Document:

Exhibit 10.1

 

SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT

 

This SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”), dated as of July 21, 2014, is by and among ZaZa Energy Corporation, a Delaware corporation with offices located at 1301 McKinney Street, Suite 2800, Houston, Texas 77010 (the “Company”), and each of the investors listed on the Schedule of Buyers attached hereto (individually, a “Buyer” and collectively, the “Buyers”).

 

RECITALS

 

A.                                    The Company and each Buyer desire to enter into this transaction to purchase the Common Shares and Warrants (as defined below) set forth herein pursuant to a currently effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (Registration Number 333-192257) (the “Registration Statement”), which provides, among other things, for the registration of the offer and sale of shares of common stock, $0.01 par value per share, of the Company (the “Common Stock”) and warrants to purchase Common Stock and has been declared effective in accordance with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).

 

B.                                    Each Buyer wishes to purchase, and the Company wishes to sell, upon the terms stated in this Agreement, (i) the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock set forth opposite such Buyer’s name in columns (3) and (4) on the Schedule of Buyers (which aggregate amount for all Buyers shall be collectively referred to herein as the “Common Shares”) and (ii) warrants (the “Warrants”) to initially acquire up to the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock set forth opposite such Buyer’s name in columns (5) and (6) on the Schedule of Buyers (all shares of Common Stock acquirable upon exercise or exchange of the Warrants, collectively, the “Warrant Shares”), as evidenced by the warrant certificate in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A, and which Warrants shall be issued to such Buyer for no additional consideration.

 

C.                                    The Common Shares, the Warrants and the Warrant Shares are collectively referred to herein as the “Securities.”

 

D.                                    The Company has obtained all necessary approvals with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the issuance and sale of the Common Shares and the Warrant Shares.

 

E.                                     The parties hereto each understand that this Securities Purchase Agreement and the purchase and sale contemplated hereby is unconditional and binding on all parties hereto.

 

AGREEMENT

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual covenants contained herein and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and each Buyer hereby agree as follows:

 

 

1.                                      PURCHASE AND SALE OF COMMON SHARES AND WARRANTS.

 

(a)                                 Common Shares and Warrants.  Subject to the satisfaction (or waiver) of the conditions set forth in Section 6 below, the Company shall issue and sell to each Buyer, and each Buyer severally, but not jointly, shall purchase from the Company on the applicable Closing Date (as defined below), as applicable, (x) the number of Common Shares on the First Closing Date as is set forth opposite such Buyer’s name in column (3) on the Schedule of Buyers along with Warrants on the First Closing Date to initially acquire up to the aggregate number of Warrant Shares as is set forth opposite such Buyer’s name in column (5) on the Schedule of Buyers and (y) the number of Common Shares on the Second Closing Date as is set forth opposite such Buyer’s name in column (4) on the Schedule of Buyers along with Warrants on the Second Closing Date to initially acquire up to the aggregate number of Warrant Shares as is set forth opposite such Buyer’s name in column (6) on the Schedule of Buyers.

 

(b)                                 Closing.  Each closing (each a “Closing” and collectively the “Closings”) of the purchase of the Common Shares and Warrants by the Buyers as contemplated by this Agreement shall occur at the offices of Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C., 666 Third Avenue, New York, New York 10017.  The date and time of the applicable Closing (the applicable “Closing Date”) shall be 10:00 a.m., New York time, on the first (1st ) Business Day on which the conditions to such Closing set forth in Section 6 below are satisfied or waived (or such later time or date as is mutually agreed to by the Company and each Buyer).  As used herein “Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York, New York are authorized or required by law to remain closed.  Subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement and the termination provisions hereof, the first closing hereunder (the “First Closing”) shall be held as soon as practicable after the date hereof, at which the Common Shares set forth on the Schedule of Buyers shall be purchased and sold and the Warrants shall be issued without further consideration by the Buyers.  Subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement and the termination provisions hereof, the second closing hereunder (the “Second Closing”) shall occur on the date that is ninety (90) days after the date hereof, provided that the Company can accelerate the date of such closing upon three (3) Business Days’ notice to the Buyers if the Common Stock has a closing price on the Nasdaq Capital Market (the “Principal Market”) at or above 0.9545 for five (5) consecutive trading days.

 

(c)                                  Purchase Price.  The aggregate purchase price for the Common Shares and the Warrants to be purchased by each Buyer (the applicable “Purchase Price”) shall be paid at the applicable Closing and in the applicable amount set forth opposite such Buyer’s name in column (7) on the Schedule of Buyers.  For clarification purposes, the Warrants shall be issued to such Buyer for no additional consideration.

 

(d)                                 Form of Payment; Deliveries.  On the applicable Closing Date, (i) each Buyer shall pay its respective Purchase Price to the Company for the Common Shares and the Warrants to be issued and sold to such Buyer at such Closing (less for Crede (as defined below), the Investment Fee withheld pursuant to Section 4(f)), by wire transfer of immediately available funds in accordance with the Company’s written wire instructions, and (ii) the Company shall (A) cause American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC (together with any subsequent transfer agent, the “Transfer Agent”) through the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) Fast 

 

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Automated Securities Transfer Program to credit, without restriction, to such Buyer’s or its designee’s balance account with DTC through its Deposit/Withdrawal at Custodian (“DWAC”) system such aggregate number of Common Shares that such Buyer is purchasing at such Closing as is set forth opposite such Buyer’s name in columns (3) or (4), as applicable, on the Schedule of Buyers, (B) deliver to each Buyer a warrant certificate, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A, pursuant to which such Buyer shall have the right to initially acquire up to the number of Warrant Shares as is set forth opposite such Buyer’s name in columns (5) and (6) on the Schedule of Buyers and (C) deliver to such Buyer the other documents, instruments and certificates set forth in Section 6.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in the Warrants, all Warrant Shares shall be delivered via DWAC.

 

2.                                      BUYER’S REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES.

 

Each Buyer, severally and not jointly, represents and warrants to the Company with respect to only itself that:

 

(a)                                 Organization; Authority.  Such Buyer is an entity duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization with the requisite power and authority to enter into and to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents (as defined below) to which it is a party and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder.

 

(b)                                 Validity; Enforcement.  The execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents to which such Buyer is a party and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly and validly authorized by all necessary action on the part of such Buyer and no further consent or authorization of such Buyer or its members is required.  Each Transaction Document to which such Buyer is a party has been duly executed by such Buyer and, when delivered by such Buyer in accordance with the terms hereof or thereof, will constitute the legal, valid and binding obligations of such Buyer enforceable against such Buyer in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by general principles of equity or to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, liquidation and other similar laws relating to, or affecting generally, the enforcement of applicable creditors’ rights and remedies.

 

(c)                                  No Conflicts.  The execution, delivery and performance by such Buyer of this Agreement and the consummation by such Buyer of the transactions contemplated hereby will not (i) result in a violation of the organizational documents of such Buyer or (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, any agreement, indenture or instrument to which such Buyer is a party, or (iii) result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree (including federal and state securities laws) applicable to such Buyer, except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for such conflicts, defaults, rights or violations which would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the ability of such Buyer to perform its obligations hereunder.

 

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(d)                                 Certain Trading Activities.  Such Buyer has not directly or indirectly, nor has any Person (as defined below) acting on behalf of or pursuant to any understanding with such Buyer, engaged in any transactions in the securities of the Company (including, without limitation, any Short Sales (as defined below) involving the Company’s securities) during the period commencing as of the time that such Buyer and the Company first began discussions regarding the specific investment in the Company contemplated by this Agreement and ending immediately prior to the execution of this Agreement by such Buyer (it being understood and agreed that for all purposes of this Agreement, and, without implication that the contrary would otherwise be true, that neither transactions nor purchases nor sales shall include the location and/or reservation of borrowable shares of Common Stock).  “Short Sales” means all “short sales” as defined in Rule 200 promulgated under Regulation SHO under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”).

 

(e)                                  Investment Decision.  Such Buyer has based its investment decision solely upon the information contained in the Transaction Documents, the SEC Documents, such information as may be filed by the Company as a “Free Writing Prospectus” under the 1933 Act, and such other information as may have been provided to it by the Company in response to its inquiries, and has not based its investment decision on any research report or other information regarding the Company.  Each Buyer further acknowledges that (i) the purchase of the Securities involves a degree of risk and (ii) the offering contained in the Transaction Documents does not constitute a securities recommendation or other form of financial product advice.

 

3.                                      REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY.

 

The Company represents and warrants to each of the Buyers that:

 

(a)                                 Organization and Qualification.  The Company and each of its Subsidiaries are entities duly organized and validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which they are formed, and have the requisite power and authorization to own their properties and to carry on their business as now being conducted and as presently proposed to be conducted.  Each of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries is duly qualified as a foreign entity to do business and is in good standing in every jurisdiction in which its ownership of property or the nature of the business conducted by it makes such qualification necessary, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a Material Adverse Effect.  As used in this Agreement, “Material Adverse Effect” means any material adverse effect on (i) the business, properties, assets, liabilities, operations (including results thereof), condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company or any Subsidiary, individually or taken as a whole, (ii) the transactions contemplated hereby or in any of the other Transaction Documents or (iii) the authority or ability of the Company to perform any of its obligations under any of the Transaction Documents.  “Subsidiaries” means any Person in which the Company, directly or indirectly, (I) owns a majority of the outstanding capital stock or equity or similar interest of such Person or (II) controls or operates all or any part of the business, operations or administration of such Person, and each of the foregoing is individually referred to herein as a “Subsidiary.”

 

(b)                                 Authorization; Enforcement; Validity.  The Company has the requisite power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and the other 

 

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Transaction Documents and to issue the Securities in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof.  The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents by the Company and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby (including, without limitation, the issuance of the Common Shares, the issuance of the Warrants and the reservation for issuance and issuance of the Warrant Shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants) have been duly authorized by the Company’s board of directors and (other than the filing with the SEC of the prospectus supplement required by the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the 1933 Act (the “Prospectus Supplement”) supplementing the base prospectus forming part of the Registration Statement (the “Prospectus”), a Current Report on Form 8-K, and any other filings as may be required by any state securities agencies, all of which shall be made prior to the First Closing) no further filing, consent or authorization is required by the Company, its board of directors or its stockholders or other governing body in connection therewith.  This Agreement has been, and the other Transaction Documents will be prior to the applicable Closing, duly executed and delivered by the Company, and each constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its respective terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by general principles of equity or applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, liquidation or similar laws relating to, or affecting generally, the enforcement of applicable creditors’ rights and remedies and except as rights to indemnification and to contribution may be limited by federal or state securities law.  “Transaction Documents” means, collectively, this Agreement, the Warrants, the Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions (as defined below) and each of the other agreements and instruments entered into or delivered by any of the parties hereto in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, as may be amended from time to time.

 

(c)                                  Issuance of Securities; Registration Statement.  The issuance of the Common Shares and the Warrants are duly authorized and, upon issuance in accordance with the terms of the Transaction Documents, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and free from all preemptive or similar rights (except for those rights held by the holders of the Company’s outstanding warrants that expire August 21, 2020 issued under that Securities Purchase Agreement, dated February 21, 2012, as amended (the “Outstanding Warrants”) as described on Schedule  3(c) hereto), taxes, liens, charges and other encumbrances with respect to the issue thereof.  As of the First Closing, the Company shall have reserved from its duly authorized capital stock the maximum number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants (without taking into account any limitations on the exercise of the Warrants set forth therein).  The issuance of the Warrant Shares is duly authorized, and upon exercise in accordance with the Warrants, the Warrant Shares, when issued, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and free from all preemptive or similar rights (except for those rights held by the holders of the Outstanding Warrants), taxes, liens, charges and other encumbrances with respect to the issue thereof, with the holders being entitled to all rights accorded to a holder of Common Stock.  The issuance by the Company of the Securities has been properly registered under the 1933 Act, the Securities are being issued pursuant to the Registration Statement and all of the Securities are freely transferable and freely tradable by each of the Buyers without restriction.  The Registration Statement is effective and available for the issuance of the Securities thereunder and the Company has not received any notice that the SEC has issued or intends to issue a stop-order with respect to the Registration Statement or that the SEC otherwise has suspended or withdrawn the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, either temporarily or permanently, or 

 

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intends or has threatened in writing to do so.  The “Plan of Distribution” section under the Registration Statement permits the issuance and sale of the Securities hereunder and as contemplated by the other Transaction Documents.  Upon receipt of the Securities, each of the Buyers will have good and marketable title to the Securities.  The Registration Statement and any prospectus included therein, including the Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement, comply and complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder and all other applicable laws and regulations.  At the time the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto became effective, at the date of this Agreement and at each deemed effective date thereof pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) of the 1933 Act, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto (including, without limitation the Prospectus Supplement), at the time the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto was issued and at the applicable Closing Date, complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and did not and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.  The Company meets all of the requirements for the use of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act for the offering and sale of the Securities contemplated by this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents, and the SEC has not notified the Company of any objection to the use of the form of the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 401(g)(1) under the 1933 Act.  The Registration Statement meets the requirements set forth in Rule 415(a)(1)(x) under the 1933 Act.  At the earliest time after the filing of the Registration Statement that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) under the 1933 Act) relating to any of the Securities, the Company was not and is not an “Ineligible Issuer” (as defined in Rule 405 under the 1933 Act).  The Company (i) has not distributed any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of any of the Securities and (ii) until no Buyer holds any of the Securities, shall not distribute any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of any of the Securities to, or by, any of the Buyers, in each case, other than the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Prospectus Supplement.

 

(d)                                 No Conflicts.  The execution, delivery and performance of the Transaction Documents by the Company and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby (including, without limitation, the issuance of the Common Shares, the Warrants and Warrant Shares and the reservation for issuance of the Warrant Shares) will not (i) result in a violation of the Certificate of Incorporation (as defined below) (including, without limitation, any certificates of designation contained therein) or other organizational documents of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, any capital stock of the Company, or Bylaws (as defined below), (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, any agreement, indenture or instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party, or (iii) result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree (including, without limitation, federal and state and foreign securities laws and regulations and the rules and regulations of the Principal Market) applicable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or by which any property or asset of the 

 

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Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound or affected except, in the case of clause (ii) above, to the extent such violations that could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(e)                                  Consents.  The Company is not required to obtain any consent from, authorization or order of, or make any filing which has not already been obtained or made (including, without limitation as to the listing on the Principal Market of the Common Shares and the Warrant Shares upon issuance) or registration with (other than the filing with the SEC of the Prospectus Supplement, a Current Report on Form 8-K, and any other filings as may be required by any state securities agencies), any court, governmental agency or any regulatory or self-regulatory agency or any other Person in order for it to execute, deliver or perform any of its obligations under or contemplated by the Transaction Documents, in each case, in accordance with the terms hereof or thereof.  All consents, authorizations, orders, filings and registrations which the Company is required to obtain at or prior to the applicable Closing will have been obtained or effected on or prior to the applicable Closing Date, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is aware of any facts or circumstances which might prevent the Company from obtaining or effecting any of the registration, application or filings contemplated by the Transaction Documents.  Except as disclosed on Schedule 3(e) hereto, the Company is not in violation of the requirements of the Principal Market or foreign, federal, state or local securities laws, and has no knowledge of any facts or circumstances which could reasonably lead to such violation or delisting or suspension of the Common Stock in the foreseeable future.  No statute, rule, regulation, executive order, decree, ruling or injunction has been enacted, entered, promulgated or endorsed by any court or governmental authority of competent jurisdiction that prohibits the consummation of any of any of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, and no actions, suits or proceedings are pending or threatened by any Person that seeks to enjoin, prohibit or otherwise adversely affect any of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.

 

(f)                                   Acknowledgment Regarding Buyer’s Purchase of Securities.  The Company acknowledges and agrees that each Buyer is acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length purchaser with respect to the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby and that no Buyer is (i) an officer or director of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (ii) an “affiliate” (as defined in Rule 144 promulgated under the 1933 Act (or a successor rule thereto) (collectively, “Rule 144”)) of the Company (an “Affiliate”) or any of its Subsidiaries.  The Company further acknowledges that no Buyer is acting as a financial advisor or fiduciary of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (or in any similar capacity) with respect to the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, and any advice given by a Buyer or any of its representatives or agents in connection with the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby is merely incidental to such Buyer’s purchase of the Securities.  The Company further represents to each Buyer that the Company’s decision to enter into the Transaction Documents has been based solely on the independent evaluation by the Company and its representatives.  The Company is not, and has never been, an issuer identified in, or subject to, Rule 144(i).

 

(g)                                  Placement Agent’s Fees.  Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has engaged any placement agent or other agent in connection with the sale of the Securities.  The Company shall be responsible for the payment of any placement agent’s fees, financial advisory 

 

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fees, or brokers’ commissions (other than for Persons engaged by any Buyer or its investment advisor) relating to or arising out of the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

(h)                                 No Integrated Offering.  None of the Company, its Subsidiaries or any of their Affiliates, nor any Person acting on 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 require approval of stockholders of the Company under any applicable stockholder approval provisions, including, without limitation, under the rules and regulations of any exchange or automated quotation system on which any of the securities of the Company are listed or designated for quotation.  No registration of the offer, sale or transfer of any of the Securities is required, except for registration contemplated hereby pursuant to the Registration Statement.

 

(i)                                     Application of Takeover Protections; Rights Agreement.  The Company and its board of directors have taken all necessary action, if any, in order to render inapplicable any control share acquisition, interested stockholder, business combination, poison pill (including any distribution under a rights agreement) or other similar anti-takeover provision under the Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws or other organizational documents or the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or otherwise that can be waived by approval of the board of directors and which is or could become applicable to any Buyer as a result of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including, without limitation, the Company’s issuance of the Securities and any Buyer’s ownership of the Securities.  The Company and its board of directors have taken all necessary action, if any, in order to render inapplicable any stockholder rights plan or similar arrangement relating to accumulations of beneficial ownership of shares of Common Stock or a change in control of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

(j)                                    SEC Documents; Financial Statements.  During the two (2) years prior to the date hereof, the Company has filed all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be filed by it with the SEC pursuant to the reporting requirements of the 1934 Act (all of the foregoing filed prior to the date hereof and all exhibits included therein and financial statements, notes and schedules thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein being hereinafter referred to as the “SEC Documents”).  As of their respective dates, the SEC Documents complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder applicable to the SEC Documents, and none of the SEC Documents, at the time they were filed with the SEC, 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.  As of their respective dates, the financial statements of the Company included in the SEC Documents complied in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and the published rules and regulations of the SEC with respect thereto as in effect as of the time of filing.  Such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, consistently applied, during the periods involved (except (i) as may be otherwise indicated in such financial statements or the notes thereto, or (ii) in the case of unaudited interim statements, to the extent they may exclude footnotes or may be condensed or summary statements) and fairly present in all material respects the financial position of the Company as of the dates thereof and the results of its operations and cash flows 

 

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for the periods then ended (subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal year-end audit adjustments which will not be material, either individually or in the aggregate).

 

(k)                                 Absence of Certain Changes.  Since the date of the Company’s most recent audited financial statements contained in a Form 10-K, except as disclosed in the SEC Documents filed subsequent thereto, there has been no material adverse change and no material adverse development in the business, assets, liabilities, properties, operations or financial condition of the Company.  Since the date of the Company’s most recent audited financial statements contained in a Form 10-K, except as disclosed in the SEC Documents filed subsequent thereto, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has (i) declared or paid any dividends, (ii) sold any assets, individually or in the aggregate, outside of the ordinary course of business or (iii) made any material capital expenditures, individually or in the aggregate.  Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has taken any steps to seek protection pursuant to any law or statute relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, receivership, liquidation or winding up, nor does the Company or any Subsidiary have any knowledge or reason to believe that any of their respective creditors intend to initiate involuntary bankruptcy proceedings or any actual knowledge of any fact which would reasonably lead a creditor to do so.  The Company and its Subsidiaries, individually and on a consolidated basis, are not as of the date hereof, and after giving effect to the transactions contemplated hereby to occur at the applicable Closing will not be, Insolvent (as defined below).  For purposes of this Section 3(l), “Insolvent” means, (I) with respect to the Company and its Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, (i) the present fair saleable value of the Company’s and its Subsidiaries’ assets is less than the amount required to pay the Company’s and its Subsidiaries’ total Indebtedness (as defined below), (ii) the Company and its Subsidiaries are unable to pay their debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and liabilities become absolute and matured or (iii) the Company and its Subsidiaries intend to incur or believe that they will incur debts that would be beyond their ability to pay as such debts mature; and (II) with respect to the Company and each Subsidiary, individually, (i) the present fair saleable value of the Company’s or such Subsidiary’s (as the case may be) assets is less than the amount required to pay its respective total Indebtedness, (ii) the Company or such Subsidiary (as the case may be) is unable to pay its respective debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and liabilities become absolute and matured or (iii) the Company or such Subsidiary (as the case may be) intends to incur or believes that it will incur debts that would be beyond its respective ability to pay as such debts mature.  Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has engaged in any business or in any transaction, and is not about to engage in any business or in any transaction, for which the Company’s or such Subsidiary’s remaining assets constitute unreasonably small capital.

 

(l)                                     No Undisclosed Events, Liabilities, Developments or Circumstances.  Since the date of the Company’s most recent audited financial statements contained in a Form 10-K, except as disclosed in the SEC Documents filed subsequent thereto, to the Company’s knowledge, no event, liability, development or circumstance has occurred or exists, or is reasonably expected to exist or occur with respect to the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or their respective business, properties, liabilities, operations or financial condition that (i) is required to be disclosed by the Company under applicable securities laws on a registration statement on Form S-3 filed with the SEC relating to an issuance and sale by the Company of its Common Stock and which has not been publicly announced, or (ii) could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(m)                             Conduct of Business; Regulatory Permits.  Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of any term of or in default under its Certificate of Incorporation, any certificate of designation, preferences or rights of any other outstanding series of preferred stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Bylaws or their organizational charter, certificate of formation or certificate of incorporation or bylaws, respectively.  Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of any judgment, decree or order or any statute, ordinance, rule or regulation applicable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries will conduct its business in violation of any of the foregoing, except in all cases for possible violations which would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company is not in violation of any of the rules, regulations or requirements of the Principal Market and has no knowledge of any facts or circumstances that could reasonably lead to delisting or suspension of the Common Stock by the Principal Market in the foreseeable future and the Company is in compliance with all requirements in order to maintain listing or quotation on the Principal Market (including reporting requirements under the 1934 Act).  Since February 21, 2012, (i) the Common Stock has been listed or designated for quotation on the Principal Market, (ii) trading in the Common Stock has not been suspended by the SEC or the Principal Market and (iii) the Company has received no communication, written or oral, from the SEC or, except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, the Principal Market regarding or relating to the suspension or delisting of the Common Stock from the Principal Market.  The Company and each of its Subsidiaries possess all certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses, except where the failure to possess such certificates, authorizations or permits would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, and neither the Company nor any such Subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authorization or permit.

 

(n)                                 Foreign Corrupt Practices; Certain Other Unlawful Matters.  Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or other Person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has, in the course of its actions for, or on behalf of, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expenses relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended (or rules or regulations or interpretations thereunder); or (iv) made any unlawful bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee or otherwise.  The Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with, and have not previously violated, the USA Patriot Act of 2001 and all other applicable U.S. and non-U.S. anti-money laundering laws and regulations, including, without limitation, the laws, regulations and Executive Orders and sanctions programs administered by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control, including, without limitation, (i) Executive Order 13224 of September 23, 2001 entitled, “Blocking Property and Prohibiting Transactions With Persons Who Commit, Threaten to Commit, or Support Terrorism” (66 Fed.  Reg.  49079 (2001)); and (ii) any regulations contained in 31 CFR, Subtitle B, Chapter V.

 

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(o)                                 Sarbanes-Oxley Act.  The Company and each Subsidiary is in compliance in all material respects with all applicable requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 that are effective as of the date hereof, and all applicable rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC thereunder that are effective as of the date hereof.

 

(p)                                 Transactions With Affiliates.  Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, none of the officers, directors or employees or Affiliates of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is presently a party to any transaction with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (other than for ordinary course services as employees, officers or 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, or otherwise requiring payments to or from any such officer, director or employee or, to the knowledge of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, any corporation, partnership, trust or other Person in which any such officer, director or employee or Affiliate has a substantial interest or is an employee, officer, director, trustee or partner.

 

(q)                                 Equity Capitalization.  As of the date hereof, the authorized capital stock of the Company consists of 250,000,000 shares of Common Stock, of which 112,519,583 are issued and outstanding and 62,933,211 of which are reserved for issuance for various purposes, including for securities (other than the Warrants) exercisable or exchangeable for, or convertible into, shares of Common Stock (“Convertible Securities”) (notwithstanding any anti-dilution adjustments that may be required by such securities as a result of the transactions contemplated hereby which are described on Schedule 3(q) hereto); shares of Common Stock to be issued in exchange for the subordinated notes owned by Todd A. Brooks, John E. Hearn, Jr., Gaston Kearby, Blackstone Oil & Gas, LLC, Lara Energy, Inc. and Omega Energy Corp. (collectively, the “Subordinated Notes Exchange”); and shares reserved for issuance under the ZaZa Energy Corporation 2012 Long Term Incentive Plan, as amended and (ii) 25,000,000 shares of preferred stock, of which none are issued and outstanding.  No shares of Common Stock are held in treasury.  All of such outstanding shares are duly authorized and have been, or upon issuance will be, validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable.  71,745,840 shares of the Company’s issued and outstanding Common Stock on the date hereof are owned by Persons who are “Affiliates” (as defined in Rule 405 of the 1933 Act and calculated based on the assumption that only officers, directors and holders of at least 10% of the Company’s issued and outstanding Common Stock are “Affiliates” without conceding that any such Persons are “Affiliates” for purposes of federal securities laws) of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.  Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, (i) none of the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s capital stock is subject to preemptive rights or any other similar rights or any liens or encumbrances suffered or permitted by the Company or any Subsidiary; (ii) except as disclosed in the SEC Documents (collectively, the “Company Stock Plans”), there are no outstanding options, warrants, scrip, rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities or rights convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, any capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is or may become bound to issue additional capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or options, warrants, scrip, rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities or rights convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, any capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (iii) there are no outstanding debt securities, notes, credit agreements, credit facilities or other agreements, documents or instruments evidencing Indebtedness of the Company or any of its

 

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Subsidiaries or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is or may become bound; (iv) there are no financing statements securing obligations in any amounts filed in connection with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (v) there are no agreements or arrangements under which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is obligated to register the sale of any of their securities under the 1933 Act (except pursuant to this Agreement); (vi) there are no outstanding securities or instruments of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries which contain any redemption or similar provisions, and there are no contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is or may become bound to redeem a security of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (vii) there are no securities or instruments containing anti-dilution or similar provisions that will be triggered by the issuance of the Securities; (viii) neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has any stock appreciation rights or “phantom stock” plans or agreements or any similar plan or agreement other than pursuant to the Company Stock Plans; and (ix) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries have any liabilities or obligations required to be disclosed in the SEC Documents which are not so disclosed in the SEC Documents, other than those incurred in the ordinary course of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ respective businesses and which, individually or in the aggregate, do not or would not have a Material Adverse Effect.  The SEC Documents contain true, correct and complete copies of the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation, as amended and as in effect on the date hereof (the “Certificate of Incorporation”), and the Company’s bylaws, as amended and as in effect on the date hereof (the “Bylaws”), and the terms of all securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, shares of Common Stock and the material rights of the holders thereof in respect thereto.

 

(r)                                    Indebtedness and Other Contracts.  Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries (i) except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, has any outstanding Indebtedness, (ii) except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, is a party to any contract, agreement or instrument, the violation of which, or default under which, by the other party or parties to such contract, agreement or instrument could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (iii) is in violation of any term of, or in default under, any contract, agreement or instrument relating to any Indebtedness, except where such violations and defaults would not result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Effect, or (iv) is a party to any contract, agreement or instrument relating to any Indebtedness, the performance of which, in the judgment of the Company’s officers, has or is expected to have a Material Adverse Effect since the date of the Company’s most recent audited financial statements contained in a Form 10-K.  For purposes of this Agreement: (x) “Indebtedness” of any Person means, without duplication (A) all indebtedness for borrowed money, (B) all obligations issued, undertaken or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property or services (including, without limitation, “capital leases” in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles) (other than trade payables entered into in the ordinary course of business), (C) all reimbursement or payment obligations with respect to letters of credit, surety bonds and other similar instruments, (D) all obligations evidenced by notes, bonds, debentures or similar instruments, including obligations so evidenced incurred in connection with the acquisition of property, assets or businesses, (E) all indebtedness created or arising under any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, or incurred as financing, in either case with respect to any property or assets acquired with the proceeds of such indebtedness (even though the rights and remedies of the seller or bank under such agreement in the event of default are limited to repossession or sale of such property), (F) all monetary obligations under any leasing or similar arrangement which, in connection with generally

 

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accepted accounting principles, consistently applied for the periods covered thereby, is classified as a capital lease, (G) all indebtedness referred to in clauses (A) through (F) above secured by (or for which the holder of such Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, security interest or other encumbrance upon or in any property or assets (including accounts and contract rights) owned by any Person, even though the Person which owns such assets or property has not assumed or become liable for the payment of such indebtedness, and (H) all Contingent Obligations in respect of indebtedness or obligations of others of the kinds referred to in clauses (A) through (G) above; (y) “Contingent Obligation” means, as to any Person, any direct or indirect liability, contingent or otherwise, of that Person with respect to any indebtedness, lease, dividend or other obligation of another Person if the primary purpose or intent of the Person incurring such liability, or the primary effect thereof, is to provide assurance to the obligee of such liability that such liability will be paid or discharged, or that any agreements relating thereto will be complied with, or that the holders of such liability will be protected (in whole or in part) against loss with respect thereto; and (z) “Person” means an individual, a limited liability company, a partnership, a joint venture, a corporation, a trust, an unincorporated organization, any other entity and a government or any department or agency thereof.

 

(s)                                   Absence of Litigation.  Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, there is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or by any court, public board, government agency, self-regulatory organization or body pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, the Common Stock or any of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ officers or directors which is outside of the ordinary course of business or individually or in the aggregate material to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.  There has not been, and to the knowledge of the Company, there is not pending or contemplated, any investigation by the SEC involving the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any current of former director or officer of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.  The SEC has not issued any stop order or other order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement.

 

(t)                                    Insurance.  The Company and each of its Subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as management of the Company believes to be prudent and customary in the businesses in which the Company and its Subsidiaries are engaged.  Neither the Company nor any such Subsidiary has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for, and neither the Company nor any such Subsidiary has any reason to believe that it will be unable 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 at a cost that would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(u)                                 Employee Relations.  Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to any collective bargaining agreement or employs any member of a union.  No executive officer (as defined in Rule 501(f) promulgated under the 1933 Act) or other key employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has notified the Company or any such Subsidiary that such officer intends to leave the Company or any such Subsidiary or otherwise terminate such officer’s employment with the Company or any such Subsidiary.  No executive officer or other key employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is, or is now expected by the Company

 

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to be, in connection with employment by the Company, in violation of any material term of any employment contract, confidentiality, disclosure or proprietary information agreement, non-competition agreement, or any other contract or agreement or any restrictive covenant, and the continued employment of each such executive officer or other key employee (as the case may be) 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 federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations respecting labor, employment and employment practices and benefits, terms and conditions of employment and wages and hours, except where failure to be in compliance would not, either individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(v)                                 Title.  Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has (i) defensible title to all of its oil, gas and mineral leases or mineral interests (including oil and gas wells, producing leasehold interests and appurtenant personal property), and (ii) good title to all personal property owned by them that are material to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, in each of case (i) and (ii), free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and claims, except (A) those that do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and any of its Subsidiaries or would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, (B) royalties, overriding royalties and other similar burdens under oil, gas and mineral leases, (C) easements, restrictions, rights-of-way and other matters that commonly affect property, (D) those securing taxes and other governmental charges, or claims of materialmen, mechanics and similar persons, not yet due and payable and (E) those under oil or gas sales contracts, geophysical exploration agreements, operating agreements, farmout agreements, participation agreements, joint venture agreements, development agreements, unitization, pooling and commutation agreements, declarations and orders and gas sales contracts securing payment of amounts not yet due and payable and of a scope and nature customary in the oil and gas industry.  All of the real property leases (other than oil, gas and mineral leases or similar leasehold interests) under which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries holds or uses its properties are in full force and effect, with such exceptions as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(w)                               Intellectual Property Rights.  The Company and its Subsidiaries own or possess adequate rights or licenses to use all trademarks, trade names, service marks, service mark registrations, service names, patents, patent rights, copyrights, original works, inventions, licenses, approvals, governmental authorizations, trade secrets and other intellectual property rights and all applications and registrations therefor (“Intellectual Property Rights”) necessary to conduct their respective businesses as now conducted.  None of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ Intellectual Property Rights have expired, terminated or been abandoned, or are expected to expire, terminate or be abandoned, within three years from the date of this Agreement, except where the expiration, termination or abandonment, either individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.  The Company has no knowledge of any infringement by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of Intellectual Property Rights of others.  There is no claim, action or proceeding being made or brought, or to the knowledge of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, being threatened, against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries regarding their Intellectual Property Rights.  The Company and each of its Subsidiaries have taken reasonable security measures to protect the secrecy, confidentiality and value of all of their Intellectual Property Rights.

 

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(x)                                 Environmental Laws.  The Company and its Subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with all Environmental Laws (as defined below), (ii) have received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses and (iii) are in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval where, in each of the foregoing clauses (i), (ii) and (iii), the failure to so comply could be reasonably expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.  The term “Environmental Laws” means all federal, state, local or foreign laws of the applicable jurisdictions to which the Company is subject relating to pollution or protection of human health or the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata), including, without limitation, laws relating to emissions, discharges, releases or threatened releases of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, or toxic or hazardous substances or wastes (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) into the environment, or otherwise relating to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials, as well as all authorizations, codes, decrees, demands or demand letters, injunctions, judgments, licenses, notices or notice letters, orders, permits, plans or regulations issued, entered, promulgated or approved thereunder.

 

(y)                                 Subsidiary Rights.  The Company or one of its Subsidiaries has the unrestricted right to vote, and (subject to limitations imposed by applicable law) to receive dividends and distributions on, all capital securities of its Subsidiaries as owned by the Company or such Subsidiary.

 

(z)                                  Tax Status.  Except as would not have a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and each of its Subsidiaries (i) has timely made or filed all foreign, federal and state income and all other tax returns, reports and declarations required by any jurisdiction to which it is subject, (ii) has timely 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, except those being contested in good faith and (iii) has set aside on its books provision reasonably adequate for the payment of all 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 in writing by the taxing authority of any jurisdiction, and the officers of the Company and its Subsidiaries know of no basis for any such claim.  The Company is not operated in such a manner as to qualify as a passive foreign investment company, as defined in Section 1297 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

(aa)                          Internal Accounting and Disclosure Controls.  The Company and each of its Subsidiaries maintains internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the 1934 Act) that is effective to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, including 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 generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset and liability accountability, (iii) access to assets or incurrence of liabilities is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets and liabilities is compared with the existing assets and liabilities at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any difference.  The Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures

 

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(as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the 1934 Act) that are effective in ensuring that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the 1934 Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the rules and forms of the SEC, including, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the 1934 Act is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive officer or officers and its principal financial officer or officers, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.  Since the date of the Company’s most recent audited financial statements contained in a Form 10-K, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any notice or correspondence from any accountant or other Person relating to any potential material weakness or significant deficiency in any part of the internal controls over financial reporting of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

(bb)                          Off Balance Sheet Arrangements.  There is no transaction, arrangement, or other relationship between the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and an unconsolidated or other off balance sheet entity that is required to be disclosed by the Company in its 1934 Act filings and is not so disclosed or that otherwise could be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(cc)                            Investment Company Status.  The Company is not, and upon consummation of the sale of the Securities will not be, an “investment company,” an Affiliate of an “investment company,” a company controlled by an “investment company” or an “affiliated person” of, or “promoter” or “principal underwriter” for, an “investment company” as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

(dd)                          Acknowledgement Regarding Buyers’ Trading Activity.  It is understood and acknowledged by the Company that (i) following the public disclosure of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, in accordance with the terms thereof, none of the Buyers has been asked by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to agree, nor has any Buyer agreed with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, to desist from effecting any transactions in or with respect to (including, without limitation, purchasing or selling, long and/or short) any securities of the Company, or “derivative” securities based on securities issued by the Company or to hold the Securities for any specified term; (ii) any Buyer, and counterparties in “derivative” transactions to which any such Buyer is a party, directly or indirectly, presently may have a “short” position in the Common Stock which was established prior to such Buyer’s knowledge of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents; and (iii) each Buyer shall not be deemed to have any affiliation with or control over any arm’s length counterparty in any “derivative” transaction.  The Company further understands and acknowledges that following the public disclosure of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents pursuant to the Press Release (as defined below) one or more Buyers may engage in hedging and/or trading activities at various times during the period that the Securities are outstanding, including, without limitation, during the periods that the value and/or number of the Warrant Shares deliverable with respect to the Securities are being determined and (b) such hedging and/or trading activities, if any, can reduce the value of the existing stockholders’ equity interest in the Company both at and after the time the hedging and/or trading activities are being conducted.  The Company acknowledges that such aforementioned hedging and/or trading activities do not constitute a

 

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breach of this Agreement or any other Transaction Document or any of the documents executed in connection herewith or therewith.

 

(ee)                            Manipulation of Price.  Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has, and, to the knowledge of the Company, no Person acting on their behalf has, directly or indirectly, (i) taken any action designed to cause or to result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries 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 or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

(ff)                              Registration Eligibility.  The Company is eligible to register the issuance and sale of the Securities to the Buyers using Form S-3 promulgated under the 1933 Act.

 

(gg)                            Transfer Taxes.  On the applicable Closing Date, all stock transfer or other taxes (other than income or similar taxes) which are required to be paid in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities to be sold to each Buyer hereunder will be, or will have been, fully paid or provided for by the Company, and all laws imposing such taxes will be or will have been complied with.

 

(hh)                          Bank Holding Company Act.  Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is subject to the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “BHCA”) or to regulation by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”).  Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or 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 (25%) or more of the total equity of a bank or any equity that is subject to the BHCA or to regulation by the Federal Reserve.  Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates exercises a controlling influence over the management or policies of a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA or to regulation by the Federal Reserve.

 

(ii)                                  Registration Rights.  Except as disclosed on Schedule 3(ii) hereto, no holder of securities of the Company has rights to the registration of any securities of the Company because of the issuance of the Securities hereunder that could expose the Company to material liability or any Buyer to any liability or that could impair the Company’s ability to consummate the issuance and sale of the Securities in the manner, and at the times, contemplated hereby, which rights have not been waived by the holder thereof as of the date hereof.

 

(jj)                                Public Utility Holding Act.  None of the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a “holding company,” or an “Affiliate” of a “holding company,” as such terms are defined in the Public Utility Holding Act of 2005.

 

(kk)                          Federal Power Act.  None of the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is subject to regulation as a “public utility” under the Federal Power Act, as amended.

 

(ll)                                  Disclosure.  The Company confirms that neither it nor, to its knowledge, any other Person acting on its behalf has provided any of the Buyers or their agents or counsel with any information that constitutes or could reasonably be expected to constitute material, non-public information concerning the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, other than the existence

 

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of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents.  The Company understands and confirms that each of the Buyers will rely on the foregoing representations in effecting transactions in securities of the Company.  All written disclosure provided to the Buyers regarding the Company and its Subsidiaries, their businesses and the transactions contemplated hereby, including the schedules to this Agreement, furnished by or on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in the aggregate is true and correct in all material respects 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 the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.  Each material press release issued by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries during the twelve (12) months preceding the date of this Agreement did not at the time of release 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 the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading.  No event or circumstance has occurred or information exists with respect to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or its or their business, properties, liabilities, prospects, operations (including results thereof) or conditions (financial or otherwise), which, under applicable law, rule or regulation, requires public disclosure at or before the date hereof or announcement by the Company but which has not been so publicly disclosed.  The Company acknowledges and agrees that no Buyer makes or has made any representations or warranties with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby other than those specifically set forth in Section 2.

 

4.                                      COVENANTS.

 

(a)                                 Maintenance of Registration Statement.  For so long as any of the Warrants remain outstanding, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to maintain the effectiveness of the Registration Statement for the issuance thereunder of the Warrant Shares, provided that, if at any time while the Warrants are outstanding the Company shall be ineligible to utilize Form S-3 (or any successor form) for the purpose of issuance of the Warrant Shares, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to promptly amend the Registration Statement on such other form as may be necessary to maintain the effectiveness of the Registration Statement for this purpose.  If at any time following the date hereof the Registration Statement is not effective or is not otherwise available for the issuance of the Securities or any prospectus contained therein is not available for use, the Company shall immediately notify the holders of the Securities in writing that the Registration Statement is not then effective or a prospectus contained therein is not available for use and thereafter shall promptly notify such holders when the Registration Statement is effective again and available for the issuance of the Securities or such prospectus is again available for use.

 

(b)                                 Prospectus Supplement and Blue Sky.  Immediately prior to execution of this Agreement, the Company shall have delivered, and as soon as practicable after execution of this Agreement the Company shall file, the Prospectus Supplement with respect to the Securities as required under, and in conformity with, the 1933 Act, including Rule 424(b) thereunder.  The Company shall have taken immediately upon execution of this Agreement such action, if any, as required in order to obtain an exemption for, or to, qualify the Securities for sale to the Buyers at the applicable Closing pursuant to this Agreement under applicable securities or “Blue Sky” laws of the states of the United States (or to obtain an exemption from such qualification), and shall provide evidence of any such action so taken to the Buyers on or prior to the applicable Closing

 

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Date.  Without limiting any other obligation of the Company under this Agreement, the Company shall timely make all filings and reports relating to the offer and sale of the Securities required under all applicable securities laws (including, without limitation, all applicable federal securities laws and all applicable “Blue Sky” laws), and the Company shall comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws, statutes, rules, regulations and the like relating to the offering and sale of the Securities to the Buyers.  The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to take all necessary action to ensure the compliance with all applicable securities laws (including without limitation “Blue Sky” laws) of the issuance of any Warrant Shares from time to time upon exercise of the Warrants.

 

(c)                                  Reporting Status.  Until the date on which no Warrants are outstanding (the “Reporting Period”), the Company shall file all reports required to be filed with the SEC pursuant to the 1934 Act, and the Company shall not terminate its status as an issuer required to file reports under the 1934 Act even if the 1934 Act or the rules and regulations thereunder would no longer require or otherwise permit such termination.

 

(d)                                 Financial Information.  The Company agrees to send the following to each Buyer during the Reporting Period, unless the following are filed with the SEC through EDGAR and are available to the public through the EDGAR system, within one (1) Business Day after the filing thereof with the SEC, copies of any notices and other information made available or given to the stockholders of the Company generally, contemporaneously with the making available or giving thereof to the stockholders.

 

(e)                                  Listing.  If required by the listing rules of the Principal Market, the Company has secured the listing of all of the Common Shares and Warrant Shares (subject to notice of issuance) on the Principal Market in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and by the Warrants and shall secure the listing or designation for quotation (as the case may be) of all of the Common Shares and Warrant Shares upon each other national securities exchange and automated quotation system, if any, upon which the Common Stock is then listed or designated for quotation (as the case may be) (subject to official notice of issuance) (but in no event later than the applicable Closing Date) and shall use its reasonable best efforts to maintain such listing or designation for quotation (as the case may be) of all the shares of Common Stock from time to time issuable under the terms of the Transaction Documents on the Principal Market and such national securities exchange or automated quotation system.  The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to maintain the Common Stock’s listing or designation for quotation (as the case may be) on the Principal Market, The New York Stock Exchange, the NYSE MKT, the Nasdaq Global Market or the Nasdaq Global Select Market (each, an “Eligible Market”).  Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall take any action which could be reasonably expected to result in the delisting or suspension of the Common Stock on an Eligible Market (other than in connection with listing on a different Eligible Market).  The Company shall pay all fees and expenses in connection with satisfying its obligations under this Section 4(e).

 

(f)                                   Fees.  Prior to the date hereof, the Company has paid, for the benefit of Crede CG III, Ltd.  (“Crede”), a non-refundable, non-accountable document preparation fee in the amount of $40,000.  In addition, by virtue of the execution of this Agreement by Crede, the Company shall be obligated pay to Crede an additional amount equal to $375,000 as an investment fee (the “Investment Fee”) hereunder, of which (i) $250,000 shall be paid by the Company to Crede at

 

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the First Closing and (ii)  $125,000 shall be paid by the Company to Crede at the Second Closing, in each case by Crede withholding such amounts from the Purchase Price to be paid by it at such applicable Closing.  Except as set forth above, or as may otherwise be set forth in this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents, each party to this Agreement shall bear its own expenses in connection with the sale of the Securities to the Buyers.

 

(g)                                  Pledge of Securities.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, the Company acknowledges and agrees that the Securities may be pledged by a Buyer in connection with a bona fide margin agreement or other loan or financing arrangement that is secured by the Securities.  The pledge of Securities shall not be deemed to be a transfer, sale or assignment of the Securities hereunder, and no Buyer effecting a pledge of Securities shall be required to provide the Company with any notice thereof or otherwise make any delivery to the Company pursuant to this Agreement or any other Transaction Document.

 

(h)                                 Disclosure of Transactions and Other Material Information.  The Company shall, on or before 9:30 a.m., New York time, on the first Trading Day following the date hereof, issue a press release (the “Press Release”) reasonably acceptable to the Buyers and the Company disclosing all the material terms of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.  On or before 9:30 a.m., New York time, on the first Trading Day following the date hereof, the Company shall file a Current Report on Form 8-K describing all the material terms of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents in the form required by the 1934 Act and attaching all the material Transaction Documents (including, without limitation, this Agreement (and all schedules to this Agreement) and the form of Warrants) (including all attachments, the “8-K Filing”).  From and after the issuance of the Press Release, the Company shall have disclosed all material, non-public information (if any) delivered to any of the Buyers 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 shall not, and the Company shall cause each of its Subsidiaries and each of its and their respective officers, directors, employees and agents, not to, provide any Buyer with any material, non-public information regarding the Company or any of its Subsidiaries from and after the issuance of the Press Release without the express prior written consent of such Buyer.  In the event of a breach of any of the foregoing covenants by the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, or any of its or their respective officers, directors, employees and agents (as determined in the reasonable good faith judgment of such Buyer), in addition to any other remedy provided herein or in the Transaction Documents, such Buyer shall have the right to make a public disclosure, in the form of a press release, public advertisement or otherwise, of such material, non-public information without the prior approval by the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, or any of its or their respective officers, directors, employees or agents.  No Buyer shall have any liability to the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, or any of its or their respective officers, directors, employees, stockholders or agents, for any such disclosure.  Subject to the foregoing, neither the Company, its Subsidiaries nor any Buyer shall issue any press releases or any other public statements with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby; provided, however, the Company shall be entitled, without the prior approval of any Buyer, to make any press release or other public disclosure with respect to such transactions (i) in substantial conformity with the 8-K Filing and contemporaneously therewith and (ii) as is required by applicable law and regulations.  Unless required by applicable law, without the prior written consent of the applicable Buyer, the Company shall not (and shall

 

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cause each of its Subsidiaries and Affiliates to not) disclose the name of such Buyer in any filing (other than in the Transaction Documents filed as exhibits to the 8-K Filing), announcement, release or otherwise.  Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary and without implication that the contrary would otherwise be true, the Company expressly acknowledges and agrees that no Buyer has had, and no Buyer shall have (unless expressly agreed to by a particular Buyer after the date hereof in a written definitive and binding agreement executed by the Company and such particular Buyer), any duty of confidentiality with respect to, or a duty not to trade on the basis of, any material, non-public information regarding the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

(i)                                     Additional Issuance of Securities.  The Company agrees that for the period commencing on the date hereof and ending on the date immediately following the sixtieth (60th) day after the date hereof (the “Restricted Period”), unless otherwise consented to in writing by Crede, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall directly or indirectly issue, offer, sell, grant any option or right to purchase, or otherwise dispose of (or announce any issuance, offer, sale, grant of any option or right to purchase or other disposition of) any Common Stock or any security or any debt or other instrument convertible or exchangeable or exercisable into Common Stock or which constitutes (or would constitute but for lack of a fixed exercise or conversion or similar price or if it were not solely cash settled) a “derivative security” (as defined under the rules and regulations under Section 16 of the 1934 Act) or otherwise an equity-linked or related security (including, without limitation, any “equity security” (as that term is defined under Rule 405 promulgated under the 1933 Act) or which does or would otherwise constitute any Option or Convertible Security (as defined in the Warrants) (any such issuance, offer, sale, grant, disposition or announcement (whether occurring during the Restricted Period or at any time thereafter) is referred to as a “Subsequent Placement”).  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the immediately preceding sentence in this Section 4(i) shall not apply in respect of the issuance of (A) shares of Common Stock or standard options to purchase Common Stock or other standard equity linked securities (e.g., stock appreciation rights) to directors, officers, employees or consultants of the Company in their capacity as such pursuant to an Approved Share Plan (as defined below); provided that (1) all such issuances that are exercisable or vest during the Restricted Period (taking into account the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of such options and equity linked securities that are exercisable or vest during the Restricted Period, but not including shares issuable pursuant to Options or Convertible Securities outstanding as of the date hereof) and are issued after the date hereof pursuant to this clause (A) do not, in the aggregate, exceed more than 2% of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding and (2) during the Restricted Period, the exercise price of any such options is not lowered, none of such options are amended to increase the number of shares issuable thereunder and none of the terms or conditions of any such options are otherwise materially changed in any manner that adversely affects any of the Buyers; (B) shares of Common Stock issued upon the conversion or exercise of Options or Convertible Securities issued prior to the date hereof to the extent issued pursuant to their terms as of the date hereof; (C) shares of Common Stock issued as part of the Subordinated Notes Exchange; (D) issuances required to be made in compliance with the preemptive rights provisions of the Outstanding Warrants; (E) the Common Shares and the Warrants; (F) the Warrant Shares; (G) issuances of equity to a seller, or in the case of a merger, the shareholders of the target company in such merger, or the officers or employees thereof, in each case in connection with a bona fide merger, business combination transaction or acquisition of stock or assets outside of the ordinary course; (H) a stock split or other subdivision or combination, or a

 

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stock dividend made to all holders of any Company equity on a pro rata basis; (I) issuances of Common Stock or Convertible Securities in connection with strategic partnerships, joint ventures, licensing, acquisition of assets or technology, or similar arrangements, in each case, that are not primarily for financing purposes; or (J) issuances of shares of Common Stock or Options or Convertible Securities in public offerings or to individual, institutional or strategic investors in private or public transactions; provided, that with respect to issuances contemplated by clauses (I) and (J),  (x) such issuances of shares of Common Stock are for an aggregate consideration of no greater than $3,000,000 during the Restricted Period, in each case, at an effective consideration per share of Common Stock (assuming any Company warrants issued in connection therewith are issued for no consideration) of no less than $0.83, (y) such Options or Convertible Securities have an effective exercise or conversion price thereof of no less than $0.83, and (z) the Company does not grant or enter into any agreement to grant such investors registration rights whereby the Company would have an obligation to register the resale of such shares of Common Stock during the Restricted Period (each of the foregoing in clauses (A) through (I), collectively the “Excluded Securities”).  “Approved Share Plan” means any employee benefit plan which has been approved by the board of directors of the Company prior to or subsequent to the date hereof pursuant to which shares of Common Stock and equity securities may be issued to any employee, officer, director or consultant for services provided to the Company in their capacity as such.

 

(j)                                    Subsequent Equity Sales.  From the period beginning on the sixty-first (61st) day after the date hereof and ending on the ninetieth (90th) day after the date hereof, if the Company sells or grants any option to purchase or sells or grants any right to reprice, or otherwise disposes of or issues (or announces any sale, grant or any option to purchase or other disposition), any Common Stock or Convertible Securities entitling any Person to acquire shares of Common Stock at an effective price per share that is lower than the then Purchase Price per Common Share (such lower price, the “Base Share Price” and such issuances, collectively, a “Dilutive Issuance”) (if the holder of the Common Stock or Convertible Securities so issued shall at any time, whether by operation of purchase price adjustments, reset provisions, floating conversion, exercise or exchange prices or otherwise, or due to warrants, options or rights per share which are issued in connection with such issuance, be entitled to receive shares of Common Stock at an effective price per share that is lower than the Purchase Price per Common Share, such issuance shall be deemed to have occurred for less than the Purchase Price per Common Share on such date of the Dilutive Issuance), then the Company shall issue to each Buyer such number of additional shares of Common Stock equal to the difference between (i) the number of Shares held by the Buyer on the date of the Dilutive Issuance multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is such Buyer’s Purchase Price per Common Share and the denominator of which is the Base Share Price, and (ii) the number of Shares held by the Buyer on the date of the Dilutive Issuance.  Such adjustment shall be made whenever such Common Stock or Convertible Securities are issued during the applicable period.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, no adjustment will be made under this Section 4(j) in respect of those issuances of Excluded Securities.  If the Company enters into a Variable Rate Transaction, the Company shall be deemed to have issued Common Stock or Convertible Securities at the lowest possible conversion price at which such securities may be converted or exercised.  The Company shall notify the Buyer in writing, no later than three (3) business days following the issuance of any Common Stock or Convertible Securities subject to this Section 4(j), indicating therein the applicable issuance price, or

 

22

 

applicable reset price, exchange price, conversion price and other pricing terms (such notice, the “Dilutive Issuance Notice”).  For purposes of clarification, whether or not the Company provides a Dilutive Issuance Notice pursuant to this Section 4(j), upon the occurrence of any Dilutive Issuance, the Purchase Price per Common Share shall be reduced to equal the Base Share Price, regardless of whether the Company accurately refers to the Base Share Price in the Dilutive Issuance Notice.

 

(k)                                 Reservation of Shares.  So long as any of the Warrants remain outstanding, the Company shall take all action necessary to at all times have authorized, and reserved for the purpose of issuance, the maximum number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of all the Warrants (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of the Warrants set forth therein).

 

(l)                                     Conduct of Business.  So long as any of the Warrants remain outstanding, the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries shall not be conducted in violation of any law, ordinance or regulation of any governmental entity in any jurisdiction to which the Company is subject, except where such violations would not result, either individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(m)                             Variable Rate Transaction.  During the Restricted Period, the Company and each Subsidiary shall be prohibited from effecting, or entering into an agreement to effect, any Subsequent Placement involving a Variable Rate Transaction.  “Variable Rate Transaction” means a transaction in which the Company or any Subsidiary (i) issues or sells any Convertible Securities either (A) at a conversion, exercise 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 Convertible 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 Convertible Securities 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, other than pursuant to a customary “weighted average” anti-dilution provision or (ii) enters into any agreement (including, without limitation, an equity line of credit) whereby the Company or any Subsidiary may sell securities at a future determined price (other than standard and customary “preemptive” or “participation” rights).  Each Buyer shall be entitled to obtain injunctive relief against the Company and its Subsidiaries to preclude any such issuance, which remedy shall be in addition to any right to collect damages.

 

(n)                                 Corporate Existence.  So long as any Buyer owns any Warrants, the Company shall not be party to any Fundamental Transaction (as defined in the Warrants) unless the Company is in compliance with the applicable provisions governing Fundamental Transactions set forth in the Warrants.

 

(o)                                 Certain Restrictions as to Buyer.  For so long as the Buyer or any of its Affiliates holds any Securities, neither the Buyer nor any Affiliate will: (i) vote any shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by it, solicit any proxies, or seek to advise or influence any Person with respect to any voting securities of the Company; (ii) engage or participate in any actions, plans or proposals which relate to or would result in (a) acquiring additional securities of the Company, alone or together with any other Person, which would result in Buyer or its Affiliates beneficially

 

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owning (within the meaning of Section 13(d) under the 1934 Act) more than 9.9% of the Common Stock, (b) an extraordinary corporate transaction, such as a merger, reorganization or liquidation, involving Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (c) a sale or transfer of a material amount of assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (d) any change in the present board of directors or management of the Company, including any plans or proposals to change the number or term of directors or to fill any existing vacancies on the board, (e) any material change in the present capitalization or dividend policy of the Company, (f) any other material change in the Company’s business or corporate structure, including but not limited to, if the Company is a registered closed-end investment company, any plans or proposals to make any changes in its investment policy for which a vote is required by Section 13 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, (g) changes in the Company’s charter, bylaws or instruments corresponding thereto or other actions which may impede the acquisition of control of the Company by any Person, (h) causing a class of securities of the Company to be delisted from a national securities exchange or to cease to be authorized to be quoted in an inter-dealer quotation system of a registered national securities association, (i) a class of equity securities of the Company becoming eligible for termination of registration pursuant to Section 12(g)(4) of the Act, or (j) any action, intention, plan or arrangement similar to any of those enumerated above; or (iii) request the Company or its directors, officers, employees, agents or representatives to amend or waive any provision of this paragraph.  The restrictions contained in this paragraph (o) shall not limit Buyer’s rights to enforce its rights or exercise its rights as to the Securities or under the Transaction Documents.

 

5.                                      REGISTER; TRANSFER AGENT INSTRUCTIONS; LEGEND.

 

(a)                                 Register.  The Company shall maintain at its principal executive offices (or such other office or agency of the Company as it may designate by notice to each holder of Securities), a register for the Common Shares and the Warrants in which the Company shall record the name and address of the Person in whose name the Common Shares and the Warrants have been issued (including the name and address of each transferee), the number of Common Shares held by such Person and the number of Warrant Shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants held by such Person.  The Company shall keep the register open and available at all times during business hours for inspection of any Buyer or its legal representatives.

 

(b)                                 Transfer Agent Instructions.  The Company shall issue irrevocable instructions to the Transfer Agent in the form previously provided to the Company (the “Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions”) to issue certificates or credit shares to the applicable balance accounts at DTC, without restriction and registered in the name of each Buyer or its respective nominee(s), for the Common Shares and the Warrant Shares in such amounts as specified from time to time by each Buyer to the Company upon delivery of the Common Shares or the exercise of the Warrants (as the case may be).  The Company represents and warrants that no instruction other than the Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions referred to in this Section 5(b) will be given by the Company to the Transfer Agent with respect to the Securities, and that the Securities shall otherwise be freely transferable on the books and records of the Company.  If a Buyer effects a sale, assignment or transfer of the Securities, the Company shall permit the transfer and shall promptly instruct the Transfer Agent to issue one or more certificates or credit shares to the applicable balance accounts at DTC in such name and in such denominations as specified by such Buyer to effect such sale, transfer or assignment.  The Company acknowledges that a breach by it of its obligations hereunder will cause irreparable harm to each Buyer.  Accordingly,

 

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the Company acknowledges that the remedy at law for a breach of its obligations under this Section 5(b) will be inadequate and agrees, in the event of a breach or threatened breach by the Company of the provisions of this Section 5(b), that each Buyer shall be entitled, in addition to all other available remedies, to an order and/or injunction restraining any breach and requiring immediate issuance and transfer, without the necessity of showing economic loss and without any bond or other security being required.

 

(c)                                  Certificates and any other instruments evidencing the Securities shall not bear any restrictive or other legend.

 

6.                                      CONDITIONS TO EACH BUYER’S OBLIGATION TO PURCHASE.

 

(a)                                 The obligation of each Buyer hereunder to purchase its applicable Common Shares and the related Warrants at the applicable Closing is subject to the satisfaction, at or before each applicable Closing Date and in respect of each such Closing Date, of each of the following conditions, provided that these conditions are for each Buyer’s sole benefit and may be waived by such Buyer at any time in its sole discretion by providing the Company with prior written notice thereof:

 

(i)                                     The Company shall have duly executed and delivered to such Buyer each of the Transaction Documents to which it is a party.

 

(ii)                                  The Company shall have delivered to such Buyer a certificate evidencing the formation and good standing of the Company in its jurisdiction of formation issued by the Secretary of State (or comparable office) of such jurisdiction of formation as of a date within ten (10) days of the applicable Closing Date.

 

(iii)                               The Company shall have delivered to such Buyer a certificate evidencing the Company’s qualification as a foreign corporation and good standing issued by the Secretary of State (or comparable office) of each jurisdiction in which the Company conducts business and is required to so qualify, as of a date within ten (10) days of the applicable Closing Date.

 

(iv)                              The Company shall have delivered to such Buyer a certified copy of the Certificate of Incorporation within ten (10) days of the applicable Closing Date.

 

(v)                                 The Company shall have delivered to such Buyer a certificate, in the form reasonably acceptable to such Buyer, executed by the Secretary of the Company and dated as of the applicable Closing Date, as to (i) the resolutions consistent with Section 3(b) as adopted by the Company’s board of directors in a form reasonably acceptable to such Buyer, (ii) Certificate of Incorporation, and (iii) the Bylaws of the Company, in each case, as in effect at the applicable Closing.

 

(vi)                              Each and every representation and warranty of the Company shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the date when made and as of the applicable Closing Date as though originally made at that time (except that (1) representations and warranties that speak as of a specific date shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such date and (2) representations and warranties that are qualified by material, Material Adverse Effect or other similar materiality qualifiers shall be true and correct in all respects) and the Company shall have

 

25

 

performed, satisfied and complied in all material respects with the covenants, agreements and conditions required to be performed, satisfied or complied with by the Company at or prior to the applicable Closing Date, including, without limitation the issuance of all Securities prior to the date of such Closing as required by the Transaction Documents and the Company has a sufficient number of duly authorized shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance as may be required to fulfill its obligations pursuant to the Transaction Documents.  Such Buyer shall have received a certificate, executed by the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, dated as of the applicable Closing Date, to the foregoing effect and as to such other matters as may be reasonably requested by such Buyer in the form reasonably acceptable to such Buyer.

 

(vii)                           The Company shall have delivered to such Buyer a report from the Company’s transfer agent identifying the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding on the applicable Closing Date immediately prior to the applicable Closing.

 

(viii)                        The Common Stock (I) shall be designated for quotation or listed on the Principal Market and (II) shall not have been suspended, as of the applicable Closing Date, by the SEC or the Principal Market from trading on the Principal Market.

 

(ix)                              The Company shall have obtained all governmental, regulatory or third party consents and approvals, if any, necessary for the sale of the Securities, including without limitation, those required by the Principal Market.

 

(x)                                 No statute, rule, regulation, executive order, decree, ruling or injunction shall have been enacted, entered, promulgated or endorsed by any court or governmental authority of competent jurisdiction that prohibits the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, and no actions, suits or proceedings shall be in progress or pending by any Person that seeks to enjoin, prohibit or otherwise adversely affect any of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.

 

(xi)                              Since the date of execution of this Agreement, no event or series of events shall have occurred that reasonably would have or result in a Material Adverse Effect and the Company has not filed for nor is it subject to any bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or liquidation proceedings or other proceedings for relief under any bankruptcy law or any law for the relief of debtors instituted by or against the Company.

 

(xii)                           The Company shall have delivered to such Buyer such other documents, instruments or certificates relating to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement reasonably required to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

(xiii)                        Such Buyer shall have received the opinion of Sidley Austin LLP, the Company’s counsel, dated as of the applicable Closing Date, in the form reasonably acceptable to such Buyer.

 

(xiv)                       A copy of the Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions, in the form previously provided to the Company, and which have been delivered to and acknowledged in writing by the Transfer Agent.

 

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7.                                      TERMINATION.

 

In the event that the First Closing shall not have occurred with respect to a Buyer within ten (10) days after the date hereof, then such Buyer shall have the right to terminate its obligations under this Agreement with respect to itself at any time on or after the close of business on such date without liability of such Buyer to any other party; provided, however, (i) the right to terminate its obligations under this Agreement pursuant to this Section 7 shall not be available to such Buyer if the failure of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement to have been consummated by such date is the result of such Buyer’s breach of this Agreement and (ii) the abandonment of the sale and purchase of the Common Shares and the Warrants shall be applicable only to such Buyer providing such written notice, provided further that no such termination shall affect any obligation of the Company under this Agreement to reimburse such Buyer for the expenses described in Section 4(f) above.  In the event that the Second Closing shall not have occurred by October 22, 2014, then at the close of business on such date the parties’ obligations hereunder to consummate the Second Closing shall automatically terminate without further liability of the parties to one another solely in respect thereof.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary above, nothing contained in this Section 7 shall be deemed to release any party from any liability for any breach by such party of the terms and provisions of this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents or to impair the right of any party to compel specific performance by any other party of its obligations under this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents.

 

8.                                      MISCELLANEOUS.

 

(a)                                 Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Jury Trial.  All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall be governed by the internal laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of New York or any other jurisdictions) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdictions other than the State 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, 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 brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of such suit, action or proceeding is improper.  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 to such party at the address for such 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 (i) limit or be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any manner permitted by law or (ii) operate, or be deemed to operate, to preclude any Buyer or the Company from bringing suit or taking other legal action against the Company or any Buyer in any other jurisdiction to collect on the Company’s obligations to such Buyer or Buyer’s obligations to the Company or to enforce a judgment or other court ruling in favor of such Buyer or the Company or (iii) limit, or be deemed to limit, any provision of the Warrants which is contrary to the above.  EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO, AND AGREES NOT TO REQUEST, A JURY TRIAL FOR THE

 

27

 

ADJUDICATION OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH OR ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

 

(b)                                 Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in two or more identical counterparts, all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other party.  In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission or by an e-mail which contains a portable document format (.pdf) file of an executed signature page, such signature page 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 signature page were an original thereof.

 

(c)                                  Headings; Gender; Certain Meanings.  The headings of this Agreement are for convenience of reference and shall not form part of, or affect the interpretation of, this Agreement.  Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, each pronoun herein shall be deemed to include the masculine, feminine, neuter, singular and plural forms thereof.  The terms “including,” “includes,” “include” and words of like import shall be construed broadly as if followed by the words “without limitation.” The terms “herein,” “hereunder,” “hereof” and words of like import refer to this entire Agreement instead of just the provision in which they are found.  When used herein, the words “law,” “rule,” “regulation” and the like means all applicable laws, rules and regulations, domestic or foreign, state, provincial, local or self-regulatory, including without limitation as to all applicable laws, rules and regulations of or related to the United States, applicable states, the SEC, and the Principal Market.

 

(d)                                 Severability.  If any provision of this Agreement is prohibited by law or otherwise determined to be invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the provision that would otherwise be prohibited, invalid or unenforceable shall be deemed amended to apply to the broadest extent that it would be valid and enforceable, and the invalidity or unenforceability of such provision shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions of this Agreement so long as this Agreement as so modified continues to express, without material change, the original intentions of the parties as to the subject matter hereof and the prohibited nature, invalidity or unenforceability of the provision(s) in question does not substantially impair the respective expectations or reciprocal obligations of the parties or the practical realization of the benefits that would otherwise be conferred upon the parties.  The parties will endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the prohibited, invalid or unenforceable provision(s) with a valid provision(s), the effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the prohibited, invalid or unenforceable provision(s).

 

(e)                                  Entire Agreement; Amendments.  This Agreement, the other Transaction Documents and the schedules and exhibits attached hereto and thereto and the instruments referenced herein and therein supersede all other prior oral or written agreements between the Buyers, the Company, their Affiliates and Persons acting on their behalf solely with respect to the matters contained herein and therein, and this Agreement, the other Transaction Documents, the schedules and exhibits attached hereto and thereto and the instruments referenced herein and therein contain the entire understanding of the parties solely with respect to the matters covered herein and therein; provided, however, nothing contained in this Agreement or any other Transaction Document shall (or shall be deemed to), (i) have any effect on any agreements any

 

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Buyer has entered into with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries prior to the date hereof with respect to any prior investment made by such Buyer in the Company or (ii) waive, alter, modify or amend in any respect any obligations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or any rights of or benefits to any Buyer or any other Person, in any agreement entered into prior to the date hereof between or among the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries and any Buyer and all such agreements shall continue in full force and effect.  Except as specifically set forth herein or therein, neither the Company nor any Buyer makes any representation, warranty, covenant or undertaking with respect to such matters.  For clarification purposes, the Recitals are part of this Agreement.  No provision of this Agreement may be amended other than by an instrument in writing signed by the Company and Crede.  No waiver shall be effective unless it is in writing and signed by an authorized representative of the waiving party.  No consideration shall be offered or paid to any Person to amend or consent to a waiver or modification of any provision of any of the Transaction Documents unless the same consideration also is offered to all of the parties to the Transaction Documents, all holders of Common Shares or all holders of the Warrants (as the case may be).  The Company has not, directly or indirectly, made any agreements with any Buyers relating to the terms or conditions of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents except as set forth in the Transaction Documents.  Without limiting the foregoing, the Company confirms that, except as set forth in this Agreement, no Buyer has made any commitment or promise or has any other obligation to provide any financing to the Company, any Subsidiary or otherwise.  As a material inducement for each Buyer to enter into this Agreement, the Company expressly acknowledges and agrees that (i) no due diligence investigation conducted by a Buyer or its advisors, if any, or its representatives shall affect such Buyer’s right to rely on, or modify or qualify any of, the Company’s representations and warranties contained in this Agreement or any other Transaction Document, (ii) nothing contained in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Prospectus Supplement shall affect such Buyer’s right to rely on, or modify or qualify any of, the Company’s representations and warranties contained in this Agreement or any other Transaction Document and (iii) unless a provision of this Agreement or any other Transaction Document is expressly preceded by “except as disclosed in the SEC Documents,” nothing contained in any of the SEC Documents shall affect such Buyer’s right to rely on, or modify or qualify any of, the Company’s representations and warranties contained in this Agreement or any other Transaction Document.

 

(f)                                   Notices.  Any notices, consents, waivers or other communications required or permitted to be given under the terms of this Agreement must be in writing and will be deemed to have been delivered: (i) upon receipt, when delivered personally; (ii) upon receipt, when sent by facsimile (provided confirmation of transmission is mechanically or electronically generated and kept on file by the sending party); (iii) when sent, if sent by e-mail (provided that such sent e-mail is kept on file (whether electronically or otherwise) by the sending party and the sending party does not receive an automatically generated message from the recipient’s e-mail server that such e-mail could not be delivered to such recipient); and (iv) one (1) Business Day after deposit with an overnight courier service with next day delivery specified, in each case, properly addressed to the party to receive the same.  The addresses and facsimile numbers and email addresses for such communications shall be:

 

If to the Company:

 

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ZaZa Energy Corporation

1301 McKinney Street, Suite 2800

Houston, Texas 77010

Telephone:  (713) 595-1981

Facsimile:  (713) 595-1919

Email:        scott.gaille@zazaenergy.com

Attention:  Scott Gaille

 

With a copy (for informational purposes only) to:

 

Sidley Austin LLP

1000 Louisiana Street, Suite 6000

Houston, Texas 77002

Telephone:  (713) 4905-4501

Facsimile:  (713) 822-6659

Email:           mmetts@sidley.com

Attention:     Mark Metts

 

If to the Transfer Agent:

 

American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC

6201 15th Avenue

Brooklyn, NY 11219

Telephone: (718) 921 - 8200

Facsimile: (718) 765 - 8711

Email:  carmenia@amstock.com

Attention:  Cindy Armenia

 

If to a Buyer, to its address and facsimile number set forth on the Schedule of Buyers, with copies to such Buyer’s representatives as set forth on the Schedule of Buyers,

 

with a copy (for informational purposes only) to:

 

Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.

666 Third Avenue

New York, New York 10017

Telephone:  (212) 935-3000

Facsimile:  (212) 983-3115

	
Email:
    	
krkoch@mintz.com
    
	
 
    	
jschultz@mintz.com
    
	
Attention:
    	
Kenneth R. Koch, Esq.
    
	
 
    	
Jeffrey P. Schultz, Esq.
    

 

or to such other address and/or facsimile number and/or to the attention of such other Person as the recipient party has specified by written notice given to each other party five (5) days prior to the effectiveness of such change, provided that Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.  shall only be provided copies of notices sent to Crede.  Written confirmation of receipt (A) given by the recipient of such notice, consent, waiver or other communication, (B) mechanically

 

30

 

or electronically generated by the sender’s facsimile machine containing the time, date, recipient facsimile number and an image of the first page of such transmission or (C) provided by an overnight courier service shall be rebuttable evidence of personal service, receipt by facsimile or receipt from an overnight courier service in accordance with clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above, respectively.  A copy of the e-mail transmission containing the time, date and recipient e-mail address shall be rebuttable evidence of receipt by e-mail in accordance with clause (iii) above.

 

(g)                                  Successors and Assigns.  This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their respective successors and assigns, including, as contemplated below, any assignee of any of the Securities.  The Company shall not assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each of the Buyers.  No Buyer shall assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Company unless such assignment is to an Affiliate of such Buyer.

 

(h)                                 No Third Party Beneficiaries.  This Agreement is intended for the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective permitted successors and assigns, and is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any other Person, other than the Buyer Indemnitees referred to in Section 8(k).

 

(i)                                     Survival.  The representations, warranties, agreements and covenants shall survive each Closing.  Each Buyer shall be responsible only for its own representations, warranties, agreements and covenants hereunder.

 

(j)                                    Further Assurances.  Each party shall do and perform, or cause to be done and performed, all such further acts and things, and shall execute and deliver all such other agreements, certificates, instruments and documents, as any other party may reasonably request in order to carry out the intent and accomplish the purposes of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

(k)                                 Indemnification.

 

(i)                                     In consideration of each Buyer’s execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents and acquiring the Securities thereunder and in addition to all of the Company’s other obligations under the Transaction Documents, the Company shall defend, protect, indemnify and hold harmless each Buyer and each holder of any Securities and all of their stockholders, partners, members, officers, directors, employees and direct or indirect investors and any of the foregoing Persons’ agents or other representatives (including, without limitation, those retained in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement) (collectively, the “Indemnitees”) from and against any and all actions, causes of action, suits, claims, losses, costs, penalties, fees, liabilities and damages, and documented expenses in connection therewith (irrespective of whether any such Indemnitee is a party to the action for which indemnification hereunder is sought), and including reasonable attorneys’ fees and disbursements (the “Indemnified Liabilities”), incurred by any Indemnitee as a result of, or arising out of, or relating to (a) any misrepresentation or breach of any representation or warranty made by the Company in any of the Transaction Documents, (b) any breach of any covenant, agreement or obligation of the Company contained in any of the Transaction Documents, (c) any cause of action, suit or claim brought or made against such Indemnitee by a third party (including for 

 

31

 

these purposes a derivative action brought on behalf of the Company) and arising out of or resulting from (i) the execution, delivery, performance or enforcement of any of the Transaction Documents, (ii) any transaction financed or to be financed in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, with the proceeds of the issuance of the Securities, (iii) any disclosure properly made by such Buyer pursuant to Section 4(h), or (iv) the status of such Buyer or holder of the Securities as an investor in the Company pursuant to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents (unless such action is based primarily upon a breach of such Buyer’s representations, warranties or covenants under the Transaction Documents or any agreements or understandings such Buyer may have with any stockholder or any violations by such Buyer of state or federal securities laws or any conduct by such Buyer which constitutes fraud, gross negligence, willful misconduct or malfeasance).  To the extent that the foregoing undertaking by the Company may be unenforceable for any reason, the Company shall make the maximum contribution to the payment and satisfaction of each of the Indemnified Liabilities which is permissible under applicable law.

 

(ii)                                  Promptly after receipt by an Indemnitee under this Section 8(k) of notice of the commencement of any action or proceeding (including any governmental action or proceeding) involving an Indemnified Liability, such Indemnitee shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the Company under this Section 8(k), deliver to the Company a written notice of the commencement thereof, and the Company shall have the right to participate in, and, to the extent the Company so desires, to assume control of the defense thereof with counsel mutually satisfactory to the Company and the Indemnitee; provided, however, that an Indemnitee shall have the right to retain its own counsel with the fees and expenses of such counsel to be paid by the Company if: (i) the Company has agreed in writing to pay such fees and expenses; (ii) the Company shall have failed to assume the defense in a timely manner of such Indemnified Liability and to employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnitee in any such Indemnified Liability; or (iii) the named parties to any such Indemnified Liability (including any impleaded parties) include both such Indemnitee and the Company, and such Indemnitee shall have been advised by counsel that a conflict of interest is likely to exist if the same counsel were to represent such Indemnitee and the Company (in which case, if such Indemnitee notifies the Company in writing that it elects to employ separate counsel at the expense of the Company, then the Company shall not have the right to assume the defense thereof and such counsel shall be at the expense of the Company), provided further, that in the case of clause (iii) above the Company shall not be responsible for the reasonable fees and expenses of more than one (1) separate legal counsel for such Indemnitee.  The Indemnitee shall reasonably cooperate with the Company in connection with any negotiation or defense of any such action or Indemnified Liability by the Company and shall furnish to the Company all information reasonably available to the Indemnitee which relates to such action or Indemnified Liability.  The Company shall keep the Indemnitee reasonably apprised at all times as to the status of the defense or any settlement negotiations with respect thereto.  The Company shall not be liable for any settlement of any action, claim or proceeding effected without its prior written consent, provided, however, that the Company shall not unreasonably withhold, delay or condition its consent.  The Company shall not, without the prior written consent of the Indemnitee, consent to entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement or other compromise which does not include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff to such Indemnitee of a release from all liability in respect to such Indemnified Liability or litigation, and such settlement shall not include any admission as to fault on the part of the 

 

32

 

Indemnitee.  Following indemnification as provided for hereunder, the Company shall be subrogated to all rights of the Indemnitee with respect to all third parties, firms or corporations relating to the matter for which indemnification has been made.  The failure to deliver written notice to the Company within a reasonable time of the commencement of any such action shall not relieve the Company of any liability to the Indemnitee under this Section 8(k), except to the extent that the Company is materially and adversely prejudiced in its ability to defend such action.

 

(iii)                               The indemnification required by this Section 8(k) 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 Indemnified Liabilities are incurred.

 

(iv)                              Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement, the Warrants or any other Transaction Documents, the aggregate indemnification obligations of the Company pursuant to this Section 8(k) shall not exceed 100% of the aggregate Purchase Price actually paid by the Buyers.

 

(v)                                 The sole and exclusive remedies for any breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement hereunder or under the Warrants shall be the indemnification provided by this Section 8(k), and each Buyer expressly waives any other rights or remedies it may have; provided, however, that equitable relief, including the remedies of specific performance and injunction, shall be available with respect to any matter where money damages would not be sufficient to compensate a Buyer or to preserve the rights of a Buyer pending resolution of a dispute, and this Section 8(k) shall not relieve the Company from liability for willful misconduct, bad faith, fraud or willful breach of any of its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements set forth in this Agreement.

 

(l)                                     Construction.  The language used in this Agreement will be deemed to be the language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent, and no rules of strict construction will be applied against any party.  No specific representation or warranty shall limit the generality or applicability of a more general representation or warranty.  Each and every reference to share prices, shares of Common Stock and any other numbers in this Agreement that relate to the Common Stock shall be automatically adjusted for stock splits, stock combinations and other similar transactions that occur with respect to the Common Stock after the date of this Agreement.

 

(m)                             Remedies.  Each Buyer and each holder of any Securities shall have all rights and remedies set forth in the Transaction Documents and all rights and remedies which such holders have been granted at any time under any other agreement or contract and all of the rights which such holders have under any law.  Any Person having any rights under any provision of this Agreement shall be entitled to enforce such rights specifically (without posting a bond or other security), to recover damages by reason of any breach of any provision of this Agreement and to exercise all other rights granted by law.  Furthermore, the Company recognizes that in the event that it fails to perform, observe, or discharge any or all of its obligations under the Transaction Documents, any remedy at law may prove to be inadequate relief to the Buyers.  The Company therefore agrees that the Buyers shall be entitled to seek specific performance and/or temporary, preliminary and permanent injunctive or other equitable relief from any court of competent 

 

33

 

jurisdiction in any such case without the necessity of proving actual damages and without posting a bond or other security.

 

(n)                                 Withdrawal Right.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in (and without limiting any similar provisions of) the Transaction Documents, whenever any Buyer 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 Buyer 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.

 

(o)                                 Independent Nature of Buyers’ Obligations and Rights.  The obligations of each Buyer under the Transaction Documents are several and not joint with the obligations of any other Buyer, and no Buyer shall be responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations of any other Buyer under any Transaction Document.  Nothing contained herein or in any other Transaction Document, and no action taken by any Buyer pursuant hereto or thereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Buyers as, and the Company acknowledges that the Buyers do not so constitute, a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of group or entity, or create a presumption that the Buyers are in any way acting in concert or as a group or entity with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents or any matters, and the Company acknowledges that the Buyers are not acting in concert or as a group, and the Company shall not assert any such claim, with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.  The decision of each Buyer to purchase Securities pursuant to the Transaction Documents has been made by such Buyer independently of any other Buyer.  Each Buyer acknowledges that no other Buyer has acted as agent for such Buyer in connection with such Buyer making its investment hereunder and that no other Buyer will be acting as agent of such Buyer in connection with monitoring such Buyer’s investment in the Securities or enforcing its rights under the Transaction Documents.  The Company and each Buyer confirms that each Buyer has independently participated with the Company in the negotiation of the transaction contemplated hereby with the advice of its own counsel and advisors.  Each Buyer shall be entitled to independently protect and enforce its rights, including, without limitation, the rights arising out of this Agreement or out of any other Transaction Documents, and it shall not be necessary for any other Buyer to be joined as an additional party in any proceeding for such purpose.  The use of a single agreement to effectuate the purchase and sale of the Securities contemplated hereby was solely in the control of the Company, not the action or decision of any Buyer, and was done solely for the convenience of the Company and not because it was required or requested to do so by any Buyer.  It is expressly understood and agreed that each provision contained in this Agreement and in each other Transaction Document is between the Company and a Buyer, solely, and not between the Company and the Buyers collectively and not between and among the Buyers.

 

(p)                                 Payment Set Aside; Currency.  To the extent that the Company makes a payment or payments to any Buyer hereunder or pursuant to any of the other Transaction Documents or any of the Buyers enforce or exercise their rights hereunder or 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 

 

34

 

any other Person under any law (including, without limitation, any bankruptcy law, foreign, 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.  Unless otherwise expressly indicated, all dollar amounts referred to in this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents are in United States Dollars (“U.S. Dollars”), and all amounts owing under this Agreement and all other Transaction Documents shall be paid in U.S. Dollars.  All amounts denominated in other currencies (if any) shall be converted in the U.S. Dollar equivalent amount in accordance with the Exchange Rate on the date of calculation.  “Exchange Rate” means, in relation to any amount of currency to be converted into U.S. Dollars pursuant to this Agreement, the U.S. Dollar exchange rate as published in the Wall Street Journal on the relevant date of calculation.

 

[signature pages follow]

 

35

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Buyer and the Company have caused their respective signature page to this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first written above.

 

 

	
COMPANY:
    
	
 
    
	
ZAZA   ENERGY CORPORATION
    
	
 
    
	
By:
    	
/s/   Todd A. Brooks
    	
 
    
	
Name:
    	
Todd   A. Brooks
    
	
Title:
    	
President   and
    
	
 
    	
Chief   Executive Officer
    

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Buyer and the Company have caused their respective signature page to this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first written above.

 

 

	
BUYER:
    
	
 
    
	
CREDE CG III, LTD.
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
By:
    	
/s/   Terren S. Peizer
    	
 
    
	
Name:
    	
Terren   S. Peizer
    
	
Title:
    	
Managing   Director
    

 

 

SCHEDULE OF BUYERS

 

	
(1)
   Buyer
    	
 
    	
(2)
   Address,
   E-mail
   and/or
   Facsimile
   Number
    	
 
    	
(3)
   Common
   Shares
   (First
   Closing)
    	
 
    	
(4)
   Common
   Shares
   (Second
   Closing)
    	
 
    	
(5)
   Warrant
   Shares
   (First
   Closing)
    	
 
    	
(6)
   Warrant
   Shares
   (Second
   Closing)
    	
 
    	
(7)
   Purchase
   Price
    	
 
    	
(8)
   Legal
   Representative’s
   Address and
   Facsimile
   Number
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Crede CG III, Ltd.
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
6,024,097
    	
 
    	
The number of Common Shares equal to $2,500,000   divided by the closing price of the Common Shares as reported by Bloomberg on   the trading day immediately prior to the Second Closing Date
    	
 
    	
3,614,459
    	
 
    	
60% of the number of Common Shares in Column (4)   with an exercise price equal to 135% of the closing price of the Common   Shares as reported by Bloomberg on the trading day immediately prior to the   Second Closing Date
    	
 
    	
$5,000,000 (First Closing)  

 

$2,500,000  (Second   Closing)<![CDATA[Certificate of Designation of Wells Fargo & Company]]>

 Exhibit 4.1 

WELLS FARGO & COMPANY 
  

 
 CERTIFICATE OF
DESIGNATION 
 Pursuant to Section 151(g) of the 

General Corporation Law 
 of the
State of Delaware 
  
  

NON-CUMULATIVE PERPETUAL CLASS A PREFERRED STOCK, SERIES T 

(Without Par Value) 
  

 
 WELLS
FARGO & COMPANY, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Corporation”), HEREBY CERTIFIES that, pursuant to authority conferred upon the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the
“Board of Directors”) by the provisions of the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, as amended, which authorize the issuance of not more than 20,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, without par value, and
pursuant to authority conferred upon the Securities Committee of the Board of Directors (the “Committee”) in accordance with Section 141(c) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “General
Corporation Law”), the following resolutions were duly adopted by the Committee pursuant to the unanimous written consent of the Committee duly adopted on July 18, 2014, in accordance with Section 141(f) of the General Corporation
Law: 
 RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority vested in the Committee and in accordance with the resolutions of
the Board of Directors dated April 29, 2014, the provisions of the Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the By-laws of the Corporation, and applicable law, a series of Preferred Stock, no par value, of the Corporation be and hereby is
created, and that the designation and number of shares of such series, and the voting and other powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other rights, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, of
the shares of such series, are as follows: 
 RIGHTS AND PREFERENCES 

Section 1.      Designation. The shares of such series of Preferred Stock shall be designated
Non-Cumulative Perpetual Class A Preferred Stock, Series T, with no par value and a liquidation preference amount of $25,000 per share (the “Series T Preferred Stock”). Each share of Series T Preferred Stock
shall be identical in all respects to every other share of Series T Preferred Stock except with respect to the date from which dividends may accrue. Series T Preferred Stock will rank equally with Parity Stock with respect to the
payment of dividends and distribution of assets in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation and will rank senior to Junior Stock with respect to the payment of dividends
and/or the distribution of assets in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation. 

Section 2.      Number of Shares. The number of authorized shares of Series T Preferred
Stock shall be 32,200. Such number may from time to time be increased (but not in 

 excess of the total number of authorized shares of Preferred Stock) or decreased (but not below the number of
shares of Series T Preferred Stock then outstanding) by further resolution duly adopted by the Board of Directors of the Corporation or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation and by the filing of a
certificate pursuant to the provisions of the General Corporation Law stating that such increase or decrease, as the case may be, has been so authorized. The Corporation shall have the authority to issue fractional shares of Series T
Preferred Stock. 
 Section 3.      Definitions. As used herein with respect to Series T
Preferred Stock: 
 “Business Day” means any day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, that is neither a legal holiday nor a
day on which banking institutions are authorized or required by law or regulation to close in New York, New York. 
 “Certificate of
Designation” means this Certificate of Designation relating to the Series T Preferred Stock, as it may be amended from time to time. 

“Common Stock” means the common stock of the Corporation, par value $1 2⁄3 per share, as the same exists at the date of this Certificate of Designation or as such stock may be constituted from time to time. 

“Depositary Company” has the meaning set forth in Section 6(d) hereof. 

“Dividend Payment Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 4(a) hereof. 

“Dividend Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 4(a) hereof. 

“DTC” means The Depository Trust Company, together with its successors and assigns. 

“Junior Stock” means the Common Stock and any other class or series of stock of the Corporation now existing or hereafter
authorized over which the Series T Preferred Stock has preference or priority in the payment of dividends or in the distribution of assets on any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation.

 “Liquidation Preference” has the meaning set forth in Section 5(a) hereof. 

“Nonpayment Event” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(b). 

“Parity Stock” means any other class or series of stock of the Corporation now existing or hereafter authorized that ranks on
par with the Series T Preferred Stock in the payment of dividends (whether such dividends are cumulative or non-cumulative) or in the distribution of assets in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of
the affairs of the Corporation. 

  
 2 

 “Preference Stock” means any and all series of preference stock, having no par
value, of the Corporation. 
 “Preferred Stock” means any and all series of preferred stock, having no par value, of the
Corporation, including the Series T Preferred Stock. 
 “Preferred Stock Directors” shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 7(b). 
 “Regulatory Capital Treatment Event” means the Corporation’s reasonable determination that as
a result of any (i) amendment to, clarification of, or change (including any announced prospective change) in, the laws or regulations of the United States or any political subdivision of or in the United States that is enacted or becomes
effective on or after July 14, 2014; (ii) proposed change in those laws or regulations that is announced or becomes effective on or after July 14, 2014; or (iii) official administrative decision or judicial decision or
administrative action or other official pronouncement interpreting or applying those laws or regulations that is announced on or after July 14, 2014, there is more than an insubstantial risk that the Corporation will not be entitled to treat
the full liquidation preference amount of all shares of Series T Preferred Stock then outstanding as Tier 1 capital (or its equivalent) for purposes of the capital adequacy guidelines or regulations of the appropriate federal banking
agency, as then in effect and applicable, for as long as any share of Series T Preferred Stock is outstanding. 

“Series T Preferred Stock” has the meaning set forth in Section 1 hereof. 

“Voting Parity Stock” means any Parity Stock having similar voting rights as the Series T Preferred Stock. 

Section 4.      Dividends. 

(a)      Rate. Dividends on the Series T Preferred Stock will not be mandatory. Holders of Series T
Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors of the Corporation or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation, but only out of assets legally available therefor,
non-cumulative cash dividends on the liquidation preference amount of $25,000 per share of the Series T Preferred Stock, payable quarterly in arrears on the 15th day of March, June, September and December of each year (commencing on
September 15, 2014); provided, however, if any such day is not a Business Day, then payment of any dividend otherwise payable on that date will be made on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day, without any interest or
other payment in respect of such delay (each such day on which dividends are payable a “Dividend Payment Date”). A “Dividend Period” means the period from, and including, a Dividend Payment Date to, but
excluding, the next succeeding Dividend Payment Date, except for the initial Dividend Period, which will be the period from, and including, July 21, 2014 to, but excluding, September 15, 2014. Dividends on each share of Series T
Preferred Stock will accrue at a rate per annum equal to 6.00%. The record date for payment of dividends on the Series T Preferred Stock shall be the last Business Day of the calendar month immediately preceding the month during
which the Dividend Payment Date falls or such other date as determined by the Corporation’s Board of Directors. The amount of dividends payable shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of
twelve 30-

  
 3 

 
day months. Dollar amounts resulting from that calculation will be rounded to the nearest cent, with one-half cent being rounded upward. 

(b)      Non-Cumulative Dividends. Dividends on shares of Series T Preferred Stock shall be
non-cumulative. To the extent that any dividends payable on the shares of Series T Preferred Stock on any Dividend Payment Date are not declared prior to such Dividend Payment Date, then such dividends shall not cumulate and shall cease to
accrue and be payable, and the Corporation shall have no obligation to pay, and the holders of Series T Preferred Stock shall have no right to receive, dividends accrued for such Dividend Period on the Dividend Payment Date for such Dividend
Period or at any time in the future or interest with respect to such dividends, whether or not dividends are declared for any subsequent Dividend Period with respect to Series T Preferred Stock or any other series of authorized Preferred Stock,
Preference Stock, or Common Stock of the Corporation. 
 (c)      Priority of Dividends. So long
as any shares of Series T Preferred Stock remain outstanding, 
 (1) no dividend shall be declared and paid or set aside for
payment and no distribution shall be declared and made or set aside for payment on any Common Stock, and no shares of Common Stock shall be repurchased, redeemed or otherwise acquired for consideration by the Corporation, directly or indirectly, nor
shall any monies be paid to or made available for a sinking fund for the redemption of any such Common Stock by the Corporation (other than (i) a dividend payable in Common Stock or (ii) the acquisition of shares of Common Stock in
exchange for, or through application of proceeds of the sale of, shares of Common Stock); 
 (2) no dividend shall be declared and paid
or set aside for payment and no distribution shall be declared and made or set aside for payment on any Junior Stock other than Common Stock, and no shares of Junior Stock other than Common Stock shall be repurchased, redeemed or otherwise acquired
for consideration by the Corporation, directly or indirectly, nor shall any monies be paid to or made available for a sinking fund for the redemption of any such Junior Stock other than Common Stock by the Corporation (other than (i) a dividend
payable solely in shares of Junior Stock, (ii) any dividend in connection with the implementation of a stockholder rights plan, or the redemption or repurchase of any rights under any such plan, (iii) any dividend in the form of stock,
warrants, options or other rights where the dividend stock or stock issuable upon exercise of such warrants, options or other rights is the same stock as that on which the dividend is being paid or ranks equally with or junior to such stock,
(iv) as a result of a reclassification of Junior Stock other than Common Stock for or into other Junior Stock, (v) the exchange or conversion of one share of Junior Stock other than Common Stock for or into another share of Junior Stock,
(vi) through the use of proceeds of a substantially contemporaneous sale of other shares of Junior Stock, (vii) any purchase, redemption or other acquisition of Junior Stock other than Common Stock pursuant to any of the Corporation’s
or any of its subsidiaries’ employee, consultant or director incentive or benefit plans or arrangements (including any employment, severance or consulting arrangements) adopted before or after July 14, 2014, (viii) any purchase of
fractional interests in shares of Junior Stock other than Common Stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of such Junior Stock other than Common Stock or the securities being converted or exchanged, (ix) the purchase of Junior
Stock other than Common Stock by Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, or any other affiliate of 

  
 4 

 
the Corporation, in connection with the distribution thereof or (x) the purchase of Junior Stock other than Common Stock by Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, or any other affiliate of the
Corporation, in connection with market-making or other secondary market activities in the ordinary course of business); and 
 (3) no
shares of Parity Stock will be repurchased, redeemed or otherwise acquired for consideration by the Corporation otherwise than pursuant to pro rata offers to purchase all, or a pro rata portion, of the Series T Preferred Stock and
such Parity Stock during a Dividend Period (other than (i) as a result of a reclassification of Parity Stock for or into other Parity Stock or Junior Stock, (ii) the exchange or conversion of one share of Parity Stock for or into another
share of Parity Stock or Junior Stock, (iii) through the use of proceeds of a substantially contemporaneous sale of other shares of Parity Stock or Junior Stock, (iv) any purchase, redemption or other acquisition of Parity Stock pursuant
to any of the Corporation’s or any of its subsidiaries’ employee, consultant or director incentive or benefit plans or arrangements (including any employment, severance or consulting arrangements) adopted before or after July 14,
2014, (v) any purchase of fractional interests in shares of Parity Stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of such Parity Stock or the securities being converted or exchanged, (vi) the purchase of Parity Stock by Wells
Fargo Securities, LLC, or any other affiliate of the Corporation, in connection with the distribution thereof or (vii) the purchase of Parity Stock by Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, or any other affiliate of the Corporation, in connection with
market-making or other secondary market activities in the ordinary course of business), unless, in each case, the full dividends for the then-current Dividend Period on all outstanding shares of the Series T Preferred Stock have been declared
and paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment of those dividends has been set aside. 
 Subject to the succeeding sentence, for
so long as any shares of Series T Preferred Stock remain outstanding, no dividends shall be declared, paid, or set aside for payment on any Parity Stock for any period unless full dividends on all outstanding shares of Series T Preferred
Stock for the then-current Dividend Period have been paid in full or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof set aside. To the extent the Corporation declares dividends on the Series T Preferred Stock and on any Parity Stock
but cannot make full payment of those declared dividends, the Corporation will allocate the dividend payments on a proportional basis among the holders of shares of Series T Preferred Stock and the holders of any Parity Stock then outstanding
where the terms of such Parity Stock provide similar dividend rights. 
 Subject to the foregoing, and not otherwise, such dividends
(payable in cash, stock or otherwise) as may be determined by the Board of Directors of the Corporation or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation may be declared and paid on the Common Stock and any other stock
that is Parity Stock or Junior Stock, from time to time out of any assets legally available for such payment, and the shares of Series T Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to participate in any such dividends. 

Section 5.      Liquidation Rights. 

(a)      Liquidation. In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or
winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, holders of Series T Preferred Stock shall be 

  
 5 

 
entitled to receive in full out of assets available for distribution to its stockholders before any distribution or payment out of the assets of the Corporation may be made to or set aside for
the holders of the Common Stock or any other Junior Stock, and subject to the rights of the holders of Parity Stock or any stock of the Corporation ranking senior to the Series T Preferred Stock as to such distribution, a liquidating
distribution in the amount of $25,000 per share, plus an amount equal to any dividends which have been declared but not yet paid, without accumulation of any undeclared dividends, to the date of liquidation (the “Liquidation
Preference”). The holders of Series T Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to any further payments in the event of any such voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation other
than what is expressly provided for in this Section 5. 
 (b)      Partial Payment. If the
assets of the Corporation are not sufficient to pay in full the Liquidation Preference to all holders of Series T Preferred Stock and all holders of any Parity Stock, the amounts paid to the holders of Series T Preferred Stock and to the
holders of all Parity Stock shall be pro rata in accordance with the respective aggregate liquidation preference of Series T Preferred Stock and all such Parity Stock. 

(c)      Residual Distributions. If the Liquidation Preference has been paid in full to all holders
of Series T Preferred Stock and all other amounts payable upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation have been paid in full to all holders of any Parity Stock, the holders of Common Stock and any other Junior Stock shall be
entitled to receive all remaining assets of the Corporation according to their respective rights and preferences. 

(d)      Merger, Consolidation and Sale of Assets Not Liquidation. For purposes of this
Section 5, the sale, conveyance, exchange or transfer (for cash, shares of stock, securities or other consideration) of all or substantially all of the property and assets of the Corporation shall not be deemed a voluntary or involuntary
dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, nor shall the merger, consolidation or any other business combination transaction of the Corporation into or with any other corporation or person or the merger, consolidation
or any other business combination transaction of any other corporation or person into or with the Corporation be deemed to be a voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation. 

  
 6 

 Section 6.      Redemption. 

(a)      Optional Redemption. The Corporation, at the option of its Board of Directors or any duly
authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation, may redeem, subject to the prior approval of the Federal Reserve Board, out of funds legally available therefor, in whole or in part, the shares of Series T Preferred Stock at
the time outstanding, at any time on any Dividend Payment Date on or after September 15, 2019, upon notice given as provided in Section 6(b) below. The redemption price for shares of Series T Preferred Stock shall be $25,000 per
share plus an amount equal to any dividends that have been declared but not paid up to the redemption date without accumulation of any undeclared dividends. 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, within 90 days of the Corporation’s good faith determination that a Regulatory Capital Treatment
Event has occurred, the Corporation, at the option of its Board of Directors or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation, may, subject to the approval of the appropriate federal banking agency, redeem out of funds
legally available therefor, in whole, but not in part, the shares of Series T Preferred Stock at the time outstanding, prior to September 15, 2019, upon notice given as provided in Section 6(b) below. The redemption price for shares
of Series T Preferred Stock shall be $25,000 per share plus an amount equal to any dividends that have been declared but not paid, without accumulation of any undeclared dividends. 

(b)      Notice of Redemption. Notice of every redemption of shares of Series T Preferred Stock
shall be mailed by first class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the holders of record of such shares to be redeemed at their respective last addresses appearing on the stock register of the Corporation. Such mailing shall be at least
40 days and not more than 70 days before the date fixed for redemption. Any notice mailed as provided in this Section 6(b) shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not the holder receives such notice,
but failure duly to give such notice by mail, or any defect in such notice or in the mailing thereof, to any holder of shares of Series T Preferred Stock designated for redemption shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the
redemption of any other shares of Series T Preferred Stock. Each notice shall state (i) the redemption date; (ii) the number of shares of Series T Preferred Stock to be redeemed and, if fewer than all the shares held by such
holder are to be redeemed, if applicable, the number of such shares to be redeemed from such holder; (iii) the redemption price; (iv) the place or places where the certificates for those shares are to be surrendered for payment of the
redemption price; and (v) that dividends on the shares to be redeemed will cease to accrue on the redemption date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Series T Preferred Stock is held in book-entry form through DTC, the Corporation
may give such notice in any manner permitted by DTC.
 (c)      Partial Redemption. In case of any
redemption of only part of the shares of Series T Preferred Stock at the time outstanding, the shares of Series T Preferred Stock to be redeemed shall be selected either pro rata from the holders of record of Series T Preferred
Stock in proportion to the number of Series T Preferred Stock held by such holders or in such other manner consistent with the rules and policies of the New York Stock Exchange as the Board of Directors of the Corporation or any duly authorized
committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation may determine to be fair and equitable. Subject to the provisions of this Section 6, 

  
 7 

 
the Board of Directors of the Corporation or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors shall have full power and authority to prescribe the terms and conditions upon which shares of
Series T Preferred Stock shall be redeemed from time to time. 
 (d)      Effectiveness of
Redemption. If notice of redemption has been duly given and if on or before the redemption date specified in the notice all funds necessary for the redemption have been irrevocably set aside by the Corporation, separate and apart from its
other assets, in trust for the pro rata benefit of the holders of the shares called for redemption, so as to be and continue to be available therefor, or deposited by the Corporation with a bank or trust company selected by the Board of
Directors of the Corporation or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors (the “Depositary Company”) in trust for the pro rata benefit of the holders of the shares called for redemption, then, notwithstanding
that any certificate for any share so called for redemption has not been surrendered for cancellation, on and after the redemption date all shares so called for redemption shall cease to be outstanding, all dividends with respect to such shares
shall cease to accrue after such redemption date, and all rights with respect to such shares shall forthwith on such redemption date cease and terminate, except only the right of the holders thereof to receive the amount payable on such
redemption from the Depository Company at any time after the redemption date from the funds so deposited, without interest. The Corporation shall be entitled to receive, from time to time, from the Depositary Company any interest accrued on
such funds, and the holders of any shares called for redemption shall have no claim to any such interest. Any funds so deposited and unclaimed at the end of two years from the redemption date shall, to the extent permitted by law, be released
or repaid to the Corporation, after which time the holders of the shares so called for redemption shall look only to the Corporation for payment of the redemption price of such shares. 

Section 7.      Voting Rights. 

(a)      General. The holders of Series T Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any
matter except as set forth in paragraph 7(b) below or as required by applicable law. 
 (b)      Right
To Elect Two Directors Upon Nonpayment Events. Whenever dividends payable on any shares of Series T Preferred Stock or any class or series of Voting Parity Stock have not been declared and paid in an aggregate amount equal to, as to any
class or series, at least six quarterly Dividend Periods or their equivalent, whether or not for consecutive Dividend Periods (a “Nonpayment Event”), the holders of the outstanding Series T Preferred Stock, voting together as a
class with holders of Voting Parity Stock whose voting rights are exercisable, will be entitled to vote for the election of two additional directors of the Corporation’s Board of Directors at the Corporation’s next annual meeting of
stockholders and at each subsequent annual meeting of stockholders (the “Preferred Stock Directors”) by a plurality of the votes cast; provided that the Board of Directors shall at no time include more than two Preferred
Stock Directors (including, for purposes of this limitation, all directors that the holders of any series of Voting Parity Stock are entitled to elect pursuant to like voting rights). Upon the vesting of such right of such holders, the maximum
authorized number of members of the Board of Directors shall automatically be increased by two and the two vacancies so created shall be filled by vote of the holders of the outstanding Series T Preferred Stock (together with the holders of
shares of any one or more other series of Voting Parity Stock). At elections for such 

  
 8 

 
directors, each holder of the Series T Preferred Stock shall be entitled to 25 votes for each share held (the holders of shares of any other series of Voting Parity Stock being entitled
to such number of votes, if any, for each share of such stock as may be granted to them). The right of the holders of the Series T Preferred Stock (voting together as a class with the holders of shares of any one or more other series of Voting
Parity Stock) to elect Preferred Stock Directors shall continue until such time as the Corporation has paid in full dividends for the equivalent of at least four quarterly Dividend Periods or their equivalent, at which time such right with respect
to the Series T Preferred Stock shall terminate, except as provided by law, and subject to revesting in the event of each and every subsequent default of the character described in this Section 7(b). 

Upon any termination of the right of the holders of all shares of Series T Preferred Stock and Voting Parity Stock to vote for Preferred
Stock Directors, the term of office of all Preferred Stock Directors then in office elected by only those holders voting as a class shall terminate immediately. Any Preferred Stock Director may be removed at any time without cause by the holders of
a majority of the outstanding shares of Series T Preferred Stock and Voting Parity Stock, when they have the voting rights described above (voting together as a class). In case any vacancy shall occur among the Preferred Stock Directors, a
successor may be elected by a plurality of the votes cast by the holders of Series T Preferred Stock and Voting Parity Stock having the voting rights described above, voting together as a class, unless the vacancy has already been filled. The
Preferred Stock Directors shall each be entitled to one vote per director on any matter that shall come before the Board of Directors for a vote. Whenever the term of office of the directors elected by such holders voting as a class shall end and
the special voting powers vested in such holders as provided in this Section 7(b) shall have expired, the number of directors shall be such number as may be provided for in the By-Laws irrespective of any increase made pursuant to this
Section 7(b). 
 (c)      Other Voting Rights. In addition to any other vote required by law or
the Restated Certificate of Incorporation, so long as any shares of the Series T Preferred Stock remain outstanding, the vote or consent of the holders of the outstanding shares of Series T Preferred Stock and outstanding shares of all
other series of Voting Parity Stock entitled to vote on the matter, by a vote of at least 66 2/3% in voting power of all such outstanding Series T Preferred Stock and such Voting Parity Stock, voting together as a class, given in person or
by proxy, either in writing without a meeting or at any meeting called for the purpose, shall be necessary to permit, effect or validate any one or more of the following actions, whether or not such approval is required by Delaware law: (i) the
issuance of any class or series of Preferred Stock or Preference Stock ranking senior to the Series T Preferred Stock in the payment of dividends or the distribution of assets in the event of the Corporation’s voluntary or involuntary
liquidation, dissolution or winding up; (ii) any amendment, alteration or repeal of any provision of the Restated Certificate of Incorporation, including the Certificate of Designation, or the Bylaws that would adversely affect the rights,
preferences, privileges or voting powers of the Series T Preferred Stock; (iii) any amendment or alteration of the Restated Certificate of Incorporation, including the Certificate of Designation, or Bylaws to authorize, create, or increase
the authorized amount of, any shares of, or any securities convertible into shares of, any class or series of the Corporation’s capital stock ranking senior to the Series T Preferred Stock with respect to either the payment of dividends or
in the distribution of assets in the event of the Corporation’s voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up; or (iv) any 

  
 9 

 
consummation of a reclassification involving the Series T Preferred Stock or a merger or consolidation with another corporation or other entity, except holders of the Series T Preferred
Stock will have no right to vote under this section 7(c)(iv) if in each case (a) the shares of Series T Preferred Stock remain outstanding or, in the case of any such merger or consolidation with respect to which the Corporation is not the
surviving or resulting entity, are converted into or exchanged for preference securities of the surviving or resulting entity or its ultimate parent, and (b) such shares of Series T Preferred Stock remaining outstanding or such preference
securities, as the case may be, have such rights, preferences, privileges and voting powers, taken as a whole, as are not materially less favorable to the holders thereof than the rights, preferences, privileges and voting powers of the
Series T Preferred Stock, taken as a whole; provided, however, that any authorization, creation or increase in the authorized amount of or issuance of the Series T Preferred Stock or any Parity Stock or Junior Stock or any securities
convertible into any class or series of Parity Stock (whether dividends payable in respect of such Parity Stock are cumulative or non-cumulative) or Junior Stock will be deemed not to adversely affect the rights, preferences, privileges or voting
powers of the Series T Preferred Stock, and holders of the Series T Preferred Stock shall have no right to vote thereon. 
 If any
amendment, alteration, repeal, reclassification, merger or consolidation specified in this Section 7(c) would adversely affect one or more but not all series of voting Preferred Stock (including the Series T Preferred Stock), then only
those series affected by and entitled to vote on the matter shall vote on the matter together as a class (in lieu of all other series of Preferred Stock). 

Each holder of the Series T Preferred Stock will have 25 votes per share on any matter on which holders of the Series T
Preferred Stock are entitled to vote, whether separately or together with any other series of stock of the Corporation (the holders of any shares of any other series of stock being entitled to such number of votes, if any, for each share of stock as
may be granted to them), pursuant to Delaware law or otherwise, including by written consent. 

(d)      Changes after Provision for Redemption. No vote or consent of the holders of Series T
Preferred Stock shall be required pursuant to Section 7(b) or (c) above if, at or prior to the time when any such vote or consent would otherwise be required pursuant to such Section, all outstanding Series T Preferred Stock shall
have been redeemed, or notice of redemption has been given and sufficient funds shall have been irrevocably deposited in trust to effect such redemption. 

(e)      Procedures for Voting and Consents. The rules and procedures for calling and conducting any
meeting of the holders of Series T Preferred Stock (including, without limitation, the fixing of a record date in connection therewith), the solicitation and use of proxies at such a meeting, the obtaining of written consents and any other
aspect or matter with regard to such a meeting or such consents shall be governed by any rules the Board of Directors, in its discretion, may adopt from time to time, which rules and procedures shall conform to the requirements of the Restated
Certificate of Incorporation, the Bylaws, applicable law and any national securities exchange or other trading facility in which the Series T Preferred Stock is listed or traded at the time. 

  
 10 

 Section 8.      Preemption and Conversion. The holders
of Series T Preferred Stock shall not have any rights of preemption or rights to convert such Series T Preferred Stock into shares of any other class of capital stock of the Corporation. 

Section 9.      Reacquired Shares. Shares of Series T Preferred Stock which have been issued
and redeemed or otherwise purchased or acquired by the Corporation shall be restored to the status of authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock without designation as to series. 

Section 10.    No Sinking Fund. Shares of Series T Preferred Stock are not subject to the operation of a
sinking fund. 
 Section 11.    Additional Classes or Series of Stock. Notwithstanding anything set forth in
the Restated Certificate of Incorporation or this Certificate of Designation to the contrary, the Board of Directors of the Corporation, or any authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation, (i) without the vote of the
holders of the Series T Preferred Stock, may authorize and issue additional shares of Junior Stock and Parity Stock and (ii) with the requisite vote of the holders of the Series T Preferred Stock and Parity Stock entitled to vote
thereon, may authorize and issue any additional class or series of Preferred Stock or Preference Stock senior to the Series T Preferred Stock as to the payment of dividends and/or the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation. 

  
 11 

 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, WELLS
FARGO & COMPANY has caused this Certificate of Designation to be signed by Barbara S. Brett, its Senior Vice President and Assistant Treasurer, and Jeannine E. Zahn, its Assistant
Secretary, this 18th day of July, 2014. 
  

					
	WELLS FARGO & COMPANY	 	
			
	By:  	 	 /s/ Barbara S. Brett
	 	
		 	 Barbara S. Brett, Senior Vice President      

and Assistant Treasurer
	 	

  

	
	 /s/ Jeannine E. Zahn

	Jeannine E. Zahn, Assistant Secretary

  
 [Signature Page to
Series T Certificate of Designation]

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