▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ GLOBAL SERIES TRUST
AMENDED AND RESTATED
AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST
AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST made at Boston,
Massachusetts, this 14th day of July, 2003 by the Trustees hereunder and by the
holders of shares of beneficial interest issued hereunder and to be issued
hereunder as hereinafter provided, amending and restating the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust made at Boston, Massachusetts the 27th day of May, 2003.
WHEREAS, the Trustees of the Trust, having been authorized by the holders
of the shares of beneficial interest of the Trust, have determined that the
Agreement and Declaration of Trust should be amended and restated in its
entirety as hereinafter set forth.
NOW, THEREFORE, this Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of
Trust shall take effect as of the time of execution by the Trustees of the Trust
and shall be filed with the Secretary of State of The Commonwealth of
Massachusetts.
WITNESSETH that
WHEREAS, this Trust has been formed to carry on the business of an
investment company; and
WHEREAS, the Trustees have agreed to manage all property coming into their
hands as trustees of a Massachusetts voluntary association with transferable
shares in accordance with the provisions hereinafter set forth;
NOW, THEREFORE, the Trustees hereby declare that they will hold all cash,
securities and other assets, which they may from time to time acquire in any
manner as Trustees hereunder IN TRUST to manage and dispose of the same upon the
following terms and conditions for the benefit of the holders from time to time
of Shares in this Trust as hereinafter set forth.
ARTICLE I
Name and Definitions
NAME
Section 1. This Trust shall be known as "▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Global Series Trust", and
the Trustees shall conduct the business of the Trust under that name or any
other name as they may from time to time determine.
DEFINITIONS
Section 2. Whenever used herein, unless otherwise required by the context
or specifically provided:
(a) The "Trust" refers to the Massachusetts business trust established
by this Agreement and Declaration of Trust, as amended from time to
time;
(b) "Trustees" refers to the Trustees of the Trust named herein or
elected in accordance with Article IV;
(c) "Shares" means the equal proportionate transferable units of
interest into which the beneficial interest in the Trust shall be
divided from time to time or, if more than one series or class of
Shares is authorized by the Trustees, the equal proportionate
transferable units into which each series or class of Shares shall
be divided from time to time;
(d) "Shareholder" means a record owner of Shares;
(e) The "1940 Act" refers to the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the
Rules and Regulations thereunder, all as amended from time to time;
(f) The terms "Affiliated Person", "Assignment", "Commission",
"Interested Person", "Principal Underwriter" and "Majority
Shareholder Vote" (the 67% or 50% requirement of the third sentence
of Section 2(a)(42) of the 1940 Act, whichever may be applicable)
shall have the meanings given them in the 1940 Act;
(g) "Declaration of Trust" shall mean this Agreement and Declaration of
Trust as amended or restated from time to time;
(h) "Bylaws" shall mean the Bylaws of the Trust as amended from time to
time;
(i) The term "series" or "series of Shares" refers to the one or more
separate investment portfolios of the Trust into which the assets
and liabilities of the Trust may be divided and the Shares of the
Trust representing the beneficial interest of Shareholders in such
respect portfolios; and
(j) The term "class" or "class of Shares" refers to the division of
Shares representing any series into two or more classes as provided
in Article III, Section 1 hereof.
ARTICLE II
Purpose of Trust
The purpose of the Trust is to provide investors a managed investment
primarily in securities, debt instruments and other instruments and rights of a
financial character.
ARTICLE III
Shares
DIVISION OF BENEFICIAL INTEREST
Section 1. The Shares of the Trust shall be issued in one or more series as
the Trustees may, without shareholder approval, authorize. Each series shall be
preferred over all other series in respect of the assets allocated to that
series within the meaning of the 1940 Act and shall represent a separate
investment portfolio of the Trust. The beneficial interest in each series shall
at all times be divided into Shares, par value $0.0001 per Share, each of which
shall, except as provided in the following sentence, represent an equal
proportionate interest in the series with each other Share of the same series,
none having priority or preference over another. The Trustees may, without
Shareholder approval, divide the Shares of any series into two or more classes,
Shares of each such class having such preferences and
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special or relative rights and privileges (including conversion rights, if any)
as the Trustees may determine and as shall be set forth in the Bylaws. The
number of Shares authorized shall be unlimited. The Trustees may from time to
time divide or combine the Shares of any series or class into a greater or
lesser number without thereby changing the proportionate beneficial interest in
the series or class.
OWNERSHIP OF SHARES
Section 2. The ownership of Shares shall be recorded on the books of the
Trust or a transfer or similar agent. No certificates certifying the ownership
of Shares shall be issued except as the Trustees may otherwise determine from
time to time. The Trustees may make such rules as they consider appropriate for
the issuance of Share certificates, the transfer of Shares and similar matters.
The record books of the Trust as kept by the Trust or any transfer or similar
agent, as the case may be, shall be conclusive as to who are the Shareholders of
each series and class and as to the number of Shares of each series and class
held from time to time by each Shareholder.
INVESTMENT IN THE TRUST
Section 3. The Trustees shall accept investments in the Trust from such
persons and on such terms and for such consideration, which may consist of cash
or tangible or intangible property or a combination thereof, as they or the
Bylaws from time to time authorize.
All consideration received by the Trust for the issue or sale of Shares of
each series, together with all income, earnings, profits, and proceeds thereof,
including any proceeds derived from the sale, exchange or liquidation thereof,
and any funds or payments derived from any reinvestment of such proceeds in
whatever form the same may be, shall irrevocably belong to the series of Shares
with respect to which the same were received by the Trust for all purposes,
subject only to the rights of creditors, and shall be so handled upon the books
of account of the Trust and are herein referred to as "assets of" such series.
NO PREEMPTIVE RIGHTS
Section 4. Shareholders shall have no preemptive or other right to
subscribe to any additional Shares or other securities issued by the Trust.
STATUS OF SHARES AND LIMITATION OF PERSONAL LIABILITY
Section 5. Shares shall be deemed to be personal property giving only the
rights provided in this Declaration of Trust or the Bylaws. Every Shareholder by
virtue of having become a Shareholder shall be held to have expressly assented
and agreed to the terms of this Declaration of Trust and the Bylaws and to have
become a party thereto. The death of a Shareholder during the continuance of the
Trust shall not operate to terminate the same nor entitle the representative of
any deceased Shareholder to an accounting or to take any action in court or
elsewhere against the Trust or the Trustees, but only to the rights of said
decedent under this Trust. Ownership of Shares shall not entitle the Shareholder
to any title in or to the whole or any part of the Trust property or right to
call for a partition or division of the same or for an accounting, nor shall the
ownership of Shares constitute the Shareholders partners. Neither the Trust nor
the Trustees, nor any officer, employee or agent of the Trust shall have any
power to bind personally any Shareholder, nor except as specifically provided
herein to call upon any Shareholder for the payment of any sum of money or
assessment whatsoever other than such as the Shareholder may at any time
personally agree to pay.
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DERIVATIVE CLAIMS
Section 6. No Shareholder shall have the right to bring or maintain any
court action, proceeding or claim on behalf of the Trust or any series or class
of Shares without first making demand on the Trustees requesting the Trustees to
bring or maintain such action, proceeding or claim. Such demand shall not be
excused under any circumstances, including claims of alleged interest on the
part of the Trustees, unless the plaintiff makes a specific showing that
irreparable nonmonetary injury to the Trust or series or class of Shares would
otherwise result. Such demand shall be mailed to the Secretary of the Trust at
the Trust's principal office and shall set forth with particularity the nature
of the proposed court action, proceeding or claim and the essential facts relied
upon by the Shareholder to support the allegations made in the demand. The
Trustees shall consider such demand within 45 days of its receipt by the Trust.
In their sole discretion, the Trustees may submit the matter to a vote of
Shareholders of the Trust or a series or class of Shares, as appropriate. Any
decision by the Trustees to bring, maintain or settle (or not to bring, maintain
or settle) such court action, proceeding or claim, or to submit the matter to a
vote of Shareholders, shall be binding upon the Shareholders. Any decision by
the Trustees to bring or maintain a court action, proceeding or suit on behalf
of the Trust or a series or class of Shares shall be subject to the right of the
Shareholders under Article V hereof to vote on whether or not such court action,
proceeding or suit should or should not be brought or maintained.
ARTICLE IV
The Trustees
ELECTION
Section 1. A Trustee may be elected either by the Trustees or by the
Shareholders. The number of Trustees shall be fixed from time to time by the
Trustees and, at or after the sale to the public of any shares of the Trust,
shall be not less than three. Each Trustee elected by the Trustees or the
Shareholders shall serve until he or she retires, resigns, is removed or dies or
until the next meeting of Shareholders called for the purpose of electing
Trustees and until the election and qualification of his or her successor. At
any meeting called for the purpose, a Trustee may be removed by vote of the
holders of two-thirds of the outstanding Shares.
EFFECT OF DEATH, RESIGNATION, ETC. OF A TRUSTEE
Section 2. The death, declination, resignation, retirement, removal or
incapacity of the Trustees, or any one of them, shall not operate to annul the
Trust or to revoke any existing agency created pursuant to the terms of this
Declaration of Trust.
POWERS
Section 3. Subject to the provisions of this Declaration of Trust, the
business of the Trust shall be managed by the Trustees, and they shall have all
powers necessary or convenient to carry out that responsibility. Without
limiting the foregoing, the Trustees may adopt Bylaws not inconsistent with this
Declaration of Trust providing for the conduct of the business of the Trust and
may amend and repeal them to the extent that such Bylaws do not reserve that
right to the Shareholders; they may fill vacancies in or add to their number,
and may elect and remove such officers and appoint and terminate such agents as
they consider appropriate; they may appoint from their own number, and
terminate, any one or more committees consisting of two or more Trustees,
including an executive committee which may, when the Trustees are not in
session, exercise some or all of the power and authority of the Trustees as the
Trustees may determine; they may employ one or more custodians of the assets of
the Trust and may authorize
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such custodians to employ subcustodians and to deposit all or any part of such
assets in a system or systems for the central handling of securities, retain a
transfer agent or a Shareholder servicing agent, or both, provide for the
distribution of Shares by the Trust, through one or more principal underwriters
or otherwise, set record dates for the determination of Shareholders with
respect to various matters, and in general delegate such authority as they
consider desirable to any officer of the Trust, to any committee of the
Trustees, and to any agent or employee of the Trust or to any such custodian or
underwritten.
Without limiting the foregoing, the Trustees shall have power and
authority:
(a) To invest and reinvest cash, and to hold cash uninvested;
(b) To sell, exchange, lend, pledge, mortgage, hypothecate, write
options on and lease any or all of the assets of the Trust;
(c) To vote or give assent, or exercise any rights of ownership, with
respect to stock or other securities or property; and to execute
and deliver proxies or powers of attorney to such person or persons
as the Trustees shall deem proper, granting to such person or
persons such power and discretion with relation to securities or
property as the Trustees shall deem proper;
(d) To exercise powers and rights of subscription or otherwise which in
any manner arise out of ownership of securities;
(e) To hold any security or property in a form not indicating any
trust, whether in bearer, unregistered or other negotiable form, or
in the name of the Trustees or of the Trust or in the name of a
custodian, subcustodian or other depositary or a nominee or
nominees or otherwise;
(f) Subject to the provisions of Article III, Section 3, to allocate
assets, liabilities, income and expenses of the Trust to a
particular series of Shares or to apportion the same among two or
more series, provided that any liabilities or expenses incurred by
or arising in connection with a particular series of Shares shall
be payable solely out of the assets of that series; and to the
extent necessary or appropriate to give effect to the preferences
and special or relative rights and privileges of any classes of
Shares, to allocate assets, liabilities, income and expenses of a
series to a particular class of Shares of that series or to
apportion the same among two or more classes of Shares of that
series;
(g) To consent to or participate in any plan for the reorganization,
consolidation or merger of any corporation or issuer, any security
of which is or was held in the Trust; to consent to any contract,
lease, mortgage, purchase or sale of property by such corporation
or issuer, and to pay calls or subscriptions with respect to any
security held in the Trust;\
(h) To join other security holders in acting through a committee,
depositary, voting trustee or otherwise, and in that connection to
deposit any security with, or transfer any security to, any such
committee, depositary or trustee, and to delegate to them such
power and authority with relation to any security (whether or not
so deposited or transferred) as the Trustees shall deem proper, and
to agree to pay, and to pay, such portion of the expenses and
compensation of such committee, depositary or trustee as the
Trustees shall deem proper;
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(i) To compromise, arbitrate or otherwise adjust claims in favor of or
against the Trust or any matter in controversy, including but not
limited to claims for taxes;
(j) To enter into joint ventures, general or limited partnerships and
any other combinations or associations
(k) To borrow funds;
(l) To endorse or guarantee the payment of any notes or other
obligations of any person; to make contracts of guaranty or
suretyship, or otherwise assume liability for payment thereof; and
to mortgage and pledge the Trust property or any part thereof to
secure any of or all such obligation
(m) To purchase and pay for entirely out of Trust property such
insurance as they may deem necessary or appropriate for the conduct
of the business, including, without limitation, insurance policies
insuring the assets of the Trust and payment of distributions and
principal on its portfolio investments, and insurance policies
insuring the Shareholders, Trustees, officers, employees, agents,
investment advisers or managers, principal underwriters, or
independent contractors of the Trust individually against claims
and liabilities of every nature arising by reason of holding, being
or having held any such office or position, or by reason of any
action alleged to have been taken or omitted by any such person as
Shareholder, Trustee, officer, employee, agent, investment adviser
or manager, principal underwriter, or independent contractor,
including any action taken or omitted that may be determined to
constitute negligence, whether or not the Trust would have the
power to indemnify such person against such liability; and
(n) To pay pensions for faithful service, as deemed appropriate by the
Trustees, and to adopt, establish and carry out pension,
profit-sharing, share bonus, share purchase, savings, thrift and
other retirement, incentive and benefit plans, trusts and
provisions, including the purchasing of life insurance and annuity
contracts as a means of providing such retirement and other
benefits, for any or all of the Trustees, officers, employees and
agents of the Trust.
(o) To combine the assets and liabilities belonging to any two or more
series of Shares or attributable to any class of Shares into assets
and liabilities belonging to a single series, or attributable to a
single class of shares, without the approval of Shareholders in
respect of such series or class unless otherwise required by
applicable law.
(p) To engage in any other lawful activity in which corporations
organized under the Massachusetts Business Corporation Act may
engage.
The Trustees shall not in any way be bound or limited by any present or
future law or custom in regard to investments by trustees. Except as otherwise
provided herein or from time to time in the Bylaws, any action to be taken by
the Trustees may be taken by a majority of the Trustees present at a meeting of
the Trustees (a quorum being present), within or without Massachusetts,
including any meeting held 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, or by written consents of a
majority of the Trustees then in office.
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PAYMENT OF EXPENSES BY TRUST
Section 4. The Trustees are authorized to pay or to cause to be paid out of
the assets of the Trust all expenses, fees, charges, taxes, and liabilities
incurred or arising in connection with the Trust, or in connection with the
management thereof, including, but not limited to, the Trustees' compensation
and such expenses and charges for the services of the Trust's officers,
employees, investment adviser or manager, principal underwriter, auditor,
counsel, custodian, transfer agent, Shareholder servicing agent, and such other
agents or independent contractors and such other expenses and charges as the
Trustees may deem necessary or proper to incur, provided, however, that all
expenses, fees, charges, taxes and liabilities incurred by or arising in
connection with a particular series of Shares shall be payable solely out of the
assets of that series.
OWNERSHIP OF ASSETS OF THE TRUST
Section 5. Title to all of the assets of each series of Shares and of the
Trust shall at all times be considered as vested in the Trustees.
ADVISORY, MANAGEMENT AND DISTRIBUTION
Section 6. Subject to a favorable Majority Shareholder Vote if required by
applicable law, the Trustees may, at any time and from time to time, contract
for exclusive or nonexclusive advisory and/or management services with any
corporation, trust, association or other organization (the "Manager"), every
such contract to comply with such requirements and restrictions as may be set
forth in the Bylaws; and any such contract may contain such other terms
interpretive of or in addition to said requirements and restrictions as the
Trustees may determine, including, without limitation, authority to determine
from time to time what investments shall be purchased, held, sold or exchanged
and what portion, if any, of the assets of the Trust shall be held uninvested
and to make changes in the Trust's investments. The Trustees may also, at any
time and from time to time, contract with the Manager or any other corporation,
trust, association or other organization, appointing it exclusive or
nonexclusive distributor or principal underwriter for the Shares, every such
contract to comply with such requirements and restrictions as may be set forth
in the Bylaws; and any such contract may contain such other terms interpretive
of or in addition to said requirements and restrictions as the Trustees may
determine.
The fact that:
(i) any of the Shareholders, Trustees or officers of the Trust is a
shareholder, director, officer, partner, trustee employee, manager,
adviser, principal underwriter or distributor or agent of or for
any corporation, trust, association, or other organization, or of
or for any parent or affiliate of any organization, with which an
advisory or management contract, or principal underwriter's or
distributor's contract, or transfer, Shareholder servicing or other
agency contract may have been or may hereafter be made, or that any
such organization, or any parent or affiliate thereof, is a
Shareholder or has an interest in the Trust, or that
(ii) any corporation, trust, association or other organization with
which an advisory or management contract or principal underwriter's
or distributor's contract, or transfer, Shareholder servicing or
other agency contract may have been or may hereafter be made also
has an advisory or management contract, or transfer, Shareholder
servicing or other agency contract with one or more other
corporations, trusts, associations, or other organizations, or has
other business or interests
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shall not affect the validity of any such contract or disqualify any
Shareholder, Trustee or officer of the Trust from voting upon or executing the
same or create any liability or accountability to the Trust or its Shareholders.
ARTICLE V
Shareholders' Voting Powers and Meetings
VOTING POWERS
Section 1. Subject to the voting powers of one or more classes of Shares as
set forth elsewhere in this Declaration of Trust or in the Bylaws, the
Shareholders shall have power to vote only (i) for the election of Trustees as
provided in Article IV, Section 1, (ii) for the removal of Trustees as provided
in Article IV, Section 1, (iii) with respect to any Manager as provided in
Article IV, Section 6, (iv) with respect to any termination of this Trust to the
extent and as provided in Article IX, Section 4, (v) with respect to any
amendment of this Declaration of Trust to the extent and as provided in Article
IX, Section 7, (vi) to the same extent as the stockholders of a Massachusetts
business corporation as to whether or not a court action, proceeding or claim
should or should not be brought or maintained derivatively or as a class action
on behalf of the Trust or the Shareholders, and (vii) with respect to such
additional matters relating to the Trust as may be required by this Declaration
of Trust, the Bylaws or any registration of the Trust with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (or any successor agency) or any state, or as the Trustees
may consider necessary or desirable. Each whole Share shall be entitled to one
vote as to any matter on which it is entitled to vote and each fractional Share
shall be entitled to a proportionate fractional vote on any matter submitted to
a vote of Shareholders, all Shares of the Trust then entitled to vote shall,
except as otherwise provided in the Bylaws, be voted in the aggregate as a
single class without regard to series or classes of shares, except (1) when
required by the 1940 Act or when the Trustees shall have determined that the
matter affects one or more series or classes of Shares materially differently,
Shares shall be voted by individual series or class; and (2) when the Trustees
have determined that the matter affects only the interests of one or more series
or classes, then only Shareholders of such series or classes shall be entitled
to vote thereon. There shall be no cumulative voting in the election of
Trustees. Shares may be voted in person or by proxy. A proxy with respect to
Shares held in the name of two or more persons shall be valid if executed by any
one of them unless at or prior to exercise of the proxy the Trust receives a
specific written notice to the contrary from any one of them. A proxy purporting
to be executed by or on behalf of a Shareholder shall be deemed valid unless
challenged at or prior to its exercise and the burden of proving invalidity
shall rest on the challenger. Until Shares of any series or class are issued,
the Trustees may exercise all rights of Shareholders and may take any action
required by law, this Declaration of Trust or the Bylaws to be taken by
Shareholders as to such series or class.
VOTING POWER AND MEETINGS
Section 2. Meetings of Shareholders of any or all series or classes may be
called by the Trustees from time to time for the purpose of taking action upon
any matter requiring the vote or authority of the Shareholders of such series or
classes as herein provided or upon any other matter deemed by the Trustees to be
necessary or desirable. Written notice of any meeting of Shareholders shall be
given or caused to be given by the Trustees by mailing such notice at least
seven days before such meeting, postage prepaid, stating the time, place and
purpose of the meeting, to each Shareholder entitled to vote at such meeting at
the Shareholder's address as it appears on the records of the Trust. If the
Trustees shall fail to call or give notice of any meeting of Shareholders for a
period of 30 days after written application by Shareholders holding at least 10%
of the then outstanding shares of all series and classes entitled to vote at
such meeting requesting a meeting to be called for a purpose requiring action by
the Shareholders as provided herein or in the Bylaws, then Shareholders holding
at least 10% of the then outstanding Shares of all
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series and classes entitled to vote at such meeting may call and
give notice of such meeting, and thereupon the meeting shall be held in the
manner provided for herein in case of call thereof by the Trustees. Notice of a
meeting need not be given to any Shareholder 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 Shareholder who attends the meeting without protesting
prior thereto or at its commencement the lack of notice to him or her.
QUORUM AND REQUIRED VOTE
Section 3. Thirty percent of Shares entitled to vote on a particular matter
shall be a quorum for the transaction of business on that matter at a
Shareholders' meeting, except that where any provision of law or of this
Declaration of Trust or the Bylaws requires that holders of any series or class
shall vote as an individual series or class, then thirty percent of the
aggregate number of Shares of that series or class entitled to vote shall be
necessary to constitute a quorum for the transaction of business by that series
or class. Any lesser number shall be sufficient for adjournments. Any adjourned
session or sessions may be held, within a reasonable time after the date set for
the original meeting, without the necessity of further notice. Except when a
larger vote is required by any provision of law or of this Declaration of Trust
or the Bylaws, a majority of the Shares voted shall decide any questions and a
plurality shall elect a Trustee, provided that where any provision of law or of
this Declaration of Trust or the Bylaws requires that the holders of any series
or class shall vote as an individual series or class then a majority of the
Shares of that series or class voted on the matter (or a plurality with respect
to the election of a Trustee) shall decide that matter insofar as that series or
class is concerned.
ACTION BY WRITTEN CONSENT
Section 4. Any action taken by Shareholders may be taken without a meeting
if a majority of Shareholders entitled to vote on the matter (or such larger
proportion thereof as shall be required by any express provision of this
Declaration of Trust or the Bylaws) consent to the action in writing and such
written consents are filed with the records of the meetings of Shareholders.
Such consent shall be treated for all purposes as a vote taken at a meeting of
Shareholders.
ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS
Section 5. The Bylaws may include further provisions, not inconsistent with
this Declaration of Trust, regarding Shareholders' voting powers, the conduct of
meetings and related matters.
ARTICLE VI
Shareholders' Voting Powers and Meetings
DISTRIBUTIONS
Section 1. The Trustees may each year, or more frequently if they so
determine, distribute to the Shareholders of each series out of the assets of
such series such amounts as the Trustees may determine. Any such distribution to
the Shareholders of a particular series shall be made to said Shareholders pro
rata in proportion to the number of Shares of such series held by each of them,
except to the extent otherwise required or permitted by the preferences and
special or relative rights and privileges of any classes of Shares of that
Series, and any distribution to the Shareholders of a particular class of Shares
shall be made to such Shareholders pro rata in proportion to the number of
Shares of such class held by each of them. Such distributions shall be made in
cash, Shares or other property, or a combination thereof, as determined by the
Trustees. Any such distribution paid in Shares will be paid at the net asset
value thereof as determined in accordance with the Bylaws.
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REDEMPTIONS AND REPURCHASES
Section 2. The Trust shall purchase such Shares as are offered by any
Shareholder for redemption, upon the presentation of any certificate for the
Shares to be purchased, a proper instrument of transfer and a request directed
to the Trust or a person designated by the Trust that the Trust purchase such
Shares, or in accordance with such other procedures for redemption as the
Trustees may from time to time authorize; and the Trust will pay therefor the
net asset value thereof, as next determined in accordance with the Bylaws, less
any redemption charge fixed by the Trustees. Payment for said Shares shall be
made by the Trust to the Shareholder, in cash or in securities held by the Trust
on behalf of the series in question (in accordance with such policies as the
Trustees may from time to time approve), within seven days after the date on
which the request is made. The obligation set forth in this Section 2 is subject
to the provision that in the event that any time the New York Stock Exchange is
closed for other than customary weekends or holidays, or, if permitted by rules
of the Securities and Exchange Commission, during periods when trading on the
Exchange is restricted or during any emergency which makes it impractical for
the Trust to dispose of its investments or to determine fairly the value of its
net assets, or during any other period permitted by order of the Securities and
Exchange Commission for the protection of investors, such obligation may be
suspended or postponed by the Trustees. The Trust may also purchase or
repurchase Shares at a price not exceeding the net asset value of such Shares in
effect when the purchase or repurchase or any contract to purchase or repurchase
is made.
REDEMPTION AT THE OPTION OF THE TRUST
Section 3. The Trust shall have the right at its option and at any time to
redeem Shares of any Shareholder at the net asset value thereof as determined in
accordance with the Bylaws: (i) if at such time such Shareholder owns fewer
Shares than, or Shares having an aggregate net asset value of less than, an
amount determined from time to time by the Trustees; or (ii) to the extent that
such Shareholder owns Shares of a particular series of Shares equal to or in
excess of a percentage of the outstanding Shares of that series determined from
time to time by the Trustees; or (iii) to the extent that such Shareholder owns
Shares of the Trust representing a percentage equal to or in excess of such
percentage of the aggregate number of outstanding Shares of the Trust or the
aggregate net asset value of the Trust determined from time to time by the
Trustees.
ARTICLE VII
Compensation and Limitation of Liability of Trustees
COMPENSATION
Section 1. The Trustees as such shall be entitled to reasonable
compensation from the Trust; they may fix the amount of their compensation.
Nothing herein shall in any way prevent the employment of any Trustee for
advisory, management, legal, accounting, investment banking or other services
and payment for the same by the Trust.
LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
Section 2. The Trustees shall not be responsible or liable in any event for
any neglect or wrongdoing of any officer, agent, employee, manager or principal
underwriter of the Trust, nor shall any Trustee be responsible for the act or
omission of any other Trustee, but nothing herein contained shall protect any
Trustee against any liability to which he or she 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 or her office.
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Every note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate or undertaking and
every other act or thing whatsoever executed or done by or on behalf of the
Trust or the Trustees or any of them in connection with the Trust shall be
conclusively deemed to have been executed or done only in or with respect to
their or his or her capacity as Trustees or Trustee, and such Trustees or
Trustee shall not be personally liable thereon.
ARTICLE VIII
Indemnification
TRUSTEES, OFFICERS, ETC.
Section 1. 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 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 (a) not to have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief
that such Covered Person's action was in the best interest of the Trust or (b)
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.
COMPROMISE PAYMENT
Section 2. 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 either (a) did not act in good faith in the reasonable belief that his or
her action was in the best interests of the Trust or (b) 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 as in the best
interests of the Trust, 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 acted in good faith in
the reasonable belief that his or her action was in the best interests of the
Trust and 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
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in the conduct of his or her office (the disinterested Trustees to take final
action on the consideration of such approval within 60 days of a request
therefor by a Covered Person), 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 Covered
Person appears to have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that his or
her action was in the best interests of the Trust and that such indemnification
would not protect such Covered Person against any liability to the Trust to
which he or she 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 or her office (which opinion the Trustees shall use reasonable
diligence to obtain within 60 days of a request therefor by a Covered Person).
Any such Covered Person shall be entitled to a presumption that he or she acted
without willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard
of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her 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 not to have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief
that such Covered Person's action was in the best interests of the Trust or 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.
INDEMNIFICATION NOT EXCLUSIVE
Section 3. 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 VIII, 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 1940 Act (or who has been exempted from being an
"interested person" by any rule, regulation or order of the Securities and
Exchange 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.
SHAREHOLDERS
Section 4. In case any Shareholder or former Shareholder shall be held to
be personally liable solely by reason of his or her being or having been a
Shareholder and not because of his or her acts or omissions or for some other
reason, the Shareholder or former Shareholder (or his or her heirs, executors,
administrators or other legal representative or in the case of a corporation or
other entity, its corporate or other general successor) shall be entitled to be
held harmless from and indemnified against all loss and expense arising from
such liability, but only out of the assets of the particular series of Shares of
which he or she is or was a Shareholder.
ARTICLE IX
Miscellaneous
TRUSTEES, SHAREHOLDERS, ETC. NOT PERSONALLY LIABLE; NOTICE
Section 1. All persons extending credit to, contracting with or having any
claim against the Trust or a particular series of Shares shall look only to the
assets of the Trust or the assets of that particular series of Shares for
payment under such credit, contract or claim, and neither the Shareholders nor
the Trustees, nor any of the Trust's officers, employees or agents, whether
past, present or future, shall be
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personally liable therefor. Nothing in this Declaration of Trust shall protect
any Trustee against any liability to which such Trustee would otherwise be
subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or
reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of the office of
Trustee.
Every note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate or undertaking made or
issued by the Trustees or by any officer or officers shall give notice that this
Declaration of Trust is on file with the Secretary of State of The Commonwealth
of Massachusetts and shall recite that the same was executed or made by or on
behalf of the Trust or by them as Trustee or Trustees or as officer or officers
and not individually and that the obligations of such instrument are not binding
upon any of them or the Shareholders individually but are binding only upon the
assets and property of the Trust, and may contain such further recital as he or
she or they may deem appropriate, but the omission thereof shall not operate to
bind any Trustee or Trustees or officer or officers or Shareholder or
Shareholders individually.
TRUSTEE'S GOOD FAITH ACTION, EXPERT ADVICE, NO BOND OR SURETY
Section 2. The exercise by the Trustees of their powers and discretions
hereunder shall be binding upon everyone interested. A Trustee shall be liable
for his or her own willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless
disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of the office of Trustee, and
for nothing else. The Trustees may take advice of counsel or other experts with
respect to the meaning and operation of this Declaration of Trust, and shall be
under no liability for any act or omission in accordance with such advice or for
failing to follow such advice. The Trustees shall not be required to give any
bond as such, nor any surety if a bond is required.
For purposes of (a) any standard of care applicable to a Trustee in the
discharge of his or her duties as a trustee and (b) indemnification of a Trustee
pursuant to Article VIII of the Declaration of Trust, the conduct of the Trustee
shall be evaluated solely by reference to a hypothetical reasonable person,
without regard to any special expertise, knowledge or other qualifications of
the Trustee. In particular, and without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, neither the determination that a Trustee is an "audit committee
financial expert" nor the knowledge, experience or other qualifications
underlying such a determination shall result in that Trustee being held to a
standard of care that is higher than the standard that would be applicable in
the absence of such a determination or such knowledge, experience or
qualification, nor shall such a determination or such knowledge, experience or
other qualification impose any duties, obligations or liabilities that are
greater than would obtain in the absence of such a determination or such
knowledge, experience or qualification.
LIABILITY OF THIRD PERSONS DEALING WITH TRUSTEE
Section 3. No person dealing with the Trustees shall be bound to make any
inquiry concerning the validity of any transaction made or to be made by the
Trustees or to see to the application of any payments made or property
transferred to the Trust or upon its order.
DURATION AND TERMINATION OF TRUST
Section 4. Unless terminated as provided herein, the Trust shall continue
without limitation of time. The Trust may be terminated at any time by vote of
Shareholders holding at least two-thirds of the Shares of each series entitled
to vote or by the Trustees by written notice to the Shareholders. Any series of
Shares may be terminated at any time by vote of Shareholders holding at least
two-thirds of the Shares of such series entitled to vote or by the Trustees by
written notice to the Shareholders of such series. Upon termination of the Trust
or of any one or more series of Shares, after paying or otherwise providing for
all charges, taxes, expenses and liabilities, whether due or accrued or
anticipated, of the Trust or of the particular series as may be determined by
the Trustees, the Trust shall in accordance with such procedures
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as the Trustees consider appropriate reduce the remaining assets to
distributable form in cash or shares or other property, or any combination
thereof, and distribute the proceeds to the Shareholders of the series involved,
ratably according to the number of Shares of such series held by the several
Shareholders of such series on the date of termination, except to the extent
otherwise required or permitted by the preferences and special or relative
rights and privileges of any classes of Shares of that series, provided that any
distribution to the Shareholders of a particular class of Shares shall be made
to such Shareholders pro rata in proportion to the number of Shares of such
class held by each of them.
FILING AND COPIES, REFERENCES, HEADINGS
Section 5. The original or a copy of this instrument and of each amendment
hereto shall be kept at the office of the Trust where it may be inspected by any
Shareholder. A copy of this instrument and of each amendment hereto shall be
filed by the Trust with the Secretary of State of The Commonwealth of
Massachusetts and with the Boston City Clerk, as well as any other governmental
office where such filing may from time to time be required. Anyone dealing with
the Trust may rely on a certificate by an officer of the Trust as to whether or
not any such amendments have been made and as to any matters in connection with
the Trust hereunder, and, with the same effect as if it were the original, may
rely on a copy certified by an officer of the Trust to be a copy of this
instrument or of any such amendments. In this instrument and in any such
amendment, references to this instrument and all expressions like "herein",
"hereof" and "hereunder" shall be deemed to refer to this instrument as amended
or affected by any such amendments. Headings are placed herein for convenience
of reference only and shall not be taken as a part hereof or control or affect
the meaning, construction or effect of this instrument. This instrument may be
executed in any number of counterparts each of which shall be deemed an
original.
APPLICABLE LAW
Section 6. This Declaration of Trust is made in The Commonwealth of
Massachusetts, and it is created under and is to be governed by and construed
and administered according to the laws of said Commonwealth. The Trust shall be
of the type commonly called a Massachusetts business trust and, without limiting
the provisions hereof, the Trust may exercise all powers which are ordinarily
exercised by such a trust.
AMENDMENTS
Section 7. This Declaration of Trust may be amended at any time by an
instrument in writing signed by a majority of the then Trustees when authorized
to do so by vote of Shareholders holding a majority of the Shares entitled to
vote, except that an amendment which in the determination of the Trustees shall
affect the holders of one or more series or classes of Shares but not the
holders of all outstanding series and classes shall be authorized by vote of the
Shareholders holding a majority of the Shares entitled to vote of each series
and class affected and no vote of Shareholders of a series or class not affected
shall be required. Amendments having the purpose of changing the name of the
Trust or of supplying any omission, curing any ambiguity or curing, correcting,
or supplementing any defective or inconsistent provision contained herein shall
not require authorization by Shareholders' vote.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set her hand for herself
and her assigns, as of July 14, 2003.
/s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇
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