EX-1.1 2 e78332a2exv1w1.htm EX-1.1: FORM OF UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT exv1w1
Exhibit 1.1
 
 
Broadpoint Gleacher Securities Group, Inc.
(a New York corporation)
20,000,000 Shares of Common Stock
PURCHASE AGREEMENT
Dated:     , 2009
 
 

 


 

Broadpoint Gleacher Securities Group, Inc.
(a New York corporation)
20,000,000 Shares of Common Stock
(Par Value $0.01 Per Share)
PURCHASE AGREEMENT
     , 2009
MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED
BROADPOINT CAPITAL, INC.
SANDLER O’NEILL & PARTNERS, L.P.
as Representatives of the several Underwriters
c/o Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
One Bryant Park
New York, New York 10036
Ladies and Gentlemen:
     Broadpoint Gleacher Securities Group, Inc., a New York corporation (the “Company”), and the persons listed in Schedule B hereto (the “Selling Shareholders”), confirm their respective agreements with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“Merrill Lynch”), and each of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (collectively, the “Underwriters,” which term shall also include any underwriter substituted as hereinafter provided in Section 10 hereof), for whom Merrill Lynch, Broadpoint Capital, Inc. and Sandler O’Neill & Partners, L.P. are acting as representatives (in such capacity, the “Representatives”), with respect to (i) the issue and sale by the Company and the sale by the Selling Shareholders, acting severally and not jointly, and the purchase by the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the respective numbers of shares of Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (“Common Stock”) set forth in said Schedules A and B, and (ii) the grant by the Company and, in its capacity as a Selling Shareholder, MatlinPatterson FA Acquisition LLC (“Matlin”) to the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the option described in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any part of 3,000,000 additional shares of Common Stock to cover overallotments, if any. The aforesaid 20,000,000 shares of Common Stock (the “Initial Securities”) to be purchased by the Underwriters and all or any part of the 3,000,000 shares of Common Stock subject to the option described in Section 2(b) hereof (the “Option Securities”) are hereinafter called, collectively, the “Securities.”
     The Company and the Selling Shareholders understand that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of the Securities as soon as the Representatives deem advisable after this Agreement has been executed and delivered.
     The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-159254), including the related preliminary prospectus or prospectuses, covering the registration of shares of common stock under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”). Such registration statement has been declared effective by the Commission. Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will prepare and file a prospectus relating to the Securities in accordance with the provisions of Rule 430A (“Rule 430A”) of the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated under the 1933 Act (the “1933 Act Regulations”) and paragraph (b) of Rule 424 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 424(b)”). Any information included in such prospectus that was omitted from such registration statement at the time it became effective but that is deemed to be part of and included in such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430A is referred to as “Rule 430A Information.” Each prospectus used before such Registration Statement became effective,

2


 

and any prospectus used in connection with the offering of the Securities that omitted Rule 430A Information, is herein called a “preliminary prospectus.” Such registration statement, at the time it was declared effective, including the amendments thereto to such time, the exhibits and any schedules thereto at such time, the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act at such time and the documents otherwise deemed to be a part thereof or included or incorporated therein by 1933 Act Regulations, is herein referred to as the “Registration Statement”; provided, however, that the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include information contained in the final prospectus relating to the Securities that is retroactively deemed to be a part of such registration statement (as amended) as of the time specified in Rule 430A of the 1933 Act Regulations. Any registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations is herein referred to as the “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement” and after such filing the term “Registration Statement” shall include the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. The final prospectus, in the form first furnished to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offering of the Securities, including the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act at the time of the execution of this Agreement are herein collectively called the “Prospectus.” For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System (“EDGAR”).
     All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is “contained,” “included” or “stated” in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or the General Disclosure Package (as defined herein) (or other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other information which is incorporated by reference in or otherwise deemed by 1933 Act Regulations to be a part of or included in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or the General Disclosure Package, as the case may be; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or the General Disclosure Package shall be deemed to mean and include the filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “1934 Act”), which is incorporated by reference in or otherwise deemed by 1933 Act Regulations to be a part of or included in the Registration Statement, such preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or the General Disclosure Package, as the case may be, after the execution of this Agreement.
     SECTION 1. Representations and Warranties.
     (a) Representations and Warranties by the Company. The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, the Applicable Time referred to in Section 1(a)(i) hereof and as of the Closing Time referred to in Section 2(c) hereof, and as of each Date of Delivery (if any) referred to in Section 2(b) hereof, and agrees with each Underwriter, as follows:
     (i) Compliance with Registration Requirements. The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act. Each of the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto has become effective under the 1933 Act, and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the 1933 Act and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated by the Commission or by the state securities authority of any jurisdiction, and any request on the part of the Commission for additional information has been complied with.
     At the respective times the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and any post-effective amendments thereto became effective and at the Closing Time

3


 

(and, if any Option Securities are purchased, at the Date of Delivery), the Registration Statement, the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and any amendments and supplements thereto complied, complies and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations, and did not, does not and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
     Neither the Prospectus nor any amendments or supplements thereto (including any prospectus wrapper), at the time the Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement was issued and at the Closing Time (and, if any Option Securities are purchased, at the Date of Delivery) included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
     Any preliminary prospectus (including the prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement when originally filed or any amendment thereto) complied when so filed in all material respects with the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations and any such preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus delivered or made available to the Underwriters for use in connection with this offering was and will, at the time of such delivery, be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
     As of the Applicable Time (as defined below), neither (x) any Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below) issued at or prior to the Applicable Time, the Statutory Prospectus (as defined below) and the information agreed to in writing by the Company and the Underwriters as the information to be conveyed orally by the Underwriters to purchasers of the Securities at the Applicable Time, in each case as set forth on Schedule C hereto, all considered together (collectively, the “General Disclosure Package”) nor (y) any individual Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus, when considered with the General Disclosure Package, included any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
     As used in this subsection and elsewhere in this Agreement:
     “Applicable Time” means [*]:00 p.m. (Eastern time) on               , 2009 or such other time as agreed by the Company and the Representatives.
     “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 433”), relating to the Securities that (i) is required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) is a “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i), whether or not required to be filed with the Commission or (iii) is exempt from filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Securities or of the offering that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g).
     “Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors, as evidenced by its being specified in Schedule E hereto.

4


 

     “Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not an Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus.
     “Statutory Prospectus” as of any time means the prospectus relating to the Securities that is included in the Registration Statement immediately prior to that time, including the documents incorporated by reference therein, and any preliminary prospectus or other prospectus deemed to be a part of such Registration Statement as of such time.
     Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the public offer and sale of the Securities or until any earlier date that the issuer notified or notifies the Representatives as described in Section 3(e), did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein and any preliminary or other prospectus deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified.
     The representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein.
     At the time of filing, the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and any post-effective amendments thereto and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405 of the 1933 Act Regulations.
     (ii) Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied or will comply, as the case may be, in all material respects with the requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (the “1934 Act Regulations”).
     (iii) Independent Accountants. The accountants who certified the financial statements and supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement are independent public accountants as required by the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations.
     (iv) Financial Statements. The financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes, present fairly the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries at the dates indicated and the statement of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries for the periods specified; said financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved. The supporting schedules, if any, present fairly in accordance with GAAP the information required to be stated therein. The selected financial data and the summary financial information included in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements included in the Registration Statement. Except as otherwise included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, neither pro forma financial statements of the Company nor the financial statements of any entity other than the Company are required to be included in the Registration Statement, General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus under the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the 1934 Act or the 1934 Act

5


 

Regulations. Any disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply with Regulation G under the 1934 Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K of the 1933 Act Regulations, to the extent applicable. The other financial information and data included in, or incorporated by reference in, the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, have been derived from the financial and accounting records of the Company and, in all material respects, have been prepared on a basis consistent with such books and records of the Company.
     (v) No Material Adverse Change in Business. Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, except as otherwise stated therein, (A) there has been no material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business (a “Material Adverse Effect”), (B) there have been no transactions entered into by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, other than those in the ordinary course of business, which are material with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, and (C) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock.
     (vi) Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of New York and has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement; and the Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
     (vii) Good Standing of Subsidiaries. Each “significant subsidiary” of the Company (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X) (each a “Subsidiary” and, collectively, the “Subsidiaries”) has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation, or a limited liability company, as the case may be, in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has corporate or limited liability company power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and is duly qualified as a foreign corporation or a foreign limited liability company, as the case may be, to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each such Subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and is owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity; none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of any Subsidiary was issued in violation of the preemptive or similar rights of any securityholder of such Subsidiary. The only Subsidiaries of the Company are the subsidiaries listed on Schedule F hereto.
     (viii) Capitalization. The authorized, issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company is as set forth in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus in the column entitled “Actual” under the caption “Capitalization” (except for subsequent issuances, if any,

6


 

pursuant to this Agreement, pursuant to transactions referenced in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, pursuant to reservations, agreements or employee benefit plans referred to in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or pursuant to the exercise of convertible securities or options referred to in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus). The shares of issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company, including the Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Selling Shareholders, have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company, including the Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Selling Shareholders, was issued in violation of the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company.
     (ix) Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
     (x) Authorization and Description of Securities. The Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Company have been duly authorized for issuance and sale to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Company pursuant to this Agreement against payment of the consideration set forth herein, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; the Common Stock conforms in all material respects to all statements relating thereto contained in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and such description conforms in all material respects to the rights set forth in the instruments defining the same; no holder of the Securities will be subject to personal liability by reason of being such a holder; and the issuance of the Securities is not subject to the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company, except as has been waived.
     (xi) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of its charter or by-laws or in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound, or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any subsidiary is subject (collectively, “Agreements and Instruments”) except for such defaults that would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (including the issuance and sale of the Securities and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds”) and compliance by the Company with its obligations hereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any subsidiary pursuant to, the Agreements and Instruments (except for such conflicts, breaches, defaults or Repayment Events or liens, charges or encumbrances that would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect), nor will such action result in any violation of (i) the provisions of the charter or by-laws of the Company or any subsidiary or (ii) any applicable law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any government, government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary or any of their assets, properties or operations, except, in the case of (ii), for such violations that would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. As used herein, a “Repayment Event” means any event or condition which gives the holder of any note,

7


 

debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any subsidiary.
     (xii) Absence of Labor Dispute. To the knowledge of the Company, no labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any subsidiary exists or is imminent which would reasonably be expected, singly or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
     (xiii) Absence of Proceedings. There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, now pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against or affecting the Company or any subsidiary, which is required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement (other than as disclosed therein), or which might reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which might materially and adversely affect the properties or assets thereof or the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement or the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder; the aggregate of all pending legal or governmental proceedings to which the Company or any subsidiary is a party or of which any of their respective property or assets is the subject which are not described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
     (xiv) Accuracy of Exhibits. There are no contracts or documents which are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or the documents incorporated by reference therein or to be filed as exhibits thereto which have not been so described and filed as required.
     (xv) Possession of Intellectual Property. The Company and its subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks, trade names or other intellectual property (collectively, “Intellectual Property”) necessary to carry on the business now operated by them, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice or is aware of any facts or circumstances which has led the Company to conclude that any of its Intellectual Property is invalid and which infringement or conflict or invalidity, singly or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
     (xvi) Absence of Manipulation. Neither the Company nor any affiliate of the Company has taken, nor will the Company or any affiliate take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed to or which has constituted or which would be expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.
     (xvii) Absence of Further Requirements. No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any court or governmental authority or agency is necessary or required for the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder, in connection with the offering, issuance or sale of the Securities hereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except such as have been already obtained or as may be required under the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations or state securities laws or the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”).

8


 

     (xviii) Possession of Licenses and Permits. The Company and its subsidiaries possess such permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other authorizations (collectively, “Governmental Licenses”) issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, except where the failure so to possess such Governmental Licenses would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; the Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all such Governmental Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; all of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, except when the invalidity of such Governmental Licenses or the failure of such Governmental Licenses to be in full force and effect would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such Governmental Licenses which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
     (xix) Title to Property. The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real property owned by the Company and its subsidiaries and good title to all other properties owned by them, in each case, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests, claims, restrictions or encumbrances of any kind except such as (a) are described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or (b) do not, singly or in the aggregate, affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, in any case, that would, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and all of the leases and subleases under which the Company or any of its subsidiaries holds properties described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, are in full force and effect, except where the failure to so be in full for and effect would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and neither the Company nor any subsidiary has any notice of any claim that has been asserted by any person from whom the Company or any subsidiary leases property pursuant to the leases or subleases mentioned above, which claim is reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect.
     (xx) Investment Company Act. The Company is not required, and upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will not be required, to register as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”).
     (xxi) Accounting Controls and Disclosure Controls. The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (1) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (2) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (3) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (4) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as described in the Registration Statement, General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (I) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (II) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

9


 

     The Company and its consolidated subsidiaries employ disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the 1934 Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, and is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive officer or officers and principal financial officer or officers, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding disclosure.
     (xxii) Compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.
     (xxiii) Pending Proceedings and Examinations. The Registration Statement is not the subject of a pending proceeding or examination under Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the 1933 Act, and the Company is not the subject of a pending proceeding under Section 8A of the 1933 Act in connection with the offering of the Securities.
     (xxiv) Payment of Taxes. All United states federal income tax returns of the Company and its subsidiaries required by law to be filed have been filed and all taxes shown by such returns or otherwise assessed, which are due and payable, have been paid, except assessments against which appeals have been or will be promptly taken and as to which adequate reserves have been provided. The Company and its subsidiaries have filed all other tax returns that are required to have been filed by them pursuant to applicable foreign, state, local or other law except insofar as the failure to file such returns would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, and has paid all taxes due pursuant to such returns or pursuant to any assessment received by the Company and its subsidiaries, except for such taxes, if any, as are being contested in good faith and as to which adequate reserves have been provided. To the Company’s knowledge, the charges, accruals and reserves on the books of the Company in respect of any income and corporation tax liability for any years not finally determined are adequate to meet any assessments or re-assessments for additional income tax for any years not finally determined, except to the extent of any inadequacy that would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
     (xxv) Insurance. The Company and it’s Subsidiaries carry or are entitled to the benefits of insurance, with insurers believed by the Company to be financially sound, in such amounts and covering such risks as is generally maintained by companies engaged in the same or similar business, and all such insurance is in full force and effect, except where the failure to so carry such insurance or for such insurance to be in full force and effect would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has no reason to believe that it or any subsidiary will not be able (A) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (B) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
     (xxvi) Statistical and Market-Related Data. Any statistical and market-related data included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate, and the Company has obtained the written consent to the use of such data from such sources to the extent required.

10


 

     (xxvii) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Neither the Company nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”), including without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in the furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA and the Company and to the knowledge of the Company, its affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure and which are reasonable expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.
     (xxviii) Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws” and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.
     (xxix) OFAC. Neither the Company nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or person acting on behalf of the Company is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.
     (b) Representations and Warranties by the Selling Shareholders. Each Selling Shareholder severally and not jointly represents and warrants to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, as of the Applicable Time and as of the Closing Time, and as of each such Date of Delivery (if any), and agrees with each Underwriter, as follows:
     (i) Accurate Disclosure. To the best knowledge of Matlin, the representations and warranties of the Company contained in Section 1(a) hereof are true and correct; Matlin has reviewed and is familiar with the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and none of the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto (including any prospectus wrapper) includes any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; Matlin is not prompted to sell the Securities to be sold by it hereunder by any information concerning the Company or any subsidiary of the Company which is not set forth in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
     (ii) Authorization of this Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by or on behalf of such Selling Shareholder.

11


 

     (iii) Authorization of Power of Attorney and Custody Agreement. The Power of Attorney and Custody Agreement, in the form heretofore furnished to the Representatives (the “Power of Attorney and Custody Agreement”), has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by such Selling Shareholder and is the valid and binding agreement of such Selling Shareholder.
     (iv) Noncontravention. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the Power of Attorney and Custody Agreement and the sale and delivery of the Securities to be sold by such Selling Shareholder and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and compliance by such Selling Shareholder with its obligations hereunder do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any tax, lien, charge or encumbrance upon the Securities to be sold by such Selling Shareholder or any property or assets of such Selling Shareholder pursuant to any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, license, lease or other agreement or instrument to which such Selling Shareholder is a party or by which such Selling Shareholder may be bound, or to which any of the property or assets of such Selling Shareholder is subject, nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws or other organizational instrument of such Selling Shareholder, if applicable, or any applicable treaty, law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any government, government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over such Selling Shareholder or any of its properties.
     (v) Certificates Suitable for Transfer. The Securities to be sold by Matlin pursuant to this Agreement are certificated securities in registered form and are not held in any securities account or by or through any securities intermediary within the meaning of the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in the State of New York (the “UCC”). Certificates for all of the Securities to be sold by Matlin pursuant to this Agreement, in suitable form for transfer by delivery or accompanied by duly executed instruments of transfer or assignment in blank with signatures guaranteed, have been placed in custody with American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC (the “Custodian”) with irrevocable conditional instructions to deliver such Securities to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement
     (vi) Valid Title. MAST has, and at the Closing Time and each Date of Delivery, if any, will have, valid title to the Securities to be sold by it free and clear of all security interests, claims, liens, equities or other encumbrances and the legal right and power, and all authorization and approval required by law, to enter into this Agreement and the Power of Attorney and Custody Agreement and to sell, transfer and deliver the Securities to be sold by it or a valid security entitlement in respect of such Securities.
     (vii) Delivery of Securities by Matlin. Upon the Underwriters’ acquiring possession of the Securities to be sold by Matlin and paying the purchase price therefor pursuant to this Agreement, the Underwriters (assuming that no such Underwriter has notice of any “adverse claim,” within the meaning of Section 8-105 of the New York Uniform Commercial Code, to such Securities) will acquire their respective interests in such Securities (including, without limitation, all rights that Matlin had or has the power to transfer in such Securities) free and clear of any adverse claim within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the New York Uniform Commercial Code.
     (viii) Delivery of Securities by MAST. Upon payment of the purchase price for the Securities to be sold by MAST pursuant to this Agreement, delivery of such Securities, as directed by the Underwriters, to Cede & Co. (“Cede”) or such other nominee as may be designated by The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) (unless delivery of such Securities is unnecessary because such Securities are already in possession of Cede or such nominee),

12


 

registration of such Securities in the name of Cede or such other nominee (unless registration of such Securities is unnecessary because such Securities are already registered in the name of Cede or such nominee), and the crediting of such Securities on the books of DTC to securities accounts of the Underwriters (assuming that neither DTC nor any such Underwriter has notice of any “adverse claim,” within the meaning of Section 8-105 of the New York Uniform Commercial Code (the “UCC”), to such Securities), (A) DTC shall be a “protected purchaser,” within the meaning of Section 8-303 of the UCC, of such Securities and will acquire its interest in the Securities (including, without limitation, all rights that such MAST had or has the power to transfer in such Securities) free and clear of any adverse claim within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the UCC, (B) under Section 8-501 of the UCC, the Underwriters will acquire a valid security entitlement in respect of such Securities and (C) no action (whether framed in conversion, replevin, constructive trust, equitable lien, or other theory) based on any “adverse claim,” within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the UCC, to such Securities may be asserted against the Underwriters with respect to such security entitlement; for purposes of this representation, MAST may assume that when such payment, delivery (if necessary) and crediting occur, (x) such Securities will have been registered in the name of Cede or another nominee designated by DTC, in each case on the Company’s share registry in accordance with its certificate of incorporation, bylaws and applicable law, (y) DTC will be registered as a “clearing corporation,” within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the UCC, and (z) appropriate entries to the accounts of the several Underwriters on the records of DTC will have been made pursuant to the UCC.
     (ix) Absence of Manipulation. Such Selling Shareholder has not taken, and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed to or which has constituted or would be expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.
     (x) Absence of Further Requirements. No filing with, or consent, approval, authorization, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any court or governmental authority or agency, domestic or foreign, is necessary or required for the performance by such Selling Shareholder of its obligations hereunder or in the Power of Attorney and Custody Agreement, or in connection with the sale and delivery of the Securities hereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except such as may have previously been made or obtained or as may be required under the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations or state securities laws.
     (xi) Restriction on Sale of Securities. At the date of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto signed by each Selling Shareholder.
     (xii) No Association with FINRA. Neither such Selling Shareholder nor any of its affiliates directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, or is a person associated with (within the meaning of Article I (dd) of the By-laws of FINRA) any member firm of FINRA, excluding the Company and its affiliates.
     (c) Officer’s Certificates. Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries delivered to the Representatives or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby; and any certificate signed by or on behalf of a Selling Shareholder as such and delivered to the Representatives or to counsel for the Underwriters pursuant to the terms of this Agreement shall be

13


 

deemed a representation and warranty by such Selling Shareholder to the Underwriters as to the matters covered thereby.
     SECTION 2. Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing.
     (a) Initial Securities. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company and each Selling Shareholder, severally and not jointly, agree to sell to each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company and each Selling Shareholder, at the price per share set forth in Schedule C, that proportion of the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule B opposite the name of the Company or such Selling Shareholder, as the case may be, which the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter, plus any additional number of Initial Securities which such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of Section 10 hereof, bears to the total number of Initial Securities, subject, in each case, to such adjustments among the Underwriters as the Representatives in their sole discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional securities.
     (b) Option Securities. In addition, on the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company and Matlin hereby grant an option to the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, to purchase up to an additional 3,000,000 shares of Common Stock, as set forth in Schedule B, at the price per share set forth in Schedule C, less an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Initial Securities but not payable on the Option Securities. The option hereby granted will expire 30 days after the date hereof and may be exercised in whole or in part from time to time only for the purpose of covering overallotments which may be made in connection with the offering and distribution of the Initial Securities upon notice by the Representatives to the Company and Matlin setting forth the number of Option Securities as to which the several Underwriters are then exercising the option and the time and date of payment and delivery for such Option Securities. Any such time and date of delivery (a “Date of Delivery”) shall be determined by the Representatives, but shall not be later than seven full business days after the exercise of said option, nor in any event prior to the Closing Time, as hereinafter defined. If the option is exercised as to all or any portion of the Option Securities, each of the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, will purchase that proportion of the total number of Option Securities then being purchased which the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Initial Securities, subject in each case to such adjustments as the Representatives in their discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional shares. Two-thirds of the securities purchased pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be purchased from the Company and one-third shall be purchased from Matlin.
     (c) Payment. Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates for, the Initial Securities shall be made at the offices of Sidley Austin llp, 787 Seventh Ave., New York, NY 10019, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company and the Selling Shareholders, at 9:00 A.M. (Eastern time) on the third (fourth, if the pricing occurs after 4:30 P.M. (Eastern time) on any given day) business day after the date hereof (unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10), or such other time not later than ten business days after such date as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company and the Selling Shareholders (such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called “Closing Time”).
     In addition, in the event that any or all of the Option Securities are purchased by the Underwriters, payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates for, such Option Securities shall be made at the above-mentioned offices, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company and the Selling Shareholders, on each Date of Delivery as specified in the notice from the Representatives to the Company and the Selling Shareholders.

14


 

     Payment shall be made to the Company and the Selling Shareholders by wire transfer of immediately available funds to bank accounts designated by the Company and the Custodian pursuant to each Selling Shareholder’s Power of Attorney and Custody Agreement, as the case may be, against delivery to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the Underwriters of certificates for the Securities to be purchased by them. It is understood that each Underwriter has authorized the Representatives, for its account, to accept delivery of, receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Initial Securities and the Option Securities, if any, which it has agreed to purchase. Merrill Lynch, individually and not as representative of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment of the purchase price for the Initial Securities or the Option Securities, if any, to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds have not been received by the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, but such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from its obligations hereunder.
     (d) Denominations; Registration. Certificates for the Initial Securities and the Option Securities, if any, shall be in such denominations and registered in such names as the Representatives may request in writing at least one full business day before the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be. The certificates for the Initial Securities and the Option Securities, if any, will be made available for examination and packaging by the Representatives in The City of New York not later than 10:00 A.M. (Eastern time) on the business day prior to the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be.
     SECTION 3. Covenants of the Company and the Selling Shareholders. The Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows:
     (a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests. The Company, subject to Section 3(b), will comply with the requirements of Rule 430A and will notify the Representatives immediately, and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or new registration statement, in either case relating to the Securities, shall become effective, or any supplement to the Prospectus or any amended Prospectus shall have been filed, (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission relating to the Prospectus (including, without limitation, the documents incorporated by reference therein), the Securities or the offering and sale thereof, (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement relating to the offering of the Securities, the filing of a new registration statement relating to the Securities or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or any document incorporated by reference therein or otherwise deemed to be a part thereof or for additional information, relating to the offering of the Securities, (iv) during the time in which the Prospectus is required to be delivered in connection with the sale of Securities, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or such new registration statement or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(e) of the 1933 Act concerning the Registration Statement and (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the 1933 Act in connection with the offering of the Securities. The Company will effect the filings required under Rule 424(b) in connection with the offering of the securities, in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)), and will take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus. The Company will make every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any stop order and, if any stop order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.

15


 

     (b) Filing of Amendments and Exchange Act Documents. The Company will give the Representatives notice of its intention to file or prepare any amendment to the Registration Statement or new registration statement, in either case, relating to the Securities (including any filing under Rule 462(b) under the 1933 Act Regulations), or any amendment, supplement or revision to either any preliminary prospectus (including the prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time it originally became effective) or to the Prospectus, whether pursuant to the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act or otherwise, and the Company will furnish the Representatives with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing or use, as the case may be, and will not file (unless required by law) or use any such document to which the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object. The Company has given the Representatives notice of any filings made pursuant to the 1934 Act or 1934 Act Regulations within 48 hours prior to the execution of this Agreement; the Company will give the Representatives notice of its intention to make any such filing from the execution of this Agreement to the Closing Time and will furnish the Representatives with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing and will not file (unless required by law) or use any such document to which the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object.
     (c) Delivery of Registration Statements. The Company has furnished or will deliver to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, copies of the signed Registration Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto relating to the offering of the Securities (including exhibits filed therewith) and copies of signed consents and certificates of experts, and will also deliver to the Representatives, without charge, a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for each of the Underwriters. The copies of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
     (d) Delivery of Prospectuses. The Company has delivered to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each preliminary prospectus as such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the 1933 Act. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the period when the Prospectus is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
     (e) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. The Company will comply with the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Securities as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus is required by the 1933 Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Securities, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or for the Company, to amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Prospectus in order that the Prospectus will not include any untrue statements of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser, or if it shall be necessary, in the opinion of such counsel, at any such time to amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to comply with the requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations in connection with offer and sale of the

16


 

Securities, the Company will promptly prepare and file with the Commission, subject to Section 3(b), such amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement or the Prospectus comply with such requirements, and the Company will furnish to the Underwriters such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriters may reasonably request. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances, prevailing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Representatives and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.
     (f) Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will cooperate with the Underwriters to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the Representatives may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect for a period of not less than one year from the date hereof; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject.
     (g) Rule 158. The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the 1934 Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable an earnings statement for the purposes of, and to provide to the Underwriters the benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act.
     (h) Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Securities in the manner specified in the Prospectus under “Use of Proceeds.”
     (i) Listing. The Company will use its best efforts to effect the listing of the Securities on the NASDAQ Global Market.
     (j) Restriction on Sale of Securities. During a period of 90 days from the date of the Prospectus, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, (i) directly or indirectly, offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of any share of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or file any registration statement under the 1933 Act with respect to any of the foregoing or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such swap or transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (A) the Securities to be sold hereunder, (B) issuances by the Company upon the exercise of an option or warrant or other right or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof and referred to in the General Disclosure Package and Prospectus, (C) issuances or grants pursuant to existing employee benefit plans of the Company referred to in the Prospectus (D) issuances or grants pursuant to any non-employee director stock plan or dividend reinvestment plan or (E) the issuance of Common Stock or other securities or rights in connection with acquisitions, joint ventures, collaborations or other

17


 

operational or strategic transactions, provided that the recipient agrees in writing to be bound by the terms of Section 3(j) herein for the duration of the 90-day period referenced herein.
     Notwithstanding the foregoing, and subject to the conditions below, the Company may transfer any Common Stock without the prior written consent of the Representatives, provided that (1) the Representatives receive a signed lock-up agreement for the balance of the lockup period from each donee, trustee, distributee, or transferee, as the case may be, (2) any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value, (3) such transfers are not required to be reported in any public report or filing with the Commission, or otherwise and (4) the Company does not otherwise voluntarily effect any public filing or report regarding such transfers:
  (i)   as a bona fide gift or gifts; or
 
  (ii)   to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the Company or the immediate family of the Company (for purposes of this lock-up agreement, “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin); or
 
  (iii)   as a distribution to limited partners or stockholders of the Company; or
 
  (iv)   to the Company’s affiliates or to any investment fund or other entity controlled or managed by the Company.
     Furthermore, the Company may sell shares of Common Stock purchased by the Company on the open market following the date of the Prospectus if and only if (i) such sales are not required to be reported in any public report or filing with the Commission, or otherwise and (ii) the Company does not otherwise voluntarily effect any public filing or report regarding such sales.
     Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (1) during the last 17 days of the 90-day restricted period the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs or (2) prior to the expiration of the 90-day restricted period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results or becomes aware that material news or a material event will occur during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the 90-day restricted period, the restrictions imposed in this clause (ix) shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event.
     (k) Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period when the Prospectus is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the 1934 Act within the time periods required by the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations.
     (l) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. Each of the Company and each Selling Shareholder represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior consent of the Representative, and each Underwriter represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior consent of the Company and the Representatives, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405, required to be filed with the Commission or, in the case of each Selling Shareholder, whether or not required to be filed with the Commission. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Representatives or by the Company and the Representatives, as the case may be, is hereinafter

18


 

referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” Each of the Company and each Selling Shareholder represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including timely filing with the Commission where required by such person, legending and record keeping.
     SECTION 4. Payment of Expenses. (a) Expenses. The Company will pay all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and of each amendment thereto, (ii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of this Agreement, any Agreement among Underwriters and such other documents as may be required in connection with the offering, purchase, sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities, (iii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the certificates for the Securities to the Underwriters, including any stock or other transfer taxes and any stamp or other duties payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters, (iv) the fees and disbursements of the Company’s counsel, accountants and other advisors, (v) the qualification of the Securities under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(f) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto, (vi) the printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of each preliminary prospectus, any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, and of the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto and any costs associated with electronic delivery of any of the foregoing by the Underwriters to investors, (vii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto, (viii) the fees and expenses of any transfer agent or registrar for the Securities, (ix) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the Securities, including without limitation, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations, travel and lodging expenses of the officers of the Company and any such consultants, and 50% of the cost of aircraft and other transportation chartered for use by personnel of the Company and the Representatives in connection with the road show and (x) any filings required to be made with FINRA (including associated filing fees) and (xi) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Securities on the NASDAQ Global Market.
     (b) Expenses of the Selling Shareholders. Each of the Selling Shareholders, severally and not jointly, will pay all expenses incident to the performance of its respective obligations under, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including (i) any stamp duties, capital duties and stock transfer taxes, if any, payable upon the sale of the Securities by such Selling Shareholder to the Underwriters, and their transfer between the Underwriters pursuant to an agreement between such Underwriters, and (ii) the fees and disbursements of its respective counsel and other advisors. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, at the request of the Selling Shareholders, the Company shall reimburse each of Matlin and MAST an amount equal to one-half of the fees and the disbursements of one of their counsels.
     (c) Termination of Agreement. If this Agreement is terminated by the Representatives in accordance with the provisions of Section 5 due to a failure of the Company to satisfy the conditions set forth therein, Section 9(a)(i) or Section 9(a)(iii) or Section 11 hereof, the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters for all of their reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters.
     (d) Allocation of Expenses. The provisions of this Section shall not affect any agreement that the Company and the Selling Shareholders may make for the sharing of such costs and expenses.

19


 

     SECTION 5. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the several Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company and the Selling Shareholders contained in Section 1 hereof or in certificates of any officer of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company or on behalf of the Selling Shareholder delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the following further conditions:
     (a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement; Filing of Prospectus; Payment of Filing Fee. The Registration Statement, including any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, has become effective and at Closing Time no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued under the 1933 Act or proceedings therefor initiated or threatened by the Commission, and any request on the part of the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of counsel to the Underwriters. A prospectus containing the Rule 430A Information shall have been filed with the Commission in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8) (or a post-effective amendment providing such information shall have been filed and become effective in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430A).
     (b) Opinion of Counsel for Company. At Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received the opinion, dated as of Closing Time, of Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP, counsel for the Company, to the effect set forth in Exhibit A-1 hereto, and of Cahill Wink LLP, counsel for the Company, to the effect set forth in Exhibit A-2 hereto.
     (c) Opinion of Counsel for the Selling Shareholders. At Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received the favorable opinions, dated as of Closing Time, of Whalen LLP, counsel for Matlin, and Foley Hoag LLP and Walkers, counsel for MAST Credit Opportunities I Master Fund Limited (“MAST”), each in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters to the effect set forth in Exhibits B-1, B-2 and B-3 hereto and to such further effect as counsel to the Underwriters may reasonably request.
     (d) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. At Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of Closing Time, of Sidley Austin llp, counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives. In giving such opinion such counsel may rely, as to all matters governed by the laws of jurisdictions other than the law of the State of New York and the federal law of the United States, upon the opinions of counsel satisfactory to the Representatives. Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers of the Company and its subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.
     (e) Officers’ Certificate. At Closing Time, there shall not have been, since the date hereof, since the Applicable Time or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus or the General Disclosure Package, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, and the Representatives shall have received a certificate of the chief executive officer of the Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company, acting in their capacities as such and not personally, dated as of Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has been no such material adverse change, (ii) the representations and warranties in Section 1(a) hereof are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of Closing Time, (iii) the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all

20


 

conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to Closing Time, and (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to their knowledge, contemplated by the Commission.
     (f) Certificate of Selling Shareholders. At Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received a certificate of an Attorney-in-Fact on behalf of each Selling Shareholder, dated as of Closing Time, to the effect that (i) the representations and warranties of each Selling Shareholder contained in Section 1(b) hereof are true and correct in all respects with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of Closing Time and (ii) each Selling Shareholder has complied in all material respects with all agreements and all conditions on its part to be performed under this Agreement at or prior to Closing Time.
     (g) Accountant’s Comfort Letter. At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP a letter dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
     (h) Bring-down Comfort Letter. At Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP a letter, dated as of Closing Time, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to subsection (g) of this Section, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business days prior to Closing Time.
     (i) Approval of Listing. At Closing Time, the Securities shall have been approved for listing on the NASDAQ Global Market, subject only to official notice of issuance.
     (j) No Objection. FINRA shall have confirmed that it has not raised any objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements.
     (k) Lock-up Agreements. At the date of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto signed by the persons listed on Schedule D hereto.
     (l) Conditions to Purchase of Option Securities. In the event that the Underwriters exercise their option provided in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any portion of the Option Securities, the representations and warranties of the Company and Matlin contained herein and the statements in any certificates furnished by the Company, any subsidiary of the Company and Matlin hereunder shall be true and correct as of each Date of Delivery and, at the relevant Date of Delivery, the Representatives shall have received:
     (i) Officers’ Certificate. A certificate, dated such Date of Delivery, of the chief executive officer of the Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company confirming that the certificate delivered at the Closing Time pursuant to Section 5(d) hereof remains true and correct as of such Date of Delivery.
     (ii) Certificate of Matlin. A certificate, dated such Date of Delivery, of an Attorney-in-Fact on behalf of Matlin confirming that the certificate delivered at Closing Time pursuant to Section 5(f) remains true and correct as of such Date of Delivery.

21


 

     (iii) Opinion of Counsel for Company. The opinion of Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP, counsel for the Company, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(b) hereof; and the opinion of Cahill Wink LLP, counsel for the Company, dated on such Date of Delivery, to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(b) hereof.
     (iv) Opinion of Counsel for the Matlin. The favorable opinion of Whalen LLP, counsel for Matlin, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinions required by Section 5(c) hereof.
     (v) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. The favorable opinion of Sidley Austin llp, counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(d) hereof.
     (vi) Bring-down Comfort Letter. A letter from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives and dated such Date of Delivery, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the Representatives pursuant to Section 5(h) hereof, except that the “specified date” in the letter furnished pursuant to this paragraph shall be a date not more than five days prior to such Date of Delivery.
     (m) Additional Documents. At Closing Time and at each Date of Delivery, counsel for the Underwriters shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may reasonably request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company and the Selling Shareholders in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters.
     (n) Termination of Agreement. If any condition specified in this Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement, or, in the case of any condition to the purchase of Option Securities, on a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, the obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase the relevant Option Securities, may be terminated by the Representatives by notice to the Company and the Selling Shareholders at any time at or prior to Closing Time or such Date of Delivery, as the case may be, and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 and except that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8 and 18 shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.
     SECTION 6. Indemnification.
     (a) Indemnification of Underwriters. (1) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, as such term is defined in Rule 501(b) under the 1933 Act (each, an “Affiliate”), its selling agents and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act as follows:
     (i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact

22


 

contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
     (ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section 6(d) below) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company;
     (iii) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the Representatives), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above;
provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information, or any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto).
     (2) Matlin agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, as such term is defined in Rule 501(b) under the 1933 Act (each, an “Affiliate”), its selling agents and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act as follows:
     (i) in the event Matlin has actual knowledge at the date hereof that there is any untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information, or included in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or the omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any such untrue statement or any such omission;
     (ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or any such omission; provided that (subject to Section 6(d) below) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of Matlin;

23


 

     (iii) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the Representatives), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or any such omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above;
provided, however, (x) that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to Matlin by any Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information, or any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) and (y) notwithstanding anything in this Section 6, in no event shall the aggregate liability of Matlin pursuant to this Section 6(a)(2) and Section 7 shall exceed the aggregate net proceeds from the offering (after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions) received by Matlin.
     (3) MAST agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its Affiliates, its selling agents and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act as follows:
     (i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that MAST will only be liable in any such case to the extent that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished by MAST to the Company or the Underwriters expressly for use in the Registration Statement;
     (ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section 6(d) below) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company and MAST; provided, however, that such MAST will only be liable in any such case to the extent that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished by MAST to the Company or the Underwriters expressly for use in the Registration Statement;
     (iii) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the Representatives), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above or otherwise; provided, however,

24


 

that MAST will only be liable in any such case to the extent that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished by MAST to the Company or the Underwriters expressly for use in the Registration Statement;
provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information, or any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto).
     (b) Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers and Selling Shareholder. (1) Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, and each Selling Shareholder and each person, if any, who controls any Selling Shareholder within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in subsection (a) of this Section, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information or any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein. (2) The Company agrees promptly to reimburse Matlin for an indemnify and hold harmless Matlin against, any amounts Matlin is required to pay pursuant to Section 6(a)(2) or Section 7.
     (c) Actions against Parties; Notification. Each indemnified party shall give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity agreement. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(a) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Representatives, and, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(b) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Company and Matlin. An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in the defense of any such action; provided, however, that counsel to the indemnifying party shall not (except with the consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party. In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

25


 

     (d) Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested that an indemnifying party reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by this paragraph, the indemnifying party shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 60 days after receipt by the indemnifying party of such request and (ii) the indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement, unless such failure to reimburse the indemnified party is based on a dispute with a good faith basis as to either the obligation of the indemnifying party arising under this Section 6 to indemnify the indemnified party or the amount of such obligation and the indemnifying party shall have notified the indemnified party of such good faith dispute prior to the date of such settlement.
     (e) Other Agreements with Respect to Indemnification. The provisions of this Section shall not affect any agreement among the Company and the Selling Shareholders with respect to indemnification.
     SECTION 7. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 6 hereof is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and Matlin on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company and Matlin on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions, which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.
     The relative benefits received by the Company and Matlin on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and Matlin and the total underwriting discount received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the Securities as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus.
     The relative fault of the Company and Matlin on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company and Matlin or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement.
     The Company, Matlin and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 7. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.

26


 

     Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.
     No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
     For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act and each Underwriter’s Affiliates and selling agents shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company or Matlin within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company or Matlin. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to the number of Initial Securities set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule A hereto and not joint.
     The provisions of this Section shall not affect any agreement among the Company and the Selling Shareholders with respect to contribution.
     Notwithstanding anything in this Section 7, in no event shall the aggregate liability of Matlin pursuant to Section 6(a)(2) and this Section 7 exceed the aggregate net proceeds from the offering (after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions) received by Matlin.
     SECTION 8. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive. All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or the Selling Shareholders submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or its Affiliates or selling agents, any person controlling any Underwriter, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company or any person controlling any Selling Shareholder and (ii) delivery of and payment for the Securities.
     SECTION 9. Termination of Agreement.
     (a) Termination; General. The Representatives may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the Company and the Selling Shareholders, at any time at or prior to Closing Time (i) if there has been, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto) or the General Disclosure Package, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, or (ii) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representatives, impracticable or inadvisable to market the Securities or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, or (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company has been suspended or materially limited by the Commission or the NASDAQ Global Market, or (iv) if trading generally on the New York Stock Exchange or in the NASDAQ Global Market has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by any of said exchanges or by such system or

27


 

by order of the Commission, FINRA or any other governmental authority, or (v) a material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States or (vi) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either Federal or New York authorities.
     (b) Liabilities. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 hereof, and provided further that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8 and 18 shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.
     SECTION 10. Default by One or More of the Underwriters. If one or more of the Underwriters shall fail at Closing Time or a Date of Delivery to purchase the Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase under this Agreement (the “Defaulted Securities”), the Representatives shall have the right, within 24 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or any other underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth; if, however, the Representatives shall not have completed such arrangements within such 24-hour period, then:
     (i) if the number of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10% of the number of Securities to be purchased on such date, each of the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, to purchase the full amount thereof in the proportions that their respective underwriting obligations hereunder bear to the underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting Underwriters, or
     (ii) if the number of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the number of Securities to be purchased on such date, this Agreement or, with respect to any Date of Delivery which occurs after the Closing Time, the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase and of the Company to sell the Option Securities to be purchased and sold on such Date of Delivery shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter.
     No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of its default.
     In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination of this Agreement or, in the case of a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, which does not result in a termination of the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase and the Company and any Selling Shareholder to sell the relevant Option Securities, as the case may be, either the Representatives or the Company and any Selling Shareholder shall have the right to postpone Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required changes in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements. As used herein, the term “Underwriter” includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this Section 10.
     SECTION 11. Default by one or more of the Selling Shareholders or the Company. (a) If a Selling Shareholder shall fail at Closing Time or at a Date of Delivery to sell and deliver the number of Securities which such Selling Shareholder is obligated to sell hereunder, and the remaining Selling Shareholder does not exercise the right hereby granted to increase, pro rata or otherwise, the number of Securities to be sold by it hereunder to the total number to be sold by all Selling Shareholders as set forth in Schedule B hereto, then the Underwriters may, at the option of the Representatives, by notice from the Representatives to the Company and the non-defaulting Selling Shareholder, either (i) terminate this Agreement without any liability on the fault of any non-defaulting party except that the provisions of Sections 1, 4, 6, 7, 8 and 18 shall remain in full force and effect or (ii) elect to purchase the Securities which the non-defaulting Selling Shareholder and the Company have agreed to sell hereunder. No action

28


 

taken pursuant to this Section 11 shall relieve any Selling Shareholder so defaulting from liability, if any, in respect of such default.
     In the event of a default by any Selling Shareholder as referred to in this Section 11, each of the Representatives, the Company and the non-defaulting Selling Shareholder shall have the right to postpone Closing Time or the Date of Delivery, as the case may be, for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required change in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements.
     (b) If the Company shall fail at Closing Time or at the Date of Delivery to sell the number of Securities that it is obligated to sell hereunder, then this Agreement shall terminate without any liability on the part of any nondefaulting party; provided, however, that the provisions of Sections 1, 4, 6, 7, 8 and 18 shall remain in full force and effect. No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve the Company from liability, if any, in respect of such default.
     SECTION 12. Tax Disclosure. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, from the commencement of discussions with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby, the Company (and each employee, representative or other agent of the Company) may disclose to any and all persons, without limitation of any kind, the tax treatment and tax structure (as such terms are used in Sections 6011, 6111 and 6112 of the U.S. Code and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder) of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and all materials of any kind (including opinions or other tax analyses) that are provided relating to such tax treatment and tax structure.
     SECTION 13. Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be directed to the Representatives c/o Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, One Bryant Park, New York, New York 10036, attention of [*]; notices to the Company shall be directed to it at 12 East 49th St., 31st Floor, New York, New York 10017, attention of Lee Fensterstock, Chief Executive Officer, and Patricia A. Arciero-Craig, General Counsel; and notices to the Selling Shareholders shall be directed (i) in the case of Matlin c/o MatlinPatterson Global Advisers LLC, 520 Madison Avenue, 35th Floor, New York, NY, attention of Robert H. Weiss, General Counsel and (ii) in the case of MAST, c/o Mast Capital Management LLC, 200 Clarendon St., 51st Floor, Boston, MA, attention of John Ehlinger and Adam Kleinman, Esq.
     SECTION 14. No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship. Each of the Company and each Selling Shareholder acknowledges and agrees that (a) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the public offering price of the Securities and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company and the Selling Shareholder, on the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the other hand, (b) in connection with the offering contemplated hereby and the process leading to such transaction each Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company or any Selling Shareholder, or its respective stockholders, creditors, employees or any other party, (c) no Underwriter has assumed or will assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company or any Selling Shareholder with respect to the offering contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company or any Selling Shareholder on other matters) and no Underwriter has any obligation to the Company or any Selling Shareholder with respect to the offering contemplated hereby except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (d) the Underwriters and their respective affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of each of the Company and each Selling Shareholder, and (e) the Underwriters have not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering contemplated hereby and the Company and each of the Selling Shareholders

29


 

has consulted its own respective legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.
     SECTION 15. Integration. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) among the Company, the Selling Shareholders and the Underwriters, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof.
     SECTION 16. Parties. This Agreement shall each inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters, the Company and the Selling Shareholders and their respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the Underwriters, the Company and the Selling Shareholders and their respective successors and Affiliates, selling agents and the controlling persons and officers and directors referred to in Sections 6 and 7 and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Underwriters, the Company and the Selling Shareholders and their respective successors, and said controlling persons and officers and directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.
     SECTION 17. Trial by Jury. The Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and affiliates), each of the Selling Shareholders and each of the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
     SECTION 18. GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
     SECTION 19. TIME. TIME SHALL BE OF THE ESSENCE OF THIS AGREEMENT. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET FORTH HEREIN, SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.
     SECTION 20. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same Agreement.
     SECTION 21. Effect of Headings. The Section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

30


 

     If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to the Company and the Selling Shareholders a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement among the Underwriters, the Company and the Selling Shareholders in accordance with its terms.
         
    Very truly yours,
 
       
    BROADPOINT GLEACHER SECURITIES GROUP, INC.
 
       
 
  By    
         
 
  Name:    
 
  Title:    
 
       
    MATLINPATTERSON FA ACQUISITION LLC
 
       
 
  By    
         
 
  Name:    
 
  Title:    
 
       
    MAST CREDIT OPPORTUNITIES I MASTER FUND LIMITED
 
       
 
  By    
         
 
  Name:    
 
  Title:    

31


 

         
CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED,    
 
  as of the date first above written:    
 
       
MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH    
 
 
INCORPORATED
   
BROADPOINT CAPITAL, INC.
SANDLER O’NEILL & PARTNERS, L.P.
   
 
       
By:
  MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH    
 
 
INCORPORATED
   
 
       
By
       
         
 
  Name:    
 
  Title:    
 
       
By:
  BROADPOINT CAPITAL, INC.    
 
       
By
       
         
 
  Name:    
 
  Title:    
 
       
By:
  SANDLER O’NEILL & PARTNERS, L.P.    
 
       
By:
  Sandler O’Neill & Partners Corp.,    
 
  the sole general partner    
 
       
By
       
         
 
  Name:    
 
  Title:    
For themselves and as Representatives of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto.

32


 

SCHEDULE A
         
    Number of  
    Initial  
Name of Underwriter   Securities  
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
                Incorporated
       
Broadpoint Capital, Inc.
       
Sandler O’Neill & Partners, L.P.
       
Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc.
       
Fox-Pitt Kelton Cochran Caronia Waller (USA) LLC .
       
 
     
Total
    20,000,000  
 
     

Sch A-1


 

SCHEDULE B
                 
    Number of Initial     Maximum Number of Option  
    Securities to be Sold     Securities to Be Sold  
Broadpoint Gleacher Securities Group, Inc.
    12,000,000       2,000,000  
 
               
MatlinPatterson FA Acquisition LLC
    5,000,000       1,000,000  
 
               
Mast Credit Opportunities I Master Fund Limited
    3,000,000        
               
 
               
Total
    20,000,000       3,000,000  

Sch B-1


 

SCHEDULE C

Broadpoint Gleacher Securities Group, Inc.
20,000,000 Shares of Common Stock
(Par Value $0.01 Per Share)
1. The initial public offering price per share for the Securities, determined as provided in said Section 2, shall be $l.
2. The purchase price per share for the Securities to be paid by the several Underwriters shall be $l, being an amount equal to the initial public offering price set forth above less $l per share; provided that the purchase price per share for any Option Securities purchased upon the exercise of the overallotment option described in Section 2(b) shall be reduced by an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Initial Securities but not payable on the Option Securities.

Sch C-1


 

SCHEDULE D
MatlinPatterson FA Acquisition LLC
Mast Credit Opportunities I Master Fund Limited
Eric J. Gleacher
Lee Fensterstock
Peter J. McNierney
Marshall Cohen
Robert Gerard
Victor Mandel
Mark R. Patterson
Christopher R. Pechock
Frank Plimpton
Bruce Rohde
Robert S. Yingling
Robert I. Turner
Patricia A. Arciero-Craig

Sch D-1


 

SCHEDULE E

[None.]

Sch E-1


 

SCHEDULE F
Broadpoint Capital, Inc.
Broadpoint Amtech, Inc.
American Technology Research Holdings, Inc.

Sch F-1


 

Exhibit A-1
FORM OF OPINION OF COMPANY’S COUNSEL (DEWEY & LEBOEUF LLP)
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 5(b)

Exh. A-1-1


 

Exhibit A-2
FORM OF OPINION OF COMPANY’S COUNSEL (CAHILL WINK LLP)
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 5(b)

Exh. A-2-1


 

Exhibit B-1
FORM OF OPINION OF COUNSEL FOR MATLIN
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(c)

Exh. B-1-1


 

Exhibit B-2
FORM OF OPINION OF COUNSEL FOR MAST (FOLEY HOAG)
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(c)

Exh. B-2-1


 

Exhibit B-3
FORM OF OPINION OF COUNSEL FOR MAST (WALKERS)
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(c)

Exh. B-3-1


 

Exhibit C
       , 2009
         
MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH    
 
 
INCORPORATED.
   
BROADPOINT CAPITAL, INC.
SANDLER O’NEILL & PARTNERS, L.P.
   
 
       
as Representatives of the several
Underwriters to be named in the
within-mentioned Purchase Agreement
   
     
c/o
  Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
 
 
Incorporated
 
  One Bryant Park
 
  New York, New York 10036
         
 
  Re:   Proposed Public Offering by Broadpoint Gleacher Securities Group, Inc.
Dear Sirs:
     The undersigned, a stockholder [and an officer and/or director] of Broadpoint Gleacher Securities Group, Inc., a New York corporation (the “Company”), understands that Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Broadpoint Capital, Inc. and Sandler O’Neill & Partners, L.P. (collectively, the “Representatives”) propose to enter into a Purchase Agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) with the Company and the Selling Shareholders (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) providing for the public offering (the “Offering”) of shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”). In recognition of the benefit that such an offering will confer upon the undersigned as a stockholder [and an officer and/or director] of the Company, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the undersigned agrees with each underwriter to be named in the Purchase Agreement that, during a period of 90 days from the date of the Purchase Agreement and except for the sales made pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, the undersigned will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, directly or indirectly, (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant for the sale of, or otherwise dispose of or transfer any shares of the Company’s Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Common Stock, whether now owned or hereafter acquired by the undersigned or with respect to which the undersigned has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition, or file, or cause to be filed, any registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, with respect to any of the foregoing (collectively, the “Lock-Up Securities”) or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Lock-Up Securities, whether any such swap or transaction is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or other securities, in cash or otherwise.
     Notwithstanding the foregoing, and subject to the conditions below, the undersigned may transfer the Lock-Up Securities without the prior written consent of the Representatives, provided that (1) the Representatives receive a signed lock-up agreement for the balance of the lockup period from each donee, trustee, distributee, or transferee, as the case may be, (2) any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value, (3) such transfers are not required to be reported in any public report or filing with the

Exh. C-1


 

Securities and Exchange Commission, or otherwise and (4) the undersigned does not otherwise voluntarily effect any public filing or report regarding such transfers:
  (i)   as a bona fide gift or gifts; or
 
  (ii)   to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned (for purposes of this lock-up agreement, “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin); or
 
  (iii)   transfers upon the death of the undersigned to his or her executors, administrators, testamentary trustees, legatees or beneficiaries; or
 
  (iv)   as a distribution to limited partners or stockholders of the undersigned; or
 
  (v)   to the undersigned’s affiliates or to any investment fund or other entity controlled or managed by the undersigned; or
 
  (vi)   the exercise or exchanged by the undersigned of any option or warrant to acquire shares of Common Stock, or securities exchangeable or exercisable for or convertible into Common Stock.
     Furthermore, the undersigned may sell during the 90-day lock-up period shares of Common Stock of the Company purchased by the undersigned on the open market following the Offering if and only if (i) such sales are not required to be reported in any public report or filing with the Securities Exchange Commission, or otherwise and (ii) the undersigned does not otherwise voluntarily effect any public filing or report regarding such sales.
     Notwithstanding the foregoing, if:
     (1) during the last 17 days of the 90-day lock-up period, the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs; or
     (2) prior to the expiration of the 90-day lock-up period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results or becomes aware that material news or a material event will occur during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the 90-day lock-up period,
the restrictions imposed by this lock-up agreement shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event, as applicable, unless the Representatives waive, in writing, such extension.
     The undersigned hereby acknowledges and agrees that written notice of any extension of the 90-day lock-up period pursuant to the previous paragraph will be delivered by the Representatives to the Company (in accordance with Section 13 of the Purchase Agreement) and that any such notice properly delivered will be deemed to have been given to, and received by, the undersigned. The undersigned further agrees that, prior to engaging in any transaction or taking any other action that is subject to the terms of this lock-up agreement during the period from the date of this lock-up agreement to and including the 34th day following the expiration of the initial 90-day lock-up period, it will give notice thereof to the Company and will not consummate such transaction or take any such action unless it has received written confirmation from the Company that the 90-day lock-up period (as may have been extended pursuant to the previous paragraph) has expired.

Exh. C-2


 

     The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the Lock-Up Securities except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.
     If (i) the Company notifies you in writing that it does not intend to proceed with the Offering, (ii) the registration statement filed with the Commission with respect to the Offering is withdrawn, (iii) for any reason the Purchase Agreement shall be terminated prior to the Applicable Time (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) or (iv) the Offering has not been consummated by September 15, 2009, this lock-up agreement shall be terminated and the undersigned shall be released from its obligations hereunder.
         
    Very truly yours,
 
       
    Signature:  
         
 
       
    Print Name:  
         

Exh. C-3