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GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
CECIL BANCORP, INC.
Dated as of November 30,
2006
GUARANTEE
AGREEMENT
This GUARANTEE AGREEMENT (the "Guarantee"), dated
as of November 30, 2006, is executed and delivered by Cecil
Bancorp, Inc., a bank holding company incorporated in Maryland (the
"Guarantor"), and Wilmington Trust Company, a Delaware banking
corporation, as trustee (the "Guarantee Trustee"), for the benefit
of the Holders (as defined herein) from time to time of the Capital
Securities (as defined herein) of Cecil Bancorp Capital Trust II, a
Delaware statutory trust (the "Issuer").
WHEREAS, pursuant to an Amended and Restated
Declaration of Trust (the "Declaration"), dated as of November 30,
2006, among the trustees named therein of the Issuer, Cecil
Bancorp, Inc., as sponsor, and the Holders from time to time of
undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Issuer, the
Issuer is issuing on the date hereof securities, having an
aggregate liquidation amount of up to $7,000,000, designated the
Capital Securities (the "Capital Securities"); and
WHEREAS, as incentive for the Holders to purchase
the Capital Securities, the Guarantor desires irrevocably and
unconditionally to agree, to the extent set forth in this
Guarantee, to pay to the Holders of Capital Securities the
Guarantee Payments (as defined herein) and to make certain other
payments on the terms and conditions set forth herein.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the purchase
by each Holder of the Capital Securities, which purchase the
Guarantor hereby agrees shall benefit the Guarantor, the Guarantor
executes and delivers this Guarantee for the benefit of the
Holders.
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ARTICLE I
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DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION
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Section .1.
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Definitions and Interpretation
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In this Guarantee, unless the context otherwise
requires:
(a) capitalized terms used in this Guarantee but
not defined in the preamble above have the respective meanings
assigned to them in this Section 1.1;
(b) a term defined anywhere in this Guarantee has
the same meaning throughout;
(c) all references to "the Guarantee" or "this
Guarantee" are to this Guarantee as modified, supplemented or
amended from time to time;
(d) all references in this Guarantee to Articles
and Sections are to Articles and Sections of this Guarantee, unless
otherwise specified;
(e) terms defined in the Declaration as of the
date of execution of this Guarantee have the same meanings when
used in this Guarantee, unless otherwise defined in this Guarantee
or unless the context otherwise requires; and
(f) a reference to the singular includes the
plural and vice versa.
"Beneficiaries" means any Person to whom the
Issuer is or hereafter becomes indebted or liable.
"Corporate Trust Office" means the office of the Guarantee
Trustee at which the corporate trust business of the Guarantee
Trustee shall, at any particular time, be principally administered,
which office at the date of execution of this Guarantee is located
at Rodney Square North
1100 North Market Street, Wilmington, DE
19890-0001.
"Covered Person" means any Holder of Capital
Securities.
"Debentures" means the junior subordinated
debentures of Cecil Bancorp, Inc., designated the Floating Rate
Junior Subordinated Debt Securities due 2037, held by the
Institutional Trustee (as defined in the Declaration) of the
Issuer.
"Event of Default" has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.4.
"Guarantee Payments" means the following payments
or distributions, without duplication, with respect to the Capital
Securities, to the extent not paid or made by the Issuer: (i) any
accrued and unpaid Distributions (as defined in the Declaration)
which are required to be paid on such Capital Securities to the
extent the Issuer has funds available in the Property Account (as
defined in the Declaration) therefor at such time, (ii) the
Redemption Price (as defined in the Indenture) to the extent the
Issuer has funds available in the Property Account therefor at such
time, with respect to the Capital Securities at maturity or any
Capital Securities called for redemption by the Issuer, (iii) the
Special Redemption Price (as defined in the Indenture) to the
extent the Issuer has funds available in the Property Account
therefor at such time, with respect to Capital Securities called
for redemption upon the occurrence of a Special Event (as defined
in the Indenture), and (iv) upon a voluntary or involuntary
liquidation, dissolution, winding-up or termination of the Issuer
(other than in connection with the distribution of Debentures to
the Holders of the Capital Securities in exchange therefor as
provided in the Declaration), the lesser of (a) the aggregate of
the liquidation amount and all accrued and unpaid Distributions on
the Capital Securities to the date of payment, to the extent the
Issuer has funds available in the Property Account therefor at such
time, and (b) the amount of assets of the Issuer remaining
available for distribution to Holders in liquidation of the Issuer
after satisfaction of liabilities to creditors of the Issuer as
required by applicable law (in either case, the "Liquidation
Distribution").
"Guarantee Trustee" means Wilmington Trust
Company, until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and
has accepted such appointment pursuant to the terms of this
Guarantee and thereafter means each such Successor Guarantee
Trustee.
"Holder" means any holder, as registered on the
books and records of the Issuer, of any Capital Securities;
provided , however , that, in determining whether the
holders of the requisite percentage of Capital Securities have
given any request, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, "Holder"
shall not include the Guarantor or any Affiliate of the
Guarantor.
"Indemnified Person" means the Guarantee Trustee
(including in its individual capacity), any Affiliate of the
Guarantee Trustee, or any officers, directors, shareholders,
members, partners, employees, representatives, nominees, custodians
or agents of the Guarantee Trustee.
"Indenture" means the Indenture, dated as of
November 30, 2006, between the Guarantor and Wilmington Trust
Company, not in its individual capacity but solely as trustee, and
any indenture supplemental thereto pursuant to which the Debentures
are to be issued to the Institutional Trustee of the
Issuer.
"Liquidation Distribution" has the meaning set
forth in the definition of "Guarantee Payments" herein.
"Majority in liquidation amount of the Capital
Securities" means Holder(s) of outstanding Capital Securities,
voting together as a class, but separately from the holders of
Common Securities, of more than 50% of the aggregate liquidation
amount (including the stated amount that would be paid on
redemption, liquidation or otherwise, plus accrued and unpaid
Distributions to, but excluding, the date upon which the voting
percentages are determined) of all Capital Securities then
outstanding.
"Obligations" means any costs, expenses or
liabilities (but not including liabilities related to taxes) of the
Issuer, other than obligations of the Issuer to pay to holders of
any Trust Securities the amounts due such holders pursuant to the
terms of the Trust Securities.
"Officer’s Certificate" means, with respect to any Person,
a certificate signed by one Authorized Officer of such Person. Any
Officer’s Certificate delivered with respect to compliance
with a condition or covenant provided for in this Guarantee shall
include:
(a) a statement that each officer signing the
Officer’s Certificate has read the covenant or condition and
the definitions relating thereto;
(b) a brief statement of the nature and scope of
the examination or investigation undertaken by each officer in
rendering the Officer’s Certificate;
(c) a statement that each such officer has made
such examination or investigation as, in such officer’s
opinion, is necessary to enable such officer to express an informed
opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been
complied with; and
(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of
each such officer, such condition or covenant has been complied
with.
"Person" means a legal person, including any
individual, corporation, estate, partnership, joint venture,
association, joint stock company, limited liability company, trust,
unincorporated association, or government or any agency or
political subdivision thereof, or any other entity of whatever
nature.
"Responsible Officer" means, with respect to the
Guarantee Trustee, any officer within the Corporate Trust Office of
the Guarantee Trustee with direct responsibility for the
administration of any matters relating to this Guarantee, including
any vice president, any assistant vice president, any secretary,
any assistant secretary, the treasurer, any assistant treasurer,
any trust officer or other officer of the Corporate Trust Office of
the Guarantee Trustee customarily performing functions similar to
those performed by any of the above designated officers and also
means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any
other officer to whom such matter is referred because of that
officer’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular
subject.
"Successor Guarantee Trustee" means a successor
Guarantee Trustee possessing the qualifications to act as Guarantee
Trustee under Section 3.1.
"Trust Securities" means the Common Securities
and the Capital Securities.
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ARTICLE II
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POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF THE GUARANTEE
TRUSTEE
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Section .1.
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Powers and Duties of the Guarantee
Trustee .
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(a) This Guarantee shall be held by the Guarantee
Trustee for the benefit of the Holders of the Capital Securities,
and the Guarantee Trustee shall not transfer this Guarantee to any
Person except a Holder of Capital Securities exercising his or her
rights pursuant to Section 4.4(b) or to a Successor Guarantee
Trustee on acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee of its
appointment to act as Successor Guarantee Trustee. The right, title
and interest of the Guarantee Trustee shall automatically vest in
any Successor Guarantee Trustee, and such vesting and cessation of
title shall be effective whether or not conveyancing documents have
been executed and delivered pursuant to the appointment of such
Successor Guarantee Trustee.
(b) If an Event of Default actually known to a
Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee has occurred and is
continuing, the Guarantee Trustee shall enforce this Guarantee for
the benefit of the Holders of the Capital Securities.
(c) The Guarantee Trustee, before the occurrence
of any Event of Default and after the curing or waiving of all
Events of Default that may have occurred, shall undertake to
perform only such duties as are specifically set forth in this
Guarantee, and no implied covenants shall be read into this
Guarantee against the Guarantee Trustee. In case an Event of
Default has occurred (that has not been cured or waived pursuant to
Section 2.4(b)) and is actually known to a Responsible Officer of
the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee shall exercise such of
the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee, and use the
same degree of care and skill in its exercise thereof, as a prudent
person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct
of his or her own affairs.
(d) No provision of this Guarantee shall be
construed to relieve the Guarantee Trustee from liability for its
own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act, or its own
willful misconduct, except that:
(i) prior to the occurrence of any Event of
Default and after the curing or waiving of all Events of Default
that may have occurred:
(A) the duties and obligations of the Guarantee Trustee shall be
determined solely by the express provisions of this Guarantee, and
the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable except for the
performance of such duties and obligations as are specifically set
forth in this Guarantee, and no implied covenants or obligations
shall be read into this Guarantee against the Guarantee Trustee;
and
(B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of
the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee may conclusively rely,
as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the
opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions
furnished to the Guarantee Trustee and conforming to the
requirements of this Guarantee; but in the case of any such
certificates or opinions furnished to the Guarantee Trustee, the
Guarantee Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to
determine whether or not on their face they conform to the
requirements of this Guarantee;
(ii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable for any error of
judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer of the
Guarantee Trustee, unless it shall be proved that such Responsible
Officer of the Guarantee Trustee or the Guarantee Trustee was
negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts upon which such
judgment was made;
(iii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable
with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in
good faith in accordance with the written direction of the Holders
of not less than a Majority in liquidation amount of the Capital
Securities relating to the time, method and place of conducting any
proceeding for any remedy available to the Guarantee Trustee, or
exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee
under this Guarantee; and
(iv) no provision of this Guarantee shall require
the Guarantee Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise
incur personal financial liability in the performance of any of its
duties or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if the
Guarantee Trustee shall have reasonable grounds for believing that
the repayment of such funds is not reasonably assured to it under
the terms of this Guarantee, or security and indemnity, reasonably
satisfactory to the Guarantee Trustee, against such risk or
liability is not reasonably assured to it.
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Section .1.
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Certain Rights of the Guarantee Trustee
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(a) Subject to the provisions of Section
2.1:
(i) The Guarantee Trustee may conclusively rely,
and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting
upon, any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion,
report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond,
debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or
document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent
or presented by the proper party or parties.
(ii) Any direction or act of the Guarantor
contemplated by this Guarantee shall be sufficiently evidenced by
an Officer’s Certificate.
(iii) Whenever, in the administration of this
Guarantee, the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable that a
matter be proved or established before taking, suffering or
omitting any action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee (unless other
evidence is herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of
bad faith on its part, request and conclusively rely upon an
Officer’s Certificate of the Guarantor which, upon receipt of
such request, shall be promptly delivered by the
Guarantor.
(iv) The Guarantee Trustee shall have no duty to
see to any recording, filing or registration of any instrument or
other writing (or any rerecording, refiling or reregistration
thereof).
(v) The Guarantee Trustee may consult with
counsel of its selection, and the advice or opinion of such counsel
with respect to legal matters shall be full and complete
authorization and protection in respect of any action taken,
suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in accordance
with such advice or opinion. Such counsel may be counsel to the
Guarantor or any of its Affiliates and may include any of its
employees. The Guarantee Trustee shall have the right at any time
to seek instructions concerning the administration of this
Guarantee from any court of competent jurisdiction.
(vi) The Guarantee Trustee shall be under no
obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by
this Guarantee at the request or direction of any Holder, unless
such Holder shall have provided to the Guarantee Trustee such
security and indemnity, reasonably satisfactory to the Guarantee
Trustee, against the costs, expenses (including attorneys’
fees and expenses and the expenses of the Guarantee Trustee’s
agents, nominees or custodians) and liabilities that might be
incurred by it in complying with such request or direction,
including such reasonable advances as may be requested by the
Guarantee Trustee; provided , however , that nothing
contained in this Section 2.2(a)(vi) shall be taken to relieve the
Guarantee Trustee, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, of
its obligation to exercise the rights and powers vested in it by
this Guarantee.
(vii) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be bound to
make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any
resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report,
notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note,
other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the
Guarantee Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry
or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see
fit.
(viii) The Guarantee Trustee may execute any of
the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder
either directly or by or through agents, nominees, custodians or
attorneys, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be responsible for
any misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent or attorney
appointed with due care by it hereunder.
(ix) Any action taken by the Guarantee Trustee or
its agents hereunder shall bind the Holders of the Capital
Securities, and the signature of the Guarantee Trustee or its
agents alone shall be sufficient and effective to perform any such
action. No third party shall be required to inquire as to the
authority of the Guarantee Trustee to so act or as to its
compliance with any of the terms and provisions of this Guarantee,
both of which shall be conclusively evidenced by the Guarantee
Trustee’s or its agent’s taking such action.
(x) Whenever in the administration of this
Guarantee the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable to receive
instructions with respect to enforcing any remedy or right or
taking any other action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee (A) may
request instructions from the Holders of a Majority in liquidation
amount of the Capital Securities, (B) may refrain from enforcing
such remedy or right or taking such other action until such
instructions are received and (C) shall be protected in
conclusively relying on or acting in accordance with such
instructions.
(xi) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable
for any action taken, suffered, or omitted to be taken by it in
good faith and reasonably believed by it to be authorized or within
the discretion or rights or powers conferred upon it by this
Guarantee.
(b) No provision of this Guarantee shall be
deemed to impose any duty or obligation on the Guarantee Trustee to
perform any act or acts or exercise any right, power, duty or
obligation conferred or imposed on it, in any jurisdiction in which
it shall be illegal or in which the Guarantee Trustee shall be
unqualified or incompetent in accordance with applicable law to
perform any such act or acts or to exercise any such right, power,
duty or obligation. No permissive power or authority available to
the Guarantee Trustee shall be construed to be a duty.
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Section .1.
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Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of
Guarantee .
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The recitals contained in this Guarantee shall be
taken as the statements of the Guarantor, and the Guarantee Trustee
does not assume any responsibility for their correctness. The
Guarantee Trustee makes no representation as to the validity or
sufficiency of this Guarantee.
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Section .1.
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Events of Default; Waiver .
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(a) An Event of Default under this Guarantee will
occur upon the failure of the Guarantor to perform any of its
payment or other obligations hereunder.
(b) The Holders of a
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