Document:

Exhibit 4.2

 

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED
 TRUST AGREEMENT

 

between

 

FORD CREDIT AUTO RECEIVABLES TWO LLC,
 as Depositor

 

and

 

U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
 as Owner Trustee

 

for

 

FORD CREDIT AUTO OWNER TRUST 2013-D

 

Dated as of November 1, 2013

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

	
ARTICLE I   USAGE AND DEFINITIONS
    	
1
    
	
 
    	
Section 1.1.
    	
Usage and Definitions
    	
1
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
ARTICLE II   ORGANIZATION OF THE TRUST
    	
1
    
	
 
    	
Section 2.1.
    	
Name
    	
1
    
	
 
    	
Section 2.2.
    	
Office
    	
1
    
	
 
    	
Section 2.3.
    	
Purposes and Powers
    	
1
    
	
 
    	
Section 2.4.
    	
Appointment of the Owner   Trustee
    	
2
    
	
 
    	
Section 2.5.
    	
Contribution and Conveyance   of Trust Property
    	
2
    
	
 
    	
Section 2.6.
    	
Declaration of Trust
    	
2
    
	
 
    	
Section 2.7.
    	
Liability of the Depositor;   Conduct of Activities; Liability to Third Parties
    	
3
    
	
 
    	
Section 2.8.
    	
Title to Trust Property
    	
3
    
	
 
    	
Section 2.9.
    	
Situs of Issuer
    	
3
    
	
 
    	
Section 2.10.
    	
Representations and   Warranties of the Depositor
    	
3
    
	
 
    	
Section 2.11.
    	
Tax Matters
    	
4
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
ARTICLE III   RESIDUAL INTEREST AND TRANSFER OF INTERESTS
    	
6
    
	
 
    	
Section 3.1.
    	
The Residual Interest
    	
6
    
	
 
    	
Section 3.2.
    	
Registration of Residual   Interests; Transfer of the Residual Interest
    	
7
    
	
 
    	
Section 3.3.
    	
Capital Accounts
    	
8
    
	
 
    	
Section 3.4.
    	
Maintenance of Office or   Agency
    	
8
    
	
 
    	
Section 3.5.
    	
Distributions to the Holder   of the Residual Interest
    	
8
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
ARTICLE IV   APPLICATION OF TRUST FUNDS; CERTAIN DUTIES
    	
9
    
	
 
    	
Section 4.1.
    	
Application of Trust Funds
    	
9
    
	
 
    	
Section 4.2.
    	
Method of Payment
    	
9
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
ARTICLE V   AUTHORITY AND DUTIES OF THE OWNER TRUSTEE
    	
9
    
	
 
    	
Section 5.1.
    	
General Authority
    	
9
    
	
 
    	
Section 5.2.
    	
General Duties
    	
10
    
	
 
    	
Section 5.3.
    	
Action upon Prior Notice with   Respect to Certain Matters
    	
10
    
	
 
    	
Section 5.4.
    	
Action upon Direction by the   Holder of the Residual Interest with Respect to Certain Matters
    	
11
    
	
 
    	
Section 5.5.
    	
Action with Respect to   Bankruptcy
    	
11
    
	
 
    	
Section 5.6.
    	
Action upon Instruction
    	
11
    
	
 
    	
Section 5.7.
    	
No Duties Except as   Specified in this Agreement or in Instructions
    	
11
    
	
 
    	
Section 5.8.
    	
No Action Except Under   Specified Documents or Instructions
    	
12
    
	
 
    	
Section 5.9.
    	
Prohibition on Certain   Actions
    	
12
    
	
 
    	
Section 5.10.
    	
Audits of the Owner Trustee
    	
12
    
	
 
    	
Section 5.11.
    	
Furnishing of Documents
    	
13
    
	
 
    	
Section 5.12.
    	
Sarbanes-Oxley Act
    	
13
    
	
 
    	
Section 5.13.
    	
Maintenance of Licenses
    	
13
    
	
 
    	
Section 5.14.
    	
Covenants for Reporting of   Repurchase Demands due to Breaches of Representations and Warranties
    	
13
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
ARTICLE VI   REGARDING THE OWNER TRUSTEE
    	
13
    

 

i

 

	
 
    	
Section 6.1.
    	
Acceptance of Trusts and   Duties
    	
13
    
	
 
    	
Section 6.2.
    	
Representations and   Warranties of the Owner Trustee
    	
15
    
	
 
    	
Section 6.3.
    	
Reliance; Advice of Counsel
    	
16
    
	
 
    	
Section 6.4.
    	
Not Acting in Individual   Capacity
    	
16
    
	
 
    	
Section 6.5.
    	
U.S. Bank Trust National   Association May Own Notes
    	
16
    
	
 
    	
Section 6.6.
    	
Duty to Update Disclosure
    	
17
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
ARTICLE VII   COMPENSATION AND INDEMNIFICATION OF THE OWNER TRUSTEE; ORGANIZATIONAL   EXPENSES
    	
17
    
	
 
    	
Section 7.1.
    	
Owner Trustee’s Fees and   Expenses
    	
17
    
	
 
    	
Section 7.2.
    	
Indemnification of the Owner   Trustee
    	
17
    
	
 
    	
Section 7.3.
    	
Organizational Expenses of   the Issuer
    	
18
    
	
 
    	
Section 7.4.
    	
Certain Expenses of the   Indenture Trustee and the Owner Trustee
    	
19
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
ARTICLE VIII   TERMINATION
    	
19
    
	
 
    	
Section 8.1.
    	
Termination of Trust   Agreement
    	
19
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
ARTICLE IX   SUCCESSOR OWNER TRUSTEES AND ADDITIONAL OWNER TRUSTEES
    	
19
    
	
 
    	
Section 9.1.
    	
Eligibility Requirements for   the Owner Trustee
    	
19
    
	
 
    	
Section 9.2.
    	
Resignation or Removal of   the Owner Trustee
    	
20
    
	
 
    	
Section 9.3.
    	
Successor Owner Trustee
    	
21
    
	
 
    	
Section 9.4.
    	
Merger or Consolidation of   the Owner Trustee
    	
21
    
	
 
    	
Section 9.5.
    	
Appointment of Separate   Trustee or Co-Trustee
    	
21
    
	
 
    	
Section 9.6.
    	
Compliance with Delaware   Statutory Trust Act
    	
23
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
ARTICLE X   MISCELLANEOUS
    	
23
    
	
 
    	
Section 10.1.
    	
Supplements and Amendments
    	
23
    
	
 
    	
Section 10.2.
    	
No Legal Title to Trust   Property in the Holder of the Residual Interest
    	
24
    
	
 
    	
Section 10.3.
    	
Limitation on Rights of   Others
    	
25
    
	
 
    	
Section 10.4.
    	
Notices
    	
25
    
	
 
    	
Section 10.5.
    	
GOVERNING LAW
    	
25
    
	
 
    	
Section 10.6.
    	
WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL
    	
26
    
	
 
    	
Section 10.7.
    	
Severability
    	
26
    
	
 
    	
Section 10.8.
    	
Counterparts
    	
26
    
	
 
    	
Section 10.9.
    	
Headings
    	
26
    
	
 
    	
Section 10.10.
    	
No Petition
    	
26
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Exhibit A
    	
Form of Certificate of Trust
    	
A-1
    
	
Exhibit B
    	
Form of Certificate of Amendment to Certificate   of Trust
    	
B-1
    
					

 

ii

 

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED TRUST AGREEMENT, dated as of November 1, 2013 (this “Agreement”), between FORD CREDIT AUTO RECEIVABLES TWO LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, as Depositor, and U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, a national banking association, not in its individual capacity but solely as trustee under this Agreement, to establish Ford Credit Auto Owner Trust 2013-D.

 

BACKGROUND

 

The parties to this Agreement wish to amend and restate in its entirety the First Amended and Restated Trust Agreement, dated as of June 13, 2013, between the Depositor and the Owner Trustee, which amended and restated the original Trust Agreement, dated as of October 15, 2012, between the Depositor and the Owner Trustee.

 

ARTICLE I
 USAGE AND DEFINITIONS

 

Section 1.1.                                 Usage and Definitions.  Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined in this Agreement are defined in Appendix A to the Sale and Servicing Agreement, dated as of November 1, 2013, among Ford Credit Auto Owner Trust 2013-D, as Issuer, Ford Credit Auto Receivables Two LLC, as Depositor, and Ford Motor Credit Company LLC, as Servicer.  Appendix A also contains rules as to usage applicable to this Agreement.  Appendix A is incorporated by reference into this Agreement.

 

ARTICLE II
 ORGANIZATION OF THE TRUST

 

Section 2.1.                                 Name.  The trust was created and is known as “Ford Credit Auto Owner Trust 2013-D”, in which name the Owner Trustee may conduct the activities of the Issuer, make and execute contracts and other instruments on behalf of the Issuer and sue and be sued on behalf of the Issuer.

 

Section 2.2.                                 Office.  The office of the Issuer is in care of the Owner Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office.

 

Section 2.3.                                 Purposes and Powers.

 

(a)                                 The purpose of the Issuer is, and the Issuer will have the power and authority, to engage in the following activities:

 

(i)                                     to acquire the Receivables and other Trust Property pursuant to the Sale and Servicing Agreement from the Depositor in exchange for the Notes and the Residual Interest;

 

(ii)                                  to Grant the Collateral to the Indenture Trustee pursuant to the Indenture;

 

(iii)                               to enter into and perform its obligations under the Transaction Documents;

 

 

(iv)                              to enter into and perform its obligations under any interest rate hedge agreement or agreements with one or more hedge counterparties;

 

(v)                                 to issue the Notes pursuant to the Indenture and to sell the Notes upon the order of the Depositor;

 

(vi)                              to pay interest on and principal of the Notes;

 

(vii)                           to issue additional securities pursuant to one or more supplemental indentures or amendments to this Agreement and to transfer all or a portion of such securities to the Depositor or other holder of a Residual Interest, subject to compliance with the Transaction Documents, in exchange for all or a portion of the Residual Interest;

 

(viii)                        to engage in those activities, including entering into agreements, that are necessary, appropriate or convenient to accomplish the foregoing or are incidental to the foregoing; and

 

(ix)                              subject to compliance with the Transaction Documents, to engage in such other activities as may be required in connection with conservation of the Trust Property and the making of payments to the Noteholders and distributions to the holder of the Residual Interest.

 

(b)                                 The Issuer will not engage in any activity other than as required or authorized by this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents.

 

Section 2.4.                                 Appointment of the Owner Trustee.  The Depositor appoints the Owner Trustee as trustee of the Issuer effective as of the Cutoff Date, to have all the rights, powers and duties set forth in this Agreement.

 

Section 2.5.                                 Contribution and Conveyance of Trust Property.  As of the date of the formation of the Issuer, the Depositor contributed to the Owner Trustee the amount of $1.  The Owner Trustee acknowledges receipt in trust from the Depositor, as of such date, of such contribution, which constitutes the initial Trust Property.  On the Closing Date, the Depositor will sell to the Issuer the Trust Property in exchange for the Notes.

 

Section 2.6.                                 Declaration of Trust.  The Owner Trustee will hold the Trust Property in trust upon and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement for the use and benefit of the holder of the Residual Interest, subject to the obligations of the Issuer under the Transaction Documents.  It is the intention of the parties that the Issuer constitute a statutory trust under the Delaware Statutory Trust Act and that this Agreement constitute the governing instrument of such statutory trust.  Effective as of the Cutoff Date, the Owner Trustee will have the rights, powers and duties set forth in this Agreement and in the Delaware Statutory Trust Act with respect to accomplishing the purposes of the Issuer.  A Certificate of Trust substantially in the form of Exhibit A, a certificate of amendment to certificate of trust substantially in the form of Exhibit B and any necessary certificate of amendment has been filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware.

 

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Section 2.7.                                 Liability of the Depositor; Conduct of Activities; Liability to Third Parties.

 

(a)                                 The Depositor, as initial holder of the entire Residual Interest, will be entitled to the same limitation of personal liability extended to stockholders of a private corporation for profit organized under the Delaware General Corporation Law.

 

(b)                                 The activities and affairs of the Issuer will be operated in such a manner as to preserve (i) the limited liability of the Depositor, (ii) the separateness of the Issuer from the activities of the Depositor and Ford Credit and (iii) until one year and one day (or, if longer, any applicable preference period) after all Notes and any additional securities issued pursuant to Section 3.1(b) are paid in full, the bankruptcy remote status of the Issuer.

 

(c)                                  Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, none of the Depositor, the Administrator or any of their Affiliates or any director, manager, officer or employee of any such Person, will be liable for the debts, obligations or liabilities of the Issuer.

 

Section 2.8.                                 Title to Trust Property.  Legal title to the Trust Property will be vested in the Issuer as a separate legal entity, except where applicable law in any jurisdiction requires title to any part of the Trust Property to be vested in a trustee or trustees, in which case title will be deemed to be vested in the Owner Trustee, a co-trustee and/or a separate trustee, as the case may be.

 

Section 2.9.                                 Situs of Issuer.  The Issuer will be administered in the States of Delaware and Illinois.  All bank accounts maintained by the Owner Trustee on behalf of the Issuer will be located in the State of Delaware.  The Issuer will not have any employees in any state other than the State of Delaware, except that U.S. Bank Trust National Association, in its capacity as Owner Trustee or any other capacity, may have employees within or outside the State of Delaware.  Payments will be received by the Issuer only in the State of Delaware, and payments will be made by the Issuer only from the State of Delaware.  The principal office of the Issuer will be in care of the Owner Trustee in the State of Delaware.

 

Section 2.10.                          Representations and Warranties of the Depositor.  The Depositor represents and warrants to the Owner Trustee as of the Closing Date:

 

(a)                                 Organization and Qualification.  The Depositor is duly organized and is validly existing as a limited liability company in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware.  The Depositor is qualified as a foreign limited liability company in good standing and has obtained all necessary licenses and approvals in all jurisdictions in which the ownership or lease of its properties or the conduct of its activities requires such qualification, license or approval, unless the failure to obtain such qualifications, licenses or approvals would not have a material adverse effect on the Depositor’s ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party.

 

(b)                                 Power, Authorization and Enforceability.  The Depositor has the power and authority to execute, deliver and perform the terms of this Agreement.  The Depositor has authorized the execution, delivery and performance of the terms of each of the Transaction Documents to which it is a party.  Each of the Transaction Documents to which the Depositor is

 

3

 

a party is the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Depositor enforceable against the Depositor, except as may be limited by insolvency, bankruptcy, reorganization or other laws relating to the enforcement of creditors’ rights or by general equitable principles.

 

(c)                                  No Conflicts and No Violation.  The consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents to which the Depositor is a party and the fulfillment of the terms of the Transaction Documents to which the Depositor is a party will not: (i) conflict with or result in a material breach of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, guarantee or similar agreement or instrument under which the Depositor is a debtor or guarantor, (ii) result in the creation or imposition of any Lien upon any of the properties or assets of the Depositor pursuant to the terms of any such indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, guarantee or similar agreement or instrument (other than the Sale and Servicing Agreement), (iii) violate the Certificate of Formation or Limited Liability Company Agreement of the Depositor or (iv) violate any law or, to the Depositor’s knowledge, any order, rule or regulation applicable to the Depositor of any court or of any federal or state regulatory body, administrative agency or other governmental instrumentality having jurisdiction over the Depositor or its properties, in each case which conflict, breach, default, Lien or violation would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Depositor’s ability to perform its obligations under the Transaction Documents.

 

(d)                                 No Proceedings.  To the Depositor’s knowledge, there are no proceedings or investigations pending or overtly threatened in writing, before any court, regulatory body, administrative agency or other governmental instrumentality having jurisdiction over the Depositor or its properties: (i) asserting the invalidity of any of the Transaction Documents or the Notes, (ii) seeking to prevent the issuance of the Notes or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated by any of the Transaction Documents, (iii) seeking any determination or ruling that would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Depositor’s ability to perform its obligations under, or the validity or enforceability of, any of the Transaction Documents or the Notes or (iv) that would reasonably be expected to (A) affect the treatment of the Notes as indebtedness for U.S. federal income tax purposes, (B) be deemed to cause a taxable exchange of the Notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes or (C) cause the Issuer to be treated as an association or publicly traded partnership taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, in each case, other than such proceedings that, to the Depositor’s knowledge, would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect upon the Depositor or materially and adversely affect the performance by the Depositor of its obligations under, or the validity and enforceability of, the Transaction Documents or the Notes or materially and adversely affect the tax treatment of the Issuer or the Notes.

 

Section 2.11.                          Tax Matters.

 

(a)                                 It is the intention of the parties and Ford Credit that, for purposes of U.S. federal income, State and local income and franchise tax and any other income taxes, so long as the Issuer has no equity owner other than the Depositor (as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes), the Issuer will be treated as an entity disregarded as separate from the Depositor.  If beneficially owned by a Person other than Ford Credit, each Class of Notes is intended to be treated as indebtedness for U.S. federal income tax purposes.  The Depositor agrees, and the

 

4

 

Noteholders by acceptance of their Notes agree in the Indenture, to such treatment and each agrees to take no action inconsistent with such treatment.

 

(b)                                 If one or more Classes of Notes is recharacterized as an equity interest in the Issuer, and not as indebtedness (any such Class, a “Recharacterized Class”) and any such Recharacterized Class is treated as not owned by Ford Credit or the Depositor (if the Depositor is not an entity disregarded as separate from Ford Credit for U.S. federal income tax purposes) for U.S. federal income, or State or local income or franchise tax purposes, the parties intend that the Issuer be characterized as a partnership among Ford Credit or the Depositor (to the extent either is at that time treated as an equity owner of the Issuer for U.S. federal income tax purposes), any other holder of the Residual Interest and any holders of the Recharacterized Class or Classes.  In that event, for purposes of U.S. federal income, State and local income or franchise tax each month:

 

(i)                                     amounts paid as interest to holders of any Recharacterized Class will be treated as a guaranteed payment within the meaning of Section 707(c) of the Code;

 

(ii)                                  to the extent the characterization provided for in Section 2.11(a) is not respected, gross ordinary income of the Issuer for such month as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes will be allocated to the holders of each Recharacterized Class as of the Record Date occurring within such month, in an amount equal to the sum of (A) the interest accrued to such Recharacterized Class for such month, (B) the portion of the market discount on the Receivables accrued during such month that is allocable to the excess, if any, of the aggregate initial Note Balance of such Recharacterized Class over the initial aggregate issue price of the Notes of such Recharacterized Class and (C) any amount expected to be distributed to the holders of such Class of Notes pursuant to Section 8.2 of the Indenture (to the extent not previously allocated pursuant to this Section 2.11(b)(ii)) to the extent necessary to reverse any net loss previously allocated to holders of the Notes of such Recharacterized Class (to the extent not previously reversed pursuant to this Section 2.11(b)(ii)(C)); and

 

(iii)                               thereafter all remaining net income of the Issuer (subject to the modifications set forth below) for such month as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes (and each item of income, gain, credit, loss or deduction entering into the computation thereof) will be allocated to the holder of the Residual Interest.

 

If the gross ordinary income of the Issuer for any month is insufficient for the allocations described in Section 2.11(b)(ii) above, subsequent gross ordinary income will first be allocated to each Recharacterized Class in alphabetical order (if applicable) to make up such shortfall before any allocation pursuant to Section 2.11(b)(iii).  Net losses of the Issuer, if any, for any month as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes (and each item of income, gain, credit, loss or deduction entering into the computation thereof) will be allocated to the holder of the Residual Interest to the extent the holder of the Residual Interest is reasonably expected to bear the economic burden of such net losses, and any remaining net losses will be allocated in reverse alphabetical order (if applicable) to each Recharacterized Class, in each case, until the Note Balance of such Recharacterized Class is reduced to zero as of the Record Date occurring within such month, and among each Recharacterized Class, in proportion to their ownership of the

 

5

 

aggregate Note Balance of such Recharacterized Class on such Record Date. The tax matters partner designated pursuant to Section 2.11(f) is authorized to modify the allocations in this Section 2.11(b) if necessary or appropriate, in its sole discretion, for the allocations to fairly reflect the economic income, gain or loss to the holder of the Residual Interest or the holders of a Recharacterized Class or as otherwise required by the Code.

 

(c)                                  The parties agree that, unless otherwise required by the appropriate tax authorities, the Depositor, on behalf of the Issuer, will file or cause to be filed annual or other necessary returns, reports and other forms consistent with the characterizations described in Section 2.11(a).

 

(d)                                 The Owner Trustee will not elect or cause the Issuer to elect, and the other parties to this Agreement will not elect or permit an election to be made, to treat the Issuer as an association taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes pursuant to Treasury Regulation §301.7701-3.

 

(e)                                  If at any time the Issuer is not treated as an entity disregarded as separate from the Depositor for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Owner Trustee will, based on information provided by or on behalf of the Depositor, (i) maintain the books of the Issuer on the basis of a calendar year and the accrual method of accounting, (ii) deliver to the holder of the Residual Interest such information as may be required under the Code to enable such holder to prepare its U.S. federal and State income tax returns, (iii) file any tax returns relating to the Issuer and make such elections as may be required or appropriate under any applicable U.S. federal or State statute and (iv) collect any withholding tax as described in and in accordance with Section 4.1(c).

 

(f)                                   If at any time the Issuer is not treated as an entity disregarded as separate from the Depositor for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Depositor so long as it is treated as holding any equity interest in the Issuer for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and otherwise, the owner of such equity interests designated by a majority of such owners, will (i) prepare and sign, on behalf of the Issuer, the tax returns of the Issuer and (ii) be designated the “tax matters partner” of the Issuer pursuant to Section 6231(a)(7)(A) of the Code.

 

ARTICLE III
 RESIDUAL INTEREST AND TRANSFER OF INTERESTS

 

Section 3.1.                                 The Residual Interest.

 

(a)                                 Upon the formation of the Issuer by the contribution and conveyance by the Depositor pursuant to Section 2.5, the Depositor will be the sole holder of the Residual Interest.  The holder of the Residual Interest will be entitled, pro rata, to any amounts not needed on any Payment Date to make payments on the Notes and on all other obligations to be paid under the Indenture and this Agreement, and to receive amounts remaining in the Reserve Account following the payment in full of the Notes and of all other amounts owing or to be distributed under this Agreement, the Indenture or the Sale and Servicing Agreement to the Secured Parties upon the termination of the Issuer.

 

(b)                                 The Depositor may exchange its Residual Interest for additional securities issued by the Issuer pursuant to one or more supplemental indentures to the Indenture or amendments to

 

6

 

this Agreement.  Such additional securities may consist of one or more classes of notes, certificates or other securities, as directed by the Depositor, each having the characteristics, rights and obligations as may be directed by the Depositor (which may include subordination to one or more other classes of such additional securities); provided:

 

(i)             the Depositor delivers, or causes the Administrator to deliver, to the Indenture Trustee and the Owner Trustee an Officer’s Certificate to the effect that the issuance of such additional securities will not have a material adverse effect on the Notes; and

 

(ii)          the Depositor delivers an Opinion of Counsel to the Indenture Trustee and the Owner Trustee to the effect that the issuance of such additional securities will not (A) cause any Note to be deemed sold or exchanged for purposes of Section 1001 of the Code, (B) cause the Issuer to be treated as an association or publicly traded partnership taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes or (C) adversely affect the treatment of the Notes as debt for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

Without limiting the foregoing, one or more classes of such additional securities may, if so directed by the Depositor, be secured by all or a portion of the Trust Property, so long as such security interest is subordinated in priority to the security interest granted to the Secured Parties pursuant to the Indenture.  Subject to this Section 3.1(b) and the other terms of the Transaction Documents, the Owner Trustee, on behalf of the Issuer, will take (at the expense of the Depositor) all actions requested by the Depositor to facilitate the issuance and sale of any such additional securities or the Grant and perfection of any security interest granted pursuant to this Section 3.1(b), including the authorization of the filing of any financing statements in jurisdictions deemed necessary or advisable by the Depositor to perfect such security interest.

 

Section 3.2.                                 Registration of Residual Interests; Transfer of the Residual Interest.  The Issuer appoints the Owner Trustee to be the “Trust Registrar” and to keep a register (the “Trust Register”) for the purpose of registering Residual Interests and transfers of Residual Interests as provided in this Agreement.  Upon any resignation of the Trust Registrar, the Issuer will promptly appoint a successor or, if it elects not to make such an appointment, assume the duties of Trust Registrar.  The holder of the Residual Interest will be permitted to sell, transfer, assign or convey its rights in the Residual Interest to any Person if the following conditions are satisfied:

 

(a)                                 such holder of the Residual Interest delivers an Opinion of Counsel to the Issuer and the Indenture Trustee to the effect that such action will not cause the Issuer to be or become characterized for U.S. federal income tax purposes as an association or publicly traded partnership taxable as a corporation;

 

(b)                                 such holder of the Residual Interest delivers to the Indenture Trustee and the Owner Trustee (i) an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that, after giving effect to such action, there will be no withholding imposed under Sections 1441 or 1442 of the Code in respect of payments on any such transferred security or that the withholding tax imposed will be no greater than the withholding tax imposed prior to such transfer or (ii) an Officer’s Certificate that states withholding is applicable to payments on any such transferred security, the rate of withholding

 

7

 

tax required on such payments, and that such amounts will be withheld and paid to the Internal Revenue Service in satisfaction of the requirements of Sections 1441 and 1442 of the Code;

 

(c)                                  the Depositor has notified the transferee or assignee of the Residual Interest of the tax positions previously taken by it, as holder of the Residual Interest, for U.S. federal and any Applicable Tax State income tax purposes and the transferee or assignee has agreed to take positions for U.S. federal and any Applicable Tax State income tax purposes consistent with the tax positions previously taken by the Depositor, as holder of the Residual Interest;

 

(d)                                 the holder or assignee of the Residual Interest delivers to the Indenture Trustee and the Owner Trustee a certification that it is not, and is not acting on behalf of or investing the assets of (i) an “employee benefit plan” (as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA) that is subject to Title I of ERISA, (ii) a “plan” (as defined in Section 4975(e)(1) of the Code) that is subject to Section 4975 of the Code, (iii) an entity whose underlying assets include “plan assets” by reason of a plan’s investment in the entity (within the meaning of Department of Labor Regulation 29 C.F.R. Section 2510.3-101 or otherwise under ERISA), or (iv) an employee benefit plan or retirement arrangement that is subject to any Similar Law; and

 

(e)                                  if the assignee of the Residual Interest is Ford Credit or an Affiliate of Ford Credit that is not a special-purpose, bankruptcy remote entity, the holder of the Residual Interest provides evidence of satisfaction of the Rating Agency Condition.

 

Section 3.3.                                 Capital Accounts.  This Section 3.3 will apply only if the Issuer is not treated as an entity disregarded for U.S. federal income tax purposes.  The Owner Trustee will establish and maintain, in accordance with Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv) of the Treasury Regulations, a separate bookkeeping account for the Depositor and each other person treated as an equity owner for U.S. federal income tax purposes.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement to the contrary, this Section 3.3 will be construed so as to comply with the provisions of the Treasury Regulations promulgated pursuant to Section 704 of the Code.  The Depositor is authorized to modify these provisions to the extent necessary to comply with such regulations.

 

Section 3.4.                                 Maintenance of Office or Agency.  The Owner Trustee will maintain an office or offices or agency or agencies where notices and demands to or upon the Owner Trustee in respect of the Transaction Documents may be served.  The Owner Trustee designates its Corporate Trust Office for such purposes and will promptly notify the Depositor and the Indenture Trustee of any change in the location of its Corporate Trust Office.

 

Section 3.5.                                 Distributions to the Holder of the Residual Interest.  If the Trust Distribution Account has been established, the Owner Trustee will have the revocable power to withdraw funds from the Trust Distribution Account for the purpose of making distributions to the holder of the Residual Interest under this Agreement.  The Owner Trustee will make the distributions pursuant to Sections 3.1, 4.1, 4.2 and 8.1.  The Owner Trustee will hold all sums held by it for distribution to the holder of the Residual Interest in trust for the benefit of the holder of the Residual Interest until such sums are distributed to the holder of the Residual Interest.

 

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ARTICLE IV
 APPLICATION OF TRUST FUNDS; CERTAIN DUTIES

 

Section 4.1.                                 Application of Trust Funds.  Upon request of the Depositor, the Owner Trustee will establish and maintain the Trust Distribution Account as provided in Section 4.1 of the Sale and Servicing Agreement.  If the Trust Distribution Account has been established:

 

(a)                                 On each Payment Date, the Owner Trustee, based on the information contained in the Monthly Investor Report, will withdraw the amounts deposited into the Trust Distribution Account pursuant to Sections 8.2(c)(xiii), 8.2(d)(viii) and 8.2(e)(xiv) of the Indenture on or before such Payment Date and distribute such amounts to the holder of the Residual Interest.

 

(b)                                 Following the satisfaction and discharge of the Indenture and the payment in full of the principal and interest on the Notes, the Owner Trustee will distribute any remaining funds in the Trust Distribution Account to the holder of the Residual Interest.

 

(c)                                  If any withholding tax is imposed on the Issuer’s payment (or allocations of income) to the holder of the Residual Interest, such tax will reduce the amount otherwise distributable to such holder in accordance with this Section 4.1(c).  The Owner Trustee is authorized and directed to retain from amounts otherwise distributable to the holder of the Residual Interest sufficient funds for the payment of any such withholding tax that is legally owed by the Issuer (but such authorization will not prevent the Owner Trustee from contesting any such tax in appropriate proceedings, and withholding payment of such tax, if permitted by law, pending the outcome of such proceedings).  The amount of any withholding tax imposed with respect to the holder of the Residual Interest will be treated as cash distributed to such holder at the time it is withheld by the Issuer and paid to the appropriate taxing authority.  If there is a possibility that withholding tax is payable with respect to a distribution, the Owner Trustee may, in its sole discretion, withhold such amounts in accordance with this Section 4.1(c).  If the holder of a Residual Interest wishes to apply for a refund of any such withholding tax, the Owner Trustee will reasonably cooperate with such holder in making such claim so long as such holder agrees to reimburse the Owner Trustee for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in so cooperating.

 

Section 4.2.                                 Method of Payment.  Distributions required to be made to the holder of the Residual Interest on any Payment Date will be made by wire transfer, in immediately available funds, to the account specified by such holder to the Owner Trustee.

 

ARTICLE V
 AUTHORITY AND DUTIES OF THE OWNER TRUSTEE

 

Section 5.1.                                 General Authority.

 

(a)                                 Upon the Depositor’s execution of this Agreement, the Owner Trustee is authorized and directed, on behalf of the Issuer, to (i) execute and deliver the Transaction Documents and each certificate or other document attached as an exhibit to or contemplated by the Transaction Documents to which the Issuer is to be a party and (ii) direct the Indenture Trustee to authenticate and deliver the Notes.

 

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(b)                                 The Owner Trustee is authorized to take all actions required of the Issuer pursuant to the Transaction Documents and is authorized to take such action on behalf of the Issuer as is permitted by the Transaction Documents that the Servicer or the Administrator directs with respect to the Transaction Documents, except to the extent that this Agreement requires the consent of the Noteholders or the holder of the Residual Interest for such action.

 

Section 5.2.                                 General Duties.  Subject to Section 5.3, it is the duty of the Owner Trustee to discharge all of its responsibilities pursuant to this Agreement and the Transaction Documents to which the Issuer is a party and to administer the Issuer in the interest of the holder of the Residual Interest, subject to the Lien of the Indenture and in accordance with the Transaction Documents.  The Owner Trustee will be deemed to have discharged its duties and responsibilities under the Transaction Documents to the extent the Administrator is required in the Administration Agreement to perform any act or to discharge such duty of the Owner Trustee or the Issuer under any Transaction Document.  The Owner Trustee will not be held liable for the default or failure of the Administrator to carry out its obligations under the Administration Agreement.  The Owner Trustee will have no obligation to administer, service or collect the Receivables or to maintain, monitor or otherwise supervise the administration, servicing or collection of the Receivables.

 

Section 5.3.                                 Action upon Prior Notice with Respect to Certain Matters.  With respect to the following matters, the Owner Trustee may not take action unless (i) at least 30 days before taking such action, the Owner Trustee has notified the Indenture Trustee (who will notify the Noteholders), the holder of the Residual Interest and the Administrator (who will notify the Rating Agencies) of the proposed action and (ii) the Indenture Trustee acting upon instruction of the Noteholders of a majority of the Note Balance of the Controlling Class (or if no Notes are Outstanding, the holder of the Residual Interest) have not notified the Owner Trustee before the 30th day after receipt of such notice that such majority of the Note Balance of the Controlling Class (or if no Notes are Outstanding, the holder of the Residual Interest) has withheld consent or provided alternative direction:

 

(a)                                 the initiation of any material claim or lawsuit by the Issuer and the settlement of any material action, claim or lawsuit brought by or against the Issuer;

 

(b)                                 the election by the Issuer to file an amendment to the Certificate of Trust (unless such amendment is required to be filed under the Delaware Statutory Trust Act), except to cure any ambiguity or to amend or supplement any provision in a manner or to add any provision that would not materially adversely affect the interests of the holders of the Notes or the Residual Interest;

 

(c)                                  the appointment pursuant to the Indenture of a successor Indenture Trustee or the consent to the assignment by the Indenture Trustee of its obligations under the Indenture or this Agreement; and

 

(d)                                 consenting to the Administrator taking any of the actions described in clauses (a) through (c) above.

 

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Section 5.4.                                 Action upon Direction by the Holder of the Residual Interest with Respect to Certain Matters.

 

(a)                                 The Owner Trustee on behalf of the Issuer will not execute an amendment to the Sale and Servicing Agreement, the Indenture or the Administration Agreement that would materially adversely affect the holder of the Residual Interest without the consent of such holder.

 

(b)                                 The Owner Trustee will not (i) remove the Servicer or appoint a successor Servicer under Article VII of the Sale and Servicing Agreement or (ii) remove the Administrator or appoint a successor Administrator under Article V of the Administration Agreement unless (A) there is a Servicer Termination Event subsequent to the payment in full of the Notes and (B) the holder of the Residual Interest directs the Owner Trustee to take such action.

 

Section 5.5.                                 Action with Respect to Bankruptcy.  The Owner Trustee may not commence a voluntary proceeding in bankruptcy relating to the Issuer unless the Notes have been paid in full and the holder of the Residual Interest approves of such commencement in advance and delivers to the Owner Trustee a certificate certifying that it reasonably believes that the Issuer is insolvent.

 

Section 5.6.                                 Action upon Instruction.

 

(a)                                 The Owner Trustee will not be required to take any action under any Transaction Document if the Owner Trustee reasonably determines, or is advised by counsel, that such action is likely to result in liability on the part of the Owner Trustee, is contrary to any Transaction Document or is contrary to law.

 

(b)                                 If (i) the Owner Trustee is unsure as to the application of any provision of any Transaction Document, (ii) any provision of any Transaction Document is, or appears to be, in conflict with any other applicable provision, (iii) this Agreement permits any determination by the Owner Trustee or is silent or is incomplete as to the course of action that the Owner Trustee is required to take with respect to a particular set of facts or (iv) the Owner Trustee is unable to decide between alternative courses of action permitted or required by any Transaction Document, the Owner Trustee may, and with respect to clause (iv) will, notify the Administrator requesting instruction and, to the extent that the Owner Trustee acts or refrains from acting in good faith in accordance with any such instruction received, the Owner Trustee will not be liable to any Person on account of such action or inaction.  If the Owner Trustee does not receive appropriate instruction within ten days of such notice (or within such shorter period of time as reasonably may be specified in such notice or may be necessary under the circumstances) it may, but will be under no duty to, take or refrain from taking such action, not inconsistent with the Transaction Documents, as it deems to be in the best interests of the holder of the Residual Interest, and will have no liability to any Person for such action or inaction.

 

Section 5.7.                                 No Duties Except as Specified in this Agreement or in Instructions.  The Owner Trustee has no duty or obligation to manage, make any payment with respect to, register, record, sell, dispose of or otherwise deal with the Trust Property, or to otherwise take or refrain from taking any action under, or in connection with, any document contemplated by this Agreement to which the Owner Trustee or the Issuer is a party, except as provided by this

 

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Agreement or in any document or instruction received by the Owner Trustee pursuant to Section 5.6.  No implied duties or obligations will be read into any Transaction Document against the Owner Trustee.  The Owner Trustee has no responsibility for filing any financing statements or continuation statements or to otherwise perfect or maintain the perfection of any security interest or Lien granted to it under this Agreement or to prepare or file any Securities and Exchange Commission filing for the Issuer or to record any Transaction Document.  The Owner Trustee nevertheless agrees that it will promptly take, at its own cost and expense, all action as may be necessary to discharge any Lien (other than the Lien of the Indenture) on any part of the Trust Property that results from actions by, or claims against, the Owner Trustee that are not related to the ownership or the administration of the Trust Property.

 

Section 5.8.                                 No Action Except Under Specified Documents or Instructions.  The Owner Trustee will not manage, control, use, sell, dispose of or otherwise deal with any part of the Trust Property except (a) in accordance with the powers granted to and the authority conferred upon the Owner Trustee pursuant to this Agreement, (b) in accordance with the other Transaction Documents to which the Issuer or the Owner Trustee is a party and (c) in accordance with any document or instruction delivered to the Owner Trustee pursuant to Section 5.6.  The Depositor will not direct the Owner Trustee to take any action that would violate this Section 5.8.

 

Section 5.9.                                 Prohibition on Certain Actions.  The Owner Trustee will not take any action (a) that is inconsistent with the purposes of the Issuer set forth in Section 2.3 or (b) that, to the knowledge of the Owner Trustee, would (i) cause any Class of Notes not to be treated as indebtedness for U.S. federal income or Applicable Tax State income or franchise tax purposes, (ii) be deemed to cause a sale or exchange of the Notes for purposes of Section 1001 of the Code (unless no gain or loss would be recognized on such deemed sale or exchange for U.S. federal income tax purposes) or (iii) cause the Issuer or any portion thereof to be taxable as an association (or publicly traded partnership) taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes.  The Administrator will not direct the Owner Trustee to take action that would violate this Section 5.9.

 

Section 5.10.                          Audits of the Owner Trustee.  The Owner Trustee agrees that, with reasonable prior notice, it will permit any authorized representative of the Servicer or the Administrator, during the Owner Trustee’s normal business hours, to examine and audit the books of account, records, reports and other documents and materials of the Owner Trustee relating to (a) the performance of the Owner Trustee’s obligations under this Agreement, (b) any payments of fees and expenses of the Owner Trustee in connection with such performance and (c) any claim made by the Owner Trustee under this Agreement.  In addition, the Owner Trustee will permit such representatives to make copies and extracts of any such books and records and to discuss the same with the Owner Trustee’s officers and employees.  Each of the Servicer and the Administrator will, and will cause its authorized representatives to, hold in confidence all such information except to the extent disclosure may be required by law (and all reasonable applications for confidential treatment are unavailing) and except to the extent that the Servicer or the Administrator, as the case may be, may reasonably determine that such disclosure is consistent with its obligations under this Agreement.  The Owner Trustee will maintain all such pertinent books, records, reports and other documents and materials for a period of two years after the termination of its obligations under this Agreement.

 

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Section 5.11.                          Furnishing of Documents.  Upon request from the holder of the Residual Interest, the Owner Trustee will furnish to such holder copies of all reports, notices, requests, demands, certificates, financial statements and any other instruments furnished to the Owner Trustee under the Transaction Documents.

 

Section 5.12.                          Sarbanes-Oxley Act.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Transaction Document, the Owner Trustee will not be required to execute, deliver or certify on behalf of the Issuer, the Servicer, the Depositor or any other Person any filings, certificates, affidavits or other instruments required by the Securities and Exchange Commission or required under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.  However, any entity executing, delivering or certifying such filings, certificates, affidavits or other instruments required by the Securities and Exchange Commission or required under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 on behalf of the Issuer may request, at its option, such subcertifications, including any assessments of compliance required from the Owner Trustee as it may deem necessary to provide such certifications and the Owner Trustee will reasonably comply with such request.

 

Section 5.13.                          Maintenance of Licenses.  The Owner Trustee will obtain and maintain any licenses that the Administrator informs the Owner Trustee are required to be obtained or maintained by the Owner Trustee under the laws of any State in connection with the Owner Trustee’s duties and obligations under the Transaction Documents.

 

Section 5.14.                          Covenants for Reporting of Repurchase Demands due to Breaches of Representations and Warranties.  The Owner Trustee will (a) notify the Sponsor, the Depositor and the Servicer, as soon as practicable and in any event within five Business Days, of all demands or requests received by a Responsible Person of the Owner Trustee (including to the Owner Trustee on behalf of the Issuer) for the repurchase of any Receivable pursuant to Section 3.3 of the Purchase Agreement or Section 2.4 of the Sale and Servicing Agreement, (b) promptly upon request by the Sponsor, the Depositor or the Servicer, provide to them any other information reasonably requested to facilitate compliance by them with Rule 15Ga-1 under the Exchange Act, and Items 1104(e) and 1121(c) of Regulation AB and (c) if requested by the Sponsor, the Depositor or the Servicer, provide a written certification no later than 15 days following the end of any quarter or year that the Owner Trustee has not received any repurchase demands for such period, or if repurchase demands have been received during such period, that the Owner Trustee has provided all the information reasonably requested under clause (b) above.  In no event will the Owner Trustee or the Issuer have any responsibility or liability in connection with any filing required to be made by a securitizer under the Exchange Act or Regulation AB.

 

ARTICLE VI
 REGARDING THE OWNER TRUSTEE

 

Section 6.1.                                 Acceptance of Trusts and Duties.  The Owner Trustee accepts the trusts created by this Agreement and agrees to perform its duties under this Agreement with respect to such trusts but only in accordance with this Agreement.  The Owner Trustee also agrees to distribute all monies actually received by it constituting part of the Trust Property in accordance with the Transaction Documents.  The Owner Trustee will not be liable under any Transaction Document under any circumstances, except (i) for its own willful misconduct, bad faith or negligence (except for errors in judgment) or (ii) if any representation or warranty in Section 6.2

 

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is not true and correct as of the Closing Date.  In particular, but not by way of limitation (and subject to the exceptions set forth in the preceding sentence):

 

(a)                                 the Owner Trustee will not be liable with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in accordance with the instructions of the Noteholders of a majority of the Note Balance of the Controlling Class, the Indenture Trustee, the Depositor, the holder of the Residual Interest, the Administrator or the Servicer;

 

(b)                                 no Transaction Document will require the Owner Trustee to expend or risk funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its rights or powers under any Transaction Document if the Owner Trustee has reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured or provided to it;

 

(c)                                  the Owner Trustee will not be liable for indebtedness evidenced by or arising under any of the Transaction Documents, including the principal of and interest on the Notes or amounts distributable to the holder of the Residual Interest;

 

(d)                                 the Owner Trustee will not be responsible for (i) the validity or sufficiency of this Agreement, (ii) the due execution of this Agreement by the Depositor, (iii) the form, character, genuineness, sufficiency, value or validity of any of the Trust Property or (iv) the validity or sufficiency of the other Transaction Documents, the Notes, any Receivable or any related documents, and the Owner Trustee will in no event assume or incur any liability, duty or obligation to any Noteholder, the Depositor or the holder of the Residual Interest, other than as provided for in the Transaction Documents;

 

(e)                                  the Owner Trustee will not be liable for the default or misconduct of the Servicer, the Administrator, the Depositor, the holder of the Residual Interest or the Indenture Trustee under any of the Transaction Documents or otherwise and the Owner Trustee will have no obligation or liability to perform the obligations of the Issuer under the Transaction Documents that are required to be performed by the Administrator under the Administration Agreement, the Servicer under the Sale and Servicing Agreement or the Indenture Trustee under the Indenture;

 

(f)                                   the Owner Trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Agreement or, at the request, order or direction of the Depositor, to institute, conduct or defend any litigation under this Agreement or in relation to any Transaction Document or otherwise unless the Depositor has offered to the Owner Trustee reasonable security or indemnity satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses, losses, damages, claims and liabilities that may be incurred by the Owner Trustee.  The right of the Owner Trustee to perform any discretionary act enumerated in any Transaction Document will not be construed as a duty; and

 

(g)                                  the Owner Trustee will not be responsible or liable for (i) the legality, validity and enforceability of any Receivable, (ii) the perfection and priority of any security interest created by any Receivable in any Financed Vehicle or the maintenance of any such perfection and priority, (iii) the sufficiency of the Trust Property or the ability of the Trust Property to generate the amounts necessary to make payments to the Noteholders under the Indenture or distributions

 

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to the holder of the Residual Interest under this Agreement, (iv) the accuracy of any representation or warranty made under any Transaction Document (other than the representations and warranties made in Section 6.2) or (v) any action of the Indenture Trustee, the Administrator or the Servicer or any subservicer taken in the name of the Owner Trustee.

 

Section 6.2.                                 Representations and Warranties of the Owner Trustee.  The Owner Trustee represents and warrants to the Depositor as of the Closing Date:

 

(a)                                 Organization and Qualification.  The Owner Trustee is duly formed and is validly existing as a national banking association under the laws of the United States.  The Owner Trustee is duly qualified as a national banking association and has obtained all necessary licenses and approvals in all jurisdictions in which the ownership or lease of its properties or the conduct of its activities requires such qualification, license or approval, unless the failure to obtain such qualifications, licenses or approvals would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Owner Trustee’s ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement.

 

(b)                                 Power, Authorization and Enforceability.  The Owner Trustee has the power and authority to execute deliver and perform the terms this Agreement.  The Owner Trustee has authorized the execution, delivery and performance of the terms of this Agreement.  This Agreement is the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Owner Trustee enforceable against the Owner Trustee, except as may be limited by insolvency, bankruptcy, reorganization or other laws relating to the enforcement of creditors’ rights or by general equitable principles.

 

(c)                                  No Conflicts and No Violation.  The execution and delivery by the Owner Trustee of this Agreement, the consummation by the Owner Trustee of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the compliance by the Owner Trustee with this Agreement will not (i) violate any federal or State law, governmental rule or regulation governing the banking or trust powers of the Owner Trustee or any judgment or order binding on it, (ii) conflict with, result in a breach of, or constitute (with or without notice or lapse of time or both) a default under its charter documents or by-laws or any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, guarantee or similar agreement or instrument under which the Owner Trustee is a debtor or guarantor or (iii) violate any law or, to the Owner Trustee’s knowledge, any order, rule or regulation applicable to the Owner Trustee of any court or of any federal or State regulatory body, administrative agency or other governmental instrumentality having jurisdiction over the Owner Trustee or its properties, in each case which conflict, breach, default, Lien or violation would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Owner Trustee’s ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement.

 

(d)                                 No Proceedings.  To the Owner Trustee’s knowledge, there are no proceedings or investigations pending or overtly threatened in writing, before any court, regulatory body, administrative agency or other governmental instrumentality having jurisdiction over the Owner Trustee or its properties: (i) asserting the invalidity of this Agreement, (ii) seeking to prevent the issuance of the Notes or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated by any of the Transaction Documents or (iii) seeking any determination or ruling that would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Owner Trustee’s ability to perform its obligations under, or the validity or enforceability of, this Agreement.

 

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(e)                                  Banking Association.  The Owner Trustee is a banking association satisfying Section 3807(a) of the Delaware Statutory Trust Act and meets the eligibility requirements of Section 9.1(a).

 

(f)                                   Information Provided by the Owner Trustee.  The information provided by the Owner Trustee in its individual capacity in any certificate delivered by a Responsible Person of the Owner Trustee is true and correct in all material respects.

 

Section 6.3.                                 Reliance; Advice of Counsel.

 

(a)                                 The Owner Trustee may rely upon, will be protected in relying upon and will incur no liability to anyone in acting upon any signature, instrument, notice, resolution, request, consent, order, certificate, report, opinion, bond or other document believed by it to be genuine that appears on its face to be properly executed and signed by the proper party or parties.  The Owner Trustee may accept a certified copy of a resolution of the board of directors or other governing body of any corporate party as conclusive evidence that such resolution has been duly adopted by such body and that the same is in full force and effect.  As to any fact or matter the method of the determination of which is not specifically prescribed in this Agreement, the Owner Trustee may for all purposes of this Agreement rely on a certificate, signed by the president or any vice president or by the treasurer or other Responsible Persons of the relevant party, as to such fact or matter and such certificate will constitute full protection to the Owner Trustee for any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in reliance thereon.

 

(b)                                 In the exercise or administration of the trusts under this Agreement and in the performance of its duties and obligations under the Transaction Documents, the Owner Trustee (i) may act directly or through its agents or attorneys pursuant to agreements entered into with any of them and will not be liable for the conduct or misconduct of such agents or attorneys if the Owner Trustee selects such agents or attorneys with reasonable care and (ii) may consult with counsel, accountants and other skilled Persons whom the Owner Trustee selects with reasonable care and employs.  The Owner Trustee will not be liable for anything it does, suffers or omits to do in good faith in accordance with the written opinion or advice of any such counsel, accountants or other such Persons that is not contrary to any Transaction Document.

 

Section 6.4.                                 Not Acting in Individual Capacity.  Except as provided in this Article VI, in accepting the trusts created by this Agreement, U.S. Bank Trust National Association acts solely as Owner Trustee under this Agreement and not in its individual capacity.  All Persons having any claim against the Owner Trustee by reason of the transactions contemplated by any Transaction Document will look only to the Trust Property for payment or satisfaction thereof.  However, the Owner Trustee will be responsible for any breach of its representations and warranties made in Section 6.2.

 

Section 6.5.                                 U.S. Bank Trust National Association May Own Notes.  U.S. Bank Trust National Association, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Notes and may deal with the Depositor, the holder of the Residual Interest, the Servicer, the Administrator and the Indenture Trustee in banking transactions with the same rights as it would have if it were not the Owner Trustee.

 

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Section 6.6.                                 Duty to Update Disclosure.  The Owner Trustee will notify and provide information, and certify such information in an Officer’s Certificate, to the Depositor upon any event or condition relating to the Owner Trustee or actions taken by the Owner Trustee that (A) (i) is required to be disclosed by the Depositor under Item 2 (the institution of, material developments in, or termination of legal proceedings against U.S. Bank Trust National Association that are material to Noteholders) of Form 10-D under the Exchange Act within five days of such occurrence or (ii) the Depositor reasonably requests of the Owner Trustee that the Depositor, in good faith, believes is necessary to comply with Regulation AB within five days of request or (B) (i) is required to be disclosed under Item 6.02 (resignation, removal, replacement or substitution of U.S. Bank Trust National Association as Owner Trustee) of Form 8-K under the Exchange Act within two days of a Responsible Person of the Owner Trustee becoming aware of such occurrence or (ii) causes the information provided by the Owner Trustee in any certificate delivered by a Responsible Person of the Owner Trustee to be untrue or incorrect in any material respect or is necessary to make the statements provided by the Owner Trustee in light of the circumstances in which they were made not misleading within five days of a Responsible Person of the Owner Trustee becoming aware thereof.  The obligations of the Owner Trustee to provide such information with respect to the period during which it served as Owner Trustee will survive the resignation or removal of the Owner Trustee under the Agreement.

 

ARTICLE VII
 COMPENSATION AND INDEMNIFICATION OF THE OWNER TRUSTEE; ORGANIZATIONAL EXPENSES

 

Section 7.1.                                 Owner Trustee’s Fees and Expenses.  The Issuer will, or will cause the Administrator to, pay the Owner Trustee as compensation for its services under this Agreement, such fees as have been separately agreed upon by the Administrator and the Owner Trustee.  The Issuer will reimburse the Owner Trustee for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred or made by the Owner Trustee in performing its rights and duties under this Agreement, including the reasonable compensation, expenses and disbursements of the Owner Trustee’s agents, counsel, accountants and experts, but excluding any expenses incurred by the Owner Trustee through the Owner Trustee’s own willful misconduct, bad faith or negligence (other than errors in judgment).

 

Section 7.2.                                 Indemnification of the Owner Trustee.

 

(a)                                 The Depositor will, or will cause the Administrator to, indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Owner Trustee, and its respective officers, directors, employees and agents, from and against any and all costs, expenses, losses, damages, claims and liabilities (including the reasonable compensation, expenses and disbursements of the Owner Trustee’s agents, counsel, accountants and experts) incurred by it in connection with the administration of and the performance of its duties under this Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending itself against any loss, damage, claim or liability incurred by it in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties under the Indenture, but excluding any cost, expense, loss, damage, claim or liability (i) incurred by the Owner Trustee through the Owner Trustee’s own willful misconduct, bad faith or negligence (other than errors in judgment) or (ii) arising from the inaccuracy of any representation or warranty contained in Section 6.2.

 

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(b)                                 Promptly upon receipt by the Owner Trustee, or any of its officers, directors, employees and agents (each, an “Indemnified Person”), of notice of the commencement of any Proceeding against any such Indemnified Person, such Indemnified Person will, if a claim in respect of such Proceeding is to be made under Section 7.2(a), notify the Depositor and the Administrator of the commencement of such Proceeding.  The Depositor, or, if the Depositor so causes, the Administrator, may participate in and assume the defense and settlement of any such Proceeding at its expense, and no settlement of such Proceeding may be made without the approval of the Depositor or the Administrator, as applicable, and such Indemnified Person, which approvals will not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned.  After notice from the Depositor or the Administrator, as applicable, to the Indemnified Person of the intention of the Depositor or the Administrator, as applicable, to assume the defense of such Proceeding with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person, and so long as the Depositor or the Administrator, as applicable, so assumes the defense of such Proceeding in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person, neither the Depositor nor the Administrator will be liable for any legal expenses of counsel to the Indemnified Person unless there is a conflict between the interests of the Depositor or the Administrator, as applicable, on one hand, and an Indemnified Person, on the other hand, in which case the Depositor, or, if Depositor so causes, the Administrator, will pay for the separate counsel to the Indemnified Person.

 

(c)                                  The Depositor’s obligations under this Section 7.2 are obligations solely of the Depositor and do not constitute a claim against the Depositor to the extent that the Depositor does not have funds sufficient to make payment of such obligations.  The Owner Trustee, by entering into or accepting this Agreement, acknowledges and agrees that it has no right, title or interest in or to the Other Assets of the Depositor.  Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, if the Owner Trustee either (i) asserts an interest or claim to, or benefit from, the Other Assets or (ii) is deemed to have any such interest, claim to, or benefit in or from the Other Assets, whether by operation of law, legal process, pursuant to insolvency laws or otherwise (including by virtue of Section 1111(b) of the Bankruptcy Code), then the Owner Trustee further acknowledges and agrees that any such interest, claim or benefit in or from the Other Assets is expressly subordinated to the indefeasible payment in full of the other obligations and liabilities, which, under the relevant documents relating to the securitization or conveyance of such Other Assets, are entitled to be paid from, entitled to the benefits of, or otherwise secured by such Other Assets (whether or not any such entitlement or security interest is legally perfected or otherwise entitled to a priority of distributions or application under applicable law, including insolvency laws, and whether or not asserted against the Depositor), including the payment of post-petition interest on such other obligations and liabilities.  This subordination agreement is deemed a subordination agreement within the meaning of Section 510(a) of the Bankruptcy Code.  The Owner Trustee further acknowledges and agrees that no adequate remedy at law exists for a breach of this Section 7.2(c) and this Section 7.2(c) may be enforced by an action for specific performance.  This Section 7.2(c) is for the third party benefit of the holders of such other obligations and liabilities and will survive the termination of this Agreement.

 

Section 7.3.                                 Organizational Expenses of the Issuer.  The Depositor will, or will cause the Administrator to, pay the organizational expenses of the Issuer as they may arise or, upon the request of the Owner Trustee, the Depositor will, or will cause the Administrator to, promptly reimburse the Owner Trustee for any such expenses paid by the Owner Trustee.

 

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Section 7.4.                                 Certain Expenses of the Indenture Trustee and the Owner Trustee.  The Depositor will reimburse (a) the Indenture Trustee and any successor Indenture Trustee for any expenses associated with the replacement of the Indenture Trustee pursuant to Section 6.8 of the Indenture and (b) the Owner Trustee and any successor Owner Trustee for any expenses associated with the replacement of the Owner Trustee pursuant to Section 9.2 of this Agreement, in each case, to the extent such amounts have not been otherwise paid pursuant to Section 8.2 of the Indenture.

 

ARTICLE VIII
 TERMINATION

 

Section 8.1.                                 Termination of Trust Agreement.

 

(a)                                 This Agreement (other than the provisions of Article VII) will terminate and be of no further force or effect and the Issuer will terminate, wind up and dissolve, upon the earlier to occur of (i) the last remaining Receivable is paid in full, settled, sold or charged off and any amounts received are applied or (ii) the payment to the Noteholders and any other holders of securities issued under any supplemental indentures or amendments to this Agreement, the Indenture Trustee and the Owner Trustee of all amounts required to be paid to them pursuant to the Indenture, the Sale and Servicing Agreement and Article IV.  Any Insolvency Event, liquidation or dissolution with respect to the Depositor will not (A) operate to terminate this Agreement or the Issuer, (B) entitle the Depositor’s legal representatives to claim an accounting or to take any action or proceeding in any court for a partition or winding up of all or any part of the Issuer or the Trust Property or (C) otherwise affect the rights, obligations and liabilities of the parties to this Agreement.  Upon dissolution of the Issuer, the Owner Trustee will wind up the activities and affairs of the Issuer as required by Section 3808 of the Delaware Statutory Trust Act.

 

(b)                                 The Depositor may not revoke or terminate the Issuer, unless it is the holder of 100% of the Residual Interest and in accordance with Section 8.1(a).

 

(c)                                  Upon termination of the Issuer, any remaining Trust Property will be distributed to the holder of the Residual Interest, and the Owner Trustee will cause the Certificate of Trust to be cancelled by preparing, executing and filing a certificate of cancellation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware in accordance with Section 3810(c) of the Delaware Statutory Trust Act or as otherwise required by the Delaware Statutory Trust Act.  Upon the filing of such certificate of cancellation, the Owner Trustee’s services under this Agreement will simultaneously terminate.  The Owner Trustee will deliver a file-stamped copy of such certificate of cancellation to the Administrator promptly upon such document becoming available following such filing.

 

ARTICLE IX
 SUCCESSOR OWNER TRUSTEES AND ADDITIONAL OWNER TRUSTEES

 

Section 9.1.                                 Eligibility Requirements for the Owner Trustee.

 

(a)                                 The Owner Trustee must (i) be authorized to exercise corporate trust powers, (ii) have a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000 and be subject to supervision or

 

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examination by federal or State authorities and (iii) have (or have a parent that has) a long-term debt rating of investment grade by each of the Rating Agencies or be otherwise acceptable to the Rating Agencies.  If such corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining authority, then for the purpose of this Section 9.1, the combined capital and surplus of such corporation will be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published.  If the Owner Trustee ceases to be eligible in accordance with this Section 9.1, it must resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in Section 9.2.  The Owner Trustee will promptly notify the Depositor and the Administrator if it ceases to satisfy the requirements of this Section 9.1.

 

(b)                                 The Owner Trustee must satisfy Section 3807(a) of the Delaware Statutory Trust Act.

 

Section 9.2.                                 Resignation or Removal of the Owner Trustee.

 

(a)                                 The Owner Trustee may resign and be discharged from the trusts created by this Agreement by giving notice to the Depositor and the Administrator.

 

(b)                                 The Administrator may remove the Owner Trustee upon notice to the Owner Trustee and will remove the Owner Trustee if:

 

(i)                                the Owner Trustee ceases to be eligible in accordance with Section 9.1;

 

(ii)                             the Owner Trustee is legally unable to act; or

 

(iii)                          an Insolvency Event with respect to the Owner Trustee has occurred and is continuing.

 

(c)                                  If the Owner Trustee resigns or the Administrator removes the Owner Trustee, the Administrator will promptly (i) appoint a successor Owner Trustee, by written instrument, in duplicate and (ii) deliver one copy of such instrument to the outgoing Owner Trustee and one copy to the successor Owner Trustee.  The Owner Trustee will be entitled to payment through the date of its resignation or removal from distributions made under Section 8.2 of the Indenture.  If no successor Owner Trustee is appointed and has accepted such appointment within 30 days after the Administrator’s receipt of notice of resignation or removal of the Owner Trustee, the outgoing Owner Trustee may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Owner Trustee.  The right to appoint or to petition for the appointment of any such successor Owner Trustee does not relieve the outgoing Owner Trustee from any obligations otherwise imposed on it under the Transaction Documents until the appointment of the successor Owner Trustee has become effective.

 

(d)                                 No resignation or removal of the Owner Trustee and appointment of a successor Owner Trustee pursuant to this Section 9.2 will become effective until (i) the successor Owner Trustee accepts its appointment as the Owner Trustee pursuant to Section 9.3(a) and (ii) the successor Owner Trustee files the certificate of amendment to the Certificate of Trust referred to in Section 9.3(d).  The Administrator will notify the Depositor, the Indenture Trustee and the Rating Agencies of any resignation or removal of the Owner Trustee.

 

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Section 9.3.                                 Successor Owner Trustee.

 

(a)                                 Any successor Owner Trustee appointed pursuant to Section 9.2 must execute and deliver to the Administrator and to its predecessor Owner Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment under this Agreement.  Upon the resignation or removal of the predecessor Owner Trustee becoming effective pursuant to Section 9.2(d), such successor Owner Trustee, without any further act, will become fully vested with all the rights, powers, duties and obligations of its predecessor under this Agreement.  The predecessor Owner Trustee will, upon payment of its fees and expenses, deliver to the successor Owner Trustee all documents and statements and monies held by it under this Agreement, and the Administrator and the predecessor Owner Trustee will execute and deliver such instruments and do such other things as may reasonably be required to vest and confirm in the successor Owner Trustee all such rights, powers, duties and obligations.

 

(b)                                 No successor Owner Trustee may accept appointment as provided in this Section 9.3 unless, at the time of such acceptance, such successor Owner Trustee is eligible pursuant to Section 9.1.

 

(c)                                  Upon the acceptance of appointment by a successor Owner Trustee pursuant to this Section 9.3, the Administrator will notify the Depositor, the Indenture Trustee, the Noteholders and the Rating Agencies of such successor Owner Trustee.

 

(d)                                 Any successor Owner Trustee appointed under this Agreement will promptly file a certificate of amendment to the Certificate of Trust with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware identifying the name and principal place of business of such successor Owner Trustee in the State of Delaware.  The successor Owner Trustee will deliver a file-stamped copy of such certificate of amendment to the Administrator promptly upon such document becoming available following such filing.

 

Section 9.4.                                 Merger or Consolidation of the Owner Trustee.  Any Person (a) into which the Owner Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, (b) resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Owner Trustee is a party or (c) succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate trust business of the Owner Trustee will, provided such Person is eligible pursuant to Section 9.1, be the successor of the Owner Trustee under this Agreement without the execution or filing of any document or any further act (except as required under this Section 9.4); provided, that the Owner Trustee (i) notifies the Issuer (who will notify the Rating Agencies) of such merger or consolidation within 15 Business Days of such event and (ii) files a certificate of amendment to the Certificate of Trust as required by Section 9.3(d).

 

Section 9.5.                                 Appointment of Separate Trustee or Co-Trustee.

 

(a)                                 Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, for the purpose of meeting any legal requirements of any jurisdiction in which any part of the Trust Property or any Financed Vehicle may be located, the Administrator and the Owner Trustee acting jointly will have the power and will execute and deliver all instruments to appoint one or more Persons approved by the Owner Trustee to act as a separate trustee or as separate trustees, or as co-

 

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trustee, jointly with the Owner Trustee, of all or any part of the Issuer, and to vest in such Person, in such capacity, such title to the Trust Property, or any part thereof, and, subject to this Section 9.5, such powers, duties, obligations, rights and trusts as the Administrator and the Owner Trustee consider necessary or desirable.  If the Administrator has not joined in such appointment within 15 Business Days of its receipt of a request so to do, the Owner Trustee will have the power to make such appointment.  No separate trustee or co-trustee under this Agreement will be required to meet the terms of eligibility as a successor trustee pursuant to Section 9.1 and no notice of the appointment of any separate trustee or co-trustee is required.

 

(b)                                 Each separate trustee and co-trustee will, to the extent permitted by law, be appointed and act subject to the following:

 

(i)                                     all rights, powers, duties and obligations conferred or imposed upon the Owner Trustee will be conferred upon and exercised or performed by the Owner Trustee and such separate trustee or co-trustee jointly (it being understood that such separate trustee or co-trustee is not authorized to act separately without the Owner Trustee joining in such act), except to the extent that under any law of any jurisdiction in which any particular act or acts are to be performed, the Owner Trustee is incompetent or unqualified to perform such act or acts, in which event such rights, powers, duties and obligations (including the holding of title to the Trust Property or any portion thereof in any such jurisdiction) may be exercised and performed singly by such separate trustee or co-trustee, but solely at the direction of the Owner Trustee;

 

(ii)                                  no trustee under this Agreement will be personally liable by reason of any act or omission of any other trustee under this Agreement; and

 

(iii)                               the Administrator and the Owner Trustee acting jointly may accept the resignation of or remove any separate trustee or co-trustee.

 

(c)                                  Any notice, request or other writing given to the Owner Trustee will be deemed to have been given to each of the then separate trustees and co-trustees, as effectively as if given to each of them.  Every instrument appointing any separate trustee or co-trustee must refer to this Agreement and the conditions of this Article IX.  Each separate trustee and co-trustee, upon its acceptance of the trusts conferred, will be vested with the estates or property specified in its instrument of appointment, either jointly with the Owner Trustee or separately, as may be provided in such instrument, subject to this Agreement.  The Owner Trustee will keep a copy of each such instrument in its files and will deliver a copy of each such instrument to the Administrator.

 

(d)                                 Any separate trustee or co-trustee may appoint the Owner Trustee as its agent or attorney-in-fact with full power and authority, to the extent not prohibited by law, to do any lawful act under or in respect of this Agreement on its behalf and in its name.  If any separate trustee or co-trustee dies, becomes incapable of acting, resigns or is removed, all of its estates, properties, rights, remedies and trusts will vest in and be exercised by the Owner Trustee, to the extent permitted by law, without the appointment of a new or successor trustee.

 

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Section 9.6.                                 Compliance with Delaware Statutory Trust Act.  Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the Issuer must have at least one trustee that meets the requirements of Section 3807(a) of the Delaware Statutory Trust Act.

 

ARTICLE X
 MISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 10.1.                          Supplements and Amendments.

 

(a)                                 This Agreement may be amended by the holder of the Residual Interest and the Owner Trustee, with prior notice by the Administrator to the Rating Agencies, without the consent of any of the Noteholders, for the purpose of curing any ambiguity or correcting or supplementing any provisions in this Agreement inconsistent with any other provision of this Agreement.

 

(b)                                 This Agreement may be amended by the holder of the Residual Interest and the Owner Trustee, with prior notice by the Administrator to the Rating Agencies, without the consent of any of the Noteholders, for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Agreement or issuing securities in exchange for all or a portion of the Residual Interest, subject to the following conditions:

 

(i)                                     such holder delivers an Officer’s Certificate to the Indenture Trustee and the Owner Trustee to the effect that such amendment will not have a material adverse effect on the Notes; and

 

(ii)                                  such holder delivers an Opinion of Counsel to the Indenture Trustee and the Owner Trustee to the effect that such amendment will not (A) cause any Note to be deemed sold or exchanged for purposes of Section 1001 of the Code, (B) cause the Issuer to be treated as an association or publicly traded partnership taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes or (C) adversely affect the treatment of the Notes as debt for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

(c)                                  This Agreement also may be amended by the holder of the Residual Interest and the Owner Trustee for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Agreement with prior notice by the Administrator to the Rating Agencies, subject to the following conditions:

 

(i)                                     (A) the Indenture Trustee, to the extent that its rights or obligations would be affected by such amendment consents (which consent may not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned) and (B) the Noteholders of a majority of the Note Balance of each Class of Notes consent to such amendment (with each affected Class voting separately, except that all Noteholders of Class A Notes will vote together as a single class); and

 

(ii)                                  such holder delivers an Opinion of Counsel to the Indenture Trustee and the Owner Trustee to the effect that such amendment will not (A) cause any Note to be deemed sold or exchanged for purposes of Section 1001 of the Code, (B) cause the Issuer to be treated as an association or publicly traded partnership taxable as a corporation for

 

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U.S. federal income tax purposes or (C) adversely affect the treatment of the Notes as debt for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

However, no amendment may (A) increase or reduce the amount of, or accelerate or delay the timing of, or change the allocation or priority of, collections of payments on Receivables or distributions that are required to be made for the benefit of the Secured Parties or (B) reduce the percentage of the Note Balance of the Notes required to consent to any such amendment, in each case, without the consent of all affected Noteholders.

 

(d)                                 Promptly after the execution of any such amendment or consent, the Owner Trustee will notify the Indenture Trustee of the substance of such amendment or consent.

 

(e)                                  If the consent of the Noteholders or the Indenture Trustee is required under this Section 10.1, they do not need to approve the particular form of any proposed amendment or consent so long as their consent approves the substance of the proposed amendment or consent.  The manner of obtaining such consents will be subject to such reasonable requirements as the Owner Trustee may prescribe.

 

(f)                                   Promptly after the execution of any certificate of amendment to the Certificate of Trust, the Owner Trustee will cause such amendment to be filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware.  The Owner Trustee will deliver a file-stamped copy of such certificate of amendment to the Administrator promptly upon such document becoming available following such filing.

 

(g)                                  Before the execution of any amendment to this Agreement or certificate of amendment to the Certificate of Trust, the Owner Trustee will be entitled to receive and rely upon an Opinion of Counsel delivered by the holder of the Residual Interest to the effect that the execution of such amendment or certificate of amendment, as applicable, is authorized or permitted by this Agreement.  The Owner Trustee may enter into any such amendment or certificate of amendment that affects the Owner Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Agreement or otherwise.

 

(h)                                 In connection with the execution of any amendment to this Agreement or any amendment to any other agreement to which the Issuer is a party, the Owner Trustee will be entitled to receive and rely upon an Opinion of Counsel delivered by the holder of the Residual Interest to the effect that such amendment is authorized or permitted by the Transaction Documents and that all conditions precedent in the Transaction Documents for the execution and delivery thereof by the Issuer or the Owner Trustee, as the case may be, have been satisfied.

 

Section 10.2.                          No Legal Title to Trust Property in the Holder of the Residual Interest.  The holder of the Residual Interest has no legal title to any part of the Trust Property.  The holder of the Residual Interest is entitled to receive distributions with respect to its Residual Interest only in accordance with Article VIII of the Indenture.  No transfer, by operation of law or otherwise, of any right, title or interest of the Depositor to and in the Residual Interest in the Trust Property will operate to terminate this Agreement or the trusts under this Agreement or entitle any transferee to an accounting or to the transfer to it of legal title to any part of the Trust Property.

 

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Section 10.3.                          Limitation on Rights of Others.  Except for Sections 2.6, 7.2 and 10.1, this Agreement is solely for the benefit of the Owner Trustee, the Depositor, the Administrator, the Servicer, the holder of the Residual Interest and, to the extent provided in this Agreement, the Indenture Trustee and the Secured Parties, and nothing in this Agreement (other than Section 2.6), whether express or implied, will be construed to give to any other Person any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim in the Trust Property or under or in respect of this Agreement or any covenants, conditions or provisions contained in this Agreement.

 

Section 10.4.                          Notices.

 

(a)                                 All notices, requests, demands, consents, waivers or other communications to or from the parties to this Agreement must be in writing and will be deemed to have been given and made:

 

(i)                                     upon delivery or, in the case of a letter mailed by registered first class mail, postage prepaid, three days after deposit in the mail;

 

(ii)                                  in the case of a fax, when receipt is confirmed by telephone, reply email or reply fax from the recipient;

 

(iii)                               in the case of an email, when receipt is confirmed by telephone or reply email from the recipient; and

 

(iv)                              in the case of an electronic posting to a password-protected website to which the recipient has been provided access, upon delivery (without the requirement of confirmation of receipt) of an email to such recipient stating that such electronic posting has occurred.

 

Any such notice, request, demand, consent or other communication must be delivered or addressed as set forth on Schedule B to the Sale and Servicing Agreement or at such other address as any party may designate by notice to the other parties.

 

(b)                                 Notices to the Owner Trustee will be addressed to its Corporate Trust Office or to such other address designated by the Owner Trustee by notice to the Depositor.

 

(c)                                  Any notice required or permitted to be mailed to a Noteholder (i) in the case of Definitive Notes, must be sent by overnight delivery, mailed by registered first class mail, postage prepaid, or sent by fax, to the address of such Person as shown in the Note Register or (ii) in the case of Book-Entry Notes, must be delivered pursuant to the applicable procedures of the Clearing Agency.  Any notice so mailed within the time prescribed in this Agreement will be conclusively presumed to have been properly given, whether or not the Noteholder receives such notice.

 

Section 10.5.                          GOVERNING LAW.  THIS AGREEMENT WILL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE.

 

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Section 10.6.         WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL.  EACH PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED BY THIS AGREEMENT.

 

Section 10.7.         Severability.  If any of the covenants, agreements or terms of this Agreement is held invalid, illegal or unenforceable, then it will be deemed severable from the remaining covenants, agreements or terms of this Agreement and will in no way affect the validity, legality or enforceability of the remaining Agreement or of the Notes or the rights of the Noteholders.

 

Section 10.8.         Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts.  Each counterpart will be an original, and all counterparts will together constitute one and the same instrument.

 

Section 10.9.         Headings.  The headings in this Agreement are included for convenience only and will not affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

 

Section 10.10.      No Petition.  The Owner Trustee (not in its individual capacity but solely as Owner Trustee), by entering into this Agreement, covenants and agrees that, before the date that is one year and one day (or, if longer, any applicable preference period) after the payment in full of (a) all securities issued by the Depositor or by a trust for which the Depositor was a depositor or (b) the Notes, it will not institute against, or join any other Person in instituting against, the Depositor or the Issuer, respectively, any bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, insolvency or liquidation proceedings or other proceedings under any federal or State bankruptcy or similar law in connection with any obligations relating to the Notes, this Agreement or any of the Transaction Documents.  This Section 10.10 will survive the resignation or removal of the Owner Trustee under this Agreement and the termination of this Agreement.

 

[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank]

 

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EXECUTED BY:

 

	
 
    	
FORD CREDIT AUTO RECEIVABLES TWO LLC,
    
	
 
    	
as Depositor
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/ Susan J. Thomas
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Name: Susan J. Thomas
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Title: Secretary
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
    
	
 
    	
as Owner Trustee
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/ Annette Morgan
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Name: Annette Morgan
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Title: Assistant Vice President
    

 

[Signature Page to Second Amended and Restated Trust Agreement]

 

 

Exhibit A

 

Form of Certificate of Trust of
 Ford Credit Auto Owner Trust 2013-3

 

This Certificate of Trust of FORD CREDIT AUTO OWNER TRUST 2013-3 (the “Trust”) is being duly executed and filed by U.S. Bank Trust National Association, a national banking association, as owner trustee (the “Owner Trustee”), to form a statutory trust under the Delaware Statutory Trust Act (12 Delaware Code, § 3801 et seq.) (the “Act”).

 

1.             Name.  The name of the statutory trust formed hereby is “Ford Credit Auto Owner Trust 2013-3”.

 

2.             Owner Trustee.  The name and business address of the sole trustee of the Trust in the State of Delaware is U.S. Bank Trust National Association, 300 Delaware Avenue, 9th Floor, Corporate Trust, Wilmington, Delaware 19801.

 

3.             Effective Date. This Certificate of Trust will be effective upon filing.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, being the sole trustee of the Trust, has executed this Certificate of Trust in accordance with Section 3811(a)(1) of the Act.

 

 

	
 
    	
U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
    
	
 
    	
not in its   individual capacity but solely as Owner Trustee
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Name:
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Title:
    

 

A-1

 

Exhibit B

 

STATE OF DELAWARE

CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT

TO CERTIFICATE OF TRUST

 

Pursuant to Title 12, Section 3810(b) of the Delaware Statutory Trust Act, the undersigned

Trust executes the following Certificate of Amendment:

 

1.                                      The name of the Statutory Trust is Ford Credit Auto Owner Trust 2013-3.

 

2.                                      The Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Trust is hereby amended as follows:  
 Clause 1 of the Certificate of Trust is amended by changing the name of the statutory trust thereof, so that, as amended, Clause 1 shall be and read as follows:

 

“The name of the statutory trust formed hereby is Ford

Credit Auto Owner Trust 2013-D”,

 

3.                                      This Certificate of Trust will be effective upon filing.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, being the sole trustee of the Trust, has executed this Certificate of Trust in accordance with Section 3811(a)(1) of the Act.

 

 

	
 
    	
U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
    
	
 
    	
not in its   individual capacity but solely as Owner Trustee
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Name:
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Title:
    

 

B-1Exhibit 10.1

 

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

 

This Employment Agreement (“Agreement”) is entered into as of March 7, 2009, between Applied Energy Management Energy Consulting, LLC, a North Carolina limited liability company (the “Company”) and Adam Procell (the “Employee”).

 

WHEREAS, the Company and the Employee knowingly and voluntarily desire to enter into an employment relationship on and subject to the terms and conditions set forth below;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the covenants and other terms and conditions set forth below, the Company and the Employee hereby agree and contract as follows:

 

1)                                     Employment Duties.

 

The Company agrees to employ the Employee as a “President, Engineering and Consulting” and the Employee hereby accepts such employment on and subject to the terms set forth in this Agreement.  The Employee will report to and be subject to the authority and direction of Lime Energy Co.’s Chief Operating Officer (“Lime COO”).

 

The Employee agrees to use his best and full-time efforts to manage and maximize the safety, profitability, and sustainable growth of the Company’s Engineering and Consulting Group, and perform such other services and responsibilities for the Company as the Company may from time to time stipulate.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Employee will ordinarily devote not less than five (5) days per week to the Company’s business (except for vacations and regular business holidays observed by the Company) on a full-time basis, during normal business hours Monday through Friday.

 

The Employee will have the right to participate in other activities, organizations, and businesses during his term of employment with the Company, including but not limited to serving on boards of directors for civic, charitable or business organizations, in a paid or an unpaid capacity, but only so long as such activities do not individually or in the aggregate interfere with or conflict with the Employee’s performance of his duties as an employee of the Company.  Upon request by the Company, the Employee will promptly and from time to time deliver to the Company a truthful and complete written list of all the civic, charitable, and other business activities and organizations in which he is involved, with a written description of the scope of his involvement, and the amount of any remuneration he has received or expects to receive from such involvement.

 

2)             Period of Employment.

 

The initial period of Employee’s employment under this Agreement (the “Initial Period”) will commence on Wednesday, April 6, 2009 (the “Commencement Date”) and will expire on the day preceding the second anniversary of the Commencement Date, unless the employment is terminated earlier in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Agreement.

 

After the Initial Period, there will be no obligation on the part of either the Company or the Employee to continue the employment, but the employment may continue on an at-will basis

 

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on such terms and conditions as are mutually agreeable to the Company and the Employee, until terminated by either party (the “Continuation Period”).

 

In this Agreement, the term “Period of Employment” includes both the Initial Period and the Continuation Period.

 

All the obligations of the parties under this Agreement will survive the termination of the Period of Employment, except to the extent otherwise indicated herein.

 

3)             Compensation and Benefits.

 

a)             Salary.

 

During the Period of Employment, the Company will pay Employee a salary in periodic installments, timed in accordance with the Company’s deliveries of salary payments to other salaried employees, which will be Employee’s full compensation.  The Salary will be subject to all payroll deductions and other deductions as may be required to be made pursuant to law, governmental order, or by agreement with, or consent of, the Employee.  During the Initial Period, the salary installments will be calculated based on a gross annualized rate of Two Hundred Thousand Dollars ($200,000).  During the Continuation Period, the Company will endeavor, but will not be obligated, to review Employee’s compensation annually, and give consideration to whether any increase or decrease in the Salary amount is warranted, in the Company’s sole and absolute discretion.

 

When the Period of Employment ends, any Salary that is earned but unpaid as of the termination date will be payable at the next regularly scheduled payroll date.

 

b)             Completion Bonuses.

 

If the Employee remains continuously employed by the Company for a period of one (1) year and period of two (2) years immediately following the Commencement Date (excepting vacations and holidays), the Employee will earn a bonus in a gross amount equal to Twenty Thousand Dollars ($20,000) at the end of the first year and that same amount at the end of the second year, subject to the other terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement  (collectively the “Completion Bonuses”).  If earned, the Completion Bonuses will be payable thirty (30) days after the first and second anniversary of the Commencement Date.

 

c)              Annual Bonuses.

 

During the Period of Employment, the Employee will be eligible for awards of discretionary annual bonuses from one percent (1%) to fifty percent (50%) of base salary, in such amounts (if any) as are awarded by Lime’s COO, in his sole and absolute discretion, based on his subjective assessment of performance, market conditions, and other factors.  The Employee must be employed by the Company at the end of a fiscal year in order to be eligible to receive any discretionary annual bonus for that fiscal year.  The discretionary annual bonus amount that is awarded for a particular fiscal year (if any) will be paid during the next fiscal year, on whatever date the Company finds desirable, in its sole and absolute discretion.  For each fiscal year, the Company reserves the right to not award any discretionary bonus amount to the Employee.

 

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d)             Lime Energy Stock Options

 

The Company as a subsidiary of Lime Energy Co. (“Lime”) has the ability to grant stock options of Lime, affording Employee an opportunity to purchase shares of Lime’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, to help align the long-term economic interests of the Employee with the long-term economic interests of the Company and Lime.  The Company shall have Lime grant twenty thousand (20,000) stock options to Employee which shall vest equally on the over a three year period from the grant date.  Such stock options shall be governed by a separate agreement “Employee Stock Option Agreement” which shall be provided to Employee within a reasonable period of time after the Commencement Date.

 

e)              Reimbursement of Business Expenses.

 

The Company will reimburse Employee for reasonable, tax-deductible business expenses (other than moving expenses) that Employee actually incurs for the performance of his duties for the Company during the Period of Employment, consistent with the Company’s policies in effect from time to time with respect to reimbursement of tax-deductible business expenses, and subject to Employee’s prior submissions of complete and truthful expense reports in a form acceptable to the Company, with original invoices and proofs of payment attached.

 

f)                Holidays.

 

During the Period of Employment, the Employee will be entitled to take up to eight (8) paid holidays per Company fiscal year, as observed by the Company, for: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, the day after Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and one ‘Floating Holiday” to be scheduled at the Employee’s discretion.

 

g)             Paid Time Off.

 

During the Period of Employment, the Employee will be entitled to up to twenty (20) days of paid time off per Company fiscal year.  Paid time off will accrue at a rate of 10.00 hours per month, beginning on the Commencement Date.  Except in cases of emergency, the Employee will obtain the written approval of the Lime COO as early as possible and at least thirty (30) days before scheduling any paid time off.

 

At the end of each Company fiscal year,  up to forty (40) hours of accrued paid time off that have not been used may be carried forward to the next fiscal year.

 

When the Period of Employment ends, all accrued hours of paid time off will be payable at the next regularly scheduled payroll date (except for any paid time off that has been forfeited previously for lack of use within a particular Company fiscal year).

 

h)             Other Benefits.

 

Beginning thirty (30) days after the Commencement Date, the Employee will be entitled to participate in whatever benefit plans and programs the Company decides, in its sole and absolute discretion, to maintain from time to time for salaried employees in positions that are comparable to Employee’s position, subject to the terms of such plans and programs.  The Company reserves the right to cancel or change any and all benefit plans and programs at any time, in the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, without providing any substitute benefits or compensation to the Employee whatsoever.  The Company shall reimburse Employee for the difference in the cost of medical under COBRA, if so elected by Employee and incurred by the

 

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Employee versus the amount Employee would have paid the Company if Employee had been under the Company benefits plan for such Thirty (30) day period.

 

4)             Termination.

 

a)             Termination by the Company for Due Cause.

 

In this Agreement, “Due Cause” means any of the following:

 

	
(i)
    	
 
    	
a   material breach by the Employee of any of his covenants under this Agreement,   if such material breach is not remedied within fifteen (15) calendar days   following his receipt of written notice thereof from the Company, or, if the   breach cannot be remedied within fifteen (15) days, within such longer time   (not to exceed forty-five (45) days) as the Company, in its sole and absolute   discretion, may deem to be reasonably necessary for the Employee to remedy   the breach if the Company, in its sole and absolute discretion, determines   that the Employee has promptly commenced and is diligently and continuously   pursuing his best efforts to remedy the breach as quickly as possible;
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
(ii)
    	
 
    	
conviction,   or plea of guilty or nolo contendere, or commission by the Employee of a   felony, or of theft or embezzlement of property of the Company or any of its   Affiliates;
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
(iii)
    	
 
    	
action   or inaction by the Employee (other than action or inaction taken with the   approval of the Company) which results in a material injury to the business,   property, or reputation of the Company and/or any of its Affiliates;
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
(iv)
    	
 
    	
refusal   to perform or substantial neglect by the Employee of the duties assigned to   the Employee pursuant to Section 1 of this Agreement if such refusal or   neglect is not remedied within fifteen (15) calendar days following written   notice thereof from the Company;
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
(v)
    	
 
    	
violation   by the Employee of any statutory or common law duty of loyalty to the   Company;
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
(vi)
    	
 
    	
violation   by the Employee of the Company’s drug and alcohol policy; or
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
(vii)
    	
 
    	
commission   by the Employee of an act of moral turpitude.
    	
 
    

 

 

In this Agreement, “Affiliates” means and includes: the Company’s manager, (Applied Energy Management, Inc. or its successor); the Company’s manager’s parent company (Lime Energy Company or its successor); and all their respective subsidiary companies (whether present and future); and all their respective officers, directors, and shareholders; and each of them.

 

The Company may terminate the Period of Employment for Due Cause at any time by delivering written notice of the termination to the Employee.  All compensation to Employee will immediately cease upon the effective date of a termination by the Company for Due Cause.

 

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b)             Termination Due to Death.

 

The Period of Employment will automatically terminate in the event of death of the Employee.  All compensation to the Employee will immediately cease at the time of death.

 

c)              Termination Due to Permanent Disability.

 

In this Agreement, “Permanently Disabled” means:  physical or mental inability of the Employee to perform substantially all of the services required pursuant to this Agreement, after reasonable accommodation on the part of the Company, for a continuous period of ninety (90) days, or for a total of any ninety (90) days in any consecutive three hundred sixty-five (365) day period.

 

In the event the Employee becomes Permanently Disabled, the Company, at its option, will have the right to terminate the Period of Employment by delivering written notice of the termination to the Employee.  All compensation to the Employee will immediately cease at the time of the termination.

 

d)             Termination by the Company for Any Reason Other Than Due Cause, Death, or Permanent Disability.

 

The Company may terminate the Period of Employment at any time, for any reason other than Due Cause, death, or Permanent Disability, by delivery of written notice of the termination to the Employee.  All compensation to Employee will immediately cease upon the date of termination, provided that if the Company terminates the Period of Employment before the end of the Initial Period for any reason other than Due Cause, death, or Permanent Disability, then the Employee will earn the Completion Bonuses as of the termination date; and until six (6) months after the termination date, the Company will continue to provide the Employee with the same benefits that the Employee was receiving at the time of the termination, or pay Employee an amount that will allow the Employee to purchase substitute fringe benefits for a period of six (6) months after the termination date.

 

Further provided, however, that the Company will not be obligated to provide any continuation of benefits to the Employee unless and until the Employee has returned all Confidential Information and other Company property and has executed and delivered to the Company a written agreement in which the Employee, in a form acceptable to the Company:

 

(1)                                 releases the Company and all its Affiliates (the “Company Releasees”), from any and all actions, suits, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, and expenses that arise from or relate to the Company’s employment of the Employee, or the Company’s termination of the Employee;

 

(2)                                 waives any and all rights the Employee may otherwise have against the Company Releasees or any of them;

 

 

(3)                                 covenants not to sue the Company Releasees or any of them for any action, suit, claim, proceeding, demand, cost, expense, or right for which the Employee is giving a release and/or a waiver; and

 

(4)                                 covenants to indemnify and hold the Company Releasees and each of them harmless from any and all actions, suits, claims,

 

5

 

proceedings, demands, costs, and expenses that arise from or relate to the Company’s employment of the Employee, or the Company’s termination of the Employee.

 

e)              Termination by the Employee for Uncured Breach by the Company.

 

The Employee may terminate the Period of Employment for any uncured material breach by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement by the delivery of written notice of termination to the Company, but only in the event that the breach is not cured or remedied within fifteen (15) days after the Employee’s delivery to the Company of a written notice of the breach and his intent to terminate under this subsection.

 

In the event the Employee terminates for uncured breach by the Company before the end of the Initial Period, all compensation to the Employee will immediately cease upon the date of the termination, but the termination will be deemed to be a “Termination by the Company for Any Reason Other Than Due Cause, Death, or Permanent Disability” under subsection 4(d) above, and the Employee will earn the Completion Bonuses and be entitled to a continuation of fringe benefits for six (6) months upon the execution and delivery of a written agreement to the Company as provided in subsection 4(d) above.

 

f)                Termination by the Employee for Convenience.

 

The Employee may terminate the Period of Employment for his convenience at any time by delivering a written notice of termination to the Company.  All compensation to the Employee will immediately cease upon the date of the termination.

 

g)             Resignation Effective Upon Termination.

 

Upon any termination of the Period of Employment, regardless of the reason therefore, the Employee will be deemed to have resigned as an employee of the Company and from any and all other positions that the Employee then holds with the Company and any Affiliates.

 

h)             Return of All Company Property Upon Termination.

 

Upon the termination of the Period of Employment, regardless of the cause or reason therefore, the Employee will immediately deliver to the Company all property provided to him by the Company and/or any of its Affiliates for Employee’s use in relation to his employment, including but not limited to all Confidential Information provided to him by the Company, and will immediately deliver a detailed written accounting for any and all property of the Company that was lost, stolen, or destroyed while in the Employee’s possession, care, custody, or control.

 

5)             Inventions.

 

a)             “Inventions.”

 

In this Agreement, the term “Inventions” means and includes: all ideas, inventions, patents, copyrights, copyright designs, trade secrets, trademarks, processes, discoveries, enhancements, software, source code, catalogues, prints, business applications, plans, writings, works, and other developments or improvements and all other intellectual property and proprietary rights and any derivative work(s) based thereon that are made, conceived, or completed by the Employee, alone or with others, during the Period of Employment, whether or not during normal working hours.

 

6

 

b)             Assignment of Present Rights in Inventions.

 

The Employee hereby assigns to the Company any and all rights that he presently has in any existing Inventions, and any Inventions that are presently under development by Employee, whether solely or jointly with others, including without limitation all those Inventions relating to patent, copyright, trademark, or trade secrets.

 

c)              Reporting of New Inventions.

 

During the Period of Employment, and at the end of the Period of Employment, the Employee will promptly and periodically report in writing to the Company any and all Inventions that developed and/or under development by the Employee during the Period of Employment, whether solely or working jointly with others, whether or not during normal working hours.

 

d)             Ownership of New Inventions.

 

The Employee agrees that all Inventions:

 

(1)                                 that are developed using the Company’s equipment, supplies, facilities, or trade secret information; and/or

 

(2)                                 that relate to the Company’s business or actual or demonstrably anticipated research or development; and/or

 

(3)                                 that result from any work performed by the Employee for the Company

 

will be the sole and exclusive property of the Company.

 

e)              Assistance Regarding Inventions.

 

At the request of the Company, the Employee will do all things deemed by the Company to be necessary to perfect the Company’s title to the existing Inventions and the new Inventions that are the Company’s property, including by assisting in obtaining for the Company such title, patents, copyrights or other protection as may be provided under law and desired by the Company, and further including but not limited to executing and delivering any and all relevant applications, assignments, and other instruments.  This covenant shall survive the termination of the Period of Employment, provided that the Company, after the termination, will continue to reimburse the Employee for all reasonable expenses that the Employee incurs in performing his continuing obligations under this subsection.

 

6)             Trade Secrets and Confidential Information.

 

a)             “Trade Secrets.”

 

In this Agreement, “Trade Secrets” means and includes business or technical information in the possession of the Company and/or any of its Affiliates, including but not limited to a formula, pattern, program, device, compilation of information, method, technique, or process that:

 

(1)                                 derives independent actual or potential commercial value from not being generally known or readily ascertainable through

 

7

 

independent development or reverse engineering by persons who can obtain economic value from its disclosure or use; and

 

(2)                                 is the subject of efforts that are reasonable under the circumstances to maintain its secrecy.

 

b)             “Confidential Information.”

 

In this Agreement, “Confidential Information” means:

 

(1)                                 all Trade Secrets in the possession of the Company and/or any of its Affiliates; and

 

(2)                                 all other business or technical information in the possession of the Company and/or any of its Affiliates that is not generally known outside of the Company and its Affiliates that relates to the business of the Company and any of its Affiliates;

 

and includes, without limitation, any and all:  lists and information about customers and/or prospective customers (including names, addresses, attributes, requirements, special needs, and other data about customers and prospective customers); lists and information about subcontractors and/or prospective subcontractors (including names, addresses, attributes, requirements, special needs, and other data about subcontractors and prospective subcontractors); lists and information about vendors and/or prospective vendors (including names, addresses, attributes, requirements, special needs, and other data about vendors and prospective vendors); lists and information about competitors and potential competitors (including names, addresses, attributes, requirements, special needs, and other data about competitors and potential competitors); historical information about past bids, prices, costs, goods, products, performance, projects and contracts; lists and information about upcoming bids and proposals; lists and information about uncompleted contracts; work schedules; information about business plans and business strategies; unreleased advertising materials; market research and analyses; personnel and hiring information; salary and wage information; bonus information; employment agreements; lists and information about pending and contemplated projects, customer contracts, subcontracts, purchase orders, vendor agreements, joint ventures, and teaming agreements; agreement terms and conditions; cost-to-complete information; completion dates; claims; past litigation; pending litigation; threatened litigation; credit information; financial statements; accounting information; sales projections; licensing agreements and information; pricing information; information about the employees, equipment, properties, and capabilities of the Company and/or its Affiliates; information about research, development, and designs; data, designs, compilations of information, apparatus, computer programs, information about policies and procedures, manufacturing and sales know-how, and any other business information or technical information that has or may have value to the Company and/or any Affiliate, whether or not such information constitutes Trade Secrets.

 

c)              Protection of Trade Secrets and Other Confidential Information.

 

The Employee recognizes and acknowledges that, by virtue of, and in the course of his employment with the Company, the Company and/or Affiliates will reveal some Trade Secrets and other Confidential Information to the Employee, and the Employee will also help discover, develop, generate, and contribute to the Trade Secrets and other Confidential Information.

 

8

 

The Employee agrees that during the Period of Employment, he will use his best efforts to maintain the confidentiality of the Confidential Information, including without limitation by:

 

(1)                                 storing Confidential Information in secure locations only;

 

(2)                                 not making unnecessary copies or transmittals of Confidential Information;

 

(3)                                 utilizing “firewalls,” “anti-spyware”, and passwords for all computer systems and electronic files that contain Confidential Information;

 

(4)                                 complying with any and all Company policies and procedures for the protection of Confidential Information of which the Employee has knowledge;

 

(5)                                 promptly reporting to the Company all inadvertent and/or unauthorized disclosures and misappropriations of any of the Confidential Information, whether known, suspected, or threatened; and

 

(6)                                 promptly reporting to the Company all known and suspected deficiencies in, and opportunities for improvement of, the policies and procedures of the Company and its Affiliates for the protection of the Confidential Information.

 

d)             Return of Trade Secrets and Other Confidential Information.

 

The Employee agrees that all Trade Secrets and other Confidential Information, in whatever forms it exists or is created, whether in the Employee’s memory, or in physical or electronic or computerized form, is and will be the sole and exclusive property of the Company.

 

The Employee agrees, that upon the termination of the Period of Employment, or at any earlier time(s) that the Company may request, the Employee will immediately return to the Company any and all documents, correspondence, notes, agreements, memoranda, computer disks and tapes, electronically stored information, and other media and other things in the Employee’s possession, custody, or control that contain or reflect Confidential Information, keeping no copies or extracts of any of the Confidential Information.

 

e)              Copying, Use and Disclosure of Trade Secrets.

 

Employee agrees that during the Period of Employment, he will not copy, use, or disclose any Trade Secrets, whether directly or indirectly, except to the extent that:

 

(1)                                 the Employee has the prior express written consent of the Lime’s COO;

 

(2)                                 the copying, use or disclosure is for the benefit of the Company or one of its Affiliates;

 

(3)                                 the Employee has no reason to believe or suspect that the copying, use, or disclosure will result in or contribute to a loss of secrecy of any of the Trade Secrets; and

 

9

 

(4)                                 the copying, use, or disclose is necessary for the Employee to perform his duties as an employee of the Company.

 

Employee agrees that after the termination of the Period of Employment, he will never copy, use, or disclose any Trade Secrets of the Company and/or any of its Affiliates, except under subpoena or other compulsion of law.

 

Before making any disclosure of any Trade Secrets under a subpoena or other compulsion of law, the Employee will first inform the Company of the subpoena or other compulsion of law, and the Employee will cooperate with the Company in deciding the substance and manner of the disclosure, provided that the Company will indemnify the Employee for reasonable costs and expenses incurred with respect to the substance and manner of any disclosure that is made in cooperation with the Company.

 

f)                Copying, Use and Disclosure of Other Confidential Information.

 

Employee agrees that during the Period of Employment, he will not copy, use or disclose, whether directly or indirectly, any Confidential Information that is not Trade Secrets, except to the extent that:

 

(1)                                 the Employee has the prior express consent of the Lime’s COO;

 

(2)                                 the copying, use or disclosure is for the benefit of the Company or one of its Affiliates;

 

(3)                                 the Employee has no reason to believe or suspect that the copying, use, or disclosure will result in or contribute to a loss of confidentiality; and

 

(4)                                 the copying, use, or disclose is necessary for the Employee to perform his duties as an employee of the Company.

 

Furthermore, Employee agrees that for the first thirty-six (36) months following the termination of the Period of Employment, he will not copy, use or disclose, whether directly or indirectly, any Confidential Information that is not Trade Secrets, except under subpoena or other compulsion of law.

 

Before making any disclosure of any Confidential Information that is not Trade Secrets under a subpoena or other compulsion of law, the Employee first will inform the Company of the subpoena or other compulsion of law, and the Employee will cooperate with the Company in deciding the substance and manner of the disclosure, provided that the Company will indemnify the Employee for reasonable costs and expenses incurred with respect to the substance and manner of any disclosure that is made in cooperation with the Company.

 

7)             Non-Solicitation of Protected Customers.

 

In this Agreement, “Protected Customers” means and includes all the customers and prospective customers of the Company in the United States that the Employee has any material contact with, or acquires any information about in the course of his employment by the Company, at any time during the last twenty-four (24) months of the Period of Employment.

 

The Employee agrees that during the Period of Employment, and for the first three hundred sixty-five (365) days thereafter, the Employee will not solicit any of the Protected

 

10

 

Customers in the United States, whether directly or indirectly, for the purpose of selling any goods or services that are the same as, or that are competitive alternatives to, any goods or services that the Employee markets, sells or performs for the Company at any time during the last twenty-four (24) months of the Period of Employment.

 

The Employee agrees that during the Period of Employment, and for the first three hundred sixty-five (365) days thereafter, the Employee will not accept any employment or any business from any of the Protected Customers anywhere in the United States, even if not solicited by the Employee, that involves the performance or sale by the Employee in the United States of any goods or services that are the same as, or that are competitive alternatives to, any goods or services that the Employee markets, sells or performs for the Company at any time during the last twenty-four (24) months of the Period of Employment.

 

8)             Non-Solicitation of Protected Employees.

 

In this Agreement, “Protected Employees” means and includes all persons who were employees of the Company and/or any of its Affiliates at any time(s) within the twelve (12) month period before the termination of the Period of Employment.

 

The Employee agrees that during the Period of Employment, and for the first three hundred sixty-five (365) days thereafter, Employee will not solicit any Protected Employee for employment by any other person or company anywhere in the United States of America, whether directly or indirectly, or encourage any Protected Employee to end his employment relationship with the Company, whether directly or indirectly.

 

9)             Non-Solicitation of Protected Subcontractors.

 

In this Agreement, “Protected Subcontractors” means and includes all persons and companies who were subcontractors of the Company at any time(s) within the twenty four 24 month period beginning three hundred sixty-five (365) days before the termination of the Period of Employment and ending three hundred sixty-five (365) days after the termination of the Period of Employment.

 

The Employee agrees that during the Period of Employment, and for the first three hundred sixty-five (365) days thereafter, Employee will not solicit any Protected Subcontractor for employment by any person or company anywhere in the United States of America, whether directly or indirectly, or encourage any Protected Subcontractor to end his business relationship with the Company, whether directly or indirectly.

 

10)                              Non-Competition.

 

The Employee agrees that during the Period of Employment, and for the first three hundred sixty-five (365) days thereafter, the Employee will not compete with the Company anywhere in the United States, whether directly or indirectly, for the sale of any goods or services that are the same as, or that are competitive alternatives to, any goods or services that the Employee markets, sells or performs for the Company at any time during the last twenty four 24 months of the Period of Employment.

 

The Employee agrees that throughout the Period of Employment, and for the first three hundred sixty-five (365) days thereafter, the Employee will not provide any support or assistance

 

11

 

to any person or company in the United States, whether directly or indirectly, who is engaged in, or planning to engage in, competition with the Company in the United States for the sale of any goods or services that are the same as, or that are competitive alternatives to, any goods or services that the Company markets, sells or performs at any time during the last twenty-four (24) months of the Period of Employment, whether as an investor (excluding passive investments representing less than two percent (2%) of the common stock of a publicly traded company), lender, owner, officer, director, consultant, employee, agent, salesperson or in any other capacity, whether part-time or full-time.

 

11)                              Reasonableness of Restrictive Covenants.

 

The Employee acknowledges and agrees that by virtue of his employment by the Company, during the Period of Employment, and at the Company’s expense, the Employee will be acquiring good will and relationships with, and acquiring special knowledge about, the Company’s customers, employees, and subcontractors, that the Employee would not otherwise acquire.

 

The Employee acknowledges and agrees that the Company’s good will and relationships and special knowledge concerning its customers, employees, and subcontractors are valuable, special and unique assets of the Company that the Company has a legitimate interest in protecting.

 

The Employee acknowledges and agrees that the Company engages in business throughout the United States, and that the national geographic scope of the post-employment restrictions in this Agreement are necessary to protect the Company’s legitimate business interests and are reasonable in scope.

 

The Employee acknowledges and agrees that the Employee possesses skills and experience qualifying him for employment in other fields, and that the post-employment restrictions in this Agreement will not unduly impair his ability to earn a living after his employment with the Company ends.

 

12)                              Remedies.

 

The Employee acknowledges and agrees that a breach by the Employee of any of the restrictive covenants set forth above in Sections 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 is likely to cause the Company irreparable harm, and that the legal remedy of money damages will not be adequate to remedy the harm to the Company.

 

The Employee agrees that in the event the Employee breaches or threatens to breach any of the restrictive covenants set forth above in Sections 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, then the Company will be entitled to the immediate issuance of injunctive relief against the Employee to aid in the enforcement of this Agreement and to protect against irreparable harm, without the necessity of posting any bond, including ex-parte temporary restraining orders, and preliminary and permanent injunctions.

 

The Employee further agrees that in the event the Employee breaches or threatens to breach any of the restrictive covenants set forth above in Sections 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, the Company will be entitled to recover all reasonable costs and expenses of litigation and

 

12

 

arbitration that the Company incurs to obtain injunctive relief and/or other enforcement of the restrictive covenants.

 

The remedies of the Company that are specified in this Agreement are not the Company’s exclusive remedies, but are cumulative of any and all other legal and equitable remedies that the Company will have against the Employee in the event of a breach or threatened breach of any of the restrictive covenants set forth above in Sections 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10.

 

13)                              Governing Law.

 

This Agreement and the relationship contemplated in this Agreement will be governed by and construed under the internal laws of the State of North Carolina.

 

14)                              No Violations of Other Agreements or Laws.

 

The Employee warrants and represents to the Company that the execution, delivery, and performance of the Agreement by the Employee does not and will not conflict with, or result in a breach of, or constitute a default under, any agreement or contract, to which the Employee is a party or by which the Employee may be bound, whether oral or written.

 

The Employee warrants and represents to the Company that Employee has informed John O’Rourke  of, and provided him copies of, any and all non-competition, confidentiality, work-for-hire or similar agreements to which the Employee is subject or may be bound, whether oral or written.

 

The Employee agrees that during the Period of Employment, the Employee will not hold himself out as a professional engineer licensed in the State of North Carolina, or use his professional engineering seal in the course of his employment by the Company, or perform any act that would subject the Company to liability for violating the laws governing the practice of professional engineering in the State of North Carolina.

 

The Employee warrants and represents to the Company that the execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement by the Employee does not and will not violate any laws that apply to the Employee and/or the Company or the employment relationship contemplated in this Agreement.

 

15)                              Jurisdiction and Venue.

 

The exclusive venue for any arbitrations and civil action(s) between the Employee and the Company that arises from or relates to this Agreement or the employment relationship contemplated in this Agreement will be in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.  The Company and the Employee hereby submit and consent to the courts in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina exercising personal jurisdiction over them.  Furthermore, the Company and the Employee waive their rights to challenge in another court any judgment that is entered by any court in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, or to assert that any civil action instituted against either of them in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina is in an improper venue, or should be transferred to another forum for any reason whatsoever.

 

16)                              Waiver of Right to Jury Trial.

 

The Employee and the Company waive any rights that they or either of them otherwise has or may have to a trial by jury in any action between the Employee and the Company that

 

13

 

arises from or relates to this Agreement or the employment relationship that is contemplated in this Agreement.

 

17)                              Severability.

 

If any provision of this Agreement is found invalid or unenforceable for any reason, in whole or in part, then such provision will be deemed modified, restricted, or reformulated to the extent and in the manner necessary to render the same valid and enforceable, or will be deemed stricken from this Agreement, as the case may require, and this Agreement will be construed and enforced to the maximum extent permitted by law, as if such provision had been originally incorporated herein as so modified, restricted, or reformulated or as if such provision had not been originally incorporated herein, as the case may be.  The parties further agree to seek a lawful substitute for any provision that is found to be unlawful; provided, that, if the parties are unable to agree upon a lawful substitute, the parties desire and request that a court or other authority called upon to decide the enforceability of this Agreement modify those restrictions in this Agreement that, once modified, will result in an agreement that is enforceable to the maximum extent permitted by the law in existence at the time of the requested enforcement.

 

18)                              No Inadvertent Waivers or Informal Modifications.

 

The failure of the Company or the Employee to assert any of its rights under this Agreement, and/or the delay or partial enforcement of any rights under this Agreement, will not operate or be construed as a waiver of any breach of this Agreement, except as such waiver may be expressly set forth in a writing signed by the Company or the Employee.

 

The waiver by the Company or the Employee of any breach of any provision of this Agreement will not be construed as a waiver of any subsequent breach(es).

 

This Agreement will not be amended, modified, supplemented, or replaced except in a writing signed by the Company and the Employee that expressly refers to this Agreement.

 

19)                              Notices.

 

All notices, demands and other communications which may be or are required to be given hereunder or with respect hereto will be given in writing, and delivered by commercial overnight delivery service, signature required for delivery, and will be deemed to have been given or made when delivery is made or refused, addressed as follows:

 

If to the Company to:

 

Applied Energy Management Energy Consulting, LLC

c/o Applied Energy Management, Inc.

16810 Kenton Drive, Suite 240

Huntersville, NC  28078

Attention:  CFO

Phone:  (704) 892-4442

 

or to such other address as the Company may from time to time designate to the Employee in accordance with this section.

 

If to the Employee to:

 

Adam Procell

 

14

 

 

 

Phone:

 

or to such other address as the Employee may from time to time designate to the Company in accordance with this section.

 

No notice, request, demand, instruction, or other document to be given hereunder to any party will be effective for any purpose unless delivered by commercial overnight delivery service, adult signature required for delivery.  Notices sent via commercial overnight delivery service will be deemed to have been delivered as evidenced by the service’s standard means of confirming the delivery and the signature of the recipient.  The address for the purposes of this Section may be changed by giving written notice of such change in the manner herein provided for giving notice.

 

20)                              Headings.

 

The paragraph headings and captions used herein are intended solely for convenience of reference and will not control or effect the interpretation, meaning or construction of any provision of this Agreement.

 

21)                              Arbitration.

 

At the Company’s election, any controversy(s), claim(s) or dispute(s) between the Employee and the Company (and/or the Company Releasees) shall be resolved by binding arbitration conducted in accordance with the National Rules for the Resolution of Employment Disputes of the American Arbitration Association, whether or not the controversy(s), claim(s), or dispute(s) arise from or relate to this Agreement or the relationship that is contemplated in this Agreement.  Judgment upon the arbitration award(s) may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof.  To the maximum extent allowed by law, the arbitrator(s) will be authorized to issue subpoenas, compel discovery, grant equitable relief, and award costs and expenses of the arbitration (including reasonable attorney’s fees) for bad faith, stubborn litigiousness, or unnecessary trouble and expense.  This agreement to arbitrate will survive the termination of the Period of Employment.

 

22)                              Third Party Beneficiaries.

 

This Agreement is intended solely for the benefit of the Employee, the Company, and the Company Releasees.  This Agreement does not and will not be misconstrued to give any other person any cause of action or other rights.

 

23)                              Assignments.

 

This Agreement creates personal rights and obligations on the part of the Employee, and the rights and obligations of the Employee under this Agreement will not be assignable without the express prior written consent of the Company, and the Company will have the authority to withhold its consent to any proposed assignment, in its sole and absolute discretion.  The Company will have the right to assign its rights and obligations under this Agreement, in whole or in part, without obtaining any consent from the Employee.

 

15

 

24)                              Complete and Final Agreement.

 

This Agreement nullifies and supersedes any and all earlier agreements and communications between the Employee and the Company, whether oral or written.  This Agreement sets forth the complete and final agreement between the Employee and the Company with respect to the employment relationship contemplated in this Agreement.  Neither party is entering into this Agreement in reliance upon any representation, promise or inducement by the other party that is not set forth in writing in this Agreement.

 

25)                              Employee’s Consultation with Independent Legal Counsel.

 

The Employee acknowledges and warrants that he has read and fully understands the terms and conditions set forth herein, that he has had time to reflect on and consider the benefits and consequences of entering into this Agreement, that he has had a fair opportunity to review and discuss this Agreement with an attorney before signing it, and that he is entering into this Agreement freely and voluntarily.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be executed as of the date first above written.

 

For the Company:

 

	
 
    	
APPLIED   ENERGY MANAGEMENT ENERGY CONSULTING, LLC, by:
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
APPLIED   ENERGY MANAGEMENT, INC., by:
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
/s/   John O’Rourke
    
	
 
    	
John   O’Rourke, Its President.
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
/s/   Eric Dupont
    
	
 
    	
Attestation   by Secretary.
    

 

 

For the Employee:

 

 

	
 
    	
/s/   Adam Procell
    
	
 
    	
Adam   Procell
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
/s/   Eric Dupont
    
	
 
    	
Witness.
    

 

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