EX-3.1 3 tm2326347d2_ex3-1.htm EXHIBIT 3.1

Exhibit 3.1

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS OF

SPLUNK INC.

(As of September 20, 2023)

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

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ARTICLE I — CORPORATE OFFICES 1
1.1 REGISTERED OFFICE 1
1.2 OTHER OFFICES 1
ARTICLE II — MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS 1
2.1 PLACE OF MEETINGS 1
2.2 ANNUAL MEETING 1
2.3 SPECIAL MEETING 1
2.4 ADVANCE NOTICE PROCEDURES 2
2.5 NOTICE OF STOCKHOLDERS’ MEETINGS 6
2.6 QUORUM 7
2.7 ADJOURNED MEETING; NOTICE 7
2.8 CONDUCT OF BUSINESS 7
2.9 VOTING 8
2.10 STOCKHOLDER ACTION BY WRITTEN CONSENT WITHOUT A MEETING 8
2.11 RECORD DATES 9
2.12 PROXIES 9
2.13 LIST OF STOCKHOLDERS ENTITLED TO VOTE 10
2.14 INSPECTORS OF ELECTION 10
2.15 PROXY ACCESS FOR DIRECTOR NOMINATIONS 11
ARTICLE III — DIRECTORS 17
3.1 POWERS 17
3.2 NUMBER OF DIRECTORS 17
3.3 ELECTION, QUALIFICATION AND TERM OF OFFICE OF DIRECTORS 18
3.4 RESIGNATION AND VACANCIES 18
3.5 PLACE OF MEETINGS; MEETINGS BY TELEPHONE 19
3.6 REGULAR MEETINGS 19
3.7 SPECIAL MEETINGS; NOTICE 19
3.8 QUORUM; VOTING 20
3.9 BOARD ACTION BY WRITTEN CONSENT WITHOUT A MEETING 20
3.10 FEES AND COMPENSATION OF DIRECTORS 20
3.11 REMOVAL OF DIRECTORS 20
ARTICLE IV — COMMITTEES 21
4.1 COMMITTEES OF DIRECTORS 21
4.2 COMMITTEE MINUTES 21
4.3 MEETINGS AND ACTION OF COMMITTEES 21
4.4 SUBCOMMITTEES 22

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

(Continued)

 

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ARTICLE V — OFFICERS 22
5.1 OFFICERS 22
5.2 APPOINTMENT OF OFFICERS 22
5.3 SUBORDINATE OFFICERS 23
5.4 REMOVAL AND RESIGNATION OF OFFICERS 23
5.5 VACANCIES IN OFFICES 23
5.6 REPRESENTATION OF SECURITIES OF OTHER ENTITIES 23
5.7 AUTHORITY AND DUTIES OF OFFICERS 24
5.8 CHAIRPERSON OF THE BOARD 24
5.9 CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER 24
5.10 PRESIDENT 24
5.11 VICE PRESIDENTS 25
5.12 SECRETARY AND ASSISTANT SECRETARIES 25
5.13 CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, TREASURER AND ASSISTANT TREASURERS 25
ARTICLE VI — STOCK 26
6.1 STOCK CERTIFICATES; PARTLY PAID SHARES 26
6.2 SPECIAL DESIGNATION ON CERTIFICATES 26
6.3 LOST, STOLEN OR DESTROYED CERTIFICATES 27
6.4 DIVIDENDS 27
6.5 TRANSFER OF STOCK 27
6.6 STOCK TRANSFER AGREEMENTS 27
6.7 REGISTERED STOCKHOLDERS 28
ARTICLE VII — MANNER OF GIVING NOTICE AND WAIVER 28
7.1 NOTICE OF STOCKHOLDERS’ MEETINGS 28
7.2 NOTICE BY ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION 28
7.3 NOTICE TO STOCKHOLDERS SHARING AN ADDRESS 29
7.4 NOTICE TO PERSON WITH WHOM COMMUNICATION IS UNLAWFUL 29
7.5 WAIVER OF NOTICE 30
ARTICLE VIII — INDEMNIFICATION 30
8.1 INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS IN THIRD PARTY PROCEEDINGS 30
8.2 INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS IN ACTIONS BY OR IN THE RIGHT OF THE CORPORATION 30
8.3 SUCCESSFUL DEFENSE 31
8.4 INDEMNIFICATION OF OTHERS 31
8.5 ADVANCED PAYMENT OF EXPENSES 31

 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

(Continued)

 

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8.6 LIMITATION ON INDEMNIFICATION 32
8.7 DETERMINATION; CLAIM 33
8.8 NON-EXCLUSIVITY OF RIGHTS 33
8.9 INSURANCE 33
8.10 SURVIVAL 33
8.11 EFFECT OF REPEAL OR MODIFICATION 33
8.12 CERTAIN DEFINITIONS 34
ARTICLE IX — GENERAL MATTERS 34
9.1 EXECUTION OF CORPORATE CONTRACTS AND INSTRUMENTS 34
9.2 FISCAL YEAR 34
9.3 SEAL 34
9.4 CONSTRUCTION; DEFINITIONS 34
9.5 FORUM FOR ADJUDICATION OF CERTAIN DISPUTES 35
ARTICLE X — AMENDMENTS 35

 

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AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS OF SPLUNK INC.

 

ARTICLE I — CORPORATE OFFICES

 

1.1 REGISTERED OFFICE

 

The registered office of Splunk Inc. shall be fixed in the corporation’s certificate of incorporation. References in these bylaws to the certificate of incorporation shall mean the certificate of incorporation of the corporation, as amended from time to time, including the terms of any certificate of designations of any series of Preferred Stock.

 

1.2 OTHER OFFICES

 

The corporation may at any time establish other offices at any place or places where the corporation is qualified to do business.

 

ARTICLE II — MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS

 

2.1 PLACE OF MEETINGS

 

Meetings of stockholders shall be held at any place, within or outside the State of Delaware, designated by the board of directors. The board of directors may, in its sole discretion, determine that a meeting of stockholders shall not be held at any place but may instead be held solely by means of remote communication as authorized by Section 211(a)(2) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”). In the absence of any such designation or determination, stockholders’ meetings shall be held at the corporation’s principal executive office.

 

2.2 ANNUAL MEETING

 

The annual meeting of stockholders shall be held on such date, at such time, and at such place (if any) within or without the State of Delaware as shall be designated from time to time by the board of directors and stated in the corporation’s notice of the meeting. At the annual meeting, directors shall be elected and any other proper business may be transacted.

 

2.3 SPECIAL MEETING

 

(i) A special meeting of the stockholders, other than those required by statute, may be called at any time only by (A) the board of directors, (B) the chairperson of the board of directors or (C) the chief executive officer. A special meeting of the stockholders may not be called by any other person or persons. The board of directors may cancel, postpone or reschedule any previously scheduled special meeting at any time, before or after the notice for such meeting has been sent to the stockholders.

 

 

 

 

(ii) The notice of a special meeting shall include the purpose for which the meeting is called. Only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting by or at the direction of the board of directors, the chairperson of the board of directors or the chief executive officer. Nothing contained in this Section 2.3(ii) shall be construed as limiting, fixing or affecting the time when a meeting of stockholders called by action of the board of directors may be held.

 

2.4 ADVANCE NOTICE PROCEDURES

 

(i) Advance Notice of Stockholder Business. At an annual meeting of the stockholders, only such business shall be conducted as shall have been properly brought before the meeting. To be properly brought before an annual meeting, business must be brought: (A) pursuant to the corporation’s proxy materials with respect to such meeting, (B) by or at the direction of the board of directors, or (C) by a stockholder of the corporation who (1) is a stockholder of record at the time of the giving of the notice required by this Section 2.4(i) and on the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the annual meeting and (2) has timely complied in proper written form with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 2.4(i). In addition, for business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder, such business must be a proper matter for stockholder action pursuant to these bylaws and applicable law. Except for proposals properly made in accordance with Rule 14a-8 under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules and regulations thereunder (as so amended and inclusive of such rules and regulations), and included in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the board of directors, for the avoidance of doubt, clause (C) above shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to bring business before an annual meeting of stockholders.

 

(a) To comply with clause (C) of Section 2.4(i) above, a stockholder’s notice must set forth all information required under this Section 2.4(i) and must be timely received by the secretary of the corporation. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be received by the secretary at the principal executive offices of the corporation not later than the 45th day nor earlier than the 75th day before the one-year anniversary of the date on which the corporation first mailed its proxy materials or a notice of availability of proxy materials (whichever is earlier) for the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided, however, that in the event that no annual meeting was held in the previous year or if the date of the annual meeting is advanced by more than 30 days prior to or delayed by more than 60 days after the one-year anniversary of the date of the previous year’s annual meeting, then, for notice by the stockholder to be timely, it must be so received by the secretary not earlier than the close of business on the 120th day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of (i) the 90th day prior to such annual meeting, or (ii) the tenth day following the day on which Public Announcement (as defined below) of the date of such annual meeting is first made. In no event shall any adjournment, rescheduling or postponement of an annual meeting or the announcement thereof commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described in this Section 2.4(i)(a). “Public Announcement” shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press or a comparable national news service or in a document publicly filed by the corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any successor thereto (the “1934 Act”).

 

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(b) To be in proper written form, a stockholder’s notice to the secretary must set forth as to each matter of business the stockholder intends to bring before the annual meeting: (1) a brief description of the business intended to be brought before the annual meeting, including the text of any proposed resolutions, and the reasons for conducting such business at the annual meeting, (2) the name and address, as they appear on the corporation’s books, of the stockholder proposing such business and any Stockholder Associated Person (as defined below), (3) the class and number of shares of the corporation that are held of record or are beneficially owned by the stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person and any derivative positions held or beneficially held by the stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person, (4) whether and the extent to which any hedging or other transaction or series of transactions has been entered into by or on behalf of such stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person with respect to any securities of the corporation, and a description of any other agreement, arrangement or understanding (including any short position or any borrowing or lending of shares), the effect or intent of which is to mitigate loss to, or to manage the risk or benefit from share price changes for, or to increase or decrease the voting power of, such stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person with respect to any securities of the corporation, (5) any material interest of the stockholder or a Stockholder Associated Person in such business, and (6) a statement whether either such stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person will deliver a proxy statement and form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the corporation’s voting shares required under applicable law to carry the proposal (such information provided and statements made as required by clauses (1) through (6), a “Business Solicitation Statement”). In addition, to be in proper written form, a stockholder’s notice to the secretary must be supplemented not later than ten days following the record date for notice of the meeting to disclose the information contained in clauses (3) and (4) above as of the record date for notice of the meeting. For purposes of this Section 2.4, a “Stockholder Associated Person” of any stockholder shall mean (i) any person controlling, directly or indirectly, or acting in concert with, such stockholder, (ii) any beneficial owner of shares of stock of the corporation owned of record or beneficially by such stockholder and on whose behalf the proposal or nomination, as the case may be, is being made, or (iii) any person controlling, controlled by or under common control with such person referred to in the preceding clauses (i) and (ii).

 

(c) Without exception, no business shall be conducted at any annual meeting except in accordance with the provisions set forth in this Section 2.4(i) and, if applicable, Section 2.4(ii). In addition, business proposed to be brought by a stockholder may not be brought before the annual meeting if such stockholder or a Stockholder Associated Person, as applicable, takes action contrary to the representations made in the Business Solicitation Statement applicable to such business or if the Business Solicitation Statement applicable to such business contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. The chairperson of the annual meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine and declare at the annual meeting that business was not properly brought before the annual meeting and in accordance with the provisions of this Section 2.4(i), and, if the chairperson should so determine, he or she shall so declare at the annual meeting that any such business not properly brought before the annual meeting shall not be conducted.

 

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(ii) Advance Notice of Director Nominations at Annual Meetings. Notwithstanding anything in these bylaws to the contrary, only persons who are nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 2.4(ii) or in Section 2.15 shall be eligible for election or re-election as directors at an annual meeting of stockholders. Nominations of persons for election or re-election to the board of directors of the corporation shall be made at an annual meeting of stockholders only (A) by or at the direction of the board of directors; (B) by a stockholder of the corporation who (1) was a stockholder of record at the time of the giving of the notice required by this Section 2.4(ii) and on the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the annual meeting and (2) has complied with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 2.4(ii); or (C) in compliance with Section 2.15. In addition to any other applicable requirements, for a nomination to be made by a stockholder, the stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in proper written form to the secretary of the corporation.

 

(a) To comply with clause (B) of Section 2.4(ii) above, a nomination to be made by a stockholder must set forth all information required under this Section 2.4(ii) and must be received by the secretary of the corporation at the principal executive offices of the corporation at the time set forth in, and in accordance with, the final three sentences of Section 2.4(i)(a) above.

 

(b) To be in proper written form, such stockholder’s notice to the secretary must set forth:

 

(1) as to each person (a “nominee”) whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election or re-election as a director: (A) the name, age, business address and residence address of the nominee, (B) the principal occupation or employment of the nominee, (C) the class and number of shares of the corporation that are held of record or are beneficially owned by the nominee and any derivative positions held or beneficially held by the nominee, (D) whether and the extent to which any hedging or other transaction or series of transactions has been entered into by or on behalf of the nominee with respect to any securities of the corporation, and a description of any other agreement, arrangement or understanding (including any short position or any borrowing or lending of shares), the effect or intent of which is to mitigate loss to, or to manage the risk or benefit of share price changes for, or to increase or decrease the voting power of the nominee, (E) a description of all arrangements or understandings between the stockholder and each nominee and any other person or persons (naming such person or persons) pursuant to which the nominations are to be made by the stockholder, (F) a written statement executed by the nominee acknowledging that as a director of the corporation, the nominee will owe a fiduciary duty under Delaware law with respect to the corporation and its stockholders, (G) a statement whether such nominee, if elected, agrees to tender, following such nominee’s election or re-election, an irrevocable, conditional resignation effective upon such nominee’s failure to receive the required vote for re-election at any future meeting at which such nominee faces re-election and acceptance of such resignation by the corporation’s board of directors, in accordance with the corporation’s Corporate Governance Guidelines, and (H) any other information relating to the nominee that would be required to be disclosed about such nominee if proxies were being solicited for the election or re-election of the nominee as a director, or that is otherwise required, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A under the 1934 Act (including without limitation the nominee’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement, if any, as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected or re-elected, as the case may be); and

 

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(2) as to such stockholder giving notice, (A) the information required to be provided pursuant to clauses (2) through (5) of Section 2.4(i)(b) above, and the supplement referenced in the second sentence of Section 2.4(i)(b) above (except that the references to “business” in such clauses shall instead refer to nominations of directors for purposes of this paragraph), and (B) a statement whether either such stockholder or Stockholder Associated Person will deliver a proxy statement and form of proxy to holders of a number of the corporation’s voting shares reasonably believed by such stockholder or Stockholder Associated Person to be necessary to elect or re-elect such nominee(s) (such information provided and statements made as required by clauses (A) and (B) above, a “Nominee Solicitation Statement”).

 

(c) At the request of the board of directors, any person nominated by a stockholder for election or re-election as a director must furnish to the secretary of the corporation (1) that information required to be set forth in the stockholder’s notice of nomination of such person as a director as of a date subsequent to the date on which the notice of such person’s nomination was given and (2) such other information as may reasonably be required by the corporation to determine the eligibility of such proposed nominee to serve as an independent director or audit committee financial expert of the corporation under applicable law, securities exchange rule or regulation, or any publicly-disclosed corporate governance guideline or committee charter of the corporation and that could be material to a reasonable stockholder’s understanding of the independence, or lack thereof, of such nominee; in the absence of the furnishing of such information if requested, such stockholder’s nomination shall not be considered in proper form pursuant to this Section 2.4(ii).

 

(d) Without exception, no person shall be eligible for election or re-election as a director of the corporation at an annual meeting of stockholders unless nominated in accordance with the provisions set forth in this Section 2.4(ii). In addition, a nominee shall not be eligible for election or re-election if a stockholder or Stockholder Associated Person, as applicable, takes action contrary to the representations made in the Nominee Solicitation Statement applicable to such nominee or if the Nominee Solicitation Statement applicable to such nominee contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. The chairperson of the annual meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine and declare at the annual meeting that a nomination was not made in accordance with the provisions prescribed by these bylaws, and if the chairperson should so determine, he or she shall so declare at the annual meeting, and the defective nomination shall be disregarded.

 

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(iii) Advance Notice of Director Nominations for Special Meetings.

 

(a) For a special meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected or re-elected, nominations of persons for election or re-election to the board of directors shall be made only (1) by or at the direction of the board of directors or (2) by any stockholder of the corporation who (A) is a stockholder of record at the time of the giving of the notice required by this Section 2.4(iii) and on the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the special meeting and (B) delivers a timely written notice of the nomination to the secretary of the corporation that includes the information set forth in Sections 2.4(ii)(b) and (ii)(c) above. To be timely, such notice must be received by the secretary at the principal executive offices of the corporation not later than the close of business on the later of the 90th day prior to such special meeting or the tenth day following the day on which Public Announcement is first made of the date of the special meeting and of the nominees proposed by the board of directors to be elected or re-elected at such meeting. In no event shall any adjournment, rescheduling or postponement of a special meeting or the announcement thereof commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice. A person shall not be eligible for election or re-election as a director at a special meeting unless the person is nominated (i) by or at the direction of the board of directors or (ii) by a stockholder in accordance with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 2.4(iii). In addition, a nominee shall not be eligible for election or re-election if a stockholder or Stockholder Associated Person, as applicable, takes action contrary to the representations made in the Nominee Solicitation Statement applicable to such nominee or if the Nominee Solicitation Statement applicable to such nominee contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

 

(b) The chairperson of the special meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine and declare at the meeting that a nomination or business was not made in accordance with the procedures prescribed by these bylaws, and if the chairperson should so determine, he or she shall so declare at the meeting, and the defective nomination or business shall be disregarded.

 

(iv) Other Requirements and Rights. In addition to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.4, a stockholder must also comply with all applicable requirements of state law and of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in this Section 2.4. Nothing in this Section 2.4 shall be deemed to affect any rights of:

 

(a) a stockholder to request inclusion of proposals in the corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 (or any successor provision) under the 1934 Act; or

 

(b) the corporation to omit a proposal from the corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 (or any successor provision) under the 1934 Act.

 

2.5 NOTICE OF STOCKHOLDERS’ MEETINGS

 

Whenever stockholders are required or permitted to take any action at a meeting, a written notice of the meeting shall be given which shall state the place, if any, date and hour of the meeting, the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such meeting, the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, if such date is different from the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting, and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called. Except as otherwise provided in the DGCL, the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, the written notice of any meeting of stockholders shall be given not less than 10 nor more than 60 days before the date of the meeting to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting as of the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting.

 

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2.6 QUORUM

 

The holders of a majority of the stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at all meetings of the stockholders. Where a separate vote by a class or series or classes or series is required, a majority of the outstanding shares of such class or series or classes or series, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum entitled to take action with respect to that vote on that matter, except as otherwise provided by law, the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws.

 

If a quorum is not present or represented at any meeting of the stockholders, then either (i) the chairperson of the meeting, or (ii) the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, present in person or represented by proxy, shall have power to adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum is present or represented. At such adjourned meeting at which a quorum is present or represented, any business may be transacted that might have been transacted at the meeting as originally noticed.

 

2.7 ADJOURNED MEETING; NOTICE

 

When a meeting is adjourned to another time or place, unless these bylaws otherwise require, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting if the time, place, if any, thereof, and the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such adjourned meeting are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken. At the adjourned meeting, the corporation may transact any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than 30 days, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting. If after the adjournment a new record date for stockholders entitled to vote is fixed for the adjourned meeting, the board of directors shall fix a new record date for notice of such adjourned meeting in accordance with Section 213(a) of the DGCL and Section 2.11 of these bylaws, and shall give notice of the adjourned meeting to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at such adjourned meeting as of the record date fixed for notice of such adjourned meeting.

 

2.8 CONDUCT OF BUSINESS

 

The chairperson of any meeting of stockholders shall determine the order of business and the procedure at the meeting, including such regulation of the manner of voting and the conduct of business. The chairperson of any meeting of stockholders shall be designated by the board of directors; in the absence of such designation, a chairperson of the board, if any, or a chief executive officer (in the absence of a chairperson), or in their absence any other executive officer of the corporation, shall serve as chairperson of the stockholder meeting.

 

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2.9 VOTING

 

The stockholders entitled to vote at any meeting of stockholders shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.11 of these bylaws, subject to Section 217 (relating to voting rights of fiduciaries, pledgors and joint owners of stock) and Section 218 (relating to voting trusts and other voting agreements) of the DGCL.

 

Except as may be otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, each stockholder shall be entitled to one vote for each share of capital stock held by such stockholder.

 

Except as otherwise provided by law, the certificate of incorporation, these bylaws or the rules of any applicable stock exchange, in all matters other than the election of directors, the affirmative vote of a majority of the voting power of the shares present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the subject matter shall be the act of the stockholders. Where a separate vote by a class or series or classes or series is required, in all matters other than the election of directors, the affirmative vote of the majority of the shares of such class or series or classes or series present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the subject matter shall be the act of such class or series or classes or series, except as otherwise provided by law, the certificate of incorporation, these bylaws or the rules of any applicable stock exchange.

 

Except as provided in Section 3.4 of these bylaws, a nominee for director shall be elected to the board of directors if the votes cast for such nominee’s election exceed the votes cast against such nominee’s election; provided, however, that directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast at any meeting of stockholders for which, as of the date that is ten (10) calendar days in advance of the date the corporation files its definitive proxy statement (regardless of whether thereafter revised or supplemented) for such meeting with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the number of nominees exceeds the number of directors to be elected at the meeting. If a nominee for director fails to receive the required number of votes for re-election, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee shall then make a recommendation to the board of directors as to whether to accept or reject such director’s resignation as previously tendered pursuant to the corporation’s Corporate Governance Guidelines or whether other action should be taken. Thereafter, the board of directors will promptly consider and act on the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee’s recommendation.

 

2.10 STOCKHOLDER ACTION BY WRITTEN CONSENT WITHOUT A MEETING

 

Subject to the rights of the holders of the shares of any series of Preferred Stock or any other class of stock or series thereof that have been expressly granted the right to take action by written consent, any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the corporation must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting of stockholders of the corporation and may not be effected by any consent in writing by such stockholders.

 

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2.11 RECORD DATES

 

In order that the corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, the board of directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the board of directors and which record date shall not be more than 60 nor less than 10 days before the date of such meeting. If the board of directors so fixes a date, such date shall also be the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting unless the board of directors determines, at the time it fixes such record date, that a later date on or before the date of the meeting shall be the date for making such determination.

 

If no record date is fixed by the board of directors, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of and to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given, or, if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held.

 

A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the board of directors may fix a new record date for determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting, and in such case shall also fix as the record date for stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting the same or an earlier date as that fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to vote in accordance with the provisions of Section 213 of the DGCL and this Section 2.11 at the adjourned meeting.

 

In order that the corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights or the stockholders entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock, or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the board of directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted, and which record date shall be not more than 60 days prior to such action. If no record date is fixed, the record date for determining stockholders for any such purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the board of directors adopts the resolution relating thereto.

 

2.12 PROXIES

 

Each stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder by proxy authorized by an instrument in writing or by a transmission permitted by law filed in accordance with the procedure established for the meeting, but no such proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three years from its date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period. The revocability of a proxy that states on its face that it is irrevocable shall be governed by the provisions of Section 212 of the DGCL. A written proxy may be in the form of a telegram, cablegram, or other means of electronic transmission which sets forth or is submitted with information from which it can be determined that the telegram, cablegram, or other means of electronic transmission was authorized by the person.

 

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2.13 LIST OF STOCKHOLDERS ENTITLED TO VOTE

 

The corporation shall prepare, at least 10 days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting; provided, however, if the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote is less than 10 days before the meeting date, the list shall reflect the stockholders entitled to vote as of the tenth day before the meeting date. The stockholder list shall be arranged in alphabetical order and show the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. The corporation shall not be required to include electronic mail addresses or other electronic contact information on such list. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder for any purpose germane to the meeting for a period of at least 10 days prior to the meeting (i) on a reasonably accessible electronic network, provided that the information required to gain access to such list is provided with the notice of the meeting, or (ii) during ordinary business hours, at the corporation’s principal place of business. In the event that the corporation determines to make the list available on an electronic network, the corporation may take reasonable steps to ensure that such information is available only to stockholders of the corporation. If the meeting is to be held at a place, then the list shall be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof, and may be examined by any stockholder who is present. If the meeting is to be held solely by means of remote communication, then the list shall also be open to the examination of any stockholder during the whole time of the meeting on a reasonably accessible electronic network, and the information required to access such list shall be provided with the notice of the meeting. Such list shall presumptively determine the identity of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting and the number of shares held by each of them.

 

2.14 INSPECTORS OF ELECTION

 

Before any meeting of stockholders, the board of directors shall appoint an inspector or inspectors of election to act at the meeting or its adjournment. If any person appointed as inspector fails to appear or fails or refuses to act, then the chairperson of the meeting may, and upon the request of any stockholder or a stockholder’s proxy shall, appoint a person to fill that vacancy.

 

Each inspector, before entering upon the discharge of his or her duties, shall take and sign an oath to execute faithfully the duties of inspector with strict impartiality and according to the best of his or her ability. The inspector or inspectors so appointed and designated shall take the actions specified in Section 231(b) of the DGCL or any successor provision.

 

In determining the validity and counting of proxies and ballots cast at any meeting of stockholders of the corporation, the inspector or inspectors may consider such information as is permitted by applicable law. If there are multiple inspectors of election, the decision, act or certificate of a majority is effective in all respects as the decision, act or certificate of all. Any report or certificate made by the inspectors of election is prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein.

 

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2.15 PROXY ACCESS FOR DIRECTOR NOMINATIONS

 

Subject to the terms of this Section 2.15, the corporation shall include in its proxy statement and form of proxy card (together, “Proxy Materials”) for an annual meeting of stockholders the name, together with the Required Information (as defined below), of any person nominated for election (a “Stockholder Nominee”) to the board of directors by a stockholder, or by a group of no more than 20 stockholders (or 25 stockholders, if the corporation’s annual revenues are greater than $4 billion for the most recently completed fiscal year prior to the last day on which a Nomination Notice (as defined below) may be delivered pursuant to this Section 2.15), that satisfies the requirements of this Section 2.15 (such stockholder or group of stockholders, including each member thereof to the extent the context so requires, an “Eligible Stockholder”), and that expressly elects at the time of providing the notice required by this Section 2.15 (the “Nomination Notice”) to have its nominee included in the Proxy Materials pursuant to this Section 2.15. In the event that an Eligible Stockholder consists of a group of stockholders, any and all requirements and obligations for an individual Eligible Stockholder that are set forth in these bylaws shall apply to each member of such group, except that the Required Shares (as defined below) shall apply to the ownership of the group in the aggregate. No stockholder or person may be a member of more than one group of persons constituting an Eligible Stockholder under this Section 2.15 and each Eligible Stockholder may only contribute to the Required Shares pursuant to one Nomination Notice each fiscal year. So long as they provide to the secretary of the corporation documentation reasonably satisfactory to the board of directors that demonstrates that the funds satisfy the requirements of this sentence, a group of funds that are (1) under common management and investment control, (2) under common management and funded primarily by the same employer or (3) a “group of investment companies,” as such term is defined in Section 12(d)(1)(G)(ii) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, shall be treated as one stockholder for purposes of determining an Eligible Stockholder and the Required Shares.

 

To be timely, a Nomination Notice must be delivered to or mailed and received by the secretary of the corporation at the principal executive offices of the corporation not less than 120 days nor more than 150 days prior to the first anniversary of the date that the corporation issued its proxy statement to stockholders in connection with the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided, however, that in the event that no annual meeting was held in the previous year or if the date of the annual meeting is advanced by more than 30 days prior to or delayed by more than 60 days after the one-year anniversary of the date of the previous year’s annual meeting, then, for notice by the stockholder to be timely, it must be so received by the secretary not earlier than the close of business on the 120th day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of (i) the 90th day prior to such annual meeting or (ii) the tenth day following the day on which Public Announcement of the date of such annual meeting is first made.

 

For purposes of this Section 2.15, the “Required Information” that the corporation will include in its proxy statement is (i) the information concerning the Stockholder Nominee and the Eligible Stockholder that is required to be disclosed in the corporation’s proxy statement by the regulations promulgated under the 1934 Act; and (ii) if the Eligible Stockholder so elects, a Statement (as defined below).

 

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If there are ten or more directors in office as of the last day on which a Nomination Notice may be delivered pursuant to this Section 2.15, then the number of Stockholder Nominees appearing in the Proxy Materials with respect to an annual meeting of stockholders shall not exceed 20% of the number of directors in office as of such day, or if the number of directors calculated in this sentence is not a whole number, the closest whole number (rounding down) below 20%. If there are nine or fewer directors in office as of the last day on which a Nomination Notice may be delivered pursuant to this Section 2.15, then the number of Stockholder Nominees appearing in the Proxy Materials with respect to an annual meeting of stockholders shall not exceed 25% of the number of directors in office as of the last day on which a Nomination Notice may be delivered pursuant to this Section 2.15, or if the number of directors calculated in this sentence is not a whole number, the closest whole number (rounding down) below 25%. In no event will the number of Stockholder Nominees in the Proxy Materials be below one if a Nomination Notice is properly delivered pursuant to this Section 2.15. The following persons shall be considered Stockholder Nominees for purposes of determining when the maximum number of Stockholder Nominees provided for in this Section 2.15 has been reached: (a) any person elected to the board who was a Stockholder Nominee at a preceding annual meeting and whose remaining term extends beyond the upcoming annual meeting; (b) any Stockholder Nominee whom the corporation decides to nominate as a nominee of the board of directors after a valid Nomination Notice has been submitted by an Eligible Stockholder; (c) any person nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.4(ii) (whether or not such nomination is subsequently withdrawn); and (d) any Stockholder Nominee who is subsequently withdrawn.

 

In the event that the number of Stockholder Nominees submitted by Eligible Stockholders pursuant to this Section 2.15 exceeds the maximum number of Stockholder Nominees that the corporation must include in the Proxy Materials, then each Eligible Stockholder will select one Stockholder Nominee for inclusion in the Proxy Materials until the maximum number is reached, going in order of the amount (largest to smallest) of shares of the common stock of the corporation that each Eligible Stockholder disclosed as owned in its respective Nomination Notice. If the maximum number is not reached after each Eligible Stockholder has selected one Stockholder Nominee, then this selection process will continue as many times as necessary, following the same order each time, until the maximum number of Stockholder Nominees is reached. Following such determination, if any Stockholder Nominee who satisfies the eligibility requirements in this Section 2.15 thereafter (i) withdraws from the election (or his or her nomination is withdrawn by the applicable Eligible Stockholder) or (ii) is not submitted for director election for any reason (including because of the Eligible Stockholder’s or Stockholder Nominee’s failure to comply with this Section 2.15), then no other nominee or nominees shall be included in the Proxy Materials or otherwise submitted for director election pursuant to this Section 2.15.

 

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For purposes of this Section 2.15, an Eligible Stockholder shall be deemed to “own” only those outstanding shares of common stock of the corporation as to which the stockholder possesses both (i) the full voting and investment rights pertaining to the shares and (ii) the full economic interest in (including the opportunity for profit and risk of loss on) such shares. The number of shares calculated in accordance with clauses (i) and (ii) of the previous sentence shall not include any shares (a) sold by such stockholder or any of its affiliates in any transaction that has not been settled or closed, including any short sale; (b) borrowed by such stockholder or any of its affiliates for any purpose or purchased by such stockholder or any of its affiliates pursuant to an agreement to resell; or (c) subject to any option, warrant, forward contract, swap, contract of sale, or other derivative or similar agreement entered into by such stockholder or any of its affiliates, whether any such instrument or agreement is to be settled with shares or with cash based on the notional amount or value of shares of outstanding common stock of the corporation, in any such case which instrument or agreement has, or is intended to have, the purpose or effect of either or both of (1) reducing in any manner, to any extent or at any time in the future, such stockholder’s or its affiliates’ full right to vote or direct the voting of any such shares; or (2) hedging, offsetting or altering to any degree gain or loss arising from the full economic ownership of such shares by such stockholder or affiliate. A stockholder shall “own” shares held in the name of a nominee or other intermediary so long as the stockholder retains the right to instruct how the shares are voted with respect to the election of directors and possesses the full economic interest in the shares. A person’s ownership of shares of common stock of the corporation shall be deemed to continue during any period in which the person has (A) loaned such shares but only so long as the person (i) has the power to recall such loaned shares on no more than five business days’ notice, (ii) recalls such loaned shares back to its own possession not more than five business days after being notified that its Stockholder Nominee will be included in the Proxy Materials and (iii) holds the recalled shares through the date of the annual meeting of stockholders or any adjournment or postponement thereof; or (B) delegated any voting power by means of a proxy, power of attorney, or other instrument or arrangement that is revocable at any time by the person. The terms “owned,” “owning” and other variations of the word “own” shall have correlative meanings. Whether outstanding shares of the common stock of the corporation are “owned” for these purposes shall be determined by the board of directors in good faith, and such determination shall be conclusive and binding on the corporation and its stockholders.

 

In order to validly submit a Nomination Notice, an Eligible Stockholder must have owned continuously for at least three years that number of shares of common stock (as adjusted to account for any stock dividend, stock split, subdivision, combination, reclassification, or recapitalization) as shall constitute 3% or more of the outstanding common stock of the corporation (the “Required Shares”) as of (i) the date of the Nomination Notice; (ii) the record date for determining stockholders entitled to vote at the annual meeting of stockholders; and (iii) the date of the annual meeting of stockholders for which the Nomination Notice was submitted.

 

With the Nomination Notice, an Eligible Stockholder must provide the following information in writing to the secretary of the corporation:

 

(i) one or more written statements from the record holder of the shares (and from each intermediary through which the shares are or have been held during the requisite three year holding period) verifying that, as of the date of the Nomination Notice, the Eligible Stockholder (including each member of any group of stockholders that together is an Eligible Stockholder) owns, and has owned continuously for the preceding three years, the Required Shares;

 

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(ii) a written statement regarding the Eligible Stockholder’s intent with respect to continued ownership of the Required Shares after the date of the annual meeting of stockholders (it being understood that this statement will not be deemed to impose any obligation on the Eligible Stockholder to hold any of the Required Shares after the date of the annual meeting);

 

(iii) the Eligible Stockholder’s agreement to provide, within five business days after the record date for the annual meeting of stockholders and on the business day immediately preceding the annual meeting of stockholders, written statements from the record holder and intermediaries verifying the continuous ownership by such Eligible Stockholder (including each member of any group of stockholders that together is an Eligible Stockholder) of the Required Shares through and as of the record date and the business day immediately preceding the annual meeting, respectively;

 

(iv) the information (including with respect to the Stockholder Nominees of such Eligible Stockholder) that would be required to be set forth in a stockholder’s notice of a nomination pursuant to Section 2.4(ii);

 

(v) the written consent of each Stockholder Nominee to being named in the corporation’s proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected;

 

(vi) each Stockholder Nominee’s conditional resignation contemplated by the corporation’s Corporate Governance Guidelines, as amended from time to time;

 

(vii) a copy of the Schedule 14N that has been or concurrently is filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as required by Rule 14a-18 under the 1934 Act, as such rule may be amended;

 

(viii) for each group, the name, address, phone number and email address of an individual who will act as a representative for the group and is authorized to act on behalf of all such members with respect to the nomination and matters related thereto, including any withdrawal of the nomination;

 

(ix) a representation that the Eligible Stockholder (including each member of any group of stockholders that together is an Eligible Stockholder) (A) acquired the Required Shares in the ordinary course of business and not with the intent to change or influence control at the corporation, and does not presently have such intent; (B) has not nominated and will not nominate for election to the board of directors at the annual meeting of stockholders any person other than the Stockholder Nominee(s) being nominated pursuant to this Section 2.15; (C) has not engaged and will not engage in, and has not and will not be a “participant” in another person’s, “solicitation” within the meaning of Rule 14a-1(l) under the 1934 Act in support of the election of any individual as a director at the annual meeting of stockholders other than its Stockholder Nominee or a nominee of the board of directors; (D) will not distribute to any stockholder any form of proxy for the annual meeting other than the form distributed by the corporation; and (E) intends to own the Required Shares through the date of the annual meeting of stockholders; and

 

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(x) an undertaking that the Eligible Stockholder (including each member of any group of stockholders that together is an Eligible Stockholder) agrees to (A) assume all liability stemming from any legal or regulatory violation arising out of the Eligible Stockholder’s communications with the stockholders of the corporation or out of the information that the Eligible Stockholder provided to the corporation; (B) comply with all other laws and regulations applicable to any solicitation in connection with the annual meeting of stockholders; and (C) provide to the corporation prior to the annual meeting of stockholders such additional information as necessary with respect thereto.

 

For avoidance of doubt, a stockholder may withdraw from a group of stockholders at any time prior to the annual meeting of stockholders. If, as a result of such withdrawal, the Eligible Stockholder no longer owns the Required Shares, then all nominations by such Eligible Stockholder shall be disregarded.

 

An Eligible Stockholder (or, in the case of a group, a single written statement of the group) may provide to the secretary of the corporation a single written statement for inclusion in the Proxy Materials, not to exceed 500 words, in support of the Stockholder Nominee(s) (a “Statement”). Any Statement must be provided at the same time as, and in connection with, the Nomination Notice in respect of such Stockholder Nominee. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 2.15, the corporation may omit from the Proxy Materials any information or Statement (or portion thereof) that it, in good faith, believes would violate any applicable law or regulation. Nothing in this Section 2.15 shall limit the corporation’s ability to solicit against and include in its Proxy Materials its own statements relating to any Eligible Stockholder or Stockholder Nominee.

 

With the applicable Nomination Notice, a Stockholder Nominee must deliver to the secretary of the corporation a written certification that the Stockholder Nominee (i) is not and will not become a party to any agreement, arrangement or understanding with, and has not given any commitment or assurance to, any person or entity as to how such person, if elected as a director of the corporation, will act or vote on any issue or question that has not been disclosed to the corporation; (ii) is not and will not become a party to any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity other than the corporation with respect to any direct or indirect compensation, reimbursement or indemnification in connection with service or action as a director that has not been disclosed to the corporation; and (iii) if elected as a director, will comply with all of the corporation’s corporate governance, conflict of interest, confidentiality and stock ownership and trading policies, procedures and guidelines, and any other corporation policies, procedures and guidelines applicable to directors, as well as any applicable law, rule or regulation or listing requirement.

 

At the request of the corporation, the Stockholder Nominee must promptly, but in any event within five business days after such request, submit all completed and signed questionnaires required of the corporation’s directors and officers. The corporation may request such additional information as is necessary to permit the board of directors to determine if each Stockholder Nominee is independent under the listing standards of the principal U.S. exchange upon which the corporation’s common stock is listed, any applicable rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission and any publicly disclosed standards used by the board of directors in determining and disclosing the independence of the corporation’s directors (the “Applicable Independence Standards”). If the board of directors determines that the Stockholder Nominee is not independent under the Applicable Independence Standards, then the Stockholder Nominee will not be eligible for inclusion in the Proxy Materials.

 

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If any information or communications provided by the Eligible Stockholder or the Stockholder Nominee to the corporation or its stockholders ceases to be true and correct in all material respects or omits a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, then each Eligible Stockholder or Stockholder Nominee, as the case may be, shall promptly notify the secretary of the corporation of any defect in such previously provided information and of the information that is required to correct any such defect, it being understood that providing any such notification shall not be deemed to cure any such defect or limit the Corporation’s right to omit a Stockholder Nominee from the Proxy Materials pursuant to this Section 2.15.

 

The corporation shall not be required to include any Stockholder Nominees in the Proxy Materials for any annual meeting of stockholders (i) if the Eligible Stockholder who has nominated such Stockholder Nominee has engaged in or is currently engaged in a, or has been or is a “participant” in another person’s, “solicitation” within the meaning of Rule 14a-1(l) under the 1934 Act in support of the election of any individual as a director at the annual meeting of stockholders other than its Stockholder Nominee(s) or a nominee of the board of directors; (ii) who is not independent under the Applicable Independence Standards, as determined in good faith by the board of directors; (iii) whose election as a member of the board of directors would cause the corporation to be in violation of these bylaws, its certificate of incorporation, the listing standards of the principal exchange upon which the corporation’s common stock is traded, or any applicable law, rule or regulation; (iv) who is or has been, within the past three years, an officer or director of a competitor, as defined in Section 8 of the Clayton Antitrust Act of 1914, or is presently a nominee for director (or comparable position) at a competitor; (v) who is a named subject of a pending criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations and other minor offenses) or has been convicted in such a criminal proceeding within the past 10 years; (vi) who is subject to any order of the type specified in Rule 506(d) of Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended; (vii) if such Stockholder Nominee or the Eligible Stockholder shall have provided information to the corporation in respect to such nomination that was untrue in any material respect or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statement made, in light of the circumstances under which it was made, not misleading, as determined in good faith by the board of directors; or (viii) if the Eligible Stockholder or Stockholder Nominee otherwise contravenes any of the agreements or representations made by such Eligible Stockholder or Stockholder Nominee or fails to comply with its obligations pursuant to this Section 2.15.

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, the board of directors or the chairperson presiding at the annual meeting of stockholders shall declare a nomination by an Eligible Stockholder to be invalid, and such nomination shall be disregarded notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the corporation, if the Stockholder Nominee(s), the applicable Eligible Stockholder or both shall have breached its or their obligations, agreements or representations under this Section 2.15, as determined in good faith by the board of directors or the chairperson presiding at the annual meeting of stockholders.

 

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The Eligible Stockholder (including any person who owns shares of common stock of the corporation that constitute part of the Eligible Stockholder’s ownership for purposes of satisfying the requirements of this Section 2.15) shall file with the Securities and Exchange Commission any solicitation or other communication with the corporation’s stockholders relating to the meeting at which the Stockholder Nominee will be nominated, regardless of whether any such filing is required under Regulation 14A of the 1934 Act or whether any exemption from filing is available for such solicitation or other communication under Regulation 14A of the 1934 Act.

 

For the avoidance of doubt, this Section 2.15 shall not prevent any stockholder from nominating any person to the board of directors pursuant to and in accordance with Section 2.4(ii) of these bylaws.

 

The board of directors (or a duly authorized committee thereof) shall have the exclusive power and authority to interpret the provisions of this Section 2.15 and make all determinations deemed necessary or advisable in connection with Section 2.15. For purposes of applying the requirements of this Section 2.15, the number of Required Shares required to be owned by any person or persons during any time period shall be adjusted, in the manner determined in good faith by the board of directors (including any authorized committee thereof) or by the secretary of the corporation, to account for any stock dividend, stock split, subdivision, combination, reclassification, or recapitalization of shares of the corporation. All such actions, interpretations and determinations shall be final, conclusive and binding on the corporation, the stockholders and all other parties.

 

This Section 2.15 is the exclusive method for stockholders to include nominees for director in the Proxy Materials.

 

ARTICLE III — DIRECTORS

 

3.1 POWERS

 

The business and affairs of the corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the board of directors, except as may be otherwise provided in the DGCL or the certificate of incorporation.

 

3.2 NUMBER OF DIRECTORS

 

The board of directors shall consist of one or more members, each of whom shall be a natural person. Unless the certificate of incorporation fixes the number of directors, the number of directors shall be determined from time to time solely by resolution of the board of directors. No reduction of the authorized number of directors shall have the effect of removing any director before that director’s term of office expires.

 

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3.3 ELECTION, QUALIFICATION AND TERM OF OFFICE OF DIRECTORS

 

Except as provided in Section 3.4 of these bylaws, each director, including a director elected to fill a vacancy, shall hold office until the expiration of the term for which elected and until such director’s successor is elected and qualified or until such director’s earlier death, resignation or removal. Directors need not be stockholders unless so required by the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws. The certificate of incorporation or these bylaws may prescribe other qualifications for directors. If so provided in the certificate of incorporation, the directors of the corporation shall be divided into three classes.

 

3.4 RESIGNATION AND VACANCIES

 

Any director may resign at any time upon notice given in writing or by electronic transmission to the secretary of the corporation; provided, however, that if such notice is given by electronic transmission, such electronic transmission must either set forth or be submitted with information from which it can be determined that the electronic transmission was authorized by the director. A resignation is effective when the resignation is delivered unless the resignation specifies a later effective date or an effective date determined upon the happening of an event or events. Unless otherwise specified in the notice of resignation, acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective. A resignation which is conditioned upon the director failing to receive a specified vote for reelection as a director may provide that it is irrevocable. Unless otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, when one or more directors resign from the board of directors, effective at a future date, a majority of the directors then in office, including those who have so resigned, shall have power to fill such vacancy or vacancies, the vote thereon to take effect when such resignation or resignations shall become effective.

 

Unless otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, vacancies and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors elected by all of the stockholders having the right to vote as a single class shall be filled only by a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director. If the directors are divided into classes, a person so elected to fill a vacancy or newly created directorship shall hold office until the next election of the class for which such director shall have been chosen and until his or her successor shall have been duly elected and qualified.

 

If, at the time of filling any vacancy or any newly created directorship, the directors then in office constitute less than a majority of the whole board of directors (as constituted immediately prior to any such increase), the Court of Chancery may, upon application of any stockholder or stockholders holding at least 10% of the voting stock at the time outstanding having the right to vote for such directors, summarily order an election to be held to fill any such vacancies or newly created directorships, or to replace the directors chosen by the directors then in office as aforesaid, which election shall be governed by the provisions of Section 211 of the DGCL as far as applicable.

 

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3.5 PLACE OF MEETINGS; MEETINGS BY TELEPHONE

 

The board of directors may hold meetings, both regular and special, either within or outside the State of Delaware.

 

Unless otherwise restricted by the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, members of the board of directors, or any committee designated by the board of directors, may participate in a meeting of the board of directors, or any committee, by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and such participation in a meeting shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.

 

3.6 REGULAR MEETINGS

 

Regular meetings of the board of directors may be held without notice at such time and at such place as shall from time to time be determined by the board of directors.

 

3.7 SPECIAL MEETINGS; NOTICE

 

Special meetings of the board of directors for any purpose or purposes may be called at any time by any chairperson of the board of directors, chief executive officer, secretary or a majority of the authorized number of directors, at such times and places as he or she or they shall designate.

 

Notice of the time and place of special meetings shall be:

 

(i) delivered personally by hand, by courier or by telephone;

 

(ii) sent by United States first-class mail, postage prepaid;

 

(iii) sent by facsimile;

 

(iv) sent by electronic mail; or

 

(v) otherwise given by electronic transmission (as defined in Section 7.2),

 

directed to each director at that director’s address, telephone number, facsimile number, electronic mail address or other contact for notice of electronic transmission, as the case may be, as shown on the corporation’s records.

 

If the notice is (i) delivered personally by hand, by courier or by telephone, (ii) sent by facsimile, (iii) sent by electronic mail or (iv) otherwise given by electronic transmission, it shall be delivered, sent or otherwise directed to each director, as applicable, at least 24 hours before the time of the holding of the meeting. If the notice is sent by United States mail, it shall be deposited in the United States mail at least four days before the time of the holding of the meeting. Any oral notice may be communicated to the director. The notice need not specify the place of the meeting (if the meeting is to be held at the corporation’s principal executive office) nor the purpose of the meeting, to the fullest extent permitted by law.

 

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3.8 QUORUM; VOTING

 

At all meetings of the board of directors, a majority of the total authorized number of directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. If a quorum is not present at any meeting of the board of directors, then the directors present thereat may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum is present. A meeting at which a quorum is initially present may continue to transact business notwithstanding the withdrawal of directors, if any action taken is approved by at least a majority of the required quorum for that meeting.

 

The vote of a majority of the directors present at any meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the board of directors, except as may be otherwise specifically provided by statute, the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws.

 

If the certificate of incorporation provides that one or more directors shall have more or less than one vote per director on any matter, every reference in these bylaws to a majority or other proportion of the directors shall refer to a majority or other proportion of the votes of the directors.

 

3.9 BOARD ACTION BY WRITTEN CONSENT WITHOUT A MEETING

 

Unless otherwise restricted by the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the board of directors, or of any committee thereof, may be taken without a meeting if all members of the board of directors or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission and the writing or writings or electronic transmission or transmissions are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the board of directors or committee. Such filing shall be in paper form if the minutes are maintained in paper form and shall be in electronic form if the minutes are maintained in electronic form. Any person (whether or not then a director) may provide, whether through instruction to an agent or otherwise, that a consent to action will be effective at a future time (including a time determined upon the happening of an event), no later than 60 days after such instruction is given or such provision is made and such consent shall be deemed to have been given for purposes of this Section 3.9 at such effective time so long as such person is then a director and did not revoke the consent prior to such time. Any such consent shall be revocable prior to its becoming effective.

 

3.10 FEES AND COMPENSATION OF DIRECTORS

 

Unless otherwise restricted by the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, the board of directors shall have the authority to fix the compensation of directors.

 

3.11 REMOVAL OF DIRECTORS

 

For so long as the board of directors is divided into classes, unless otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation, a director may be removed from office by the stockholders of the corporation only for cause.

 

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No reduction of the authorized number of directors shall have the effect of removing any director prior to the expiration of such director’s term of office.

 

ARTICLE IV — COMMITTEES

 

4.1 COMMITTEES OF DIRECTORS

 

The board of directors may designate one or more committees, each committee to consist of one or more of the directors of the corporation. The board of directors may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. In the absence or disqualification of a member of a committee, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not such member or members constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the board of directors to act at the meeting in the place of any such absent or disqualified member. Any such committee, to the extent provided in the resolution of the board of directors or in these bylaws, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the board of directors in the management of the business and affairs of the corporation, and may authorize the seal of the corporation to be affixed to all papers that may require it; but no such committee shall have the power or authority to (i) approve or adopt, or recommend to the stockholders, any action or matter (other than the election or removal of directors) expressly required by the DGCL to be submitted to stockholders for approval, or (ii) adopt, amend or repeal any bylaw of the corporation.

 

4.2 COMMITTEE MINUTES

 

Each committee shall keep regular minutes of its meetings and report the same to the board of directors when required.

 

4.3 MEETINGS AND ACTION OF COMMITTEES

 

Meetings and actions of committees shall be governed by, and held and taken in accordance with, the provisions of:

 

(i) Section 3.5 (place of meetings and meetings by telephone);

 

(ii) Section 3.6 (regular meetings);

 

(iii) Section 3.7 (special meetings; notice);

 

(iv) Section 3.8 (quorum; voting);

 

(v) Section 3.9 (action without a meeting); and

 

(vi) Section 7.5 (waiver of notice)

 

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with such changes in the context of those bylaws as are necessary to substitute the committee and its members for the board of directors and its members. However:

 

(i) the time and place of regular meetings of committees may be determined either by resolution of the board of directors or by resolution of the committee;

 

(ii) special meetings of committees may also be called by resolution of the board of directors or the committee; and

 

(iii) notice of special meetings of committees shall also be given to all alternate members, who shall have the right to attend all meetings of the committee. The board of directors, or, in the absence of any such action by the board of directors, the committee, may adopt rules for the government of any committee not inconsistent with the provisions of these bylaws.

 

Any provision in the certificate of incorporation providing that one or more directors shall have more or less than one vote per director on any matter shall apply to voting in any committee or subcommittee, unless otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws.

 

4.4 SUBCOMMITTEES

 

Unless otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation, these bylaws or the resolutions of the board of directors designating the committee, a committee may create one or more subcommittees, each subcommittee to consist of one or more members of the committee, and delegate to a subcommittee any or all of the powers and authority of the committee.

 

ARTICLE V — OFFICERS

 

5.1 OFFICERS

 

The officers of the corporation shall be such persons as are designated as such by the board of directors and shall include, but not be limited to, a chief executive officer, one or more presidents, a chief financial officer and a secretary. Additional officers may be appointed by the board of directors from time to time in accordance with the provisions of these bylaws. In addition to the officers of the corporation described above, there may be subordinate officers of the corporation as may be designated from time to time by the board of directors or a chief executive officer in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.3 of these bylaws. Any number of offices may be held by the same person and the board of directors may appoint more than one person to serve in any one office.

 

5.2 APPOINTMENT OF OFFICERS

 

The board of directors shall appoint the officers of the corporation, except such officers as may be appointed in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.3 of these bylaws, subject to the rights, if any, of an officer under any contract of employment. A vacancy in any office because of death, resignation, removal, disqualification or any other cause shall be filled in the manner prescribed in this Article V for the regular election to such office.

 

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5.3 SUBORDINATE OFFICERS

 

The board of directors may appoint, or empower the chief executive officer or any other officer, to appoint, such other officers as the business of the corporation may require. Each of such officers shall hold office for such period, have such authority, and perform such duties as are provided in these bylaws or as the board of directors, chief executive officer, or any officer upon whom power of appointment or delegation has been conferred by the board of directors, may from time to time determine.

 

5.4 REMOVAL AND RESIGNATION OF OFFICERS

 

Subject to the rights, if any, of an officer under any contract of employment, any officer may be removed, either with or without cause, by the board of directors or, except in the case of an officer chosen by the board of directors, unless as otherwise provided by resolution of the board of directors, by any officer upon whom such power of removal may be conferred by the board of directors. Subject to the rights, if any, of a subordinate officer under any contract of employment, any subordinate officer may be removed, either with or without cause, at any time by the chief executive officer or by any other officer upon whom such power of removal may be conferred by the board of directors.

 

Any officer may resign at any time by giving written or electronic notice to the chief executive officer of the corporation and secretary of the corporation (or in the case of the chief executive officer, to the chairperson of the board or the lead independent director if the chief executive officer is the chairperson of the board, and secretary of the corporation); provided, however, that if such notice is given by electronic transmission, such electronic transmission must either set forth or be submitted with information from which it can be determined that the electronic transmission was authorized by the officer. Any resignation shall take effect at the date of the receipt of that notice or at any later time (including a time determined upon the happening of an event or events) specified in that notice. Unless otherwise specified in the notice of resignation, the acceptance of the resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective. Any resignation is without prejudice to the rights, if any, of the corporation under any contract to which the officer is a party.

 

5.5 VACANCIES IN OFFICES

 

Any vacancy occurring in any office of the corporation shall be filled by the board of directors or as provided in Section 5.3.

 

5.6 REPRESENTATION OF SECURITIES OF OTHER ENTITIES

 

Any chairperson of the board of directors, chief executive officer, chief financial officer, president, treasurer, secretary or assistant secretary of this corporation, or any other person authorized by the board of directors, or any chief executive officer, chief financial officer or president, is authorized to vote, represent, and exercise on behalf of this corporation all rights incident to any and all shares or other securities of any other corporation or entity or corporations or entities standing in the name of this corporation, including the right to act by written consent. The authority granted herein may be exercised either by such person directly or by any other person authorized to do so by proxy or power of attorney duly executed by such person having the authority.

 

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5.7 AUTHORITY AND DUTIES OF OFFICERS

 

All officers of the corporation shall respectively have such authority and perform such duties in the management of the business of the corporation as may be designated from time to time by the board of directors and, to the extent not so provided, as generally pertain to their respective offices, subject to the control of the board of directors.

 

5.8 CHAIRPERSON OF THE BOARD

 

A chairperson of the board shall have the powers and duties customarily and usually associated with the office of the chairperson of the board. Except as may otherwise be provided in these bylaws or by resolution of the board of directors, a chairperson of the board shall preside at meetings of the stockholders and of the board of directors.

 

5.9 CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

 

A chief executive officer shall have, subject to the supervision, direction and control of the board of directors, ultimate authority for decisions relating to the supervision, direction and management of the affairs and the business of the corporation customarily and usually associated with the position of chief executive officer, including, without limitation, all powers necessary to direct and control the organizational and reporting relationships within the corporation. A chief executive officer shall also have, subject to the supervision, direction and control of the board of directors, the general powers and duties of supervision, direction and management of the affairs and business of the corporation customarily and usually associated with a position of a president of the corporation, whether or not any other presidents of the corporation are in office from time to time. If at any time the office of the chairperson of the board shall not be filled, or in the event of the temporary absence or disability of a chairperson of the board, a chief executive officer shall perform the duties and exercise the powers of the chairperson of the board unless otherwise determined by the board of directors. If there is no chief executive officer available to act from time to time, whether due to vacancy, absence or disability, one or more persons may be designated by the Board to perform the duties and exercise the powers of a chief executive officer.

 

5.10 PRESIDENT

 

A president shall have such powers and perform such duties as may from time to time be assigned to him or her by the board of directors, or any chairperson of the board or chief executive officer. A president may be, but need not be, a chief executive officer and a chief executive officer may be, but need not be, a president.

 

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5.11 VICE PRESIDENTS

 

A vice president shall have such powers and perform such duties as may from time to time be assigned to him or her by the board of directors, or any chairperson of the board, chief executive officer or president. The board of directors or a chief executive officer may assign to any vice president the title of senior vice president or any other title.

 

5.12 SECRETARY AND ASSISTANT SECRETARIES

 

(i) A secretary shall attend meetings of the board of directors and meetings of the stockholders and record all votes and minutes of all such proceedings in a book or books kept for such purpose. A secretary shall have all such further powers and duties as are customarily and usually associated with the position of secretary or as may from time to time be assigned to such secretary by the board of directors, or any chairperson of the board, chief executive officer or president.

 

(ii) An assistant secretary shall have such powers and perform such duties as may from time to time be assigned to him or her by the board of directors, or any chairperson of the board, chief executive officer, president or secretary. In the event of the absence, inability or refusal to act of the secretary, an assistant secretary (or if there shall be more than one, the assistant secretaries in the order determined by the board of directors) shall perform the duties and exercise the powers of a secretary.

 

5.13 CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, TREASURER AND ASSISTANT TREASURERS

 

(i) Unless otherwise assigned to a treasurer or another officer of the corporation by a chief financial officer or the board of directors, a chief financial officer shall have custody of the corporation’s funds and securities, shall be responsible for maintaining the corporation’s accounting records and statements, shall keep full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the corporation, and shall deposit or cause to be deposited moneys or other valuable effects in the name and to the credit of the corporation in such depositories as may be designated by the board of directors. A chief financial officer shall also, unless otherwise assigned to a treasurer or another officer of the corporation by a chief financial officer or the board of directors, maintain adequate records of all assets, liabilities and transactions of the corporation and shall assure that adequate audits thereof are currently and regularly made. A chief financial officer shall have all such further powers and duties as are customarily and usually associated with the position of chief financial officer, or as may from time to time be assigned to him or her by the board of directors, or any chairperson or chief executive officer.

 

(ii) A treasurer and an assistant treasurer shall have such powers and perform such duties as may from time to time be assigned to him or her by the board of directors, chief executive officer, chief financial officer or, in the case of an assistant treasurer, a treasurer. In the event of the absence, inability or refusal to act of a chief financial officer, a treasurer or, in the absence of a treasurer, an assistant treasurer (or if there shall be more than one, the assistant treasurers in the order determined by the board of directors) shall perform the duties and exercise the powers of a chief financial officer.

 

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ARTICLE VI — STOCK

 

6.1 STOCK CERTIFICATES; PARTLY PAID SHARES

 

The shares of the corporation shall be represented by certificates, provided that the board of directors may provide by resolution or resolutions that some or all of any or all classes or series of its stock shall be uncertificated shares. Any such resolution shall not apply to shares represented by a certificate until such certificate is surrendered to the corporation. Every holder of stock represented by certificates shall be entitled to have a certificate signed by, or in the name of the corporation by, any two officers of the corporation, representing the number of shares registered in certificate form. Any or all of the signatures on the certificate may be a facsimile. In case any officer, transfer agent or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate has ceased to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the corporation with the same effect as if such person were such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue. The corporation shall not have power to issue a certificate in bearer form.

 

The corporation may issue the whole or any part of its shares as partly paid and subject to call for the remainder of the consideration to be paid therefor. Upon the face or back of each stock certificate issued to represent any such partly-paid shares, or upon the books and records of the corporation in the case of uncertificated partly-paid shares, the total amount of the consideration to be paid therefor and the amount paid thereon shall be stated. Upon the declaration of any dividend on fully-paid shares, the corporation shall declare a dividend upon partly-paid shares of the same class, but only upon the basis of the percentage of the consideration actually paid thereon.

 

6.2 SPECIAL DESIGNATION ON CERTIFICATES

 

If the corporation is authorized to issue more than one class of stock or more than one series of any class, then the powers, the designations, the preferences, and the relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights shall be set forth in full or summarized on the face or back of the certificate that the corporation shall issue to represent such class or series of stock; provided, however, that, except as otherwise provided in Section 202 of the DGCL, in lieu of the foregoing requirements there may be set forth on the face or back of the certificate that the corporation shall issue to represent such class or series of stock, a statement that the corporation will furnish without charge to each stockholder who so requests the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights. Within a reasonable time after the issuance or transfer of uncertificated stock, the registered owner thereof shall be given a notice, in writing or by electronic transmission, containing the information required to be set forth or stated on certificates pursuant to this Section 6.2 or Sections 156, 202(a) or 218(a) of the DGCL or with respect to this Section 6.2 a statement that the corporation will furnish without charge to each stockholder who so requests the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights. Except as otherwise expressly provided by law, the rights and obligations of the holders of uncertificated stock and the rights and obligations of the holders of certificates representing stock of the same class and series shall be identical.

 

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6.3 LOST, STOLEN OR DESTROYED CERTIFICATES

 

Except as provided in this Section 6.3, no new certificates for shares shall be issued to replace a previously issued certificate unless the latter is surrendered to the corporation and cancelled at the same time. The corporation may issue a new certificate of stock or uncertificated shares in the place of any certificate theretofore issued by it, alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, and the corporation may require the owner of the lost, stolen or destroyed certificate, or such owner’s legal representative, to give the corporation a bond sufficient to indemnify it against any claim that may be made against it on account of the alleged loss, theft or destruction of any such certificate or the issuance of such new certificate or uncertificated shares.

 

6.4 DIVIDENDS

 

The board of directors, subject to any restrictions contained in the certificate of incorporation or applicable law, may declare and pay dividends upon the shares of the corporation’s capital stock. Dividends may be paid in cash, in property, or in shares of the corporation’s capital stock, subject to the provisions of the certificate of incorporation and applicable law.

 

The board of directors may set apart out of any of the funds of the corporation available for dividends a reserve or reserves for any proper purpose and may abolish any such reserve. Such purposes shall include but not be limited to equalizing dividends, repairing or maintaining any property of the corporation, and meeting contingencies.

 

6.5 TRANSFER OF STOCK

 

Transfers of record of shares of stock of the corporation shall be made only upon its books by the holders thereof, in person or by an attorney duly authorized, and, if such stock is certificated, upon the surrender of a certificate or certificates for a like number of shares, properly endorsed or accompanied by proper evidence of succession, assignation or authority to transfer; provided, however, that such succession, assignment or authority to transfer is not prohibited by the certificate of incorporation, these bylaws, applicable law or contract.

 

6.6 STOCK TRANSFER AGREEMENTS

 

The corporation shall have power to enter into and perform any agreement with any number of stockholders of any one or more classes of stock of the corporation to restrict the transfer of shares of stock of the corporation of any one or more classes owned by such stockholders in any manner not prohibited by the DGCL.

 

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6.7 REGISTERED STOCKHOLDERS

 

The corporation:

 

(i) shall be entitled to recognize the exclusive right of a person registered on its books as the owner of shares to receive dividends and to vote as such owner;

 

(ii) shall be entitled to hold liable for calls and assessments the person registered on its books as the owner of shares; and

 

(iii) shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or shares on the part of another person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by the laws of Delaware.

 

ARTICLE VII — MANNER OF GIVING NOTICE AND WAIVER

 

7.1 NOTICE OF STOCKHOLDERS’ MEETINGS

 

Notice of any meeting of stockholders, if mailed, is given when deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, directed to the stockholder at such stockholder’s address as it appears on the corporation’s records. An affidavit of the secretary or an assistant secretary of the corporation or of the transfer agent or other agent of the corporation that the notice has been given shall, in the absence of fraud, be prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein.

 

7.2 NOTICE BY ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION

 

Without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given effectively to stockholders pursuant to the DGCL, the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, any notice to stockholders given by the corporation under any provision of the DGCL, the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws shall be effective if given by a form of electronic transmission consented to by the stockholder to whom the notice is given. Any such consent shall be revocable by the stockholder by written notice to the corporation. Any such consent shall be deemed revoked if:

 

(i) the corporation is unable to deliver by electronic transmission two consecutive notices given by the corporation in accordance with such consent; and

 

(ii) such inability becomes known to the secretary or an assistant secretary of the corporation or to the transfer agent, or other person responsible for the giving of notice.

 

However, the inadvertent failure to treat such inability as a revocation shall not invalidate any meeting or other action.

 

Any notice given pursuant to the preceding paragraph shall be deemed given:

 

(i) if by facsimile telecommunication, when directed to a number at which the stockholder has consented to receive notice;

 

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(ii) if by electronic mail, when directed to an electronic mail address at which the stockholder has consented to receive notice;

 

(iii) if by a posting on an electronic network together with separate notice to the stockholder of such specific posting, upon the later of (A) such posting and (B) the giving of such separate notice; and

 

(iv) if by any other form of electronic transmission, when directed to the stockholder.

 

An affidavit of the secretary or an assistant secretary or of the transfer agent or other agent of the corporation that the notice has been given by a form of electronic transmission shall, in the absence of fraud, be prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein.

 

An “electronic transmission” means any form of communication, not directly involving the physical transmission of paper, including the use of, or participation in, one or more electronic networks or databases (including one or more distributed electronic networks or databases), that creates a record that may be retained, retrieved, and reviewed by a recipient thereof, and that may be directly reproduced in paper form by such a recipient through an automated process.

 

7.3 NOTICE TO STOCKHOLDERS SHARING AN ADDRESS

 

Except as otherwise prohibited under the DGCL, without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given effectively to stockholders, any notice to stockholders given by the corporation under the provisions of the DGCL, the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws shall be effective if given by a single written notice to stockholders who share an address if consented to by the stockholders at that address to whom such notice is given. Any such consent shall be revocable by the stockholder by written notice to the corporation. Any stockholder who fails to object in writing to the corporation, within 60 days of having been given written notice by the corporation of its intention to send the single notice, shall be deemed to have consented to receiving such single written notice.

 

7.4 NOTICE TO PERSON WITH WHOM COMMUNICATION IS UNLAWFUL

 

Whenever notice is required to be given, under the DGCL, the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, to any person with whom communication is unlawful, the giving of such notice to such person shall not be required and there shall be no duty to apply to any governmental authority or agency for a license or permit to give such notice to such person. Any action or meeting which shall be taken or held without notice to any such person with whom communication is unlawful shall have the same force and effect as if such notice had been duly given. In the event that the action taken by the corporation is such as to require the filing of a certificate under the DGCL, the certificate shall state, if such is the fact and if notice is required, that notice was given to all persons entitled to receive notice except such persons with whom communication is unlawful.

 

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7.5 WAIVER OF NOTICE

 

Whenever notice is required to be given to stockholders, directors or other persons under any provision of the DGCL, the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, a written waiver, signed by the person entitled to notice, or a waiver by electronic transmission by the person entitled to notice, whether before or after the time of the event for which notice is to be given, shall be deemed equivalent to notice. Attendance of a person at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except when the person attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular or special meeting of the stockholders or the board of directors, as the case may be, need be specified in any written waiver of notice or any waiver by electronic transmission unless so required by the certificate of incorporation, these bylaws or applicable law.

 

ARTICLE VIII — INDEMNIFICATION

 

8.1 INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS IN THIRD PARTY PROCEEDINGS

 

Subject to the other provisions of this Article VIII, the corporation shall indemnify, to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as now or hereinafter in effect, any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (a “Proceeding”) (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director of the corporation or an officer of the corporation, or while a director of the corporation or officer of the corporation is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such Proceeding if such person acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe such person’s conduct was unlawful. The termination of any Proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner which such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that such person’s conduct was unlawful.

 

8.2 INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS IN ACTIONS BY OR IN THE RIGHT OF THE CORPORATION

 

Subject to the other provisions of this Article VIII, the corporation shall indemnify, to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as now or hereinafter in effect, any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or officer of the corporation, or while a director or officer of the corporation is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if such person acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation; except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.

 

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8.3 SUCCESSFUL DEFENSE

 

To the extent that a present or former director or officer of the corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding described in Section 8.1 or Section 8.2, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, such person shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection therewith.

 

8.4 INDEMNIFICATION OF OTHERS

 

Subject to the other provisions of this Article VIII, the corporation shall have power to indemnify its employees and its agents to the extent not prohibited by the DGCL or other applicable law. The board of directors shall have the power to delegate the determination of whether employees or agents shall be indemnified to such person or persons as the board of determines.

 

8.5 ADVANCED PAYMENT OF EXPENSES

 

Expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by an officer or director of the corporation in defending any Proceeding shall be paid by the corporation in advance of the final disposition of such Proceeding upon receipt of a written request therefor (together with documentation reasonably evidencing such expenses) and an undertaking by or on behalf of the person to repay such amounts if it shall ultimately be determined that the person is not entitled to be indemnified under this Article VIII or the DGCL. Such expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by former directors and officers or other employees and agents may be so paid upon such terms and conditions, if any, as the corporation deems reasonably appropriate and shall be subject to the corporation’s expense guidelines. The right to advancement of expenses shall not apply to any claim for which indemnity is excluded pursuant to these bylaws, but shall apply to any Proceeding referenced in Section 8.6(ii) or 8.6(iii) prior to a determination that the person is not entitled to be indemnified by the corporation.

 

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8.6 LIMITATION ON INDEMNIFICATION

 

Subject to the requirements in Section 8.3 and the DGCL, the corporation shall not be obligated to indemnify any person pursuant to this Article VIII in connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding):

 

(i) for which payment has actually been made to or on behalf of such person under any statute, insurance policy, indemnity provision, vote or otherwise, except with respect to any excess beyond the amount paid;

 

(ii) for an accounting or disgorgement of profits pursuant to Section 16(b) of the 1934 Act, or similar provisions of federal, state or local statutory law or common law, if such person is held liable therefor (including pursuant to any settlement arrangements);

 

(iii) for any reimbursement of the corporation by such person of any bonus or other incentive-based or equity-based compensation or of any profits realized by such person from the sale of securities of the corporation, as required in each case under the 1934 Act (including any such reimbursements that arise from an accounting restatement of the corporation pursuant to Section 304 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), or the payment to the corporation of profits arising from the purchase and sale by such person of securities in violation of Section 306 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act), if such person is held liable therefor (including pursuant to any settlement arrangements);

 

(iv) initiated by such person against the corporation or its directors, officers, employees, agents or other indemnitees, unless (a) the board of directors authorized the Proceeding (or the relevant part of the Proceeding) prior to its initiation, (b) the corporation provides the indemnification, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the corporation under applicable law, (c) otherwise required to be made under Section 8.7 or (d) otherwise required by applicable law; or

 

(v) if prohibited by applicable law; provided, however, that if any provision or provisions of this Article VIII shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (1) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Article VIII (including, without limitation, each portion of any paragraph or clause containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby; and (2) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Article VIII (including, without limitation, each such portion of any paragraph or clause containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested by the provision held invalid, illegal or unenforceable.

 

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8.7 DETERMINATION; CLAIM

 

If a claim for indemnification or advancement of expenses under this Article VIII is not paid in full within 90 days after receipt by the corporation of the written request therefor, the claimant shall be entitled to an adjudication by a court of competent jurisdiction of his or her entitlement to such indemnification or advancement of expenses. The corporation shall indemnify such person against any and all expenses that are incurred by such person in connection with any action for indemnification or advancement of expenses from the corporation under this Article VIII, to the extent such person is successful in such action, and to the extent not prohibited by law. In any such suit, the corporation shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, have the burden of proving that the claimant is not entitled to the requested indemnification or advancement of expenses.

 

8.8 NON-EXCLUSIVITY OF RIGHTS

 

The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, this Article VIII shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled under the certificate of incorporation or any statute, bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in such person’s official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office. The corporation is specifically authorized to enter into individual contracts with any or all of its directors, officers, employees or agents respecting indemnification and advancement of expenses, to the fullest extent not prohibited by the DGCL or other applicable law.

 

8.9 INSURANCE

 

The corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by such person in any such capacity, or arising out of such person’s status as such, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such liability under the provisions of the DGCL.

 

8.10 SURVIVAL

 

The rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses conferred by this Article VIII shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person.

 

8.11 EFFECT OF REPEAL OR MODIFICATION

 

Any amendment, alteration or repeal of this Article VIII shall not adversely affect any right or protection hereunder of any person in respect of any act or omission occurring prior to such amendment, alteration or repeal.

 

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8.12 CERTAIN DEFINITIONS

 

For purposes of this Article VIII, references to the “corporation” shall include, in addition to the resulting corporation, any constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers, employees or agents, so that any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under the provisions of this Article VIII with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as such person would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued. For purposes of this Article VIII, references to “other enterprises” shall include employee benefit plans; references to “fines” shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to an employee benefit plan; and references to “serving at the request of the corporation” shall include any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the corporation” as referred to in this Article VIII.

 

ARTICLE IX — GENERAL MATTERS

 

9.1 EXECUTION OF CORPORATE CONTRACTS AND INSTRUMENTS

 

Except as otherwise provided by law, the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, the board of directors may authorize any officer or officers, or agent or agents, to enter into any contract or execute any document or instrument in the name of and on behalf of the corporation; such authority may be general or confined to specific instances.

 

9.2 FISCAL YEAR

 

The fiscal year of the corporation shall be fixed by resolution of the board of directors and may be changed by the board of directors.

 

9.3 SEAL

 

The corporation may adopt a corporate seal, which shall be adopted and which may be altered by the board of directors. The corporation may use the corporate seal by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or in any other manner reproduced.

 

9.4 CONSTRUCTION; DEFINITIONS

 

Unless the context requires otherwise, the general provisions, rules of construction, and definitions in the DGCL shall govern the construction of these bylaws. Without limiting the generality of this provision, the singular number includes the plural, the plural number includes the singular, and the term “person” includes both an entity and a natural person.

 

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9.5. FORUM FOR ADJUDICATION OF CERTAIN DISPUTES

 

Unless the corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum (an “Alternative Forum Consent”), the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall be the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the corporation, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a duty (including any fiduciary duty) owed by any current or former director, officer, stockholder, employee or agent of the corporation to the corporation or the corporation's stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim against the corporation or any current or former director, officer, stockholder, employee or agent of the corporation arising out of or relating to any provision of the General Corporation Law of Delaware or the corporation's Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws (each, as in effect from time to time), or (iv) any action asserting a claim against the corporation or any current or former director, officer, stockholder, employee or agent of the corporation governed by the internal affairs doctrine of the State of Delaware; provided, however, that, in the event that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware lacks subject matter jurisdiction over any such action or proceeding, the sole and exclusive forum for such action or proceeding shall be another state or federal court located within the State of Delaware, in each such case, unless the Court of Chancery (or such other state or federal court located within the State of Delaware, as applicable) has dismissed a prior action by the same plaintiff asserting the same claims because such court lacked personal jurisdiction over an indispensable party named as a defendant therein. Unless the corporation gives an Alternative Forum Consent, the federal district courts of the United States of America shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Failure to enforce the foregoing provisions would cause the corporation irreparable harm and the corporation shall be entitled to equitable relief, including injunctive relief and specific performance, to enforce the foregoing provisions. Any person or entity purchasing, otherwise acquiring or holding any interest in shares of capital stock of the corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Section 9.5 of Article IX. The existence of any prior Alternative Forum Consent shall not act as a waiver of the corporation's ongoing consent right as set forth above in this Section 9.5 of Article IX with respect to any current or future actions or claims.

 

ARTICLE X — AMENDMENTS

 

These bylaws may be adopted, amended or repealed by the stockholders entitled to vote; provided, however, that the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of the total voting power of outstanding voting securities of the corporation, voting together as a single class, shall be required for the stockholders of the corporation to alter, amend or repeal, or adopt any bylaw inconsistent with, the following provisions of these bylaws: Article II, Sections 3.1, 3.2, 3.4 and 3.11 of Article III, Article VIII and this Article X (including, without limitation, any such Article or Section as renumbered as a result of any amendment, alteration, change, repeal, or adoption of any other Bylaw). The board of directors shall also have the power to adopt, amend or repeal bylaws; provided, however, that a bylaw amendment adopted by stockholders which specifies the votes that shall be necessary for the election of directors shall not be further amended or repealed by the board of directors.

 

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