Document:

Unassociated Document

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

 

 

This Employment Agreement dated as of May 29, 2014 (the “Agreement”), is made by and between Retrophin, Inc. (together with any successor thereto, the “Company”), a Delaware corporation, and Alvin Shih (the “Executive”) (collectively referred to as the “Parties”).

 

In consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained and of the mutual benefits herein provided, the Company and the Executive agree as follows:

 

1.           Employment.  The Company will employ the Executive and the Executive accepts continued employment by the Company on the terms and conditions herein contained.

 

2.           Duties and Functions.

 

(a)           During the Term (as defined below), the Executive shall serve as the Executive Vice President of Research and Development and the Chief Medical Officer of the Company reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer of the Company.  The Executive shall have such duties as determined by the Chief Executive Officer of the Company and as are customarily performed by an Executive Vice President of Research and Development and Chief Medical Officer, including as the head of a Research and Development program of a company similar to the Company, and also have such other powers and duties as may be, from time to time, reasonably prescribed by the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”).  During the Term, the Executive shall devote substantially all his working time and efforts to the business and affairs of the Company. During the Term, the Company shall give the Executive appropriate support in the performance of his duties.

 

(b)           The Executive agrees to observe and comply with the rules, policies and procedures of the Company as adopted by the Company from time to time.  The Executive may, so long as such activities do not interfere with his duties and responsibilities hereunder, invest, participate or engage in (for the Executive’s own account or for the account of others), or may possess an interest in, other financial ventures and investment and professional activities of any kind or description, independently or with others, including (i) charities and passive investments, (ii) investment in, or the acquisition or disposition of, securities or real estate, (iii) investment and management counseling, (iv) the provision of brokerage and investment banking services and (v) serving as officers, directors, representatives or agents of any entity, partners of any partnership, or trustees of any trust (and in each case may receive fees, commissions, remuneration, profits and reimbursement of expenses in connection with such ventures and activities), in each case provided that such Person does not expressly or implicitly represent that he is acting for the Company.

 

(c)           Executive will perform the services described herein from the Company’s office in Boston and shall be required to work from the Company’s primary office in New York City approximately 20% of the time.  Executive shall travel to other locations as necessary for the performance of Executive's duties and responsibilities hereunder.

 

  

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3.           Compensation and Benefits.

 

(a)           Base Salary.  As compensation for his services hereunder, during the Term, the Executive shall receive a base salary at a rate of Four Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($450,000) per annum (the “Annual Base Salary”), which shall be paid in accordance with the customary payroll practices of the Company.  Such Annual Base Salary may be increased at the discretion of the Chief Executive Officer or the Board after each anniversary of the Effective Date (as defined below).  “Annual Base Salary” for all purposes herein shall be deemed to be a reference to the Annual Base Salary in effect as of any date that requires the determination of the Executive’s Annual Base Salary hereunder.

 

(b)           Bonus.  Executive shall be eligible to receive a bonus award in an amount not to exceed an aggregate of fifty percent (50%) the Annual Base Salary, in any case subject to the sole discretion of the Chief Executive Officer, at and when determined by the Chief Executive Officer.  The Executive will also be eligible to receive annual equity or equity linked grants of the common stock of the Company at the election of the Chief Executive Officer or the Board.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Executive shall receive no less than a One Hundred Thousand Dollar ($100,000) bonus for the first fiscal year in which the Executive is employed by the Company.

 

(c)           Signing Bonus. In addition to the above bonus, the Executive shall be entitled to a one-time cash signing bonus in the amount of Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000), payable by the Company to the Executive within thirty (30) days of the execution of this Agreement by the Parties, subject to normal withholding and payroll deductions of the Company, provided however that if, prior to the 12-month anniversary of the Effective Date, the Executive terminates his employment or the Company terminates his employment for Cause (defined below), then the Executive agrees to repay to Company the signing bonus within 30 days of such termination of employment.

 

(d)           Expenses. During the Term, the Company shall pay or reimburse the Executive for all reasonable travel and other business expenses incurred by him in the performance of his duties to the Company, in accordance with the Company’s expense reimbursement policy in effect from time to time.

 

(e)           Vacation. During the Term, the Executive shall be entitled to four (4) weeks of paid vacation per calendar year.  To the extent that the Executive does not use his vacation in a given calendar year, he shall be entitled to carry forward accrued unused vacation over from year to year; provided, however, that in no event may he at any time have more than 30 business days of vacation accrued and once he has 30 business days of accrued unused vacation, he shall no longer continue to accrue further vacation time until he has used some of his accrued vacation time.

 

(f)           Employee Benefits. During the Term, the Executive shall be entitled to participate in all employee benefit plans, programs, and arrangements that the Company provides for its employees and are generally applicable to executive employees of the Company, including, by way of illustration, personal leave, paid holidays, sick leave, retirement, disability, dental, vision, group healthcare coverage, group sickness, accident or family health insurance programs of the Company, subject, in each case, to the terms of each such program.

 

  

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(g)           Equity.  In addition to the Annual Base Salary, the Executive shall be awarded, on and subject to the terms and conditions of the Company’s 2014 Incentive Compensation Plan and/or an award agreement to be entered into between Executive and Company (it being understood that such grant shall be conditioned upon the execution of such award agreement), 230,000 shares of restricted common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company (the “Incentive Compensation”), a pro rata portion of which shall vest each quarter during the three years following execution of this Agreement; provided, however, that if the Executive is no longer employed by the Company, any Incentive Compensation that has not vested prior to the date of termination shall be immediately cancelled and not subject to further vesting.

 

(h)           Accelerated Vesting of Restricted Stock.  In the event of (i) a merger or consolidation of the Company with or into any other entity in which the Company is not the parent or, after giving effect to such transaction, the equity owners of the Company immediately prior to such transaction shall cease to own at least of a majority of the outstanding equity securities of the Company, (ii) a sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company or (iii) any other change of control of the Company, the unvested portion, if any, of the Incentive Compensation shall immediately vest.

 

4.           Term.  The initial term of employment under this Agreement (the “Initial Term”) shall be for the period beginning June 2, 2014 (the “Effective Date”) and ending on the second anniversary thereof, unless earlier terminated as provided in Section 5.  The employment term hereunder shall automatically be extended for successive one-year periods (collectively with the Initial Term, the “Term”) unless either (a) the Executive gives notice of non-extension to the Company no later than ninety (90) days prior to the expiration of the then applicable Term and subject to earlier termination as provided in Section 5, (b) the Executive is terminated pursuant to Section 5 of this Agreement or (c) the Company delivers notice to the Executive no later than thirty (30) days prior to the expiration of the then applicable Term that is does not elect to continue the Agreement.

 

5.           Termination.  1)  For Cause, Resignation or Retirement.  This Agreement is automatically terminated upon the Executive’s death.  The Company may immediately terminate the Executive’s employment (i) at any time if the Executive is unable to perform, with or without reasonable accommodation, the essential functions of his position hereunder for a total of 180 consecutive days as a result of incapacity due to any medically determinable mental or physical illness; or (ii) for “Cause” (as defined below). In such event, or in the event the Executive resigns or retires, the obligations of the Company shall cease immediately and the Executive shall not be entitled to any further payments of any kind, except for payment of its base salary through the date of termination, reimbursement of any unpaid expenses accrued vacation as per Section 3(e) and any vested benefits due pursuant to the employer benefit plans of the Company described in Section 3(f) (collectively, the “Accrued Obligations”).

 

  

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For purposes of this Agreement, Cause shall be defined as: (i) the Executive’s willful or deliberate failure to perform its duties or gross negligence in the performance of its duties; (ii) the Executive’s material breach of a material term of this Agreement; (iii) the Executive’s dishonesty, willful misconduct or fraud in connection with its employment by the Company, the Executive’s failure to properly perform his duties or the Executive’s commission of an act that intentionally causes harm to the business of the Company or to the Company; (iv) the Executive continually failing to perform the material duties of the terms of his employment or the Executive’s receipt of more than one (1) “negative” or similar performance review; (v) the Executive being under the influence of drugs or alcohol (other than prescription medicine or other medically related drugs to the extent that they are taken in accordance with their directions) during the performance of his duties to the Company; (vi) a violation of any law relating to employment discrimination, harassment, or retaliation or any policy of the Company relating to employment discrimination, harassment or retaliation by the Executive; (vii) a reportable violation of any applicable banking, securities or commodities laws, rules or regulations by the Executive that constitutes a serious offense or that could or does result in a significant fine; (viii) the commission of any act of fraud, larceny, misappropriation of funds or embezzlement, conviction of a felony or a crime of moral depravity or a violation of law by the Executive that occurs in the course of his employment with the Company; (ix) the Executive engaging in conduct which is intentionally materially injurious to the business, reputation or goodwill of the Company; or (x) the Executive’s material violation of applicable policies, practices and standards of behavior of which the Executive has been made aware; provided, however, that before being terminated for Cause, the Executive shall be given notice of the actions underlying cause and ten (10) days to cure same, if curable, before such termination shall be effective.

 

Executive may resign at any time; provided, however, if the Executive resigns he shall forfeit any unvested stock grants or stock options that the Executive received and the Executive shall not be entitled to severance as set forth in Section 5(c) or any additional payments from the Company other than Accrued Obligations.

 

(b)           Regulatory Inquiry.  The Company may immediately terminate the Executive’s employment in the event any governmental agency, after investigation, files formal charges against Executive for Executive’s activities, whether at any of the Executive’s prior employers or otherwise. In the event the Executive’s employment is terminated as a result of any such regulatory inquiry (a “Regulatory Inquiry Termination”), the obligations of the Company shall cease immediately and the Executive shall not be entitled to any further payments of any kind, except for payment of its base salary through the date of termination.

 

(c)           Other than for Cause. The Company may immediately terminate the Executive’s employment at any time other than for Cause or a Regulatory Inquiry Termination. In the event the Company terminates the Executive’s employment, other than for Cause or a Regulatory Inquiry Termination, the Company will pay the Executive (i) the Accrued Obligations, (ii) the Annual Base Salary for a period of 12 months following the date of such termination and (iii) Incentive Compensation per Section 3(g), calculated through the date of termination, and payable on the same schedule as if you had remained employed.  The Executive’s resignation following a material breach of a material term of this Agreement by the Company which has not been cured within thirty (30) days following notice provided by the Executive to the Company (which notice is given within thirty (30) days of such material breach) shall be considered a termination other than for Cause pursuant to this section, but only to the extent such termination occurs within fifteen (15) days after the end of the applicable thirty (30) day cure period.

 

  

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(d)           Release.  Except as otherwise set forth in this Section 5, the Executive understands and agrees that he is not entitled to any further payments of any kind from the Company upon termination, resignation or retirement from employment for any reason. Further, the Executive understand and agree that no payments shall be made to the Executive pursuant to Section 5(c)(ii) and (iii) unless the Executive first executes and does not revoke a separation agreement and release in form and substance satisfactory to the Company and its counsel releasing the Company and all affiliated and related entities and their current and former officers, directors, employees, agents and clients from any and all claims related to the Executive’s employment, this Agreement and the termination of his employment permitted to be released by applicable law (the “Release”); provided, that such Release shall contain no post-employment restrictions on competition and/or solicitation other than those contained herein.  The Release required by this Section 5(d) shall only be considered effective if it’s executed and any applicable revocation period has expired without such Release being revoked by the date that is no later than sixty (60) days following the date of the Executive’s termination of employment by the Company other than for Cause or a Regulatory Inquiry Termination.  If the Company does not provide the form of Release to the Executive within thirty (30) days of the date of the Executive’s termination of employment, the Company shall be deemed to have been waived the requirement that the Executive execute the Release and he shall nonetheless be eligible receive the payments described in Section 5(c)(ii) and (iii).  Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 5(c)(ii) and 5(c)(iii), (i) no payments shall be made to the Executive until the Release requirements of this Section 5(d) have been satisfied (i.e., the Release has been executed and was not revoked during any applicable revocation period) or waived, and any payment which would otherwise be due to the Executive prior to such satisfaction or waiver shall be held by the Company and paid in a lump sum promptly following such satisfaction or waiver and, thereafter, all amounts shall be paid according to the schedule set forth in Section 5(c)(ii) and (iii), as applicable; and (ii) in the event that the Executive’s termination of employment occurs on or after November 2 of any calendar year, then, even if the Release requirement is earlier satisfied or waived, the payments required by Section 5(c)(ii) and (iii) shall not be made prior to January 1 of year following the year in which such termination occurs (and any payments delayed pursuant to this clause (ii) shall be paid in a lump sum promptly following the later of (A) the date the Release requirement is either satisfied or waived, and (B) January 1 of the year following the year in which the termination occurred, and in either case, payments due thereafter shall be made pursuant to the schedule set forth in Section 5(c)(ii) and (iii), as applicable).

 

(e)            Section 409A. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, because the Executive will be a “specified employee” (within the meaning of that term under Section 409A(a)(2)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”)) with respect to the Company, any cash severance payments that constitute non-qualified deferred compensation that are subject to Section 409A of Code and are paid based on the Executive’s “separation from service” (as defined in Treas. Reg. Section 1.409A-1(h))  that would otherwise become payable to the Executive pursuant to this Section 5 or otherwise during the six-month period following the Executive’s termination will accrue during such six-month period and will become payable in a lump sum payment on the date that is the first day of the seventh (7th) month following the Executive’s termination. In addition, this Agreement will be deemed amended to the extent necessary to avoid imposition of any additional tax or income recognition prior to actual payment to the Executive under Section 409A of the Code, and any temporary, proposed or final Treasury Regulations and guidance promulgated thereunder and the parties agree to cooperate with each other and to take reasonably necessary steps in this regard.  The intent of the parties is that payments and benefits under this Agreement comply with Section 409A of the Code and, accordingly, to the maximum extent permitted, this Agreement shall be interpreted to be in compliance therewith, provided, however that in no event whatsoever shall the Company be liable for any additional tax, interest or penalty that may be imposed on the Executive by Section 409A of the Code.  For purposes of Section 409A of the Code, the Executive’s right to receive any installment payments pursuant to this Agreement shall be treated as a right to receive a series of separate and distinct payments.  Whenever a payment under this Agreement specifies a payment period with reference to a number of days, the actual date of payment within the specified period shall be within the sole discretion of the Company.

 

  

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(f)           No Other Benefits.  Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, Executive shall not be entitled to any other salary, bonuses, employee benefits or compensation from the Company after the termination of the Term and all of Executive’s rights to salary, bonuses, employee benefits and other compensation hereunder which would have accrued or become payable after the date of termination shall cease and be forfeited upon such termination or expiration of the Term, other than those expressly required under applicable law (such as COBRA).

 

6.           Inventions/Work For Hire.  2)  The Executive agrees to disclose to the Company all Inventions (as defined below) made, conceived, expressed, developed, or actually or constructively reduced to practice by the Executive, whether solely or jointly with others, during its employment with the Company and in any way relating to the services, business, opportunities, or pursuits of the Company. “Inventions” shall mean all business plans, works of authorship, software (including, without limitation, source code(s)), databases, computer programs, designs, technologies, products, contraptions, ideas, discoveries, inventions, potential marketing and sales relationships, copyrightable expression(s), research, plans for products or services, marketing plans, know-how, trade secrets, data, developments, discoveries, systems, strategies and methodologies, improvements, modifications, technology, and algorithms, whether or not any such Invention is subject to patent or copyright protection.

 

(b)           The Inventions shall be the exclusive property of the Company. The Executive acknowledges that all Inventions shall be deemed “work made for hire” as defined under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, and for all other purposes. In the event that any such Invention is not a work made for hire under applicable law, the Executive hereby irrevocably assigns, grants, and transfers to the Company, without any further consideration, all rights, title, interests, and other incidents of ownership, including, without limitation, any copyright, other intellectual property rights, moral rights, all contract and licensing rights, and all claims and causes of action of any kind with respect to such Inventions throughout the world and in perpetuity. The Company shall have the exclusive right to use and otherwise exploit the Inventions, whether original or derivative, for all purposes, without additional compensation to the Executive. The Executive agrees to sign and deliver such further instruments of transfer and ownership of the Inventions as the Company may reasonably request. At the Company’s expense, the Executive will assist the Company in every proper way to perfect the Company’s rights in the Inventions and protect the Inventions throughout the world including, without limitation, executing in favor of the Company or any designee(s) of the Company any and all patent, copyright, and other applications and assignments relating to the Inventions. In the event the Company is unable, after reasonable effort, to obtain the Executive’s assistance or its signature on any such documents, the Executive hereby irrevocably designates and appoints the Company, through a duly authorized officer, as the Executive’s agent and attorney-in-fact, which power of attorney is coupled with an interest, to act for and on the Executive’s behalf solely to execute and file any such documents and do all other lawfully permitted acts to further the prosecution, protection and/or registration of any rights related to Inventions with the same legal force and effect as if the Executive had executed them. The Executive agrees not to challenge the validity of the Company’s (or its designee’s) ownership of the Inventions. Nothing herein shall obligate the Company to use or publish the Inventions.

 

  

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7.           Non-Disparagement/Media.  3) During the Executive’s employment with the Company and thereafter, he Executive agrees not to make, publish, or communicate to any person or entity, any Disparaging remarks, comments, writings, or statements concerning the Company or any of its affiliates, officers, directors, significant stockholders, investigators, consultants, agents or employees. “Disparaging” remarks, comments, writings, and/or statements are those that impugn, criticize, or denigrate (a) the Company or any of its affiliates, officers, directors, stockholders, or, employees and/or (b) the character, honesty, integrity, morality, business acumen, or abilities of the Company or any of its affiliates, officers, directors, significant stockholders, investigators, consultants, agents or employees.  Company agrees not the make publish, or communicate to any person or entity any Disparaging remarks about Executive.

 

(b)             The Executive further agrees that during its employment and thereafter,  except as otherwise authorized in writing by the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, it will not make any statement whatsoever to the press or media (including but not limited to any reporter, national, regional, or local newspaper, magazine, internet blog or site, news organization, or radio or television station) concerning any matter related to the Company, its employment with the Company, or any of the Company’s affiliates, officers, directors, clients, stockholders, suppliers investigators, employees, partners, vendors, contractors, consultants, or agents. If at any time the Executive receives a request for any statement or information from the press or other media, the Executive will direct that request to the Chief Executive Officer of the Company and will say nothing further.

 

8.           Company Property.  All correspondence, records, documents, software, promotional materials, and other Company property, including all copies, which come into the Executive’s possession by, through or in the course of his employment, regardless of the source and whether created by the Executive, are the sole and exclusive property of the Company, and immediately upon the termination of the Executive’s employment, or any time at the Company’s reasonable request, the Executive shall return to the Company all such property of the Company.

 

9.           Non-Competition, Non-Solicitation.

 

(a)           Executive acknowledges and agrees with the Company that Executive’s services to the Company are unique in nature and that the Company would be irreparably damaged if Executive were to provide similar services to any person or entity competing with the Company.  Accordingly, the Executive covenants and agrees that during the term of this Agreement and for one (1) year thereafter (the “Restricted Period”), the Executive will not directly or indirectly through any agent, whether for his own account or for the account of any other individual, partnership, firm, corporation or other business organization (other than the Company or its affiliates) (i) provide any service (including, but not limited to advisory or consulting related), directly or indirectly, or manage, operate, control, advise, consult, act as an agent or representative of, be employed by or otherwise assist any business or commercial entity in the design, development, manufacture, sale or commercial offering (whether or not in conjunction with other services that it performs) of any product or service related to (A) a molecule on which he worked for the Company or (B) a pre-clinical stage, clinical stage or commercial stage treatment of a disease for which the Company or its affiliates has either  (1) filed an application for a patent, (2) obtained or received a license, sub-license, grant or transfer of rights or intellectual property or (3) commenced or initiated pre-clinical animal studies or clinical stage studies or trials (individually, or collectively, the “Field of Interest”) or (ii) either on his own behalf or on behalf of any third party, except on behalf of the Company, directly or indirectly, as an individual proprietor, principal, manager, agent, consultant, guarantor, advisor, member, owner, participant, partner, stockholder, officer, employee, director, joint venturer, lender, or in any other capacity whatsoever (other than as a passive holder of not more than five percent (5%) of the total outstanding stock of a publicly-held company) participate in any business or commercial entity that engages in activities related to the Field of Interest or that is otherwise competitive with the Company.  During the Term, the Company may modify the definition of Field of Interest to include areas related to those currently included in the definition, by written notice to the Executive based on the activities in which the Company is then engaged or in which the Company has a bona fide intention to engage in during the period covered by this Section 9(a).  Executive shall, during the Restricted Period, notify the Company of any subsequent employment which he is scheduled to begin during the Restricted Period (stating the name and address of the employer and the nature of the position).

 

  

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(b)           Moreover, the Executive agrees that during the term of this Agreement and for a period of one (1) year thereafter, the Executive shall not, without the express written consent of a duly authorized officer of the Company, directly or indirectly (i) induce or seek to influence any employee of (or consultant to) the Company to leave its employ  (or terminate such consultancy) or to become financially interested in a similar business, or (ii) attempt to hire or aid a competitor or supplier of the Company in any attempt to hire a person who shall have been employed by, or who was a consultant to, the Company at any time within the one-year period preceding the date of any such attempt.

 

(c)           Nothing in this Section 9 will prohibit the Executive from (a) engaging in academic research or teaching, or using his skills and experience, in each case in compliance with the restrictions contained in this Agreement, or (b) holding up to five percent (5%) of the issued and outstanding securities of any class of securities of any entity that is publicly traded and quoted on a recognized securities exchange, so long as the Executive does not, directly or indirectly, exercise any management or control with respect to, or have any active participation in the business of, such entity during the Restricted Period.

 

  

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(d)           The Executive acknowledges and agrees that the Company’s business is worldwide and the covenants contained in subsections (a), (b), (c) and (d) of Section 9 cannot be limited to any geographic area.  The Executive acknowledges that the covenants in this Section 9 are reasonable in scope, area and duration and are necessary to further the Company’s legitimate interests in protecting its Confidential Information and Confidential Materials, business, good-will and relationships with its customers, suppliers, advisors and employees.

 

(e)           The Executive and the Company agree that this covenant not to compete is a reasonable covenant under the circumstances, and further agree that if in the opinion of any court of competent jurisdiction such restraint is not reasonable in any respect, such court shall have the right, power and authority to excise or modify such provision or provisions of this covenant as to the court shall appear not reasonable and to enforce the remainder of the covenant as so amended.

 

(f)           The provisions of Section 9 shall survive termination of this Agreement.

 

10.           Protection of Confidential Information.

 

(a)           For purposes of this Section 10, “Confidential Information” shall mean non-public information concerning the financial data, strategic business plans, product development (or other proprietary product data), projects, customer lists, marketing plans, methodologies, business or vendor relationships, relationships with strategic or business partners, its high speed networks, or equipment, tools or other materials developed for use on such networks, and all information and know-how (whether or not patentable, copyrightable or otherwise able to be registered or protected under laws governing intellectual property) owned, possessed, or used by the Company, any affiliate or any customer, including, without limitation, any formula, method, procedures, composition, project, development, plan, market research, vendor information, customer or client lists or information, contacts at or knowledge of customers or clients, prospective customers and clients, business or strategic partners of the Company, trade secret, process, research, reports, financial data, technical data, test data, know-how, computer program, software, software documentation, source code, hardware design, technology, marketing or business plan, forecast, unpublished financial statement, budget, license, patent applications, contracts, joint ventures, price, cost and personnel data, any trade names, trademarks or slogans and other non-public, proprietary and confidential information of the Company, its affiliates or customers, that, in any case, is not otherwise available to the public (other than by the Executive’s breach of the terms hereof). The Executive agrees (i) that all Confidential Information, whether or not in writing, shall be treated as being confidential and/or proprietary information and is the exclusive property of the Company and (ii) to hold in a fiduciary capacity for the sole benefit of the Company all Confidential Information.

 

(b)           Confidential Information shall not include information that (i) is or becomes public knowledge through legal means without fault by the Executive, (ii) is already public knowledge prior to the signing of this Agreement, or (iii) must be disclosed pursuant to applicable law or court order.

 

(c)           The Executive agrees that he will not at any time, either during the Term of this Agreement or after its termination, disclose to anyone any Confidential Information, or utilize such Confidential Information for his own benefit, or for the benefit of third parties without written approval by the Board.  The Executive further agrees that all memoranda, notes, records, data, schematics, sketches, computer programs, prototypes, or written, photographic, magnetic or other documents or tangible objects compiled by him or made available to him during the Term of his employment concerning the business of the Company and/or its clients, including any copies of such materials, shall be the property of the Company and shall be delivered to the Company on the termination of his employment, or at any other time upon request of the Company.

 

  

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(d)           The Executive also agrees that any breach of the covenants contained in this Section 10 would irreparably injure the Company. Accordingly, the Executive agrees that the Company may, in addition to pursuing any other remedies it may have in law or in equity, cease making any payments or providing any benefits otherwise required by this Agreement and obtain an injunction against the Executive from any court having jurisdiction over the matter restraining any further violation of this Agreement by the Executive.

 

11.           Binding Agreement; Assignment. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto, their heirs, personal representatives, successors and assigns. In the event the Company is acquired, is a non-surviving party in a merger, or transfers substantially all of its assets, this Agreement shall not be terminated and the transferee or surviving company shall be bound by the provisions of this Agreement. The parties understand that the obligations of the Executive are personal and may not be assigned by him.

 

12.           Entire Agreement.  This Agreement contains the entire understanding of the Executive and the Company with respect to employment of the Executive and supersedes any and all prior understandings, written or oral. This Agreement may not be amended, waived, discharged or terminated orally, but only by an instrument in writing, specifically identified as an amendment to this Agreement, and signed by all parties. By entering into this Agreement, the Executive certifies and acknowledges that he has carefully read all of the provisions of this Agreement and that he voluntarily and knowingly enters into said Agreement.

 

13.           Severability. Any provision of this Agreement which is prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be deemed severable from the remainder of this Agreement, and the remaining provisions contained in this Agreement shall be construed to preserve to the maximum permissible extent the intent and purposes of this Agreement. Any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.  Any provisions determined to be invalid or unenforceable shall be deemed, without further action on the part of the parties hereto, amended and limited to the extent necessary to render the same valid and enforceable.  In the event any ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation arises under this Agreement, this Agreement shall be construed as if drafted jointly by the parties and no presumption or burden of proof shall arise favoring or disfavoring any party by virtue of the authorship of any of the provisions of this Agreement.

 

14.           Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to the principles of conflicts of law thereof.

 

  

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15.           Remedies.

 

(a)           Given the nature of the obligations set forth in Sections 7, 9 and 10 of this Agreement, the Executive acknowledges and agrees that the Company may be irreparably damaged by the Executive’s alleged breach or violation of such sections.  Without prejudice to the rights and remedies otherwise available to the Company, it shall be entitled, without the requirement of a posting of a bond or other security to seek equitable relief, including an injunction or specific performance, in the event of any breach of the provisions of Sections 7, 9 or 10 of this Agreement.

 

(b)           The parties hereby agree that any controversy, claim or dispute arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the breach thereof shall be settled solely and exclusively by binding arbitration in New York, New York administered by JAMS.  Such arbitration shall be conducted in accordance with the then prevailing JAMS Streamlined Arbitration Rules & Procedures, with the following exceptions to such rules if in conflict: (i) one arbitrator shall be chosen by JAMS; (ii) each Party to the arbitration will pay an equal share of the expenses and fees of the arbitrator, together with other expenses of the arbitration incurred or approved by the arbitrator; and (iii) arbitration may proceed in the absence of any Party if written notice (pursuant to the JAMS’ rules and regulations) of the proceedings has been given to such Party.  Each Party shall bear its own attorney’s fees and expenses.  The Parties agree to abide by all decisions and awards rendered in such proceedings.  Such decisions and awards rendered by the arbitrator shall be final and conclusive.  All such controversies, claims or disputes shall be settled in this manner in lieu of any action at law or equity; provided, however, that nothing in this subsection shall be construed as precluding the bringing an action for injunctive relief as provided in Section 10.  IF FOR ANY REASON THIS ARBITRATION CLAUSE BECOMES NOT APPLICABLE OR IF THE PARTIES ARE SEEKING INJUNCTIVE OR EQUITABLE RELIEF AS PROVIDED ABOVE, THEN EACH PARTY, (i) TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY AS TO ANY ISSUE RELATING HERETO IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING, OR COUNTERCLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER MATTER INVOLVING THE PARTIES HERETO, AND (ii) SUBMITS TO THE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION AND VENUE OF THE FEDERAL OR STATE COURTS LOCATED IN NEW YORK COUNTY, NEW YORK AND EACH PARTY HERETO AGREES NOT TO INSTITUTE ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN ANY OTHER COURT IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION.  EACH PARTY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES ANY OBJECTION THAT HE OR IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OF ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT IN THE COURTS REFERRED TO IN THIS SECTION 15.

 

16.           Notices.  Any notice or other communications required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed effective (a) upon personal delivery, if delivered by hand and followed by notice by mail, e-mail or facsimile transmission, (b) three (3) days after the date of deposit in the mails, if mailed by certified or registered mail (return receipt requested), or (c) on the next business day, if mailed by an overnight mail service to the parties or sent by e-mail or facsimile transmission, as follows:

 

  

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(a) 

	
If to the Company:

 

Retrophin, Inc.

777 Third Avenue

Suite 22

New York, New York 10017

Attn: Chief Executive Officer

 

With a copy to:

 

Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP

575 Madison Avenue

New York, New York 10022

Attn: Evan L. Greebel, Esq.

Fax:  (212) 894-5883

 

 

	 	
(b) 

	
If to the Executive:

 

Alvin Shih

__________________

__________________

With a copy to:

 

Pathway Law LLC

1842 Centre Street

West Roxbury, MA 02132

Attn: Christopher G. Lang, Esq.

Fax:  (617) 848-3773

 

17.           Miscellaneous.

 

(a)           No delay or omission by either party in exercising any right under this Agreement shall operate as a waiver of that or any other right. A waiver or consent given by one party on any one occasion shall be effective only in that instance and shall not be construed as a bar or waiver of any right on any other occasion.

 

  

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(b)           The captions of the sections of this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and in no way define, limit or affect the scope or substance of any section of this Agreement.

 

(c)           Any rights of the Executive hereunder shall be in addition to any rights the Executive may otherwise have under written benefit plans or agreements of the Company to which he is a party or in which he is a participant, including, but not limited to, any Company sponsored written employee benefit plans, option plans, grants and agreements.

 

(d)           The Company shall be entitled to withhold from any amounts payable under this Agreement any federal, state, local or foreign withholding or other taxes or charges which the Company is required to withhold.

 

(e)           The Executive represents that he has had the opportunity to seek separate legal counsel of his own choosing in connection with the preparation, review and execution of this Agreement.

 

(f)           This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original and all of which when taken together shall constitute one agreement.

 

(g)           Each party to this Agreement agrees promptly to execute, acknowledge, deliver, file or record such further certificates, amendments, instruments and documents, and to do all such other acts and things, as may be required by law, or that, in the opinion of the Company, may be necessary or advisable to carry out the intents and purposes of this Agreement.

 

(h)           The Executive hereby acknowledges that he is aware that the United States securities laws prohibit any person who or that has received from, or about, the Company material, non-public information from purchasing or selling securities of Company or from communicating such information to any other person under circumstances in which it is reasonably foreseeable that such person is likely to purchase or sell such securities.

 

(i)           In accordance with the Company’s policies, Executive shall sign and agree to be bound by the Company’s Code of Ethics and Insider Trading Policy.

 

[Signature page follows]

 

  

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties hereto has executed this Agreement on the date first identified above.

 

	 	
COMPANY:

	 
	 	 	 
	 	
RETROPHIN, INC.

	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	
By: 

	/s/ Martin Shkreli	 
	 	 	Name: Martin Shkreli	 
	 	 	Title: Chief Executive Officer	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	 
EXECUTIVE:

	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	/s/ Alvin Shih	 
	 	 
Alvin Shih

	 

 

 

Employment Agreement Signature Pagef8k053014ex10i_lilisenerg.htm

Exhibit 10.1

 

FORM OF SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT

 

This Securities Purchase Agreement (this “Agreement”) is dated as of May 30, 2014, between Lilis Energy, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), and each purchaser identified on the signature pages hereto (each, including its successors and assigns, a “Purchaser” and collectively, the “Purchasers”).

 

WHEREAS, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Rule 506 promulgated thereunder, the Company desires to issue and sell to each Purchaser, and each Purchaser, severally and not jointly, desires to purchase from the Company, securities of the Company as more fully described in this Agreement.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, IN CONSIDERATION of the mutual covenants contained in this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and each Purchaser agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I.

DEFINITIONS

 

1.1           Definitions. In addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this Agreement: (a) capitalized terms that are not otherwise defined herein have the meanings given to such terms in the Certificate of Designation (as defined herein), and (b) the following terms have the meanings set forth in this Section 1.1:

 

“Action” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(j).

 

“Affiliate” means any Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with a Person, as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

 

“Board of Directors” means the board of directors of the Company.

 

 “Business Day” means any day except any Saturday, any Sunday, any day which is a federal legal holiday in the United States or any day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or required by law or other governmental action to close.

 

 “Certificate of Designation” means the Certificate of Designation to be filed prior to the Closing by the Company with the Secretary of State of Nevada, in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto.

 

“Closing” means the closing of the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to Section 2.1.

 

“Closing Date” means the Trading Day on which all of the Transaction Documents have been executed and delivered by the applicable parties thereto, and all conditions precedent to (i) the Purchasers’ obligations to pay the Subscription Amount and (ii) the Company’s obligations to deliver the Securities, in each case, have been satisfied or waived, which is anticipated to be on or about May 30, 2014.

 

  

  

  

 

“Commission” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Common Stock” means the common stock of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share, and any other class of securities into which such securities may hereafter be reclassified or changed.

 

“Common Stock Equivalents” means any securities of the Company or the Subsidiaries which would entitle the holder thereof to acquire at any time Common Stock, including, without limitation, any debt, preferred stock, right, option, warrant or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive, Common Stock.

 

“Company Counsel” means Davis Graham & Stubbs, LLP, with offices located at 1550 17th Street, Suite 500, Denver, CO 80202.

 

“Conversion Price” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the Certificate of Designation.

 

 “Disclosure Schedules” means the Disclosure Schedules delivered by the Company concurrently with the execution and delivery of this Agreement.

 

“EGS” means Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP, with offices located at 150 East 42nd Street, New York, New York 10017.

 

“Effective Date” means the earliest of the date that (a) a registration statement registering all of the Underlying Shares has been declared effective by the Commission, (b) all of the Underlying Shares have been sold pursuant to Rule 144 or may be sold pursuant to Rule 144 without the requirement for the Company to be in compliance with the current public information required under Rule 144 and without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions or (c) following the one year anniversary of the Closing Date provided that a holder of Underlying Shares is not an Affiliate of the Company, all of the Underlying Shares may be sold pursuant to an exemption from registration under Section 4(1) of the Securities Act without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions and Company counsel has delivered to such holders a standing written unqualified opinion that resales may then be made by such holders of the Underlying Shares pursuant to such exemption which opinion shall be in form and substance reasonably acceptable to such holders.

 

“Escrow Agent” means Signature Bank, a New York State chartered bank, with offices at 261 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10016.

 

“Escrow Agreement” means the escrow agreement entered into prior to the date hereof, by and among the Company, the Escrow Agent and the Placement Agent pursuant to which the Purchasers shall deposit Subscription Amounts with the Escrow Agent to be applied to the transactions contemplated hereunder.

 

  

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“Evaluation Date” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(r).

“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

“Exempt Issuance” means the issuance of (a) shares of Common Stock or options as compensation to employees, officers or directors of the Company which issuance has been approved by a majority of the non-employee members of the Board of Directors or a majority of the members of a committee of non-employee directors established for such purpose, (b) securities upon the exercise or exchange of or conversion of any Securities issued hereunder and/or other securities exercisable or exchangeable for or convertible into shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding on the date of this Agreement, provided that such securities have not been amended since the date of this Agreement to increase the number of such securities or to decrease the exercise price, exchange price or conversion price of such securities, and (c) securities issued pursuant to acquisitions or strategic transactions approved by a majority of the disinterested directors of the Company, provided that any such issuance shall only be to a Person (or to the equityholders of a Person) which is, itself or through its subsidiaries, an operating company or an owner of an asset in a business synergistic with the business of the Company and shall provide to the Company additional benefits in addition to the investment of funds, but shall not include a transaction in which the Company is issuing securities primarily for the purpose of raising capital or to an entity whose primary business is investing in securities.

“FCPA” means the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended.

“GAAP” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(h).

“Indebtedness” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(aa).

“Intellectual Property Rights” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(o).

“Legend Removal Date” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.1(c).

“Liens” means a lien, charge, pledge, security interest, encumbrance, right of first refusal, preemptive right or other restriction.

“Material Adverse Effect” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.1(b).

“Maximum Rate” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 5.17.

 

  

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“Person” means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.

“Placement Agent” shall mean T.R. Winston & Co., LLC.

 “Preferred Stock” means up to 20,000 shares of the Company’s Series A 8% Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share issued hereunder having the rights, preferences and privileges set forth in the Certificate of Designation, in the form of Exhibit A hereto.

“Proceeding” means an action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding (including, without limitation, an informal investigation or partial proceeding, such as a deposition), whether commenced or threatened.

“Public Information Failure” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.3(b).

 

“Public Information Failure Payments” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.3(b).

 

 “Purchaser Party” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.10.

“Required Approvals” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(e).

 

“Required Minimum” means, as of any date, the maximum aggregate number of shares of Common Stock then issued or potentially issuable in the future pursuant to the Transaction Documents, including any Underlying Shares issuable upon exercise in full of all Warrants or conversion in full of all shares of Preferred Stock, ignoring any conversion or exercise limits set forth therein, and assuming that any previously unconverted shares of Preferred Stock are held until the fifth anniversary of the Closing Date and all dividends are paid in shares of Common Stock until such five year anniversary.

 

“Rule 144” means Rule 144 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended or interpreted from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same purpose and effect as such Rule.

“SEC Reports” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(h).

“Securities” means the Preferred Stock, the Warrants, the Warrant Shares and the Underlying Shares contemplated by this Agreement.

“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

  

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“Short Sales” means all “short sales” as defined in Rule 200 of Regulation SHO under the Exchange Act (but shall not be deemed to include the location and/or reservation of borrowable shares of Common Stock).

“Stated Value” means $1,000 per share of Preferred Stock.

“Subscription Amount” shall mean, as to each Purchaser, the aggregate amount to be paid for the Preferred Stock purchased hereunder as specified below such Purchaser’s name on the signature page of this Agreement and next to the heading “Subscription Amount,” in United States dollars and in immediately available funds.

“Subsidiary” means any subsidiary of the Company as set forth on Schedule 3.1(a) and shall, where applicable, also include any direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company formed or acquired after the date hereof.

“Trading Day” means a day on which the principal Trading Market is open for trading.

“Trading Market” means any of the following markets or exchanges on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date in question: the NYSE MKT, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Global Select Market, the New York Stock Exchange or the OTC Bulletin Board (or any successors to any of the foregoing).

“Transaction Documents” means this Agreement, the Certificate of Designation, the Warrants, the Escrow Agreement, all exhibits and schedules thereto and hereto and any other documents or agreements executed in connection with the transactions contemplated hereunder.

“Transfer Agent” means Corporate Stock Transfer, the current transfer agent of the Company, with a mailing address of 3200 Cherry Creek Drive, Suite 430, Denver, Colorado 80209 and a facsimile number of (303) 282-5800, and any successor transfer agent of the Company.

“Underlying Shares” means the shares of Common Stock issued and issuable upon conversion of the Preferred Stock, upon exercise of the Warrants and issued and issuable in lieu of the cash payment of dividends on the Preferred Stock in accordance with the terms of the Certificate of Designation.

“Variable Rate Transaction” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.13(b).

 

“VWAP” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the Common Stock is then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the daily volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b)  if the OTC Bulletin Board is not a Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the OTC Bulletin Board, (c) if the Common Stock is not then listed or quoted for trading on the OTC Bulletin Board and if prices for the Common Stock are then reported in the “Pink Sheets” published by Pink OTC Markets, Inc. (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per share of the Common Stock so reported, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of a share of Common Stock as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the Purchasers of a majority in interest of the Securities then outstanding and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.

 

  

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“Warrants” means, collectively, the Common Stock purchase warrants delivered to the Purchasers at the Closing in accordance with Section 2.2(a) hereof, which Warrants shall be exercisable as of November 30, 2014 and have a term of exercise equal to three years, in the form of Exhibit C attached hereto.

 

“Warrant Shares” means the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants.

 

ARTICLE II.

PURCHASE AND SALE

 

2.1           Closing.  On the Closing Date, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, substantially concurrent with the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the parties hereto, the Company agrees to sell, and the Purchasers, severally and not jointly, agree to purchase, up to an aggregate of $20,000,000 of shares of Preferred Stock with an aggregate Stated Value for each Purchaser equal to such Purchaser’s Subscription Amount as set forth on the signature page hereto executed by such Purchaser, and Warrants as determined by pursuant to Section 2.2(a).  The aggregate number of shares of Preferred Stock sold hereunder shall be up to 20,000.  Each Purchaser shall deliver to the Escrow Agent, via wire transfer or a certified check, immediately available funds equal to its Subscription Amount and the Company shall deliver to each Purchaser its respective shares of Preferred Stock and Warrants as determined pursuant to Section 2.2(a), and the Company and each Purchaser shall deliver the other items set forth in Section 2.2 deliverable at the Closing.  Upon satisfaction of the covenants and conditions set forth in Sections 2.2 and 2.3, the Closing shall occur at the offices of EGS or such other location as the parties shall mutually agree.

 

	
  

	
2.2

	
Deliveries.

 

(a)          On or prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered to each Purchaser the following:

 

(i)             this Agreement duly executed by the Company;

 

(ii)           a legal opinion of Company Counsel, in a form to be agreed by the parties hereto;

 

  

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(iii)          a certificate evidencing a number of shares of Preferred Stock equal to such Purchaser’s Subscription Amount divided by the Stated Value, registered in the name of such Purchaser and evidence of the filing and acceptance of the Certificate of Designation from the Secretary of State of Nevada; and

 

(iv)          a Warrant registered in the name of such Purchaser to purchase up to a number of shares of Common Stock equal to 50% of such Purchaser’s Subscription Amount divided by the Conversion Price, with an exercise price equal to $2.89, subject to adjustment therein; and

 

(b)          On or prior to the Closing Date, each Purchaser shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Company or Escrow Agent, as applicable, the following:

 

(i)              this Agreement duly executed by such Purchaser; and

 

(ii)           to the Escrow Agent, such Purchaser’s Subscription Amount by wire transfer to the account specified in the Escrow Agreement.

 

	
  

	
2.3

	
Closing Conditions.

 

(a)          The obligations of the Company hereunder in connection with the Closing are subject to the following conditions being met:

 

(i)            the accuracy in all material respects on the Closing Date of the representations and warranties of the Purchasers contained herein (unless as of a specific date therein in which case they shall be accurate as of such date);

 

(ii)           all obligations, covenants and agreements of each Purchaser required to be performed at or prior to the Closing Date shall have been performed; and

 

(iii)          the delivery by each Purchaser of the items set forth in Section 2.2(b) of this Agreement.

 

(b)          The respective obligations of the Purchasers hereunder in connection with the Closing are subject to the following conditions being met:

 

(i)            the accuracy in all material respects when made and on the Closing Date of the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein (unless as of a specific date therein);

 

(ii)           all obligations, covenants and agreements of the Company required to be performed at or prior to the Closing Date shall have been performed;

 

(iii)          the delivery by the Company of the items set forth in Section 2.2(a) of this Agreement;

 

  

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(iv)          there shall have been no Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Company since the date hereof; and

 

(v)           from the date hereof to the Closing Date, trading in the Common Stock shall not have been suspended by the Commission or the Company’s principal Trading Market and, at any time prior to the Closing Date, trading in securities generally as reported by Bloomberg L.P. shall not have been suspended or limited, or minimum prices shall not have been established on securities whose trades are reported by such service, or on any Trading Market, nor shall a banking moratorium have been declared either by the United States or New York State authorities nor shall there have occurred any material outbreak or escalation of hostilities or other national or international calamity of such magnitude in its effect on, or any material adverse change in, any financial market which, in each case, in the reasonable judgment of such Purchaser, makes it impracticable or inadvisable to purchase the Securities at the Closing.

 

ARTICLE III.

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

3.1           Representations and Warranties of the Company.  Except as set forth in the Disclosure Schedules, which Disclosure Schedules shall be deemed a part hereof and shall qualify any representation or otherwise made herein to the extent of the disclosure contained in the corresponding section of the Disclosure Schedules, the Company hereby makes the following representations and warranties to each Purchaser:

 

(a)            Subsidiaries.  All of the direct and indirect subsidiaries of the Company are set forth on Schedule 3.1(a).  The Company owns, directly or indirectly, all of the capital stock or other equity interests of each Subsidiary free and clear of any Liens, and all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of each Subsidiary are validly issued and are fully paid, non-assessable and free of preemptive and similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities.  If the Company has no subsidiaries, all other references to the Subsidiaries or any of them in the Transaction Documents shall be disregarded.

 

(b)            Organization and Qualification.  The Company and each of the Subsidiaries is an entity duly incorporated or otherwise organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, with the requisite power and authority to own and use its properties and assets and to carry on its business as currently conducted.  Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in violation nor default of any of the provisions of its respective certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or charter documents.  Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries is duly qualified to conduct business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation or other entity in each jurisdiction in which the nature of the business conducted or property owned by it makes such qualification necessary, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing, as the case may be, could not have or reasonably be expected to result in: (i) a material adverse effect on the legality, validity or enforceability of any Transaction Document, (ii) a material adverse effect on the results of operations, assets, business, prospects or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (iii) a material adverse effect on the Company’s ability to perform in any material respect on a timely basis its obligations under any Transaction Document (any of (i), (ii) or (iii), a “Material Adverse Effect”) and no Proceeding has been instituted in any such jurisdiction revoking, limiting or curtailing or seeking to revoke, limit or curtail such power and authority or qualification.

 

  

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(c)            Authorization; Enforcement.  The Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and each of the other Transaction Documents and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder.  The execution and delivery of this Agreement and each of the other Transaction Documents by the Company and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Company and no further action is required by the Company, the Board of Directors or the Company’s stockholders in connection herewith or therewith other than in connection with the Required Approvals.  This Agreement and each other Transaction Document to which it is a party has been (or upon delivery will have been) duly executed by the Company and, when delivered in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof, will constitute the valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except: (i) as limited by general equitable principles and applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent conveyance and other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, (ii) as limited by laws relating to the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies and (iii) insofar as indemnification and contribution provisions may be limited by applicable law.

 

(d)            No Conflicts.  Except as set forth on Schedule 3.1(d), the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party, the issuance and sale of the Securities and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby do not and will not: (i) conflict with or violate any provision of the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or charter documents, (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event that with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, result in the creation of any Lien upon any of the properties or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation (with or without notice, lapse of time or both) of, any agreement, credit facility, debt or other instrument (evidencing a Company or Subsidiary debt or otherwise) or other understanding to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or by which any property or asset of the Company or any Subsidiary is bound or affected, or (iii) subject to the Required Approvals, conflict with or result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment, injunction, decree or other restriction of any court or governmental authority to which the Company or a Subsidiary is subject (including federal and state securities laws and regulations), or by which any property or asset of the Company or a Subsidiary is bound or affected; except in the case of each of clauses (ii) and (iii), such as could not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

  

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(e)            Filings, Consents and Approvals.  The Company is not required to obtain any consent, waiver, authorization or order of, give any notice to, or make any filing or registration with, any court or other federal, state, local or other governmental authority or other Person in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of the Transaction Documents, other than: (i) the filings required pursuant to Section 4.6 of this Agreement, (ii) the notice and/or application(s) to each applicable Trading Market for the issuance and sale of the Securities and the listing of the Underlying Shares for trading thereon in the time and manner required thereby and (iii) the filing of Form D with the Commission and such filings as are required to be made under applicable state securities laws (collectively, the “Required Approvals”).

 

(f)             Issuance of the Securities.  The Securities are duly authorized and, when issued and paid for in accordance with the applicable Transaction Documents, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, free and clear of all Liens imposed by the Company other than restrictions on transfer provided for in the Transaction Documents.  The Underlying Shares, when issued in accordance with the terms of the Transaction Documents, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, free and clear of all Liens imposed by the Company other than restrictions on transfer provided for in the Transaction Documents.  The Company has reserved from its duly authorized capital stock a number of shares of Common Stock for issuance of the Underlying Shares at least equal to the Required Minimum on the date hereof.

 

(g)            Capitalization.  The capitalization of the Company is as set forth on Schedule 3.1(g), which Schedule 3.1(g) shall also include the number of shares of Common Stock owned beneficially, and of record, by Affiliates of the Company as of the date hereof. The Company has not issued any capital stock since its most recently filed periodic report under the Exchange Act, other than pursuant to the exercise of employee stock options under the Company’s stock option plans, the issuance of shares of Common Stock to employees as compensation and pursuant to the conversion and/or exercise of Common Stock Equivalents outstanding as of the date of the most recently filed periodic report under the Exchange Act.  No Person has any right of first refusal, preemptive right, right of participation, or any similar right to participate in the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.  Except as set forth on Schedule 3.1(g) or as a result of the purchase and sale of the Securities, there are no outstanding options, warrants, scrip rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities, rights or obligations convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or giving any Person any right to subscribe for or acquire any shares of Common Stock, or contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any Subsidiary is or may become bound to issue additional shares of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents.  The issuance and sale of the Securities will not obligate the Company to issue shares of Common Stock or other securities to any Person (other than the Purchasers) and will not result in a right of any holder of Company securities to adjust the exercise, conversion, exchange or reset price under any of such securities. All of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, have been issued in compliance with all federal and state securities laws, and none of such outstanding shares was issued in violation of any preemptive rights or similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities.  No further approval or authorization of any stockholder, the Board of Directors or others is required for the issuance and sale of the Securities.  There are no stockholders agreements, voting agreements or other similar agreements with respect to the Company’s capital stock to which the Company is a party or, to the knowledge of the Company, between or among any of the Company’s stockholders.

 

  

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(h)            SEC Reports; Financial Statements.  Except as set forth on Schedule 3.1(h), the Company has filed all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be filed by the Company under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, including pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) thereof, for the two years preceding the date hereof (or such shorter period as the Company was required by law or regulation to file such material) (the foregoing materials, including the exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein, being collectively referred to herein as the “SEC Reports”) on a timely basis or has received a valid extension of such time of filing and has filed any such SEC Reports prior to the expiration of any such extension.  As of their respective dates, the SEC Reports complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and none of the SEC Reports, when filed, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.  The financial statements of the Company included in the SEC Reports comply in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and the rules and regulations of the Commission with respect thereto as in effect at the time of filing.  Such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved (“GAAP”), except as may be otherwise specified in such financial statements or the notes thereto and except that unaudited financial statements may not contain all footnotes required by GAAP, and fairly present in all material respects the financial position of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of and for the dates thereof and the results of operations and cash flows for the periods then ended, subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal, immaterial, year-end audit adjustments.

 

(i)             Material Changes; Undisclosed Events, Liabilities or Developments. Since the date of the latest audited financial statements included within the SEC Reports, except as specifically disclosed in a subsequent SEC Report filed prior to the date hereof: (i) there has been no event, occurrence or development that has had or that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) the Company has not incurred any liabilities (contingent or otherwise) other than (A) trade payables and accrued expenses incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and (B) liabilities not required to be reflected in the Company’s financial statements pursuant to GAAP or disclosed in filings made with the Commission, (iii) the Company has not altered its method of accounting, (iv) the Company has not declared or made any dividend or distribution of cash or other property to its stockholders or purchased, redeemed or made any agreements to purchase or redeem any shares of its capital stock and (v) the Company has not issued any equity securities to any officer, director or Affiliate, except pursuant to existing Company stock option plans.  The Company does not have pending before the Commission any request for confidential treatment of information.  Except for the issuance of the Securities contemplated by this Agreement or as set forth on Schedule 3.1(i), no event, liability, fact, circumstance, occurrence or development has occurred or exists or is reasonably expected to occur or exist with respect to the Company or its Subsidiaries or their respective businesses, properties, operations, assets or financial condition, that would be required to be disclosed by the Company under applicable securities laws at the time this representation is made or deemed made that has not been publicly disclosed at least 1 Trading Day prior to the date that this representation is made.

 

  

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(j)             Litigation.  Except as set forth on Schedule 3.1(j), there is no action, suit, inquiry, notice of violation, proceeding or investigation pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company, any Subsidiary or any of their respective properties before or by any court, arbitrator, governmental or administrative agency or regulatory authority (federal, state, county, local or foreign) (collectively, an “Action”) which (i) adversely affects or challenges the legality, validity or enforceability of any of the Transaction Documents or the Securities or (ii) could, if there were an unfavorable decision, have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.  Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary, nor any director or officer thereof, is or has been the subject of any Action involving a claim of violation of or liability under federal or state securities laws or a claim of breach of fiduciary duty.  There has not been, and to the knowledge of the Company, there is not pending or contemplated, any investigation by the Commission involving the Company or any current or former director or officer of the Company.  The Commission has not issued any stop order or other order suspending the effectiveness of any registration statement filed by the Company or any Subsidiary under the Exchange Act or the Securities Act.

 

(k)            Labor Relations.  No labor dispute exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent with respect to any of the employees of the Company, which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.  None of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ employees is a member of a union that relates to such employee’s relationship with the Company or such Subsidiary, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to a collective bargaining agreement, and the Company and its Subsidiaries believe that their relationships with their employees are good.  To the knowledge of the Company, no executive officer of the Company or any Subsidiary, is, or is now expected to be, in violation of any material term of any employment contract, confidentiality, disclosure or proprietary information agreement or non-competition agreement, or any other contract or agreement or any restrictive covenant in favor of any third party, and the continued employment of each such executive officer does not subject the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to any liability with respect to any of the foregoing matters.  The Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with all U.S. federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations relating to employment and employment practices, terms and conditions of employment and wages and hours, except where the failure to be in compliance could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

  

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(l)             Compliance.  Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary: (i) is in default under or in violation of (and no event has occurred that has not been waived that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would result in a default by the Company or any Subsidiary under), nor has the Company or any Subsidiary received notice of a claim that it is in default under or that it is in violation of, any indenture, loan or credit agreement or any other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties is bound (whether or not such default or violation has been waived), (ii) is in violation of any judgment, decree or order of any court, arbitrator or other governmental authority or (iii) is or has been in violation of any statute, rule, ordinance or regulation of any governmental authority, including without limitation all foreign, federal, state and local laws relating to taxes, environmental protection, occupational health and safety, product quality and safety and employment and labor matters, except in each case as could not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(m)           Regulatory Permits.  The Company and the Subsidiaries possess all certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses as described in the SEC Reports, except where the failure to possess such permits could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such permit.

 

(n)           Title to Assets.  Except as set forth on Schedule 3.1(n), the Company and the Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property owned by them and good and marketable title in all personal property owned by them that is material to the business of the Company and the Subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all Liens, except for (i) Liens as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and the Subsidiaries and (ii) Liens for the payment of federal, state or other taxes, for which appropriate reserves have been made therefor in accordance with GAAP and, the payment of which is neither delinquent nor subject to penalties.  Any real property and facilities held under lease by the Company and the Subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with which the Company and the Subsidiaries are in compliance.

 

(o)            Intellectual Property.  The Company and the Subsidiaries have, or have rights to use, all patents, patent applications, trademarks, trademark applications, service marks, trade names, trade secrets, inventions, copyrights, licenses and other intellectual property rights and similar rights as described in the SEC Reports as necessary or required for use in connection with their respective businesses and which the failure to so have could have a Material Adverse Effect (collectively, the “Intellectual Property Rights”).  None of, and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received a notice (written or otherwise) that any of, the Intellectual Property Rights has expired, terminated or been abandoned, or is expected to expire or terminate or be abandoned, within two (2) years from the date of this Agreement.  Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included within the SEC Reports, a written notice of a claim or otherwise has any knowledge that the Intellectual Property Rights violate or infringe upon the rights of any Person, except as could not have or reasonably be expected to not have a Material Adverse Effect.  To the knowledge of the Company, all such Intellectual Property Rights are enforceable and there is no existing infringement by another Person of any of the Intellectual Property Rights.  The Company and its Subsidiaries have taken reasonable security measures to protect the secrecy, confidentiality and value of all of their intellectual properties, except where failure to do so could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

  

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(p)            Insurance.  The Company and the Subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which the Company and the Subsidiaries are engaged, including, but not limited to, directors and officers insurance coverage in the amount of $5,000,000.  Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business without a significant increase in cost.

 

(q)           Transactions With Affiliates and Employees.  Except as set forth in the SEC Reports and on Schedule 3.1(q), none of the officers or directors of the Company or any Subsidiary and, to the knowledge of the Company, none of the employees of the Company or any Subsidiary is presently a party to any transaction with the Company or any Subsidiary (other than for services as employees, officers and directors), including any contract, agreement or other arrangement providing for the furnishing of services to or by, providing for rental of real or personal property to or from, providing for the borrowing of money from or lending of money to or otherwise requiring payments to or from any officer, director or such employee or, to the knowledge of the Company, any entity in which any officer, director, or any such employee has a substantial interest or is an officer, director, trustee, stockholder, member or partner, in each case in excess of $120,000 other than for: (i) payment of salary or consulting fees for services rendered, (ii) reimbursement for expenses incurred on behalf of the Company and (iii) other employee benefits, including stock option agreements under any stock option plan of the Company.

 

(r)            Sarbanes-Oxley; Internal Accounting Controls.  The Company and the Subsidiaries are in compliance with any and all applicable requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 that are effective as of the date hereof, and any and all applicable rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder that are effective as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date.  The Company and the Subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that: (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability, (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. The Company and the Subsidiaries have established disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for the Company and the Subsidiaries and designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms.  The Company’s certifying officers have evaluated the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures of the Company and the Subsidiaries as of the end of the period covered by the most recently filed periodic report under the Exchange Act (such date, the “Evaluation Date”).  The Company presented in its most recently filed periodic report under the Exchange Act the conclusions of the certifying officers about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures based on their evaluations as of the Evaluation Date.  Since the Evaluation Date, there have been no changes in the internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in the Exchange Act) of the Company and its Subsidiaries that have materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the internal control over financial reporting of the Company and its Subsidiaries.

 

  

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(s)            Certain Fees.  Other than to the Placement Agent, no brokerage or finder’s fees or commissions are or will be payable by the Company or any Subsidiary to any broker, financial advisor or consultant, finder, placement agent, investment banker, bank or other Person with respect to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.  The Purchasers shall have no obligation with respect to any fees or with respect to any claims made by or on behalf of other Persons for fees of a type contemplated in this Section that may be due in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.

 

(t)             Private Placement. Assuming the accuracy of the Purchasers’ representations and warranties set forth in Section 3.2, no registration under the Securities Act is required for the offer and sale of the Securities by the Company to the Purchasers as contemplated hereby. The issuance and sale of the Securities hereunder does not contravene the rules and regulations of the Trading Market.

 

(u)            Investment Company. The Company is not, and is not an Affiliate of, and immediately after receipt of payment for the Securities, will not be or be an Affiliate of, an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.  The Company shall conduct its business in a manner so that it will not become an “investment company” subject to registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

(v)            Registration Rights.  Except as set forth on Schedule 3.1(v), no Person has any right to cause the Company to effect the registration under the Securities Act of any securities of the Company or any Subsidiary.

 

  

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(w)           Listing and Maintenance Requirements.  The Common Stock is registered pursuant to Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or which to its knowledge is likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common Stock under the Exchange Act nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission is contemplating terminating such registration.  The Company has not, in the 12 months preceding the date hereof, received notice from any Trading Market on which the Common Stock is or has been listed or quoted to the effect that the Company is not in compliance with the listing or maintenance requirements of such Trading Market. The Company is, and has no reason to believe that it will not in the foreseeable future continue to be, in compliance with all such listing and maintenance requirements.  The Common Stock is currently eligible for electronic transfer through the Depository Trust Company or another established clearing corporation and the Company is current in payment of the fees to the Depository Trust Company (or such other established clearing corporation) in connection with such electronic transfer.

 

(x)            Application of Takeover Protections.  The Company and the Board of Directors have taken all necessary action, if any, in order to render inapplicable any control share acquisition, business combination, poison pill (including any distribution under a rights agreement) or other similar anti-takeover provision under the Company’s certificate of incorporation (or similar charter documents) or the laws of its state of incorporation that is or could become applicable to the Purchasers as a result of the Purchasers and the Company fulfilling their obligations or exercising their rights under the Transaction Documents, including without limitation as a result of the Company’s issuance of the Securities and the Purchasers’ ownership of the Securities.

 

(y)            Disclosure.  Except with respect to the material terms and conditions of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, the Company confirms that neither it nor any other Person acting on its behalf has provided any of the Purchasers or their agents or counsel with any information that it believes constitutes or might constitute material, non-public information.  The Company understands and confirms that the Purchasers will rely on the foregoing representation in effecting transactions in securities of the Company.  All of the disclosure furnished by or on behalf of the Company to the Purchasers regarding the Company and its Subsidiaries, their respective businesses and the transactions contemplated hereby, including the Disclosure Schedules to this Agreement, is true and correct and does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.   The press releases disseminated by the Company during the twelve months preceding the date of this Agreement taken as a whole do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made and when made, not misleading.  The Company acknowledges and agrees that no Purchaser makes or has made any representations or warranties with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby other than those specifically set forth in Section 3.2 hereof.

 

  

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(z)            No Integrated Offering. Assuming the accuracy of the Purchasers’ representations and warranties set forth in Section 3.2, neither the Company, nor any of its Affiliates, nor any Person acting on its or their behalf has, directly or indirectly, made any offers or sales of any security or solicited any offers to buy any security, under circumstances that would cause this offering of the Securities to be integrated with prior offerings by the Company for purposes of (i) the Securities Act which would require the registration of any such securities under the Securities Act, or (ii) any applicable shareholder approval provisions of any Trading Market on which any of the securities of the Company are listed or designated.

 

(aa)          Solvency.  Based on the consolidated financial condition of the Company as of the Closing Date, after giving effect to the receipt by the Company of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities hereunder: (i) the fair saleable value of the Company’s assets exceeds the amount that will be required to be paid on or in respect of the Company’s existing debts and other liabilities (including known contingent liabilities) as they mature, (ii) the Company’s assets do not constitute unreasonably small capital to carry on its business as now conducted and as proposed to be conducted including its capital needs taking into account the particular capital requirements of the business conducted by the Company, consolidated and projected capital requirements and capital availability thereof, and (iii) the current cash flow of the Company, together with the proceeds the Company would receive, were it to liquidate all of its assets, after taking into account all anticipated uses of the cash, would be sufficient to pay all amounts on or in respect of its liabilities when such amounts are required to be paid.  The Company does not intend to incur debts beyond its ability to pay such debts as they mature (taking into account the timing and amounts of cash to be payable on or in respect of its debt).  The Company has no knowledge of any facts or circumstances which lead it to believe that it will file for reorganization or liquidation under the bankruptcy or reorganization laws of any jurisdiction within one year from the Closing Date.  Schedule 3.1(aa) sets forth as of the date hereof all outstanding secured and unsecured Indebtedness of the Company or any Subsidiary, or for which the Company or any Subsidiary has commitments.  For the purposes of this Agreement, “Indebtedness” means (x) any liabilities for borrowed money or amounts owed in excess of $50,000 (other than trade accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business), (y) all guaranties, endorsements and other contingent obligations in respect of indebtedness of others, whether or not the same are or should be reflected in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet (or the notes thereto), except guaranties by endorsement of negotiable instruments for deposit or collection or similar transactions in the ordinary course of business; and (z) the present value of any lease payments in excess of $50,000 due under leases required to be capitalized in accordance with GAAP.  Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in default with respect to any Indebtedness.

 

(bb)         Tax Status.  Except for matters that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its Subsidiaries each (i) has made or filed all United States federal, state and local income and all foreign income and franchise tax returns, reports and declarations required by any jurisdiction to which it is subject, (ii) has paid all taxes and other governmental assessments and charges that are material in amount, shown or determined to be due on such returns, reports and declarations and (iii) has set aside on its books provision reasonably adequate for the payment of all material taxes for periods subsequent to the periods to which such returns, reports or declarations apply.  There are no unpaid taxes in any material amount claimed to be due by the taxing authority of any jurisdiction, and the officers of the Company or of any Subsidiary know of no basis for any such claim.

 

  

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(cc)          No General Solicitation.  Neither the Company nor any Person acting on behalf of the Company has offered or sold any of the Securities by any form of general solicitation or general advertising.  The Company has offered the Securities for sale only to the Purchasers and certain other “accredited investors” within the meaning of Rule 501 under the Securities Act.

 

(dd)         Foreign Corrupt Practices.  Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary, nor to the knowledge of the Company or any Subsidiary, any agent or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any Subsidiary, has: (i) directly or indirectly, used any funds for unlawful contributions, gifts, entertainment or other unlawful expenses related to foreign or domestic political activity, (ii) made any unlawful payment to foreign or domestic government officials or employees or to any foreign or domestic political parties or campaigns from corporate funds, (iii) failed to disclose fully any contribution made by the Company or any Subsidiary (or made by any Person acting on its behalf of which the Company is aware) which is  in violation of law or (iv) violated in any material respect any provision of FCPA.

 

(ee)          Accountants.  The Company’s accounting firm is set forth on Schedule 3.1(ee) of the Disclosure Schedules.  To the knowledge and belief of the Company, such accounting firm: (i) is a registered public accounting firm as required by the Exchange Act and (ii) shall express its opinion with respect to the financial statements to be included in the Company’s Annual Report for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2014.

 

(ff)           Seniority.  Except as set forth on Schedule 3.1(ff), no Indebtedness or other claim against the Company is senior to the Preferred Stock in right of payment, whether with respect to interest or upon liquidation or dissolution, or otherwise, other than indebtedness secured by purchase money security interests (which is senior only as to underlying assets covered thereby) and capital lease obligations (which is senior only as to the property covered thereby).

 

(gg)         No Disagreements with Accountants and Lawyers.  There are no disagreements of any kind presently existing, or reasonably anticipated by the Company to arise, between the Company and the accountants and lawyers formerly or presently employed by the Company and the Company is current with respect to any fees owed to its accountants and lawyers which, if unpaid, could affect the Company’s ability to perform any of its obligations under any of the Transaction Documents.

 

(hh)         Acknowledgment Regarding Purchasers’ Purchase of Securities.  The Company acknowledges and agrees that each of the Purchasers is acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length purchaser with respect to the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby.  The Company further acknowledges that no Purchaser is acting as a financial advisor or fiduciary of the Company (or in any similar capacity) with respect to the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby and any advice given by any Purchaser or any of their respective representatives or agents in connection with the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby is merely incidental to the Purchasers’ purchase of the Securities.  The Company further represents to each Purchaser that the Company’s decision to enter into this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents has been based solely on the independent evaluation of the transactions contemplated hereby by the Company and its representatives.

 

  

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(ii)            Acknowledgment Regarding Purchaser’s Trading Activity.  Anything in this Agreement or elsewhere herein to the contrary notwithstanding (except for Sections 3.2(g) and 4.15 hereof), it is understood and acknowledged by the Company that: (i) none of the Purchasers has been asked by the Company to agree, nor has any Purchaser agreed, to desist from purchasing or selling, long and/or short, securities of the Company, or “derivative” securities based on securities issued by the Company or to hold the Securities for any specified term, (ii) past or future open market or other transactions by any Purchaser, specifically including, without limitation, Short Sales or “derivative” transactions, before or after the closing of this or future private placement transactions, may negatively impact the market price of the Company’s publicly-traded securities, (iii) any Purchaser, and counter-parties in “derivative” transactions to which any such Purchaser is a party, directly or indirectly, may presently have a “short” position in the Common Stock and (iv) each Purchaser shall not be deemed to have any affiliation with or control over any arm’s length counter-party in any “derivative” transaction.  The Company further understands and acknowledges that (y) one or more Purchasers may engage in hedging activities at various times during the period that the Securities are outstanding, including, without limitation, during the periods that the value of the Underlying Shares deliverable with respect to Securities are being determined, and (z) such hedging activities (if any) could reduce the value of the existing stockholders’ equity interests in the Company at and after the time that the hedging activities are being conducted.  The Company acknowledges that such aforementioned hedging activities do not constitute a breach of any of the Transaction Documents.

 

(jj)            Regulation M Compliance.  The Company has not, and to its knowledge no one acting on its behalf has, (i) taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or to result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of any of the Securities, (ii) sold, bid for, purchased, or paid any compensation for soliciting purchases of, any of the Securities, or (iii) paid or agreed to pay to any Person any compensation for soliciting another to purchase any other securities of the Company, other than, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), compensation paid to the Company’s placement agent in connection with the placement of the Securities.

 

(kk)          Stock Option Plans. Each stock option granted by the Company under the Company’s stock option plan was granted (i) in accordance with the terms of the Company’s stock option plan and (ii) with an exercise price at least equal to the fair market value of the Common Stock on the date such stock option would be considered granted under GAAP and applicable law. No stock option granted under the Company’s stock option plan has been backdated.  The Company has not knowingly granted, and there is no and has been no Company policy or practice to knowingly grant, stock options prior to, or otherwise knowingly coordinate the grant of stock options with, the release or other public announcement of material information regarding the Company or its Subsidiaries or their financial results or prospects.

 

  

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(ll)            Office of Foreign Assets Control.  Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary nor, to the Company's knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any Subsidiary is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”).

 

(mm)        U.S. Real Property Holding Corporation.  The Company is not and has never been a U.S. real property holding corporation within the meaning of Section 897 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the Company shall so certify upon Purchaser’s request.

 

(nn)         Bank Holding Company Act.  Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, its Affiliates is subject to the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “BHCA”) and to regulation by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”).  Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, Affiliates owns or controls, directly or indirectly, five percent (5%) or more of the outstanding shares of any class of voting securities or twenty-five percent or more of the total equity of a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA and to regulation by the Federal Reserve.  Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, its Affiliates exercises a controlling influence over the management or policies of a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA and to regulation by the Federal Reserve.

 

(oo)         Money Laundering.  The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial record-keeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, applicable money laundering statutes and applicable rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”), and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any Subsidiary with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company or any Subsidiary, threatened.

 

(rr)           No Disqualification Events.  With respect to Securities to be offered and sold hereunder in reliance on Rule 506 under the Securities Act ("Regulation D Securities"), none of the Company, any of its predecessors, any affiliated issuer, any director, executive officer, other officer of the Company participating in the offering hereunder, any beneficial owner of 20% or more of the Company’s outstanding voting equity securities, calculated on the basis of voting power, nor any promoter (as that term is defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) connected with the Company in any capacity at the time of sale (each, an "Issuer Covered Person" and, together, "Issuer Covered Persons") is subject to any of the "Bad Actor" disqualifications described in Rule 506(d)(1)(i) to (viii) under the Securities Act (a "Disqualification Event"), except for a Disqualification Event covered by Rule 506(d)(2) or (d)(3). The Company has exercised reasonable care to determine whether any Issuer Covered Person is subject to a Disqualification Event. The Company has complied, to the extent applicable, with its disclosure obligations under Rule 506(e), and has furnished to the Purchasers a copy of any disclosures provided thereunder.

  

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(ss)          Other Covered Persons The Company is not aware of any Person (other than the Placement Agent and any Issuer Covered Person) that has been or will be paid (directly or indirectly) remuneration for solicitation of purchasers in connection with the sale of any Regulation D Securities.

(tt)           Notice of Disqualification Events. The Company will notify the Purchasers in writing, prior to the Closing Date of (i) any Disqualification Event relating to any Issuer Covered Person and (ii) any event that would, with the passage of time, become a Disqualification Event relating to any Issuer Covered Person.

3.2           Representations and Warranties of the Purchasers.  Each Purchaser, for itself and for no other Purchaser, hereby represents and warrants as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date to the Company as follows (unless as of a specific date therein):

 

(a)            Organization; Authority.  Such Purchaser is either an individual or an entity duly incorporated or formed, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or formation with full right, corporate, partnership, limited liability company or similar power and authority to enter into and to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder. The execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents and performance by such Purchaser of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership, limited liability company or similar action, as applicable, on the part of such Purchaser.  Each Transaction Document to which it is a party has been duly executed by such Purchaser, and when delivered by such Purchaser in accordance with the terms hereof, will constitute the valid and legally binding obligation of such Purchaser, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except: (i) as limited by general equitable principles and applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent conveyance and other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, (ii) as limited by laws relating to the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies and (iii) insofar as indemnification and contribution provisions may be limited by applicable law.

 

  

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(b)            Own Account.  Such Purchaser understands that the Securities are “restricted securities” and have not been registered under the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law and is acquiring the Securities as principal for its own account and not with a view to or for distributing or reselling such Securities or any part thereof in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law, has no present intention of distributing any of such Securities in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law and has no direct or indirect arrangement or understandings with any other Persons to distribute or regarding the distribution of such Securities in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law (this representation and warranty not limiting such Purchaser’s right to sell the Securities pursuant to a registration statement or otherwise in compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws).  Such Purchaser is acquiring the Securities hereunder in the ordinary course of its business.

 

 (c)           Purchaser Status.  At the time such Purchaser was offered the Securities, it was, and as of the date hereof it is, and on each date on which it exercises any Warrants or converts any shares of Preferred Stock, it will be an “accredited investor” as defined in Rule 501under the Securities Act.

 

(d)           Access to Information. Such Purchaser acknowledges that it has had the opportunity to review the Transaction Documents (including all exhibits and schedules thereto) and the SEC Reports and has been afforded (i) the opportunity to ask such questions as it has deemed necessary of, and to receive answers from, representatives of the Company concerning the terms and conditions of the offering of the Securities and the merits and risks of investing in the Securities; (ii) access to information about the Company and its financial condition, results of operations, business, properties, management and prospects sufficient to enable it to evaluate its investment; and (iii) the opportunity to obtain such additional information that the Company possesses or can acquire without unreasonable effort or expense that is necessary to make an informed investment decision with respect to the investment.  Such Purchaser acknowledges and agrees that neither the Placement Agent nor any Affiliate of the Placement Agent has provided such Purchaser with any information or advice with respect to the Securities nor is such information or advice necessary or desired.  Neither the Placement Agent nor any Affiliate has made or makes any representation as to the Company or the quality of the Securities and the Placement Agent and any Affiliate may have acquired non-public information with respect to the Company which such Purchaser agrees need not be provided to it.  In connection with the issuance of the Securities to such Purchaser, neither the Placement Agent nor any of its Affiliates has acted as a financial advisor or fiduciary to such Purchaser.

 

(e)            Experience of Such Purchaser.  Such Purchaser, either alone or together with its representatives, has such knowledge, sophistication and experience in business and financial matters so as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the prospective investment in the Securities, and has so evaluated the merits and risks of such investment.  Such Purchaser is able to bear the economic risk of an investment in the Securities and, at the present time, is able to afford a complete loss of such investment.

 

  

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(f)            General Solicitation.  Such Purchaser is not purchasing the Securities as a result of any advertisement, article, notice or other communication regarding the Securities published in any newspaper, magazine or similar media or broadcast over television or radio or presented at any seminar or any other general solicitation or general advertisement.

 

(g)            Certain Transactions and Confidentiality.  Other than consummating the transactions contemplated hereunder, such Purchaser has not directly or indirectly, nor has any Person acting on behalf of or pursuant to any understanding with such Purchaser, executed any purchases or sales, including Short Sales, of the securities of the Company during the period commencing as of the time that such Purchaser first received a term sheet (written or oral) from the Company or any other Person representing the Company setting forth the material terms of the transactions contemplated hereunder and ending immediately prior to the execution hereof.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of a Purchaser that is a multi-managed investment vehicle whereby separate portfolio managers manage separate portions of such Purchaser’s assets and the portfolio managers have no direct knowledge of the investment decisions made by the portfolio managers managing other portions of such Purchaser’s assets, the representation set forth above shall only apply with respect to the portion of assets managed by the portfolio manager that made the investment decision to purchase the Securities covered by this Agreement.  Other than to other Persons party to this Agreement, such Purchaser has maintained the confidentiality of all disclosures made to it in connection with this transaction (including the existence and terms of this transaction). Notwithstanding the foregoing, for avoidance of doubt, nothing contained herein shall constitute a representation or warranty, or preclude any actions, with respect to the identification of the availability of, or securing of, available shares to borrow in order to effect Short Sales or similar transactions in the future.

 

The Company acknowledges and agrees that the representations contained in Section 3.2 shall not modify, amend or affect such Purchaser’s right to rely on the Company’s representations and warranties contained in this Agreement or any representations and warranties contained in any other Transaction Document or any other document or instrument executed and/or delivered in connection with this Agreement or the consummation of the transaction contemplated hereby.

 

ARTICLE IV.

OTHER AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES

 

4.1           Transfer Restrictions.

 

(a)            The Securities may only be disposed of in compliance with state and federal securities laws.  In connection with any transfer of Securities other than pursuant to an effective registration statement or Rule 144, to the Company or to an Affiliate of a Purchaser or in connection with a pledge as contemplated in Section 4.1(b), the Company may require the transferor thereof to provide to the Company an opinion of counsel selected by the transferor and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the form and substance of which opinion shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Company, to the effect that such transfer does not require registration of such transferred Securities under the Securities Act.  As a condition of transfer, any such transferee shall agree in writing to be bound by the terms of this Agreement and shall have the rights and obligations of a Purchaser under this Agreement.

 

  

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(b)            The Purchasers agree to the imprinting, so long as is required by this Section 4.1, of a legend on any of the Securities in the following form:

 

 [NEITHER] THIS SECURITY [NOR THE SECURITIES INTO WHICH THIS SECURITY IS [EXERCISABLE] [CONVERTIBLE]] HAS [NOT] BEEN REGISTERED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR THE SECURITIES COMMISSION OF ANY STATE IN RELIANCE UPON AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), AND, ACCORDINGLY, MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR PURSUANT TO AN AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS AS EVIDENCED BY A LEGAL OPINION OF COUNSEL TO THE TRANSFEROR TO SUCH EFFECT, THE SUBSTANCE OF WHICH SHALL BE REASONABLY ACCEPTABLE TO THE COMPANY. THIS SECURITY [AND THE SECURITIES ISSUABLE UPON [EXERCISE] [CONVERSION] OF THIS SECURITY] MAY BE PLEDGED IN CONNECTION WITH A BONA FIDE MARGIN ACCOUNT WITH A REGISTERED BROKER-DEALER OR OTHER LOAN WITH A FINANCIAL INSTITUTION THAT IS AN “ACCREDITED INVESTOR” AS DEFINED IN RULE 501(a) UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR OTHER LOAN SECURED BY SUCH SECURITIES.

 

The Company acknowledges and agrees that a Purchaser may from time to time pledge pursuant to a bona fide margin agreement with a registered broker-dealer or grant a security interest in some or all of the Securities to a financial institution that is an “accredited investor” as defined in Rule 501(a) under the Securities Act and who agrees to be bound by the provisions of this Agreement and, if required under the terms of such arrangement, such Purchaser may transfer pledged or secured Securities to the pledgees or secured parties.  Such a pledge or transfer would not be subject to approval of the Company and no legal opinion of legal counsel of the pledgee, secured party or pledgor shall be required in connection therewith.  Further, no notice shall be required of such pledge.  At the appropriate Purchaser’s expense, the Company will execute and deliver such reasonable documentation as a pledgee or secured party of Securities may reasonably request in connection with a pledge or transfer of the Securities.

 

(c)            Subject to the limitations set forth below, certificates evidencing the Underlying Shares shall not contain any legend (including the legend set forth in Section 4.1(b) hereof): (i) while a registration statement covering the resale of such security is effective under the Securities Act, (ii) following any sale of such Underlying Shares pursuant to Rule 144, (iii) if such Underlying Shares are held by non-affiliates of the Company and are eligible for sale under Rule 144 or (iv) if such legend is not required under applicable requirements of the Securities Act (including judicial interpretations and pronouncements issued by the staff of the Commission). The Company shall cause its counsel to issue a legal opinion to the Transfer Agent promptly if required by the Transfer Agent to effect the removal of the legend hereunder. If all or any shares of Preferred Stock are converted or any portion of a Warrant is exercised at a time when there is an effective registration statement to cover the resale of the Underlying Shares, or if such Underlying Shares may be sold under Rule 144 or if such legend is not otherwise required under applicable requirements of the Securities Act (including judicial interpretations and pronouncements issued by the staff of the Commission) then such Underlying Shares shall be issued free of all legends.  The Company agrees that at such time as such legend is no longer required under either clauses (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) of the first sentence of this Section 4.1(c), it will, no later than three Trading Days following the delivery by a Purchaser to the Company or the Transfer Agent of a certificate representing Underlying Shares, as applicable, issued with a restrictive legend (such third Trading Day, the “Legend Removal Date”), deliver or cause to be delivered to such Purchaser a certificate representing such shares that is free from all restrictive and other legends.  The Company may not make any notation on its records or give instructions to the Transfer Agent that enlarge the restrictions on transfer set forth in this Section 4.  Certificates for Underlying Shares subject to legend removal hereunder shall be transmitted by the Transfer Agent to the Purchaser by crediting the account of the Purchaser’s prime broker with the Depository Trust Company System as directed by such Purchaser.

 

  

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(d)            In connection with Section 4.1(c) above, each Purchaser, severally and not jointly with the other Purchasers, understands and hereby acknowledges that in order for Rule 144 to be applicable to the sale of the Underlying Shares, the Company must be current with respect to its filing obligations under the Exchange Act at the time of such sale.  Each Purchaser further understands and hereby acknowledges that any legal opinion given by the Company’s counsel in connection with Section 4.1(c) above may be limited as to scope and in particular may expire or be withdrawn in the event that the Company is not in compliance with the current public information requirement of Rule 144. Finally, each Purchaser understands and hereby acknowledges that the Company and its legal counsel will rely on such Purchaser’s understanding and agreement in connection with the issuance of the legal opinion and removal of the legends from the Underlying Shares in accordance with Section 4.1(c) above, and that it is each Purchaser’s sole responsibility to confirm with the Company at the time of any sale of Underlying Shares that the current public information requirement set forth in Rule 144 has been met.

 

(e)            In addition to such Purchaser’s other available remedies, the Company shall pay to a Purchaser, in cash, as partial liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for each $1,000 of Underlying Shares (based on the VWAP of the Common Stock on the date such Securities are submitted to the Transfer Agent) delivered for removal of the restrictive legend and subject to Section 4.1(c) and (d), $10 per Trading Day (increasing to $20 per Trading Day five (5) Trading Days after such damages have begun to accrue) for each Trading Day after the Legend Removal Date until such certificate is delivered without a legend.  Nothing herein shall limit such Purchaser’s right to pursue actual damages for the Company’s failure to deliver certificates representing any Securities as required by the Transaction Documents, and such Purchaser shall have the right to pursue all remedies available to it at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief.

 

  

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(f)             Each Purchaser, severally and not jointly with the other Purchasers, agrees with the Company that such Purchaser will sell any Securities pursuant to either the registration requirements of the Securities Act, including any applicable prospectus delivery requirements, or an exemption therefrom, and that if Securities are sold pursuant to a registration statement, they will be sold in compliance with the plan of distribution set forth therein, and acknowledges that the removal of the restrictive legend from certificates representing Securities as set forth in this Section 4.1 is predicated upon the Company’s reliance upon this understanding.

 

4.2           Acknowledgment of Dilution.  The Company acknowledges that the issuance of the Securities may result in dilution of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, which dilution may be substantial under certain market conditions.  The Company further acknowledges that its obligations under the Transaction Documents, including, without limitation, its obligation to issue the Underlying Shares pursuant to the Transaction Documents, are unconditional and absolute and not subject to any right of set off, counterclaim, delay or reduction, regardless of the effect of any such dilution or any claim the Company may have against any Purchaser and regardless of the dilutive effect that such issuance may have on the ownership of the other stockholders of the Company.

 

4.3           Furnishing of Information; Public Information.

 

(a)            If the Common Stock is not registered under Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act on the date hereof, the Company agrees to cause the Common Stock to be registered under Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act on or before the 60th calendar day following the date hereof. Until the earliest of the time that no Purchaser owns Securities, the Company covenants to maintain the registration of the Common Stock under Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act and to timely file (or obtain extensions in respect thereof and file within the applicable grace period) all reports required to be filed by the Company after the date hereof pursuant to the Exchange Act even if the Company is not then subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act.

 

(b)           At any time during the period commencing from the six (6) month anniversary of the date hereof and ending at such time that all of the Securities may be sold without the requirement for the Company to be in compliance with Rule 144(c)(1) and otherwise without restriction or limitation pursuant to Rule 144, if the Company shall fail for any reason to satisfy the current public information requirement under Rule 144(c) (a “Public Information Failure”), and such Public Information Failure shall continue for more than thirty (30) days, then, in addition to such Purchaser’s other available remedies, the Company shall pay to a Purchaser, in cash, as partial liquidated damages and not as a penalty, by reason of any such delay in or reduction of its ability to sell the Securities, an amount in cash equal to two percent (2.0%) of the aggregate Subscription Amount of such Purchaser’s Securities on the 30th day after a Public Information Failure and on every thirtieth (30th) day (pro rated for periods totaling less than thirty days) thereafter until the earlier of (a) the date such Public Information Failure is cured and (b) such time that such public information is no longer required  for the Purchasers to transfer the Underlying Shares pursuant to Rule 144.  The payments to which a Purchaser shall be entitled pursuant to this Section 4.3(b) are referred to herein as “Public Information Failure Payments.”  Public Information Failure Payments shall be paid on the earlier of (i) the last day of the calendar month during which such Public Information Failure Payments are incurred and (ii) the third (3rd) Business Day after the event or failure giving rise to the Public Information Failure Payments is cured.  In the event the Company fails to make Public Information Failure Payments in a timely manner, such Public Information Failure Payments shall bear interest at the rate of 1.5% per month (prorated for partial months) until paid in full. Nothing herein shall limit such Purchaser’s right to pursue actual damages for the Public Information Failure, and such Purchaser shall have the right to pursue all remedies available to it at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief.

 

  

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4.4           Integration.  The Company shall not sell, offer for sale or solicit offers to buy or otherwise negotiate in respect of any security (as defined in Section 2 of the Securities Act) that would be integrated with the offer or sale of the Securities in a manner that would require the registration under the Securities Act of the sale of the Securities or that would be integrated with the offer or sale of the Securities for purposes of the rules and regulations of any Trading Market such that it would require shareholder approval prior to the closing of such other transaction unless shareholder approval is obtained before the closing of such subsequent transaction.

 

4.5           Conversion and Exercise Procedures.  Each of the form of Notice of Exercise included in the Warrants and the form of Notice of Conversion included in the Certificate of Designation set forth the totality of the procedures required of the Purchasers in order to exercise the Warrants or convert the Preferred Stock.  Without limiting the preceding sentences, no ink-original Notice of Exercise or Notice of Conversion shall be required, nor shall any medallion guarantee (or other type of guarantee or notarization) of any Notice of Exercise or Notice of Conversion form be required in order to exercise the Warrants or convert the Preferred Stock.  No additional legal opinion, other information or instructions shall be required of the Purchasers to exercise their Warrants or convert their Preferred Stock.  The Company shall honor exercises of the Warrants and conversions of the Preferred Stock and shall deliver Underlying Shares in accordance with the terms, conditions and time periods set forth in the Transaction Documents.

 

4.6           Securities Laws Disclosure; Publicity.  The Company shall (a) by 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) on the Trading Day immediately following the date hereof, issue a press release disclosing the material terms of the transactions contemplated hereby, and (b) file a Current Report on Form 8-K, including the Transaction Documents as exhibits thereto, with the Commission within the time required by the Exchange Act.  From and after the issuance of such press release, the Company represents to the Purchaser that it shall have publicly disclosed all material, non-public information delivered to any of the Purchasers by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or any of their respective officers, directors, employees or agents in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. The Company and each Purchaser shall consult with each other in issuing any other press releases with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby, and neither the Company nor any Purchaser shall issue any such press release nor otherwise make any such public statement without the prior consent of the Company, with respect to any press release of any Purchaser, or without the prior consent of each Purchaser, with respect to any press release of the Company, which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld or delayed, except if such disclosure is required by law, in which case the disclosing party shall promptly provide the other party with prior notice of such public statement or communication.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not publicly disclose the name of any Purchaser, or include the name of any Purchaser in any filing with the Commission or any regulatory agency or Trading Market, without the prior written consent of such Purchaser, except: (a) as required by federal securities law in connection with (i) any registration statement and (ii) the filing of final Transaction Documents with the Commission and (b) to the extent such disclosure is required by law or Trading Market regulations, in which case the Company shall provide the Purchasers with prior notice of such disclosure permitted under this clause (b).

 

  

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4.7           Shareholder Rights Plan.  No claim will be made or enforced by the Company or, with the consent of the Company, any other Person, that any Purchaser is an “Acquiring Person” under any control share acquisition, business combination, poison pill (including any distribution under a rights agreement) or similar anti-takeover plan or arrangement in effect or hereafter adopted by the Company, or that any Purchaser could be deemed to trigger the provisions of any such plan or arrangement, by virtue of receiving Securities under the Transaction Documents or under any other agreement between the Company and the Purchasers.

 

4.8           Non-Public Information.  Except with respect to the material terms and conditions of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, the Company covenants and agrees that neither it, nor any other Person acting on its behalf, will provide any Purchaser or its agents or counsel with any information that the Company believes constitutes material non-public information, unless prior thereto such Purchaser shall have entered into a written agreement with the Company regarding the confidentiality and use of such information.  The Company understands and confirms that each Purchaser shall be relying on the foregoing covenant in effecting transactions in securities of the Company.

 

4.9           Use of Proceeds.  Except as set forth on Schedule 4.9 attached hereto, the Company shall use the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities hereunder for working capital purposes and the repayment at or shortly after Closing of up to $10 million of currently outstanding senior indebtedness and shall not use such proceeds (a) for the redemption of any Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents, (b) for the settlement of any outstanding litigation or (c) in violation of FCPA or OFAC regulations.

 

  

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4.10          Indemnification of Purchasers.   Subject to the provisions of this Section 4.10, the Company will indemnify and hold each Purchaser and its directors, officers, shareholders, members, partners, employees and agents (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles notwithstanding a lack of such title or any other title), each Person who controls such Purchaser (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act and Section 20 of the Exchange Act), and the directors, officers, shareholders, agents, members, partners or employees (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles notwithstanding a lack of such title or any other title) of such controlling Persons (each, a “Purchaser Party”) harmless from any and all losses, liabilities, obligations, claims, contingencies, damages, costs and expenses, including all judgments, amounts paid in settlements, court costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs of investigation that any such Purchaser Party may suffer or incur as a result of or relating to (a) any breach of any of the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements made by the Company in this Agreement or in the other Transaction Documents or (b) any action instituted against the Purchaser Parties in any capacity, or any of them or their respective Affiliates, by any stockholder of the Company who is not an Affiliate of such Purchaser Party, with respect to any of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents (unless such action is based upon a breach of such Purchaser Party’s representations, warranties or covenants under the Transaction Documents or any agreements or understandings such Purchaser Party may have with any such stockholder or any violations by such Purchaser Party of state or federal securities laws or any conduct by such Purchaser Party which constitutes fraud, gross negligence, willful misconduct or malfeasance).  If any action shall be brought against any Purchaser Party in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to this Agreement, such Purchaser Party shall promptly notify the Company in writing, and the Company shall have the right to assume the defense thereof with counsel of its own choosing reasonably acceptable to the Purchaser Party.  Any Purchaser Party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such action and participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Purchaser Party except to the extent that (i) the employment thereof has been specifically authorized by the Company in writing, (ii) the Company has failed after a reasonable period of time to assume such defense and to employ counsel or (iii) in such action there is, in the reasonable opinion of counsel, a material conflict on any material issue between the position of the Company and the position of such Purchaser Party, in which case the Company shall be responsible for the reasonable fees and expenses of no more than one such separate counsel.  The Company will not be liable to any Purchaser Party under this Agreement (y) for any settlement by a Purchaser Party effected without the Company’s prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed; or (z) to the extent, but only to the extent that a loss, claim, damage or liability is attributable to any Purchaser Party’s breach of any of the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements made by such Purchaser Party in this Agreement or in the other Transaction Documents. The indemnification required by this Section 4.10 shall be made by periodic payments of the amount thereof during the course of the investigation or defense, as and when bills are received or are incurred. The indemnity agreements contained herein shall be in addition to any cause of action or similar right of any Purchaser Party against the Company or others and any liabilities the Company may be subject to pursuant to law.

 

4.11          Reservation and Listing of Securities.

 

(a)           The Company shall maintain a reserve from its duly authorized shares of Common Stock for issuance pursuant to the Transaction Documents in such amount as may then be required to fulfill its obligations in full under the Transaction Documents.

 

(b)           If, on any date, the number of authorized but unissued (and otherwise unreserved) shares of Common Stock is less than 130% of (i) the Required Minimum on such date, minus (ii) the number of shares of Common Stock previously issued pursuant to the Transaction Documents, then the Board of Directors shall use commercially reasonable efforts to amend the Company’s certificate or articles of incorporation to increase the number of authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock to at least the Required Minimum at such time (minus the number of shares of Common Stock previously issued pursuant to the Transaction Documents), as soon as possible and in any event not later than the 75th day after such date; provided that the Company will not be required at any time to authorize a number of shares of Common Stock greater than the maximum remaining number of shares of Common Stock that could possibly be issued after such time pursuant to the Transaction Documents.

  

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(c)           The Company shall, if applicable: (i) in the time and manner required by the principal Trading Market, prepare and file with such Trading Market an additional shares listing application covering a number of shares of Common Stock at least equal to the Required Minimum on the date of such application, (ii) take all steps necessary to cause such shares of Common Stock to be approved for listing or quotation on such Trading Market as soon as possible thereafter, (iii) provide to the Purchasers evidence of such listing or quotation and (iv) maintain the listing or quotation of such Common Stock on any date at least equal to the Required Minimum on such date on such Trading Market or another Trading Market. The Company agrees to maintain the eligibility of the Common Stock for electronic transfer through the Depository Trust Company or another established clearing corporation, including, without limitation, by timely payment of fees to the Depository Trust Company or such other established clearing corporation in connection with such electronic transfer.

4.12          Piggy-Back Registrations. If at any time prior to the Effective Date there is not an effective registration statement covering all of the Underlying Shares and the Company shall determine to prepare and file with the Commission a registration statement relating to an offering for its own account or the account of others under the Securities Act of any of its equity securities, other than on Form S-4 or Form S-8 (each as promulgated under the Securities Act) or their then equivalents relating to equity securities to be issued solely in connection with any acquisition of any entity or business or equity securities issuable in connection with the Company’s stock option or other employee benefit plans, then the Company shall deliver to each Purchaser a written notice of such determination and, if within ten days after the date of the delivery of such notice, any such Purchaser shall so request in writing, the Company shall include in such registration statement all or any part of such Underlying Shares such Purchaser requests to be registered.

 

4.13          Prohibition on Variable Rate Transactions.  From the date hereof until such time as no Purchaser holds any of the Warrants, the Company shall be prohibited from effecting or entering into an agreement to effect any issuance by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents (or a combination of units thereof) involving a Variable Rate Transaction. “Variable Rate Transaction” means a transaction in which the Company (i) issues or sells any debt or equity securities that are convertible into, exchangeable or exercisable for, or include the right to receive, additional shares of Common Stock either (A) at a conversion price, exercise price or exchange rate or other price that is based upon, and/or varies with, the trading prices of or quotations for the shares of Common Stock at any time after the initial issuance of such debt or equity securities or (B) with a conversion, exercise or exchange price that is subject to being reset at some future date after the initial issuance of such debt or equity security or upon the occurrence of specified or contingent events directly or indirectly related to the business of the Company or the market for the Common Stock or (ii) enters into any agreement, including, but not limited to, an equity line of credit, whereby the Company may issue securities at a future determined price.  Any Purchaser shall be entitled to obtain injunctive relief against the Company to preclude any such issuance, which remedy shall be in addition to any right to collect damages. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section 4.13 shall not apply in respect of an Exempt Issuance, except that no Variable Rate Transaction shall be an Exempt Issuance.

 

  

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4.14          Equal Treatment of Purchasers.  No consideration (including any modification of any Transaction Document) shall be offered or paid to any Person to amend or consent to a waiver or modification of any provision of this Agreement unless the same consideration is also offered to all of the parties to this Agreement.  For clarification purposes, this provision constitutes a separate right granted to each Purchaser by the Company and negotiated separately by each Purchaser, and is intended for the Company to treat the Purchasers as a class and shall not in any way be construed as the Purchasers acting in concert or as a group with respect to the purchase, disposition or voting of Securities or otherwise.

 

4.15          Certain Transactions and Confidentiality. Each Purchaser, severally and not jointly with the other Purchasers, covenants that neither it, nor any Affiliate acting on its behalf or pursuant to any understanding with it will execute any purchases or sales, including Short Sales, of any of the Company’s securities during the period commencing with the execution of this Agreement and ending at such time that the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are first publicly announced pursuant to the initial press release as described in Section 4.6.  Each Purchaser, severally and not jointly with the other Purchasers, covenants that until such time as the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are publicly disclosed by the Company pursuant to the initial press release as described in Section 4.6, such Purchaser will maintain the confidentiality of the existence and terms of this transaction and the information included in the Transaction Documents and the Disclosure Schedules.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, and notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, the Company expressly acknowledges and agrees that (i) no Purchaser makes any representation, warranty or covenant hereby that it will not engage in effecting transactions in any securities of the Company after the time that the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are first publicly announced pursuant to the initial press release as described in Section 4.6, (ii) no Purchaser shall be restricted or prohibited from effecting any transactions in any securities of the Company in accordance with applicable securities laws from and after the time that the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are first publicly announced pursuant to the initial press release as described in Section 4.6 and (iii) no Purchaser shall have any duty of confidentiality to the Company or its Subsidiaries after the issuance of the initial press release as described in Section 4.6.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of a Purchaser that is a multi-managed investment vehicle whereby separate portfolio managers manage separate portions of such Purchaser’s assets and the portfolio managers have no direct knowledge of the investment decisions made by the portfolio managers managing other portions of such Purchaser’s assets, the covenant set forth above shall only apply with respect to the portion of assets managed by the portfolio manager that made the investment decision to purchase the Securities covered by this Agreement.

 

  

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4.16          Form D; Blue Sky Filings.  The Company agrees to timely file a Form D with respect to the Securities as required under Regulation D and to provide a copy thereof, promptly upon request of any Purchaser. The Company shall take such action as the Company shall reasonably determine is necessary in order to obtain an exemption for, or to qualify the Securities for, sale to the Purchasers at the Closing under applicable securities or “Blue Sky” laws of the states of the United States, and shall provide evidence of such actions promptly upon request of any Purchaser.

 

4.17          Capital Changes.  Until the one year anniversary of the Effective Date, the Company shall not undertake a reverse or forward stock split or reclassification of the Common Stock without the prior written consent of the Purchasers holding a majority in interest of the shares of Preferred Stock.

 

ARTICLE V.

MISCELLANEOUS

 

5.1           Termination.  This Agreement may be terminated by any Purchaser, as to such Purchaser’s obligations hereunder only and without any effect whatsoever on the obligations between the Company and the other Purchasers, by written notice to the other parties, if the Closing has not been consummated on or before May 30, 2014; provided, however, that such termination will not affect the right of any party to sue for any breach by any other party (or parties).

 

5.2           Fees and Expenses.  Except as expressly set forth in the Transaction Documents to the contrary, each party shall pay the fees and expenses of its advisers, counsel, accountants and other experts, if any, and all other expenses incurred by such party incident to the negotiation, preparation, execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement.  The Company shall pay all Transfer Agent fees (including, without limitation, any fees required for same-day processing of any instruction letter delivered by the Company and any conversion or exercise notice delivered by a Purchaser), stamp taxes and other taxes and duties levied in connection with the delivery of any Securities to the Purchasers.

 

5.3           Entire Agreement.  The Transaction Documents, together with the exhibits and schedules thereto, contain the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof and supersede all prior agreements and understandings, oral or written, with respect to such matters, which the parties acknowledge have been merged into such documents, exhibits and schedules.

 

5.4           Notices.  Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries required or permitted to be provided hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of: (a) the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number set forth on the signature pages attached hereto at or prior to 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on a Trading Day, (b) the next Trading Day after the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number set forth on the signature pages attached hereto on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any Trading Day, (c) the second (2nd)  Trading Day following the date of mailing, if sent by U.S. nationally recognized overnight courier service or (d) upon actual receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given.  The address for such notices and communications shall be as set forth on the signature pages attached hereto.

 

  

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5.5           Amendments; Waivers.  No provision of this Agreement may be waived, modified, supplemented or amended except in a written instrument signed, in the case of an amendment, by the Company and the Purchasers holding at least 51% in interest of the Securities then outstanding or, in the case of a waiver, by the party against whom enforcement of any such waived provision is sought.  No waiver of any default with respect to any provision, condition or requirement of this Agreement shall be deemed to be a continuing waiver in the future or a waiver of any subsequent default or a waiver of any other provision, condition or requirement hereof, nor shall any delay or omission of any party to exercise any right hereunder in any manner impair the exercise of any such right.

 

5.6           Headings.  The headings herein are for convenience only, do not constitute a part of this Agreement and shall not be deemed to limit or affect any of the provisions hereof.

 

5.7           Successors and Assigns.  This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their successors and permitted assigns.  The Company may not assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Purchaser (other than by merger).  Any Purchaser may assign any or all of its rights under this Agreement to any Person to whom such Purchaser assigns or transfers any Securities, provided that such transferee agrees in writing to be bound, with respect to the transferred Securities, by the provisions of the Transaction Documents that apply to the “Purchasers.”

 

5.8           No Third-Party Beneficiaries.  The Placement Agent shall be a third party beneficiary with respect to the representations and warranties of the Purchasers in Section 3.2 hereof.  Other than the foregoing, this Agreement is intended for the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns and is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any other Person, except as otherwise set forth in Section 4.10 and this Section 5.8.

 

5.9           Governing Law.  All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of the Transaction Documents shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof.  Each party agrees that all legal proceedings concerning the interpretations, enforcement and defense of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and any other Transaction Documents (whether brought against a party hereto or its respective affiliates, directors, officers, shareholders, partners, members, employees or agents) shall be commenced exclusively in the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York.  Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York, Borough of Manhattan for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein (including with respect to the enforcement of any of the Transaction Documents), and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action or proceeding is improper or is an  inconvenient venue for such proceeding.  Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof.  Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.  If either party shall commence an action, suit or proceeding to enforce any provisions of the Transaction Documents, then, in addition to the obligations of the Company under Section 4.10, the prevailing party in such action, suit  or proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for its reasonable attorneys’ fees and other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such action or proceeding.

 

  

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5.10          Survival.  The representations and warranties contained herein shall survive the Closing and the delivery of the Securities.

 

5.11          Execution.  This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which when taken together shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to each other party, it being understood that the parties need not sign the same counterpart.  In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission or by e-mail delivery of a “.pdf” format data file, such signature shall create a valid and binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) with the same force and effect as if such facsimile or “.pdf” signature page were an original thereof.

 

5.12          Severability.  If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and the parties hereto shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to find and employ an alternative means to achieve the same or substantially the same result as that contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or restriction. It is hereby stipulated and declared to be the intention of the parties that they would have executed the remaining terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions without including any of such that may be hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.

 

5.13          Rescission and Withdrawal Right.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in (and without limiting any similar provisions of) any of the other Transaction Documents, whenever any Purchaser exercises a right, election, demand or option under a Transaction Document and the Company does not timely perform its related obligations within the periods therein provided, then such Purchaser may rescind or withdraw, in its sole discretion from time to time upon written notice to the Company, any relevant notice, demand or election in whole or in part without prejudice to its future actions and rights; provided, however, that in the case of a rescission of a conversion of Preferred Stock or exercise of a Warrant, the applicable Purchaser shall be required to return any shares of Common Stock subject to any such rescinded conversion or exercise notice concurrently with the return to such Purchaser of the aggregate exercise price paid to the Company for such shares and the restoration of such Purchaser’s right to acquire such shares pursuant to such Purchaser’s Warrant (including, issuance of a replacement warrant certificate evidencing such restored right).

 

  

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5.14          Replacement of Securities.  If any certificate or instrument evidencing any Securities is mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed, the Company shall issue or cause to be issued in exchange and substitution for and upon cancellation thereof (in the case of mutilation), or in lieu of and substitution therefor, a new certificate or instrument, but only upon receipt of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Company of such loss, theft or destruction.  The applicant for a new certificate or instrument under such circumstances shall also pay any reasonable third-party costs (including customary indemnity) associated with the issuance of such replacement Securities.

 

5.15          Remedies.  In addition to being entitled to exercise all rights provided herein or granted by law, including recovery of damages, each of the Purchasers and the Company will be entitled to specific performance under the Transaction Documents.  The parties agree that monetary damages may not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of any breach of obligations contained in the Transaction Documents and hereby agree to waive and not to assert in any action for specific performance of any such obligation the defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.

 

5.16          Payment Set Aside. To the extent that the Company makes a payment or payments to any Purchaser pursuant to any Transaction Document or a Purchaser enforces or exercises its rights thereunder, and such payment or payments or the proceeds of such enforcement or exercise or any part thereof are subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside, recovered from, disgorged by or are required to be refunded, repaid or otherwise restored to the Company, a trustee, receiver or any other Person under any law (including, without limitation, any bankruptcy law, state or federal law, common law or equitable cause of action), then to the extent of any such restoration the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such enforcement or setoff had not occurred.

 

5.17          Usury.  To the extent it may lawfully do so, the Company hereby agrees not to insist upon or plead or in any manner whatsoever claim, and will resist any and all efforts to be compelled to take the benefit or advantage of, usury laws wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, in connection with any claim, action or proceeding that may be brought by any Purchaser in order to enforce any right or remedy under any Transaction Document.  Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained in any Transaction Document, it is expressly agreed and provided that the total liability of the Company under the Transaction Documents for payments in the nature of interest shall not exceed the maximum lawful rate authorized under applicable law (the “Maximum Rate”), and, without limiting the foregoing, in no event shall any rate of interest or default interest, or both of them, when aggregated with any other sums in the nature of interest that the Company may be obligated to pay under the Transaction Documents exceed such Maximum Rate.  It is agreed that if the maximum contract rate of interest allowed by law and applicable to the Transaction Documents is increased or decreased by statute or any official governmental action subsequent to the date hereof, the new maximum contract rate of interest allowed by law will be the Maximum Rate applicable to the Transaction Documents from the effective date thereof forward, unless such application is precluded by applicable law.  If under any circumstances whatsoever, interest in excess of the Maximum Rate is paid by the Company to any Purchaser with respect to indebtedness evidenced by the Transaction Documents, such excess shall be applied by such Purchaser to the unpaid principal balance of any such indebtedness or be refunded to the Company, the manner of handling such excess to be at such Purchaser’s election.

 

  

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5.18          Independent Nature of Purchasers’ Obligations and Rights.  The obligations of each Purchaser under any Transaction Document are several and not joint with the obligations of any other Purchaser, and no Purchaser shall be responsible in any way for the performance or non-performance of the obligations of any other Purchaser under any Transaction Document.  Nothing contained herein or in any other Transaction Document, and no action taken by any Purchaser pursuant hereto or thereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Purchasers as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a presumption that the Purchasers are in any way acting in concert or as a group with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.  Each Purchaser shall be entitled to independently protect and enforce its rights, including, without limitation, the rights arising out of this Agreement or out of the other Transaction Documents, and it shall not be necessary for any other Purchaser to be joined as an additional party in any proceeding for such purpose.  Each Purchaser has been represented by its own separate legal counsel in its review and negotiation of the Transaction Documents.  For reasons of administrative convenience only, each Purchaser and its respective counsel have chosen to communicate with the Company through EGS.  EGS does not represent all of the Purchasers and only represents the Placement Agent.  The Company has elected to provide all Purchasers with the same terms and Transaction Documents for the convenience of the Company and not because it was required or requested to do so by any of the Purchasers.

 

5.19          Liquidated Damages.  The Company’s obligations to pay any partial liquidated damages or other amounts owing under the Transaction Documents is a continuing obligation of the Company and shall not terminate until all unpaid partial liquidated damages and other amounts have been paid notwithstanding the fact that the instrument or security pursuant to which such partial liquidated damages or other amounts are due and payable shall have been canceled.

 

5.20          Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays, etc. If the last or appointed day for the taking of any action or the expiration of any right required or granted herein shall not be a Business Day, then such action may be taken or such right may be exercised on the next succeeding Business Day.

 

  

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5.21          Construction. The parties agree that each of them and/or their respective counsel have reviewed and had an opportunity to revise the Transaction Documents and, therefore, the normal rule of construction to the effect that any ambiguities are to be resolved against the drafting party shall not be employed in the interpretation of the Transaction Documents or any amendments thereto. In addition, each and every reference to share prices and shares of Common Stock in any Transaction Document shall be subject to adjustment for reverse and forward stock splits, stock dividends, stock combinations and other similar transactions of the Common Stock that occur after the date of this Agreement.

 

5.22          WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL.  IN ANY ACTION, SUIT, OR PROCEEDING IN ANY JURISDICTION BROUGHT BY ANY PARTY AGAINST ANY OTHER PARTY, THE PARTIES EACH KNOWINGLY AND INTENTIONALLY, TO THE GREATEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, HEREBY ABSOLUTELY, UNCONDITIONALLY, IRREVOCABLY AND EXPRESSLY WAIVES FOREVER TRIAL BY JURY.

 

(Signature Pages Follow)

 

  

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Securities Purchase Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized signatories as of the date first indicated above.

 

	
LILIS ENERGY, INC.

	
Address for Notice:

 

1900 Grant Street, Suite #720

Denver, CO 80203

 

	
By:__________________________________________

     Name: Abraham Mirman

     Title:   Chief Executive Officer

 

With a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):

	
Fax:  (303) 957-2234

	
 

Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP

Attention: Ronald R. Levine, II

1550 Seventeenth Street, Suite 500

Denver, CO 80202

	  

 

[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK;

SIGNATURE PAGES FOR PURCHASERS FOLLOW]

 

  

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[PURCHASER SIGNATURE PAGES TO LLEX SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have caused this Securities Purchase Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized signatories as of the date first indicated above.

 

Name of Purchaser: ____________________________________________________

Signature of Authorized Signatory of Purchaser: __________________________

 

Name of Authorized Signatory: ____________________________________

 

Title of Authorized Signatory: _____________________________________

 

Email Address of Authorized Signatory: ___________________________________________

 

Facsimile Number of Authorized Signatory: _________________________________________

 

 

Address for Notice to Purchaser:

 

 

Address for Delivery of Securities to Purchaser (if not same as address for notice):

Subscription Amount:____________

 

Shares of Preferred Stock:____________

 

Warrant Shares:________________

 

EIN Number: _______________________

 

[SIGNATURE PAGES CONTINUE]

 

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