Exhibit
10.1
DIRECTOR AND OFFICER INDEMNIFICATION
AGREEMENT
This Director and Officer Indemnification Agreement, dated as of
August ___, 2005 (this "Agreement" ), is made by and
between Quicksilver Resources 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.
B.
Pursuant to Sections 141 and 142 of the Delaware General
Corporation Law, significant authority with respect to the
management of the Company has been delegated to the officers of the
Company.
C.
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.
D.
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.
E.
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.
F.
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.
G.
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' and
officers' 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.
H.
Recent federal legislation and rules adopted by the Securities and
Exchange Commission and the national securities exchanges have
imposed additional disclosure and corporate governance obligations
on directors and officers of public companies and have exposed such
directors and officers to new and substantially broadened civil
liabilities.
I.
These legislative and regulatory initiatives have also exposed
directors and officers of public companies to a significantly
greater risk of criminal proceedings, with attendant defense costs
and potential criminal fines and penalties.
J.
Under Delaware law, a director's 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,
and indemnification of the director or officer against criminal
fines and penalties is permitted if the director or officer
satisfies the applicable standard of conduct.
K.
Indemnitee is a director or officer of the Company and his/her
willingness to serve in such capacity is predicated, in substantial
part, upon the Company's willingness to indemnify him/her 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.
L.
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 or officer 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 (as defined in Section 1(e)) 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.
M.
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:
-
-
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:
-
-
"Change in Control" means the occurrence after the
date of this Agreement of any of the following events:
-
-
any individual, entity or group (within the meaning of Section
13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (
"Exchange Act" )) is or becomes the beneficial owner
(within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange
Act) of 50% or more of the combined voting power of the
then-outstanding Voting Stock of the Company; provided,
however, that the following acquisitions shall not constitute a
Change in Control: (A) any acquisition of Voting Stock of the
Company directly from the Company that is approved by a majority of
the Incumbent Directors; (B) any acquisition of Voting Stock of the
Company by the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company; (C) any
acquisition of Voting Stock of the Company by the trustee or other
fiduciary holding securities under any employee benefit plan (or
related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any
Subsidiary of the Company; and (D) any acquisition of Voting Stock
of the Company by Mercury Exploration Company, Quicksilver Energy,
L.P., The Discovery Fund, Pennsylvania Avenue Limited Partnership,
Pennsylvania Management Company, the estate of Frank Darden, Lucy
Darden, Anne Darden Self, Glenn Darden or Thomas Darden, or their
respective successors, assigns, designees, heirs, beneficiaries,
trusts, estates or controlled affiliates;
-
a majority of the Board ceases to be comprised of Incumbent
Directors; or
-
the consummation of a reorganization, merger or consolidation or
sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the
consolidated assets of the Company (each, a "Business
Combination Transaction" ) immediately after which the
Voting Stock of the Company outstanding immediately prior to such
Business Combination Transaction does not continue to represent
(either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into Voting
Stock of the entity surviving, resulting from, or succeeding to all
or substantially all of the Company's consolidated assets as a
result of, such Business Combination Transaction or any parent of
such entity) at least 50% of the combined voting power of the
then-outstanding shares of Voting Stock of the entity surviving,
resulting from, or succeeding to all or substantially all of the
Company's consolidated assets as a result of, such Business
Combination Transaction or any parent of any such entity
(including, without limitation, an entity which as a result of such
transaction owns the Company or all or substantially all of the
Company's assets either directly or through one or more
subsidiaries).
-
For purposes of this Agreement, (A) "Incumbent
Directors" means the individuals who, as of the date
hereof, are directors of the Company ( "Directors" )
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 a majority
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), (B) "Subsidiary" means a corporation,
partnership, limited liability company or other entity in which the
Company owns directly or indirectly more than 50% of the
outstanding shares of voting stock or other voting interest and (C)
"Voting Stock" means securities entitled to vote
generally in the election of Directors.
-
"Claim" means (i) any threatened, asserted,
pending or completed claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding,
whether civil, criminal, administrative, arbitrative, investigative
or other, and whether made pursuant to federal, state or other law;
and (ii) any threatened, pending or completed inquiry or
investigation, whether made, instituted or conducted by the Company
or any other person, including without limitation any federal,
state or other governmental entity, that Indemnitee determines
might lead to the institution of any such claim, demand, action,
suit or proceeding.
-
"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 20% 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.
-
"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.
-
"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.
-
"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 as a director, officer, employee,
member, manager, trustee or agent, (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, trustee or agent of another entity or
enterprise if Indemnitee is or was serving as a director, officer,
employee, member, manager, trustee or agent of such entity or
enterprise and (i) such entity or enterprise is or at the time
of such service was a Controlled Affiliate, (ii) 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 (iii) the Company or a
Controlled Affiliate directly or indirectly caused or authorized
Indemnitee to be nominated, elected, appointed, designated,
employed, engaged or selected to serve in such capacity.
-
"Indemnifiable Losses" means any and all Losses
relating to, arising out of or resulting from any Indemnifiable
Claim.
-
"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 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.
-
"Losses" means any and all Expenses, damages, losses,
liabilities, judgments, fines, penalties (whether civil, criminal
or other) and amounts paid in settlement, including without
limitation all interest, assessments and other charges paid or
payable in connection with or in respect of any of the
foregoing.
-
Indemnification Obligation. Subject to Section 7, 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 , however , 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.
-
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 are reasonably likely
to be paid or incurred by Indemnitee. 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 five business days after any request by
Indemnitee, 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, 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 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.
-
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 five business days of such request, any and all
Expenses paid or incurred by Indemnitee or which Indemnitee
determines 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 su
|