EXHIBIT (b)
BY-LAWS OF
LAUDUS INSTITUTIONAL TRUST
(FORMERLY ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ VARIABLE TRUST)
ARTICLE 1
Agreement and Declaration
of Trust and Principal Office
1.1. AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST. These By-Laws shall be subject to
the Agreement and Declaration of Trust, as from time to time in effect (the
"Declaration of Trust"), of Laudus Institutional Trust (the "Trust"), the
Delaware statutory trust established by the Declaration of Trust.
1.2. PRINCIPAL OFFICE OF THE TRUST. The principal office of the Trust
shall be located at such place within or without the State of Delaware as the
Trustees may determine from time to time.
ARTICLE 2
Meetings of Trustees
2.1. REGULAR MEETINGS. Regular meetings of the Trustees may be held
without call or notice at such places and at such times as the Trustees may from
time to time determine, provided that notice of the first regular meeting
following any such determination shall be given to absent Trustees.
2.2. SPECIAL MEETINGS. Special meetings of the Trustees may be held, at
any time and at any place designated in the call of the meeting, when called by
the Chairman of the Board, if any, the President or the Treasurer or by two or
more Trustees, sufficient notice thereof being given to each Trustee by the
Clerk or an Assistant Clerk or by the officer or the Trustees calling the
meeting.
2.3. NOTICE. It shall be sufficient notice to a Trustee of a special
meeting to send notice by mail to the Trustee at his or her usual or last known
business or residence address at least forty-eight hours or by any electronic or
telecommunications device, including telefax or through the Internet at least
twenty-four hours before the meeting addressed to the Trustee or to give notice
to him or her in person or by telephone at least twenty-four hours before the
meeting. Notice of a meeting need not be given to any Trustee if a written
waiver of notice, executed by him or her before or after the meeting, is filed
with the records of the meeting, or to any Trustee who attends the meeting
without protesting prior thereto or at its commencement the lack of notice to
him or her. Neither notice of a meeting nor a waiver of a notice need specify
the purposes of the meeting.
2.4. QUORUM. At any meeting of the Trustees a majority of the Trustees
then in office shall constitute a quorum. Any meeting may be adjourned from time
to time by a majority
of the votes cast upon the question, whether or not a quorum is present, and the
meeting may be held as adjourned without further notice.
2.5. ACTION BY VOTE. When a quorum is present at any meeting, a
majority of Trustees present may take any action, except when a larger vote
is expressly required by law, by the Declaration of Trust or by these
By-Laws.
2.6. ACTION BY WRITING. Except as required by law, any action required or
permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Trustees may be taken without a
meeting if a majority of the Trustees (or such larger proportion thereof as
shall be required by any express provision of the Declaration of Trust or these
By-Laws) consent to the action in writing and such written consents are filed
with the records of the meetings of Trustees. Such consent shall be treated for
all purposes as a vote taken at a meeting of Trustees.
2.7. PRESENCE THROUGH COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT. Except as required by law,
the Trustees may participate in a meeting of Trustees by means of a conference
telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons
participating in the meeting can hear each other at the same time and
participation by such means shall constitute presence in person at a meeting.
ARTICLE 3
Officers
3.1. ENUMERATION; QUALIFICATION. The officers of the Trust shall be a
President, a Treasurer, a Clerk, and such other officers, if any, as the
Trustees from time to time may in their discretion elect. The Trust may also
have such agents as the Trustees from time to time may in their discretion
appoint. The Chairman of the Board, if one is elected, shall be a Trustee and
may but need not be a Shareholder; and any other officer may but need not be a
Trustee or Shareholder. Any two or more offices may be held by the same person.
3.2. ELECTION AND TENURE. The President, the Treasurer, the Clerk and such
other officers as the Trustees from time to time may in their discretion elect
shall each be elected by the Trustees to serve until his or her successor is
elected or qualified, or until he or she sooner dies, resigns, is removed or
becomes disqualified. Each officer shall hold office and each agent shall retain
authority at the pleasure of the Trustees.
3.3. POWERS. Subject to the other provisions of these By-Laws, each
officer shall have, in addition to the duties and powers set forth herein and in
the Declaration of Trust, such duties and powers as are commonly incident to the
office occupied by him or her as if the Trust were organized as a Delaware
business corporation and such other duties and powers as the Trustees may from
time to time designate.
3.4. PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENTS. Subject to the powers of the Chairman,
if there be such an officer, the President shall be the principal executive
officer of the Trust. He or she may call meetings of the Trustees and of any
Committee thereof when he or she deems it
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necessary and, in the absence of the Chairman, shall preside at all meetings of
the Shareholders. Subject to the control of the Trustees, the Chairman and any
Committees of the Trustees, within their respective spheres, as provided by the
Trustees, the President shall at all times exercise a general supervision and
direction over the affairs of the Trust. The President shall have the power to
employ attorneys and counsel for the Trust and to employ such subordinate
officers, agents, clerks and employees as he or she may find necessary to
transact the business of the Trust. He or she shall also have the power to
grant, issue, execute or sign such powers of attorney, proxies or other
documents as may be deemed advisable or necessary in furtherance of the
interests of the Trust. The President shall have such powers and duties as from
time to time may be conferred upon or assigned to him or her by the Directors.
In the absence or disability of the President, the Vice President or, if
there be more than one Vice President, any Vice President designated by the
Trustees shall perform all the duties and may exercise any of the powers of the
President, subject to the control of the Trustees. Each Vice President shall
perform such other duties as may be assigned to him or her from time to time by
the Trustees or the President.
3.5. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER. The Chief Executive Officer of the Trust
shall be the Chairman of the Board, the President or such other officer as is
designated by the Trustees and shall, subject to the control of the Trustees,
have general charge and supervision of the business of the Trust and, except as
the Trustees shall otherwise determine, preside at all meetings of the
shareholders and of the Trustees. If no such designation is made, the President
shall be the Chief Executive Officer.
3.6. CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD. The Chairman, if such an officer is elected,
shall, if present, preside at meetings of the Shareholders and the Trustees, and
shall, subject to the control of the Trustees, have general supervision,
direction and control of the business and the officers of the Trust and exercise
and perform such other powers and duties as may be from time to time assigned to
him by the Trustees or prescribed by the Declaration of Trust or these By-Laws.
In the absence of the Chairman, the Vice Chairman, if such an officer is
elected, shall assume all powers and duties assigned to the Chairman hereunder.
3.7. TREASURER. The Treasurer shall be the chief financial officer and
accounting officer of the Trust, and shall, subject to the provisions of the
Declaration of Trust and to any arrangement made by the Trustees with a
custodian, investment adviser or manager or transfer, shareholder servicing or
similar agent, be in charge of the valuable papers, books of account and
accounting records of the Trust, and shall have such other duties and powers as
may be designated from time to time by the Trustees or by the President.
3.8. CLERK. The Clerk shall record all proceedings of the Shareholders and
the Trustees in books to be kept therefor, which books or a copy thereof shall
be kept at the principal office of the Trust. In the absence of the Clerk from
any meeting of the Shareholders or Trustees, an assistant clerk or, if there be
none or if he or she is absent, a temporary clerk chosen at such meeting shall
record the proceedings thereof in the aforesaid books.
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3.9. RESIGNATIONS AND REMOVALS. Any officer may resign at any time by
written instrument signed by him or her and delivered to the Chairman, the
President or the Clerk or to a meeting of the Trustees. Such resignation shall
be effective upon receipt unless specified to be effective at some other time.
The Trustees may remove any officer with or without cause. Except to the extent
expressly provided in a written agreement with the Trust, no officer resigning
and no officer removed shall have any right to any compensation for any period
following his or her resignation or removal, or any right to damages on account
of such removal.
ARTICLE 4
Committees
4.1. QUORUM; VOTING. A majority of the members of any Committee of the
Trustees shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and any
action of such a Committee may be taken at a meeting by a vote of a majority of
the members present (a quorum being present) or evidenced by one or more
writings signed by such a majority. Members of a Committee may participate in a
meeting of such Committee by means of a conference telephone or other
communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the
meeting can hear each other at the same time and participation by such means
shall constitute presence in person at a meeting.
ARTICLE 5
Reports
5.1. GENERAL. The Trustees and officers shall render reports at the
time and in the manner required by the Declaration of Trust or any applicable
law. Officers and Committees shall render such additional reports as they
may deem desirable or as may from time to time be required by the Trustees.
ARTICLE 6
Fiscal Year
6.1. GENERAL. Except as from time to time otherwise provided by the
Trustees, the initial fiscal year of the Trust shall end on such date as is
determined in advance or in arrears by the Treasurer, and subsequent fiscal
years shall end on such date in subsequent years.
ARTICLE 7
Seal
7.1. GENERAL. The Trust shall have no seal.
ARTICLE 8
Execution of Papers
8.1. GENERAL. Except as the Trustees may generally or in particular cases
authorize the execution thereof in some other manner, all checks, deeds, leases,
contracts, notes, drafts and other obligations made by the Trustees shall be
signed by the Chairman, if any, the President,
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any Vice President or the Treasurer or any of such other officers or agents as
shall be designated for that purpose by a vote of the Trustees.
ARTICLE 9
Share Certificates
9.1. SHARE CERTIFICATES. No certificates certifying the ownership of
Shares shall be issued except as the Trustees may otherwise authorize. In the
event that the Trustees authorize the issuance of Share certificates, subject to
the provisions of Section 9.3, each Shareholder shall be entitled to a
certificate stating the number of Shares and the series or class owned by him or
her, in such form as shall be prescribed from time to time by the Trustees. Such
certificates shall be signed by the President or any Vice-President and by the
Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer. Such signatures may be facsimiles if the
certificate is signed by a transfer agent, or by a registrar, other than a
Trustee, officer or employee of the Trust. In case any officer who has signed or
whose facsimile signature has been placed on such certificate shall cease to be
such officer before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Trust
with the same effect as if he or she were such officer at the time of its issue.
In lieu of issuing certificates for Shares, the Trustees or the transfer
agent may either issue receipts therefore or may keep accounts upon the books of
the Trust for the record holders of such Shares, who shall in either case be
deemed, for all purposes hereunder, to be the holders of certificates for such
Shares as if they had accepted such certificates and shall be held to have
expressly assented and agreed to the terms hereof.
9.2. LOSS OF CERTIFICATES. In case of the alleged loss or destruction
or the mutilation of a Share certificate, a duplicate certificate may be
issued in place thereof, upon such terms as the Trustees may prescribe.
9.3. DISCONTINUANCE OF ISSUANCE OF CERTIFICATES. The Trustees may at any
time discontinue the issuance of Share certificates and may, by written notice
to each Shareholder, require the surrender of Share certificates to the Trust
for cancellation. Such surrender and cancellation shall not affect the ownership
of Shares in the Trust.
ARTICLE 10
Provisions Relating to the Conduct of the Trust's Business
10.1. DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE PER SHARE. Net asset value per
Share of each series or class of Shares of the Trust shall be determined at
the times and in the manner specified from time to time by the Trustees.
ARTICLE 11
Indemnification
11.1. TRUSTEES, OFFICERS, ETC. The Trust shall indemnify each of its
Trustees and officers (including persons who serve at the Trust's request as
directors, officers or trustees of another organization in which the Trust has
any interest as a shareholder, creditor or
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otherwise) (hereinafter referred to as a "Covered Person") against all
liabilities and expenses, including but not limited to amounts paid in
satisfaction of judgments, in compromise or as fines and penalties, and counsel
fees reasonably incurred by any Covered Person in connection with the defense or
disposition of any action, suit or other proceeding, whether civil or criminal,
before any court or administrative or legislative body, in which such Covered
Person may be or may have been involved as a party or otherwise or with which
such Covered Person may be or may have been threatened, while in office or
thereafter, by reason of being or having been such a Covered Person except with
respect to any matter as to which such Covered Person shall have been finally
adjudicated in any such action, suit or other proceeding to be liable to the
Trust or its Shareholders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross
negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of such
Covered Person's office. Expenses, including counsel fees so incurred by any
such Covered Person (but excluding amounts paid in satisfaction of judgments, in
compromise or as fines or penalties), shall be paid from time to time by the
Trust in advance of the final disposition of any such action, suit or proceeding
upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such Covered Person to repay
amounts so paid to the Trust if it is ultimately determined that indemnification
of such expenses is not authorized under this Article, provided, however, that
either (a) such Covered Person shall have provided appropriate security for such
undertaking, (b) the Trust shall be insured against losses arising from any such
advance payments or (c) either a majority of the disinterested Trustees acting
on the matter (provided that a majority of the disinterested Trustees then in
office act on the matter), or independent legal counsel in a written opinion,
shall have determined, based upon a review of readily available facts (as
opposed to a full trial type inquiry) that there is reason to believe that such
Covered Person will be found entitled to indemnification under this Article.
11.2. COMPROMISE PAYMENT. As to any matter disposed of (whether by a
compromise payment, pursuant to a consent decree or otherwise) without an
adjudication by a court, or by any other body before which the proceeding was
brought, that such Covered Person is liable to the Trust or its Shareholders by
reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard
of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office, indemnification
shall be provided if (a) approved, after notice that it involves such
indemnification, by at least a majority of the disinterested Trustees acting on
the matter (provided that a majority of the disinterested Trustees then in
office act on the matter) upon a determination, based upon a review of readily
available facts (as opposed to a full trial type inquiry) that such Covered
Person is not liable to the Trust or its Shareholders by reason of willful
misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties
involved in the conduct of his or her office, or (b) there has been obtained an
opinion in writing of independent legal counsel, based upon a review of readily
available facts (as opposed to a full trial type inquiry) to the effect that
such indemnification would not protect such Person against any liability to the
Trust to which he would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance,
bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the
conduct of his office. Any approval pursuant to this Section shall not prevent
the recovery from any Covered Person of any amount paid to such Covered Person
in accordance with this Section as indemnification if such Covered Person is
subsequently adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction to have been
liable to the Trust or its Shareholders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad
faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the
conduct of such Covered Person's office.
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11.3. INDEMNIFICATION NOT EXCLUSIVE. The right of indemnification hereby
provided shall not be exclusive of or affect any other rights to which such
Covered Person may be entitled. As used in this Article 11, the term "Covered
Person" shall include such person's heirs, executors and administrators and a
"disinterested Trustee" is a Trustee who is not an "interested person" of the
Trust as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended, (or who has been exempted from being an "interested person" by any
rule, regulation or order of the Commission) and against whom none of such
actions, suits or other proceedings or another action, suit or other proceeding
on the same or similar grounds is then or has been pending. Nothing contained in
this Article shall affect any rights to indemnification to which personnel of
the Trust, other than Trustees or officers, and other persons may be entitled by
contract or otherwise under law, nor the power of the Trust to purchase and
maintain liability insurance on behalf of any such person; provided, however,
that the Trust shall not purchase or maintain any such liability insurance in
contravention of applicable law, including without limitation the 1940 Act.
ARTICLE 12
Amendments to the By-Laws
12.1. GENERAL. These By-Laws may be amended or repealed, in whole or
in part, by a majority of the Trustees then in office at any meeting of the
Trustees, or by one or more writings signed by such a majority.
Date: December 5, 2007