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Draft of August 11, 1999
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
___________, 1999
BancBoston ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Inc.
Bear, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. Inc.
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, Inc.
Wit Capital Corporation
As Representatives of the several Underwriters
c/o BancBoston ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Inc.
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Ladies and Gentlemen:
INTRODUCTORY. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), proposes to issue and sell to the several underwriters named in
Schedule A (the "Underwriters") an aggregate of 5,000,000 shares (the "Firm
Shares") of its Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the "Common Shares").
In addition, the Company has granted to the Underwriters an option to purchase
up to an additional [___] Common Shares (the "Option Shares") as provided in
Section 2. The Firm Shares and, if and to the extent such option is exercised,
the Option Shares are collectively called the "Shares". BancBoston ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Inc., Bear, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. Inc., ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, Inc. and Wit
Capital Corporation have agreed to act as representatives of the several
Underwriters (in such capacity, the "Representatives") in connection with the
offering and sale of the Shares.
The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission") a registration statement on Form S-1 (File No.
333-75523), which contains a form of prospectus to be used in connection with
the public offering and sale of the Shares. Such registration statement, as
amended, including the financial statements, exhibits and schedules thereto, in
the form in which it was declared effective by the Commission under the
Securities Act of 1933 and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder
(collectively, the "Securities Act"), including any information deemed to be a
part thereof at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A or Rule 434
under the Securities Act, is called the "Registration Statement". Any
registration statement filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the
Securities Act is called the "Rule 462(b) Registration Statement", and from and
after the date and time of filing of the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement the
term "Registration Statement" shall include the Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement. Such
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prospectus, in the form first used by the Underwriters to confirm sales of the
Shares, is called the "Prospectus"; provided, however, if the Company has, with
the consent of BancBoston ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Inc., elected to rely upon Rule 434
under the Securities Act, the term "Prospectus" shall mean the Company's
prospectus subject to completion (each, a "preliminary prospectus") dated [___]
(such preliminary prospectus is called the "Rule 434 preliminary prospectus"),
together with the applicable term sheet (the "Term Sheet") prepared and filed by
the Company with the Commission under Rules 434 and 424(b) under the Securities
Act and all references in this Agreement to the date of the Prospectus shall
mean the date of the Term Sheet. All references in this Agreement to the
Registration Statement, the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, a preliminary
prospectus, the Prospectus or the Term Sheet, or any amendments or supplements
to any of the foregoing, shall include any copy thereof filed with the
Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval
System ("▇▇▇▇▇").
As part of the offering contemplated by this Agreement, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ("▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇") has agreed to reserve out of the Shares
set forth opposite its name on the Schedule II to this Agreement, up to
________________ Shares, for sale to the Company's employees, officers and
directors and other parties associated with the Company (collectively,
"Participants"), as set forth in the Prospectus under the heading "Underwriting"
(the "Directed Share Program"). The Shares to be sold by ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
pursuant to the Directed Share Program (the "Directed Shares") will be sold by
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ pursuant to this Agreement at the public offering price.
Any Directed Shares not orally confirmed for purchase by any Participants by the
end of the business day on which this Agreement is executed will be offered to
the public by ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ as set forth in the Prospectus.
The Company hereby confirms its agreements with the Underwriters as
follows:
SECTION 1. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY.
The Company hereby represents, warrants and covenants to each Underwriter
as follows:
(a) Compliance with Registration Requirements. The Registration Statement
and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement have been declared effective by the
Commission under the Securities Act. The Company has complied to the
Commission's satisfaction with all requests of the Commission for additional or
supplemental information. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement is in effect
and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to
the best knowledge of the Company, are contemplated or threatened by the
Commission.
Each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus when filed complied in
all material respects with the Securities Act and, if filed by electronic
transmission pursuant to ▇▇▇▇▇ (except as may be permitted by Regulation S-T
under the Securities Act), was identical to the copy thereof delivered to the
Underwriters for use in
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connection with the offer and sale of the Shares. Each of the Registration
Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and any post-effective
amendment thereto, at the time it became effective and at all subsequent times,
complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and
did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading. The Prospectus, as amended or supplemented,
as of its date and at all subsequent times, did not and will not contain any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary
in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading. The representations and warranties set
forth in the two immediately preceding sentences do not apply to statements in
or omissions from the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement, or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the Prospectus, or any
amendments or supplements thereto, made in reliance upon and in conformity with
information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by
the Representatives expressly for use therein. There are no contracts or other
documents required to be described in the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits
to the Registration Statement which have not been described or filed as
required.
(b) Offering Materials Furnished to Underwriters. The Company has
delivered to each of the Representatives one complete conformed copy of the
Registration Statement and of each consent and certificate of experts filed as a
part thereof, and conformed copies of the Registration Statement (without
exhibits) and preliminary prospectuses and the Prospectus, as amended or
supplemented, in such quantities and at such places as the Representatives have
reasonably requested for each of the Underwriters.
(c) Distribution of Offering Material By the Company. The Company has not
distributed and will not distribute, prior to the later of the Second Closing
Date (as defined below) and the completion of the Underwriters' distribution of
the Shares, any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of
the Shares other than a preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or the
Registration Statement. The document entitled "Intellipost Corporation Overview"
is a business plan of the Company that was circulated on a confidential basis to
a limited number of persons and entities.
(d) The Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized,
executed and delivered by, and is a valid and binding agreement of, the Company,
enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as rights to indemnification
hereunder may be limited by applicable law and except as the enforcement hereof
may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other
similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors or by
general equitable principles.
(e) Authorization of the Shares. The Shares to be purchased by the
Underwriters from the Company have been duly authorized for issuance and sale
pursuant to this Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Company
pursuant to this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable.
(f) No Applicable Registration or Other Similar Rights. There are no
persons with registration or other similar rights to have any equity or debt
securities registered for
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sale under the Registration Statement or included in the offering contemplated
by this Agreement, except for such rights as have been duly waived.
(g) No Material Adverse Change. Subsequent to the respective dates as of
which information is given in the Prospectus: (i) there has been no material
adverse change, or any development that could reasonably be expected to result
in a material adverse change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in
the earnings, business, operations or prospects, whether or not arising from
transactions in the ordinary course of business, of the Company and its
subsidiaries, considered as one entity (any such change or effect, where the
context so requires, is called a "Material Adverse Change" or a "Material
Adverse Effect"); (ii) the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one
entity, have not incurred any material liability or obligation, indirect, direct
or contingent, not in the ordinary course of business nor entered into any
material transaction or agreement not in the ordinary course of business; and
(iii) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or
made by the Company or, except for dividends paid to the Company or other
subsidiaries, any of its subsidiaries on any class of capital stock or
repurchase or redemption by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any class
of capital stock.
(h) Independent Accountants. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, who have
expressed their opinion with respect to the financial statements (which term as
used in this Agreement includes the related notes thereto) of the Company and of
Enhanced Response Technologies, Inc. and supporting schedule filed with the
Commission as a part of the Registration Statement and included in the
Prospectus, are independent public or certified public accountants as required
by the Securities Act.
(i) Preparation of the Financial Statements. The financial statements
filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement and included
in the Prospectus present fairly the consolidated financial position of the
Company and Enhanced Response Technologies and their respective subsidiaries as
of and at the dates indicated and the results of their operations and cash flows
for the periods specified. The supporting schedule included in the Registration
Statement presents fairly the information required to be stated therein. Such
financial statements and supporting schedule have been prepared in conformity
with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis
throughout the periods involved, except as may be expressly stated in the
related notes thereto. No other financial statements or supporting schedules are
required to be included in the Registration Statement. The financial data set
forth in the Prospectus under the captions "Prospectus Summary--Summary
Financial Data", "Selected Consolidated Financial Data" and "Capitalization"
fairly present the information set forth therein on a basis consistent with that
of the audited financial statements contained in the Registration Statement. The
pro forma consolidated financial information of the Company and its subsidiaries
and the related notes thereto included under the captions "Prospectus
Summary--Summary Financial Data", "Selected Consolidated Financial Data", "Pro
Forma Consolidated Financial Information" and elsewhere in the Prospectus and in
the Registration Statement present fairly the information contained therein,
have been prepared in accordance with the Commission's rules and guidelines with
respect to pro forma financial statements and have been properly presented on
the bases described therein, and the assumptions used in the preparation thereof
are reasonable
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and the adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the
transactions and circumstances referred to therein. No other pro forma financial
information is required to be included in the Registration Statement pursuant to
Regulation S-X.
(j) Company's Accounting System. The Company and each of its subsidiaries
maintain a system of accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable
assurances that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management's
general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary
to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally
accepted accounting principles and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii)
access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management's general or
specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is
compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is
taken with respect to any differences.
(k) Subsidiaries of the Company. The Company does not own or control,
directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than
the subsidiaries listed in Exhibit 21 to the Registration Statement.
(l) Incorporation and Good Standing of the Company and its Subsidiaries.
Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has been duly organized and is validly
existing as a corporation or limited liability company, as the case may be, in
good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which it is organized with
full corporate power and authority to own its properties and conduct its
business as described in the prospectus, and is duly qualified to do business as
a foreign corporation and is in good standing under the laws of each
jurisdiction which requires such qualification.
(m) Capitalization of the Subsidiaries. All the outstanding shares of
capital stock of each subsidiary have been duly and validly authorized and
issued and are fully paid and nonassessable, and, except as otherwise set forth
in the Prospectus, all outstanding shares of capital stock of the subsidiaries
are owned by the Company either directly or through wholly owned subsidiaries
free and clear of any security interests, claims, liens or encumbrances.
(n) No Prohibition on Subsidiaries from Paying Dividends or Making Other
Distributions. No subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or
indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other
distribution on such subsidiary's capital stock, from repaying to the Company
any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring
any of such subsidiary's property or assets to the Company or any other
subsidiary of the Company, except as described in or contemplated by the
Prospectus.
(o) Capitalization and Other Capital Stock Matters. The authorized, issued
and outstanding capital stock of the Company is as set forth in the Prospectus
under the caption "Capitalization" (other than for subsequent issuances, if any,
pursuant to employee benefit plans described in the Prospectus or upon exercise
of outstanding options or warrants described in the Prospectus). The Common
Shares (including the Shares) conform in all material respects to the
description thereof contained in the Prospectus. All of the issued and
outstanding Common Shares have been duly authorized and validly issued, are
fully paid and nonassessable and have been issued in
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compliance with federal and state securities laws. None of the outstanding
Common Shares were issued in violation of any preemptive rights, rights of first
refusal or other similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities of the
Company. There are no authorized or outstanding options, warrants, preemptive
rights, rights of first refusal or other rights to purchase, or equity or debt
securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for, any capital
stock of the Company or any of its subsidiaries other than those accurately
described in the Prospectus. The description of the Company's stock option,
stock bonus and other stock plans or arrangements, and the options or other
rights granted thereunder, set forth in the Prospectus accurately and fairly
presents the information required to be shown with respect to such plans,
arrangements, options and rights.
(p) Stock Exchange Listing. The Shares have been approved for inclusion on
the Nasdaq National Market, subject only to official notice of issuance.
(q) No Consents, Approvals or Authorizations Required. No consent,
approval, authorization, filing with or order of any court or governmental
agency or regulatory body is required in connection with the transactions
contemplated herein, except such as have been obtained or made under the
Securities Act and such as may be required (i) under the blue sky laws of any
jurisdiction in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by
the Underwriters in the manner contemplated here and in the Prospectus, (ii) by
the National Association of Securities Dealers, LLC and (iii) by the federal and
provincial laws of Canada.
(r) Non-Contravention of Existing Instruments Agreements. Neither the
issue and sale of the Shares nor the consummation of any other of the
transactions herein contemplated nor the fulfillment of the terms hereof will
conflict with, result in a breach or violation or imposition of any lien, charge
or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries pursuant to, (i) the charter or by-laws of the Company or any of
its subsidiaries, (ii) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage,
deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation,
condition, covenant or instrument to which the Company or any of its
subsidiaries is a party or bound or to which its or their property is subject or
(iii) any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree applicable
to the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any court, regulatory body,
administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having
jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of its or their
properties.
(s) No Defaults or Violations. Neither the Company nor any subsidiary is
in violation or default of (i) any provision of its charter or by-laws, (ii) the
terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note
agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or
instrument to which it is a party or bound or to which its property is subject
or (iii) any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any
court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or
other authority having jurisdiction over the Company or such subsidiary or any
of its properties, as applicable, except any such violation or default which
would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change
except as otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus.
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(t) No Actions, Suits or Proceedings. No action, suit or proceeding by or
before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator
involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries or its or their property is
pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened that (i) could
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the performance of
this Agreement or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated
hereby or (ii) could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect.
(u) All Necessary Permits, Etc. The Company and each subsidiary possess
such valid and current certificates, authorizations or permits issued by the
appropriate state, federal or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to
conduct their respective businesses, and neither the Company nor any subsidiary
has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or
modification of, or non-compliance with, any such certificate, authorization or
permit which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable
decision, ruling or finding, could result in a Material Adverse Change.
(v) Title to Properties. The Company and each of its subsidiaries has good
and marketable title to all the properties and assets reflected as owned in the
financial statements referred to in Section 1 (i) above, in each case free and
clear of any security interests, mortgages, liens, encumbrances, equities,
claims and other defects, except such as do not materially and adversely affect
the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made or
proposed to be made of such property by the Company or such subsidiary. The real
property, improvements, equipment and personal property held under lease by the
Company or any subsidiary are held under valid and enforceable leases, with such
exceptions as are not material and do not materially interfere with the use made
or proposed to be made of such real property, improvements, equipment or
personal property by the Company or such subsidiary.
(w) Tax Law Compliance. The Company and its consolidated subsidiaries have
filed all necessary federal, state and foreign income and franchise tax returns
or have properly requested extensions thereof and have paid all taxes required
to be paid by any of them and, if due and payable, any related or similar
assessment, fine or penalty levied against any of them. The Company has made
adequate charges, accruals and reserves in the applicable financial statements
referred to in Section 1 (i) above in respect of all federal, state and foreign
income and franchise taxes for all periods as to which the tax liability of the
Company or any of its consolidated subsidiaries has not been finally determined.
The Company is not aware of any tax deficiency that has been or might be
asserted or threatened against the Company that could result in a Material
Adverse Change.
(x) Intellectual Property Rights. Except as disclosed in the Prospectus,
each of the Company and its subsidiaries owns or possesses adequate rights to
use all patents, patent rights or licenses, inventions, collaborative research
agreements, trade secrets, know-how, trademarks, service marks, trade names and
copyrights which are necessary to conduct its businesses as described in the
Registration Statement and Prospectus; the expiration of any patents, patent
rights, trade secrets, trademarks, service marks, trade names or copyrights
would not result in a Material Adverse Change that is not otherwise disclosed in
the Prospectus; the Company has not received any
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notice of, and has no knowledge of, any infringement of or conflict with
asserted rights of the Company by others with respect to any patent, patent
rights, inventions, trade secrets, know-how, trademarks, service marks, trade
names or copyrights; and, except as disclosed in the Prospectus, the Company has
not received any notice of, and has no knowledge of, any infringement of or
conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any patent, patent
rights, inventions, trade secrets, know-how, trademarks, service marks, trade
names or copyrights which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an
unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, might have a Material Adverse Change.
Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, there is no claim being made against the
Company regarding patents, patent rights or licenses, inventions, collaborative
research, trade secrets, know-how, trademarks, service marks, trade names or
copyrights. The Company and its subsidiaries do not in the conduct of their
business as now or proposed to be conducted as described in the Prospectus
infringe or conflict with any right or patent of any third party, or any
discovery, invention, product or process which is the subject of a patent
application filed by any third party, known to the Company or any of its
subsidiaries, which such infringement or conflict is reasonably likely to result
in a Material Adverse Change.
(y) Year 2000 Preparedness. There are no issues related to the Company's,
or any of its subsidiaries', preparedness for the Year 2000 that (i) are of a
character required to be described or referred to in the Registration Statement
or Prospectus by the Securities Act which have not been accurately described in
the Registration Statement or Prospectus or (ii) might reasonably be expected to
result in any Material Adverse Change or that might materially affect their
properties, assets or rights. The Company has inquired of material vendors as to
their preparedness for the Year 2000 and has disclosed in the Registration
Statement or Prospectus any issues that might reasonably be expected to result
in any Material Adverse Change.
(z) No Transfer Taxes or Other Fees. There are no transfer taxes or other
similar fees or charges under Federal law or the laws of any state, or any
political subdivision thereof, required to be paid in connection with the
execution and delivery of this Agreement or the issuance and sale by the Company
of the shares.
(aa) Company Not an "Investment Company". The Company has been advised of
the rules and requirements under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended
(the "Investment Company Act"). The Company is not, and after receipt of payment
for the Shares will not be, an "investment company" or an entity "controlled" by
an "investment company" within the meaning of the Investment Company Act and
will conduct its business in a manner so that it will not become subject to the
Investment Company Act.
(bb) Insurance. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries are insured by
recognized, financially sound and reputable institutions with policies in such
amounts and with such deductibles and covering such risks as are generally
deemed adequate and customary for their businesses including, but not limited
to, policies covering real and personal property owned or leased by the Company
and its subsidiaries against theft, damage, destruction, acts of vandalism and
earthquakes, general liability and Directors and Officers liability. The Company
has no reason to believe that it or any subsidiary will not be able (i) to renew
its existing insurance coverage as and when such
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policies expire or (ii) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions
as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and
at a cost that would not result in a Material Adverse Change. Neither of the
Company nor any subsidiary has been denied any insurance coverage which it has
sought or for which it has applied.
(cc) Labor Matters. To the best of Company's knowledge, no labor
disturbance by the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or
is imminent; and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor
disturbance by the employees of any of its principal suppliers, advertising
clients, co-branded or private label partners, redemption partners, or licensees
that might be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.
(dd) No Price Stabilization or Manipulation. The Company has not taken and
will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that might be
reasonably expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the
price of the Common Stock to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares.
(ee) Lock-Up Agreements. Substantially all outstanding Common Shares, and
all securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Stock, are
subject to valid, binding and enforceable agreements (collectively, the "Company
Lock-up Agreements") that restrict the holders thereof from selling, making any
short sale of, granting any option for the purchase of, or otherwise
transferring or disposing of, any of such shares of Common Shares, or any such
securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Shares,
for a period of 180 days after the date of the Prospectus without the prior
written consent of the Company or ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. Each officer and director
of the Company and each beneficial owner of one or more percent of the
outstanding issued share capital of the Company has agreed to sign an agreement
substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the "Underwriter Lock-up
Agreements" and, together with the Company Lock-up Agreements, the "Lock-up
Agreements"). The Company has provided to counsel for the Underwriters a
complete and accurate list of all securityholders of the Company and the number
and type of securities held by each securityholder. The Company has provided to
counsel for the Underwriters true, accurate and complete copies of all of the
Lock-up Agreements presently in effect or effected hereby. The Company hereby
represents and warrants that it will not release any of its officers, directors
or other stockholders from any Lock-up Agreements currently existing or
hereafter effected without the prior written consent of BancBoston ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Inc.
(ff) Related Party Transactions. There are no business relationships or
related-party transactions involving the Company or any subsidiary or any other
person required to be described in the Prospectus which have not been described
as required.
(gg) No Unlawful Contributions or Other Payments. Neither the Company nor
any of its subsidiaries nor, to the best of the Company's knowledge, any
employee or agent of the Company or any subsidiary, has made any contribution or
other payment to any official of, or candidate for, any federal, state or
foreign office in violation of any law or of the character required to be
disclosed in the Prospectus.
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(hh) Environmental Laws. (i) the Company is in compliance with all rules,
laws and regulations relating to the use, treatment, storage and disposal of
toxic substances and protection of health or the environment ("Environmental
Laws") which are applicable to its business, except where the failure to comply
would not result in a Material Adverse Change, (ii) the Company has received no
notice from any governmental authority or third party of an asserted claim under
Environmental Laws, which claim is required to be disclosed in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, (iii) the Company will not be required to make
future material capital expenditures to comply with Environmental Laws and (iv)
no property which is owned, leased or occupied by the Company has been
designated as a Superfund site pursuant to the Comprehensive Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended (42 U.S.C. Section 9601, et
seq.), or otherwise designated as a contaminated site under applicable state or
local law.
(ii) ERISA Compliance. The Company and its subsidiaries and any "employee
benefit plan" (as defined under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of
1974, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder
(collectively, "ERISA")) established or maintained by the Company, its
subsidiaries or their "ERISA Affiliates" (as defined below) are in compliance in
all material respects with ERISA. "ERISA Affiliate" means, with respect to the
Company or a subsidiary, any member of any group of organizations described in
Sections 414(b),(c),(m) or (o) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended,
and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (the "Code") of
which the Company or such subsidiary is a member. No "reportable event" (as
defined under ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur with
respect to any "employee benefit plan" established or maintained by the Company,
its subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates. No "employee benefit plan"
established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or any of their ERISA
Affiliates, if such "employee benefit plan" were terminated, would have any
"amount of unfounded benefit liabilities" (as defined under ERISA). Neither the
Company, its subsidiaries nor any of their ERISA Affiliates has incurred or
reasonably expects to incur any liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with
respect to termination of, or withdrawal from, any "employee benefit plan" or
(ii) Sections 412, 4971, 4975 or 4980B of the Code. Each "employee benefit plan"
established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or any of their ERISA
Affiliates that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is
so qualified and nothing has occurred, whether by action or failure to act,
which would cause the loss of such qualification.
(jj) Merger Agreement. The execution and delivery of the Agreement and
Plan of Merger dated as of November 30, 1998 (the "Merger Agreement") among the
Company, IPOST Acquisition Subsidiary, Inc. ("Sub") and Enhanced Response
Technologies, Inc. ("ERT"), was duly authorized by all necessary corporate
action on the part of each of the Company, Sub and ERT. Each of the Company, Sub
and ERT had all corporate power and authority to execute and deliver the Merger
Agreement, to file the Merger Agreement and the related Articles of Merger with
the Secretary of State of the State of Illinois and to complete the transactions
contemplated by the Merger Agreement, and the Merger Agreement at the time of
execution and filing constituted a valid and binding obligation of each of the
Company, Sub and ERT.
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(kk) Directed Share Program. The Company has not offered, or caused the
Underwriters to offer, Shares to any person pursuant to the Directed Share
Program with the specific intent to unlawfully influence (i) a customer or
supplier of the Company to alter the customer's or supplier's level or type of
business with the Company, or (ii) a trade journalist or publication to write or
publish favorable information about the Company or its products.
Furthermore, the Company represents and warrants to ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇ that (i) the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any preliminary
prospectus comply, and any further amendments or supplements thereto will
comply, with any applicable laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions in
which the Prospectus or any preliminary prospectus, as amended or supplemented,
if applicable, are distributed in connection with the Directed Share Program,
and that (ii) no authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration
or qualification of or with any government, governmental instrumentality or
court, other than such as have been obtained, is necessary under the securities
laws and regulations of foreign jurisdictions in which the Directed shares are
offered outside the United States.
Any certificate signed by an officer of the Company and delivered to
the Representatives or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed to be a
representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters
set forth therein.
SECTION 2. PURCHASE, SALE AND DELIVERY OF THE SHARES.
(a) The Firm Shares. The Company agrees to issue and sell to the several
Underwriters the Firm Shares upon the terms herein set forth. On the basis of
the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, and upon the
terms but subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Underwriters agree,
severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective number of
Firm Shares set forth opposite their names on Schedule A. The purchase price per
Firm Share to be paid by the several Underwriters to the Company shall be $[___]
per share.
(b) The First Closing Date. Delivery of the Firm Shares to be purchased by
the Underwriters and payment therefor shall be made by the Company and the
Representatives at 6:00 a.m. San Francisco time, at the offices of ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇, P.C. (or at such other place as may be agreed upon
among the Representatives and the Company), (i) on the third (3rd) full business
day following the first day that Shares are traded, (ii) if this Agreement is
executed and delivered after 1:30 P.M., San Francisco time, the fourth (4th)
full business day following the day that this Agreement is executed and
delivered or (iii) at such other time and date not later that seven (7) full
business days following the first day that Shares are traded as the
Representatives and the Company may determine (or at such time and date to which
payment and delivery shall have been postponed pursuant to Section 8 hereof),
such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called the "Closing
Date;" provided, however, that if the Company has not made available to the
Representatives copies of the Prospectus within the time provided in Section
4(d) hereof, the Representatives
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may, in their sole discretion, postpone the Closing Date until no later that two
(2) full business days following delivery of copies of the Prospectus to the
Representatives.
(c) The Option Shares; the Second Closing Date. In addition, on the basis
of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, and upon the
terms but subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Company hereby grants
an option to the several Underwriters to purchase, severally and not jointly, up
to an aggregate of [___] Option Shares from the Company at the purchase price
per share to be paid by the Underwriters for the Firm Shares. The option granted
hereunder is for use by the Underwriters solely in covering any over-allotments
in connection with the sale and distribution of the Firm Shares. The option
granted hereunder may be exercised at any time upon notice by the
Representatives to the Company, which notice may be given at any time within 30
days from the date of this Agreement. The time and date of delivery of the
Option Shares, if subsequent to the First Closing Date, is called the "Second
Closing Date" and shall be determined by the Representatives and shall not be
earlier than three nor later than five full business days after delivery of such
notice of exercise. If any Option Shares are to be purchased, each Underwriter
agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the number of Option Shares
(subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as the
Representatives may determine) that bears the same proportion to the total
number of Option Shares to be purchased as the number of Firm Shares set forth
on Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of
Firm Shares. The Representatives may cancel the option at any time prior to its
expiration by giving written notice of such cancellation to the Company.
(d) Public Offering of the Shares. The Representatives hereby advise the
Company that the Underwriters intend to offer for sale to the public, as
described in the Prospectus, their respective portions of the Shares as soon
after this Agreement has been executed and the Registration Statement has been
declared effective as the Representatives, in their sole judgment, have
determined is advisable and practicable.
(e) Payment for the Shares. Payment for the Shares shall be made at the
First Closing Date (and, if applicable, at the Second Closing Date) by wire
transfer in immediately available-funds to the order of the Company.
It is understood that the Representatives have been authorized, for
their own account and the accounts of the several Underwriters, to accept
delivery of and receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the
Firm Shares and any Option Shares the Underwriters have agreed to purchase.
BancBoston ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Inc., individually and not as the Representative
of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment for any
Shares to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds shall not have been
received by the Representatives by the First Closing Date or the Second Closing
Date, as the case may be, for the account of such Underwriter, but any such
payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from any of its obligations under
this Agreement.
(f) Delivery of the Shares. The Company shall deliver, or cause to be
delivered, a credit representing the Firm Shares to an account or accounts at
The Depository Trust Company, as designated by the Representatives for the
accounts of the Representatives and the several Underwriters at the First
Closing Date, against the
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irrevocable release of a wire transfer of immediately available funds for the
amount of the purchase price therefor. The Company shall also deliver, or cause
to be delivered a credit representing the Option Shares the Underwriters have
agreed to purchase at the First Closing Date (or the Second Closing Date, as the
case may be), to an account or accounts at The Depository Trust Company as
designated by the Representatives for the accounts of the Representatives and
the several Underwriters, against the irrevocable release of a wire transfer of
immediately available funds for the amount of the purchase price therefor. Time
shall be of the essence, and delivery at the time and place specified in this
Agreement is a further condition to the obligations of the Underwriters.
(g) Delivery of Prospectus to the Underwriters. Not later than 12:00 noon
on the second business day following the date the Shares are released by the
Underwriters for sale to the public, the Company shall deliver or cause to be
delivered copies of the Prospectus in such quantities and at such places as the
Representatives shall request.
SECTION 3. COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY.
(a) Registration Statement Matters. The Company will (i) use its best
efforts to cause a registration statement on Form 8-A (the "Form 8-A
Registration Statement") as required by the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the
"Exchange Act") to become effective simultaneously with the Registration
Statement, (ii) use its best efforts to cause the Registration Statement to
become effective or, if the procedure in Rule 430A of the Securities Act is
followed, to prepare and timely file with the Commission under Rule 424(b) under
the Securities Act a Prospectus in a form approved by the Representatives
containing information previously omitted at the time of effectiveness of the
Registration Statement in reliance on Rule 430A of the Securities Act and (iii)
not file any amendment to the Registration Statement or supplement to the
Prospectus of which the Representatives shall not previously have been advised
and furnished with a copy or to which the Representatives shall have reasonably
objected in writing or which is not in compliance with the Securities Act. If
the Company elects to rely on Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, the Company
shall file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in
compliance with Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act prior to the time
confirmations are sent or given, as specified by Rule 462(b)(2) under the
Securities Act, and shall pay the applicable fees in accordance with Rule 111
under the Securities Act.
(b) Securities Act Compliance. The Company will advise the Representatives
promptly (i) when the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment
thereto shall have become effective, (ii) of receipt of any comments from the
Commission, (iii) of any request of the Commission for amendment of the
Registration Statement or for supplement to the Prospectus or for any additional
information and (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the use of the
Prospectus or of the institution of any proceedings for that purpose. The
Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order
preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus and to obtain as soon as
possible the lifting thereof, if issued.
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(c) Blue Sky Compliance. The Company will cooperate with the
Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters in endeavoring to qualify the
Shares for sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions (both national
and foreign) as the Representatives may reasonably have designated in writing
and will make such applications, file such documents, and furnish such
information as may be reasonably required for that purpose, provided the Company
shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general
consent to service of process in any jurisdiction where it is not now so
qualified or required to file such a consent. The Company will, from time to
time, prepare and file such statements, reports and other documents, as are or
may be required to continue such qualifications in effect for so long a period
as the Representatives may reasonably request for distribution of the Shares.
(d) Amendments and Supplements to the Prospectus and Other Securities Act
Matters. The Company will comply with the Securities Act and the Exchange Act,
and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, so as to permit the
completion of the distribution of the Shares as contemplated in this Agreement
and the Prospectus. If during the period in which a prospectus is required by
law to be delivered by an Underwriter or dealer, any event shall occur as a
result of which, in the judgment of the Company or in the reasonable opinion of
the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters, it becomes necessary to
amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in
the light of the circumstances existing at the time the Prospectus is delivered
to a purchaser, not misleading, or, if it is necessary at any time to amend or
supplement the Prospectus to comply with any law, the Company promptly will
prepare and file with the Commission, and furnish at its own expense to the
Underwriters and to dealers, an appropriate amendment to the Registration
Statement or supplement to the Prospectus so that the Prospectus as so amended
or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when it is so
delivered, be misleading, or so that the Prospectus will comply with the law.
(e) Copies of any Amendments and Supplements to the Prospectus. The
Company agrees to furnish the Representatives, without charge, during the period
beginning on the date hereof and ending on the later of the First Closing Date
or such date, as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, the Prospectus
is no longer required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an
Underwriter or dealer (the "Prospectus Delivery Period"), as many copies of the
Prospectus and any amendments and supplements thereto as the Representatives may
request.
(f) Insurance. The Company shall (i) obtain Directors and Officers
liability insurance in the minimum amount of $___ million which shall apply to
the offering contemplated hereby.
(g) Notice of Subsequent Events. If at any time during the ninety (90) day
period after the Registration Statement becomes effective, any rumor,
publication or event relating to or affecting the Company shall occur as a
result of which in your opinion the market price of the Company Shares has been
or is likely to be materially affected (regardless of whether such rumor,
publication or event necessitates a supplement to or amendment of the
Prospectus), the Company will, after written notice from you advising the
Company to the effect set forth above, forthwith prepare, consult with you
concerning the substance of and disseminate a press release or other public
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statement, reasonably satisfactory to you, responding to or commenting on such
rumor, publication or event.
(h) Use of Proceeds. The Company shall apply the net proceeds from the
sale of the Shares sold by it substantially in the manner described under the
caption "Use of Proceeds" in the Prospectus.
(i) Transfer Agent. The Company shall engage and maintain, at its expense,
a registrar and transfer agent for the Company Shares.
(j) Earnings Statement. As soon as practicable, the Company will make
generally available to its security holders and to the Representatives an
earnings statement (which need not be audited) covering the twelve-month period
ending [___] that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities
Act.
(k) Periodic Reporting Obligations. During the Prospectus Delivery Period
the Company shall file, on a timely basis, with the Commission and the Nasdaq
National Market all reports and documents required to be filed under the
Exchange Act.
(l) Agreement Not to Offer or Sell Additional Securities. The Company will
not, without the prior written consent of BancBoston ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Inc.,
for a period of 180 days following the date of the Prospectus, offer, sell or
contract to sell, or otherwise dispose of or enter into any transaction which is
designed to, or could be expected to, result in the disposition (whether by
actual disposition or effective economic disposition due to cash settlement or
otherwise by the Company or any affiliate of the Company or any person in
privity with the Company or any affiliate of the Company) directly or
indirectly, or announce the offering of, any other Common Shares or any
securities convertible into, or exchangeable for, Common Shares; provided,
however, that the Company may (i) issue and sell Common Shares pursuant to any
director or employee stock option plan, stock ownership plan or dividend
reinvestment plan of the Company in effect at the date of the Prospectus and
described in the Prospectus so long as none of those shares may be transferred
on during the period of 180 days from the date that the Registration Statement
is declared effective (the "Lock-Up Period") and the Company shall enter stop
transfer instructions with its transfer agent and registrar against the transfer
of any such Common Shares and (ii) the Company may issue Common Shares issuable
upon the conversion of securities or the exercise of warrants outstanding at the
date of the Prospectus and described in the Prospectus.
(m) Future Reports to the Representatives. During the period of five years
hereafter the Company will furnish to each of the Representatives as soon as
available, copies of any report or communication of the Company mailed generally
to holders of its capital stock.
(n) Enforcement of Company Lock-up. The Company will place a restrictive
legend on any Common Shares acquired pursuant to the exercise, after the date
hereof and prior to the expiration of the Lock-up Period, of any option granted,
or the issuance of any Common Shares, under any employee benefit plan or other
equity incentive arrangement, which legend shall restrict the transfer of such
shares prior to the expiration of the Lock-up Period. In addition, the Company
agrees that, without the prior
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written consent of BancBoston ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Inc., it will not release any
stockholder or option holder from the Company Lock-up Agreements earlier than
180 days after the date of the initial public offering of the Firm Shares.
(o) In connection with the Directed Share Program, the Company will ensure
that the Directed Shares will be restricted to the extent required by the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD") or the NASD rules
from sale, transfer, assignment, pledge or hypothecation for a period of three
months following the date of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement.
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ will notify the Company as to which Participants will need
to be so restricted. The Company will direct the removal of such transfer
restrictions upon the expiration of such period of time.
(p) The Company agrees to pay all fees and disbursements of counsel
incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the Directed Share Program and
stamp duties, similar taxes or duties or other taxes, if any, incurred by the
Underwriters in connection with the Directed Share Program.
Furthermore, the Company covenants with ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ that the
Company will comply with all applicable securities and other applicable laws,
rules and regulations in each foreign jurisdiction in which the Directed Shares
are offered in connection with the Directed Share Program.
SECTION 4. CONDITIONS OF THE OBLIGATIONS OF THE UNDERWRITERS. The
obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Shares as
provided herein on the First Closing Date and, with respect to the Option
Shares, the Second Closing Date, shall be subject to the accuracy of the
representations and warranties on the part of the Company set forth in Section 1
hereof as of the date hereof and as of the First Closing Date as though then
made and, with respect to the Option Shares, as of the Second Closing Date as
though then made, to the timely performance by the Company of its covenants and
other obligations hereunder, and to each of the following additional conditions:
(a) Compliance with Registration Requirements; No Stop Order; No Objection
from the National Association of Securities Dealers, LLC. The Registration
Statement shall have become effective prior to the execution of this Agreement,
or at such later date as shall be consented to in writing by you; and no stop
order suspending the effectiveness thereof shall have been issued and no
proceedings for that purpose shall have been initiated or, to the knowledge of
the Company or any Underwriter, threatened by the Commission, and any request of
the Commission for additional information (to be included in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus or otherwise) shall have been complied with to the
satisfaction of Underwriters' Counsel; and the National Association of
Securities Dealers, LLC shall have raised no objection to the fairness and
reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements.
(b) Corporate Proceedings. All corporate proceedings and other legal
matters in connection with this Agreement, the form of Registration Statement
and the Prospectus, and the registration, authorization, issue, sale and
delivery of the Shares, shall have been
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reasonably satisfactory to Underwriters' Counsel, and such counsel shall have
been furnished with such papers and information as they may reasonably have
requested to enable them to pass upon the matters referred to in this Section.
(c) No Material Adverse Change. Subsequent to the execution and delivery of
this Agreement and prior to the First Closing Date, or the Second Closing Date,
as the case may be, there shall not have been any Material Adverse Change in the
condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, operations, business or business
prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise from
that set forth in the Registration Statement or Prospectus, which, in your sole
judgment, is material and adverse and that makes it, in your sole judgment,
impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering of the Shares
as contemplated by the Prospectus.
(d) Opinion of Counsel for the Company. You shall have received on the
First Closing Date, or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, an opinion
of ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇, P.C., counsel for the Company substantially
in the form of Exhibit B attached hereto, dated the First Closing Date, or the
Second Closing Date, addressed to the Underwriters and with reproduced copies or
signed counterparts thereof for each of the Underwriters.
Counsel rendering the opinion contained in Exhibit B may rely as to
questions of law not involving the laws of the United States or the State of
California and State of Delaware upon opinions of local counsel, and as to
questions of fact upon representations or certificates of officers of the
Company and of government officials, in which case their opinion is to state
that they are so relying and that they have no knowledge of any material
misstatement or inaccuracy in any such opinion, representation or certificate.
Copies of any opinion, representation or certificate so relied upon shall be
delivered to you, as Representatives of the Underwriters, and to Underwriters'
Counsel.
(e) Opinion of Patent Counsel for the Company. You shall have received on
the First Closing Date, or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, an
opinion of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Madison & Sutro LLP, patent counsel for the Company
substantially in the form of Exhibit C attached hereto.
(f) Opinion of Counsel for the Underwriters. You shall have received on the
First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, an opinion of
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & West LLP, substantially in the form of Exhibit D hereto. The Company
shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they may have requested
for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.
(g) Accountants' Comfort Letter. You shall have received on the First
Closing Date and on the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, a letter from
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLC addressed to the Underwriters, dated the First
Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, confirming that
they are independent certified public accountants with respect to the Company
within the meaning of the Act and the applicable published Rules and Regulations
and based upon the procedures described in such letter delivered to you
concurrently with the execution of this Agreement (herein called the "Original
Letter"), but carried out to a date not more than four (4) business days prior
to the First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be,
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(i) confirming, to the extent true, that the statements and conclusions set
forth in the Original Letter are accurate as of the First Closing Date or the
Second Closing Date, as the case may be, and (ii) setting forth any revisions
and additions to the statements and conclusions set forth in the Original Letter
which are necessary to reflect any changes in the facts described in the
Original Letter since the date of such letter, or to reflect the availability of
more recent financial statements, data or information. The letter shall not
disclose any change in the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings,
operations, business or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries
considered as one enterprise from that set forth in the Registration Statement
or Prospectus, which, in your sole judgment, is material and adverse and that
makes it, in your sole judgment, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with
the public offering of the Shares as contemplated by the Prospectus. The
Original Letter from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLC shall be addressed to or for the
use of the Underwriters in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters
and shall (i) represent, to the extent true, that they are independent certified
public accountants with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Act and
the applicable published Rules and Regulations, (ii) set forth their opinion
with respect to their examination of the consolidated balance sheets of the
Company as of December 31, 1997 and 1998 and related consolidated statements of
operations, stockholders' equity, and cash flows for the period from November 7,
1996 (inception) to December 31, 1996 and for the years ended December 31, 1997
and 1998, (iii) set forth their opinion with respect to their examination of the
combined balance sheet of Enhanced Response Technologies, Inc. as of December
31, 1997 and related combined statements of operations, shareholders'
deficiency, and cash flows for the period ended December 31, 1996 and the year
ended December 31, 1997, (iv) state that nothing has come to their attention
that caused them to believe that the unaudited pro forma consolidated financial
information included in the Registration Statement does not comply as to form in
all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of Regulation
S-X or that the pro forma adjustments have not been properly applied to the
historical amounts in the compilation of those statements, (v) state that
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLC has performed the procedures set out in Statement on
Auditing Standards No. 71 ("SAS 71") for a review of interim financial
information and providing the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLC as described
in SAS 71 on the pro forma financial statements for each of the quarters in the
____-quarter period ended ________________, 1999 (the "Quarterly Financial
Statements"), (vi) state that in the course of such review, nothing came to
their attention that leads them to believe that any material modifications need
to be made to any of the Quarterly Financial Statements in order for them to be
in compliance with generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied
across the periods presented, and address other matters agreed upon by
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLC and you. In addition, you shall have received from
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLC a letter addressed to the Company and made available
to you for the use of the Underwriters stating that their review of the
Company's system of internal accounting controls, to the extent they deemed
necessary in establishing the scope of their examination of the Company's
consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 1997 and 1998 and of
Enhanced Response Technologies, Inc.'s financial statements as of December 31,
1997, did not disclose any weaknesses in internal controls that they considered
to be material weaknesses.
(h) Officers' Certificate. You shall have received on the First Closing
Date and the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, a certificate of the
Company, dated the
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First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, signed by the
Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Company, to the
effect that, and you shall be satisfied that:
(i) The representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are
true and correct, as if made on and as of the First Closing Date or the
Second Closing Date, as the case may be, and the Company has complied with
all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be
performed or satisfied at or prior to the First Closing Date or the Second
Closing Date, as the case may be;
(ii) No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been
instituted or are pending or threatened under the Act;
(iii) When the Registration Statement became effective and at all times
subsequent thereto up to the delivery of such certificate, the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, and any amendments or supplements thereto
contained all material information required to be included therein by the
Securities Act and in all material respects conformed to the requirements
of the Securities Act; the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and
any amendments or supplements thereto, did not and do not include any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading; and, since the effective date of the Registration
Statement, there has occurred no event required to be set forth in an
amended or supplemented Prospectus which has not been so set forth; and
(iv) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in
the Registration Statement and Prospectus, there has not been (a) any
material adverse change in the condition (financial or otherwise),
earnings, operations, business or business prospects of the Company and its
subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, (b) any transaction that is
material to the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise,
except transactions entered into in the ordinary course of business, (c)
any obligation, direct or contingent, that is material to the Company and
its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, incurred by the Company or
its subsidiaries, except obligations incurred in the ordinary course of
business, (d) any change in the capital stock or outstanding indebtedness
of the Company or any of its subsidiaries that is material to the Company
and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, (e) any dividend or
distribution of any kind declared, paid or made on the capital stock of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries, or (f) any loss or damage (whether or
not insured) to the property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries
which has been sustained or will have been sustained which has a material
adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings,
operations, business or business prospects of the Company and its
subsidiaries considered as one enterprise.
(i) Underwriter Lock-up Agreement from Certain Stockholders of the Company.
The Company shall have obtained and delivered to you an agreement substantially
in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto from each officer and director of the
Company and each
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beneficial owner of one or more percent of the outstanding issued share capital
of the Company.
(j) Underwriter Lock-up Agreement in Force. The Underwriter Lock-up
Agreements between the Underwriters and the stockholders, officers and directors
of the Company relating to sales and certain other dispositions of Common Shares
or certain other securities, delivered to you on or before the date hereof,
shall be in full force and effect on each of the First Closing Date and the
Second Closing Date;
(k) Stock Exchange Listing. The Shares shall have been approved for
inclusion on the Nasdaq National Market, subject only to official notice of
issuance.
(l) Compliance with Prospectus Delivery Requirements. The Company shall
have complied with the provisions of Sections 2(b) and 3(e) hereof with respect
to the furnishing of Prospectuses.
(m) Additional Documents. On or before each of the First Closing Date and
the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, the Representatives and counsel for
the Underwriters shall have received such information, documents and opinions as
they may reasonably require for the purposes of enabling them to pass upon the
issuance and sale of the Shares as contemplated herein, or in order to evidence
the accuracy of any of the representations and warranties, or the satisfaction
of any of the conditions or agreements, herein contained.
If any condition specified in this Section 4 is not satisfied when and as
required to be satisfied, this Agreement may be terminated by the
Representatives by notice to the Company at any time on or prior to the First
Closing Date and, with respect to the Option Shares, at any time prior to the
Second Closing Date, which termination shall be without liability on the part of
any party to any other party, except that Section 5 (Payment of Expenses),
Section 6 (Reimbursement of Underwriters' Expenses), Section 7 (Indemnification
and Contribution) and Section 10 (Representations and Indemnities to Survive
Delivery) shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination.
SECTION 5. PAYMENT OF EXPENSES. The Company agrees to pay all costs, fees
and expenses incurred in connection with the performance of its obligations
hereunder and in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including
without limitation (i) all expenses incident to the issuance and delivery of the
Common Shares (including all printing and engraving costs), (ii) all fees and
expenses of the registrar and transfer agent of the Common Stock, (iii) all
necessary issue, transfer and other stamp taxes in connection with the issuance
and sale of the Shares to the Underwriters, (iv) all fees and expenses of the
Company's counsel, independent public or certified public accountants and other
advisors, (v) all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the
preparation, printing, filing, shipping and distribution of the Registration
Statement (including financial statements, exhibits, schedules, consents and
certificates of experts), each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus, and
all amendments and supplements thereto, and this Agreement, (vi) all filing
fees, attorneys' fees and expenses incurred by the Company or the Underwriters
in connection with qualifying or
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registering (or obtaining exemptions from the qualification or registration of)
all or any part of the Shares for offer and sale under the state securities or
blue sky laws or the provincial securities laws of Canada or any other country,
and, if requested by the Representatives, preparing and printing a "Blue Sky
Survey", an "International Blue Sky Survey" or other memorandum, and any
supplements thereto, advising the Underwriters of such qualifications,
registrations and exemptions, (vii) the filing fees incident to, and the
reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with,
the National Association of Securities Dealers, LLC review and approval of the
Underwriters' participation in the offering and distribution of the Common
Shares, (viii) the fees and expenses associated with including the Common Shares
on the Nasdaq National Market, (ix) all costs and expenses incident to the
preparation and undertaking of "road show" preparations to be made to
prospective investors, and (x) all other fees, costs and expenses referred to in
Item 13 of Part II of the Registration Statement. Except as provided in this
Section 5, Section 6, and Section 7 hereof, the Underwriters shall pay their own
expenses, including the fees and disbursements of their counsel.
SECTION 6. REIMBURSEMENT OF UNDERWRITERS' EXPENSES. If this Agreement is
terminated by the Representatives pursuant to Section 4, Section 7, Section 8 or
Section 9, or if the sale to the Underwriters of the Shares on the First Closing
Date is not consummated because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part
of the Company to perform any agreement herein or to comply with any provision
hereof, the Company agrees to reimburse the Representatives and the other
Underwriters (or such Underwriters as have terminated this Agreement with
respect to themselves), severally, upon demand for all out-of-pocket expenses
that shall have been reasonably incurred by the Representatives and the
Underwriters in connection with the proposed purchase and the offering and sale
of the Shares, including but not limited to fees and disbursements of counsel,
printing expenses, travel expenses, postage, facsimile and telephone charges.
SECTION 7. INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION.
(a) Indemnification of the Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify
and hold harmless each Underwriter, its officers and employees, and each person,
if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act
and the Exchange Act against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as
incurred, to which such Underwriter or such controlling person may become
subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or other federal or state
statutory law or regulation, or at common law or otherwise (including in
settlement of any litigation, if such settlement is effected with the written
consent of the Company, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld),
insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect
thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based (i) upon any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the
Registration Statement, or any amendment thereto, including any information
deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430A or Rule 434 under the
Securities Act, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading; or (ii) upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in any preliminary
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prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the
omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading; or (iii) in whole or in part upon any inaccuracy in
the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein; or (iv) in
whole or in part upon any failure of the Company to perform its obligations
hereunder or under law; or (v) any act or failure to act or any alleged act or
failure to act by any Underwriter in connection with, or relating in any manner
to, the Shares or the offering contemplated hereby, and which is included as
part of or referred to in any loss, claim, damage, liability or action arising
out of or based upon any matter covered by clause (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv)
above, provided that the Company shall not be liable under this clause (v) to
the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction shall have determined by a
final judgment that such loss, claim, damage, liability or action resulted
directly from any such acts or failures to act undertaken or omitted to be taken
by such Underwriter through its bad faith or willful misconduct; and to
reimburse each Underwriter and each such controlling person for any and all
expenses (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by BancBoston
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Inc.) as such expenses are reasonably incurred by such
Underwriter or such controlling person in connection with investigating,
defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage,
liability, expense or action; provided, however, that the foregoing indemnity
agreement shall not apply to any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense to
the extent, but only to the extent, arising out of or based upon any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in
reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the
Company by the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement,
any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement
thereto); and provided, further, that with respect to any preliminary
prospectus, the foregoing indemnity agreement shall not inure to the benefit of
any Underwriter from whom the person asserting any loss, claim, damage,
liability or expense purchased Shares, or any person controlling such
Underwriter, if copies of the Prospectus were timely delivered to the
Underwriter pursuant to Section 2 and a copy of the Prospectus (as then amended
or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished any amendments or
supplements thereto) was not sent or given by or on behalf of such Underwriter
to such person, if required by law so to have been delivered, at or prior to the
written confirmation of the sale of the Shares to such person, and if the
Prospectus (as so amended or supplemented) would have cured the defect giving
rise to such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense. The indemnity agreement
set forth in this Section 7(a) shall be in addition to any liabilities that the
Company may otherwise have.
(b) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
and each person, if any, who controls ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ within the meaning of
either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act
("▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Entities"), from and against any and all losses, claims,
damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other
expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any
such action or claim) (i) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in the prospectus wrapper material
prepared by or with the consent of the Company for distribution in foreign
jurisdictions in connection with the Directed Share Program attached to the
Prospectus or any preliminary prospectus, or caused by any omission or alleged
omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or
22
23
necessary to make the statement therein, when considered in conjunction with the
Prospectus or any applicable preliminary prospectus, not misleading; (ii) caused
by the failure of any Participant to pay for and accept delivery of the shares
which immediately following the effective of the Registration Statement, were
subject to a properly confirmed agreement to purchase; or (iii) related to,
arising out of, or in connection with the Directed Share Program, provided that,
the Company shall not be responsible under this subparagraph (iii) for any
losses, claim, damages or liabilities (or expenses relating thereto) that are
finally judicially determined to have resulted from the bad faith or gross
negligence of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Entities.
(c) Indemnification of the Company, its Directors and Officers. Each
Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless
the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signed the
Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within
the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, against any loss, claim,
damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which the Company, or any such
director, officer or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities
Act, the Exchange Act, or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, or
at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation, if such
settlement is effected with the written consent of such Underwriter), insofar as
such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as
contemplated below) arises out of or is based upon any untrue or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any
preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement
thereto), or arises out of or is based upon 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, in each case to the extent, but only to
the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission
or alleged omission was made in the Registration Statement, any preliminary
prospectus, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), in reliance
upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the
Representatives expressly for use therein; and to reimburse the Company, or any
such director, officer or controlling person for any legal and other expense
reasonably incurred by the Company, or any such director, officer or controlling
person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or
paying any such loss, claim, damage, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, expense or action. The indemnity
agreement set forth in this Section 7(c) shall be in addition to any liabilities
that each Underwriter may otherwise have.
(d) Information Provided by the Underwriters. The Company hereby
acknowledges that the only information that the Underwriters have furnished to
the Company expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any preliminary
prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) are the
statements set forth in the table in the first paragraph and the second and [_]
paragraphs under the caption "Underwriting" in the Prospectus; and the
Underwriters confirm that such statements are correct.
(e) Notifications and Other Indemnification Procedures. Promptly after
receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 7 of notice of the
commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect
thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party under this Section 7, notify
the indemnifying party in writing of the
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24
commencement thereof, but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party will
not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party for
contribution or otherwise than under the indemnity agreement contained in this
Section 7 or to the extent it is not prejudiced as a proximate result of such
failure. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party and
such indemnified party seeks or intends to seek indemnity from an indemnifying
party, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in, and, to the
extent that it shall elect, jointly with all other indemnifying parties
similarly notified, by written notice delivered to the indemnified party
promptly after receiving the aforesaid notice from such indemnified party, to
assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such
indemnified party; provided, however, if the defendants in any such action
include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the
indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that a conflict may arise
between the positions of the indemnifying party and the indemnified party in
conducting the defense of any such action or that there may be legal defenses
available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or
additional to those available to the indemnifying party, the indemnified party
or parties shall have the right to select separate counsel to assume such legal
defenses and to otherwise participate in the defense of such action on behalf of
such indemnified party or parties. Upon receipt of notice from the indemnifying
party to such indemnified party of such indemnifying party's election so to
assume the defense of such action and approval by the indemnified party of
counsel, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party
under this Section 7 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by
such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof unless (i) the
indemnified party shall have employed separate counsel in accordance with the
proviso to the next preceding sentence (it being understood, however, that the
indemnifying party shall not be liable for the expenses of more than one
separate counsel (together with local counsel), approved by the indemnifying
party (BancBoston ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Inc. in the case of Section 7(c) and
Section 8), representing the indemnified parties who are parties to such
action), (ii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel
satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within
a reasonable time after notice of commencement of the action, or (iii) the
indemnifying party has authorized the employment of counsel for the indemnified
party at the expense of the indemnifying party, in each of which cases the fees
and expenses of counsel shall be at the expense of the indemnifying party.
Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, if indemnity may be
sought pursuant to Section 7(b) hereof in respect of such action or proceeding,
then in addition to such separate firm for the indemnified parties, the
indemnifying party shall be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of not
more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇ for the defense of any losses, claims, damages and liabilities arising
out of the Directed Share Program, and all persons, if any, who control ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of
the Exchange Act.
(f) Settlements. The indemnifying party under this Section 7 shall not be
liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written
consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, but if settled with
such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying
party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party against any loss, claim, damage,
liability or expense by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding
the foregoing sentence, if at any time an
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indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the
indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by Section
7(e) hereof, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any
settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such
settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by such indemnifying
party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have
reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the
date of such settlement. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written
consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement, compromise or consent
to the entry of judgment in any pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding
in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and
indemnity was or could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party,
unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes (i) an unconditional
release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the
subject matter of such action, suit or proceeding and (ii) does not include a
statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or
on behalf of any indemnified party.
(g) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in this Section 7 is
unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under
Section 7(a) or (c) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) then each
indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount paid or payable by
such indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the
relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters
on the other from the offering of the Shares. If, however, the allocation
provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable
law then each indemnifying party shall contribute to such amount paid or payable
by such indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not
only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the
one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or
omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, (or
actions or proceedings in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the
one hand and the Underwriter on the other shall be deemed to be in the same
proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting
expenses) received by the Company bears to the total underwriting discounts and
commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table
on the cover page of the Prospectus. The relative fault shall be determined by
reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement
of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact
relates to information supplied by the Company on the one hand or the
Underwriters on the other and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to
information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The Company and Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable
if contributions pursuant to this Section 7(g) were determined by pro rata
allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such
purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the
equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 7(g). The amount paid
or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) referred to above in
this Section 7(g) shall be deemed to include any legal or
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26
other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with
investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the
provisions of this subsection (g), (i) no Underwriter shall be required to
contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting discounts and commissions
applicable to the Shares purchased by such Underwriter and (ii) no person guilty
of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the
Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not
guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters' obligations in
this Section 7(g) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective
underwriting obligations and not joint.
(h) Timing of Any Payments of Indemnification. Any losses, claims,
damages, liabilities or expenses for which an indemnified party is entitled to
indemnification or contribution under this Section 7 shall be paid by the
indemnifying party to the indemnified party as such losses, claims, damages,
liabilities or expenses are incurred, but in all cases, no later than thirty
(30) days of invoice to the indemnifying party.
(i) Survival. The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this
Section 7 and the representation and warranties of the Company set forth in this
Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless of (i)
any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any person
controlling any Underwriter, the Company, its directors or officers or any
persons controlling the Company, (ii) acceptance of any Shares and payment
therefor hereunder, and (iii) any termination of this Agreement. A successor to
any Underwriter, or to the Company, its directors or officers, or any person
controlling the Company, shall be entitled to the benefits of the indemnity,
contribution and reimbursement agreements contained in this Section 7.
(j) Acknowledgments of Parties. The parties to this Agreement hereby
acknowledge that they are sophisticated business persons who were represented by
counsel during the negotiations regarding the provisions hereof including,
without limitation, the provisions of this Section 7, and are fully informed
regarding said provisions. They further acknowledge that the provisions of this
Section 7 fairly allocate the risks in light of the ability of the parties to
investigate the Company and its business in order to assure that adequate
disclosure is made in the Registration Statement and Prospectus as required by
the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.
SECTION 8. DEFAULT OF ONE OR MORE OF THE SEVERAL UNDERWRITERS. If, on the
First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, any one or
more of the several Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Shares that it
or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate number
of Common Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but
failed or refused to purchase does not exceed 10% of the aggregate number of the
Shares to be purchased on such date, the other Underwriters shall be obligated,
severally, in the proportions that the number of Firm Common Shares set forth
opposite their respective names on Schedule A bears to the aggregate number of
Firm Shares set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting
Underwriters, or in such other proportions as may be specified by the
Representatives with the consent of the non-defaulting Underwriters,
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to purchase the Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed
but failed or refused to purchase on such date. If, on the First Closing Date or
the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, any one or more of the Underwriters
shall fail or refuse to purchase Shares and the aggregate number of Shares with
respect to which such default occurs exceeds 10% of the aggregate number of
Shares to be purchased on such date, and arrangements satisfactory to the
Representatives and the Company for the purchase of such Shares are not made
within 48 hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate without
liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section
6 and Section 7 shall at all times be effective and shall survive such
termination. In any such case either the Representative or the Company shall
have the right to postpone the First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as
the case may be, but in no event for longer than seven days in order that the
required changes, if any, to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or
any other documents or arrangements may be effected.
As used in this Agreement, the term "Underwriter" shall be deemed to
include any person substituted for a defaulting Underwriter under this Section
8. Any action taken under this Section 8 shall not relieve any defaulting
Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under
this Agreement.
SECTION 9. TERMINATION OF THIS AGREEMENT. Prior to the First Closing Date,
this Agreement may be terminated by the Representatives by notice given to the
Company if at any time (i) trading or quotation in any of the Company's
securities shall have been suspended or limited by the Commission or by the
Nasdaq Stock Market, or trading in securities generally on either the Nasdaq
Stock Market or the New York Stock Exchange shall have been suspended or
limited, or minimum or maximum prices shall have been generally established on
any of such stock exchanges by the Commission or the National Association of
Securities Dealers, LLC; (ii) a general banking moratorium shall have been
declared by any of federal, New York, Delaware or California authorities; (iii)
there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of national or
international hostilities or any crisis or calamity, or any change in the United
States or international financial markets, or any substantial change or
development involving a prospective change in United States' or international
political, financial or economic conditions, as in the judgment of the
Representatives is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or
inadvisable to market the Common Shares in the manner and on the terms described
in the Prospectus or to enforce contracts for the sale of securities; (iv) in
the judgment of the Representatives there shall have occurred any Material
Adverse Change; or (v) the Company shall have sustained a loss by strike, fire,
flood, earthquake, accident or other calamity of such character as in the
judgment of the Representatives may interfere materially with the conduct of the
business and operations of the Company regardless of whether or not such loss
shall have been insured. Any termination pursuant to this Section 9 shall be
without liability on the part of (a) the Company to any Underwriter, except that
the Company shall be obligated to reimburse the expenses of the Representatives
and the Underwriters pursuant to Sections 5 and 6 hereof, (b) any Underwriter to
the Company, or (c) of any party hereto to any other party except that the
provisions of Section 7 shall at all times be effective and shall survive such
termination.
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SECTION 10. REPRESENTATIONS AND INDEMNITIES TO SURVIVE DELIVERY. The
respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other
statements of the Company, of its officers and of the several Underwriters set
forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and
effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter
or the Company or any of its or their partners, officers or directors or any
controlling person, as the case may be, and will survive delivery of and payment
for the Shares sold hereunder and any termination of this Agreement.
SECTION 11. NOTICES. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and
shall be mailed, hand delivered or telecopied and confirmed to the parties
hereto as follows:
If to the Representative:
BANCBOSTON ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ INC.
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Facsimile: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Attention: General Counsel
If to the Company:
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇, Inc.
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Facsimile: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Chief Executive Officer
Any party hereto may change the address for receipt of communications by giving
written notice to the others.
SECTION 12. SUCCESSORS. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be
binding upon the parties hereto, including any substitute Underwriters pursuant
to Section 8 hereof, and to the benefit of the employees, officers and directors
and controlling persons referred to in Section 7, and to their respective
successors, and personal representatives, and no other person will have any
right or obligation hereunder. The term "successors" shall not include any
purchaser of the Shares as such from any of the Underwriters merely by reason of
such purchase.
SECTION 13. PARTIAL UNENFORCEABILITY. The invalidity or unenforceability
of any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the
validity or enforceability of any other Section, paragraph or provision hereof.
If any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason
determined to be invalid or
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unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only
such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.
SECTION 14. GOVERNING LAW PROVISIONS.
(a) Governing Law. This agreement shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the internal laws of the state of New York applicable to
agreements made and to be performed in such state.
(b) Consent to Jurisdiction. Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising
out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby
("Related Proceedings") may be instituted in the federal courts of the United
States of America located in the City and County of San Francisco or the courts
of the State of California in each case located in the City and County of San
Francisco (collectively, the "Specified Courts"), and each party irrevocably
submits to the exclusive jurisdiction (except for proceedings instituted in
regard to the enforcement of a judgment of any such court (a "Related
Judgment"), as to which such jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of such courts in
any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or
document by mail to such party's address set forth above shall be effective
service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such
court. The parties irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the
laying of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding in the Specified Courts
and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any
such court that any such suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such
court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. Each party not located in the
United States irrevocably appoints CT Corporation System, which currently
maintains a San Francisco office at ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇,
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, as its agent to receive service of
process or other legal summons for purposes of any such suit, action or
proceeding that may be instituted in any state or federal court in the City and
County of San Francisco.
(c) Waiver of Immunity. With respect to any Related Proceeding, each party
irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, all
immunity (whether on the basis of sovereignty or otherwise) from jurisdiction,
service of process, attachment (both before and after judgment) and execution to
which it might otherwise be entitled in the Specified Courts, and with respect
to any Related Judgment, each party waives any such immunity in the Specified
Courts or any other court of competent jurisdiction, and will not raise or claim
or cause to be pleaded any such immunity at or in respect of any such Related
Proceeding or Related Judgment, including, without limitation, any immunity
pursuant to the United States Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act of 1976, as
amended.
SECTION 15. GENERAL PROVISIONS. This Agreement constitutes the entire
agreement of the parties to this Agreement and supersedes all prior written or
oral and all contemporaneous oral agreements, understandings and negotiations
with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement may be executed in two
or more counterparts, each one of which shall be an original, with the same
effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument.
This Agreement may not
29
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be amended or modified unless in writing by all of the parties hereto, and no
condition herein (express or implied) may be waived unless waived in writing by
each party whom the condition is meant to benefit. The Table of Contents and the
Section headings herein are for the convenience of the parties only and shall
not affect the construction or interpretation of this Agreement.
[The remainder of this page has been intentionally left blank.]
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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our
agreement, please sign and return to the Company the enclosed copies hereof,
whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts hereof, shall become a
binding agreement in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours,
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇, INC.
By:
-------------------------------------
Chief Executive Officer
The foregoing Underwriting Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted by
the Representatives as of the date first above written.
BANCBOSTON ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ INC.
BEAR, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & CO. INC.
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, INC.
WIT CAPITAL CORPORATION
On their behalf and on behalf of each of the several underwriters named in
Schedule A hereto.
BY BANCBOSTON ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ INC.
By:
---------------------------------
Authorized Signatory
31
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SCHEDULE A
Number of
Firm Common
Shares
Underwriters To be Purchased
------------ ---------------
BANCBOSTON ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ INC....... [___]
BEAR ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & CO. INC.................. [___]
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, INC............... [___]
WIT CAPTIAL CORPORATION................. [___]
Total............................. [___]
S-B
33
EXHIBIT A
LOCK-UP AGREEMENT
BancBoston ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Inc.
Bear ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. Inc.
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, Inc.
Wit Capital Corporation
As Representatives of the Several Underwriters
c/o BancBoston ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Inc.
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Ladies & Gentlemen:
The undersigned understands that you, as Representatives of the several
underwriters (the "Underwriters"), propose to enter into an Underwriting
Agreement (the "Underwriting Agreement") with ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇, Inc. (the
"Company"), providing for the initial public offering (the "Public Offering") by
the Underwriters, including yourselves, of shares of the Common Stock, par value
$0.001, of the Company (the "Common Stock") pursuant to the Company's
Registration Statement on Form S-1 to be filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission on April 1, 1999 (the "Registration Statement").
In consideration of the Underwriters' agreement to purchase and make the
Public Offering of the Common Stock, and for other good and valuable
consideration, receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned hereby
agrees, for a period of 180 days after the effective date of the Registration
Statement (the "Lock-Up Period"), not to offer to sell, contract to sell or
otherwise sell, dispose of, loan, pledge or grant any rights with respect to
(collectively, a "Disposition") any shares of Common Stock, any options or
warrants to purchase any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible
into or exchangeable for shares of Common Stock (collectively, "Securities"),
now owned or hereafter acquired directly by the undersigned or with respect to
which the undersigned has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition,
otherwise than (i) as a bona fide gift or gifts, provided the donee or donees
thereof agree to be bound by this Lock-Up Agreement, (ii) as a distribution to
limited partners or shareholders of the undersigned, provided that the
distributees thereof agree in writing to be bound by the terms of this Lock-Up
Agreement or (iii) with the prior written consent of BancBoston ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇. The foregoing restriction is expressly agreed to preclude the holder
of the Securities from engaging in any hedging or other transaction which is
designed to or reasonably expected to lead to or result in a Disposition of
Securities during the Lock-Up Period even if such Securities would be disposed
of by someone other than the undersigned. Such prohibited hedging or other
transactions would include without limitation any short sale (whether or not
against the box) or any
A-1
34
purchase, sale or grant of any right (including without limitation any put or
call option) with respect to any Securities or with respect to any security
(other than a broad-based market basket or index) that includes, relates to or
derives any significant part of its value from Securities.
Furthermore, the undersigned hereby agrees and consents to the entry of
stop transfer instructions with the Company's transfer agent against the
transfer of the Securities held by the undersigned except in compliance with
this Lock-Up Agreement.
Very truly yours,
----------------------------------------
(signature)
Name:
----------------------------------------
Address:
----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
A-2
35
EXHIBIT B
MATTERS TO BE COVERED IN THE OPINION OF COMPANY COUNSEL
(i) The Company and each Significant Subsidiary (as that term is defined
in Regulation S-X of the Act) has been duly incorporated and is validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the
jurisdiction of its incorporation;
(ii) The Company and each Significant Subsidiary has the corporate power
and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its
business as described in the Prospectus;
(iii) The Company and each Significant Subsidiary is duly qualified to do
business as a foreign corporation and is in good standing in each
jurisdiction, if any, in which the ownership or leasing of its properties
or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where
the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a
Material Adverse Effect. To such counsel's knowledge, the Company does not
own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or
other entity other than [list subsidiaries];
(iv) The authorized, issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company
is as set forth in the Prospectus under the caption "Capitalization" as of
the dates stated therein, the issued and outstanding shares of capital
stock of the Company have been duly and validly issued and are fully paid
and nonassessable, and, to such counsel's knowledge, will not have been
issued in violation of or subject to any preemptive right, co-sale right,
registration right, right of first refusal or other similar right;
(v) All issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of each Significant
Subsidiary of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and
are fully paid and nonassessable, and, to such counsel's knowledge, have
not been issued in violation of or subject to any preemptive right,
co-sale right, registration right, right of first refusal or other similar
right and are owned by the Company free and clear of any pledge, lien,
security interest, encumbrance, claim or equitable interest;
(vi) The Firm Shares or the Option Shares, as the case may be, to be
issued by the Company pursuant to the terms of this Agreement have been
duly authorized and, upon issuance and delivery against payment therefor
in accordance with the terms hereof, will be duly and validly issued and
fully paid and nonassessable, and will not have been issued in violation
of or subject to any preemptive right, co-sale right, registration right,
right of first refusal or other similar right.
(vii) The Company has the corporate power and authority to enter into this
Agreement and to issue, sell and deliver to the Underwriters the Shares to
be issued and sold by it hereunder;
B-1
36
(viii) This Agreement has been duly authorized by all necessary corporate
action on the part of the Company and has been duly executed and delivered
by the Company and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by
you, is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable in
accordance with its terms, except as rights to indemnification hereunder
may be limited by applicable law and except as enforceability may be
limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar
laws relating to or affecting creditors' rights generally or by general
equitable principles;
(ix) The Registration Statement has become effective under the Act and, to
such counsel's knowledge, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of
the Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that
purpose have been instituted or are pending or threatened under the
Securities Act;
(x) The 8-A Registration Statement complied as to form in all material
respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act; the 8-A Registration
Statement has become effective under the Exchange Act; and the Firm Shares
or the Option Shares have been validly registered under the Securities Act
and the Rules and Regulations of the Exchange Act and the applicable rules
and regulations of the Commission thereunder;
(xi) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and each amendment or
supplement thereto (other than the financial statements (including
supporting schedules) and financial data derived therefrom as to which
such counsel need express no opinion), as of the effective date of the
Registration Statement, complied as to form in all material respects with
the requirements of the Act and the applicable Rules and Regulations;
(xii) The information in the Prospectus under the caption "Description of
Capital Stock," to the extent that it constitutes matters of law or legal
conclusions, has been reviewed by such counsel and is a fair summary of
such matters and conclusions; and the forms of certificates evidencing the
Common Stock and filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement comply
with Delaware law;
(xiii) The description in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus of
the charter and bylaws of the Company and of statutes are accurate and
fairly present the information required to be presented by the Securities
Act;
(xiv) To such counsel's knowledge, there are no agreements, contracts,
leases or documents to which the Company is a party of a character
required to be described or referred to in the Registration Statement or
Prospectus or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement
which are not described or referred to therein or filed as required;
B-2
37
(xv) The performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the
transactions herein contemplated (other than performance of the Company's
indemnification obligations hereunder, concerning which no opinion need be
expressed) will not (a) result in any violation of the Company's charter
or bylaws or (b) to such counsel's knowledge, result in a material breach
or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a
default under, any bond, debenture, note or other evidence of
indebtedness, or any lease, contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust,
loan agreement, joint venture or other agreement or instrument known to
such counsel to which the Company is a party or by which its properties
are bound, or any applicable statute, rule or regulation known to such
counsel or, to such counsel's knowledge, any order, writ or decree of any
court, government or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over
the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or over any of their properties or
operations;
(xvi) No consent, approval, authorization or order of or qualification
with any court, government or governmental agency or body having
jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or over any of
their properties or operations is necessary in connection with the
consummation by the Company of the transactions herein contemplated,
except (i) such as have been obtained under the Securities Act, (ii) such
as may be required under state or other securities or Blue Sky laws in
connection with the purchase and the distribution of the Shares by the
Underwriters, (iii) such as may be required by the National Association of
Securities Dealers, LLC and (iv) such as may be required under the federal
or provincial laws of Canada;
(xvii) To such counsel's knowledge, there are no legal or governmental
proceedings pending or threatened against the Company or any of its
subsidiaries of a character required to be disclosed in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus by the Securities Act, other than those
described therein;
(xviii) To such counsel's knowledge, neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries is presently (a) in material violation of its respective
charter or bylaws, or (b) in material breach of any applicable statute,
rule or regulation known to such counsel or, to such counsel's knowledge,
any order, writ or decree of any court or governmental agency or body
having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or over
any of their properties or operations;
(xix) To such counsel's knowledge, except as set forth in the Registration
Statement and Prospectus, no holders of Company Shares or other securities
of the Company have registration rights with respect to securities of the
Company and, except as set forth in the Registration Statement and
Prospectus, all holders of securities of the Company having rights known
to such counsel to registration of such shares of Company Shares or other
securities, because of the filing of the Registration Statement by the
Company have, with respect to the offering contemplated thereby, waived
such rights or such rights have expired by reason of lapse of time
following notification of the Company's intent to file the Registration
B-3
38
Statement or have included securities in the Registration Statement
pursuant to the exercise of and in full satisfaction of such rights; and
(xx) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and the
sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as
described in the Prospectus, will not be, an "investment company" as such
term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
In addition, such counsel shall state that such counsel has participated in
conferences with officials and other representatives of the Company, the
Representatives, Underwriters' Counsel and the independent certified public
accountants of the Company, at which such conferences the contents of the
Registration Statement and Prospectus and related matters were discussed, and
although they have not verified the accuracy or completeness of the statements
contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, nothing has come to
the attention of such counsel which leads them to believe that, at the time the
Registration Statement became effective and at all times subsequent thereto up
to and on the First Closing Date or Second Closing Date, as the case may be, the
Registration Statement and any amendment or supplement thereto (other than the
financial statements including supporting schedules and other financial and
statistical information derived therefrom, as to which such counsel need express
no comment) contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading, or at the First Closing Date or the Second
Closing Date, as the case may be, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and
any amendment or supplement thereto (except as aforesaid) contained any untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading.
B-4
39
EXHIBIT C
MATTERS TO BE COVERED IN THE OPINION OF
PATENT COUNSEL FOR THE COMPANY
Such counsel are familiar with the technology used by the Company in
its business and the manner of its use thereof and have read the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, including particularly the portions of the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus referring to patents, trade secrets,
trademarks, service marks or other proprietary information or materials and:
(i) The Company is listed in the records of the United States Patent and
Trademark Office as the holder of record of the patents listed on a
schedule to such opinion (the "Patents") and each of the applications
listed on a schedule to such opinion (the "Applications"). To the
knowledge of such counsel, there are no claims of third parties to any
ownership interest or lien with respect to any of the Patents or
Applications. Such counsel is not aware of any material defect in form in
the preparation or filing of the Applications on behalf of the Company. To
the knowledge of such counsel, the Applications are being pursued by the
Company. To the knowledge of such counsel, the Company owns as its sole
property the Patents and pending Applications;
(ii) The Company is listed in the records of the appropriate foreign
offices as the sole holder of record of the foreign patents listed on a
schedule to such opinion (the "Foreign Patents") and each of the
applications listed on a schedule to such opinion (the "Foreign
Applications"). Such counsel knows of no claims of third parties to any
ownership interest or lien with respect to the Foreign Patents or Foreign
Applications. Such counsel is not aware of any material defect of form in
the preparation or filing of the Foreign Applications on behalf of the
Company. To the knowledge of such counsel, the Foreign Applications are
being pursued by the Company. To the knowledge of such counsel, the
Company owns as its sole property the Foreign Patents and pending Foreign
Applications;
(iii) Such counsel knows of no reason why the Patents or Foreign Patents
are not valid as issued. Such counsel has no knowledge of any reason why
any patent to be issued as a result of any Application or Foreign
Application would not be valid or would not afford the Company useful
patent protection with respect thereto;
(iv) As to the statements in the Prospectus under the captions "Risk
Factors - We face risks associated with third party claims and protection
of our intellectual property rights, and any litigation relating to
intellectual property rights could harm our business" and "Business -
Intellectual Property and Proprietary Rights," nothing has come to the
attention of such counsel which caused them to believe that the
above-mentioned sections of the Registration Statement, at the
C-1
40
time the Registration Statement became effective and at all times
subsequent thereto up to and on the Closing Date and on any later date on
which Option Stock are to be purchased the Registration Statement and any
amendment or supplement thereto made available and reviewed by such
counsel contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein not misleading, or at the Closing Date or any later
date on which the Option Stock are to be purchased, as the case may be,
the above-mentioned sections of the Registration Statement, Prospectus and
any amendment or supplement thereto made available and reviewed by such
counsel contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading; and
(v) Other than the matters identified in the Prospectus under the captions
"Risk Factors - We face risks associated with third party claims and
protection of our intellectual property rights, and any litigation
relating to intellectual property rights could harm our business" and
"Business - Intellectual Property and Proprietary Rights," such counsel
knows of no material action, suit, claim or proceeding relating to
patents, patent rights or licenses, trademarks or trademark rights,
copyrights, collaborative research, licenses or royalty arrangements or
agreements or trade secrets, know-how or proprietary techniques, including
processes and substances, owned by or affecting the business or operations
of the Company which are pending or threatened against the Company or any
of its officers or directors.
C-2
41
EXHIBIT D
MATTERS TO BE COVERED IN THE OPINION OF UNDERWRITERS' COUNSEL
(i) The Shares to be issued by the Company have been duly authorized and,
upon issuance and delivery and payment therefor in accordance with the
terms of the Underwriting Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable;
(ii) The Registration Statement complied as to form in all material
respects with the requirements of the Act; the Registration Statement has
become effective under the Act and, to such counsel's knowledge, no stop
order proceedings with respect thereto have been instituted or threatened
or are pending under the Act;
(iii) The 8-A Registration Statement complied as to form in all material
respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act; the 8-A Registration
Statement has become effective under the Exchange Act; and the Firm Shares
or the Option Shares have been validly registered under the Securities Act
and the Exchange Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder; and
(iv) The Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the Company.
Such counsel shall state that such counsel has reviewed the opinions
addressed to the Representatives from ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇, P.C.,
and ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Madison & Sutro LLP, each dated the date hereof, and furnished to
you in accordance with the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement. Such
opinions appear on their face to be appropriately responsive to the requirements
of the Underwriting Agreement.
In addition, such counsel shall state that such counsel has participated
in conferences with officials and other representatives of the Company, the
Representatives, counsel to the Company and the independent certified public
accountants of the Company, at which such conferences the contents of the
Registration Statement and Prospectus and related matters were discussed, and
although they have not verified the accuracy or completeness of the statements
contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, nothing has come to
the attention of such counsel which leads them to believe that, at the time the
Registration Statement became effective and at all times subsequent thereto up
to and on the First Closing Date or Second Closing Date, as the case may be, the
Registration Statement and any amendment or supplement thereto (other than the
financial statements including supporting schedules and other financial and
statistical information derived therefrom, as to which such counsel need express
no comment) contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading, or at the First Closing Date or the Second
Closing Date, as the case may be, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and
any amendment or supplement thereto (except as aforesaid) contained any untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading.