Document:

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                                                                 EXHIBIT (10)(a)
[SUTHERLAND ASBILL & BRENNAN LLP LETTERHEAD]

                   CONSENT OF SUTHERLAND ASBILL & BRENNAN LLP

We hereby consent to the reference to our name under the caption "Legal Matters"
in the Prospectus incorporated by reference in Post-Effective Amendment No. 3 to
Form N-4 (File No. 333-90243) for Merrill Lynch Life Variable Annuity Separate
Account A of Merrill Lynch Life Insurance Company. In giving this consent, we do
not admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under
Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933.

                                                 SUTHERLAND ASBILL & BRENNAN LLP

                                                 By:  /s/ Kimberly J. Smith
                                                    ---------------------------
                                                     Kimberly J. Smith, Esq.

Washington, D.C.
September 24, 2001<PAGE>   1

                                                                 EXHIBIT (10)(b)
[DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP LETTERHEAD]

                         INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' CONSENT

We consent to the use in this Post-Effective Amendment No. 3 to Registration
Statement No. 333-90243 of Merrill Lynch Life Variable Annuity Separate Account
A on Form N-4 of our reports on (i) Merrill Lynch Life Insurance Company dated
February 27, 2001, and (ii) Merrill Lynch Life Variable Annuity Separate Account
A dated February 16, 2001, appearing in the Statement of Additional Information,
which is incorporated by reference in this Post-Effective Amendment No. 3, and
to the reference to us under the heading "Experts" in the prospectus, which is
incorporated by reference in this Post-Effective Amendment No. 3.

/s/  DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP

New York, New York
September 21, 2001<PAGE>   1

                                                                 EXHIBIT (10)(c)
[MERRILL LYNCH LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY LETTERHEAD]

                       CONSENT OF BARRY G. SKOLNICK, ESQ.

I hereby consent to the reference to my name under the caption "Legal Matters"
in the prospectus incorporated by reference in Post-Effective Amendment No. 3 to
the Registration Statement on Form N-4 for certain variable annuity insurance
contracts issued through Merrill Lynch Life Variable Annuity Separate Account A
of Merrill Lynch Life Insurance Company, File No. 333-90243.

                                         By:    /s/ Barry G. Skolnick
                                               --------------------------------
                                                Barry G. Skolnick, Esq.
                                                Senior Vice President and
                                                General Counsel

September 24, 2001<PAGE>   1

                                                                    EXHIBIT 10.Z

                   EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION FOR FISCAL YEAR 2002

The compensation for fiscal 2002 for the CEO and the Executives of SBS will be
based upon performance against business objectives.

CEO OBJECTIVES

1.       SBS Performance covering:

         1.1   Financial performance:    Revenue        $165M
                                         EPS            $0.62
                                         Cost Management:
                                                        Inventory 4 turns
                                                        S.G.&A. 17 to 19%
                                                        R&D    10%
         1.2      Shareholder value and relationships
         1.3      Implementation of Business Operating Plan

2.       Set strategic direction of SBS covering:

         2.1      One SBS Company
         2.2      Business and Technology vision
         2.3      Develop and implement Strategic Plans
         2.4      Organization Development covering:
                  2.3.1.   Management Succession Planning
                  2.3.2.   Management Development
                  2.3.3.   Identify and develop key resources
                  2.3.4.   Appoint a Senior Human Resource Executive
                  2.3.5.   Develop Organization Development Plan to grow
                             business to $1B
         2.5      Develop and implement Acquisition and Integration Plan

EXECUTIVE'S OBJECTIVES

Each Executive will be measured against 7 key objectives. For example, the
summary of the Line of Business President objectives, together with the
weighting for each one is as follows:

Revenue growth                      12.5%
Cost management                     12.5%
Earnings growth                     12.5%
Customer loyalty                    12.5%
Product Leadership                  12.5%
Management Succession Planning      12.5%
And Human Resource Development
SBS performance                     25%

<PAGE>   2

The objectives are defined in more detail for each Executive. They have four
parts: qualitative, quantitative, time and cost.

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

The compensation for an Executive will be in two parts: base salary increase and
stock options. An annual bonus will no longer be a part of the compensation.

Salary increase range:      0 to 8%. The Management Development and Compensation
                            Committee will establish the salary increase
                            percentage for an Executive meeting objectives at
                            the end of fiscal 2002.

Stock options:              20,000 if objectives met, vesting one third per year
                            for three years.

The total estimated Executive Compensation at the end of fiscal year 2002,
including the Senior Vice President Human Resources is $2.4M. This includes
salary increase for fiscal year end 2001. Total Executive salary increase at the
end of fiscal 2002 is between $0 and $192,000.

The total stock options granted will be between 0 and 320,000.

STOCK OPTION POOL

As of June 30, 2001, stock options available for grant were approximately 2.1
million. The total estimated stock option grants to all employees, including
Executive's is 500,000 through fiscal 2002.<PAGE>   1
                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.bf

                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

SBS Technologies, Inc. ("Company") and Grahame Rance ("Employee") agree,
effective March 9, 2001:

1.   EMPLOYMENT. Company employs Employee for the period beginning on the date
     of this Employment Agreement as set forth below, and ending six years from
     its date or upon discharge or resignation of Employee in accordance with
     the terms of this Agreement (the "Employment Period"). During the
     Employment Period, Employee will serve in the position of President and
     Chief Executive Officer of Company or other management position as
     determined by the Company. Employee will devote sufficient time and
     energies to the business of Company to accomplish the duties assigned, will
     perform to the best of Employee's ability all duties assigned to Employee
     by Company and will devote Employee's best efforts to advance the interests
     of Company. Employee will have the power and authority determined by
     Company.

2.   COMPENSATION. For all services performed by Employee for Company during the
     Employment Period, Company will pay Employee the salary and benefits set
     forth on Appendix "A". Employee will be entitled to participate in employee
     benefit programs established by Company and applicable to all full-time
     employees. Employee will be entitled to vacation, national holidays and
     paid sick leave in accordance with Company policy and Appendix A. During
     vacation, national holidays, and paid sick leave, Employee will receive
     Employee's usual compensation.

3.   REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES. Company recognizes that Employee, in performing
     Employee's duties hereunder, may be required to spend sums of money in
     connection with those duties for the benefit of Company. Employee may
     present to Company an itemized voucher listing expenses paid by Employee in
     the performance of Employee's duties on behalf of Company, and on
     presentation of the itemized voucher, Company will reimburse Employee for
     all reasonable expenses itemized, including but not limited to, travel,
     meals, lodging, entertainment, and promotion with respect to all activities
     approved in advance by Company. Employee may receive advances from Company
     for anticipated expenses. Employee agrees that the amount by which an
     advance exceeds actual expenses ("Amount") will be promptly refunded to
     Company upon determination by Company that it is due, that the Amount may
     be deducted from any payments of any nature (including without limitation
     salary) owed by Company to employee, and that the Amount will constitute a
     debt from Employee to Company, enforceable by Company in all respects as if

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
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     Employee had executed a promissory note or other instrument acknowledging
     the debt, bearing interest at a rate of 10% per year from the date
     repayment is due, and payable in full on demand without set-off or
     deduction.

4.   SICK LEAVE AND DISABILITY. Employee will be entitled to sick leave for the
     number of days determined by Company ("Sick Leave"). Employee will be
     considered to be disabled during any period in excess of Sick Leave during
     which Employee is unable to work because of illness or incapacity
     ("Disability Period").Employee will be entitled to receive Employee's full
     salary during Sick Leave and will be deemed to be on leave, without pay,
     during the Disability Period. If Employee is unable to work for a period in
     excess of 90 days, Employee, at the discretion of the Board of Directors of
     company, will be considered to have resigned. In no event will Employee be
     entitled to payment or other compensation for unused Sick Leave or
     Disability Period, unless required by law or otherwise provided in a policy
     or employment manual adopted by Company.

5.   RESIGNATION AND DISCHARGE. Employee may resign or be discharged pursuant to
     the terms of this paragraph. If Employee (i) resigns, Employee must give 30
     days' notice to Company; (ii) is discharged for cause (as later defined),
     Company may discharge Employee immediately, without notice; or (iii) is
     discharged not for cause, Company must give 30 days' notice to Employee. If
     Employee is discharged not for cause, Employee will be paid severance pay
     equal to six months' base pay in effect at the time of termination and
     payable either in one lump sum or in monthly installments, at the option of
     Employee.

     For purposes of this paragraph, "for cause" means that during the
     Employment Period, Employee, unless otherwise provided by Company policy or
     Company employment manual, (a) is reasonably believed by Company (i) to
     have failed to comply with any law, regulation or policy, including without
     limitation securities or employment or non-discrimination or similar laws,
     regulations or policies, and that failure causes a significant financial,
     regulatory, operational or public perception detriment to Company, (ii) to
     abuse, as determined by the Company, alcohol or to use drugs, (other than
     as prescribed by Employee's physician), or (b) refuses to submit to testing
     for alcohol or drugs, or (c) is reasonably believed by Company to have
     committed or is charged with any felony or misdemeanor involving moral
     turpitude, or (d) through willful neglect, gross negligence, or malfeasance
     causes a significant financial, regulatory, operational or public
     perception detriment to Company. A determination by the Board of Directors
     that Employee has

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
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     failed to perform Employee's responsibilities to the satisfaction of the
     Board of Directors, without one or more of the other elements set out in
     this paragraph, is not "for cause".

6.   COMPETITION AND CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION RESTRICTIONS.

     A.   COMPETITION RESTRICTIONS. Employee may not during the Employment
          Period, and for a period of two years following the termination of the
          Employment Period, anywhere in the United States, directly or
          indirectly, own, manage, operate, invest in, control, be employed by,
          participate in, be a financial sponsor of, or be connected in any
          manner with the ownership, management, operation or control of any
          business that competes with a business conducted by Company at any
          time during the Employment Period or which Employee knows, during the
          Employment Period, that Company intends to conduct. Employee
          acknowledges that this restriction is necessary for Company's welfare
          and protection in light of the responsibilities assigned to Employee
          and Employee's status in Company, that Employee is fully and
          adequately compensated for this restriction.

     B.   CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION. Employee acknowledges and recognizes that
          Employee is, or will be, employed by Company in a confidential
          relationship and may receive and have access to the confidential
          business information, customer names, contracts and other customer
          data, business methods, techniques and trade secrets of Company
          ("Confidential Information"). Employee may develop ideas, conceptions,
          inventions, processes, methods, products and improvements; and
          Employee may receive disclosures of ideas, conceptions, inventions,
          processes, methods, products and improvements made by other employees
          of Company ("Company Inventions"). Employee may participate with
          Company in improving and developing Confidential Information and
          Company Inventions. Confidential Information and Company Inventions
          developed on behalf of Company are neither commonly known nor readily
          accessible to others and are used by Company in its business to obtain
          a competitive advantage over Company's competitors who do not know or
          use the Confidential Information or Company Inventions. Protection of
          the Confidential Information and Company Inventions against
          unauthorized disclosure and use is of critical importance to Company
          in maintaining its competitive position. Employee agrees that Employee
          will not, at any time, during or after the Employment Period, make any
          independent use of, or disclose to any other

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
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          person or organization, except as authorized by Company in writing,
          any Confidential Information or Company Inventions. Upon termination
          of the Employment Period for any reason, Employee shall promptly
          deliver to Company all drawings, manuals, letters, notes, notebooks,
          reports, customer lists, customer data, mailing lists, and all other
          materials and records of any kinds, and all copies thereof, that may
          be in the possession of, or under the control of, Employee pertaining
          to Company's business including any that contain any Confidential
          Information or Company Invention.

     C.   BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS. Employee acknowledges Company's efforts to
          establish valuable business relationships with its clients, customers
          and suppliers. Employee recognizes that Company has invested resources
          in the training and the professional development of Employee, and
          Employee further recognizes Employee's responsibility to the Company
          when Company entrusts Employee with Confidential Information. In view
          of Company's efforts, Employee agrees that unless Company authorizes
          Employee to do so in writing, Employee will not, for a period of one
          year after termination of employment with Company, solicit the
          purchase of products or services directly competing with products and
          services of Company from any person, corporation, business
          organization or enterprise which: (i) has made any purchase of
          products or services from Company within the two years immediately
          preceding termination of former Employee's employment ("Customer"); or
          (ii) has been contacted by Employee during the last 12 months of
          Employee's employment for the purpose of securing the purchase of
          products or services from Company ("Prospective Customer").

     D.   NON-SOLICITATION OF EMPLOYEES. Employee is aware that Company has a
          significant investment in its employees. For a period of twelve months
          after termination for any reason of Employee's employment, neither
          Employee nor any person or entity by whom Employee may be employed or
          of which Employee may be an officer, director, partner, trustee or
          control person, will directly or indirectly employ or solicit to
          employ, or otherwise retain or solicit to retain, any person employed
          by Company as of the date of Employee's termination of employment or
          during the twelve month period thereafter, unless that person has been
          terminated by Company without cause (as determined in good faith by
          Company) before the time of the solicitation, employment or retention.

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
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     E.   REMEDIES. Employee and Company recognize that irreparable injury may
          result to Company in the event of breach or threatened breach of this
          paragraph of this Agreement by Employee. If Employee commits a breach
          or threatens to commit a breach of any of the provisions of this
          paragraph, Company shall have the right and remedy, in addition to any
          others that may be available, at law or in equity, to have the
          provisions of this paragraph specifically enforced by any court having
          equity jurisdiction, together with an accounting therefor, Employee
          having specifically acknowledged that any such breach or threatened
          breach will cause irreparable injury to Company and that money damages
          will not provide an adequate remedy to Company.

7.   INVALIDITY. If any provision of this Employment Agreement is later
     construed to be unenforceable or invalid, the remaining provisions shall
     not be affected but shall continue in full effect. If any term of this
     Employment Agreement is found to be unenforceable or invalid by any court
     having jurisdiction, that court shall have the power to reduce or revise
     the term and the paragraph(s) shall then be fully enforceable.

8.   ASSIGNMENT. Employee acknowledges that Employee's services are unique and
     personal. Accordingly, Employee may not assign Employee's rights or
     delegate Employee's duties or obligations under this Agreement. The
     Employer's rights and obligations shall inure to the benefit of and shall
     be binding upon Employer's successor and assigns.

9.   PERSONNEL POLICIES. Company's written personnel policies apply to all of
     Company's employees, including Employee, and describe additional terms and
     conditions of employment of Employee. Those terms and conditions, as
     Company may be revise them from time to time, are incorporated by reference
     into this Employment Agreement. Company reserves the right to revise the
     personnel policies from time to time, as Company deems necessary. If any
     personnel policy provision conflicts with a provision of this Employment
     Agreement, the terms of this Employment Agreement shall govern.

10.  ALCOHOL AND DRUG TESTING. Employee agrees to comply with and submit to any
     Company program or policy for testing for alcohol abuse or use of drugs
     and, in the absence of such a program or policy, to submit to such testing
     as may be required by Company and administered in accordance with
     applicable law and regulations.

11.  BINDING EFFECT. This Employment Agreement constitutes the entire
     understanding of the parties, may be modified only in writing, is governed

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
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     by laws of California, and will bind and inure to the benefit of Employee
     and Employee's personal representative and Company and Company's successors
     and assigns.

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
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DATED: May 21, 2001.

                                       COMPANY:

                                       SBS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

                                       BY: /s/ CHRISTOPHER J. AMENSON
                                          --------------------------------------
                                       ITS: Chairman of the Board
                                           -------------------------------------

                                       EMPLOYEE:

                                       /s/ GRAHAME E. RANCE
                                       -----------------------------------------
                                       GRAHAME E. RANCE

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
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<PAGE>   8

                                   APPENDIX A
                                       TO
                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

                                  GRAHAME RANCE
                                    EMPLOYEE

POSITION: President and Chief Executive Officer of Company, reporting directly
to the Board of Directors. In addition, Employee will be appointed to the Board
of Directors to serve until the next annual meeting of shareholders.

COMPENSATION: $500,000 base salary, plus participation in SBS Management
Incentive Plan as described below.

BENEFITS:

Standard Employee
Benefits:                              Medical insurance
                                       Dental insurance
                                       Life Insurance
                                       Long and short-term disability insurance
                                       Ten holidays per year
                                       Sick leave

Optional Benefits:                     401(k) Plan
                                       Flexible Spending Account Program
                                       Supplemental Life Insurance

All Standard and Optional Benefits will be as provided by Company to employees
generally, and are subject to modification from time to time by Company.

Additional Benefits:                   Four weeks paid vacation per year
                                       Immediate, full vesting under any
                                          employee plans in effect at signing
                                          that require vesting
                                       Privileges of a corporate golf membership
                                          at a club in the Carlsbad area

SIGNING BENEFITS:

Company will provide the following signing benefits to Employee, to attract and
retain Employee and to further align Employee's interests with those of Company:

Stock Option Grant: Nonqualified stock options for 300,000 shares of common
stock, with exercise, termination and other terms as provided in an Option
Agreement ("Option

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
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Agreement") and the 1993 Director and Stock Option Plan under which it is
issued, including the following:

     The Options will vest in five installments of 60,000 each, vesting as
     follows:

<Table>
<S>                            <C>
             60,000            March 9, 2002
             60,000            March 9, 2003
             60,000            March 9, 2004
             60,000            March 9, 2005
             60,000            March 9, 2006
</Table>

The Options will terminate ten years from the date of grant, and the exercise
price for the options will be the Nasdaq closing price on March 8, 2001.

Costs due previous employer: A pretax cash bonus of $200,000 to assist Employee
in repayment of costs due to Employee's immediate past employer.

Additional compensation: Pretax compensation of $2.4 million, payable in at
least 30,000, but not more than 50,000, restricted SBS shares (under the 2000
Long-Term Equity Incentive Plan), a loan, and other elements, all to be
structured by agreement of Company and Employee in consultation with Company's
compensation consultant. Removal of restrictions on restricted shares, and
forgiveness of the loan, will occur in six equal annual installments, beginning
on March 9, 2002. If Employee is discharged not for cause (as defined in this
Agreement), restrictions on restricted stock awarded to Employee pursuant to
this Employment Agreement which are to be removed on the next anniversary date
will be automatically removed, and the next installment of the loan will
forgiven. Any remaining restricted stock will be returned to Company, and any
remaining loan balance will be repaid to Company, and Company will have no
further liability to Employee with respect to them. The award of the restricted
shares will be in accordance with and subject to the terms and conditions of the
2000 Long-Term Equity Incentive Plan. If during any time before March 9, 2007,
Company is acquired by or merged into another entity so that the other entity
becomes the parent of Company or is the surviving entity, the restrictions not
previously removed on any restricted stock will be removed, and the outstanding
unpaid balance on the note will be forgiven, effective immediately before the
effective time of the acquisition or merger.

Moving Expenses: Company will pay moving expenses in accordance with its current
moving policy for Employee's move from Employee's current residence in
Cupertino, California, to Carlsbad, California. Company will give Employee a
short-term loan in the amount of the equity in Employee's Cupertino house,
secured by a second mortgage on the Cupertino house and repayable upon sale of
that house. Beginning upon Employee's purchase of a house in Carlsbad and
continuing until Employee sells Employee's Cupertino house, Company will
reimburse Employee for the cost of maintaining Employee's Cupertino house,
including, for instance, the monthly mortgage payment, normal maintenance,
utilities, taxes, and insurance.

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
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<PAGE>   10

Employee will participate in the SBS MIP programs for Fiscal Years during
Employee's employment, upon such terms and conditions as determined by SBS Board
of Directors, in its sole discretion, and if MIP programs are authorized by SBS
Board of Directors.

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
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