AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER

Exhibit 2.01

 

 

AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER

by and among

TRAMMELL CROW COMPANY,

CB RICHARD ELLIS GROUP, INC.

and

A-2 ACQUISITION CORP.

October 30, 2006

 

Table of Contents

 

 

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AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER

This AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER (the “ Agreement ”) is made and entered into this 30th day of October 2006, by and among Trammell Crow Company , a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), CB Richard Ellis Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“ Parent ”), and A-2 Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation wholly owned, directly or indirectly, by Parent (“ Acquiror ”).

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company has (i) determined that the Merger (as defined herein) is advisable and in the best interest of the Company Stockholders (as defined below), and (ii) approved the Merger;

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of each of Parent and Acquiror has (i) determined that the Merger is advisable and in the best interest of its respective stockholders, and (ii) approved the Merger;

WHEREAS, contemporaneously with the execution of this Agreement, certain employees of the Company identified on Schedule A hereto have entered into employment agreements with Parent effected as amendments to existing employment agreements with the Company pursuant to which CB Richard Ellis, Inc. shall assume such employment agreements effective as of the Effective Time (as defined below);

WHEREAS, contemporaneously with the execution of this Agreement, certain Company Stockholders (as defined below) have entered into voting agreements with Parent, Acquiror and the Company (the “ Voting Agreements ”), each of which is in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A , pursuant to which, among other things, such Company Stockholders have agreed to vote their Company Shares (as defined below) in favor of adopting and approving this Agreement and the Merger; and

WHEREAS, by resolutions duly adopted, the respective Boards of Directors of the Company, Parent and Acquiror have approved and adopted this Agreement and the transactions and other agreements contemplated hereby.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and promises contained herein, and intending to be legally bound, the parties hereto agree as set forth below.

ARTICLE 1

DEFINITIONS

1.1. Definitions .

(a) As used herein, the following terms have the meanings set forth below:

“ Acquiror Share ” means one share of common stock of Acquiror, $0.01 par value per share.

“ Acquisition Proposal ” means, other than the Merger, any offer or proposal (whether or not in writing) regarding any of the following: (a) the acquisition by a Third Party of beneficial ownership (as defined in Rule 13d-3 as promulgated by the SEC under the Exchange Act) of more than twenty percent (20%) of the outstanding shares of any class of Equity Interests of the Company, whether from the Company or pursuant to a tender offer or exchange offer or otherwise, (b) a merger, consolidation, business combination, reorganization, recapitalization or similar transaction involving the Company or any Significant Subsidiary of the Company, (c) a liquidation or dissolution of the Company or any Significant Subsidiary of the Company, or (d) any sale, lease, exchange or other disposition of assets (including the sale, lease, exchange or other disposition of Equity Interests of one or more Company Subsidiaries) that would result in a Third Party acquiring more than twenty percent (20%) of the fair market value on a consolidated basis of the assets of the Company and Company Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, immediately prior to such transaction; provided , however , that an Acquisition

 

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Proposal shall not include the sale, lease, exchange, transfer or other disposition of one or more development or investment properties (whether through the direct sale, exchange, transfer or other disposition of such properties or the direct sale, exchange, transfer or other disposition of one or more Special Purpose Vehicles that own such properties) in the Ordinary Course of Business of the Development and Investment Group.

“ Affiliate ” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person, directly or indirectly, controlling, controlled by, or under common control with, such first Person. For purposes of this definition, the term “ control ” (including the correlative terms “ controlling ”, “ controlled by ” and “ under common control with ”) means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

“ Alliance Agreements ” means the Company’s alliance or affiliation agreements with Savills plc, J.J. Barnicke and Grant Samuels.

“ Antitrust Laws ” means the Sherman Antitrust Act, the Clayton Antitrust Act, the HSR Act, the Federal Trade Commission Act and all other federal, state and foreign Laws that are designed or intended to prohibit, restrict or regulate actions having the purpose or effect of monopolization or restriction of trade or business or competition through merger or acquisition, each as amended.

“ Business Day ” means any day, other than a Saturday, Sunday or one on which banks are authorized by Law to be closed in Dallas, Texas or Los Angeles, California.

“ Code ” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, together with the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

“ Company Balance Sheet ” means the Company’s consolidated balance sheet included in the Company 10-K, as amended, relating to its fiscal year ended on December 31, 2005.

“ Company Charter ” means the certificate of incorporation of the Company.

“ Company Damages ” means any loss or damage of any nature suffered as a result of the breach by Parent or Acquiror of this Agreement or any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement contained in this Agreement.

“ Company Entities ” means, collectively, the Company Subsidiaries, Special Purpose Vehicles and the Company Minority Investments.

“ Company Material Adverse Effect ” means any material adverse effect on (a) the business, assets, liabilities, financial condition or results of operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole (but with respect to Project Entities and Company Minority Investments, only to the extent of such effects on the Company’s direct or indirect Equity Interests therein and/or on the obligations or liabilities of the Company and its Subsidiaries that are not Project Entities or Company Minority Investments), or (b) the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement or the other agreements and transactions contemplated hereby to which it is a party; provided , however , that, in determining whether there has been a Company Material Adverse Effect or whether a Company Material Adverse Effect would be reasonably likely to occur, this definition shall exclude any material adverse effect to the extent arising out of, attributable to or resulting from:

(i) any generally applicable change in Law or GAAP or interpretation of any thereof;

(ii) (A) any public announcement prior to the date of this Agreement of discussions among the parties hereto regarding the transactions contemplated hereby, (B) the announcement of this Agreement, (C) the pendency of the consummation of the Merger or the transactions contemplated hereby, or (D) any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby (other than causes of action brought by Parent or Acquiror for breach of this Agreement);

 

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(iii) actions or inactions specifically permitted by a prior written waiver by Parent of performance by the Company of any of its obligations under this Agreement;

(iv) changes in conditions generally affecting the industries in which the Company and its Subsidiaries conduct their business;

(v) general economic, political or financial market conditions;

(vi) any outbreak or escalation of hostilities (including, without limitation, any declaration of war by the U.S. Congress) or acts of terrorism;

(vii) the termination after the date of this Agreement of any employee’s or independent contractor’s employment by, or independent contractor relationship with, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or any notice thereof, other than as a result of any breach by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of the terms of this Agreement;

(viii) the failure of the Company or any Company Subsidiary to comply with any applicable requirements of any international or foreign Laws arising out of or in connection with this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby;

(ix) the failure of the Company or any Company Subsidiary to obtain any consent, approval, action, authorization or permit of any Third Party with respect to any Contract set forth in Section 4.4 of the Company Disclosure Schedule arising out of or in connection with this Agreement or transactions contemplated hereby;

(x) the cancellation after the date hereof or notice of cancellation after the date hereof of third-party property management, construction management, building management, development management or brokerage Contracts to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is or may become a party unless the applicable Contract would have been cancelled by the counterparty thereto regardless of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any discussions or negotiations relating thereto; provided , that it shall be presumed that any such cancellation resulted from or was due to this Agreement, the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any discussions or negotiations relating thereto unless Parent proves that the Contract would have been cancelled regardless of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any discussions or negotiations relating thereto;

(xi) any termination of any of the Alliance Agreements, the Meghraj Joint Venture or Krombach Joint Venture by a counterparty thereto, or the exercise of any purchase or sale rights by the counterparties thereto;

(xii) the termination of any agreements relating to Special Purpose Vehicles or the liquidation or dissolution of any Special Purpose Vehicles, in each case, in the Ordinary Course of Business;

(xiii) any (A) required change in accounting method with respect to the Company’s Equity Interest in Savills plc, (B) adverse change in the market price or trading volume of the ordinary shares of Savills plc or (C) adverse change in the business, assets, liabilities, financial condition or results of operations of Savills plc;

(xiv) any adverse change in the market price or trading volume of the Company Shares after the date hereof; provided , that the underlying cause of any such change may be taken into consideration in making such determination;

(xv) any failure by the Company to meet internal projections or forecasts or Third Party published estimates of revenue or earnings predictions for any period ending on or after the date hereof; provided , that the underlying cause of any such failure may be taken into consideration in making such determination;

(xvi) any expenses incurred in connection with the negotiation, documentation and execution of this Agreement, the actions required by Sections 6.1 through 6.6 (inclusive) and Article 8 and the consummation of the Merger, including, as a result of the Company’s entry into, and the payment of any amounts due to, or

 

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the provision of any other benefits (including benefits relating to acceleration of stock options) to, any officers or employees under employment contracts, non-competition agreements, employee benefit plans, severance, bonus or retention arrangements or other arrangements in existence as of the date of this Agreement or as disclosed in this Agreement, in each case to the extent that the foregoing do not constitute a breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement set forth in this Agreement; or

(xvii) (A) the taking of any action outside the Ordinary Course of Business required by this Agreement, or (B) the failure to take any action prohibited by this Agreement.

“ Company Minority Investment ” means a Minority Investment of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that does not meet the definition of a Special Purpose Vehicle.

“ Company Option ” means any option to purchase Company Shares, whether granted pursuant to the Company Options Plans or otherwise, but excluding purchase rights under Purchase Plans.

“ Company Option Plans ” means the Company’s 1997 Stock Option Plan and the Company’s Long-Term Incentive Plan, each as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified.

“ Company SEC Documents ” means (a) the annual reports on Form 10-K of the Company for the years ended December 31, 2003, 2004 and 2005 (each a “ Company 10-K ”), (b) the quarterly reports on Form 10-Q of the Company for the quarters ended March 31, 2006 and June 30, 2006, (c) the Company’s proxy and information statements relating to meetings of, or actions taken without a meeting by, the Company Stockholders, since December 31, 2002, and (d) all other reports, filings, registration statements and other documents filed by the Company with the SEC since December 31, 2002; in each case as may be amended, including all exhibits, appendices and attachments thereto, whether filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein.

“ Company Share ” means one share of common stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per share.

“ Company Stockholders ” means the stockholders of the Company.

“ Company Subsidiary ” means a Subsidiary of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

“ Confidentiality Agreement ” means the Confidentiality Agreement, dated as of October 18, 2005, between Parent and the Company, as amended and supplemented on October 9, 2006.

“ Contract ” means any contract, agreement, arrangement, commitment, letter of intent, memorandum of understanding, license, lease, promise, instrument, or other similar understanding, whether written or oral, in each case that is legally binding as of the date in question.

“ Credit Agreements ” means (i) the Credit Agreement, dated as of June 28, 2005, among the Company, Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent, swing line lender and issuing bank, and the other lender parties thereto, as amended through the date hereof and (ii) the Letter Agreement, dated June 15, 2006, between Trammell Crow Company (UK) Limited and The Royal Bank of Scotland.

“ Development and Investment Activities ” means the real estate development and investment activities conducted by the Company primarily through its Development and Investment Group in the Ordinary Course of Business.

“ Development and Investment Group ” means the Company’s Development and Investment group described in the Company 10-K through which the Company conducts Development and Investment Activities.

 

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“ Environmental Laws ” shall mean all Laws relating to the protection of the indoor or outdoor environment (including, without limitation, the quality of the ambient air, soil, surface water or groundwater, natural resources or human health or safety).

“ Environmental Permits ” shall mean all permits, licenses, registrations, and other authorizations required under applicable Environmental Laws.

“ Equity Interest ” means, with respect to any Person, any and all shares, interests, participations, rights in, or other equivalents (however designated and whether voting or non-voting) of, such Person’s capital stock or other equity interests (including partnership or membership interests in a partnership or limited liability company or any other interest or participation that confers on a Person the right to receive a share of the profits and losses, or distributions of assets, of the issuing Person), whether outstanding on the date hereof or issued after the date hereof.

“ Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

“ GAAP ” means United States generally accepted accounting principles, applied on a consistent basis.

“ Governmental Entity ” means any federal, state, local, international or foreign governmental authority, any transgovernmental authority or any court, administrative or regulatory agency or commission or other governmental authority, agency or body.

“ HSR Act ” means Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended.

“ Indebtedness ” means all indebtedness for borrowed money.

“ Independent Contractor ” means brokers, managers or developers who are properly classified as “independent contractors” rather than “employees” for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

“ Initiation Date ” means (A) the first date after the date hereof on which Parent shall have received the Required Financial Information with respect to applicable financial periods ending on and prior to September 30, 2006 that the Company is required to provide pursuant to Section 8.8; provided that, anything in the foregoing clause (A) to the contrary notwithstanding, (B) beginning on (and including) February 15, 2007, if the Closing Date does not occur on or prior to February 14, 2007, then in lieu of the date determined pursuant to clause (A) the Initiation Date shall be the later of (i) the first date on which Parent shall have received the Required Financial Information with respect to financial periods ending on and prior to December 31, 2006 that the Company is required to provide pursuant to Section 8.8 or (ii) March 1, 2007 (unless (x) Parent’s or Acquiror’s material breach of, or failure to perform in any material respect, any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement set forth in this Agreement was the principal cause of the failure of the Closing to occur on or before February 14, 2007 and (y) the conditions set forth in Sections 9.1 and 9.3 (other than the delivery by the Company of the officer’s certificate contemplated by Section 9.3(a)) were satisfied on February 14, 2007, in which case this clause (B) will not be applicable); provided that anything in the foregoing clauses (A) and (B) to the contrary notwithstanding, (C) beginning on (and including) May 16, 2007, if the Closing Date does not occur on or prior to May 15, 2007, then in lieu of the date determined pursuant to clause (B) the Initiation Date shall be the later of (1) the first date on which Parent shall have received the Required Financial Information with respect to financial periods ending on and prior to March 31, 2006 that the Company is required to provide pursuant to Section 8.8 or (2) May 10, 2007 (unless (x) Parent’s or Acquiror’s material breach of, or failure to perform in any material respect, any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement set forth in this Agreement was the principal cause of the failure of the Closing to occur on or before May 15, 2007 and (y) the conditions set forth in Sections 9.1 and 9.3 (other than the delivery by the Company of the officer’s certificate contemplated by Section 9.3(a)) were satisfied on May 15, 2007, in which case this clause (C) will not be applicable).

 

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“ Knowledge ” means, with respect to the matter in question, if any of the employees of the Company listed in Section 1.1 of the Company Disclosure Schedule or of Parent or Acquiror listed in Section 1.1 of the Parent and Acquiror Disclosure Schedule, has actual knowledge, without investigation, of the matter.

“ Krombach Joint Venture ” means “Krombach Trammell Crow, L.L.C.”

“ Law ” means any federal, state, local, international or foreign (including the European Union) law (including common law), rule, regulation, judgment, code, ruling, statute, order, directives, decree, injunction or ordinance or other legal requirement.

“ Lien ” means, with respect to any asset, any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, security interest or encumbrance of any kind in respect of an asset.

“ Marketing Period ” means the first period of thirty-seven (37) consecutive calendar days after the Initiation Date; provided, that (i) if the Marketing Period would otherwise terminate on any day from and including December 21, 2006 through and including January 2, 2007, then the Marketing Period shall end on January 3, 2007, (ii) the Marketing Period shall not be deemed to have commenced if, prior to the completion of the Marketing Period, Ernst & Young LLP shall have withdrawn its audit opinion with respect to any financial statements contained in the Required Financial Information or indicated that such audit opinion should not be relied upon, and (iii) the Marketing Period shall not terminate any earlier than December 18, 2006.

“ Materials of Environmental Concern ” means any substance or waste defined or regulated as hazardous, acutely hazardous, or toxic substance or waste (or any other words of similar import) under Environmental Laws (including the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, as amended, and the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, as amended) and any other material or organism that would be reasonably expected to result in liability under any Environmental Law (including oil, petroleum products, asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls and mold).

“ Meghraj Joint Venture ” means “Trammell Crow Meghraj”.

“ Minority Investments ” means, with respect to any Person, any corporation or other entity (including a division or line of business of such corporation or other entity) (A) of which such Person and/or any of its Subsidiaries beneficially owns a portion of the Equity Interests that is insufficient to make such corporation or other entity a Subsidiary of such Person, and (B) over which such Person and/or any of its Subsidiaries does not exercise control.

“ Ordinary Course of Business ” means, with respect to a Person, the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice of such Person and its Subsidiaries.

“ Organizational Documents ” means, with respect to a Person, the articles of incorporation, certificate of incorporation, charter, bylaws, articles of formation, articles of association, regulations, operating agreement, certificate of limited partnership, partnership agreement, limited liability company agreement and all other similar documents, instruments or certificates executed, adopted, or filed in connection with the creation, formation, or organization of such Person, including any amendments thereto.

“ Parent Material Adverse Effect ” means any result, occurrence, condition, fact, change, violation, event or effect of any of the foregoing that, individually or in the aggregate with any such other results, occurrences, conditions, facts, changes, violations, events or effects, prevents or materially impairs the ability of Parent or Acquiror to consummate the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement in accordance with the terms hereof.

“ Parent SEC Documents ” means (a) the annual reports on Form 10-K of Parent for the year ended December 31, 2005, (b) the quarterly reports on Form 10-Q of Parent for the quarters ended March 31, 2006 and

 

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June 30, 2006, (c) Parent’s proxy and information statements relating to meetings of, or actions taken without a meeting by, the stockholders of Parent, since December 31, 2004, and (d) all other reports, filings, registration statements and other documents filed by Parent with the SEC since December 31, 2004; in each case as may be amended, including all exhibits, appendices and attachments thereto, whether filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein.

“ Permitted Liens ” means (a) Liens for utilities and current Taxes not yet due and payable, (b) mechanics’, carriers’, workers’, repairers’, materialmen’s, warehousemen’s and other similar Liens arising or incurred in the Ordinary Course of Business, (c) Liens for Taxes being contested in good faith for which appropriate reserves have been included on the balance sheet of the applicable Person, (d) easements, restrictions, covenants or rights of way currently of record against any of the Owned Real Property which do not interfere with, or increase the cost of operation of, the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries in any material respect or materially affect the value or marketability of such Owned Real Property, (e) minor irregularities of title with respect to any of the Owned Real Property which do not interfere with, or increase the cost of the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries in any material respect or materially affect the value or marketability of such Owned Real Property and (f) Liens under the Credit Agreements.

“ Person ” means an individual, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association, trust or any other entity or organization, including any Governmental Entity.

“ Project Entity ” means a Special Purpose Vehicle that owns a Development and Investment Activities project or is the general partner of any such Special Purpose Vehicle and shall include Trammell Crow Investment Fund II, L.P., Trammell Crow Investment Fund III L.P., Trammell Crow Investment Fund IV, L.P., Trammell Crow Investment Fund V, L.P. and TCC-Lion Industrial, LLC.

“ Proxy Statement ” means the proxy statement to be mailed to the Company Stockholders in connection with the Company Stockholder Approval, together with any amendments or supplements thereto.

“ SEC ” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

“ Securities Act ” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

“ Significant Subsidiary ” means a “significant subsidiary” as such term is defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

“ Special Purpose Vehicle ” means any Company Subsidiary or Company Minority Investment whose activities with respect to the Company are limited to, and whose assets are used only in connection with, the Company’s Development and Investment Activities.

“ SPV Guarantees ” means, collectively, (i) completion or performance guarantees guaranteeing the obligations of a Project Entity, (ii) budget guarantees guaranteeing the obligations of a Project Entity, and (iii) other guarantees or similar obligations entered into in the course of Development and Investment Activities with respect to the obligations of Project Entities for environmental claims, fraud, misapplication of cash and failure to comply with bankruptcy remote and special purpose entity requirements.

“ Stockholders ” means Company Stockholders.

“ Subsidiary ” means, with respect to any Person, any corporation, limited liability company, partnership or other entity (including joint ventures) of which such Person, directly or indirectly, (a) has the right or ability to elect, designate or appoint a majority of the board of directors or other Persons performing similar functions for such entity, whether as a result of the beneficial ownership of Equity Interests, contractual rights or otherwise or (b) beneficially owns a majority of the voting Equity Interests (including general partner Equity Interests).

 

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“ Superior Proposal ” means any Acquisition Proposal (with all of the percentages included in the definition of Acquisition Proposal increased to fifty percent (50%) for purposes of this definition) that the Company’s Board of Directors concludes in good faith, after consultation with its outside legal counsel and financial advisors, (a) is on terms that are more favorable, from a financial point of view, to the Company Stockholders than the terms of the Merger (including any written proposal by Parent and Acquiror received by the Company to amend the terms of this Agreement) (taking into account all legal, financial, regulatory and other aspects of the proposal, including to the extent financing is required, the terms and conditions of the proposed financing); and (b) is reasonably capable of being consummated.

“ Taxes ” means all United States federal, state, local or foreign income, profits, estimated gross receipts, windfall profits, environmental (including taxes under Section 59A of the Code), severance, property, intangible property, occupation, production, sales, use, license, excise, emergency excise, franchise, capital gains, capital stock, employment, withholding, social security (or similar), disability, transfer, registration, stamp, payroll, employer insurance, goods and services, value added, alternative or add-on minimum tax, estimated, or any other tax, custom, duty or governmental fee, or other like assessment or charge of any kind whatsoever, together with any interest, penalties, fines, related liabilities or additions to tax that may become payable in respect therefor imposed by any Governmental Entity, whether disputed or not.

“ Third Party ” means a Person (or group of Persons) other than Parent, Acquiror or any of their respective Subsidiaries.

“ WARN ” means the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, as amended.

(b) Each of the following terms is defined in the Section set forth opposite such term:

 

 

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ARTICLE 2

THE MERGER

2.1. The Merger .

(a) At the Effective Time, Acquiror shall be merged with and into the Company (the “ Merger ”) in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the Delaware General Corporation Law (as amended, the “ DGCL ”), at which time the separate corporate existence of Acquiror shall cease and the Company shall continue its existence. In its capacity as the corporation surviving the Merger, this Agreement sometimes refers to the Company as the “ Surviving Corporation .”

(b) On the Closing Date, the Company and Acquiror will file a certificate of merger or other appropriate documents (the “ Certificate of Merger ”) with the Delaware Secretary of State (the “ Secretary of State ”) and make all other filings or recordings required by the DGCL in connection with the Merger. The Merger shall become effective on the date and at the time when the Certificate of Merger is duly filed with and accepted by the Secretary of State, or at such later date and time as is agreed upon by the parties and specified in the Certificate of Merger (such date and time as the Merger becomes effective is referred to herein as the “ Effective Time ”).

(c) From and after the Effective Time, the Merger shall have the effects set forth in the DGCL.

(d) The closing of the Merger (the “ Closing ”) shall be held at the offices of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, 2550 Hanover Street, Palo Alto, California 94304 (or such other place as agreed by the parties) at 8:00 a.m., Pacific time, on the second Business Day on which all of the conditions set forth in Article 9 (other than those conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied at the Closing) capable of satisfaction prior to the Closing (it being understood that the occurrence of the Closing shall remain subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions that by their terms are to be satisfied at Closing) are satisfied or waived by the party or parties permitted to do so, unless the parties hereto agree to another date and time; provided , however , that Parent and Acquiror shall not be required to effect the Closing prior to the later of (i) the earlier of (A) a date during the Marketing Period specified by Parent

 

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on no less than three (3) Business Days’ prior written notice to the Company and (B) the end of the Marketing Period and (ii) the earlier of (x) the first date on which the Requested Consents shall have been obtained and the Debt Tender Offer completed or (y) March 19, 2007. The date upon which the Closing occurs is hereinafter referred to as the “ Closing Date ”.

2.2. Organizational Documents . The Certificate of Merger shall provide that at the Effective Time (a) the Company’s certificate of incorporation in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be the Surviving Corporation’s certificate of incorporation and (b) the Acquiror’s by-laws in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be the Surviving Corporation’s by-laws, in each case until amended in accordance with applicable Law; provided , however , that any such amendment shall not amend the certificate of incorporation or by-laws in a manner prohibited by or inconsistent with Section 7.1.

2.3. Directors and Officers . From and after the Effective Time (until such time as their successors are duly elected or appointed and qualified), (A) Acquiror’s directors at the Effective Time shall be the Surviving Corporation’s directors and (B) the Company’s officers immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be the Surviving Corporation’s officers.

ARTICLE 3

CONVERSION OF SECURITIES AND RELATED MATTERS

3.1. Capital Stock of Acquiror . As of the Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of the holder of any Company Share or Acquiror Share, each Acquiror Share issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be converted into one share of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Surviving Corporation.

3.2. Cancellation of Treasury Stock and Acquiror-Owned Shares . As of the Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of the holder of any Company Share or Acquiror Share, each Company Share held by the Company as treasury stock or owned by Parent or any Subsidiary of Parent immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be canceled and retired, and no payment shall be made or consideration delivered or deliverable in respect thereof.

3.3. Conversion of Company Shares . As of the Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of the holder of any Company Share or Acquiror Share, each Company Share (excluding any Restricted Shares whose restrictions do not lapse as of the Effective Time) issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (other than (a) shares to be cancelled in accordance with Section 3.2 and (b) Dissenting Shares) shall be converted into the right to receive in cash, without interest, an amount equal to $49.51 (the “ Merger Consideration ”).

3.4. Exchange of Certificates .

(a) Prior to the Effective Time, Acquiror shall appoint a bank or trust company reasonably acceptable to the Company as an agent (the “ Exchange Agent ”) for the benefit of holders of Company Shares for the purpose of exchanging, pursuant to this Article 3, certificates representing the Company Shares (the “ Certificates ”) and Company Shares represented by book-entry (“ Book-Entry Shares ”). On the Closing Date, Parent will, and will cause Acquiror to, make available to and deposit with the Exchange Agent the aggregate Merger Consideration to be paid in respect of Company Shares pursuant to this Article 3 (the “ Exchange Fund ”), and except as contemplated by Section 3.4(e) or Section 3.4(g) hereof, the Exchange Fund shall not be used for any other purpose. The Exchange Agent shall invest the Merger Consideration as directed by the Acquiror or the Surviving Corporation, as the case may be, on a daily basis. Any interest and other income resulting from such investments shall be paid to the Surviving Corporation. To the extent that there are losses with respect to such investments, or the Exchange Fund diminishes for other reasons below the level required to make prompt payments of the Merger Consideration as contemplated hereby, Parent and the Surviving Corporation shall promptly replace or restore the portion of the Exchange Fund lost through investments or other events so as to ensure that the Exchange Fund is, at all times, maintained at a level sufficient to make such payments.

 

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(b) As promptly as practicable after the Effective Time but not later than ten (10) Business Days thereafter, the Surviving Corporation shall send, or shall cause the Exchange Agent to send, to each record holder of Certificates and each holder of Book-Entry Shares a letter of transmittal and instructions (which shall be in customary form and specify that delivery shall be effected, and risk of loss and title shall pass, only upon delivery of the Certificates to the Exchange Agent or, in the case of Book-Entry Shares, upon adherence to the procedures set forth in the Letter of Transmittal), for use in the exchange contemplated by this Section 3.4. Upon surrender of a Certificate or Book-Entry Share to the Exchange Agent, together with a duly executed letter of transmittal, the holder shall be entitled to receive, in exchange therefor, the Merger Consideration as provided in this Article 3 in respect of the Company Shares represented by the Certificate or the Book-Entry Share, after giving effect to any required withholding Tax. Until surrendered as contemplated by this Section 3.4, each Certificate and Book-Entry Share shall be deemed after the Effective Time to represent only the right to receive the Merger Consideration.

(c) All cash paid upon surrender of Certificates or Book-Entry Shares in accordance with the terms hereof shall be deemed to have been issued in full satisfaction of all rights pertaining to Company Shares represented thereby. From and after the Effective Time, the holders of Certificates or Book-Entry Shares shall cease to have any rights with respect to Company Shares, except as otherwise provided herein or by applicable Law. As of the Effective Time, the stock transfer books of the Company shall be closed and there shall be no further registration of transfers on the Company’s stock transfer books or by book-entry of any Company Shares, other than transfers that occurred before the Effective Time. If, after the Effective Time, Certificates or Book-Entry Shares are presented to the Surviving Corporation for any reason, they shall be canceled and exchanged as provided in this Section 3.4.

(d) If payment of the Merger Consideration in respect of Company Shares is to be made to a Person other than the Person in whose name a surrendered Certificate or Book-Entry Share is registered, it shall be a condition to such payment that the Certificate or Book-Entry Share so surrendered shall be properly endorsed or shall be otherwise in proper form for transfer and that the Person requesting such payment shall have paid any transfer and other Taxes required by reason of such payment in a name other than that of the registered holder of the Certificate or Book-Entry Share surrendered or shall have established to the satisfaction of the Surviving Corporation or the Exchange Agent that such Taxes either have been paid or are not payable.

(e) Upon the request of the Surviving Corporation, the Exchange Agent shall deliver to the Surviving Corporation any portion of the Merger Consideration made available to the Exchange Agent pursuant to this Section 3.4 that remains undistributed to holders of Company Shares six (6) months after the Effective Time. Holders of Certificates who have not complied with this Section 3.4 prior to the demand by the Surviving Corporation shall thereafter look only to Parent and the Surviving Corporation for payment of any claim to the Merger Consideration.

(f) None of Acquiror, Parent, the Surviving Corporation or the Exchange Agent shall be liable to any Person in respect of any Company Shares (or dividends or distributions with respect thereto) for any amounts paid to a public official pursuant to any applicable abandoned property, escheat or similar Law.

(g) Each of the Surviving Corporation and Exchange Agent shall be entitled to deduct and withhold from the Merger Consideration or amounts otherwise payable hereunder to any Person (including amounts payable under Article 3) any amounts that it is required to deduct and withhold with respect to payment under any applicable provision of federal, state, local or foreign income tax Law and shall make any required filings with the appropriate tax authorities with respect to such withholding. To the extent that the Surviving Corporation or Exchange Agent withholds those amounts, the withheld amounts shall be treated for all purposes of this Agreement as having been paid to the holder of Company Shares in respect of which deduction and withholding was made by the Surviving Corporation or Exchange Agent, as the case may be.

 

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(h) If any Certificate has been or is claimed to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the Person claiming that a Certificate has been lost, stolen or destroyed and, if required by the Surviving Corporation, the posting by such Person of a bond, in such reasonable amount as the Surviving Corporation may direct, as indemnity against any claim that may be made against it with respect to that Certificate, the Exchange Agent will deliver to such Person in exchange for such lost, stolen or destroyed Certificate, the proper amount of the Merger Consideration.

3.5. Company Stock Options and Other Awards .

(a) Each outstanding Company Option shall automatically be converted at the Effective Time, pursuant to the terms thereof, into the right to receive a cash payment from the Surviving Corporation, payable as soon as practicable following the vesting and exercise of the Company Option, equal to an amount per Company Share subject to such Company Option equal to the excess, if any, of (i) the Merger Consideration over (ii) the exercise price per Company Share subject to such vested and exercised Company Option, less any applicable withholding taxes (the “ Option Consideration ”). Outstanding unvested Company Options will continue to vest and become exercisable for the Option Consideration in accordance with the terms of the Contract between the Company and the holder in effect as of the date hereof evidencing such Company Option. The Surviving Corporation and Parent shall take all corporate action necessary to reserve sufficient cash for payment upon the exercise of such Company Options on or after the Effective Time in accordance with the terms and conditions thereof. Prior to the Effective Time, the Company shall notify the holders of Company Options of the Surviving Corporation’s withholding obligations with respect to such Company Options arising on or after the Effective Time.

(b) Prior to the Effective Time, the Company shall take all necessary action under all stock purchase plans in place at the Company or any of its Subsidiaries relating to Company Shares (including the Trammell Crow Company Employee Stock Purchase Plan) (collectively, “ Purchase Plans ”) to provide that (i) all participants’ rights under all current offering periods shall terminate at the end of the next payroll date following the date hereof (the “ Stock Plan Suspension Date ”), but in no event later than December 31, 2006, and all accumulated payroll deductions allocated to each participant’s account under the Purchase Plans shall thereupon be used to purchase from the Company whole Company Shares at a price determined under the terms of the Purchase Plans for the offering period using the Stock Plan Suspension Date as the final purchase date and (ii) as of the close of business on the Business Day immediately prior to the Effective Time, the Purchase Plans will terminate. At the Effective Time, any Company Common Stock acquired under the Purchase Plans will be treated as provided in Section 3.3. The Company shall take all necessary action so that as of the date hereof no new offering is made and no offering period commences under the Purchase Plans.

(c) Each Company Share outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (but excluding any Company Options provided for pursuant to Section 3.5(a) and Restricted Shares not excluded from Section 3.3 (whose restrictions lapse as of the Effective Time)) that is subject to, and after the Effective Time pursuant to its terms will remain subject to, vesting or other lapse restrictions pursuant to any Company Option Plan or any applicable restricted stock award agreement (each a “ Restricted Share ”) shall be converted, at the Effective Time, into the right to receive a cash amount from the Surviving Corporation equal to the Merger Consideration, less any applicable withholding taxes, as soon as administratively feasible following the vesting of such Restricted Share, provided that the payment of such cash amount shall remain subject to the same terms and conditions (including vesting conditions) as were in effect with respect to such Company Share immediately prior to the Effective Time. The Surviving Corporation and Parent shall take all corporate action necessary to reserve sufficient cash for payment upon the settlement of such Restricted Shares after the Effective Time upon vesting thereof in accordance with the terms and conditions of such Restricted Shares.

(d) Each Company Share underlying the performance unit awards set forth on Sections 4.12(b) and 4.12(c) of the Company Disclosure Schedule outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (each a “ Unit ”) shall be converted, at the Effective Time, into the right to receive a cash amount from

 

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the Surviving Corporation equal to the Merger Consideration, less any applicable withholding taxes, at the time set forth in and in accordance with the terms of the Contract between the Company and the holder in effect as of the date hereof evidencing such Unit; provided that the payment of such cash amount shall remain subject to the same terms and conditions of the Contract between the Company and the holder evidencing such Unit in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time. The Surviving Corporation and Parent shall take all corporate action necessary to reserve sufficient cash for payment upon the settlement of such Units on or after the Effective Time upon settlement thereof in accordance with the terms and conditions of such Units.

(e) The Company shall notify the holders of Company Options, Restricted Shares and Units, and participants under the Purchase Plans, of the impact of the Merger on their respective equity awards or participation rights.

3.6. Dissenting Shares .

(a) Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, Company Shares that are outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time and which are held by Persons who shall have properly demanded in writing appraisal for such shares in accordance with Section 262 (or any successor provision) of the DGCL (the “ Dissenting Shares ”) shall not be converted into or represent the right to receive the Merger Consideration as provided hereunder and shall only be entitled to such rights and consideration as are granted by Section 262 (or any successor provision) of the DGCL. Such Persons shall be entitled to receive payment of the appraised value of such Company Shares in accordance with the provisions of Section 262 (or any successor provision) of the DGCL, except that all Dissenting Shares held by Persons who shall have failed to perfect or who effectively shall have withdrawn or lost their right to appraisal of such shares under Section 262 (or any successor provision) of the DGCL shall thereupon be deemed to have been converted into the right to receive the Merger Consideration pursuant to Section 3.3 hereto as of the Effective Time or the occurrence of such failure, withdrawal or loss, whichever occurs later.

(b) The Company shall give Acquiror (i) prompt notice of any demands for appraisal received by the Company, withdrawals of such demands and any other instruments served pursuant to the DGCL and received by the Company and (ii) the opportunity to participate in all negotiations and proceedings with respect to demands for appraisal or the payment of the fair cash value of any such shares under the DGCL. Other than pursuant to a court order, the Company shall not, except with the prior written consent of Acquiror, make any payment with respect to any demands for appraisal or the payment of the fair cash value of any such shares or offer to settle or settle any such demands.

ARTICLE 4

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY

Except (i) as disclosed in the Company SEC Documents filed with the SEC after January 1, 2006 and prior to the date of this Agreement with respect to information that is reasonably apparent on its face to relate to the representations and warranties contained in this Article 4 (excluding any disclosures set forth in any risk factor section thereof, in any section relating to forward looking statements and any other disclosures included therein to the extent that they are cautionary, predictive or forward looking in nature) or (ii) as disclosed in the Company Disclosure Schedule attached hereto, the Company represents and warrants to Parent and Acquiror as set forth below:

4.1. Corporate Existence and Power . The Company is a corporation, duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the State of Delaware, and has all corporate powers and authority required to own, lease and operate its properties and assets and to carry on its business as now conducted. The Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and is in good standing in each jurisdiction where the character of the property and assets owned, leased or operated by it or the nature of its activities makes qualification necessary, except where the failure to be so qualified would not be

 

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reasonably likely to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect. The Company is not in violation of any provision of its Organizational Documents, and the Company has made available to Parent true and correct copies of its Organizational Documents.

4.2. Corporate Authorization . The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and the consummation by the Company of the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby are within the Company’s corporate powers and, except for the Company Stockholder Approval and the filing and recordation of the Certificate of Merger in accordance with the DGCL, have been duly and validly authorized by all necessary corporate action and no other corporate proceedings on the part of the Company are necessary to authorize this Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. Subject to Section 6.3, the Board of Directors of the Company unanimously has approved and declared advisable this Agreement and has resolved to recommend that the Company Stockholders vote their shares in favor of the adoption of this Agreement and approval of the transactions contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been duly and validly executed and delivered by the Company, and assuming that this Agreement constitutes the valid and binding obligation of Parent and Acquiror, constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms subject, as to enforceability, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).

4.3. Governmental Authorization . The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby will not require with respect to the Company or any Company Subsidiary any consent, approval, action, order, authorization, or permit of, or registration, declaration or filing with, any Governmental Entity, other than (a) the filing of the Certificate of Merger in accordance with the DGCL; (b) compliance with any applicable requirements of any Antitrust Laws or any international or foreign Laws; (c) compliance with any applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act; (d) filings with the New York Stock Exchange; (e) such filings and approvals as may be required by any applicable state securities, “blue sky” or takeover laws; and (f) other consents, approvals, actions, orders, authorizations, permits, registrations, declarations and filings which, if not obtained or made, would not be reasonably likely to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect. The consummation of the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby will not result in the lapse of any Permit of the Company or Company Subsidiaries or the breach of any authorization or right to use any Permit of the Company or Company Subsidiaries or other right that the Company or any Company Subsidiaries has from a Governmental Entity, except where such lapses or breaches would not be reasonably likely to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.

4.4. Non-Contravention . The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and the consummation by the Company of the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby do not and will not (a) contravene or conflict with the Organizational Documents of the Company, (b) contravene or conflict with the Organizational Documents of any Company Subsidiary, (c) assuming compliance with the matters referred to in Section 4.3, contravene or conflict with, or constitute a violation of, any provision of any Law binding upon or applicable to the Company or its Subsidiaries or by which any of their respective properties or assets is bound or affected, (d) constitute a breach of or default under (or an event that with notice or lapse of time or both would be reasonably likely to become a breach or default) or give rise (with or without notice or lapse of time or both) to a right of termination, amendment, cancellation or acceleration under any Contract binding upon the Company (including, in the case of any Contract evidencing Indebtedness or other payment obligation of any Special Purpose Vehicle, any right to claim against the Company or any Company Subsidiaries other than a Special Purpose Vehicle all or any portion of the amount of Indebtedness or other payment obligation underlying such Contract), any Company Subsidiary or any of their respective properties or assets, or (e) result in the creation or imposition of any Lien on any asset of the Company or any Company Subsidiary, other than, in the case of clauses (b), (c), (d) and (e) taken together, any items that would not be reasonably likely to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.

 

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4.5. Capitalization .

(a) The authorized capital stock of the Company consists solely of 100,000,000 Company Shares and 30,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “ Company Preferred Stock ”). As of October 25, 2006, (x)(i) 36,350,819 Company Shares (including Restricted Shares) were issued and outstanding, (ii) 1,552,239 Company Shares were held by the Company in treasury and (iii) 1,724,927 were Restricted Shares, all of which have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable and were issued free of preemptive or similar rights, (y) no shares of the Company Preferred Stock were issued or outstanding, and (z) no Company Shares were held by Company Subsidiaries. As of October 25, 2006, (i) 3,445,884 Company Shares were reserved for issuance pursuant to outstanding Company Options granted under Company Option Plans, (ii) 652,792 Common Shares were reserved for future issuance under the Company Option Plans (excluding Common Shares reserved for issuance pursuant to outstanding Company Options), and (iii) 803,187 Common Shares were reserved for future issuance under Purchase Plans. From June 30, 2006 until the date of this Agreement, the Company has not declared or paid any dividend or distribution in respect of any of its Equity Interests and neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has repurchased, redeemed or otherwise acquired any shares of the Company’s Equity Interests, and the Company’s Board of Directors has not resolved to do any of the foregoing. There are no outstanding or authorized stock appreciation, profit participation, “phantom stock,” or other similar plans with respect to the Company or the Company Subsidiaries, other than incentive compensation arrangements that are not based on the market price of Company Shares and that are entered into in the Ordinary Course of Business.

(b) Except (i) as set forth in this Section 4.5 and (ii) for changes since October 25, 2006 resulting from the exercise of Company Options outstanding on that date, neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has issued, or reserved for issuance, any, and there are no outstanding, (x) Equity Interests of the Company, (y) securities of the Company or any Company Subsidiary convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Equity Interests of the Company or (z) options, warrants or other rights to acquire from the Company or any Company Subsidiary, or obligations of the Company or any Company Subsidiary to issue, any Equity Interests of the Company or securities or other rights convertible into or exchangeable for Equity Interests of the Company (the items in clauses (x), (y) and (z) being referred to collectively as the “ Company Securities ”). There are no outstanding Contracts or other obligations of the Company or any Company Subsidiary to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any Company Securities.

(c) Section 4.5(c) of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth a complete and accurate list of all outstanding Company Options and Restricted Shares as of October 25, 2006, which list sets forth the name of the holders thereof and, to the extent applicable, the exercise price or purchase price thereof, the number of Company Shares subject thereto, the schedule of vesting (including any acceleration of vesting that may result from this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby), the governing Company Option Plan with respect thereto and the expiration date thereof. The Company has no outstanding bonds, debentures, notes or other indebtedness that have the right to vote (or which is convertible into, or exchangeable for, securities having the right to vote) on any matters on which Company Stockholders may vote. All Company Options and Restricted Shares have been granted in compliance in all respects with the terms and conditions of the Company Option Plans and applicable Laws and stock exchange rules and have been accounted for correctly in all material respects in the financial statements of the Company.

4.6. Subsidiaries; Minority Investments .

(a) Each Company Subsidiary (i) is a corporation duly incorporated or an entity duly organized, and is validly existing and in good standing (except in jurisdictions where such concept does not exist) under the Laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation or organization, and has all powers and authority required to own, lease or operate its properties and assets and to carry on its business as now conducted, and (ii) has all governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals required to

 

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carry on its business as now conducted and is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation or entity and is in good standing in each jurisdiction where the character of the property and assets owned, leased or operated by it or the nature of its activities makes such qualification necessary, in each case in the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii) with exceptions which would not be reasonably likely to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.

(b) Section 4.6(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth the name of all Company Subsidiaries and, to the extent applicable, the total number of authorized, issued and outstanding Equity Interests of each Company Subsidiary and the amount of the Company’s direct or indirect ownership of Equity Interests in each Company Entity and, in the case of each Project Entity, (i) the amount of equity that the Company or any Company Subsidiary is authorized to invest in such Project Entity and (ii) the amount of Indebtedness or other payment obligation of such Project Entity that the Company or any Company Subsidiary (other than a Project Entity) is authorized to guarantee, in each case excluding obligations under SPV Guarantees. For each Company Subsidiary that is a corporation, all of the outstanding Equity Interests in such Company Subsidiary (1) have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable, (2) if owned by the Company or any Company Subsidiary, are owned free and clear of any Lien (except for liens under the Credit Agreements), (3) are free of any preemptive or similar right, and (4) are free of any other limitation or restriction (including any limitation or restriction on the right to vote, sell or otherwise dispose of the Equity Interests). For each Company Subsidiary that is a limited liability company or partnership, all of the outstanding Equity Interests in such Company Subsidiary have been duly authorized and validly issued, and if owned by the Company or any Company Subsidiary, are owned free and clear of all Liens other than (A) Liens under the Credit Agreement, (B) Liens in favor of financing sources for the development project to which such Company Subsidiary relates and (C) Liens in favor of or against the interests of the other equity holders of such entity. The Equity Interests of each Company Subsidiary were issued in compliance with all applicable federal, state and foreign securities laws except as would not be reasonably likely to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect. There are no outstanding (x) securities of the Company or any Company Subsidiary (that is not a Special Purpose Vehicle) convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Equity Interests in any Company Subsidiary (that is not a Special Purpose Vehicle), (y) options, warrants or other rights to acquire from the Company or any Company Subsidiary (that is not a Special Purpose Vehicle), or obligations of the Company or any Company Subsidiary (that is not a Special Purpose Vehicle) to issue, any Equity Interests in, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any Equity Interests in, any Company Subsidiary (that is not a Special Purpose Vehicle) or (z) Contracts of the Company or any Company Subsidiary to issue, sell, repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any Equity Interests of any Company Subsidiary (that is not a Special Purpose Vehicle).

(c) No Company Subsidiary is in violation of any provision of its Organizational Documents, other than violations which would not be reasonably likely to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect. Section 4.6(c) of the Company Disclosure Schedule lists each Company Entity for which the Company has made available to the Acquiror true and correct copies of the articles or certificate of incorporation or bylaws or equivalent organizational and governing documents.

(d) Section 4.6(d) of the Company Disclosure Schedule lists each Company Minority Investment owned by the Company or a Company Subsidiary (other than a Special Purpose Vehicle) and the Company or Company Subsidiary that owns such Company Minority Investment. Each Company Minority Investment is owned free and clear of any Lien (except for Liens under the Credit Agreements). Except as specifically set forth in this Section 4.6(d), the Company makes no representation with respect to the Company’s or any Company Subsidiary’s ownership of any Company Minority Investment or the business, assets, liabilities, financial condition or results of operations of any Company Minority Investment.

 

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4.7. Company SEC Documents .

(a) The Company has filed all forms, reports, filings, registration statements and other documents required to be filed by it with the SEC since December 31, 2002. No Company Subsidiary is required to file any form, report, registration statement or prospectus or other document with the SEC.

(b) As of its filing date, each Company SEC Document complied as to form in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and/or the Exchange Act, as the case may be.

(c) No Company SEC Document filed since December 31, 2002 pursuant to the Exchange Act contained, as of its filing date, any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. No Company SEC Document, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, filed since December 31, 2002 pursuant to the Securities Act contained, as of the date on which the document or amendment became effective, any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

4.8. Financial Statements; No Material Undisclosed Liabilities .

(a) Each of the audited consolidated financial statements and unaudited consolidated interim financial statements of the Company included in the Company SEC Documents were prepared in conformity with GAAP (except as may be indicated in the notes thereto) throughout the periods involved, and each fairly presents, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of the Company and the entities that it consolidates in accordance with GAAP as of the dates thereof and their consolidated results of operations and changes in financial position for the periods then ended (subject to normal year-end adjustments and the absence of notes that may be required by GAAP in the case of any unaudited interim financial statements). The management of the Company has implemented and maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange Act) to ensure that material information relating to the Company, including the entities that it consolidates in accordance with GAAP, is made known to the chief executive officer and the chief financial officer of the Company by others within those entities. The Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer have disclosed, based on their most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the Company’s auditors and the audit committee of the Company Board of Directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions): (A) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses within their knowledge in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and (B) any fraud that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. The Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer have made, with respect to the Company SEC Documents, all certifications required by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and any related rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC. The Company has not identified any material weaknesses in the design or operation of the internal controls over financial reporting except as disclosed in the Company SEC Documents filed prior to the date hereof. Neither the Company nor any of the Company Subsidiaries has outstanding, or has arranged any outstanding, “extensions of credit” to directors or executive officers of the Company within the meaning of Section 402 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

(b) There are no liabilities or obligations of the Company or any Company Subsidiary, of any kind whatsoever, whether accrued, contingent, absolute, determined, determinable or otherwise, other than: (i) liabilities or obligations (A) disclosed or provided for in the Company Balance Sheet or disclosed in the notes thereto or in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet or disclosed in the notes thereto included in the Company’s quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30 , 2006 or (B) not required by GAAP to be disclosed or provided for in a consolidated balance sheet of the

 

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Company and that were incurred in the Ordinary Course of Business or which would not be reasonably likely to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect; (ii) liabilities or obligations of Project Entities for which there is no contractual or other recourse to the Company or any Company Subsidiary that is not a Project Entity, (iii) SPV Guarantees; (iv) capital commitments to Special Purpose Vehicles; (v) liabilities or obligations incurred after June 30, 2006 in the Ordinary Course of Business; and (vi) liabilities or obligations under this Agreement or incurred in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby.

(c) Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary is a party to, or has a legally binding commitment to enter into, any joint venture, off balance sheet partnership or any similar Contract (including any Contract relating to any transaction or relationship between or among the Company or the Company Subsidiary, on the one hand, and any unconsolidated affiliate, including any structured finance, special purpose or limited purpose entity or person, on the other hand or any “off balance sheet arrangements” (as defined in Item 303(a) of Regulation S-K under the Exchange Act)) other than (i) the Minority Investments held by the Company as of the date hereof with respect to which there is no contractual or other recourse to the Company or any Subsidiary that is not a Project Entity and (ii) with respect to the Special Purpose Vehicles, those entered into in connection with Development and Investment Activities with respect to which neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary that is not a Project Entity has guaranteed the Indebtedness or other payment obligation of, or agreed to make any equity contribution to, such Special Purpose Vehicle, except, in either case (x) as disclosed on Section 4.6(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, and (y) SPV Guarantees. Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary (other than Project Entities) has any direct ownership interest in any project or other real property constituting a Development and Investment Activity.

4.9. Absence of Certain Changes .

(a) From June 30, 2006 to the date of this Agreement, except as otherwise expressly contemplated by this Agreement, the Company and each Company Subsidiary has conducted its business in the Ordinary Course of Business and there has not been any damage, destruction or other casualty losses affecting the business, properties or assets of the Company or any Company Subsidiary that has had or would be reasonably likely to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.

(b) From June 30, 2006 to the date of this Agreement, except as otherwise expressly contemplated by this Agreement, there has not been (i) any change by the Company in its accounting methods, principles or practices (other than changes required by GAAP after the date of this Agreement); (ii) except in connection with Development and Investment Activities in the Ordinary Course of Business, any sale or license of a material amount of assets or rights of the Company and the Company Subsidiaries; or (iii) any material Tax election, any change in method of accounting with respect to Taxes or any compromise or settlement of any proceeding with respect to any material Tax liability by the Company or any Company Subsidiary.

(c) From June 30, 2006 to the date of this Agreement, there has not been any action, event, occurrence, development or state of circumstances or facts that has had or would be reasonably likely to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.

4.10. Litigation . As of the date of this Agreement, there is no litigation, action, suit, claim, investigation, arbitration or proceeding or inquiry, whether civil, criminal or administrative (each, a “ Claim ”), pending, or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened, against the Company or any Company Subsidiary or any Special Purpose Vehicle any of their respective assets, properties or employees before any arbitrator or Governmental Entity that would be reasonably likely to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect. Set forth on Section 4.10 of the Company Disclosure Schedule is a list of all Claims pending, or to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened as of the date of this Agreement, against the Company or any Company Subsidiary or any of their respective assets, properties or employees (if such Claim is related to, or arising from, an employee’s actions or omissions on behalf of the Company or any Company Subsidiary) before any arbitrator or Governmental Entity in which

 

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the amount claimed is in excess of $1,000,000 or in which specific performance or other injunctive relief or punitive damages are sought, or in which a criminal violation is alleged. As of the date of this Agreement, neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary nor any of their respective properties, assets or, to the Knowledge of the Company, employees is or are subject to any order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree, settlement, determination or award (“ Order ”) having, or which would be reasonably likely to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.

4.11. Taxes . Except as would not be reasonably likely, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, (a) all Tax returns, statements, declarations, reports and forms, including any schedules or attachments thereto, required to be filed with any taxing authority by, or with respect to, the Company and each Company Subsidiary (collectively, the “ Company Returns ”) have been timely filed accordance with all applicable Laws and the Company Returns are true, correct and complete in; (b) the Company and each Company Subsidiary has timely paid all Taxes due and payable whether or not shown as being due on any Company Return (other than Taxes that are being contested in good faith and for which adequate reserves are reflected in the Company Balance Sheet); (c) the charges, accruals and reserves for Taxes with respect to the Company and each consolidated Company Subsidiary that are reflected on the Company Balance Sheet are adequate to cover the Tax liabilities accruing through the date thereof; (d) as of the date of this Agreement, there is no action, suit, proceeding, audit or claim now proposed or pending against the Company or any Company Subsidiary in respect of any Taxes; (e) neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary is party to, bound by or has any obligation under, any tax sharing Contract or any Contract that obligates them to make any payment computed by reference to the Taxes, taxable income or taxable losses of any other Person; (f) there are no Liens with respect to Taxes on any of the assets or properties of the Company or any Company Subsidiary other than with respect to Taxes not due and payable; (g) neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary (1) is, or has been, a member of an affiliated, consolidated, combined or unitary group, other than one of which the Company was the common parent and (2) has any liability for the Taxes of any Person (other than the Company and the Company Subsidiaries) under Treasury Regulation Section 1.1502-6 (or any similar provision of state, local or foreign Law), or as a transferee or successor, by contract or otherwise; (h) neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has ever entered into a closing agreement pursuant to Section 7121 of the Code that could affect the Company or a Company Subsidiary in a Tax period or portion thereof beginning after the Effective Time; (i) the Company will not be required to include amounts in income, or exclude items of deduction, in a taxable period beginning after the Closing Date as a result of (1) a change in method of accounting occurring prior to the Closing Date, (2) an installment sale or open transaction arising in a taxable period (or portion thereof) ending on or before the Closing Date, (3) a prepaid amount received, or paid, prior to the Closing Date or (4) deferred gains arising prior to the Closing Date; (j) all Taxes required to be withheld, collected or deposited by or with respect to Company and each of the Company Subsidiaries have been timely withheld, collected or deposited as the case may be, and to the extent required, have been paid to the relevant taxing authority; (k) none of Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries has been either a “distributing corporation” or a “controlled corporation” in a distribution occurring during the last five years in which the parties to such distribution treated the distribution as one to which Section 355 of the Code is applicable; and (l) neither the Company nor any of the Company Subsidiaries has engaged in any transaction that would reasonably be expected to give rise to (1) a list maintenance obligation with respect to any Person under Section 6112 of the Code or the regulations thereunder or (2) a disclosure obligation as a “reportable transaction” under Section 6011 of the Code and the regulations thereunder.

4.12. Employee Benefits .

(a) Section 4.12(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule contains a true and complete list of each “employee benefit plan” (within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ ERISA ”) (whether or not such “employee benefit plan” is subject to ERISA), including, without limitation, multiemployer plans within the meaning of Section 3(37) of ERISA), and all Contracts with individuals providing for the payment of one-time stay bonuses in excess of $500,000, individual employment agreements that contain commitments as to equity compensation not

 

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yet granted or issued, stock purchase, stock option, restricted stock, stock compensation, phantom, severance, employment, change-in-control, fringe benefit (including health and welfare plans and programs), collective bargaining, incentive, profit sharing, deferred compensation, pension, retirement, employee loan, vacation and all other employee benefit plans, agreements, programs, policies or other arrangements, whether or not subject to ERISA (including any funding mechanism therefor now in effect or required in the future as a result of the transaction contemplated by this Agreement or otherwise), that are legally binding obligations of the Company or any Company Subsidiaries under which (i) any current or former employee, officer or director of the Company or its Subsidiaries (the “ Company Employees ”) or any current or former Independent Contractor of the Company or any Company Subsidiary (the “ Company Independent Contractors ”) has any present or future right to benefits and which are contributed to, sponsored by or maintained by the Company or any Company Subsidiary or (ii) the Company or any Company Subsidiary has any present or future liability, whether actual or contingent; provided , however , that Contracts with individuals need not be listed on Section 4.12(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule other than individual letter agreements providing for the payment of one-time stay bonuses in excess of $500,000 and individual employment agreements that contain commitments as to equity compensation not yet granted or issued. All such plans, programs, policies and arrangements required to be listed on Section 4.12(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule shall be collectively referred to as the “ Company Plans .”

(b) With respect to each Company Plan, the Company has provided or made available to Parent a current, accurate and complete copy (or, to the extent no such copy exists, an accurate description) thereof and, to the extent applicable: (i) any related adoption agreements, trust agreements, insurance contracts and/or other funding instruments or agreements (including any amendments thereto); (ii) the most recent determination letter, if applicable and any pending request for such a letter; (iii) any summary plan description and other written communications (or a written description of any oral communications) by the Company or its Subsidiaries to the Company Employees or any Company Independent Contractors concerning the extent of the benefits provided under a Company Plan; (iv) a summary of any proposed amendments or changes anticipated to be made to (including any terminations of) any of the Company Plans at any time within the twelve months immediately following the date hereof, except for such proposed amendments or changes that are required by applicable Law, (v) the most recent non-discrimination tests performed under the Code (including 401(k) and 401(m) tests) and all filings made by the Company or any Company Subsidiary with any Governmental Entity, including under the Voluntary Compliance Resolution or Closing Agreement Program or the Department of Labor Delinquent Filer Program; and (vi) for the three most recent completed years (A) the Form 5500 and attached schedules, (B) audited financial statements, (C) actuarial valuation reports and funding and/or financial information returns and statements, and (D) attorney’s response to an auditor’s request for information.

(c) (i) Each Company Plan has been established, maintained and administered in all material respects in accordance with its terms, and in compliance with the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Code and other applicable Laws, rules and regulations, and all contributions required to be made under the terms of any Company Plan as of the date hereof have been timely made or, if not yet due, have been properly reflected on the Company’s financial statements; (ii) each Company Plan which is intended to be qualified within the meaning of Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified and has received a favorable determination letter as to its qualification, and nothing has occurred, whether by action or failure to act, that would reasonably be expected to cause the loss of such qualification or affect the tax exempt status of any related trust; (iii) no event has occurred and no condition exists that would reasonably be expected to subject the Company or its Subsidiaries, either directly or by reason of their affiliation with any member of their “ Controlled Group ” (defined as any organization which is a member of a controlled group of organizations within the meaning of Sections 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of the Code), to any material Tax, fine, Lien, penalty or other material liability imposed by ERISA, the Code or other applicable Laws, rules and regulations; (iv) for each Company Plan with respect to which a Form 5500 has been filed, no material change has occurred with respect to the matters covered

 

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by the most recent Form since the date thereof; (v) no “reportable event” (as such term is defined in Section 4043 of the Code) that would reasonably be expected to result in material liability, no “prohibited transaction” (as such term is defined in Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code) that would reasonably be expected to result in liability to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or “accumulated funding deficiency” (as such term is defined in Section 302 of ERISA and Section 412 of the Code (whether or not waived)) has occurred with respect to any Company Plan; (vi) there is no present intention, requirement or obligation that any Company Plan be materially amended, suspended or terminated, or otherwise modified to alter benefits (or the levels thereof); (vii) no Company Plan is a split-dollar life insurance program or otherwise provides for loans to executive officers (within the meaning of The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002); (viii) all Tax, annual reporting and other governmental filings required by ERISA and the Code with respect to the Company Plans have been timely filed with the appropriate Governmental Entity and all notices and disclosures have been provided to participants, and (ix) all outstanding awards, grants, bonuses, prior employer (including pre-tax employee) contributions, payments or benefits provided pursuant to any Company Plan have been fully deductible to the Company or its Subsidiaries under the Code, except as limited by Sections 162 and 404, as applicable. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has incurred any current or projected liability in respect of post-employment or post-retirement health, medical or life insurance benefits for Company Employees or Company Independent Contractors, except as required to avoid an excise tax under Section 4980B of the Code or otherwise except as may be required pursuant to any other applicable Law.

(d) Neither the Company, any Company Subsidiary or any member of their Controlled Group sponsors or maintains or has in the past sponsored or maintained or, as of the date hereof and except as provided in Section 4.12(e) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, has any current or future liability under any employee benefit plan subject to Title IV of ERISA.

(e) With respect to any multiemployer plan (within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA) to which the Company, its Subsidiaries or any member of their Controlled Group has any liability or contributes (or has at any time contributed or had an obligation to contribute): (i) none of the Company, its Subsidiaries or any member of their Controlled Group has incurred any withdrawal liability under Title IV of ERISA which remains unsatisfied or would be subject to such liability if, as of the Closing Date, the Company, its Subsidiaries or any member of their Controlled Group were to engage in a complete withdrawal (as defined in Section 4203 of ERISA) or partial withdrawal (as defined in Section 4205 of ERISA) from any such multiemployer plan; and (ii) to the Knowledge of the Company, no such multiemployer plan is in reorganization or insolvent (as those terms are defined in Sections 4241 and 4245 of ERISA, respectively), except, in each case of clauses (i) and (ii) above, any items that would not be reasonably likely to have, individually or in the aggregate, when combined with other items of adverse effect under this Section 4.12, a Company Material Adverse Effect.

(f) With respect to each Company Plan, (i) as of the date of this Agreement, to the Knowledge of the Company, no material actions, suits, claims, investigations or arbitrations (other than routine claims for benefits in the Ordinary Course of Business or otherwise reserved on the Company Balance Sheet) are pending or threatened, (ii) as of the date of this Agreement, no facts or circumstances exist that would reasonably be expected to give rise to any such material actions, suits or claims, and (iii) as of the date of this Agreement, no administrative investigation, audit or other administrative proceeding by the Department of Labor, the Internal Revenue Service or other governmental agencies are pending, threatened or in progress, except, in each case of clauses (i) and (iii) above, any items that would not be reasonably likely to have, individually or in the aggregate, when combined with other items of adverse effect under this Section 4.12, a Company Material Adverse Effect.

(g) No Company Plan nor any Contracts with individuals exist that, as a result of the execution of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (whether alone or in combination with any subsequent event(s), including the termination of a Company Employee’s employment), could result in (i) the payment to any Company Employee or Company Independent Contractor of any money

 

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or other property (whether under a Company Plan or otherwise), (ii) the provision of any benefits or other rights to any Company Employee or Company Independent Contractor, including severance pay or an increase in severance pay upon any termination of the employment or other relationship after the date of this Agreement, (iii) the increase, acceleration or provision of any payments, benefits or other rights (including funding through a grantor trust or otherwise) to any Company Employee or Company Independent Contractor, whether or not any such payment, right or benefit would constitute a “parachute payment” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code, (iv) limit or restrict the right of the Company to merge, amend or terminate any of the Company Plans, (v) cause the Company to record additional compensation expense on its income statement with respect to any outstanding stock option or other equity-based award, or (vi) result in payments under any of the Company Plans or otherwise that would not be deductible under Section 280G of the Code, except, in the case of clauses (i), (ii), (iv) and (v) above, any items that would not be reasonably likely to have, individually or in the aggregate, when combined with other items of adverse effect under this Section 4.12, a Company Material Adverse Effect.

(h) Section 4.12(h) of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth all Company Plans maintained outside the jurisdiction of the United States or that cover any employee residing or working outside the United States (the “ Foreign Benefit Plans ”). Except as would not individually or in the aggregate, when combined with other items of adverse effect under this Section 4.12, be reasonably likely to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, with respect to the Foreign Benefit Plans, (i) all Foreign Benefit Plans have been established, maintained and administered in all material respects in compliance with their terms and all applicable statutes, Laws, ordinances, rules, orders, decrees, judgments, writs, and regulations of any controlling Governmental Entity; (ii) all contributions or premiums required to be made by the Company or its Subsidiaries under the terms of each Foreign Benefit Plan have been made in a timely manner; (iii) if they are intended to qualify for special Tax treatment, such Foreign Benefit Plans meet all the requirements for such treatment; (iv) all obligations regarding such Foreign Benefit Plans have been satisfied, there are no outstanding defaults or violations by any party to such plans, no Taxes, penalties or fees are owing or eligible in respect of any such plans, and no material liability or obligation exists with respect to such Foreign Benefit Plans that has not been disclosed on Section 4.12(h) of the Company Disclosure Schedule; (v) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has incurred any obligation in connection with the termination or withdrawal from any such Foreign Benefit Plan; and (vi) the present value of the accrued benefit liabilities (whether or not vested) under each such Foreign Benefit Plan which is funded, determined as of the end of the most recently ended fiscal year of the Company using generally accepted and reasonable actuarial assumptions, did not exceed the current value of the assets of such plan, and for each such Foreign Benefit Plan which is not funded, the obligations thereunder have, to the extent required, been accrued in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles as in effect in the United States as of the end of the most recently ended fiscal year of the Company, and are, to the extent required, reflected on the financial statements.

4.13. Compliance with Laws; Licenses, Permits and Registrations .

(a) Except for matters covered by the representations and warranties in Sections 4.11, 4.12, 4.17 and 4.20 which shall be covered only by those representations and warranties, and not by this Section 4.13, neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary is in violation of, or has violated, any applicable provisions of any Laws, except for violations which would not be reasonably likely to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.

(b) The Company and each Company Subsidiary has all permits, licenses, easements, variances, exemptions, consents, certificates, approvals, authorizations of and registrations (collectively, “ Permits ”) with and under all Laws, and from all Governmental Entities required by the Company and each Company Subsidiary to carry on their respective businesses as currently conducted, except where the failure to have the Permits would not be reasonably likely to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(c) The information provided by the Company to Parent and Acquiror in order to assist Parent in its evaluation and determination as to whether any filings, notifications, authorizations, consent requests, petitions, statements, registrations, declarations, submissions of information or applications are required to be made with any Governmental Entity under any international or foreign Antitrust Laws applicable to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby was true and correct in all material respects as of the date of this Agreement, to the extent such information was provided on or prior to the date hereof, or as of the date provided, to the extent provided after the date hereof.

4.14. Title to Assets . The Company and each Company Subsidiary (other than a Special Purpose Vehicle) has good title to, or valid leasehold interests in, all their respective assets, except where the absence thereof would not be reasonably likely to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect. Other than assets held by a Special Purpose Vehicle and other than assets in which the Company or any Company Subsidiary has leasehold interests, all of these assets are free and clear of all Liens, except for (a) Permitted Liens and (b) Liens that would not be reasonably likely to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect. All assets owned by Special Purpose Vehicles are owned free and clear of all Liens, except for (i) Liens incurred in the Ordinary Course of Business by such Special Purpose Vehicles, (ii) Permitted Liens, and (iii) Liens that would not be reasonably likely to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.

4.15. Intellectual Property . The Company and each Company Subsidiary owns or has a valid license or other right to use, free and clear of all Liens, except for Permitted Liens, each trademark, service mark, trade name, domain name or other source indicator, patent, trade secret, confidential information, or copyright (including any registrations or applications for registration of any of the foregoing, which are set forth in Section 4.15 of the Company Disclosure Schedule) used in or necessary to carry on the business of the Company and each Company Subsidiary, taken as a whole, as currently conducted (collectively, the “ Company Intellectual Property ”), except where the failure to own or have the right to use such properties would not be reasonably likely to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect. To the Knowledge of the Company, the Company Intellectual Property is not being infringed or misappropriated by any third party. Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has received any notice of infringement of or challenge to, and there are no Claims or Orders pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened with respect to any Company Intellectual Property that would be reasonably likely to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.

4.16. Transaction Fees; Opinions of Financial Advisor .

(a) Except for Lazard Frères & Co. LLC (“ Trammell Crow Bank ”), whose fees and expenses will be borne by the Company, there is no investment banker, financial advisor, broker, finder or other intermediary which has been retained by, or is authorized to act on behalf of, the Company or any Company Subsidiary which might be entitled to any fee or commission from the Company, Parent, Acquiror or any of their respective Affiliates upon consummation of the Merger or the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement. The Company has heretofore furnished to the Acquiror complete and correct copies of all Contracts between the Company or its Subsidiaries and Trammell Crow Bank pursuant to which such firm would be entitled to any payment relating to the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

(b) The Board of Directors of the Company has received the opinion of Trammell Crow Bank, dated as of the date hereof, to the effect that, as of such date, and subject to the qualifications stated therein, the Merger Consideration is fair to the holders of Company Shares from a financial point of view.

4.17. Labor Matters .

(a) Except for those Company Employees and Company Independent Contractors with written Contracts that provide otherwise, and except as otherwise provided by applicable Laws, (i) each Company Employee currently employed by the Company or a Company Subsidiary is an “at will” employee (whose employment may be terminated at any time by the Company or such employee, in

 

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each case with or without reason) and has the right to work for the Company or any Company Subsidiary and (ii) each of the Company Independent Contractors may be terminated for any reason on no more than thirty (30) days’ notice. Except as would not be reasonably likely to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance in all material respects with all applicable Laws or Contracts governing or concerning labor relations, employment, union and collective bargaining, immigration, fair employment practices, employment discrimination and harassment, terms and conditions of employment, workers’ compensation, occupational safety and health, plant closings, and wages and hours, and any other Law applicable to the Company or a Company Subsidiary with respect to any of the Company Employees or Company Independent Contractors, including without limitation, ERISA, the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, the National Labor Relations Act, the Civil Rights Acts of 1866 and 1964, the Equal Pay Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1992, WARN, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the Davis-Bacon Act, the Walsh-Healy Act, the Service Contract Act, Executive Order 11246, the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and all regulations under such acts (collectively, the “ Labor Laws ”). Except as would not be reasonably likely to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect as of the date of this Agreement neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary is liable for or bound by, as the case may be, any liabilities, judgments, decrees, orders, citations, Taxes, fines or penalties for failure to comply with any of the Labor Laws. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has withheld all amounts required by applicable Law or by agreement to be withheld from the wages, salaries and other payments made or benefits provided to Company Employees, except for such failures that would not be reasonably likely to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect. Except as would not be reasonably likely to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, none of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is liable for any arrears of wages, salaries or other benefits or any Taxes or any penalty for failure to comply with any of the foregoing.

(b) As of the date of this Agreement, there are no pending or, to the Company’s Knowledge, threatened claims, lawsuits, complaints, controversies, investigations or other proceedings against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries brought by or on behalf of any current or former Company Employee or current or former Company Independent Contractor (other than regular claims for benefits in accordance with the terms of such Company Plans and policies), except as would not be reasonably likely to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.

(c) As of the date of this Agreement, to the Knowledge of the Company, no current Company Employee or Company Independent Contractor whose annual cash compensation (including, without limitation, commissions and bonuses) was in excess of $500,000 in fiscal year 2005 has given notice to the Company or a Company Subsidiary terminating, nor does the Company have any Knowledge that any such person intends to terminate, his or her employment or independent contractor relationship with the Company or its Subsidiaries.

(d) To the Knowledge of the Company, as of the date of this Agreement no Company Employee or Company Independent Contractor is in violation of any term of any employment Contract, non-disclosure agreement, non-competition agreement, or any restrictive covenant to a former employer relating (i) to the right of any such person to be employed or retained by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries because of the nature of the business conducted or presently proposed to be conducted by the Company or its Subsidiaries, or (ii) to the use by or for the benefit of any of the Company or any Company Subsidiary of the trade secrets, intellectual property, or confidential or proprietary information of others. To Company’s Knowledge, as of the date of this Agreement no Company Employee or Company Independent Contractor is in material violation of any term of any employment Contract, non-disclosure agreement, non-competition agreement, or restrictive covenant with the Company or any Company Subsidiary relating to the business of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

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(e) As of the date of this Agreement, there are no strikes, slowdowns, picketing, work stoppages, concerted refusal to work overtime, lockouts, other material labor controversies or disputes or any unfair labor practice charges pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened by or between the Company or any Company Subsidiary and any of their respective Company Employees, nor has any such controversy or dispute occurred over the last three (3) years. Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has recognized a labor union or is a party to, or bound by, any collective bargaining Contract with a labor union or labor organization, nor, to the Knowledge of the Company, have there been any organizing efforts during the past three (3) years, including any petitions for a certification or unionization proceeding.

(f) During the three-year period ending on the date of this Agreement, neither the C