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EXHIBIT 1.1
_______________ SHARES
BROCADE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, INC.
COMMON STOCK, PAR VALUE $0.001 PER SHARE
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
_________________, 1999
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_____________, 1999
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. Incorporated
BT Alex. ▇▇▇▇▇ Incorporated
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, a division of
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Incorporated
c/o Morgan ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. Incorporated
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Dear Sirs and Mesdames:
Brocade Communications Systems, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
"COMPANY"), proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters named in
Schedule I hereto (the "UNDERWRITERS") _______________ shares of its Common
Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the "FIRM SHARES"). The Company also proposes
to issue and sell to the several Underwriters not more than an additional
______________ shares of its Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the
"ADDITIONAL SHARES") if and to the extent that you, as Managers of the offering,
shall have determined to exercise, on behalf of the Underwriters, the right to
purchase such shares of common stock granted to the Underwriters in Section 2
hereof. The Firm Shares and the Additional Shares are hereinafter collectively
referred to as the "SHARES." The shares of Common Stock, par value $0.001 per
share, of the Company to be outstanding after giving effect to the sales
contemplated hereby are hereinafter referred to as the "COMMON STOCK."
The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"COMMISSION") a registration statement, including a prospectus, relating to the
Shares. The registration statement as amended at the time it becomes effective,
including the information (if any) deemed to be part of the registration
statement at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "SECURITIES ACT"), is hereinafter
referred to as the "REGISTRATION STATEMENT"; the prospectus in the form first
used to confirm sales of Shares is hereinafter referred to as the "PROSPECTUS."
If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement to register
additional shares of Common Stock pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities
Act (the "RULE 462 REGISTRATION STATEMENT"), then any reference herein to the
term "REGISTRATION STATEMENT" shall be deemed to include such Rule 462
Registration Statement.
As part of the offering contemplated by this Agreement, ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. Incorporated ("▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇") has agreed to reserve out of the
Shares set forth opposite its name on Schedule I to this Agreement, up to
________________ Shares, for sale to the Company's employees, officers, and
directors and other parties associated with the Company (collectively,
"PARTICIPANTS"), as set forth in the Prospectus under the heading "Underwriting"
(the "DIRECTED SHARE PROGRAM"). The Shares to be sold by ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ pursuant
to the Directed Share Program (the "DIRECTED SHARES") will be sold by ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ pursuant to this
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Agreement at the public offering price. Any Directed Shares not orally confirmed
for purchase by any Participants by the end of the first business day after the
date on which this Agreement is executed will be offered to the public by ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ as set forth in the Prospectus.
1. Representations and Warranties. The Company represents and warrants
to and agrees with each of the Underwriters that:
(a) The Registration Statement has become effective; no stop
order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in effect,
and no proceedings for such purpose are pending before or threatened by the
Commission.
(b) (i) The Registration Statement, when it became effective,
did not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain
any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading, (ii) the Registration Statement and the Prospectus comply and, as
amended or supplemented, if applicable, will comply in all material respects
with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder and (iii) the Prospectus does not contain and, as amended
or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading, except that the representations and warranties set forth in this
paragraph do not apply to statements or omissions in the Registration Statement
or the Prospectus based upon information relating to any Underwriter furnished
to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through you expressly for use
therein.
(c) The Company has been duly incorporated, is validly existing
as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, has
the corporate power and authority to own its property and to conduct its
business as described in the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact
business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of
its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such
qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in
good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the Company. The
execution and delivery of the Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of
__________, 1999 (the "Merger Agreement") between Brocade Communications
Systems, Inc., a California corporation (the "California Corporation"), and the
Company, effecting the reincorporation of the California Corporation under the
laws of the State of Delaware, was duly authorized by all necessary corporate
action on the part of each of the California Corporation and the Company. Each
of the California Corporation and the Company had all corporate power and
authority to execute and deliver the Merger Agreement, to file the Merger
Agreement with the Secretary of State of California and the Secretary of State
of Delaware and to consummate the reincorporation contemplated by the Merger
Agreement, and the Merger Agreement at the time of execution and filing
constituted a valid and binding obligation of each of the California Corporation
and the Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms. Other than Brocade
Communications Systems, Inc., a Delaware corporation, the Company has no
subsidiary or subsidiaries and does not control, directly or indirectly, any
corporation, partnership, joint venture, association or other business
organization.
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(d) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the Company.
(e) The authorized capital stock of the Company conforms as to
legal matters to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus.
(f) The shares of Common Stock outstanding prior to the issuance
of the Shares have been duly authorized and are validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable.
(g) The Shares have been duly authorized and, when issued and
delivered in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be validly
issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and the issuance of such Shares will not
be subject to any preemptive or similar rights.
(h) The execution and delivery by the Company of, and the
performance by the Company of its obligations under, this Agreement will not
contravene any provision of applicable law or the certificate of incorporation
or by-laws of the Company or any agreement or other instrument binding upon the
Company that is material to the Company, or any judgment, order or decree of any
governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Company, and no
consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any
governmental body or agency is required for the performance by the Company of
its obligations under this Agreement, except such as may be required by the
securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states in connection with the offer
and sale of the Shares.
(i) There has not occurred any material adverse change, or any
development involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition,
financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the
Company, from that set forth in the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendments or
supplements thereto subsequent to the date of this Agreement).
(j) There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or
threatened to which the Company is a party or to which any of the properties of
the Company is subject that are required to be described in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus and are not so described or any statutes,
regulations, contracts or other documents that are required to be described in
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the
Registration Statement that are not described or filed as required.
(k) Each preliminary prospectus filed as part of the
registration statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto,
or filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act, complied when so filed
in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder, except for the omission of a price
range and other information derived therefrom.
(l) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering
and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described
in the Prospectus, will not be an "investment company" as such term is defined
in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
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(m) The Company (i) is in compliance with any and all applicable
foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the
protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic
substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants ("ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS"), (ii)
has received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of it under
applicable Environmental Laws to conduct its business and (iii) is in compliance
with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval, except
where such noncompliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required
permits, licenses or other approvals or failure to comply with the terms and
conditions of such permits, licenses or approvals would not, singly or in the
aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company.
(n) There are no costs or liabilities associated with
Environmental Laws (including, without limitation, any capital or operating
expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with
Environmental Laws or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints
on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties) which
would, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the
Company.
(o) There are no contracts, agreements or understandings between
the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company
to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any
securities of the Company or to require the Company to include such securities
with the Shares registered pursuant to the Registration Statement, except as
described in the Prospectus.
(p) The Company has complied with all provisions of Section
517.075, Florida Statutes relating to doing business with the Government of Cuba
or with any person or affiliate located in Cuba.
(q) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information
is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, (i) the Company has
not incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or contingent, nor
entered into any material transaction not in the ordinary course of business;
(ii) the Company has not purchased any of its outstanding capital stock, nor
declared, paid or otherwise made any dividend or distribution of any kind on its
capital stock other than ordinary and customary dividends; and (iii) there has
not been any material change in the capital stock, short-term debt or long-term
debt of the Company, except in each case as described in the Prospectus.
(r) The Company has good and marketable title in fee simple to
all real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned
by it which is material to the business of the Company free and clear of all
liens, encumbrances and defects except such as are described in the Prospectus
or such as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not
interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the
Company; and any real property and buildings held under lease by the Company are
held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions
as are not material and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be
made of such property and buildings by the Company, except as described in the
Prospectus.
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(s) The Company owns or possesses, or can acquire on reasonable
terms, adequate licenses or other rights to use all material patents, patent
rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and
other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information,
systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks and trade names currently
employed by it to conduct its business in the manner described in the Prospectus
(collectively, the "INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY"), and the Company has not received
any notice of infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with
respect to any of the Intellectual Property which, singly or in the aggregate,
if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a
material adverse effect on the Company. To the knowledge of the Company, there
are no rights of third parties to any of the Intellectual Property, other than
licenses granted in the ordinary course of business. To the knowledge of the
Company, there is no material infringement by third parties of any of the
Intellectual Property. There is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company,
threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the Company's
rights in or to any of the Intellectual Property, and the Company is unaware of
any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim. There is no
pending, or to the knowledge of the Company, threatened action, suit, proceeding
or claim by others challenging the validity or scope of any of the Intellectual
Property, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable
basis for any such claim. There is no pending or, to the knowledge of the
Company, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others that the Company
infringes or otherwise violates any patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret
or other proprietary rights of others, and the Company is unaware of any other
fact which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim. To the Company's
knowledge, all patents owned by the Company are valid and enforceable.
(t) No material labor dispute with the employees of the Company
exists, except as described in the Prospectus, or, to the knowledge of the
Company, is imminent; and without conducting any independent investigation, the
Company is not aware of any existing, threatened or imminent labor disturbance
by the employees of any of its principal suppliers, manufacturers or contractors
that could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the
Company.
(u) The Company is insured by insurers of recognized financial
responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent
and customary in the businesses in which it is engaged; the Company has not been
refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for; and the Company does not
have any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing
insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar
coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a
cost that would not have a material adverse effect on the Company, except as
described in the Prospectus.
(v) The Company possesses all certificates, authorizations and
permits issued by the appropriate federal, state or foreign regulatory
authorities necessary to conduct its business, and the Company has not received
any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such
certificate, authorization or permit which, singly or in the aggregate, if the
subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a material
adverse effect on the Company, except as described the Prospectus.
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(w) The Company maintains a system of internal accounting
controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are
executed in accordance with management's general or specific authorizations;
(ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial
statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to
maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in
accordance with management's general or specific authorization; and (iv) the
recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at
reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any
differences.
(x) The Company has filed all foreign, federal, state and local
tax returns that are required to be filed or has requested extensions thereof
(except in any case in which the failure so to file would not have a material
adverse effect on the Company) and has paid all taxes required to be paid by it
and any other assessment, fine or penalty levied against it, to the extent that
any of the foregoing is due and payable, except for any such assessment, fine or
penalty that is currently being contested in good faith or as could not
reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company.
(y) The Company has fulfilled its obligations, if any, under the
minimum funding standards of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 ("ERISA") and the regulations and
published interpretations thereunder with respect to each "plan" (as defined in
Section 3(3) of ERISA and such regulations and published interpretations) in
which employees of the Company are eligible to participate. Each such plan is in
compliance in all respects with the presently applicable provisions of ERISA and
such regulations and published interpretations, except where the failure to so
comply could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to
have a material adverse effect on the Company. The Company has not incurred any
unpaid liability to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (other than for the
payment of premiums in the ordinary course) or to any such plan under Title IV
of ERISA.
(z) The Company has reviewed its operations to evaluate the
extent to which the business or operations of the Company will be affected by
the Year 2000 Problem (that is, any significant risk that computer hardware or
software applications used or distributed by the Company will not, in the case
of dates or time periods occurring after December 31, 1999, function at least as
effectively as in the case of dates or time periods occurring prior to January
1, 2000); as a result of such review, (i) the Company has no reason to believe,
and does not believe, that (A) there are any issues related to the Company's
preparedness to address the Year 2000 Problem that are of a character required
to be described or referred to in the Registration Statement or Prospectus which
have not been accurately described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus
and (B) the Year 2000 Problem will have a material adverse effect on the
Company, or result in any material loss or interference with the business or
operations of the Company; and (ii) except as described in the Prospectus, the
Company reasonably believes, after due inquiry, that the suppliers, vendors,
customers or other material third parties used or served by the Company and such
subsidiaries are addressing or will address the Year 2000 Problem in a timely
manner, except to the extent that a failure to address the Year 2000 Problem by
any supplier, vendor, customer or material third party would not have a material
adverse effect on the Company.
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(aa) The Company has not received any notice or communication
(in writing or otherwise), or any other information, indicating that there is a
material possibility that any customer of the Company identified in the
"Business--Customers" section of the Registration Statement will cease dealing
with the Company or otherwise materially reduce the volume of business
transacted by such customer with the Company below historical levels.
Furthermore, the Company represents and warrants to ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ that
(i) the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any preliminary prospectus
comply, and any further amendments or supplements thereto will comply, with any
applicable laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions in which the Prospectus
or any preliminary prospectus, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, are
distributed in connection with the Directed Share Program, and that (ii) no
authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration or qualification
of or with any government, governmental instrumentality or court, other than
such as have been obtained, is necessary under the securities laws and
regulations of foreign jurisdictions in which the Directed Shares are offered
outside the United States.
The Company has not offered, or caused the Underwriters to offer, Shares
to any person pursuant to the Directed Share Program with the specific intent to
unlawfully influence (i) a customer or supplier of the Company to alter the
customer's or supplier's level or type of business with the Company, or (ii) a
trade journalist or publication to write or publish favorable information about
the Company or its products.
2. Agreements to Sell and Purchase. The Company hereby agrees to sell to
the several Underwriters, and each Underwriter, upon the basis of the
representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the conditions
hereinafter stated, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the
Company the respective numbers of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule I hereto
opposite its name at $______ a share (the "PURCHASE PRICE").
On the basis of the representations and warranties contained in this
Agreement, and subject to its terms and conditions, the Company agrees to sell
to the Underwriters the Additional Shares, and the Underwriters shall have a
one-time right to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to _______________
Additional Shares at the Purchase Price. If you, on behalf of the Underwriters,
elect to exercise such option, you shall so notify the Company in writing not
later than 30 days after the date of this Agreement, which notice shall specify
the number of Additional Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters and the date
on which such Additional Shares are to be purchased. Such date may be the same
as the Closing Date (as defined below) but not earlier than the Closing Date nor
later than ten business days after the date of such notice. Additional Shares
may be purchased as provided in Section 4 hereof solely for the purpose of
covering over-allotments made in connection with the offering of the Firm
Shares. If any Additional Shares are to be purchased, each Underwriter agrees,
severally and not jointly, to purchase the number of Additional Shares (subject
to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as you may determine) that
bears the same proportion to the total number of Additional Shares to be
purchased as the number of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule I hereto opposite
the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares.
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The Company hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, during the period
ending 180 days after the date of the Prospectus, (i) offer, pledge, sell,
contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option
or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or
otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common
Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for
Common Stock or (ii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to
another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of
the Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii)
above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in
cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (A) the Shares to
be sold hereunder, (B) the issuance by the Company of shares of Common Stock
upon the exercise of an option or warrant or the conversion of a security
outstanding on the date hereof which is described in the Prospectus or of which
the Underwriters have been advised in writing, or (C) any options to purchase
Common Stock, or shares of Common Stock issued by the Company upon the exercise
of such options, granted under the Company's stock option or employee stock
purchase plans described in the Prospectus.
3. Terms of Public Offering. The Company is advised by you that the
Underwriters propose to make a public offering of their respective portions of
the Shares as soon after the Registration Statement and this Agreement have
become effective as in your judgment is advisable. The Company is further
advised by you that the Shares are to be offered to the public initially at
$_____________ a share (the "PUBLIC OFFERING PRICE") and to certain dealers
selected by you at a price that represents a concession not in excess of
$_____________ a share under the Public Offering Price, and that any Underwriter
may allow, and such dealers may reallow, a concession, not in excess of
$_____________ a share, to any Underwriter or to certain other dealers.
4. Payment and Delivery. Payment for the Firm Shares shall be made to
the Company in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City
against delivery of such Firm Shares for the respective accounts of the several
Underwriters at a closing to be held at the offices of ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ &
▇▇▇▇▇▇, Professional Corporation at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on
_____________, 1999, or at such other time on the same or such other date, not
later than _____________, 1999, as shall be designated in writing by you. The
time and date of such payment are hereinafter referred to as the "CLOSING DATE".
Payment for any Additional Shares shall be made to the Company in
Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City against delivery
of such Additional Shares for the respective accounts of the several
Underwriters at a closing to be held at the offices of ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ &
▇▇▇▇▇▇, Professional Corporation at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date
specified in the notice described in Section 2 or at such other time on the same
or on such other date, in any event not later than _____________, 1999, as shall
be designated in writing by you. The time and date of such payment are
hereinafter referred to as the "OPTION CLOSING DATE".
Certificates for the Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be in
definitive form and registered in such names and in such denominations as you
shall request in writing not later than
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one full business day prior to the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as
the case may be. The certificates evidencing the Firm Shares and Additional
Shares shall be delivered to you on the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date,
as the case may be, for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters,
with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the transfer of the Shares to
the Underwriters duly paid, against payment of the Purchase Price therefor.
5. Conditions to the Underwriters' Obligations. The obligations of the
Company to sell the Shares to the Underwriters and the several obligations of
the Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Shares on the Closing Date are
subject to the condition that the Registration Statement shall have become
effective not later than 5:300 p.m. (New York City time) on the date hereof.
The several obligations of the Underwriters are subject to the following
further conditions:
(a) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement
and prior to the Closing Date, there shall not have occurred any change,
or any development involving a prospective change, in the condition,
financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of
the Company from that set forth in the Prospectus (exclusive of any
amendments or supplements thereto subsequent to the date of this
Agreement) that, in your judgment, is material and adverse and that
makes it, in your judgment, impracticable to market the Shares on the
terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.
(b) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date a
certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed by an executive officer
of the Company, to the effect that the representations and warranties of
the Company contained in this Agreement are true and correct as of the
Closing Date and that the Company has complied with all of the
agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on its part to be
performed or satisfied hereunder on or before the Closing Date. The
officer signing and delivering such certificate may rely upon his or her
knowledge as to proceedings threatened.
(c) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an
opinion of ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇, Professional Corporation,
counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that [TO
BE REVISED, IF NECESSARY, UPON COMPLETION OF DUE DILIGENCE]:
(i) the Company has been duly incorporated, is validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of
its incorporation, has the corporate power and authority to own its property and
to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and is duly qualified to
transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the
conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such
qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in
good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the Company; and to
such counsel's knowledge, the Company has no subsidiary or subsidiaries and does
not control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, partnership, joint
venture, association or other business organization.
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(ii) the authorized capital stock of the Company
conforms in all material respects as to legal matters to the description thereof
contained in the Prospectus;
(iii) the shares of Common Stock outstanding prior to
the issuance of the Shares have been duly authorized and are validly issued and
non-assessable, and to such counsel's knowledge, are fully paid;
(iv) the Shares have been duly authorized and, when
issued and delivered in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be
validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and the issuance of such Shares
will not be subject to any preemptive right pursuant to the Company's
certificate of incorporation or bylaws, or to such counsel's knowledge, similar
rights ;
(v) this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed
and delivered by the Company;
(vi) the execution and delivery by the Company of, and
the performance by the Company of its obligations under, this Agreement will not
contravene any provision of applicable law or the certificate of incorporation
or by-laws of the Company or, to such counsel's knowledge, any agreement or
other instrument binding upon the Company that is material to the Company or, to
such counsel's knowledge, any judgment, order or decree of any governmental
body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Company that specifically
refers to or is binding on the Company, and no consent, approval, authorization
or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency is required
for the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement,
except such as may be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various
states in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares by the Underwriters
or the rules and regulations of the NASD (as to which such counsel need not
express any opinion);
(vii) the statements (A) in the Prospectus under the
captions ," "Management," "Certain Transactions," "Description of Capital
Stock," and "Shares Eligible for Future Sale" and (B) in the Registration
Statement in Items 14 and 15, in each case insofar as such statements constitute
summaries of the legal matters, documents or proceedings referred to therein,
fairly present the information called for with respect to such legal matters,
documents and proceedings and fairly summarize the matters referred to therein;
(viii) such counsel does not know of any legal or
governmental proceedings pending or threatened to which the Company is a party
or to which any of the properties of the Company is subject that are required to
be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and are not so
described or of any statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents that are
required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to
be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not described or
filed as required;
(ix) the Company is not and, after giving effect to the
offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as
described in the Prospectus, will not
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be an "investment company" as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act
of 1940, as amended; and
(x) such counsel (A) is of the opinion that the
Registration Statement and Prospectus (except for financial statements and
schedules and other financial and statistical data included therein as to which
such counsel need not express any opinion) comply as to form in all material
respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder, (B) has no reason to believe that (except for financial
statements and schedules and other financial and statistical data as to which
such counsel need not express any belief) the Registration Statement and the
prospectus included therein at the time the Registration Statement became
effective contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state
a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading and (C) has no reason to believe that (except
for financial statements and schedules and other financial and statistical data
as to which such counsel need not express any belief) the Prospectus contains
any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(d) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an
opinion of ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ & Freidenrich LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated
the Closing Date, (i) covering the matters referred to in Sections 5(c)(v),
5(c)(vi), 5(c)(viii) (but only as to the statements in the Prospectus under
"Description of Capital Stock" and "Underwriters") and 5(c)(x) above, and (ii)
to the effect that the statements in the Prospectus under the caption "Legal
Proceedings" as such statements constitute summaries of legal matters, documents
or proceedings referred to therein, fairly present the information called for
with respect to such legal matters, documents and proceedings and fairly
summarize the matters referred to therein.
With respect to Section 5(c)(xiii) above, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ &
▇▇▇▇▇▇, Professional Corporation and ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ & Freidenrich LLP may state
that their opinion and belief are based upon their participation in the
preparation of the Registration Statement and Prospectus and any amendments or
supplements thereto and review and discussion of the contents thereof, but are
without independent check or verification, except as specified.
The opinion of ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇, Professional
Corporation described in Section 5(c) above shall be rendered to the
Underwriters at the request of the Company and shall so state therein.
(e) The Underwriters shall have received, on each of the date
hereof and the Closing Date, a letter dated the date hereof or the Closing Date,
as the case may be, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, from
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, independent public accountants, containing statements and
information of the type ordinarily included in accountants' "comfort letters" to
underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial
information contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus; provided
that the letter delivered on the Closing Date shall use a "cut-off date" not
earlier than the date hereof.
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13
(f) The "lock-up" agreements, each substantially in the form of
Exhibit A hereto, between you and certain shareholders, officers and directors
of the Company relating to sales and certain other dispositions of shares of
Common Stock or certain other securities, delivered to you on or before the date
hereof, shall be in full force and effect on the Closing Date.
(g) The Common Stock shall have received approval for listing
upon official notice of issuance on the Nasdaq National Market.
(h) [ADDITIONAL CLOSING CONDITIONS TO BE ADDED, IF NECESSARY,
UPON COMPLETION OF DUE DILIGENCE.]
The several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase Additional
Shares hereunder are subject to the delivery to you on the Option Closing Date
of such documents as you may reasonably request with respect to the good
standing of the Company, the due authorization and issuance of the Additional
Shares and other matters related to the issuance of the Additional Shares.
6. Covenants of the Company. In further consideration of the agreements
of the Underwriters herein contained, the Company covenants with each
Underwriter as follows:
(a) To furnish to you, without charge, four (4) signed copies of
the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and for delivery to each
other Underwriter a conformed copy of the Registration Statement (without
exhibits thereto) and to furnish to you in New York City, without charge, prior
to 10:00 a.m. New York City time on the business day next succeeding the date of
this Agreement and during the period mentioned in Section 6(c) below, as many
copies of the Prospectus and any supplements and amendments thereto or to the
Registration Statement as you may reasonably request.
(b) Before amending or supplementing the Registration Statement
or the Prospectus, to furnish to you a copy of each such proposed amendment or
supplement and not to file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which
you reasonably object, and to file with the Commission within the applicable
period specified in Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act any prospectus required
to be filed pursuant to such Rule.
(c) If, during such period after the first date of the public
offering of the Shares as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters the
Prospectus is required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an
Underwriter or dealer, any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of
which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is
delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if, in the reasonable opinion of
counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the
Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare, file with the
Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to the
dealers (whose names and addresses you will furnish to the Company) to which
Shares may have been sold by you on behalf of the Underwriters and to any other
dealers upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Prospectus so that
the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the
light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is
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delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus, as amended or
supplemented, will comply with law.
(d) To endeavor to qualify the Shares for offer and sale under
the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as you shall reasonably
request.
(e) To make generally available to the Company's security
holders and to you as soon as practicable an earning statement covering the
twelve-month period ending ________, 2000 that satisfies the provisions of
Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder.
(f) Whether or not the transactions contemplated in this
Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, to pay or cause to be
paid all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this
Agreement, including: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company's
counsel and the Company's accountants in connection with the registration and
delivery of the Shares under the Securities Act and all other fees or expenses
in connection with the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement, any
preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus and amendments and supplements to any of
the foregoing, including all printing costs associated therewith, and the
mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers, in the
quantities hereinabove specified, (ii) all costs and expenses related to the
transfer and delivery of the Shares to the Underwriters, including any transfer
or other taxes payable thereon, (iii) the cost of printing or producing any Blue
Sky or Legal Investment memorandum in connection with the offer and sale of the
Shares under state securities laws and all expenses in connection with the
qualification of the Shares for offer and sale under state securities laws as
provided in Section 6(d) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees
and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such
qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky or Legal Investment
memorandum, (iv) all filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of
counsel to the Underwriters incurred in connection with the review and
qualification of the offering of the Shares by the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc., (v) all fees and expenses in connection with the
preparation and filing of the registration statement on Form 8-A relating to the
Common Stock and all costs and expenses incident to listing the Shares on the
Nasdaq National Market, (vi) the cost of printing certificates representing the
Shares, (vii) the costs and charges of any transfer agent, registrar or
depositary, (viii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor
presentations on any "road show" undertaken in connection with the marketing of
the offering of the Shares, including, without limitation, expenses associated
with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any
consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations with the
prior approval of the Company, travel and lodging expenses of the
representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants, and
one-half the cost of any aircraft chartered or limousines hired in connection
with the road show, and (ix) all other costs and expenses incident to the
performance of the obligations of the Company hereunder for which provision is
not otherwise made in this Section. It is understood, however, that except as
provided in this Section, Section 7 entitled "Indemnity and Contribution", and
the last paragraph of Section 9 below, the Underwriters will pay all of their
costs and expenses, including fees and disbursements of their counsel, travel,
meals and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the
Underwriters, the costs of conference rooms and meals for "road show" meetings,
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15
one-half the cost of any aircraft chartered or limousines hired in connection
with the "road show," stock transfer taxes payable on resale of any of the
Shares by them and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may
make.
(g) That in connection with the Directed Share Program, the
Company will ensure that the Directed Shares will be restricted to the extent
required by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD") or
the NASD rules from sale, transfer, assignment, pledge or hypothecation for a
period of three (3) months following the date of the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ will notify the Company as to which
Participants will need to be so restricted. The Company will direct the transfer
agent to place stop transfer restrictions upon such securities for such period
of time.
(h) To pay all fees and disbursements of counsel incurred by the
Underwriters in connection with the Directed Share Program and stamp duties,
similar taxes or duties or other taxes, if any, incurred by the Underwriters in
connection with the Directed Share Program.
Furthermore, the Company covenants with ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ that the Company will
comply with all applicable securities and other applicable laws, rules and
regulations in each foreign jurisdiction in which the Directed Shares are
offered in connection with the Directed Share Program.
7. Indemnity and Contribution. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and
hold harmless each Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any
Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or
Section 20 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "EXCHANGE
ACT"), from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities
(including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred
in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) caused
by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained
in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary
prospectus or the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented if the Company shall
have furnished any amendments or supplements thereto), or caused by any omission
or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except
insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities are caused by any such
untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission based upon
information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by
such Underwriter through you expressly for use therein; and provided further
that the foregoing indemnity agreement with respect to any preliminary
prospectus shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter from whom the
person asserting any such losses, claims, damages or liabilities purchases
Shares, or any person controlling such Underwriter, if a copy of the Prospectus
(as then amended or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished any
amendments or supplements thereto) was not sent or given by or on behalf of such
Underwriter to such person, if required by law so to have been delivered, at or
prior to the written confirmation of the sale of the Shares to such person, and
if the Prospectus (as so amended or supplemented) would have cured the defect
giving rise to such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, unless such failure
is the result of cnoncompliance by the Company with Section 6(a) hereof.
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(b) Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to
indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who sign
the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company
within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of
the Exchange Act to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company
to such Underwriter, but only with reference to information relating to such
Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through you
expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the
Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto.
(c) In case any proceeding (including any governmental
investigation) shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which
indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 7(a) or 7(b), such person (the
"INDEMNIFIED PARTY") shall promptly notify the person against whom such
indemnity may be sought (the "INDEMNIFYING PARTY") in writing and the
indemnifying party, upon request of the indemnified party, shall retain counsel
reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified
party and any others the indemnifying party may designate in such proceeding and
shall pay the fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding.
In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its
own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense
of such indemnified party unless (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified
party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel or (ii) the
named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include
both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both
parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential
differing interests between them. It is understood that the indemnifying party
shall not, in respect of the legal expenses of any indemnified party in
connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction,
be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition
to any local counsel) for all such indemnified parties and that all such fees
and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. Such firm shall be
designated in writing by ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, in the case of parties indemnified
pursuant to Section 7(a), and by the Company, in the case of parties indemnified
pursuant to Section 7(b). The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any
settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if
settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the
indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and against
any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding
the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested
an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses
of counsel as contemplated by the second and third sentences of this paragraph,
the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any
proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is
entered into more than 30 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the
aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the
indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such
settlement. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of
the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened
proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a
party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party,
unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such indemnified
party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such
proceeding.
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(d) To the extent the indemnification provided for in Section
7(a) or 7(b) is unavailable to an indemnified party or insufficient in respect
of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each
indemnifying party under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such
indemnified party thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by
such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative
benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the
other hand from the offering of the Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by
clause 7(d)(i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as
is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause
7(d)(i) above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of
the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the statements or
omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well
as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received
by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand in
connection with the offering of the Shares shall be deemed to be in the same
respective proportions as the net proceeds from the offering of the Shares
(before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the total underwriting
discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set
forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate Public
Offering Price of the Shares. The relative fault of the Company on the one hand
and the Underwriters on the other hand shall be determined by reference to,
among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material
fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to
information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties'
relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or
prevent such statement or omission. The Underwriters' respective obligations to
contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to the
respective number of Shares they have purchased hereunder, and not joint.
(e) The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be
just or equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by
pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for
such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of
the equitable considerations referred to in Section 7(d). The amount paid or
payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages and
liabilities referred to in Section 7(d) shall be deemed to include, subject to
the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred
by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such
action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no
Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount
by which the total price at which the Shares underwritten by it and distributed
to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages that
such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or
alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of
fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the
Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not
guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The remedies provided for in this
Section 7 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may
otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity.
(f) The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this
Section 7 and the representations, warranties and other statements of the
Company contained in this Agreement
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shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any
termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of
any Underwriter or any person controlling any Underwriter or by or on behalf of
the Company, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and
(iii) acceptance of and payment for any of the Shares.
8. Direct Share Program Indemnification. (a) The Company agrees to
indemnify and hold harmless ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ and each person, if any, who controls
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or
Section 20 of the Exchange Act ("▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Entities"), from and against any
and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation,
any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or
investigating any such action or claim) (i) caused by any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any material prepared
by the Company for distribution to Participants in connection with the Directed
Share Program or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein, when considered in conjunction with the Prospectus or any applicable
preliminary prospectus, not misleading; (ii) caused by the failure of any
Participant to pay for and accept delivery of Directed Shares that, immediately
following the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, were subject to a
properly confirmed agreement to purchase; or (iii) related to, arising out of,
or in connection with the Directed Share Program, other than losses, claims,
damages or liabilities (or expenses relating thereto) that are finally
judicially determined to have resulted from the bad faith or gross negligence of
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Entities.
(b) In case any proceeding (including any governmental
investigation) shall be instituted involving any ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Entity in
respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 8(a), the ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Entity seeking indemnity, shall promptly notify the Company in writing
and the Company, upon request of the ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Entity, shall retain counsel
reasonably satisfactory to the ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Entity to represent the ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Entity and any others the Company may designate in such proceeding and
shall pay the fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding.
In any such proceeding, any ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Entity shall have the right to retain
its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the
expense of such ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Entity unless (i) the Company shall have agreed
to the retention of such counsel or (ii) the named parties to any such
proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Company and the
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Entity and representation of both parties by the same counsel
would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between
them. The Company shall not, in respect of the legal expenses of the ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Entities in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the
same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate
firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Entities. Any
such separate firm for the ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Entities shall be designated in
writing by ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇. The Company shall not be liable for any settlement of
any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such
consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the Company agrees to
indemnify the ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Entities from and against any loss or liability by
reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence,
if at any time a ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Entity shall have requested the Company to
reimburse it for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by the second and
third sentences of this paragraph, the Company
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agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected
without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30
days after receipt by the Company of the aforesaid request and (ii) the Company
shall not have reimbursed the ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Entity in accordance with such
request prior to the date of such settlement. The Company shall not, without the
prior written consent of ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, effect any settlement of any pending or
threatened proceeding in respect of which any ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Entity is or could
have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Entity, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of the
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Entitites from all liability on claims that are the subject
matter of such proceeding.
(c) To the extent the indemnification provided for in Section
8(a) is unavailable to a ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Entity or insufficient in respect of any
losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then the Company in
lieu of indemnifying the ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Entity thereunder, shall contribute to
the amount paid or payable by the ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Entity as a result of such
losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate
to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Entities on the other hand from the offering of the Directed
Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause 8(c)(i) above is not
permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not
only the relative benefits referred to in clause 8(c)(i) above but also the
relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Entities
on the other hand in connection with any statements or omissions that resulted
in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the
one hand and the ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Entities on the other hand in connection with
the offering of the Directed Shares shall be deemed to be in the same respective
proportions as the net proceeds from the offering of the Directed Shares (before
deducting expenses) and the total underwriting discounts and commissions
received by the ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Entities for the Directed Shares, bear to the
aggregate Public Offering Price of the Directed Shares. If the loss, claim,
damage or liability is caused by an untrue or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact, the
relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Entities on
the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether
the untrue or alleged untrue statement or the omission or alleged omission
relates to information supplied by the Company or by the ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Entities
and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and
opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
(d) The Company and the ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Entities agree that it
would not be just or equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 8(d)
were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Entities were
treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation
that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in
Section 8(c). The amount paid or payable by the ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Entities as a
result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in the
immediately preceding paragraph shall be deemed to include, subject to the
limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by
the ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Entities in connection with investigating or defending any
such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8, no
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Entity shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of
the amount by which the total price at which the Shares distributed to the
public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any
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damages that such ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Entity has otherwise been required to pay. The
remedies provided for in this Section 8 are not exclusive and shall not limit
any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any indemnified party
at law or in equity.
(e) The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this
Section 8 shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i)
any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf
of any ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Entity or the Company, its officers or directors or any
person controlling the Company and (iii) acceptance of and payment for any of
the Directed Shares.
9. Termination. This Agreement shall be subject to termination by notice
given by you to the Company, if (a) after the execution and delivery of this
Agreement and prior to the Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been
suspended or materially limited on or by, as the case may be, any of the New
York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc., the Chicago Board of Options Exchange, the Chicago
Mercantile Exchange or the Chicago Board of Trade, (ii) trading of any
securities of the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any
over-the-counter market, (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking
activities in New York shall have been declared by either Federal or New York
State authorities or (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation
of hostilities or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis
that, in your judgment, is material and adverse and (b) in the case of any of
the events specified in clauses 9(a)(i) through 9(a)(iv), such event, singly or
together with any other such event, makes it, in your judgment, impracticable to
market the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.
10. Effectiveness; Defaulting Underwriters. This Agreement shall become
effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto.
If, on the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be,
any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Shares that
it has or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate
number of Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but
failed or refused to purchase is not more than one-tenth of the aggregate number
of the Shares to be purchased on such date, the other Underwriters shall be
obligated severally in the proportions that the number of Firm Shares set forth
opposite their respective names in Schedule I bears to the aggregate number of
Firm Shares set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting
Underwriters, or in such other proportions as you may specify, to purchase the
Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or
refused to purchase on such date; provided that in no event shall the number of
Shares that any Underwriter has agreed to purchase pursuant to this Agreement be
increased pursuant to this Section 9 by an amount in excess of one-ninth of such
number of Shares without the written consent of such Underwriter. If, on the
Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase
Firm Shares and the aggregate number of Firm Shares with respect to which such
default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Firm Shares to
be purchased, and arrangements satisfactory to you and the Company for the
purchase of such Firm Shares are not made within 36 hours after such default,
this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any
non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company. In any such case either
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you or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date, but in no
event for longer than seven days, in order that the required changes, if any, in
the Registration Statement and in the Prospectus or in any other documents or
arrangements may be effected. If, on the Option Closing Date, any Underwriter or
Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Additional Shares and the
aggregate number of Additional Shares with respect to which such default occurs
is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Additional Shares to be
purchased, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall have the option to (i)
terminate their obligation hereunder to purchase Additional Shares or (ii)
purchase not less than the number of Additional Shares that such non-defaulting
Underwriters would have been obligated to purchase in the absence of such
default. Any action taken under this paragraph shall not relieve any defaulting
Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under
this Agreement.
If this Agreement shall be terminated by the Underwriters, or any of
them, because of any failure or refusal on the part of the Company to comply
with the terms or to fulfill any of the conditions of this Agreement, or if for
any reason the Company shall be unable to perform its obligations under this
Agreement, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters or such Underwriters as
have so terminated this Agreement with respect to themselves, severally, for all
out-of-pocket expenses (including the fees and disbursements of their counsel)
reasonably incurred by such Underwriters in connection with this Agreement or
the offering contemplated hereunder.
11. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in two or more
counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the
signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument.
12. Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York.
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13. Headings. The headings of the sections of this Agreement have been
inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not be deemed a part of
this Agreement.
Very truly yours,
BROCADE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, INC.
By:_________________________________
Name:
Title:
Accepted as of the date hereof
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. Incorporated
BT Alex. ▇▇▇▇▇ Incorporated
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, a division of
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Incorporated
Acting severally on behalf of themselves and the several Underwriters named in
Schedule I hereto.
By: ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. Incorporated
By:__________________________
Name:
Title:
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SCHEDULE I
NUMBER OF
FIRM SHARES
UNDERWRITER TO BE PURCHASED
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. Incorporated
BT Alex. ▇▇▇▇▇ Incorporated
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, a division of
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Incorporated
[NAMES OF OTHER UNDERWRITERS]
---------------
Total ........
===============
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EXHIBIT A
[FORM OF LOCK-UP LETTER]
_____________, 1999
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. Incorporated
BT Alex. ▇▇▇▇▇ Incorporated
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, a division of
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Incorporated
c/o Morgan ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. Incorporated
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Dear Sirs and Mesdames:
The undersigned understands that ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. Incorporated
("▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇") proposes to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the
"UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT") with Brocade Communications Systems, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "COMPANY"), providing for the public offering (the "PUBLIC
OFFERING") by the several Underwriters, including ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ (the
"UNDERWRITERS"), shares (the "SHARES") of the Common Stock, par value $0.____
per share, of the Company (the "COMMON STOCK").
To induce the Underwriters that may participate in the Public Offering
to continue their efforts in connection with the Public Offering, the
undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, during the period commencing
on the date hereof and ending 180 days after the date of the final prospectus
relating to the Public Offering (the "PROSPECTUS"), (1) offer, pledge, sell,
contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option
or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or
otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common
Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for
Common Stock or (2) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to
another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of
the Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2)
above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in
cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (a) the sale of any
Shares to the Underwriters pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement or (b)
transactions relating to shares of Common Stock or other securities acquired in
open market transactions after the completion of the Public Offering. In
addition, the undersigned agrees that, without the prior written consent of
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, during the period
commencing on the date hereof and ending 180 days after the date of the
Prospectus, make any
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demand for or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of any shares
of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable
for Common Stock.
Whether or not the Public Offering actually occurs depends on a number
of factors, including market conditions. Any Public Offering will only be made
pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement, the terms of which are subject to
negotiation between the Company and the Underwriters.
Very truly yours,
____________________________________
(Name)
____________________________________
(Address)
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