EX-3.1 2 a15-5738_1ex3d1.htm EX-3.1

Exhibit 3.1

 

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED

 

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

 

OF

 

LADDER CAPITAL CORP

 

The present name of the corporation is Ladder Capital Corp (the “Corporation”). The Corporation was incorporated under the name “Ladder Capital Corp” by the filing of its original certificate of incorporation (the “Original Certificate of Incorporation”) with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on May 21, 2013. The Original Certificate of Incorporation was amended and restated on February 6, 2014 (the “First Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation”).  This Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation (the “Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation”) amends, restates and integrates the provisions of the First Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, and was duly adopted in accordance with the provisions of Sections 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”) and by the written consent of the stockholders in accordance with Section 228 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

 

The First Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation is hereby amended and restated to read in its entirety as follows:

 

 ARTICLE I.

 

Section 1.1                                    Name.  The name of the Corporation is Ladder Capital Corp.

 

 ARTICLE II.

 

Section 2.1                                    Address.  The registered office of the Corporation in the State of Delaware is 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801; and the name of the registered agent of the Corporation in the State of Delaware at such address is The Corporation Trust Company.

 

 ARTICLE III.

 

Section 3.1                                    Purpose.  The purposes for which the Corporation is formed are to engage in any lawful act or activity, including, without limitation or obligation, engaging in business as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) under Sections 856 through 860 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or any successor statute (the “Code”) for which corporations may be organized under the DGCL.

 

 ARTICLE IV.

 

Section 4.1                                    Capitalization.  The total number of shares of all classes of stock which the Corporation is authorized to issue is 800,000,000 shares, consisting of (i) 100,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share (“Preferred Stock”), (ii) 600,000,000 shares of Class A Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share (“Class A Common Stock”), and (iii) 100,000,000 shares of Class B Common Stock, no par value per share (“Class B Common Stock” and, together with the Class A Common Stock, the “Common Stock”).  The number of

 



 

authorized shares of any of the Class A Common Stock, Class B Common Stock or Preferred Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority in total voting power of the stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the DGCL (or any successor provision thereto), and no vote of the holders of any of the Class A Common Stock, Class B Common Stock or Preferred Stock voting separately as a class shall be required therefor.

 

Section 4.2                                    Preferred Stock.

 

(A)                               The Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board”) is hereby expressly authorized, by resolution or resolutions, at any time and from time to time, to provide, out of the unissued shares of Preferred Stock, for one or more series of Preferred Stock and, with respect to each such series, to fix, without further stockholder approval, the number of shares constituting such series and the designation of such series, the voting powers (if any) of the shares of such series, and the powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, if any, and any qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, of the shares of such series and to cause to be filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware a certificate of designation with respect thereto. The powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights of each series of Preferred Stock, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, if any, may differ from those of any and all other series at any time outstanding.

 

(B)                               Except as otherwise required by law, holders of a series of Preferred Stock, as such, shall be entitled only to such voting rights, if any, as shall expressly be granted thereto by this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designations relating to such series).

 

Section 4.3                                    Common Stock.

 

(A)                               Voting Rights.

 

(1)                                 Each holder of Class A Common Stock, as such, shall be entitled to one vote for each share of Class A Common Stock held of record by such holder on all matters on which stockholders generally are entitled to vote; provided, however, that to the fullest extent permitted by law, holders of Class A Common Stock, as such, shall have no voting power with respect to, and shall not be entitled to vote on, any amendment to this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designations relating to any series of Preferred Stock) that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designations relating to any series of Preferred Stock) or pursuant to the DGCL.

 

(2)                                 Each holder of Class B Common Stock, as such, shall be entitled to one vote for each share of Class B Common Stock held of record by such holder on all matters on which stockholders generally are entitled to vote; provided, further, that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, holders of Class B Common Stock, as such, shall have no voting power with respect to, and shall not be entitled to vote on, any amendment to this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designations relating to any

 

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series of Preferred Stock) that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designations relating to any series of Preferred Stock) or pursuant to the DGCL.

 

(3)                                 Except as otherwise required in this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or by applicable law, the holders of Common Stock shall vote together as a single class on all matters (or, if any holders of Preferred Stock are entitled to vote together with the holders of Common Stock, as a single class with such holders of Preferred Stock).

 

(4)                                 No holder of Common Stock shall be entitled to cumulate votes on behalf of any candidate for a directorship. No holder of Common Stock will have any preemptive right to subscribe for any shares of capital stock issued in the future.

 

(B)                               Dividends and Distributions.  Subject to applicable law and the rights, if any, of the holders of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock or any class or series of stock having a preference over or the right to participate with the Class A Common Stock with respect to the payment of dividends and other distributions in cash, stock of any corporation or property of the Corporation, such dividends and other distributions may be declared and paid ratably on the Class A Common Stock out of the assets of the Corporation that are by law available therefor at such times and in such amounts as the Board in its discretion shall determine. Dividends and other distributions shall not be declared or paid on the Class B Common Stock.

 

(C)                               Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up.  In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, after payment or provision for payment of the debts and other liabilities of the Corporation and of the preferential and other amounts, if any, to which the holders of Preferred Stock shall be entitled, the holders of all outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock shall be entitled to receive the remaining assets of the Corporation available for distribution ratably in proportion to the number of shares held by each such stockholder. The holders of shares of Class B Common Stock, as such, shall not be entitled to receive any assets of the Corporation in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation.

 

 ARTICLE V.

 

Section 5.1                                    By-Laws.  In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by the DGCL, the Board is expressly authorized to make, amend, alter, change, add to or repeal the by-laws of the Corporation (as in effect from time to time, the “By-Laws”) without the assent or vote of the stockholders in any manner not inconsistent with the law of the State of Delaware or this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 75% of the total voting power of all the then outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, shall be required for the stockholders to make, amend, alter, change, add to or repeal any provision of the By-Laws.

 

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ARTICLE VI.

 

Section 6.1                                    Board of Directors.

 

(A)                               The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board, with the exact number of directors to be determined from time to time by resolution adopted by affirmative vote of a majority of the Board.

 

(B)                               The directors, other than those who may be elected by the holders of any series of Preferred Stock under special circumstances, shall be divided into three classes, hereby designated Class I, Class II and Class III.

 

(C)                               The directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes of the shares present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting of the stockholders and entitled to vote in the election of the directors; provided that, whenever the holders of any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation are entitled to elect one or more directors pursuant to the provisions of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including, but not limited to, any duly authorized certificate of designation), such directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes of such class or series present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting of the stockholders and entitled to vote in the election of such directors. The term of office of the initial Class I directors shall expire at the first annual meeting of stockholders after the time the First Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation became effective, the term of office of the initial Class II directors shall expire at the second succeeding annual meeting of stockholders after the time the First Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation became effective and the term of office of the initial Class III directors shall expire at the third succeeding annual meeting of the stockholders after the time the First Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation became effective. For the purposes hereof, the Board may assign directors already in office to the initial Class I, Class II and Class III at the time the First Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation became effective. At each annual meeting of stockholders after the time the First Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation became effective, directors elected to replace those of a Class whose terms expire at such annual meeting shall be elected to hold office until the third succeeding annual meeting after their election and until their respective successors shall have been duly elected and qualified. Each director shall hold office until the annual meeting of stockholders for the year in which such director’s term expires and a successor is duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal. Nothing in this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation shall preclude a director from serving consecutive terms. Elections of directors need not be by written ballot unless the Bylaws of the Corporation shall so provide.

 

(D)                               Whenever the holders of any one or more series of Preferred Stock issued by the Corporation shall have the right, voting separately as a series or separately as a class with one or more such other series, to elect directors at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, the election, term of office, removal and other features of such directorships shall be governed by the terms of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designations relating to any series of Preferred Stock) applicable thereto. Notwithstanding Section 6.1(A), the number of directors that may be elected by the holders of any such series of Preferred Stock shall be in addition to the number fixed pursuant to Section 6.1(A) hereof.

 

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(E)                                Directors of the Corporation need not be elected by written ballot unless the By-Laws shall so provide.

 

(F)                                 Any or all of the directors (other than the directors elected by the holders of any series of Preferred Stock of the Corporation, voting separately as a series or separately as a class with one or more other such series, as the case may be) may only be removed for cause and only upon the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the total voting power of all the then outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class.

 

(G)                               Any newly created directorship on the Board that results from an increase in the number of directors and any vacancy occurring in the Board shall be filled only by a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director.

 

(H)                              The Board, without any action by the stockholders of the Corporation, shall have the authority to cause the Corporation to elect to be subject to tax as a REIT for federal income tax purposes. Following any such election, if the Board determines that it is no longer in the best interests of the Corporation to continue to be taxed as a REIT for federal income tax purposes, the Board, without any action by the stockholders of the Corporation, may revoke or otherwise terminate the Corporation’s REIT election pursuant to Section 856(g) of the Code. In addition, the Board, without any action by the stockholders of the Corporation, shall have and may exercise, on behalf of the Corporation, without limitation, the power to determine that compliance with any restriction or limitation on stock ownership and transfers set forth in Article XIV of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation is no longer required to facilitate the Corporation’s qualification as a REIT.

 

(I)                                   The Board may authorize the execution and performance by the Corporation of one or more agreements with any person, corporation, limited liability company, association, company, trust, partnership (limited or general) or other organization whereby, subject to the supervision and control of the Board, any such other person, corporation, limited liability company, association, company, trust, partnership (limited or general) or other organization shall render or make available to the Corporation managerial, investment, advisory and/or related services, office space and other services and facilities (including, if deemed advisable by the Board, the management or supervision of the investments of the Corporation) upon such terms and conditions as may be provided in such agreement or agreements (including, if deemed fair and equitable by the Board, the compensation payable thereunder by the Corporation).

 

 ARTICLE VII.

 

Section 7.1                                    Meeting of Stockholders.  Any action required or permitted to be taken by the holders of stock of the Corporation must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting of such holders and may not be effected by any consent in writing by such holders; provided, however, that any action required or permitted to be taken by the holders of Class B Common Stock, voting separately as a class, or, to the extent expressly permitted by the certificate of designation relating to one or more series of Preferred Stock, by the holders of such series of Preferred Stock, voting separately as a series or separately as a class with one or more other such series, may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a

 

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consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by the holders of outstanding shares of the relevant class or series having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted and shall be delivered to the Corporation by delivery to its registered office in Delaware, its principal place of business, or to an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the book in which proceedings of meetings of stockholders are recorded.

 

Section 7.2                                    Special Meetings of Stockholders.  Except as otherwise required by law and subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, special meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation may be called only by or at the direction of the Board or the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation.

 

 ARTICLE VIII.

 

Section 8.1                                    Limited Liability of Directors.  To the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL as it now exists or may hereafter be amended, a director of the Corporation shall not be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director. If the DGCL or any other law of the State of Delaware is amended after approval by the stockholders of this Article VIII to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of directors, then the liability of a director of the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL or such other law as so amended. Neither the amendment nor repeal of this Article VIII, nor the adoption of any provision of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation inconsistent with this Article VIII, nor, to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, any modification of law shall eliminate, reduce or otherwise adversely affect any right or protection of a current or former director of the Corporation existing at the time of such amendment, repeal, adoption or modification.

 

 ARTICLE IX.

 

Section 9.1                                    Indemnification.  The Corporation shall have the power to indemnify and advance expenses to, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any person made or threatened to be made a party to an action or proceeding, whether criminal, civil, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that he, his testator or intestate is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, any predecessor of the Corporation or any subsidiary or affiliate of the Corporation, or serves or served at any other enterprise as a director, officer, employee or agent at the request of the Corporation or any predecessor to the Corporation. The Corporation shall indemnify any person made or threatened to be made a party to an action or proceeding, whether criminal, civil, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that he, his testator or intestate is or was a director or officer of the Corporation or any predecessor of the Corporation, or serves or served at any other enterprise as a director or officer at the request of the Corporation, any predecessor to the Corporation or any subsidiary or affiliate of the Corporation as and to the extent (and on the terms and subject to the conditions) set forth in the By-Laws or in any contract of indemnification entered into by the Corporation and any such person. Neither any amendment nor repeal of this Article IX, nor the adoption of any provision of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation inconsistent with this Article IX, shall eliminate or reduce the effect of this Article IX in respect of any matter occurring, or any action

 

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or proceeding accruing or arising or that, but for this Article IX, would accrue or arise, prior to such amendment, repeal or adoption of an inconsistent provision.

 

Section 9.2                                    Insurance.  To the fullest extent permitted by the law of the State of Delaware, the Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person described in Section 9.1 against any liability asserted against such person, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such liability under the provisions of this Article IX or otherwise.

 

 ARTICLE X.

 

Section 10.1                             Business Combinations.  The Corporation shall be governed by Section 203 of the DGCL.

 

 ARTICLE XI.

 

Section 11.1                             Certain Acknowledgment.  In recognition and anticipation that: (i) the partners, principals, directors, officers, members, managers, employees and/or advisers of affiliates of Towerbrook Capital Partners L.P. (together with its affiliates, subsidiaries, inccessors and assigns (other than the Corporation and its subsidiaries), collectively, “Towerbrook”) and affiliates of GI International L.P. (together with its affiliates, subsidiaries, successors and assigns (other than the Corporation and its subsidiaries), collectively, “GI Partners”) may serve as directors and/or officers of the Corporation, (ii) Towerbrook and GI Partners may engage in the same or similar activities or related lines of business as those in which the Corporation, directly or indirectly, may engage and/or other business activities that overlap with or compete with those in which the Corporation, directly or indirectly, may engage, and (iii) the Corporation and its subsidiaries may engage in material business transactions with Towerbrook and GI Partners, the provisions of this Article XI are set forth to regulate and define the conduct of certain affairs of the Corporation with respect to certain classes or categories of business opportunities as they may involve Towerbrook and GI Partners and their respective partners, principals, directors, officers, members, managers, employees and/or advisers, and the powers, rights, duties and liabilities of the Corporation and its officers, directors and stockholders in connection therewith.

 

Section 11.2                             Competition and Corporate Opportunities.  Towerbrook and GI Partners, and their respective partners, principals, directors, officers, members, managers, employees and/or advisers shall not have any duty to refrain from engaging directly or indirectly in the same or similar business activities or lines of business as the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries. In the event that Towerbrook and GI Partners, or their respective partners, principals, directors, officers, members, managers, employees and/or advisers, acquires knowledge of a potential transaction or matter which may be a corporate opportunity for itself and the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries, neither the Corporation nor any of its subsidiaries shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, have any expectancy in such corporate opportunity, and neither Towerbrook and GI Partners, or their respective partners, principals, directors, officers, members, managers, employees and/or advisers, shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, have any duty to communicate or offer such corporate opportunity to the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries and may pursue or acquire such corporate opportunity for itself or direct such corporate opportunity to another person.

 

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Section 11.3                             Allocation of Corporate Opportunities.  In the event that a director or officer of the Corporation who is also a partner, principal, director, officer, member, manager, employee and/or adviser of Towerbrook and GI Partners acquires knowledge of a potential transaction or matter which may be a corporate opportunity for the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries and Towerbrook and GI Partners, or their respective partners, principals, directors, officers, members, managers, employees and/or advisers, neither the Corporation nor any of its subsidiaries shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, have any expectancy in such corporate opportunity unless such corporate opportunity is expressly offered to such person in his or her capacity as a director or officer of the Corporation.

 

Section 11.4                             Certain Matters Deemed Not Corporate Opportunities.  In addition to and notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Article XI, a corporate opportunity shall not be deemed to belong to the Corporation if it is a business opportunity that the Corporation is not financially able or legally able to undertake, or that is, from its nature, not in the line of the Corporation’s business or is of no practical advantage to it or that is one in which the Corporation has no interest or reasonable expectancy.

 

Section 11.5                             Renouncement.  In connection with the foregoing, the Corporation renounces any interest or expectancy in, or being offered an opportunity to participate in, the business opportunities not allocated to the Corporation or deemed to belong to the Corporation as set forth in Sections 11.3 and 11.4 of this Article XI.

 

Section 11.6                             Amendment of this Article.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary elsewhere contained in this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and in addition to any vote required by the DGCL, the affirmative vote of the shares held by Towerbrook and GI Partners shall be required to alter, amend or repeal, or to adopt any provision inconsistent with, this Article XI.

 

 ARTICLE XII.

 

Section 12.1                             Exclusive Jurisdiction for Certain Actions.  Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, be the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or other employee of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders, creditors or other constituents, (iii) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation or any director or officer of the Corporation arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or the By-Laws (as either may be amended from time to time), or (iv) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation or any director or officer of the Corporation governed by the internal affairs doctrine, in each such case subject to said Court of Chancery having personal jurisdiction over the indispensible parties named as defendants therein; provided, that, if and only if the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware dismisses any such action for lack of subject matter jurisdiction, such action may be brought in another state court sitting in the State of Delaware. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in the shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Article XII.

 

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 ARTICLE XIII.

 

Section 13.1                             Severability.  If any provision or provisions of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any circumstance for any reason whatsoever: (i) the validity, legality and enforceability of such provisions in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including, without limitation, each portion of any paragraph of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and (ii) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including, without limitation, each such portion of any paragraph of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to permit the Corporation to protect its directors, officers, employees and agents from personal liability in respect of their good faith service to or for the benefit of the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by law.

 

 ARTICLE XIV.

 

Section 14.1                             Definitions. For the purpose of this Article XIV, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

 

Aggregate Stock Ownership Limit. The term “Aggregate Stock Ownership Limit” shall mean 9.8% in value of the aggregate of the outstanding shares of Capital Stock, or such other percentage determined by the Board in accordance with Section 14.2.8 of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation. The value of the outstanding shares of Capital Stock shall be determined by the Board, which determination shall be final and conclusive for all purposes hereof. For the purposes of determining the percentage ownership of Capital Stock by any Person, shares of Capital Stock that may be acquired upon conversion, exchange or exercise of any securities of the Corporation directly or constructively held by such Person, but not shares of Capital Stock issuable with respect to the conversion, exchange or exercise of securities of the Corporation held by other Persons, shall be deemed to be outstanding prior to conversion, exchange or exercise.

 

Beneficial Ownership. The term “Beneficial Ownership” shall mean ownership of Capital Stock by a Person, whether the interest in the shares of Capital Stock is held directly or indirectly (including by a nominee), and shall include interests that would be treated as owned through the application of Section 544 of the Code, as modified by Sections 856(h)(1)(B) and 856(h)(3)(A) of the Code, including, without limitation, the number of shares of Capital Stock that such Person is deemed to beneficially own pursuant to Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or that is attributed to such Person pursuant to Section 318 of the Code, as modified by Section 856(d)(5) of the Code. The terms “Beneficial Owner,” “Beneficially Owns” and “Beneficially Owned” shall have the correlative meanings.

 

Business Day. The term “Business Day” shall mean any day, other than a Saturday or a Sunday, that is neither a legal holiday nor a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to close.

 

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Capital Stock. The term “Capital Stock” shall mean all classes or series of stock of the Corporation, including, without limitation, Class A Common Stock, Class B Common Stock and Preferred Stock.

 

Charitable Beneficiary. The term “Charitable Beneficiary” shall mean one or more beneficiaries of the Charitable Trust as determined pursuant to Section 14.3.6, provided that each such organization must be described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Code and contributions to each such organization must be eligible for deduction under each of Sections 170(b)(1)(A), 2055 and 2522 of the Code.

 

Charitable Trust. The term “Charitable Trust” shall mean any trust provided for in Section 14.3.1.

 

Common Stock Ownership Limit. The term “Common Stock Ownership Limit” shall mean 9.8% (in value or in number of shares, whichever is more restrictive) of the aggregate of any class of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, or such other percentage determined by the Board in accordance with Section 14.2.8 of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation. The number and value of the outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Corporation shall be determined by the Board, which determination shall be final and conclusive for all purposes hereof. For purposes of determining the percentage ownership of Common Stock by any Person, shares of Common Stock that may be acquired upon conversion, exchange or exercise of any securities of the Corporation directly or constructively held by such Person, but not shares of Common Stock issuable with respect to the conversion, exchange or exercise of securities of the Corporation held by other Persons, shall be deemed to be outstanding prior to conversion, exchange or exercise.

 

Constructive Ownership. The term “Constructive Ownership” shall mean ownership of Capital Stock by a Person, whether the interest in the shares of Capital Stock is held directly or indirectly (including by a nominee), and shall include interests that would be treated as owned through the application of Section 318(a) of the Code, as modified by Section 856(d)(5) of the Code. The terms “Constructive Owner,” “Constructively Owns” and “Constructively Owned” shall have the correlative meanings.

 

Excepted Holder. The term “Excepted Holder” shall mean a Person for whom an Excepted Holder Limit is created by this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or by the Board pursuant to Section 14.2.7.

 

Excepted Holder Limit. The term “Excepted Holder Limit” shall mean, provided that the affected Excepted Holder agrees to comply with the requirements established by this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or by the Board pursuant to Section 14.2.7 and subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 14.2.8, the percentage limit established for an Excepted Holder by this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or by the Board pursuant to Section 14.2.7.

 

Initial Date. The term “Initial Date” shall mean January 1, 2015.

 

Market Price. The term “Market Price” on any date shall mean, with respect to any class or series of outstanding shares of Capital Stock, the Closing Price (as defined in this paragraph) for such Capital Stock on such date. The “Closing Price” on any date shall mean the last reported sale price for such Capital Stock, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, for such Capital Stock, in

 

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either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the NYSE (as defined in this Section 14.1) or, if such Capital Stock is not listed or admitted to trading on the NYSE, as reported on the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which such Capital Stock is listed or admitted to trading or, if such Capital Stock is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price, or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the principal automated quotation system that may then be in use or, if such Capital Stock is not quoted by any such system, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in such Capital Stock selected by the Board or, in the event that no trading price is available for such Capital Stock, the fair market value of the Capital Stock, as determined by the Board.

 

NYSE. The term “NYSE” shall mean the New York Stock Exchange LLC or any successor stock exchange thereto.

 

Person. The term “Person” shall mean an individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, estate, trust (including a trust qualified under Sections 401(a) or 501(c)(17) of the Code), a portion of a trust permanently set aside for or to be used exclusively for the purposes described in Section 642(c) of the Code, association, private foundation within the meaning of Section 509(a) of the Code, joint stock company or other entity and also includes a “group,” as that term is used for purposes of Rule 13d-5(b) or promulgated under Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and a group to which an Excepted Holder Limit applies.

 

Prohibited Owner. The term “Prohibited Owner” shall mean, with respect to any purported Transfer (as defined in this Section 14.1) (or other event), any Person who, but for the provisions of Section 14.2.1, would Beneficially Own or Constructively Own shares of Capital Stock in violation of the provisions of Section 14.2.1(A), and if appropriate in the context, shall also mean any Person who would have been the record owner of the shares of Capital Stock that the Prohibited Owner would have so owned.

 

Restriction Termination Date. The term “Restriction Termination Date” shall mean the first day after the Initial Date on which the Board determines pursuant to Section 14.7 of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation that it is no longer in the best interests of the Corporation to be taxed as a REIT for federal income tax purposes or that compliance with the restrictions and limitations on Beneficial Ownership, Constructive Ownership and Transfers of shares of Capital Stock set forth herein is no longer required in order for the Corporation to qualify as a REIT.

 

TRS. The term “TRS” shall mean a taxable REIT subsidiary (as defined in Section 856(l) of the Code) of the Corporation.

 

Transfer. The term “Transfer” shall mean any issuance, sale, transfer, gift, assignment, devise or other disposition, as well as any other event that causes any Person to acquire or change such Person’s percentage of Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership, or any agreement to take any such actions or cause any such events, of Capital Stock or the right to vote or receive dividends on Capital Stock, including (a) the granting or exercise of any option (or any disposition of any option), (b) any disposition of any securities or rights convertible into or exchangeable for Capital Stock or any interest in Capital Stock or any exercise of any such

 

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conversion or exchange right, and (c) Transfers of interests in other entities that result in changes in Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of Capital Stock; in each case, whether voluntary or involuntary, whether owned of record, Constructively Owned or Beneficially Owned and whether by operation of law or otherwise. The terms “Transferring” and “Transferred” shall have the correlative meanings.

 

Trustee. The term “Trustee” shall mean the Person, unaffiliated with both the Corporation and a Prohibited Owner, that is appointed by the Corporation to serve as trustee of the Charitable Trust.

 

Section 14.2                             Capital Stock.

 

Section 14.2.1                               Ownership Limitations. During the period commencing on the Initial Date and prior to the Restriction Termination Date or as otherwise set forth below, and subject to Section 14.4:

 

(A)                               Basic Restrictions.

 

(1)                                 Except as provided in Section 14.2.7 hereof, no Person, other than an Excepted Holder, shall Beneficially Own or Constructively Own shares of Capital Stock in excess of the Aggregate Stock Ownership Limit, and no Person, other than an Excepted Holder, shall Beneficially Own or Constructively Own shares of Common Stock in excess of the Common Stock Ownership Limit. No Excepted Holder shall Beneficially Own or Constructively Own shares of Capital Stock in excess of the Excepted Holder Limit for such Excepted Holder.

 

(2)                                 Except as provided in Section 14.2.7 hereof, no Person shall Beneficially Own or Constructively Own shares of Capital Stock to the extent that such Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of Capital Stock would result in the Corporation being “closely held” within the meaning of Section 856(h) of the Code (without regard to whether the ownership interest is held during the last half of a taxable year), or otherwise failing to qualify as a REIT.

 

(3)                                 Except as provided in Section 14.2.7 hereof, any Transfer of shares of Capital Stock that, if effective, would result in the Capital Stock being beneficially owned by fewer than 100 Persons (determined under the principles of Section 856(a)(5) of the Code) shall be void ab initio, and the intended transferee shall acquire no rights in such Capital Stock.

 

(4)                                 Except as provided in Section 14.2.7 hereof, no Person shall Beneficially Own or Constructively Own shares of Capital Stock to the extent such Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership would cause the Corporation to Beneficially Own or Constructively Own 9.9% or more of the ownership interests in a tenant (other than a TRS) of the Corporation’s real property within the meaning of Section 856(d)(2)(B) of the Code.

 

(5)                                 No Person shall Beneficially Own or Constructively Own shares of Capital Stock to the extent that such Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership would otherwise cause the Corporation to fail to qualify as a REIT under the Code, including, but not limited to, as a result of any “eligible independent contractor” (as defined in Section 856(d)(9)(A) of the Code) that operates a “qualified health care property” (as defined in Section 856(e)(6)(D)(i) of the Code), on behalf of a TRS failing to qualify as such.

 

(6)                                 No Person shall Beneficially Own or Constructively Own shares of Capital Stock to the extent that such Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of Capital

 

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Stock could result in the Corporation failing to qualify as a “domestically controlled qualified investment entity” within the meaning of Section 897(h)(4)(B) of the Code.

 

(B)                               Transfer in Trust/Transfer Void Ab Initio. If any Transfer of shares of Capital Stock (or other event) occurs which, if effective, would result in any Person Beneficially Owning or Constructively Owning shares of Capital Stock in violation of Section 14.2.1(A)(1), (2), (4), (5) or (6),

 

(1)                                 then that number of shares of the Capital Stock the Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of which otherwise would cause such Person to violate Section 14.2.1(A)(1), (2), (4), (5) or (6) (rounded up to the nearest whole share) shall be automatically transferred to a Charitable Trust for the benefit of a Charitable Beneficiary, as described in Section 14.3, effective as of the close of business on the Business Day prior to the date of such Transfer (or other event), and such Person shall acquire no rights in such shares of Capital Stock; or

 

(2)                                 if the transfer to the Charitable Trust described in clause (i) of this Section 14.2.1(B) would not be effective for any reason to prevent the violation of Section 14.2.1(A)(1), (2), (4), (5) or (6), then the Transfer of that number of shares of Capital Stock that otherwise would cause any Person to violate Section 14.2.1(A)(1), (2), (4), (5) or (6) shall be void ab initio, and the intended transferee shall acquire no rights in such shares of Capital Stock.

 

Section 14.2.2                               Remedies for Breach. If the Board or any duly authorized committee thereof shall at any time determine that a Transfer or other event has taken place that results in a violation of Section 14.2.1 or that a Person intends to acquire or has attempted to acquire Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of any shares of Capital Stock in violation of Section 14.2.1 (whether or not such violation is intended), the Board or a committee thereof, or other designees if permitted by the DGCL, shall take such action as it deems advisable to refuse to give effect to or to prevent such Transfer or other event, including, without limitation, causing the Corporation to redeem shares of Capital Stock, refusing to give effect to such Transfer on the books of the Corporation or instituting proceedings to enjoin such Transfer or other event; provided, however, that any Transfer or attempted Transfer or other event in violation of Section 14.2.1 shall automatically result in the transfer to the Charitable Trust described above, and, where applicable, such Transfer (or other event) shall be void ab initio as provided above irrespective of any action (or non-action) by the Board or a committee thereof, or other designee if permitted by the DGCL.

 

Section 14.2.3                               Notice of Restricted Transfer. Any Person who acquires or attempts or intends to acquire Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of shares of Capital Stock that will or may violate Section 14.2.1(A) or any Person who would have owned shares of Capital Stock that resulted in a transfer to the Charitable Trust pursuant to the provisions of Section 14.2.1(B) shall immediately give written notice to the Corporation of such event or, in the case of such a proposed or attempted transaction, give at least 15 days prior written notice, and shall provide to the Corporation such other information as the Corporation may request in order to determine the effect, if any, of such Transfer on the Corporation’s status as a REIT.

 

Section 14.2.4                               Owners Required to Provide Information. From the Initial Date and prior to the Restriction Termination Date:

 

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(A)                               Every owner of more than five percent (or such lower percentage as required by the Code or the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder) in number or value of the outstanding shares of Capital Stock, within 30 days after the end of each taxable year, shall give written notice to the Corporation stating (1) the name and address of such owner, (2) the number of shares of Capital Stock Beneficially Owned and (3) a description of the manner in which such shares are held. Each such owner shall provide to the Corporation such additional information as the Corporation may request in order to determine the effect, if any, of such Beneficial Ownership on the Corporation’s status as a REIT and to ensure compliance with the Aggregate Stock Ownership Limit and the Common Stock Ownership Limit; and

 

(B)                               Each Person who is a Beneficial Owner or Constructive Owner of Capital Stock and each Person (including the stockholder of record) who is holding Capital Stock for a Beneficial Owner or Constructive Owner shall provide to the Corporation such information as the Corporation may request, in good faith, in order to determine the Corporation’s status as a REIT and to comply with requirements of any taxing authority or governmental authority or to determine such compliance and to ensure compliance with the Aggregate Stock Ownership Limit and the Common Stock Ownership Limit.

 

Section 14.2.5                               Remedies Not Limited. Nothing contained in this Section 14.2 shall limit the authority of the Board to take such other action as it deems necessary or advisable to, subject to Section 6.1(H) of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, protect the Corporation and the interests of its stockholders in preserving the Corporation’s status as a REIT.

 

Section 14.2.6                               Ambiguity. In the case of an ambiguity in the application of any of the provisions of this Article XIV, including any definition contained in Section 14.1 of this Article XIV, the Board shall have the power to determine the application of the provisions of this Article XIV with respect to any situation based on the facts known to it at such time. In the event Section 14.2 or 14.3 requires an action by the Board and this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation fails to provide specific guidance with respect to such action, the Board shall have the power to determine the action to be taken so long as such action is not contrary to the provisions of Sections 14.1, 14.2 or 14.3. Absent a decision to the contrary by the Board (which the Board may make in its sole and absolute discretion), if a Person would have (but for the remedies set forth in Sections 14.2.1 and 14.2.2) acquired Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of Capital Stock in violation of Section 14.2.1, such remedies (as applicable) shall apply first to the shares of Capital Stock which, but for such remedies, would have been actually owned by such Person, and second to shares of Capital Stock which, but for such remedies, would have been Beneficially Owned or Constructively Owned (but not actually owned) by such Person, pro rata among the Persons who actually own such shares of Capital Stock based upon the relative number of the shares of Capital Stock held by each such Person.

 

Section 14.2.7                               Exceptions.

 

(A)                               The Board, in its sole discretion, may exempt (prospectively or retroactively) a Person from the restrictions contained in Section 14.2.1(A)(1), (2) or (4), as the case may be, and may establish or increase an Excepted Holder Limit for such Person if the Board obtains such representations, covenants and undertakings as the Board may deem appropriate in order to conclude that granting the exemption and/or establishing or increasing the

 

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Excepted Holder Limit, as the case may be, will not cause the Corporation to lose its status as a REIT.

 

(B)                               Prior to granting any exception pursuant to Section 14.2.7(A), the Board may require a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service or an opinion of counsel, in either case in form and substance satisfactory to the Board in its sole discretion, as it may deem necessary or advisable in order to determine or ensure that granting the exception will not cause the Corporation to lose its status as a REIT. Notwithstanding the receipt of any ruling or opinion, the Board may impose such conditions or restrictions as it deems appropriate in connection with granting such exception.

 

(C)                               Subject to Section 14.2.1(A)(2),(4),(5) and (6), an underwriter, placement agent or initial purchaser that participates in a public offering, a private placement or other private offering of Capital Stock (or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Capital Stock) may Beneficially Own or Constructively Own shares of Capital Stock (or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Capital Stock) in excess of the Aggregate Stock Ownership Limit, the Common Stock Ownership Limit, or both such limits, but only to the extent necessary to facilitate such public offering, private placement or immediate resale of such Capital Stock, and provided that the restrictions contained in Section 14.2.1(A) will not be violated following the distribution by such underwriter, placement agent or initial purchaser of such shares of Capital Stock.

 

Section 14.2.8                               Change in Aggregate Stock Ownership Limit, Common Stock Ownership Limit and Excepted Holder Limits.

 

(A)                               The Board may from time to time increase or decrease the Aggregate Stock Ownership Limit and/or the Common Stock Ownership Limit; provided, however, that a decreased Aggregate Stock Ownership Limit and/or Common Stock Ownership Limit will not be effective for any Person whose percentage ownership of Capital Stock is in excess of such decreased Aggregate Stock Ownership Limit and/or Common Stock Ownership Limit until such time as such Person’s percentage of Capital Stock equals or falls below the decreased Aggregate Stock Ownership Limit and/or Common Stock Ownership Limit, but until such time as such Person’s percentage of Capital Stock falls below such decreased Aggregate Stock Ownership Limit and/or Common Stock Ownership Limit, any further acquisition of Capital Stock will be in violation of the Aggregate Stock Ownership Limit and/or Common Stock Ownership Limit and, provided further, that the new Aggregate Stock Ownership Limit and/or Common Stock Ownership Limit would not allow five or fewer individuals (taking into account all Excepted Holders) to Beneficially Own or Constructively Own more than 49.9% in value of the outstanding Capital Stock.

 

(B)                               The Board may only reduce the Excepted Holder Limit for an Excepted Holder: (1) with the written consent of such Excepted Holder at any time, or (2) pursuant to the terms and conditions of the agreements and undertakings entered into with such Excepted Holder in connection with the establishment of the Excepted Holder Limit for that Excepted Holder. No Excepted Holder Limit shall be reduced to a percentage that is less than the then-existing Aggregate Stock Ownership Limit or Common Stock Ownership Limit, as applicable.

 

Section 14.2.9                               Legend. Each certificate, if any, or any notice in lieu of any certificate, for shares of Capital Stock shall bear a legend summarizing the restrictions on ownership and transfer contained herein. Instead of a legend, the certificate, if any, may state that

 

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the Corporation will furnish a full statement about certain restrictions on ownership and transferability to a stockholder on request and without charge.

 

Section 14.3                             Transfer of Capital Stock in Trust.

 

Section 14.3.1                               Ownership in Trust. Upon any purported Transfer or other event described in Section 14.2.1(B) that would result in a transfer of shares of Capital Stock to a Charitable Trust, such shares of Capital Stock shall be deemed to have been transferred to the Trustee as trustee for the exclusive benefit of one or more Charitable Beneficiaries. Such transfer to the Trustee shall be deemed to be effective as of the close of business on the Business Day prior to the purported Transfer or other event that results in the transfer to the Charitable Trust pursuant to Section 14.2.1(B). The Trustee shall be appointed by the Corporation and shall be a Person unaffiliated with the Corporation and any Prohibited Owner. Each Charitable Beneficiary shall be designated by the Corporation as provided in Section 14.3.6.

 

Section 14.3.2                               Status of Shares Held by the Trustee. Shares of Capital Stock held by the Trustee shall continue to be issued and outstanding shares of Capital Stock of the Corporation. The Prohibited Owner shall have no rights in the Capital Stock held by the Trustee. The Prohibited Owner shall not benefit economically from ownership of any shares held in trust by the Trustee, shall have no rights to dividends or other distributions and shall not possess any rights to vote or other rights attributable to the shares held in the Charitable Trust. The Prohibited Owner shall have no claim, cause of action or any other recourse whatsoever against the purported transferor of such Capital Stock.

 

Section 14.3.3                               Dividend and Voting Rights. The Trustee shall have all voting rights and rights to dividends or other distributions with respect to shares of Capital Stock held in the Charitable Trust, which rights shall be exercised for the exclusive benefit of the Charitable Beneficiary. Any dividend or other distribution paid to a Prohibited Owner prior to the discovery by the Corporation that the shares of Capital Stock have been transferred to the Trustee shall be paid with respect to such shares of Capital Stock by the Prohibited Owner to the Trustee upon demand and any dividend or other distribution authorized but unpaid shall be paid when due to the Trustee. Any dividends or other distributions so paid over to the Trustee shall be held in trust for the Charitable Beneficiary. The Prohibited Owner shall have no voting rights with respect to shares held in the Charitable Trust and, subject to Delaware law, effective as of the date that the shares of Capital Stock have been transferred to the Charitable Trust, the Trustee shall have the authority (at the Trustee’s sole discretion) (1) to rescind as void any vote cast by a Prohibited Owner prior to the discovery by the Corporation that the shares of Capital Stock have been transferred to the Trustee and (2) to recast such vote in accordance with the desires of the Trustee acting for the benefit of the Charitable Beneficiary; provided, however, that if the Corporation has already taken irreversible corporate action, then the Trustee shall not have the authority to rescind and recast such vote. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Article XIV, until the Corporation has received notification that shares of Capital Stock have been transferred into a Charitable Trust, the Corporation shall be entitled to rely on its share transfer and other stockholder records for purposes of preparing lists of stockholders entitled to vote at meetings, determining the validity and authority of proxies and otherwise conducting votes of stockholders.

 

Section 14.3.4                               Sale of Shares by Trustee. Within 20 days of receiving notice from the Corporation that shares of Capital Stock have been transferred to the Charitable Trust, the Trustee of the Charitable Trust shall sell the shares held in the Charitable Trust to one or more

 

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Persons, designated by the Trustee, none of whose ownership of the shares will violate the ownership limitations set forth in Section 14.2.1(A). Upon such sale or sales, the interest of the Charitable Beneficiary in the shares sold shall terminate and the Trustee shall distribute the net proceeds of the sale to the Prohibited Owner and to the Charitable Beneficiary as provided in this Section 14.3.4. The Prohibited Owner shall receive the lesser of (1) the price paid by the Prohibited Owner for the shares or, if the Prohibited Owner did not give value for the shares in connection with the event causing the shares to be held in the Charitable Trust (e.g., in the case of a gift, devise or other such transaction), the Market Price of the shares on the day of the event causing the shares to be held in the Charitable Trust and (2) the price per share received by the Trustee (net of any commissions and other expenses of sale) from the sale or other disposition of the shares held in the Charitable Trust. The Trustee may reduce the amount payable to the Prohibited Owner by the amount of dividends and other distributions paid to the Prohibited Owner and owed by the Prohibited Owner to the Trustee pursuant to Section 14.3.3 of this Article XIV. Any net sales proceeds in excess of the amount payable to the Prohibited Owner shall be immediately paid to the Charitable Beneficiary, together with any distributions thereon. If, prior to the discovery by the Corporation that shares of Capital Stock have been transferred to the Trustee, such shares are sold by a Prohibited Owner, then (1) such shares shall be deemed to have been sold on behalf of the Charitable Trust and (2) to the extent that the Prohibited Owner received an amount for such shares that exceeds the amount that such Prohibited Owner was entitled to receive pursuant to this Section 14.3.4, such excess shall be paid to the Trustee upon demand.

 

Section 14.3.5                               Purchase Right in Stock Transferred to the Trustee. Shares of Capital Stock transferred to the Trustee shall be deemed to have been offered for sale to the Corporation, or its designee, at a price per share equal to the lesser of (1) the price paid per share in the transaction that resulted in such transfer to the Charitable Trust (or, in the case of a devise or gift, the Market Price at the time of such devise or gift) and (2) the Market Price on the date the Corporation, or its designee, accepts such offer. The Corporation may reduce the amount payable to the Prohibited Owner by the amount of dividends and other distributions paid to the Prohibited Owner and owed by the Prohibited Owner to the Trustee pursuant to Section 14.3.3 of this Article XIV. The Corporation may pay the amount of such reduction to the Trustee for the benefit of the Charitable Beneficiary. The Corporation shall have the right to accept such offer until the Trustee has sold the shares held in the Charitable Trust pursuant to Section 14.3.4. Upon such a sale to the Corporation, the interest of the Charitable Beneficiary in the shares sold shall terminate and the Trustee shall distribute the net proceeds of the sale to the Prohibited Owner, and any dividends or other distributions held by the Trustee shall be paid to the Charitable Beneficiary.

 

Section 14.3.6                               Designation of Charitable Beneficiaries. By written notice to the Trustee, the Corporation shall designate one or more nonprofit organizations to be the Charitable Beneficiary of the interest in the Charitable Trust such that (1) the shares of Capital Stock held in the Charitable Trust would not violate the restrictions set forth in Section 14.2.1(A) in the hands of such Charitable Beneficiary and (2) each such organization must be described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Code and contributions to each such organization must be eligible for deduction under one of Sections 170(b)(1)(A), 2055 and 2522 of the Code. Neither the failure of the Corporation to make such designation nor the failure of the Corporation to appoint the Trustee before the automatic transfer provided for in Section 14.2.1(B)(1) shall make such transfer ineffective, provided that the Corporation thereafter makes such designation and appointment.

 

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Section 14.4                             NYSE Transactions. Nothing in this Article XIV shall preclude the settlement of any transaction entered into through the facilities of the NYSE or any other national securities exchange or automated inter-dealer quotation system. The fact that the settlement of any transaction occurs shall not negate the effect of any other provision of this Article XIV, and any transferee in such a transaction shall be subject to all of the provisions and limitations set forth in this Article XIV.

 

Section 14.5                             Enforcement. The Corporation is authorized specifically to seek equitable relief, including injunctive relief, to enforce the provisions of this Article XIV.

 

Section 14.6                             Non-Waiver. No delay or failure on the part of the Corporation or the Board in exercising any right hereunder shall operate as a waiver of any right of the Corporation or the Board, as the case may be, except to the extent specifically waived in writing.

 

Section 14.7                             Severability. If any provision of this Article XIV or any application of any such provision is determined to be invalid by any federal or state court having jurisdiction over the issues, the validity of the remaining provisions shall not be affected and other applications of such provisions shall be affected only to the extent necessary to comply with the determination of such court.

 

*    *    *    *    *    *    *

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to be signed by the undersigned authorized officer this 27 day of February, 2015.

 

 

LADDER CAPITAL CORP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Marc Fox

 

Name:

Marc Fox

 

Title:

Chief Financial Officer

 

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