DIRECTOR
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
This
DIRECTOR INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”)
made and entered into as of the 8th day of May, 2009, by and
between Haights Cross Communications, Inc., a Delaware corporation
(the “Company”), and Julie McGee (the
“Indemnitee”).
WHEREAS,
it is essential that the Company be able to retain and attract as
directors, officers and employees the most capable persons
available;
WHEREAS,
increased corporate litigation has subjected directors to
litigation risks and expenses, and the limitations on the
availability of director and officer liability insurance has made
it increasingly difficult for the Company to attract and retain
such persons;
WHEREAS,
the Company’s By-laws permit it to enter into indemnification
arrangements and agreements;
WHEREAS,
the Company desires to provide the Indemnitee with specific
contractual assurances of the Indemnitee’s rights to full
indemnification against litigation risks and expenses (regardless,
among other things, of any amendment to or revocation of the
Company’s By-laws or any change in the ownership of the
Company or the composition of its Board of Directors), which
indemnification is intended to be greater than that which is
afforded by the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation and
By-laws and, to the extent insurance is available, the coverage of
the Indemnitee under the Company’s directors and officers
liability insurance policies; and
WHEREAS,
the Indemnitee is relying upon the rights afforded under this
Agreement in accepting Indemnitee’s position as a director,
officer or employee of the Company.
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises and covenants
contained herein, the Company and Indemnitee do hereby covenant and
agree as follows:
1.
Definitions
(a)
“Corporate Status” describes
the status of a person who is serving or has served (i) as a
director, officer or employee of the Company, (ii) in any capacity
with respect to any employee benefit plan of the Company, or (iii)
as a director, partner, member, trustee, officer, employee, or
agent of any other Entity at the request of the
Company.
(b)
“Entity” shall mean any
corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture,
trust, foundation, association, organization or other legal entity
and any group or division of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries.
(c)
“Expenses” shall mean all
reasonable fees, costs and expenses incurred in connection with any
Proceeding (as defined below), including, without limitation,
attorneys’ fees, disbursements and retainers (including,
without limitation, any such fees, disbursements and retainers
incurred by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 10 of this Agreement),
fees and disbursements of expert witnesses, private investigators
and professional advisors (including, without limitation,
accountants and investment bankers), court costs, transcript costs,
fees of experts, travel expenses, duplicating, printing and binding
costs, telephone and fax transmission charges, postage, delivery
services, secretarial services, and other disbursements and
expenses.
(d)
“Indemnifiable Expenses,”
“Indemnifiable Liabilities” and “Indemnifiable
Amounts” shall have the meanings ascribed to those terms in
Section 3(a) below.
(e)
“Liabilities” shall mean
judgments, damages, liabilities, losses, penalties, excise taxes,
fines and amounts paid in settlement.
(f)
“Proceeding” shall mean any
threatened, pending or completed claim, action, suit, arbitration,
alternate dispute resolution process, investigation, administrative
hearing, appeal, or any other proceeding, whether civil, criminal,
administrative or investigative, whether formal or informal,
including a proceeding initiated by Indemnitee pursuant to Section
10 of this Agreement to enforce Indemnitee’s rights
hereunder.
2.
Services of Indemnitee
. In consideration of the
Company’s covenants and commitments hereunder, Indemnitee
agrees to serve or continue to serve as a director, officer or
employee of the Company. However, this Agreement shall not impose
any obligation on Indemnitee or the Company to continue
Indemnitee’s service to the Company beyond any period
otherwise required by law or by other agreements or commitments of
the parties, if any.
3.
Agreement to Indemnify
. The Company agrees to
indemnify Indemnitee as follows:
(a)
Subject to the exceptions contained in
Section 4(a) below, if Indemnitee was or is a party or is
threatened to be made a party to any Proceeding (other than an
action by or in the right of the Company) by reason of
Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, Indemnitee shall be
indemnified by the Company against all Expenses and Liabilities
incurred or paid by Indemnitee in connection with such Proceeding
(referred to herein as “Indemnifiable Expenses” and
“Indemnifiable Liabilities,” respectively, and
collectively as “Indemnifiable
Amounts”).
(b)
Subject to the exceptions contained in
Section 4(b) below, if Indemnitee was or is a party or is
threatened to be made a party to any Proceeding by or in the right
of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of
Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, Indemnitee shall be
indemnified by the Company against all Indemnifiable
Expenses.
4.
Exceptions to
Indemnification . Indemnitee shall be entitled to
indemnification under Sections 3(a) and 3(b) above in all
circumstances other than the following:
(a)
If indemnification is requested under
Section 3(a) and it has been adjudicated finally by a court of
competent jurisdiction that, in connection with the subject of the
Proceeding out of which the claim for indemnification has arisen,
(i) Indemnitee failed to act in good faith and in a manner
Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best
interests of the Company, (ii) with respect to any criminal action
or proceeding, Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that
Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful or (iii) Indemnitee’s
conduct constituted willful misconduct or recklessness, then
Indemnitee shall not be entitled to payment of Indemnifiable
Amounts hereunder.
(b)
If indemnification is requested under
Section 3(b) and
(i)
it has been adjudicated finally by a
court of competent jurisdiction that, in connection with the
subject of the Proceeding out of which the claim for
indemnification has arisen, Indemnitee failed to act in good faith
and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not
opposed to the best interests of the Company, Indemnitee shall not
be entitled to payment of Indemnifiable Expenses hereunder;
or
(ii)
it has been adjudicated finally by a
court of competent jurisdiction that Indemnitee is liable to the
Company with respect to any claim, issue or matter involved in the
Proceeding out of which the claim for indemnification has arisen,
including, without limitation, a claim that Indemnitee received an
improper personal benefit or improperly took advantage of a
corporate opportunity, Indemnitee shall not be entitled to payment
of Indemnifiable Expenses hereunder with respect to such claim,
issue or matter unless the court in which such Proceeding 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 indemnity
for such Indemnifiable Expenses which such court shall deem
proper.
5.
Procedure for Payment of Indemnifiable
Amounts . Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a
written request specifying the Indemnifiable Amounts for which
Indemnitee seeks payment under Section 3 of this Agreement and the
basis for the claim. The Company shall pay such Indemnifiable
Amounts to Indemnitee within twenty (20) calendar days of receipt
of the request. At the request of the Company, Indemnitee shall
furnish such documentation and information as are reasonably
available to Indemnitee and necessary to establish that Indemnitee
is entitled to indemnification hereunder.
6.
Indemnification for Expenses of a
Party Who is Wholly or Partly Successful . Notwithstanding any other provision of
this Agreement, and without limiting any such provision, to the
extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of Indemnitee’s
Corporate Status, a party to and is successful, on the merits or
otherwise, in any Proceeding, Indemnitee shall be indemnified
against all Expenses reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on
Indemnitee’s behalf in connection therewith. If Indemnitee is
not wholly successful in such Proceeding but is successful, on the
merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all
claim