Exhibit 1.1

225,000 Shares

8.50% Series A

Non-Cumulative Perpetual Convertible Preferred Stock

WEBSTER FINANCIAL CORPORATION

Underwriting Agreement

June 5, 2008

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith

Incorporated

4 World Financial Center

New York, New York 10080

As Representative of the Several Underwriters

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Webster Financial Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), confirms its agreement with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“ Merrill Lynch ”) and each of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (collectively, the “ Underwriters ,” which term shall also include any underwriter substituted as hereinafter provided in Section 10 hereof), for whom Merrill Lynch is acting as representative (in such capacity, the “ Representative ”), with respect to the issue and sale by the Company and the purchase by the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the respective numbers of shares of the Company’s 8.50% Series A Non-Cumulative Perpetual Convertible Preferred Stock set forth in said Schedule A (the “ Initial Securities ”). In addition, the Company proposes to grant to the Underwriters the option described in Section 2(b) hereof (the “ Option ”) to purchase up to 25,000 additional shares of 8.50% Series A Non-Cumulative Perpetual Convertible Preferred Stock to cover over-allotments (the “ Optional Securities ” and, together with the Initial Securities, the “ Securities ”).

The Securities will be convertible at the option of the holder prior to maturity (unless previously repurchased by the Company) for cash and fully paid, nonassessable shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (the “ Common Stock ”), in accordance with the terms of the Securities, as described in Schedule B hereto. As used herein, “ Conversion Shares ” means the shares of Common Stock into which the Securities are initially convertible.

The Company understands that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of the Securities as soon as the Underwriters deem advisable after this Agreement has been executed and delivered.

For purposes of this Agreement, the phrase “counsel for the Underwriters” shall mean Sidley Austin  LLP , or such successor firm as may be selected by the Representative.

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1. Representations and Warranties . The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each Underwriter as of the date hereof, as of the Closing Date referred to in Section 3(a) hereof, and as of each Date of Delivery (if any) referred to in Section 2(b) hereof, as follows:

(a) The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ Commission ”) a registration statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-114091), including a prospectus, relating to the Securities and other securities of the Company. The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Act ”). Such registration statement became effective on April 1, 2004. Any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement (as defined below) and any post-effective amendment thereto has become effective under the Act; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of such registration statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, or any part thereof, has been issued, no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission (the base prospectus filed as part of such registration statement, in the form in which it has most recently been filed with the Commission on or prior to the date of this Agreement, is hereinafter called the “ Basic Prospectus ”; any preliminary prospectus (including any preliminary prospectus supplement) relating to the Securities filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act is hereinafter called a “ Preliminary Prospectus ”; the various parts of such registration statement, including all exhibits thereto and including any prospectus supplement relating to the Securities that is filed with the Commission and deemed by virtue of Rule 430B to be part of such registration statement, each as amended at the time such part of the registration statement became effective, are hereinafter collectively called the “ Registration Statement ”; the Basic Prospectus, as amended and supplemented immediately prior to the Applicable Time (as defined in Section 1(A)(c) hereof), is hereinafter called the “ Pricing Prospectus ”; the form of the final prospectus relating to the Securities filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act in accordance with Section 4(A)(a) is hereinafter called the “ Prospectus ”; any reference herein to the Basic Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Act, as of the date of such prospectus; any reference to any amendment or supplement to the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, any prospectus supplement relating to the Securities filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act and any documents filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”), and incorporated therein, in each case after the date of the Basic Prospectus, such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be; any reference to any amendment to the Registration Statement shall be deemed to refer to and include any annual report of the Company filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the effective date of the Registration Statement that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement; and any “issuer free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 433 under the Act relating to the Securities is hereinafter called an “ Issuer Free Writing Prospectus ”). Any registration statement filed in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Act is herein referred to as the “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement,” and after such filing the term “Registration Statement” shall include any such Rule 462(b) Registration Statement.

(b) No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and each Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of

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the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and did not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided , however , that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use therein.

(c) For the purposes of this Agreement, the “ Applicable Time ” is 6:30 P.M. (New York City time) on June 5, 2008; the Pricing Prospectus as supplemented by the final term sheet prepared and filed pursuant to Section 4(A)(a) and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed on Schedule B (a), taken together (collectively, the “ Pricing Disclosure Package ”) as of the Applicable Time, did not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus does not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus and each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as supplemented by and taken together with the Pricing Disclosure Package as of the Applicable Time, did not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided , however , that this representation and warranty shall not apply to statements or omissions made in an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use therein.

(d) The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and none of such documents contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; any further documents so filed and incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus or any further amendment or supplement thereto, when such documents become effective or are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

(e) The Registration Statement (and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement) conforms, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus and any further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement (and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement), the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus will conform, in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and do not and will not, as of the applicable effective date as to each part of the Registration Statement (and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement) and as of the applicable filing date as to the Pricing Prospectus and the

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Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use therein.

(f) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, except as otherwise stated therein, (A) there has been no material adverse change in the financial condition, earnings or business affairs of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business (a “ Material Adverse Effect ”), (B) there have been no transactions entered into by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, other than those in the ordinary course of business, which are material with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, and (C) except for regular quarterly dividends on the common stock of the Company in amounts per share that are consistent with past practice, there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock.

(g) The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and the Securities. The Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Company is duly registered as a bank holding company and a financial holding company under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended. The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable.

(h) Webster Bank, National Association (“ Webster Bank ”) and each other “significant subsidiary” of the Company (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X) (each, including Webster Bank, a “ Significant Subsidiary ” and collectively, the “ Significant Subsidiaries ”) has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect. With the exception of Webster Bank, which is a national bank chartered under the laws of the United States, and its charter is in full force and effect, each of the Significant Subsidiaries has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, except where the failure to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, all of the

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issued and outstanding capital stock of each Significant Subsidiary have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity, and none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of any Significant Subsidiary were issued in violation of the preemptive or similar rights of any securityholder of such Significant Subsidiary. The only Significant Subsidiaries of the Company are Webster Bank and Webster Mortgage Investment Corporation and all of the Company’s other subsidiaries considered in the aggregate as a single subsidiary do not constitute a “significant subsidiary” as defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X.

(i) The Securities have been duly and validly authorized and, when issued and delivered against payment at the Closing Date and at each Date of Delivery as contemplated by the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, such Securities will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; no holder of the Securities will be subject to personal liability by reason of being such a holder; the issuance of the Securities is not subject to the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company; and the Securities will conform to the descriptions thereof in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(j) Upon issuance and delivery of the Securities in accordance with this Agreement, the Securities will be convertible at the option of the holder thereof for the Conversion Shares in accordance with the terms of the Securities; the Conversion Shares have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance upon such conversion by all necessary corporate action and such Conversion Shares, when issued upon such conversion, will be validly issued and will be fully paid and non-assessable; no holder of such Conversion Shares will be subject to personal liability by reason of being such a holder; and the issuance of such Conversion Shares upon such conversion will not be subject to the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company. The Conversion Shares will conform to the description of the Common Stock contained in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(k) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

(l) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of its charter or by-laws or in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any Agreements and Instruments, except for such defaults that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect or have a material adverse effect on the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the Securities and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and therein and in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, including the issuance of the Conversion Shares upon conversion of the Securities, and compliance by the Company with its obligations hereunder and thereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or other encumbrance upon any assets or operations of the Company or any subsidiary pursuant to, the Agreements and Instruments (except for such conflicts, breaches, defaults or Repayment Events or liens, charges or other encumbrances that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect or have a material adverse effect on the

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consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby), nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any applicable law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any government, government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of its assets or operations.

(m) The statements set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the captions “Description of Common Stock,” “Description of Preferred Stock” and “Description of Preferred Stock” (Basic Prospectus), insofar as they are descriptions of contracts, agreements or other legal documents or describe statutes, rules and regulations, and under the caption “Underwriting,” insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the documents referred to therein, constitute an accurate summary of the matters set forth therein in all material respects; the statements set forth in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus under the caption “Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations” and “Certain ERISA Considerations,” insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of matters of U.S. federal income tax law or the U.S. Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and regulations or legal conclusions with respect thereto, constitute an accurate summary of the matters set forth therein in all material respects.

(n) There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, now pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against or affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries, which (A) is required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (other than as disclosed therein), (B) might result in a Material Adverse Effect, or (C) might materially and adversely affect the assets or operations of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement or the Securities (including the issuance of the Conversion Shares upon conversion of the Securities) or the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder or thereunder. The aggregate of all pending legal or governmental proceedings to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any of their respective assets or operations is the subject which are not described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(o) The Company is not required and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof, will not be required to register as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act.

(p) (A)(i) At the time of the filing of the most recent amendment to the Registration Statement for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Act (whether such amendment was by post-effective amendment, incorporated report filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act or form of prospectus), and (ii) at the time the Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this clause only, of Rule 163(c) under the Act) made any offer relating to the Securities in reliance on the exemption provided by Rule 163 under the Act, the Company was a “well-known seasoned issuer” as defined in Rule 405 under the Act (“ Rule 405 ”); and (B) at the earliest time after the filing of the Registration Statement that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) under the Act) of the Securities, the Company was not an “ineligible issuer” as defined in Rule 405.

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(q) The Company and its subsidiaries possess such permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other authorizations (collectively, “ Governmental Licenses ”) issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, except where the failure so to possess would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all such Governmental Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. All of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, except where the invalidity of such Governmental Licenses or the failure of such Governmental Licenses to be in full force and effect would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such Governmental Licenses which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(r) KPMG LLP, who have audited the consolidated financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries included in the Registration Statement, are independent registered public accountants as required by the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

(s) The audited consolidated financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, together with the supporting schedules, if any, and notes, present fairly the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries at the dates indicated and the statement of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries for the periods specified. Such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“ GAAP ”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved except as otherwise stated therein. The selected financial data and the summary financial information included in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited consolidated financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. No pro forma financial statements are required to be included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus under the Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

(t) The Company maintains a system of internal control over financial reporting sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with the management’s general or specific authorizations, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability, (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with the management’s general or specific authorization and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.

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(u) The Company has established and maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act). Such disclosure controls and procedures (A) are designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and its Chief Financial Officer by others within those entities, particularly during the periods in which the Exchange Act reports are being prepared, (B) have been evaluated for effectiveness as of the end of the annual or quarterly period reported to the Commission and (C) are effective to perform the functions for which they were established. The Company’s auditors and the Audit Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors have not been advised that there are currently (1) any significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internal controls which could adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize, and report financial data, (2) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a role in the Company’s internal controls or (3) any material weaknesses in internal controls. Since the date of the most recent evaluation of such disclosure controls and procedures, there have been no significant changes in internal controls or in other factors that could significantly affect internal controls, including any corrective actions with regard to significant deficiencies and material weaknesses.

(v) The Company, Webster Bank and, to the knowledge of the Company, the Company’s other subsidiaries are in compliance in all material respects with all laws administered by and regulations of any governmental authority applicable to it or to them (including, without limitation, all regulations and orders of, or agreements with, any Regulatory Agency (as defined below), the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the Fair Housing Act, the Community Reinvestment Act, the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, all other applicable fair lending laws or other laws relating to discrimination and the Bank Secrecy Act and Title III of the U.S.A. Patriot Act), the failure to comply with which would have a Material Adverse Effect. Other than as disclosed in the Company’s annual, quarterly or current reports filed with the Commission under the Exchange Act, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is subject or is party to, or has received any notice or advice that any of them may become subject or party to any investigation with respect to, any corrective, suspension or cease-and-desist order, agreement, consent agreement, memorandum of understanding or other regulatory enforcement action, proceeding or order with or by, or is a party to any commitment letter or similar undertaking to, or is subject to any directive by, or has been a recipient of any supervisory letter from, or has adopted any board resolutions at the request of, any Regulatory Agency that currently relates to or restricts in any material respect the conduct of their business or that in any manner relates to their capital adequacy, credit policies or management (each, a “ Regulatory Agreement ”), nor has the Company or any of its subsidiaries been advised by any Regulatory Agency that it is considering issuing or requesting any such Regulatory Agreement. There is no unresolved violation, criticism or exception by any Regulatory Agency with respect to any report or statement relating to any examinations of the Company or any of its subsidiaries which, in the reasonable judgment of the Company, is expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Company is not subject to any order of any Regulatory Agency which prohibits the payment of dividends by any of its subsidiaries. As used herein, the term “ Regulatory Agency ” means any federal or state agency charged with the supervision or regulation of depositary institutions or holding companies of depositary institutions, or engaged in the insurance of depositary institution deposits, or any court, administrative agency or commission or other governmental agency, authority or instrumentality having supervisory or regulatory authority with respect to the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

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(w) The deposit accounts in Webster Bank are insured up to the applicable limits by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “ FDIC ”) to the fullest extent permitted by law and the rules and regulations of the FDIC, and no proceeding for the revocation or termination of such insurance is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

(x) There are no contracts or documents which are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or the documents incorporated by reference therein or to be filed as exhibits thereto which have not been so described and filed as required.

(y) No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of the principal suppliers, manufacturers, customers or contractors of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, which, in either case, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(z) The Company and its subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate patents, patent licenses, trademarks, service marks and trade names necessary to carry on their businesses as presently conducted and the Company and its subsidiaries have not received any notice of infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any patents, patent licenses, trademarks, service marks or trade names that, in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a Material Adverse Effect.

(aa) The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real property owned by the Company and its subsidiaries and good title to all other properties owned by them, in each case, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests, claims, restrictions or encumbrances of any kind except such as (A) are described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or (B) would not have a Material Adverse Effect. All of the leases and subleases material to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, and under which the Company or any of its subsidiaries holds properties described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, are in full force and effect, and neither the Company nor any subsidiary has any notice of any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or any subsidiary under any such lease or sublease or affecting or questioning the rights of the Company or such subsidiary to the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease and that, in any such case, would have a Material Adverse Effect.

(bb) Neither the Company nor any affiliate of the Company has taken, nor will the Company or any affiliate take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed to or which has constituted or which would be expected to cause or result in the unlawful stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

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(cc) No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any court or governmental agency or body is necessary or required for the authorization, execution, delivery by the Company of this Agreement, or the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder including the offering, issuance, sale and delivery of the Securities and the issuance of the Conversion Shares upon conversion of the Securities, or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, except such as have already been made or obtained or as may be required under state securities laws.

(dd) The Company and its subsidiaries are (i) in compliance with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“ Environmental Laws ”), (ii) have received and are in compliance with all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses and (iii) have not received notice of any actual or potential liability for the investigation or remediation of any disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, except where such non-compliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals, or liability would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

(a) Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell to each Underwriter, and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at the purchase price set forth in Schedule B , the number of shares of Initial Securities set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule A .

(b) In addition, subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties herein set forth, the Company hereby grants to the Underwriters the option to purchase at their election, from time to time and in whole or in part, up to 25,000 additional shares of the Optional Securities, at the purchase price set forth in Schedule B . The option hereby granted will expire 30 days after the date hereof and may be exercised in whole or in part from time to time only for the purpose of covering overallotments which may be made in connection with the offering and distribution of the Initial Securities upon notice by the Representative to the Company setting forth the number of Optional Securities as to which the several Underwriters are then exercising the option and the time and date of payment and delivery for such Optional Securities. Any such time and date of delivery (a “Date of Delivery”) shall be determined by the Representative, but shall not be later than seven full business days after the exercise of said option, nor in any event prior to the Closing Date, as hereinafter defined. If the option is exercised as to all or any portion of the Optional Securities, each of the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, will purchase that proportion of the total number of Optional Securities then being purchased which the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Initial Securities, subject in each case to such adjustments as the Representative in its discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional shares.

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(a) Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates for, the Initial Securities shall be made at the offices of Sidley Austin LLP, 787 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company, at 9:00 A.M. (Eastern time) on the third (or fourth, if the pricing occurs after 4:30 P.M. (Eastern time) on any given day) business day after the date hereof, or such other time not later than ten business days after such date as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company (such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called “ Closing Date ”).

In addition, in the event that any or all of the Optional Securities are purchased by the Underwriters, payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates for, such Optional Securities shall be made at the above-mentioned offices, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company, on each Date of Delivery as specified in the notice from the Representative to the Company.

Payment shall be made to the Company by wire transfer of immediately available funds to a bank account designated by the Company, against delivery to the Representative for the respective accounts of the Underwriters of certificates for the Securities to be purchased by them. It is understood that each Underwriter has authorized the Representative, for its account, to accept delivery of, receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Initial Securities and the Optional Securities, if any, which it has agreed to purchase. Merrill Lynch, individually and not as representative of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment of the purchase price for the Initial Securities or the Optional Securities, if any, to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds have not been received by the Closing Date or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, but such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from its obligations hereunder.

(b) Certificates for the Initial Securities and the Optional Securities, if any, shall be in such denominations and registered in such names as the Representative may request in writing at least one full business day before the Closing Date or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be. The certificates for the Initial Securities and the Optional Securities, if any, will be made available for examination and packaging by the Representative in The City of New York not later than 10:00 A.M. (Eastern time) on the business day prior to the Closing Date or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be.

(a) To prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by the Representative and to file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act not later than the Commission’s close of business on the second business day following the date of this Agreement; to make no further amendment or any supplement to the Registration Statement (including any filing under Rule 462(b)), the Basic Prospectus or the Prospectus prior to the Closing Date that shall be disapproved by the Representative promptly after reasonable notice thereof; to advise the Underwriters, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment to the

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Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus has been filed and to furnish the Underwriters with copies thereof; to prepare a final term sheet, containing solely a description of the Securities, in a form set forth in Schedule B hereto and to file such term sheet pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act within the time required by such Rule; to file promptly all other material required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act; to file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company and (to the extent not exempt under Rule 12h-5 under the Exchange Act) with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act and for so long as the delivery of a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) is required in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities; to advise the Underwriters, promptly after the Company receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective or any supplement to the Prospectus or any amended Prospectus has been filed with the Commission, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or other prospectus in respect of the Securities, of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose, or of any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or for additional information; and, in the event of the issuance of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or other prospectus in respect of the Securities or suspending any such qualification, to promptly use their best efforts to obtain the withdrawal of such order; and in the event of any such issuance of a notice of objection, promptly to take such steps including, without limitation, amending the Registration Statement or filing a new registration statement, at the Company’s own expense, as may be necessary to permit offers and sales of the Securities by the Underwriters (references herein to the Registration Statement shall include any such amendment or new registration statement).

(b) If required by Rule 430B(h) under the Act, to prepare a form of prospectus in a form approved by the Representative and to file such form of prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act not later than may be required by Rule 424(b) under the Act; and to make no further amendment or supplement to such form of prospectus which shall be disapproved by the Representative promptly after reasonable notice thereof.

(c) To use its best efforts, in cooperation with the Representative, to qualify the Securities and the Conversion Shares for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions as the Representative may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect for a period of not less than one year from the date hereof; provided , however , that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or so subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject. The Company will also supply the Underwriters with such information as is necessary for the determination of the legality of the Securities for investment under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representative may reasonably request.

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(d) Prior to noon, New York City time, on the New York business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and from time to time, to furnish the Underwriters with written and electronic copies of the Prospectus in New York City in such quantities as they may reasonably request, and, if the delivery of a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) is required at any time prior to the expiration of nine months after the time of issue of the Prospectus in connection with the offering or sale of the Securities and if at such time any event shall have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made when such Prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall be necessary during such same period to amend or supplement the Prospectus or to file under the Exchange Act any document incorporated by reference in the Prospectus in order to comply with the Act or the Exchange Act, to notify the Underwriters and upon the Representative’s request to file such document and to prepare and furnish without charge to the Underwriters and to any dealer in securities as many written and electronic copies as they may from time to time reasonably request of an amended Prospectus or a supplement to the Prospectus that will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance; and in case the Underwriters are required to deliver a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) in connection with sales of any of the Securities at any time nine months or more after the time of issue of the Prospectus, upon the Representative’s request but at the expense of the Underwriters, to prepare and deliver to the Underwriters as many written and electronic copies as they may request of an amended or supplemented Prospectus complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Act.

(e) To make generally available to its securityholders and to the Underwriters as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than sixteen months after the effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c) under the Act), an earnings statement (which need not be audited) of the Company and its subsidiaries, complying with Section 11(a) of the Act and the rules and regulations thereunder (including, at the option of the Company, Rule 158).

(f) During a period of 90 days from the date of the Prospectus, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representative, (i) directly or indirectly, offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of any Securities or shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or repayable with, Common Stock or file any registration statement under the Act with respect to any of the foregoing or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such swap or transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (A) the Securities to be sold hereunder, (B) any shares of Common Stock issued by the Company upon the exercise of an option or warrant or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof and referred to in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (C) any shares of Common Stock issued or options to purchase Common Stock granted pursuant to existing employee benefit plans, qualified stock option plans or other employee benefit plans of the Company referred to in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or (D) any shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to any non-employee director stock plan or dividend reinvestment plan.

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(g) To use the net proceeds received from the sale of the Securities in the manner specified in the Pricing Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds.”

(h) The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to list, subject to notice of issuance, the Conversion Shares on the New York Stock Exchange.

(i) The Company will reserve and keep available at all times, free of any preemptive rights, Conversion Shares for the purpose of enabling the Company to satisfy any obligations to issue Conversion Shares upon the conversion of the Securities.

(a) The Company will pay all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and of each amendment thereto, the Basic Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, (ii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of this Agreement, any agreement among Underwriters and such other documents as may be required in connection with the offering, purchase, sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities, including the issuance of the Conversion Shares, (iii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the certificates for the Securities and the Conversion Shares, (iv) the fees and disbursements of the Company’s counsel, accountants and other advisors, (v) the qualification of the Securities and the Conversion Shares under State securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 4(A)(c) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto in an aggregate amount not to exceed $7,500, (vi) the printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of each preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and of the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto and any costs associated with electronic delivery of any of the foregoing by the Underwriters to investors, (vii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto (in each case, if required), (viii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken with the written approval of the Company in connection with the marketing of the Securities, including without limitation, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants, and the cost of aircraft and other transportation chartered in connection with the road show, (ix) any fees payable in connection with the rating of the Securities (if required) (x) any fees payable in connection with listing the Conversion Shares on the New York Stock Exchange and (xi) the costs and charges of any transfer agent, registrar or paying agent.

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(b) If this Agreement is terminated by the Representative in accordance with the provisions of Section 5 or Section 9(a)(i) hereof, the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters for all of their out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters.

(a) (i) The Company represents and agrees that, other than the final term sheet prepared and filed pursuant to Section 4(A)(a) hereof, without the prior consent of the Representative, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute a “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Act) that would be required to be filed with the Commission;

(ii) Each Underwriter represents and agrees that, without the prior consent of the Company, other than one or more term sheets relating to the Securities containing customary information and conveyed to purchasers of the Securities, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute a free writing prospectus that would be required to be filed with the Commission; and

(iii) Any such free writing prospectus the use of which requires consent under clause (i) and (ii) above and has been consented to by the Company and the Underwriters, and which is required to be filed with the Commission, (including the final term sheet prepared and filed pursuant to Section 4(A)(a) hereof) is listed in subsection (a) of Schedule B .

(b) The Company has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 under the Act applicable to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, including timely filing with the Commission or retention where required and legending.

(c) The Company agrees that if at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus any event occurred or occurs as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus would conflict with the information in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances then prevailing, not misleading, the Company will give prompt notice thereof to the Underwriters and, if requested by the Representative, will prepare and furnish without charge to the Underwriters an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or other document that will correct such conflict, statement or omission; provided , however , that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions in an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use therein.

5. Conditions to the Obligations of the Underwriters . The obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Securities shall be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of each of the Company contained herein as of the date hereof and the Closing Date (for purposes of this Section 5 “Closing Date” shall refer to the Closing Date for the Initial Securities and any Date of Delivery, if different, for the Optional Securities), to the

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accuracy of the statements of the officers of the Company made in any certificates pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:

(a) The Registration Statement, including any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, has become effective as of the Closing Date and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof shall have been issued and no proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; the Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by the rules and regulations under the Act and in accordance with Section 4(A)(a) hereof; the final term sheet contemplated by Section 4(A)(a) hereof, and any other material required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act, shall have been filed with the Commission within the applicable time periods prescribed for such filings by Rule 433; no stop order suspending or preventing the use of the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; and all requests for additional information on the part of the Commission shall have been complied with to your reasonable satisfaction.

(b) Hogan & Hartson LLP, counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representative a favorable opinion, dated the Closing Date, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.

(c) The Representative shall have received from Sidley Austin  LLP , counsel for the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated the Closing Date, with respect to such matters as the Representative may reasonably require.

(d) At the Closing Date, there shall not have been, since the date hereof or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Pricing Disclosure Package, any material adverse change in the financial condition, earnings, or business affairs of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, and the Representative shall have received a certificate of the Chief Executive Officer, President or an Executive Vice President of the Company and of the chief financial officer or chief accounting officer of the Company, dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect that (i) there has been no such material adverse change, (ii) the representations and warranties of the Company herein are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Date, (iii) the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Date, and (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to their knowledge, contemplated by the Commission.

(e) At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the Representative shall have received from KPMG LLP a letter dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement and the Pricing Prospectus as of a date not more than three business days prior to the date of such letter.

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(f) At the Closing Date, the Representative shall have received from KPMG LLP a letter, dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to subsection (e) of this Section, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business days prior to the Closing Date.

(g) Since the execution of this Agreement, there shall not have occurred a downgrading in, or withdrawal of, the rating assigned to any securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization”, as that term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Act, and no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review its rating of the Securities or any of the other securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

(h) At the date of this Agreement, the Representative shall have received an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto signed by the persons listed on Schedule D hereto.

(i) The Company shall have filed a subsequent listing application and any required supporting documentation relating to the Conversion Shares with the New York Stock Exchange.

(j) At the Closing Date, counsel for the Underwriters shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may reasonably require for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties of the Company, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to counsel for the Underwriters.

If any condition specified in this Section 5 shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement may be terminated by the Representative by notice to the Company at any time at or prior to the Closing Date, and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4(B) and except that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8 and 15 shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.

(a) Indemnification of Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, as such term is defined in Rule 501(b) under the Act (each, an “ Affiliate ”), its selling agents and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act as follows:

(i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information included in a prospectus that was omitted from such Registration Statement at the time it became effective but that is deemed to be part of and included in such Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430B (which information is referred to as “ Rule 430B Information ”), if any, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not

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misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Basic Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;

(ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section 6(d) below) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company, as applicable; and

(iii) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by Merrill Lynch), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above;

provided , however , that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430B Information, if any, or the Basic Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus, Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.

(b) Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers . Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in subsection (a) of this Section, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430B Information, if any, or the Basic Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus, Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or the Basic Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus, Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.

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(c) Actions against Parties; Notification . Each indemnified party shall give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity agreement. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(a) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by Merrill Lynch, and, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(b) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Company. An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in the defense of any such action; provided, however, that counsel to the indemnifying party shall not (except with the consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party. In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

(d) Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse . If at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 6(a)(ii) effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.

7. Contribution . If the indemnification provided for in Section 6 hereof is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to

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reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.

The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the total underwriting discount received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the Securities as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus.

The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company, on the one hand, or by the Underwriters, on the other hand, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

The Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 7. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.

The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to the number of Securities set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule A hereto and not joint.

Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.

No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act and each Underwriter’s

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Affiliates and selling agents shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company.

8. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive . All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries submitted pursuant hereto shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, its Affiliates or selling agents or any person controlling such Underwriter or by or on behalf of the Company, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company, and (ii) delivery of and payment for the Securities.

(a) Termination; General . The Representative may terminate this Agreement, by notice signed by the Representative to the Company, at any time at or prior to the Closing Date or, in the case of the Optional Securities, prior to the Date of Delivery, (i) if there has been, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Pricing Disclosure Package, any material adverse change in the financial condition, earnings, or business affairs of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, or (ii) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representative, impracticable or inadvisable to market the Securities or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, or (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company has been suspended or materially limited by the Commission or the New York Stock Exchange, or if trading generally on the American Stock Exchange or the New York Stock Exchange or in the Nasdaq Stock Market has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by any of said exchanges or by such system or by order of the Commission, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. or any other governmental authority, or (iv) a material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities or clearance, settlement or trading services in the United States, or (v) if a banking moratorium has been declared by Federal, New York or Connecticut authorities.

(b) Liabilities . If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4(B) hereof, and provided further that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8 and 15 shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.

10. Default by One or More of the Underwriters . If one or more of the Underwriters shall fail at the Closing Date to purchase the Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase under this Agreement (the “ Defaulted Securities ”), the non-defaulting Underwriters shall have

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the right, within 24 hours thereafter, to make arrangements to purchase, or to make arrangements for any other underwriters to purchase, all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth; if, however, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall not have completed such arrangements within such 24 hour period, then:

(a) if the number of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10% of the aggregate number of Securities to be purchased hereunder, each of the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, to purchase the full amount thereof in the proportions that their respective underwriting obligations hereunder bear to the underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting Underwriters, or

(b) if the number of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the aggregate number of Securities to be purchased hereunder, this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter.

No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of its default.

In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination of this Agreement, the Representative shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required changes in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements. As used herein, the term “ Underwriter ” includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this Section 10.

11. Notices . All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be directed to them as follows: Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, 4 World Financial Center, New York, New York 10080, Attention: Financial Institutions Group; and notices to the Company shall be directed to it at Webster Plaza, Waterbury, Connecticut 06702, attention of General Counsel, with a copy to Hogan & Hartson LLP at 555 Thirteenth Street, N.W., Washington, District of Columbia 20004, attention of Stuart G. Stein.

12. No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship . The Company acknowledges and agrees that (a) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the public offering price of the Securities and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, (b) in connection with the offering contemplated hereby and the process leading to such transaction each Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, or its stockholders, creditors, employees or any other party, (c) no Underwriter has assumed nor will assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the offering contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company on other matters) and no Underwriter has any obligation to the Company with respect to the offering contemplated hereby except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (d) each Underwriter and its affiliates may be engaged in a broad range

22

of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company and (e) no Underwriter has provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering contemplated hereby and the Company has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.

13. Integration . This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company and the Underwriters with respect to the subject matter hereof.

14. Parties . This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the parties hereto and their respective successors and the Affiliates, selling agents, officers and directors and controlling persons referred to in Sections 6 and 7 and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors, and said controlling persons and officers and directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.

15. GOVERNING LAW . THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

16. TIME . TIME SHALL BE OF THE ESSENCE OF THIS AGREEMENT. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET FORTH HEREIN, SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.

17. Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same Agreement.

18. Effect of Headings . The Section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

19. Tax Disclosure . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, immediately upon commencement of discussions with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby, the Company (and its employees, representatives or other agents) may disclose to any and all persons, without limitation of any kind, the tax treatment and tax structure of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and all materials of any kind (including opinions or other tax analyses) that are provided to the Company relating to such tax treatment and tax structure. For purposes of the foregoing, the term “tax treatment” is the purported or claimed federal income tax treatment of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the term “tax structure” includes any fact that may be relevant to understanding the purported or claimed federal income tax treatment of the transactions contemplated hereby.

[THE NEXT PAGE IS THE SIGNATURE PAGE ]

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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to us four counterparts hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a valid and legally binding agreement among the Company and the Underwriters in accordance with its terms.

For itself and as Representative of the other

Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto.

24

A-1

SCHEDULE B

Title of Securities:

8.50% Non-Cumulative Perpetual Convertible Preferred Stock, Series A, $1,000 liquidation preference per share of Webster Financial Corporation (the “ Convertible Preferred Stock ”)

Number of Initial Securities:

225,000

Number of Optional Securities:

25,000

Initial Public Offering Price:

$1,000 per share of Convertible Preferred Stock

Purchase Price to be paid by the Underwriters for the Initial Securities and any Optional Securities:

$970 per share of Convertible Preferred Stock

Underwriters’ Compensation:

$30 per share of Convertible Preferred Stock

Specified Funds for Payment of Purchase Price:

Immediately available funds by wire

Closing Date:

June 11, 2008; 9:00 A.M. (Eastern time)

(a) Free Writing Prospectuses listed pursuant to Section 4(C)(a)(iii):

Final term sheet, dated June 5, 2008, prepared and filed pursuant to Section 4(A)(a).

B-1

C-1

C-2

The exact stock price and effective dates may not be set forth on the table, in which case:

C-3

The Issuer has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus and prospectus supplement) with the Securities and Exchange Commission for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in that registration statement and other documents the Issuer has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for more complete information about the Issuer and this offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the web site of the Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, the Issuer, any underwriter or any dealer participating in the offering will arrange to send you the prospectus and prospectus supplement if you request it by calling Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated toll free at 1-800-248-3580.

Terms are used in this term sheet with the meanings assigned to them in the preliminary prospectus supplement subject to completion, dated June 5, 2008, included in the registration statement referred to above.

C-4

SCHEDULE D

Executive Officers

James C. Smith

Gerald P. Plush

Jeffrey N. Brown

Joseph J. Savage

Scott M. McBrair

Harriett Munrett Wolfe

Directors

James C. Smith

William T. Bromage

Joel S. Becker

John J. Crawford

Robert A. Finkenzeller

Roger A. Gelfenbein

C. Michael Jacobi

Laurence C. Morse

Karen R. Osar

D-1

EXHIBIT A

June 5, 2008

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith

Incorporated

4 World Financial Center

New York, New York 10080

Dear Sirs:

The undersigned, [a stockholder] [and] [an officer and/or director] of Webster Financial Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), understands that Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“ Merrill Lynch ”), as representative of the Underwriters, proposes to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “ Underwriting Agreement ”) with the Company providing for the public offering of shares of the Company’s 8.50% Series A Non-Cumulative Perpetual Convertible Preferred Stock (the “ Preferred Stock ”). In recognition of the benefit that such an offering will confer upon the undersigned as [a stockholder] [and] [an officer and/or director] of the Company, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the undersigned agrees with each underwriter to be named in the Underwriting Agreement that, subject to the conditions set forth herein, during a period of 90 days from the date of the Underwriting Agreement, the undersigned will not, without the prior written consent of Merrill Lynch, directly or indirectly, (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant for the sale of, or otherwise dispose of or transfer any shares of Preferred Stock or of the Company’s Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “ Common Stock ”), or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for, or repayable with, Common Stock, whether now owned or hereafter acquired by the undersigned or with respect to which the undersigned has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition, or file, or cause to be filed, any registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, with respect to any of the foregoing (collectively, the “ Lock-Up Securities ”) or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of Lock-Up Securities, whether any such swap or transaction is to be settled by delivery of Preferred Stock, Common Stock or other securities, in cash or otherwise.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the undersigned may transfer the Lock-Up Securities without the prior written consent of Merrill Lynch, (i) as a bona fide gift or gifts, provided that the donee or donees thereof agree to be bound in writing by the restriction set forth herein, or (ii) to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned, provided that the trustee of the trust agrees to be bound in writing by the restrictions set forth herein, and provided further that any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value. For purposes of this lock-up agreement, “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin. In addition, notwithstanding the foregoing, the undersigned may (i) sell or make deemed sales of Common Stock to the Company

Exh. A-1

pursuant to net exercises or cashless exercises of options outstanding on the date hereof to the extent that such shares of Common Stock are not subsequently sold by the Company on the open market for a period commencing on the date of the Underwriting Agreement and ending 90 days after the date of the Underwriting Agreement or (ii) sell shares of Common Stock pursuant to any sales plan existing as of the date hereof and entered into by and between the Company and the undersigned pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the Lock-Up Securities except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.

Exh. A-2