No Solicitation by Parent (a) Parent agrees that, during the term of this Agreement, it shall not, and shall not authorize or permit any of its subsidiaries or any of its or its subsidiaries' Representatives, directly or indirectly, to (i) solicit, initiate, encourage or facilitate, or furnish or disclose non-public information in furtherance of, any inquiries or the making of any proposal with respect to a Parent Competing Transaction (as defined herein) or (ii) negotiate, explore or otherwise engage in discussions with any person (other than Company or Newco or their respective Representatives) with respect to any Parent Competing Transaction. The term "Parent Competing Transaction" means any recapitalization, merger, consolidation or other business combination involving Parent, or acquisition of any material portion of the capital stock or assets (except for (A) acquisitions of assets in the ordinary course of business, (B) acquisitions by Parent that do not and could not reasonably be expected to impede the consummation of the Merger and do not violate any other covenant in this Agreement, (C) transactions disclosed in the Parent Disclosure Letter and (D) the Transactions) of Parent, or any combination of the foregoing. Parent will immediately cease all existing activities, discussions and negotiations with any parties conducted heretofore with respect to any of the foregoing and shall use its reasonable best efforts to enforce any confidentiality or similar agreement relating to a Parent Competing Transaction. From and after the execution of this Agreement, Parent shall immediately advise the Company in writing of the receipt, directly or indirectly, of any inquiries, discussions, negotiations, or proposals relating to a Parent Competing Transaction (including the specific terms thereof), and promptly furnish to the Company a copy of any such proposal or inquiry in addition to any information provided to or by any third party relating thereto and if such proposal or inquiry is not in writing, the identity of the person making such proposal or inquiry. Notwithstanding the foregoing, prior to receipt of the Parent Shareholder Approval, Parent may, but only to the extent that the Board of Directors of Parent shall conclude in good faith, based upon the advice of its outside counsel, that failure to take such action could reasonably be expected to constitute a breach of the fiduciary obligations of such Board of Directors under Applicable Law, in response to a proposal for a Parent Competing Transaction that constitutes a Qualifying Parent Proposal (as defined in Section 5.03(d)) that did not result from the breach or a deemed breach of this Section 5.03, and subject to compliance with the notification provisions of this Section 5.03, (A) furnish non-public information with respect to Parent to the person proposing such Parent Competing Transaction and its Representatives pursuant to a confidentiality agreement with terms no less restrictive of such person than those set forth in the Confidentiality Agreement (as defined in Section 6.02) and (B) participate in discussions or negotiations with such person and its Representatives regarding such Parent Competing Transaction. Without limiting the foregoing, it is agreed that any violation of the restrictions set forth in this Section 5.03(a) by any Representative or affiliate of Parent or any Parent Subsidiary, whether or not such person is purporting to act on behalf of Parent or any Parent Subsidiary or otherwise, shall be deemed to be a breach of this Section 5.03(a) by Parent.
No Solicitation by the Company (a) From the date of this Agreement until the earlier of the First Effective Time and the termination of this Agreement, except as otherwise set forth in this Section 6.02, the Company shall not, and shall cause its Subsidiaries and its and its Subsidiaries’ respective directors and officers to not, and shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause its and its Subsidiaries’ other respective Representatives to not, directly or indirectly, (i) solicit, initiate, knowingly facilitate or knowingly encourage (including by way of furnishing information) any inquiries regarding, or the making or submission of any Company Acquisition Proposal, (ii) (A) enter into or participate in any discussions or negotiations regarding, (B) furnish to any Third Party any information, or (C) otherwise assist, participate in, knowingly facilitate or knowingly encourage any Third Party, in each case, in connection with or for the purpose of knowingly encouraging or facilitating, a Company Acquisition Proposal, (iii) approve, recommend or enter into, or publicly or formally propose to approve, recommend or enter into, any letter of intent or similar document, agreement, commitment, or agreement in principle (whether written or oral, binding or nonbinding) with respect to a Company Acquisition Proposal, (iv) (A) withdraw or qualify, amend or modify in any manner adverse to Parent the Company Board Recommendation, (B) fail to include the Company Board Recommendation in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus or (C) recommend, adopt or approve or publicly propose to recommend, adopt or approve any Company Acquisition Proposal (any of the foregoing in this clause (iv), a “Company Adverse Recommendation Change”) or (v) take any action to make any “moratorium”, “control share acquisition”, “fair price”, “supermajority”, “affiliate transactions” or “business combination statute or regulation” or other similar anti-takeover laws and regulations of the State of Delaware, including Section 203 of the DGCL, inapplicable to any Third Party or any Company Acquisition Proposal.
No Solicitation of Customers During the Executive’s employment with the Employer and for a period of 12 months thereafter, the Executive shall not (except on behalf of or with the prior written consent of the Employer), either directly or indirectly, on the Executive’s own behalf or in the service or on behalf of others, (A) solicit, divert, or appropriate to or for a Competing Business, or (B) attempt to solicit, divert, or appropriate to or for a Competing Business, any person or entity that is or was a customer of the Employer or any of its Affiliates at any time during the 12 months prior to the date of termination and with whom the Executive has had material contact.
No Solicitation From and after the Agreement Date until the Closing or termination of this Agreement pursuant to Article VIII, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries nor any of the Company Shareholders will, nor will any of them authorize or permit any of their respective officers, directors, affiliates, shareholders or employees or any investment banker, attorney or other advisor or representative retained by any of them (all of the foregoing collectively being the “Company Representatives”) to, directly or indirectly, (i) solicit, initiate, seek, entertain, encourage, facilitate, support or induce the making, submission or announcement of any inquiry, expression of interest, proposal or offer that constitutes, or would reasonably be expected to lead to, an Acquisition Proposal, (ii) enter into, participate in, maintain or continue any communications (except solely to provide written notice as to the existence of these provisions) or negotiations regarding, or deliver or make available to any Person any non-public information with respect to, or take any other action regarding, any inquiry, expression of interest, proposal or offer that constitutes, or would reasonably be expected to lead to, an Acquisition Proposal, (iii) agree to, accept, approve, endorse or recommend (or publicly propose or announce any intention or desire to agree to, accept, approve, endorse or recommend) any Acquisition Proposal, (iv) enter into any letter of intent or any other Contract contemplating or otherwise relating to any Acquisition Proposal, or (v) submit any Acquisition Proposal to the vote of any shareholders of Company or any Subsidiary. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries will immediately cease and cause to be terminated any and all existing activities, discussions or negotiations with any Persons conducted prior to or on the Agreement Date with respect to any Acquisition Proposal. If any Company Representative, whether in his or her capacity as such or in any other capacity, takes any action that the Company is obligated pursuant to this Section 6.1 to cause such Company Representative not to take, then the Company shall be deemed for all purposes of this Agreement to have breached this Section 6.1.
No Solicitations From and after the date of this Agreement until the Effective Time or termination of this Agreement pursuant to ARTICLE X, the Company will not nor will it authorize or permit any of its officers, directors, affiliates or employees or any investment banker, attorney or other advisor or representative retained by it, directly or indirectly, (i) solicit or initiate the making, submission or announcement of any other acquisition proposal, (ii) participate in any discussions or negotiations regarding, or furnish to any person any non-public information with respect to any other acquisition proposal, (iii) engage in discussions with any Person with respect to any other acquisition proposal, except as to the existence of these provisions, (iv) approve, endorse or recommend any other acquisition proposal or (v) enter into any letter of intent or similar document or any contract agreement or commitment contemplating or otherwise relating to any other acquisition proposal.
No Solicitation of Other Offers (a) The Corporation and its affiliates and each of their respective officers, directors, employees, representatives and agents shall immediately cease any discussions or negotiations with any other parties that may be ongoing with respect to any Acquisition Proposal (as defined below). Neither the Corporation nor any of its affiliates, shall, directly or indirectly, take (and the Corporation shall not authorize or permit its or its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, representatives, consultants, investment bankers, attorneys, accountants or other agents or affiliates, to so take) any action to (i) encourage, solicit or initiate the making of any Acquisition Proposal, (ii) enter into any agreement with respect to any Acquisition Proposal or (iii) participate in any way in discussions or negotiations with, or furnish or disclose any information to, any Person (other than Parent or Sub or their representatives) in connection with, or take any other action to facilitate any inquiries or the making of any proposal (including without limitation by taking any action (except as required by Section 1.2) that would make the Rights Agreement, Section 203 of the DGCL or the provisions of Article FIFTH of the Corporation's Certificate of Incorporation inapplicable to an Acquisition Proposal) that constitutes, or may reasonably be expected to lead to, any Acquisition Proposal, PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Corporation, in response to an unsolicited Acquisition Proposal and in compliance with its obligations under Section 5.9(b) hereof, may participate in discussions or negotiations with or furnish information to any third party which proposes a transaction which the Board of Directors of the Corporation reasonably determines will result in a Superior Proposal if the Board of Directors believes (and has been advised in writing by independent outside counsel) that failing to take such action would constitute a breach of its fiduciary duties under applicable law. In addition, neither the Board of Directors of the Corporation nor any Committee thereof shall (x) withdraw or modify, or propose to withdraw or modify, in a manner adverse to Parent or Sub the approval and recommendation of the Offer and this Agreement or (y) approve or recommend, or propose to approve or recommend, any Acquisition Proposal, provided that the Corporation may recommend to its shareholders an Acquisition Proposal and in connection therewith withdraw or modify its approval or recommendation of the Offer or the Merger if (i) the Board of Directors of the Corporation has determined that the Acquisition Proposal is a Superior Proposal, (ii) all the conditions to the Corporation's right to terminate this Agreement in accordance with Section 8.1(e) have been satisfied (including the expiration of the three day period described therein and the payment of all amounts required pursuant to Section 9.1), (iii) simultaneously with such withdrawal, modification or recommendation, this Agreement is terminated in accordance with Section 8.1(e) and (iv) the Acquisition Proposal does not provide for any breakup fee or other inducement to the acquiror other than reimbursement of out of pocket expenses incurred in connection with such Acquisition Proposal. Any actions permitted under, and taken in compliance with, this Section 5.9 shall not be deemed a breach of any other covenant or agreement contained in this Agreement.
No Solicitation of Employees In partial consideration for the award of these Units, in order to forestall the disclosure or use of Confidential Information, as well as to deter the Grantee’s intentional interference with the contractual relations of the Company or any Affiliated Company, the Grantee’s intentional interference with prospective economic advantage of the Company or any Affiliated Company, and to promote fair competition, the Grantee agrees that the Grantee’s right to receive the Shares upon settlement of the Units is contingent upon the Grantee refraining, during the Period of Restriction and for a period of one (1) year after the Settlement Date, for himself/herself or any third party, directly or indirectly, from soliciting for employment any person employed by the Company, or by any Affiliated Company, during the period of the solicited person’s employment and for a period of one (1) year after the termination of the solicited person’s employment with the Company or any Affiliated Company (collectively “Solicit”). If, during the term of the Period of Restriction or at any time within one (1) year after the Settlement Date, the Grantee breaches his/her obligation not to Solicit, the Grantee’s right to the Shares upon settlement of the Units shall not have been earned and the Units, whether vested or not, will be immediately cancelled, and the Grantee shall immediately return to the Company the Shares issued in settlement of the Units or the pre-tax income derived from any disposition of such Shares. THE GRANTEE UNDERSTANDS THAT THIS PARAGRAPH IS NOT INTENDED TO AND DOES NOT PROHIBIT THE CONDUCT DESCRIBED, BUT PROVIDES FOR THE CANCELLATION OF THE UNITS AND A RETURN TO THE COMPANY OF THE SHARES OR THE GROSS TAXABLE PROCEEDS OF THE SHARES IF THE GRANTEE SHOULD CHOOSE TO VIOLATE THIS NON-SOLICITATION OF EMPLOYEES PROVISION DURING THE PERIOD OF RESTRICTION OR WITHIN ONE (1) YEAR AFTER THE SETTLEMENT DATE.
No Solicitation or Hiring of Employees During the Non-Compete Period, the Executive shall not solicit, entice, persuade or induce any individual who is employed by the Company or the Company Affiliates (or who was so employed within twelve (12) months prior to the Executive’s action) to terminate or refrain from continuing such employment or to become employed by or enter into contractual relations with any other individual or entity other than the Company or the Company Affiliates, and the Executive shall not hire, directly or indirectly, for himself or any other person, as an employee, consultant or otherwise, any such person. Anything to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company agrees that (i) the Executive’s responding to an unsolicited request from any former employee of the Company for advice on employment matters; and (ii) the Executive’s responding to an unsolicited request for an employment reference regarding any former employee of the Company from such former employee, or from a third party, by providing a reference setting forth his personal views about such former employee, shall not be deemed a violation of this Section 7(c); in each case, to the extent the Executive does not encourage the former employee to become employed by a company or business that employs the Executive or with which the Executive is otherwise associated (including, but not limited to, association as a sole proprietor, owner, employer, partner, principal, investor, joint venturer, shareholder, associate, employee, member, consultant, contractor, director or otherwise).
No Solicitation or Negotiation Each of the Transferor Parties agrees that between the date of this Agreement and the earlier of (a) the Closing and (b) the termination of this Agreement, none of the Transferor Parties nor any of their respective Affiliates, officers, managers, members, representatives or agents will (i) solicit, initiate, consider, encourage or accept any other proposals or offers from any Person (A) relating to any acquisition or purchase of all or any portion of the Transferor Interests or any Transferred Assets or (B) to enter into any merger, consolidation, business combination, recapitalization, reorganization or other extraordinary business transaction involving or otherwise relating to the Business or (ii) participate in any discussions, conversations, negotiations and other communications regarding, or furnish to any other Person any information with respect to, or otherwise cooperate in any way, assist or participate in, facilitate or encourage any effort or attempt by any other Person to seek to do any of the foregoing. Between the date of this Agreement and the earlier of (a) the Closing and (b) the termination of this Agreement, each of the Transferor Parties immediately shall cease and cause to be terminated all existing discussions, conversations, negotiations and other communications with any Persons conducted heretofore with respect to any of the foregoing. Between the date of this Agreement and the earlier of (a) the Closing and (b) the termination of this Agreement, each of the Transferor Parties shall notify Parent promptly if any such proposal or offer, or any inquiry or other contact with any Person with respect thereto, is made and shall, in any such notice to Parent, indicate in reasonable detail the identity of the Person making such proposal, offer, inquiry or contact and the terms and conditions of such proposal, offer, inquiry or other contact. Between the date of this Agreement and the earlier of (a) the Closing and (b) the termination of this Agreement, each of the Transferor Parties agrees not to, without the prior written consent of the Acquiring Parties, release any Person from, or waive any provision of, any confidentiality or standstill agreement to which such Transferor Party is a party.
No Solicitation; Other Offers (a) Except as provided by the remainder of this Section 6.04, from the date hereof until the Effective Time or, if earlier, the termination of this Agreement in accordance with Article 10, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries nor any of their respective officers or directors shall, and the Company and its Subsidiaries shall not authorize any of its other Representatives to, directly or indirectly, (i) solicit, initiate or take any action to knowingly facilitate or knowingly encourage any inquiries or the making of any proposal or offer that constitutes, or would reasonably be expected to lead to, any Acquisition Proposal, including by way of furnishing any non-public information or data concerning the Company or its Subsidiaries or any assets owned (in whole or part) by the Company or its Subsidiaries to any Person in furtherance of an Acquisition Proposal or if it would reasonably be expected to lead to an Acquisition Proposal or (ii) enter into, continue or otherwise participate in any discussions or negotiations with, or afford access to the business, properties, assets, books or records of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to, any Third Party with respect to any potential Acquisition Proposal, (iii) enter into any agreement in principle, memorandum of understanding, letter of intent, merger agreement, acquisition agreement, joint venture agreement, option agreement or other similar agreement (but excluding an Acceptable Confidentiality Agreement) providing for a transaction that is the subject of an Acquisition Proposal (an “Alternative Acquisition Agreement”), or (iv) grant any waiver, amendment or release under any standstill or confidentiality agreement concerning an Acquisition Proposal; provided that notwithstanding the foregoing and the last sentence of this Section 6.04(a) the Company shall be permitted to waive, amend, release or fail to enforce any provision of any confidentiality, “standstill” or similar obligation of any Person if the Board of Directors of the Company determines in good faith, after consultation with its outside legal counsel, that the failure to take such action would be inconsistent with its fiduciary duties under Applicable Law. The Company shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries and its and their respective Representatives to, cease immediately and cause to be terminated any and all activities, discussions or negotiations, if any, existing as of the date of this Agreement with any Third Party and its Representatives with respect to any Acquisition Proposal or that would reasonably be expected to lead to an Acquisition Proposal. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to promptly inform its Representatives of the obligations in this Section 6.04. The Company also agrees that it will promptly request each Person that has executed a confidentiality agreement prior to the date hereof in connection with its consideration of acquiring the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to return or destroy (as provided in the terms of such confidentiality agreement) all confidential information furnished to such Person prior to the date hereof by or on behalf of it or any of its Subsidiaries. The Company and its Subsidiaries shall use commercially reasonable efforts to enforce any confidentiality agreements entered into with any Person in connection with any Acquisition Proposal if requested to do so by Parent, subject to the remaining provisions of this Section 6.04.
