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 2, 2015

 

Joe’s Jeans Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware

 

0-18926

 

11-2928178

(State or other jurisdiction

 

(Commission

 

(I.R.S. Employer

of incorporation)

 

File Number)

 

Identification No.)

 

2340 South Eastern Avenue,
Commerce, California

 

90040

(Address of principal executive offices)

 

(Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:  323-837-3700

 

Not Applicable

Former name or former address, if changed since last report

 

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:

 

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

 

(e)                                   On July 2, 2015, Joe’s Jeans Inc. (the “Company”) entered into an Employment Agreement with Hamish Sandhu, 52, as Chief Financial Officer of the Company (the “Employment Agreement”).  Mr. Sandhu has been serving as the Company’s Chief Financial Officer since August 2007 under an employment at-will arrangement.

 

Under the terms of the Employment Agreement, Mr. Sandhu will receive an initial base salary of $325,000, and such amount will be reviewed by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Compensation Committee”) at least annually, provided that the base salary may not be decreased during Mr. Sandhu’s term of employment. In addition to his base salary, Mr. Sandhu will be eligible to receive an annual discretionary cash and equity bonus of not less than 10% of his base salary, based upon the achievement of financial and other performance criteria as established in advance by the Compensation Committee, and with respect to the 2015 fiscal year, as set forth in the Employment Agreement. The Employment Agreement also provides Mr. Sandhu with certain other benefits, including premiums for health insurance paid on his behalf and for his family, and life and disability insurance policies paid on his behalf.  The Employment Agreement is effective as of July 2, 2015 and has an initial term of one year.  The Employment Agreement automatically renews for additional one year periods if neither the Company nor Mr. Sandhu provide 90 days’ advanced notice of non-renewal prior to the end of the term.

 

In the event of a termination of Mr. Sandhu’s employment for any reason or no reason, the Company must pay Mr. Sandhu for (i) his accrued but unpaid base salary through the date of termination, (ii) any accrued but unused vacation time, (iii) any unreimbursed expenses, (iv) any bonus amounts that have been earned but have not been paid, (v) any rights under any benefit or equity plan, and (vi) any ongoing rights to indemnification and directors and officers liability insurance.

 

In addition, in the event of a termination of Mr. Sandhu’s employment by the Company without “cause” (as defined in the Employment Agreement) or in the event that Mr. Sandhu voluntarily terminates his employment for “good reason” (as defined in the Employment Agreement), the Company will also be required (i) to make a severance payment to Mr. Sandhu equal to his annual base salary, payable in equal installments in accordance with the Company’s normal payroll practices, (ii) any bonus amounts that have been earned for the period in which termination occurred, prorated for the partial period, and (iii) pay for the COBRA premiums (to the extent they exceed applicable active employee rates) on the Company’s group medical plan for Mr. Sandhu and his spouse and dependents for the shorter of the first 12 months of such coverage or his period of COBRA eligibility. The Company’s obligation to provide the foregoing severance benefits is subject to Mr. Sandhu’s execution of a settlement agreement and release of the Company and its subsidiaries.

 

The Employment Agreement also contains exclusivity, non-compete and non-solicitation covenants generally prohibiting Mr. Sandhu from providing services to a competitor during the term of his employment or soliciting employees during the term of his employment and for 12 months following his termination of employment. In addition, the Employment Agreement mandates that Mr. Sandhu’s confidentiality obligations continue even after his termination of employment.

 

The foregoing description of the Employment Agreement does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and qualified, in its entirety by, the full text of the Employment Agreement, which is attached hereto as Exhibit 10.1, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

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Item 5.03. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

On July 6, 2015, the board of directors of the Company approved and adopted the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company (the “Amended and Restated Bylaws”), which amend and restate the provisions of the Company’s existing bylaws in their entirety. The Amended and Restated Bylaws provide, among other things, that:

 

(i)                                      to bring any business before an annual meeting, a stockholder must give the Secretary of the Company written notice no later than the close of business on the 90th day and no earlier than the opening of business on the 120th day before the anniversary of the preceding annual stockholder’s meeting; provided, however, that if the annual meeting is set more than 30 days earlier or more than 60 days later than such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder must be received no earlier than the opening of business on the 120th day before the meeting and no later than the later of the close of business on the 90th day before the meeting or the close of business on the 10th day following public disclosure of the date of the annual meeting. Notwithstanding the previous sentence, for purposes of determining whether a stockholder’s notice shall have been received in a timely manner for the annual meeting of stockholders in 2015, to be timely, a stockholder’s notice must have been received not later than the close of business on August 15, 2015, nor earlier than the opening of business on July 15, 2015. Any stockholder proposal will be deemed to have satisfied the advance notice requirements if the stockholder has notified the Company of their intention to present a proposal at an annual meeting in compliance with Rule 14a-8 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and such stockholder’s proposal has been included in the Company’s proxy statement;

 

(ii)                                 any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Company must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting of the stockholders and may not be effected by written consent in lieu of meeting;

 

(iii)                              the Company will, to the fullest extent permitted by law, indemnify the Company’s current and former directors and officers against all liability incurred in connection with any threatened, pending or completed proceeding; provided, however, that an eligible director or officer will be indemnified by the Company in connection with a proceeding initiated by such person only if the proceeding was authorized by the Board;

 

(iv)                               the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if the Court of Chancery does not have jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware) shall be the sole and exclusive forum for certain actions brought on behalf of or against the Company, unless the Company consents in writing to an alternative forum.

 

The foregoing summary of certain provisions of the Amended and Restated Bylaws does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and qualified, in its entirety by, the full text of the Amended and Restated Bylaws, which is attached hereto as Exhibit 3.2, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d) Exhibits

 

Exhibit No.

 

Description

 

 

 

3.2

 

Amended and Restated Bylaws of Joe’s Jeans Inc., adopted as of July 6, 2015.

 

 

 

10.1

 

Employment Agreement, dated July 2, 2015, by and between Joe’s Jeans Inc. and Hamish Sandhu.

 

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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.

 

 

Joe’s Jeans Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 8, 2015

By:

/s/ Samuel J. Furrow

 

 

Name: Samuel J. Furrow

 

 

Title: Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors

 

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EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit No.

 

Description

 

 

 

3.2

 

Amended and Restated Bylaws of Joe’s Jeans Inc., adopted as of July 6, 2015.

 

 

 

10.1

 

Employment Agreement, dated July 2, 2015, by and between Joe’s Jeans Inc. and Hamish Sandhu.

 

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Exhibit 3.2

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

 

BY-LAWS

 

OF

 

JOE’S JEANS INC.,

 

a Delaware corporation

 

(the “ Corporation ”)

 

(Adopted as of July 6, 2015)

 



 

AMENDED AND RESTATED
BY-LAWS

 

OF

 

JOE’S JEANS INC.

 

ARTICLE I
OFFICES

 

Section 1.1             Registered Office .  The registered office of the Corporation within the State of Delaware shall be located at either (a) the principal place of business of the Corporation in the State of Delaware or (b) the office of the corporation or individual acting as the Corporation’s registered agent in Delaware.

 

Section 1.2             Additional Offices .  The Corporation may, in addition to its registered office in the State of Delaware, have such other offices and places of business, both within and outside the State of Delaware, as the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “ Board ”) may from time to time determine or as the business and affairs of the Corporation may require.

 

ARTICLE II
STOCKHOLDERS MEETINGS

 

Section 2.1             Annual Meetings .  The annual meeting of stockholders shall be held at such place and time and on such date as shall be determined by the Board and stated in the notice of the meeting, provided that the Board may in its sole discretion determine that the meeting shall not be held at any place, but may instead be held solely by means of remote communication pursuant to Section 9.5(a) .  At each annual meeting, the stockholders shall elect directors of the Corporation and may transact any other business as may properly be brought before the meeting.

 

Section 2.2             Special Meetings .  Except as otherwise required by applicable law or provided in the Corporation’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as the same may be amended or restated from time to time (the “ Certificate of Incorporation ”), special meetings of stockholders, for any purpose or purposes, may be called only by the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, the President or the Board pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the Whole Board (as defined below).  Special meetings of stockholders shall be held at such place and time and on such date as shall be determined by the Board and stated in the Corporation’s notice of the meeting, provided that the Board may in its sole discretion determine that the meeting shall not be held at any place, but may instead be held solely by means of remote communication pursuant to Section 9.5(a) .  “ Whole Board ” shall mean the total number of directors the Corporation would have if there were no vacancies.

 

Section 2.3             Notices .  Notice of each stockholders meeting stating the place, if any, date and time of the meeting, the means of remote communication, if any, by which stockholders and proxyholders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such meeting, and the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting if such date is different from the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting shall be given in the manner permitted by Section 9.3 to each stockholder entitled to vote thereat as of

 



 

the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting.  Such notice shall be given by the Corporation not less than 10 nor more than 60 days before the date of the meeting.  If said notice is for a stockholders meeting other than an annual meeting, it shall in addition state the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called, and the business transacted at such meeting shall be limited to the matters so stated in the Corporation’s notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto).  Any meeting of stockholders as to which notice has been given may be postponed, and any special meeting of stockholders as to which notice has been given may be cancelled, by the Board upon public announcement (as defined in Section 2.7(c) ) given before the date previously scheduled for such meeting.

 

Section 2.4             Quorum .  Except as otherwise provided by applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws, the presence, in person or by proxy, at a stockholders meeting of the holders of shares of outstanding capital stock of the Corporation representing a majority of the voting power of all outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at such meeting shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at such meeting, except that when specified business is to be voted on by a class or series of stock voting as a class, the holders of shares representing a majority of the voting power of the outstanding shares of such class or series shall constitute a quorum of such class or series for the transaction of such business.  If a quorum shall not be present or represented by proxy at any meeting of the stockholders, the chairman of the meeting may adjourn the meeting from time to time in the manner provided in Section 2.6 until a quorum shall attend.  The stockholders present at a duly convened meeting may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough stockholders to leave less than a quorum.  Shares of its own stock belonging to the Corporation or to another corporation, if a majority of the voting power of the shares entitled to vote in the election of directors of such other corporation is held, directly or indirectly, by the Corporation, shall neither be entitled to vote nor be counted for quorum purposes; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not limit the right of the Corporation or any such other corporation to vote shares held by it in a fiduciary capacity.

 

Section 2.5             Voting of Shares .

 

(a)            Voting Lists .  The Secretary shall prepare, or shall cause the officer or agent who has charge of the stock ledger of the Corporation to prepare, at least 10 days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders of record entitled to vote at the meeting (provided, however, if the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote is less than 10 days before the meeting date, the list shall reflect the stockholders entitled to vote as of the tenth day before the meeting date), arranged in alphabetical order for each class of stock and showing the address and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder.  Nothing contained in this Section 2.5(a)  shall require the Corporation to include electronic mail addresses or other electronic contact information on such list.  Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting, during ordinary business hours for a period of at least 10 days prior to the meeting:  (i) on a reasonably accessible electronic network, provided that the information required to gain access to such list is provided with the notice of the meeting, or (ii) during ordinary business hours, at the principal place of business of the Corporation.  If the Corporation determines to make the list available on an electronic network, the Corporation may take reasonable steps to ensure that such information is available only to stockholders of the Corporation.  If the meeting is to be held at a place, then the

 

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list of stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting shall be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof, and may be examined by any stockholder who is present.  If a meeting of stockholders is to be held solely by means of remote communication as permitted by Section 9.5(a) , then such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder during the whole time of the meeting on a reasonably accessible electronic network, and the information required to access such list shall be provided with the notice of meeting.  The stock ledger shall be the only evidence as to who are the stockholders entitled to examine the list required by this Section 2.5(a)  or to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of stockholders.

 

(b)            Manner of Voting .  At any stockholders meeting, every stockholder entitled to vote may vote in person or by proxy.  If authorized by the Board, the voting by stockholders or proxyholders at any meeting conducted by remote communication may be effected by a ballot submitted by electronic transmission (as defined in Section 9.3 ), provided that any such electronic transmission must either set forth or be submitted with information from which the Corporation can determine that the electronic transmission was authorized by the stockholder or proxyholder.  The Board, in its discretion, or the chairman of the meeting of stockholders, in such person’s discretion, may require that any votes cast at such meeting shall be cast by written ballot.

 

(c)            Proxies .  Each stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders or to express consent or dissent to corporate action in writing without a meeting may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder by proxy, but no such proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three years from its date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period.  Proxies need not be filed with the Secretary of the Corporation until the meeting is called to order, but shall be filed with the Secretary before being voted.  Without limiting the manner in which a stockholder may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder as proxy, either of the following shall constitute a valid means by which a stockholder may grant such authority.

 

(i)             A stockholder may execute a writing authorizing another person or persons to act for such stockholder as proxy.  Execution may be accomplished by the stockholder or such stockholder’s authorized officer, director, employee or agent signing such writing or causing such person’s signature to be affixed to such writing by any reasonable means, including, but not limited to, by facsimile signature.

 

(ii)            A stockholder may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder as proxy by transmitting or authorizing the transmission of an electronic transmission to the person who will be the holder of the proxy or to a proxy solicitation firm, proxy support service organization or like agent duly authorized by the person who will be the holder of the proxy to receive such transmission, provided that any such electronic transmission must either set forth or be submitted with information from which it can be determined that the electronic transmission was authorized by the stockholder.

 

Any copy, facsimile telecommunication or other reliable reproduction of the writing or transmission authorizing another person or persons to act as proxy for a stockholder may be substituted or used in lieu of the original writing or transmission for any and all purposes for which the original writing or transmission could be used; provided that such copy, facsimile telecommunication or other reproduction shall be a complete reproduction of the entire original writing or transmission.

 

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(d)            Required Vote .  Subject to the rights of the holders of one or more series of preferred stock of the Corporation (“ Preferred Stock ”), voting separately by class or series, to elect directors pursuant to the terms of one or more series of Preferred Stock, the election of directors shall be determined by a plurality of the votes cast by the stockholders present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote thereon.  All other matters shall be determined by the vote of a majority of the votes cast by the stockholders present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote thereon, unless the matter is one upon which, by applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation, these By-Laws or applicable stock exchange rules, a different vote is required, in which case such provision shall govern and control the decision of such matter.

 

(e)            Inspectors of Election .  The Board may, and shall if required by law, in advance of any meeting of stockholders, appoint one or more persons as inspectors of election, who may be employees of the Corporation or otherwise serve the Corporation in other capacities, to act at such meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof and to make a written report thereof.  The Board may appoint one or more persons as alternate inspectors to replace any inspector who fails to act.  If no inspectors of election or alternates are appointed by the Board, the chairman of the meeting shall appoint one or more inspectors to act at the meeting.  Each inspector, before discharging his or her duties, shall take and sign an oath faithfully to execute the duties of inspector with strict impartiality and according to the best of his or her ability.  The inspectors shall ascertain and report the number of outstanding shares and the voting power of each; determine the number of shares present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and the validity of proxies and ballots; count all votes and ballots and report the results; determine and retain for a reasonable period a record of the disposition of any challenges made to any determination by the inspectors; and certify their determination of the number of shares represented at the meeting and their count of all votes and ballots.  No person who is a candidate for an office at an election may serve as an inspector at such election.  Each report of an inspector shall be in writing and signed by the inspector 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.

 

Section 2.6             Adjournments .  Any meeting of stockholders, annual or special, may be adjourned by the chairman of the meeting, from time to time, whether or not there is a quorum, to reconvene at the same or some other place.  Notice need not be given of any such adjourned meeting if the date, time and place, if any, thereof, and the means of remote communication, if any, by which stockholders and proxyholders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such adjourned meeting are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken.  At the adjourned meeting the stockholders, or the holders of any class or series of stock entitled to vote separately as a class, as the case may be, may transact any business that might have been transacted at the original meeting.  If the adjournment is for more than 30 days, notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting.  If after the adjournment a new record date for stockholders entitled to vote is fixed for the adjourned meeting, the Board shall fix a new record date for notice of such adjourned meeting in accordance with Section 2.3 , and shall give notice of the adjourned meeting to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at such adjourned meeting as of the record date fixed for notice of such adjourned meeting.

 

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Section 2.7             Advance Notice for Business .

 

(a)            Annual Meetings of Stockholders .  No business may be transacted at an annual meeting of stockholders, other than business that is either (i) specified in the Corporation’s notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto) given by or at the direction of the Board, (ii) otherwise properly brought before the annual meeting by or at the direction of the Board or (iii) otherwise properly brought before the annual meeting by any stockholder of the Corporation (x) who is a stockholder of record on the date of the giving of the notice provided for in this Section 2.7(a)  and who is entitled to vote at such annual meeting and (y) who complies with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 2.7(a) .  Except for proposals properly made in accordance with Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”), and included in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the Board, the foregoing clause (iii) shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to propose business to be brought before an annual meeting of stockholders.  Stockholders seeking to nominate persons for election to the Board must comply with Section 3.2 , and this Section 2.7 shall not be applicable to nominations.

 

(i)             In addition to any other applicable requirements, for business (other than nominations) to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder, such stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in proper written form to the Secretary of the Corporation and such business must otherwise be a proper matter for stockholder action.  Subject to Section 2.7(a)(iv) , a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary with respect to such business, to be timely, must (x) comply with the provisions of this Section 2.7(a)(i)  and (y)  be timely updated by the times and in the manner required by the provisions of Section 2.7(a)(iii) .  A stockholder’s notice must be received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the 90th day nor earlier than the opening of business on the 120th day before the anniversary date of the immediately preceding annual meeting of stockholders; provided, however, that if the annual meeting is called for a date that is more than 30 days earlier or more than 60 days later than such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so received no earlier than the opening of business on the 120th day before the meeting and not later than the later of (x) the close of business on the 90th day before the meeting or (y) the close of business on the 10th day following the day on which public announcement of the date of the annual meeting is first made by the Corporation.  Notwithstanding the previous sentence, for purposes of determining whether a stockholder’s notice shall have been received in a timely manner for the annual meeting of stockholders in 2015, to be timely, a stockholder’s notice must have been received not later than the close of business on August 15, 2015 nor earlier than the opening of business on July 15, 2015.  The public announcement of an adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting shall not commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described in this Section 2.7(a) .

 

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(ii)            To be in proper written form, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary with respect to any business (other than nominations) must set forth (A) as to each such matter such stockholder proposes to bring before the annual meeting (1) a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the annual meeting and any material interest in such business of such stockholder and any Stockholder Associated Person (as defined below), individually or in the aggregate, (2) the text of the proposal or business (including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration and if such business includes a proposal to amend these By-Laws, the text of the proposed amendment) and (3) the reasons for conducting such business at the annual meeting, (B) the name and address of the stockholder proposing such business, as they appear on the Corporation’s books, and the name and address of any Stockholder Associated Person, (C) the class or series and number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation that are owned of record or are directly or indirectly owned beneficially by such stockholder and by any Stockholder Associated Person, (D) any option, warrant, convertible security, stock appreciation right, swap or similar right with an exercise or conversion privilege or a settlement payment or mechanism at a price related to any class or series of shares of the Corporation or with a value derived in whole or in part from the value of any class or series of shares of the Corporation, whether or not such instrument or right is subject to settlement in the underlying class or series of shares of the Corporation or otherwise (a “ Derivative Instrument ”) directly or indirectly owned beneficially by such stockholder or by any Stockholder Associated Person and any other direct or indirect opportunity of such stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person to profit or share in any profit derived from any increase or decrease in the value of shares of the Corporation, (E) any proxy (other than a revocable proxy given in response to a solicitation made pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act by way of a solicitation statement filed on Schedule 14A), contract, arrangement, understanding or relationship pursuant to which such stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person has a right to vote any shares of the Corporation, (F) any short interest in any security of the Corporation held by such stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person (for purposes of this Section 2.7 a person shall be deemed to have a short interest in a security if such person directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, has the opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from any decrease in the value of the subject security), (G) any rights owned beneficially by such stockholder or Stockholder Associated Person to dividends on the shares of the Corporation that are separated or separable from the underlying shares of the Corporation, (H) any proportionate interest in shares of the Corporation or Derivative Instruments held, directly or indirectly, by a general or limited partnership in which such stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person is a general partner or, directly or indirectly, beneficially owns an interest in a general partner, (I) any performance-related fees (other than an asset-based fee) that such stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person is entitled to based on any increase or decrease in the value of shares of the Corporation or Derivative Instruments, if any, including without limitation any such interests held by members of such stockholder’s or any Stockholder Associated Person’s immediate family sharing the same household, (J) a description of all agreements, arrangements or understandings (written or oral) between or among such stockholder, any Stockholder Associated Person or any other person or persons (including their names) in connection

 

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with the proposal of such business by such stockholder, (K) any other information relating to such stockholder and any Stockholder Associated Person that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitation of proxies for election of directors (even if an election contest is not involved), or would be otherwise required, in each case pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, (L) a representation that such stockholder intends to appear in person or by proxy at the annual meeting to bring such business before the meeting, and (M) a statement of whether such stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person intends, or is part of a group that intends, to solicit proxies in connection with the proposal.

 

(iii)           A stockholder providing notice of business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting shall further update and supplement such notice, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice pursuant to this Section 2.7(a)  shall be true and correct as of the record date for the meeting and as of the date that is 10 business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation (x) in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of the record date for the meeting, not later than five business days after such record date and (y) in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of 10 business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, as applicable, not later than eight business days prior to the date for the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, if practicable (or if not practicable, on the first practicable date prior to the date for the meeting or such adjournment or postponement thereof).

 

(iv)           The foregoing notice requirements of this Section 2.7(a)  shall be deemed satisfied by a stockholder as to any proposal (other than nominations) if the stockholder has notified the Corporation of such stockholder’s intention to present such proposal at an annual meeting in compliance with Rule 14a-8 (or any successor thereof) of the Exchange Act, and such stockholder’s proposal has been included in a proxy statement prepared by the Corporation to solicit proxies for such annual meeting.  No business shall be conducted at the annual meeting of stockholders except business brought before the annual meeting in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 2.7(a) , provided, however, that once business has been properly brought before the annual meeting in accordance with such procedures, nothing in this Section 2.7(a)  shall be deemed to preclude discussion by any stockholder of any such business.  If the Board or the chairman of the annual meeting determines that any stockholder proposal was not made in accordance with the provisions of this Section 2.7(a)  or that the information provided in a stockholder’s notice does not satisfy the information requirements of this Section 2.7(a) , such proposal shall not be presented for action at the annual meeting.  Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.7(a) , if the stockholder (or a qualified representative of the stockholder) does not appear at the annual meeting of stockholders of the Corporation to present the proposed business, such proposed business shall not be transacted, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such matter may have been received by the Corporation.

 

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(v)            In addition to the provisions of this Section 2.7(a) , a stockholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to the matters set forth herein.  Nothing in this Section 2.7(a)  shall be deemed to affect any rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act.

 

(b)            Special Meetings of Stockholders .  Only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting.  Nominations of persons for election to the Board may be made at a special meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting only pursuant to Section 3.2 .

 

(c)            Definitions .  For purposes of these By-Laws, “ public announcement ” shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press or comparable national news service or in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Sections 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act; and “ Stockholder Associated Person ” shall mean for any stockholder (i) any person controlling, directly or indirectly, or acting in concert with, such stockholder, (ii) any beneficial owner of shares of stock of the Corporation owned of record or beneficially by such stockholder, or (iii) any person controlling, controlled by or under common control with such person referred to in the preceding clauses (i) and (ii).

 

Section 2.8             Conduct of Meetings .  The chairman of each annual and special meeting of stockholders shall be the Chairman of the Board or, in the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer (if he or she shall be a director) or, in the absence (or inability or refusal to act of the Chief Executive Officer or if the Chief Executive Officer is not a director, the President (if he or she shall be a director) or, in the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the President or if the President is not a director, such other person as shall be appointed by the Board.  The date and time of the opening and the closing of the polls for each matter upon which the stockholders will vote at a meeting shall be announced at the meeting by the chairman of the meeting.  The Board may adopt such rules and regulations for the conduct of the meeting of stockholders as it shall deem appropriate.  Except to the extent inconsistent with these By-Laws or such rules and regulations as adopted by the Board, the chairman of any meeting of stockholders shall have the right and authority to convene and to adjourn the meeting, to prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures and to do all such acts as, in the judgment of such chairman, are appropriate for the proper conduct of the meeting.  Such rules, regulations or procedures, whether adopted by the Board or prescribed by the chairman of the meeting, may include, without limitation, the following: (a) the establishment of an agenda or order of business for the meeting; (b) rules and procedures for maintaining order at the meeting and the safety of those present; (c) limitations on attendance at or participation in the meeting to stockholders of record of the Corporation, their duly authorized and constituted proxies or such other persons as the chairman of the meeting shall determine; (d) restrictions on entry to the meeting after the time fixed for the commencement thereof; and (e) limitations on the time allotted to questions or comments by participants.  Unless and to the extent determined by the Board or the chairman of the meeting, meetings of stockholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with the rules of parliamentary procedure.  The secretary of each annual and special meeting of stockholders shall be the Secretary or, in the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the Secretary, an Assistant Secretary so appointed to act by the chairman of the meeting.  In the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the Secretary and all Assistant Secretaries, the chairman of the meeting may appoint any person to act as secretary of the meeting.

 

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Section 2.9             No Action by Consent of Stockholders in Lieu of Meeting .  Except as otherwise expressly provided by the terms of any series of Preferred Stock permitting the holders of such series of Preferred Stock to act by written consent, any action required or permitted to be taken by stockholders of the Corporation must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting of the stockholders and may not be effected by written consent in lieu of a meeting.

 

ARTICLE III
DIRECTORS

 

Section 3.1             Powers .  The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board, which may exercise all such powers of the Corporation and do all such lawful acts and things as are not by statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation or by these By-Laws required to be exercised or done by the stockholders. Directors need not be stockholders or residents of the State of Delaware.

 

Section 3.2             Number; Term .  The number of directors of the Corporation initially shall be seven.  Thereafter the number of directors, other than those who may be elected by the holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock voting separately by class or series, may be determined from time to time by the Board pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the Whole Board, but no decrease in such number shall have the effect of shortening the term of any incumbent director.  Except as otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, the directors shall be elected at the annual meeting of stockholders to hold office until the next succeeding annual meeting of stockholders.  Each director shall hold office for the term for which such director is elected and until his or her successor shall have been elected and qualified, subject to such director’s earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal.

 

Section 3.3             Newly Created Directorships and Vacancies .  Subject to the following sentence, newly created directorships resulting from an increase in the number of directors and any vacancies on the Board resulting from death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal or other cause may be filled solely by a majority vote of the directors then in office, even if less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director (and not by stockholders), and any director so chosen shall hold office for the remainder of the full term of the class of directors to which the new directorship was added or in which the vacancy occurred and until his or her successor has been elected and qualified, subject, however, to such director’s earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article III, and except as otherwise required by law, whenever the holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock shall have the right, voting separately by class or series, to elect one or more directors, the term of office, the filling of vacancies, the removal from office and other features of such directorships shall be governed by the terms of such series of Preferred Stock as set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designations).

 

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Section 3.4             Advance Notice for Nomination of Directors .

 

(a)            Only persons who are nominated in accordance with the following procedures shall be eligible for election as directors by the stockholders of the Corporation.  Nominations of persons for election to the Board at any annual meeting of stockholders, or at any special meeting of stockholders called for the purpose of electing directors as set forth in the Corporation’s notice of such special meeting, may be made (i) by or at the direction of the Board or (ii) by any stockholder of the Corporation (x) who is a stockholder of record on the date of the giving of the notice provided for in this Section 3.4 and who is entitled to vote in the election of directors at such meeting and (y) who complies with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 3.4 .  Except as set forth in Section 3.4(i) , the immediately preceding sentence shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to make nominations of persons for election to the Board at any annual or special meeting of stockholders.

 

(b)            In addition to any other applicable requirements, for a nomination to be made by a stockholder, such stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in proper written form to the Secretary of the Corporation.  To be timely, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary must (x) comply with the provisions of this Section 3.4(b)  and (y) be timely updated by the times and in the manner required by the provisions of Section 3.4(e) .  A stockholder’s notice must be received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation (i) in the case of an annual meeting, not later than the close of business on the 90th day nor earlier than the opening of business on the 120th day before the anniversary date of the immediately preceding annual meeting of stockholders; provided , however , that if the annual meeting is called for a date that is more than 30 days earlier or more than 60 days after such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so received no earlier than the opening of business on the 120th day before the meeting and not later than the later of (x) the close of business on the 90th day before the meeting or (y) the close of business on the 10th day following the day on which public announcement of the date of the annual meeting is first made by the Corporation; and (ii) in the case of a special meeting of stockholders called for the purpose of electing directors, not earlier than the opening of business on the 120 th  day before the meeting and not later than the later of (x) the close of business on the 90 th  day before the meeting or (y) the close of business on the 10th day following the day on which public announcement of the date of the special meeting is first made by the Corporation.  Notwithstanding the previous sentence, for purposes of determining whether a stockholder’s notice shall have been received in a timely manner for the annual meeting of stockholders in 2015, to be timely, a stockholder’s notice must have been received not later than the close of business on August 15, 2015 nor earlier than the opening of business on July 15, 2015.  The public announcement of an adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting or special meeting shall not commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described in this Section 3.4 .

 

(c)            Notwithstanding anything in paragraph (b) to the contrary, if the number of directors to be elected to the Board at an annual meeting is greater than the number of directors whose terms expire on the date of the annual meeting and there is no public announcement by the Corporation naming all of the nominees for the additional directors to be elected or specifying the size of the increased Board before the close of business on the 90th day prior to the anniversary date of the immediately preceding annual meeting of stockholders, a stockholder’s notice required by this Section 3.4 shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for the additional directorships created by such increase that are to be filled by election at such annual meeting, if it shall be received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the 10th day following the date on which such public announcement was first made by the Corporation.

 

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(d)            To be in proper written form, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary must set forth (i) as to each person whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election as a director (A) the name, age, business address and residence address of the person, (B) the principal occupation or employment of the person, (C) the class or series and number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation that are owned of record or are directly or indirectly owned beneficially by the person, (D) any Derivative Instrument directly or indirectly owned beneficially by such nominee and any other direct or indirect opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from any increase or decrease in the value of shares of the Corporation and (E) any other information relating to the person that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for election of directors pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder; and (ii) as to the stockholder giving the notice (A) the name and address of such stockholder as they appear on the Corporation’s books, and the name and address of any Stockholder Associated Person, (B) the class or series and number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation that are owned of record or directly or indirectly owned beneficially by such Stockholder and any Stockholder Associated Person, (C) any Derivative Instrument directly or indirectly owned beneficially by such stockholder or Stockholder Associated Person and any other direct or indirect opportunity of such stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person to profit or share in any profit derived from any increase or decrease in the value of shares of the Corporation, (D) any proxy (other than a revocable proxy given in response to a solicitation made pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act by way of a solicitation statement filed on Schedule 14A), contract, arrangement, understanding or relationship pursuant to which such stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person has a right to vote any shares of the Corporation, (E) any short interest in any security of the Corporation held by such stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person (for purposes of this Section 3.4 a person shall be deemed to have a short interest in a security if such person directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, has the opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from any decrease in the value of the subject security), (F) any rights beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by such stockholder or Stockholder Associated Person to dividends on the shares of the Corporation that are separated or separable from the underlying shares of the Corporation, (G) any proportionate interest in shares of the Corporation or Derivative Instruments held, directly or indirectly, by a general or limited partnership in which such stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person is a general partner or, directly or indirectly, beneficially owns an interest in a general partner, (H) any performance-related fees (other than an asset-based fee) that such stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person is entitled to based on any increase or decrease in the value of shares of the Corporation or Derivative Instruments, if any, including without limitation any such interests held by members of such stockholder’s or any Stockholder Associated Person’s immediate family sharing the same household, (I) a description of all agreements, arrangements or understandings (written or oral) between or among such stockholder, any Stockholder Associated Person, any proposed nominee or any other person or persons (including their names) pursuant to which the nomination or nominations are to be made by such stockholder, (J) a representation that such

 

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stockholder intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to nominate the persons named in its notice, (K) any other information relating to such stockholder and any Stockholder Associated Person that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for election of directors pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, (L) a description of all direct and indirect compensation and other material monetary agreements, arrangements and understandings during the past three years, and any other material relationships, between or among such stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person, or others acting in concert therewith, on the one hand, and each proposed nominee, and his or her respective affiliates and associates, or others acting in concert therewith, on the other hand, and (M) a statement of whether such stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person intends, or is part of a group that intends, to solicit proxies for the election of the proposed nominee.  Such notice must be accompanied by a written consent of each proposed nominee to being named as a nominee and to serve as a director if elected.

 

(e)            A stockholder providing notice of a director nomination shall further update and supplement such notice, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice pursuant to this Section 3.4 shall be true and correct as of the record date for the meeting and as of the date that is 10 business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation (x) in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of the record date for the meeting, not later than five business days after such record date and (y) in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of 10 business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, as applicable, not later than eight business days prior to the date for the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, if practicable (or if not practicable, on the first practicable date prior to the date for the meeting or such adjournment or postponement thereof).  In addition, at the request of the Board, a proposed nominee shall furnish to the Secretary of the Corporation within ten days after receipt of such request such information as may reasonably be required by the Corporation to determine the eligibility of such proposed nominee to serve as an independent director of the Corporation or that could be material to a reasonable stockholder’s understanding of the independence, or lack thereof, of such nominee, and if such information is not furnished within such time period, the notice of such director’s nomination shall not be considered to have been timely given for purposes of this Section 3.4 .

 

(f)             If the Board or the chairman of the meeting of stockholders determines that any nomination was not made in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3.4 , then such nomination shall not be considered at the meeting in question.

 

(g)            In addition to the provisions of this Section 3.4 , a stockholder shall also comply with all of the applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to the matters set forth herein.

 

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(h)            Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.4 , if the stockholder (or a qualified representative of the stockholder) does not appear at the meeting of stockholders of the Corporation to present the nomination, such nomination shall be disregarded, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such nomination may have been received by the Corporation.

 

(i)             Nothing in this Section 3.4 shall be deemed to affect any rights of the holders of Preferred Stock to nominate and elect directors pursuant to the Certificate of Incorporation or the right of the Board to fill newly created directorships and vacancies on the Board pursuant to the Certificate of Incorporation.

 

Section 3.5             Compensation .  Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws, the Board shall have the authority to fix the compensation of directors.  The directors may be reimbursed their expenses, if any, of attendance at each meeting of the Board and may be paid either a fixed sum for attendance at each meeting of the Board or other compensation as director.  No such payment shall preclude any director from serving the Corporation in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor.  Members of committees of the Board may be allowed like compensation and reimbursement of expenses for service on the committee.

 

ARTICLE IV
BOARD MEETINGS

 

Section 4.1             Annual Meetings .  The Board shall meet as soon as practicable after the adjournment of each annual stockholders meeting at the place of the annual stockholders meeting unless the Board shall fix another time and place and give notice thereof in the manner required herein for special meetings of the Board.  No notice to the directors shall be necessary to legally convene this meeting, except as provided in this Section 4.1 .

 

Section 4.2             Regular Meetings .  Regularly scheduled, periodic meetings of the Board may be held without notice at such times, dates and places as shall from time to time be determined by the Board.

 

Section 4.3             Special Meetings .  Special meetings of the Board (a) may be called by the Chairman of the Board or Chief Executive Officer and (b) shall be called by the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer or Secretary on the written request of at least a majority of directors then in office, or the sole director, as the case may be, and shall be held at such time, date and place as may be determined by the person calling the meeting or, if called upon the request of directors or the sole director, as specified in such written request.  Notice of each special meeting of the Board shall be given, as provided in Section 9.3 , to each director (i) at least 24 hours before the meeting if such notice is oral notice given personally or by telephone or written notice given by hand delivery or by means of a form of electronic transmission and delivery; (ii) at least two days before the meeting if such notice is sent by a nationally recognized overnight delivery service; and (iii) at least five days before the meeting if such notice is sent through the United States mail.  If the Secretary shall fail or refuse to give such notice, then the notice may be given by the officer who called the meeting or the directors who requested the meeting.  Any and all business that may be transacted at a regular meeting of the Board may be transacted at a special meeting.  Except as may be otherwise expressly provided by applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation, or these By-Laws, neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any special meeting need be specified in the notice or waiver of notice of such meeting.  A special meeting may be held at any time without notice if all the directors are present or if those not present waive notice of the meeting in accordance with Section 9.4 .

 

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Section 4.4             Quorum; Required Vote .  A majority of the Whole Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the Board, and the act of a majority of the directors present at any meeting at which there is a quorum shall be the act of the Board, except as may be otherwise specifically provided by applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws.  If a quorum shall not be present at any meeting, a majority of the directors present may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum is present.

 

Section 4.5             Consent In Lieu of Meeting .  Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board or any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission, and the writing or writings or electronic transmission or transmissions (or paper reproductions thereof) are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board or committee.  Such filing shall be in paper form if the minutes are maintained in paper form and shall be in electronic form if the minutes are maintained in electronic form.

 

Section 4.6             Organization .  The Board shall elect a Chairman of the Board from among the directors.  The chairman of each meeting of the Board shall be the Chairman of the Board or, in the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer (if he or she shall be a director) or, in the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the Chief Executive Officer or if the Chief Executive Officer is not a director, the President (if he or she shall be a director) or in the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the President or if the President is not a director, a chairman elected from the directors present.  The Secretary shall act as secretary of all meetings of the Board.  In the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the Secretary, an Assistant Secretary shall perform the duties of the Secretary at such meeting.  In the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the Secretary and all Assistant Secretaries, the chairman of the meeting may appoint any person to act as secretary of the meeting.

 

ARTICLE V
COMMITTEES OF DIRECTORS

 

Section 5.1             Establishment .  The Board may by resolution passed by a majority of the Whole Board designate one or more committees, each committee to consist of one or more of the directors of the Corporation.  Each committee shall keep regular minutes of its meetings and report the same to the Board when required.  The Board shall have the power at any time to fill vacancies in, to change the membership of, or to dissolve any such committee.

 

Section 5.2             Available Powers .  Any committee established pursuant to Section 5.1 hereof, to the extent permitted by applicable law and by resolution of the Board, shall have and may exercise all of the powers and authority of the Board in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation, and may authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers that may require it.

 

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Section 5.3             Alternate Members .  The Board may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of such committee.

 

Section 5.4             Procedures .  Unless the Board otherwise provides, the time, date, place, if any, and notice of meetings of a committee shall be determined by such committee.  At meetings of a committee, a majority of the number of members of the committee (but not including any alternate member, unless such alternate member has replaced any absent or disqualified member at the time of, or in connection with, such meeting) shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.  The act of a majority of the members present at any meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the committee, except as otherwise specifically provided by applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation, these By-Laws or the Board.  If a quorum is not present at a meeting of a committee, the members present may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than an announcement at the meeting, until a quorum is present.  Unless the Board otherwise provides and except as provided in these By-Laws, each committee designated by the Board may make, alter, amend and repeal rules for the conduct of its business.  In the absence of such rules each committee shall conduct its business in the same manner as the Board is authorized to conduct its business pursuant to Article III and Article IV of these By-Laws.

 

ARTICLE VI
OFFICERS

 

Section 6.1             Officers .  The officers of the Corporation elected by the Board shall be a Chief Executive Officer, a President, a Treasurer, a Secretary and such other officers (including without limitation a Chief Financial Officer, Vice Presidents, Assistant Secretaries and Assistant Treasurers) as the Board from time to time may determine. Officers elected by the Board shall each have such powers and duties as generally pertain to their respective offices, subject to the specific provisions of this Article VI .  Such officers shall also have such powers and duties as from time to time may be conferred by the Board.  The Chief Executive Officer or President may also appoint such other officers (including without limitation one or more Vice Presidents and Controllers) as may be necessary or desirable for the conduct of the business of the Corporation.  Such other officers shall have such powers and duties and shall hold their offices for such terms as may be provided in these By-Laws or as may be prescribed by the Board or, if such officer has been appointed by Chief Executive Officer or President, as may be prescribed by the appointing officer.

 

(a)            Chief Executive Officer .  The Chief Executive Officer shall be the chief executive officer of the Corporation, shall have general supervision of the affairs of the Corporation and general control of all of its business subject to the ultimate authority of the Board, and shall be responsible for the execution of the policies of the Board.  In the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer (if he or she shall be a director) shall preside when present at all meetings of the stockholders and the Board.

 

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(b)            President .  The President shall be the chief operating officer of the Corporation and shall, subject to the authority of the Chief Executive Officer and the Board, have general management and control of the day-to-day business operations of the Corporation and shall consult with and report to the Chief Executive Officer.  The President shall put into operation the business policies of the Corporation as determined by the Chief Executive Officer and the Board and as communicated to the President by the Chief Executive Officer and the Board.  The President shall make recommendations to the Chief Executive Officer on all operational matters that would normally be reserved for the final executive responsibility of the Chief Executive Officer.  In the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, the President (if he or she shall be a director) shall preside when present at all meetings of the stockholders and the Board.

 

(c)            Vice Presidents .  In the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the President, the Vice President (or in the event there be more than one Vice President, the Vice Presidents in the order designated by the Board) shall perform the duties and have the powers of the President.  Any one or more of the Vice Presidents may be given an additional designation of rank or function.

 

(d)            Secretary .

 

(i)             The Secretary shall attend all meetings of the stockholders, the Board and (as required) committees of the Board and shall record the proceedings of such meetings in books to be kept for that purpose.  The Secretary shall give, or cause to be given, notice of all meetings of the stockholders and special meetings of the Board and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the President.  The Secretary shall have custody of the corporate seal of the Corporation and the Secretary, or any Assistant Secretary, shall have authority to affix the same to any instrument requiring it, and when so affixed, it may be attested by his or her signature or by the signature of such Assistant Secretary.  The Board may give general authority to any other officer to affix the seal of the Corporation and to attest the affixing thereof by his or her signature.

 

(ii)            The Secretary shall keep, or cause to be kept, at the principal executive office of the Corporation or at the office of the Corporation’s transfer agent or registrar, if one has been appointed, a stock ledger, or duplicate stock ledger, showing the names of the stockholders and their addresses, the number and classes of shares held by each and, with respect to certificated shares, the number and date of certificates issued for the same and the number and date of certificates cancelled.

 

(e)            Assistant Secretaries .  The Assistant Secretary or, if there be more than one, the Assistant Secretaries in the order determined by the Board shall, in the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the Secretary, perform the duties and have the powers of the Secretary.

 

(f)             Treasurer .  The Treasurer shall perform all duties commonly incident to that office (including, without limitation, the care and custody of the funds and securities of the Corporation which from time to time may come into the Treasurer’s hands and the deposit of the funds of the Corporation in such banks or trust companies as the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the President may authorize).

 

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(g)            Assistant Treasurers .  The Assistant Treasurer or, if there shall be more than one, the Assistant Treasurers in the order determined by the Board shall, in the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the Treasurer, perform the duties and exercise the powers of the Treasurer.

 

Section 6.2             Term of Office; Removal; Vacancies .  The elected officers of the Corporation shall be elected annually by the Board at its first meeting held after each annual meeting of stockholders.  All officers elected by the Board shall hold office until the next annual meeting of the Board and until their successors are duly elected and qualified or until their earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, or removal from office.  Any officer may be removed, with or without cause, at any time by the Board.  Any officer appointed by the Chief Executive Officer or President may also be removed, with or without cause, by the Chief Executive Officer or President, as the case may be, unless the Board otherwise provides.  Any vacancy occurring in any elected office of the Corporation may be filled by the Board.  Any vacancy occurring in any office appointed by the Chief Executive Officer or President may be filled by the Chief Executive Officer or President, as the case may be, unless the Board then determines that such office shall thereupon be elected by the Board, in which case the Board shall elect such officer.

 

Section 6.3             Other Officers .  The Board may delegate the power to appoint such other officers and agents, and may also remove such officers and agents or delegate the power to remove same, as it shall from time to time deem necessary or desirable.

 

Section 6.4             Multiple Officeholders; Stockholder and Director Officers .  Any number of offices may be held by the same person unless the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws otherwise provide.  Officers need not be stockholders or residents of the State of Delaware.

 

ARTICLE VII
SHARES

 

Section 7.1             Certificated and Uncertificated Shares .  The shares of the Corporation shall be represented by certificates, provided that the Board may provide by resolution or resolutions that some or all of any or all classes or series of its stock shall be uncertificated shares.  Any such resolution shall not apply to shares represented by a certificate until such certificate is surrendered to the Corporation.  The Corporation shall not have power to issue a certificate representing shares in bearer form.

 

Section 7.2             Multiple Classes of Stock .  If the Corporation shall be authorized to issue more than one class of stock or more than one series of any class, the Corporation shall (a) cause the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences or rights to be set forth in full or summarized on the face or back of any certificate that the Corporation issues to represent shares of such class or series of stock or (b) in the case of uncertificated shares, within a reasonable time after the issuance or transfer of such shares, send to the registered owner thereof a written notice containing the information required to be set forth on certificates as specified in clause (a) above; provided, however, that, except as otherwise

 

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provided by applicable law, in lieu of the foregoing requirements, there may be set forth on the face or back of such certificate or, in the case of uncertificated shares, on such written notice a statement that the Corporation will furnish without charge to each stockholder who so requests the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences or rights.

 

Section 7.3             Signatures .  Each certificate representing capital stock of the Corporation shall be signed by or in the name of the Corporation by (a) the Chief Executive Officer, the President or a Vice President and (b) the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Corporation.  Any or all the signatures on the certificate may be a facsimile.  In case any officer, transfer agent or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate shall have ceased to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is issued, such certificate may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if such person were such officer, transfer agent or registrar on the date of issue.

 

Section 7.4             Consideration and Payment for Shares .

 

(a)            Subject to applicable law and the Certificate of Incorporation, shares of stock may be issued for such consideration, having in the case of shares with par value a value not less than the par value thereof, and to such persons, as determined from time to time by the Board.  The consideration may consist of any tangible or intangible property or benefit to the Corporation including cash, promissory notes, services performed, contracts for services to be performed or other securities.

 

(b)            Subject to applicable law and the Certificate of Incorporation, shares may not be issued until the full amount of the consideration has been paid, unless upon the face or back of each certificate issued to represent any partly paid shares of capital stock or upon the books and records of the Corporation in the case of partly paid uncertificated shares, there shall have been set forth the total amount of the consideration to be paid therefor and the amount paid thereon up to and including the time said certificate representing certificated shares or said uncertificated shares are issued.

 

Section 7.5             Lost, Destroyed or Wrongfully Taken Certificates .

 

(a)            If an owner of a certificate representing shares claims that such certificate has been lost, destroyed or wrongfully taken, the Corporation shall issue a new certificate representing such shares or such shares in uncertificated form if the owner: (i) requests such a new certificate before the Corporation has notice that the certificate representing such shares has been acquired by a protected purchaser; (ii) if requested by the Corporation, delivers to the Corporation a bond sufficient to indemnify the Corporation against any claim that may be made against the Corporation on account of the alleged loss, wrongful taking or destruction of such certificate or the issuance of such new certificate or uncertificated shares; and (iii) satisfies other reasonable requirements imposed by the Corporation.

 

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(b)            If a certificate representing shares has been lost, apparently destroyed or wrongfully taken, and the owner fails to notify the Corporation of that fact within a reasonable time after the owner has notice of such loss, apparent destruction or wrongful taking and the Corporation registers a transfer of such shares before receiving notification, the owner shall be precluded from asserting against the Corporation any claim for registering such transfer or a claim to a new certificate representing such shares or such shares in uncertificated form.

 

Section 7.6             Transfer of Stock .

 

(a)            If a certificate representing shares of the Corporation is presented to the Corporation with a stock power or other indorsement requesting the registration of transfer of such shares or an instruction is presented to the Corporation requesting the registration of transfer of uncertificated shares, the Corporation shall register the transfer as requested if:

 

(i)             in the case of certificated shares, the certificate representing such shares has been surrendered;

 

(ii)            (A) with respect to certificated shares, the indorsement is made by the person specified by the certificate as entitled to such shares; (B) with respect to uncertificated shares, an instruction is made by the registered owner of such uncertificated shares; or (C) with respect to certificated shares or uncertificated shares, the indorsement or instruction is made by any other appropriate person or by an agent who has actual authority to act on behalf of the appropriate person;

 

(iii)           the Corporation has received a guarantee of signature of the person signing such indorsement or instruction or such other reasonable assurance that the indorsement or instruction is genuine and authorized as the Corporation may request;

 

(iv)           the transfer does not violate any restriction on transfer imposed by the Corporation that is enforceable in accordance with Section 7.8(a) ; and

 

(v)            such other conditions for such transfer as shall be provided for under applicable law have been satisfied.

 

(b)            Whenever any transfer of shares shall be made for collateral security and not absolutely, the Corporation shall so record such fact in the entry of transfer if, when the certificate for such shares is presented to the Corporation for transfer or, if such shares are uncertificated, when the instruction for registration of transfer thereof is presented to the Corporation, both the transferor and transferee request the Corporation to do so.

 

Section 7.7             Registered Stockholders .  Before due presentment for registration of transfer of a certificate representing shares of the Corporation or of an instruction requesting registration of transfer of uncertificated shares, the Corporation may treat the registered owner as the person exclusively entitled to inspect for any proper purpose the stock ledger and the other books and records of the Corporation, vote such shares, receive dividends or notifications with respect to such shares and otherwise exercise all the rights and powers of the owner of such shares, except that a person who is the beneficial owner of such shares (if held in a voting trust or by a nominee on behalf of such person) may, upon providing documentary evidence of beneficial ownership of such shares and satisfying such other conditions as are provided under applicable law, may also so inspect the books and records of the Corporation.

 

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Section 7.8             Effect of the Corporation’s Restriction on Transfer .

 

(a)            A written restriction on the transfer or registration of transfer of shares of the Corporation or on the amount of shares of the Corporation that may be owned by any person or group of persons, if permitted by the DGCL and noted conspicuously on the certificate representing such shares or, in the case of uncertificated shares, contained in a notice sent by the Corporation to the registered owner of such shares within a reasonable time after the issuance or transfer of such shares, may be enforced against the holder of such shares or any successor or transferee of the holder including an executor, administrator, trustee, guardian or other fiduciary entrusted with like responsibility for the person or estate of the holder.

 

(b)            A restriction imposed by the Corporation on the transfer or the registration of shares of the Corporation or on the amount of shares of the Corporation that may be owned by any person or group of persons, even if otherwise lawful, is ineffective against a person without actual knowledge of such restriction unless:  (i) the shares are certificated and such restriction is noted conspicuously on the certificate; or (ii) the shares are uncertificated and such restriction was contained in a notice sent by the Corporation to the registered owner of such shares within a reasonable time after the issuance or transfer of such shares.

 

Section 7.9             Regulations .  The Board shall have power and authority to make such additional rules and regulations, subject to any applicable requirement of law, as the Board may deem necessary and appropriate with respect to the issue, transfer or registration of transfer of shares of stock or certificates representing shares.  The Board may appoint one or more transfer agents or registrars and may require for the validity thereof that certificates representing shares bear the signature of any transfer agent or registrar so appointed.

 

ARTICLE VIII
INDEMNIFICATION

 

Section 8.1             Right to Indemnification .  Each person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is otherwise involved in any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (hereinafter a “ proceeding ”), by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director or officer of the Corporation or, while a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust, other enterprise or nonprofit entity, including service with respect to an employee benefit plan (hereinafter a “ Covered Person ”), whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent, or in any other capacity while serving as a director, officer, employee or agent, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended, against all expenses, liability and loss (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes and penalties and amounts paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or suffered by such Covered Person in connection with such proceeding; provided, however, that, except as provided in Section 8.3 with respect to proceedings to enforce rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses, the Corporation shall indemnify a Covered Person in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such Covered Person only if such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the

 

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Board.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Corporation shall not indemnify any such indemnitee (1) in any proceeding by the Corporation against such indemnitee; (2) in the event the Board determines that indemnification is not available under the circumstances because the officer or director has not met the standard of conduct set forth in Section 145 of the DGCL; or (3) if a judgment or other final adjudication adverse to the indemnitee establishes his liability (i) for breach of the duty of loyalty to the Corporation or its shareholders, (ii) for the acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, or (iii) under Section 174 of the DGCL.

 

Section 8.2             Right to Advancement of Expenses .  In addition to the right to indemnification conferred in Section 8.1 , a Covered Person shall also have the right to be paid by the Corporation the expenses (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees) incurred in defending, testifying, or otherwise participating in any such proceeding in advance of its final disposition (hereinafter an “ advancement of expenses ”); provided, however, that, if the Delaware General Corporation Law (“ DGCL ”) requires, an advancement of expenses incurred by a Covered Person in his or her capacity as a director or officer of the Corporation (and not in any other capacity in which service was or is rendered by such Covered Person, including, without limitation, service to an employee benefit plan) shall be made only upon delivery to the Corporation of an undertaking (hereinafter an “ undertaking ”), by or on behalf of such Covered Person, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined by final judicial decision from which there is no further right to appeal (hereinafter a “ final adjudication ”) that such Covered Person is not entitled to be indemnified for such expenses under this Article VIII or otherwise.

 

Section 8.3             Right of Indemnitee to Bring Suit .  If a claim under Section 8.1 or Section 8.2 is not paid in full by the Corporation within 60 days after a written claim therefor has been received by the Corporation, except in the case of a claim for an advancement of expenses, in which case the applicable period shall be 20 days, the Covered Person may at any time thereafter bring suit against the Corporation to recover the unpaid amount of the claim to the fullest extent permitted by law.  If successful in whole or in part in any such suit, or in a suit brought by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the Covered Person shall also be entitled to be paid the expense of prosecuting or defending such suit.  In any suit brought by (a) the Covered Person to enforce a right to indemnification hereunder (but not in a suit brought by a Covered Person to enforce a right to an advancement of expenses) it shall be a defense that, and (b) the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the Corporation shall be entitled to recover such expenses upon a final adjudication that, the Covered Person has not met any applicable standard for indemnification set forth in the DGCL.  Neither the failure of the Corporation (including its directors who are not parties to such action, a committee of such directors, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders)  to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such suit that indemnification of the Covered Person is proper in the circumstances because the Covered Person has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the DGCL, nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including a determination by its directors who are not parties to such action, a committee of such directors, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) that the Covered Person has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall create a presumption that the Covered Person has not met the applicable standard of conduct or, in the case of such a suit brought by the Covered Person, shall be a defense to such

 

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suit.  In any suit brought by the Covered Person to enforce a right to indemnification or to an advancement of expenses hereunder, or by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the burden of proving that the Covered Person is not entitled to be indemnified, or to such advancement of expenses, under this Article VIII or otherwise shall be on the Corporation.

 

Section 8.4             Non-Exclusivity of Rights .  The rights provided to Covered Persons pursuant to this Article VIII shall not be exclusive of any other right that any Covered Person may have or hereafter acquire under applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation, these By-Laws, an agreement, a vote of stockholders or disinterested directors, or otherwise.

 

Section 8.5             Insurance .  The Corporation may maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and/or any director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation or another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, other enterprise or nonprofit entity against any expense, liability or loss, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such expense, liability or loss under the DGCL.

 

Section 8.6             Indemnification of Other Persons .  This Article VIII shall not limit the right of the Corporation to the extent and in the manner permitted by law to indemnify and to advance expenses to persons other than Covered Persons.  Without limiting the foregoing, the Corporation may, to the extent authorized from time to time by the Board, grant rights to indemnification and to the advancement of expenses to any employee or agent of the Corporation and to any other person who is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust, other enterprise or nonprofit entity, including service with respect to an employee benefit plan, to the fullest extent of the provisions of this Article VIII with respect to the indemnification and advancement of expenses of Covered Persons under this Article VIII .

 

Section 8.7             Amendments .  Any repeal or amendment of this Article VIII by the Board or the stockholders of the Corporation or by changes in applicable law, or the adoption of any other provision of these By-Laws inconsistent with this Article VIII , shall, to the extent permitted by applicable law, be prospective only (except to the extent such amendment or change in applicable law permits the Corporation to provide broader indemnification rights to Covered Persons on a retroactive basis than permitted prior thereto), and will not in any way diminish or adversely affect any right or protection existing hereunder in respect of any act or omission occurring prior to such repeal or amendment or adoption of such inconsistent provision.

 

Section 8.8             Certain Definitions .  For purposes of this Article VIII , (a) references to “other enterprise” shall include any employee benefit plan; (b) references to “fines” shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to an employee benefit plan; (c) references to “serving at the request of the Corporation” shall include any service that imposes duties on, or involves services by, a person with respect to any employee benefit plan, its participants, or beneficiaries; and (d) a person who acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interest of the Corporation” for purposes of Section 145 of the DGCL.

 

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Section 8.9             Contract Rights .  The rights provided to Covered Persons pursuant to this Article VIII (a) shall be contract rights based upon good and valuable consideration, pursuant to which a Covered Person may bring suit as if the provisions of this Article VIII were set forth in a separate written contract between the Covered Person and the Corporation, (b) shall fully vest at the time the Covered Person first assumes his or her position as a director or officer of the Corporation, (c) are intended to be retroactive and shall be available with respect to any act or omission occurring prior to the adoption of this Article VIII , (d) shall continue as to a Covered Person who has ceased to be a director or officer of the Corporation, and (e) shall inure to the benefit of the Covered Person’s heirs, executors and administrators.

 

Section 8.10          Severability .  If any provision or provisions of this Article VIII shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever:  (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Article VIII shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby; and (b) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Article VIII (including, without limitation, each such portion of this Article VIII containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested by the provision held invalid, illegal or unenforceable.

 

ARTICLE IX
MISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 9.1             Place of Meetings .  If the place of any meeting of stockholders, the Board or committee of the Board for which notice is required under these By-Laws is not designated in the notice of such meeting, such meeting shall be held at the principal business office of the Corporation; provided, however, if the Board has, in its sole discretion, determined that a meeting shall not be held at any place, but instead shall be held by means of remote communication pursuant to Section 9.5 hereof, then such meeting shall not be held at any place.

 

Section 9.2             Fixing Certain Record Dates .

 

(a)            In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, the Board may fix a record date, which shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board, and which record date shall not be more than 60 nor less than 10 days before the date of such meeting.  If the Board so fixes a record date, such date shall also be the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting unless the Board determines, at the time it fixes such record date, that a later date on or before the date of the meeting shall be the date for making such determination.  If no record date is fixed by the Board, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of and to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be at the close of business on the business day next preceding the day on which notice is given, or, if notice is waived, at the close of business on the business day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held.  A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board may fix a new record date for determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting, and in such case shall also fix as the record date for stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting the same or an earlier date as that fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to vote in accordance with the foregoing provisions of this Section 9.2(a)  at the adjourned meeting.

 

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(b)            In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights or the stockholders entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock, or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted, and which record date shall be not more than 60 days prior to such action.  If no record date is fixed, the record date for determining stockholders for any such purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board adopts the resolution relating thereto.

 

Section 9.3             Means of Giving Notice .

 

(a)            Notice to Directors .  Whenever under applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws notice is required to be given to any director, such notice shall be given either (i) in writing and sent by hand delivery, through the United States mail, or by a nationally recognized overnight delivery service for next day delivery, (ii) by means of facsimile telecommunication or other form of electronic transmission, or (iii) by oral notice given personally or by telephone.  A notice to a director will be deemed given as follows:  (i) if given by hand delivery, orally, or by telephone, when actually received by the director, (ii) if sent through the United States mail, when deposited in the United States mail, with postage and fees thereon prepaid, addressed to the director at the director’s address appearing on the records of the Corporation, (iii) if sent for next day delivery by a nationally recognized overnight delivery service, when deposited with such service, with fees thereon prepaid, addressed to the director at the director’s address appearing on the records of the Corporation, (iv) if sent by facsimile telecommunication, when sent to the facsimile transmission number for such director appearing on the records of the Corporation, (v) if sent by electronic mail, when sent to the electronic mail address for such director appearing on the records of the Corporation, or (vi) if sent by any other form of electronic transmission, when sent to the address, location or number (as applicable) for such director appearing on the records of the Corporation.

 

(b)            Notice to Stockholders .  Whenever under applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws notice is required to be given to any stockholder, such notice may be given (i) in writing and sent either by hand delivery, through the United States mail, or by a nationally recognized overnight delivery service for next day delivery, or (ii) by means of a form of electronic transmission consented to by the stockholder, to the extent permitted by, and subject to the conditions set forth in Section 232 of the DGCL.  A notice to a stockholder shall be deemed given as follows:  (i) if given by hand delivery, when actually received by the stockholder, (ii) if sent through the United States mail, when deposited in the United States mail, with postage and fees thereon prepaid, addressed to the stockholder at the stockholder’s address appearing on the stock ledger of the Corporation, (iii) if sent for next day delivery by a nationally recognized overnight delivery service, when deposited with such service, with fees thereon prepaid, addressed to the stockholder at the stockholder’s address appearing on the stock ledger of the Corporation, and (iv) if given by a form of electronic transmission consented to by the stockholder to whom the notice is given and otherwise meeting the requirements set forth above, (A) if by facsimile transmission, when directed to a number at which the stockholder has

 

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consented to receive notice, (B) if by electronic mail, when directed to an electronic mail address at which the stockholder has consented to receive notice, (C) if by a posting on an electronic network together with separate notice to the stockholder of such specified posting, upon the later of (1) such posting and (2) the giving of such separate notice, and (D) if by any other form of electronic transmission, when directed to the stockholder.  A stockholder may revoke such stockholder’s consent to receiving notice by means of electronic communication by giving written notice of such revocation to the Corporation.  Any such consent shall be deemed revoked if (1) the Corporation is unable to deliver by electronic transmission two consecutive notices given by the Corporation in accordance with such consent and (2) such inability becomes known to the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary or to the Corporation’s transfer agent, or other person responsible for the giving of notice; provided, however, the inadvertent failure to treat such inability as a revocation shall not invalidate any meeting or other action.

 

(c)            Electronic Transmission .  “ Electronic transmission ” means any form of communication, not directly involving the physical transmission of paper, that creates a record that may be retained, retrieved and reviewed by a recipient thereof, and that may be directly reproduced in paper form by such a recipient through an automated process, including but not limited to transmission by telex, facsimile telecommunication, electronic mail, telegram and cablegram.

 

(d)            Notice to Stockholders Sharing Same Address .  Without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given effectively by the Corporation to stockholders, any notice to stockholders given by the Corporation under any provision of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws shall be effective if given by a single written notice to stockholders who share an address if consented to by the stockholders at that address to whom such notice is given.  A stockholder may revoke such stockholder’s consent by delivering written notice of such revocation to the Corporation.  Any stockholder who fails to object in writing to the Corporation within 60 days of having been given written notice by the Corporation of its intention to send such a single written notice shall be deemed to have consented to receiving such single written notice.

 

(e)            Exceptions to Notice Requirements .  Whenever notice is required to be given, under the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws, to any person with whom communication is unlawful, the giving of such notice to such person shall not be required and there shall be no duty to apply to any governmental authority or agency for a license or permit to give such notice to such person.  Any action or meeting that shall be taken or held without notice to any such person with whom communication is unlawful shall have the same force and effect as if such notice had been duly given.  If the action taken by the Corporation is such as to require the filing of a certificate with the Secretary of State of Delaware, the certificate shall state, if such is the fact and if notice is required, that notice was given to all persons entitled to receive notice except such persons with whom communication is unlawful.

 

Whenever notice is required to be given by the Corporation, under any provision of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws, to any stockholder to whom (1) notice of two consecutive annual meetings of stockholders and all notices of stockholder meetings or of the taking of action by written consent of stockholders without a meeting to such stockholder during the period between such two consecutive annual meetings, or (2) all, and at

 

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least two payments (if sent by first-class mail) of dividends or interest on securities during a 12-month period, have been mailed addressed to such stockholder at such stockholder’s address as shown on the records of the Corporation and have been returned undeliverable, the giving of such notice to such stockholder shall not be required.  Any action or meeting that shall be taken or held without notice to such stockholder shall have the same force and effect as if such notice had been duly given.  If any such stockholder shall deliver to the Corporation a written notice setting forth such stockholder’s then-current address, the requirement that notice be given to such stockholder shall be reinstated.  If the action taken by the Corporation is such as to require the filing of a certificate with the Secretary of State of Delaware, the certificate need not state that notice was not given to persons to whom notice was not required to be given pursuant to Section 230(b) of the DGCL.  The exception in subsection (1) of the first sentence of this paragraph to the requirement that notice be given shall not be applicable to any notice returned as undeliverable if the notice was given by electronic transmission.

 

Section 9.4             Waiver of Notice .  Whenever any notice is required to be given under applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation, or these By-Laws, a written waiver of such notice, signed before or after the date of such meeting by the person or persons entitled to said notice, or a waiver by electronic transmission by the person entitled to said notice, shall be deemed equivalent to such required notice.  All such waivers shall be kept with the books of the Corporation.  Attendance at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except where a person attends for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business on the ground that the meeting was not lawfully called or convened.

 

Section 9.5             Meeting Attendance via Remote Communication Equipment .

 

(a)            Stockholder Meetings .  If authorized by the Board in its sole discretion, and subject to such guidelines and procedures as the Board may adopt, stockholders and proxyholders not physically present at a meeting of stockholders may, by means of remote communication:

 

(i)             participate in a meeting of stockholders; and

 

(ii)            be deemed present in person and vote at a meeting of stockholders, whether such meeting is to be held at a designated place or solely by means of remote communication, provided that (A) the Corporation shall implement reasonable measures to verify that each person deemed present and permitted to vote at the meeting by means of remote communication is a stockholder or proxyholder, (B) the Corporation shall implement reasonable measures to provide such stockholders and proxyholders a reasonable opportunity to participate in the meeting and to vote on matters submitted to the stockholders, including an opportunity to read or hear the proceedings of the meeting substantially concurrently with such proceedings, and (C) if any stockholder or proxyholder votes or takes other action at the meeting by means of remote communication, a record of such votes or other action shall be maintained by the Corporation.

 

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(b)            Board Meetings .  Unless otherwise restricted by applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws, members of the Board or any committee thereof may participate in a meeting of the Board or any committee thereof by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other.  Such participation in a meeting shall constitute presence in person at the meeting, except where a person participates in the meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business on the ground that the meeting was not lawfully called or convened.

 

Section 9.6             Dividends .  The Board may from time to time declare, and the Corporation may pay, dividends (payable in cash, property or shares of the Corporation’s capital stock) on the Corporation’s outstanding shares of capital stock, subject to applicable law and the Certificate of Incorporation.

 

Section 9.7             Reserves .  The Board may set apart out of the funds of the Corporation available for dividends a reserve or reserves for any proper purpose and may abolish any such reserve.

 

Section 9.8             Contracts and Negotiable Instruments .  Except as otherwise provided by applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws, any contract, bond, deed, lease, mortgage or other instrument may be executed and delivered in the name and on behalf of the Corporation by such officer or officers or other employee or employees of the Corporation as the Board may from time to time authorize.  Such authority may be general or confined to specific instances as the Board may determine.  The Chief Executive Officer, the President or any Vice President may execute and deliver any contract, bond, deed, lease, mortgage or other instrument in the name and on behalf of the Corporation.  Subject to any restrictions imposed by the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, President or any Vice President may delegate powers to execute and deliver any contract, bond, deed, lease, mortgage or other instrument in the name and on behalf of the Corporation to other officers or employees of the Corporation under such person’s supervision and authority, it being understood, however, that any such delegation of power shall not relieve such officer of responsibility with respect to the exercise of such delegated power.

 

Section 9.9             Fiscal Year .  The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be fixed by the Board.

 

Section 9.10          Seal .  The Board may adopt a corporate seal, which shall be in such form as the Board determines.  The seal may be used by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed, affixed or otherwise reproduced.

 

Section 9.11          Books and Records .  The books and records of the Corporation may be kept within or outside the State of Delaware at such place or places as may from time to time be designated by the Board.

 

Section 9.12          Resignation .  Any director, committee member or officer may resign by giving notice thereof in writing or by electronic transmission to the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President or the Secretary.  The resignation shall take effect at the time specified therein, or at the time of receipt of such notice if no time is specified or the specified time is earlier than the time of such receipt.  Unless otherwise specified therein, the acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.

 

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Section 9.13          Surety Bonds .  Such officers, employees and agents of the Corporation (if any) as the Chief Executive Officer, the President or the Board may direct, from time to time, shall be bonded for the faithful performance of their duties and for the restoration to the Corporation, in case of their death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal from office, of all books, papers, vouchers, money and other property of whatever kind in their possession or under their control belonging to the Corporation, in such amounts and by such surety companies as the Chief Executive Officer, President or the Board may determine.  The premiums on such bonds shall be paid by the Corporation and the bonds so furnished shall be in the custody of the Secretary.

 

Section 9.14          Securities of Other Corporations .  Powers of attorney, proxies, waivers of notice of meeting, consents in writing and other instruments relating to securities owned by the Corporation may be executed in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation by the Chief Executive Officer, President or any Vice President.  Any such officer, may, in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation, take all such action as any such officer may deem advisable to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of security holders of any corporation in which the Corporation may own securities, or to consent in writing, in the name of the Corporation as such holder, to any action by such corporation, and at any such meeting or with respect to any such consent shall possess and may exercise any and all rights and power incident to the ownership of such securities and which, as the owner thereof, the Corporation might have exercised and possessed.  The Board may from time to time confer like powers upon any other person or persons.

 

Section 9.15          Forum for Adjudication of Disputes .

 

(a)            Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or other employee of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws, or (iv) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine, shall be the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if the Deleware Court of Chancery does not have jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware).

 

(b)            If any action the subject matter of which is within the scope of Section 9.15(a)  above is filed in a court other than a court located within the State of Delaware (a “ Foreign Action ”) in the name of any stockholder, such stockholder shall be deemed to have consented to (i) the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located within the State of Delaware in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce Section 9.15(a)  above (an “ FSC Enforcement Action ”) and (ii) having service of process made upon such stockholder in any such FSC Enforcement Action by service upon such stockholder’s counsel in the Foreign Action as agent for such stockholder.

 

Section 9.16          Amendments .  The Board shall have the power to adopt, amend, alter or repeal the By-Laws; provided, however, that the Board may not amend the By-laws to take any action that is reserved exclusively for the shareholders pursuant to the DGCL.  The affirmative vote of a majority of the Whole Board shall be required to adopt, amend, alter or repeal the By-Laws.  The By-Laws also may be adopted, amended, altered or repealed by the stockholders.  Any amendment, modification, repeal or addition to these By-Laws adopted by the Board may be amended or repealed by the shareholders. The Board is without power to amend this Section 9.16,

 

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Exhibit 10.1

 

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

 

This EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (“ Agreement ”) is entered into as of July 2, 2015 (“ Effective Date ”) by and between Joe’s Jeans Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), and Hamish Sandhu (“ Executive ”).

 

RECITALS

 

WHEREAS, the Company desires that Executive continue to serve as the Chief Financial Officer of the Company in order to assure continuity of management of the Company, and Executive desires to be so employed, on the terms and conditions as hereinafter set forth.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, the parties agree as follows:

 

AGREEMENT

 

SECTION 1.         EMPLOYMENT

 

1.1          Term of Employment .  The Company agrees to employ Executive, and Executive agrees to remain an employee of the Company, for one (1) year from the Effective Date of this Agreement and the employment shall be automatically renewed for additional one (1) year periods unless Company or Executive gives the other notice of non-renewal 90 days’ in advance of the end of the term.  The period (including any automatic renewal terms) during which Executive is employed by the Company pursuant to this Agreement is herein referred to as the “ Term ”.

 

1.2          Title and Duties .

 

(a)           During the Term, Executive shall be employed as the Chief Financial Officer of the Company.  He shall perform such reasonable executive and managerial responsibilities and duties consistent with the title and position of Chief Financial Officer as may be assigned to him from time to time by the Company.  In this capacity, Executive shall report to the Chief Executive Officer, or equivalent position.  Executive shall diligently devote his business skill, time and effort to his employment hereunder and shall not serve as an employee, director or consultant of any other entity without the consent of the Chief Executive Officer.

 

(b)           During the Term, Executive shall further serve as Treasurer or other similar financial officer position of the Company’s subsidiaries without additional compensation.  In the event that Executive is not an employee of the Company, then Section 3.2 shall apply.

 

1.3          Location .  Executive shall be based in Commerce, California, subject to travel as required in the performance of duties hereunder.

 

1.4          Vacation .  Executive shall be allowed three (3) weeks of vacation with pay and leaves of absence with pay on the same basis as other senior executive employees of the Company.

 



 

SECTION 2.         COMPENSATION

 

2.1          Salary; Other Payments .  The Company shall pay Executive during the Term an annual base salary of $325,000 payable in accordance with the Company’s normal payroll practices, and Executive and Company agree that such salary shall be reviewed by the Compensation Committee of the Board at least annually, beginning with a review on or around the first anniversary of the Effective Date; provided, however , that Executive’s Base Salary shall not be decreased at any time during the Term of Employment.  (Executive’s annual salary, as set forth above or as it may be increased from time to time as set forth herein, shall be referred to hereinafter as “ Base Salary ”).

 

2.2          Benefits .  During the Term, Executive shall be entitled to participate in any life, health and long-term disability insurance programs, pension and retirement programs, and other fringe benefit programs made available to senior executive employees of the Company from time to time (subject, in the case of life, health and long-term disability insurance programs, to his qualifying under the terms of the insurance coverage), at a level commensurate with his position.  For avoidance of doubt, the Company shall pay 100% of the premiums for Executive and his family for health insurance programs and for Executive for life and long-term disability insurance programs.

 

2.3          Annual Bonus Opportunity .  During each fiscal year during the Term, Executive shall be eligible to receive an annual discretionary cash bonus (“ Bonus ”), and equity bonus (“ Equity Bonus ”) under the Company’s Amended and Restated 2004 Stock Incentive Plan (or such successor plan as may exist from time to time (the “Plan”), to be based on performance criteria established by the Compensation Committee of the Board and communicated to Executive within 90 days following the beginning of such fiscal year; provided that, with respect to the 2015 fiscal year, the performance criteria to earn a Bonus or Equity Bonus will be based on the achievement of the budgeted EBITDA (as defined in the budget provided to the Lenders on or about February 11, 2015 as required to be provided pursuant to the term loan credit agreement dated September 30, 2013 by and among Joe’s Jeans Subsidiary, Inc., Hudson Clothing, LLC, Joe’s Jeans Inc., Joe’s Jeans Retail Subsidiary, Inc., Innovo West Sales, Inc., HC Acquisition Holdings, Inc., Hudson Clothing Holdings, Inc., the lenders party thereto and Garrison Loan Agency Services LLC (the “ Term Loan Agreement ”) on a consolidated basis (except that any divestiture of an operating subsidiary or segment or its assets prior to the end of the 2015 fiscal year shall be eliminated from the calculation of budgeted EBITDA) as presented.  The amount of such Bonus and/or Equity Bonus (each of which shall not be less than ten percent (10%) of Executive’s Base Salary) and whether the performance criteria have been achieved shall be determined by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors (the “ Committee ”), in its sole discretion, at the end of the applicable fiscal year.   Any Bonus shall be paid within sixty days following the end of the applicable fiscal year and following the date that the Committee certifies the achievement of the performance criteria and the amount of the Bonus; provided that Executive is still then employed on the date the Committee certifies the achievement of the performance criteria.  Any Equity Bonus shall be granted in the form (e.g., stock options, stock, stock units and/or any combination thereof) and subject to terms and conditions as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion within sixty days following the end of the applicable fiscal year and following the date that the Committee certifies the achievement of the performance criteria and the amount and form of the Equity Bonus; provided that Executive is still then employed on the date the Committee certifies the achievement of the performance criteria.  If the Plan does not have sufficient share reserves to make an Equity Grant, the Committee may elect to pay the Equity Grant in cash or other property in its discretion.

 

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2.4          Expenses .  Executive shall be entitled to receive prompt reimbursement for all reasonable business expenses incurred by him in the performance of his duties for the Company, including, but not limited to, reasonable entertainment expenses, travel and lodging expenses, in accordance with the policies and procedures adopted by the Company from time to time for executive officers of the Company.  Executive shall furnish appropriate documentation of such expenses, including documentation required by the Internal Revenue Service.

 

SECTION 3.         TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT

 

3.1          Rights of Executive Upon Termination .  In the event that Executive’s employment is terminated for any reason, the Company shall have no further obligation to Executive under this Agreement except for payment or provision to Executive of (u) his accrued, but unpaid Base Salary (as of termination) through the date of termination, (v) any accrued but unused vacation (if and to the extent consistent with the Company’s policies), (w) any unreimbursed expenses, (x) any Bonus that has been earned by Executive for any fiscal year ending prior to the effective date of such termination but not yet paid, (y) any rights under any benefit or equity plan, and (z) any ongoing rights to indemnification and directors and officers liability insurance (collectively, the “ Required Payments ”).

 

(a)           In the event that Executive’s employment is terminated by the Company without Cause or this Agreement is not renewed by the Company as provided in Section 1.1, in addition to the obligations of the Company to make the Required Payments, the Company shall also: (i) make a severance payment to Executive equal to the Base Salary (as of termination) (payable in equal installments in accordance with normal payroll procedures after termination and beginning on the first business day of the following pay period after which termination occurs) and (ii) pay to Executive any Bonus that has been earned by Executive for the period in which termination occurred, prorated for the partial period.  For purposes of the foregoing, “ Cause ” shall mean:  (i) conviction of an offense involving an act of dishonesty, fraud or any other act of moral turpitude under the provisions of any Federal, State or local laws or ordinances; (ii) willful failure to perform, or gross negligence in performing, Executive’s duties owed to the Company, after fifteen (15) days following written notice delivered to Executive by the Board, which notice specifies such failure or negligence; (iii) willful and knowing violation of any rules or regulations of any governmental or regulatory body that is materially injurious to the financial condition of the Company; (iv) conviction of or plea of guilty or nolo contendere to a felony; (v) material breach of the terms of this Agreement by Executive, which, if curabale, is not cured within thirty (30) days following written notice thereof from the Company; (vi) any breach by Executive of Executive’s fiduciary duty of care or duty of loyalty to the Company or (vii) commission of an act of dishonesty, fraud or misrepresentation which results in material harm to the Company or its business;

 

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(b)           In the event that Executive voluntarily terminates his employment for Good Reason, in addition to the obligations of the Company to make the Required Payments, the Company shall also: (i) make a severance payment to Executive equal to the Base Salary (as of termination) (payable in equal installments in accordance with normal payroll procedures after termination and beginning on the first business day of the following pay period after which termination occurs) and (ii) pay to Executive any Bonus that has been earned by Executive for the period in which termination occurred, prorated for the partial period.  For purposes of the foregoing, “ Good Reason ” shall mean:  the occurrence of any of the following events, provided that the Executive gives written notice of his intent to resign pursuant to such event within ninety (90) days following the initial occurrence and provided that such event is not fully corrected within thirty (30) days following written notification by Executive to the Company that he intends to terminate his employment hereunder for one of the reasons set forth below: (i) a material adverse alteration in the nature or status of Executive’s responsibilities; provided, however, Executive shall not be entitled to terminate pursuant to this clause in the event Executive is still serving as the chief financial officer of a corporate division with a substantially similar title and whose operations are substantially similar to the Company’s operations immediately prior to Executive’s decision to terminate employment; (ii) a requirement that he relocate his primary place of employment to a location that is more than 10 miles outside of Los Angeles County, California (or such later place of employment as to which he agrees in writing to relocate); (iii) a material breach by the Company of its obligations under  this Agreement, or (iv) a reduction in Executive’s then current Base Salary; provided, however Executive may terminate this Agreement for Good Reason only within the period of ninety (90) days following the occurrence of the event which results in the right of termination hereunder; provided further (i) Executive provides written notice to the Company of the occurrence of such event within ninety (90) days of Executive first becoming aware of its occurrence and (ii) the Company fails to fully cure the circumstances constituting Good Reason (provided such circumstances are capable of cure) prior to the date of termination, which date will be at least thirty (30) days following the date of such notice.

 

3.2          Medical Benefits .  In the event Executive’s employment is terminated (whether by the Company or by Executive) without Cause, with Good Reason or by death or disability, the Executive and his spouse and dependents shall be entitled to continue to be covered by the Company’s group medical plan hereof as provided under COBRA continuation requirements (if applicable) and the Company will pay the premiums (but only to the extent such premiums exceed the applicable active employee rates) for such coverage for the shorter of the first twelve (12) months of such coverage or his period of COBRA eligibility (whichever is shorter). If the payment or reimbursement of COBRA premiums provided hereunder could result in excise taxes to the Company or its affiliates under Section 4980D of the Code and/or adverse consequences under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, or applicable law, then Executive agrees to negotiate in good faith an alternative arrangement in lieu of payment or reimbursement hereunder that would avoid such consequences.

 

3.3          Resignation of Officer and Director Positions . If Executive’s employment ends for any reason, Executive agrees that he will cease immediately to hold any and all officer and/or director positions he then has with the Company or any subsidiary, absent a contrary direction from the Board (which may include either a request to continue such service or a direction to cease serving upon notice without regard to whether his employment has ended).  Executive hereby irrevocably appoints the Company to be his attorney to execute any documents and do anything in his name to effect his ceasing to serve as a director and officer of the Company and any subsidiary, should he fail to resign following a request from the Company to do so.  A written notification signed by a director or duly authorized officer of the Company that any instrument, document or act falls within the authority conferred by this clause will be conclusive evidence that it does so.

 

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3.4          Release . Upon the occurrence of an event described in Section 3.1 above, Executive will be eligible for severance benefits (which shall not include the payment of any Required Payments, which shall not be conditioned upon execution of a Settlement Agreement and Release of the Company Group (as defined below hereunder)) only if Executive executes and delivers to the Company a Settlement Agreement and Release of the Company Group (as defined below) in a form prepared by the Company, which will include a general release of known and unknown claims, a return of Company Property and a requirement to cooperate regarding any future litigation, as set forth in Exhibit 1 attached hereto.

 

SECTION 4.         COVENANTS.

 

4.1          Restrictive Covenants .  Executive agrees to comply with the covenants contained in this Section 4.

 

(a)           Exclusive Dealings .  Executive absolutely and unconditionally covenants and agrees that for the period commencing on the Effective Date of this Agreement, and continuing during his employment with the Company (the “ Restrictive Period ”), Executive shall not, either directly or indirectly, solely or jointly with any other person or persons, as an employee, consultant or advisor, or as an individual proprietor, partner, stockholder, director, officer, joint venturer, investor, lender or in any other capacity (whether or not engaged in business for profit), engage or participate in (i) the business of developing, manufacturing, selling, marketing, distributing and/or licensing apparel, and (ii) any other business being conducted by the Company and its subsidiaries (the “ Company Group ”) during the Term, other than through the Company Group (“ Restricted Business ”).

 

(b)           Non-Competition .  During the Term, Executive shall not, directly or indirectly, alone or as a an officer, director, employee, owner, partner, joint venturer, member, manager, consultant, agent, independent contractor, or Equity Interest holder of, or lender to, any Person or business, engage in, compete with, or permit his name to be used by or in connection with the Restricted Business.

 

(c)           Non-Solicitation .  Executive absolutely and unconditionally covenants and agrees that during the Restrictive Period and for a period of twelve (12) months thereafter, Executive will not (i) solicit any of the Company Group’s employees to join a business competitive with the Company Group, or (ii) induce or attempt to induce any Company Group employee to terminate his or her employment for the purpose of becoming employed by Executive or a third party.

 

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(d)           Use and Treatment of Confidential Information .  Executive agrees not to disclose, divulge, publish, communicate, publicize, disseminate or otherwise reveal, either directly or indirectly, any Confidential Information to any person, natural or legal.  The term “ Confidential Information ” means all information in any form relating to the past, present or future business affairs, including without limitation, research, development or business plans, operations or systems, of the Company Group or a person not a party to this Agreement whose information any member of the Company Group has in its possession under obligations of confidentiality, which is disclosed by any member of the Company Group to Executive or which is produced or developed while Executive is an owner of, employee or director of any member of the Company Group.  The term “ Confidential Information ” shall not include any information of  the Company Group which (i) becomes publicly known through no wrongful act of Executive, (ii) is received from a person not a party to this Agreement who is free to disclose it to Executive, or (iii) is lawfully required to be disclosed to any governmental agency or is otherwise required to be disclosed by law, subpoena or court order but only to the extent of such requirement, provided that before making such disclosure Executive shall give the Company Group an adequate opportunity to interpose an objection or take action to assure confidential handling of such information.

 

(e)           Ownership and Return of Confidential Information .  All Confidential Information disclosed to or obtained by Executive in tangible form (including, without limitation, information incorporated in computer software or held in electronic storage media) shall be and remain the property of the Company Group.  All Confidential Information possessed by Executive at the time he ceases employment with the Company Group shall be returned to the Company at such time.  Upon the return of Confidential Information, it shall not thereafter be retained in any form, in whole or in part, by Executive.

 

(f)            Work Product Assignment .  Executive agrees that any work product, intellectual property, developments, processes, inventions, ideas and discoveries, and works of authorship developed, designed, discovered, improved, authored, derived, invented or acquired by Executive during the period of his employment by the Company made, conceived or completed by Executive during the term of Executive’s service, solely or jointly with others, which are made with the Company Group’s equipment, supplies, facilities or Confidential Information, or which are related at the time of conception or reduction to purpose of the Invention to the business of any member of the Company Group or the Company Group’s actual or demonstrably anticipated research and development, or which result from any work performed by Executive for the Company Group, shall be the sole and exclusive property of the Company Group, and all trade secrets, Confidential Information, copyrightable works, works of authorship, and all patents, registrations or applications related thereto, all other intellectual property or proprietary information and all similar or related information (whether or not patentable and copyrightable and whether or not reduced to tangible form or practice) which are related to the business, research and development, or existing or future products or services of the Company Group and which are conceived, developed or made by Executive during Executive’s employment with the Company (collectively, “ Work Product ”) shall be deemed to be “work made for hire” (as defined in the Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. §101 et seq., as amended) and owned exclusively by the Company Group.  To the extent that any Work Product is not deemed to be a “work made for hire” under applicable law, and all right, title and interest in and to such Work Product have not automatically vested in the Company Group, Executive hereby (i) irrevocably assigns, transfers and conveys, and shall assign transfer and convey, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, all right, title and interest in and to the Work Product on a worldwide basis to the Company Group (or such other person or entity as the Company Group shall designate), without further consideration, and (ii) waives all moral rights in or to all Work

 

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Product, and to the extent such rights may not be waived, agrees not to assert such rights against  the Company  or its respective licensees, successors, or assigns.  In order to permit the Company Group to claim rights to which it may be entitled, Executive agrees to promptly disclose to the Company Group in confidence all Work Product which the Executive makes arising out of the Executive’s employment with the Company Group.  Executive shall assist the Company Group, at no cost to Executive, in obtaining patents on all Work Product patentable by the Company Group in the United States and in all foreign countries, and shall execute all documents and do all things necessary, at no cost to Executive, to obtain letters patent, to vest the Company Group with full and extensive title thereto, and to protect the same against infringement by others.

 

(g)           Remedies upon Breach .  The parties acknowledge that Confidential Information and the other protections afforded to the Company Group by this Agreement are valuable and unique and that any breach of any of the covenants contained in this Section 4.1 will result in irreparable and substantial injury to the Company Group for which it will not have an adequate remedy at law.  In the event of a breach or threatened breach of any of the covenants contained in this Section 4.1, any member of the Company Group shall be entitled to obtain from any court having jurisdiction, with respect to the Employee, temporary, preliminary and permanent injunctive relief prohibiting any such breach, as well reimbursement for all reasonable costs, including attorneys’ fees, incurred in enjoining any such breach.  Any such relief shall be in addition to and not in lieu of any appropriate relief in the way of monetary damages and equitable accounting of all earnings, profits and other benefits arising from such violation, which rights shall be cumulative and in addition to any other rights or remedies to which the Company  may be entitled.  Executive does hereby waive any requirement for the Company Group to post a bond for any injunction.  If, however, a court nevertheless requires a bond to be posted, Executive agrees that such bond shall be in a nominal amount.

 

(h)           Further Covenants .  Nothing in this Section 4.1 shall limit Executive’s right, after the Restricted Period, to own, manage, operate, control, participate in, or otherwise carry on, directly or indirectly (whether as owner, lender, director, officer, employee, principal, agent, independent contractor or otherwise) a business that competes with the Company Group’s business, and general advertising not directed at the Company Group’s employees or customers shall not be deemed to violate this Section 4.  Executive further agrees that, during the Restricted Period, he will not, directly or indirectly, knowingly assist or encourage any other person in carrying out, directly or indirectly, any activity that would be prohibited by the above provisions of this Section 4 if such activity were carried out by Executive, either directly or indirectly, and Executive agrees that he will not, directly or indirectly, knowingly induce any employee of the Company Group to carry out, directly or indirectly, any such activity.

 

4.2          Non-Disparagement .  During the Term, and thereafter, each party to this Agreement agrees not to defame, disparage or criticize any other party, its reputation, its business plan, procedures, products, services, development, finances, financial condition, capabilities or other aspect of its business, or any of its shareholders in any medium (whether oral, written, electronic or otherwise, whether currently existing or hereafter created), to any person or entity, without limitation in time.  Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, the parties may confer in confidence with their respective advisors and make truthful statements as required by law, and may enforce their rights hereunder and under the Settlement Agreement and Release of the Company Group (including in respect of Executive’s right to the Required Payments and any severance benefits).  This Section 4.2 shall survive any termination of Executive’s employment and any termination of this Agreement.

 

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4.3          No Other Severance Benefits .  Except as specifically set forth in this Agreement, Executive covenants and agrees that he shall not be entitled to any other form of severance benefits from the Company, including, without limitation, benefits otherwise payable under any of the Company’s regular severance policies, in the event his employment hereunder ends for any reason and, except with respect to obligations of the Company expressly provided for herein, Executive unconditionally releases the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates, and their respective directors, officers, employees and stockholders, or any of them, from any and all claims, liabilities or obligations under any severance or termination arrangements of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates.

 

4.4          Parachute Treatment .  The Company will make the payments under or referenced by this Agreement without regard to whether the deductibility of such payments (or any other payments or benefits) would be limited or precluded by Section 280G of the Code and without regard to whether such payments would subject Executive to the federal excise tax levied on certain “excess parachute payments” under Section 4999 of the Code; provided , however , that if the Total After-Tax Payments (as defined below) would be increased by the reduction or elimination of any payment and/or other benefit (including any vesting of equity compensation) under this Agreement or otherwise in connection with a covered Change In Control, then the amounts payable will be reduced or eliminated as follows: (a) first, by reducing or eliminating any cash payments or other benefits (other than the vesting of the options) and (b) second, by reducing or eliminating the vesting of the equity that occurs as a result of an event covered by Section 280G of the Code, to the extent necessary to maximize the Total After-Tax Payments.  The Company’s independent, certified public accounting firm will determine whether and to what extent payments or vesting under this Agreement are required to be reduced in accordance with the preceding sentence. If there is an underpayment or overpayment under this Agreement (as determined after the application of this paragraph), the amount of such underpayment or overpayment will be immediately paid to Executive or refunded by Executive, as the case may be, with interest at the applicable federal rate provided for in Section 7872(f)(2) of the Code.  For purposes of this Agreement, “ Total After-Tax Payments ” means the total of all “parachute payments” (as that term is defined in Section 280G(b)(2) of the Code) made to or for the benefit of Executive (whether made under the Agreement or otherwise), after reduction for all applicable federal taxes (including, without limitation, the tax described in Section 4999 of the Code).

 

SECTION 5.   GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

5.1          Entire Agreement .  This Agreement and the certificates, documents, instruments and writings that are delivered pursuant hereto, constitutes the entire agreement and understanding of the Parties in respect of its subject matters and supersedes all prior understandings, agreements, or representations by or among the Parties, written or oral, to the extent they relate in any way to Executive’s employment, including all prior employment agreements between Executive and the Company.

 

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5.2          Notice .  Any notice required or permitted hereunder shall be given in writing and shall be deemed effectively given upon the earliest of (a) personal delivery, (b) actual receipt or (c) the third full day following deposit in the United States mail or overnight service with postage prepaid, addressed to the Company Group, c/o Joe’s Jeans, Inc., 2340 South Eastern Avenue, Commerce, CA 90040, to the attention of the Chief Executive Officer with a copy to the Secretary, or, if to Executive, to such home or other address as Executive has most recently provided in writing to the Company.

 

5.3          Assignment; Binding Effect .  Neither Executive nor the Company may assign this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other party, except that the Company may assign this Agreement to any affiliate thereof, or to any subsequent purchaser of the Company or all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or by operation of law and who expressly agrees to fully assume all of the Company’s obligations hereunder.  This Agreement shall be binding upon the heirs, executors, and administrators of Executive and on any successors or assigns of the Company.

 

5.4          Choice of Law:  Consent to Jurisdiction .  THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH AND ENFORCED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.  ALL SUITS, ACTIONS OR PROCEEDINGS ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT, SHALL BE BROUGHT IN A STATE OR FEDERAL COURT LOCATED IN THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES, STATE OF CALIFORNIA, WHICH COURTS SHALL BE THE EXCLUSIVE FORUM FOR ALL SUCH SUITS, ACTIONS OR PROCEEDINGS.  EXECUTIVE AND THE COMPANY HEREBY WAIVE ANY OBJECTION WHICH HE OR IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE LAYING OF VENUE IN ANY SUCH COURT OR ANY SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING.  EXECUTIVE AND THE COMPANY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY CONSENT AND SUBMIT THEMSELVES TO THE JURISDICTION OF THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA FOR THE PURPOSES OF ANY SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT.

 

5.5          Amendment; Waiver .  No modification, amendment or termination of this Agreement shall be valid unless made in writing and signed by the parties hereto, and approved by the Board (but not including Executive if a member of the Board).  Any waiver by any party of any violation of, breach of or default under any provision of this Agreement, by the other party shall not be construed as, or constitute, a continuing waiver of such provision, or waiver of any other violation of breach of or default under any other provision of this Agreement.

 

5.6          Withholding of Taxes .  The Company may withhold from any amounts payable under this Agreement all federal, state, city or other taxes as shall be required to be withheld pursuant to any law or government regulation or ruling.

 

5.7          Severability .  The provisions of this Agreement will be deemed severable and the invalidity or unenforceability of any provision will not affect the validity or enforceability of the other provisions hereof; provided that if any provision of this Agreement, as applied to any party hereto or to any circumstance, is adjudged by a Governmental Body, arbitrator or mediator not to be enforceable in accordance with its terms, the parties hereto agree that the Governmental Body, arbitrator, or mediator making such determination will have the power to modify the provision in a manner consistent with its objectives such that it is enforceable, and/or to delete specific words or phrases, and in its reduced form, such provision will then be enforceable and will be enforced.

 

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5.8          Survival of Certain Obligations .  The obligations of the Company and Executive set forth in this Agreement which by their terms extend beyond or survive the termination of the Term shall not be affected or diminished in any way by the termination of the Term.

 

5.9          Headings .  The headings in this Agreement are intended solely for convenience and shall be disregarded in interpreting it.

 

5.10        Third Parties .  Nothing expressed or implied in this Agreement is intended, or shall be construed, to confer upon or give any person or entity other than the Company and Executive any rights or remedies under, or by reason of, this Agreement.

 

5.11        Counterparts .  This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, and all of such counterparts (including facsimile or PDF), when separate counterparts have been executed by the parties hereto, shall be deemed to be one and the same agreement.  This Agreement shall only become effective as of the Effective Date.

 

5.12        Section 409A .  The parties intend that the payments and benefits provided for in this Agreement to either be exempt from Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended (the “ Code ”) or be provided in a manner that complies with Section 409A of the Code.  Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, all payments and benefits which are payable upon a termination of employment hereunder shall be paid or provided only upon those terminations of employment that constitute a ‘separation from service’ from the Company within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code (determined after applying the presumptions set forth in Treas. Reg. Section 1.409A-1(h)(1)). Each payment or series of payments under this Agreement or otherwise shall be treated as a separate payment for purposes of Section 409A of the Code.  In no event may Executive, directly or indirectly, designate the calendar year of any payment to be made under this Agreement or otherwise which constitutes a “deferral of compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code.  All reimbursements and in-kind benefits provided under this Agreement shall be made or provided in accordance with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code.  To the extent that any reimbursements pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise are taxable to Executive, any reimbursement payment due to Executive shall be paid to Executive on or before the last day of Executive’s taxable year following the taxable year in which the related expense was incurred; provided, that, Executive has provided the Company written documentation of such expenses in a timely fashion and such expenses otherwise satisfy the Company’ expense reimbursement policies.  Reimbursements pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise are not subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit and the amount of such reimbursements that Executive receives in one taxable year shall not affect the amount of such reimbursements that Executive receives in any other taxable year.  Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement to the contrary, if on the date of his termination from employment with the Company Executive is deemed to be a “specified employee” within the meaning of Code Section 409A and the Final Treasury Regulations using the identification methodology selected by the Company from time to time, or if none, the default methodology under Code Section 409A, any payments or benefits due upon a termination of Executive’s employment under any arrangement that constitutes a “deferral of compensation” within the meaning of Code Section 409A shall be delayed and paid or provided (or commence, in the case of installments) on the first payroll date on or following the earlier of (i) the date which is six (6) months and one (1) day after Executive’s termination of employment for any reason other than

 

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death, and (ii) the date of Executive’s death, and any remaining payments and benefits shall be paid or provided in accordance with the normal payment dates specified for such payment or benefit.  Notwithstanding any of the foregoing to the contrary, the Company and its respective officers, directors, employees, or agents make no guarantee that the terms of this Agreement as written comply with, or are exempt from, the provisions of Code Section 409A, and none of the foregoing shall have any liability for the failure of the terms of this Agreement as written to comply with, or be exempt from, the provisions of Code Section 409A.

 

5.13        Cooperation .  Without limitation to any other provision herein set forth herein, during and after Executive’s employment, Executive shall reasonably cooperate with the Company  in the defense or prosecution of any claims or actions now in existence or which may be brought in the future against or on behalf of the Company which relate to events or occurrences that transpired while Executive was employed by the Company; provided, however, that such cooperation shall not materially and adversely affect Executive or expose Executive to an increased probability of civil or criminal litigation.  Executive’s cooperation in connection with such claims or actions shall include, but not be limited to, being reasonably available to meet with counsel to prepare for discovery or trial and to act as a witness on behalf of the Company at mutually convenient times.  During and after Executive’s employment, Executive also shall reasonably cooperate with the Company in connection with any investigation or review of any federal, state or local regulatory authority as any such investigation or review relates to events or occurrences that transpired while Executive was employed by the Company.  The Company shall reimburse Executive for all costs and expenses incurred in connection with his performance under this Section 5.13, including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs, provided that Executive shall not incur costs and expenses in excess of $1,000 in the aggregate without the prior written consent of the Company.

 

5.14        Indemnification .  Executive shall be indemnified to the fullest extent permitted by law with regard to actions or inactions taken as an officer or director of the Company or any affiliate or as a fiduciary of any benefit plan.  Executive shall be covered by directors and officers liability insurance with regard to the foregoing to the highest extent of any other officer or director both during his service to the Company and thereafter while any liability may exist.

 

5.15        Effectiveness . This Agreement shall only become effective as of the date first written above.

 

[ Signature Page Follows ]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company and Executive have executed this Employment Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

 

JOE’S JEANS INC.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Kelly Hoffman

 

Name: Kelly Hoffman

 

Title: Chairman, Compensation and Stock Option Committee

 

 

 

 

 

EXECUTIVE

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Hamish Sandhu

 

Hamish Sandhu

 

Signature Page to Employment Agreement

 



 

Exhibit 1

 

GENERAL RELEASE

 

THIS GENERAL RELEASE (this “ Release ”) is entered into effective as of                       , 201  , (the “ Effective Date ”) by and among Joe’s Jeans Inc. (the “ Company ”), and Hamish Sandhu (“ Executive ”), with reference to the following facts:

 

RECITALS

 

A.            The parties entered into an Employment Agreement, dated with an effective date as of July 2, 2015 (the “ Employment Agreement ”), pursuant to which the parties agreed that upon the occurrence of certain conditions, Executive would become eligible for certain termination payments (as provided for in Section 3.2 of the Employment Agreement) in exchange for Executive’s release of the Company from all claims which Executive may have against the Company as of the termination date.  Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the respective meanings ascribed to them in the Employment Agreement.  Executive acknowledges that the consideration recited in this Release is in addition to anything to which Executive may otherwise be entitled.

 

B.            The parties desire to dispose of, fully and completely, all claims, which Executive may have against the Company, in the manner set forth in this Release.

 

AGREEMENT

 

1.             Executive waives and releases the Company and its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, officers, directors, shareholders, agents, employees, attorneys, successors, assigns, affiliates, related organizations and related employee benefit plans (collectively referred to herein as “ Releasees ”) with respect to any and all claims, rights, and causes of action, known or unknown, that Executive may have or claim to have had against any of them, based on any act, occurrence, or omission from the beginning of time to and including the date this Release was executed, including, but not limited to, any and all claims, rights, and causes of action arising out of or in any way connected with Executive’s employment with, or termination of employment from the Company, and arising under federal, state and/or local laws such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, the California Labor Code, the California Constitution, and ERISA, and the common law (hereinafter referred to as the “ Released Claims ”).  Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Release shall not apply to (none of which shall be Released Claims): (a) any claims for any amounts which shall to be paid to Executive following the execution hereof pursuant to the terms of Section 3.2 of the Employment Agreement; (b) any claims for indemnification under Section 5.14 of the Employment Agreement, or otherwise pursuant to the governance documents of any member of the Company Group, or under any separate indemnification agreement the Executive may enter into from time to time; (c) the payment of any Required Payments; and (d) claims under any employee benefit plan (other than for wages and bonuses to the extent they may be considered an employee benefit plan) of the Company (collectively, the “ Surviving Claims ”).

 



 

2.             Executive promises not to file any law suits in any court or any demand for arbitration against any of the Releasees with respect to the Released Claims.  Executive affirms that, except for the Surviving Claims,  Executive has been paid and/or has received all leave (paid or unpaid), compensation, wages, commissions, vacation pay, severance pay, bonuses, commissions, reimbursements, benefits, and other monies to which Executive may have been entitled and that, except for the termination payments, no other leave (paid or unpaid), compensation, wages, commissions, vacation pay, severance pay, bonuses, commissions, reimbursements, benefits, and/or other monies are due Executive.  Executive also acknowledges that the termination payment is in excess of any payment to which Executive otherwise was entitled.

 

3.             Executive acknowledges that Executive is familiar with and understands the provision of Section 1542 of the California Civil Code, which provides as follows:

 

“A GENERAL RELEASE DOES NOT EXTEND TO CLAIMS WHICH THE CREDITOR DOES NOT KNOW OR SUSPECT TO EXIST IN HIS OR HER FAVOR AT THE TIME OF EXECUTING THE RELEASE, WHICH IF KNOWN BY HIM OR HER MUST HAVE MATERIALLY AFFECTED HIS OR HER SETTLEMENT WITH THE DEBTOR.”

 

Being aware of that Code Section, Executive expressly waives and relinquishes any rights or benefits Executive may have thereunder, as well as any other state or federal statutes or common law principles of similar effect.  Executive intends and agrees that the waiver and release provided for in this Release shall be effective as a full and final accord and satisfaction and release of any and all claims of every nature and kind whatsoever, whether known or unknown, suspected or unsuspected.

 

4.             Executive represents that he understands the foregoing release, that rights and claims under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, as amended, are among the rights and claims that Executive is releasing, and Executive understands that he is not releasing any rights or claims arising after the date he signs this Agreement.  Employee also understands that he is releasing any rights and claims in exchange for consideration (something of value) in addition to anything of value to which he is already entitled.

 

5.              A.            Executive warrants that neither Executive, nor anyone acting on Executive’s behalf, has filed any claim, charge or action against any of the Releasees with respect to any of the Released Claims, except as disclosed to the Company in writing on the date hereof.

 

B.            Nothing in this Release shall affect (i) Executive’s rights, if any, to indemnification under Labor Code Section 2802, (ii) Executive’s rights to file claims for workers’ compensation or unemployment insurance benefits, or (iii) Executive’s rights to file charges of discrimination with any state or federal administrative agency alleging violations of state or federal anti-discrimination laws, with the understanding and agreement that Executive may not accept any money or anything of economic value as a result of having filed such charges.  Finally, Executive agrees that, if any of the Released Claims are brought on Executive’s behalf or for Executive’s benefit in a court or administrative agency, Executive waives and agrees not to accept any award of money or other damages as a result of such claim.

 

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6.             This Release is executed voluntarily and without any duress or undue influence.  Executive acknowledges he has read this Release and executed it with his full and free consent.  No provision of this Release shall be construed against any party by virtue of the fact that such party or its counsel drafted such provision or the entirety of this Release.

 

7.             This Release is made and entered into in the State of California and accordingly the rights and obligations of the parties hereunder shall in all respects be construed, interpreted, enforced and governed in accordance with the laws of the State of California as applied to contracts entered into by and between residents of California to be wholly performed within California, without regard to conflicts of law principles.

 

8.             Executive is hereby advised to consult with an attorney prior to executing this Release.  Executive is hereby advised that Executive has 21 calendar days to consider whether to sign this Release before signing it and that Executive has 7 calendar days to revoke the Release subsequent to the time Executive signed it.  Accordingly, unless Executive has timely revoked acceptance of this Release, this Release shall become effective the eighth day after the date of Executive’s signature.

 

9.             If any part, term or provision of this Release is found to be illegal or invalid, such illegality or invalidity shall not affect the validity of the remainder of the Release.  This Release constitutes the entire agreement and understanding concerning the matters addressed herein and replaces all prior discussions and agreements, and may only be modified by a writing signed by all of the parties.

 

10.          Any party who asserts that there exists any dispute, controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this Release may only raise such dispute  through final and binding arbitration in accordance with the then current employment dispute rules of the American Arbitration Association.  The arbitration will be conducted in Los Angeles County, California, before and subject to the administrative procedures of JAMS Endispute.  The arbitrator will be a neutral, experienced arbitrator who is a retired judge and licensed to practice law in California.  The arbitrator will be jointly selected by the parties or, if necessary, designated by JAMS Endispute in accordance with its procedures.  Executive and each member of the Company Group each knowingly waive the right to a jury trial in a court of law with respect to claims subject to arbitration.  All fees of the arbitrator will be paid by the Company.  All other costs and expenses associated with the arbitration, such as attorneys’ fees and witness’ fees, will be paid by the party that incurs those costs and expenses, except to the extent that a party is entitled to recover those costs or expenses under applicable law.  The arbitrator will have the power to summarily adjudicate claims and/or enter summary judgment in appropriate cases and to apply any applicable statutes of limitation, and the decision of the arbitrator will be final and binding and may be confirmed in court.  The arbitrator’s decision will be in writing.  A petition to compel arbitration or to confirm, modify or vacate an arbitration award may be brought pursuant to applicable federal or California state arbitration statutes, or both.  Subject to the provisional remedies, if any, provided for under applicable state or federal law, which either party may pursue in court, arbitration will be the exclusive remedy for resolving any such arbitrable

 

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disputes, and the decision of the arbitrator will be final and binding on all parties, subject to review only in accordance with applicable state or federal law.  The decision of the arbitrator may be reduced to an enforceable court judgment by the prevailing party in the arbitration, and the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) will govern this paragraph.

 

 

Dated:                                            , 201

 

 

HAMISH SANDHU

 

 

 

 

 

JOE’S JEANS INC.

 

 

 

 

Dated:                                            , 201

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

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