Registration No. 333-

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
 
 
FORM S-8
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
Under
The Securities Act of 1933
 
 
NUANCE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
 
 
 
 
 
 
Delaware
 
94-3156479
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
 
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)
1 Wayside Road
Burlington, Massachusetts 01803
(781) 565-5000
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of Registrant’s principal executive offices)
Amended and Restated 2000 Stock Plan, Amended and Restated 1995 Employee Stock Plan and Amended and Restated 1995 Directors Stock Plan
(Full title of the Plan)
Thomas L. Beaudoin
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Nuance Communications, Inc.
1 Wayside Road
Burlington, Massachusetts 01803
(781) 565-5000
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
 
Copies to:
A. Bruce Bowden, Esq.
Executive Vice President Corporate Development and Legal
Nuance Communications, Inc.
1 Wayside Road
Burlington, Massachusetts 01803
(781) 565-5000

 
 
 
 


Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer”, “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Large accelerated filer
x
Accelerated filer
o
Non-accelerated filer
o (Do not check if smaller reporting company)
Smaller reporting company
o
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 





CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Title of Securities to
be Registered
 
Amount
to be
Registered(1)
 
Proposed Maximum
Offering Price
Per Share
 
Proposed Maximum
 Aggregate
Offering Price
 
Amount of
Registration Fee
Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share to be pursuant to the Company’s Amended and Restated 2000 Stock Plan
 
6,800,000  
 
$13.98 (2)
 
$95,064,000
 
$11,046.44 (2)
Common Stock, $0.001 par value share pursuant to the Company’s Amended and Restated 1995 Employee Stock Purchase Plan
 
10,000,000
 
$13.98(2)
 
$139,800,000
 
$16,244.76(2)
Common Stock, $0.001 par value share pursuant to the Company’s Amended and Restated 1995 Directors Stock Plan
 
500,000
 
$13.98(2)
 
$6,990,000
 
812.24(2)
 
 
 
(1)
Pursuant to Rule 416(a) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), this Registration Statement shall be deemed to cover any additional shares of the Registrant’s Common Stock that become issuable under the above listed plans by reason of any stock dividend, stock split, recapitalization or similar transaction effected without the Registrant’s receipt of consideration that results in an increase in the number of the Registrant’s outstanding shares of Common Stock.
(2)
Estimated solely for the purpose of computing the registration fee and based on the average high and low sale prices of the common stock of Nuance Communications, Inc. as reported on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on February 2 ,2015 in accordance with Rules 457(c) and 457(h) under the Securities Act.





 
  PART I
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS
Item 1. Plan Information.*
Item 2. Registrant Information and Employee Plan Annual Information.*
*Information required by Part I to be contained in the Section 10(a) prospectus is omitted from this Registration Statement in accordance with Rule 428 under the Securities Act, and the “Note” to Part I of Form S-8.
PART II
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.
The following documents, which have been previously filed with the Commission, are hereby incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement:
 
 
(a)
The Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended September 30, 2014 filed with the Commission on November 28, 2014.
 
 
(b)
All other reports filed by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) (other than information contained in Current Reports on Form 8-K that is deemed furnished and not filed), since September 30, 2014.
 
 
(c)
The description of the Registrant’s Common Stock to be offered hereby is contained in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed with the Commission on October 20, 1995 and any further amendment or report filed with the Commission for the purpose of updating such description.
All documents filed by the Registrant with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the effectiveness of this Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment that indicates that all securities offered have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and to be part hereof from the date of filing of such documents. Unless expressly incorporated into this Registration Statement, a report furnished on Form 8-K shall not be incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement.
Item 4. Description of Securities.
Not applicable.
Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.
The validity of the shares of our common stock offered by this Registration Statement will be passed upon for us by Leanne J. Fitzgerald, Esq., our Vice President, Associate General Counsel. Ms. Fitzgerald is paid a salary by Registrant, is a participant in various employee benefit plans offered to employees of Registrant generally, owns shares of Registrant common stock and has options to purchase shares of the Registrant's common stock.





 
Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
Section 145(a) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (“Delaware Corporation Law”) provides, in general, that a corporation shall have the power to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation), because the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation. Such indemnity may be against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding, if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation and if, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, the person did not have reasonable cause to believe the person’s conduct was unlawful.
Section 145(b) of the Delaware Corporation Law provides, in general, that a corporation shall have the power to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor because the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, against any expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, subject to certain additional limitations.
Section 145(g) of the Delaware Corporation Law provides, in general, that a corporation shall have the power to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation against any liability asserted against the person in any such capacity, or arising out of the person’s status as such, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify the person against such liability under the provisions of the law.
Article XI of the Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, of the Registrant authorizes the Registrant, subject to certain limited exceptions, to indemnify its directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware Corporation Law. Article VII, Section 6 of the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Registrant, however, require the Registrant to indemnify its directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware Corporation Law. The directors and officers of the Registrant are insured under policies of insurance maintained by the Registrant, subject to the limits of the policies, against certain losses arising from any claims made against them by reason of being or having been such directors or officers. In addition, the Registrant has entered into contracts with certain of its directors and officers providing for indemnification of such persons by the Registrant to the full extent authorized or permitted by law, subject to certain limited exceptions.
Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.
Not Applicable.
Item 8. Exhibits.
 
 
 
 
Exhibit Number
  
Exhibit Document
 
 
4.1
 
Amended and Restated 2000 Stock Plan
 
 
 
4.2
 
Amended and Restated 1995 Employee Stock Purchase Plan
 
 
 
4.3
 
Amended and Restated 1995 Directors Stock Plan
 
 
5.1
  
Legal Opinion of Leanne J. Fitzgerald, Vice President, Associate General Counsel of Nuance Communications, Inc.
 
 
23.1
  
Consent of BDO USA, LLP
 
 
23.2
  
Consent of Leanne J. Fitzgerald, Vice President, Associate General Counsel of Nuance Communications, Inc. (contained in Exhibit 5.1 hereto)
 
 
24.1
  
Power of Attorney (see signature page)





Item 9. Undertakings.
A. The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:
(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:
(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;
(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the Registration Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of the securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of a prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective Registration Statement;
(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or any material change to such information in the Registration Statement;
Provided , however , that paragraphs (A)(1)(i) and (A)(1)(ii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement.
(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new Registration Statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.
B. The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new Registration Statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at the time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

C. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission, such indemnification as against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.





SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the city of Burlington, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, on February 6, 2015.
 
 
 
 
Nuance Communications, Inc.
 
 
By:
 
/s / Paul A. Ricci
 
 
Paul A. Ricci
 
 
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Paul A. Ricci and Thomas L. Beaudoin, jointly and severally, as such person’s attorneys-in-fact, each with the power of substitution, for such person in any and all capacities, to sign any amendments to this Registration Statement on Form S-8, and to file the same, with exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying and confirming all that each of said attorneys-in-fact, or his substitute or substitutes, may do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Signature
 
Title
 
Date
 
 
 
/s/ Paul A. Ricci
  
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
 
February 6, 2015
Paul A. Ricci
  
(Principal Executive Officer)
 
 
 
 
 
/s/ Thomas L. Beaudoin
  
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
 
February 6, 2015
Thomas L. Beaudoin
  
(Principal Financial Officer)
 
 
 
 
 
/s/ Daniel D. Tempesta
  
Chief Accounting Officer
 
February 6, 2015
Daniel D. Tempesta
  
(Principal Accounting Officer)
 
 
 
 
 
/s/ Robert J. Frankenberg
  
Director
 
February 6, 2015
Robert J. Frankenberg
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
/s/ Brett Icahn
  
Director
 
February 6, 2015
Brett Icahn
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
/s/ William H. Janeway
  
Director
 
February 6, 2015
William H. Janeway
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
/s/ Mark Laret
  
Director
 
February 6, 2015
Mark Laret
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
/s/ Katharine Martin
  
Director
 
February 6, 2015
Katharine Martin
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
/s/ Mark Myers
  
Director
 
February 6, 2015
Mark Myers
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
/s/ Philip Quigley
  
Director
 
February 6, 2015
Philip Quigley
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
/s/ David S. Schechter
  
Director
 
February 6, 2015
David S. Schechter
  
 
 
 





INDEX TO EXHIBITS
 
 
 
 
Exhibit Number
  
Exhibit Document
 
 
4.1

  
Amended and Restated 2000 Stock Plan


 
 
4.2
 
Amended and Restated 1995 Employee Stock Purchase Plan
 
 
 
4.3
 
Amended and Restated 1995 Directors Stock Plan
 
 
 
5.1
  
Legal Opinion of Leanne J. Fitzgerald, Vice President, Associate General Counsel of Nuance Communications, Inc.
 
 
23.1
  
Consent of BDO USA, LLP
 
 
23.2
  
Consent of Leanne J. Fitzgerald, Vice President, Associate General Counsel of Nuance Communications, Inc. (contained in Exhibit 5.1 hereto)
 
 
24.1
  
Power of Attorney (see signature page)



Exhibit 4.1

NUANCE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
(FORMERLY KNOWN AS SCANSOFT, INC.)
2000 STOCK PLAN
(As Amended on January 27, 2015)
1. Purposes of the Plan . The purposes of this Plan are:
to attract and retain the best available personnel for positions of substantial responsibility,
to provide additional incentive to Employees, Directors and Consultants, and
to promote the success of the Company’s business.
The Plan permits the grant of Incentive Stock Options, Nonstatutory Stock Options, Stock Purchase Rights, Stock Appreciation Rights, and Restricted Stock Units.
2. Definitions . As used herein, the following definitions shall apply:
(a) Administrator ” means the Board or any of its Committees as shall be administering the Plan, in accordance with Section 4 of the Plan.
(b) Affiliate ” means any corporation or other entity (including, but not limited to partnerships and joint ventures) controlled by, or under common control with the Company.
(c) Affiliated SAR ” means a SAR that is granted in connection with a related Option, and which automatically will be deemed to be exercised at the same time that the related Option is exercised.
(d) Applicable Laws ” means the requirements relating to the administration of equity-based awards under U.S. state corporate laws, U.S. federal and state securities laws, the Code, any stock exchange or quotation system on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted and the applicable laws of any foreign country or jurisdiction where Awards are, or will be, granted under the Plan.
(e) Annual Revenue ” means the Company’s or a business unit’s net sales for the Fiscal Year, determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; provided, however, that prior to the Fiscal Year, the Committee shall determine whether any significant item(s) shall be excluded or included from the calculation of Annual Revenue with respect to one or more Participants.
(f) Award ” means, individually or collectively, a grant under the Plan of Options, Stock Purchase Rights, Stock Appreciation Rights, and Restricted Stock Units.
(g) Award Agreement ” means the written or electronic agreement setting forth the terms and provisions applicable to each Award granted under the Plan. The Award Agreement is subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.
(h) Board ” means the Board of Directors of the Company.
(i) Cash Position ” means the Company’s level of cash and cash equivalents.
(j) Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. Any reference to a section of the Code herein will be a reference to any successor or amended section of the Code.
(k) Committee ” means a committee of Directors appointed by the Board in accordance with Section 4 of the Plan.
(l) Common Stock ” means the common stock of the Company.
(m) Company ” means Nuance Communications, Inc. (formerly known as ScanSoft, Inc.) a Delaware corporation. With respect to the definitions of the Performance Goals, the Committee may determine that “Company” means Nuance Communications, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries.
(n) Consultant ” means any person, including an advisor, engaged by the Company or a Parent or Subsidiary to render services to such entity.
(o) Controllable Profits ” means as to any Plan Year, a business unit’s Annual Revenue minus (a) cost of sales, (b) research, development, and engineering expense, (c) marketing and sales expense, (d) general and administrative expense, (e) extended receivables expense, and (f) shipping requirement deviation expense.
(p) Customer Satisfaction MBOs ” means as to any Participant for any Plan Year, the objective and measurable individual goals set by a “management by objectives” process and approved by the Committee, which goals relate to the satisfaction of external or internal customer requirements.
(q) Director ” means a member of the Board.
(r) Disability ” means total and permanent disability as defined in Section 22(e)(3) of the Code.



Exhibit 4.1

(s) Earnings Per Share ” means as to any Fiscal Year, the Company’s or a business unit’s Net Income, divided by a weighted average number of common shares outstanding and dilutive common equivalent shares deemed outstanding, determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
(t) Employee ” means any person, including Officers and Directors, employed by the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company. Neither service as a Director nor payment of a director’s fee by the Company shall be sufficient to constitute “employment” by the Company.
(u) Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(v) Fair Market Value ” means, as of any date, the value of Common Stock determined as follows:
(i) If the Common Stock is listed on any established stock exchange or a national market system, including without limitation the NASDAQ Global Select Market, the NASDAQ Global Market or the NASDAQ Capital Market of The NASDAQ Stock Market, its Fair Market Value shall be the closing sales price for such stock (or the closing bid, if no sales were reported) as quoted on such exchange or system on the day of determination, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Administrator deems reliable;
(ii) If the Common Stock is regularly quoted by a recognized securities dealer but selling prices are not reported, the Fair Market Value of a Share of Common Stock shall be the mean between the high bid and low asked prices for the Common Stock on the last market trading day on the day of determination, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Administrator deems reliable; or
(iii) In the absence of an established market for the Common Stock, the Fair Market Value shall be determined in good faith by the Administrator.
(w) Fiscal Year ” means the fiscal year of the Company.
(x) Freestanding SAR ” means a SAR that is granted independent of any Option.
(y) Incentive Stock Option ” means an Option intended to qualify as an incentive stock option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
(z) Individual Objectives ” means as to a Participant, the objective and measurable goals set by a “management by objectives” process and approved by the Committee (in its discretion).
(aa) Net Income ” means as to any Fiscal Year, the income after taxes of the Company for the Fiscal Year determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, provided that prior to the Fiscal Year, the Committee shall determine whether any significant item(s) shall be included or excluded from the calculation of Net Income with respect to one or more Participants.
(ab) New Orders ” means as to any Plan Year, the firm orders for a system, product, part, or service that are being recorded for the first time as defined in the Company’s order Recognition Policy.
(ac) Non-Employee Director ” means a Director who is not an Employee.
(ad) Nonstatutory Stock Option ” means an Option that by its terms does not qualify or is not intended to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option.
(ae) Officer ” means a person who is an officer of the Company within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
(af) Operating Cash Flow ” means the Company’s or a business unit’s sum of Net Income plus depreciation and amortization less capital expenditures plus changes in working capital comprised of accounts receivable, inventories, other current assets, trade accounts payable, accrued expenses, product warranty, advance payments from customers and long-term accrued expenses, determined in accordance with generally acceptable accounting principles.
(ag) Operating Income ” means the Company’s or a business unit’s income from operations but excluding any unusual items, determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
(ah) Option ” means a stock option granted pursuant to the Plan.
(ai) Optionee ” means the holder of an outstanding Option or Stock Purchase Right granted under the Plan.
(aj) Optioned Stock ” means the Shares subject to an Award.
(ak) Parent ” means a “parent corporation,” whether now or hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code.
(al) Participant ” means the holder of an outstanding Award, which shall include an Optionee.
(am) Performance Goals ” means the goal(s) (or combined goal(s)) determined by the Committee (in its discretion) to be applicable to a Participant with respect to an Award. As determined by the Committee, the Performance Goals applicable to an Award may provide for a targeted level or levels of achievement using one or more of the following measures: (a) Annual Revenue, (b) Cash Position, (c) Controllable Profits, (d) Customer Satisfaction MBOs, (e) Earnings Per Share, (f) Individual Objectives, (g) Net Income, (h) New Orders, (i) Operating Cash Flow, (j) Operating Income, (k) Return on Assets, (l) Return on Equity, (m) Return on Sales, and (n) Total Shareholder Return. The Performance Goals may differ from Participant to Participant and from Award to Award.
(an) Plan ” means this 2000 Stock Plan, as amended and restated.



Exhibit 4.1

(ao) Restricted Stock ” means Shares acquired pursuant to a grant of Stock Purchase Rights under Section 9 of the Plan or pursuant to the early exercise of an Option.
(ap) Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement ” means a written agreement between the Company and the Participant evidencing the terms and restrictions applying to stock purchased under a Stock Purchase Right. The Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement is subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan and the Notice of Grant.
(aq) Restricted Stock Unit ” means an Award granted to a Participant pursuant to Section 11.
(ar) Return on Assets ” means the percentage equal to the Company’s or a business unit’s Operating Income before incentive compensation, divided by average net Company or business unit, as applicable, assets, determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
(as) Return on Equity ” means the percentage equal to the Company’s Net Income divided by average stockholder’s equity, determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
(at) Return on Sales ” means the percentage equal to the Company’s or a business unit’s Operating Income before incentive compensation, divided by the Company’s or the business unit’s, as applicable, revenue, determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
(au) Rule 16b-3 ” means Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act or any successor to Rule 16b-3, as in effect when discretion is being exercised with respect to the Plan.
(av) Section 16(b) ” means Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act.
(aw) Service Provider ” means an Employee, Director or Consultant.
(ax) Share ” means a share of the Common Stock, as adjusted in accordance with Section 14 of the Plan.
(ay) Stock Appreciation Right ” or “ SAR ” means an Award, granted alone or in connection with an Option, which pursuant to Section 10 is designated as a SAR.
(az) Stock Purchase Right ” means the right to purchase Shares pursuant to Section 9 of the Plan.
(ba) Subsidiary ” means a “subsidiary corporation”, whether now or hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code.
(bb) Tandem SAR ” means an SAR that is granted in connection with a related Option, the exercise of which will require forfeiture of the right to purchase an equal number of Shares under the related Option (and when a Share is purchased under the Option, the SAR will be canceled to the same extent).
(bc) Total Shareholder Return ” means the total return (change in share price plus reinvestment of any dividends) of a Share.
3. Stock Subject to the Plan . Subject to the provisions of Section 14 of the Plan, the maximum aggregate number of Shares that may be issued under the Plan is 72,600,000 Shares (the “ Plan Maximum ”). If any outstanding Award for any reason expires or is terminated or canceled without having been exercised or settled in full, or if Shares acquired pursuant to an Award subject to forfeiture or repurchase are forfeited or repurchased by the Company, the Shares allocable to the terminated portion of such Award or such forfeited or repurchased Shares shall again be available for grant under the Plan. Shares shall not be deemed to have been granted pursuant to the Plan (a) with respect to any portion of an Award that is settled in cash or (b) to the extent such Shares are withheld in satisfaction of tax withholding obligations. Upon payment in Shares pursuant to the exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right, the number of Shares available for grant under the Plan shall be reduced only by the number of Shares actually issued in such payment. If the exercise price of an Option is paid by tender to the Company of Shares underlying the Option, the number of Shares available for grant under the Plan shall be reduced by the net number of Shares for which the Option is exercised. The Shares may be authorized, but unissued, or reacquired Common Stock.
4. Administration of the Plan .
(a) Procedure .
(i) Multiple Administrative Bodies . Different Committees with respect to different groups of Service Providers may administer the Plan.
(ii) Section 162(m) . To the extent that the Administrator determines it to be desirable to qualify Awards granted hereunder as “performance-based compensation” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code, the Plan shall be administered by a Committee of two or more “outside directors” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code. For purposes of qualifying grants of Awards as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code, the Committee, in its discretion, may set restrictions based upon the achievement of Performance Goals. The Performance Goals shall be set by the Committee on or before the latest date permissible to enable the Awards to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code. In granting Awards which are intended to qualify under Section 162(m) of the Code, the Committee shall follow any procedures determined by it from time to time to be necessary or appropriate to ensure qualification of the Awards under Section 162(m) of the Code (e.g., in determining the Performance Goals).
(iii) Rule 16b-3 . To the extent desirable to qualify transactions hereunder as exempt under Rule 16b-3, the transactions contemplated hereunder shall be structured to satisfy the requirements for exemption under Rule 16b-3.
(iv) Other Administration . Other than as provided above, the Plan shall be administered by (A) the Board or (B) a Committee, which committee shall be constituted to satisfy Applicable Laws.
(b) Powers of the Administrator . Subject to the provisions of the Plan, and in the case of a Committee, subject to the specific duties delegated by the Board to such Committee, the Administrator shall have the authority, in its discretion:



Exhibit 4.1

(i) to determine the Fair Market Value;
(ii) to select the Service Providers to whom Awards may be granted hereunder;
(iii) to determine the number of Shares to be covered by each Award granted hereunder;
(iv) to approve forms of agreement for use under the Plan;
(v) to determine the terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, of any Award granted hereunder. Such terms and conditions include, but are not limited to, the exercise price, the time or times when Awards may be exercised (which may be based on performance criteria), any vesting acceleration or waiver of forfeiture restrictions in connection with the termination of a Participant’s status as a Service Provider, and any restriction or limitation regarding any Award or the Shares relating thereto, based in each case on such factors as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, shall determine;
(vi) to construe and interpret the terms of the Plan and awards granted pursuant to the Plan;
(vii) to prescribe, amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to the Plan, including rules and regulations relating to sub-plans established for the purpose of qualifying for preferred tax treatment under foreign tax laws;
(viii) to modify or amend each Award (subject to Section 17(c) of the Plan), including the discretionary authority to extend the post-termination exercisability period of Awards longer than is otherwise provided for in the Plan;
(ix) to allow Participants to satisfy withholding tax obligations by electing to have the Company withhold from the Shares to be issued upon exercise of an Award that number of Shares having a Fair Market Value equal to the minimum amount required to be withheld. The Fair Market Value of the Shares to be withheld shall be determined on the date that the amount of tax to be withheld is to be determined. All elections by a Participant to have Shares withheld for this purpose shall be made in such form and under such conditions as the Administrator may deem necessary or advisable;
(x) to authorize any person to execute on behalf of the Company any instrument required to effect the grant of an Award previously granted by the Administrator;
(xi) to allow a Participant to defer the receipt of payment of cash or the delivery of Shares that would otherwise be due to such Participant under an Award; or
(xii) to make all other determinations deemed necessary or advisable for administering the Plan.
(c) Effect of Administrator’s Decision . The Administrator’s decisions, determinations and interpretations shall be final and binding on all Participants and any other holders of Awards.
5. Eligibility . Nonstatutory Stock Options, Stock Purchase Rights, Stock Appreciation Rights, and Restricted Stock Units may be granted to Service Providers. Incentive Stock Options may be granted only to Employees.
6. Limitations .
(a) Each Option shall be designated in the Award Agreement as either an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonstatutory Stock Option. However, notwithstanding such designation, to the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value of the Shares with respect to which Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by the Participant during any calendar year (under all plans of the Company and any Parent or Subsidiary) exceeds $100,000, such Options shall be treated as Nonstatutory Stock Options. For purposes of this Section 6(a), Incentive Stock Options shall be taken into account in the order in which they were granted. The Fair Market Value of the Shares shall be determined as of the time the Option with respect to such Shares is granted.
(b) The following limitations shall apply to grants of Options and Stock Appreciation Rights:
(i) No Service Provider shall be granted, in any Fiscal Year, Options or Stock Appreciation Rights covering more than 1,500,000 Shares.
(ii) In connection with his or her initial service, a Service Provider may be granted Options or Stock Appreciation Rights covering up to an additional 1,500,000 Shares, which shall not count against the limit set forth in subsection (i) above.
(iii) The foregoing limitations shall be adjusted proportionately in connection with any change in the Company’s capitalization as described in Section 14.
(iv) If an Option or Stock Appreciation Right is cancelled in the same fiscal year of the Company in which it was granted (other than in connection with a transaction described in Section 14), the cancelled Option or Stock Appreciation Right will be counted against the limits set forth in subsections (i) and (ii) above. For this purpose, if the exercise price of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right is reduced, the transaction will be treated as a cancellation of the Option or Stock Appreciation Right and the grant of a new Option or Stock Appreciation Right.
(c) The exercise price of any Option or SAR outstanding or to be granted in the future under the Plan shall not be reduced or cancelled and re-granted at a lower exercise price, regardless of whether or not the Shares subject to the cancelled Options or SARs are put back into the available pool for grant. In addition, the Administrator shall not replace underwater Options or SARs with restricted stock or cash in an exchange, buy-back or other scheme. Moreover, the Administrator shall not replace any Options or SARs with new options or stock appreciation rights having a lower exercise price or accelerated vesting schedule in an exchange, buy-back or other scheme.
(d) Non-Employee Director Awards . Notwithstanding any contrary provision in the Plan, no Participant who is a Non-Employee Director may be granted Awards during any Fiscal Year having a grant date fair value in excess of $750,000, increased to $1,000,000 in connection with his or her initial service, calculated using the assumptions and methods used for recording compensation expense in the Company’s financial statements.



Exhibit 4.1

7. Term of Plan . Subject to Section 20 of the Plan, the Plan shall become effective upon its adoption by the Board. It shall continue until August 15, 2018 unless terminated earlier under Section 17 of the Plan.
8. Stock Options .
(a) Term of Option . The term of each Option shall be stated in the Award Agreement, but in no event shall the term of an Option be more than seven (7) years from the date of grant. Moreover, in the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to a Participant who, at the time the Incentive Stock Option is granted, owns stock representing more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary, the term of the Incentive Stock Option shall be five (5) years from the date of grant or such shorter term as may be provided in the Award Agreement.
(b) Option Exercise Price and Consideration .
(i) Exercise Price . The per Share exercise price for the Shares to be issued pursuant to the exercise of an Option shall be no less than 100% of the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of grant. In the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to an Employee who, at the time the Incentive Stock Option is granted, owns stock representing more than ten percent (10%) of the voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary, the per Share exercise price shall be no less than 110% of the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of grant.
(ii) Waiting Period and Exercise Dates . At the time an Option is granted, the Administrator shall fix the period within which the Option may be exercised and shall determine any conditions that must be satisfied before the Option may be exercised.
(iii) Form of Consideration . The Administrator shall determine the acceptable form of consideration for exercising an Option, including the method of payment. In the case of an Incentive Stock Option, the Administrator shall determine the acceptable form of consideration at the time of grant. Such consideration may consist entirely of:
(1) cash;
(2) check;
(3) other Shares which (A) in the case of Shares acquired upon exercise of an option, have been owned by the Participant for more than six months on the date of surrender, and (B) have a Fair Market Value on the date of surrender equal to the aggregate exercise price of the Shares as to which said Option shall be exercised;
(4) consideration received by the Company under a cashless exercise program implemented by the Company in connection with the Plan;
(5) a reduction in the amount of any Company liability to the Participant, including any liability attributable to the Participant’s participation in any Company-sponsored deferred compensation program or arrangement;
(6) any combination of the foregoing methods of payment; or
(7) such other consideration and method of payment for the issuance of Shares to the extent permitted by Applicable Laws.
(c) Exercise of Option .
(i) Procedure for Exercise; Rights as a Stockholder . Any Option granted hereunder shall be exercisable according to the terms of the Plan and at such times and under such conditions as determined by the Administrator and set forth in the Award Agreement. An Option may not be exercised for a fraction of a Share.
(1) An Option shall be deemed exercised when the Company receives: (i) written or electronic notice of exercise (in such form as the Administrator may specify from time to time) from the person entitled to exercise the Option, and (ii) full payment for the Shares with respect to which the Option is exercised (together with any applicable withholding taxes). Full payment may consist of any consideration and method of payment authorized by the Administrator and permitted by the Award Agreement and the Plan. Shares issued upon exercise of an Option shall be issued in the name of the Participant or, if requested by the Participant, in the name of the Participant and his or her spouse. Until the Shares are issued (as evidenced by the appropriate entry on the books of the Company or of a duly authorized transfer agent of the Company), no right to vote or receive dividends or any other rights as a stockholder shall exist with respect to the Optioned Stock, notwithstanding the exercise of the Option. The Company shall issue (or cause to be issued) such Shares promptly after the Option is exercised. No adjustment will be made for a dividend or other right for which the record date is prior to the date the Shares are issued, except as provided in Section 14 of the Plan.
(2) Exercising an Option in any manner shall decrease the number of Shares thereafter available, both for purposes of the Plan and for sale under the Option, by the number of Shares as to which the Option is exercised.
(ii) Termination of Relationship as a Service Provider . If a Participant ceases to be a Service Provider, other than upon the Participant’s death or Disability, the Participant may exercise his or her Option within such period of time as is specified in the Award Agreement to the extent that the Option is vested on the date of termination (but in no event later than the expiration of the term of such Option as set forth in the Award Agreement). In the absence of a specified time in the Award Agreement, the Option shall remain exercisable for three (3) months following the Participant’s termination. If, on the date of termination, the Participant is not vested as to his or her entire Option, the Shares covered by the unvested portion of the Option shall revert to the Plan. If, after termination, the Participant does not exercise his or her Option within the time specified by the Administrator, the Option shall terminate, and the Shares covered by such Option shall revert to the Plan.
(iii) Disability of Participant . If a Participant ceases to be a Service Provider as a result of the Participant’s Disability, the Participant may exercise his or her Option within such period of time as is specified in the Award Agreement to the extent the Option is vested on the date of termination (but in no event later than the expiration of the term of such Option as set forth in the Award Agreement). In the absence of a specified time in the Award Agreement, the Option shall remain exercisable for twelve (12) months following the Participant’s termination. If, on the date of termination, the Participant is not vested as to his or her entire Option, the Shares covered by the unvested portion of the Option shall revert to the Plan. If, after termination, the



Exhibit 4.1

Participant does not exercise his or her Option within the time specified herein, the Option shall terminate, and the Shares covered by such Option shall revert to the Plan.
(iv) Death of Participant . If a Participant dies while a Service Provider, the Option may be exercised following the Participant’s death within such period of time as is specified in the Award Agreement (but in no event may the Option be exercised later than the expiration of the term of such Option as set forth in the Award Agreement), by the Participant’s estate or by a person who acquires the right to exercise the Option by bequest or inheritance, but only to the extent that the Option is vested on the date of death. In the absence of a specified time in the Award Agreement, the Option shall remain exercisable for twelve (12) months following the Participant’s termination. If, at the time of death, the Participant is not vested as to his or her entire Option, the Shares covered by the unvested portion of the Option shall immediately revert to the Plan. The Option may be exercised by the executor or administrator of the Participant’s estate or, if none, by the person(s) entitled to exercise the Option under the Participant’s will or the laws of descent or distribution. If the Option is not so exercised within the time specified herein, the Option shall terminate, and the Shares covered by such Option shall revert to the Plan.
9. Stock Purchase Rights .
(a) Rights to Purchase . Stock Purchase Rights may be issued either alone, in addition to, or in tandem with other Awards granted under the Plan and/or cash awards made outside of the Plan. After the Administrator determines that it will offer Stock Purchase Rights under the Plan, it shall advise the offeree in writing or electronically, of the terms, conditions and restrictions related to the offer, including the number of Shares that the offeree shall be entitled to purchase (subject to the limits set forth in Section 3), the price to be paid, and the time within which the offeree must accept such offer. The offer shall be accepted by execution of a Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement in the form determined by the Administrator. The following limitations shall apply to grants of Stock Purchase Rights:
(i) No Service Provider shall be granted, in any Fiscal Year, Stock Purchase Rights covering more than 1,000,000 Shares.
(ii) The foregoing limitation shall be adjusted proportionately in connection with any change in the Company’s capitalization as described in Section 14.
(iii) If a Stock Purchase Right is cancelled in the same fiscal year of the Company in which it was granted (other than in connection with a transaction described in Section 14), the cancelled Stock Purchase Right will be counted against the limit set forth in subsection (i) above.
(b) Repurchase Option . Unless the Administrator determines otherwise, the Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement shall grant the Company a repurchase option exercisable upon the voluntary or involuntary termination of the purchaser’s service with the Company for any reason (including death or Disability). The purchase price for Shares repurchased pursuant to the Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement shall be the original price paid by the purchaser and may be paid by cancellation of any indebtedness of the purchaser to the Company. The repurchase option shall lapse at a rate determined by the Administrator.
(c) Other Provisions . The Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement shall contain such other terms, provisions and conditions not inconsistent with the Plan as may be determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion.
(d) Rights as a Stockholder . Once the Stock Purchase Right is exercised, the purchaser shall have the rights equivalent to those of a stockholder, and shall be a stockholder when his or her purchase is entered upon the records of the duly authorized transfer agent of the Company. No adjustment will be made for a dividend or other right for which the record date is prior to the date the Stock Purchase Right is exercised, except as provided in Section 14 of the Plan.
10. Stock Appreciation Rights .
(a) Grant of SARs . Subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, a SAR may be granted to Service Providers at any time and from time to time as will be determined by the Administrator, in its sole discretion. The Administrator may grant Affiliated SARs, Freestanding SARs, Tandem SARs, or any combination thereof.
(b) Number of Shares . The Administrator will have complete discretion to determine the number of SARs granted to any Service Provider.
(c) Exercise Price and Other Terms . The Administrator, subject to the provisions of the Plan, will determine the terms and conditions of SARs granted under the Plan; provided, that, the exercise price of a SAR is at least 100% of the Fair Market Value of the Shares subject to the SAR; provided, further, the exercise price of Tandem or Affiliated SARs will equal the exercise price of the related Option.
(d) Exercise of Tandem SARs . Tandem SARs may be exercised for all or part of the Shares subject to the related Option upon the surrender of the right to exercise the equivalent portion of the related Option. A Tandem SAR may be exercised only with respect to the Shares for which its related Option is then exercisable. With respect to a Tandem SAR granted in connection with an Incentive Stock Option: (i) the Tandem SAR will expire no later than the expiration of the underlying Incentive Stock Option; (ii) the value of the payout with respect to the Tandem SAR will be for no more than one hundred percent (100%) of the difference between the exercise price of the underlying Incentive Stock Option and the Fair Market Value of the Shares subject to the underlying Incentive Stock Option at the time the Tandem SAR is exercised; and (iii) the Tandem SAR will be exercisable only when the Fair Market Value of the Shares subject to the Incentive Stock Option exceeds the Exercise Price of the Incentive Stock Option.
(e) Exercise of Affiliated SARs . An Affiliated SAR will be deemed to be exercised upon the exercise of the related Option. The deemed exercise of an Affiliated SAR will not necessitate a reduction in the number of Shares subject to the related Option.
(f) Exercise of Freestanding SARs . Freestanding SARs will be exercisable on such terms and conditions as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, will determine.
(g) SAR Agreement . Each SAR grant will be evidenced by an Award Agreement that will specify the exercise price, the term of the SAR, the conditions of exercise, and such other terms and conditions as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, will determine.



Exhibit 4.1

(h) Expiration of SARs . An SAR granted under the Plan will expire upon the date determined by the Administrator, in its sole discretion, and set forth in the Award Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the rules of Section 8(c) also will apply to SARs.
(i) Payment of SAR Amount . Upon exercise of a SAR, a Participant will be entitled to receive payment from the Company in an amount determined by multiplying:
(i) The difference between the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of exercise over the exercise price; times
(ii) The number of Shares with respect to which the SAR is exercised.
At the discretion of the Administrator, the payment upon SAR exercise may be in cash, in Shares of equivalent value, or in some combination thereof.
11. Restricted Stock Units .
(a) Grant of Restricted Stock Units . Restricted Stock Units may be granted to Service Providers at any time and from time to time, as will be determined by the Administrator, in its sole discretion. The Administrator will have complete discretion in determining the number of Restricted Stock Units granted to each Participant, subject to the limits set forth in Section 3 of the Plan. The following limitations shall apply to grants of Restricted Stock Units:
(i) No Service Provider shall be granted, in any Fiscal Year, Restricted Stock Units covering more than 1,000,000 Shares.
(ii) The foregoing limitation shall be adjusted proportionately in connection with any change in the Company’s capitalization as described in Section 14.
(iii) If a Restricted Stock Unit is cancelled in the same fiscal year of the Company in which it was granted (other than in connection with a transaction described in Section 14), the cancelled Restricted Stock Unit will be counted against the limit set forth in subsection (i) above.
(b) Value of Restricted Stock Units . Each Restricted Stock Unit will have an initial value that is established by the Administrator on or before the date of grant.
(c) Performance Objectives and Other Terms . The Administrator will set performance objectives or other vesting provisions (including, without limitation, continued status as a Service Provider) in its discretion which, depending on the extent to which they are met, will determine the number or value of Restricted Stock Units that will be paid out to the Service Providers. The time period during which the performance objectives or other vesting provisions must be met will be called the “Performance Period.” Each award of Restricted Stock Units will be evidenced by an Award Agreement that will specify the Performance Period, and such other terms and conditions as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, will determine. The Administrator may set performance objectives based upon the achievement of Company-wide, divisional, or individual goals, applicable federal or state securities laws, or any other basis determined by the Administrator in its discretion.
(d) Earning of Restricted Stock Units . After the applicable Performance Period has ended, the holder of Restricted Stock Units will be entitled to receive a payout of the number of Restricted Stock Units earned by the Participant over the Performance Period, to be determined as a function of the extent to which the corresponding performance objectives or other vesting provisions have been achieved. After the grant of a Restricted Stock Units, the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may reduce or waive any performance objectives or other vesting provisions for such Restricted Stock Unit.
(e) Form and Timing of Payment of Restricted Stock Units . Payment of earned Restricted Stock Units will be made as soon as practicable after the expiration of the applicable Performance Period. The Administrator, in its sole discretion, may pay earned Restricted Stock Units in the form of cash, in Shares (which have an aggregate Fair Market Value equal to the value of the earned Restricted Stock Units at the close of the applicable Performance Period) or in a combination thereof.
(f) Cancellation of Restricted Stock Units . On the date set forth in the Award Agreement, all unearned or unvested Restricted Stock Units will be forfeited to the Company, and again will be available for grant under the Plan.
12. Leaves of Absence . Unless the Administrator provides otherwise or as otherwise required by applicable law, vesting of Awards granted hereunder will be treated as follows during a leave of absence of a Participant:
(a) Statutory Leave of Absence . Vesting credit will continue during a leave of absence if the leave satisfies each of the following requirements: (a) the leave is approved by the Company, (b) the leave is mandated by applicable law, and (c) the Participant takes the leave in accordance with such law and complies with applicable Company leave policies (a leave meeting all such requirements being a “ Statutory Leave of Absence ”).
(b) Approved Personal Leave of Absence . Vesting credit will not continue (and instead will be tolled or suspended) during any leave of absence that is not a Statutory Leave of Absence (a “ Personal Leave of Absence ”). For purposes of clarification, a Participant will not cease to be a Service Provider during any Company-approved Personal Leave of Absence so long as the Participant complies with applicable law and applicable Company leave policies.
(c) Incentive Stock Options . For purposes of Incentive Stock Options, if a leave of absence continues for more than ninety (90) days, then the Option shall be treated for tax purposes as a Nonstatutory Stock Option at the end of the three (3)-month period measured from the 91st day of such leave, unless Optionee’s reemployment upon expiration of such leave is guaranteed by statute or contract.
13. Non-Transferability of Awards . Unless determined otherwise by the Administrator, an Award may not be sold, pledged, assigned, hypothecated, transferred, or disposed of in any manner other than by will or by the laws of descent or distribution and may be exercised, during the lifetime of the Participant, only by the Participant. If the Administrator makes an Award transferable, such Award shall contain such additional terms and conditions as the Administrator deems appropriate.
14. Adjustments Upon Changes in Capitalization, Dissolution, Merger or Asset Sale .



Exhibit 4.1

(a) Changes in Capitalization . Subject to any required action by the stockholders of the Company, the number and class of Shares that may be delivered under the Plan and/or the number, class, and price of Shares covered by each outstanding Award, and the numerical Share limits in Sections 3, 6, 9 and 11 of the Plan, shall be proportionately adjusted for any increase or decrease in the number of issued Shares resulting from a stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, combination or reclassification of the Shares, or any other increase or decrease in the number of issued Shares effected without receipt of consideration by the Company; provided, however, that conversion of any convertible securities of the Company shall not be deemed to have been “effected without receipt of consideration.” Such adjustment shall be made by the Board, whose determination in that respect shall be final, binding and conclusive. Except as expressly provided herein, no issuance by the Company of shares of stock of any class, or securities convertible into shares of stock of any class, shall affect, and no adjustment by reason thereof shall be made with respect to, the number or price of Shares subject to an Award.
(b) Dissolution or Liquidation . In the event of the proposed dissolution or liquidation of the Company, the Administrator shall notify each Participant as soon as practicable prior to the effective date of such proposed transaction. The Administrator in its discretion may provide for a Participant to have the right to exercise his or her Award until ten (10) days prior to such transaction as to all of the Optioned Stock covered thereby, including Shares as to which the Award would not otherwise be exercisable. In addition, the Administrator may provide that any Company repurchase option applicable to any Shares purchased upon exercise of an Award shall lapse as to all such Shares, provided the proposed dissolution or liquidation takes place at the time and in the manner contemplated. To the extent it has not been previously exercised, an Award will terminate immediately prior to the consummation of such proposed action.
(c) Merger or Asset Sale . In the event of a merger of the Company with or into another corporation, or the sale of substantially all of the assets of the Company, each outstanding Award shall be assumed or an equivalent option or right substituted by the successor corporation or a Parent or Subsidiary of the successor corporation. In the event that the successor corporation refuses to assume or substitute for the Award, the Participant will fully vest in and have the right to exercise all of his or her outstanding Options and Stock Appreciation Rights, including Shares as to which such Awards would not otherwise be vested or exercisable, all restrictions on Restricted Stock will lapse, and, with respect to Restricted Stock Units, all Performance Goals or other vesting criteria will be deemed achieved at target levels and all other terms and conditions met. In addition, if an Option or Stock Appreciation Right becomes fully vested and exercisable in lieu of assumption or substitution in the event of a merger or sale of assets, the Administrator will notify the Participant in writing or electronically that the Option or Stock Appreciation Right will be fully vested and exercisable for a period of 15 days from the date of such notice, and the Option or Stock Appreciation Right will terminate upon the expiration of such period.
For the purposes of this paragraph, the Award shall be considered assumed if, following the merger or sale of assets, the Award confers the right to purchase or receive, for each Share subject to the Award immediately prior to the merger or sale of assets, the consideration (whether stock, cash, or other securities or property) or, in the case of a Stock Appreciation Right upon the exercise of which the Administrator determines to pay cash or a Restricted Stock Unit which the Administrator can determine to pay in cash, the fair market value of the consideration received in the merger or sale of assets by holders of Common Stock for each Share held on the effective date of the transaction (and if holders were offered a choice of consideration, the type of consideration chosen by the holders of a majority of the outstanding Shares); provided, however, that if such consideration received in the merger or sale of assets is not solely common stock of the successor corporation or its Parent, the Administrator may, with the consent of the successor corporation, provide for the consideration to be received upon the exercise of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right or upon the payout of a Restricted Stock Unit, for each Share subject to such Award (or in the case of Restricted Stock Units, the number of implied shares determined by dividing the value of the Restricted Stock Units by the per Share consideration received by holders of Common Stock in the merger or sale of assets), to be solely common stock of the successor corporation or its Parent equal in fair market value to the per Share consideration received by holders of Common Stock in the merger or sale of assets.
Notwithstanding anything in this Section 14(c) to the contrary, an Award that vests, is earned or paid-out upon the satisfaction of one or more Performance Goals will not be considered assumed if the Company or its successor modifies any of such Performance Goals without the Participant’s consent; provided, however, a modification to such Performance Goals only to reflect the successor corporation’s corporate structure post-merger or post-sale of assets will not be deemed to invalidate an otherwise valid Award assumption.
15. No Effect on Employment or Service . Neither the Plan nor any Award will confer upon a Participant any right with respect to continuing the Participant’s relationship as a Service Provider with the Company, nor will they interfere in any way with the Participant’s right or the Company’s right to terminate such relationship at any time, with or without cause, to the extent permitted by Applicable Laws.
16. Date of Grant . The date of grant of an Award shall be, for all purposes, the date on which the Administrator makes the determination granting such Award, or such other later date as is determined by the Administrator. Notice of the determination shall be provided to each Participant within a reasonable time after the date of such grant.
17. Amendment and Termination of the Plan .
(a) Amendment and Termination . The Board may at any time amend, alter, suspend or terminate the Plan.
(b) Stockholder Approval . The Company shall obtain stockholder approval of any Plan amendment to the extent necessary and desirable to comply with Applicable Law. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall also obtain stockholder approval of any Plan amendment or any exchange, buy-back or other scheme which would purport to reprice or otherwise cancel and replace any Option or SAR as described in Section 6(c) of the Plan.
(c) Effect of Amendment or Termination . No amendment, alteration, suspension or termination of the Plan shall impair the rights of any Participant, unless mutually agreed otherwise between the Participant and the Administrator, which agreement must be in writing and signed by the Participant and the Company. Termination of the Plan shall not affect the Administrator’s ability to exercise the powers granted to it hereunder with respect to Awards granted under the Plan prior to the date of such termination.
18. Conditions Upon Issuance of Shares .
(a) Legal Compliance . Shares shall not be issued pursuant to the exercise of an Award unless the exercise of such Award and the issuance and delivery of such Shares shall comply with Applicable Laws and shall be further subject to the approval of counsel for the Company with respect to such compliance.



Exhibit 4.1

(b) Investment Representations . As a condition to the exercise of an Award, the Company may require the person exercising such Award to represent and warrant at the time of any such exercise that the Shares are being purchased only for investment and without any present intention to sell or distribute such Shares if, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, such a representation is required.
19. Inability to Obtain Authority . The inability of the Company to obtain authority from any regulatory body having jurisdiction, which authority is deemed by the Company’s counsel to be necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of any Shares hereunder, shall relieve the Company of any liability in respect of the failure to issue or sell such Shares as to which such requisite authority shall not have been obtained.
20. Stockholder Approval . The Plan shall be subject to approval by the stockholders of the Company within twelve (12) months after the date the Plan is adopted. Such stockholder approval shall be obtained in the manner and to the degree required under Applicable Laws.



Exhibit 4.2

AMENDED AND RESTATED
NUANCE COMMUNICATIONS, INC. (FORMERLY KNOWN AS SCANSOFT, INC.)
1995 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
(As amended and restated on January 27, 2015)
1. Purpose . The purpose of the Plan is to provide employees of the Company and its Designated Subsidiaries with an opportunity to purchase Common Stock of the Company. It is the intention of the Company to have the Plan qualify as an “Employee Stock Purchase Plan” under Section 423 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. The provisions of the Plan shall, accordingly, be construed so as to extend and limit participation in a manner consistent with the requirements of that section of the Code.
2. Definitions .
(a) Board ” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.
(b) Code ” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
(c) Common Stock ” shall mean the common stock of the Company.
(d) Company ” shall mean Nuance Communications, Inc. (formerly known as ScanSoft, Inc.), a Delaware corporation.
(e) Compensation ” shall mean an Employee’s regular straight time gross earnings and shall not include payments for overtime, shift premium, incentive compensation, incentive payments, commissions, bonuses and other compensation.
(f) Continuous Status as an Employee ” shall mean the absence of any interruption or termination of service as an Employee. Continuous Status as an Employee shall not be considered interrupted in the case of a leave of absence agreed to in writing by the Company, provided that such leave is for a period of not more than ninety (90) days or reemployment upon the expiration of such leave is guaranteed by contract or statute.
(g) Contributions ” shall mean all amounts credited to the account of a participant pursuant to the Plan.
(h) Designated Subsidiary ” shall mean any Subsidiary that has been designated by the Board from time to time in its sole discretion as eligible to participate in the Plan.
(i) Employee ” shall mean any person who is an employee of an Employer for tax purposes and is customarily employed for at least twenty (20) hours per week and more than five (5) months in a calendar year by the Employer.
(j) Employer ” shall mean the Company and any Designated Subsidiary of the Company.
(k) Exchange Act ” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(l) Offering Date ” shall mean the first Trading Day of each Offering Period.
(m) Offering Period ” shall mean a period of approximately twelve (12) months during which an option granted pursuant to the Plan may be exercised, commencing on the first Trading Day on or after February 16 and August 16 of each year and terminating on the last Trading Day in the periods ending twelve (12) months later. The duration and timing of Offering Periods may be changed pursuant to Section 4 hereof.
(n) Plan ” shall mean this 1995 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
(o) Purchase Date ” shall mean the last Trading Day of each Purchase Period.
(p) Purchase Period ” shall mean the approximately six (6) month period commencing after one Purchase Date and ending with the next Purchase Date, except that the first Purchase Period of any Offering Period shall commence on the Offering Date and end with the next Purchase Date.
(q) Subsidiary ” shall mean a corporation, domestic or foreign, of which not less than fifty percent (50%) of the voting shares are held by the Company or a Subsidiary, whether or not such corporation now exists or is hereafter organized or acquired by the Company or a Subsidiary.
(r) Trading Day ” shall mean a day on which U.S. national stock exchanges and the Nasdaq System are open for trading.
3. Eligibility .
(a) Any person who is an Employee as of the Offering Date of a given Offering Period shall be eligible to participate in such Offering Period under the Plan, subject to the requirements of Section 5(a) hereof and the limitations imposed by Section 423(b) of the Code.
(b) Any provisions of the Plan to the contrary notwithstanding, no Employee shall be granted an option under the Plan (i) if, immediately after the grant, such Employee (or any other person whose stock would be attributed to such Employee pursuant to Section 424(d) of the Code) would own stock and/or hold outstanding options to purchase stock possessing five percent (5%) or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of stock of the Company or of any Subsidiary, or (ii) if such option would permit his or her rights to purchase stock under all employee stock purchase plans (described in Section 423 of the Code) of the Company and its Subsidiaries to accrue at a rate which exceeds twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) worth of stock (determined at the fair market value of such stock at the time such option is granted) for each calendar year in which such option is outstanding at any time.
4. Offering Periods . The Plan shall be implemented by a series of consecutive, overlapping Offering Periods, with a new Offering Period commencing on the first Trading Day on or after February 16 and August 16 of each year (or at such other time or times as may be determined by the Board), and continuing thereafter until terminated in accordance with Section 19 hereof. The Board shall have the power to change the duration and/or the frequency of Offering Periods (including the commencement dates thereof) with respect to future offerings without stockholder approval if such change is announced at least fifteen (15) days prior to the scheduled beginning of the first Offering Period to be affected thereafter. Eligible Employees may not participate in more than one Offering Period at a time.
5. Participation .



Exhibit 4.2

(a) An Employee who is eligible to participate in the Plan pursuant to Section 3 hereof may become a participant in the Plan by completing an enrollment form provided by the Company for such purpose and filing it with the Company’s payroll office prior to the applicable Offering Date, unless a later time for filing the enrollment form is set by the Board for all eligible Employees with respect to a given Offering Period.
(b) Payroll deductions for a participant shall commence on the first payroll paid following the Offering Date and shall end on the last payroll paid in the Offering Period to which the enrollment form is applicable, unless sooner terminated by the participant as provided in Section 10 hereof.
6. Method of Payment of Contributions .
(a) At the time a participant files his or her enrollment form as provided in Section 5 hereof, he or she shall elect to have payroll deductions made on each payday during the Offering Period in an amount not less than one percent (1%) and not more than twelve percent (12%) of such participant’s Compensation on each such payday. All payroll deductions made for a participant shall be credited to his or her account under the Plan and shall be withheld in whole percentages only. A participant may not make any additional payments into such account.
(b) A participant may discontinue his or her participation in the Plan as provided in Section 10 hereof, or, on one occasion only during the Offering Period, may decrease the rate of his or her Contributions during the Offering Period by completing and filing with the Company a new enrollment form authorizing the decrease in Contribute rate. The change in rate shall be effective as of the beginning of the next calendar month following the date of the Company’s receipt of the new enrollment form, if the form is received at least ten (10) business days prior to such date and, if not, as of the beginning of the next succeeding calendar month. A participant’s enrollment form shall remain in effect for successive Offering Periods unless terminated as provided in Section 10 hereof.
(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent necessary to comply with Section 423(b)(8) of the Code and Section 3(b) hereof, a participant’s Contributions may be decreased to zero percent (0%) at any time during an Offering Period. Contributions shall recommence at the rate provided in such participant’s enrollment form at the beginning of the first Purchase Period which is scheduled to end in the following calendar year, unless terminated by the participant as provided in Section 10 hereof.
(d) At the time the option is exercised, in whole or in part, or at the time some or all of the Common Stock issued under the Plan is disposed of, the participant must make adequate provision for the Company’s federal, state, or other tax withholding obligations, if any, which arise upon the exercise of the option or the disposition of the Common Stock. At any time, the Company may, but shall not be obligated to, withhold from the participant’s compensation the amount necessary for the Company to meet applicable withholding obligations, including any withholding required to make available to the Company any tax deductions or benefits attributable to the sale or early disposition of Common Stock by the participant.
7. Grant of Option .
(a) On the Offering Date of each Offering Period, each eligible Employee participating in such Offering Period shall be granted an option to purchase on each Purchase Date during such Offering Period a number of shares of Common Stock determined by dividing such participant’s Contributions accumulated prior to such Purchase Date and retained in the participant’s account as of the Purchase Date by the purchase price specified in Section 7(b) below; provided, however, that the maximum number of shares a participant may purchase during each Purchase Period shall be two thousand (2,000) shares (subject to any adjustment pursuant to Section 18 hereof), and provided further that such purchase shall be subject to the limitations set forth in Sections 3(b) and 13 hereof. The Board may, for future Offering Periods, increase or decrease, in its absolute discretion, the maximum number of shares of Common Stock that a participant may purchase during each Purchase Period of such Offering Period. Exercise of the option shall occur as provided in Section 8 hereof, unless the participant has withdrawn pursuant to Section 10 hereof. The option shall expire on the last day of the Offering Period.
(b) The purchase price per share of Common Stock covered by each option granted under the Plan shall be the lower of: (i) eighty-five percent (85%) of the fair market value of a share of Common Stock on the Offering Date; or (ii) eighty-five percent (85%) of the fair market value of a share of Common Stock on the Purchase Date. The fair market value of the Common Stock on a given date shall be determined by the Board in its discretion based on the closing price of the Common Stock for such date (or, in the event that the Common Stock is not traded on such date, on the immediately preceding trading date), as reported by The Nasdaq Global Select Market (“Nasdaq”) or, if such price is not reported, the mean of the bid and asked prices per share of the Common Stock as reported by Nasdaq or, in the event the Common Stock is listed on a stock exchange, the fair market value per share shall be the closing price on such exchange on such date (or, in the event that the Common Stock is not traded on such date, on the immediately preceding trading date), as reported in The Wall Street Journal.
8. Exercise of Option .
(a) Unless a participant withdraws from the Plan as provided in Section 10 hereof, his or her option for the purchase of shares of Common Stock will be exercised automatically on each Purchase Date of an Offering Period, and the maximum number of full shares subject to the option will be purchased for such participant at the applicable purchase price specified in Section 7(b) hereof with the accumulated Contributions in his or her account. The shares purchased upon exercise of an option hereunder shall be deemed to be transferred to the participant on the Purchase Date. No fractional shares of Common Stock shall be purchased; any Contributions accumulated in a participant’s account that are not sufficient to purchase a full share shall be returned to the participant. Any other cash remaining to the credit of a participant’s account under the Plan after the Purchase Date shall be returned to said participant. During his or her lifetime, a participant’s option to purchase shares hereunder is exercisable only by him or her.
(b) If the Board determines that, on a given Purchase Date, the number of shares with respect to which options are to be exercised may exceed (i) the number of shares of Common Stock that were available for sale under the Plan on the Offering Date of the applicable Offering Period, or (ii) the number of shares available for sale under the Plan on such Purchase Date, the Board may in its sole discretion (x) provide that the Company shall make a pro rata allocation of the shares of Common Stock available for purchase on such Offering Date or Purchase Date, as applicable, in as uniform a manner as shall be practicable and as it shall determine in its sole discretion to be equitable among all participants exercising options to purchase Common Stock on such Purchase Date, and continue all Offering Period then in effect, or (y) provide that the Company shall make a pro rata allocation of the shares available for purchase on such Offering Date or Purchase Date, as applicable, in as uniform a manner as shall be practicable and as it shall determine in its sole discretion to be equitable among all participants exercising options to purchase Common Stock on such Purchase Date, and terminate any or all Offering Periods then in effect pursuant to Section 19 hereof. The Company may make pro rata allocation of the shares available on the Offering Date of any applicable Offering Period pursuant to the preceding sentence, notwithstanding any authorization of additional shares for issuance under the Plan by the Company’s shareholders subsequent to such Offering Date.
9. Delivery . As promptly as practicable following each Purchase Date on which a purchase of shares of Common Stock occurs, the Company shall arrange the delivery to each participant, as appropriate, of a certificate representing the shares purchased upon exercise of his or her option. If permitted by the Company, the shares will be electronically delivered to a brokerage account for the benefit of the participant. If the Company designates or approves a stock brokerage or other financial services firm (the “ESPP Broker”) to hold shares purchased under the Plan for the accounts of participants, the



Exhibit 4.2

following procedures shall apply. Promptly following each Purchase Date, the number of shares of Common Stock purchased by each participant shall be deposited into an account established in the participant’s name with the ESPP Broker. Each participant shall be the beneficial owner of the Common Stock purchased under the Plan and shall have all rights of beneficial ownership in such Common Stock. A participant shall be free to undertake a disposition of the shares of Common Stock in his or her account at any time, but, in the absence of such a disposition, the shares of Common Stock must remain in the participant’s account at the ESPP Broker until the holding period set forth in Code Section 423 has been satisfied. With respect to shares of Common Stock for which the holding period set forth above has been satisfied, the participant may move those shares of Common Stock to another brokerage account of the participant’s choosing or request that a stock certificate be issued and delivered to him or her. Dividends paid in the form of shares of Common Stock with respect to Common Stock in a participant’s account shall be credited to such account.
10. Voluntary Withdrawal; Termination of Employment .
(a) A participant may withdraw all but not less than all the Contributions credited to his or her account and not yet used to exercise his or her option under the Plan at any time prior to each Purchase Date by giving written notice to the Company. All of the participant’s Contributions credited to his or her account will be paid to him or her promptly after the Company’s receipt of his or her notice of withdrawal and his or her option for the Offering Period will be automatically terminated, and no further Contributions for the purchase of shares will be made during the Offering Period. If a participant withdraws from an Offering Period, Contributions shall not resume at the beginning of the succeeding Offering Period unless the participant files a new enrollment form in accordance with Section 5 hereof.
(b) Upon termination of a participant’s Continuous Status as an Employee prior to the Purchase Date of an Offering Period for any reason, including retirement or death, he or she will be deemed to have elected to withdraw from the Plan and the Contributions credited to his or her account but not yet used to exercise his or her option under the Plan will be returned to him or her or, in the case of his or her death, to the person or persons entitled thereto under Section 14 hereof, and his or her option will be automatically terminated.
(c) In the event an Employee fails to remain in Continuous Status as an Employee for at least twenty (20) hours per week during the Offering Period in which the Employee is a participant, he or she will be deemed to have elected to withdraw from the Plan and the Contributions credited to his or her account but not yet used to exercise his or her option under the Plan will be returned to him or her, and his or her option will be automatically terminated.
(d) A participant’s withdrawal from an Offering Period will not have any effect upon his or her eligibility to participate in a succeeding Offering Period that commences after the termination of the Offering Period from which the participant withdraws or in any similar plan which may hereafter be adopted by the Company.
11. Interest . No interest shall accrue on the Contributions of a participant in the Plan.
12. Stock .
(a) The maximum number of shares of Common Stock which shall be made available for sale under the Plan shall be 20 million (20,000,000) shares, subject to adjustment upon changes in the capitalization of the Company as provided in Section 18 hereof. If the total number of shares which otherwise be subject to options granted pursuant to Section 7(a) hereof on the Offering Date of an Offering Period exceeds the number of shares then available under the Plan (after deduction of all shares for which options have been exercised or are then outstanding), the Company shall make a pro rata allocation of the shares remaining available for option grant in as uniform a manner as shall be practicable and as it shall determine to be equitable. In such event, the Company shall give written notice of such reduction of the number of shares subject to the option to each Employee affected thereby and shall similarly reduce the rate of Contributions, if necessary.
(b) The participant will have no right to vote or receive dividends or any other rights as a shareholder of the Company with respect to the shares covered by his or her option until such option has been exercised and certificates representing such shares have been issued, recorded on the records of the Company or its transfer agents or registrars, and delivered to the participant as provided in Section 9 hereof.
(c) Shares to be delivered to a participant under the Plan will be registered in the name of the participant or in the name of the participant and his or her spouse.
13. Administration . The Board, or a committee named by the Board, shall supervise and administer the Plan, and shall have full and exclusive discretionary power to adopt, amend and rescind any rules deemed desirable and appropriate for the administration of the Plan and not inconsistent with the Plan, to construe, interpret and apply the terms of the Plan, to determine eligibility and to adjudicate all disputed claims filed under the Plan, and to make all other determinations necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan. Every finding, decision and determination made by the Board or its committee shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be final and binding upon all parties.
14. Designation of Beneficiary .
(a) A participant may file a written designation of a beneficiary who is to receive any shares and cash, if any, from the participant’s account under the Plan in the event of such participant’s death subsequent to a Purchase Date on which the option is exercised but prior to delivery to him or her of such shares and cash. In addition, a participant may file a written designation of a beneficiary who is to receive any cash from the participant’s account under the Plan in the event of such participant’s death prior to the exercise of the option. If a participant is married and the designated beneficiary is not the spouse, spousal consent shall be required for such designation to be effective.
(b) Such designation of beneficiary may be changed by the participant (and his or her spouse, if any) at any time by written notice. In the event of the death of a participant and in the absence of a beneficiary validly designated under the Plan who is living at the time of such participant’s death, the Company shall deliver such shares and/or cash to the executor or administrator of the estate of the participant, or if no such executor or administrator has been appointed (to the knowledge of the Company), the Company, in its discretion, may deliver such shares and/or cash to the spouse or to any one or more dependents or relatives of the participant, or if no spouse, dependent or relative is known to the Company, then to such other person as the Company may designate.
15. Transferability . Neither Contributions credited to a participant’s account nor any rights with regard to the exercise of an option or to receive shares under the Plan may be assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise disposed of in any way (other than by will, the laws of descent and distribution, or as provided in Section 14 hereof) by the participant. Any such attempt at assignment, transfer, pledge or other disposition shall be without effect, except that the Company may treat such act as an election to withdraw funds from an Offering Period in accordance with Section 10 hereof.
16. Use of Funds . All Contributions received or held by the Company under the Plan may be used by the Company for any corporate purpose, and the Company shall not be obligated to segregate such Contributions.



Exhibit 4.2

17. Reports . Individual accounts will be maintained for each participant in the Plan. Statements of account will be given to participating Employees promptly following the Purchase Date, which statements will set forth the amounts of Contributions, the purchase price per share, the number of shares purchased and the remaining cash balance, if any.
18. Adjustments Upon Changes in Capitalization; Corporate Transactions .
(a) Changes in Capitalization . Subject to any required action by the stockholders of the Company, the number of shares of Common Stock covered by each option under the Plan which has not yet been exercised and the number of shares of Common Stock which have been authorized for issuance under the Plan but have not yet been placed under option (collectively, the “Reserves”), as well as the purchase price per share and the number of shares of Common Stock covered by each option under the Plan which has not yet been exercised and the maximum number of shares each participant may purchase during each [Purchase] Period (pursuant to Section 7 hereof), shall be proportionately adjusted for any increase or decrease in the number of issued shares of Common Stock resulting from a stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, combination or reclassification of the Common Stock, or any other increase or decrease in the number of shares of Common Stock effected without receipt of consideration by the Company; provided, however, that conversion of any convertible securities of the Company shall not be deemed to have been “effected without receipt of consideration.” Such adjustment shall be made by the Board, whose determination in that respect shall be final, binding and conclusive. Except as expressly provided herein, no issuance by the Company of shares of stock of any class, or securities convertible into shares of stock of any class, shall affect, and no adjustment by reason thereof shall be made with respect to, the number or price of shares of Common Stock subject to an option.
(b) Corporate Transactions . In the event of the proposed dissolution or liquidation of the Company, the Offering Period then in progress will terminate immediately prior to the consummation of such proposed action, unless otherwise provided by the Board. In the event of a proposed sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or the merger of the Company with or into another corporation, each outstanding option under the Plan shall be assumed or an equivalent option shall be substituted by such successor corporation or a parent or subsidiary of such successor corporation, unless the Board determines, in the exercise of its sole discretion and in lieu of such assumption or substitution, to shorten the Offering Period then in progress by setting a new Purchase Date (the “New Purchase Date”). If the Board shortens the Offering Period then in progress in lieu of assumption or substitution in the event of a merger or sale of assets, the Board shall notify each participant in writing, at least ten (10) days prior to the New Purchase Date, that the Purchase Date for his or her option has been changed to the New Purchase Date, and that his or her option will be exercised automatically on the New Purchase Date, unless prior to such date he or she has withdrawn from the Offering Period as provided in Section 10 hereof. For purposes of this paragraph, an option granted under the Plan shall be deemed to be assumed if, following the sale of assets or merger, the option confers the right to purchase, for each share of option stock subject to the option immediately prior to the sale of assets or merger, the consideration (whether stock, cash or other securities or property) received in the sale of assets or merger by holders of Common Stock for each share of Common Stock held on the effective date of the transaction (and if such holders were offered a choice of consideration, the type of consideration chosen by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Common Stock); provided, however, that if such consideration received in the sale of assets or merger was not solely common stock of the successor corporation or its parent (as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code), the Board may, with the consent of the successor corporation and the participant, provide for the consideration to be received upon exercise of the option to be solely common stock of the successor corporation or its parent equal in fair market value to the per share consideration received by holders of Common Stock and the sale of assets or merger. The Board may, if it so determines in the exercise of its sole discretion, also make provision for adjusting the Reserves, as well as the purchase price per share of Common Stock covered by each outstanding option, in the event that the Company effects one or more reorganizations, recapitalizations, rights offerings or other increases or reductions of shares of its outstanding Common Stock, and in the event of the Company being consolidated with or merged into any other corporation.
19. Amendment or Termination .
(a) The Board may at any time and for any reason terminate or amend the Plan. Except as provided in Section 18 and this Section 19 hereof, no such termination may affect options previously granted, nor may an amendment make any change in any option theretofore granted which adversely affects the rights of any participant. In addition, to the extent necessary to comply with Section 423 of the Code (or any successor rule or provision or any applicable law or regulation), the Company shall obtain stockholder approval in such a manner and to such a degree as so required.
(b) Without stockholder consent and without regard to whether any participant rights may be considered to have been “adversely affected,” the Board (or its committee) shall be entitled to change the Offering Periods, limit the frequency and/or number of changes in the amount withheld during an Offering Period, establish the exchange ratio applicable to amounts withheld in a currency other than U.S. dollars, permit payroll withholding in excess of the amount designated by a participant in order to adjust for delays or mistakes in the Company’s processing of properly completed withholding elections, establish reasonable waiting and adjustment periods and/or accounting and crediting procedures to ensure that amounts applied toward the purchase of Common Stock for each participant properly correspond with amounts withheld from the participant’s Compensation, and establish such other limitations or procedures as the Board (or its committee) determines in its sole discretion advisable which are consistent with the Plan.
(c) In the event the Board determines that the ongoing operation of the Plan may result in unfavorable financial accounting consequences, the Board may, in its discretion and, to the extent necessary or desirable, modify or amend the Plan to reduce or eliminate such accounting consequence including, but not limited to:
(i) altering the purchase price per share of the shares offered in any Offering Period including an Offering Period underway at the time of the change in purchase price;
(ii) shortening any Offering Period so that Offering Period ends on a new Purchase Date, including an Offering Period underway at the time of the Board action; and
(iii) allocating shares.
Such modifications or amendments shall not require stockholder approval or the consent of any Plan participants.
20. Notices . All notices or other communications by a participant to the Company under or in connection with the Plan shall be deemed to have been duly given when received in the form specified by the Company at the location, or by the person, designated by the Company for the receipt thereof.
21. Conditions Upon Issuance of Shares . Shares of Common Stock shall not be issued with respect to an option under the Plan unless the exercise of such option and the issuance and delivery of such shares pursuant thereto shall comply with all applicable provisions of law, domestic or foreign, including, without limitation, the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Exchange Act, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and the requirements of any stock exchange upon which the shares may then be listed, and shall be further subject to the approval of counsel for the Company with respect to such compliance. As a condition to the exercise of an option, the Company may require the person exercising such option to represent and warrant at the time of any such exercise that the shares are being purchased only for investment and without any present intention to sell or distribute such shares if, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, such a representation is required by any of the aforementioned applicable provisions of law.



Exhibit 4.2

22. No Effect on Employment . Nothing in the Plan shall be deemed to give any Employee the right to be retained in the employ of any Employer or to interfere with the right of the Employer to discharge the Employee at any time.
23. Term of Plan; Effective Date . The Plan shall continue in effect for a term ending December 17, 2025 unless sooner terminated under Section 19 hereof.



Exhibit 4.3

NUANCE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
(FORMERLY KNOWN AS SCANSOFT, INC.)
1995 DIRECTORS’ STOCK PLAN
(As Amended and Restated January 27, 2015)
1. Purposes of the Plan . The purposes of this Directors’ Stock Plan are to attract and retain the best available personnel for service as Directors of the Company, to provide additional incentive to the Outside Directors of the Company to serve as Directors, and to encourage their continued service on the Board.
2. Definitions . As used herein, the following definitions shall apply:
(a) Award ” shall mean, individually or collectively, a grant under the Plan of Options or Stock Purchase Rights.
(b) Board ” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.
(c) Code ” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
(d) Common Stock ” shall mean the common stock of the Company, par value $0.001 per share.
(e) Company ” shall mean Nuance Communications, Inc. (formerly known as ScanSoft, Inc.), a Delaware corporation.
(f) Continuous Status as a Director ” shall mean the absence of any interruption or termination of service as a Director.
(g) Director ” shall mean a member of the Board.
(h) Employee ” shall mean any person, including officers and directors, employed by the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company. The payment of a director’s fee by the Company shall not be sufficient in and of itself to constitute “employment” by the Company.
(i) Exchange Act ” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(j) Option ” shall mean a nonstatutory stock option (i.e., an option that is not intended to qualify as an incentive stock option under Section 422 of the Code) granted pursuant to the Plan.
(k) Optioned Stock ” shall mean the Common Stock subject to an Option.
(l) Optionee ” shall mean an Outside Director who receives an Option.
(m) Outside Director ” shall mean a Director who is not an Employee.
(n) Parent ” shall mean a “parent corporation”, whether now or hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code.
(o) Participant ” shall mean the holder of an outstanding Award, which shall include an Optionee.
(p) Plan ” shall mean this 1995 Directors’ Stock Plan, as amended and restated.
(q) Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement ” shall mean a written agreement between the Company and an Outside Director evidencing the terms and restrictions applying to stock purchased under a Stock Purchase Right.
(r) Stock Purchase Right ” means the right to purchase Shares pursuant to Section 9 of the Plan.
(s) Share ” shall mean a share of the Common Stock, as adjusted in accordance with Section 11 of the Plan.
(t) Subsidiary ” shall mean a “subsidiary corporation”, whether now or hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code.
3. Stock Subject to the Plan . Subject to the provisions of Section 11 of the Plan, the maximum aggregate number of Shares which may be optioned and/or sold under the Plan is 2,820,000 Shares of Common Stock. The Shares may be authorized, but unissued, or reacquired Common Stock. If any outstanding Award for any reason expires or is terminated or canceled without having been exercised or settled in full, or if Shares acquired pursuant to an Award subject to forfeiture or repurchase are forfeited or repurchased by the Company, the Shares allocable to the terminated portion of such Award or such forfeited or repurchased Shares shall again be available for grant under the Plan. The Shares may be authorized, but unissued, or reacquired Common Stock.
4. Administration of and Grants of Awards under the Plan .
(a) Administrator . Except as otherwise required herein, the Plan shall be administered by the Board.
(b) Procedure for Grants . All grants of Awards hereunder shall be automatic and nondiscretionary and shall be made strictly in accordance with the following provisions:
(i) No person shall have any discretion to select which Outside Directors shall be granted Stock Purchase Rights or to determine the number of Shares to be covered by Stock Purchase Rights granted to Outside Directors.
(ii) Each Outside Director shall be automatically granted a Stock Purchase Right for 30,000 Shares (the “ First Stock Purchase Right ”) on the date on which such person first becomes an Outside Director (other than directors who become Outside Directors solely as a result of the termination of their employment with the Company), whether through election by the shareholders of the Company or by appointment by the Board of Directors to fill a vacancy.
(iii) After the First Stock Purchase Right has been granted to an Outside Director, such Outside Director shall thereafter be automatically granted additional Stock Purchase Rights for 15,000 Shares (a “ Subsequent Stock Purchase Right ”) on January 1 of each year, provided that, on such date, he or she shall have served on the Board for at least six (6) months prior to the grant date.



Exhibit 4.3

(iv) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (ii) and (iii) hereof, in the event that a grant would cause the number of Shares subject to outstanding Awards plus the number of Shares previously purchased upon exercise of Options or issued pursuant to Stock Purchase Rights to exceed the total number of Shares authorized for issuance pursuant to this Plan, then each such automatic grant shall be for that number of Shares determined by dividing the total number of Shares remaining available for grant by the number of Outside Directors receiving a Stock Purchase Right on such automatic grant date. Any further grants shall then be deferred until such time, if any, as additional Shares become available for grant under the Plan through action of the shareholders to increase the number of Shares which may be issued under the Plan or through cancellation or expiration of Awards previously granted hereunder.
(v) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (ii) and (iii) hereof, any grant of an Award made before the Company has obtained shareholder approval of the Plan in accordance with Section 17 hereof shall be conditioned upon obtaining such shareholder approval of the Plan in accordance with Section 17 hereof.
(vi) The terms of each Stock Purchase Right granted hereunder shall be as follows:
(1) The purchase price per Share shall be $0.001 per Share.
(2) Each Stock Purchase Right shall become vested in installments cumulatively as to 1/3 of the Shares subject to the Stock Purchase Right on each of the first, second and third anniversaries of the date of grant of the Stock Purchase Right.
(3) The Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement shall provide for forfeiture of unvested shares upon the voluntary or involuntary termination of the Outside Director’s service with the Company for any reason (including death or Disability).
(c) Powers of the Board . Subject to the provisions and restrictions of the Plan, the Board shall have the authority, in its discretion: (i) to determine, upon review of relevant information and in accordance with Section 8(b) of the Plan, the fair market value of the Common Stock; (ii) to determine the exercise price per share of Options to be granted, which exercise price shall be determined in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Plan; (iii) to interpret the Plan; (iv) to prescribe, amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to the Plan; (v) to authorize any person to execute on behalf of the Company any instrument required to effectuate the grant of an Award previously granted hereunder; and (vi) to make all other determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan.
(d) Effect of Board’s Decision . All decisions, determinations and interpretations of the Board shall be final and binding on all Participants and any other holders of any Awards granted under the Plan.
(e) Suspension or Termination of Award . If the President or his or her designee reasonably believes that a Participant has committed an act of misconduct, the President may suspend the Participant’s right to exercise any option (or to purchase shares pursuant to a Stock Purchase Right) pending a determination by the Board of Directors (excluding the Outside Director accused of such misconduct). If the Board of Directors (excluding the Outside Director accused of such misconduct) determines a Participant has committed an act of embezzlement, fraud, dishonesty, nonpayment of an obligation owed to the Company, breach of fiduciary duty or deliberate disregard of the Company rules resulting in loss, damage or injury to the Company, or if a Participant makes an unauthorized disclosure of any Company trade secret or confidential information, engages in any conduct constituting unfair competition, induces any Company customer to breach a contract with the Company or induces any principal for whom the Company acts as agent to terminate such agency relationship, neither the Optionee nor his or her estate shall be entitled to exercise any option (or purchase shares pursuant to a Stock Purchase Right) whatsoever. In making such determination, the Board of Directors (excluding the Outside Director accused of such misconduct) shall act fairly and shall give the Participant an opportunity to appear and present evidence on Participant’s behalf at a hearing before the Board or a committee of the Board.
5. Eligibility . Awards may be granted only to Outside Directors. All Awards shall be automatically granted in accordance with the terms set forth in Section 4(b) hereof. An Outside Director who has been granted an Award may, if he or she is otherwise eligible, be granted an additional Award or Awards in accordance with such provisions. The Plan shall not confer upon any Participant any right with respect to continuation of service as a Director or nomination to serve as a Director, nor shall it interfere in any way with any rights which the Director or the Company may have to terminate his or her directorship at any time.
6. Term of Plan; Effective Date . The Plan shall continue in effect until March 31, 2026, unless sooner terminated under Section 13 of the Plan.
7. Term of Options . The term of each Option shall be ten (10) years from the date of grant thereof.
8. Exercise or Purchase Price and Consideration .
(a) Exercise Price .
(i) The per Share exercise price for the Shares to be issued pursuant to exercise of an Option shall be 100% of the fair market value per Share on the date of grant of the Option.
(ii) The per Share purchase price for the Shares issued pursuant to a Stock Purchase Right shall be equal to the par value of such Shares.
(b) Fair Market Value . The fair market value shall be determined by the Board; provided, however, that where there is a public market for the Common Stock, the fair market value per Share shall be the mean of the bid and asked prices of the Common Stock in the over-the-counter market on the date of grant, as reported in The Wall Street Journal (or, if not so reported, as otherwise reported by the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation (“ Nasdaq ”) System) or, in the event the Common Stock is traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market or listed on a stock exchange, the fair market value per Share shall be the closing price on such system or exchange on the date of grant of the Option, as reported in The Wall Street Journal. With respect to any Options granted hereunder concurrently with the initial effectiveness of the Plan, the fair market value shall be the Price to Public as set forth in the final prospectus relating to such initial public offering.
(c) Form of Consideration . The consideration to be paid for the Shares to be issued upon exercise of an Option or pursuant to a Stock Purchase Right shall consist entirely of cash, check, other Shares of Common Stock having a fair market value on the date of surrender equal to the aggregate exercise or purchase price of the Shares as to which said Award shall be exercised (which, if acquired from the Company, shall have been held for at least six months), or any combination of such methods of payment and/or any other consideration or method of payment as shall be permitted under applicable corporate law.



Exhibit 4.3

9. Exercise of Awards .
(a) Procedure for Exercise; Rights as a Shareholder . The exercise of an Option to acquire Shares is referred to herein as the exercise of an Award. Any Award granted hereunder shall be exercisable or vest at such times as are set forth in the Plan; provided, however, that no Awards shall be exercisable prior to shareholder approval of the Plan in accordance with Section 17 hereof has been obtained. An Award may not be exercised for a fraction of a Share. An Award shall be deemed to be exercised when written notice of such exercise has been given to the Company in accordance with the terms of the Award by the person entitled to exercise the Award and full payment for the Shares with respect to which the Award is exercised has been received by the Company. Full payment may consist of any consideration and method of payment allowable under Section 8(c) of the Plan. Until the issuance (as evidenced by the appropriate entry on the books of the Company or of a duly authorized transfer agent of the Company) of the stock certificate evidencing such Shares, no right to vote or receive dividends or any other rights as a shareholder shall exist with respect to the Optioned Stock of shares subject to a Stock Purchase Right, notwithstanding the exercise of the Award. A share certificate for the number of Shares so acquired shall be issued to the Participant as soon as practicable after exercise of an Option or vesting of a Stock Purchase Right. No adjustment will be made for a dividend or other right for which the record date is prior to the date the stock certificate is issued, except as provided in Section 11 of the Plan.
(b) Termination of Status as a Director . If an Outside Director ceases to serve as a Director, he or she may, but only within ninety (90) days after the date he or she ceases to be a Director of the Company, exercise his or her Award to the extent that he or she was entitled to exercise it at the date of such termination. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event may the Award be exercised after its term set forth in Section 7 has expired. To the extent that such Outside Director was not entitled to exercise an Award at the date of such termination, or does not exercise such Award (which he or she was entitled to exercise) within the time specified herein, the Award shall terminate.
(c) Disability of Participant . Notwithstanding Section 9(b) above, in the event a Director is unable to continue his or her service as a Director with the Company as a result of his or her total and permanent disability (as defined in Section 22(e)(3) of the Code), he or she may, but only within six (6) months (or such other period of time not exceeding twelve (12) months as is determined by the Board) from the date of such termination, exercise his or her Award to the extent he or she was entitled to exercise it at the date of such termination. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event may the Award be exercised after its term set forth in Section 7 has expired. To the extent that he or she was not entitled to exercise the Award at the date of termination, or if he or she does not exercise such Award (which he or she was entitled to exercise) within the time specified herein, the Award shall terminate.
(d) Death of Participant . In the event of the death of a Participant:
(i) During the term of services of an Outside Director who is, at the time of his or her death, a Director of the Company and who shall have been in Continuous Status as a Director since the date of grant of the Award, the Award may be exercised, at any time within six (6) months following the date of death, by the Participant’s estate or by a person who acquired the right to exercise the Award by bequest or inheritance, but only to the extent of the right to exercise that would have accrued had the Participant continued living and remained in Continuous Status as Director for six (6) months (or such lesser period of time as is determined by the Board) after the date of death. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event may the Award be exercised after its term set forth in Section 7 has expired.
(ii) Within three (3) months after the termination of Continuous Status as a Director, the Award may be exercised, at any time within six (6) months following the date of death, by the Participant’s estate or by a person who acquired the right to exercise the Award by bequest or inheritance, but only to the extent of the right to exercise that had accrued at the date of termination. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event may the option be exercised after its term set forth in Section 7 has expired.
10. Nontransferability of Awards . The Award may not be sold, pledged, assigned, hypothecated, transferred, or disposed of in any manner other than by will or by the laws of descent or distribution or pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order (as defined by the Code or the rules thereunder). The designation of a beneficiary by a Participant does not constitute a transfer. An Award may be exercised during the lifetime of a Participant only by the Participant or a transferee permitted by this Section.
11. Adjustments Upon Changes in Capitalization; Corporate Transactions .
(a) Adjustment . Subject to any required action by the shareholders of the Company, the number of shares of Common Stock covered by each outstanding Award, and the number of shares of Common Stock which have been authorized for issuance under the Plan but as to which no Awards have yet been granted or which have been returned to the Plan upon cancellation or expiration of an Award, as well as the price per share of Common Stock covered by each such outstanding Award, shall be proportionately adjusted for any increase or decrease in the number of issued shares of Common Stock resulting from a stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, combination or reclassification of the Common Stock, or any other increase or decrease in the number of issued shares of Common Stock effected without receipt of consideration by the Company; provided, however, that conversion of any convertible securities of the Company shall not be deemed to have been “effected without receipt of consideration.” Such adjustment shall be made by the Board, whose determination in that respect shall be final, binding and conclusive. Except as expressly provided herein, no issuance by the Company of shares of stock of any class, or securities convertible into shares of stock of any class, shall affect, and no adjustment by reason thereof shall be made with respect to, the number or price of shares of Common Stock subject to an Award.
(b) Corporate Transactions . In the event of (i) a dissolution or liquidation of the Company, (ii) a sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, (iii) a merger or consolidation in which the Company is not the surviving corporation, or (iv) any other capital reorganization in which more than fifty percent (50%) of the shares of the Company entitled to vote are exchanged, each Participant shall, immediately prior to the consummation of such transaction, fully vest in and have the right to exercise all his or her outstanding Awards, including Shares as to which such Awards would not otherwise be vested or exercisable, and all restrictions on Stock Purchase Rights, restricted Shares (or units) and all other Awards will lapse, and such Awards will become fully vested and exercisable. If an Option is not either assumed or the Participant provided a substitute option with comparable terms in such liquidation, dissolution, sale, merger, consolidation or reorganization, the Company will provide the Participant a reasonable period prior to the effectiveness of such transaction to exercise the Option, including Shares as to which the Option would not be otherwise exercisable, at the end of such time the Option will terminate.
12. Time of Granting Awards . The date of grant of an Award shall, for all purposes, be the date determined in accordance with Section 4(b) hereof. Notice of the determination shall be given to each Outside Director to whom an Award is so granted within a reasonable time after the date of such grant.
13. Amendment and Termination of the Plan .
(a) Amendment and Termination . The Board may amend or terminate the Plan from time to time in such respects as the Board may deem advisable; provided that, to the extent necessary and desirable to comply with Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act (or any other applicable law or regulation), the Company shall obtain approval of the shareholders of the Company to Plan amendments to the extent and in the manner required by such law



Exhibit 4.3

or regulation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions set forth in Section 4 of this Plan (and any other Sections of this Plan that affect the formula award terms required to be specified in this Plan by Rule 16b-3) shall not be amended more than once every six months, other than to comport with changes in the Code, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, or the rules thereunder.
(b) Effect of Amendment or Termination . Any such amendment or termination of the Plan that would impair the rights of any Participant shall not affect Awards already granted to such Participant and such Awards shall remain in full force and effect as if this Plan had not been amended or terminated, unless mutually agreed otherwise between the Participant and the Board, which agreement must be in writing and signed by the Participant and the Company.
14. Conditions Upon Issuance of Shares . Shares shall not be issued pursuant to the exercise of an Award unless the exercise of such Award and the issuance and delivery of such Shares pursuant thereto shall comply with all relevant provisions of law, including, without limitation, the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Exchange Act, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, state securities laws, and the requirements of any stock exchange upon which the Shares may then be listed, and shall be further subject to the approval of counsel for the Company with respect to such compliance. As a condition to the exercise of an Award, the Company may require the person exercising such Award to represent and warrant at the time of any such exercise that the Shares are being purchased only for investment and without any present intention to sell or distribute such Shares, if, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, such a representation is required by any of the aforementioned relevant provisions of law.
15. Reservation of Shares . The Company, during the term of this Plan, will at all times reserve and keep available such number of Shares as shall be sufficient to satisfy the requirements of the Plan. Inability of the Company to obtain authority from any regulatory body having jurisdiction, which authority is deemed by the Company’s counsel to be necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of any Shares hereunder, shall relieve the Company of any liability in respect of the failure to issue or sell such Shares as to which such requisite authority shall not have been obtained.
16. Award Agreement . Awards shall be evidenced by either written option agreements or Restricted Stock Purchase Agreements, as applicable, in such form as the Board shall approve.
17. Shareholder Approval . Continuance of the Plan shall be subject to approval by the shareholders of the Company at or prior to the first annual meeting of shareholders held subsequent to the granting of an Option hereunder. If such shareholder approval is obtained at a duly held shareholders’ meeting, it may be obtained by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Company present or represented and entitled to vote thereon. If such shareholder approval is obtained by written consent, it may be obtained by the written consent of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Company. Awards may be granted, but not exercised, before such shareholder approval.


Exhibit 5.1

February 6, 2015
Nuance Communications, Inc.
1 Wayside Road
Burlington, MA 01803
                    Re: Registration Statement on Form S-8
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I have examined the Registration Statement on Form S-8 to be filed by Nuance Communications, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), with the Securities and Exchange Commission on or about February 6, 2015 (the “Registration Statement”), relating to the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, of (i) 17,300,000 shares of the Company’s Common Stock $0.001 par value (the “Shares”) reserved for issuance pursuant to the Amended and Restated Amended 2000 Stock Plan, the Amended and Restated 1995 Employee Stock Purchase Plan , and the Amended and Restated 1995 Directors Stock Plan . As your legal counsel, I have examined the proceedings taken and am familiar with the proceedings proposed to be taken by the Company in connection with the sale and issuance of the Shares pursuant to the Amended and Restated 2000 Stock Plan, the Amended and Restated 1995 Employee Stock Purchase Plan and the Amended and Restated 1995 Directors Stock Purchase Plan.
It is my opinion that the Shares, when issued and sold in the manner referred to in Amended and Restated 2000 Stock Plan, the Amended and Restated1995 Employee Stock Purchase Plan and the Amended and Restated 1995 Directors Stock Plan will be legally and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the Commission as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, I do not thereby admit that I am in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
This opinion is furnished by me as Vice President, Associate General Counsel of the Company in connection with the filing of the Registration Statement and is not to be used, circulated or quoted for any other purpose or otherwise referred to or relied upon by any other person without the prior express written permission of the Company other than in connection with the offer and sale of Shares while the Registration Statement is in effect.
 
 
Very truly yours,
 
/s/ Leanne J. Fitzgerald
 
Leanne J. Fitzgerald
Vice President Associate General Counsel
Nuance Communications, Inc



Exhibit 23.1

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm


Nuance Communications, Inc.
Burlington, Massachusetts
We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in the Prospectus constituting a part of this Registration Statement of our reports dated November 26, 2014, relating to the consolidated financial statements and the effectiveness of Nuance Communications, Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting appearing in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2014.
/s/ BDO USA, LLP
BDO USA, LLP
Boston, Massachusetts
February 6, 2015