EX-10.3 3 v07500_ex10-3.htm
                                                                    EXHIBIT 10.3

                          SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT

      This Securities Purchase Agreement (this "Agreement") is dated as of July
16, 2004, among Workstream Inc., a Canadian corporation (the "Company"), and
each purchaser identified on the signature pages hereto (each, including its
successors and assigns, a "Purchaser" and collectively the "Purchasers"); and

      WHEREAS, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement
and pursuant to Section 4(2) of the Securities Act (as defined below), and Rule
506 promulgated thereunder, the Company desires to issue and sell to each
Purchaser, and each Purchaser, severally and not jointly, desires to purchase
from the Company in the aggregate, up to $10,000,000 of shares of Common Stock
on the Closing Date.

      NOW, THEREFORE, IN CONSIDERATION of the mutual covenants contained in this
Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration the receipt and
adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and each Purchaser agrees
as follows:

                                   ARTICLE I.
                                   DEFINITIONS

      1.1 Definitions. In addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this
Agreement, for all purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the
meanings indicated in this Section 1.1:

            "Action" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section
      3.1(j).

            "Affiliate" means any Person that, directly or indirectly through
      one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under
      common control with a Person as such terms are used in and construed under
      Rule 144. With respect to a Purchaser, any investment fund or managed
      account that is managed on a discretionary basis by the same investment
      manager as such Purchaser will be deemed to be an Affiliate of such
      Purchaser.

            "Closing" means the closing of the purchase and sale of the Common
      Stock pursuant to Section 2.1.

            "Closing Date" means the Trading Day when all of the Transaction
      Documents have been executed and delivered by the applicable parties
      thereto, and all conditions precedent to (i) the Purchasers' obligations
      to pay the Subscription Amount and (ii) the Company's obligations to
      deliver the Securities have been satisfied or waived.

            "Commission" means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

            "Common Stock" means the common shares of the Company, no par value,
      and any securities into which such common shares may hereafter be
      reclassified.

            "Common Stock Equivalents" means any securities of the Company or
      the Subsidiaries which would entitle the holder thereof to acquire at any
      time Common Stock, including without limitation, any debt, preferred
      stock, rights, options, warrants or other instrument that is at any time
      convertible into or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder
      thereof to receive, Common Stock.


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            "Company Counsel" means Perley-Robertson, Hill & McDougall LLP or,
      with respect to United States securities law matters, Cozen O'Connor.

            "Disclosure Schedules" means the Disclosure Schedules attached
      hereto.

            "Effective Date" means the date that the Registration Statement is
      first declared effective by the Commission.

            "Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
      amended.

            "FW" means Feldman Weinstein LLP with offices located at 420
      Lexington Avenue, Suite 2620, New York, New York 10170-0002.

            "Intellectual Property Rights" shall have the meaning ascribed to
      such term in Section 3.1(o).

            "Liens" means a lien, charge, security interest, encumbrance, right
      of first refusal, preemptive right or other restriction.

            "Material Adverse Effect" shall have the meaning ascribed to such
      term in Section 3.1(b).

            "Material Permits" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in
      Section 3.1(m).

            "Per Share Purchase Price" equals $2.25, subject to adjustment for
      reverse and forward stock splits, stock dividends, stock combinations and
      other similar transactions of the Common Stock that occur after the date
      of this Agreement through the Closing Date.

            "Person" means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust,
      incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited
      liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or
      subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.

            "Proceeding" means an action, claim, suit, investigation or
      proceeding (including, without limitation, an investigation or partial
      proceeding, such as a deposition), whether commenced or threatened.

            "Registration Rights Agreement" means the Registration Rights
      Agreement, dated as of the date of this Agreement, among the Company and
      each Purchaser, in the form of Exhibit A hereto.

            "Registration Statement" means a registration statement meeting the
      requirements set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement and covering
      the resale by the Purchasers of the Securities.


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            "Required Approvals" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in
      Section 3.1(e).

            "Rule 144" means Rule 144 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to
      the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any
      similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having
      substantially the same effect as such Rule.

            "SEC Reports" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in
      Section 3.1(h).

            "Securities" means the shares of Common Stock issued to each
      Purchaser pursuant to this Agreement.

            "Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

            "Subscription Amount" means, as to each Purchaser, the amounts set
      forth below such Purchaser's signature block on the signature page hereto,
      in United States dollars and in immediately available funds.

            "Subsidiary" shall mean the subsidiaries of the Company, if any, set
      forth on Schedule 3.1(a).

            "Trading Day" means a day on which the Common Stock is traded on a
      Trading Market.

            "Trading Market" means the following markets or exchanges on which
      the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date in question:
      the Nasdaq SmallCap Market, the American Stock Exchange, the New York
      Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq National Market.

            "Transaction Documents" means this Agreement and the Registration
      Rights Agreement and any other documents or agreements executed in
      connection with the transactions contemplated hereunder.

            "VWAP" means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the
      following clauses that applies: (a) if the Common Stock is then listed or
      quoted on a Trading Market, the daily volume weighted average price of the
      Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading
      Market on which the Common Stock is then listed or quoted as reported by
      Bloomberg Financial L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. Eastern
      Time to 4:02 p.m. Eastern Time); (b) if the Common Stock is not then
      listed or quoted on a Trading Market and if prices for the Common Stock
      are then quoted on the OTC Bulletin Board, the volume weighted average
      price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on
      the OTC Bulletin Board; (c) if the Common Stock is not then listed or
      quoted on the OTC Bulletin Board and if prices for the Common Stock are
      then reported in the "Pink Sheets" published by the National Quotation
      Bureau Incorporated (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its
      functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per share of the
      Common Stock so reported; or (c) in all other cases, the fair market value
      of a share of Common Stock as determined by an independent appraiser
      selected in good faith by the Purchasers and reasonably acceptable to the
      Company.


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                                  ARTICLE II.
                                PURCHASE AND SALE

      2.1 Closing. On the Closing Date, each Purchaser shall purchase from the
Company, severally and not jointly with the other Purchasers, and the Company
shall issue and sell to each Purchaser, a number of Securities equal to such
Purchaser's Subscription Amount divided by the Per Share Purchase Price. The
aggregate Subscription Amounts for Securities sold hereunder shall be up to
$10,000,000. Upon satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 2.2, the
Closing shall occur at the offices of FW, or such other location as the parties
shall mutually agree.

      2.2 Deliveries.

            (a) On the Closing Date, the Company shall deliver or cause to be
      delivered to each Purchaser the following:

                  (i) this Agreement duly executed by the Company;

                  (ii) a certificate evidencing a number of Securities equal to
            such Purchaser's Subscription Amount divided by the Per Share
            Purchase Price, registered in the name of such Purchaser;

                  (iii) the Registration Rights Agreement duly executed by the
            Company; and

                  (iv) a legal opinion of Company Counsel, in the form of
            Exhibit B attached hereto.

            (b) On the Closing Date, each Purchaser shall deliver or cause to be
      delivered to the Company the following:

                  (i) this Agreement duly executed by such Purchaser;

                  (ii) such Purchaser's Subscription Amount by wire transfer to
            the account as specified in writing by the Company; and

                  (iii) the Registration Rights Agreement duly executed by such
            Purchaser.

      2.3 Closing Conditions.

            (a) The obligations of the Company hereunder in connection with the
      Closing are subject to the following conditions being met:

                  (i) the accuracy in all material respects when made and on the
            Closing Date of the representations and warranties of the Purchasers
            contained herein;


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                  (ii) all obligations, covenants and agreements of the
            Purchasers required to be performed at or prior to the Closing Date
            shall have been performed; and

                  (iii) the delivery by the Purchasers of the items set forth in
            Section 2.2(b) of this Agreement.

            (b) The respective obligations of the Purchasers hereunder in
      connection with the Closing are subject to the following conditions being
      met:

                  (i) the accuracy in all material respects on the Closing Date
            of the representations and warranties of the Company contained
            herein;

                  (ii) all obligations, covenants and agreements of the Company
            required to be performed at or prior to the Closing Date shall have
            been performed;

                  (iii) the delivery by the Company of the items set forth in
            Section 2.2(a) of this Agreement;

                  (iv) there shall have been no Material Adverse Effect with
            respect to the Company since the date hereof; and

                  (v) from the date hereof to the Closing Date, trading in the
            Common Stock shall not have been suspended by the Commission (except
            for any suspension of trading of limited duration agreed to by the
            Company, which suspension shall be terminated prior to the Closing),
            and, at any time prior to the Closing Date, trading in securities
            generally as reported by Bloomberg Financial Markets shall not have
            been suspended or limited, or minimum prices shall not have been
            established on securities whose trades are reported by such service,
            or on any Trading Market, nor shall a banking moratorium have been
            declared either by the United States or New York State authorities
            nor shall there have occurred any material outbreak or escalation of
            hostilities or other national or international calamity of such
            magnitude in its effect on, or any material adverse change in, any
            financial market which, in each case, in the reasonable judgment of
            each Purchaser, makes it impracticable or inadvisable to purchase
            the Securities at the Closing.

                                  ARTICLE III.
                         REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

      3.1 Representations and Warranties of the Company. Except as set forth
under the corresponding section of the Disclosure Schedules which Disclosure
Schedules shall be deemed a part hereof, the Company hereby makes the
representations and warranties set forth below to each Purchaser:

            (a) Subsidiaries. All of the majority owned direct and indirect
      subsidiaries of the Company are set forth on Schedule 3.1(a). The Company
      owns, directly or indirectly, all of the capital stock or other equity
      interests of each Subsidiary free and clear of any Liens, and all the
      issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of each Subsidiary are
      validly issued and are fully paid, non-assessable and free of preemptive
      and similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities. If the Company
      has no subsidiaries, then references in the Transaction Documents to the
      Subsidiaries will be disregarded.


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            (b) Organization and Qualification. Each of the Company and the
      Subsidiaries is an entity duly incorporated or otherwise organized,
      validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction
      of its incorporation or organization (as applicable), with the requisite
      power and authority to own and use its properties and assets and to carry
      on its business as currently conducted. Neither the Company nor any
      Subsidiary is in violation or default of any of the provisions of its
      respective certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws or other
      organizational or charter documents. Each of the Company and the
      Subsidiaries is duly qualified to conduct business and is in good standing
      as a foreign corporation or other entity in each jurisdiction in which the
      nature of the business conducted or property owned by it makes such
      qualification necessary, except where the failure to be so qualified or in
      good standing, as the case may be, could not have or reasonably be
      expected to result in (i) a material adverse effect on the legality,
      validity or enforceability of any Transaction Document, (ii) a material
      adverse effect on the results of operations, assets, business or financial
      condition of the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (iii)
      a material adverse effect on the Company's ability to perform in any
      material respect on a timely basis its obligations under any Transaction
      Document (any of (i), (ii) or (iii), a "Material Adverse Effect") and no
      Proceeding has been instituted in any such jurisdiction revoking, limiting
      or curtailing or seeking to revoke, limit or curtail such power and
      authority or qualification.

            (c) Authorization; Enforcement. The Company has the requisite
      corporate power and authority to enter into and to consummate the
      transactions contemplated by each of the Transaction Documents and
      otherwise to carry out its obligations thereunder. The execution and
      delivery of each of the Transaction Documents by the Company and the
      consummation by it of the transactions contemplated thereby have been duly
      authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Company and no
      further action is required by the Company in connection therewith other
      than in connection with the Required Approvals. Each Transaction Document
      has been (or upon delivery will have been) duly executed by the Company
      and, when delivered in accordance with the terms hereof, will constitute
      the valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the
      Company in accordance with its terms except (i) as limited by general
      equitable principles and applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,
      reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting
      enforcement of creditors' rights generally, (ii) as limited by laws
      relating to the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief or
      other equitable remedies, and (iii) insofar as indemnification and
      contribution may be limited by applicable law.

            (d) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance of the
      Transaction Documents by the Company, the issuance and sale of the
      Securities and the consummation by the Company of the other transactions
      contemplated thereby do not and will not (i) conflict with or violate any
      provision of the Company's or any Subsidiary's certificate or articles of
      incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or charter documents, or
      (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event that with notice
      or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, result in the
      creation of any Lien upon any of the properties or assets of the Company
      or any Subsidiary, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment,
      acceleration or cancellation (with or without notice, lapse of time or
      both) of, any agreement, credit facility, debt or other instrument
      (evidencing a Company or Subsidiary debt or otherwise) to which the
      Company or any Subsidiary is a party or by which any property or asset of
      the Company or any Subsidiary is bound or affected, or (iii) subject to
      the Required Approvals, conflict with or result in a violation of any law,
      rule, regulation, order, judgment, injunction, decree or other restriction
      of any court or governmental authority to which the Company or a
      Subsidiary is subject (including federal and state securities laws and
      regulations), or by which any property or asset of the Company or a
      Subsidiary is bound or affected, or (iv) conflict with or violate the
      terms of any agreement by which the Company or any Subsidiary is bound or
      to which any property or asset of the Company or any Subsidiary is bound
      or affected; except in the case of each of clauses (ii), (iii) and (iv),
      such as could not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material
      Adverse Effect.


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            (e) Filings, Consents and Approvals. The Company is not required to
      obtain any consent, waiver, authorization or order of, give any notice to,
      or make any filing or registration with, any court or other federal,
      state, local or other governmental authority or other Person in connection
      with the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of the
      Transaction Documents, other than (i) filings required pursuant to Section
      4.4 of this Agreement, (ii) the filing with the Commission of the
      Registration Statement and any amendments thereto, (iii) application(s) to
      each applicable Trading Market for the listing of the Securities for
      trading thereon in the time and manner required thereby, and (iv) the
      filing of Form D with the Commission and such filings as are required to
      be made under applicable state securities laws (collectively, the
      "Required Approvals").

            (f) Issuance of the Securities. The Securities are duly authorized
      and, when issued and paid for in accordance with the Transaction
      Documents, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable,
      free and clear of all Liens imposed by the Company other than restrictions
      on transfer provided for in the Transaction Documents. The Company has
      reserved from its duly authorized capital stock the maximum number of
      shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to this Agreement.

            (g) Capitalization. The capitalization of the Company is as
      described in Schedule 3.1(g). Except as set forth in Schedule 3.1(g), the
      Company has not issued any capital stock since the date of its most recent
      SEC Report other than pursuant to the exercise of employee stock options
      under the Company's stock option plans, the issuance of shares of Common
      Stock to employees pursuant to the Company's employee stock purchase plan
      and pursuant to the conversion or exercise of outstanding Common Stock
      Equivalents. No Person has any right of first refusal, preemptive right,
      right of participation, or any similar right to participate in the
      transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. Except as a result
      of the purchase and sale of the Securities and as set forth on Schedule
      3.1(g), there are no outstanding options, warrants, script rights to
      subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating
      to, or securities, rights or obligations convertible into or exchangeable
      for, or giving any Person any right to subscribe for or acquire, any
      shares of Common Stock, or contracts, commitments, understandings or
      arrangements by which the Company or any Subsidiary is or may become bound
      to issue additional shares of Common Stock, or securities or rights
      convertible or exchangeable into shares of Common Stock. The issue and
      sale of the Securities will not obligate the Company to issue shares of
      Common Stock or other securities to any Person (other than the Purchasers)
      and will not result in a right of any holder of Company securities to
      adjust the exercise, conversion, exchange or reset price under such
      securities. All of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company
      are validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, have been issued in
      compliance with all federal and state securities laws, and none of such
      outstanding shares was issued in violation of any preemptive rights or
      similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities. No further
      approval or authorization of any stockholder, the Board of Directors of
      the Company or others is required for the issuance and sale of the
      Securities. Except as disclosed in the SEC Reports, there are no
      stockholders agreements, voting agreements or other similar agreements
      with respect to the Company's capital stock to which the Company is a
      party or, to the knowledge of the Company, between or among any of the
      Company's stockholders.


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            (h) SEC Reports; Financial Statements. The Company has filed all
      reports required to be filed by it under the Securities Act and the
      Exchange Act, including pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) thereof, for
      the two years preceding the date hereof (or such shorter period as the
      Company was required by law to file such material) (the foregoing
      materials, including the exhibits thereto, being collectively referred to
      herein as the "SEC Reports") on a timely basis or has received a valid
      extension of such time of filing and has filed any such SEC Reports prior
      to the expiration of any such extension. As of their respective dates, the
      SEC Reports complied in all material respects with the requirements of the
      Securities Act and the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the
      Commission promulgated thereunder, and none of the SEC Reports, when
      filed, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to
      state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order
      to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which
      they were made, not misleading. The financial statements of the Company
      included in the SEC Reports comply in all material respects with
      applicable accounting requirements and the rules and regulations of the
      Commission with respect thereto as in effect at the time of filing. Such
      financial statements have been prepared in accordance with United States
      generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis
      during the periods involved ("GAAP"), except as may be otherwise specified
      in such financial statements or the notes thereto and except that
      unaudited financial statements may not contain all footnotes required by
      GAAP, and fairly present in all material respects the financial position
      of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of and for the dates
      thereof and the results of operations and cash flows for the periods then
      ended, subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal,
      immaterial, year-end audit adjustments.

            (i) Material Changes. Since the date of the latest audited financial
      statements included within the SEC Reports, except as specifically
      disclosed in the SEC Reports, (i) there has been no event, occurrence or
      development that has had or that could reasonably be expected to result in
      a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) the Company has not incurred any
      liabilities (contingent or otherwise) other than (A) trade payables and
      accrued expenses incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent
      with past practice and (B) liabilities not required to be reflected in the
      Company's financial statements pursuant to GAAP or required to be
      disclosed in filings made with the Commission or incurred in connection
      with acquisitions disclosed in the SEC Reports, (iii) the Company has not
      altered its method of accounting, (iv) the Company has not declared or
      made any dividend or distribution of cash or other property to its
      stockholders or purchased, redeemed or made any agreements to purchase or
      redeem any shares of its capital stock and (v) the Company has not issued
      any equity securities to any officer, director or Affiliate, except
      pursuant to existing Company stock option plans. The Company does not have
      pending before the Commission any request for confidential treatment of
      information.


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            (j) Litigation. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.1(j), there is no
      action, suit, inquiry, notice of violation, proceeding or investigation
      pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against the
      Company, any Subsidiary or any of their respective properties before or by
      any court, arbitrator, governmental or administrative agency or regulatory
      authority (federal, state, county, local or foreign) (collectively, an
      "Action") which (i) adversely affects or challenges the legality, validity
      or enforceability of any of the Transaction Documents or the Securities or
      (ii) could, if there were an unfavorable decision, have or reasonably be
      expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor
      any Subsidiary, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director or
      officer thereof, is or has been the subject of any Action involving a
      claim of violation of or liability under federal or state securities laws
      or a claim of breach of fiduciary duty. There has not been, and to the
      knowledge of the Company, there is not pending or contemplated, any
      investigation by the Commission involving the Company or, to the knowledge
      of the Company, any current or former director or officer of the Company.
      The Commission has not issued any stop order or other order suspending the
      effectiveness of any registration statement filed by the Company or any
      Subsidiary under the Exchange Act or the Securities Act.

            (k) Labor Relations. No material labor dispute exists or, to the
      knowledge of the Company, is imminent with respect to any of the employees
      of the Company which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material
      Adverse Effect.

            (l) Compliance. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary (i) is in
      default under or in violation of (and no event has occurred that has not
      been waived that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would result in a
      default by the Company or any Subsidiary under), nor has the Company or
      any Subsidiary received notice of a claim that it is in default under or
      that it is in violation of, any indenture, loan or credit agreement or any
      other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any
      of its properties is bound (whether or not such default or violation has
      been waived), (ii) is in violation of any order of any court, arbitrator
      or governmental body, or (iii) is in violation of any statute, rule or
      regulation of any governmental authority, including without limitation all
      foreign, federal, state and local laws applicable to its business except
      in each case as could not have a Material Adverse Effect.

            (m) Regulatory Permits. The Company and the Subsidiaries possess all
      certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate
      federal, state, local or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to
      conduct their respective businesses as described in the SEC Reports,
      except where the failure to possess such permits could not have or
      reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect ("Material
      Permits"), and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received any
      notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any
      Material Permit.


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            (n) Title to Assets. Except as set forth in Schedule 3.1(n), the
      Company and the Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple
      to all real property owned by them that is material to the business of the
      Company and the Subsidiaries and good and marketable title in all personal
      property owned by them that is material to the business of the Company and
      the Subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all Liens, except for
      Liens as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not
      materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such
      property by the Company and the Subsidiaries and Liens for the payment of
      federal, state or other taxes, the payment of which is neither delinquent
      nor subject to penalties. Any real property and facilities held under
      lease by the Company and the Subsidiaries are held by them under valid,
      subsisting and enforceable leases of which the Company and the
      Subsidiaries are in compliance, except as could not have a Material
      Adverse Effect.

            (o) Patents and Trademarks. The Company and the Subsidiaries have,
      or have rights to use, all patents, patent applications, trademarks,
      trademark applications, service marks, trade names, copyrights, licenses
      and other similar rights necessary or material for use in connection with
      their respective businesses as described in the SEC Reports and which the
      failure to so have could have a Material Adverse Effect (collectively, the
      "Intellectual Property Rights"). Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary
      has received a written notice that the Intellectual Property Rights used
      by the Company or any Subsidiary violates or infringes upon the rights of
      any Person. To the knowledge of the Company, all such Intellectual
      Property Rights are enforceable and there is no existing infringement by
      another Person of any of the Intellectual Property Rights of others.

            (p) Insurance. The Company and the Subsidiaries are insured by
      insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and
      risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses
      in which the Company and the Subsidiaries are engaged. To the best of
      Company's knowledge, such insurance contracts and policies are accurate
      and complete. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has any reason to
      believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage
      as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from
      similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business without a
      significant increase in cost.

            (q) Transactions With Affiliates and Employees. Except as set forth
      in the SEC Reports, to the knowledge of the Company, none of the officers
      or directors of the Company and none of the employees of the Company are
      presently a party to any transaction with the Company or any Subsidiary
      (other than for services as employees, officers and directors), including
      any contract, agreement or other arrangement providing for the furnishing
      of services to or by, providing for rental of real or personal property to
      or from, or otherwise requiring payments to or from any officer, director
      or such employee or, to the knowledge of the Company, any entity in which
      any officer, director, or any such employee has a substantial interest or
      is an officer, director, trustee or partner, in each case in excess of
      $60,000 other than (i) for payment of salary or consulting fees for
      services rendered, (ii) reimbursement for expenses incurred on behalf of
      the Company and (iii) for other employee benefits, including stock option
      agreements under any stock option plan of the Company.


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            (r) Sarbanes-Oxley; Internal Accounting Controls. The Company is in
      material compliance with all provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
      which are applicable to it as of the Closing Date. The Company and the
      Subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient
      to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in
      accordance with management's general or specific authorizations, (ii)
      transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial
      statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability,
      (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management's
      general or specific authorization, and (iv) the recorded accountability
      for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals
      and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. The
      Company has established disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in
      Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for the Company and designed
      such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure that material
      information relating to the Company, including its subsidiaries, is made
      known to the certifying officers by others within those entities,
      particularly during the period in which the Company's most recently filed
      periodic report under the Exchange Act, as the case may be, is being
      prepared. The Company's certifying officers have evaluated the
      effectiveness of the Company's disclosure controls and procedures as of
      the date prior to the filing date of the most recently filed periodic
      report under the Exchange Act (such date, the "Evaluation Date"). The
      Company presented in its most recently filed periodic report under the
      Exchange Act the conclusions of the certifying officers about the
      effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures based on their
      evaluations as of the Evaluation Date. Since the Evaluation Date, there
      have been no significant changes in the Company's internal controls (as
      such term is defined in Item 307(b) of Regulation S-K under the Exchange
      Act) or, to the Company's knowledge, in other factors that could
      significantly affect the Company's internal controls.

            (s) Certain Fees. No brokerage or finder's fees or commissions are
      or will be payable by the Company to any broker, financial advisor or
      consultant, finder, placement agent, investment banker, bank or other
      Person with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
      The Purchasers shall have no obligation (other than with respect to their
      own actions) with respect to any fees or with respect to any claims made
      by or on behalf of other Persons for fees of a type contemplated in this
      Section that may be due in connection with the transactions contemplated
      by this Agreement.

            (t) Private Placement. Assuming the accuracy of the Purchasers'
      representations and warranties set forth in Section 3.2, no registration
      under the Securities Act is required for the offer and sale of the
      Securities by the Company to the Purchasers as contemplated hereby. The
      issuance and sale of the Securities hereunder does not contravene the
      rules and regulations of the Trading Market.

            (u) Investment Company. The Company is not, and is not an Affiliate
      of, and immediately after receipt of payment for the Securities, will not
      be or be an Affiliate of, an "investment company" within the meaning of
      the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The Company shall conduct
      its business in a manner so that it will not become subject to the
      Investment Company Act.


                                       11


            (v) Registration Rights. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.1(v), no
      Person has any right to cause the Company to effect the registration under
      the Securities Act of any securities of the Company.

            (w) Listing and Maintenance Requirements. The Company's Common Stock
      is registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act, and the
      Company has taken no action designed to, or which to its knowledge is
      likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common
      Stock under the Exchange Act nor has the Company received any notification
      that the Commission is contemplating terminating such registration. The
      Company has not, in the 12 months preceding the date hereof, received
      notice from any Trading Market on which the Common Stock is or has been
      listed or quoted to the effect that the Company is not in compliance with
      the listing or maintenance requirements of such Trading Market. The
      Company is, and has no reason to believe that it will not in the
      foreseeable future continue to be, in compliance with all such listing and
      maintenance requirements.

            (x) Application of Takeover Protections. The Company and its Board
      of Directors have taken all necessary action, if any, in order to render
      inapplicable any control share acquisition, business combination, poison
      pill (including any distribution under a rights agreement) or other
      similar anti-takeover provision under the Company's Certificate of
      Incorporation (or similar charter documents) or the laws of its state of
      incorporation that is or could become applicable to the Purchasers as a
      result of the Purchasers and the Company fulfilling their obligations or
      exercising their rights under the Transaction Documents, including without
      limitation the Company's issuance of the Securities and the Purchasers'
      ownership of the Securities.

            (y) Disclosure. The Company confirms that, neither the Company nor
      any other Person acting on its behalf has provided any of the Purchasers
      or their agents or counsel with any information that constitutes or might
      constitute material, non-public information. The Company understands and
      confirms that the Purchasers will rely on the foregoing representations
      and covenants in effecting transactions in securities of the Company. All
      disclosure provided to the Purchasers regarding the Company, its business
      and the transactions contemplated hereby, including the Disclosure
      Schedules to this Agreement, furnished by or on behalf of the Company with
      respect to the representations and warranties made herein are true and
      correct with respect to such representations and warranties and do not
      contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any
      material fact necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in
      light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The
      Company acknowledges and agrees that no Purchaser makes or has made any
      representations or warranties with respect to the transactions
      contemplated hereby other than those specifically set forth in Section 3.2
      hereof.

            (z) No Integrated Offering. Assuming the accuracy of the Purchasers'
      representations and warranties set forth in Section 3.2, neither the
      Company, nor any of its Affiliates, nor any Person acting on its or their
      behalf has, directly or indirectly, made any offers or sales of any
      security or solicited any offers to buy any security, under circumstances
      that would cause this offering of the Securities to be integrated with
      prior offerings by the Company for purposes of the Securities Act or any
      applicable shareholder approval provisions, including, without limitation,
      under the rules and regulations of any exchange or automated quotation
      system on which any of the securities of the Company are listed or
      designated.


                                       12


            (aa) Solvency. Based on the financial condition of the Company as of
      the Closing Date after giving effect to the receipt by the Company of the
      proceeds from the sale of the Securities hereunder, (i) the Company's fair
      saleable value of its assets exceeds the amount that will be required to
      be paid on or in respect of the Company's existing debts and other
      liabilities (including known contingent liabilities) as they mature; (ii)
      the Company's assets do not constitute unreasonably small capital to carry
      on its business for the current fiscal year as now conducted and as
      proposed to be conducted including its capital needs taking into account
      the particular capital requirements of the business conducted by the
      Company, and projected capital requirements and capital availability
      thereof; and (iii) the current cash flow of the Company, together with the
      proceeds the Company would receive, were it to liquidate all of its
      assets, after taking into account all anticipated uses of the cash, would
      be sufficient to pay all amounts on or in respect of its debt when such
      amounts are required to be paid. The Company does not intend to incur
      debts beyond its ability to pay such debts as they mature (taking into
      account the timing and amounts of cash to be payable on or in respect of
      its debt).

            (bb) Form S-3 Eligibility. The Company is eligible to register the
      resale of its Common Stock by the Purchasers under Form S-3 promulgated
      under the Securities Act and the Company hereby covenants and agrees to
      use its best efforts to maintain its eligibility to use Form S-3 until the
      Registration Statement covering the resale of the Securities shall have
      been filed with, and declared effective by, the Commission.

            (cc) Taxes. Except for matters that would not, individually or in
      the aggregate, have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material
      Adverse Effect, the Company and each Subsidiary have filed all necessary
      federal, state and foreign income and franchise tax returns and have paid
      or accrued all taxes shown as due thereon, and the Company has no
      knowledge of a tax deficiency which has been asserted or threatened
      against the Company or any Subsidiary.

            (dd) General Solicitation. Neither the Company nor any person acting
      on behalf of the Company has offered or sold any of the Securities by any
      form of general solicitation or general advertising. The Company has
      offered the Securities for sale only to the Purchasers and certain other
      "accredited investors" within the meaning of Rule 501 under the Securities
      Act.

            (ee) Foreign Corrupt Practices. Neither the Company, nor to the
      knowledge of the Company, any agent or other person acting on behalf of
      the Company, has (i) directly or indirectly, used any corrupt funds for
      unlawful contributions, gifts, entertainment or other unlawful expenses
      related to foreign or domestic political activity, (ii) made any unlawful
      payment to foreign or domestic government officials or employees or to any
      foreign or domestic political parties or campaigns from corporate funds,
      (iii) failed to disclose fully any contribution made by the Company (or
      made by any person acting on its behalf of which the Company is aware)
      which is in violation of law, or (iv) violated in any material respect any
      provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended.


                                       13


            (ff) Accountants. The Company's accountants are set forth on
      Schedule 3.1(ff) of the Disclosure Schedule. To the Company's knowledge,
      such accountants, who the Company expects will express their opinion with
      respect to the financial statements to be included in the Company's Annual
      Report on Form 10-K for the year ended May 31, 2004 are independent
      accountants as required by the Securities Act.

            (gg) Acknowledgment Regarding Purchasers' Purchase of Securities.
      The Company acknowledges and agrees that each of the Purchasers is acting
      solely in the capacity of an arm's length purchaser with respect to the
      Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby. The
      Company further acknowledges that no Purchaser is acting as a financial
      advisor or fiduciary of the Company (or in any similar capacity) with
      respect to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and any
      advice given by any Purchaser or any of their respective representatives
      or agents in connection with this Agreement and the transactions
      contemplated hereby is merely incidental to the Purchasers' purchase of
      the Securities. The Company further represents to each Purchaser that the
      Company's decision to enter into this Agreement has been based solely on
      the independent evaluation of the transactions contemplated hereby by the
      Company and its representatives.

      3.2 Representations and Warranties of the Purchasers. Each Purchaser
hereby, for itself and for no other Purchaser, represents and warrants as of the
date hereof and as of the Closing Date to the Company as follows:

            (a) Organization; Authority. Such Purchaser is an entity duly
      organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the
      jurisdiction of its organization with full right, corporate or partnership
      power and authority to enter into and to consummate the transactions
      contemplated by the Transaction Documents and otherwise to carry out its
      obligations thereunder. The execution, delivery and performance by such
      Purchaser of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement have been
      duly authorized by all necessary corporate or similar action on the part
      of such Purchaser. Each Transaction Document to which it is a party has
      been duly executed by such Purchaser, and when delivered by such Purchaser
      in accordance with the terms hereof, will constitute the valid and legally
      binding obligation of such Purchaser, enforceable against it in accordance
      with its terms, except (i) as limited by general equitable principles and
      applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other
      laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors' rights
      generally, (ii) as limited by laws relating to the availability of
      specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies and
      (iii) insofar as indemnification and contribution provisions may be
      limited by applicable law.

            (b) Purchaser Representation. Such Purchaser understands that the
      Securities are "restricted securities" and have not been registered under
      the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law and is acquiring
      the Securities as principal for its own account and not with a view to or
      for distributing or reselling such Securities or any part thereof, has no
      present intention of distributing any of such Securities and has no
      arrangement or understanding with any other persons regarding the
      distribution of such Securities (this representation and warranty not
      limiting such Purchaser's right to sell the Securities pursuant to the
      Registration Statement or otherwise in compliance with applicable federal
      and state securities laws). Such Purchaser is acquiring the Securities
      hereunder in the ordinary course of its business. Such Purchaser does not
      have any agreement or understanding, directly or indirectly, with any
      Person to distribute any of the Securities.


                                       14


            (c) Purchaser Status. At the time such Purchaser was offered the
      Securities, it was, and at the date hereof it is, an "accredited investor"
      as defined in Rule 501(a)(1), (a)(2), (a)(3), (a)(7) or (a)(8) under the
      Securities Act. Such Purchaser is not required to be registered as a
      broker-dealer under Section 15 of the Exchange Act.

            (d) Experience of Such Purchaser. Such Purchaser, either alone or
      together with its representatives, has such knowledge, sophistication and
      experience in business and financial matters so as to be capable of
      evaluating the merits and risks of the prospective investment in the
      Securities, and has so evaluated the merits and risks of such investment.
      Such Purchaser is able to bear the economic risk of an investment in the
      Securities and, at the present time, is able to afford a complete loss of
      such investment.

            (e) General Solicitation. Such Purchaser is not purchasing the
      Securities as a result of any advertisement, article, notice or other
      communication regarding the Securities published in any newspaper,
      magazine or similar media or broadcast over television or radio or
      presented at any seminar or any other general solicitation or general
      advertisement.

            (f) Securities Filings. The Purchasers acknowledge that they have
      been provided with copies of and have reviewed the following documents,
      which have been filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to the
      Exchange Act (collectively, the "DISCLOSURE REPORTS" and, and, together
      with this Agreement and the Disclosure Schedule to this Agreement, the
      "DISCLOSURE MATERIALS"): (i) the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, as
      amended, for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2003; (ii) the Company's
      Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended August 31, 2003,
      November 30, 2003 and February 29, 2004; and (iii) the Company's proxy
      statement with respect to its 2003 annual meeting.

            (g) Offering Exemption. The Purchasers understand that the
      Securities are being offered and sold in reliance upon specific exemptions
      from the registration requirements of United States federal and state
      securities laws and that the Company is relying upon the truth and
      accuracy of the representations, warranties, agreements, acknowledgements
      and understandings set forth herein in order to determine the
      applicability of such exemptions and the suitability of the Purchasers to
      acquire the Securities.


                                       15


            (h) Access to Information. The Purchasers acknowledge that they have
      reviewed the Disclosure Materials and have been afforded (i) the
      opportunity to ask such questions as they have deemed necessary of, and to
      receive answers from, representatives of the Company concerning the terms
      and conditions of the offering of the Securities and the merits and risks
      of investing in the Securities; (ii) access to information about the
      Company and the Subsidiaries and their respective financial condition,
      results of operations, business, properties, management and prospects
      sufficient to enable it to evaluate its investment; and (iii) the
      opportunity to obtain such additional information that the Company
      possesses or can acquire without unreasonable effort or expense that is
      necessary to make an informed investment decision with respect to the
      investment.

      The Company acknowledges and agrees that each Purchaser does not make or
has not made any representations or warranties with respect to the transactions
contemplated hereby other than those specifically set forth in this Section 3.2.

                                  ARTICLE IV.
                         OTHER AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES

      4.1 Transfer Restrictions.

            (a) The Securities may only be disposed of in compliance with state
      and federal securities laws. In connection with any transfer of Securities
      other than pursuant to an effective registration statement, pursuant to
      Rule 144 (subject to the Company's receipt of routine backup documentation
      from the Purchaser) or to the Company, the Company may require the
      transferor thereof to provide to the Company an opinion of counsel
      selected by the transferor and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the
      form and substance of which opinion shall be reasonably satisfactory to
      the Company, to the effect that such transfer does not require
      registration of such transferred Securities under the Securities Act. As a
      condition of transfer, any such transferee shall agree in writing to be
      bound by the terms of this Agreement and shall have the rights of a
      Purchaser under this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement.

            (b) The Purchasers agree to the imprinting, so long as is required
      by this Section 4.1(b), of a legend on any of the Securities in the
      following form:

            THE SECURITIES EVIDENCED BY THIS CERTIFICATE HAVE NOT BEEN
            REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, HAVE BEEN TAKEN FOR
            INVESTMENT AND MAY NOT BE SOLD OR OFFERED FOR SALE UNLESS A
            REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE FEDERAL SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS
            AMENDED, OR UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY APPLICABLE STATE WITH
            RESPECT TO THESE SHARES, IS THEN IN EFFECT OR AN EXEMPTION FROM THE
            REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE ACT OR THE APPLICABLE STATE
            SECURITIES LAWS ARE THEN IN FACT APPLICABLE TO THE OFFER OR SALE.

            The Company acknowledges and agrees that a Purchaser may from time
      to time pledge pursuant to a bona fide margin agreement with a registered
      broker-dealer or grant a security interest in some or all of the
      Securities to a financial institution that is an "accredited investor" as
      defined in Rule 501(a) under the Securities Act and who agrees to be bound
      by the provisions of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement
      and, if required under the terms of such arrangement, such Purchaser may
      transfer pledged or secured Securities to the pledgees or secured parties.
      Such a pledge or transfer would not be subject to approval of the Company
      and no legal opinion of legal counsel of the pledgee, secured party or
      pledgor shall be required in connection with the pledge. Further, no
      notice shall be required of such pledge. At the appropriate Purchaser's
      expense, the Company will execute and deliver such reasonable
      documentation as a pledgee or secured party of Securities may reasonably
      request in connection with a pledge or transfer of the Securities,
      including, if the Securities are subject to registration pursuant to the
      Registration Rights Agreement, the preparation and filing of any required
      prospectus supplement under Rule 424(b)(3) under the Securities Act or
      other applicable provision of the Securities Act to appropriately amend
      the list of Selling Stockholders thereunder.


                                       16


            (c) Certificates evidencing the Securities shall not contain any
      legend (including the legend set forth in Section 4.1(b)), (i) while a
      registration statement (including the Registration Statement) covering the
      resale of such security is effective under the Securities Act, or (ii)
      following any sale of such Securities pursuant to Rule 144, or (iii) if
      such Securities are eligible for sale under Rule 144(k) (subject to
      receipt of routine backup documentation demonstrating eligibility for such
      rule), or (iv) if such legend is not required under applicable
      requirements of the Securities Act (including judicial interpretations and
      pronouncements issued by the Staff of the Commission). The Company shall
      cause its counsel to issue a legal opinion to the Company's transfer agent
      promptly after the Effective Date if required by the Company's transfer
      agent to effect the removal of the legend hereunder. The Company agrees
      that following the Effective Date or at such time as such legend is no
      longer required under this Section 4.1(c), it will, no later than five
      Trading Days following the delivery by a Purchaser to the Company or the
      Company's transfer agent of a certificate representing Securities issued
      with a restrictive legend (such date, the "Legend Removal Date"), deliver
      or cause to be delivered to such Purchaser a certificate representing such
      Securities that is free from all restrictive and other legends. Unless
      required under applicable law, the Company may not make any notation on
      its records or give instructions to any transfer agent of the Company that
      enlarge the restrictions on transfer set forth in this Section.

            (d) In addition to such Purchaser's other available remedies, the
      Company shall pay to a Purchaser, in cash, as partial liquidated damages
      and not as a penalty, for each $1,000 of Securities (based on the VWAP of
      the Common Stock on the date such Securities are submitted to the
      Company's transfer agent) subject to Section 4.1(c), $10 per Trading Day
      (increasing to $20 per Trading Day five (5) Trading Days after such
      damages have begun to accrue) for each Trading Day after the Legend
      Removal Date until such certificate is delivered. Nothing herein shall
      limit such Purchaser's right to pursue actual damages for the Company's
      failure to deliver certificates representing any Securities as required by
      the Transaction Documents, and such Purchaser shall have the right to
      pursue all remedies available to it at law or in equity including, without
      limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief.

            (e) Each Purchaser, severally and not jointly with the other
      Purchasers, agrees that the removal of the restrictive legend from
      certificates representing Securities as set forth in this Section 4.1 is
      predicated upon the Company's reliance that the Purchaser will sell any
      Securities pursuant to either the registration requirements of the
      Securities Act, including any applicable prospectus delivery requirements,
      or an exemption therefrom, which Purchaser hereby covenants to do.


                                       17


            (f) Until the date that each Purchaser holds less than 20% of the
      Securities initially purchased hereunder by such Purchaser, the Company
      shall not undertake a reverse or forward stock split or reclassification
      of the Common Stock without the prior written consent of the Purchasers
      holding a majority in interest of the Securities, except in connection
      with seeking to satisfy listing and maintenance requirements of the
      Trading Market.

      4.2 Furnishing of Information. As long as any Purchaser owns Securities,
the Company covenants to timely file (or obtain extensions in respect thereof
and file within the applicable grace period) all reports required to be filed by
the Company after the date hereof pursuant to the Exchange Act. As long as any
Purchaser owns Securities and until the Purchaser is eligible to use Rule
144(k), if the Company is not required to file reports pursuant to the Exchange
Act, it will prepare and furnish to the Purchasers and make publicly available
in accordance with Rule 144(c) such information as is required for the
Purchasers to sell the Securities under Rule 144. The Company further covenants
that it will take such further action as any holder of Securities may reasonably
request, all to the extent required from time to time to enable such Person to
sell such Securities without registration under the Securities Act within the
limitation of the exemptions provided by Rule 144.

      4.3 Integration. The Company shall not sell, offer for sale or solicit
offers to buy or otherwise negotiate in respect of any security (as defined in
Section 2 of the Securities Act) that would be integrated with the offer or sale
of the Securities in a manner that would require the registration under the
Securities Act of the sale of the Securities to the Purchasers or that would be
integrated with the offer or sale of the Securities for purposes of the rules
and regulations of any Trading Market such that it would require shareholder
approval prior to the closing of such other transaction unless shareholder
approval is obtained before the closing of such subsequent transaction.

      4.4 Securities Laws Disclosure; Publicity. The Company shall, by 8:30 a.m.
Eastern time on the Trading Day following the date hereof, issue a press release
or file a Current Report on Form 8-K, in each case reasonably acceptable to each
Purchaser disclosing the material terms of the transactions contemplated hereby.
The Company and each Purchaser shall consult with each other in issuing any
other press releases with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby, and
neither the Company nor any Purchaser shall issue any such press release or
otherwise make any such public statement without the prior consent of the
Company, with respect to any press release of any Purchaser, or without the
prior consent of each Purchaser, with respect to any press release of the
Company, which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld, except if such
disclosure is required by law, in which case the disclosing party shall promptly
provide the other party with prior notice of such public statement or
communication. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not publicly
disclose the name of any Purchaser, or include the name of any Purchaser in any
filing with the Commission or any regulatory agency or Trading Market, without
the prior written consent of such Purchaser, except (i) as required by federal
securities law in connection with the registration statement contemplated by the
Registration Rights Agreement and (ii) to the extent such disclosure is required
by other law or Trading Market regulations, in which case the Company shall
provide the Purchasers with prior notice of such disclosure permitted under
subclause (i) or (ii).


                                       18


      4.5 Shareholders Rights Plan. No claim will be made or enforced by the
Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, any other Person that any Purchaser
is an "Acquiring Person" under any shareholders rights plan or similar plan or
arrangement in effect or hereafter adopted by the Company, or that any Purchaser
could be deemed to trigger the provisions of any such plan or arrangement, by
virtue of receiving Securities under the Transaction Documents or under any
other agreement between the Company and the Purchasers. The Company shall
conduct its business in a manner so that it will not become subject to the
Investment Company Act.

      4.6 Non-Public Information. The Company covenants and agrees that neither
it nor any other Person acting on its behalf will provide any Purchaser or its
agents or counsel with any information that the Company believes constitutes
material non-public information, unless prior thereto such Purchaser shall have
executed a written agreement regarding the confidentiality and use of such
information. The Company understands and confirms that each Purchaser shall be
relying on the foregoing representations in effecting transactions in securities
of the Company.

      4.7 Use of Proceeds. Except as set forth on Schedule 4.7 attached hereto,
the Company shall use the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities hereunder
for working capital purposes and not for the satisfaction of any portion of the
Company's debt (other than payment of trade payables in the ordinary course of
the Company's business and prior practices), to redeem any Company equity or
equity-equivalent securities or to settle any outstanding litigation.

      4.8 Indemnification of Purchasers. Subject to the provisions of this
Section 4.8, the Company will indemnify and hold the Purchasers and their
directors, officers, shareholders, partners, employees and agents (each, a
"Purchaser Party") harmless from any and all losses, liabilities, obligations,
claims, contingencies, damages, costs and expenses, including all judgments,
amounts paid in settlements, court costs and reasonable attorneys' fees and
costs of investigation that any such Purchaser Party may suffer or incur as a
result of or relating to (a) any breach of any of the representations,
warranties, covenants or agreements made by the Company in this Agreement or in
the other Transaction Documents or (b) any action instituted against a
Purchaser, or any of them or their respective Affiliates, by any stockholder of
the Company who is not an Affiliate of such Purchaser, with respect to any of
the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents (unless such action
is based upon a breach of such Purchaser's representations, warranties or
covenants under the Transaction Documents or any agreements or understandings
such Purchaser may have with any such stockholder or any violations by the
Purchaser of state or federal securities laws or any conduct by such Purchaser
which constitutes fraud, gross negligence, willful misconduct or malfeasance).
If any action shall be brought against any Purchaser Party in respect of which
indemnity may be sought pursuant to this Agreement, such Purchaser Party shall
promptly notify the Company in writing, and the Company shall have the right to
assume the defense thereof with counsel of its own choosing. Any Purchaser Party
shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such action and
participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel
shall be at the expense of such Purchaser Party except to the extent that (i)
the employment thereof has been specifically authorized by the Company in
writing, (ii) the Company has failed after a reasonable period of time to assume
such defense and to employ counsel or (iii) in such action there is a material
conflict on any material issue between the position of the Company and the
position of such Purchaser Party. The Company will not be liable to any
Purchaser Party under this Agreement (i) for any settlement by a Purchaser Party
effected without the Company's prior written consent, which shall not be
unreasonably withheld or delayed; or (ii) to the extent, but only to the extent
that a loss, claim, damage or liability is attributable to any Purchaser Party's
breach of any of the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements made
by the Purchasers in this Agreement or in the other Transaction Documents.


                                       19


      4.9 Reservation of Common Stock. As of the date hereof, the Company has
reserved and the Company shall continue to reserve and keep available at all
times, free of preemptive rights, a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock
for the purpose of enabling the Company to issue Securities pursuant to this
Agreement.

      4.10 Listing of Common Stock. The Company hereby agrees to use best
efforts to maintain the listing of the Common Stock on the Trading Market, and
as soon as reasonably practicable following the Closing (but not later than the
earlier of the Effective Date and the first anniversary of the Closing Date) to
list all of the Securities on the Trading Market. The Company further agrees, if
the Company applies to have the Common Stock traded on any other Trading Market,
it will include in such application all of the Securities, and will take such
other action as is necessary to cause the Securities to be listed on such other
Trading Market as promptly as possible. The Company will take all action
reasonably necessary to continue the listing and trading of its Common Stock on
a Trading Market and will comply in all material respects with the Company's
reporting, filing and other obligations under the bylaws or rules of the Trading
Market.

      4.11 Equal Treatment of Purchasers. No consideration shall be offered or
paid to any person to amend or consent to a waiver or modification of any
provision of any of the Transaction Documents unless the same consideration is
also offered to all of the parties to the Transaction Documents. For
clarification purposes, this provision constitutes a separate right granted to
each Purchaser by the Company and negotiated separately by each Purchaser, and
is intended to treat for the Company the Purchasers as a class and shall not in
any way be construed as the Purchasers acting in concert or as a group with
respect to the purchase, disposition or voting of Securities or otherwise.

      4.12 Delivery of Securities After Closing. The Company shall deliver, or
cause to be delivered, the respective Securities purchased by each Purchaser to
such Purchaser within 3 Trading Days of the Closing Date.

                                   ARTICLE V.
                                  MISCELLANEOUS

      5.1 Fees and Expenses. The Company shall reimburse Crestview Capital
Partners LLC ("Crestview") the sum of $5,000 for its legal fees. The Company
shall deliver, prior to the Closing, a completed and executed copy of the
Closing Statement, attached hereto as Annex A. Except as otherwise set forth in
this Agreement, each party shall pay the fees and expenses of its advisers,
counsel, accountants and other experts, if any, and all other expenses incurred
by such party incident to the negotiation, preparation, execution, delivery and
performance of this Agreement. The Company shall pay all stamp and other taxes
and duties levied in connection with the sale of the Securities.


                                       20


      5.2 Entire Agreement. The Transaction Documents, together with the
exhibits and schedules thereto, contain the entire understanding of the parties
with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior agreements and
understandings, oral or written, with respect to such matters, which the parties
acknowledge have been merged into such documents, exhibits and schedules.

      5.3 Notices. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries
required or permitted to be provided hereunder shall be in writing and shall be
deemed given and effective on the earliest of (a) the date of transmission, if
such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number
set forth on the signature pages attached hereto prior to 6:30 p.m. (New York
City time) on a Trading Day, (b) the next Trading Day after the date of
transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the
facsimile number set forth on the signature pages attached hereto on a day that
is not a Trading Day or later than 6:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any Trading
Day, (c) the second Trading Day following the date of mailing, if sent by U.S.
nationally recognized overnight courier service, or (d) upon actual receipt by
the party to whom such notice is required to be given. The address for such
notices and communications shall be as set forth on the signature pages attached
hereto.

      5.3 Amendments; Waivers. No provision of this Agreement may be waived or
amended except in a written instrument signed, in the case of an amendment, by
the Company and each Purchaser or, in the case of a waiver, by the party against
whom enforcement of any such waiver is sought. No waiver of any default with
respect to any provision, condition or requirement of this Agreement shall be
deemed to be a continuing waiver in the future or a waiver of any subsequent
default or a waiver of any other provision, condition or requirement hereof, nor
shall any delay or omission of either party to exercise any right hereunder in
any manner impair the exercise of any such right.

      5.4 Construction. The headings herein are for convenience only, do not
constitute a part of this Agreement and shall not be deemed to limit or affect
any of the provisions hereof. The language used in this Agreement will be deemed
to be the language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent, and no
rules of strict construction will be applied against any party.

      5.5 Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure
to the benefit of the parties and their successors and permitted assigns. The
Company may not assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder
without the prior written consent of each Purchaser. Any Purchaser may assign
any or all of its rights under this Agreement to any Person to whom such
Purchaser assigns or transfers any Securities, provided such transferee agrees
in writing to be bound, with respect to the transferred Securities, by the
provisions hereof that apply to the "Purchasers".

      5.6 No Third-Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement is intended for the
benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted
assigns and is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced
by, any other Person, except as otherwise set forth in Section 4.8.


                                       21


      5.7 Governing Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity,
enforcement and interpretation of the Transaction Documents shall be governed by
and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of
New York, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof. Each
party hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and
federal courts sitting in the City of New York, borough of Manhattan for the
adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any
transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein (including with respect to
the enforcement of any of the Transaction Documents), and hereby irrevocably
waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim
that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that
such suit, action or proceeding is improper or inconvenient venue for such
proceeding. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and
consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by
mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery
(with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for notices
to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good
and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein
shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any manner
permitted by law. The parties hereby waive all rights to a trial by jury. If
either party shall commence an action or proceeding to enforce any provisions of
the Transaction Documents, then the prevailing party in such action or
proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for its attorneys' fees and
other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation and
prosecution of such action or proceeding.

      5.8 Survival. The representations and warranties herein shall survive for
three years following the Closing and delivery of the Securities.

      5.9 Execution. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts,
all of which when taken together shall be considered one and the same agreement
and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and
delivered to the other party, it being understood that both parties need not
sign the same counterpart. In the event that any signature is delivered by
facsimile transmission, such signature shall create a valid and binding
obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is
executed) with the same force and effect as if such facsimile signature page
were an original thereof.

      5.10 Severability. If any provision of this Agreement is held to be
invalid or unenforceable in any respect, the validity and enforceability of the
remaining terms and provisions of this Agreement shall not in any way be
affected or impaired thereby and the parties will attempt to agree upon a valid
and enforceable provision that is a reasonable substitute therefor, and upon so
agreeing, shall incorporate such substitute provision in this Agreement.

      5.11 Rescission and Withdrawal Right. Notwithstanding anything to the
contrary contained in (and without limiting any similar provisions of) the
Transaction Documents, whenever any Purchaser exercises a right, election,
demand or option under a Transaction Document and the Company does not timely
perform its related obligations within the periods therein provided, then such
Purchaser may rescind or withdraw, in its sole discretion from time to time
prior to the Company's performance upon written notice to the Company, any
relevant notice, demand or election in whole or in part without prejudice to its
future actions and rights.


                                       22


      5.12 Replacement of Securities. If any certificate or instrument
evidencing any Securities is mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed, the Company
shall issue or cause to be issued in exchange and substitution for and upon
cancellation thereof, or in lieu of and substitution therefor, a new certificate
or instrument, but only upon receipt of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the
Company of such loss, theft or destruction and customary and reasonable
indemnity, if requested. The applicants for a new certificate or instrument
under such circumstances shall also pay any reasonable third-party costs
associated with the issuance of such replacement Securities.

      5.13 Remedies. In addition to being entitled to exercise all rights
provided herein or granted by law, including recovery of damages, each of the
Purchasers and the Company will be entitled to specific performance under the
Transaction Documents. The parties agree that monetary damages may not be
adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of any breach of
obligations described in the foregoing sentence and hereby agrees to waive in
any action for specific performance of any such obligation the defense that a
remedy at law would be adequate.

      5.14 Payment Set Aside. To the extent that the Company makes a payment or
payments to any Purchaser pursuant to any Transaction Document or a Purchaser
enforces or exercises its rights thereunder, and such payment or payments or the
proceeds of such enforcement or exercise or any part thereof are subsequently
invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside, recovered
from, disgorged by or are required to be refunded, repaid or otherwise restored
to the Company, a trustee, receiver or any other person under any law
(including, without limitation, any bankruptcy law, state or federal law, common
law or equitable cause of action), then to the extent of any such restoration
the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be
revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been
made or such enforcement or setoff had not occurred.

      5.15 Independent Nature of Purchasers' Obligations and Rights. The
obligations of each Purchaser under any Transaction Document are several and not
joint with the obligations of any other Purchaser, and no Purchaser shall be
responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations of any other
Purchaser under any Transaction Document. Nothing contained herein or in any
Transaction Document, and no action taken by any Purchaser pursuant thereto,
shall be deemed to constitute the Purchasers as a partnership, an association, a
joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a presumption that the
Purchasers are in any way acting in concert or as a group with respect to such
obligations or the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. Each
Purchaser shall be entitled to independently protect and enforce its rights,
including without limitation, the rights arising out of this Agreement or out of
the other Transaction Documents, and it shall not be necessary for any other
Purchaser to be joined as an additional party in any proceeding for such
purpose. Each Purchaser has been represented by its own separate legal counsel
in their review and negotiation of the Transaction Documents. For reasons of
administrative convenience only, Purchasers and their respective counsel have
chosen to communicate with the Company through FW. FW does not represent all of
the Purchasers but only Crestview. The Company has elected to provide all
Purchasers with the same terms and Transaction Documents for the convenience of
the Company and not because it was required or requested to do so by the
Purchasers.


                                       23


      5.16 Liquidated Damages. The Company's obligations to pay any partial
liquidated damages or other amounts owing under the Transaction Documents is a
continuing obligation of the Company and shall not terminate until all unpaid
partial liquidated damages and other amounts have been paid notwithstanding the
fact that the instrument or security pursuant to which such partial liquidated
damages or other amounts are due and payable shall have been canceled.

                            (Signature Page Follows)


                                       24


      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Securities
Purchase Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized
signatories as of the date first indicated above.

WORKSTREAM INC.                                          Address for Notice:


By: /s/ Michael Mullarkey
   --------------------------------                      2600 Lake Lucien Drive
     Name: Michael Mullarkey                             Suite 410
     Title:  CEO and President                           Maitland, Florida 32751

With a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):

Perley-Robertson, Hill and McDougall LLP
90 Sparks Street, 4th Floor
Ottawa, Ontario
K1P 1E2
Attention: Michael Gerrior
Facsimile:  (613) 238-8775

                   [REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
                     SIGNATURE PAGES FOR PURCHASERS FOLLOW]


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                                                                         ANNEX A

                                CLOSING STATEMENT

Pursuant to the attached Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of the date
hereto, the purchasers shall purchase up to $____________ of Common Stock from
Workstream, Inc. (the "Company"). All funds will be wired into a trust account
maintained by ____________, counsel to the Company. All funds will be disbursed
in accordance with this Closing Statement.

DISBURSEMENT DATE:                           July ____, 2004

I.   PURCHASE PRICE

                    GROSS PROCEEDS TO BE RECEIVED IN TRUST      $

II.   DISBURSEMENTS

                                                                $
                                                                $
                                                                $
                                                                $
                                                                $

TOTAL AMOUNT DISBURSED:                                         $

WIRE INSTRUCTIONS:


To: ____________________________________


To: ____________________________________


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