ruling, in either case in form and substance satisfactory to our board of directors, in its sole and absolute discretion, in order to determine or ensure our status as a REIT and such representations and undertakings as are reasonably necessary to make the determinations above. Our board of directors may impose such conditions or restrictions as it deems appropriate in connection with such an exception.

Our Articles further prohibit:


	
 
	
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any person from owning shares of our stock to the extent such ownership would result in our failing to qualify as a REIT;




 


	
 
	
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any person from transferring shares of our stock if such transfer would result in shares of our stock being beneficially owned by fewer than 100 persons (determined without reference to any rules of attribution); and




 


	
 
	
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any person from owning shares of our stock to the extent such ownership would result in the beneficial owners of 50% or more of certain entities included in the fund structure of private investment funds that contributed assets in our initial public offering from owning 50% or more of our capital stock, applying certain attribution of ownership rules.




Any person who acquires or attempts or intends to acquire beneficial or constructive ownership of shares of our stock that will or may violate the ownership limitation provisions or any of the other restrictions on ownership or transfer of our stock described above must give written notice immediately to us or, in the case of a proposed or attempted transaction, provide us at least 15 days’ prior written notice and provide us with such other information as we may request in order to determine the effect of such transfer on our qualification as a REIT.

The ownership limitation provisions and other restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock described above will not apply if our board of directors determines that it is no longer in our best interests to continue to qualify as a REIT or that compliance with any such restriction or limitation is no longer required for REIT qualification.

Pursuant to our Articles, if any purported transfer of our stock or any other event otherwise would result in any person violating the ownership restrictions in our Articles, then that number of shares causing the violation (rounded up to the nearest whole share) will be automatically transferred to, and held by, a trust for the exclusive benefit of one or more charitable organizations selected by us. The prohibited owner will have no rights in shares of our stock held by the trustee. The automatic transfer will be effective as of the 

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close of business on the business day prior to the date of the purported transfer or other event that results in the transfer to the trust. Any dividend or other distribution paid to the prohibited owner, prior to our discovery that the shares had been automatically transferred to a trust as described above, must be repaid to the trustee upon demand for distribution to the beneficiary of the trust. If the transfer to the trust as described above is not automatically effective, for any reason, to prevent violation of the applicable ownership limit or our failing to qualify as a REIT, then our Articles provide that the transfer of shares resulting in such violation will be void. If any transfer of our stock would result in shares of our stock being beneficially owned by fewer than 100 persons (determined without reference to any rules of attribution), then any such purported transfer will be automatically void and of no force or effect and the intended transferee will acquire no rights in the shares.

The trustee must sell the shares to a person or entity designated by the trustee who could own the shares without violating the ownership limits or any of the other restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock; provided that the right of the trustee to sell the shares will be subject to the rights of any person or entity to purchase such shares from the trust that we establish by an agreement entered into prior to the date the shares are transferred to the trust. Upon such sale, the trustee must distribute to the prohibited owner an amount equal to the lesser of: (a) the fair market value of such shares on the day of the transfer or other event that resulted in the transfer of such shares to the trust and (b) the sales proceeds (net of commissions and other expenses of sale) received by the trustee for the shares. The trustee may reduce the amount payable to the prohibited owner by the amount of any dividends or other distributions paid to the prohibited owner and owed by the prohibited owner before our discovery that the shares had been transferred to the trust and that is owed by the prohibited owner to the trustee. Any net sales proceeds in excess of the amount payable to the prohibited owner will be immediately paid to the charitable beneficiary, together with any dividends or other distributions thereon. In addition, if prior to discovery by us that shares of our stock have been transferred to the trust, such shares of stock are sold by a prohibited owner, then such shares shall be deemed to have been sold on behalf of the trust and, to the extent that the prohibited owner received an amount for or in respect of such shares that exceeds the amount that such prohibited owner was entitled to receive, such excess amount shall be paid to the trustee upon demand. The prohibited owner has no rights in the shares held by the trustee.

The trustee will be designated by us and will be unaffiliated with us and with any prohibited owner. Prior to the sale of any shares by the trust, the trustee will receive, in trust for the charitable beneficiary, all dividends and other distributions paid by us with respect to such shares and may also exercise all voting rights with respect to such shares for the exclusive benefit of the charitable beneficiary.

Subject to Maryland law, effective as of the date that the shares have been transferred to the trust, the trustee shall have the authority, at the trustee’s sole discretion:


	
 
	
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to rescind as void any vote cast by a prohibited owner prior to our discovery that the shares have been transferred to the trust; and




 


	
 
	
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to recast the vote in accordance with the desires of the trustee acting for the benefit of the beneficiary of the trust.




However, if we have already taken irreversible corporate action, then the trustee may not rescind and recast the vote.

If our board of directors determines in good faith that a proposed transfer or other event has taken place that would violate the restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock set forth in our Articles, our board of directors will take such action as it deems advisable in its sole discretion to refuse to give effect to or to prevent such transfer, including, but not limited to, causing us to redeem shares of stock, refusing to give effect to the transfer on our books or instituting proceedings to enjoin the transfer.

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Following the end of each REIT taxable year, every owner of 5% or more (or such lower percentage as required by the Code or the regulations promulgated thereunder) of the outstanding shares of any class or series of our stock, within 30 days after the end of each taxable year, must give written notice to us stating the name and address of such owner, the number of shares of each class and series of our stock that the owner beneficially owns and a description of the manner in which the shares are held. Each such owner also must provide us with any additional information that we request in order to determine the effect, if any, of the person’s actual or beneficial ownership on our qualification as a REIT and to ensure compliance with the ownership limitation provisions. In addition, any person or entity that is an actual owner, beneficial owner or constructive owner of shares of our stock and any person or entity (including the stockholder of record) who is holding shares of our stock for an actual owner, beneficial owner or constructive owner must, on request, disclose to us such information as we may request in good faith in order to determine our qualification as a REIT and comply with requirements of any taxing authority or governmental authority or to determine such compliance.

Any certificates representing shares of our stock will bear a legend referring to the restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock described above.

These restrictions on ownership and transfer could delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change of control of our company that might involve a premium price for our Common Stock that our stockholders believe to be in their best interest.

Material Provisions of Maryland Law and our Articles and Bylaws

The MGCL and our Articles and Bylaws contain provisions that could delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change of control of our company that might involve a premium price for holders of our Common Stock or otherwise be in their best interests. These provisions are expected to discourage certain coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids and to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of us to negotiate first with our board of directors. We believe that the benefits of these provisions outweigh the potential disadvantages of discouraging any such acquisition proposals because, among other things, the negotiation of such proposals may improve their terms.

Power to Reclassify our Unissued Shares of Stock

Our Articles authorize our board of directors to classify any unissued shares of Preferred Stock and to reclassify any previously classified but unissued shares of our Common or Preferred Stock into one or more classes or series of Preferred Stock. Prior to the issuance of shares of each class or series, our board of directors is required by the MGCL and our Articles to set, subject to the provisions of our Articles regarding the restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock, the terms, the preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications and terms or conditions of redemption of each such class or series.

As a result, our board of directors, without the approval of our stockholders, could authorize the issuance of shares of Preferred Stock that have priority over shares of our Common Stock with respect to dividends or other distributions or rights upon liquidation or with other terms and conditions that could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a transaction or a change of control of our company that might involve a premium price for holders of our Common Stock or otherwise be in their best interests. 

Power to Increase or Decrease Authorized Shares of Common Stock and Issue Additional Shares of Common and Preferred Stock

Our Articles authorize our board of directors to amend our Articles to increase or decrease the number of authorized shares of stock, to issue additional authorized but unissued shares of our Common or Preferred Stock and to classify or reclassify unissued shares of our Common or Preferred Stock and thereafter to issue 

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such classified or reclassified shares of stock without further action by our stockholders, unless such action is required by applicable law or the rules of any stock exchange or market system on which our securities may be listed or traded. These provisions will provide us with increased flexibility in structuring possible future financings and acquisitions and in meeting other needs that might arise. Although our board of directors does not currently intend to do so, it could authorize us to issue a class or series of stock that could, depending upon the terms of the particular class or series, delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change of control of our company that might involve a premium price for holders of our Common Stock or otherwise be in their best interests. 

Charter Amendments and Extraordinary Corporate Actions

Under the MGCL, a Maryland corporation generally cannot dissolve, amend its charter, merge, consolidate, sell all or substantially all of its assets or engage in a statutory share exchange unless declared advisable by its board of directors and approved by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast at least two-thirds of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter unless a lesser percentage (but not less than a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter) is set forth in the corporation’s charter. Our Articles provide for approval of any of these matters by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on such matters, except with respect to the provisions of our Articles relating to (a) the restrictions on ownership and transfer of shares of our stock and (b) the vote required to amend the provisions relating to these matters may be amended only if such amendment is declared advisable by our board of directors and approved by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast not less than two-thirds of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter.

In addition to the approval of mergers, consolidations or sales of all or substantially all of our assets by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast a majority of all votes entitled to be cast, the Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership, as amended (the “Partnership Agreement”), of Easterly Government Properties LP (the “Operating Partnership”) also requires us to obtain partnership approval for any transfers of our interest in the Operating Partnership, a withdrawal as general partner of the Operating Partnership or consummation of a fundamental transaction, as such term is defined in the Partnership Agreement. If we do not receive the requisite partnership approval, we would not be permitted to complete a fundamental transaction even if our stockholders entitled to cast a majority of all votes approve any such fundamental transaction. 

Amendments to our Bylaws

Our Bylaws may be amended or new bylaws may be adopted by our board of directors or by the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast on the matter by holders of outstanding shares of our Common Stock, except the following bylaw provisions, each of which may be altered, amended or repealed only with the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast on such amendment by holders of outstanding shares of our Common Stock:


	
 
	
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provisions opting out of the control share acquisition provisions of the MGCL;




 


	
 
	
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provisions prohibiting our board of directors without the approval of a majority of the votes entitled to be the cast by holders of outstanding shares of our Common Stock, from revoking, altering or amending any resolution, or adopting any resolution inconsistent with any previously adopted resolution of our board of directors, that exempts any business combination between us and any other person or entity from the business combination provisions of the MGCL;




 


	
 
	
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provisions that require stockholder approval prior to adoption of any stockholder rights plan, except under limited circumstances; and




 

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provisions relating to the amendment of our Bylaws.




Number of Directors; Vacancies

Our Articles provide that the number of directors will be set only by our board of directors in accordance with our Bylaws. Our Bylaws provide that a majority of our entire board of directors may at any time increase or decrease the number of directors. However, the number of directors may never be less than the minimum number required by the MGCL, which is one, nor, except as set forth in our Articles and our Bylaws, more than 15. Because our board of directors has the power to amend our Bylaws, it could modify the Bylaws to change that range.

Our Bylaws provide that any and all vacancies on our board of directors may be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors in office, even if the remaining directors do not constitute a quorum, and any individual elected to fill such vacancy will serve until the next annual meeting of stockholders and until a successor is duly elected and qualifies.

Annual Elections

Each of our directors is elected by our stockholders to serve until the next annual meeting of stockholders and until his or her successor is duly elected and qualifies. Pursuant to our Bylaws, in uncontested elections, a director will be elected if he or she receives more votes for his or her election than votes against his or her election. In contested director elections, directors will be elected by a plurality of the votes cast. There is no cumulative voting in the election of directors.

Under our corporate governance guidelines, any incumbent director who fails to be elected by a majority of the votes cast in an uncontested election must promptly submit a written offer to resign to our board of directors.  The nominating and corporate governance committee of our board of directors will make a recommendation to our board on whether to accept or reject the resignation, or whether other action should be taken. Our board of directors will then act on the nominating and corporate governance committee’s recommendation and publicly disclose its decision and, if applicable, the rationale behind it within 90 days from the date of the certification of election results. If the resignation is not accepted, the director will continue to serve until the next annual meeting and until the director’s successor is duly elected and qualified. The director who tenders his or her resignation will not participate in our board’s decision regarding his or her resignation, but will participate in other board matters until our board’s decision is made with respect to his or her resignation.  

Removal of Directors

Our Articles provide that, subject to the rights, if any, of holders of any class or series of Preferred Stock to elect or remove one or more directors, a director may be removed only for cause, and then only by the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the votes entitled to be cast generally in the election of directors. “Cause” is defined in our Articles to mean conviction of a director of a felony or a final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction holding that a director caused demonstrable, material harm to us through bad faith or active and deliberate dishonesty. This provision, when coupled with the exclusive power of our board of directors to fill vacancies on our board of directors, precludes stockholders from (a) removing incumbent directors except upon the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter and for cause and (b) filling the vacancies created by such removal with their own nominees.

Meetings of Stockholders

Under our Bylaws, annual meetings of stockholders must be held each year at a date, time and place determined by our board of directors.

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Our Bylaws provide that special meetings of stockholders may be called by the chairman of our board of directors, our chief executive officer, or a majority of our board of directors. Additionally, our Bylaws provide that, subject to the satisfaction of certain procedural and informational requirements by the stockholders requesting the meeting, a special meeting of stockholders to act on any matter that may properly be considered at a meeting of stockholders shall be called by our secretary upon the written request of stockholders entitled to cast not less than a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on such matter at such meeting. 

See the section entitled “—Advance Notice of Director Nominations and New Business” below for more information.

Business Combinations

Under the MGCL, certain “business combinations” (including a merger, consolidation, share exchange or, in certain circumstances, an asset transfer or issuance or reclassification of equity securities) between a Maryland corporation and any interested stockholder, or an affiliate of such an interested stockholder, are prohibited for five years following the most recent date on which the interested stockholder became an interested stockholder. Maryland law defines an interested stockholder as any person who beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 10% or more of the voting power of the corporation’s outstanding voting stock after the date on which the corporation had 100 or more beneficial owners of its stock or an affiliate or associate of an interested stockholder. A person is not an interested stockholder under the statute if the board of directors approved in advance the transaction by which the person otherwise would have become an interested stockholder. The board of directors may provide that its approval is subject to compliance with any terms and conditions determined by it.

After such five-year period, any such business combination must be recommended by the board of directors of the corporation and approved by the affirmative vote of at least:


	
 
	
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80% of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of outstanding shares of voting stock of the corporation; and




 


	
 
	
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two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of voting stock of the corporation other than shares held by the interested stockholder with whom (or with whose affiliate) the business combination is to be effected or held by an affiliate or associate of the interested stockholder.




These supermajority approval requirements do not apply if, among other conditions, the corporation’s common stockholders receive a minimum price (as defined in the MGCL) for their shares and the consideration is received in cash or in the same form as previously paid by the interested stockholder for its shares. 

These provisions of the MGCL do not apply, however, to business combinations that are approved or exempted by a corporation’s board of directors prior to the time that the interested stockholder becomes an interested stockholder. Our board of directors has adopted a resolution exempting any business combinations between us and any other person or entity from the business combination provisions of the MGCL. As a result, any other person or entity may be able to enter into business combinations with us that may not be in the best interest of our stockholders without compliance with the supermajority vote requirements and other provisions of the statute.

Our Bylaws provide that this resolution or any other resolution of our board of directors exempting any business combination from the business combination provisions of the MGCL may only be revoked, altered or amended, and our board of directors may only adopt any resolution inconsistent with any such resolution (including an amendment to that Bylaw provision), with the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast 

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on the matter by holders of outstanding shares of our Common Stock. We cannot assure you that our board of directors will not recommend to stockholders that they alter or repeal this resolution in the future. However, an alteration or repeal of the resolution described above will not have any effect on any business combinations that have been consummated or upon any agreements existing at the time of such modification or repeal.

Control Share Acquisitions

The MGCL provides that holders of “control shares” of a Maryland corporation acquired in a “control share acquisition” have no voting rights with respect to any control shares except to the extent approved at a special meeting of stockholders by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter, excluding shares of stock of a corporation in respect of which any of the following persons is entitled to exercise or direct the exercise of the voting power of such shares in the election of directors: (a) a person who makes or proposes to make a control share acquisition; (b) an officer of the corporation; or (c) an employee of the corporation who is also a director of the corporation. “Control shares” are voting shares of stock, which, if aggregated with all other such shares of stock previously acquired by the acquirer or in respect of which the acquirer is able to exercise or direct the exercise of voting power (except solely by virtue of a revocable proxy), would entitle the acquirer to exercise voting power in electing directors within one of the following ranges of voting power:


	
 
	
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one-tenth or more but less than one-third;




 


	
 
	
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one-third or more but less than a majority; or




 


	
 
	
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a majority or more of all voting power.




Control shares do not include shares that the acquiring person is then entitled to vote as a result of having previously obtained stockholder approval. A “control share acquisition” means the acquisition, directly or indirectly, of ownership of, or the power to direct the exercise of voting power with respect to, issued and outstanding control shares, subject to certain exceptions.

A person who has made or proposes to make a control share acquisition, upon satisfaction of certain conditions (including an undertaking to pay expenses and making an “acquiring person statement” as described in the MGCL), may compel our board of directors to call a special meeting of stockholders to be held within 50 days of demand to consider the voting rights of the shares acquired or to be acquired in the control share acquisition. If no request for a special meeting is made, the corporation may itself present the question at any stockholders meeting.

If voting rights of control shares are not approved at the meeting or if the acquiring person does not deliver an “acquiring person statement” as required by the statute, then, subject to certain conditions and limitations, the corporation may redeem any or all of the control shares (except those for which voting rights have previously been approved) for fair value determined, without regard to the absence of voting rights for the control shares, as of the date of the last control share acquisition by the acquirer or of any meeting of stockholders at which the voting rights of such shares are considered and not approved. If voting rights for control shares are approved at a stockholders meeting and the acquirer becomes entitled to vote a majority of the shares entitled to vote, all other stockholders may exercise appraisal rights, unless appraisal rights are eliminated under the corporation’s charter. Our Articles generally eliminate all appraisal rights of stockholders.

The control share acquisition statute does not apply to: (a) shares acquired in a merger, consolidation or share exchange if the corporation is a party to the transaction, or (b) acquisitions approved or exempted by the charter or bylaws of the corporation.

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Our Bylaws contain a provision exempting from the control share acquisition statute any and all acquisitions by any person of shares of our stock. This Bylaw provision may be amended only with the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast on such an amendment by holders of outstanding shares of our Common Stock.

Appraisal Rights

As permitted by the MGCL, our Articles provide that stockholders will not be entitled to exercise appraisal rights unless a majority of our board of directors determines that appraisal rights will apply, with respect to all or any classes and series of stock, to one or more transactions occurring after the date of such determination in connection with which holders of such shares would otherwise be entitled to exercise appraisal rights. This is in addition to Maryland law provisions that generally eliminate appraisal rights for exchange-listed securities.

Subtitle 8

Under Subtitle 8 of Title 3 of the MGCL, a Maryland corporation with a class of equity securities registered under the Exchange Act and at least three directors who are not officers or employees of the corporation, and who are not affiliated with a person who is seeking to acquire control of the corporation, may elect to be subject, by provision in its charter or bylaws or a resolution of its board of directors and notwithstanding any contrary provision in the charter or bylaws, to any or all of the following five provisions:


	
 
	
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a classified board requirement;




 


	
 
	
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a two-thirds vote requirement for removing a director;




 


	
 
	
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a requirement that the number of directors be fixed only by vote of the directors; 




 


	
 
	
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a requirement that a vacancy on the board be filled only by the remaining directors and for the remainder of the full term of the class of directors in which the vacancy occurred; or




 


	
 
	
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a requirement for the calling of a special meeting of stockholders only at the written request of stockholders entitled to cast at least a majority of the votes entitled to be cast at the meeting.




We have elected in our Articles to be subject to the provision of Subtitle 8 that provides that vacancies on our board of directors may be filled only by the remaining directors. We have not elected to be subject to any of the other provisions of Subtitle 8, including the provisions that would permit us to classify our board of directors or increase the vote required to remove a director without stockholder approval. Moreover, our Articles provide that, without the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast on the matter by our stockholders entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, we may not elect to be subject to any of these additional provisions of Subtitle 8. 

Through provisions in our Charter and Bylaws unrelated to Subtitle 8, we already (a) require the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast at least a majority of the votes entitled to be cast in the election of directors for the removal of any director from our board of directors, which removal also requires cause, (b) vest in our board of directors the exclusive power to fix the number of directorships, subject to limitations set forth in our Charter and Bylaws and (c) require, unless called by the chairman of our board of directors, chief executive officer, president or our board of directors, the request of stockholders entitled to cast not less than a majority of all votes entitled to be cast on a matter at such meeting to call a special meeting to consider and vote on any matter that may properly be considered at a meeting of stockholders. We have not elected to create a classified board.

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No Stockholder Rights Plan

We have no stockholder rights plan. Under our Bylaws, we may not adopt a stockholder rights plan unless our stockholders approve in advance the adoption of a plan or, if adopted by our board of directors, the plan provides that it will expire unless ratified by the affirmative vote of the majority of the votes cast on the matter by stockholders within one year of adoption or extension.

Dissolution of Our Company

The voluntary dissolution of our company must be declared advisable by a majority of our entire board of directors and approved by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter.

Advance Notice of Director Nominations and New Business

Our Bylaws provide that:


	
 
	
•
	
with respect to an annual meeting of stockholders, nominations of individuals for election to our board of directors and the proposal of business to be considered by stockholders at the annual meeting may be made only:




 


	
 
	
o
	
pursuant to our notice of the meeting;




 


	
 
	
o
	
by or at the direction of our board of directors; or




 


	
 
	
o
	
by a stockholder who was a stockholder of record both at the time of giving the notice required by our Bylaws and at the time of the annual meeting, who is entitled to vote at the meeting in the election of each individual so nominated or on such other business and who has complied with the advance notice procedures and provided the information and certifications required by the advance notice procedures set forth in our Bylaws; and




 


	
 
	
•
	
with respect to special meetings of stockholders, only the business specified in our notice of meeting may be brought before the meeting of stockholders, and nominations of individuals for election to our board of directors may be made only:




 


	
 
	
o
	
by or at the direction of our board of directors; or




 


	
 
	
o
	
provided that the meeting has been called for the purpose of electing directors, by a stockholder who is a stockholder of record both at the time of giving the notice required by our Bylaws and at the time of the meeting, who is entitled to vote at the meeting in the election of each individual so nominated and who has complied with the advance notice procedures and provided the information and certifications required by the advance notice procedures set forth in our Bylaws.




The purpose of requiring stockholders to give advance notice of nominations and other proposals is to afford our board of directors the opportunity to consider the qualifications of the proposed nominees or the advisability of the other proposals and, to the extent considered necessary by our board of directors, to inform stockholders and make recommendations regarding the nominations or other proposals. The advance notice procedures also permit a more orderly procedure for conducting our stockholder meetings. Although our Bylaws do not give our board of directors any power to disapprove stockholder nominations for the election of directors or proposals recommending certain actions, they may have the effect of precluding a contest for the election of directors or the consideration of stockholder proposals if proper procedures are 

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not followed and of discouraging or deterring a third party from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect its own slate of directors or to approve its own proposal without regard to whether consideration of such nominees or proposals might be harmful or beneficial to us and our stockholders.

Action by Stockholders

Our Articles provide that stockholder action can be taken at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, or by written consent in lieu of a meeting only if such consent is approved unanimously. These provisions, combined with the requirements of our Bylaws regarding advance notice of nominations and other business to be considered at a meeting of stockholders and the calling of a stockholder-requested special meeting of stockholders, may have the effect of delaying consideration of a stockholder proposal.

Exclusive Forum

Our Bylaws contain a provision designating the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, Maryland (or, if that court does not have jurisdiction, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, Baltimore Division) as the sole and exclusive forum for derivative claims brought on our behalf, claims against any of our directors, officers or other employees alleging a breach of duty owed to us or our stockholders, claims against us or any of our directors, officers or other employees arising pursuant to any provision of the MGCL or our Articles or Bylaws, claims against us or any of our directors, officers or other employees governed by the internal affairs doctrine and any other claims brought by or on behalf of any stockholder of record or any beneficial owner of our Common Stock (either on his, her or its own behalf or on behalf of any series or class of shares of our stock or any group of our stockholders) against us or any of our directors, officers or other employees, unless we consent to an alternative forum. However, it is possible that a court could find our forum selection provision to be inapplicable or unenforceable.

Indemnification and Limitation of Directors’ and Officers’ Liability

Maryland law permits a Maryland corporation to include in its charter a provision limiting the liability of its directors and officers to the corporation and its stockholders for money damages except to the extent that (a) it is proved that the person actually received an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services for the amount of the benefit or profit in money, property or services actually received; or (b) a judgment or other final adjudication adverse to the person is entered in a proceeding based on a finding in the proceeding that the person’s action, or failure to act, was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty and was material to the cause of action adjudicated in the proceeding. Our Articles contain a provision that eliminates such liability to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law. The MGCL requires a corporation (unless its charter provides otherwise, which our Articles do not) to indemnify a director or officer who has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any proceeding to which he or she is made or threatened to be made a party by reason of his or her service in that capacity, or in the defense of any claim, issue or matter in the proceeding, against reasonable expenses incurred by the director or officer in connection with the proceeding, claim, issue or matter. The MGCL permits a Maryland corporation to indemnify its present and former directors and officers, among others, against judgments, penalties, fines, settlements and reasonable expenses actually incurred by them in connection with any proceeding to which they may be made or are threatened to be made a party by reason of their service in those or other capacities unless it is established that:


	
 
	
•
	
the act or omission of the director or officer was material to the matter giving rise to the proceeding and:




 


	
 
	
•
	
was committed in bad faith; or




 


	
 
	
•
	
was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty; 




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•
	
the director or officer actually received an improper personal benefit in money, property or services; or




 


	
 
	
•
	
in the case of any criminal proceeding, the director or officer had reasonable cause to believe that the act or omission was unlawful.




Under the MGCL, a Maryland corporation may not, however, indemnify a director or officer for an adverse judgment in a suit by or in the right of the corporation or if the director or officer was adjudged liable on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received. Notwithstanding the foregoing, unless limited by the charter (which our Articles do not), a court of appropriate jurisdiction, upon application of a director or officer, may order indemnification if it determines that the director or officer is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification in view of all the relevant circumstances, whether or not the director or officer met the standards of conduct described above or has been adjudged liable on the basis that a personal benefit was improperly received, but such indemnification shall be limited to expenses.

In addition, the MGCL permits a Maryland corporation to advance reasonable expenses to a director or officer, without requiring a preliminary determination of the director’s or officer’s ultimate entitlement to indemnification, upon the corporation’s receipt of:


	
 
	
•
	
a written affirmation by the director or officer of his or her good faith belief that he or she has met the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification by the corporation; and




 


	
 
	
•
	
a written undertaking by the director or officer or on the director’s or officer’s behalf to repay the amount paid or reimbursed by the corporation if it is ultimately determined that the director or officer did not meet the standard of conduct.




Our Articles authorize us to obligate our company and our Bylaws obligate us, to the fullest extent permitted by Maryland law in effect from time to time, to indemnify and to pay or reimburse reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding, except in the case of certain judgments, penalties, and settlements for an accounting of profits from the purchase and sale of our securities, without requiring a preliminary determination of the director’s or officer’s ultimate entitlement to indemnification, to:


	
 
	
•
	
any present or former director or officer who is made or threatened to be made a party to the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity; or




 


	
 
	
•
	
any individual who, while serving as our director or officer and at our request, serves or has served as a director, officer, partner, trustee, member or manager of another corporation, REIT, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise and who is made or threatened to be made a party to the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity.




Our Articles and Bylaws also permit us to indemnify and advance expenses to any person who served a predecessor of ours in any of the capacities described above and to any officer, employee or agent of our company or a predecessor of our company.

We have entered into indemnification agreements with each of our executive officers and directors, whereby we agree to indemnify our executive officers and directors against all expenses and liabilities and pay or reimburse their reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding to the fullest extent permitted by Maryland law if they are made or threatened to be made a party to the proceeding by reason of their service to our company, subject to limited exceptions. The Partnership Agreement also 

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provides that we, as general partner, and our affiliate limited partner, directors, officers, employees and agents are indemnified to the extent provided therein.

Insofar as the foregoing provisions permit indemnification of directors, officers or persons controlling us for liability arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), we have been informed that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission, this indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.

We have obtained an insurance policy under which our directors and executive officers will be insured, subject to the limits of the policy, against certain losses arising from claims made against such directors and officers by reason of any acts or omissions covered under such policy in their respective capacities as directors or officers, including certain liabilities under the Securities Act.

Corporate Opportunities

Our Articles, to the maximum extent permitted from time to time by Maryland law, provide that our board of directors has the power to cause us to renounce any interest or expectancy that we have in, or any right to be offered an opportunity to participate in, any business opportunities that are from time to time presented to our directors, unless the business opportunity is expressly offered to such person in his or her capacity as a director.

REIT Qualification

Our Articles provide that our board of directors may revoke or otherwise terminate our REIT election, without approval of our stockholders, if it determines that it is no longer in our best interests to continue to qualify as a REIT.

 

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