EX-2.A.II 2 dp02877_ex02aii.htm

Exhibit 2(a)(ii)

 

 

MERCANTILE ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES MASTER FUND LLC

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

August 4, 2005






Table of Contents
        Page
         
Article I. Definitions   1
     Section 1.1.   ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES   1
     Section 1.2.   ADMINISTRATOR   1
     Section 1.3.   ADMINISTRATION AGREEMENT   1
     Section 1.4.   ADVISER   2
     Section 1.5.   ADVISERS ACT   2
     Section 1.6.   AFFILIATE   2
     Section 1.7.   AGREEMENT   2
     Section 1.8.   BOARD   2
     Section 1.9.   CAPITAL ACCOUNT   2
     Section 1.10.   CERTIFICATE   2
     Section 1.11.   CHAIRMAN   2
     Section 1.12.   CLOSING DATE   2
     Section 1.13.   CODE   2
     Section 1.14.   DELAWARE ACT   2
     Section 1.15.   DIRECTOR   2
     Section 1.16.   FISCAL PERIOD   2
     Section 1.17.   FISCAL YEAR   3
     Section 1.18.   FORM N-2   3
     Section 1.19.   INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS   3
     Section 1.20.   INTEREST   3
     Section 1.21.   INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT   3
     Section 1.22.   INVESTMENT FUNDS   3
     Section 1.23.   INVESTMENT MANAGERS   3
     Section 1.24.   INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT   3
     Section 1.25.   INVESTMENT PERCENTAGE   3
     Section 1.26.   MANAGEMENT FEE   4
     Section 1.27.   MANAGER   4
     Section 1.28.   MASTER FUND   4
     Section 1.29.   MEMBER   4
     Section 1.30.   NET ASSETS   4
     Section 1.31.   NET PROFITS OR NET LOSSES   4
     Section 1.32.   NOTICE DATE   4
     Section 1.33.   1940 ACT   4
     Section 1.34.   ORGANIZATIONAL MEMBER   4
     Section 1.35.   PERSON   5
     Section 1.36.   PLACEMENT AGENT   5
     Section 1.37.   PROMISSORY NOTE   5
     Section 1.38.   SECURITIES   5
     Section 1.39.   TAXABLE YEAR   5
     Section 1.40.   TRANSFER   5
     Section 1.41.   VALUATION DATE   5

i






Table of Contents
        Page
         
Article II. ORGANIZATION; ADMISSION OF MEMBERS   5
     Section 2.1.   Formation of Limited Liability Company   5
     Section 2.2.   Name   5
     Section 2.3.   Principal and Registered Office   6
     Section 2.4.   Duration   6
     Section 2.5.   Objective and Business of the Master Fund   6
     Section 2.6.   Board of Directors   6
     Section 2.7.   Members   7
     Section 2.8.   Placement Fees   8
     Section 2.9.   Limited Liability   8
         
Article III. MANAGEMENT   8
     Section 3.1.   Management and Control   8
     Section 3.2.   Actions by the Board of Directors   9
     Section 3.3.   Meetings of Members   10
     Section 3.4.   Custody of Assets of the Master Fund   11
     Section 3.5.   Other Activities of Members, the Manager and Directors   11
     Section 3.6.   Duty of Care   11
     Section 3.7.   Indemnification   11
     Section 3.8.   Fees, Expenses and Reimbursement   14
       
Article IV. TERMINATION OF STATUS OF MANAGER AND DIRECTORS,  
     TRANSFERS AND REPURCHASES   15
     Section 4.1.   Termination of Status of the Manager   15
     Section 4.2.   Termination of Status of a Director   16
     Section 4.3.   Removal of the Directors   16
     Section 4.4.   Removal of the Manager   16
     Section 4.5.   Transfer of Interests of Members   16
     Section 4.6.   Repurchase of Interests   18
         
Article V. CAPITAL   20
     Section 5.1.   Contributions to Capital   20
     Section 5.2.   Rights of Members to Capital   20
     Section 5.3.   Capital Accounts   21
     Section 5.4.   Allocation of Net Profits and Net Losses   21
     Section 5.5.   Allocation of Insurance Premiums and Proceeds   21
     Section 5.6.   Allocation of Certain Expenditures   22
     Section 5.7.   Reserves   22
     Section 5.8.   Tax Allocations   23
     Section 5.9.   Distributions   24
     Section 5.10.   Withholding   24
         
Article VI. DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION   25
     Section 6.1.   Dissolution   25
     Section 6.2.   Liquidation of Assets   25

ii






Table of Contents
        Page
         
Article VII. ACCOUNTING, VALUATIONS AND BOOKS AND RECORDS   26
     Section 7.1.   Accounting and Reports   26
     Section 7.2.   Determinations by the Board of Directors   27
     Section 7.3.   Valuation of Assets   27
         
Article VIII. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS   27
     Section 8.1.   Amendment of Limited Liability Company Agreement   27
     Section 8.2.   Special Power of Attorney   29
     Section 8.3.   Notices   30
     Section 8.4.   Agreement Binding Upon Successors and Assigns   30
     Section 8.5.   Applicability of 1940 Act and Form N-2   30
     Section 8.6.   Choice of Law; Arbitration   30
     Section 8.7.   Not for Benefit of Creditors   32
     Section 8.8.   Consents   32
     Section 8.9.   Merger and Consolidation   32
     Section 8.10.   Pronouns   32
     Section 8.11.   Confidentiality   33
     Section 8.12.   Severability   33
     Section 8.13.   Master-Feeder Structure   33
     Section 8.14.   Filing of Returns   34
     Section 8.15.   Tax Matters Partner   34
     Section 8.16.   Section 754 Election; Mandatory Basis Adjustments   35

iii






LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

OF

MERCANTILE ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES MASTER FUND LLC

A Delaware Limited Liability Company

Dated as of August 4, 2005

Two Hopkins Plaza, Baltimore, Maryland 21201

(410) 237-5100

THIS LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT of Mercantile Alternative Strategies Master Fund LLC (the “Master Fund”) is dated as of August 4, 2005 by and among Mercantile Capital Advisors, Inc. as the manager (“MCA” or the “Manager”), Mercantile Alternative Strategies Fund LLC as Organizational Member, and those persons hereinafter admitted as Members.

WHEREAS, the Master Fund has heretofore been formed as a limited liability company under the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act pursuant to an initial Certificate of Formation (the “Certificate”) dated and filed with the Secretary of State of Delaware on August 4, 2005;

NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual covenants hereinafter set forth, it is hereby agreed as follows:

Article I.
Definitions
For purposes of this Agreement:
   
 

Section 1.1. ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES. Such administrative services as the Administrator may provide to the Master Fund pursuant to a separate written agreement with the Master Fund.

Section 1.2. ADMINISTRATOR. MCA or any person who may hereafter provide Administrative Services to the Master Fund pursuant to the Administration Agreement. For purposes of this Agreement the term “Administrator” includes a “Sub-Administrator”.

Section 1.3. ADMINISTRATION AGREEMENT. A separate written agreement entered into by the Master Fund and the Administrator pursuant to which the Administrator provides Administrative Services to the Master Fund.






 

Section 1.4. ADVISER. Any person, registered under the Advisers Act, that is retained by the Manager to provide investment advisory services to the Master Fund pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement.

Section 1.5. ADVISERS ACT. The Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules, regulations and orders thereunder, as amended from time to time, or any successor law.

Section 1.6. AFFILIATE. Affiliated person as that term is defined in the 1940 Act.

Section 1.7. AGREEMENT. This Limited Liability Company Agreement, as amended from time to time.

Section 1.8. BOARD. The Board of Directors established pursuant to Section 2.6.

Section 1.9. CAPITAL ACCOUNT. With respect to each Member, the capital account established and maintained on behalf of each Member pursuant to Section 5.3.

Section 1.10. CERTIFICATE. The Certificate of Formation of the Master Fund and any amendments thereto as filed with the office of the Secretary of State of Delaware.

Section 1.11. CHAIRMAN. The Director selected to preside over meetings of the Board.

Section 1.12. CLOSING DATE. The first date on or as of which a Member other than the Organizational Member is admitted to the Master Fund.

Section 1.13. CODE. The United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and as hereafter amended from time to time, or any successor law.

Section 1.14. DELAWARE ACT. The Delaware Limited Liability Company Act as in effect on the date hereof and as amended from time to time, or any successor law.

Section 1.15. DIRECTOR. An individual designated as a Director of the Master Fund who is delegated authority provided for in Section 2.6 of this Agreement. For purposes of this Agreement the term “Director” has the same meaning as the term “Manager” as such term is defined under the Delaware Act (but is not the same as the term “Manager” as used in this Agreement).

Section 1.16. FISCAL PERIOD. The period commencing on the Closing Date of the Master Fund, and thereafter each period commencing on the day following the last day of the preceding Fiscal Period, and ending at the close of business on the first to occur of the following dates:

     
  (a)   the last day of a Fiscal Year;
     
  (b)   the last day of a Taxable Year;
     
2





    (c) the day preceding the date on which a contribution to the capital of the Master Fund is made;
 
    (d) the day on which a substitute member is admitted;
 
    (e) the day on which the Master Fund repurchases any Interest, or portion of an Interest, of a Member; or
 
    (f) any day on which any amount is credited to, or debited against, the Capital Account of a Member, other than an amount to be credited to, or debited against, the Capital Account of all Members in accordance with their respective Investment Percentages.
       
 

Section 1.17. FISCAL YEAR. The period commencing on the Closing Date and ending on March 31, 2007, and thereafter each period commencing on April 1 of each year and ending on March 31 of the following year (or on the date of a final distribution pursuant to Section 6.2 hereof), unless the Board elects another fiscal year for the Master Fund.

Section 1.18. FORM N-2. The Master Fund’s Registration Statement on Form N-2 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as amended from time to time.

Section 1.19. INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS. Those Directors who are not “interested persons” of the Master Fund as such term is defined in the 1940 Act.

Section 1.20. INTEREST. The ownership interest in the Master Fund at any particular time of a Member, or other person to whom an Interest of a Member or portion thereof has been transferred pursuant to Section 4.5 hereof, including the rights and obligations of such Member or other person under this Agreement and the Delaware Act.

Section 1.21. INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT. A separate written agreement entered into by the Adviser, the Manager and the Master Fund pursuant to which the Adviser provides advisory services to the Master Fund.

Section 1.22. INVESTMENT FUNDS. Unregistered general or limited partnerships or pooled investment vehicles and/or registered investment companies in which the Master Fund invests its assets that are advised by an Investment Manager.

Section 1.23. INVESTMENT MANAGERS. Third party investment managers designated by the Adviser to manage a portion of the assets of the Master Fund through the investment by the Master Fund in an Investment Fund.

Section 1.24. INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT. Separate written agreements entered into (i) by the Master Fund and the Manager and (ii) by the Master Fund and any feeder fund which invests its assets in the Master Fund, pursuant to which the Manager provides investment management services to the Master Fund.

Section 1.25. INVESTMENT PERCENTAGE. A percentage established for each Member on the Master Fund’s books as of the first day of each Fiscal Period. The Investment

3






 

Percentage of a Member for a Fiscal Period shall be determined by dividing the balance of the Member’s Capital Account as of the commencement of such period by the sum of the Capital Accounts of all of the Members as of the commencement of such period. The sum of the Investment Percentages of all Members for each Fiscal Period shall equal 100%.

Section 1.26. MANAGEMENT FEE. The fee paid to the Manager out of the Master Fund’s assets pursuant to the Investment Management Agreement, and debited against Members’ Capital Accounts, as provided in Section 3.8(f) of this Agreement.

Section 1.27. MANAGER. Mercantile Capital Advisors Inc., a Maryland corporation, or any person who may hereinafter serve as the investment manager to the Master Fund pursuant to the Investment Management Agreement.

Section 1.28. MASTER FUND. The limited liability company governed hereby, as such limited liability company may from time to time be constituted.

Section 1.29. MEMBER. Any person who shall have been admitted to the Master Fund as a member until the Master Fund repurchases the entire Interest of such person as a member pursuant to Section 4.6 hereof or a substituted member or members are admitted with respect to any such person’s entire Interest as a member pursuant to Section 4.5 hereof.

Section 1.30. NET ASSETS. The total value of all assets of the Master Fund, less an amount equal to all accrued debts, liabilities and obligations of the Master Fund, calculated before giving effect to any repurchases of Interests.

Section 1.31. NET PROFITS OR NET LOSSES. The amount by which the Net Assets as of the close of business on the last day of a Fiscal Period exceed (in the case of Net Profit) or are less than (in the case of Net Loss) the Net Assets as of the commencement of the same Fiscal Period (or, with respect to the initial Fiscal Period of the Master Fund, at the close of business on the Closing Date), such amount to be adjusted to exclude:

       
    (a) the amount of any insurance premiums or proceeds to be allocated among the Capital Accounts of the Members pursuant to Section 5.4 hereof; and
       
    (b) any items to be allocated among the Capital Accounts of the Members on a basis that is not in accordance with the respective Investment Percentages of all Members as of the commencement of such Fiscal Period pursuant to Section 5.6 and Section 5.7 hereof.
       
 

Section 1.32. NOTICE DATE. The date, as specified in any tender offer made by the Master Fund, by which Members choosing to tender Interests for repurchase must notify the Master Fund of their intent.

Section 1.33. 1940 ACT. The Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules, regulations and orders thereunder, as amended from time to time, or any successor law.

Section 1.34. ORGANIZATIONAL MEMBER. Mercantile Alternative Strategies Fund LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

 

4






 

Section 1.35. PERSON. Any individual, entity, corporation, partnership, association, limited liability company, joint-stock company, trust, estate, joint venture, organization, or unincorporated organization.

Section 1.36. PLACEMENT AGENT. An agent hired by the Manager to sell Interests in the Master Fund.

Section 1.37. PROMISSORY NOTE. A non-interest bearing and non-transferable promise of the Master Fund to pay which will contain terms providing for payment to a redeeming Member at two separate times.

Section 1.38. SECURITIES. Securities (including, without limitation, equities, debt obligations, options, and other “securities” as that term is defined in Section 2(a)(36) of the 1940 Act) and any contracts for forward or future delivery of any security, debt obligation or currency, or commodity, all types of derivative instruments and any contracts based on any index or group of securities, debt obligations or currencies, or commodities, and any options thereon, as well as investments in registered investment companies and private investment funds.

Section 1.39. TAXABLE YEAR. The period from January 1 to December 31 of each year.

Section 1.40. TRANSFER. The assignment, transfer, sale, encumbrance, pledge or other disposition of all or any portion of an Interest, including any right to receive any allocations and distributions attributable to an Interest. Verbs, adverbs or adjectives such as “Transfer,” “Transferred” and “Transferring” have correlative meanings.

Section 1.41. VALUATION DATE. The date as of which the Interests to be repurchased by the Master Fund are valued by the Master Fund.

Article II.
ORGANIZATION; ADMISSION OF MEMBERS

   Section 2.1. Formation of Limited Liability Company.

     The Board shall execute and file in accordance with the Delaware Act any amendment to the Certificate and shall execute and file with applicable governmental authorities any other instruments, documents and certificates that, in the opinion of the Master Fund’s legal counsel, may from time to time be required by the laws of the United States of America, the State of Delaware or any other jurisdiction in which the Master Fund shall determine to do business, or any political subdivision or agency thereof, or that such legal counsel may deem necessary or appropriate to effectuate, implement and continue the valid existence and business of the Master Fund.

   Section 2.2. Name.

5





     The name of the Master Fund shall be Mercantile Alternative Strategies Master Fund LLC or such other name as the Board may hereafter adopt upon (i) causing an appropriate amendment to the Certificate to be filed in accordance with the Delaware Act and (ii) sending notice thereof to each Member.

   Section 2.3. Principal and Registered Office.

  (a) The Master Fund shall have its principal office at Two Hopkins Plaza, Baltimore, Maryland, 21201, or at such other place designated from time to time by the Board.
 
  (b) The Master Fund shall have its registered office in Delaware at 2711 Centreville Road, Suite 400, Wilmington, Delaware, 19808 and shall have Corporation Service Company as its registered agent for service of process in Delaware, unless a different registered office or agent is designated from time to time by the Board.

   Section 2.4. Duration.

     The term of the Master Fund commenced on the filing of the Certificate with the Secretary of State of Delaware and shall continue until the Master Fund is dissolved pursuant to Section 6.1 hereof.

   Section 2.5. Objective and Business of the Master Fund.

  (a) The objective of the Master Fund is to seek attractive risk adjusted rates of return with a risk profile that is significantly lower than that of traditional “long only” small capitalization market exposure. The Master Fund intends to achieve its objective principally through investing in Investment Funds managed by Investment Managers who employ a variety of alternative investment strategies. The business of the Master Fund is to purchase, sell (including short sales), invest and trade in Securities, on margin or otherwise, and to engage in any financial or derivative transactions relating thereto or otherwise. The Master Fund may execute, deliver and perform all contracts, agreements, subscription documents and other undertakings and engage in all activities and transactions as may in the opinion of the Board be necessary or advisable to carry out its objective or business.
 
  (b) The Master Fund shall operate as a closed-end, non-diversified, management investment company in accordance with the 1940 Act and subject to any policies and investment restrictions set forth in the Form N-2.
 
   Section 2.6. Board of Directors.
     
  (a) Prior to the Closing Date, the Organizational Member may designate such persons who shall agree to be bound by all of the terms of this Agreement to serve as the initial Directors on the Board, subject to the election of such persons prior to the Closing Date by the Organizational Member. By agreeing to be bound by the
 
6





    terms of this Agreement, a Member admitted on the Closing Date shall be deemed to have voted for the election of each of the initial Directors to the Board. After the Closing Date, the Board may, subject to the provisions of paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 2.6 with respect to the number of, and vacancies in, the position of Director and the provisions of Section 3.3 hereof with respect to the election of Directors to the Board by Members, designate any person who shall agree to be bound by all of the terms of this Agreement as a Director. The names and mailing addresses of the Directors shall be set forth in the books and records of the Master Fund. The number of Directors shall be fixed from time to time by the Board.
 
  (b) Each Director shall serve on the Board for the duration of the term of the Master Fund, unless his or her status as a Director shall be sooner terminated pursuant to Section 4.2 hereof. In the event of any vacancy in the position of Director, the remaining Directors serving on the Board may appoint an individual to serve in such capacity, so long as immediately after such appointment at least two-thirds (2/3) of the Directors then serving would have been elected by the Members. The Board may call a meeting of Members to fill any vacancy in the position of Director, and shall do so within 60 days after any date on which Directors who were elected by the Members cease to constitute a majority of the Directors then serving on the Board.
 
  (c) In the event that no Director remains to continue the business of the Master Fund, the Manager shall promptly call a meeting of the Members, to be held within 60 days after the date on which the last Director ceased to act in that capacity, for the purpose of determining whether to continue the business of the Master Fund and, if the business shall be continued, of electing the required number of Directors to the Board. If the Members shall determine at such meeting not to continue the business of the Master Fund or if the required number of Directors is not elected within 60 days after the date on which the last Director ceased to act in that capacity, then the Master Fund shall be dissolved pursuant to Section 6.1 hereof and the assets of the Master Fund shall be liquidated and distributed pursuant to Section 6.2 hereof.

   Section 2.7. Members.

     The Board expects to admit Members as of the first business day of each calendar month. Members may be admitted to the Master Fund subject to the condition that each such Member shall execute and deliver the Master Fund’s investor application or certification pursuant to which such Member agrees to be bound by all the terms and provisions hereof, or without such execution and delivery, if such Member orally, in writing, or by other action, including, but not limited to, payment for an Interest, complies with the conditions for becoming a Member and pursuant to which such Member agrees to be bound by all the terms and provisions hereof. The Board may in its sole discretion reject any subscription for Interests. The Board may, in its sole discretion, suspend subscriptions for Interests at any time. The admission of any Person as a Member shall be effective upon the revision of the books and records of the Master Fund to

7





reflect the name and the contribution to the capital of the Master Fund of such additional Member.

   Section 2.8. Placement Fees

     A Member may be charged a placement fee when a Placement Agent is used to place such Member’s Interest.

   Section 2.9. Limited Liability.

     Except as provided under applicable law, including capital contribution obligations, a Member shall not be liable for the Master Fund’s debts, obligations and liabilities in any amount in excess of such Member’s contributions to the capital of the Master Fund (plus such Member’s share of undistributed profits and assets). Except as provided under applicable law, a Director shall not be liable for the Master Fund’s debts, obligations and liabilities.

Article III.
MANAGEMENT

   Section 3.1. Management and Control.

  (a) Management and control of the business of the Master Fund shall be vested in the Board, which shall have the right, power and authority, on behalf of the Master Fund and in its name, to exercise all rights, powers and authority of “manager” as defined under the Delaware Act (but is not the same as the term “Manager” as defined in this Agreement) and to do all things necessary and proper to carry out the objective and business of the Master Fund and their duties hereunder. No Director shall have the authority individually to act on behalf of or to bind the Master Fund except within the scope of such Director’s authority as delegated by the Board. The parties hereto intend that, except to the extent otherwise expressly provided herein, (i) each Director shall be vested with the same powers, authority and responsibilities on behalf of the Master Fund as are customarily vested in each director of a Delaware corporation and (ii) each Independent Director shall be vested with the same powers, authority and responsibilities on behalf of the Master Fund as are customarily vested in each director of a closed-end management investment company registered under the 1940 Act that is organized as a Delaware corporation who is not an “interested person” (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) of such company. During any period in which the Master Fund shall have no Directors, the Manager shall continue to provide management and administrative services to the Master Fund. The Manager will oversee the day-to-day management of the Master Fund and, subject to the approval of the Board, has the authority to: approve the acceptance of initial and subsequent subscriptions on behalf of the Master Fund; determine whether future subscriptions should be accepted; make determinations on the transfer of Interests; and manage and oversee the general administrative and operational aspects of the Master Fund.
 
8





  (b) Members shall have no right to participate in and shall take no part in the management or control of the Master Fund’s business and shall have no right, power or authority to act for or bind the Master Fund. Members shall have the right to vote on any matters only as provided in this Agreement or on any matters that require the approval of the holders of voting securities under the 1940 Act or as otherwise required in the Delaware Act.
 
  (c) The Board may delegate to a committee or to any other person any rights, power and authority vested by this Agreement in the Board to the extent permissible under applicable law.
 
  (d) The Master Fund will file a tax return as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, all decisions for the Master Fund relating to tax matters including, without limitation, whether to make any tax elections, the positions to be made on the Master Fund’s tax returns and the settlement or further contest or litigation of any audit matters raised by the Internal Revenue Service or other taxing authority, will be made by the Board. All actions (other than ministerial actions) taken by the Manager, as designated in this Section 3.1 and Section 3.2 below, will be subject to the approval of the Board. Each Member agrees not to treat, on its own income tax return or any claim for a tax refund, any item of income, gain, loss, deduction or credit in a manner inconsistent with the treatment of such item by the Master Fund.
 
     

   Section 3.2. Actions by the Board of Directors.

  (a) Unless provided otherwise in this Agreement, the Board shall act only: (i) by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Directors (including the vote of a majority of the Independent Directors, if required by the 1940 Act) present at a meeting duly called at which a quorum of the Directors shall be present (in person or, if in person attendance is not required by the 1940 Act, by telephone) or (ii) by unanimous written consent of all of the Directors without a meeting, if permissible under the 1940 Act.
 
  (b) The Board may designate from time to time a Chairman who shall preside at all meetings. Meetings of the Board may be called by the Chairman or by any two Directors, and may be held on such date and at such time and place as the Board shall determine. Each Director shall be entitled to receive written notice of the date, time and place of such meeting within a reasonable time in advance of the meeting. Notice need not be given to any Director who shall attend a meeting without objecting to the lack of notice or who shall execute a written waiver of notice with respect to the meeting. Directors may attend and participate in any meeting by telephone except where in person attendance at a meeting is required by the 1940 Act. A majority of the Directors shall constitute a quorum at any meeting.
 
  (c) The Board may designate from time to time agents and employees of the Master Fund who shall have the same powers and duties on behalf of the Master Fund
9





    (including the power to bind the Master Fund) as are customarily vested in officers of a Delaware corporation, and designate them as officers of the Master Fund.
     
   Section 3.3. Meetings of Members.
     
  (a) Actions requiring the vote of the Members may be taken at any duly constituted meeting of the Members at which a quorum is present. Meetings of the Members may be called by the Board or by Members holding a majority of the total number of votes eligible to be cast by all Members, and may be held at such time, date and place as the Board shall determine. The Board shall arrange to provide written notice of the meeting, stating the date, time and place of the meeting and the record date therefor, to each Member entitled to vote at the meeting within a reasonable time prior thereto. Failure to receive notice of a meeting on the part of any Member shall not affect the validity of any act or proceeding of the meeting, so long as a quorum shall be present at the meeting, except as otherwise required by applicable law. Only matters set forth in the notice of a meeting may be voted on by the Members at a meeting. The presence in person or by proxy of Members holding a majority of the total number of votes eligible to be cast by all Members as of the record date shall constitute a quorum at any meeting. In the absence of a quorum, a meeting of the Members may be adjourned by action of a majority of the Members present in person or by proxy without additional notice to the Members. Except as otherwise required by any provision of this Agreement or of the 1940 Act, (i) those candidates receiving a plurality of the votes cast at any meeting of Members shall be elected as Directors and (ii) all other actions of the Members taken at a meeting shall require the affirmative vote of Members holding a majority of the total number of votes eligible to be cast by those Members who are present in person or by proxy at such meeting.
 
  (b) Each Member shall be entitled to cast at any meeting of Members a number of votes equivalent to such Member’s Investment Percentage as of the record date for such meeting. The Board shall establish a record date not less than 10 nor more than 90 days prior to the date of any meeting of Members to determine eligibility to vote at such meeting and the number of votes that each Member will be entitled to cast thereat, and shall maintain for each such record date a list setting forth the name of each Member and the number of votes that each Member will be entitled to cast at the meeting.
 
  (c) A Member may vote at any meeting of Members by a proxy properly executed in writing by the Member and filed with the Master Fund before or at the time of the meeting. A proxy may be suspended or revoked, as the case may be, by the Member executing the proxy by a later writing delivered to the Master Fund at any time prior to exercise of the proxy or if the Member executing the proxy shall be present at the meeting and decide to vote in person. Any action of the Members that is permitted to be taken at a meeting of the Members may be taken without a meeting if consents in writing, setting forth the action taken, are signed
 
10





 

 

    by Members holding a majority of the total number of votes eligible to be cast or such greater percentage as may be required in order to approve such action.
     
   Section 3.4.  Custody of Assets of the Master Fund.
 
     The physical possession of all funds, Securities or other properties of the Master Fund shall at all times be held, controlled and administered by one or more custodians retained by the Master Fund in accordance with the requirements of the 1940 Act. The Manager will have no responsibility, other than that associated with the oversight and supervision of custodians retained by the Master Fund, with respect to the collection of income or the physical acquisition or safekeeping of the funds, Securities or other assets of the Master Fund, all duties of collection, physical acquisition or safekeeping being the sole obligation of such custodians.
 
   Section 3.5. Other Activities of Members, the Manager and Directors.
     
  (a) Neither the Manager nor any Director shall be required to devote its full time to the affairs of the Master Fund, but shall devote such time as may reasonably be required to perform its obligations under this Agreement.
 
  (b) Any Member, Manager or Director, and any Affiliate of any Member, Manager or Director, may engage in or possess an interest in other business ventures or commercial dealings of every kind and description, independently or with others, including, but not limited to, acquisition and disposition of Securities, provision of investment advisory or brokerage services, serving as directors, officers, employees, advisors or agents of other companies, partners of any partnership, members of any limited liability company, or trustees of any trust, or entering into any other commercial arrangements. No Member, Manager or Director shall have any rights in or to such activities of any other Member, Manager or Director, or any profits derived therefrom.
 
   Section 3.6.  Duty of Care.
     
  (a) The Manager and Directors shall not be liable to the Master Fund or to any of its Members for any loss or damage occasioned by any act or omission in the performance of their services under this Agreement, unless it shall be determined by final judicial decision on the merits from which there is no further right to appeal that such loss is due to an act or omission of such Manager or Director constituting willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence of the duties involved in the conduct of such Manager’s or Director’s office.
 
  (b) Members not in breach of any obligation hereunder or under any agreement pursuant to which the Member subscribed for an Interest shall be liable to the Master Fund, any Member or third parties only as provided under the Delaware Act.

   Section 3.7.  Indemnification.

11




  (a) To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Master Fund shall, subject to Section 3.7(b) hereof, indemnify the Manager and Adviser (including for this purpose each officer, director, member, partner, principal, employee or agent of, or any Person who controls, is controlled by or is under common control with, the Manager or Adviser or partner of the Manager or Adviser and their respective executors, heirs, assigns, successors or other legal representatives), its officers and each Director (and his respective executors, heirs, assigns, successors or other legal representatives) (each such person an “indemnitee”) against all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs and expenses, including, but not limited to, amounts paid in satisfaction of judgments, in compromise, or as fines or penalties, and reasonable counsel fees, incurred in connection with the defense or disposition of any action, suit, investigation or other proceeding, whether civil or criminal, before any judicial, arbitral, administrative or legislative body, in which such indemnitee may be or may have been involved as a party or otherwise, or with which such indemnitee may be or may have been threatened, while in office or thereafter. Except to the extent that such loss, claim, damage, liability, cost or expense shall have been finally determined in a judicial decision on the merits from which no further right to appeal may be taken in any such action, suit, investigation or other proceeding to have been incurred or suffered by such indemnitee by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, breach of fiduciary duty or gross negligence of the duties involved in the conduct of such indemnitee’s office. The rights of indemnification provided under this Section 3.7 shall not be construed so as to provide for indemnification of a Director for any liability (including liability under federal securities laws which, under certain circumstances, impose liability even on persons that act in good faith) to the extent (but only to the extent) that such indemnification would be in violation of applicable law, but shall be construed so as to effectuate the applicable provisions of this Section 3.7 to the fullest extent permitted by law.
 
  (b) Expenses, including reasonable counsel fees, so incurred by any such indemnitee (but excluding amounts paid in satisfaction of judgments, in compromise, or as fines or penalties), may be paid from time to time by the Master Fund in advance of the final disposition of any such action, suit, investigation or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such indemnitee to repay to the Master Fund amounts so paid if it shall ultimately be determined that indemnification of such expenses is not authorized under this Section 3.7; provided, that (i) such indemnitee shall provide security for such undertaking, (ii) the Master Fund shall be insured by or on behalf of such indemnitee against losses arising by reason of such indemnitee’s failure to fulfill such undertaking, or (iii) a majority of the Directors (excluding any Director who is either seeking advancement of expenses hereunder or is or has been a party to any other action, suit, investigation or proceeding involving claims similar to those involved in the action, suit, investigation or proceeding giving rise to a claim for advancement of expenses hereunder) or independent legal counsel in a written opinion determines based on a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry) that there is reason to believe such indemnitee ultimately will be entitled to indemnification.
 
12





  (c) As to the disposition of any action, suit, investigation or proceeding (whether by a compromise payment, pursuant to a consent decree or otherwise) without an adjudication or a decision on the merits by a court, or by any other body before which the proceeding shall have been brought, that an indemnitee is liable to the Master Fund or its Members by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, breach of fiduciary duty or gross negligence of the duties involved in the conduct of such indemnitee’s office, indemnification shall be provided pursuant to Section 3.7(a) hereof if:
 
    (i) approved as in the best interests of the Master Fund by a majority of the Directors (excluding any Director who is either seeking indemnification hereunder or is or has been a party to any other action, suit, investigation or proceeding involving claims similar to those involved in the action, suit, investigation or proceeding giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder) upon a determination based upon a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry) that such indemnitee acted in good faith and in the reasonable belief that such actions were in the best interests of the Master Fund and that such indemnitee is not liable to the Master Fund or its Members by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, breach of fiduciary duty or gross negligence of the duties involved in the conduct of such indemnitee’s office, or
 
    (ii) the Board secures a written opinion of independent legal counsel based upon a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry) to the effect that such indemnification would not protect such indemnitee against any liability to the Master Fund or its Members to which such indemnitee would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, breach of fiduciary duty or gross negligence of the duties involved in the conduct of such indemnitee’s office.
 
  (d) Any indemnification or advancement of expenses made pursuant to this Section 3.7 shall not prevent the recovery from any indemnitee of any such amount if such indemnitee subsequently is determined in a final judicial decision on the merits in any action, suit, investigation or proceeding involving the liability or expense that gave rise to such indemnification or advancement of expenses to be liable to the Master Fund or its Members by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of such indemnitee’s office. In (i) any suit brought by an indemnitee (or other person entitled to indemnification hereunder) to enforce a right to indemnification under this Section 3.7 it shall be a defense that, and (ii) in any suit in the name of the Master Fund to recover any indemnification or advancement of expenses made pursuant to this Section 3.7 the Master Fund shall be entitled to recover such expenses upon a final adjudication that, the indemnitee under this Section 3.7 has not met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in this Section 3.7. In any such suit brought to enforce a right to indemnification or to recover any indemnification or advancement of expenses made pursuant to this Section 3.7, the burden of proving that the indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified, or to
 
13





    any indemnification or advancement of expenses, under this Section 3.7 shall be on the Master Fund (or any Member acting derivatively or otherwise on behalf of the Master Fund or its Members).
 
  (e) An indemnitee may not satisfy any right of indemnification or advancement of expenses granted in this Section 3.7 or to which such indemnitee may otherwise be entitled except out of the assets of the Master Fund, and no Member shall be personally liable with respect to any such claim for indemnification or advancement of expenses.
 
  (f) The rights of indemnification provided hereunder shall not be exclusive of or affect any other rights to which any person may be entitled by contract or otherwise under law. Nothing contained in this Section 3.7 shall affect the power of the Master Fund to purchase and maintain liability insurance on behalf of the Manager, any Director, the Adviser or other person.
 
   Section 3.8.  Fees, Expenses and Reimbursement.
     
  (a) So long as the Administrator provides Administrative Services to the Master Fund, it shall be entitled to receive reasonable and customary fees for such services as well as out-of-pocket expenses as may be agreed to by the Administrator and the Master Fund pursuant to the Administration Agreement.
 
  (b) The Board may cause the Master Fund to compensate each Director for his or her services rendered in connection with the Master Fund. In addition, the Directors shall be reimbursed by the Master Fund for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by them in performing their duties under this Agreement.
 
  (c) The Master Fund shall bear all expenses related to its investment program. Expenses to be borne by the Master Fund (both directly and indirectly) include, but are not limited to: fees paid and expenses reimbursed to Investment Funds or Investment Managers (including management fees, performance or incentive fees or allocations and redemption or withdrawal fees, however titled or structured); all costs and expenses directly related to portfolio transactions and positions for the Master Fund’s account such as direct and indirect expenses associated with the Master Fund’s investments, including its investments in Investment Funds (whether or not consummated), and enforcing the Master Fund’s rights in respect of such investments; transfer taxes and premiums; taxes withheld on non-U.S. dividends; fees for data and software providers; research expenses; professional fees (including, without limitation, the fees and expenses of consultants, attorneys and experts); if applicable in connection with temporary or cash management investments, brokerage commissions, interest and commitment fees on loans and debit balances, borrowing charges on securities sold short, dividends on securities sold but not yet purchased and margin fees; any non-investment related interest expense; attorneys’ fees and disbursements associated with preparing and updating the offering materials and with qualifying prospective investors; fees and disbursements of any accountants engaged by the Master Fund, and expenses
 
14





    related to the annual audit of the Master Fund; record-keeping and custody fees and expenses; the costs of errors and omissions / directors’ and officers’ liability insurance and a fidelity bond; the Management Fee; the costs of preparing and mailing reports and other communications, including proxy, tender offer correspondence or similar materials, to Members; fees and travel expenses of Directors relating to meetings of the Board and committees thereof; all costs and charges for equipment or services used in communicating information regarding the Master Fund’s transactions; and any extraordinary expenses, including indemnification expenses as provided for in this Agreement.
 
  (d) Subject to procuring any required regulatory approvals, from time to time the Master Fund may, alone or in conjunction with other accounts for which the Manager, or any of its affiliates, acts as general partner or investment adviser, purchase insurance in such amounts, from such insurers and on such terms as the Board shall determine.
 
  (e) Expenses incurred in connection with the ongoing offering of Interests will be borne by the Master Fund.
 
  (f) In consideration for providing investment management services to the Master Fund and so long as the Manager provides investment management services to the Master Fund, the Manager shall be entitled to receive the Management Fee from the Master Fund’s net assets. The Management Fee will be an expense paid out of the Master Fund’s assets, and will be reflected in each Member’s Capital Account as a reduction to Net Profits or an increase to Net Losses credited to or debited against each Member’s Capital Account. The Manager shall, in its sole discretion, be entitled to reduce the Management Fee, provided such reduction is for the benefit of all Members on an equal and pro rata basis.
 
  (g) In the event that the Master Fund is terminated other than at the end of a fiscal quarter or if the Manager is terminated other than at the end of a fiscal quarter or if the effective date of a Member’s redemption is other than at the end of a fiscal quarter, then the Management Fee provided above shall be computed on the basis of the period ending on the last business day prior to the termination or redemption date subject to a pro rata adjustment based on the number of days elapsed in the current fiscal quarter as a percentage of the total number of days in such quarter.

Article IV.
TERMINATION OF STATUS OF MANAGER AND DIRECTORS, TRANSFERS AND REPURCHASES

   Section 4.1. Termination of Status of the Manager.

     The status of the Manager as an investment manager of the Master Fund shall be terminated if the Investment Management Agreement between the Master Fund and the Manager

15





terminates and the Master Fund does not enter into a new investment management agreement with the Manager, effective as of the date of such termination; or, at any time, (i) by the Master Fund on 60 days’ written notice to the Manager, without the payment of any penalty, by a vote of a majority of the entire Board or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Master Fund, or (ii) upon 90 days’ written notice by the Manager. The Investment Management Agreement will automatically and immediately terminate in the event of its assignment by the Manager, provided that an assignment to a successor to all or substantially all of the Manager’s business or to a wholly-owned subsidiary of such successor which does not result in a change of actual control of the Manager’s business shall not be deemed to be an assignment for the purposes of the Investment Management Agreement.

   Section 4.2. Termination of Status of a Director.

     The status of a Director shall terminate if the Director, pursuant to Delaware law, is removed, resigns or is subject to various disabling events such as death, incapacity or bankruptcy. A Director may resign, subject to giving 90 days’ prior written notice to the other Directors if such resignation is likely to affect adversely the tax status of the Master Fund.

   Section 4.3. Removal of the Directors.

     Any Director may be removed either by (a) the vote or written consent of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the Directors not subject to the removal vote or (b) the vote or written consent of Members holding not less than two-thirds (2/3) of the total number of votes eligible to be cast by all Members.

   Section 4.4. Removal of the Manager.

     The Manager may be removed as Manager under this Agreement by the vote or written consent of Members holding not less than 80% of the total number of votes eligible to be cast by all Members.

   Section 4.5. Transfer of Interests of Members.

  (a) An Interest of a Member may be transferred only (i) by operation of law pursuant to the bankruptcy, insolvency or dissolution of such Member or (ii) under certain limited circumstances with the written consent of the Board (which may be withheld in its sole discretion).
 
  (b) The Board may not consent to a Transfer unless:
 
    (i) (x) the Master Fund consults with legal counsel to the Master Fund and counsel confirms that the Transfer will not cause the Master Fund to be treated as a “publicly traded partnership” taxable as a corporation or be subject to any other adverse tax or regulatory treatment and (y) the following conditions are met: (i) the Transferring Member has been a Member for at least six (6) months; (ii) the proposed Transfer is to be made on a Valuation Date; and (iii) the Transfer is one in which the tax basis of the Interest in the hands of the transferee is determined, in whole
 
16





     or in part, by reference to its tax basis in the hands of the Transferring Member (e.g., certain Transfers to affiliates); and
 
   (ii) (x) the person to whom the Interest is Transferred (or each of the person’s beneficial owners if such a person is a “private investment company” as defined in paragraph (d)(3) of Rule 205-3 under the Advisers Act) is a person whom the Board believes meets the requirements of paragraph (d)(1) of Rule 205-3 under the Advisers Act or any successor rule thereto and (y) the entire Interest of the Member is Transferred to a single transferee or, in the case of multiple transferees, after the Transfer of a portion of an Interest, the balance of the Capital Account of each transferee and the remaining balance of the Capital Account of the transferor (if any) is each not less than $50,000 or such lesser amount as the Board may determine in its sole discretion.
 
  (c) Any transferee that acquires an Interest by operation of law as the result of the bankruptcy, insolvency or dissolution of a Member, shall be entitled to the allocations and distributions allocable to the Interest so acquired and to Transfer such Interest in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, but shall not be entitled to the other rights of a Member unless and until such transferee becomes a substituted Member. Once a Member obtains the approval of the Board and satisfies the other requirements to transfer its Interests, the Board shall promptly take all necessary actions so that the transferee to whom such Interest is transferred is admitted to the Master Fund as a Member.
       
  (d) In no event, however, will any transferee or assignee be admitted as a Member without the consent of the Board, which may be withheld in its sole discretion. Any pledge, transfer, or assignment not made in accordance with this Section 4.5 shall be void.
     
  (e) The admission of any transferee as a substituted Member will be effective upon the execution and delivery by, or on behalf of, the substituted Member of this Agreement or an instrument that constitutes the execution and delivery of this Agreement. Each Member and transferee agrees to pay all expenses, including attorneys’ and accountants’ fees, incurred by the Master Fund in connection with any Transfer. If a Member Transfers its entire Interest as a Member, it will not cease to be a Member unless and until the transferee is admitted to the Master Fund as a substituted Member in accordance with this Section 4.5.
 
  (f) Each Member shall indemnify and hold harmless the Master Fund, the Directors, the Manager, each other Member and any Affiliate of the foregoing against all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs and expenses (including legal or other expenses incurred in investigating or defending against any such losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs and expenses or any judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement), joint or several, to which such persons may become subject by reason of, or arising from, (i) any Transfer made by such Member in violation of
 
17





 

    this Section 4.5 and (ii) any misrepresentation by such Member in connection with any such Transfer.
     
   Section 4.6.Repurchase of Interests.
     
  (a) Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, no Member or other person holding an Interest or portion thereof shall have the right to withdraw or tender to the Master Fund for repurchase that Interest or portion thereof. The Board from time to time, in its sole discretion and on such terms and conditions as it may determine, may cause the Master Fund to repurchase Interests or portions thereof pursuant to written tenders. However, the Master Fund shall not offer to repurchase Interests on more than four occasions during any Taxable Year unless it has received an opinion of counsel to the effect that such more frequent offers would not cause any adverse tax consequences to the Master Fund or Members. In determining whether to cause the Master Fund to repurchase Interests pursuant to written tenders, the Board shall consider the recommendation of the Manager, and shall also consider the following factors, among others:
 
    (i) whether any Members have requested to tender Interests or portions thereof to the Master Fund;
 
    (ii) the liquidity of the Master Fund’s assets (including fees and costs associated with withdrawing from Investment Funds);
 
    (iii) the investment plans and working capital and reserve requirements of the Master Fund;
 
    (iv) the relative economies of scale with respect to the size of the Master Fund;
 
    (v) the history of the Master Fund in repurchasing Interests; and
 
    (vi) the anticipated tax consequences of any proposed repurchases of Interests.

     The Board shall cause the Master Fund to repurchase Interests or portions thereof pursuant to written tenders only on terms fair to the Master Fund and to all Members (including persons holding Interests acquired from Members), as applicable.

  (b) A Member tendering for repurchase only a portion of the Member’s Interest will be required to maintain a Capital Account balance of at least $50,000 after giving effect to the repurchase. If a Member tenders an amount that would cause the Member’s Capital Account balance to fall below the required minimum, the Manager reserves the right to reduce the amount to be repurchased from the Member so that the required minimum balance is maintained or to repurchase the Member’s entire Interest in the Master Fund.
 
  (c) Repurchases pursuant to Master Fund tender offers shall be effective after receipt and acceptance by the Master Fund of all eligible written tenders of Interests from Members and, unless otherwise determined by the Board from time to time,
     
18





    including as a result of changes in applicable law or the interpretation thereof, shall be subject to the following repurchase procedures:
       
    (i)   Members choosing to tender an Interest for repurchase must do so by the applicable Notice Date. Generally, the Notice Date will be the last calendar day of the third month prior to the month containing the date as of which Interests are to be repurchased. (For example, the Notice Date for a repurchase offer having a December 31 repurchase date would be September 30.) Interests (or portions thereof) will be valued as of the Valuation Date (which date, unless otherwise determined by the Board, shall be the last business day of the month in which such Interests are to be repurchased);
       
    (ii)   Promptly after the Notice Date, the Master Fund will give to each Member whose Interest has been accepted for repurchase a Promissory Note entitling the Member to be paid an amount equal to the value, determined as of the Valuation Date, of the repurchased Interest;
       
    (iii)   The Promissory Note, which will be non-interest bearing and non-transferable, is expected to contain terms providing for payment at two separate times;
       
    (iv) The initial payment in respect of the Promissory Note (the “Initial Payment”) will be in an amount equal to at least 90% of the estimated value of the repurchased Interest, determined as of the Valuation Date. The Initial Payment will be made as of the later of (1) a period of within 30 days after the Valuation Date, or (2) if the Master Fund has requested withdrawals of its capital from any Investment Funds in order to fund the repurchase of Interests, within ten business days after the Master Fund has received at least 90% of the aggregate amount withdrawn from such Investment Funds; and
       
    (v) The second and final payment in respect of the Promissory Note (the “Post-Audit Payment”) will be in an amount equal to the excess, if any, of (1) the value of the repurchased Interest, determined as of the Valuation Date and based upon the results of the annual audit of the Master Fund’s financial statements for the year in which the Valuation Date occurs, over (2) the Initial Payment. The Manager anticipates that the annual audit of the Master Fund’s financial statements will be completed within 60 days after the end of each Fiscal Year and that the Post-Audit Payment will be made promptly after the completion of the audit.
       
    (vi) Although the amounts required to be paid by the Master Fund under the Promissory Note will generally be paid in cash, the Master Fund may under certain limited circumstances pay all or a portion of the amounts due by an in-kind distribution of securities.
       

19




  (d) Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing to the contrary, the Board, in its discretion, may pay all or any portion of the repurchase price in marketable Securities (or any combination of marketable Securities and cash) having a value, determined as of the date of repurchase, equal to the amount to be repurchased. All repurchases of Interests shall be subject to any and all conditions as the Board may impose in its sole discretion. The amount due to any Member whose Interest or portion thereof is repurchased shall be equal to the audited value of such Member’s Capital Account or portion thereof, as applicable, as of the Valuation Date, after giving effect to all allocations to be made to such Member’s Capital Account as of such date.
 
  (e) The Board may, in its sole discretion, elect to impose charges on Members who submit their Interest for repurchase.

Article V.
CAPITAL

   Section 5.1. Contributions to Capital.

  (a) The minimum initial contribution of each Member to the capital of the Master Fund shall be $75,000, subject to the discretion of the Manager to accept initial investments in lesser amounts. The amount of the initial contribution of each Member shall be recorded on the books and records of the Master Fund upon acceptance as a contribution to the capital of the Master Fund.
 
  (b) The Members may make additional contributions to the capital of the Master Fund of at least $10,000 (subject to the discretion of the Manager to accept additional contributions in lesser amounts), effective as of such times as the Manager, in its discretion, may permit, subject to Section 2.7 hereof, but no Member shall be obligated to make any additional contribution to the capital of the Master Fund except to the extent provided in Section 5.7 hereof.
 
  (c) Except as otherwise permitted by the Board, (i) initial and any additional contributions to the capital of the Master Fund by any Member shall be payable in cash, and (ii) initial and any additional contributions in cash shall be payable in readily available funds.

   Section 5.2. Rights of Members to Capital.

     No Member shall be entitled to interest on any contribution to the capital of the Master Fund, nor shall any Member be entitled to the return of any capital of the Master Fund except (i) upon the repurchase by the Master Fund of a part or all of such Member’s Interest pursuant to Section 4.6 hereof or (ii) upon the liquidation of the Master Fund’s assets pursuant to Section 6.2 hereof. Except as specified in the Delaware Act, or with respect to distributions or similar disbursements made in error, no Member shall be liable for the return of any such amounts. No

20





Member shall have the right to require partition of the Master Fund’s property or to compel any sale or appraisal of the Master Fund’s assets.

   Section 5.3. Capital Accounts.

  (a) The Master Fund shall maintain a separate Capital Account for each Member.
 
  (b) Each Member’s Capital Account shall have an initial balance equal to the amount of cash constituting such Member’s initial contribution to the capital of the Master Fund.
 
  (c) Each Member’s Capital Account shall be increased by the sum of (i) the amount of cash constituting additional contributions by such Member to the capital of the Master Fund permitted pursuant to Section 5.1 hereof, plus (ii) all amounts credited to such Member’s Capital Account pursuant to Section 5.4 through Section 5.7 hereof.
 
  (d) Each Member’s Capital Account shall be reduced by the sum of (i) the amount of any repurchase of the Interest, or portion thereof, of such Member or distributions to such Member pursuant to Section 4.6, Section 5.9, Section 5.10 or Section 6.2 hereof that are not reinvested (net of any liabilities secured by any asset distributed that such Member is deemed to assume or take subject to under Section 752 of the Code), plus (ii) any amounts debited against the Member’s Capital Account pursuant to Section 5.4 through Section 5.7 hereof.
 
  (e) In the event all or a portion of the Interest of a Member is Transferred in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Transferee will succeed to the Capital Account of the Transferor to the extent of the Transferred Interest or portion of an Interest.
 
  (f) No Member will be required to pay the Master Fund or any other Member any deficit in such Member’s Capital Account upon dissolution of the Master Fund or otherwise.

   Section 5.4. Allocation of Net Profits and Net Losses.

     As of the last day of each Fiscal Period, any Net Profits or Net Losses for the Fiscal Period shall be allocated among and credited to or debited against the Capital Accounts of the Members in accordance with their respective Investment Percentages for such Fiscal Period.

   Section 5.5. Allocation of Insurance Premiums and Proceeds.

  (a) Any premiums payable by the Master Fund for insurance purchased pursuant to Section 3.8(c) and (d) hereof shall be apportioned evenly over each Fiscal Period or portion thereof falling within the period to which such premiums relate under the terms of such insurance, and the portion of the premiums so apportioned to any Fiscal Period shall be allocated among and debited against the Capital Accounts of each Member who is a member of the Master Fund during such
 
21





    Fiscal Period in accordance with such Member’s Investment Percentage for such Fiscal Period.
 
  (b) Proceeds, if any, to which the Master Fund may become entitled pursuant to such insurance shall be allocated among and credited to the Capital Accounts of each Member who is a member of the Master Fund during the Fiscal Period in which the event that gives rise to recovery of proceeds occurs in accordance with such Member’s Investment Percentage for such Fiscal Period.

   Section 5.6. Allocation of Certain Expenditures.

     Except as otherwise provided for in this Agreement and unless prohibited by the 1940 Act, any expenditures payable by the Master Fund, to the extent determined by the Board to have been paid or withheld on behalf of, or by reason of particular circumstances applicable to, one or more but fewer than all of the Members, shall be charged to only those Members on whose behalf such payments are made or whose particular circumstances gave rise to such payments. Such charges shall be debited from the Capital Accounts of such Members as of the close of the Fiscal Period during which any such items were paid or accrued by the Master Fund.

   Section 5.7. Reserves.

  (a) Appropriate reserves may be created, accrued and charged against Net Assets and proportionately against the Capital Accounts of the Members for contingent liabilities, if any, as of the date any such contingent liability becomes known to the Manager or the Board. Such reserves will be in the amounts that the Board, in its sole discretion, deems necessary or appropriate. The Board may increase or reduce any such reserves from time to time by such amounts as the Board, in its sole discretion, deems necessary or appropriate. The amount of any such reserve, or any increase or decrease therein, shall be proportionately charged or credited, as appropriate, to the Capital Accounts of those parties who are Members at the time when such reserve is created, increased or decreased, except that if any such individual reserve item, adjusted by any increase therein, exceeds the lesser of $500,000 or 1% of the aggregate value of the Capital Accounts of all such Members, then the amount of the reserve, increase or decrease may instead be charged or credited to those parties who were Members at the time, as determined by the Board in its sole discretion, of the act or omission giving rise to the contingent liability for which the reserve was established, increased or decreased in proportion to their Capital Accounts at that time.
 
  (b) If at any time an amount is paid or received by the Master Fund (other than contributions to the capital of the Master Fund, distributions or repurchases of Interests or portions thereof) and such amount exceeds the lesser of $500,000 or 1% of the aggregate value of the Capital Accounts of all Members at the time of payment or receipt and such amount was not accrued or reserved for but would nevertheless, in accordance with the Master Fund’s accounting practices, be treated as applicable to one or more prior Fiscal Periods, then such amount shall
 
22





  be proportionately charged or credited, as appropriate, to those parties who were Members during such prior Fiscal Period or Periods.
     
   Section 5.8. Tax Allocations.
     
  (a) For each Fiscal Year, items of income, deduction, gain, loss or credit shall be allocated for income tax purposes among the Members in such manner as to reflect equitably amounts credited or debited to each Member’s Capital Account for the current and prior fiscal years (or relevant portions thereof). Allocations under this Section 5.8 shall be made pursuant to the principles of Sections 704(b) and 704(c) of the Code, and in conformity with Treasury Regulations Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f), 1.704-(b)(4)(i) and 1.704-3(e) promulgated thereunder, as applicable, or the successor provisions to such Section and Regulations. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, there shall be allocated to the Members such gains or income as shall be necessary to satisfy the “qualified income offset” requirements of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704- 1(b)(2)(ii)(d).
 
  (b) If the Master Fund realizes capital gains (including short-term capital gains) for U.S. federal income tax purposes for any Fiscal Year during or as of the end of which the Interests of one or more Positive Basis Members (as hereinafter defined) are repurchased by the Master Fund pursuant to Article IV, the Manager may elect to allocate net gains as follows:
       
   (i) to such Positive Basis Members, in proportion to the Positive Basis (as hereinafter defined) of each such Positive Basis Member, until either the full amount of the net gains has been so allocated or the Positive Basis of each Positive Basis Member shall have been eliminated; and
     
   (ii) any net gains not so allocated to Positive Basis Members to the other Members in a manner that equitably reflects the amounts credited to the Members’ Capital Accounts.
 
  (c) If the Master Fund realizes capital losses for U.S. federal income tax purposes for any Fiscal Year during or as of the end of which the Interests of one or more Negative Basis Members (as hereinafter defined) are repurchased by the Master Fund under Article IV of this Agreement, the Manager may elect to allocate net losses as follows:
     
   (i) to such Negative Basis Members, in proportion to the Negative Basis (as hereafter defined) of each Negative Basis Member, until either the full amount of net losses will have been so allocated or the Negative Basis of each Negative Basis Member has been eliminated, and
     
   (ii) any net losses not so allocated to Negative Basis Members, to the other Members in a manner that reflects equitably the amounts credited to the Members’ Capital Accounts.
 
23





  (d) As used herein, (i) the term “Positive Basis” means, with respect to any Member and as of any time of calculation, the amount by which the value of its Interest as of such time exceeds its “adjusted tax basis,” for U.S. federal income tax purposes, in its Interest as of such time (determined without regard to any adjustments made to such “adjusted tax basis” by reason of any transfer or assignment of such Interest and without regard to such Member’s share of the liabilities of the Master Fund under Section 752 of the Code), and (ii) the term “Positive Basis Member” means any Member whose Interest is repurchased by the Master Fund and who has Positive Basis as of the effective date of the repurchase, but such Member shall cease to be a Positive Basis Member at such time as it shall have received allocations pursuant to clause (i) of paragraph (b) equal to its Positive Basis as of the effective date of such repurchase.
 
  (e) The term “Negative Basis” means, with respect to any Member and as of any time of calculation, the amount by which the Member’s “adjusted tax basis,” for U.S. federal income tax purposes, in the Member’s Interest in the Master Fund as of that time (determined without regard to any adjustments made to the “adjusted tax basis” by reason of any Transfer or assignment of the Interest and without regard to such Member’s share of the liabilities of the Master Fund under Section 752 of the Code) exceeds the value of its Interest as of such time. As used in this Section 5.8, the term “Negative Basis Member” means any Member whose Interest is repurchased by the Master Fund and who has Negative Basis as of the effective date of the repurchase, but such Member shall cease to be a Negative Basis Member at such time as it shall have received allocations pursuant to clause (i) of paragraph (c) equal to its Negative Basis as of the effective date of such repurchase.

   Section 5.9. Distributions.

     The Board, in its sole discretion, may authorize the Master Fund to make distributions in cash or in kind at any time to all of the Members on a pro rata basis in accordance with the Members’ Investment Percentages.

   Section 5.10. Withholding.

  (a) The Board may withhold and pay over to the Internal Revenue Service (or any other relevant taxing authority) taxes from any distribution to any Member to the extent required by the Code or any other applicable law.
 
  (b) For purposes of this Agreement, any taxes so withheld by the Master Fund, or withheld by any other person, with respect to any amount distributed by the Master Fund to any Member shall be deemed to be a distribution or payment to such Member pursuant to this Agreement, reducing the amount otherwise distributable to such Member pursuant to this Agreement and reducing the Capital Account of such Member. If the amount of such taxes is greater than any such distributable amounts, then such Member and any successor to such Member’s
 
24





    Interest shall pay to the Master Fund as a contribution to the capital of the Master Fund, upon demand of the Board, the amount of such excess.
 
  (c) The Board shall not be obligated to apply for or obtain a reduction of or exemption from withholding tax on behalf of any Member that may be eligible for such reduction or exemption. To the extent that a Member claims to be entitled to a reduced rate of, or exemption from, a withholding tax pursuant to an applicable income tax treaty, or otherwise, the Member shall furnish the Board with such information and forms as such Member may be required to complete where necessary to comply with any and all laws and regulations governing the obligations of withholding tax agents. Each Member represents and warrants that any such information and forms furnished by such Member shall be true and accurate and agrees to indemnify the Master Fund and each of the Members from any and all damages, costs and expenses resulting from the filing of inaccurate or incomplete information or forms relating to such withholding taxes.

Article VI.
DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION

   Section 6.1. Dissolution.

     The Master Fund shall be dissolved:

  (a) upon the affirmative vote to dissolve the Master Fund by: (i) the Board or (ii) Members holding at least two-thirds (2/3) of the total number of votes eligible to be cast by all Members;
 
  (b) upon the failure of the Members to elect a successor Director at a meeting called by Manager in accordance with Section 2.6 hereof when no Director remains to continue the business of the Master Fund;
 
  (c) upon the expiration of any two year period that commences on the date on which any Member has submitted a written notice to the Master Fund requesting to tender its entire Interest for repurchase by the Master Fund, if such Interest has not been repurchased by the Master Fund; or
 
  (d) as required by operation of law.

     Dissolution of the Master Fund shall be effective on the later of the day on which the event giving rise to the dissolution shall occur, but the Master Fund shall not terminate until the assets of the Master Fund have been liquidated in accordance with Section 6.2 hereof and the Certificate has been canceled.

   Section 6.2. Liquidation of Assets.

  (a) Upon the dissolution of the Master Fund as provided in Section 6.1 hereof, the Board shall promptly appoint the Board or Manager as the liquidator and the
 
25





    Board or Manager shall liquidate the business and administrative affairs of the Master Fund, except that if the Board does not appoint the Manager as the liquidator or the Board is unable to perform this function, another liquidator will be elected by the Board. Net Profits and Net Losses during the period of liquidation shall be allocated pursuant to Section 5.4 hereof. The proceeds from liquidation (after establishment of appropriate reserves for contingencies in such amount as the Board or other liquidator shall deem appropriate in its sole discretion as applicable) shall be distributed in the following manner:
 
    (i) the debts, liabilities and obligations of the Master Fund, other than debts to Members, and the expenses of liquidation (including legal and accounting expenses incurred in connection therewith), up to and including the date that distribution of the Master Fund’s assets to the Members has been completed, shall first be paid on a proportionate basis;
 
    (ii) such debts, liabilities or obligations as are owing to the Members shall next be paid in their order of seniority and on a proportionate basis; and
 
    (iii) the Members shall next be paid on a proportionate basis the positive balances of their respective Capital Accounts after giving effect to all allocations to be made to such Members’ Capital Accounts for the Fiscal Period ending on the date of the distributions under this Section 6.2.
 
  (b) Anything in this Section 6.2 to the contrary notwithstanding, upon dissolution of the Master Fund, the Board or other liquidator may distribute ratably in kind any assets of the Master Fund; provided, however, that if any in-kind distribution is to be made (i) the assets distributed in kind shall be valued pursuant to Section 7.3 hereof as of the actual date of their distribution and charged as so valued and distributed against amounts to be paid under Section 6.2(a) above, and (ii) any profit or loss attributable to property distributed in-kind shall be included in the Net Profits or Net Losses for the Fiscal Period ending on the date of such distribution.

Article VII.
ACCOUNTING, VALUATIONS AND BOOKS AND RECORDS

   Section 7.1. Accounting and Reports.

  (a) The Master Fund shall adopt for tax accounting purposes any accounting method that the Board shall decide in its sole discretion is in the best interests of the Master Fund. The Master Fund’s accounts shall be maintained in U.S. currency.
 
  (b) After the end of each Taxable Year, the Master Fund shall furnish to each Member such information regarding the operation of the Master Fund and such Member’s Interest as is necessary for Members to complete U.S. federal and state income tax or information returns and any other tax information required by U.S. federal and state law.
 
26





  (c) Except as otherwise required by the 1940 Act, or as may otherwise be permitted by rule, regulation or order, within 60 days after the close of the period for which a report required under this Section 7.1 is being made, the Master Fund shall furnish to each Member an unaudited semi-annual report and an audited annual report containing the information required by such Act. The Master Fund shall cause financial statements contained in each annual report furnished hereunder to be accompanied by a certificate of independent public accountants based upon an audit performed in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The Master Fund may furnish to each Member such other periodic reports as it deems necessary or appropriate in its discretion.

   Section 7.2. Determinations by the Board of Directors.

  (a) All matters concerning the determination and allocation among the Members of the amounts to be determined and allocated pursuant to Article V hereof, including any taxes thereon and accounting procedures applicable thereto, shall be determined by the Board unless specifically and expressly otherwise provided for by the provisions of this Agreement or required by law, and such determinations and allocations shall be final and binding on all the Members.
 
  (b) The Board may make such adjustments to the computation of Net Profits or Net Losses, and the allocation thereof to a Member’s Capital Account, or any components comprising any of the foregoing as it considers appropriate to reflect fairly and accurately the financial results of the Master Fund and the intended allocation thereof among the Members.
 
   Section 7.3. Valuation of Assets.
     
  (a) Valuation of Securities and other assets shall be made by the Board in accordance with the requirements of the 1940 Act and the valuation procedures adopted by the Board.
 
  (b) The value of the assets and liabilities shall be determined by reference to the latest market prices and values available and in further accordance with the valuation procedures adopted by the Board.
 
  (c) The value of Securities and other assets of the Master Fund and the net worth of the Master Fund as a whole determined pursuant to this Section 7.3 shall be conclusive and binding on all of the Members and all parties claiming through or under them.

Article VIII.
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

   Section 8.1. Amendment of Limited Liability Company Agreement.

27





  (a) Except as otherwise provided in this Section 8.1, this Agreement may be amended, in whole or in part, with: (i) the approval of the Board (including the vote of a majority of the Independent Directors, if required by the 1940 Act) without the Members approval; and (ii) if required by the 1940 Act, the approval of the Members by such vote as is required by the 1940 Act.
 
  (b) Any amendment that would:
 
    (i) increase the obligation of a Member to make any contribution to the capital of the Master Fund;
 
    (ii) reduce the Capital Account of a Member other than in accordance with Article V; or
 
    (iii) modify the events causing the dissolution of the Master Fund;

may be made only if (i) the written consent of each Member adversely affected thereby is obtained prior to the effectiveness thereof or (ii) such amendment does not become effective until (A) each Member has received written notice of such amendment and (B) any Member objecting to such amendment has been afforded a reasonable opportunity (pursuant to such procedures as may be prescribed by the Board) to tender its entire Interest for repurchase by the Master Fund.

  (c) The power of the Board to amend this Agreement at any time without the consent of the other Members as set forth in paragraph (a) of this Section 8.1 shall specifically include the power to:
 
    (i) restate this Agreement together with any amendments hereto that have been duly adopted in accordance herewith to incorporate such amendments in a single, integrated document;
 
    (ii) amend this Agreement (other than with respect to the matters set forth in Section 8.1(b) hereof) to effect compliance with any applicable law or regulation or to cure any ambiguity or to correct or supplement any provision hereof that may be inconsistent with any other provision hereof; and
 
    (iii) amend this Agreement to make such changes as may be necessary or advisable to ensure that the Master Fund will not be treated as an association or a publicly traded partnership taxable as a corporation as defined in Section 7704(b) of the Code for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
 
  (d) The Board shall cause written notice to be given of any amendment to this Agreement to each Member, which notice shall set forth (i) the text of the proposed amendment or (ii) a summary thereof and a statement that the text of the amendment thereof will be furnished to any Member upon request.
 
28





   Section 8.2.  Special Power of Attorney.

  (a) Each Member hereby irrevocably makes, constitutes and appoints each Director, acting severally, and any liquidator of the Master Fund’s assets appointed pursuant to Section 6.2 hereof with full power of substitution, the true and lawful representatives and attorneys-in-fact of, and in the name, place and stead of, such Member, with the power from time to time to make, execute, sign, acknowledge, swear to, verify, deliver, record, file and/or publish:
 
    (i) any amendment to this Agreement that complies with the provisions of this Agreement (including the provisions of Section 8.1 hereof);
 
    (ii) any amendment to the Certificate required because this Agreement is amended, including, without limitation, an amendment to effectuate any change in the membership of the Master Fund; and
 
    (iii) all such other instruments, documents and certificates that, in the opinion of legal counsel to the Master Fund, may from time to time be required by the laws of the United States of America, the State of Delaware or any other jurisdiction in which the Master Fund shall determine to do business, or any political subdivision or agency thereof, or that such legal counsel may deem necessary or appropriate to effectuate, implement and continue the valid existence and business of the Master Fund as a limited liability company under the Delaware Act.
 
  (b) Each Member is aware that the terms of this Agreement permit certain amendments to this Agreement to be effected and certain other actions to be taken or omitted by or with respect to the Master Fund without such Member’s consent. If an amendment to the Certificate or this Agreement or any action by or with respect to the Master Fund is taken in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, each Member agrees that, notwithstanding any objection that such Member may assert with respect to such action, the attorneys-in-fact appointed hereby are authorized and empowered, with full power of substitution, to exercise the authority granted above in any manner that may be necessary or appropriate to permit such amendment to be made or action lawfully taken or omitted. Each Member is fully aware that each Member will rely on the effectiveness of this special power-of-attorney with a view to the orderly administration of the affairs of the Master Fund.
     
  (c) This power-of-attorney is a special power-of-attorney and is coupled with an interest in favor of each of the Directors and as such:
 
    (i) shall be irrevocable and continue in full force and effect notwithstanding the subsequent death or incapacity of any party granting this power-of-attorney, regardless of whether the Master Fund or Board shall have had notice thereof; and
 
29





    (ii) shall survive the delivery of a Transfer by a Member of the whole or any portion of such Member’s Interest, except that where the transferee thereof has been approved by the Board for admission to the Master Fund as a substituted Member or upon the withdrawal of a Member from the Master Fund pursuant to a periodic tender, this power-of-attorney given by the transferor shall survive the delivery of such assignment or withdrawal for the sole purpose of enabling the Board to execute, acknowledge and file any instrument necessary to effect such substitution or withdrawal.

   Section 8.3. Notices.

     Notices that may or are required to be provided under this Agreement shall be made, if to a Member, by regular mail, or if to the Board or the Manager, by hand delivery, registered or certified mail return receipt requested, commercial courier service, telex or telecopier, and shall be addressed to the respective parties hereto at their addresses as set forth in the books and records of the Master Fund. Notices shall be deemed to have been provided, when delivered by hand, on the date indicated as the date of receipt on a return receipt or when received if sent by regular mail, commercial courier service, telex or telecopier. A document that is not a notice and that is required to be provided under this Agreement by any party to another party may be delivered by any reasonable means.

   Section 8.4. Agreement Binding Upon Successors and Assigns.

     This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective heirs, successors, assigns, executors, trustees or other legal representatives, but the rights and obligations of the parties hereunder may not be Transferred or delegated except as provided in this Agreement and any attempted Transfer or delegation thereof that is not made pursuant to the terms of this Agreement shall be void.

   Section 8.5. Applicability of 1940 Act and Form N-2.

     The parties hereto acknowledge that this Agreement is not intended to, and does not, set forth the substantive provisions contained in the 1940 Act and the Form N-2 that affect numerous aspects of the conduct of the Master Fund’s business and of the rights, privileges and obligations of the Members. Each provision of this Agreement shall be subject to, and interpreted in a manner consistent with the applicable provisions of, the 1940 Act and the Form N-2.

   Section 8.6. Choice of Law; Arbitration.

  (a) Notwithstanding the place where this Agreement may be executed by any of the parties hereto, the parties expressly agree that all the terms and provisions hereof shall be construed under the laws of the State of Delaware, including the Delaware Act without regard to the conflict of law principles of such State.
 
  (b) To the extent such action is consistent with the provisions of the 1940 Act and any other applicable law, except as provided in Section 8.11(b) of this Agreement, each Member agrees to submit all controversies arising between or
 
30





    among Members or one or more Members and the Master Fund in connection with the Master Fund or its businesses or concerning any transaction, dispute or the construction, performance or breach of this Agreement or any other agreement relating to the Master Fund, whether entered into prior to, on or subsequent to the date of this Agreement, to arbitration in accordance with the provisions set out in this Section 8.6. EACH MEMBER UNDERSTANDS THAT ARBITRATION IS FINAL AND BINDING ON THE MEMBERS AND THAT THE MEMBERS IN EXECUTING THIS AGREEMENT ARE WAIVING THEIR RIGHTS TO SEEK REMEDIES IN COURT, INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO JURY TRIAL.
 
  (c) Controversies will be finally settled by, and only by, arbitration in accordance with the commercial arbitration rules of the American Arbitration Association (the “AAA”) to the fullest extent permitted by law. The place of arbitration will be New York, New York. Any arbitration under this Section 8.6 will be conducted before a panel of three arbitrators. The Member or Members initiating arbitration under this Section 8.6 will appoint one arbitrator in the demand for arbitration. The Member or Members against whom or which arbitration is sought will jointly appoint one arbitrator within 30 business days after notice from the AAA of the filing of the demand for arbitration. The two arbitrators nominated by the Members will attempt to agree on a third arbitrator within 30 business days of the appointment of the second arbitrator. If the two arbitrators fail to agree on the third arbitrator within the 30-day period, then the AAA will appoint the third arbitrator within 30 business days following the expiration of the 30-day period. Any award rendered by the arbitrators will be final and binding on the Members, and judgment upon the award may be entered in the supreme court of the state of New York and/or the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, or any other court having jurisdiction over the award or having jurisdiction over the Members or their assets. The arbitration agreement contained in this Section 8.6 will not be construed to deprive any court of its jurisdiction to grant provisional relief (including by injunction or order of attachment) in aid of arbitration proceedings or enforcement of an award. In the event of arbitration as provided in this Section 8.6, the arbitrators will be governed by and will apply the substantive (but not procedural) law of Delaware, to the exclusion of the principles of the conflicts of law of Delaware. The arbitration will be conducted in accordance with the procedures set out in the commercial arbitration rules of the AAA. If those rules are silent with respect to a particular matter, the procedure will be as agreed by the Members, or in the absence of agreement among or between the Members, as established by the arbitrators. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, this Section 8.6(c) will be construed to the maximum extent possible to comply with the laws of the State of Delaware, including the Uniform Arbitration Act (10 Del. C. (S) 5701 et seq.) (the “Delaware Arbitration Act”). If, nevertheless, it is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction that any provision or wording of this Section 8.6(c), including any rules of the AAA, are invalid or unenforceable under the Delaware Arbitration Act or other applicable law, such invalidity will not invalidate all of this Section 8.6(c). In that case, this Section 8.6(c) will be construed so as to limit any term or provision so as to make it valid or enforceable within the
     
31





    requirements of the Delaware Arbitration Act or other applicable law, and, in the event such term or provision cannot be so limited, this Section 8.6(c) will be construed to omit such invalid or unenforceable provision.

   Section 8.7. Not for Benefit of Creditors.

     The provisions of this Agreement are intended only for the regulation of relations among past, present and future Members, Directors, the Manager and the Master Fund. This Agreement is not intended for the benefit of non-member creditors and no rights are granted to non-Member creditors under this Agreement.

   Section 8.8. Consents.

     Any and all consents, agreements or approvals provided for or permitted by this Agreement (including minutes of any meeting) shall be in writing and a signed copy thereof shall be filed and kept with the books of the Master Fund.

   Section 8.9. Merger and Consolidation.

  (a) The Master Fund may merge or consolidate with or into one or more limited liability companies formed under the Delaware Act or other business entities pursuant to an agreement of merger or consolidation that has been approved in the manner contemplated by Section 18-209(b) of the Delaware Act or may sell, lease or exchange all or substantially all of the Master Fund property, including its good will, upon such terms and conditions and for such consideration when and as authorized by the Board. The Board alone may approve, and Member approval shall not be required for, any merger or consolidation of the Master Fund or any sale, lease or exchange of Master Fund property, if such action would not have the effect of (i) increasing the obligation of a Member to make any contribution to the capital of the Master Fund, (ii) reducing the Capital Account of a Member other than in accordance with Article V hereof, or (iii) modifying the events causing the dissolution of the Master Fund.
     
  (b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained elsewhere in this Agreement, an agreement of merger or consolidation approved in accordance with Section 18-209(b) of the Delaware Act may, to the extent permitted by Section 18-209(f) of the Delaware Act, (i) effect any amendment to this Agreement, (ii) effect the adoption of a new limited liability company agreement for the Master Fund if it is the surviving or resulting limited liability company in the merger or consolidation, or (iii) provide that the limited liability company agreement of any other constituent limited liability company to the merger or consolidation (including a limited liability company formed for the purpose of consummating the merger or consolidation) shall be the limited liability company agreement of the surviving or resulting limited liability company.

   Section 8.10.  Pronouns.

32




     All pronouns shall be deemed to refer to the masculine, feminine, neuter, singular or plural, as the identity of the person or persons, firm or corporation may require in the context thereof.

   Section 8.11. Confidentiality.

  (a) A Member may obtain from the Master Fund such information regarding the affairs of the Master Fund as is just and reasonable under the Delaware Act, subject to reasonable standards (including standards governing what information and documents are to be furnished, at what time and location and at whose expense) established by the Board.
 
  (b) Each Member covenants that, except as required by applicable law or any regulatory body, it will not divulge, furnish or make accessible to any other person the name and/or address (whether business, residence or mailing) of any Member (collectively, “Confidential Information”) without the prior written consent of the Board, which consent may be withheld in its sole discretion.
 
  (c) Each Member recognizes that in the event that this Section 8.11 is breached by any Member or any of its principals, partners, members, directors, officers, employees or agents or any of its affiliates, including any of such affiliates’ principals, partners, members, directors, officers, employees or agents, irreparable injury may result to the non-breaching Members and the Master Fund. Accordingly, in addition to any and all other remedies at law or in equity to which the non-breaching Members and the Master Fund may be entitled, such Members shall also have the right to obtain equitable relief, including, without limitation, injunctive relief, to prevent any disclosure of Confidential Information, plus reasonable attorneys’ fees and other litigation expenses incurred in connection therewith. In the event that any non-breaching Member or the Master Fund determines that any of the other Members or any of its principals, partners, members, directors, officers, employees or agents or any of its affiliates, including any of such affiliates’ principals, partners, members, directors, officers, employees or agents should be enjoined from or required to take any action to prevent the disclosure of Confidential Information, each of the other non- breaching Members agrees to pursue in a court of appropriate jurisdiction such injunctive relief.

   Section 8.12. Severability.

     If any provision of this Agreement is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction not to be enforceable in the manner set forth in this Agreement, each Member agrees that it is the intention of the Members that such provision should be enforceable to the maximum extent possible under applicable law. If any provisions of this Agreement are held to be invalid or unenforceable, such invalidation or unenforceability shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of this Agreement (or portion thereof).

   Section 8.13. Master-Feeder Structure.

33





     As permitted by the 1940 Act, and pursuant to a resolution of a majority of the Directors, the Master Fund forms part of a master-feeder structure, in which feeder funds may invest all of their assets into the Master Fund, rather than making investments in Securities directly.

   Section 8.14. Filing of Returns.

     The Board or its designated agent shall prepare and file, or cause the accountants of the Master Fund to prepare and file, a U.S. federal information tax return in compliance with Section 6031 of the Code and any required state and local income tax and information returns for each Taxable Year of the Master Fund.

   Section 8.15. Tax Matters Partner.

  (a) The Manager shall be designated on the Master Fund’s annual federal income tax return, and have full powers and responsibilities, as the Tax Matters Partner of the Master Fund for purposes of Section 6231(a)(7) of the Code. In the event the Manager cannot act as Tax Matters Partner, another Member shall be so designated. Should any Member other than the Manager be designated as the Tax Matters Partner for the Master Fund pursuant to Section 6231(a)(7) of the Code, it shall, and each Member hereby does, to the fullest extent permitted by law, delegate to the Manager all of its rights, powers and authority to act as such Tax Matters Partner and hereby constitutes and appoints the Manager as its true and lawful attorney-in-fact, with power to act in its name and on its behalf, including the power to act through such agents or attorneys as it shall elect or appoint, to receive notices, to make, execute and deliver, swear to, acknowledge and file any and all reports, responses and notices, and to do any and all things required or advisable, in the Manager’s judgment, to be done by such a Tax Matters Partner. Any Member designated as the Tax Matters Partner for the Master Fund under Section 6231(a)(7) of the Code shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Master Fund from any and all liabilities and obligations that arise from or by reason of such designation.
     
  (b) Upon the request of the Tax Matters Partner, each person (for purposes of this Section 8.15(b), called a “Pass-Thru Partner”) that holds or controls an interest as a Member on behalf of, or for the benefit of, another person or persons, or which Pass-Thru Partner is beneficially owned (directly or indirectly) by another person or persons, shall, within 30 days following receipt from the Tax Matters Partner of any notice, demand, request for information or similar document, convey such notice or other document in writing to all holders of beneficial interests in the Master Fund holding such interests through such Pass-Thru Partner. In the event the Master Fund shall be the subject of an income tax audit by any federal, state or local authority, to the extent the Master Fund is treated as an entity for purposes of such audit, including administrative settlement and judicial review, the Tax Matters Partner shall be authorized to act for, and its decision shall be final and binding upon, the Master Fund and each Member thereof. All expenses incurred by the Master Fund or the Tax Matters Partner in connection with any such audit, investigation, settlement or review shall be borne by the Master Fund.
 
34





   Section 8.16. Section 754 Election; Mandatory Basis Adjustments.

  (a) In the event of a distribution of Master Fund property to a Member or an assignment or other Transfer of all or part of the Interest of a Member in the Master Fund, at the request of a Member, the Manager, in its discretion, may cause the Master Fund to elect, pursuant to Section 754 of the Code, or the corresponding provision of subsequent law, to adjust the basis of the Master Fund property as provided by Sections 734 and 743 of the Code.
 
  (b) In connection with a repurchase of a Member’s Interest or a distribution to a Member, such Member shall, at the request of the Manager, provide the Master Fund with any information necessary to enable the Manager to determine the adjusted U.S. federal income tax basis of such Member’s Interest immediately prior to such repurchase or distribution.
 
  (c) In connection with any Transfer of an Interest, the transferee shall provide the Master Fund, within 30 days after such Transfer, with the written notice described in Section 3 of Notice 2005-32, 2005-16 I.R.B. 895 (or any successor regulation or administrative pronouncement).
 
 

[Signature Page to Follow]

 

35




IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

MANAGER:
     
MERCANTILE CAPITAL ADVISORS, INC.
     
   
     
By: /s/ David L. Meyer
 
  Name: David L. Meyer
  Title: Senior Vice President/Chief Operating Officer
     
     
ORGANIZATIONAL MEMBER:
     
MERCANTILE ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES FUND LLC
     
     
By: /s/ Kevin A. McCreadie
 
  Name: Kevin A. McCreadie
  Title: President
     

MEMBERS:

Each person who shall agree to be bound by the terms of this Agreement and who shall be accepted by the Board to the Master Fund as a Member.

36