1
EXHIBIT 10.1
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT is entered into, effective as of _______________,
1999, by and between Organic, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and
__________________________________________ ("Indemnitee").
WHEREAS, it is essential to the Company to retain and attract as
directors and officers the most capable persons available;
WHEREAS, Indemnitee is a director and/or officer of the Company;
WHEREAS, both the Company and Indemnitee recognize the increased
risk of litigation and other claims currently being asserted against directors
and officers of corporations;
WHEREAS, the Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws of the
Company require the Company to indemnify and advance expenses to its directors
and officers to the fullest extent permitted under Delaware law, and the
Indemnitee has been serving and continues to serve as a director and/or officer
of the Company in part in reliance on the Company's Certificate of Incorporation
and Bylaws; and
WHEREAS, in recognition of Indemnitee's need for (i) substantial
protection against personal liability based on Indemnitee's reliance on the
aforesaid Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws, (ii) specific contractual
assurance that the protection promised by the Certificate of Incorporation and
Bylaws will be available to Indemnitee (regardless of, among other things, any
amendment to or revocation of the Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws or any
change in the composition of the Company's Board of Directors or acquisition
transaction relating to the Company), and (iii) an inducement to provide
effective services to the Company as a director and/or officer, the Company
wishes to provide in this Agreement for the indemnification of and the advancing
of expenses to Indemnitee to the fullest extent (whether partial or complete)
permitted under Delaware law and as set forth in this Agreement, and, to the
extent insurance is maintained, to provide for the continued coverage of
Indemnitee under the Company's directors' and officers' liability insurance
policies.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the above premises and of
Indemnitee continuing to serve the Company directly or, at its request, with
another enterprise, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties agree
as follows:
2
1. Certain Definitions:
(a) Board: the Board of Directors of the Company.
(b) Affiliate: any corporation or other person or entity
that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is
controlled by, or is under common control with, the person specified.
(c) Change in Control: shall be deemed to have occurred if
(i) any "person" (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act")), is or becomes
the "beneficial owner" (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act),
directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 30% or more of
the total voting power represented by the Company's then outstanding Voting
Securities, or (ii) during any period of two consecutive years, individuals who
at the beginning of such period constitute the Board and any new director whose
election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company's stockholders
was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the directors then still
in office who either were directors at the beginning of the period or whose
election or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any
reason to constitute a majority of the Board, or (iii) the stockholders of the
Company approve a merger or consolidation of the Company with any other
corporation, other than a merger or consolidation that would result in the
Voting Securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior thereto
continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted
into Voting Securities of the surviving entity) at least 80% of the total voting
power represented by the Voting Securities of the Company or such surviving
entity outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation, or (iv) the
stockholders of the Company approve a plan of complete liquidation of the
Company or an agreement for the sale or disposition by the Company (in one
transaction or a series of transactions) of all or substantially all of the
Company's assets.
(d) Expenses: any expense, liability, or loss, including
attorneys' fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes and penalties, amounts
paid or to be paid in settlement, any interest, assessments, or other charges
imposed thereon, any federal, state, local, or foreign taxes imposed as a result
of the actual or deemed receipt of any payments under this Agreement, and all
other costs and obligations, paid or incurred in connection with investigating,
defending, being a witness in, participating in (including on appeal), or
preparing for any of the foregoing in, any Proceeding relating to any
Indemnifiable Event.
(e) Indemnifiable Event: any event or occurrence that
takes place either prior to or after the execution of this Agreement, related to
the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director or officer of the Company, or
while a director or officer is or was serving at the request of the Company as a
director, officer, employee, trustee, agent, or fiduciary of another foreign or
domestic corporation, partnership, joint venture, employee benefit plan, trust,
or other enterprise, or was a director, officer, employee, or agent of a foreign
or domestic corporation
2
3
that was a predecessor corporation of the Company or of another enterprise at
the request of such predecessor corporation, or related to anything done or not
done by Indemnitee in any such capacity, whether or not the basis of the
Proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director, officer,
employee, or agent or in any other capacity while serving as a director,
officer, employee, or agent of the Company, as described above.
(f) Independent Counsel: the person or body appointed in
connection with Section 3.
(g) Proceeding: any threatened, pending, or completed
action, suit, or proceeding (including an action by or in the right of the
Company), or any inquiry, hearing, or investigation, whether conducted by the
Company or any other party, that Indemnitee in good faith believes might lead to
the institution of any such action, suit, or proceeding, whether civil,
criminal, administrative, investigative, or other.
(h) Reviewing Party: the person or body appointed in
accordance with Section 3.
(i) Voting Securities: any securities of the Company that
vote generally in the election of directors.
(j) Potential Change in Control: shall be deemed to have
occurred if (i) the Company enters into an agreement or arrangement, the
consummation of which would result in the occurrence of a Change in Control;
(ii) any person (including the Company) publicly announces an intention to take
or to consider taking actions that, if consummated, would constitute a Change in
Control; (iii) any person (other than a trustee or other fiduciary holding
securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company acting in such capacity
or a corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the shareholders of the
Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the
Company), who is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of
securities of the Company representing 10% or more of the combined voting power
of the Company's then outstanding Voting Securities, increases his beneficial
ownership of such securities by 5% or more over the percentage so owned by such
person on the date hereof, or (iv) the Board adopts a resolution to the effect
that, for purposes of this Agreement, a Potential Change in Control has
occurred.
2. Agreement to Indemnify.
(a) General Agreement. In the event Indemnitee was, is, or
becomes a party to or witness or other participant in, or is threatened to be
made a party to or witness or other participant in, a Proceeding by reason of
(or arising in part out of) an Indemnifiable Event, the Company shall indemnify
Indemnitee from and against any and all Expenses to the fullest
3
4
extent permitted by law, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended or
interpreted (but in the case of any such amendment or interpretation, only to
the extent that such amendment or interpretation permits the Company to provide
broader indemnification rights than were permitted prior thereto). The parties
hereto intend that this Agreement shall provide for indemnification in excess of
that expressly permitted by statute, including, without limitation, any
indemnification provided by the Company's Certificate of Incorporation, its
Bylaws, vote of its shareholders or disinterested directors, or applicable law.
(b) Initiation of Proceeding. Notwithstanding anything in
this Agreement to the contrary, Indemnitee shall not be entitled to
indemnification pursuant to this Agreement in connection with any Proceeding
initiated by Indemnitee against the Company or any director or officer of the
Company unless (i) the Company has joined in or the Board has consented to the
initiation of such Proceeding; (ii) the Proceeding is one to enforce
indemnification rights under Section 5; or (iii) the Proceeding is instituted
after a Change in Control and Independent Counsel has approved its initiation.
(c) Expense Advances. If so requested by Indemnitee, the
Company shall advance (within ten business days of such request) any and all
Expenses to Indemnitee (an "Expense Advance"); provided that, (i) such an
Expense Advance shall be made only upon delivery to the Company of an
undertaking by or on behalf of the Indemnitee to repay the amount thereof if it
is ultimately determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by
the Company, and (ii) if and to the extent that the Reviewing Party determines
that Indemnitee would not be permitted to be so indemnified under applicable
law, the Company shall be entitled to be reimbursed by Indemnitee (who hereby
agrees to reimburse the Company) for all such amounts theretofore paid. If
Indemnitee has commenced or commences legal proceedings in a court of competent
jurisdiction to secure a determination that Indemnitee should be indemnified
under applicable law, as provided in Section 4, any determination made by the
Reviewing Party that Indemnitee would not be permitted to be indemnified under
applicable law shall not be binding, and Indemnitee shall not be required to
reimburse the Company for any Expense Advance until a final judicial
determination is made with respect thereto (as to which all rights of appeal
therefrom have been exhausted or have lapsed). Indemnitee's obligation to
reimburse the Company for Expense Advances shall be unsecured and no interest
shall be charged thereon.
(d) Mandatory Indemnification. Notwithstanding any other
provision of this Agreement (other than Section 2(f) below), to the extent that
Indemnitee has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any
Proceeding relating in whole or in part to an Indemnifiable Event or in defense
of any issue or matter therein, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all
Expenses incurred in connection therewith.
(e) Partial Indemnification. If Indemnitee is entitled
under any provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for some
or a portion of
4
5
Expenses, but not, however, for the total amount thereof, the Company shall
nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for the portion thereof to which Indemnitee is
entitled.
(f) Prohibited Indemnification. No indemnification
pursuant to this Agreement shall be paid by the Company on account of any
Proceeding in which judgment is rendered against Indemnitee for an accounting of
profits made from the purchase or sale by Indemnitee of securities of the
Company pursuant to the provisions of Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended, or similar provisions of any federal, state, or local
laws.
3. Reviewing Party. Prior to any Change in Control, the Reviewing
Party shall be any appropriate person or body consisting of a member or members
of the Board or any other person or body appointed by the Board who is not a
party to the particular Proceeding with respect to which Indemnitee is seeking
indemnification; after a Change in Control, the Independent Counsel referred to
below shall become the Reviewing Party. With respect to all matters arising
after a Change in Control concerning the rights of Indemnitee to indemnity
payments and Expense Advances under this Agreement or any other agreement or
under applicable law or the Company's Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws now
or hereafter in effect relating to indemnification for Indemnifiable Events, the
Company shall seek legal advice only from Independent Counsel selected by
Indemnitee and approved by the Company (which approval shall not be unreasonably
withheld), and who has not otherwise performed services for the Company or the
Indemnitee (other than in connection with indemnification matters) within the
last five years. The Independent Counsel shall not include any person who, under
the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a
conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an
action to determine Indemnitee's rights under this Agreement. Such counsel,
among other things, shall render its written opinion to the Company and
Indemnitee as to whether and to what extent the Indemnitee should be permitted
to be indemnified under applicable law. The Company agrees to pay the reasonable
fees of the Independent Counsel and to indemnify fully such counsel against any
and all expenses (including attorneys' fees), claims, liabilities, loss, and
damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the engagement of
Independent Counsel pursuant hereto.
4. Indemnification Process and Appeal.
(a) Indemnification Payment. Indemnitee shall be entitled
to indemnification of Expenses, and shall receive payment thereof, from the
Company in accordance with this Agreement as soon as practicable after
Indemnitee has made written demand on the Company for indemnification, unless
the Reviewing Party has given a written opinion to the Company that Indemnitee
is not entitled to indemnification under applicable law.
5
6
(b) Suit to Enforce Rights. Regardless of any action by
the Reviewing Party, if Indemnitee has not received full indemnification within
thirty days after making a demand in accordance with Section 4(a), Indemnitee
shall have the right to enforce its indemnification rights under this Agreement
by commencing litigation in any court in the State of California or the State of
Delaware having subject matter jurisdiction thereof seeking an initial
determination by the court or challenging any determination by the Reviewing
Party or any aspect thereof. The Company hereby consents to service of process
and to appear in any such proceeding. Any determination by the Reviewing Party
not challenged by the Indemnitee shall be binding on the Company and Indemnitee.
The remedy provided for in this Section 4 shall be in addition to any other
remedies available to Indemnitee at law or in equity.
(c) Defense to Indemnification, Burden of Proof, and
Presumptions. It shall be a defense to any action brought by Indemnitee against
the Company to enforce this Agreement (other than an action brought to enforce a
claim for Expenses incurred in defending a Proceeding in advance of its final
disposition where the required undertaking has been tendered to the Company)
that it is not permissible under applicable law for the Company to indemnify
Indemnitee for the amount claimed. In connection with any such action or any
determination by the Reviewing Party or otherwise as to whether Indemnitee is
entitled to be indemnified hereunder, the burden of proving such a defense or
determination shall be on the Company. Neither the failure of the Reviewing
Party or the Company (including its Board, independent legal counsel, or its
stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such
action by Indemnitee that indemnification of the claimant is proper under the
circumstances because Indemnitee has met the standard of conduct set forth in
applicable law, nor an actual determination by the Reviewing Party or Company
(including its Board, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) that the
Indemnitee had not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense
to the action or create a presumption that the Indemnitee has not met the
applicable standard of conduct. For purposes of this Agreement, the termination
of any claim, action, suit, or proceeding, by judgment, order, settlement
(whether with or without court approval), conviction, or upon a plea of nolo
contendere, or its equivalent, shall not create a presumption that Indemnitee
did not meet any particular standard of conduct or have any particular belief or
that a court has determined that indemnification is not permitted by applicable
law.
5. Indemnification for Expenses Incurred in Enforcing Rights. The
Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against any and all Expenses that are
incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any action brought by Indemnitee for
(i) indemnification or advance payment of Expenses or Expense
Advances by the Company under this Agreement or any other
agreement or under applicable law or the Company's Certificate of
Incorporation or Bylaws now or hereafter in effect relating to
indemnification for Indemnifiable Events, and/or
6
7
(ii) recovery under directors' and officers' liability insurance
policies maintained by the Company, but only in the event that
Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to such
indemnification, Expense Advances, or insurance recovery, as the
case may be. In addition, the Company shall, if so requested by
Indemnitee, advance the foregoing expenses to Indemnitee, subject
to and in accordance with Section 2(c).
6. Notification and Defense of Proceeding.
(a) Notice. Promptly after receipt by Indemnitee of notice
of the commencement of any Proceeding, Indemnitee shall, if a claim in respect
thereof is to be made against the Company under this Agreement, notify the
Company of the commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the Company
will not relieve the Company from any liability that it may have to Indemnitee,
except as provided in Section 6(c).
(b) Defense. With respect to any Proceeding as to which
Indemnitee notifies the Company of the commencement thereof, the Company will be
entitled to participate in the Proceeding at its own expense and except as
otherwise provided below, to the extent the Company so wishes, it may assume the
defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to Indemnitee. After notice
from the Company to Indemnitee of its election to assume the defense of any
Proceeding, the Company shall not be liable to Indemnitee under this Agreement
or otherwise for any Expenses subsequently incurred by Indemnitee in connection
with the defense of such Proceeding other than reasonable costs of investigation
or as otherwise provided below. Indemnitee shall have the right to employ legal
counsel in such Proceeding, but all Expenses related thereto incurred after
notice from the Company of its assumption of the defense shall be at
Indemnitee's expense unless: (i) the employment of legal counsel by Indemnitee
has been authorized by the Company, (ii) Indemnitee has reasonably determined
that there may be a conflict of interest between Indemnitee and the Company in
the defense of the Proceeding, (iii) after a Change in Control the employment of
counsel by Indemnitee has been approved by the Independent Counsel, or (iv) the
Company shall not in fact have employed counsel to assume the defense of such
Proceeding, in each of which cases all Expenses of the Proceeding shall be borne
by the Company. The Company shall not be entitled to assume the defense of any
Proceeding brought by or on behalf of the Company or as to which Indemnitee
shall have made the determination provided for in (ii) above.
(c) Settlement of Claims. The Company shall not be liable
to indemnify Indemnitee under this Agreement or otherwise for any amounts paid
in settlement of any Proceeding effected without the Company's written consent,
such consent not to be unreasonably withheld; provided, however, that if a
Change in Control has occurred [(other than a Change in Control approved by a
majority of the directors on the Board who were directors immediately prior to
such Change in Control)], the Company shall be liable for indemnification of
Indemnitee
7
8
for amounts paid in settlement if the Independent Counsel has approved the
settlement. The Company shall not settle any Proceeding in any manner that would
impose any penalty or limitation on Indemnitee without Indemnitee's written
consent. Neither the Company nor the Indemnitee will unreasonably withhold their
consent to any proposed settlement. The Company shall not be liable to indemnify
the Indemnitee under this Agreement with regard to any judicial award if the
Company was not given a reasonable and timely opportunity, at its expense, to
participate in the defense of such action; the Company's liability hereunder
shall not be excused if participation in the Proceeding by the Company was
barred by this Agreement.
7. Establishment of Trust. In the event of a Change in Control or
a Potential Change in Control the Company shall, upon written request by
Indemnitee, create a Trust for the benefit of the Indemnitee and from time to
time upon written request of Indemnitee shall fund the Trust in an amount
sufficient to satisfy any and all Expenses reasonably anticipated at the time of
each such request to be incurred in connection with investigating, preparing
for, participating in, and/or defending any Proceeding relating to an
Indemnifiable Event. The amount or amounts to be deposited in the Trust pursuant
to the foregoing funding obligation shall be determined by the Independent
Counsel. The terms of the Trust shall provide that (i) the Trust shall not be
revoked or the principal thereof invaded without the written consent of the
Indemnitee, (ii) the Trustee shall advance, within ten business days of a
request by the Indemnitee, any and all Expenses to the Indemnitee (and the
Indemnitee hereby agrees to reimburse the Trust under the same circumstances for
which the Indemnitee would be required to reimburse the Company under Section
2(c) of this Agreement), (iii) the Trust shall continue to be funded by the
Company in accordance with the funding obligation set forth above, (iv) the
Trustee shall promptly pay to the Indemnitee all amounts for which the
Indemnitee shall be entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Agreement or
otherwise, and (v) all unexpended funds in the Trust shall revert to the Company
upon a final determination by the Independent Counsel or a court of competent
jurisdiction, as the case may be, that the Indemnitee has been fully indemnified
under the terms of this Agreement. The Trustee shall be chosen by the
Indemnitee. Nothing in this Section 7 shall relieve the Company of any of its
obligations under this Agreement. All income earned on the assets held in the
Trust shall be reported as income by the Company for federal, state, local, and
foreign tax purposes. The Company shall pay all costs of establishing and
maintaining the Trust and shall indemnify the Trustee against any and all
expenses (including attorneys' fees), claims, liabilities, loss, and damages
arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the establishment and
maintenance of the Trust.
8. Non-Exclusivity. The rights of Indemnitee hereunder shall be
in addition to any other rights Indemnitee may have under the Company's
Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws, applicable law, or otherwise. To the
extent that a change in applicable law (whether by statute or judicial decision)
permits greater indemnification than would be afforded currently under the
Company's Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws, applicable law, or this
Agreement, it is the
8
9
intent of the parties that Indemnitee enjoy by this Agreement the greater
benefits so afforded by such change.
9. Liability Insurance. To the extent the Company maintains an
insurance policy or policies providing general and/or directors' and officers'
liability insurance, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies, in
accordance with its or their terms, to the maximum extent of the coverage
available for any Company director or officer.
10. Period of Limitations. No legal action shall be brought and
no cause of action shall be asserted by or on behalf of the Company or any
Affiliate of the Company against Indemnitee, Indemnitee's spouse, heirs,
executors, or personal or legal representatives after the expiration of two
years from the date of accrual of such cause of action, or such longer period as
may be required by state law under the circumstances. Any claim or cause of
action of the Company or its Affiliate shall be extinguished and deemed released
unless asserted by the timely filing and notice of a legal action within such
period; provided, however, that if any shorter period of limitations is
otherwise applicable to any such cause of action, the shorter period shall
govern.
11. Amendment of this Agreement. No supplement, modification, or
amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by both
of the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement
shall be binding unless in the form of a writing signed by the party against
whom enforcement of the waiver is sought, and no such waiver shall operate as a
waiver of any other provisions hereof (whether or not similar), nor shall such
waiver constitute a continuing waiver. Except as specifically provided herein,
no failure to exercise or any delay in exercising any right or remedy hereunder
shall constitute a waiver thereof.
12. Subrogation. In the event of payment under this Agreement,
the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the
rights of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all papers required and
shall do everything that may be necessary to secure such rights, including the
execution of such documents necessary to enable the Company effectively to bring
suit to enforce such rights.
13. No Duplication of Payments. The Company shall not be liable
under this Agreement to make any payment in connection with any claim made
against Indemnitee to the extent Indemnitee has otherwise received payment
(under any insurance policy, Bylaw, or otherwise) of the amounts otherwise
indemnifiable hereunder.
14. Binding Effect. This Agreement shall be binding upon and
inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their
respective successors (including any direct or indirect successor by purchase,
merger, consolidation, or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business
and/or assets of the Company), assigns, spouses, heirs, and personal and legal
representatives. The Company shall require and cause any successor (whether
9
10
direct or indirect by purchase, merger, consolidation, or otherwise) to all,
substantially all, or a substantial part, of the business and/or assets of the
Company, by written agreement in form and substance satisfactory to Indemnitee,
expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and
to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such
succession had taken place. The indemnification provided under this Agreement
shall continue as to Indemnitee for any action taken or not taken while serving
in an indemnified capacity pertaining to an Indemnifiable Event even though he
may have ceased to serve in such capacity at the time of any Proceeding.
15. Severability. If any provision (or portion thereof) of this
Agreement shall be held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid,
void, or otherwise unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall remain
enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law. Furthermore, to the fullest
extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without
limitation, each portion of this Agreement containing any provision held to be
invalid, void, or otherwise unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, void, or
unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested
by the provision held invalid, void, or unenforceable.
16. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and
construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware
applicable to contracts made and to be performed in such State without giving
effect to its principles of conflicts of laws.
17. Notices. All notices, demands, and other communications
required or permitted hereunder shall be made in writing and shall be deemed to
have been duly given if delivered by hand, against receipt, or mailed, postage
prepaid, certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, and addressed
to the Company at:
Organic, Inc.
000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxx Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Chief Executive Officer
and to Indemnitee at:
--------------------------
--------------------------
--------------------------
--------------------------
10
11
Notice of change of address shall be effective only when given in accordance
with this Section. All notices complying with this Section shall be deemed to
have been received on the date of hand delivery or on the third business day
after mailing.
18. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which
together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
11
12
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have duly executed
and delivered this Agreement as of the day specified above.
ORGANIC, INC.
By:
--------------------------------
Name:
Title:
INDEMNITEE
------------------------------------
[Signature]
------------------------------------
[Print Name]
12
