SECTION 7.8. No Solicitation. (a) At all times during the Pre-Closing Period, the Company shall not, shall cause the Company Subsidiaries not to, and shall not authorize or knowingly permit its or the Company Subsidiaries’ respective Representatives to, directly or indirectly (other than with respect to Parent or Merger Sub): (i) solicit, initiate, propose or take any action to knowingly encourage any inquiries or the submission of any proposal or offer that constitutes, or could reasonably be expected to lead to, an Acquisition Proposal or otherwise knowingly facilitate any effort or attempt to make an Acquisition Proposal; (ii) except as otherwise expressly permitted by this Section 7.8(a), enter into, continue or otherwise participate in any discussions or negotiations regarding, furnish to any Third Party any information or data relating to, afford access to the business, personnel, properties, assets, books or records of the Company and the Company Subsidiaries in connection with, or otherwise cooperate with any Person with respect to, any Acquisition Proposal or any inquiry, proposal or offer that could reasonably be expected to lead to an Acquisition Proposal; (iii) grant any waiver, amendment or release of or under, or fail to enforce, any confidentiality, standstill or similar agreement (or any confidentiality, standstill or similar provision of any other Contract); (iv) enter into any letter of intent, Contract, commitment or agreement in principle with respect to an Acquisition Proposal or enter into any Contract or commitment requiring the Company to abandon, terminate or fail to consummate the Transactions or that would otherwise materially impede the ability of Parent and Merger Sub to consummate the Offer Closing and the Merger; (v) take any action or exempt any Third Party from the restriction on “business combinations” or any similar provision contained in applicable Takeover Provisions or the Company Charter Documents or grant a waiver under Section 203 of the DGCL; or (vi) resolve, propose or agree to do any of the foregoing. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, if in response to an unsolicited bona fide written Acquisition Proposal made by a Third Party after the date hereof in circumstances not involving a breach in any material respect of this Section 7.8, the Company Board determines in good faith (after consultation with outside legal counsel and a financial advisor of nationally recognized reputation) that such Acquisition Proposal constitutes, or could reasonably be expected to lead to, a Superior Proposal and, after consultation with outside legal counsel, that the failure to take such action would be inconsistent with the fiduciary duties of the Company Board under applicable Law, then the Company may, at any time prior to the Offer Closing (but in no event after such time), enter into a customary confidentiality agreement (x) containing confidentiality and other terms that are no less favorable to the Company in the aggregate than those contained in the Confidentiality Agreement and (y) that does not prevent the Company from providing any   70


information to Parent in accordance with this Agreement or otherwise comply with its obligation under this Agreement (an “Acceptable Confidentiality Agreement”) with such Third Party making such an Acquisition Proposal and thereafter (1) furnish information and data with respect to the Company and the Company Subsidiaries and afford access to the business, personnel, properties, assets, books or records of the Company and the Company Subsidiaries, in each case, pursuant to such Acceptable Confidentiality Agreement, and (2) enter into, maintain and participate in discussions or negotiations with, the Third Party making such Acquisition Proposal and its Representatives; provided, that the Company will concurrently provide to Parent any information and data concerning the Company or any Company Subsidiary or access provided to such Third Party that was not previously made available to Parent. The Company shall ensure that its Representatives are aware of the provisions of this Section 7.8(a). Without limiting the foregoing, it is agreed that any violation of the foregoing restrictions by any Company Subsidiary or any Representative of the Company or any Company Subsidiary shall be deemed to be a breach of this Section 7.8 by the Company. The Company shall provide Parent with an accurate and complete copy of any Acceptable Confidentiality Agreement as entered into as contemplated by this Section 7.8(a) promptly (and in any event within 24 hours) of the execution thereof and the Company shall not terminate, waive, amend, release or modify any material provision of any Acceptable Confidentiality Agreement.  (Pages 74-75)

Question: No-Shop
Category: Deal Protection and Related Provisions
Answer: Strict liability