Exhibit 10.4
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
by and among
MORTON’S RESTAURANT GROUP,
INC.,
MORTON’S OF CHICAGO, INC.
and
[NAME OF INDEMNITEE]
Dated as of
, 20
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Page
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Section 1.
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Services by the
Indemnitee
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2
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Section
2.
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Indemnification
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2
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Section
3.
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Action or
Proceeding Other Than an Action by or in the Right of the
Company
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2
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Section
4.
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Actions by or
in the Right of the Company
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3
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Section
5.
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Indemnification
for Expenses of Successful Party
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4
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Section
6.
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Indemnification
for Expenses of a Witness
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4
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Section
7.
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Partial
Indemnification
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4
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Section
8.
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Determination
of Entitlement to Indemnification
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5
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Section
9.
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Presumptions
and Effect of Certain Proceedings
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6
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Section 10.
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Advancement of
Expenses
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7
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Section
11.
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Remedies of the
Indemnitee in Cases of Determination not to Indemnify or to Advance
Expenses
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8
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Section
12.
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Other Rights to
Indemnification
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9
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Section
13.
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Attorneys’ Fees and Other Expenses To
Enforce Agreement
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9
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Section
14.
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Duration of
Agreement
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10
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Section
15.
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Severability
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10
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Section
16.
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Identical
Counterparts
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11
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Section
17.
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Headings
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11
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Section
18.
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Definitions
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11
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Section
19.
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Modification
and Waiver
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12
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Section
20.
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Notice by the
Indemnitee
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12
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Section
21.
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Settlement
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13
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Section
22.
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Notices
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13
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Section
23.
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Governing
Law
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14
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INDEMNIFICATION
AGREEMENT
This Indemnification Agreement (this
“Agreement”) is made and entered into as of
, 20
, by and among [Name of Indemnitee]
(the “Indemnitee”), Morton’s Restaurant Group,
Inc., a Delaware corporation (“MRG”), and
Morton’s of Chicago, Inc., an Illinois corporation
(“MOC” and, together with MRG, the “Indemnifying
Parties”). References herein to the “Company”
shall mean MRG, MOC and each direct or indirect majority-owned
subsidiary of any of the foregoing, whether now existing or
hereafter acquired or established, and, as applicable, any one or
more of the foregoing.
WHEREAS, highly competent persons
are becoming more reluctant to serve companies as directors,
officers, employees, agents, fiduciaries or in other similar
capacities (each a “Covered Position”) unless they are
provided with adequate protection against risks of claims and
actions against them arising out of their service to and activities
on behalf of the company;
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of
MRG and the Board of Directors of MOC each have determined that the
potential inability to attract and retain such persons would be
detrimental to the best interests of the Indemnifying Parties and
their subsidiaries and that the Indemnifying Parties should act to
assure such persons that there will be increased certainty of such
protection in the future;
WHEREAS, it is reasonable, prudent
and necessary for the Indemnifying Parties contractually to
obligate themselves to indemnify such persons to the fullest extent
permitted by applicable law so that they will serve or continue to
serve the Company free from undue concern that they will not be so
indemnified; and
WHEREAS, the Indemnitee is willing
to serve, continue to serve and/or take on additional service for
or on behalf of the Company on the condition that the Indemnitee be
so indemnified;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of
the premises and the covenants contained herein, the Indemnifying
Parties and the Indemnitee do hereby covenant and agree as
follows:
Section 1. Services by the
Indemnitee . The Indemnitee agrees to serve or continue to
serve, as applicable, in one or more Covered Positions with respect
to the Company and/or with respect to one or more other entities at
the request of the Company. This Agreement does not create or
otherwise establish any right on the part of the Indemnitee to be
or continue to be nominated, elected and/or appointed to a Covered
Position or to serve in any other capacity.
Section 2.
Indemnification . The Indemnifying Parties shall, jointly
and severally, indemnify the Indemnitee to the fullest extent
permitted by applicable law in effect on the date hereof or as such
laws may from time to time be amended. Without diminishing the
scope of the indemnification provided by this Section 2, the
rights of indemnification of the Indemnitee provided hereunder
shall include, but shall not be limited to, those rights set forth
herein, except to the extent expressly prohibited or limited by
applicable law.
Section 3. Action or
Proceeding Other Than an Action by or in the Right of the
Company . The Indemnitee shall be entitled to the
indemnification rights provided in this Section 3 if the
Indemnitee is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to
any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding,
whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative in nature,
other than an action by or in the right of the Company, by reason
of the
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fact that the Indemnitee is or was serving in
one or more Covered Positions with respect to the Company and/or
with respect to one or more other entities at the request of the
Company and/or by reason of anything done or not done by the
Indemnitee in any such capacity. Pursuant to this Section 3,
the Indemnitee shall be indemnified against expenses (including
attorneys’ fees), judgments, penalties, fines and amounts
paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the
Indemnitee in connection with such action, suit or proceeding
(including, but not limited to, the investigation, defense,
settlement and appeal thereof), if the Indemnitee acted in good
faith and in a manner the Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in
or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, and, with
respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable
cause to believe the Indemnitee’s conduct was
unlawful.
Section 4. Actions by or in
the Right of the Company . The Indemnitee shall be entitled to
the indemnification rights provided in this Section 4 if the
Indemnitee is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to
any threatened, pending or completed action or suit brought by or
in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor by
reason of the fact that the Indemnitee is or was serving in one or
more Covered Positions with respect to the Company and/or with
respect to one or more other entities at the request of the Company
and/or by reason of anything done or not done by the Indemnitee in
any such capacity. Pursuant to this Section 4, the Indemnitee
shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys’
fees) actually and reasonably incurred by the Indemnitee in
connection with such action or suit (including, but not limited to,
the investigation, defense, settlement and appeal thereof) if the
Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner the Indemnitee
reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests
of the Company; provided, however, that, no such
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indemnification shall be made in respect of any
claim, issue or matter as to which applicable law expressly
prohibits such indemnification by reason of an adjudication of
liability of the Indemnitee to the Company, unless, and only to the
extent that, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or the
court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon
application that, despite such adjudication of liability but in
view of all the circumstances of the case, the Indemnitee is fairly
and reasonably entitled to indemnification for such expenses as
such court shall deem proper.
Section 5. Indemnification
for Expenses of Successful Party . Notwithstanding the other
provisions of this Agreement, to the extent that the Indemnitee has
been successful on the merits or otherwise (including, without
limitation, the dismissal of an action without prejudice) in
defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in
Section 3 or 4 hereof, or in defense of any claim, issue or
matter therein, the Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all
expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably
incurred by the Indemnitee or on the Indemnitee’s behalf in
connection therewith.
Section 6. Indemnification
for Expenses of a Witness . To the extent that the Indemnitee
is, by reason of the Indemnitee’s serving in one or more
Covered Positions with respect to the Company and/or with respect
to one or more other entities at the request of the Company, a
witness in any action, suit or proceeding, the Indemnitee shall be
indemnified against all expenses actually and reasonably incurred
by the Indemnitee or on the Indemnitee’s behalf in connection
therewith.
Section 7. Partial
Indemnification . If the Indemnitee is only partially
successful in the investigation, defense, settlement or appeal of
any action, suit or proceeding
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described in Section 3 or 4 hereof, and as
a result is not entitled under Section 5 hereof to
indemnification for the total amount of the expenses (including
attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by the
Indemnitee or on the Indemnitee’s behalf in connection
therewith, the Indemnifying Parties shall nevertheless, jointly and
severally, indemnify the Indemnitee as a matter of right pursuant
to Section 5 hereof to the extent the Indemnitee has been
partially successful. Nothing contained in the preceding sentence
shall be interpreted so as to limit any rights that the Indemnitee
may otherwise have under Section 3 or 4 hereof.
Section 8. Determination of
Entitlement to Indemnification . Upon written request by the
Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to Section 3 or 4
hereof, the entitlement of the Indemnitee to indemnification
pursuant to the terms of this Agreement shall be determined by the
following person or persons who shall be empowered to make such
determination: (a) by a majority vote of the Disinterested
Directors (as defined in Section 18 hereof), even though less
than a quorum; or (b) by a committee of Disinterested
Directors designated by majority vote of the Disinterested
Directors, even though less than a quorum; or (c) if there are
no Disinterested Directors or if a majority of the Disinterested
Directors so directs, by Independent Counsel (as defined in
Section 18 hereof) in a written opinion to the applicable
Board of Directors, a copy of which shall be delivered to the
Indemnitee; or (d) as applicable, by a vote of the
securityholders representing a majority of MRG’s common stock
or a majority of MOC’s common stock. Any Independent Counsel
selected pursuant to clause (c) of the preceding sentence
shall be approved by the Indemnitee. Upon failure to so select such
Independent Counsel or upon failure of the Indemnitee to so
approve, such Independent Counsel shall be selected by the
Chancellor of the State of Delaware or such other person as the
Chancellor shall designate to make such selection.
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A determination of entitlement to
indemnification shall be made not later than 60 days after receipt
by an Indemnifying Party of a written request for indemnification
addressed to the Secretar