Exhibit 10.1
DIRECTOR AND OFFICER
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
This Director and Officer Indemnification
Agreement, dated as of ___________ ___, 2008 (this “
Agreement ”), is made by and between HSW
International, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “
Company ”), and _____________________ (“
Indemnitee ”).
RECITALS :
A. Section 141
of the Delaware General Corporation Law provides that the business
and affairs of a corporation shall be managed by or under the
direction of its board of directors. Section 142 of the
Delaware General Corporation Law authorizes the appointment of
persons to serve as officers of a corporation.
B. By
virtue of the managerial prerogatives vested in the directors and
officers of a Delaware corporation, directors and officers act as
fiduciaries of the corporation and its stockholders.
C. Thus,
it is critically important to the Company and its stockholders that
the Company be able to attract and retain the most capable persons
reasonably available to serve as directors and officers of the
Company.
D. In
recognition of the need for corporations to be able to induce
capable and responsible persons to accept positions in corporate
management, Delaware law authorizes (and in some instances
requires) corporations to indemnify their directors and officers,
and further authorizes corporations to purchase and maintain
insurance for the benefit of their directors and
officers.
E. The
Delaware courts have recognized that indemnification by a
corporation serves the dual policies of (1) allowing corporate
officials to resist unjustified lawsuits, secure in the knowledge
that, if vindicated, the corporation will bear the expense of
litigation, and (2) encouraging capable women and men to serve
as corporate directors and officers, secure in the knowledge that
the corporation will absorb the costs of defending their honesty
and integrity.
F. The
number of lawsuits challenging the judgment and actions of
directors and officers of Delaware corporations, the costs of
defending those lawsuits and the threat to directors’
personal assets have all materially increased over the past several
years, chilling the willingness of capable women and men to
undertake the responsibilities imposed on corporate directors and
officers.
G. Recent
federal legislation and rules adopted by the Securities and
Exchange Commission and the national securities exchanges have
exposed such directors and officers to new and substantially
broadened civil liabilities.
H. Under
Delaware law, a director or officer’s right to be reimbursed
for the costs of defense of criminal actions, whether such claims
are asserted under state or federal law, does not depend upon the
merits of the claims asserted against the director or officer and
is separate and distinct from any right to indemnification the
director or officer may be able to establish.
I. Indemnitee
is, or will be, a director and/or officer of the Company and his
willingness to serve in such capacity is predicated, in substantial
part, upon the Company’s willingness to indemnify him in
accordance with the principles reflected above, to the fullest
extent permitted by the laws of the State of Delaware, and upon the
other undertakings set forth in this Agreement.
J. Therefore,
in recognition of the need to provide Indemnitee with substantial
protection against personal liability, in order to procure
Indemnitee’s continued service as a director of the Company
and to enhance Indemnitee’s ability to serve the Company in
an effective manner, and in order to provide such protection
pursuant to express contract rights (intended to be enforceable
irrespective of, among other things, any amendment to the
Company’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws
(collectively, the “ Constituent Documents
”), any change in the composition of the Company’s
Board of Directors (the “ Board ”) or any
change-in-control or business combination transaction relating to
the Company), the Company wishes to provide in this Agreement for
the indemnification of and the advancement of Expenses to
Indemnitee as set forth in this Agreement and for the continued
coverage of Indemnitee under the Company’s directors’
and officers’ liability insurance policies.
K. In
light of the considerations referred to in the preceding recitals,
it is the Company’s intention and desire that the provisions
of this Agreement be construed liberally, subject to their express
terms, to maximize the protections to be provided to Indemnitee
hereunder.
AGREEMENT :
NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereby agree as
follows:
1. Certain
Definitions. In addition to terms defined
elsewhere herein, the following terms have the following meanings
when used in this Agreement with initial capital
letters:
(a) “
Change in Control ” shall have occurred at such
time, if any, as Incumbent Directors cease for any reason to
constitute a majority of Directors. For purpose of this
Section 1(a), “ Incumbent Directors ”
means the individuals who, as of the date hereof, are Directors of
the Company and any individual becoming a Director subsequent to
the date hereof whose election, nomination for election by the
Company’s stockholders, or appointment, was approved by a
vote of at least two-thirds of the then Incumbent Directors (either
by a specific vote or by approval of the proxy statement of the
Company in which such person is named as a nominee for director,
without objection to such nomination); provided , that an
individual shall not be an Incumbent Director if such
individual’s election or appointment to the Board occurs as a
result of an actual or threatened election contest (as described in
Rule 14a-12(c) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended)
with respect to the election or removal of Directors or other
actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on
behalf of a Person other than the Board.
(b) “
Claim ” means (i) any threatened,
asserted, pending or completed claim, demand, action, suit,
arbitration, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, administrative
hearing or any other proceeding, whether civil, criminal,
administrative or investigative (including on
appeal), and whether made pursuant
to federal, state or other law; and (ii) any inquiry or
investigation, whether made, instituted or conducted, by the
Company or any other Person, including any federal, state or other
governmental entity, that Indemnitee determines might lead to the
institution of any such claim, demand, action, suit or
proceeding. For the avoidance of doubt, the Company
intends indemnity to be provided hereunder in respect of acts or
failure to act prior to, on or after the date hereof.
(c) “
Controlled Affiliate ” means any corporation,
limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust or
other entity or enterprise, whether or not for profit, that is
directly or indirectly controlled by the Company. For
purposes of this definition, “control” means the
possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause
the direction of the management or policies of an entity or
enterprise, whether through the ownership of voting securities,
through other voting rights, by contract or otherwise;
provided , that direct or indirect Beneficial Ownership of
capital stock or other interests in an entity or enterprise
entitling the holder to cast 15% or more of the total number of
votes generally entitled to be cast in the election of directors
(or persons performing comparable functions) of such entity or
enterprise shall be deemed to constitute control for purposes of
this definition.
(d) “
Disinterested Director ” means a director of
the Company who is not and was not a party to the Claim in respect
of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee.
(e) “
Expenses ” means attorneys’ and
experts’ fees and expenses and all other costs and expenses
paid or payable in connection with investigating, defending, being
a witness in or participating in (including on appeal), or
preparing to investigate, defend, be a witness in or participate in
(including on appeal), any Claim.
(f) “
Indemnifiable Claim ” means any Claim based
upon, arising out of or resulting from (i) any actual, alleged
or suspected act or failure to act by Indemnitee in his or her
capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company
or as a director, officer, employee, member, manager, trustee or
agent of any other corporation, limited liability company,
partnership, joint venture, trust or other entity or enterprise,
whether or not for profit, as to which Indemnitee is or was serving
at the request of the Company, (ii) any actual, alleged or
suspected act or failure to act by Indemnitee in respect of any
business, transaction, communication, filing, disclosure or other
activity of the Company or any other entity or enterprise referred
to in clause (i) of this sentence, or
(iii) Indemnitee’s status as a current or former
director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or as a current
or former director, officer, employee, member, manager, trustee or
agent of the Company or any other entity or enterprise referred to
in clause (i) of this sentence or any actual, alleged or
suspected act or failure to act by Indemnitee in connection with
any obligation or restriction imposed upon Indemnitee by reason of
such status. In addition to any service at the actual
request of the Company, for purposes of this Agreement, Indemnitee
shall be deemed to be serving or to have served at the request of
the Company as a director, officer, employee, member, manager,
agent, trustee or other fiduciary of another entity or enterprise
if Indemnitee is or was serving as a director, officer, employee,
member, manager, agent, trustee or other fiduciary of such entity
or enterprise and (A) such entity or enterprise is or at the
time of such service was a Controlled Affiliate, (B) such
entity or enterprise is or at the time of such service was an
employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by
the Company or a Controlled Affiliate, or
(C) the Company or a
Controlled Affiliate (by action of the Board, any committee thereof
or the Company’s Chief Executive Officer (“
CEO ”) (other than as the CEO him or herself))
caused or authorized Indemnitee to be nominated, elected,
appointed, designated, employed, engaged or selected to serve in
such capacity.
(g) “
Indemnifiable Losses ” means any
and all Losses relating to, arising out of or resulting from any
Indemnifiable Claim; provided , that Indemnifiable Losses
shall not include Losses incurred by Indemnitee in respect of any
Indemnifiable Claim (or any matter or issue therein) as to which
Indemnitee shall have been adjudged liable to the Company, unless
and only to the extent that the Delaware Court of Chancery or the
court in which such Indemnifiable Claim was brought shall determine
upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in
view of all the circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and
reasonably entitled to indemnification for such Expenses as the
court shall deem proper.
(h) “
Independent Counsel ” means a law firm, or a
member of a law firm, that is experienced in matters of corporation
law and neither presently is, nor in the past five years has been,
retained to represent: (i) the Company (or any
Subsidiary) or Indemnitee in any matter material to either such
party (other than with respect to matters concerning the Indemnitee
under this Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar
indemnification agreements) or (ii) any other named (or, as to
a threatened matter, reasonably likely to be named) party to the
Indemnifiable Claim giving rise to a claim for
indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall
not include any person who, under the applicable standards of
professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of
interest in representing either the Company or
Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights
under this Agreement.
(i) “
Losses ” means any and all Expenses, damages,
losses, liabilities, judgments, fines, penalties (whether civil,
criminal or other) and amounts paid or payable in settlement,
including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or
payable in connection with or in respect of any of the
foregoing.
(j) “
Person ” means any individual, entity, or
group, within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(k) “
Standard of Conduct ” means the standard
for conduct by Indemnitee that is a condition precedent to
indemnification of Indemnitee hereunder against Indemnifiable
Losses relating to, arising out of or resulting from an
Indemnifiable Claim. The Standard of Conduct is
(i) good faith and reasonable belief by Indemnitee that his
action was in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company
and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, that
Indemnitee had no reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was
unlawful, or (ii) any other applicable standard of conduct
that may hereafter be substituted under Section 145(a) or (b) of
the Delaware General Corporation Law or any successor to such
provision(s).
2.
Indemnification Obligation. Subject only to Section 7 and
to the proviso in this Section, the Company shall indemnify, defend
and hold harmless Indemnitee, to the fullest extent permitted or
required by the laws of the State of Delaware in effect on the date
hereof or as such laws may from time to time hereafter be amended
to increase the scope of such permitted
indemnification, against any and
all Indemnifiable Claims and Indemnifiable Losses; provided
, that, except as provided in Sections 4 and 20, Indemnitee
shall not be entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Agreement
in connection with any Claim initiated by Indemnitee against the
Company or any director or officer of the Company unless the
Company has joined in or consented to the initiation of such
Claim. The Company acknowledges that the foregoing
obligation is substantially broader than that now provided by
applicable law and the Company’s Constituent Documents and
intends that it be interpreted consistently with this Section and
the recitals to this Agreement.
3. Advancement
of Expenses. Indemnitee shall have the right to
advancement by the Company prior to the final disposition of any
Indemnifiable Claim of any and all Expenses relating to, arising
out of or resulting from any Indemnifiable Claim paid or incurred
by Indemnitee or which Indemnitee determines in good faith
are reasonably likely to be paid or incurred by Indemnitee and as
to which Indemnitee’s counsel provides supporting
documentation. Without limiting the
generality or effect of any other provision hereof,
Indemnitee’s right to such advancement is not subject to the
satisfaction of any Standard of Conduct. Without
limiting the generality or effect of the foregoing, within ten
business days after any request by Indemnitee that is accompanied
by supporting documentation for specific Expenses to be reimbursed
or advanced, the Company shall, in accordance with such request
(but without duplication), (a) pay such Expenses on behalf of
Indemnitee, (b) advance to Indemnitee funds in an amount
sufficient to pay such Expenses, or (c) reimburse Indemnitee
for such Expenses; provided , that Indemnitee shall repay,
without interest any amounts actually advanced to Indemnitee that,
at the final disposition of the Indemnifiable Claim to which the
advance related, were in excess of amounts paid or payable by
Indemnitee in respect of Expenses relating to, arising out of or
resulting from such Indemnifiable Claim. In connection
with any such payment, advancement or reimbursement, at the
request of the Company, Indemnitee shall execute and deliver to the
Company an undertaking, which need not be secured and shall be
accepted without reference to Indemnitee’s ability to repay
the Expenses, by or on behalf of the Indemnitee, to repay any
amounts paid, advanced or reimbursed by the Company in respect of
Expenses relating to, arising out of or resulting from any
Indemnifiable Claim in respect of which it shall have been
determined, following the final disposition of such Indemnifiable
Claim and in accordance with Section 7, that Indemnitee is not
entitled to indemnification hereunder.
4.
Indemnification for Additional Expenses.
Without limiting the
generality or effect of the foregoing, the Company shall indemnify
and hold harmless Indemnitee against and, if requested by
Indemnitee, shall reimburse Indemnitee for, or advance to
Indemnitee, within ten business days of such request accompanied by
supporting documentation for specific Expenses to be reimbursed or
advanced, any and all Expenses paid or incurred by Indemnitee or
which Indemnitee determines in good faith are reasonably likely to
be paid or incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any Claim
made, instituted or conducted by Indemnitee for
(a) indemnification or reimbursement or advance payment of
Expenses by the Company under any provision of this Agreement, or
under any other agreement or provision of the Constituent Documents
now or hereafter in effect relating to Indemnifiable Claims, and/or
(b) recovery under any directors’ and officers’
liability insurance policies maintained by the Company, regardless
in each case of whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be
entitled to such indemnification, reimbursement, advance or
insurance recovery, as the case may be; provided , that
Indemnitee shall return,
without interest, any such advance
of Expenses (or portion thereof) which remains unspent at the final
disposition of the Claim to which the advance related.
5. Partial
Indemnity. If
Indemnitee is entitled under any provision of this Agreement
to indemnification by the Company for some or a portion of any
Indemnifiable Loss but not for all of the total amount thereof, the
Company shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for the portion
thereof to which Indemnitee is entitled.
6. Procedure
for