Document:

EX-10.1

 

January 30, 2007

Dov Elefant

1107 Cambridge Road

Teaneck, NJ 07666

Re: Separation from EpiCept Corporation

Dear Dov:

This letter sets forth the terms and conditions of our agreement (the “Agreement”) regarding
your separation from EpiCept Corporation (the “Company”). This Agreement shall be
effective as of the date that it is signed by you (the “Effective Date”). As part of this
Agreement, the Company will support your transition to another career opportunity by providing
you the separation package outlined below.

1. Separation Date. Your last day of employment with the Company shall occur on a
date at the Company’s option (the “Separation Date”) during a period commencing February 20,
2007 and ending March 30, 2007 (the “Separation Period”).

2. Severance Payment. Although the Company has no policy or procedure for providing
severance benefits, in exchange for the promises and covenants set forth herein, and in
consideration thereof, the Company agrees to make severance payments to you in the form of
continuation of your base salary in effect on the Separation Date until the earlier of (i) July
31, 2007, or (ii) four (4) months from the date in which you voluntarily terminate your
employment during the Separation Period (“Severance Period”). These payments will be made on
the Company’s ordinary payroll dates, and will be subject to standard payroll deductions and
withholdings.

3.  Completion bonus. The Company agrees to pay you a Completion Bonus,
consisting of an Initial Bonus of $15,000 should you stay with the Company until the
commencement of the Separation Period, and a Final Bonus of $10,000 if you stay with the Company
until the end of the Separation Period. If you leave prior to the commencement of the
Separation Period, the Company shall have no obligation to pay you any Completion Bonus. In the
event the Company terminates your employment prior to the end of the Separation Period, you
shall be entitled to receive both the Initial Bonus and the Final Bonus. You shall receive your
Completion Bonus at the first scheduled pay period after the respective payment has been earned.

 

 

4. Exercise of Vested Stock Options. Your employee stock options shall continue to
vest in accordance with their terms until the Separation Date. Notwithstanding the terms of
your employee stock options, the Company agrees that you shall have the right to exercise any of
your vested stock options for a period of two years after the Separation Date.

5. Expense Reimbursement. Within five (5) business days of the Separation Date, you
agree to submit all final documented expense reimbursement statements reflecting all business
expenses you incurred prior to and including the date hereof, if any, for which you seek
reimbursement. The Company shall reimburse your expenses pursuant to Company policy and regular
business practice.

6. Other Compensation and Benefits. Except as expressly provided herein, you
acknowledge and agree that you are not entitled to and will not receive any additional
compensation, severance, stock options, stock or benefits from the Company. Nothwithstanding
the foregoing, you will receive the unused amount of your accrued vacation time in the first
regular pay cycle following your termination from the Company.

7. COBRA. To the extent provided by the federal COBRA law or, if applicable, state
insurance laws, and by the Company’s current group health insurance policies, you will be
eligible to continue your health insurance benefits after the Separation Date. Later, you may
be able to convert to an individual policy through the provider of the Company’s health
insurance, if you wish. You will be provided with a separate notice of your COBRA rights
following your Separation Date. In the event that you elect continued coverage under COBRA, the
Company, as part of this Agreement, will pay your COBRA health insurance premiums at the same
level of coverage that you elected prior to the Separation Date during the Severance Period.
Thereafter, you shall be solely responsible for the payment of your COBRA premiums.

8. Return of Company Property. On or before March 30 2007, you shall return to the
Company all Company documents (and all copies thereof) and other Company property that you have
had in your possession at any time, including, but not limited to, Company files, notes,
notebooks memoranda, correspondence drawings, books and record, plans and forecasts, financial
information, personnel information, sales and marketing information, research and development
information, specifications, computer-recorded information, tangible property, credit cards,
entry cards, equipment, identification badges and keys; and any materials of any kind that
contain or embody any proprietary or confidential information of the Company (and all
reproductions thereof); and laptop computer and all computer related equipment.

9. Proprietary Information and Inventions Agreement. You acknowledge your continuing
obligation to comply with your Employee Proprietary Information and

 

 

Inventions Agreement, a copy of which I attached hereto as Exhibit A. This includes all data
gathered by the Company.

10. Nondisparagement. You agree that you will not at any time disparage the Company
or its officers, directors, employees, shareholders and agents, in any manner likely to be
harmful to them or their business, business reputation or personal reputation, and the Company,
its officers and directors likewise agree that it will not disparage you in any manner likely to
be harmful to you, your business or personal reputation; provided that you shall respond
accurately and fully to any questions, inquiry or request for information when required by legal
process.

11. Confidentiality. The provisions of this Agreement shall be held in strictest
confidence by you and the Company and shall not be publicized or disclosed in any manner
whatsoever. Notwithstanding the prohibition in the preceding sentence: (a) you may disclose
this Agreement, in confidence, to your immediate family; (b) the parties may disclose this
Agreement in confidence to their respective attorneys, accountants, auditors, tax preparers, and
financial advisors; (c) the Company may disclose this Agreement as necessary to fulfill standard
or legally required corporate reporting or disclosure requirements; and (d) the parties may
disclose this Agreement insofar as such disclosure may be necessary to enforce its terms or as
otherwise required by law.

12. Cooperation and Assistance. You and the Company agree that you will not
voluntarily provide assistance, information or advice, directly or indirectly (including through
agents or attorneys), to any person or entity in connection with any pending or future civil
action of any kind against the Company, its officers or its directors; nor shall you induce or
encourage any person or entity to do so. You and the Company agree that the foregoing sentence
shall not prohibit you from testifying truthfully under subpoena. Further, if requested to do
so by the Company, you agree to provide (voluntarily and without legal compulsion) reasonable
cooperation (in light of your then professional activities) and accurate and complete
information to the Company in connection with any litigation against the Company, its officers
or its directors.

13. Release of Claims. Except as otherwise set forth in this Agreement, in
exchange for the consideration provided to you by this Agreement that you are not otherwise
entitled to receive, you hereby generally and completely release the Company and its directors,
officers, employees, shareholders, members, partners, agents, attorneys, predecessors,
successors, parent and subsidiary entities, insurers, Affiliates, and assigns from any and all
claims, liabilities and obligations, both known and unknown, that arise out of or are in any way
related to events, acts, conduct, or omissions occurring prior to your signing this Agreement.
This general release includes, but is not limited to: (1) all claims arising out of or in any
way related to your employment with the Company or the termination of that employment; (2) all
claims related to your compensation or benefits from the Company, including salary, bonuses,
commissions, vacation pay, expense reimbursements, severance pay, fringe benefits, stock, stock
options, or any other ownership interests in the Company; (3) all claims

 

 

for breach of contract, wrongful termination, and breach of the implied covenant of good faith
and fair dealing; (4) all tort claims, including claims for fraud, defamation, emotional
distress, and discharge in violation of public policy; and (5) all federal, state, and local
statutory claims, including claims for discrimination, harassment, retaliation, attorneys’ fees,
or other claims arising under the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 (as amended), the federal
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act of
1967 (as amended) (“ADEA”). The Company hereby generally releases you from any and all claims,
liabilities, and obligations, both known and unknown, that arise out of or are in any way
related to events, acts, conduct, or omissions occurring prior to your signing this Agreement.
You and the Company agree to execute additional mutual general releases consistent with the
terms herein as of the last date of your actual employment with the Company. Notwithstanding
this agreement, the Company also acknowledges that your rights to indemnification as an officer
of the Company remain unchanged and in effect.

14. No Admissions.  The parties hereto hereby acknowledge that this
is a compromise settlement of various matters, and it shall not be construed to be an admission
of any liability or obligation by either party to the other party or to any other person
whomsoever.

15. Arbitration. To ensure rapid and economical resolution of any disputes
which may arise under this Agreement, you and the Company agree that any and all disputes or
controversies of any nature whatsoever, arising from or regarding the interpretation,
performance, enforcement or breach of this Agreement shall be resolved by confidential, final
and binding arbitration (rather than trial by jury or court or resolution in some other forum).
Any arbitration proceeding pursuant to this Agreement shall be conducted by American Arbitration
Association (“AAA”) in New York, under the then-existing AAA rules.

16. Entire Agreement. This Agreement, including all exhibits, constitutes
the complete, final and exclusive embodiment of the entire Agreement between you and the Company
with regard to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement is entered into without reliance on
any promise or representation, written or oral, other than those expressly contained herein, and
supercedes any such promises or representations. This Agreement may not be modified except in a
writing signed by you and a duly authorized officer of the Company. Each party has carefully
read this Agreement, has been afforded the opportunity to be advised of its meaning and
consequences by his or its respective attorneys, and signed the same of his or its free will.

17. Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall bind the heirs, personal
representatives successors, assigns, executors, and administrators of each party, and inures to
the benefit of each party, its agents, directors, officers, employees, servants, heirs,
successors and assigns.

 

 

18. Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be deemed to have been entered into and
shall be construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York as applied
to contracts made and to be performed entirely within New York.

19. Severability. If a court, arbitrator, or other authority of competent
jurisdiction determines that any term or provision of this Agreement is invalid or
unenforceable, in whole or in part, then the remaining terms and provisions hereof shall be
unimpaired, and the invalid or unenforceable term or provision shall be replaced with a valid
and enforceable term or provision that most accurately represents the parties’ intention with
respect to the invalid or unenforceable term or provision.

20. Authority. You warrant and represent that there are no liens or claims of lien or
assignments in law or equity of otherwise of or against any of the claims or causes of action
released herein and that you are duly authorized to give the release granted herein.

21. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two counterparts, each of which
shall be deemed an original, all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

22. Section Headings. The section and paragraph headings contained in this Agreement
are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of
this Agreement.

Please confirm your agreement to the foregoing terms and conditions by signing and returning a
copy of this letter to me.

Sincerely,

Jack Talley

President & Chief Executive Officer

Attachment:

Exhibit A — Employee Proprietary Information and Inventions Agreement

Having read the foregoing, I hereby agree to the terms and conditions stated above.

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 
	 

	 	 
	 	Dated:	 	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	Dov Elefant<PAGE>

                                                                    Exhibit 10.1

                                OMNIBUS AMENDMENT

         This Omnibus Amendment, dated February 1, 2007 by and between Riviera
Tool Company, a Michigan corporation (the "COMPANY"), and Laurus Master Fund,
Ltd., a Cayman Islands company (the "PURCHASER"), amends that certain Secured
Convertible Term Note, dated as of May 17, 2005, by the Company in favor of
Purchaser in the aggregate principal amount of $3,200,000 (as amended, modified
or supplemented from time to time, the "NOTE") issued pursuant to the terms of
the Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of May 17, 2005, between the Company
and the Purchaser (as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, the
"PURCHASE AGREEMENT" and, together with the Note and the other Related Documents
referred to in the Purchase Agreement, the "LOAN DOCUMENTS"). Capitalized terms
used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given them in the Purchase
Agreement.

                                    PREAMBLE

         WHEREAS, pursuant to the terms of the Purchase Agreement, the Company
issued and sold the Note to Purchaser; and

         WHEREAS, the Purchaser and the Company desire to amend the transactions
contemplated by the Purchase Agreement and the Note.

          NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the covenants, agreements and
conditions hereinafter set forth, and other good and valuable consideration, the
receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto
agree as follows:

         1. Amendment to Secured Convertible Term Note. Section 2.1(a) of the
Note is hereby amended by deleting the last sentence appearing therein in its
entirety and inserting the following new sentence in lieu thereof:

         "For purposes hereof, subject to Section 3.6 hereof, the initial "FIXED
         CONVERSION PRICE" means $1.66, provided, however, that in respect of
         the first One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) of aggregate principal
         amount (the "CONVERTED AMOUNT") of the Note converted into shares of
         Common Stock after the date hereof, the Fixed Conversion Price in
         respect of such Initial Converted Amount (and the interest and fees
         associated therewith to the extent converted) shall be equal to $0.32."

         2. The Company hereby agrees to, on or prior to February 9, 2007 to
file a Rule 424(b) supplement (the "POST-EFFECTIVE SUPPLEMENT") to its
Registration Statements with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC")
relating to the Note, which Post-Effective Supplement shall restate the Fixed
Conversion Price applicable to the Note and as set forth in Section 1 of this
Amendment.

                                       4

<PAGE>

         3. The amendments set forth above shall be effective as of the date
first above written (the "AMENDMENT EFFECTIVE DATE") on the date when each of
the Company and the Purchaser shall have executed and the Company shall have
delivered to Purchaser its respective counterpart to this Amendment.

         4. Except as specifically set forth in this Amendment, there are no
other amendments, modifications or waivers to the Loan Documents, and all of the
other forms, terms and provisions of the Loan Documents remain in full force and
effect.

         5. The Company hereby represents and warrants to the Purchaser that (i)
no Event of Default (as defined in the Note) exists on the date hereof, (ii) on
the date hereof, all representations, warranties and covenants made by the
Company in connection with the Loan Documents are true, correct and complete and
(iii) on the date hereof, all of the Company's and its Subsidiaries' covenant
requirements have been met.

         6. From and after the Amendment Effective Date, all references in the
Loan Documents shall be deemed to be references to the Loan Documents, as the
case may be, as modified hereby.

         7. The Company understands that it has an affirmative obligation to
make prompt public disclosure of material agreements and material amendments to
such agreements. It is the Company's determination that this Amendment is
material. The Company agrees to file an 8-K within the period prescribed by the
SEC.

         8. This Amendment shall be binding upon the parties hereto and their
respective successors and permitted assigns and shall inure to the benefit of
and be enforceable by each of the parties hereto and their respective successors
and permitted assigns. THIS AMENDMENT SHALL BE CONSTRUED AND ENFORCED IN
ACCORDANCE WITH AND GOVERNED BY THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. This Amendment
may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an
original, but all of which shall constitute one instrument.

                            [signature page follows]

                                       5

<PAGE>

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties hereto has executed this
Amendment or has caused this Amendment to be executed on its behalf by a
representative duly authorized, all as of the date first above set forth.

COMPANY:                                  PURCHASER:

RIVIERA TOOL COMPANY                      LAURUS MASTER FUND, LTD.

By:     /s/ Kenneth Rieth                 By:    /s/ David Grin
        -------------------------------          -------------------------------

Name:   Kenneth Rieth                     Name:  David Grin
        -------------------------------          -------------------------------

Title:  Chief Executive Officer           Title: Director
        -------------------------------          -------------------------------

                                       6

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