Exhibit 5.1
CO-DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
This Agreement made this _____ day of __________, 2000 by and between the
Purisima Funds, a Delaware business trust (the "Trust"), and Purisima
Securities, L.L.C., a Delaware corporation (the "Co-Distributor").
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, the Trust is registered as an open-end management investment
company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "1940 Act"); and it is in
the interest of the Trust to offer its shares for sale continuously; and
WHEREAS, the Co-Distributor is registered as a broker-dealer under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "1934 Act") and is a member in good
standing of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD");
and
WHEREAS, the Trust and the Co-Distributor wish to enter into an agreement
with each other with respect to the continuous offering of the shares of each
existing and future series (the "Shares") of the Trust;
NOW, THEREFORE, the parties agree as follows:
1. APPOINTMENT OF CO-DISTRIBUTOR. The Trust hereby appoints the
Co-Distributor to sell and to arrange for the sale of the Shares, on the terms
and for the period set forth in this Agreement, and the Co-Distributor hereby
accepts such appointment and agrees to act hereunder directly and/or through the
Trust's transfer agent in the manner set forth in the Prospectuses (as defined
below). It is understood and agreed that the services of the Co-Distributor
hereunder are not exclusive, and the Co-Distributor may act as principal
underwriter for the shares of any other registered investment company.
2. SERVICES AND DUTIES OF THE CO-DISTRIBUTOR.
(a) The Co-Distributor agrees to sell the Shares, as agent for the
Trust, from time to time during the term of this Agreement upon the terms
described in a Prospectus. As used in this Agreement, the term "Prospectus"
shall mean a prospectus and statement of additional information included as part
of the Trust's Registration Statement, as such prospectus and statement of
additional information may be amended or supplemented from time to time, and the
term "Registration Statement" shall mean the Registration Statement most
recently filed from time to time by the Trust with the Securities and Exchange
Commission ("SEC") and effective under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "1933
Act") and the 1940 Act, as such Registration Statement is amended by any
amendments thereto at the time in effect. The Co-Distributor shall not be
obligated to sell any certain number of Shares.
(b) Upon commencement of operations of the series, the Co-Distributor
will hold itself available to receive orders, satisfactory to the
Co-Distributor, for the purchase of the Shares and will accept such orders and
will transmit such orders and funds received by it in payment for such Shares as
are so accepted to the Trust's transfer agent or custodian, as appropriate, as
promptly as practicable. Purchase orders shall be deemed accepted and shall be
effective at the time and in the manner set forth in the series' Prospectuses.
The Co-Distributor shall not make any short sales of Shares.
(c) The offering price of the Shares shall be the net asset value per
share of the Shares, plus the sales charge, if any, (determined as set forth in
the Prospectuses). The Trust shall furnish the Co-Distributor, with all possible
promptness, an advice of each computation of net asset value and offering price.
(d) The Co-Distributor shall have the right to enter into selected
dealer agreements with securities dealers of its choice ("selected dealers") for
the sale of Shares. Shares sold to selected dealers shall be for resale by such
dealers only at the offering price of the Shares as set forth in the
Prospectuses. The Co-Distributor shall offer and sell Shares only to such
selected dealers as are members in good standing of the NASD.
3. DUTIES OF THE TRUST.
(a) MAINTENANCE OF FEDERAL REGISTRATION. The Trust shall, at its
expense, take, from time to time, all necessary action and such steps, including
payment of the related filing fees, as may be necessary to register and maintain
registration of a sufficient number of Shares under the 1933 Act. The Trust
agrees to file from time to time such amendments, reports and other documents as
may be necessary in order that there may be no untrue statement of a material
fact in a Registration Statement or Prospectus, or necessary in order that there
may be no omission to state a material fact in the Registration Statement or
Prospectus which omission would make the statements therein misleading.
(b) MAINTENANCE OF "BLUE SKY" QUALIFICATIONS. The Trust shall, at its
expense, use its best efforts to qualify and maintain the qualification of an
appropriate number of Shares for sale under the securities laws of such states
as the Co-Distributor and the Trust may approve, and, if necessary or
appropriate in connection therewith, to qualify and maintain the qualification
of the Trust or the series as a broker or dealer in such states; provided that
the Trust shall not be required to amend its Agreement and Declaration of Trust
or By-Laws to comply with the laws of any state, to maintain an office in any
state, to change the terms of the offering of the Shares in any state, to change
the terms of the offering of the Shares in any state from the terms set forth in
Prospectuses, to qualify as a foreign trust in any state or to consent to
service of process in any state other than with respect to claims arising out of
the offering and sale of the Shares. The Co-Distributor shall furnish such
information and other material relating to its affairs and activities as may be
required by the Trust or its series in connection with such qualifications.
(c) COPIES OF REPORTS AND PROSPECTUSES. The Trust shall, at its
expense, keep tCo- Distributor fully informed with regard to its affairs and in
connection therewith shall furnish to the Co-Distributor copies of all
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information, financial statements and other papers which the Co- Distributor may
reasonably request for use in connection with the distribution of Shares,
including such reasonable number of copies of Prospectuses and annual and
interim reports as the Co- Distributor may request and shall cooperate fully in
the efforts of the Co-Distributor to sell and arrange for the sale of the Shares
and in the performance of the Co-Distributor under this Agreement.
4. CONFORMITY WITH APPLICABLE LAW AND RULES. The Co-Distributor agrees that
in selling Shares hereunder it shall conform in all respects with the laws of
the United States and of any state in which Shares may be offered, and with
applicable rules and regulations of the NASD.
5. INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR. In performing its duties hereunder, the
Co-Distributor shall be an independent contractor and neither the
Co-Distributor, nor any of its officers, directors, employees, or
representatives is or shall be an employee of the Trust in the performance of
the Co-Distributor's duties hereunder. The Co-Distributor shall be responsible
for its own conduct and the employment, control, and conduct of its agents and
employees and for injury to such agents or employees or to others through its
agents or employees. The Co-Distributor assumes full responsibility for its
agents and employees under applicable statutes and agrees to pay all employee
taxes thereunder.
6. INDEMNIFICATION.
(a) INDEMNIFICATION OF TRUST. The Co-Distributor agrees to indemnify
and hold harmless the Trust and each of its present or former Trustees,
officers, employees, representatives and each person, if any, who controls or
previously controlled the Trust within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act
against any and all losses, liabilities, damages, claims or expenses (including
the reasonable costs of investigating or defending any alleged loss, liability,
damage, claims or expense and reasonable legal counsel fees incurred in
connection therewith) to which the Trust or any such person may become subject
under the 1933 Act, under any other statute, at common law, or otherwise,
arising out of the acquisition of any Shares by any person which (i) may be
based upon any wrongful act by the Co-Distributor or any of the Co-Distributor's
directors, officers, employees or representatives, or (ii) may be based upon any
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in a
Registration Statement, Prospectus, shareholder report or other information
covering Shares filed or made public by the Trust or any amendment thereof or
supplement thereto, or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading if such statement or omission was made in reliance upon
and in conformity with information furnished to the Trust by the Co-Distributor.
In no case (i) is the Co-Distributor's indemnity in favor of the Trust, or any
person indemnified to be deemed to protect the Trust or such indemnified person
against any liability to which the Trust or such person would otherwise be
subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the
performance of the Trust's or such person's duties or by reason of reckless
disregard of the Trust's or such person's obligations and duties under this
Agreement or (ii) is the Co-Distributor to be liable under its indemnity
agreement contained in this Paragraph with respect to any claim made against the
Trust or any person indemnified unless the Trust or such person, as the case may
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be, shall have notified the Co-Distributor 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 Trust or
upon such p(or after the Trust or such person shall have received notice of such
service on any designated agent). However, failure to notify the Co-Distributor
of any such claim shall not relieve the Co-Distribu from any liability which the
Co-Distributor may have to the Trust or any person against whom such action is
brought otherwise than on account of the Co-Distributor's indemnity agreement
contained in this Paragraph.
The Co-Distributor shall be entitled to participate, at its own expense, in
the defense, or, if the Co-Distributor so elects, to assume the defense of any
suit brought to enforce any such claim, but, if the Co-Distributor elects to
assume the defense, such defense shall be conducted by legal counsel chosen by
the Co-Distributor and satisfactory to the Trust, and to the persons indemnified
as defendant or defendants, in the suit. In the event that the Co-Distributor
elects to assume the defense of any such suit and retain such legal counsel, the
Trust, and the persons indemnified as defendant or defendants in the suit, shall
bear the fees and expenses of any additional legal counsel retained by them. If
the Co-Distributor does not elect to assume the defense of any such suit, the
Co-Distributor will reimburse the Trust and the persons indemnified defendant or
defendants in such suit for the reasonable fees and expenses of any legal
counsel retained by them. The Co-Distributor agrees to promptly notify the Trust
of the commencement of any litigation of proceedings against it or any of its
officers, employees or representatives in connection with the issue or sale of
any Shares.
(b) INDEMNIFICATION OF THE CO-DISTRIBUTOR. The Trust agrees to
indemnify and hold harmless the Co-Distributor and each of its present or former
directors, officers, employees, representatives and each person, if any, who
controls or previously controlled the Co-Distributor within the meaning of
Section 15 of the 1933 Act against any and all losses, liabilities, damages,
claims or expenses (including the reasonable costs of investigating or defending
any alleged loss, liability, damage, claim or expense and reasonable legal
counsel fees incurred in connection therewith) to which the Co-Distributor or
any such person may become subject under the 1933 Act, under any other statute,
at common law, or otherwise, arising out of the acquisition of any Shares by any
person which (i) may be based upon any wrongful act by the Trust or any of the
Trust's Trustees, officers, employees or representatives, or (ii) may be based
upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
contained in a Registration Statement, Prospectus, shareholder report or other
information covering Shares filed or made public by the Trust or any amendment
thereof or supplement thereto, or the omission or alleged omission to state
therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading unless such statement or omission was made in
reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Trust by the
Co-Distributor. In no case (i) is the Trust's indemnity in favor of the
Co-Distributor, or any person indemnified to be deemed to protect the
Co-Distributor or such indemnified person against any liability to which the
Co-Distributor or such person would otherwise be subject by reason of willful
misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance of such person's
duties or by reason of reckless disregard of such person's obligations and
duties under this Agreement or (ii) is the Trust to be liable under their
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indemnity agreement contained in this Paragraph with respect to any claim made
against Co-Distributor, or person indemnified unless the Co-Distributor, or such
person, as the case may be, shall have notified the Trust 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 Co-Distributor or upon such person (or after the Co-Distributor
or such person shall have received notice of such service on any designated
agent). However, failure to notify the Trust of any such claim shall not relieve
the Trust from any liability which the Trust may have to the Co-Distributor or
any person against whom such action is brought otherwise than on account of the
Trust's indemnity agreement contained in this Paragraph.
The Trust shall be entitled to participate, at its own expense, in the
defense, or, if the Trust so elects, to assume the defense of any suit brought
to enforce any such claim, but if the Trust elects to assume the defense, such
defense shall be conducted by legal counsel chosen by the Trust and satisfactory
to the Co-Distributor and to the persons indemnified as defendant or defendants,
in the suit. In the event that the Trust elects to assume the defense of any
such suit and retain such legal counsel, the Co-Distributor, the persons
indemnified as defendant or defendants in the suit, shall bear the fees and
expenses of any additional legal counsel retained by them. If the Trust does not
elect to assume the defense of any such suit, the Trust will reimburse the
Co-Distributor and the persons indemnified as defendant or defendants in such
suit for the reasonable fees and expenses of any legal counsel retained by them.
The Trust agrees to promptly notify the Co-Distributor of the commencement of
any litigation or proceedings against it or any of its Trustees, officers,
employees or representatives in connection with the issue or sale of any Shares.
7. AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIONS. The Co-Distributor is not authorized by the
Trust to give on behalf of the Trust any information or to make any
representations in connection with the sale of Shares other than the information
and representations contained in a Registration Statement or Prospectus filed
with the SEC under the 1933 Act and/or the 1940 Act, covering Shares, as such
Registration Statement and Prospectus may be amended or supplemented from time
to time, or contained in shareholder reports or other material that may be
prepared by or on behalf of the Trust for the Co-Distributor's use. This shall
not be construed to prevent the Co-Distributor from preparing and distributing
tombstone ads and sales literature or other material as it may deem appropriate.
8. TERM OF AGREEMENT. The term of this Agreement shall begin on the date
first above written, and unless sooner terminated as hereinafter provided, this
Agreement shall remain in effect for a period of two years from the date first
above written. Thereafter, this Agreement shall continue in effect from year to
year, subject to the termination provisions and all other terms and conditions
thereof, so long as such continuation shall be specifically approved at least
annually by (i) the Board of Trustees or by vote of a majority of the
outstanding voting securities of each series of the Trust and, (ii) by the vote,
cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval,
of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not parties to this Agreement
or interested persons of any such party. The Co-Distributor shall furnish to the
Trust, promptly upon its request, such information as may reasonably be
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necessary to evaluate the terms of this Agreement or any extension, renewal or
amendment hereof.
9. AMENDMENT OR ASSIGNMENT OF AGREEMENT. This Agreement may not be amended
or assigned except as permitted by the 1940 Act, and this Agreement shall
automatically and immediately terminate in the event of its assignment.
10. TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT. This Agreement may be terminated by either
party hereto, without the payment of any penalty, on not more than upon 60 days'
nor less than 30 d prior notice in writing to the other party; provided, that in
the case of termination by the Trust such action shall have been authorized by
resolution of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who anot parties to this
Agreement or interested persons of any such party, or by vote of a majority of
the outstanding voting securities of each series of the Trust.
11. MISCELLANEOUS. The captions in this Agreement are included for
convenience of reference only and in no way define or delineate any of the
provisions hereof or otherwise affect their construction or effect.
This Agreement may be executed simultaneously 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.
Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to require the Trust to take any
action contrary to its Agreement and Declaration of Trust or By-Laws, or any
applicable statutory or regulatory requirement to which it is subject or by
which it is bound, or to relieve or deprive the Board of Trustees of the Trust
of responsibility for and control of the conduct of the affairs of the Trust.
12. DEFINITION OF TERMS. Any question of interpretation of any term or
provision of this Agreement having a counterpart in or otherwise derived from a
term or provision of the 1940 Act shall be resolved by reference to such term or
provision of the 1940 Act and to interpretation thereof, if any, by the United
States courts or, in the absence of any controlling decision of any such court,
by rules, regulations or orders of the SEC validly issued pursuant to the 1940
Act. Specifically, the terms "vote of a majority of the outstanding voting
securities", "interested persons," "assignment," and "affiliated person," as
used in Paragraphs 8, 9 and 10 hereof, shall have the meanings assigned to them
by Section 2(a) of the 1940 Act. In addition, where the effect of a requirement
of the 1940 Act reflected in any provision of this Agreement is relaxed by a
rule, regulation or order of the SEC, whether of special or of general
application, such provision shall be deemed to incorporate the effect of such
rule, regulation or order.
13. COMPLIANCE WITH SECURITIES LAWS. The Trust represents that it is
registered as an open-end management investment company under the 1940 Act, and
agrees that it will comply with all the provisions of the 1940 Act and of the
rules and regulations thereunder. The Trust and the Co-Distributor each agree to
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comply with all of the applicable terms and provisions of the 1940 Act, the 1933
Act and, subject to the provisions of Section 4(d), all applicable "Blue Sky"
laws. The Co-Distributor agrees to comply with all of the applicable terms and
provisions of the 1934 Act.
14. NOTICES. Any notice required to be given pursuant to this Agreement
shall be deemed duly given if delivered or mailed by registered mail, postage
prepaid, to the Co-Distribu or to the Trust at 00000 Xxxxxxx Xxxx., Xxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxx 00000.
15. GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement shall be governed and construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
executed by their officers designated below on the date first written above.
Purisima Funds
By:________________________________________
Name:
Title:
Purisima Securities, L.L.C.
By:________________________________________
Name:
Title:
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