ETF DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
ETF DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
This distribution agreement (the “Agreement”) is effective this 5th day of March, 2025, and
made by ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ and Wiley Funds, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”) having its
principal place of business at ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇
90017, and Quasar Distributors, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the
“Distributor”) having its principal place of business at ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇,
Portland, ME 04101.
WHEREAS, the Trust is a registered open-end management investment company
organized under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) with
separate and distinct series (each series a “Fund” and collectively the “Funds) registered
with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”);
WHEREAS, the Trust intends to create and redeem shares of beneficial interest (the
“Shares”) of each Fund on a continuous basis and list the Shares on one or more national
securities exchanges (together, the “Listing Exchanges”);
WHEREAS, the Distributor is registered with the SEC as a broker-dealer under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), and is a member of the
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”);
WHEREAS, the Trust desires to retain the Distributor to (i) act as the principal underwriter
of the Funds with respect to the creation and redemption of Creation Units of each Fund,
and (ii) hold itself available to review and approve orders for such Creation Units in the
manner set forth in the Trust’s Prospectus; and
WHEREAS, the Distributor desires to provide the services described herein to the Trust
subject to the terms and conditions set forth below.
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises and undertakings herein
contained, the parties agree as follows:
1.Appointment. The Trust hereby appoints the Distributor to serve as the principal
underwriter of the Funds with respect to the creation and redemption of Creation Units of
each Fund listed in Exhibit A hereto (as may be amended by the Trust from time to time
on written notice to the Distributor) on the terms and for the period set forth in this
Agreement and subject to the registration requirements of the federal securities laws and
of the laws governing the sale of securities in the various states, and the Distributor hereby
accepts such appointment and agrees to act in such capacity hereunder.
2.Definitions. Wherever they are used herein, the following terms have the following
respective meanings:
(a)“Prospectus” means the Prospectus constituting part of the Registration
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Statement of the Trust under the 1933 and the 1940 Act as such Prospectus may be
amended or supplemented and filed with the SEC from time to time;
(b)“Statement of Additional Information” means the Statement of Additional
Information constituting part of the Registration Statement of the Trust under the 1933 Act
and the 1940 Act as such Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information may be
amended or supplemented and filed with the SEC from time to time;
(c)“Registration Statement” means the registration statement most recently
filed from time to time by the Trust with the SEC and effective under the 1933 Act and the
1940 Act, as such registration statement is amended by any amendments thereto at the time
in effect;
(d)All other capitalized terms used but not defined in this Agreement shall have
the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
3.Duties of the Distributor
(a)The Distributor agrees to serve as the principal underwriter of the Funds in
connection with the review and approval of all purchase and redemption orders of Creation
Units of each Fund by Authorized Participants that have executed an Authorized
Participant Agreement with the Distributor and Transfer Agent/ Index Receipt Agent.
Nothing herein shall affect or limit the right and ability of the Transfer Agent/ Index
Receipt Agent to accept Fund Securities, Deposit Securities, and related Cash Components
through or outside the Clearing Process, and as provided in and in accordance with the
Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Trust acknowledges that the Distributor shall
not be obligated to approve any certain number of orders for Creation Units.
(b)The Distributor agrees to use commercially reasonable efforts to provide
the following services to the Trust with respect to the continuous distribution of Creation
Units of each Fund: (i) at the request of the Trust, the Distributor shall enter into
Authorized Participant Agreements between and among Authorized Participants, the
Distributor and the Transfer Agent/Index Receipt Agent, for the purchase and redemption
of Creation Units of the Funds, (ii) the Distributor shall approve and maintain copies of
confirmations of Creation Unit purchase and redemption order acceptances; (iii) upon
request, the Distributor will make available copies of the Prospectus to purchasers of such
Creation Units and, upon request, the Statement of Additional Information; and (iv) the
Distributor shall maintain telephonic, facsimile and/or access to direct computer
communications links with the Transfer Agent.
(c)The Distributor shall ensure that all direct requests to Distributor for
Prospectuses, Statements of Additional Information, product descriptions and periodic
fund reports, as applicable, are fulfilled.
(d)The Distributor agrees to make available, at the Trust’s request, one or more
members of its staff to attend, either via telephone or in person, Board meetings of the
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Trust in order to provide information with regard to the Distributor’s services hereunder
and for such other purposes as may be requested by the Board of Trustees of the Trust.
(e)Distributor shall review and approve, prior to use, all Trust marketing
materials (“Marketing Materials”) for compliance with SEC and FINRA advertising rules
and will file all Marketing Materials required to be filed with FINRA. The Distributor
agrees to furnish to the Trust’s investment adviser (the “Investment Adviser”) any
comments provided by FINRA with respect to such materials.
(f)The Distributor shall not offer any Shares and shall not approve any creation
or redemption order hereunder if and so long as the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement then in effect or any necessary amendments thereto shall be suspended under
any of the provisions of the 1933 Act or if and so long as a current prospectus as required
by Section 10 of the 1933 Act is not on file with the SEC; provided, however, that nothing
contained in this paragraph shall in any way restrict or have any application to or bearing
upon the Trust’s obligation to redeem or repurchase any Shares from any shareholder in
accordance with provisions of the Prospectus or Registration Statement.
(g)The Distributor shall work with the Index Receipt Agent to review and
approve orders placed by Authorized Participants and transmitted to the Index Receipt
Agent.
(h)The Distributor agrees to maintain and preserve for the periods prescribed
by Rule 31a-2 under the 1940 Act, such records as are required to be maintained by Rule
31a-1(d) under the 1940 Act. The Distributor agrees that all records which it maintains
pursuant to the 1940 Act for the Trust shall at all times remain the property of the Trust,
shall be readily accessible during normal business hours, and shall be promptly surrendered
upon the termination of the Agreement or otherwise on written request; provided, however,
that Distributor may retain all such records required to be maintained by Distributor
pursuant to applicable FINRA or SEC rules and regulations.
(i)The Distributor agrees to maintain compliance policies and procedures (a
“Compliance Program”) that are reasonably designed to prevent violations of the Federal
Securities Laws (as defined in Rule 38a-1 of the 1940 Act) with respect to the Distributor’s
services under this Agreement, and to provide any and all information with respect to the
Compliance Program, including without limitation, information and certifications with
respect to material violations of the Compliance Program and any material deficiencies or
changes therein, as may be reasonably requested by the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer
or Board of Trustees.
4.Duties of the Trust.
(a)The Trust agrees to create, issue, and redeem Creation Units of each Fund
in accordance with the procedures described in the Prospectus. Upon reasonable notice to
the Distributor and in accordance with the procedures described in the Prospectus, the Trust
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reserves the right to reject any order for Creation Units or to stop all receipts of such orders
at any time.
(b)The Trust agrees that it will take all actions necessary to register an
indefinite number of Shares under the 1933 Act.
(c)The Trust will make available to the Distributor such number of copies as
Distributor may reasonably request of (i) its then currently effective Prospectus and
Statement of Additional Information and product description, (ii) copies of semi-annual
reports and annual reports of the Trust’s financial statements audited by independent public
accountants retained by the Trust, and (iii) such other publicly available information for
use in connection with the distribution of Creation Units.
(d)The Trust shall inform the Distributor of any such jurisdictions in which the
Trust has filed notice filings for Shares for sale under the securities laws thereof and shall
promptly notify the Distributor of any change in this information. The Distributor shall
not be liable for damages resulting from the sale of Shares in authorized jurisdictions where
the Distributor had no information from the Trust that such sale or sales were unauthorized
at the time of such sale or sales.
(e)The Distributor acknowledges and agrees that the Trust reserves the right to
suspend sales and the Distributor’s authority to review and approve orders for Creation
Units on behalf of the Trust. Upon due notice to the Distributor, the Trust shall suspend the
Distributor’s authority to review and approve Creation Units if, in the judgment of the
Trust, it is in the best interests of the Trust to do so. Suspension will continue for such
period as may be determined by the Trust.
(f)The Trust shall arrange to provide the Listing Exchanges with copies of
Prospectuses, Statements of Additional Information, and product descriptions to be
provided to purchasers in the secondary market.
(g)The Trust will make it known that Prospectuses and Statements of
Additional Information and product descriptions are available by making sure such
disclosures are in all Marketing Materials prepared by or at the direction of the Trust.
5.Fees and Expenses.
(a)The Distributor shall be entitled to no compensation or reimbursement of
expenses from the Trust for the services provided by the Distributor pursuant to this
Agreement. The Distributor may receive compensation from the Investment Adviser
related to its services hereunder or for additional services as may be agreed to between the
Investment Adviser and Distributor.
(b)The Trust shall bear the cost and expenses of: (i) the registration of the
Shares for sale under the 1933 Act; and (ii) the registration or qualification of the Shares
for sale under the securities laws of the various states.
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(c)The Distributor shall pay (i) all expenses relating to Distributor’s broker-
dealer qualification and registration under the 1934 Act; and (ii) the expenses incurred by
the Distributor in connection with routine FINRA filing fees.
(d)Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the Distributor
and its affiliates may receive compensation or reimbursement from the Investment Adviser
with respect to any services performed under this Agreement, as may be agreed upon by
the parties from time to time.
(e)The Trust shall bear any costs associated with printing Prospectuses,
Statements of Additional Information and all other such materials.
6.Indemnification.
(a)The Trust agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Distributor and its
directors, officers and employees and agents and any person who controls the Distributor
within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (any of the Distributor, its officers,
employees, agents and directors or such control persons, for purposes of this paragraph, a
“Distributor Indemnitee”) against any loss, liability, claim, damages or expense (including
the reasonable cost of investigating or defending any alleged loss, liability, claim, damages
or expense and reasonable counsel fees incurred in connection therewith) (“Losses”) that
a Distributor Indemnitee may incur arising out of or based upon: (i) Distributor serving as
distributor for the Trust pursuant to this Agreement; (ii) the allegation of any wrongful act
of the Trust or any of its directors, officers, employees or affiliates in connection with its
duties, representations, and responsibilities in this Agreement; (iii) any claim that the
Registration Statement, Prospectus, Statement of Additional Information, product
description, shareholder reports, Marketing Materials and advertisements specifically
approved by the Trust and Investment Adviser or other information filed or made public
by the Trust (as from time to time amended) included an untrue statement of a material fact
or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make
the statements therein (and in the case of the Prospectus, Statement of Additional
Information and product description, in light of the circumstances under which they were
made) not misleading under the 1933 Act, or any other statute or the common law; (iv) the
breach by the Trust of any obligation, representation or warranty contained in this
Agreement; or (v) the Trust’s failure to comply in any material respect with applicable
securities laws.
(b)The Distributor agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Trust and each
of its Trustees and officers and any person who controls the Trust within the meaning of
Section 15 of the 1933 Act (for purposes of this paragraph, the Trust and each of its
Trustees and officers and its controlling persons are collectively referred to as the “Trust
Indemnitees”) against any Losses arising out of or based upon (i) the allegation of any
wrongful act of the Distributor or any of its directors, officers, employees or affiliates in
connection with its activities as Distributor pursuant to this Agreement; (ii) the breach of
any obligation, representation or warranty contained in this Agreement by the Distributor;
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(iii) the Distributor’s failure to comply in any material respect with applicable securities
laws, including applicable FINRA regulations; or (iv) any allegation that the Registration
Statement, Prospectus, Statement of Additional Information, product description,
shareholder reports, any information or materials relating to the Funds (as described in
section 4(g)) or other information filed or made public by the Trust (as from time to time
amended) included an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements not misleading,
insofar as such statement or omission was made in reasonable reliance upon, and in
conformity with information furnished to the Trust, in writing, by the Distributor.
In no case (i) is the indemnification provided by an indemnifying party to be deemed to
protect against any liability the indemnified party would otherwise be subject to by reason
of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties or by
reason of its reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement, or (ii) is
the indemnifying party to be liable under this Section with respect to any claim made
against any indemnified party unless the indemnified party notifies the indemnifying party
in writing of the claim within a reasonable time after the summons or other first written
notification giving information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon the
indemnified party (or after the indemnified party shall have received notice of service on
any designated agent).
Failure to notify the indemnifying party of any claim shall not relieve the indemnifying
party from any liability that it may have to the indemnified party against whom such action
is brought, on account of this Section, unless failure or delay to so notify the indemnifying
party prejudices the indemnifying party’s ability to defend against such claim. The
indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate at its own expense in the defense or, if it
so elects, to assume the defense of any suit brought to enforce the claim, but if the
indemnifying party elects to assume the defense, the defense shall be conducted by counsel
chosen by it and satisfactory to the indemnified party. In the event that indemnifying party
elects to assume the defense of any suit and retain counsel, the indemnified party shall bear
the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by them. If the indemnifying party
does not elect to assume the defense of any suit, it will reimburse the indemnified party for
the reasonable fees and expenses of any counsel retained by them. The indemnifying party
agrees to notify the indemnified party promptly of the commencement of any litigation or
proceedings against it or any of its officers or directors in connection with the purchase or
redemption of any of the Creation Units or the Shares.
(c)No indemnified party shall settle any claim against it for which it intends to
seek indemnification from the indemnifying party, under the terms of section 6(a) or 6(b)
above, without prior written notice to and consent from the indemnifying party, which
consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. No indemnified or indemnifying party shall
settle any claim unless the settlement contains a full release of liability with respect to the
other party in respect of such action. This section 6 shall survive the termination of this
Agreement.
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(d)The Trust acknowledges and agrees that as part of its duties, Distributor will
enter into agreements with certain authorized participants (each an “AP” and collectively
the “APs”) for the purchase and redemption of Creation Units (each such agreement an
“AP Agreement”). The APs may insert and require that Distributor agree to certain
provisions in the AP Agreements that contain certain representations, undertakings and
indemnification that are not included in the form-of AP Agreement (each such modified
AP Agreement a “Non-Standard AP Agreement”).
To the extent that Distributor is requested or required to make any such representations
mentioned above, the Trust shall indemnify, defend and hold the Distributor Indemnitees
free and harmless from and against any and all Losses that any Distributor Indemnitee may
incur arising out of or relating to (a) the Distributor’s actions or failures to act pursuant to
any Non-Standard AP Agreement; (b) any representations made by the Distributor in any
Non-Standard AP Agreement to the extent that the Distributor is not required to make such
representations in the form-of AP Agreement; or (c) any indemnification provided by the
Distributor under a Non-Standard AP Agreement. In no event shall anything contained
herein be so construed as to protect the Distributor Indemnitees against any liability to the
Trust or its shareholders to which the Distributor Indemnitees would otherwise be subject
by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance of
Distributor’s obligations or duties under the Non-Standard AP Agreement or by reason of
Distributor’s reckless disregard of its obligations or duties under the Non-Standard AP
Agreement.
7.Representations.
(a)The Distributor represents and warrants that:
1. (i) it is duly organized as a Delaware limited liability company and is
and at all times will remain duly authorized and licensed under
applicable law to carry out its services as contemplated herein; (ii) the
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement are within its
power and have been duly authorized by all necessary action; (iii) its
entering into this Agreement or providing the services contemplated
hereby does not conflict with or constitute a default or require a consent
under or breach of any provision of any agreement or document to
which the Distributor is a party or by which it is bound; (iv) it is
registered as a broker-dealer under the 1934 Act and is a member of
FINRA; and (v) it has in place compliance policies and procedures
reasonably designed to prevent violations of the Federal Securities Laws
as that term is defined in Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act.
2.All activities by the Distributor and its agents and employees in
connection with the services provided in this Agreement shall comply
with the Registration Statement and Prospectus, the instructions of the
Trust, and all applicable laws, rules and regulations including, without
limitation, all rules and regulations made or adopted pursuant to the
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1940 Act by the SEC or any securities association registered under the
1934 Act, including FINRA.
(b)The Distributor and the Trust each individually represent that its anti-money
laundering program (“AML Program”), at a minimum, (i) designates a compliance officer
to administer and oversee the AML Program, (ii) provides ongoing employee training,
(iii) includes an independent audit function to test the effectiveness of the AML Program,
(iv) establishes internal policies, procedures, and controls that are tailored to its particular
business, (v) provides for the filing of all necessary anti-money laundering reports
including, but not limited to, currency transaction reports and suspicious activity reports,
and (vi) allows for appropriate regulators to examine its anti-money laundering books and
records. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trust acknowledges that the Authorized
Participants are not “customers” for the purposes of 31 CFR 1024.220.
(c)The Distributor and the Trust each individually represent and warrant that:
(i) it has procedures in place reasonably designed to protect the privacy of non-public
personal consumer/customer financial information to the extent required by applicable law,
rule and regulation; and (ii) it will comply with all of the applicable terms and provisions
of the 1934 Act to the extent applicable to it.
(d)The Trust represents and warrants that:
1.(i) it is duly organized as a Delaware statutory trust and is and at all times
will remain duly authorized to carry out its obligations as contemplated
herein; (ii) it is registered as an investment company under the 1940 Act;
(iii)the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement
are within its power and have been duly authorized by all necessary
action;
(iv)entering into this Agreement does not conflict with or constitute a
default or require a consent under or breach of any provision of any
agreement or document to which the Trust is a party or by which it is
bound; (v) the Registration Statement and each Fund’s Prospectus have
been prepared, and all Marketing Materials have been prepared by or at
the direction of the Trust and have been approved by the Trust and shall
be prepared, in all material respects, in conformity with all applicable
law, including without limitation, the 1933 Act, the 1940 Act and the
rules and regulations of the SEC (the “Rules and Regulations”); (vi) the
Registration Statement and each Fund’s Prospectus contain, and all
Marketing Materials shall contain, all statements required to be stated
therein in accordance with the 1933 Act, the 1940 Act and the Rules and
Regulations; (vii) all statements of fact contained therein, or to be
contained in all Marketing Materials, are or will be true and correct in all
material respects at the time indicated or the effective date, as the case
may be, and none of the Registration Statement, any Fund’s Prospectus,
nor any Marketing Materials shall include any untrue statement of a
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material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements therein, in the case of each Fund’s
Prospectus in light of the circumstances in which made, not misleading;
(viii) except as otherwise noted in the Registration Statement and
Prospectus, the offering price for all Creation Units will be the aggregate
net asset value of the Shares per Creation Unit of the relevant Fund, as
determined in the manner described in the Registration Statement and
Prospectus; (ix) the Prospectus is effective, no stop order of the SEC or
any other federal, state or foreign regulatory authority, with respect
thereto has been issued, no proceedings for such purpose have been
instituted, or to its knowledge are being contemplated; (x) the Fund
Shares, when issued and delivered against payment of consideration will
be duly and validly authorized, issued fully paid and non-assessable and
free of statutory and contractual preemptive rights, rights of first refusal
and similar rights; (xi) no consent, approval, authorization, order,
registration or qualification of or with any court or governmental agency
or body is required for the issuance and sale of Fund shares, except the
registration of the Fund Shares under the 1933 Act; (xii) Fund Shares
will be listed on Listing Exchanges; (xiii) it will not lend securities
pursuant to any securities lending arrangement that would prevent any
Fund from settling a Redemption Order when due; (xiv) it will not name
the Authorized Participant as an authorized participant and/or as
underwriter in the Prospectus, Marketing Materials or on its or any
Fund’s website without prior written consent of the Authorized
Participant, unless such naming is required by law, rule or regulation;
and
▇.▇▇ shall file such amendment or amendments to the Registration
Statement and each Fund’s Prospectus as, in the light of future
developments, shall, in the opinion of the Trust’s counsel, be necessary
in order to have the Registration Statement and each Fund’s Prospectus
at all times contain all material facts required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances in
which made, not misleading. The Trust shall not file any amendment to
the Registration Statement or each Fund’s Prospectus without giving the
Distributor reasonable notice thereof in advance, provided that nothing
in this Agreement shall in any way limit the Trust’s right to file at any
time such amendments to the Registration Statement or any Fund’s
Prospectus as the Trust may deem advisable. The Trust will also
promptly notify the Distributor in writing in the event of any stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trust shall not be deemed to make
any representation or warranty as to any information or statement
provided by the Distributor for inclusion in the Registration Statement or
any Fund’s Prospectus; and
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3.upon delivery of Deposit or Fund Securities to an Authorized Participant
in connection with a purchase or redemption of Creation Units, the
Authorized Participant will acquire good and unencumbered title to such
securities, free and clear of all liens, restrictions, charges and
encumbrances, and not subject to any adverse claims and that such Fund
and Deposit Securities will not be “restricted securities” as such term is
used in Rule 144(a)(3)(i) under the 1933 Act.
8.Duration, Termination and Amendment.
(a)This Agreement shall be effective on the date set forth above, and unless
terminated as provided herein, shall continue for two years from its effective date, and
thereafter from year to year, provided such continuance is approved annually (i) by vote of
a majority of the Trustees or by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities
of the Fund and (ii) by the vote of a majority of those Trustees who are not parties to this
Agreement or interested persons of any such party cast in person at a meeting called for
the purpose of voting on such approval. This Agreement may be terminated at any time,
without the payment of any penalty, as to each Fund (i) by vote of a majority of those
Trustees who are not parties to this Agreement or interested persons of any such party or
(ii) by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, or by the
Distributor, on at least sixty (60) days’ prior written notice. This Agreement shall
automatically terminate without the payment of any penalty in the event of its assignment.
As used in this paragraph, the terms “vote of a majority of the outstanding voting
securities,” “assignment,” “affiliated person” and “interested person” shall have the
respective meanings specified in the 1940 Act.
(b)No provision of this Agreement may be changed, waived, discharged or
terminated except by an instrument in writing signed by both parties.
9.Notice. Any notice or other communication authorized or required by this
Agreement to be given to either party shall be in writing and deemed to have been given
when delivered in person or by email, or posted by certified mail, return receipt requested,
to the following address (or such other address as a party may specify by written notice to
the other):
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(i) To Foreside: | (ii) If to the Trust: |
Quasar Distributors, LLC Attn: Legal Department Three Canal Plaza, Suite ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇ Email: ▇▇▇▇▇@▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ a copy to: ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇@▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇ | ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ and Wiley Funds Attn: ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ Lopez 601 ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇: 213.430.1896 Email: ▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇▇▇@▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇ |
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10.Choice of Law. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance
with, the laws of the state of Delaware, without giving effect to the choice of laws
provisions thereof.
11.Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each
of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the
same instrument.
12.Severability. If any provisions of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid, in
whole or in part, then the other provisions of this Agreement shall remain in force. Invalid
provisions shall, in accordance with this Agreement’s intent and purpose, be amended, to
the extent legally possible, in order to effectuate the intended results of such invalid
provisions.
▇▇.▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇. The Distributor will maintain at its expense an errors and omissions
insurance policy adequate to cover services provided by the Distributor hereunder.
14.Confidentiality. During the term of this Agreement, the Distributor and the Trust
may have access to confidential information relating to such matters as either party’s
business, trade secrets, systems, procedures, manuals, products, contracts, personnel, and
clients. As used in this Agreement, “Confidential Information” means information
belonging to one of the parties that is of value to such party and the disclosure of which
could result in a competitive or other disadvantage to such party. Confidential Information
includes, without limitation, financial information, proposal and presentations, reports,
forecasts, inventions, improvements and other intellectual property; trade secrets; know-
how; designs, processes or formulae; software; market or sales information or plans;
customer lists; and business plans, prospects and opportunities (such as possible
acquisitions or dispositions of businesses or facilities). Confidential Information includes
information developed by either party in the course of engaging in the activities provided
for in this Agreement, unless: (i) the information is or becomes publicly known through
lawful means; (ii) the information is disclosed to the other party without a confidential
restriction by a third party who rightfully possesses the information and did not obtain it,
either directly or indirectly, from one of the parties, as the case may be, or any of their
respective principals, employees, affiliated persons, or affiliated entities. The parties
understand and agree that all Confidential Information shall be kept confidential by the
other both during and after the term of this Agreement. Each party shall maintain
commercially reasonable information security policies and procedures for protecting
Confidential Information. The parties further agree that they will not, without the prior
written approval by the other party, disclose such Confidential Information, or use such
Confidential Information in any way, either during the term of this Agreement or at any
time thereafter, except as required in the course of this Agreement and as provided by the
other party or as required by law. Upon termination of this Agreement for any reason, or
as otherwise requested by the Trust, all Confidential Information held by or on behalf of
Trust shall be promptly returned to the Trust, or an authorized officer of the Distributor
will certify to the Trust in writing that all such Confidential Information has been
destroyed. This section 14 shall survive the termination of this Agreement.
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Notwithstanding the foregoing, a party may disclose the other’s Confidential Information
if (i) required by law, regulation or legal process or if requested by the SEC or other
governmental regulatory agency with jurisdiction over the parties hereto or (ii) requested
to do so by the other party.
15.Limitation of Liability. This Agreement is executed by or on behalf of the Trust
with respect to each of the Funds individually and the obligations hereunder are not binding
upon any of the trustees, officers or shareholders of the Trust individually but are binding
only upon the Fund to which such obligations pertain and the assets and property of such
Fund. Separate and distinct records are maintained for each Fund and the assets associated
with any such Fund are held and accounted for separately from the other assets of the Trust,
or any other Fund of the Trust. The debts, liabilities, obligations, and expenses incurred,
contracted for, or otherwise existing with respect to a particular Fund of the Trust shall be
enforceable against the assets of that Fund only, and not against the assets of the Trust
generally or any other Fund, and none of the debts, liabilities, obligations, and expenses
incurred, contracted for, or otherwise existing with respect to the Trust generally or any
other Fund shall be enforceable against the assets of that Fund. The Trust’s Agreement
and Declaration of Trust is on file with the Trust.
16.Use of Names; Publicity. The Trust shall not use the Distributor’s name in any
offering material, shareholder report, advertisement or other material relating to the Trust,
in a manner not approved by the Distributor in writing prior to such use, such approval not
to be unreasonably withheld. The Distributor hereby consents to all uses of its name
required by the SEC, any state securities commission, or any federal or state regulatory
authority.
The Distributor shall not use the name “▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ and Wiley” in any offering material,
shareholder report, advertisement or other material relating to the Distributor, other than
for the purpose of merely identifying the Trust as a client of Distributor hereunder, in a
manner not approved by the Trust in writing prior to such use; provided, however, that the
Trust shall consent to all uses of its name required by the SEC, any state securities
commission, or any federal or state regulatory authority; and provided, further, that in no
case shall such approval be unreasonably withheld.
The Distributor will not issue any press releases or make any public announcements
regarding the existence of this Agreement without the express written consent of the Trust.
Neither the Trust nor the Distributor will disclose any of the economic terms of this
Agreement, except as may be required by law.
17.Exclusivity. Nothing herein contained shall prevent the Distributor from entering
into similar distribution arrangements or from providing the services contemplated
hereunder to other investment companies or investment vehicles.
18.Governing Language. This Agreement has been negotiated and executed by the
parties in English. In the event any translation of this Agreement is prepared for
convenience or any other purpose, the provisions of the English version shall prevail.
14
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed
by their officers designated below as of the date first set forth above.
Quasar Distributors, LLC | Hotchkis and Wiley Funds |
By: /s/▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ | By: /s/▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ |
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ | Name: ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ |
Title: President | Title: President, Hotchkis and Wiley Funds |
A-1
EXHIBIT A
Hotchkis & ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ Cap Diversified Value Fund