# EDGAR Filing Document

**Accession Number:** 0001753712
**File Stem:** 0000930413-23-000273
**Filing Date:** 2023-2
**Character Count:** 96623
**Document Hash:** 6318beb2e4224fb9d1e30e2d94801cae
**Contains OCR:** False
**Source Format:** 

## Filing Content

## Filing Summary
**0000930413-23-000273.hdr.sgml**: 20230203

**ACCESSION NUMBER**: 0000930413-23-000273

**CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE**: N-CSR/A

**PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT**: 5

**CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT**: 20211231

**FILED AS OF DATE**: 20230203

**DATE AS OF CHANGE**: 20230203

**EFFECTIVENESS DATE**: 20230203

**FILER**: 

**COMPANY DATA:**
- **COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:** Lord Abbett Credit Opportunities Fund
- **CENTRAL INDEX KEY:** 0001753712
- **IRS NUMBER:** 000000000
- **STATE OF INCORPORATION:** DE
- **FISCAL YEAR END:** 1231

**FILING VALUES:**
- **FORM TYPE:** N-CSR/A
- **SEC ACT:** 1940 Act
- **SEC FILE NUMBER:** 811-23383
- **FILM NUMBER:** 23583997

**BUSINESS ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 90 HUDSON STREET
- **CITY:** JERSEY CITY
- **STATE:** NJ
- **ZIP:** 07302
- **BUSINESS PHONE:** 888-522-2388

**MAIL ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 90 HUDSON STREET
- **CITY:** JERSEY CITY
- **STATE:** NJ
- **ZIP:** 07302

**UNITED STATES<br> SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION**

**Washington, D.C. 20549**

**FORM N-CSR**

**CERTIFIED SHAREHOLDER REPORT OF REGISTERED** 

**MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES**

Investment Company Act File Number: 811-23383

**LORD ABBETT CREDIT OPPORTUNITIES FUND**

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in charter)

<u>90 Hudson Street, Jersey City, New Jersey 07302-3973</u>

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

Lawrence B. Stoller, Esq.

Vice President, Secretary, and Chief Legal Officer

<u>90 Hudson Street, Jersey City, New Jersey 07302-3973</u>

(Name and address of agent for service)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code: <u>(888) 522-2388</u>

Date of fiscal year end: 12/31

Date of reporting period: 12/31/2021

Form N-CSR is to be used by management investment companies to file reports with the Commission not later than 10 days after the transmission to stockholders of any report that is required to be transmitted to stockholders under Rule 30e-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (17 CFR 270.30e-1). The Commission may use the information provided on Form N-CSR in its regulatory, disclosure review, inspection, and policymaking roles.

A registrant is required to disclose the information specified by Form N-CSR, and the Commission will make this information public. A registrant is not required to respond to the collection of information contained in Form N-CSR unless the Form displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget ("OMB") control number. Please direct comments concerning the accuracy of the information collection burden estimate and any suggestions for reducing the burden to Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 450 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20549-0609. The OMB has reviewed this collection of information under the clearance requirements of 44 U.S.C. § 3507.

**Explanatory Note:**

The Registrant is filing this amendment to its Certified Shareholder Report on Form N-CSR for the year ended December 31, 2021, originally filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 4, 2022 (Accession Number 0000930413-22-000438) (the "Original Filing") to amend Items 4, 7, 8, 9, and 12 and Item 13(c) to incorporate the Registrant's proxy voting policies and procedures. Item 1 through Item 3, Item 5 through Item 6, and Item 10 through Item 11 to this Form N-CSR/A are incorporated by reference to the Original Filing.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Item 4:** | **Principal Accountant Fees and Services.** |

---

In response to sections (a), (b), (c) and (d) of Item 4, the aggregate fees billed to the Registrant for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 by the Registrant's principal accounting firm, Deloitte & Touche LLP, the member firms of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu and their respective affiliates (collectively, "Deloitte") were as follows:

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
|  | *Fiscal year ended:* | *Fiscal year ended:* |
|  | *2022* | *2021* |
| Audit Fees {a} | $69000 | $65000 |
| Audit-Related Fees | - 0 - | - 0 - |
| Total audit and audit-related fees | 69000 | 65000 |
| Tax Fees {b} | - 0 - | 7671 |
| All Other Fees | - 0 - | - 0 - |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Total Fees | $69000 | $72671 |

---

{a} Consists of fees for audits of the Registrant's annual financial statements.

{b} Fees for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 consist of fees for preparing the U.S. Income Tax Return for Regulated Investment Companies, New Jersey Corporation Business Tax Return, New Jersey Annual Report Form, U.S. Return of Excise Tax on Undistributed Income of Investment Companies, IRS Forms 1099-MISC and 1096 Annual Summary and Transmittal of U.S. Information Returns.

(e) (1) Pursuant to Rule 2-01(c) (7) of Regulation S-X, the Registrant's Audit Committee has adopted pre-approval policies and procedures. Such policies and procedures generally provide that the Audit Committee must pre-approve:

● any audit, audit-related, tax, and other services to be provided to the Lord Abbett Funds, including the Registrant, and

● any audit-related, tax, and other services to be provided to the Registrant's investment adviser and any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with the investment adviser that provides ongoing services to one or more Funds comprising the Registrant if the engagement relates directly to operations and financial reporting of a Fund, by the independent auditor to assure that the provision of such services does not impair the auditor's independence.

The Audit Committee has delegated pre-approval authority to its Chair, subject to a fee limit of $10,000 per event, and not to exceed $25,000 annually. The Chair will report any pre-approval decisions to the Audit Committee at its next scheduled meeting. Unless a type of service to be provided by the independent auditor has received general pre-approval, it must be pre-approved by the Audit Committee. Any proposed services exceeding pre-approved cost levels will require specific pre-approval by the Audit Committee.

(e) (2) With respect to the services described in paragraphs (b) through (d) of this Item 4, no amount was approved by the Audit Committee pursuant to paragraph (c)(7)(i)(C) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X.

(f) Not applicable.

(g) The aggregate non-audit fees billed by Deloitte for services rendered to the Registrant are shown above in the response to Item 4 (a), (b), (c) and (d) as "All Other Fees".

The aggregate non-audit fees billed by Deloitte for services rendered to the Registrant's investment adviser, Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC ("Lord Abbett"), for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 were:

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
|  | *Fiscal year ended:* | *Fiscal year ended:* |
|  | *2022* | *2021* |
| All Other Fees {a} | $270000 | $220000 |

---

{a} Consist of fees for Independent Services Auditors' Report on Controls Placed in Operation and Tests of Operating Effectiveness related to Lord Abbett's Asset Management Services ("SOC-1 Report").

The aggregate non-audit fees billed by Deloitte for services rendered to entities under the common control of Lord Abbett for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 were:

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
|  | *Fiscal year ended:* | *Fiscal year ended:* |
|  | *2022* | *2021* |
| All Other Fees | $- 0 - | $- 0 - |

---

(h) The Registrant's Audit Committee has considered the provision of non-audit services that were rendered to the Registrant's investment adviser, and any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with the investment adviser that provides ongoing services to the Registrant, that were not pre-approved pursuant to Rule 2-01 (c)(7)(ii) of Regulation S-X and has determined that the provision of such services is compatible with maintaining Deloitte's independence.

(i) Not Applicable.

(j) Not Applicable.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Item 7:** | **Disclosure of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures for Closed-End Management Investment Companies.** |
|  | The Fund has delegated proxy voting responsibilities to the Fund's investment adviser, Lord Abbett, subject to the ESG and Proxy Committee's general oversight. Lord Abbett has adopted its own proxy voting policies and procedures for this purpose. A copy of Lord Abbett's proxy voting policies and procedures is attached hereto as Exhibit 13(c). |
| **Item 8:** | **Portfolio Managers of Closed-End Management Investment Companies.** |

---

**Item 8(a)(1)**

As of the date of filing this Report:

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and Title** | **Since** | **Recent Professional Experience** |
| Jeffrey D. Lapin<br> (Partner at Lord Abbett) | Inception<br> (February 2019) | Mr. Lapin joined Lord Abbett in 2012 as a portfolio manager for Lord Abbett's taxable fixed-income strategies, and was named Partner in 2016. He began his career in the financial services industry in 1997. Previously, he was Managing Director and Head of European Market Credit Coverage at Post Advisory Group. His prior experience also includes serving as Partner, Co-Portfolio Manager at Tablerock Fund Management, LLC; Analyst at Avenue Capital Management, LLC; and Research Analyst at M.J. Whitman, Inc. He earned an AB from Georgetown University, an MBA from New York University's Leonard N. Stern School of Business, and a JD from Northwestern University's School of Law. |
| Kewjin Yuoh<br> (Partner at Lord Abbett) | Inception<br> (February 2019) | Mr. Yuoh joined Lord Abbett in 2010 as a portfolio manager for Lord Abbett's taxable fixed-income strategies, and was named Partner in 2012. He began his career in the financial services industry in 1994. Prior to joining Lord Abbett, he was a Portfolio Manager of Structured Products at Sanford Bernstein; a Portfolio Manager of Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities at Credit Suisse Asset Management; and a Senior VP, Director of Fundamental Research for Liquid and Structured Products at AllianceBernstein. Mr. Yuoh earned a BS from Cornell University. |

---

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| Eric P. Kang<br> (Managing Director at Lord Abbett) | May 2021 | Mr. Kang joined Lord Abbett in 2015. He began his career in the financial services industry in 1999. His previous experience includes serving as Principal, Senior Analyst at MidOcean Credit Partners; Senior Analyst at Bell Point Capital Management; Analyst, Fundamental Credit Group at Citadel Investment Group; Vice President and Associate, Principal Credit Group at Merrill Lynch; and Analyst, Investment Banking at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette. He earned a BS from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia. |
| Adam C. Castle<br> (Partner at Lord Abbett) | May 2021 | Mr. Castle joined Lord Abbett in 2015. He began his career in the financial services industry in 2008. His previous experience includes serving as Vice President, Securitized Products Group at Credit Suisse; Assistant Vice President and Research Analyst, Securitized Assets at AllianceBernstein; and Analyst, Fixed Income Rotational Program at AllianceBernstein. He earned a BS from Cornell University and is a holder of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. |

---

**Item 8(a)(2)** 

The following table sets forth information about the other accounts managed by the Fund's portfolio managers as of December 31, 2022.

Included in the Registered Investment Companies category are those U.S.-registered funds managed or sub-advised by Lord Abbett, including funds underlying variable annuity contracts and variable life insurance policies offered through insurance companies. The Other Pooled Investment Vehicles category includes collective investment funds, offshore funds and similar non-registered investment vehicles. The Other Accounts category encompasses retirement and benefit plans (including both defined contribution and defined benefit plans) sponsored by various corporations and other entities, individually managed institutional accounts of various corporations, other entities and individuals, and separately managed accounts in so-called wrap fee programs sponsored by financial intermediaries unaffiliated with Lord Abbett.

---

| | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Number of** <br> **Registered** <br> **Investment<br> Companies** | **Total** <br> **Assets** <br> **($MM)** | **Number of** <br> **Other** <br> **Pooled** <br> **Investment** <br> **Vehicles** | **Total** <br> **Assets<br> ($MM)** | **Number** <br> **of Other<br> Accounts** | **Total** <br> **Assets** <br> **($MM)** |
| Jeffrey D. Lapin | 1 | 6098.56 | 3 | 458.19 | 0 | 0 |
| Kewjin Yuoh | 15 | 95007.98 | 9 | 8450.98 | 334 | 112.15 |
| Eric P. Kang | 3 | 2576.20 | 1 | 50.39 | 0 | 0 |
| Adam C. Castle | 8 | 66962.17 | 6 | 7268.69 | 0 | 0 |

---

Conflicts of interest may arise in connection with the portfolio managers' management of the investments of the Fund and the investments of the other accounts included in the table above. Such conflicts may arise with respect to the allocation of investment opportunities between the Fund and other accounts with similar investment objectives and policies. A portfolio manager potentially could use information concerning the Fund's transactions to the advantage of other accounts and to the detriment of the Fund. To address these potential conflicts of interest, Lord Abbett has adopted and implemented a number of policies and procedures. Lord Abbett has adopted Policies and Procedures Relating to Client Brokerage and Soft Dollars, as well as Evaluation of Proprietary Research Policy and Procedures. The objective of these policies and procedures is to ensure the fair and equitable treatment of transactions and allocation of investment opportunities on behalf of all accounts managed by Lord Abbett. In addition, Lord Abbett's Code of Ethics sets forth general principles for the conduct of employee personal securities transactions in a manner that avoids any actual or potential conflicts of interest with the interests of Lord Abbett's clients, including the Funds. Moreover, Lord Abbett's Insider Trading and Receipt of Material Non-Public Information Policy and Procedure sets forth procedures for personnel to follow when they have material non-public information. Lord Abbett is not affiliated with a full service broker-dealer and, therefore, does not execute any portfolio transactions through such an entity, a structure that could give rise to additional conflicts. Lord Abbett does not conduct any investment banking functions and does not manage any hedge funds. Lord Abbett does not believe that any material conflicts of interest exist in connection with the portfolio managers' management of the investments of the Funds and the investments of the other accounts in the table referenced above.

**Item 8(a)(3)**

The discussion below describes the portfolio managers' compensation as of December 31, 2022.

When used in this section, the term "fund" refers to the Fund, as well as any other registered investment companies, pooled investment vehicles, and accounts managed by a portfolio manager. Each portfolio manager receives compensation from Lord Abbett consisting of a salary, bonus, and profit-sharing plan contributions. The level of base compensation takes into account the portfolio manager's experience, reputation, and competitive market rates, as well as the portfolio manager's leadership and management of the investment team.

Fiscal year-end bonuses, which can be a substantial percentage of overall compensation, are determined after an evaluation of various factors. These factors include the portfolio manager's investment results and style consistency, the dispersion among funds with similar objectives, the risk taken to achieve the returns, and similar factors. In considering the portfolio manager's investment results, Lord Abbett's senior leaders may evaluate the Fund's performance against one or more benchmarks from among the Fund's primary benchmark and any supplemental benchmarks as disclosed in the prospectus, indices disclosed as performance benchmarks by the portfolio manager's other accounts, and other indices within one or more of the Fund's peer groups (as defined from time to time by third party investment research companies), as well as the Fund's peer group. In particular, investment results are evaluated based on an assessment of the portfolio manager's one-, three-, and five-year investment returns on a pre-tax basis versus the benchmark. Finally, there is a component of the bonus that rewards leadership and management of the investment team. The evaluation does not follow a formulaic approach, but rather is reached following a review of these factors. No part of the bonus payment is based on the portfolio manager's assets under management, the revenues generated by those assets, or the profitability of the portfolio manager's team. In addition, Lord Abbett may designate a bonus payment of a manager for participation in the firm's deferred compensation plan. Depending on the employee's level they will receive either an award under the Managing Director Award Plan or the Investment Capital Appreciation Plan. Both of these plans, following a three-year qualification period, provide for a deferred payout over a five-year period. The plan's earnings are based on the overall average net asset growth of the firm as a whole or percentile performance of our funds against benchmarks as a whole. Lord Abbett believes these incentives focus portfolio managers on the impact their Fund's performance has on the overall reputation of the firm as a whole and encourages exchanges of investment ideas among investment professionals managing different mandates.

Lord Abbett provides a 401(k) profit-sharing plan for all eligible employees. Contributions to a portfolio manager's profit-sharing account are based on a percentage of the portfolio manager's total base and bonus paid during the fiscal year, subject to a specified maximum amount.

**Item 8(a)(4)**

The following table indicates the dollar range of securities beneficially owned by each portfolio manager in the Fund he or she manages, as of December 31, 2022. This table includes the value of securities beneficially owned by such portfolio managers through 401(k) plans and certain other plans or accounts, if any.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Ownership of Securities** | **Aggregate Dollar Range of Securities** |
| Jeffrey D. Lapin | $100001-$500000 |
| Kewjin Yuoh | $10001-$50000 |
| Eric P. Kang | $50001-$100000 |
| Adam C. Castle | $10001-$50000 |

---

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Item 8(b):** | Not Applicable. |
| **Item 9:** | **Purchases of Equity Securities by Closed-End Management Investment Company and Affiliated Purchasers.** |
|  | None. |
| **Item 12**: | **Disclosure of Securities Lending Activities for Closed-End Management Investment Companies.** |
|  | None. |
| **Item 13:** | **Exhibits.** |

---

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| (a)(1) | [The Lord Abbett Family of Funds Sarbanes-Oxley Code of Ethics for the Principal Executive Officer and Senior Financial Officers is attached hereto as part of EX-99.CODEETH.](c105509_ex99-codeeth.htm) |
| (a)(2) | [Certification of each Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer of the Registrant as required by Rule 30a-2 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 is attached hereto as a part of EX-99.CERT.](c105509_ex99-cert.htm) |
| (b) | [Certification of each Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer of the Registrant as required by Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 is provided as a part of EX-99.906CERT.](c105509_ex99-906cert.htm) |
| (c) | [The Registrant's Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures is attached hereto in response to Item 7.](c105509_ex99-13c.htm) |

---

**SIGNATURES**

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

**LORD ABBETT CREDIT OPPORTUNITIES FUND**

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| By: | <u>/s/ Douglas B. Sieg</u> |
|  | Douglas B. Sieg |
|  | President and Chief Executive Officer |

---

Date: January 25, 2023

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the Registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| By: | <u>/s/ Douglas B. Sieg</u> |
|  | Douglas B. Sieg |
|  | President and Chief Executive Officer |

---

Date: January 25, 2023

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| By: | <u>/s/ Michael J. Hebert</u> |
|  | Michael J. Hebert |
|  | Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer |

---

Date: January 25, 2023

## Ex-99.Code

EX-99.CODEETH

**THE LORD ABBETT FAMILY OF FUNDS**

**SARBANES-OXLEY CODE OF ETHICS** 

**FOR THE PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICER** 

**AND SENIOR FINANCIAL OFFICERS**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**I.** **Covered Officers/Purpose of the Code** 

**The Lord Abbett Family of Funds'** code of ethics (the "Code") for the investment companies within the complex (collectively, "Funds" and each individually a "Fund"), applies to each Fund's Principal Executive Officer and Senior Financial Officers (the "Covered Officers", each of whom is set forth in Exhibit A) for the purpose of promoting:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· honest and ethical conduct, including the ethical handling of actual or apparent conflicts of interest between personal and
professional relationships;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable disclosure in reports and documents that a registrant files with, or submits
to, the SEC and in other public communications made by the Funds;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· compliance with applicable laws and governmental rules and regulations;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· the prompt internal reporting of violations of the Code to an appropriate person or persons identified in the Code; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· accountability for adherence to the Code.

Each Covered Officer should adhere to a high standard of business ethics and should be sensitive to situations that may give rise to actual as well as apparent conflicts of interest.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**II.** **Covered Officers Should Handle Ethically Any Actual and Apparent Conflicts of Interest** 

**Overview.** A "conflict of interest" occurs when a Covered Officer's private interest interferes with the interests of, or his/her service to, a Fund. For example, a conflict of interest would arise if a Covered Officer, or a member of his/her family, receives improper personal benefits as a result of his/her position with a Fund.

Certain conflicts of interest arise out of the relationships between Covered Officers and a Fund and already are subject to conflict of interest provisions in the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. For example, Covered Officers may not individually engage in certain transactions (such as the purchase or sale of securities or other property) with the Fund because of their status as "affiliated persons" of the investment adviser to each of the Funds. The compliance programs and procedures of Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC ("Lord Abbett") are designed to prevent, or identify and correct, violations of such requirements. This Code does not, and is not intended to, repeat or replace these programs and procedures, and such conflicts fall outside of the parameters of this Code.

Although typically not presenting an opportunity for improper personal benefit, conflicts arise from, or as a result of, the contractual relationship between each of the Funds

June 2003

and Lord Abbett of which the Covered Officers are also members. As a result, this Code recognizes that the Covered Officers will, in the normal course of their duties (whether formally for a Fund or for Lord Abbett, or for both), be involved in establishing policies and implementing decisions which will have different effects on Lord Abbett and each of the Funds. The participation of the Covered Officers in such activities is inherent in the contractual relationship between each of the Funds and Lord Abbett and is consistent with the performance by the Covered Officers of their duties as officers of one or more Funds and, if addressed in conformity with the provisions of the Investment Company Act and the Investment Advisers Act, will be deemed to have been handled ethically. In addition, it is recognized by the Boards of Directors/Trustees of the Funds that the Covered Officers are also officers of the other Lord Abbett investment companies covered by this and by a separate code of ethics.

Other conflicts of interest are covered by this Code, even if such conflicts of interest are not subject to provisions in the Investment Company Act and the Investment Advisers Act. In reading the following examples of conflicts of interest under this Code, Covered Officers should keep in mind that such a list cannot ever be exhaustive by covering every possible scenario. It follows that the overarching principle is that the personal interest of a Covered Officer should not be placed improperly before the interest of a Fund.

\* \* \* \*

Each Covered Officer must:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· not use his/her personal influence or personal relationships improperly to influence investment decisions or financial reporting
by a Fund whereby the Covered Officer would benefit personally to the detriment of the Fund; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· not cause a Fund to take action, or fail to take action, for the individual personal benefit of the Covered Officer rather
than the benefit the Fund.

There are some potential conflict of interest situations that should be discussed with Lord Abbett's General Counsel if material. Examples of these include:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· service as a director on the board of any public company;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· any direct ownership interest in, or any consulting or employment relationship with, any of the Funds' service providers,
other than Lord Abbett or any affiliated person of Lord Abbett;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· a direct or indirect financial interest in commissions, transaction charges or spreads paid by a Fund for effecting portfolio
transactions or for selling or redeeming shares, other than an interest arising from the Covered Officer's employment, such
as compensation or as a member of Lord Abbett.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**III.** **Disclosure & Compliance** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· Each Covered Officer should familiarize him/herself with the disclosure requirements generally applicable to the Funds;

June 2003

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· each Covered Officer should not knowingly misrepresent, or cause others to misrepresent, facts about a Fund to others, whether
within or outside Lord Abbett or a Fund, including to a Fund's independent directors/trustees and auditors, and to governmental
regulators and self-regulatory organizations;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· each Covered Officer should, to the extent appropriate within his/her area of responsibility, consult with other officers and
employees of the Funds and Lord Abbett with the goal of promoting full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable disclosure in
the reports and documents the Funds file with, or submit to, the SEC and in other public communications made by the Funds; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· it is the responsibility of each Covered Officer to promote compliance with the standards and restrictions imposed by applicable
laws, rules and regulations.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**IV.** **Reporting and Accountability** 

Each Covered Officer must:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· upon adoption of the Code, affirm in writing to the Audit Committee (the "Committee") of a Fund that he/she has
received, read, and understands the Code;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· annually thereafter affirm to the Committee that he/she has complied with the requirements of the Code;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· report at least annually such affiliations or other relationships related to conflicts of interest as covered by the Funds'
Annual Directors & Officers Questionnaire;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· not retaliate against any employee or member of Lord Abbett for reports of potential violations that are made in good faith;
and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· notify Lord Abbett's General Counsel<sup></sup>promptly if he/she alleges any violation of this Code. Failure to do
so is itself a violation of this Code.

Lord Abbett's General Counsel is responsible for applying this Code to specific situations in which questions are presented under it and has the authority to interpret this Code in any particular situation. The General Counsel may consult, as appropriate, with the Committee, and/or counsel to the Independent Directors, and is encouraged to do so. However, any approvals or waivers sought by the Covered Persons will be considered by the Committee.

June 2003

Each of the Funds will follow these procedures in investigating and enforcing this Code:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· Lord Abbett's General Counsel will take all appropriate action to investigate any potential violations reported to him;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· if, after such investigation, the General Counsel believes that no violation has occurred, the General Counsel is not required
to take any further action, but he shall discuss with the Committee at its next regularly scheduled meeting his investigation and
conclusion;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· any matter that the General Counsel believes is a violation will be reported to the Committee;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· if the Committee concurs that a violation has occurred, it will consider appropriate action, which may include review of, and
appropriate modifications to, applicable policies and procedures; notification to appropriate personnel of Lord Abbett; or a recommendation
to dismiss the Covered Officer;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· the Committee will be responsible for granting waivers, as appropriate; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· any changes to or waivers of this Code will, to the extent required, be disclosed as provided by SEC rules.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**V.** **Other Policies and Procedures** 

This Code shall be the sole code of ethics adopted by the Funds for purposes of Section 406 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the rules and forms applicable to registered investment companies thereunder. Insofar as other policies or procedures of the Funds, the Funds' adviser, principal underwriter, or other service providers govern or purport to govern the behavior or activities of the Covered Officers who are subject to this Code, they are superceded by this Code to the extent that they overlap or conflict with the provisions of this Code. The Funds' and Lord Abbett's codes of ethics under Rule 17j-1 under the Investment Company Act are separate requirements applying to the Covered Officers and others, and are not part of this Code.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**VI.** **Amendments** 

Except as to the individuals listed in Exhibit A, this Code may not be amended except in written form, which is specifically approved or ratified by a majority vote of a Fund's independent directors/trustees.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**VII.** **Confidentiality** 

All reports and records prepared or maintained pursuant to this Code will be considered confidential and shall be maintained and protected accordingly. Except as otherwise required by law or this Code, such matters shall not be disclosed to anyone other than the Committee and its counsel.

June 2003

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**VIII.** **Internal Use** 

The Code is intended solely for the internal use by each of the Funds and does not constitute an admission, by or on behalf of any Fund, as to any fact, circumstance, or legal conclusion.

Date: June 19, 2003

June 2003

**Exhibit A**

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| <u>Persons Covered by this Code of Ethics</u> | <u>Persons Covered by this Code of Ethics</u> | <u>Position With Funds</u> |
| Douglas B. Sieg | Principal Executive Officer | President and Chief Executive Officer |
| Michael J. Hebert | Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer | Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer |

---

July 2022

## Ex-99.Cert

EX-99.CERT

CERTIFICATIONS

Pursuant to Section 302 of the

Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

I, Douglas B. Sieg, certify that:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. I have reviewed this report on Form N-CSR of Lord Abbett Credit Opportunities Fund;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with
respect to the period covered by this report;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in
all material respects the financial condition, results of operations, changes in net assets, and cash flows (if the financial statements
are required to include a statement of cash flows) of the Registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. The Registrant's other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls
and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) and internal control over financial reporting
(as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) for the Registrant and have:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our
supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the Registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known
to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed
under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of
financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c) evaluated the effectiveness of the Registrant's disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions
about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of this
report based on such evaluation; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d) disclosed in this report any change in the Registrant's internal control over financial reporting that occurred during
the period covered by this report that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Registrant's
internal control over financial reporting; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5. The Registrant's other certifying officer and I have disclosed to the Registrant's auditors and the audit committee
of the Registrant's board of trustees (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting
which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Registrant's ability to record, process, summarize, and report financial
information; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Registrant's
internal control over financial reporting.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| Date: January 25, 2023 |  |
|  | <u>/s/ Douglas B. Sieg</u> |
|  | Douglas B. Sieg |
|  | President and Chief Executive Officer |

---

CERTIFICATIONS

Pursuant to Section 302 of the

Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

I, Michael J. Hebert, certify that:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. I have reviewed this report on Form N-CSR of Lord Abbett Credit Opportunities Fund;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with
respect to the period covered by this report;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in
all material respects the financial condition, results of operations, changes in net assets, and cash flows (if the financial statements
are required to include a statement of cash flows) of the Registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. The Registrant's other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls
and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) and internal control over financial reporting
(as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) for the Registrant and have:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our
supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the Registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known
to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed
under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of
financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c) evaluated the effectiveness of the Registrant's disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions
about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of this
report based on such evaluation; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d) disclosed in this report any change in the Registrant's internal control over financial reporting that occurred during
the period covered by this report that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Registrant's
internal control over financial reporting; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5. The Registrant's other certifying officer and I have disclosed to the Registrant's auditors and the audit committee
of the Registrant's board of trustees (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting
which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Registrant's ability to record, process, summarize, and report financial
information; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Registrant's
internal control over financial reporting.

Date: January 25, 2023

---

| |
|:---|
| <u>/s/ Michael J. Hebert</u> |
| Michael J. Hebert |
| Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer |

---

## Exhibit 99.906

EX-99.906CERT

CERTIFICATIONS

Pursuant to Section 906 of the

Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

Each of the undersigned below certifies that:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. This report on Form N-CSR of Lord Abbett Credit Opportunities Fund (the "Report") fully complies with the requirements
of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations
of the issuer.

Date: January 25, 2023

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| By: | /s/ Douglas B. Sieg |
|  | Douglas B. Sieg |
|  | President and Chief Executive Officer |

---

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| By: | /s/ Michael J. Hebert |
|  | Michael J. Hebert |
|  | Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer |

---

A SIGNED ORIGINAL OF THIS WRITTEN STATEMENT REQUIRED BY SECTION 906, OR OTHER DOCUMENT AUTHENTICATING, ACKNOWLEDGING, OR OTHERWISE ADOPTING THE SIGNATURE THAT APPEARS IN TYPED FORM WITHIN THE ELECTRONIC VERSION OF THIS WRITTEN STATEMENT REQUIRED BY SECTION 906, HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO THE REGISTRANT AND WILL BE RETAINED BY THE REGISTRANT AND FURNISHED TO THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ITS STAFF UPON REQUEST.

## Ex-99.(13)(C)

Exhibit 99.(13)(c)

Sustainable Investing & Proxy Voting Policy

November 2022

The information contained herein is the property of Lord Abbett and may not copied, or disclosed in whole or in part, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, reprographic, recording or otherwise) outside of Lord Abbett without prior written permission.

**Contents**

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Sustainable Investment Policy** | **Sustainable Investment Policy** | 3 |
| • | Introduction | 3 |
| • | Governance of Sustainable Investing | 4 |
| • | Fundamental Analysis | 4 |
| • | Engagement | 7 |
| • | Corporate Governance Guidelines | 8 |
| **Proxy Voting Policies** | **Proxy Voting Policies** | 9 |
| • | ESG | 10 |
| • | Board of Directors | 12 |
| • | Compensation and Benefits | 15 |
| • | Shareholder Rights | 17 |
| • | Corporate Matters | 19 |
| • | Auditors | 20 |
| **Proxy Voting Process** | **Proxy Voting Process** | 21 |
| • | Overview | 21 |
| • | Retention and Oversight of Proxy Service Provider | 22 |
| • | Conflicts of Interest | 22 |
| • | Securities Lending | 23 |
| • | Shareholder Resolutions | 23 |
| • | Share Blocking | 23 |
| **Appendix – Targeted Exclusions Policy** | **Appendix – Targeted Exclusions Policy** | 24 |

---

**Sustainable Investment Policy**

**Introduction**

We consider ESG factors as part of the mosaic of information our investment professionals develop for each security. To maximize our potential, it is essential to provide our investors with access to powerful tools and extensive data. We consider ESG factors as key inputs to fundamental research. Our investment professionals assess relevant ESG considerations during their due diligence and monitoring processes.

Engaging with issuers is instrumental to our ability to develop a full understanding of each issuer's business and strategy. We leverage various forms of engagement, including proxy voting, with the intent of understanding, exchanging and potentially influencing perspectives on ESG issues.

Lord Abbett is a signatory to the United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment ("PRI"). We support the PRI framework in its efforts to understand the investment implications of ESG factors and to support its signatories in incorporating these factors into investment and ownership decisions. Our definition of responsible investing is aligned with the PRI definition, which is a strategy and practice to incorporate environmental, social and governance factors in investment decisions and active ownership. In accordance with PRI guidance, we seek to use responsible investment to enhance returns and better manage risks.

The intent of our Sustainable Investing & Proxy Voting Policy is to express our commitment to sustainable investing, and to outline the key pillars of our approach across all investment strategies. Our sustainable investing policy informs our investment process across all asset classes, and we regularly review it to ensure its continued relevance.

**Governance of Sustainable Investing**

Three governance committees guide and oversee our approach to sustainable investing:

• Executive Committee: One of two committees focused on leading and operating the firm, this committee provides leadership, strategic direction, and risk management for the organization.

• Investment Committee: One of two committees focused on leading and operating the firm, this committee is responsible for fostering a culture of trust and respect that empowers the investment teams to operate at peak performance.

• Global Corporate Citizenship Committee: This committee is responsible for serving as steward of our mission and ensuring our ongoing progress against our sustainability commitments.

**Fundamental Analysis**

We strive to deliver superior long-term, risk-adjusted investment performance across all strategies. We recognize that ESG Risk factors can materially impact the investment performance of our portfolios.

Our investment teams therefore focus on the ESG Risk factors that are material to each issuer, industry, and asset class, incorporating the analysis into our investment process to fully assess both the risk and return potential of all investments.

We utilize quantitative risk scoring to facilitate comparative analysis across issuers, industries, and sectors. We incorporate ESG risk scores, controversy scores, and other relevant ESG-related metrics offered by third-party research providers to supplement our own analysis. In segments of the market where external ESG research is not available or does not cover the full spectrum of our holdings, we have developed proprietary scoring methodologies that are unique to each asset class.

We expect our approach to the integration of ESG factors to continue to evolve, as the availability of data improves, and as research and regulatory standards and expectations regarding ESG issues continue to evolve.

**Corporate Issuers**

When analyzing the risk/reward profile of a security, we evaluate the impact of ESG risks on the operations and enterprise value and, as with any other risks, seek to ensure that the expected return for every investment is commensurate with those risks.

Our investment professionals rely on information from various sources, including companies' filings, financial press, third party ESG research providers, and rating agencies. ESG scores - proprietary and provided by third party vendors - supplement our qualitative analysis. ESG risk and controversy scores are available to our investment professionals in our proprietary systems.

Additionally, regular engagement with management teams provides important insights into the material ESG risk factors impacting the company as well as a better understanding of the initiatives in place to mitigate these risks.

**Sovereign Issuers**

Our ESG integration approach for sovereign issuers is also rooted in three process pillars: quantitative data, qualitative analysis, and engagement. ESG considerations are important factors in our analysis of global macro drivers and country selection, and company and sector fundamentals.

When evaluating environmental risks, we assess each country's vulnerability to climate change and other natural disaster risks, evaluating each country's performance on various metrics, including natural resource management, emissions, and energy use. When assessing social factors, we consider measures of human development, inequality, employment, health, and education/literacy. In our assessments of governance, we focus our review on government effectiveness, political stability/rule of law, human rights, and the economic environment.

Our systematic sovereign risk assessments include quantitative analysis based on ESG data derived from third-party providers. We review historical trends and assess countries on a relative basis against regional and rating peers. These country level data are also available in our proprietary systems and can be easily accessed by our investment professionals. We also incorporate a qualitative analysis of ESG factors to complement the data, leveraging our country visits and interactions with government officials, academic institutions, regulators, and multilateral organizations.

**Municipal Issuers**

We developed a proprietary framework for municipal bonds that assigns ESG ratings to all credits held in portfolios we manage. In developing this framework, we created a series of matrices for municipal bond sectors. Each matrix includes a list of ESG subfactors we deem material and a series of metrics that we track and evaluate. These factors and metrics are weighted based on materiality and ultimately enable us to assign an ESG rating to each credit. In addition to providing ESG ratings, we evaluate use of proceeds for each credit.

The ESG proprietary ratings are captured in our proprietary platform and are easily accessible by analysts and portfolio managers.

As for the other asset classes, our municipal bond ESG integration process is fluid, as research regarding ESG issues continues to evolve. Many of the metrics that we consider to be meaningful today may change in the future. Therefore, we continue to study ESG trends in each sector and review our framework periodically to ensure efficacy.

**Securitized Products**

We developed a proprietary framework to incorporate ESG Risk considerations in our analysis of securitized products that focuses on governance and long-term sustainability. It is our long-term objective to invest in securities that will outperform on the basis of our variant perception on ESG factors and in turn lower the cost of capital for the issuers of those securities.

The process begins with an assessment of key parties related to the securitization, including servicer, sponsor, manager, and originator. Our approach includes asset-class adjustments to account for inherent risks that are generally difficult to mitigate. We then perform security-level evaluation based on various factors we deem material and assess market structure by examining the economic drivers of each sector, including major stakeholder behavior, regulatory frameworks, and liquidity in end markets.

Our process relies on the analysis of deal disclosure documents and filings, ratings agency reports, collateral datafiles, relevant historical asset performance, financial statements and presentations of related parties, pricing and commentary on related securities, web searches, and engagement with company management.

Collectively, the insights derived from these steps enable us to assign an ESG score to each issue. Our ESG scoring system is accessible in our proprietary system and available to our investment professionals.

**Engagement**

Engaging with issuers allows us to develop a more complete understanding of each company's business and offers us the potential to positively influence long-term performance. In addition to corporate governance, we focus on topics that we believe represent the greatest sources of risk and opportunity facing our global society:

**CLIMATE**

Identifying investment opportunities associated with capital directed toward green innovation

**EQUITY**

Closing opportunity gaps for underrepresented communities for a more inclusive future

**WELL-BEING**

Empowering well-being – physical, mental, and financial – for a more resilient future

**Methods of Engagement**

We utilize several methods of engagement in our stewardship efforts. The teams involved, frequency of engagements, and method used vary by situation, but typically depend on the issuer, issue, and asset class.

*Company Meetings:* Our investment teams routinely engage directly with issuers on ESG issues as part of our approach to fundamental research. These meetings enable us to develop a more complete understanding of each company's business and offer us the potential to positively influence long-term performance. We approach engagement as a strategic partnership with the issuers in which we invest.

*Collective Engagements*: When significant ESG risk has been identified, Lord Abbett may work in collaboration with external organizations, such as Climate Action 100+, to join like-minded investors in our engagement efforts. Collective engagement presents an opportunity to address key issues, while enabling us to contribute to and learn from industry peers.

*Written Communications*: In instances when direct engagement is difficult or impractical, we may utilize more formal written communications to convey our polices or solicit information. Examples include letters to company management, governmental or regulatory bodies, and surveys/questionnaires.

*Published Works*: We value transparency and, therefore, seek to publish policies and other content that signal our positions on key ESG-related topics. These published works augment our direct engagement efforts and allow issuers and other stakeholders to gain an understanding of our values, priorities, and beliefs.

*Proxy Voting*: Proxy Voting is a key lever of engagement that is used to influence company behavior and signal our positions on key ESG issues. We evaluate and vote proxies in a manner that we believe maximizes shareholder value.

**Corporate Governance Guidelines**

Lord Abbett believes that companies with strong corporate governance practices are better positioned for long-term success. Our fundamental research process includes a thorough review of companies' corporate governance profiles, with a particular focus on the following key factors:

• Board of Directors – An independent and effective board is critical to the long-term success of a company. Particular attention is paid to board composition, including:

– Director Independence

– Diversity (background, gender, race, etc.)

– Board Committees and Leadership

• Auditors – Independent auditors are necessary to ensure the accuracy and legitimacy of company finances and disclosures.

• Capital Structure – Companies should make capital structure and allocation decisions with the goal of maximizing long-term shareholder value.

• Compensation – Executive compensation, including equity-based incentive plans, should be aligned with long-term shareholder objectives.

• Shareholder Rights – Shareholders should be afforded certain rights, including the right to vote, to ensure accountability of the board to the company's shareholders.

• Disclosure – Companies should provide robust public disclosure of relevant information to allow for a full and accurate assessment of a security by investors.

As an active manager, we incorporate each of these corporate governance factors into our fundamental analysis and decision-making process.

**Proxy Voting Policies**

Under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, Lord Abbett acts as a fiduciary that owes each of its clients' duties of care and loyalty with respect to all services undertaken on the client's behalf, including proxy voting. This means that Lord Abbett is required to vote proxies in the manner we believe is in the best interests of each client, including the Lord Abbett Funds (the "Funds") and their shareholders. We take a long-term perspective in investing our clients' assets and employ the same perspective in voting proxies on their behalf. We view proxy voting as a critical form of engagement that enables us to use our voice together with other levers of engagement. We evaluate all proxy proposals based on their potential effects on our clients' long-term interests and incorporate vote themes into our ongoing engagement with issuers. Set forth below are the policies and principles we apply in voting proxies on our clients' behalf.

**Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)**

Proposals related to ESG issues are typically initiated by shareholders and urge a company to disclose certain information or change certain business practices. Lord Abbett will vote for proposals related to ESG factors when they seek useful disclosure or positive changes to business practices. We will vote against proposals we believe are unduly burdensome or which impose substantial costs on a company with no countervailing economic benefits to the company's shareholders.

We evaluate proposals involving ESG matters on a case-by-case basis, understanding that ESG risks and opportunities can vary greatly by industry and company. As a result, we may vote similar proposals differently based on the particular facts and circumstances. When voting, we will pay particular attention to highly controversial issues, as well as instances where management has failed repeatedly to take corrective actions with respect to an issue.

**Climate**

The transition to a low carbon economy is driving innovation and creating investment opportunities. As investors, it is critical to understand and participate in this significant transformation.

We incorporate risks associated with the transition to a low carbon economy into our investment process and we expect companies to publicly disclose material data related to climate-related risk and opportunities.

Lord Abbett is a supporter of Climate Action 100+, and expects that companies in carbon intensive industries will:

• Implement a governance framework which clearly articulates board oversight of climate-related risks and opportunities;

• Disclose a climate transition plan or roadmap for reduced emissions;

• Maintain disclosure in-line with the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures ("TCFD").

Lord Abbett generally supports proposals that request a company to disclose greenhouse gas ("GHG") emissions or report on plans to reduce GHG emissions.

In evaluating climate-related proposals, Lord Abbett will consider current company disclosures, a company's current GHG emissions, GHG reduction goals, peer disclosures, engagement, and other climate-related commitments, among other factors.

**Equity**

Lord Abbett believes that closing opportunity gaps for underrepresented communities is imperative for a more inclusive future and that equity is vital to a company's long-term, sustainable success. We believe that organizations with inclusive environments that embrace diversity of thought, background, and experience are more successful in attracting and retaining talent and generally more agile, more impactful, and better prepared for the future.

Given the importance of equity, Lord Abbett expects and encourages companies to have clear diversity policies, and strategies in place to facilitate equity within their organizations, as well as a broader range of stakeholders, including local and global communities. Further, we expect companies to disclose milestones and targets towards achieving stated equity goals. Lord Abbett also expects the disclosure of workforce diversity metrics consistent with data provided on EEO-1 reports or other comparable data and will generally support proposals requesting additional disclosure of these metrics and initiatives.

In evaluating proposals related to equity, Lord Abbett will consider current company disclosures, peer disclosures, engagement, and diversity-related controversies, among other factors.

**Well-Being**

Lord Abbett believes that companies that nurture holistic well-being – physical, emotional, and financial – as a mindset, skill, and measurable strategic priority will build more resilient workforces and contribute to a more resilient global economy. Lord Abbett expects companies to implement strategies and governance structures to facilitate well-being and disclose existing initiatives. Further, we expect companies to comply with the principles laid out by the U.N. Global Compact Initiative, specifically the principles focused on labor and human rights. We agree with the principles that businesses should uphold the freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining, the elimination of all forms of forced labor, the effective abolition of child labor, and the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment. We believe it is important to consider the human rights impact that companies can have on employees, such as through the supply chain and their communities, as well as consumers, through the products and services they provide. We call on companies to support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights and ensure that they are not complicit in human rights abuses.

Lord Abbett encourages companies to articulate the role that they play in fostering well-being within their local and global communities. Lord Abbett generally supports proposals requesting disclosure of well-being initiatives and related metrics.

In evaluating proposals related to well-being, Lord Abbett will consider current company disclosures, peer disclosures, engagement, and related controversies, among other factors.

**Governance**

Investors have benefited from positive changes in corporate governance that have benefited businesses and their investors. Shareholders have taken a more active role in businesses in which they invest, and companies are communicating more with shareholders. Companies are more conscious of the need for transparent and effective governance policies, and there has been progress in the evolution of these practices. Companies with a principled governance approach are better positioned to manage the risks inherent in business and recognize opportunities that help deliver sustainable growth and returns for shareholders. In formulating our approach, we are focused on best practice standards for governance, including industry approved frameworks and guidance. Given the materiality of certain ESG factors, we also believe that companies should formalize oversight of ESG within their governance structures through board and management level committees.

**Political Contributions and Lobbying**

Lord Abbett recognizes that companies may participate in the political process within legal limits to help shape public policy consistent with a company's strategy. While Lord Abbett understands the rationale for involvement in certain political activities, we encourage transparency in the process; specifically, Lord Abbett encourages the disclosure of oversight mechanisms related to political contributions and lobbying processes, including board oversight.

Lord Abbett will vote proposals related to political contributions and lobbying on a case-by-case basis. In evaluating these proposals, Lord Abbett will consider the current level of disclosure, previous litigation or controversies, peer disclosure, engagement, and reputational or legal risks, among other factors.

**Board of Directors**

The board of directors of a company oversees all aspects of the company's business. Companies and, under certain circumstances, their shareholders, may nominate directors for election by shareholders. In evaluating the candidacy of a director nominee to the board of a company, Lord Abbett will consider the following factors, among others: (1) the nominee's experience, qualifications, attributes, and skills, as disclosed in the company's proxy statement; (2) the composition of the board and its committees, including overall board diversity; (3) whether the nominee is independent of the company's management; (4) the nominee's board meeting attendance; (5) the nominee's history of representing shareholder interests on the company's board or other boards; (6) the total number of outside board positions held by the nominee;

(7) the nominee's investment in the company; (8) the company's long-term performance relative to a relevant market index; and (9) takeover activity. Lord Abbett may withhold votes for some or all a company's director nominees on a case-by-case basis. In evaluating an audit, nominating, governance, or compensation committee nominee's candidacy, Lord Abbett will consider additional factors related to the specific committee's oversight responsibilities.

**Board Diversity**

A growing body of research has found that companies that are more diverse and inclusive outperform companies that are less diverse and inclusive. Lord Abbett believes companies that draw from a larger pool of perspectives and attract, inspire, and retain talent from many backgrounds are better positioned for long-term, sustainable success. We believe that a company's tone on diversity and inclusion must be set at the top, including maintaining a diverse board of directors.

Diversity is multidimensional, and we therefore encourage companies to consider a wide range of diverse characteristics within board composition, including age, disabilities, education, ethnicity, gender, military service, race, religion, sexual orientation, and skills, among other factors. Lord Abbett has vocalized support for NASDAQ's board diversity expectations for listed companies and believes strongly in the ideals expressed in this proposal which calls for increased board diversity and disclosure.

Lord Abbett believes that companies with diverse boards are better positioned for long-term success, and therefore expects companies to maintain a minimum of 30% gender diversity. We expect companies below this threshold to articulate a plan to increase board diversity, and we will actively partner with companies through engagement to encourage and monitor progress. In 2022, Lord Abbett will consider voting against the nominating committee or other relevant directors if there is less than 20% women on the board and no plan has been articulated to diversify board membership. Lord Abbett will also consider voting against the nominating committee or other relevant directors at companies in the Russell 3000, S&P 1500, and FTSE 100 indices if there is no apparent racial or ethnic diversity represented on the board. We expect these minimum thresholds to increase as market standards evolve.

Lord Abbett values transparency and believes that reliable and consistent information is necessary to make informed investment decisions. To that end, Lord Abbett strongly encourages the reporting of board diversity statistics, including gender, racial and ethnic diversity, in a clear, consistent manner, and will treat a lack of disclosure as an indication that the board lacks diversity.

Lord Abbett will consider our engagement history with a company and vote on a case-by-case basis if we have engaged with the company and they have articulated a plan for advancing diversity on the board.

**Overboarding**

Lord Abbett believes that director nominees should be able to dedicate sufficient time to each of the companies they represent to fully execute their board oversight responsibilities. We believe it is important that directors not be "overboarded" to avoid excessive time-commitments and provide consistent contributions to all boards on which they serve. Lord Abbett may vote against directors that we deem to be "overboarded" and will consider voting against director nominees if they sit on more than five public company boards, or if they are an active CEO who sits on more than two outside public company boards.

**Governance Structure**

Lord Abbett may consider a vote against certain director nominees at companies that have material governance shortcomings, including those implemented at the time of IPO, with no articulated plan to sunset certain provisions. Governance shortcomings may include dual-class voting structures, classified boards, or supermajority vote standards, among others.

**Environmental and Social Factors**

Lord Abbett believes that boards should maintain oversight over material ESG risks and opportunities, and clearly articulate board and committee responsibilities related to ESG matters. Lord Abbett may consider a vote against certain director nominees at companies that have material ESG shortcomings, such as unmitigated risks associated with climate, equity or well-being that the company and its board have failed to address.

**Majority Voting**

Lord Abbett generally favors a majority voting standard, under which director nominees are elected by an affirmative majority of the votes cast. We will generally support proposals that seek to adopt a majority voting standard.

**Board Classification**

Lord Abbett generally believes that directors should be elected annually, and we will typically support proposals that seek to remove a classified board structure. When evaluating board classification proposals, Lord Abbett may consider the following factors, among others: (1) the company's long-term strategic plan; (2) the extent to which continuity of leadership is necessary to advance that plan; and (3) the need to guard against takeover attempts.

**Board Independence**

Lord Abbett believes that independent board oversight is key to a company's long-term performance and believes that a majority of board members should be independent from the company. While company boards may apply different standards in assessing director independence, including any applicable standards prescribed by stock exchanges and federal securities laws, a director generally is determined to qualify as independent if the director is not employed by the company and does not have any material relationship with the company (either directly or indirectly) based on all relevant facts and circumstances. Material relationships can include employment, business, and familial relationships, among others. Lord Abbett may vote against non-independent board nominees if their election would cause a majority of board members to be non-independent.

**Independent Board Chair**

Proponents of proposals to require independent board chair seek to enhance board accountability and mitigate a company's risk-taking behavior by requiring that the role of the chair of the company's board of directors be filled by an independent director. Lord Abbett votes on a case-by-case basis on proposals that call for an independent board chair, and will consider a variety of factors, including whether we believe that a company's governance structure promotes independent oversight through other means, such as a lead director, a board composed of a majority of independent directors, or independent board committees. In evaluating independent chair proposals, we will focus on the presence of a lead director, who is an independent director designated by a board with a non-independent chair to serve as the primary liaison between company management and the independent directors and act as the independent directors' spokesperson.

**Compensation and Benefits**

Lord Abbett pays particular attention to the nature and amount of compensation paid by a company to its executive officers and other employees. Lord Abbett believes that because a company has exclusive knowledge of material information not available to shareholders regarding its business, financial condition, and prospects, the company itself usually is in the best position to make decisions about compensation and benefits. However, we believe that companies should provide detailed disclosure of their compensation practices to allow investors to properly analyze the effectiveness and appropriateness of the company's compensation structure.

Lord Abbett reviews all issues related to compensation on a case-by-case basis and may oppose management if: (1) we deem a company's compensation to be excessive or inconsistent with that of its peers; (2) we believe a company's compensation measures do not foster a long-term focus among its executive officers and other employees; or (3) we believe a company has not met performance expectations, among other reasons.

**Advisory Vote on Executive Compensation**

"Say-on-pay" proposals give shareholders a nonbinding vote on executive compensation and serve as a means of conveying to company management shareholder concerns, if any, about executive compensation. Lord Abbett generally prefers that say-on-pay proposals occur on an annual basis. Lord Abbett will evaluate say-on-pay proposals on a case-by-case basis and will consider a variety of factors in evaluating compensation, including whether we believe that compensation has been excessive or not properly aligned with long-term performance and whether we engaged with the company and they provided more detailed information regarding compensation.

**Equity Compensation Plans**

Equity compensation plans are intended to reward an executive's performance through various stock-based incentives and should be designed to align an executive's compensation with a company's long-term performance. Lord Abbett will vote on equity compensation plans on a case-by-case basis, and in evaluating such proposals we will consider the following factors, among others: (1) whether or to what extent the plan has any potential to dilute the voting power or economic interests of other shareholders; (2) the rate at which a company grants equity awards; (3) the features of the plan and costs associated with it; (4) whether the plan allows for repricing or replacement of underwater stock options; and (5) quantitative data regarding compensation ranges by industry and company size. We carefully scrutinize any proposed repricing or replacement of underwater stock options, taking into consideration the stock's volatility, management's rationale for the repricing or replacement, the new exercise price, and any other factors we deem relevant.

**Clawback Provisions**

Lord Abbett believes that clawback provisions generally encourage executive accountability and help mitigate a company's risk-taking behavior. Lord Abbett will evaluate proposals to require clawback provisions on a case-by-case basis and will consider a variety of factors, including concerns about the amount of compensation paid to the executive, the executive's or the company's performance, or accounting irregularities, among other factors we may deem relevant.

**Tax Gross-ups**

Lord Abbett generally favors adoption of anti-tax gross-up policies, which limit payments by a company to an executive intended to reimburse some or all the executive's tax liability with respect to compensation, perquisites, and other benefits.

**Severance Agreements**

Severance or so-called "golden parachute" payments are sometimes made to departing executives after termination or upon a company's change in control. Lord Abbett will consider severance arrangements in the overall evaluation of executive compensation and may scrutinize cases in which benefits are especially lucrative, granted despite the executive's or the company's poor performance, or materially amended shortly before a triggering event.

**Employee Stock Purchase Plans**

Employee stock purchase plans permit employees to purchase company stock at discounted prices and, under certain circumstances, receive favorable tax treatment when they sell the stock. Lord Abbett will vote on a case-by-case basis on employee stock purchase plans and will consider overall incentive structure and any dilutive effects of such plans, among other factors.

**Shareholder Rights**

**Proxy access**

Proxy access proposals advocate permitting shareholders to have their nominees for election to a company's board of directors included in the company's proxy statement in opposition to the company's own nominees. Proxy access initiatives enable shareholders to nominate their own directors without incurring the often substantial cost of preparing and mailing a proxy statement, making it less expensive and easier for shareholders to challenge incumbent directors. Lord Abbett votes on a case-by-case basis and will evaluate proposals that seek to allow proxy access based on the merits of each situation. Similarly, Lord Abbett evaluates proposals that seek to amend the terms of an already existing proxy access by-law ("proxy fix-it" proposals) on a case-by-case basis, but may vote against these proposals if the existing proxy access by-law has reasonable provisions already in place.

**Shareholder Rights Plans**

Shareholder rights plans or "poison pills" are a mechanism of defending a company against takeover efforts. Poison pills allow current shareholders to purchase stock at discounted prices or redeem shares at a premium after a takeover, effectively making the company more expensive and less attractive to potential acquirers. Lord Abbett believes that poison pills can serve to entrench management and discourage takeover offers that may be attractive to shareholders; therefore, we generally vote in favor of proposals to eliminate poison pills and proposals to require that companies submit poison pills for shareholder ratification. In evaluating a poison pill proposal, however, Lord Abbett may consider the following factors, among others: (1) the duration of the poison pill; (2) whether we believe the poison pill facilitates a legitimate business strategy that is likely to enhance shareholder value; (3) our level of confidence in management; (4) whether we believe the poison pill will be used to force potential acquirers to negotiate with management and assure a degree of stability that will support good long-range corporate goals; and (5) the need to guard against takeover attempts.

**Rights to Call Special Shareholder Meetings**

Lord Abbett typically supports the right to call special shareholder meetings and in evaluating such a proposal, will consider the following factors, among others: (1) the stock ownership threshold required to call a special meeting; (2) the purposes for which shareholders may call a special meeting; (3) whether the company's annual meetings offer an adequate forum in which shareholders may raise their concerns; and (4) the anticipated economic impact on the company of having to hold additional shareholder meetings. Similarly, Lord Abbett evaluates proposals that seek to amend the terms of an existing special meeting right on a case-by-case basis but may vote against these proposals if the existing provision has a reasonable threshold in place.

**Rights to Act by Written Consent**

Lord Abbett votes on a case-by-case basis on proposals requesting rights to act by written consent, though may vote against these proposals if the company already grants shareholders the right to call special shareholder meetings at a reasonable threshold.

**Supermajority Vote Requirements**

A proposal that is subject to a supermajority vote must receive the support of more than a simple majority to pass. Supermajority vote requirements can have the effect of entrenching management by making it more difficult to effect change for a company and its corporate governance practices. Lord Abbett typically supports shareholders' ability to approve or reject proposals based on a simple majority vote and will generally vote for proposals to remove supermajority vote requirements and against proposals to add them.

**Cumulative Voting**

Under cumulative or proportional voting, each shareholder is allotted a number of votes equal to the number of shares owned multiplied by the number of directors to be elected. This voting regime strengthens the voting power of minority shareholders because it enables shareholders to cast multiple votes for a single nominee. Lord Abbett believes that a shareholder, or group of shareholders, using this technique to elect a director may seek to have the director represent a narrow special interest rather than the interests of the broader shareholder population. Accordingly, we generally vote against cumulative voting proposals.

**Confidential Voting**

Lord Abbett believes that confidential voting allows shareholders to vote without fear of retribution or coercion based on their views. Thus, we generally support proposals that seek to preserve shareholders' anonymity.

**Reimbursing Proxy Solicitation Expenses**

Lord Abbett votes on a case-by-case basis on shareholder proposals to require a company to reimburse reasonable expenses incurred by one or more shareholders in a successful proxy contest.

**Transacting Other Business**

Lord Abbett believes that proposals to allow shareholders to transact other business at a meeting may deprive other shareholders of sufficient time and information needed to carefully evaluate the relevant business issues and determine how to vote with respect to them. Therefore, Lord Abbett typically votes against such proposals.

**Corporate Matters**

**Charter Amendments**

A company's charter documents, which may consist of articles of incorporation or a declaration of trust and bylaws, govern the company's organizational matters and affairs. Lord Abbett considers proposals related to charter amendments on a case-by-case basis to the extent they are not explicitly covered by these guidelines.

**Capital Structure**

A company may propose amendments to its charter documents to change the number of authorized shares or create new classes of stock. Lord Abbett will generally support proposals to increase a company's number of authorized shares if the company has articulated a clear and reasonable purpose for the increase (for example, to facilitate a stock split, merger, acquisition, or restructuring). However, we generally oppose share capital increases that would have a substantial dilutive effect.

Lord Abbett generally believes that all shares should have equal voting rights at publicly traded companies. Lord Abbett will generally oppose proposals to create a new class of stock with superior voting rights and will typically vote for proposals to eliminate a dual or multi-class voting structure.

**Reincorporation**

We generally follow management's recommendation regarding proposals to change a company's state of incorporation, although we consider the rationale for the reincorporation and the financial, legal, and corporate governance implications of the reincorporation. We will vote against reincorporation proposals that we believe contravene shareholders' interests.

**Mergers, Acquisitions, and Restructurings**

Lord Abbett views the decision to approve or reject a potential merger, acquisition, or restructuring as being equivalent to an investment decision. In evaluating such a proposal, Lord Abbett may consider the following factors, among others: (1) the anticipated financial and operating benefits; (2) the offer price; (3) the prospects of the resulting company; and (4) any expected changes in corporate governance and their impact on shareholder rights.

**Auditors**

Auditors are responsible for examining, correcting, and verifying the accuracy of a company's financial statements. Lord Abbett believes that companies normally are in the best position to select their auditors. However, we will evaluate such proposals on a case-by-case basis and may consider any concerns about impaired independence, accounting irregularities, controversies, or failure of the auditors to act in shareholders' best economic interests, among other factors we may deem relevant.

**Overview**

Lord Abbett encourages good governance and sustainable corporate practices, which contribute to long-term shareholder value creation. We have procedures in place to ensure that we vote proxies in the best interest of our clients. With this in mind, Lord Abbett has implemented the following approach to the proxy voting process:

• The Investment Stewardship team provides recommendations on how to vote the security to the relevant investment team, who makes the final decision for their client portfolios, absent a material conflict of interest, as described in the "Conflicts of Interest" section included herein. From time to time, there may be votes that the Investment Stewardship team deems appropriate to address with members of the Executive and Investment Committees, and/or other leadership teams. The votes are presented, and a final decision is agreed upon. Once a voting decision has been made, the Investment Stewardship team is responsible for submitting Lord Abbett's vote.

• When multiple investment teams manage one or more portfolios that hold the same voting security, the investment team that manages the largest number of shares of the security will be considered to have the dominant position. The investment team with the dominant position, in consultation with the Investment Stewardship team, will be responsible for determining a vote recommendation. Lord Abbett will vote all shares on behalf of all clients in accordance with that vote recommendation.

• For institutional accounts managed on behalf of multi-employer pension or benefit plans, commonly referred to as "Taft-Hartley plans," Lord Abbett generally will vote proxies in accordance with the Proxy Voting Guidelines issued by the AFL-CIO, rather than the guidelines described above, unless instructed otherwise by the client.

These guidelines provide a general summary of Lord Abbett's views on specific proxy voting items. We reserve the flexibility to vote in a manner contrary to our general views on particular issues if we believe doing so is in the best interests of our clients, including the Funds, and their shareholders. Many different types of proposals may arise under the broad categories discussed in this document, and we will vote on proposals concerning issues not expressly covered by these guidelines based on the specific factors that we believe are relevant.

**Retention and Oversight of Proxy Service Provider**

Lord Abbett has retained an independent third party service provider (the "Proxy Service Provider") to analyze proxy issues and Lord Abbett has retained an independent third party service provider (the "Proxy Service Provider") to analyze proxy issues and recommend how to vote on those issues, and to provide assistance in the administration of the proxy process, including maintaining complete proxy voting records.1 While Lord Abbett takes into consideration the information and recommendations of the Proxy Service Provider, Lord Abbett votes all proxies based on its own proxy voting policies, including Lord Abbett's conclusions regarding the best interests of the Funds, their shareholders, and other advisory clients, rather than basing decisions solely on the Proxy Service Provider's recommendations.

Lord Abbett monitors the Proxy Service Provider's capacity, competency, and conflicts of interest to ensure that we continue to vote proxies in the best interests of our clients. As part of its ongoing oversight of the Proxy Service Provider, Lord Abbett performs periodic due diligence on the Proxy Service Provider. The topics included in these due diligence reviews include ESG thought leadership, conflicts of interest, methodologies for developing vote recommendations, changes in leadership and control, and resources, among other things.

**Conflicts of Interest**

Conflicts of interest may arise in the proxy voting process. Such a conflict may exist, for example, when a client's account holds shares of a company that also is a client of Lord Abbett. We have adopted safeguards designed to ensure that conflicts of interest are identified and resolved in our clients' best interests rather than our own. These safeguards include, but are not limited to, the following:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Lord Abbett has implemented special voting measures with respect to companies for which one of the Funds' independent directors/trustees
 also serves on the board of directors or is a nominee for election to the board of directors. If a Fund owns stock in such a company,
 Lord Abbett will notify the Funds' ESG & Proxy Committee2 (the "Committee") and seek voting instructions from
 the Committee only in those situations where Lord Abbett proposes not to follow the Proxy Service Provider's recommendations.
 In these instances, if applicable, the independent director/trustee will abstain from any discussions and voting by the Committee
 regarding the company.

• Lord Abbett also has implemented special voting measures with respect to any company (including any subsidiary of a company or
 retirement plan sponsored by a company) that has a significant business relationship with Lord Abbett. For this purpose, a "significant
 business relationship" means: (1) a broker dealer firm that is responsible for one percent or more of the Funds' total
 dollar amount of shares sold for the last 12 months; (2) a firm that is a sponsor firm with respect to Lord Abbett's separately
 managed account business; (3) an institutional account client that has an investment management agreement with Lord Abbett; (4) an
 institutional investor that, to Lord Abbett's knowledge, holds at least $5 million in shares of the Funds; and/ or (5) a retirement
 plan client that, to Lord Abbett's knowledge, has at least $5 million invested in the Funds.

<sup>1</sup> Lord Abbett currently retains Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. as the Proxy Service Provider.

<sup>2</sup> The Boards of Directors and Trustees of the Funds have delegated oversight of proxy voting to An ESG & Proxy Committee comprised solely of independent directors or trustees. The ESG & Proxy Committee is responsible for, among other things: (1) monitoring Lord Abbett's actions in voting securities owned by the related Fund; (2) evaluating Lord Abbett's policies in voting securities; and (3) meeting with Lord Abbett to review the policies in voting securities, the sources of information used in determining how to vote on particular matters, and the procedures used to determine the votes in any situation where there may be a conflict of interest.

 

If a Fund owns shares of a company with a significant business relationship ("Conflict Shares") and Lord Abbett seeks to vote contrary to the Proxy Service Provider's recommendation, then Lord Abbett will notify the Funds' Committee and seek voting instructions from the Committee members. Lord Abbett generally will vote conflict proposals pursuant to the instruction of a majority of Committee members but will act on the instructions of less than a majority if less than a majority respond and all responding members approve Lord Abbett's proposed votes on such proposals. In all other cases, Lord Abbett will vote the Funds' Conflict Shares in accordance with the Proxy Service Provider's recommendation. Lord Abbett periodically will report to the Funds' Committee its record of voting the Funds' Conflict Shares in accordance with Committee member instructions.

Absent explicit instructions from an institutional account client to resolve proxy voting conflicts in a different manner, Lord Abbett will vote each such client's Conflict Shares in the manner it votes the Funds' Conflict Shares.

To serve the best interests of a client that holds a given voting security, Lord Abbett generally will vote proxies without regard to other clients' investments in different classes or types of securities or instruments of the same issuer that are not entitled to vote. Accordingly, when the voting security in one account is from an issuer whose other, non-voting securities or instruments are held in a second account in a different strategy, Lord Abbett will vote without input from members of the investment team acting on behalf of the second account.

**Securities Lending**

The Funds may occasionally participate in a securities lending program. In circumstances where shares are on loan, the voting rights of those shares are transferred to the borrower. Lord Abbett will generally attempt to recall all securities that are on loan prior to the meeting record date, so that the relevant Fund will be entitled to vote those shares. However, Lord Abbett may be unable to recall shares or may choose not to recall shares for several reasons, including if Lord Abbett does not receive timely notice of a meeting, or if Lord Abbett deems the opportunity for a Fund to generate securities lending revenue to outweigh the benefits of voting at a specific meeting.

**Shareholder Resolutions**

Lord Abbett may consider sponsoring or co-sponsoring a shareholder resolution to address an issue of concern if engagement and proxy voting are deemed to be ineffective.

**Share Blocking**

Certain foreign countries impose share blocking restrictions that would prohibit Lord Abbett from trading a company's stock during a specified period before the company's shareholder meeting. Lord Abbett believes that in these situations, the benefit of maintaining liquidity during the share blocking period outweighs the benefit of exercising our right to vote. Therefore, it is Lord Abbett's general policy to not vote securities in cases where share blocking restrictions apply.

**Appendix**

**A Targeted Exclusion Policy**

**Controversial Weapons**

Lord Abbett is committed to supporting and upholding conventions that seek to ban the production of controversial weapons. We, therefore, seek to exclude investment in private or public companies involved in the production, development, sale, or maintenance of controversial weapons. For purposes of this policy, we define controversial weapons as:

• ANTI-PERSONNEL MINES – as defined by the 1997 Ottawa (Mine Ban) Treaty.

• BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL WEAPONS – as defined by the 1972 Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention and the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention.

• CLUSTER WEAPONS – as defined by the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions.

Lord Abbett has entered into an agreement with an independent, global, third-party ESG research firm to identify companies deemed to be involved in the production, development sale or maintenance of controversial weapons. This information is supplemented with our own proprietary fundamental research. Implementation of our Controversial Weapons Exclusion Policy is managed by our internal Compliance Department. Investments in companies deemed to be involved in controversial weapons are restricted on a pre-trade basis. This Controversial Weapons Exclusion Policy is applicable to all Lord Abbett Funds and portfolios domiciled in Europe.

**Other Exclusions**

Lord Abbett is committed to complying with all economic sanctions issued by the United States Department of the Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control ("OFAC"). Investments in individuals, groups or entities deemed Specially Designated Nationals and, thus, subject to OFAC's sanction lists, are restricted on a pre-trade basis. These restrictions are applied across all investment portfolios and products.