UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT

TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): July 31, 2014

 

EQUITY COMMONWEALTH

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

Maryland

(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)

 

1-9317

 

04-6558834

(Commission File Number)

 

(IRS Employer Identification No.)

 

 

 

Two North Riverside Plaza, Suite 600, Chicago, IL

 

60606

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

 

(Zip Code)

 

(312) 646-2800

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

 


 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions ( see General Instruction A.2 below):

 

o Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

o Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

 

 



 

Item 3.03.                                         Material Modifications to Rights of Security Holders.

 

With respect to the rights of holders of the common shares of beneficial interest, $0.01 par value per share, of Equity Commonwealth (formerly known as CommonWealth REIT) (the “Company”), the disclosure set forth in Item 5.03 and Item 5.07 is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 5.02.                                         Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

 

Chief Financial Officer Interim Base Salary

 

On July 31, 2014, the Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”) approved a change to the interim annual base salary of Adam Markman, the Company’s Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, from $400,000 to $450,000, with such change being retroactive to July 14, 2014.  As previously disclosed, the Compensation Committee is currently evaluating the Company’s executive compensation program, and with the assistance of an executive compensation consultant, will propose a new program to the Board.

 

Trustee Resignations Solely to Declassify the Board

 

As previously disclosed, on June 5, 2014, solely to declassify the Board at the Company’s 2014 Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the “Annual Meeting”), each of Sam Zell, David Helfand, Peter Linneman, James L. Lozier, Jr. and Kenneth Shea delivered to the Board their respective resignations as trustee effective immediately prior to the vote on the election of trustees at the Annual Meeting. These trustees constitute the trustees whose terms did not expire at the Annual Meeting, and they each agreed to stand for re-election to a one year term. As described below, at the Annual Meeting on July 31, 2014, the Company’s shareholders duly approved the declassification of the Company’s Board, which became effective at such time.  Following the declassification, each of the trustees named above were then re-elected to the Board for a one year term.

 

Item 5.03.                                         Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.

 

Amended and Restated Charter

 

At the reconvened session of the Company’s Annual Meeting on July 31, 2014, the Company’s shareholders approved, among other things, each of the proposed amendments to the Company’s Third Amendment and Restatement of Declaration of Trust (the “Prior Charter”) described in Item 5.07 below and in Proposals 2 and 3 in the Company’s definitive Proxy Statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 23, 2014 and supplemented on July 10, 2014 (the “Proxy Statement”), which disclosure is incorporated herein by reference (such amendments, the “Charter Amendments”).

 

On July 31, 2014, immediately following this approval, the Company filed Articles of Amendment and Restatement of Declaration of Trust (the “Amended and Restated Charter”) with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation.  The Amended and Restated Charter fully amends and restates the Prior Charter to implement and incorporate the Charter Amendments and also to change the Company’s name to “Equity Commonwealth,” as the Company has previously announced.  The Amended and Restated Charter became effective on July 31, 2014.

 

2



 

The foregoing description of the Amended and Restated Charter, and the Charter Amendments implemented thereby, is not complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to the Amended and Restated Charter, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 3.1 and is incorporated in this Item 5.03 by reference.

 

Second Amended and Restated Bylaws

 

As previously disclosed, on June 5, 2014, the Board approved the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company (the “Initial Amended and Restated Bylaws”) to replace the Company’s prior bylaws (the “Prior Bylaws”).  Although the Initial Amended and Restated Bylaws became effective on June 5, 2014, they contained certain amendments to the Prior Bylaws that, by their terms, did not become effective until adoption of the Charter Amendments at the Annual Meeting.  In light of these delayed amendments becoming effective at the Annual Meeting, the Company has restated the Initial Amended and Restated Bylaws (as restated, the “Second Amended and Restated Bylaws”) to include these delayed amendments, which include amendments to, among other things:

 

·                   Provide for a plurality voting standard in contested trustee elections, rather than requiring the approval of a majority of outstanding shares;

 

·                   Increase the maximum permitted number of trustees to 13;

 

·                   Eliminate the requirement that incumbent trustees tender their resignations prior to an annual meeting in which the trustees’ terms would not otherwise expire (because the Charter Amendments declassified the Board);

 

·                   Include indemnification rights of present and former trustees or officers of the Company, whereas previously, the indemnification rights were included in the Prior Charter;

 

·                   Delete the REIT-related ownership limitations with respect to the Company’s securities, as the Amended and Restated Charter includes up-to-date and customary REIT ownership limitations consistent with the ownership limitations in the charters of other publicly traded REITs;

 

·                   Permit the Board to hold the annual meeting of shareholders on a date and time each year to be set by the Board, rather than within six months after the end of the Company’s fiscal year;

 

·                   Permit the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President or a majority of the trustees (in addition to the shareholders) to call a special meeting of shareholders, instead of solely the Chief Executive Officer or a majority of the “Independent Trustees” (which previously was a category of trustees who were not affiliated with the Company’s external advisor);

 

·                   Establish that quorum for a Board meeting requires only a majority of trustees and does not also require that a majority of any particular subset of trustees (e.g., a majority of the “Independent Trustees”) be present;

 

·                   Provide that a trustee elected to fill a vacancy will hold office until the next annual meeting of shareholders (because the Charter Amendments declassified the Board), rather than holding office for the unexpired term of the former trustee; and

 

3



 

·                   Provide the Board increased flexibility to create committees that consist of one or more trustees, rather than being limited to three or more members, or, in the case of a standing committee, at least one trustee and two non-trustees.

 

The foregoing description of the Second Amended and Restated Bylaws, and the amendments to the Prior Bylaws contained therein, is not complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to the Second Amended and Restated Bylaws, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 3.2 and is incorporated in this Item 5.03 by reference.

 

Item 5.07.                                         Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

 

On July 31, 2014, the Company held the reconvened session of its Annual Meeting.  As previously disclosed, the Company initially convened its Annual Meeting on June 30, 2014 but promptly adjourned it to July 31, 2014, prior to the shareholders voting on any proposal, in order to give the shareholders an ample opportunity to consider the proposals to be acted upon and to allow sufficient time for the Company to solicit proxies.  At the reconvened session of the Annual Meeting, the Company’s shareholders (i) elected eleven trustees for one-year terms, (ii) approved various amendments to its Prior Charter requiring majority approval of shareholders, (iii) approved various amendments to its Prior Charter requiring 75% approval of shareholders, (iv) approved the reimbursement of certain expenses to Related Fund Management, LLC (“Related”) and Corvex Management LP (“Corvex”), and (v) ratified the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2014.  The proposals are described in the Company’s Proxy Statement. The final voting results for each proposal are set forth below.

 

Proposal 1:                                 Election of Trustees

 

At the reconvened session of the Annual Meeting, shareholders elected eleven trustees of the Company to serve until the 2015 Annual Meeting of Shareholders and until their successors have been duly elected and qualified.

 

In order to fully declassify the Board at the Annual Meeting, the Company’s shareholders approved the Charter Amendments, including the proposal to declassify the Board, as the first order of business.  After filing the Amended and Restated Charter with the State of Maryland, the Company then elected trustees and voted on the remaining proposals.  In addition, as described above, all of the trustees whose terms would not otherwise have expired at the Annual Meeting voluntarily resigned immediately prior to approval of the Board declassification in order to stand for re-election at the Annual Meeting.  By taking these measures in advance of the election of trustees, the Company was able to fully declassify the Board at the Annual Meeting and elect all of its trustees to one-year terms.

 

The table below sets forth the voting results for each trustee nominee:

 

Nominee

 

Votes For

 

Votes Withheld

 

Broker Non-Votes

 

Sam Zell

 

104,910,384

 

2,888,219

 

11,278,553

 

James S. Corl

 

106,877,021

 

921,582

 

11,278,553

 

Martin L. Edelman

 

99,039,414

 

8,759,189

 

11,278,553

 

Edward A. Glickman

 

106,851,448

 

947,155

 

11,278,553

 

David Helfand

 

107,436,081

 

362,522

 

11,278,553

 

Peter Linneman

 

106,327,429

 

1,471,174

 

11,278,553

 

James L. Lozier, Jr.

 

106,809,757

 

988,846

 

11,278,553

 

Mary Jane Robertson

 

107,094,621

 

703,982

 

11,278,553

 

Kenneth Shea

 

106,791,923

 

1,006,680

 

11,278,553

 

Gerald A. Spector

 

107,122,291

 

676,312

 

11,278,553

 

James A. Star

 

107,124,710

 

673,893

 

11,278,553

 

 

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Proposal 2:           Certain Amendments to the Company’s Declaration of Trust (Majority Approval)

 

At the reconvened session of the Annual Meeting, the Company’s shareholders approved the following amendments to the Company’s Prior Charter requiring majority shareholder approval, which are all of the charter amendments included in Proposal 2 in the Company’s Proxy Statement.  The table below sets forth the voting results for each amendment included in this proposal:

 

 

Proposal

 

Votes For

 

Votes 
Against

 

Abstentions

 

Broker
Non-Votes

 

2(a) — Amendment to Adopt Plurality Voting in Contested Trustee Elections

 

106,774,519

 

892,410

 

131,674

 

11,278,553

 

2(b) — Amendment to Lower the General Shareholder Voting Standard

 

106,689,172

 

997,525

 

131,906

 

11,278,553

 

2(c) —Amendment to Require Majority Vote for a Transfer of All or Substantially All Assets

 

106,813,561

 

872,943

 

112,099

 

11,278,553

 

2(d) —Amendment to Convert Indemnification Rights to Permissive to the Full Extent of Maryland Law

 

106,723,615

 

898,324

 

176,664

 

11,278,553

 

2(e) —Amendment to Eliminate the Obligation of Shareholders to Indemnify the Company

 

106,756,622

 

915,812

 

126,169

 

11,278,553

 

2(f) —Amendment to Eliminate the External Advisor Provisions

 

106,753,235

 

906,402

 

138,966

 

11,278,553

 

2(g) —Amendment to Align Related Party Transaction Requirements with Maryland Law

 

101,690,994

 

5,974,699

 

132,910

 

11,278,553

 

2(h) —Amendment to Increase Flexibility in Scheduling Annual Meetings

 

102,426,545

 

5,243,628

 

128,430

 

11,278,553

 

2(i) —Amendment to Increase Flexibility in Approval of Investments

 

106,469,885

 

1,161,090

 

167,628

 

11,278,553

 

2(j) —Amendment to Increase Flexibility in Structuring Board Committees

 

99,389,364

 

8,277,498

 

131,741

 

11,278,553

 

2(k) — Amendment to Increase the Shareholder Voting Requirement for Certain Successor Restructurings

 

97,904,194

 

9,728,064

 

166,345

 

11,278,553

 

2(l) —Amendment to Eliminate the Board’s Ability to Remove a Trustee

 

106,664,007

 

990,031

 

144,565

 

11,278,553

 

2(m) —Amendment to Require Unanimity for Trustees to Act by Written Consent

 

106,754,031

 

903,095

 

141,477

 

11,278,553

 

2(n) —Amendments Regarding Conforming Changes and Other Immaterial Modifications to the Charter and Amendment and Restatement of the Charter

 

106,740,743

 

875,881

 

181,979

 

11,278,553

 

 

5



 

Proposal 3:           Certain Amendments to the Company’s Declaration of Trust (75% Approval)

 

At the reconvened session of the Annual Meeting, the Company’s shareholders approved the following amendments to the Company’s Prior Charter requiring 75% shareholder approval, which are all of the charter amendments included in Proposal 3 in the Company’s Proxy Statement.  The table below sets forth the voting results for each amendment included in this proposal:

 

Proposal

 

Votes For

 

Votes 
Against

 

Abstentions

 

Broker
Non-Votes

 

3(a) — Amendment to Declassify the Board and Provide for Annual Elections

 

106,815,784

 

859,540

 

123,279

 

11,278,553

 

3(b) — Amendment to Provide Majority Voting for Mergers

 

106,800,847

 

893,668

 

104,088

 

11,278,553

 

3(c) — Amendment to Require Majority Vote for Charter Amendments

 

106,792,759

 

899,160

 

106,684

 

11,278,553

 

3(d) — Amendment to Remove Voting Standard for Combinations with 10% Shareholders

 

106,641,008

 

990,012

 

167,583

 

11,278,553

 

3(e) — Amendment to Increase the Number of Permitted Trustees

 

106,166,138

 

1,479,439

 

153,026

 

11,278,553

 

3(f) — Amendment to Install Revised REIT Ownership Limitation Provisions

 

106,708,368

 

940,975

 

149,260

 

11,278,553

 

3(g) — Amendment to Broaden Investment Policy

 

106,505,876

 

1,160,678

 

132,049

 

11,278,553

 

 

Proposal 4:           Reimbursement of Expenses to Related and Corvex

 

At the reconvened session of the Annual Meeting, the Company’s shareholders approved the reimbursement of up to approximately $33.5 million of out-of-pocket third party expenses incurred by Related and Corvex in connection with their consent solicitations to remove our prior trustees from the Board and elect a new slate of nominees and to engage in related litigation.  As previously disclosed, 50% of these expenses became reimbursable upon shareholder approval and an additional 25% are reimbursable in each of the following two years if the Company’s average closing share price is at least $26.00 in each such year.  The table below sets forth the voting results this proposal:

 

Votes For

 

Votes Against

 

Abstentions

 

Broker Non-Votes

 

101,196,751

 

6,441,415

 

160,437

 

11,278,553

 

 

6



 

Proposal 5:           Ratification of the Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

At the reconvened session of the Annual Meeting, the Company’s shareholders ratified the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2014.  The table below sets forth the voting results for this proposal:

 

Votes For

 

Votes Against

 

Abstentions

 

118,404,869

 

474,880

 

197,407

 

 

Item 7.01.             Regulation FD Disclosure.

 

In response to a question posed at the Annual Meeting regarding the Company’s common share dividend policy, the Company stated that although management is evaluating its options as to the appropriate common dividend policy and that no decision has been made, it does not believe that continuing to pay a dividend in excess of cash flow is sustainable.  The Company stated that it anticipates the quarterly common dividend likely will be reduced from the level being paid before the prior Trustees were removed on March 25, 2014.

 

Item 9.01.             Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(a) Not applicable.

 

(b) Not applicable.

 

(c) Not applicable.

 

(d) The following exhibits are filed as part of this report:

 

Exhibit
Number

 

Description

3.1

 

Articles of Amendment and Restatement, dated July 31, 2014

3.2

 

Second Amended and Restated Bylaws, dated July 31, 2014

 

7



 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

 

 

EQUITY COMMONWEALTH

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Orrin Shifrin

 

Name:

Orrin Shifrin

 

Title:

General Counsel and Secretary

 

 

 

Date: August 1, 2014

 

 

 

8


Exhibit 3.1

 

COMMONWEALTH REIT

 

ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT AND RESTATEMENT

 

COMMONWEALTH REIT, a Maryland real estate investment trust (the “Trust”), hereby certifies to the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland that:

 

FIRST:   The Trust desires to amend and restate its Third Amendment and Restatement of Declaration of Trust (the “Declaration”) as currently in effect and as hereinafter amended.

 

SECOND:  Set forth in Exhibit A hereto and in the Series D Articles Supplementary (as defined below) and the Series E Articles Supplementary (as defined below), the provisions of each of which will remain in full force and effect following the amendment and restatement provided for herein, are all the provisions of the Declaration currently in effect and as hereinafter amended.

 

THIRD:  The foregoing amendment and restatement of the Declaration was duly advised by the Board of Trustees of the Trust and approved by the shareholders of the Trust.

 

FOURTH:

 

(a)                                  Immediately prior to the amendment and restatement of the Declaration, the Trust had authorized 400,000,000 shares of beneficial interest, consisting of 350,000,000 Common Shares, par value $0.01 per share, and 50,000,000 Preferred Shares, par value $0.01 per share, of which (i) 15,180,000 Preferred Shares are classified as Series D Cumulative Convertible Preferred Shares (“Series D Preferred Shares”) with the preferences, rights, restrictions and other terms and conditions as set forth in the Articles Supplementary, dated October 10, 2006, with respect to such Series D Preferred Shares (the “Series D Articles Supplementary”), and (ii) 11,500,000 Preferred Shares are classified as Series E Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares (“Series E Preferred Shares”) with the preferences, rights, restrictions and other terms and conditions as set forth in the Articles Supplementary, dated May 31, 2011, with respect to such Series E Preferred Shares (the “Series E Articles Supplementary”).

 

(b)                                  Immediately following the amendment and restatement of the Declaration, the Trust had authorized 400,000,000 shares of beneficial interest, consisting of 350,000,000 Common Shares, par value $0.01 per share, and 50,000,000 Preferred Shares, par value $0.01 per share, of which (i) 15,180,000 Preferred Shares are classified as Series D Preferred Shares  with the preferences, rights, restrictions and other terms and conditions as set forth in the Series D Articles Supplementary, and (ii) 11,500,000 Preferred Shares are classified as Series E Preferred Shares with the preferences, rights, restrictions and other terms and conditions as set forth in the Series E Articles Supplementary.

 

(c)                                   Prior to the amendment and restatement of the Declaration, the aggregate par value of all classes of shares of beneficial interest was $4,000,000. Following the amendment

 



 

and restatement of the Declaration, the aggregate par value of all classes of shares of beneficial interest was $4,000,000.

 

FIFTH: The current address of the principal office of the Trust is Two North Riverside Plaza, Suite 600, Chicago, IL 60606 and the current address of the principal office of the Trust in the state of Maryland is c/o CSC-Lawyers Incorporating Service Company, 7 St. Paul Street, Suite 1600, Baltimore, Maryland 21202.

 

SIXTH: The name and address of the Trust’s current resident agent is CSC-Lawyers Incorporating Service Company, 7 St. Paul Street, Suite 1600, Baltimore, Maryland 21202.

 

SEVENTH:  The current number of Trustees is seven, and the names of the Trustees currently in office are as follows:

 

Sam Zell

James Corl

David Helfand

Edward Glickman

Peter Linneman

James Lozier

Kenneth Shea

 

EIGHTH:  These Articles of Amendment and Restatement shall become effective at 11:05 a.m. Eastern time on July 31, 2014.

 

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

2



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, as of this 31 st  day of July, 2014, the Trust has caused these Articles of Amendment and Restatement to be executed and acknowledged in its name and on its behalf by its President and Chief Executive Officer and attested to by its Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary; and the President and Chief Executive Officer acknowledges that these Articles of Amendment and Restatement are the act of the Trust, and the President and Chief Executive Officer further acknowledges that, as to all matters or facts set forth herein that are required to be verified under oath, such matters and facts are true in all material respects to the best of his knowledge, information and belief, and that this statement is made under the penalties for perjury.

 

 

COMMONWEALTH REIT

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ David Helfand

 

 

David Helfand

 

 

President and Chief Executive Officer

 

ATTEST:

 

 

By:

/s/ Orrin Shifrin

 

 

Orrin Shifrin

 

 

Executive Vice President, General

 

 

Counsel and Secretary

 

 



 

Exhibit A

 

Fourth Amendment and Restatement of Declaration of Trust

 

[See attached.]

 



 

EQUITY COMMONWEALTH

 

Fourth Amendment and Restatement of Declaration of Trust

 

As Amended and Restated on July 31, 2014

 



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

Page

ARTICLE I THE TRUST; DEFINITIONS

1

1.1

Name

1

1.2

Places of Business

1

1.3

Nature of Trust

1

1.4

Legal Ownership of Trust Estate

2

1.5

Definitions

2

 

 

ARTICLE II TRUSTEES

3

2.1

Number, Term of Office and Qualifications of Trustees

3

2.2

Compensation and Other Remuneration

4

2.3

Resignation, Removal and Death of Trustees

4

2.4

Vacancies

4

2.5

Successor and Additional Trustees

4

2.6

Actions by Trustees

4

2.7

Committees

5

 

 

ARTICLE III TRUSTEES’ POWERS

5

3.1

Power and Authority of Trustees

5

3.2

Bylaws

5

 

 

ARTICLE IV INVESTMENT POLICY AND POLICIES WITH RESPECT TO CERTAIN DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS

5

 

 

ARTICLE V THE SHARES AND SHAREHOLDERS

5

5.1

Description of Shares

5

5.2

Certificates

6

5.3

Fractional Shares

7

5.4

Shares Deemed Personal Property

7

5.5

Share Record; Issuance and Transferability of Shares

7

5.6

Dividends or Distributions to Shareholders

8

5.7

Transfer Agent, Dividend Disbursing Agent and Registrar

8

5.8

Shareholders’ Meetings

8

5.9

Quorum

8

5.10

Voting Rights of Shareholders

8

5.11

Written Consent of Shareholders

9

5.12

Proxies

9

5.13

Fixing Record Date

9

5.14

Notice to Shareholders

9

 

 

 

ARTICLE VI RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER AND OWNERSHIP OF SHARES

10

6.1

Definitions

10

6.2

Restrictions on Ownership

11

6.3

Transfer of Shares

13

6.4

Costs, Expenses and Compensation of Charitable Trustee and the Trust

15

6.5

Transactions on a National Securities Exchange

16

6.6

Enforcement

16

6.7

Non-Waiver

16

6.8

Enforceability

16

 

i



 

ARTICLE VII LIABILITY OF TRUSTEES, SHAREHOLDERS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES AND AGENTS, AND OTHER MATTERS

16

7.1

Limitation of Liability of Shareholders, Trustees, Officers, Employees and Agents for Obligations of the Trust

16

7.2

Express Exculpatory Clauses and Instruments

16

7.3

Limitation of Liability of Trustees, Officers, Employees and Agents to the Trust and to Shareholders for Acts and Omissions

17

7.4

Indemnification and Reimbursement of Expenses

17

7.5

Right of Trustees, Officers, Employees and Agents to Own Shares or Other Property and to Engage in Other Business

17

7.6

Transactions Between Trustees, Officers, Employees or Agents and the Trust

17

7.7

Persons Dealing with Trustees, Officers, Employees or Agents

17

7.8

Reliance

17

 

 

 

ARTICLE VIII DURATION, AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION OF TRUST

18

8.1

Duration of Trust

18

8.2

Termination of Trust

18

8.3

Amendment Procedure

18

8.4

Amendments Effective

19

8.5

Transfer to Successor

19

 

 

 

ARTICLE IX MISCELLANEOUS

19

9.1

Applicable Law

19

9.2

Index and Headings for Reference Only

19

9.3

Successors in Interest

19

9.4

Inspection of Records

19

9.5

Counterparts

19

9.6

Provisions of the Trust in Conflict with Law or Regulations: Severability

19

9.7

Certifications

20

 

ii



 

FOURTH AMENDMENT AND RESTATEMENT OF DECLARATION OF TRUST OF

 

EQUITY COMMONWEALTH

(formerly known as CommonWealth REIT)

 

As Amended and Restated on July 31, 2014

 

CommonWealth REIT, a Maryland real estate investment trust (the “Trust”), desires to amend and restate its Declaration of Trust (as so amended and restated, the “Declaration”). The amendment and restatement of the Declaration as herein set forth has been declared advisable by the Board of Trustees and approved by the Shareholders of the Trust as required by law and by this Declaration.

 

WITNESSETH:

 

WHEREAS, the Trustees desire to create a trust for the principal purpose of investing in real property and interests therein; and

 

WHEREAS, the Trustees desire that such trust qualify as a “real estate investment trust” under the REIT Provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, and under Title 8 of the Corporations and Associations Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland; and

 

WHEREAS, in furtherance of such purpose the Trust intends to acquire certain real property and interests therein and to hold, manage and dispose of all such property in the manner hereinafter stated and as determined from time to time by the Trustees; and

 

WHEREAS, it is proposed that the beneficial interest in the Trust be divided into transferable Shares of Beneficial Interest, evidenced by certificates therefore, as hereinafter provided;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, it is hereby declared that the following provisions are all the provisions of the Declaration as hereby amended and restated.

 

ARTICLE I
THE TRUST; DEFINITIONS

 

1.1                                            Name . The name of the Trust created by this Declaration of Trust shall be “Equity Commonwealth” and so far as may be practicable the Trustees shall conduct the Trust’s activities, execute all documents and sue or be sued under that name.  The Trustees may, at any time, without any action by the Shareholders, amend the Declaration of Trust to change the name of the Trust.

 

1.2                                            Places of Business . The Trust shall maintain an office in Maryland at c/o CSC-Lawyers Incorporating Service Company, 7 St. Paul Street, Suite 1600, Baltimore, Maryland 21202 or such other place in Maryland as the Trustees may determine from time to time. The Resident Agent of the Trust at such office shall be CSC-Lawyers Incorporating Service Company. The Trust may change such Resident Agent from time to time as the Trustees shall determine. The Trust may have such other offices or places of business within or without the State of Maryland as the Trustees may from time to time determine.

 

1.3                                            Nature of Trust . The Trust shall be a real estate investment trust within the meaning of Title 8 of the Corporations and Associations Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland. It is also intended that the Trust shall carry on a business as a “real estate investment trust” as described in the REIT Provisions of the Internal Revenue Code. The Trust is not intended to be, shall not be deemed to be, and shall not be treated as a general partnership, limited partnership, joint venture, corporation or joint stock company (but nothing herein shall preclude the Trust from being treated for tax purposes as an association under the Internal Revenue Code) nor shall the Trustees or Shareholders or any of them for any purpose be, nor be deemed to be, nor be treated in any way whatsoever to be,

 

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liable or responsible hereunder as partners or joint venturers. The relationship of the Shareholders to the Trust shall be solely that of beneficiaries of the Trust in accordance with the rights conferred upon them by this Declaration.

 

1.4                                            Legal Ownership of Trust Estate . Legal title of the Trust Estate shall be vested in the Trust, but it may cause legal title to the Trust Estate to be held by or in the name of any or all of the Trustees or any other Person as nominee, in which case any right, title or interest of the Trustees in and to the Trust Estate shall automatically vest in successor and additional Trustees upon their qualification and acceptance of election or appointment as Trustees, and they shall thereupon have all the rights and obligations of Trustees, whether or not conveyancing documents have been executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2.3 or otherwise. Written evidence of the qualification and acceptance of election or appointment of successor and additional Trustees may be filed with the records of the Trust and in such other offices, agencies or places as the Trust or Trustees may deem necessary or desirable.

 

1.5                                            Definitions . The terms defined in this Section 1.5., wherever used in this Declaration, shall, unless the context otherwise requires, have the respective meanings hereinafter specified. Whenever the singular number is used in this Declaration and when permitted by the context, the same shall include the plural, and the masculine gender shall include the feminine and neuter genders, and vice versa. Where applicable, calculations to be made pursuant to any such definition shall be made in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles as in effect from time to time except as otherwise provided in such definition.

 

(a)                                  Affiliate . “Affiliate” shall mean, as to any Person, (i) any other Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with such Person, (ii) any other Person that owns beneficially, directly or indirectly, five percent (5%) or more of the outstanding capital stock, shares or equity interests of such Person, or (iii) any officer, director, employee, general partner or trustee of such Person or of any Person controlling, controlled by or under common control with such Person (excluding trustees who are not otherwise an Affiliate of such Person).

 

(b)                                  Bylaws . “Bylaws” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.3.

 

(c)                                   Declaration . “Declaration” or “this Declaration” shall mean this Declaration of Trust, as amended, restated or modified from time to time. References in this Declaration to “herein” and “hereunder” shall be deemed to refer to this Declaration and shall not be limited to the particular text, article or section in which such words appear.

 

(d)                                  Exchange Act . “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

(e)                                   Internal Revenue Code . “Internal Revenue Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as now enacted or hereafter amended, or successor statutes and applicable rules and regulations thereunder.

 

(f)                                    Maryland REIT Law : “Maryland REIT Law” shall mean Title 8 of the Corporations and Associations Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland, as in effect from time to time, or any successor thereto.

 

(g)                                   Mortgage Loans . “Mortgage Loans” shall mean notes, debentures, bonds and other evidences of indebtedness or obligations, whether negotiable or non-negotiable, and which are secured or collateralized by Mortgages.

 

(h)                                  Mortgages . “Mortgages” shall mean mortgages, deeds of trust or other security interests in Real Property.

 

(i)                                      Person . “Person” shall mean and include individuals, corporations, limited partnerships, general partnerships, joint stock companies or associations, joint ventures, associations, companies, trusts, banks, trust companies, land trusts, business trusts and other entities and governments and agencies and political subdivisions thereof.

 

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(j)                                     Real Property . “Real Property” shall mean and include land leasehold interests (including but not limited to interests of a lessor or lessee therein), rights and interests in land, and in any buildings, structures, improvements, furnishings and fixtures located on or used in connection with land or interests therein, but does not include investments in Mortgages, Mortgage Loans or interests therein.

 

(k)                                  REIT . “REIT” shall mean a real estate investment trust as defined in the REIT Provisions of the Internal Revenue Code.

 

(l)                                      REIT Provisions of the Internal Revenue Code . “REIT Provisions of the Internal Revenue Code” shall mean Parts II and III of Subchapter M of Chapter 1 of Subtitle A of the Internal Revenue Code or any successor provision.

 

(m)                              Securities . “Securities” shall mean any stock, shares, voting trust certificates, bonds, debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness or in general any instruments commonly known as “securities” or any certificates of interest, shares or participations in, temporary or interim certificates for, receipts for, guarantees of, or warrants, options or rights to subscribe to, purchase or acquire any of the foregoing.

 

(n)                                  Shareholders . “Shareholders” shall mean as of any particular time all holders of record of outstanding Shares at such time.

 

(o)                                  Shares . “Shares” or, as the context may require, “shares” shall mean the shares of beneficial interest of the Trust as described in Section 5.1 hereof.

 

(p)                                  Trust . “Trust” shall mean the Trust created by this Declaration.

 

(q)                                  Trustees . “Trustees” shall mean, as of any particular time, the individuals who have been duly elected and qualify as Trustees as of the date hereof as long as they hold office hereunder and additional and successor Trustees who have been duly elected and qualify hereunder, and shall not include the officers, employees or agents of the Trust or the Shareholders. Nothing herein shall be deemed to preclude the Trustees from also serving as officers, employees or agents of the Trust or owning Shares.

 

(r)                                     Trust Estate . “Trust Estate” shall mean as of any particular time any and all property, real, personal or otherwise, tangible or intangible, which is transferred, conveyed or paid to or purchased by the Trust or Trustees and all rents, income, profits and gains therefrom and which at such time is owned or held by or for the Trust or the Trustees.

 

ARTICLE II
TRUSTEES

 

2.1                                            Number, Term of Office and Qualifications of Trustees . The number of Trustees initially shall be eleven (11), which number may thereafter be increased or decreased by the Trustees then in office from time to time; however, the total number of Trustees shall be not less than three (3) and not more than thirteen (13). No reduction in the number of Trustees shall have the effect of removing any Trustee from office prior to the expiration of his or her term. At each annual meeting of Shareholders beginning at the annual meeting of Shareholders in 2014, all Trustees shall be elected to hold office for a term of one year. The Trust may not elect to be subject to the provisions of Section 3-803 of the Maryland General Corporation Law, or otherwise provide for the Trustees of the Trust to be divided into classes pursuant to Title 3, Subtitle 8 of the MGCL, unless such election is first approved by the affirmative vote of not less than a majority of the Shares then outstanding and entitled to vote thereon. Trustees may be re-elected any number of times. Each Trustee shall hold office until the election and qualification of his or her successor. There shall be no cumulative voting in the election of Trustees. A Trustee shall be an individual at least twenty-one (21) years of age who is not under legal disability. Unless otherwise required by law, no Trustee shall be required to give bond, surety or security in any jurisdiction for the performance of any duties or obligations hereunder. The Trustees in their capacity as Trustees shall not be required to devote their entire time to the business and affairs of the Trust.

 

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The names of the current Trustees who will serve until their successors are elected and qualify are as follows: James Corl (Group I), Edward Glickman (Group I), Peter Linneman (Group II), James Lozier (Group II), Kenneth Shea (Group II), Sam Zell (Group III) and David Helfand (Group III).  The four vacancies on the Board of Trustees as of the time this Fourth Amendment and Restatement of Declaration of Trust is filed shall be filled by the Shareholders at the 2014 annual meeting of Shareholders in accordance with Sections 5.8 and 5.10.

 

2.2                                            Compensation and Other Remuneration . The Trustees shall be entitled to receive such reasonable compensation for their services as Trustees as the Trustees may determine from time to time. The Trustees and Trust officers shall be entitled to receive remuneration for services rendered to the Trust in any other capacity.

 

2.3                                            Resignation, Removal and Death of Trustees . A Trustee may resign at any time by giving written notice to the remaining Trustees at the principal office of the Trust. Such resignation shall take effect on the date specified in such notice, without need for prior accounting. A Trustee may be removed at any time with or without cause by vote or consent of holders of Shares representing two-thirds of the total votes authorized to be cast by Shares then outstanding and entitled to vote thereon. A Trustee judged incompetent or bankrupt, or for whom a guardian or conservator has been appointed, shall be deemed to have resigned as of the date of such adjudication or appointment. Upon the resignation or removal of any Trustee, or his otherwise ceasing to be a Trustee, he shall execute and deliver such documents as the remaining Trustees shall require for the conveyance of any Trust property held in his name, shall account to the remaining Trustees as they require for all property which he holds as Trustee and shall thereupon be discharged as Trustee. Upon the incapacity or death of any Trustee, his legal representative shall perform the acts set forth in the preceding sentence and the discharge mentioned therein shall run to such legal representative and to the incapacitated Trustee or the estate of the deceased Trustee, as the case may be.

 

2.4                                            Vacancies . If any or all the Trustees cease to be Trustees hereunder, whether by reason of resignation, removal, incapacity, death or otherwise, such event shall not terminate the Trust or affect its continuity. Until vacancies are filled, the remaining Trustee or Trustees (even though fewer than three (3)) may exercise the powers of the Trustees hereunder. Vacancies (including vacancies created by increases in number) may be filled by the remaining Trustee or by a majority of the remaining Trustees or by the Shareholders in accordance with Sections 5.8 and 5.10. If at any time there shall be no Trustees in office, successor Trustees shall be elected by the Shareholders as provided in Sections 5.8 and 5.10. Any Trustee elected to fill a vacancy created by the resignation, removal or death of a former Trustee shall hold office for the unexpired term of such former Trustee.

 

2.5                                            Successor and Additional Trustees . The right, title and interest, if any, of the Trustees in and to the Trust Estate shall also vest in successor and additional Trustees upon their qualification, and they shall thereupon have all the rights and obligations of Trustees hereunder. Such right, title and interest, if any, shall vest in the Trustees whether or not conveyancing documents have been executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2.3 or otherwise. Appropriate written evidence of the election and qualification of successor and additional Trustees shall be filed with the records of the Trust and in such other offices or places as the Trustees may deem necessary, appropriate or desirable.

 

2.6                                            Actions by Trustees . The Trustees may act with or without a meeting. A quorum for all meetings of the Trustees shall be a majority of the Trustees. Unless specifically provided otherwise in this Declaration, any action of the Trustees may be taken at a meeting by vote of a majority of the Trustees present (a quorum being present) or without a meeting by written consents of all Trustees, which consents shall be filed with the records of meetings of the Trustees. Any action or actions permitted to be taken by the Trustees in connection with the business of the Trust may be taken pursuant to authority granted by a meeting of the Trustees conducted by a telephone conference call, and the transaction of Trust business represented thereby shall be of the same authority and validity as if transacted at a meeting of the Trustees held in person or by written consent. The minutes of any Trustees’ meeting held by telephone shall be prepared in the same manner as a meeting of the Trustees held in person. Any agreement, deed, mortgage, lease or other instrument or writing executed by one or more of the Trustees or by any authorized Person shall be valid and binding upon the Trustees and upon the Trust when authorized or ratified by action of the Trustees or as provided in the Bylaws.

 

With respect to the actions of the Trustees, Trustees who have, or are Affiliates of Persons who have, any direct or indirect interest in or connection with any matter being acted upon may be counted for all quorum purposes

 

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under this Section 2.6 and, subject to the provisions of Section 7.6, may vote on the matter as to which they or their Affiliates have such interest or connection.

 

2.7                                            Committees . The Trustees may appoint an audit committee, a compensation committee and a nominating and corporate governance committee and such other standing committees, consisting of one or more members, as the Trustees determine; provided , however , that the membership of each of the audit committee, compensation committee and nominating and corporate governance committee at all times shall comply with the independence and other listing requirements and rules and regulations of the New York Stock Exchange and the rules and regulations promulgated under the federal securities laws, and any other independence and other requirements set forth in the Trust’s corporate governance guidelines and applicable committee charters. The Trustees may appoint other standing committees consisting of at least one Trustee and one or more non-Trustee members. Each committee shall have such powers, duties and obligations as the Board of Trustees may delegate thereto as it deems necessary or appropriate. The standing committees shall report their activities periodically to the Trustees.

 

ARTICLE III
TRUSTEES’ POWERS

 

3.1                                            Power and Authority of Trustees . The Trustees, subject only to the specific limitations contained in this Declaration, shall have, without further or other authorization, and free from any power or control on the part of the Shareholders, full, absolute and exclusive power, control and authority over the Trust Estate and over the business and affairs of the Trust to the same extent as if the Trustees were the sole owners thereof in their own right, and may do all such acts and things as in their sole judgment and discretion are necessary for or incidental to or desirable for the carrying out of or conducting the business of the Trust. Any construction of this Declaration or any determination made in good faith by the Trustees as to the purposes of the Trust or the existence of any power or authority hereunder shall be conclusive. In construing the provisions of this Declaration, the presumption shall be in favor of the grant of powers and authority to the Trustees. The enumeration of any specific power or authority herein shall not be construed as limiting the aforesaid powers or the general powers or authority or any other specified power or authority conferred herein upon the Trustees.

 

3.2                                            Bylaws . The Trustees may make or adopt and from time to time amend or repeal Bylaws (the “Bylaws”) not inconsistent with law or with this Declaration, containing provisions relating to the business of the Trust and the conduct of its affairs and in such Bylaws may define the duties of the officers, employees and agents of the Trust.

 

ARTICLE IV
INVESTMENT POLICY AND POLICIES WITH RESPECT TO CERTAIN
DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS

 

The fundamental investment policy of the Trust is to make investments in such a manner as to comply with the REIT Provisions of the Internal Revenue Code and with the requirements of Title 8 of the Corporations and Associations Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland with respect to the composition of the Trust’s investments and the derivation of its income. The Trustees shall use their reasonable best efforts to carry out this fundamental investment policy and to conduct the affairs of the Trust in such a manner as to continue to qualify the Trust for the tax treatment provided in the REIT Provisions of the Internal Revenue Code; provided, however , that no Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust shall be liable for any act or omission resulting in the loss of tax benefits under the Internal Revenue Code. The Board of Trustees may change from time to time, by resolution or in the Bylaws of the Trust, such investment policies as it determines to be in the best interest of the Trust, including prohibitions or restrictions upon certain types of investments.

 

ARTICLE V
THE SHARES AND SHAREHOLDERS

 

5.1                                            Description of Shares . The interest of the Shareholders shall be divided into 400,000,000 shares of beneficial interest which shall be known collectively as “Shares,” all of which shall be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable by the Trust upon receipt of full consideration for which they have been issued or without

 

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additional consideration if issued by way of share dividend or share split. There shall be two classes of Shares: 50,000,000 shares of one such class shall be known as “Preferred Shares” and 350,000,000 shares of the other such class shall be known as “Common Shares,” each such class having $0.01 par value per share. Each holder of Shares shall as a result thereof be deemed to have agreed to and be bound by the terms of this Declaration. The Shares may be issued for such consideration as the Trustees shall deem advisable. The Trustees are hereby expressly authorized at any time, and from time to time, to provide for issuance of Shares upon such terms and conditions and pursuant to such agreements as the Trustees may determine. The Trustees are hereby expressly authorized at any time, and from time to time, without Shareholder approval, to amend this Declaration to increase or decrease the aggregate number of Shares or the number of Shares of any class that the Trust has authority to issue.

 

The Trustees are hereby expressly authorized at any time, and from time to time, without Shareholder approval, to set (or change if such class has previously been established) the par value, preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends, qualifications, or terms, or conditions of redemption, of any unissued Preferred Shares, and such Preferred Shares may further be divided by the Trustees into classes or series.

 

Except as otherwise determined by the Trustees with respect to any class or series of Preferred Shares, the holders of Shares shall be entitled to the rights and powers hereinafter set forth in this Section 5.1: The holders of Shares shall be entitled to receive, when and as declared from time to time by the Trustees out of any funds legally available for the purpose, such dividends or distributions as may be declared from time to time by the Trustees. In the event of the termination of the Trust pursuant to Section 8.1 or otherwise, or upon the distribution of its assets, the assets of the Trust available for payment and distribution to Shareholders shall be distributed ratably among the holders of Shares at the time outstanding in accordance with Section 8.2. All Shares shall have equal non-cumulative voting rights at the rate of one vote per Share, and equal dividend, distribution, liquidation and other rights, and shall have no preference, conversion, exchange, sinking fund or redemption rights. Absent a contrary written agreement of the Trust authorized by the Trustees, and notwithstanding any other determination by the Trustees with respect to any class or series of Preferred Shares, no holder of Shares or Preferred Shares shall be entitled as a matter of right to subscribe for or purchase any part of any new or additional issue of Shares of any class whatsoever of the Trust, or of securities convertible into any shares of any class whatsoever of the Trust, whether now or hereafter authorized and whether issued for cash or other consideration or by way of dividend.

 

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Declaration, the Board of Trustees may cause the outstanding Common Shares to be reverse split in order to meet listing requirements of the principal securities exchange on which the Common Shares are listed for trading or for any other purpose the Board of Trustees by unanimous vote determines to be in the best interest of the Trust. A reverse split may be accomplished by any lawful means, including by any means available to a Maryland business corporation or by redeeming Shares pro rata or issuing new Shares in exchange for outstanding Shares in a manner so that the par value of the Common Shares are adjusted pro rata; e.g. , if two outstanding Common Shares are exchanged for one new Common Share, then the par value of the new Shares shall be two times the current par value.

 

5.2                                            Certificates . At the election of the Trust, ownership of Shares may be evidenced by certificates in such form as the Trustees shall from time to time approve, specifying the number of Shares of the applicable class held by such Shareholder. Subject to Section 5.5 hereof, such certificates shall be treated as negotiable and title thereto and to the Shares represented thereby shall be transferred by delivery thereof to the same extent in all respects as a stock certificate, and the Shares represented thereby, of a Maryland business corporation. Unless otherwise determined by the Trustees, such certificates shall be signed by an authorized officer of the Trust and shall be countersigned by a transfer agent, and registered by a registrar if any, and such signatures may be facsimile signatures. There shall be filed with each transfer agent a copy of the form of certificate so approved by the Trustees, certified by the Chairman, President, or Secretary, and such form shall continue to be used unless and until the Trustees approve some other form.

 

In furtherance of the provisions of Section 5.1 hereof, each certificate evidencing Shares shall contain a legend imprinted thereon to substantially the following effect or such other legend as the Trustees may from time to time adopt:

 

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REFERENCE IS MADE TO THE DECLARATION OF TRUST OF THE TRUST FOR A STATEMENT OF ALL THE DESIGNATIONS, PREFERENCES, LIMITATIONS, AND RELATIVE RIGHTS OF EACH CLASS OR SERIES OF SHARES THAT THE TRUST IS AUTHORIZED TO ISSUE, THE VARIATIONS IN THE RELATIVE RIGHTS AND PREFERENCES OF ANY PREFERRED OR SPECIAL CLASS OF SHARES IN SERIES, TO THE EXTENT THEY HAVE BEEN FIXED AND DETERMINED, AND THE AUTHORITY OF THE TRUSTEES TO FIX AND DETERMINE THE RELATIVE RIGHTS AND PREFERENCES OF SUBSEQUENT SERIES. ANY SUCH STATEMENT SHALL BE FURNISHED WITHOUT CHARGE ON REQUEST TO THE TRUST AT ITS PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS OR REGISTERED OFFICE. IF NECESSARY TO EFFECT COMPLIANCE BY THE TRUST WITH REQUIREMENTS OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE RELATING TO REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS, THE SHARES EVIDENCED BY THIS CERTIFICATE MAY BE REDEEMED BY THE TRUST AND/OR THE TRANSFER THEREOF MAY BE PROHIBITED ALL UPON THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET FORTH IN THE DECLARATION OF TRUST. THE TRUST WILL FURNISH A COPY OF SUCH TERMS AND CONDITIONS TO THE REGISTERED HOLDER OF THIS CERTIFICATE UPON REQUEST AND WITHOUT CHARGE.

 

5.3                                            Fractional Shares . In connection with any issuance of Shares, the Trustees may issue fractional Shares or may adopt provisions for the issuance of scrip including without limitation, the time within which any such scrip must be surrendered for exchange into full Shares and the rights, if any, of holders of scrip upon the expiration of the time so fixed, the rights, if any, to receive proportional distributions, and the rights, if any, to redeem scrip for cash, or the Trustees may in their discretion, or if they see fit at the option of, each holder, provide in lieu of scrip for the adjustment of the fractions in cash. The provisions of Section 5.2 hereof relative to certificates for Shares shall apply so far as applicable to such scrip, except that such scrip may in the discretion of the Trustees be signed by a transfer agent alone.

 

5.4                                            Shares Deemed Personal Property . The Shares shall be personal property and shall confer upon the holders thereof only the interest and rights specifically set forth or provided for in this Declaration. The death, insolvency or incapacity of a Shareholder shall not dissolve or terminate the Trust or affect its continuity nor give his legal representative any rights whatsoever, whether against or in respect of other Shareholders, the Trustees or the Trust Estate or otherwise, except the sole right to demand and, subject to the provisions of this Declaration, the Bylaws and any requirements of law, to receive a new certificate for Shares registered in the name of such legal representative, in exchange for the certificate held by such Shareholder.

 

5.5                                            Share Record; Issuance and Transferability of Shares . Records shall be kept by or on behalf of and under the direction of the Trustees, which shall contain the names and addresses of the Shareholders, the number of Shares held by them respectively, and the numbers of the certificates representing the Shares, and in which there shall be recorded all transfers of Shares. The Trust, the Trustees and the officers, employees and agents of the Trust shall be entitled to deem the Persons in whose names certificates are registered on the records of the Trust to be the absolute owners of the Shares represented thereby for all purposes of the Trust; but nothing herein shall be deemed to preclude the Trustees or officers, employees or agents of the Trust from inquiring as to the actual ownership of Shares. Until a transfer is duly effected on the records of the Trust, the Trustees shall not be affected by any notice of such transfer, either actual or constructive.

 

Shares shall be transferable on the records of the Trust only by the record holder thereof or by his agent thereunto duly authorized in writing upon delivery to the Trustees or a transfer agent of the certificate or certificates therefor, properly endorsed or accompanied by duly executed instruments of transfer and accompanied by all necessary documentary stamps together with such evidence of the genuineness of each such endorsement, execution or authorization and of other matters as may reasonably be required by the Trustees or such transfer agent. Upon such delivery, the transfer shall be recorded in the records of the Trust and a new certificate for the Shares so transferred shall be issued to the transferee and in case of a transfer of only a part of the Shares represented by any certificate, a new certificate for the balance shall be issued to the transferor. Any Person becoming entitled to any Shares in consequence of the death of a Shareholder or otherwise by operation of law shall be recorded as the holder of such Shares and shall receive a new certificate therefor but only upon delivery to the Trustees or a transfer agent of instruments and other evidence required by the Trustees or the transfer agent to demonstrate such entitlement, the

 

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existing certificate for such Shares and such releases from applicable governmental authorities as may be required by the Trustees or transfer agent. In case of the loss, mutilation or destruction of any certificate for shares, the Trustees may issue or cause to be issued a replacement certificate on such terms and subject to such rules and regulations as the Trustees may from time to time prescribe. Nothing in this Declaration shall impose upon the Trustees or a transfer agent a duty, or limit their rights, to inquire into adverse claims.

 

5.6                                            Dividends or Distributions to Shareholders . The Trustees may from time to time declare and pay to Shareholders such dividends or distributions in cash, property or assets of the Trust or Securities issued by the Trust, out of current or accumulated income, capital, capital gains, principal, interest, surplus, proceeds from the increase or financing or refinancing of Trust obligations, or from the sale of portions of the Trust Estate or from any other source as the Trustees in their discretion shall determine. Shareholders shall have no right to any dividend or distribution unless and until declared by the Trustees. The Trustees shall furnish the Shareholders with a statement in writing advising as to the source of the funds so distributed not later than ninety (90) days after the close of the fiscal year in which the distribution was made.

 

5.7                                            Transfer Agent, Dividend Disbursing Agent and Registrar . The Trustees shall have power to employ one or more transfer agents, dividend disbursing agents and registrars and to authorize them on behalf of the Trust to keep records to hold and to disburse any dividends or distributions and to have and perform, in respect of all original issues and transfers of Shares, dividends and distributions and reports and communications to Shareholders, the powers and duties usually had and performed by transfer agents, dividend disbursing agents and registrars of a Maryland business corporation.

 

5.8                                            Shareholders’ Meetings . There shall be an annual meeting of the Shareholders, at such time and place as shall be determined by or in the manner prescribed in the Bylaws, at which the Trustees shall be elected and any other proper business may be conducted. Special meetings of Shareholders may be called by the chief executive officer of the Trust or by a majority of the Trustees and shall be called by the chief executive officer of the Trust upon the written request of Shareholders holding in the aggregate not less than ten percent (10%) of the total votes authorized to be cast by the outstanding Shares of the Trust entitled to vote at such meeting in the manner provided in the Bylaws. If there shall be no Trustees, the officers of the Trust shall promptly call a special meeting of the Shareholders entitled to vote for the election of successor Trustees. Notice of any special meeting shall state the purposes of the meeting. Any meeting may be adjourned and reconvened as the Trustees determine or as provided in the Bylaws. At any reconvened session of the meeting at which there shall be a quorum, any business may be transacted at the meeting as originally noticed.

 

5.9                                Quorum . The holders of Shares entitled to vote at the meeting representing a majority of the total number of votes authorized to be cast by Shares then outstanding and entitled to vote on any question present in person or by proxy shall constitute a quorum at any such meeting for action on such question.

 

5.10                         Voting Rights of Shareholders .

 

(a)                                  Subject to the provisions of any class or series of Shares then outstanding or as otherwise required by law, the Shareholders shall be entitled to vote only on the following matters: (i) election of Trustees as provided in Section 5.10(e) and the removal of Trustees as provided in Section 2.3; (ii)  amendment of this Declaration as provided in Section 8.3; (iii) termination of the Trust as provided in Section 8.1 or 8.5; (iv) the merger or consolidation of the Trust or a share exchange; provided that the Shareholders shall not be entitled to vote on a merger of the Trust that may be approved pursuant to the provisions of the Maryland REIT Law by a majority of the entire Board of Trustees without a vote of the Shareholders and, provided further that, if a shareholder vote is required pursuant to the provisions of the Maryland REIT Law, such merger, consolidation or share exchange shall be approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of not less than a majority of all the Shares then outstanding and entitled to vote thereon (notwithstanding the higher vote required by Maryland REIT Law), (v) the transfer (as such term is defined in the Maryland General Corporation Law) of all or substantially all of the Trust Estate; provided that such transfer shall be approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of not less than a majority of all the Shares then outstanding and entitled to vote thereon; and provided further that the Trust shall be permitted to transfer or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the Trust Estate without the approval of the Shareholders by means of a distribution to Shareholders or in a disposition, immediately following which the Trust continues to own, directly or indirectly, substantially all of the ownership interests in the transferees of all or substantially all of the Trust

 

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Estate, (vi) consolidation of the Trust with one or more other entities into a new entity, provided that such consolidation shall be approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of not less than a majority of all the Shares then outstanding and entitled to vote thereon, (vii) such other matters with respect to which the Board of Trustees has adopted a resolution declaring advisable or recommending a proposal and directing that the matter be submitted to the Shareholders for consideration and (viii) such other matters as may be properly brought before a meeting by a Shareholder pursuant to the Bylaws.

 

(b)                                  Any matters for which the proportion of votes is not specified in Section 5.10(a) or 5.10(e) hereof shall be authorized by the affirmative vote of the holders of Shares representing a majority of the total number of votes cast by Shares then outstanding and entitled to vote thereon, unless a different vote is required by law, this Declaration, or the Bylaws of the Trust.

 

(c)                                   Subject to the provisions of any class or series of Shares then outstanding or as otherwise required by law, each outstanding Share entitled to vote, regardless of class, shall be entitled to one vote on each matter presented to Shareholders.

 

(d)                                  With the exception of the election and removal of Trustees in accordance with this Declaration and the Bylaws of the Trust and any matter as may be properly brought before a meeting by a Shareholder pursuant to the Bylaws and applicable laws, no action that would bind the Trust and the Trustees may be taken without the prior recommendation of the Trustees.  Except with respect to the foregoing matters, no action taken by the Shareholders at any meeting shall in any way bind the Board of Trustees.

 

(e)                                   At all elections of Trustees, voting by Shareholders shall be conducted under the non-cumulative method and the election of Trustees shall be by the affirmative vote of the holders of Shares representing a majority of the total number of votes cast by shares then outstanding and entitled to vote thereon; provided, however, the election of a Trustee in a contested election, which is an election in which the number of nominees for election is greater than the number to be elected at the meeting, shall be by the affirmative vote of Shares representing a plurality of the total number of share votes cast by Shares then outstanding and entitled to vote thereon.

 

5.11                                     Written Consent of Shareholders . Whenever Shareholders are required or permitted to take any action (unless a vote at a meeting is specifically required as in Section 8.1), such action may be taken without a meeting by written consents setting forth the action so taken, signed by the holders, as of any record date established for such action in accordance with the Bylaws, of a majority (or such higher percentage as may be specified by applicable law or in this Declaration) of the total number of votes authorized to be cast by shares then outstanding and entitled to vote thereon deliver a consent setting forth such action in writing or by electronic transmission in accordance with any procedures set forth in the Bylaws.

 

5.12                                     Proxies . Whenever the vote or consent of a Shareholder entitled to vote is required or permitted under this Declaration, such vote or consent may be given either directly by such Shareholder or by a proxy in the form prescribed in, and subject to the provisions of, the Bylaws. The Trustees may solicit such proxies from the Shareholders or any of them entitled to vote in any matter requiring or permitting the Shareholders’ vote or consent.

 

5.13                                     Fixing Record Date . The Bylaws may provide for fixing or, in the absence of such provision, the Trustees may fix, in advance, a date as the record date for determining the Shareholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of Shareholders or to express consent to any proposal without a meeting or for the purpose of determining Shareholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or distribution (whether before or after termination of the Trust), or for any other purpose.

 

5.14                                     Notice to Shareholders . Any notice of meeting or other notice, communication or report to any Shareholder shall be deemed duly delivered to such Shareholder when such notice, communication or report is deposited, with postage thereon prepaid, in the United States mail, addressed to such Shareholder at his address as it appears on the records of the Trust or is delivered in person to such Shareholder.

 

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ARTICLE VI
RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER AND OWNERSHIP OF SHARES

 

6.1                                            Definitions . For the purpose of this Article VI, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

 

“Beneficial Ownership” shall mean ownership of Shares by a Person, whether the interest in Shares is held directly or indirectly (including by a nominee), and shall include, but not be limited to, interests that would be treated as owned through the application of Section 544 of the Internal Revenue Code, as modified by Sections 856(h)(1)(B) and 856(h)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The terms “Beneficial Owner”, “Beneficially Owns” and “Beneficially Owned” shall have the correlative meanings.

 

“Charitable Beneficiary” shall mean one or more beneficiaries of the Charitable Trust as determined pursuant to Section 6.3(g), provided that each such organization shall be described in Sections 501(c)(3), 170(b)(1)(A) (other than clause (vii) or (viii) thereof) and 170(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code and contributions to each such organization shall be eligible for deduction under each of Sections 170(b)(1)(A), 2055 and 2522 of the Internal Revenue Code.

 

“Charitable Trust” shall mean any trust provided for in Sections 6.2(a)(ii) and 6.3(a).

 

“Charitable Trustee” shall mean each Person, unaffiliated with the Trust and a Prohibited Owner, that is appointed by the Trust from time to time to serve as a trustee of a Charitable Trust as provided by Section 6.3(a).

 

“Common Shares” shall mean the common shares of beneficial interest designated as such in the Declaration.

 

“Constructive Ownership” shall mean ownership of Shares by a Person, whether the interest in Shares is held directly or indirectly (including by a nominee), and shall include any interests that would be treated as owned through the application of Section 318(a) of the Internal Revenue Code, as modified by Section 856(d)(5) of the Internal Revenue Code. The terms “Constructive Owner”, “Constructively Owns” and “Constructively Owned” shall have the correlative meanings.

 

“Excepted Holder” shall mean a shareholder of the Trust for whom an Excepted Holder Limit is created by the Board of Trustees pursuant to Section 6.2(e).

 

“Excepted Holder Limit” shall mean, provided that and only so long as the affected Excepted Holder complies with all of the requirements established by the Board of Trustees pursuant to Section 6.2(e), the percentage limit established by the Board of Trustees.

 

“Internal Revenue Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

“Market Price” with respect to Shares on any date shall mean the last sale price for such Shares, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, for such Shares, in either case as reported on the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to such Shares, or if such Shares are not listed or admitted to trading on any National Securities Exchange, the last sale price in the over the counter market, or if no trading price is available for such Shares, the fair market value of such Shares as determined in good faith by the Board of Trustees.

 

“National Securities Exchange” means an exchange registered with the SEC under Section 6(a) of the Exchange Act, as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time, and any successor to such statute.

 

“Ownership Limit” shall mean (a) with respect to Common Shares, 9.8% (in value or number of shares, whichever is more restrictive) of the Common Shares outstanding at the time of determination and (b) with respect to any other class or series of Shares, 9.8% (in value or number of shares, whichever is more restrictive) of the Shares of such class or series outstanding at the time of determination.

 

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“Person” shall mean and include individuals, corporations, limited partnerships, general partnerships, joint stock companies or associations, joint ventures, associations, companies, trusts, banks, trust companies, land trusts, business trusts and other entities and governments and agencies and political subdivisions thereof and also includes a group as that term is used for purposes of Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act .

 

“Preferred Shares” shall mean any class or series of preferred shares of beneficial interest designated as such in the Declaration.

 

“Prohibited Owner” shall mean any Person who, but for the provisions of Section 6.2(a), would Beneficially Own or Constructively Own Shares in excess of the Ownership Limit, and if appropriate in the context, shall also mean any Person who would have been the holder of record in the books of the Trust or the Trust’s transfer agent of Shares that the Prohibited Owner would have so owned.

 

“REIT” shall mean a “real estate investment trust” within the meaning of Section 856 of the Internal Revenue Code.

 

“Shares” shall mean the shares of beneficial interest of the Trust.

 

“Transfer” shall mean any issuance, sale, transfer, gift, assignment, devise or other disposition, as well as any other event (or any agreement to take any such actions or cause any such events) that causes any Person to acquire Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of Shares or the right to vote or receive distributions on Shares, including, without limitation, (a) any change in the capital structure of the Trust which has the effect of increasing the total equity interest of any Person in the Trust, (b) a change in the relationship between two or more Persons which causes a change in ownership of Shares by application of Section 544 of the Internal Revenue Code, as modified by Section 856(h) of the Internal Revenue Code, or by application of Section 318(a) of the Internal Revenue Code, as modified by Section 856(d)(5) of the Internal Revenue Code, (c) the grant or exercise of any option or warrant (or any disposition of any option or warrant, or any event that causes any option or warrant not theretofore exercisable to become exercisable), pledge, security interest or similar right to acquire Shares, (d) any disposition of any securities or rights convertible into or exchangeable for Shares or any interest in Shares or any exercise of any such conversion or exchange right, and (e) transfers of interests in other entities that result in changes in Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of Shares, in each case, whether voluntary or involuntary, whether owned of record or Beneficially Owned or Constructively Owned, and whether by operation of law or otherwise. The terms “Transferring” and “Transferred” shall have the correlative meanings.

 

6.2                                            Restrictions on Ownership .

 

(a)                                  Ownership Limitations .

 

(i)                                      Basic Restrictions . (A) No Person, other than an Excepted Holder, shall Beneficially Own or Constructively Own Shares in excess of the Ownership Limit, (B) no Excepted Holder shall Beneficially Own or Constructively Own Shares in excess of the Excepted Holder Limit for such Excepted Holder, (C) no Person shall Beneficially Own or Constructively Own Shares to the extent that (i) such Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of Shares would result in the Trust being “closely held” within the meaning of Section 856(h) of the Internal Revenue Code (without regard to whether the ownership interest is held during the last half of a taxable year), or (ii) such Beneficial or Constructive Ownership of Shares would result in the Trust otherwise failing to qualify as a REIT (including, without limitation, Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership that would result in the Trust owning (actually or Constructively) an interest in a tenant that is described in Section 856(d)(2)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code if the income derived by the Trust from such tenant would cause the Trust to fail to satisfy any of the gross income requirements of Section 856(c) of the Internal Revenue Code), or (D) subject to Section 6.5, notwithstanding any other provisions contained herein, any Transfer of Shares (whether or not such Transfer is the result of a transaction entered into through the facilities of a National Securities Exchange or automated inter-dealer quotation system) that, if effective, would result in Shares being beneficially owned by less than one-hundred (100) Persons (determined under the principles of Section 856(a)(5) of the Internal Revenue Code) shall be void ab initio, and the intended transferee shall acquire no rights in such Shares.

 

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(ii)                                   Transfer in Trust or Voided Transfer . If any Transfer of Shares occurs (whether or not such Transfer is the result of a transaction entered into through the facilities of a National Securities Exchange or automated inter-dealer quotation system) which, if effective, would result in any Person Beneficially Owning or Constructively Owning Shares in violation of Sections 6.2(a)(i)(A), 6.2(a)(i)(B) or 6.2(a)(i)(C), as applicable, then the Board of Trustees shall be authorized and empowered to deem (and if so deemed, such action and result shall be deemed to occur and the officers of the Trust shall be authorized to take such actions in the name and on behalf of the Trust authorized by the Board of Trustees to effectuate the same): (A) that number of Shares the Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of which otherwise would cause such Person to violate Sections 6.2(a)(i)(A), 6.2(a)(i)(B) or 6.2(a)(i)(C) (rounded upward to the nearest whole share, and such excess shares, including as so rounded, the “Excess Shares”) to be automatically transferred to a Charitable Trust or Charitable Trusts for the benefit of a Charitable Beneficiary, as described in Section 6.3, effective as of the close of business on the Business Day prior to the date of such determination of such Transfer or at such other time determined by the Board of Trustees, and such Person shall acquire no rights in the Excess Shares; or (B) to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Transfer of Excess Shares to be void ab initio, in which case, the intended transferee shall acquire no rights in the Excess Shares.

 

(iii)                                Cooperation . The shareholder that would otherwise qualify as a Prohibited Owner absent the application of the provisions of Section 6.2(a)(ii) shall use best efforts and take all actions necessary or requested by the Trust to cooperate with effecting the actions taken by the Board of Trustees pursuant to Section 6.2(a)(ii), including, without limitation, informing the Trust where any Excess Shares may be held and instructing its agents to cooperate in the prompt implementation and effectuation of the actions so taken by the Board of Trustees.

 

(b)                                  Remedies for Breach . If the Board of Trustees or any duly authorized committee thereof shall at any time determine that a Transfer or other event has taken place that results in a violation of Section 6.2(a)(i) or that a Person intends to acquire or has attempted to acquire Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of any Shares in violation of Section 6.2(a)(i) (whether or not such violation is intended), the Board of Trustees or a committee thereof may take such action as it deems advisable to refuse to give effect to or to prevent such Transfer or other event, including, without limitation, causing the Trust to redeem Shares, refusing to give effect to such Transfer on the books of the Trust or the Trust’s transfer agent or instituting proceedings to enjoin such Transfer or other event. This Section 6.2(b) shall not in any way limit the provisions of Section 6.2(a)(ii).

 

(c)                                   Notice of Restricted Transfer . Any Person who acquires or attempts or intends to acquire Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of Shares that will or may violate Section 6.2(a)(i), or any Person who would have owned Excess Shares, shall immediately give written notice to the Trust of such event, or in the case of such a proposed or attempted transaction, give at least fifteen (15) days prior written notice, and shall provide to the Trust such other information as the Trust may request.

 

(d)                                  Owners Required to Provide Information . Every shareholder of five percent (5%) or more of the Shares of any series or class outstanding at the time of determination, within thirty (30) days after the end of each taxable year and also within three (3) Business Days after a request from the Trust, shall give written notice to the Trust stating the name and address of such owner, the number of Shares Beneficially Owned, and a description of the manner in which such Shares are held; provided that a shareholder who holds Shares as nominee for another Person, which other Person is required to include in gross income the distributions received on such Shares (an “Actual Owner”), shall give written notice to the Trust stating the name and address of such Actual Owner and the number of Shares of such Actual Owner with respect to which the shareholder is nominee. Each such shareholder and each Actual Owner shall provide to the Trust such additional information as the Trust may request in order to determine the Trust’s status as a REIT, to determine the Trust’s compliance with other applicable laws or requirements of any governmental authority or to ensure compliance with the Ownership Limit. Each Person who is a Beneficial Owner or Constructive Owner of Shares and each Person (including the shareholder) who is holding Shares for a Beneficial Owner or Constructive Owner shall provide to the Trust such information as the Trust may request, in good faith, in order to determine the Trust’s status as a REIT, to determine the Trust’s compliance with other applicable laws or requirements of any governmental authority and to comply with requirements of any taxing authority or other governmental authority or to determine such compliance.

 

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(e)                                   Exceptions .

 

(i)                                      The Board of Trustees, in its sole discretion, may grant to any Person who makes a request therefor an exception to the Ownership Limit (or one or more elements thereof) with respect to the ownership of any series or class of Shares, subject to the following conditions and limitations: (A) the Board of Trustees shall have determined, in its discretion, that: (1) assuming such Person would Beneficially or Constructively Own the maximum amount of Common Shares and Preferred Shares permitted as a result of the exception to be granted and (2) assuming that all other Persons who would be treated as “individuals” for purposes of Section 542(a)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code (determined taking into account Section 856(h)(3)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code) would Beneficially or Constructively Own the maximum amount of Common Shares and Preferred Shares permitted under this Article VI (taking into account any exception, waiver, or exemption granted under this Section 6.2(e) to (or with respect to) such Persons), the Trust would not be “closely held” within the meaning of Section 856(h) of the Internal Revenue Code (assuming that the ownership of Shares is determined during the second half of a taxable year) and would not otherwise fail to qualify as a REIT (including, without limitation, Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership that would result in the Trust owning (actually or Constructively) an interest in a tenant that is described in Section 856(d)(2)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code if the income derived by the Trust from such tenant would cause the Trust to fail to satisfy any of the gross income requirements of Section 856(c) of the Internal Revenue Code); and (B) such Person provides to the Board of Trustees, for the benefit of the Trust, such representations and undertakings, if any, as the Board of Trustees may, in its discretion, determine to be necessary in order for it to make the determination that the conditions set forth in Section 6.2(e)(i)(A) of this Article have been and/or will continue to be satisfied (including, without limitation, an agreement as to a reduced Ownership Limit or Excepted Holder Limit for such Person with respect to the Beneficial or Constructive Ownership of one or more other classes or series of Shares not subject to the exception), and such Person agrees that any violation of such representations and undertakings or any attempted violation thereof will give rise to the application of the remedies set forth in Sections 6.2(a)(ii) and 6.2(b) of this Article with respect to Shares held in excess of the Ownership Limit or the Excepted Holder Limit (as may be applicable) with respect to such Person (determined without regard to the exception granted such Person under this Section 6.2(e)(i)). If a member of the Board of Trustees requests that the Board of Trustees grant an exception pursuant to this Section 6.2(e) with respect to such member, or with respect to any other Person if such member of the Board of Trustees would be considered to be the Beneficial Owner or Constructive Owner of Shares owned by such other Person, such member of the Board of Trustees shall not participate in the decision of the Board of Trustees as to whether to grant any such exception.

 

(ii)                                   Prior to granting any exception or exemption pursuant to Section 6.2(e), the Board of Trustees may require a ruling from the IRS or an opinion of counsel, in either case in form and substance satisfactory to the Board of Trustees, in its sole and absolute discretion as it may deem necessary or advisable in order to determine or ensure the Trust’s status as a REIT; provided, however, that the Board of Trustees shall not be obligated to require obtaining a favorable ruling or opinion in order to grant an exception hereunder.

 

(iii)                                Subject to Section 6.2(a)(i)(C), an underwriter or initial purchaser that participates in a public offering or a private placement of Shares (or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Shares) may Beneficially Own or Constructively Own Shares (or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Shares) in excess of the Ownership Limit, but only to the extent necessary to facilitate such public offering or private placement as determined by the Board of Trustees.

 

6.3                                            Transfer of Shares .

 

(a)                                  Ownership in Trust . Upon any purported Transfer or other event described in Section 6.2(a)(ii) that results in a transfer of Shares to a Charitable Trust, such Shares shall be deemed to have been transferred to the Charitable Trustee as trustee or trustees, as applicable, of a Charitable Trust for the exclusive benefit of one or more Charitable Beneficiaries (except to the extent otherwise provided in Section 6.3(e)). Such transfer to the Charitable Trustee shall be deemed to be effective as of the time provided in Section 6.2(a)(ii). Any Charitable Trustee shall be appointed by the Trust and shall be a Person unaffiliated with the Trust and any

 

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Prohibited Owner. Each Charitable Beneficiary shall be designated by the Trust as provided in Section 6.3(g) of this Article.

 

(b)                                  Status of Shares Held by a Charitable Trustee . Shares held by a Charitable Trustee shall be issued and outstanding Shares of the Trust. The Prohibited Owner shall:

 

(i)                                      have no rights in the Shares held by the Charitable Trustee;

 

(ii)                                   not benefit economically from ownership of any Shares held in trust by the Charitable Trustee (except to the extent otherwise provided in Section 6.3(e) of this Article);

 

(iii)                                have no rights to dividends or other distributions;

 

(iv)                               not possess any rights to vote or other rights attributable to the Shares held in the Charitable Trust; and

 

(v)                                  have no claim, cause of action or other recourse whatsoever against the purported transferor of such Shares.

 

(c)                                   Dividend and Voting Rights . The Charitable Trustee shall have all voting rights and rights to dividends or other distributions with respect to Shares held in the Charitable Trust, which rights shall be exercised for the exclusive benefit of the Charitable Beneficiary (except to the extent otherwise provided in Section 6.3(e)). Any dividend or other distribution paid with respect to any Shares which constituted Excess Shares at such time and prior to Shares having been transferred to the Charitable Trustee shall be paid to the Charitable Trustee by the Prohibited Owner upon demand and any dividend or other distribution authorized but unpaid with respect to such Shares shall be paid when due to the Charitable Trustee. Any dividends or distributions so paid to the Charitable Trustee shall be held in trust for the Charitable Beneficiary. The Prohibited Owner shall have no voting rights with respect to Shares held in the Charitable Trust and, effective as of the date that Shares have been transferred to the Charitable Trustee, the Charitable Trustee shall have the authority (at the Charitable Trustee’s discretion) (i) to rescind as void any vote cast by a Prohibited Owner with respect to such Shares at any time such Shares constituted Excess Shares with respect to such Prohibited Owner and (ii) to recast such vote in accordance with the desires of the Charitable Trustee acting for the benefit of the Charitable Beneficiary; provided, however, that if the Trust has already taken irreversible action, then the Charitable Trustee shall not have the power to rescind and recast such vote. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Article VI, until the Shares have been transferred into a Charitable Trust, the Trust shall be entitled to rely on its stock transfer and other shareholder records for purposes of preparing lists of shareholders entitled to vote at meetings, determining the validity and authority of proxies, and otherwise conducting votes of shareholders.

 

(d)                                  Rights upon Liquidation . Upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of or any distribution of the assets of the Trust, the Charitable Trustee shall be entitled to receive, ratably with each other holder of Shares of the class or series of Shares that is held in the Charitable Trust, that portion of the assets of the Trust available for distribution to the holders of such class or series (determined based upon the ratio that the number of Shares of such class or series of Shares held by the Charitable Trustee bears to the total number of Shares of such class or series of Shares then outstanding). The Charitable Trustee shall distribute any such assets received in respect of the Shares held in the Charitable Trust in any liquidation, dissolution or winding up or distribution of the assets of the Trust, in accordance with Section 6.3(e).

 

(e)                                   Sale of Shares by Charitable Trustee . Unless otherwise directed by the Board of Trustees, within twenty (20) days of receiving notice from the Trust that Shares have been transferred to the Charitable Trust, or soon thereafter as practicable, the Charitable Trustee shall sell the Shares held in the Charitable Trust (together with the right to receive dividends or other distributions with respect to such Shares as to any Shares transferred to the Charitable Trustee as a result of the operation of Section 6.2(a)(ii)) to a Person, designated by the Charitable Trustee, whose ownership of the Shares will not violate the ownership limitations set forth in Section 6.2(a)(i). Upon such sale, the interest of the Charitable Beneficiary in the Shares sold shall terminate and the Charitable Trustee

 

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shall distribute the net proceeds of the sale to the Prohibited Owner and to the Charitable Beneficiary as provided in this Section 6.3(e).

 

A Prohibited Owner shall receive the lesser of (A) the net price paid by the Prohibited Owner for the Shares or, if the Prohibited Owner did not give value for the Shares in connection with the event causing the Shares to be held in the Charitable Trust (for example, in the case of a gift, devise or other such transaction), the Market Price of the Shares on the day of the event causing the Shares to be held in the Charitable Trust, less the costs, expenses and compensation of the Charitable Trustee and the Trust as provided in Section 6.4 and (B) the net sales proceeds received by the Charitable Trustee from the sale or other disposition of the Shares held in the Charitable Trust. Any net sales proceeds in excess of the amount payable to the Prohibited Owner shall be paid to the Charitable Beneficiary, less the costs, expenses and compensation of the Charitable Trustee and the Trust as provided in Section 6.4. If such Shares are sold by a Prohibited Owner, then (A) such Shares shall be deemed to have been sold on behalf of the Charitable Trust and (B) to the extent that the Prohibited Owner received an amount for such Shares that exceeds the amount that such Prohibited Owner was entitled to receive pursuant to this Section 6.3(e) of this Article, such excess shall be paid promptly to the Charitable Trustee upon demand.

 

(f)                                    Trust’s Purchase Right in Excess Shares . Notwithstanding any transfer of Excess Shares to a Charitable Trust pursuant to this Article VI, Excess Shares shall be deemed to have been offered for sale to the Trust, or its designee, at a price per Share equal to the lesser of (i) the price per Share in the transaction that resulted in such Shares becoming Excess Shares (or, if the Prohibited Owner did not give value for such Shares, such as in the case of a devise, gift or other such transaction, the Market Price per such Share on the day of the event causing the Shares to become Excess Shares) and (ii) the Market Price per such Share on the date the Trust, or its designee, accepts such offer, in each case of clauses (i) and (ii) of this sentence, less the costs, expenses and compensation of the Charitable Trustee, if any, and the Trust as provided in Section 6.4. The Trust shall have the right to accept such offer until the Charitable Trustee, if any, has sold the Shares held in the Charitable Trust, if any, pursuant to Section 6.3(e). Upon such a sale to the Trust, if a Charitable Trust has been established pursuant to this Article VI, the interest of the Charitable Beneficiary in the Shares sold shall terminate and the Charitable Trustee shall distribute the net proceeds of the sale to the Prohibited Owner and the Charitable Beneficiary as provided in Section 6.3(e).

 

(g)                                   Designation of Charitable Beneficiaries . By written notice to the Charitable Trustee, the Trust shall designate from time to time one or more nonprofit organizations to be the Charitable Beneficiary of the interest in the Charitable Trust such that (i) Shares held in the Charitable Trust would not violate the restrictions set forth in Section 6.2(a)(i) in the hands of such Charitable Beneficiary and (ii) contributions to each such organization shall be eligible for deduction under each of Sections 170(b)(1)(A), 2055 and 2522 of the Internal Revenue Code. The Charitable Beneficiary shall not obtain any enforceable right to the Charitable Trust or any of its trust corpus until so designated and thereafter any such rights remain subject to the provisions of this Article VI, including, without limitation, Section 6.3(h).

 

(h)                                  Retroactive Changes . Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Article VI, the Board of Trustees is authorized and empowered to retroactively amend, alter or repeal any rights which the Charitable Trust, the Charitable Trustee or the Charitable Beneficiary may have under this Article VI, including, without limitation, granting retroactive Excepted Holder status to any otherwise Prohibited Owner, with the effect of any transfer of Excess Shares to a Charitable Trust being fully and retroactively revoked; provided, however, that the Board of Trustees shall not have the authority or power to retroactively amend, alter or repeal any obligations to pay amounts incurred prior to such time and owed or payable to the Charitable Trustee pursuant to Section 6.4 of this Article.

 

6.4                                Costs, Expenses and Compensation of Charitable Trustee and the Trust .

 

(a)                                  The Charitable Trustee shall be indemnified by the Trust or from the proceeds from the sale of Shares held in the Charitable Trust, as further provided in this Article VI, for its costs and expenses reasonably incurred in connection with conducting its duties and satisfying its obligations pursuant to this Article VI.

 

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(b)                                  The Charitable Trustee shall be entitled to receive reasonable compensation for services provided by the Charitable Trustee in connection with serving as a Charitable Trustee, the amount and form of which shall be determined by agreement of the Board of Trustees and the Charitable Trustee.

 

(c)                                   Costs, expenses and compensation payable to the Charitable Trustee pursuant to Sections 6.4(a) and 6.4(b) may be funded from the Charitable Trust or by the Trust. The Trust shall be entitled to reimbursement on a first priority basis (after payment in full of amounts payable to the Charitable Trustee pursuant to Sections 6.4(a) and 6.4(b)) from the Charitable Trust for any such amounts funded by the Trust.

 

(d)                                  Costs and expenses incurred by the Trust in the process of enforcing the ownership limitation set forth in Section 6.2(a)(i), in addition to reimbursement of costs, expenses and compensation of the Charitable Trustee which have been funded by the Trust, may be collected from the Charitable Trust.

 

6.5                                            Transactions on a National Securities Exchange . Nothing in this Article VI shall preclude the settlement of any transaction entered into through the facilities of a National Securities Exchange or any automated inter-dealer quotation system. The fact that the settlement of any transaction takes place shall not negate the effect of any other provision of this Article VI and any transferee in such a transaction shall be subject to all of the provisions and limitations set forth in this Article VI.

 

6.6                                            Enforcement . The Trust is authorized specifically to seek equitable relief, including injunctive relief, to enforce the provisions of this Article VI.

 

6.7                                            Non-Waiver . No delay or failure on the part of the Trust or the Board of Trustees in exercising any right hereunder shall operate as a waiver of any right of the Trust or the Board of Trustees, as the case may be, except to the extent specifically waived in writing.

 

6.8                                            Enforceability . If any of the restrictions on transfer of Shares contained in this Article VI are determined to be void, invalid or unenforceable by any court of competent jurisdiction, then, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Prohibited Owner may be deemed, at the option of the Trust, to have acted as an agent of the Trust in acquiring such Shares and to hold such Shares on behalf of the Trust.

 

ARTICLE VII
LIABILITY OF TRUSTEES, SHAREHOLDERS, OFFICERS,
EMPLOYEES AND AGENTS, AND OTHER MATTERS

 

7.1                                            Limitation of Liability of Shareholders, Trustees, Officers, Employees and Agents for Obligations of the Trust . The Trustees and the officers, employees and agents of the Trust, in incurring any debts, liabilities or obligations or in taking or omitting any other actions for or in connection with the Trust, are, and shall be deemed to be, acting as trustees, officers, employees or agents of the Trust and not in their own individual capacities. Except as otherwise provided in Section 7.3 hereof with respect to liability of Trustees or officers, agents or employees of the Trust to the Trust or to Shareholders, no Shareholder, Trustee or officer, employee or agent of the Trust shall be liable for any debt, claim, demand, judgment decree, liability or obligation of any kind (in tort, contract or otherwise) of, against or with respect to the Trust or arising out of any action taken or omitted for or on behalf of the Trust, and the Trust shall be solely liable therefor and resort shall be had solely to the Trust Estate for the payment or performance thereof, and no Shareholder, Trustee or officer, employee or agent of the Trust shall be subject to any personal liability whatsoever, in tort, contract or otherwise, to any other Person or Persons in connection with the Trust Estate or the affairs of the Trust (or any actions taken or omitted for or on behalf of the Trust), and all such other Persons shall look solely to the Trust Estate for satisfaction of claims of any nature arising in connection with the Trust Estate or the affairs of the Trust (or any action taken or omitted for or on behalf of the Trust).

 

7.2                                            Express Exculpatory Clauses and Instruments . Any written instrument creating an obligation of the Trust may include a reference to this Declaration and provide that neither the Shareholders nor the Trustees nor any officers, employees or agents of the Trust shall be liable thereunder and that all Persons shall look solely to the Trust Estate for the payment of any claim thereunder or for the performance thereof; however, the omission of such

 

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provision from any such instrument shall not render the Shareholders, any Trustee, or any officer, employee or agent of the Trust liable nor shall the Shareholders, any Trustee or any officer, employee or agent of the Trust be liable to any one for such omission.

 

7.3                                            Limitation of Liability of Trustees, Officers, Employees and Agents to the Trust and to Shareholders for Acts and Omissions . No Trustee or officer, employee or agent of the Trust shall have any greater duties than those established by this Declaration of Trust or, in cases as to which such duties are not so established, than those of the directors, officers, employees and agents of a Maryland business corporation in effect from time to time. No Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust shall be liable to the Trust, Shareholders or to any other Person for any act or omission except for his own willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of duty.

 

7.4                                            Indemnification and Reimbursement of Expenses . The Trust shall have the power, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland statutory or decisional law in effect from time to time, to obligate itself to indemnify, and to pay or reimburse reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding to, (a) any individual who is a present or former Shareholder, Trustee or officer of the Trust or (b) any individual who, while a Shareholder, Trustee or officer of the Trust and at the express request of the Trust, serves or has served another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or any other enterprise as a director, officer, Shareholder, partner or trustee of such corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, from and against all claims and liabilities to which such person may become subject by reason of his being or having been a Shareholder, Trustee or officer. The Trust shall have the power, with the approval of its Board of Trustees, to provide such indemnification and advancement of expenses to a person who served a predecessor of the Trust in any of the capacities described in (a) or (b) above and to any employee or agent of the Trust or a predecessor of the Trust.

 

7.5                                            Right of Trustees, Officers, Employees and Agents to Own Shares or Other Property and to Engage in Other Business . Any Trustee or officer, employee or agent of the Trust may acquire, own, hold and dispose of Shares in the Trust, for his individual account, and may exercise all rights of a Shareholder to the same extent and in the same manner as if he were not a Trustee or officer, employee or agent of the Trust.

 

7.6                                            Transactions Between Trustees, Officers, Employees or Agents and the Trust . Subject to any express restrictions in this Declaration or adopted by the Trustees in the Bylaws or by resolution, the Trust may enter into any contract or transaction of any kind with any Person, including any Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust or any person affiliated with a Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust, whether or not any of them has a financial interest in such transaction, provided, however, that in the case of any contract or transaction in which any Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust (or any Person affiliated with such Person) has a material financial interest in such transaction, then: (a) the fact of the interest shall be disclosed or known to: (i) the Board of Trustees or the Audit Committee, and the Board of Trustees or the Audit Committee shall approve or ratify the contract or transaction by the affirmative vote of a majority of disinterested Trustees of the Board or the Audit Committee, even if the disinterested Trustees of the Board or the Audit Committee constitute less than a quorum, or (ii) the shareholders entitled to vote, and the contract or transaction shall be authorized, approved or ratified by a majority of the votes cast by the shareholders entitled to vote other than the votes of shares owned of record or beneficially by the interested part; and (b) the contract or transaction is fair and reasonable to the Trust.

 

7.7                                            Persons Dealing with Trustees, Officers, Employees or Agents . Any act of the Trustees or of the officers, employees or agents of the Trust purporting to be done in their capacity as such, shall, as to any Persons dealing with such Trustees, officers, employees or agents, be conclusively deemed to be within the purposes of this Trust and within the powers of such Trustees or officers, employees or agents. No Person dealing with the Trustees or any of them or with the officers, employees or agents of the Trust shall be bound to see to the application of any funds or property passing into their hands or control. The receipt of the Trustees or any of them, or of authorized officers, employees or agents of the Trust, for moneys or other consideration, shall be binding upon the Trust.

 

7.8                                            Reliance . The Trustees and the officers, employees and agents of the Trust may consult with counsel (which may be a firm in which one or more of the Trustees or the officers, employees or agents of the Trust is or are members) and the advice or opinion of such counsel shall be full and complete personal protection to all

 

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the Trustees and the officers, employees and agents of the Trust in respect of any action taken or suffered by them in good faith and in reliance on or in accordance with such advice or opinion. In discharging their duties, Trustees or officers, employees or agents of the Trust, when acting in good faith, may rely upon financial statements of the Trust represented to them to fairly present the financial position or results of operations of the Trust by the chief financial officer of the Trust or the officer of the Trust having charge of its books of account, or stated in a written report by an independent certified public accountant fairly to present the financial position or results of operations of the Trust. The Trustees and the officers, employees and agents of the Trust may rely, and shall be personally protected in acting, upon any instrument or other document believed by them to be genuine.

 

ARTICLE VIII
DURATION, AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION OF TRUST

 

8.1                                            Duration of Trust . The duration of the Trust shall be perpetual; provided, however, the Trust may be voluntarily dissolved or its existence terminated at any time by the affirmative vote at a meeting of Shareholders of the holders of Shares representing two-thirds of the total number of Shares then outstanding and entitled to vote thereon.

 

8.2                                            Termination of Trust .

 

(a)                                  Upon the termination of the Trust:

 

(i)                                      the Trust shall carry on no business except for the purpose of winding up its affairs;

 

(ii)                                   the Trustees shall proceed to wind up the affairs of the Trust and all the powers of the Trustees under this Declaration shall continue until the affairs of the Trust shall have been wound up, including the power to fulfill or discharge the contracts of the Trust, collect its assets, sell, convey, assign, exchange, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or any part of the remaining Trust Estate to one or more persons at public or private sale (for consideration which may consist in whole or in part of cash, Securities or other property of any kind), discharge or pay its liabilities, and do all other acts appropriate to liquidate its business; and

 

(iii)                                after paying or adequately providing for the payment of all liabilities, and upon receipt of such releases, indemnities and refunding agreements, as they deem necessary for their protection, the Trustees may distribute the remaining Trust Estate (in cash or in kind or partly each) among the Shareholders according to their respective rights.

 

(b)                                  After termination of the Trust and distribution of the Trust Estate to the Shareholders as herein provided, the Trustees shall execute and lodge among the records of the Trust an instrument in writing setting forth the fact of such termination and such distribution, a copy of which instrument shall be filed with the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation, and the Trustees shall thereupon be discharged from all further liabilities and duties hereunder and the rights and interests of all Shareholders shall thereupon cease.

 

8.3                                            Amendment Procedure . This Declaration may be amended only if such amendment is declared advisable by the Board of Trustees and approved by holders of Shares representing a majority of the total number of votes authorized to be cast in respect of Shares then outstanding and entitled to vote thereon (notwithstanding the higher vote required by Maryland REIT Law). Two-thirds (2/3) of the Trustees may, after written notice to the Shareholders, also amend this Declaration without the vote or consent of Shareholders if in good faith they deem it necessary to conform this Declaration to the requirements of the REIT Provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, but the Trustees shall not be liable for failing to do so. Actions by the Trustees pursuant to Section 1.1, Section 5.1, or Section 9.6(a) that result in an amendment to this Declaration shall be effected without the vote or consent of Shareholders.

 

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8.4                                            Amendments Effective . Any amendment pursuant to any Section of this Declaration shall not become effective until it is duly filed with and accepted for record by the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation.

 

8.5                                            Transfer to Successor . The Trustees, with the approval of a majority of the Trustees and the affirmative vote, at a meeting approving a plan for this purpose, of the holders of Shares representing a majority of all votes authorized to be cast at a meeting at which a quorum is present, may (a) cause the organization of a limited partnership, partnership, corporation, association, trust or other organization to take over the Trust Estate and carry on the affairs of the Trust, (b) merge the Trust into, or sell, convey and transfer the Trust Estate to, any such limited partnership, partnership, corporation, association, trust or organization in exchange for Securities thereof, or beneficial interests therein, and the assumption by such transferee of the liabilities of the Trust and (c) thereupon terminate this Declaration and deliver such shares, Securities or beneficial interests among the Shareholders in accordance with such plan.

 

ARTICLE IX
MISCELLANEOUS

 

9.1                                            Applicable Law . This Declaration is executed and acknowledged by the Trustees with reference to the statutes and laws of the State of Maryland, and the rights of all parties and the construction and effect of every provision hereof shall be subject to and construed according to the statutes and laws of such State.

 

9.2                                            Index and Headings for Reference Only . The index and headings preceding the text, articles and sections hereof have been inserted for convenience and reference only and shall not be construed to affect the meaning, construction or effect of this Declaration.

 

9.3                                            Successors in Interest . This Declaration and the Bylaws shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the undersigned Trustees and their successors, assigns, heirs, distributees and legal representatives, and every Shareholder and his successors, assigns, heirs, distributees and legal representatives.

 

9.4                                            Inspection of Records . Trust records shall be available for inspection by Shareholders at the same time and in the same manner and to the extent that comparable records of a Maryland business corporation would be available for inspection by shareholders under the laws of the State of Maryland. Except as specifically provided for in this Declaration or in Title 8 of the Corporations and Associations Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland , Shareholders shall have no greater right than shareholders of a Maryland business corporation to require financial or other information from the Trust, Trustees or officers of the Trust. Any Federal or state securities administrator or the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation shall have the right, at reasonable times during business hours and for proper purposes, to inspect the books and records of the Trust.

 

9.5                                            Counterparts . This Declaration may be simultaneously executed in several counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original, and such counterparts together shall constitute one and the same instrument, which shall be sufficiently evidenced by any such original counterpart.

 

9.6                                            Provisions of the Trust in Conflict with Law or Regulations: Severability .

 

(a)                                  The provisions of this Declaration are severable, and if the Trustees shall determine, with the advice of counsel, that any one or more of such provisions (the “Conflicting Provisions”) are in conflict with the REIT Provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, the Conflicting Provisions shall be deemed never to have constituted a part of the Declaration; provided, however, that such determination by the Trustees shall not affect or impair any of the remaining provisions of this Declaration or render invalid or improper any action taken or omitted (including but not limited to the election of Trustees) prior to such determination. An amendment in recordable form signed by a majority of the Trustees setting forth any such determination and reciting that it was duly adopted by the Trustees, or a copy of this Declaration, with the Conflicting Provisions removed pursuant to such a determination, in recordable form, signed by a majority of the Trustees, shall be conclusive evidence of such determination when filed with the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation. The Trustees shall not be liable for failure to make any

 

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determination under this Section 9.6(a). Nothing in this Section 9.6(a) shall in any way limit or affect the right of the Trustees to amend this Declaration as provided in Section 8.3.

 

(b)                                  If any provision of this Declaration shall be held invalid or unenforceable, such invalidity or unenforceability shall attach only to such provision and shall not in any manner affect or render invalid or unenforceable any other provision of this Declaration, and this Declaration shall be carried out as if any such invalid or unenforceable provision were not contained herein.

 

9.7                                            Certifications . The following certifications shall be final and conclusive as to any Persons dealing with the Trust:

 

(a)                                  a certification of a vacancy among the Trustees by reason of resignation, removal, increase in the number of Trustees, incapacity, death or otherwise, when made in writing by a majority of the remaining Trustees;

 

(b)                                  a certification as to the individuals holding office as Trustees or officers at any particular time, when made in writing by the secretary of the Trust;

 

(c)                                   a certification that a copy of this Declaration or of the Bylaws is a true and correct copy thereof as then in force, when made in writing by the secretary of the Trust; and

 

(d)                                  a certification as to any actions by Trustees, other than the above, when made in writing by the secretary of the Trust or by any Trustee.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Fourth Amendment and Restatement of Declaration of Trust has been signed and acknowledged by each of the undersigned Trustees of the Trust as of this 31st day of July, 2014.

 

 

/s/ Sam Zell

 

Sam Zell

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ James Corl

 

James Corl

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Edward Glickman

 

Edward Glickman

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ David Helfand

 

David Helfand

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Peter Linneman

 

Peter Linneman

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ James Lozier

 

James Lozier

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Kenneth Shea

 

Kenneth Shea

 


Exhibit 3.2

 

EQUITY COMMONWEALTH

 

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS

 

As Restated July 31, 2014

 

ARTICLE I

OFFICES

 

Section 1. PRINCIPAL OFFICE . The principal office of Equity Commonwealth (the “Company”) shall be located at such place as the Board of Trustees may designate.

 

Section 2. ADDITIONAL OFFICES . The Company may have additional offices, including a principal executive office, at such places as the Board of Trustees may from time to time determine or the business of the Company may require.

 

ARTICLE II

MEETINGS OF SHAREHOLDERS

 

Section 1. PLACE . All meetings of shareholders shall be held at the principal executive office of the Company or at such other place as shall be set by the Board of Trustees and stated in the notice of the meeting.

 

Section 2. ANNUAL MEETING . An annual meeting of the shareholders for the election of Trustees and the transaction of any business within the powers of the Company shall be held each year, after the delivery of the annual report, at a convenient location and on proper notice, on a date and at the time set by the Trustees. Failure to hold an annual meeting does not invalidate the Company’s existence or affect any otherwise valid acts of the Company.

 

Section 3. SPECIAL MEETINGS .

 

(a)  General . The Chairman of the Board of Trustees, the Chief Executive Officer, the President or a majority of the Trustees then in office may call a special meeting of the shareholders. Subject to subsection (b) of this Section 3, a special meeting of shareholders shall also be called by the Chief Executive Officer of the Company to act on any matter that may properly be considered at a meeting of shareholders upon the written request of shareholders entitled to cast not less than ten percent (10%) of all the votes entitled to be cast on such matter at such meeting.

 

(b)  Shareholder-Requested Special Meetings .

 

(1) Any shareholder of record seeking to have shareholders request a special meeting shall, by sending written notice to the Secretary (the “Record Date Request Notice”) by registered mail, return receipt requested, request the Board of Trustees to fix a record date to determine the shareholders entitled to request a special meeting (the “Request Record Date”). The Record Date Request Notice shall set forth the purpose of the meeting and the matters proposed to be acted on at it, shall be signed by one or more shareholders of record as of the date of signature (or their agents duly authorized in a writing accompanying the Record Date Request Notice), shall bear the date of signature of each such shareholder (or such agent) and shall set forth all information relating to each such shareholder and to each individual whom the shareholder proposes to nominate for election or re-election as a Trustee that would be required to be disclosed in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the election of trustees in an election contest (even if an election contest is not involved), or would otherwise be required in connection with such solicitation, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A (or any successor provision) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). Upon receiving the Record Date Request Notice, the Board of Trustees may fix a Request Record Date. The Request Record Date shall not precede and shall

 

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not be more than ten days after the close of business on the date on which the resolution fixing the Request Record Date is adopted by the Board of Trustees. If the Board of Trustees, within ten days after the date on which a valid Record Date Request Notice is received, fails to adopt a resolution fixing the Request Record Date, the Request Record Date shall be the close of business on the tenth day after the first date on which the Record Date Request Notice is received by the Secretary.

 

(2) In order for any shareholder to request a special meeting to act on any matter that may properly be considered at a meeting of shareholders, one or more written requests for a special meeting (collectively, the “Special Meeting Request”) signed by shareholders of record (or their agents duly authorized in a writing accompanying the request) as of the Request Record Date entitled to cast not less than ten percent (10%) of all of the votes entitled to be cast on such matter at such meeting (the “Special Meeting Percentage”) shall be delivered to the Secretary. In addition, the Special Meeting Request shall (a) set forth the purpose of the meeting and the matters proposed to be acted on at it (which shall be limited to those lawful matters set forth in the Record Date Request Notice received by the Secretary), (b) bear the date of signature of each such shareholder (or such other agent) signing the Special Meeting Request, (c) set forth (i) the name and address, as they appear in the Company’s books, of each shareholder signing such request (or on whose behalf the Special Meeting Request is signed), (ii) the class, series and number of all shares of the Company which are owned of record by each such shareholder, and (iii) the nominee holder for, and number of, all shares owned by such shareholder beneficially but not of record, (d) be sent to the Secretary by registered mail, return receipt requested, and (e) be received by the Secretary within 60 days after the Request Record Date. Any requesting shareholder (or agent duly authorized in a writing accompanying the revocation or the Special Meeting Request) may revoke his, her or its request for a special meeting at any time by written revocation delivered to the Secretary.

 

(3) The Secretary shall inform the requesting shareholders of the reasonably estimated cost of preparing and delivering the notice of the meeting (including the Company’s proxy materials). The Secretary shall not be required to call a special meeting upon shareholder request and such meeting shall not be held unless, in addition to the documents required by paragraph (2) of this Section 3(b), the Secretary receives payment of such reasonably estimated cost prior to the preparation and delivering of any notice of the meeting.

 

(4) In the case of any special meeting called by the Secretary upon the request of shareholders (a “Shareholder Requested Meeting”), such meeting shall be held at such place, date and time as may be designated by the Board of Trustees; provided , however, that the date of any Shareholder Requested Meeting shall be not more than 90 days after the record date for such meeting (the “Meeting Record Date”); and provided further that if the Board of Trustees fails to designate, within ten days after the date that a valid Special Meeting Request is actually received by the Secretary (the “Delivery Date”), a date and time for a Shareholder Requested Meeting, then such meeting shall be held at 2:00 p.m. local time on the 90th day after the Meeting Record Date or, if such 90th day is not a Business Day (as defined below), on the first preceding Business Day; and provided further that in the event that the Board of Trustees fails to designate a place for a Shareholder Requested Meeting within ten days after the Delivery Date, then such meeting shall be held at the principal executive office of the Company. In fixing a date for any special meeting, the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President or the Board of Trustees may consider such factors as he, she or it deems relevant within the good faith exercise of business judgment, including, without limitation, the nature of the matters to be considered, the facts and circumstances surrounding any request for a meeting and any plan of the Board of Trustees to call an annual meeting or a special meeting. In the case of any Shareholder Requested Meeting, if the Board of Trustees fails to fix a Meeting Record Date that is a date within 30 days after the Delivery Date, then the close of business on the 30th day after the Delivery Date shall be the Meeting Record Date. The Board of Trustees may revoke the notice for any Shareholder Requested Meeting in the event that the requesting shareholders fail to comply with the provisions of paragraph (3) of this Section 3(b).

 

(5) If written revocations of the Special Meeting Request have been delivered to the Secretary and the result is that shareholders of record (or their agents duly authorized in writing), as of the Request Record Date entitled to cast less than the Special Meeting Percentage have delivered and not revoked requests for a special meeting to the Secretary: (i) if the notice of meeting has not already been delivered, the Secretary shall refrain from delivering the notice of the meeting and send to all requesting shareholders who have not revoked such requests written notice of any revocation of a request for the special meeting, or (ii) if the notice of the meeting has been delivered and if the Secretary first sends to all requesting shareholders who have not revoked requests for a special

 

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meeting on a matter written notice of any revocation of a request for the special meeting and written notice of the Company’s intention to revoke the notice of the meeting or for the chairman of the meeting to adjourn the meeting without action on the matter, (A) the Secretary may revoke the notice of the meeting at any time before the commencement of the meeting or (B) the chairman of the meeting may call the meeting to order and adjourn the meeting without action on the matter. Any request for a special meeting received after a revocation by the Secretary of a notice of a meeting shall be considered a request for a new special meeting.

 

(6) The Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President or the Board of Trustees may appoint regionally or nationally recognized independent inspectors of elections to act as the agent of the Company for the purpose of promptly performing a ministerial review of the validity of any purported Special Meeting Request received by the Secretary. For the purpose of permitting the inspectors to perform such review, no such purported Special Meeting Request shall be deemed to have been delivered to the Secretary until the earlier of (i) five Business Days after receipt by the Secretary of such purported request and (ii) such date as the independent inspectors certify to the Company that the valid requests received by the Secretary represent, as of the Request Record Date, shareholders of record entitled to cast not less than the Special Meeting Percentage. Nothing contained in this paragraph (6) shall in any way be construed to suggest or imply that the Company or any shareholder shall not be entitled to contest the validity of any request, whether during or after such five Business Day period, or to take any other action (including, without limitation, the commencement, prosecution or defense of any litigation with respect thereto, and the seeking of injunctive relief in such litigation).

 

(7) For purposes of these Bylaws, “Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the State of Illinois are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

 

Section 4. NOTICE . Effective after the 2014 annual meeting of shareholders, not less than ten nor more than 90 days before each meeting of shareholders, the Secretary shall give to each shareholder entitled to vote at such meeting and to each shareholder not entitled to vote who is entitled to notice of the meeting notice in writing or by electronic transmission stating the time and place of the meeting and, in the case of a special meeting or as otherwise may be required by any statute, the purpose for which the meeting is called, by mail, electronic mail or other electronic means, or by presenting it to such shareholder personally or by leaving it at the shareholder’s residence or usual place of business or by any other means permitted by Maryland law. If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be given when deposited in the United States mail addressed to the shareholder at the shareholder’s address as it appears on the records of the Company, with postage thereon prepaid. If transmitted electronically, such notice shall be deemed to be given when transmitted to the shareholder by an electronic transmission to any address or number of the shareholder at which the shareholder receives electronic transmissions. A single notice to all shareholders who share an address shall be effective as to any shareholder at such address who consents to such notice or after having been notified of the Company’s intent to give a single notice fails to object in writing to such single notice within 60 days. Failure to give notice of any meeting to one or more shareholders, or any irregularity in such notice, shall not affect the validity of any meeting fixed in accordance with this Article II, or the validity of any proceedings at any such meeting.

 

Subject to Section 12(a) of this Article II, any business of the Company may be transacted at an annual meeting of shareholders without being specifically designated in the notice, except such business as is required by any statute to be stated in such notice. No business shall be transacted at a special meeting of shareholders except as specifically designated in the notice.

 

The Company may postpone or cancel a meeting of shareholders by making a “public announcement” (as defined in Section 12(c)(3) of this Article) of such postponement or cancellation prior to the meeting. Notice of the date to which the meeting is postponed shall be given not less than ten days prior to such date and otherwise in the manner set forth in this Section 4.

 

Section 5. ORGANIZATION AND CONDUCT . Every meeting of shareholders shall be conducted by an individual appointed by the Board of Trustees to be chairman of the meeting or, in the absence of such appointment, by the Chairman of the Board or, in the case of a vacancy in the office or absence of the Chairman of the Board, by one of the following officers present at the meeting: the Vice Chairman of the Board, if there is one, the Chief

 

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Executive Officer, the President, the Vice Presidents in their order of rank and seniority, or, in the absence of such officers, a chairman chosen by the shareholders by the vote of a majority of the votes cast by shareholders present in person or by proxy. The Secretary or, in the Secretary’s absence, an Assistant Secretary, or in the absence of both the Secretary and Assistant Secretaries, an individual appointed by the Board of Trustees, or in the absence of such appointment, an individual appointed by the chairman of the meeting, shall act as Secretary. In the event that the Secretary presides at a meeting of the shareholders, an Assistant Secretary, or in the absence of Assistant Secretaries, an individual appointed by the Board of Trustees or the chairman of the meeting, shall record the minutes of the meeting. The order of business and all other matters of procedure at any meeting of shareholders shall be determined by the chairman of the meeting. The chairman of the meeting may prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures and take such action as, in the discretion of such chairman, are appropriate for the proper conduct of the meeting, including, without limitation, (a) restricting admission to the time set for the commencement of the meeting; (b) limiting attendance at the meeting to shareholders of record of the Company, their duly authorized proxies and other such individuals as the chairman of the meeting may determine; (c) limiting participation at the meeting on any matter to shareholders of record of the Company entitled to vote on such matter, their duly authorized proxies and other such individuals as the chairman of the meeting may determine; (d) limiting the time allotted to questions or comments by participants; (e) determining when the polls should be opened and closed; (f) maintaining order and security at the meeting; (g) removing any shareholder or any other individual who refuses to comply with meeting procedures, rules or guidelines as set forth by the chairman of the meeting; (h) concluding a meeting or recessing or adjourning the meeting to a later date and time and place announced at the meeting; and (i) complying with any state and local laws and regulations concerning safety and security. Unless otherwise determined by the chairman of the meeting, meetings of shareholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with the rules of parliamentary procedure.

 

Any meeting of shareholders may be adjourned from time to time by a majority of the votes properly cast upon the question, without regard to class, or by the chairman of the meeting, whether or not a quorum is present, and, except as otherwise provided in these Bylaws, the meeting may be reconvened without further notice. At any reconvened session of the meeting at which there shall be a quorum, any business may be transacted at the meeting as originally noticed.

 

Section 6. QUORUM . At any meeting of shareholders, the presence in person or by proxy of shareholders entitled to cast a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast at such meeting on any matter shall constitute a quorum; but this Section shall not affect any requirement under any statute or the Declaration of Trust of the Company (the “Declaration of Trust”) for the vote necessary for the adoption of any measure. If, however, such quorum shall not be present at any meeting of the shareholders, the chairman of the meeting may adjourn the meeting from time to time to a date not more than 120 days after the original record date without notice other than announcement at the meeting. At such adjourned meeting at which a quorum shall be present, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the meeting as originally notified.

 

The shareholders present either in person or by proxy, at a meeting which has been duly called and at which a quorum was established, may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough shareholders to leave less than a quorum.

 

Section 7. VOTING .

 

(a)  Uncontested Trustee Elections . Except as otherwise provided in this Section 7, each Trustee shall be elected by a majority of votes cast at a meeting of shareholders duly called and at which a quorum is present. For purposes of the preceding sentence, “a majority of votes cast” shall mean that the number of shares voted “for” a Trustee’s election exceeds fifty percent (50%) of the total number of votes cast with respect to that Trustee’s election. Votes “cast” shall mean votes “for,” votes “against” and affirmative votes to withhold authority to vote for a nominee but shall exclude any abstention and any broker non-vote with respect to a Trustee’s election or with respect to the election of Trustees generally. Each share may be voted for as many individuals as there are Trustees to be elected and for whose election the share is entitled to be voted.

 

(b)  Contested Trustee Elections . Notwithstanding the foregoing, if, as of the last day on which a shareholder could timely provide notice to the Secretary of its intent to nominate a person for election to the Board

 

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at a meeting of shareholders pursuant to these Bylaws (the “Advance Notice Date”), the number of nominees exceeds the number of trusteeships, then each Trustee shall be elected by a plurality of votes cast at a meeting of shareholders duly called and at which a quorum is present. For purposes of the preceding sentence, there are more nominees than trusteeships if (i) the Secretary of the Company receives notice that a shareholder has nominated an individual for election as a Trustee in compliance with the requirements of advance notice of shareholder nominees for Trustees set forth in Article II, Section 12 of these Bylaws, and (ii) such nomination has not been withdrawn by such shareholder on or prior to the Advance Notice Date. Each share may be voted for as many individuals as there are Trustees to be elected and for whose election the share is entitled to be voted.

 

(c)  Generally . Except as otherwise set forth in the Declaration of Trust or with respect to the election or removal of Trustees or as required by law, any matter submitted to Shareholders for authorization shall be authorized by the affirmative vote of the holders of Shares representing a majority of the total number of votes cast by Shares then outstanding and entitled to vote thereon. Unless otherwise provided by statute, the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws, each outstanding share of beneficial interest, regardless of class, shall be entitled to one vote on each matter submitted to a vote at a meeting of shareholders. Voting on any question or in any election may be viva voce unless the chairman of the meeting shall order that voting be by ballot.

 

(d)  Trustee Resignation for Failure to Receive Requisite Vote . Any nominee for Trustee not elected by the vote required in this Section 7 and who is an incumbent Trustee shall promptly tender his or her resignation to the Board for consideration. The Corporate Governance Committee will make a recommendation to the Board as to whether to accept or reject the tendered resignation, or whether other action is recommended, taking into account any factors or other information that they consider appropriate and relevant, including the circumstances that led to the failure to receive the required vote, if known. The Board will act on the tendered resignation within ninety (90) days following certification of the shareholder vote and will promptly disclose its decision and rationale as to whether to accept the resignation (or the reasons for rejecting the resignation, if applicable) in a press release, filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission or by other public announcement, including a posting on the Company’s web site. No Trustee who tenders his or her resignation pursuant to this Section shall participate in the Corporate Governance Committee recommendation or Board action with respect to his or her resignation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that no nominee for Trustee receives the vote required in these Bylaws, the Corporate Governance Committee shall make a final determination as to whether the Company shall accept any or all resignations, including those resignations from the members of the Corporate Governance Committee. If an incumbent Trustee’s resignation is accepted by the Board pursuant to this Section 7, or if a non-incumbent nominee for Trustee is not elected, the Board may fill the resulting vacancy or decrease the size of the Board pursuant to Section 11 of Article III hereof. If an incumbent Trustee’s resignation is not accepted by the Board pursuant to this Section 7, such Trustee shall continue to serve on the Board until the next annual meeting of shareholders and until his or her successor is elected and qualified.

 

Section 8. PROXIES . A shareholder may cast the votes entitled to be cast by the holder of shares of beneficial interest owned of record by the shareholder either in person or by proxy executed or authorized by the shareholder or by the shareholder’s duly authorized agent in any manner permitted by law. Such proxy or evidence of authorization of such proxy shall be filed with the Secretary before or at the meeting. No proxy shall be valid more than eleven months after its date unless otherwise provided in the proxy.

 

Section 9. VOTING OF SHARES BY CERTAIN HOLDERS . Shares of the Company registered in the name of a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other entity, if entitled to be voted, may be voted by the president or a vice president, a general partner, member, manager or trustee thereof, as the case may be, or a proxy appointed by any of the foregoing individuals, unless some other person who has been appointed to vote such shares pursuant to a bylaw or a resolution of the governing body of such corporation or other entity or agreement of the partners of the partnership presents a certified copy of such bylaw, resolution or agreement, in which case such person may vote such shares. Any trustee or other fiduciary may vote shares registered in his or her name as such fiduciary, either in person or by proxy.

 

Shares of the Company directly or indirectly owned by it shall not be voted at any meeting and shall not be counted in determining the total number of outstanding shares entitled to be voted at any given time, unless they are

 

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held by it in a fiduciary capacity, in which case they may be voted and shall be counted in determining the total number of outstanding shares at any given time.

 

The Board of Trustees may adopt by resolution a procedure by which a shareholder may certify in writing to the Company that any shares registered in the name of the shareholder are held for the account of a specified person other than the shareholder. The resolution shall set forth the class of shareholders who may make the certification, the purpose for which the certification may be made, the form of certification and the information to be contained in it; if the certification is with respect to a record date or closing of the share transfer books, the time after the record date or closing of the share transfer books within which the certification must be received by the Company; and any other provisions with respect to the procedure which the Board of Trustees considers necessary or desirable. On receipt of such certification, the person specified in the certification shall be regarded as, for the purposes set forth in the certification, the shareholder of record of the specified shares in place of the shareholder who makes the certification.

 

Section 10. CONTROL SHARE ACQUISITION ACT . Notwithstanding any other provision contained herein or in the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws, Title 3, Subtitle 7 of the Maryland General Corporation Law (the “MGCL”) (or any successor statute) shall not apply to any acquisition by any person of shares of beneficial interest of the Company. This Section may be repealed, in whole or in part, at any time, whether before or after an acquisition of control shares and, upon such repeal, may, to the extent provided by any successor bylaw, apply to any prior or subsequent control share acquisition.

 

Section 11. INSPECTORS . The Board of Trustees or the chair of the meeting may appoint, before or at the meeting, one or more inspectors for the meeting and any successor thereto. The inspectors, if any, shall (i) determine the number of shares of beneficial interest represented at the meeting in person or by proxy and the validity and effect of proxies, (ii) receive and tabulate all votes, ballots or consents, (iii) report such tabulation to the chair of the meeting, (iv) hear and determine all challenges and questions arising in connection with the right to vote, and (v) do such acts as are proper to conduct the election or vote with fairness to all shareholders. Each such report shall be in writing and signed by him or her or by a majority of them if there is more than one inspector acting at such meeting. If there is more than one inspector, the report of a majority shall be the report of the inspectors. The report of the inspector or inspectors on the number of shares represented at the meeting and the results of the voting shall be prima facie evidence thereof.

 

Section 12. NOMINATIONS AND PROPOSALS BY SHAREHOLDERS .

 

(a)  Annual Meetings of Shareholders .

 

(1) Nominations of individuals for election to the Board of Trustees and the proposal of other business to be considered by the shareholders may be made at an annual meeting of shareholders (i) pursuant to the Company’s notice of meeting, (ii) by or at the direction of the Board of Trustees or (iii) by any shareholder of the Company who was a shareholder of record both at the time of giving of notice by the shareholder as provided for in this Section 12(a) and at the time of the annual meeting, who is entitled to vote at the meeting in the election of trustees or on the proposal of other business, as the case may be, and who has complied with this Section 12(a).

 

(2) For nominations or other business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a shareholder pursuant to clause (iii) of paragraph (a) (1) of this Section 12, the shareholder must have given timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary of the Company and such other business must otherwise be a proper matter for action by shareholders. To be timely, a shareholder’s notice shall set forth all information required under this Section 12 and shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Company not earlier than the 150th day nor later than 5:00 p.m., Central Time, on the 120th day prior to the first anniversary of the date of the proxy statement for the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided, however, that in the event that the date of the annual meeting is advanced or delayed by more than 30 days from the first anniversary of the date of preceding year’s annual meeting, notice by the shareholder to be timely must be so delivered not earlier than the 150th day prior to the date of such annual meeting and not later than 5:00 p.m., Central Time, on the later of the 120th day prior to the date of such annual meeting or the tenth day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made. The public announcement of a postponement or adjournment of an annual

 

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meeting to a later date or time commence a new time period for the giving of a shareholder’s notice as described above.

 

(3) Such shareholder’s notice shall set forth:

 

(i) as to each individual whom the shareholder proposes to nominate for election or reelection as a Trustee (each, a “Proposed Nominee”), all information relating to the Proposed Nominee that would be required to be disclosed in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the election of the Proposed Nominee as a Trustee in an election contest (even if an election contest is not involved), or would otherwise be required in connection with such solicitation, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A (or any successor provision) under the Exchange Act and the rules thereunder (including the Proposed Nominee’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a Trustee if elected);

 

(ii) as to any business that the shareholder proposes to bring before the meeting, a description of such business, the shareholder’s reasons for proposing such business at the meeting and any material interest in such business of such shareholder or any Shareholder Associated Person (as defined below), individually or in the aggregate, including any anticipated benefit to the shareholder and the Shareholder Associated Person therefrom;

 

(iii) as to the shareholder giving the notice, any Proposed Nominee and any Shareholder Associated Person:

 

(A) the class, series and number of all shares of beneficial interest or other securities of the Company or any affiliate thereof (collectively, the “Company Securities”), if any, which are owned (beneficially or of record) by such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person, the date on which each such Company Security was acquired and the investment intent of such acquisition, and any short interest (including any opportunity to profit or share in any benefit from any decrease in the price of such shares or other security) in any Company Securities of any such person,

 

(B) the nominee holder for, and number of any Company Securities owned beneficially but not of record by such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or and by Shareholder Associated Person;

 

(C) whether and the extent to which such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person, directly or indirectly (through brokers, nominees or otherwise), is subject to or during the last six months has engaged in any hedging, derivative or other transaction or series of transactions or entered into any other agreement, arrangement or understanding (including any short interest, any borrowing or lending of securities or any proxy or voting agreement), the effect or intent of which is to (I) manage risk or benefit of changes in the price of Company Securities or (II) to increase or decrease the voting power of such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person in the Company or any affiliate thereof disproportionately to such person’s economic interest therein; in the Company Securities;

 

(iv) as to the shareholder giving the notice, any Shareholder Associated Person with an interest or ownership referred to in clauses (ii) or (iii) of this paragraph (3) of this Section 12(a) and any Proposed Nominee:

 

(A) the name and address of such shareholder, as they appear on the Company’s share ledger, and the current name, business address, if different, of each such Shareholder Associated Person and any Proposed Nominee and

 

(B) the investment strategy or objective, if any, of such shareholder and each such Shareholder Associated Person who is not an individual and a copy of the prospectus, offering memorandum or similar document, if any, provided to investors or potential investors in such shareholder, each such Shareholder Associated Person and any Proposed Nominee; and

 

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(v) to the extent known by the shareholder giving the notice, the name and address of any other shareholder supporting the nominee for election or reelection as a Trustee or the proposal of other business on the date of such shareholder’s notice.

 

(4) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 12, a shareholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of state law and of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in this Section 12. Nothing in this Section 12 shall be deemed to affect any rights of shareholders to request inclusion of a proposal in, nor the right of the Company to omit a proposal from, the Company’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 (or any successor provision) under the Exchange Act. Nothing in this Section 12 shall be deemed to affect any rights of shareholders to request inclusion of a nomination of an individual for election as a trustee in, nor the right of the Company to omit a nomination from, the Company’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-11 (or any successor provision) under the Exchange Act. Nothing in this Section 12 shall require disclosure of revocable proxies received by the shareholder or Shareholder Associated Person pursuant to a solicitation of proxies after the filing of an effective Schedule 14A under Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act.

 

(5) Notwithstanding anything in this subsection (a)(2) of this Section 12 to the contrary, in the event that the number of Trustees to be elected to the Board of Trustees is increased and there is no public announcement of such action at least 130 days prior to the first anniversary of the date of the proxy statement for the preceding year’s annual meeting, a shareholder’s notice required by this Section 12(a) shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for any new positions created by such increase, if it shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive office of the Company not later than 5:00 p.m., Central Time, on the tenth day following the day on which such public announcement is first made by the Company.

 

(6) For purposes of this Section 12, “Shareholder Associated Person” of any shareholder means (i) any person acting in concert with such shareholder, (ii) any beneficial owner of shares of beneficial interest of the Company owned of record or beneficially by such shareholder (other than a shareholder that is a depositary) and (iii) any person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, such shareholder or such Shareholder Associated Person.

 

(b)  Special Meetings of Shareholders . Only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting of shareholders as shall have been brought before the meeting pursuant to the Company’s notice of meeting. Nominations of individuals for election to the Board of Trustees may be made at a special meeting of shareholders at which Trustees are to be elected only (i) by or at the direction of the Board of Trustees or (ii) provided that the special meeting has been called in accordance with Section 3 of this Article II for the purpose of electing Trustees, by any shareholder of the Company who is a shareholder of record both at the time of giving of notice provided for in this Section 12(b) and at the time of the special meeting, who is entitled to vote at the meeting in the election of any individual so nominated and who has complied with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 12(b). In the event that the purpose of any special meeting of shareholders shall be to elect one or more Trustees to the Board of Trustees, any such shareholder may nominate an individual or individuals (as the case may be) for election as a Trustee if the shareholder’s notice containing the information required by subsection (a) (3) of this Section 12 shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive office of the Company not earlier than the 120th day prior to such special meeting and not later than 5:00 p.m., Central Time, on the later of the 90th day prior to such special meeting or the tenth day following the day on which public announcement is first made of the date of the special meeting and of the nominees proposed by the Board of Trustees to be elected at such meeting. In no event shall the public announcement of a postponement or adjournment of a special meeting to a later date or time commence a new time period for the giving of a shareholder’s notice as described above.

 

(c)  General .

 

(1) If information submitted pursuant to this Section 12 by any shareholder proposing a nominee for election as a Trustee or any proposal for other business at a meeting of shareholders shall be inaccurate in any material respect, such information may be deemed not to have been provided in accordance with this Section 12. Any such shareholder shall notify the Company of any inaccuracy or change (within two Business Days of becoming aware of such inaccuracy or change) in any such information. Upon written request by the Secretary or the Board of Trustees or any committee thereof, any such shareholder shall provide, within five Business Days of

 

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delivery of such request (or such other period as may be specified in such request), (A) written verification, satisfactory, in the discretion of the Board or any committee thereof or any authorized officer of the Company, of the accuracy of any information submitted by the shareholder pursuant to this Section 12, and (B) a written update of any information submitted by the shareholder pursuant to this Section 12 as of an earlier date. If a shareholder fails to provide such written verification or written update within such period, the information as to which written verification or written update was requested may be deemed as not having been provided in accordance with this Section 12.

 

(2) Only such individuals who are nominated in accordance with this Section 12 shall be eligible for election by shareholders as Trustees and only such business shall be conducted at a meeting of shareholders as shall have been brought before the meeting in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 12. The chairman of the meeting shall have the power to determine whether a nomination or any other business proposed to be brought before the meeting was made or proposed, as the case may be, in accordance with this Section 12 and, if any proposed nomination or business is not in compliance with this Section 12.

 

(3) “Public announcement” shall mean disclosure in (i) a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press, Business Wire, PR Newswire or other widely circulated news or wire service or (ii) a document publicly filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act.

 

(4) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 12, a shareholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of state law and of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in this Section 12. Nothing in this Section 12 shall be deemed to affect any rights of shareholders to request inclusion of a proposal in, nor the right of the Company to omit a proposal from, the Company’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 (or any successor provision) under the Exchange Act. Nothing in this Section 12 shall require disclosure of revocable proxies received by the shareholder or Shareholder Associated Person pursuant to a solicitation of proxies after the filing of an effective Schedule 14A under Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act.

 

Section 13. MEETING BY CONFERENCE TELEPHONE . The Board of Trustees or the chairman of the meeting may permit shareholders to participate in a meeting of shareholders by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment by which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other at the same time. Participation in a meeting by these means constitutes presence in person at the meeting.

 

Section 14. WRITTEN CONSENT BY SHAREHOLDERS . Any action required or permitted to be taken at a meeting of shareholders may be taken without a meeting (unless a vote at a meeting is specifically required by the Declaration of Trust) if the holders of a majority (or such higher percentage as may be specified by applicable law or in the Declaration of Trust) of the total number of votes authorized to be cast by shares then outstanding and entitled to vote thereon deliver a consent setting forth such action in writing or by electronic transmission, and such consent is filed with the minutes of proceedings of the shareholders. The Company shall give notice of any action taken by written consent to each shareholder not later than ten days after the effective time of such action.

 

ARTICLE III

TRUSTEES

 

Section 1. GENERAL POWERS, QUALIFICATIONS, TRUSTEES HOLDING OVER . The business and affairs of the Company shall be managed under the direction of its Board of Trustees. A Trustee shall be an individual at least 21 years of age who is not under legal disability. In case of failure to elect Trustees at an annual meeting of the shareholders, the Trustees holding over shall continue to direct the management of the business and affairs of the Company until their successors are elected and qualify.

 

Section 2. NUMBER . At any regular meeting or at any special meeting called for that purpose, a majority of the entire Board of Trustees may establish, increase or decrease the number of Trustees; provided , however, that the number thereof shall never be less than three nor more than 13, and further provided that such action shall not affect the tenure of office of any Trustee.

 

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Section 3. ANNUAL AND REGULAR MEETINGS . An annual meeting of the Board of Trustees shall be held at least once per calendar year, no notice other than this Bylaw being necessary. In the event such meeting is not so held, the meeting may be held at such time and place as shall be specified in a notice given as hereinafter provided for special meetings of the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees may provide, by resolution, the time and place for the holding of regular meetings of the Board of Trustees without other notice than such resolution.

 

Section 4. SPECIAL MEETINGS . Special meetings of the Board of Trustees may be called by or at the request of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President or by a majority of the Trustees then in office. The person or persons authorized to call special meetings of the Board of Trustees may fix any place as the place for holding any special meeting of the Board of Trustees called by them. The Board of Trustees may provide, by resolution, the time and place for the holding of special meetings of the Board of Trustees without other notice than such resolution.

 

Section 5. NOTICE . Notice of any special meeting of the Board of Trustees shall be delivered personally or by telephone, electronic mail, facsimile transmission, courier or United States mail to each Trustee at his or her business or residence address. Notice by personal delivery, telephone, electronic mail or facsimile transmission shall be given at least 24 hours prior to the meeting. Notice by United States mail shall be given at least three days prior to the meeting. Notice by courier shall be given at least two days prior to the meeting. Telephone notice shall be deemed to be given when the Trustee or his or her agent is personally given such notice in a telephone call to which the Trustee or his or her agent is a party. Electronic mail notice shall be deemed to be given upon transmission of the message to the electronic mail address given to the Company by the Trustee. Facsimile transmission notice shall be deemed to be given upon completion of the transmission of the message to the number given to the Company by the Trustee and receipt of a completed confirmation indicating receipt. Notice by United States mail shall be deemed to be given when deposited in the United States mail properly addressed, with postage thereon prepaid. Notice by courier shall be deemed to be given when deposited with or delivered to a courier properly addressed. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any annual, regular or special meeting of the Board of Trustees need be stated in the notice, unless specifically required by statute or these Bylaws.

 

A written waiver of notice signed, or a waiver of notice by electronic transmission delivered to an officer, employee or agent of the Company, before or after a meeting by a Trustee, or waiver of notice delivered by electronic transmission by such Trustee, and filed with the records of the meeting shall be deemed to be equivalent to notice of the meeting. The attendance of a Trustee at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except where a Trustee attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting at the beginning of the meeting to the transaction of any business because such meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Except as otherwise required by law, by the Declaration of Trust or by these Bylaws, neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any meeting of the Board of Trustees need be specified in the notice or waiver of notice of such meeting.

 

Section 6. QUORUM . A majority of the Trustees shall constitute a quorum for transaction of business at any meeting of the Board of Trustees, provided that, if less than a majority of such Trustees is present at such meeting, a majority of the Trustees present may adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice.

 

The Trustees present at a meeting which has been duly called and at which a quorum was established may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough Trustees to leave less than a quorum.

 

Section 7. VOTING . The action of a majority of the Trustees present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the action of the Board of Trustees, unless the concurrence of a greater proportion is required for such action by applicable law, the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws. If enough Trustees have withdrawn from a meeting to leave less than a quorum but the meeting is not adjourned, the action of the majority of that number of Trustees necessary to constitute a quorum at such meeting shall be the action of the Board of Trustees, unless the concurrence of a greater proportion is required for such action by applicable law, the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws.

 

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Section 8. ORGANIZATION . At each meeting of the Board of Trustees, the Chairman of the Board or, in the absence of the Chairman, the Vice Chairman of the Board, if any, shall act as chairman of the meeting. In the absence of both the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or in the absence of the Chief Executive Officer, the President or in the absence of the President, a Trustee chosen by a majority of the Trustees present, shall act as chairman of the meeting. The Secretary or, in his or her absence, an Assistant Secretary, or in the absence of the Secretary and all Assistant Secretaries, an individual appointed by the chairman of the meeting, shall act as Secretary of the meeting.

 

Section 9. TELEPHONE MEETINGS . Trustees may participate in a meeting by means of a conference telephone or other communications equipment if all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other at the same time. Participation in a meeting by these means shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.

 

Section 10. CONSENT BY TRUSTEES WITHOUT A MEETING . Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Trustees may be taken without a meeting, if a consent in writing or by electronic transmission to such action is given by each Trustee and is filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board of Trustees.

 

Section 11. VACANCIES . If for any reason any or all the Trustees cease to be Trustees, such event shall not terminate the Company or affect these Bylaws or the powers of the remaining Trustees hereunder. Any vacancy on the Board of Trustees may be filled by the remaining Trustee or by a majority of the remaining Trustees, even if such majority is less than a quorum, or by shareholders in accordance with the Declaration of Trust. If at any time there shall be no Trustees in office, successor Trustees shall be elected by the shareholders as provided in the Declaration of Trust. Any individual elected as Trustee to fill a vacancy shall hold office until the next annual meeting of shareholders and until his or her successor is elected and qualifies.

 

Section 12. COMPENSATION . Trustees shall not receive any stated salary for their services as Trustees but, by resolution of the Board of Trustees, may receive compensation per year and/or per meeting and/or per visit to real property or other facilities owned, leased or to be acquired or leased by the Company and for any service or activity they performed or engaged in as Trustees. Trustees may be reimbursed for expenses of attendance, if any, at each annual, regular or special meeting of the Board of Trustees or of any committee thereof; and for their expenses, if any, in connection with each property visit and any other service or activity they performed or engaged in as Trustees; but nothing herein contained shall be construed to preclude any Trustees from serving the Company in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor.

 

Section 13. RELIANCE . Each Trustee and officer of the Company shall, in the performance of his or her duties with respect to the Company, be entitled to rely on any information, opinion, report or statement, including any financial statement or other financial data, prepared or presented by an officer or employee of the Company whom the Trustee or officer reasonably believes to be reliable and competent in the matters presented, by a lawyer, certified public accountant or other person, as to a matter which the Trustee or officer reasonably believes to be within the person’s professional or expert competence, or, with respect to a Trustee, by a committee of the Board of Trustees on which the Trustee does not serve, as to a matter within its designated authority, if the Trustee reasonably believes the committee to merit confidence.

 

Section 14. RESIGNATION AND REMOVAL OF TRUSTEES . Any Trustee of the Company may resign at any time by giving written notice of his or her resignation to the Board of Trustees. Such resignation shall take effect as of the date specified in such notice, without need for prior accounting. A Trustee may be removed at any time with or without cause by vote or consent of holders of shares representing two-thirds of the total votes authorized to be cast by shares then outstanding and entitled to vote thereon. A Trustee judged incompetent or bankrupt, or for whom a guardian or conservator has been appointed, shall be deemed to have resigned as of the date of such adjudication or appointment. Upon the resignation or removal of any Trustee, or his otherwise ceasing to be a Trustee, he shall execute and deliver such documents as the remaining Trustees shall require for the conveyance of any Company property held in his name, shall account to the remaining Trustees as they require for all property which he holds as Trustee and shall thereupon be discharged as Trustee. Upon the incapacity or death or any Trustee, his legal representative shall perform the acts set forth in the preceding sentence and the discharge mentioned therein shall run to such legal representative and to the incapacitated Trustee or the estate of the deceased

 

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Trustee, as the case may be. Such resignation shall be without prejudice to the contract rights, if any, of the Company.

 

Section 15. RATIFICATION . The Board of Trustees or the shareholders may ratify and make binding on the Company any action or inaction by the Company or its officers to the extent that the Board of Trustees or the shareholders could have originally authorized the matter. Moreover, any action or inaction questioned in any shareholders’ derivative proceeding or any other proceeding on the ground of lack of authority, defective or irregular execution, adverse interest of a trustee, officer or shareholder, non-disclosure, miscomputation, the application of improper principles or practices of accounting, or otherwise, may be ratified, before or after judgment, by the Board of Trustees or by the shareholders, and if so ratified, shall have the same force and effect as if the questioned action or inaction had been originally duly authorized, and such ratification shall be binding upon the Company and its shareholders and shall constitute a bar to any claim or execution of any judgment in respect of such questioned action or inaction.

 

Section 16. CERTAIN RIGHTS OF TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS . A Trustee who is not also an officer of the Company shall have no responsibility to devote his or her full time to the affairs of the Company. Any Trustee or officer, in his or her personal capacity or in a capacity as an affiliate, employee, or agent of any other person, or otherwise, may have business interests and engage in business activities similar to or in addition to those of or relating to the Company.

 

Section 17. EMERGENCY PROVISIONS . Notwithstanding any other provision in the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws, this Section shall apply during the existence of any catastrophe, or other similar emergency condition, as a result of which a quorum of the Board of Trustees under Article III of these Bylaws cannot readily be obtained (an “Emergency”). During any Emergency, unless otherwise provided by the Board of Trustees, (i) a meeting of the Board of Trustees or a committee thereof may be called by any Trustee or officer by any means feasible under the circumstances; (ii) notice of any meeting of the Board of Trustees during such an Emergency may be given less than 24 hours prior to the meeting to as many Trustees and by such means as it may be feasible at the time, including publication, television or radio, and (iii) the number of Trustees necessary to constitute a quorum shall be one-third of the entire Board of Trustees.

 

ARTICLE IV

COMMITTEES

 

Section 1. NUMBER, TENURE AND QUALIFICATIONS . The Board of Trustees may appoint from among its members an Executive Committee, an Audit Committee, a Compensation Committee, a Nominating Committee , a Corporate Governance Committee and other committees, composed of one or more Trustees, to serve at the pleasure of the Board of Trustees.

 

Section 2. POWERS . The Board of Trustees may delegate to committees appointed under Section 1 of this Article any of the powers of the Board of Trustees.

 

Section 3. MEETINGS . In the absence of any member of any such committee, the members thereof present at any meeting, whether or not they constitute a quorum, may appoint another Trustee to act in the place of such absent member. Notice of committee meetings shall be given in the same manner as notice for special meetings of the Board of Trustees.

 

A majority of the members of any committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the committee and the act of a majority of the committee members present at a meeting shall be the act of such committee. The Board of Trustees may designate a Chairman of any committee, and such Chairman or, in the absence of such a Chairman, any two members of any committee (if there are at least two members of the committee), may fix the time and place of its meetings unless the Board shall otherwise provide. In the absence of any member of any such committee, the members thereof present at any meeting, whether or not they constitute a quorum, may appoint another Trustee to act at the meeting in the place of such absent members. Each committee shall keep minutes of its proceedings.

 

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Section 4. TELEPHONE MEETINGS . Members of a committee of the Board of Trustees may participate in a meeting by means of a conference telephone or other communications equipment if all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other at the same time. Participation in a meeting by these means shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.

 

Section 5. CONSENT BY COMMITTEES WITHOUT A MEETING . Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of a committee of the Board of Trustees may be taken without a meeting, if a consent in writing or by electronic transmission to such action is given by each member of the committee and is filed with the minutes of proceedings of such committee.

 

Section 6. VACANCIES . Subject to the provisions hereof, the Board of Trustees shall have the power at any time to change the membership of any committee, to fill any vacancy, to designate an alternate member to replace any absent or disqualified member or to dissolve any such committee.

 

ARTICLE V

OFFICERS

 

Section 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS . The officers of the Company shall include a President, a Secretary and a Treasurer and may include a Chairman of the Board, a Vice Chairman of the Board, a Chief Executive Officer, a Chief Operating Officer, a Chief Financial Officer, one or more Vice Presidents, one or more Assistant Secretaries and one or more Assistant Treasurers. In addition, the Board of Trustees may from time to time elect such other officers with such powers and duties as it shall deem necessary or desirable. The Chief Executive Officer may from time to time appoint one or more Senior Vice Presidents or other officers below the level of Executive Vice President. Each officer shall serve until the officer’s successor is elected and qualifies or until his or her death, resignation or removal in the manner hereinafter provided. Any two or more offices except President and Vice President may be held by the same individual. Election of an officer or agent shall not of itself create contract rights between the Company and such officer or agent.

 

Section 2. REMOVAL AND RESIGNATION . Any officer or agent of the Company may be removed by the Board of Trustees, with or without cause, if in its judgment the best interests of the Company would be served thereby, but such removal shall be without prejudice to the contract rights, if any, of the person so removed. Any officer of the Company may resign at any time by delivering his or her resignation to the Board of Trustees, the Chairman of the Board, the President or the Secretary. Any resignation shall take effect at any time subsequent to the time specified therein or, if the time when it shall become effective is not specified therein, immediately upon its receipt. The acceptance of a resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective unless otherwise stated in the resignation. Such resignation shall be without prejudice to the contract rights, if any, of the Company.

 

Section 3. VACANCIES . A vacancy in any office may be filled by the Board of Trustees for the balance of the term.

 

Section 4. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER . The Board of Trustees may designate a Chief Executive Officer. In the absence of such designation, the Chairman of the Board shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Company. The Chief Executive Officer shall have general responsibility for implementation of the policies of the Company, as determined by the Board of Trustees, and for the management of the business and affairs of the Company. The Chief Executive Officer may execute any deed, mortgage, bond, contract or other instrument, except in cases where the execution thereof shall be expressly delegated by the Board of Trustees or by these Bylaws to some other officer or agent of the Company or shall be required by law to be otherwise executed; and in general shall perform all duties incident to the office of Chief Executive Officer and such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Trustees from time to time.

 

Section 5. CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER . The Board of Trustees may designate a Chief Operating Officer. The Chief Operating Officer shall have the responsibilities and duties as determined by the Board of Trustees or the Chief Executive Officer.

 

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Section 6. CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER . The Board of Trustees may designate a Chief Financial Officer. The Chief Financial Officer shall have the responsibilities and duties as determined by the Board of Trustees or the Chief Executive Officer.

 

Section 7. CHAIRMAN AND VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD . The Board of Trustees shall designate a Chairman of the Board. The Chairman of the Board shall preside over the meetings of the Board of Trustees and of the shareholders at which he or she shall be present. The Chairman of the Board and the Vice Chairman of the Board, if any, shall perform such other duties as may be assigned to him, her or them by the Board of Trustees.

 

Section 8. PRESIDENT . In the absence of a Chief Executive Officer, the President shall in general supervise and control all of the business and affairs of the Company. In the absence of a designation of a Chief Operating Officer by the Board of Trustees, the President shall be the Chief Operating Officer and shall be ex officio a member of all committees that may, from time to time, be constituted by the Board of Trustees. The President may execute any deed, mortgage, bond, contract or other instrument, except in cases where the execution thereof shall be expressly delegated by the Board of Trustees or by these Bylaws to some other officer or agent of the Company or shall be required by law to be otherwise executed; and in general shall perform all duties incident to the office of Chief Executive Officer and such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Trustees from time to time.

 

Section 9. VICE PRESIDENTS . In the absence of the President or in the event of a vacancy in such office, the Vice President (or in the event there be more than one Vice President, the Vice Presidents in the order designated at the time of their appointment or election or, in the absence of any designation, then in the order of their appointment or election) shall perform the duties of the President and when so acting shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the President; and shall perform such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to such Vice President by the President or by the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees may designate one or more Vice Presidents as Executive Vice President, Senior Vice President, or as Vice President for particular areas of responsibility.

 

Section 10. SECRETARY . The Secretary shall (a) keep the minutes of the proceedings of the shareholders, the Board of Trustees and committees of the Board of Trustees in one or more books provided for that purpose; (b) see that all notices are duly given in accordance with the provisions of these Bylaws or as required by law; (c) be custodian of the trust records and of the seal of the Company; (d) keep a register of the post office address of each shareholder which shall be furnished to the Secretary by such shareholder; (e) have general charge of the share transfer books of the Company; and (f) in general perform such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him by the Chief Executive Officer, the President or by the Board of Trustees.

 

Section 11. TREASURER . The Treasurer shall have the custody of the funds and securities of the Company and shall keep full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the Company and shall deposit all moneys and other valuable effects in the name and to the credit of the Company in such depositories as may be designated by the Board of Trustees. In the absence of a designation of a Chief Financial Officer by the Board of Trustees, the Treasurer shall be the Chief Financial Officer of the Company. The Treasurer shall disburse the funds of the Company as may be ordered by the Board of Trustees, taking proper vouchers for such disbursements, and shall render to the President and Board of Trustees, at the regular meetings of the Board of Trustees or whenever it may so require, an account of all his or her transactions as Treasurer and of the financial condition of the Company.

 

Section 12. ASSISTANT SECRETARIES AND ASSISTANT TREASURERS . The Assistant Secretaries and Assistant Treasurers, in general, shall perform such duties as shall be assigned to them by the Secretary or Treasurer, respectively, or by the President or the Board of Trustees.

 

Section 13. GENERAL COUNSEL . The General Counsel shall be the Chief Legal Officer of the Company, with general control of all matters of legal import concerning the Company. The General Counsel shall have such other powers and duties as may be assigned to him or her by the Board of Trustees or the Chief Executive Officer.

 

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Section 14. COMPENSATION . The compensation of the officers shall be fixed from time to time by or under the authority of the Board of Trustees or any committee of the Board of Trustees within the scope of its delegated authority and no officer shall be prevented from receiving such compensation by reason of the fact that he or she is also a Trustee.

 

ARTICLE VI

CONTRACTS, LOANS, CHECKS AND DEPOSITS

 

Section 1. CONTRACTS . The Board of Trustees or any committee of the Board of Trustees within the scope of its delegated authority may authorize any officer or agent to enter into any contract or to execute and deliver any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the Company and such authority may be general or confined to specific instances. Any agreement, deed, mortgage, lease or other document shall be valid and binding upon the Company when duly authorized or ratified by action of the Board of Trustees or such committee and executed by an authorized person.

 

Section 2. CHECKS AND DRAFTS . All checks, drafts or other orders for the payment of money, notes or other evidences of indebtedness issued in the name of the Company shall be signed by such officer or agent of the Company in such manner as shall from time to time be determined by the Board of Trustees.

 

Section 3. DEPOSITS . All funds of the Company not otherwise employed shall be deposited or invested from time to time to the credit of the Company as the Board of Trustees, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, or any other officer delegated the authority by the Board of Trustees may determine.

 

ARTICLE VII

SHARES

 

Section 1. CERTIFICATES . The Company may issue some or all of the shares of any or all of the Company’s classes or series of shares of beneficial interest without certificates if authorized by the Board of Trustees. In the event that the Company issues shares of beneficial interest evidenced by certificates, such certificates shall be in such form as the Board of Trustees shall from time to time approve, specifying the number of shares of the applicable class held by such shareholder. Each certificate evidencing shares shall contain a legend imprinted thereon in accordance with the requirements of the Declaration of Trust and in compliance with Maryland REIT Law (the “MRL”). Unless otherwise determined by the Trustees, such certificates shall be signed by an authorized officer of the Company and shall be countersigned by a transfer agent, and registered by a registrar, if any, and such signatures may be facsimile signatures. There shall be filed with each transfer agent a copy of the form of certificate so approved by the Trustees, certified by the Chairman, President, or Secretary, and such form shall continue to be used unless and until the Trustees approve some other form.

 

In the event that the Company issues shares of beneficial interest without certificates, to the extent then required by the MRL, the Company shall provide to the record holders of such shares a written statement of the information required by the MRL to be included on share certificates. There shall be no differences in the rights and obligations of shareholders based on whether or not their shares are evidenced by certificates. If a class or series of beneficial interest is authorized by the Board of Trustees to be issued without certificates, no shareholder shall be entitled to a certificate or certificates evidencing any shares of such class or series of beneficial interest held by such shareholder unless otherwise determined by the Board of Trustees and then only upon written request by such shareholder to the Secretary of the Company.

 

Section 2. TRANSFERS . All transfers of shares shall be made on the books of the Company, by the holder of the shares, in person or by his or her agent duly authorized in writing, in such manner as specified in the Declaration of Trust and as the Board of Trustees or any officer of the Company may prescribe and, if such shares are certificated, upon surrender of certificates duly endorsed. The issuance of a new certificate upon the transfer of certificated shares is subject to the determination of the Board of Trustees that such shares shall no longer be evidenced by certificates. Upon the transfer of uncertificated shares, to the extent then required by the MRL, the Company shall provide to record holders of such shares a written statement of the information required by the MRL to be included on share certificates.

 

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The Company shall be entitled to treat the holder of record of any share of beneficial interest as the holder in fact thereof and, accordingly, shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or on the part of any other person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by the laws of the State of Maryland.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, transfers of shares of any class or series of beneficial interest will be subject in all respects to the Declaration of Trust and all of the terms and conditions contained therein.

 

Section 3. REPLACEMENT CERTIFICATE . The Trustees or any officer of the Company may direct a new certificate or certificates to be issued in place of any certificate or certificates theretofore issued by the Company alleged to have been lost, destroyed, stolen or mutilated, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming the certificate to be lost, destroyed, stolen or mutilated; provided, however, if such shares have ceased to be certificated, no new certificate shall be issued unless requested in writing by such shareholder and the Board of Trustees has determined such certificates may be issued. Unless otherwise determined by an officer of the Company, the owner of such lost, destroyed, stolen or mutilated certificate or certificates, or his or her legal representative, shall be required, as a condition precedent to the issuance of a new certificate or certificates, to give the Company a bond in such sums as it may direct as indemnity against any claim that may be made against the Company.

 

Section 4. FIXING OF RECORD DATE . The Board of Trustees may set, in advance, a record date for the purpose of determining shareholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of shareholders or determining shareholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or the allotment of any other rights, or in order to make a determination of shareholders for any other proper purpose. Such date, in any case, shall not be prior to the close of business on the day the record date is fixed and shall be not more than 90 days and, in the case of a meeting of shareholders not less than ten days, before the date on which the meeting or particular action requiring such determination of shareholders of record is to be held or taken.

 

If no record date is fixed, (a) the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of shareholders shall be at the close of business on the day on which the notice of meeting is mailed or the 30th day before the meeting, whichever is the closer date to the meeting; and (b) the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to receive payment of a dividend or an allotment of any other rights shall be the close of business on the day on which the resolution of the Board of Trustees, authorizing the dividend or allotment of rights, is adopted.

 

When a record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to notice of and to vote at any meeting of shareholders has been set as provided in this section, such record date shall continue to apply to the meeting if adjourned or postponed, except when the meeting is adjourned to a date more than 120 days or postponed to a date more than 90 days after the record date fixed for the original meeting, in either of which case a new record date for such meeting may be determined as set forth herein.

 

Section 5. SHARE LEDGER . The Company shall maintain at its principal office or at the office of its counsel, accountants or transfer agent, an original or duplicate share ledger containing the name and address of each shareholder and the number of shares of each class held by such shareholder.

 

Section 6. FRACTIONAL SHARES; ISSUANCE OF UNITS . The Board of Trustees may issue fractional shares or provide for the issuance of scrip, all on such terms and under such conditions as they may determine in accordance with the Declaration of Trust. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws, the Board of Trustees may issue units consisting of different securities of the Company. Any security issued in a unit shall have the same characteristics as any identical securities issued by the Company, except that the Board of Trustees may provide that for a specified period securities of the Company issued in such unit may be transferred on the books of the Company only in such unit.

 

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ARTICLE VIII

ACCOUNTING YEAR

 

The Board of Trustees shall have the power, from time to time, to fix the fiscal year of the Company by a duly adopted resolution.

 

ARTICLE IX

DISTRIBUTIONS

 

Section 1. AUTHORIZATION . Dividends and other distributions upon the shares of beneficial interest of the Company may be authorized by the Board of Trustees, subject to the provisions of law and the Declaration of Trust. Dividends and other distributions may be paid in cash, property or shares of the Company, subject to the provisions of law and the Declaration of Trust.

 

Section 2. CONTINGENCIES . Before payment of any dividends or other distributions, there may be set aside out of any assets of the Company available for dividends or other distributions such sum or sums as the Board of Trustees may from time to time, in its absolute discretion, think proper as a reserve fund for contingencies, for equalizing dividends or other distributions, for repairing or maintaining any property of the Company or for such other purpose as the Board of Trustees shall determine and the Board of Trustees may modify or abolish any such reserve.

 

ARTICLE X

PROHIBITED INVESTMENTS AND ACTIVITIES

 

In addition to the restrictions provided for in the Declaration of Trust, the Company will not, without the approval of the Audit Committee, (i) acquire from or sell to any Trustee, officer or employee of the Company, any corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise in which a Trustee, officer or employee of the Company owns more than a one percent interest or any affiliate of any of the foregoing, any of the assets or other property of the Company, except for the acquisition directly or indirectly of certain properties or interest therein, directly or indirectly, through entities in which it owns an interest in connection with the initial public offering of shares by the Company or pursuant to agreements entered into in connection with such offering, which properties shall be described in the prospectus relating to such initial public offering, (ii) make any loan to or borrow from any of the foregoing persons or (iii) engage in any other transaction with any of the foregoing persons. Each such transaction will be in all respects on such terms as are, at the time of the transaction and under the circumstances then prevailing, fair and reasonable to the Company. Subject to the provisions of the Declaration of Trust, the Board of Trustees may from time to time adopt, amend, revise or terminate any policy or policies with respect to investments by the Company as it shall deem appropriate in its sole discretion.

 

ARTICLE XI

SEAL

 

Section 1. SEAL . The Board of Trustees may authorize the adoption of a seal by the Company. The seal shall contain the name of the Company and the year of its formation. The Board of Trustees may authorize one or more duplicate seals and provide for the custody thereof.

 

Section 2. AFFIXING SEAL . Whenever the Company is permitted or required to affix its seal to a document, it shall be sufficient to meet the requirements of any law, rule or regulation relating to a seal to place the word “(SEAL)” adjacent to the signature of the person authorized to execute the document on behalf of the Company.

 

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ARTICLE XII

INDEMNIFICATION AND ADVANCE OF EXPENSES

 

To the maximum extent permitted by Maryland statutory or decisional law in effect from time to time, the Company shall indemnify and, without requiring a preliminary determination of the ultimate entitlement to indemnification, shall pay or reimburse, reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding to (a) any individual (including the individual’s spouse, children, heirs, estate, executors, or personal or legal representatives for claims arising out of the status of such spouse, children, heirs, estate, executors or personal or legal representatives of such individual (collectively, the “Other Individuals”)) who is a present or former Trustee or officer of the Company and who is made or threatened to be made a party to the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity or (b) any individual (including Other Individuals) who, while a Trustee or officer of the Company and at the request of the Company, serves or has served as a Trustee, officer, partner or trustee of another corporation, real estate investment trust, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise and who is made or threatened to be made a party to the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity. The rights to indemnification and advance of expenses provided by the Declaration of Trust and these Bylaws shall vest immediately upon election of a Trustee or officer. The Company may, with the approval of its Board of Trustees, provide such indemnification and advance for expenses to an individual (including Other Individuals) who served a predecessor of the Company in any of the capacities described in (a) or (b) above and to any employee or agent of the Company or a predecessor of the Company. The indemnification and payment or reimbursement of expenses provided in these Bylaws shall not be deemed exclusive of or limit in any way other rights to which any person seeking indemnification or payment or reimbursement of expenses may be or may become entitled under any bylaw, regulation, insurance, agreement or otherwise.

 

Neither the amendment nor repeal of this Article, nor the adoption or amendment of any other provision of the Bylaws or Declaration of Trust inconsistent with this Article, shall apply to or affect in any respect the applicability of the preceding paragraph with respect to any act or failure to act which occurred prior to such amendment, repeal or adoption.

 

Any indemnification or payment or reimbursement of the expenses permitted by these Bylaws shall be furnished in accordance with the procedures provided for indemnification or payment or reimbursement of expenses, as the case may be, under Section 2-418 of the MGCL for directors of Maryland corporations. The Company may provide to Trustees and officers such other and further indemnification or payment or reimbursement of expenses, as the case may be, to the fullest extent permitted by the MGCL, as in effect from time to time, for directors of Maryland corporations.

 

ARTICLE XIII

WAIVER OF NOTICE

 

Whenever any notice is required to be given pursuant to the Declaration of Trust or Bylaws or pursuant to applicable law, a waiver thereof in writing, signed by the person or persons entitled to such notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to the giving of such notice. Neither the business to be transacted at nor the purpose of any meeting need be set forth in the waiver of notice, unless specifically required by statute. The attendance of any person at any meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except where such person attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business on the ground that the meeting is not lawfully called or convened.

 

ARTICLE XIV

AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS

 

The Board of Trustees shall have the exclusive power to adopt, alter or repeal any provision of these Bylaws and to make new Bylaws.

 

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ARTICLE XV

MISCELLANEOUS

 

All references to the Declaration of Trust shall include all amendments and supplements thereto and any other documents filed with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation related thereto, whether effective prior or subsequent to the date hereof.

 

ARTICLE XVI

ARBITRATION

 

Section 1. PROCEDURES FOR ARBITRATION OF DISPUTES . Any disputes, claims or controversies brought by or on behalf of any shareholder of the Company (which, for purposes of this Article XVI, shall mean any shareholder of record or any beneficial owner of shares of the Company, or any former shareholder of record or beneficial owner of shares of the Company), either on his, her or its own behalf, on behalf of the Company or on behalf of any series or class of shares of the Company or shareholders of the Company against the Company or any Trustee, officer, manager, agent or employee of the Company, including disputes, claims or controversies relating to the meaning, interpretation, effect, validity, performance or enforcement of the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws (all of which are referred to as “Disputes”) or relating in any way to such a Dispute or Disputes shall, on the demand of any party to such Dispute, be resolved through binding and final arbitration in accordance with the Commercial Arbitration Rules (the “Rules”) of the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”) then in effect, except as those Rules may be modified in this Article XVI. For the avoidance of doubt, and not as a limitation, Disputes are intended to include derivative actions against Trustees, officers or managers of the Company and class actions by shareholders against those individuals or entities and the Company. For the avoidance of doubt, a Dispute shall include a Dispute made derivatively on behalf of one party against another party.

 

Section 2. ARBITRATORS . There shall be three arbitrators. If there are only two (2) parties to the Dispute, each party shall select one arbitrator within fifteen (15) days after receipt by respondent of a copy of the demand for arbitration. Such arbitrators may be affiliated or interested persons of such parties. If either party fails to timely select an arbitrator, the other party to the Dispute shall select the second arbitrator who shall be neutral and impartial and shall not be affiliated with or an interested person of either party. If there are more than two parties to the Dispute, all claimants, on the one hand, and all respondents, on the other hand, shall each select, by the vote of a majority of the claimants or the respondents, as the case may be, one arbitrator. Such arbitrators may be affiliated or interested persons of the claimants or the respondents, as the case may be. If either all claimants or all respondents fail to timely select an arbitrator then such arbitrator (who shall be neutral, impartial and unaffiliated with any party) shall be appointed by the parties who have appointed the first arbitrator. The two arbitrators so appointed shall jointly appoint the third and presiding arbitrator (who shall be neutral, impartial and unaffiliated with any party) within fifteen (15) days of the appointment of the second arbitrator. If the third arbitrator has not been appointed within the time limit specified herein, then the AAA shall provide a list of proposed arbitrators in accordance with the Rules, and the arbitrator shall be appointed by the AAA in accordance with a listing, striking and ranking procedure, with each party having a limited number of strikes, excluding strikes for cause.

 

Section 3. PLACE OF ARBITRATION . The place of arbitration shall be Boston, Massachusetts unless otherwise agreed by the parties.

 

Section 4. DISCOVERY . There shall be only limited documentary discovery of documents directly related to the issues in dispute, as may be ordered by the arbitrators.

 

Section 5. AWARDS . In rendering an award or decision (the “Award”), the arbitrators shall be required to follow the laws of the State of Maryland. Any arbitration proceedings or Award rendered hereunder and the validity, effect and interpretation of this arbitration agreement shall be governed by the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. §1 et seq. The Award shall be in writing and may, but shall not be required to, briefly state the findings of fact and conclusions of law on which it is based. Any monetary award shall be made and payable in U.S. dollars free of any tax, deduction or offset. The party against which the Award assesses a monetary obligation shall pay that obligation on or before the thirtieth (30th) day following the date of the Award or such other date as the Award may provide.

 

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Section 6. COSTS AND EXPENSES . Except as otherwise set forth in the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws, or as otherwise agreed between the parties, each party involved in a Dispute shall bear its own costs and expenses (including attorneys’ fees), and the arbitrators shall not render an award that would include shifting of any such costs or expenses (including attorneys’ fees) or, in a derivative case or class action, award any portion of the Company’s award to the claimant or the claimant’s attorneys. Each party (or, if there are more than two parties to the Dispute, all claimants, on the one hand, and all respondents, on the other hand, respectively) shall bear the costs and expenses of its (or their) selected arbitrator and the parties (or, if there are more than two parties to the Dispute, all claimants, on the one hand, and all respondents, on the other hand) shall equally bear the costs and expenses of the third appointed arbitrator.

 

Section 7. FINAL AND BINDING . An Award shall be final and binding upon the parties thereto and shall be the sole and exclusive remedy between such parties relating to the Dispute, including any claims, counterclaims, issues or accounting presented to the arbitrators. Judgment upon the Award may be entered in any court having jurisdiction. To the fullest extent permitted by law, no application or appeal to any court of competent jurisdiction may be made in connection with any question of law arising in the course of arbitration or with respect to any award made except for actions relating to enforcement of this agreement to arbitrate or any arbitral award issued hereunder and except for actions seeking interim or other provisional relief in aid of arbitration proceedings in any court of competent jurisdiction.

 

Section 8. BENEFICIARIES . This Article XVI is intended to benefit and be enforceable by the shareholders, Trustees, officers, managers, agents or employees of the Company and the Company and shall be binding on the shareholders of the Company and the Company, as applicable, and shall be in addition to, and not in substitution for, any other rights to indemnification or contribution that such individuals or entities may have by contract or otherwise.

 

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