Exhibit 10.12
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
THIS INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
(“ Agreement ”), is made and entered into this
20th day of March, 2007 (the “ Effective Date ”
) by and between GSC Investment LLC, a Maryland limited liability
company (the “ Company ”), and Richard M. Hayden
(“ Indemnitee ”).
WHEREAS, the Company is a newly
organized limited liability company that expects to merge (the
“ Merger Transaction ”) with and into GSC
Investment Corp., a Maryland corporation (the “
Corporation ”) that in turn expects to file an
election to be treated as a business development company under the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “
Investment Company Act ”) and to elect to be taxable
as a registered investment company commencing with its taxable year
ending December 31, 2007. Unless the context otherwise
requires, references to the “Company” included herein
shall mean both GSC Investment LLC prior to the closing of the
Merger Transaction and GSC Investment Corp. on or after such
closing.
WHEREAS, at the request of the
Company, Indemnitee currently serves as a director of the Company;
and
WHEREAS, Indemnitee may be subjected
to claims, suits or proceedings arising as a result of his service
as a director of the Company; and
WHEREAS, as an inducement to
Indemnitee to continue to serve as a director of the Company, the
Company has agreed to indemnify and to advance expenses and costs
incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any such claims, suits or
proceedings, to the fullest extent permitted by law; and
WHEREAS, the parties by this
Agreement desire to set forth their agreement regarding
indemnification and advance of expenses.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of
the premises and the covenants contained herein, the Company and
Indemnitee do hereby covenant and agree as follows:
SECTION 1 . Definitions. For
purposes of this Agreement:
(a) “ Change in
Control ” means a change in control of the Company
occurring after the Effective Date of a nature that would be
required to be reported in response to Item 6(e) of
Schedule 14A of Regulation 14A (or in response to any
similar item on any similar schedule or form) promulgated under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ Act
”), whether or not the Company is then subject to such
reporting requirement; provided, however, that,
without
limitation, such a Change in Control shall be deemed to have
occurred if after the Effective Date (i) any “
person ” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and
14(d) of the Act) is or becomes the “ beneficial owner
” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Act), directly or
indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 15% or more
of the combined voting power of the Company’s then
outstanding securities without the prior approval of at least
two-thirds of the members of the Board of Directors of the Company
in office immediately prior to such person attaining such
percentage interest; (ii) there occurs a proxy contest, or the
Company is a party to a merger, consolidation, sale of assets, plan
of liquidation or other reorganization not approved by at least
two-thirds of the members of the Board of Directors of the Company
then in office, as a consequence of which members of the Board of
Directors of the Company in office immediately prior to such
transaction or event constitute less than a majority of the Board
of Directors thereafter; or (iii) during any period of two
consecutive years, other than as a result of an event described in
clause (a)(ii) of this Section 1, individuals who at the
beginning of such period constituted the Board of Directors of the
Company (including for this purpose any new director whose election
or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was
approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then
still in office who were directors at the beginning of such period)
cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board
of Directors of the Company.
(b) “ Corporate
Status ” means the status of a person who is or was a
director, trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Company or of
any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee
benefit plan or other enterprise for which such person is or was
serving at the request of the Company.
(c) “ Disinterested
Director ” means a director of the Company who is not and
was not a party to the Proceeding in respect of which
indemnification is sought by Indemnitee.
(d) “ Effective
Date ” has the meaning set forth in the first paragraph
of this Agreement.
(e) “ Expenses
” shall include all reasonable and out-of-pocket
attorneys’ fees, retainers, court costs, transcript costs,
fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, duplicating costs,
printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery
service fees, and all other disbursements or expenses of the types
customarily incurred in connection with prosecuting, defending,
preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, or being or
preparing to be a witness in a Proceeding.
(f) “ Independent
Counsel ” means a law firm, or a member of a law firm,
that is experienced in matters of corporation law and neither is,
nor in the past five years has been, retained to represent:
(i) the Company or Indemnitee in
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any
matter material to either such party, or (ii) any other party
to or witness in the Proceeding 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. If a Change of
Control has not occurred, Independent Counsel shall be selected by
the Board of Directors of the Company, with the approval of
Indemnitee, which approval will not be unreasonably withheld. If a
Change of Control has occurred, Independent Counsel shall be
selected by Indemnitee, with the approval of the Board of
Directors, which approval will not be unreasonably withheld.
(g) “ Proceeding
” includes any threatened, pending or completed action, suit,
arbitration, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation,
administrative hearing or any other proceeding, whether civil,
criminal, administrative or investigative (including on appeal),
except one pending or completed on or before the Effective Date,
unless otherwise specifically agreed in writing by the Company and
Indemnitee.
SECTION 2 . Services By
Indemnitee. Indemnitee will serve as a director of the Company.
However, this Agreement shall not impose any obligation on
Indemnitee or on 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.
SECTION 3 .
Indemnification-General. The Company shall indemnify, and
advance Expenses to, Indemnitee (a) as provided in this
Agreement and (b) otherwise to the fullest extent permitted by
Maryland law in effect on the date hereof and as amended from time
to time; provided, however, that no change in Maryland law shall
have the effect of reducing the benefits available to Indemnitee
hereunder based on Maryland law as in effect on the date hereof.
The rights of Indemnitee provided in this Section 3 shall
include, without limitation, the rights set forth in the other
sections of this Agreement, including any additional
indemnification permitted by Section 2-418(g) of the Maryland
General Corporation Law (“ MGCL ”).
SECTION 4 . Proceedings Other Than
Proceedings By Or In The Right Of The Company. Indemnitee shall
be entitled to the rights of indemnification provided in this
Section 4 if, by reason of his Corporate Status, he is, or is
threatened to be, made a party to or a witness in any threatened,
pending, or completed Proceeding, other than a Proceeding by or in
the right of the Company. Pursuant to this Section 4,
Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all judgments, penalties,
fines and amounts paid in settlement and all Expenses actually and
reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf in connection with a
Proceeding by reason of his Corporate Status unless it is
established that (i) the act or omission
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of
Indemnitee was material to the matter giving rise to the Proceeding
and (a) was committed in bad faith or (b) was the result
of active and deliberate dishonesty, (ii) Indemnitee actually
received an improper personal benefit in money, property or
services, or (iii) in the case of any criminal Proceeding,
Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was
unlawful.
SECTION 5 . Proceedings By Or In
The Right Of The Company. Indemnitee shall be entitled to the
rights of indemnification provided in this Section 5 if, by
reason of his Corporate Status, he is, or is threatened to be, made
a party to or a witness in any threatened, pending or completed
Proceeding brought by or in the right of the Company to procure a
judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 5, Indemnitee
shall be indemnified against all amounts paid in settlement and all
Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf
in connection with such Proceeding unless it is established that
(i) the act or omission of Indemnitee was material to the
matter giving rise to such a Proceeding and (a) was committed
in bad faith or (b) was the result of active and deliberate
dishonesty or (ii) Indemnitee actually received an improper
personal benefit in money, property or services.
SECTION 6 . Court-Ordered
Indemnification. Court-Ordered Indemnification. Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Agreement, a court of appropriate
jurisdiction, upon application of Indemnitee and such notice as the
court shall require, may order indemnification in the following
circumstances:
(a) if it determines Indemnitee
is entitled to reimbursement under Section 2-418(d)(1) of the
MGCL, the court shall order indemnification, in which case
Indemnitee shall be entitled to recover the expenses of securing
such reimbursement; or
(b) if it determines that
Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification in
view of all the relevant circumstances, whether or not Indemnitee
(i) has met the standards of conduct set forth in
Section 2-418(b) of the MGCL or (ii) has been adjudged
liable for receipt of an improper personal benefit under
Section 2-418(c) of the MGCL, the court may order such
indemnification as the court shall deem proper. However,
indemnification with respect to any Proceeding by or in the right
of the Company or in which liability shall have been adjudged in
the circumstances described in Section 2-418(c) of the MGCL
shall be limited to Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by
him or on his behalf in connection with a Proceeding.
SECTION 7 . 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 his Corporate Status, made a party to and is successful,
on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any Proceeding, he
shall be indemnified for all Expenses
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actually
and reasonably incurred by him or on his 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 claims, issues or matters in such
Proceeding, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee under this
Section 7 for all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by
him or on his behalf in connection with each successfully resolved
claim, issue or matter, allocated on a reasonable and proportionate
basis. For purposes of this Section and without limitation, the
termination of any claim, issue or matter in such a Proceeding by
dismissal, with or without prejudice, shall be deemed to be a
successful result as to such claim, issue or matter.
SECTION 8 . Advance Of
Expenses. The Company shall advance all reasonable Expenses
actually and reasonably incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in
connection with any Proceeding (other than a Proceeding brought to
enforce indemnification under (i) this Agreement,
(ii) applicable law, (iii) the Charter or Bylaws of the
Company, (iv) any agreement or (v) a resolution of
(A) the stockholders entitled to vote generally in the
election of directors or (B) the Board of Directors) to which
Indemnitee, by reason of his Corporate Status, is, or is threatened
to be, made a party or a witness, within ten days after the receipt
by the Company of a statement or statements from Indemnitee
requesting such advance or advances from time to time, whether
prior to or after final disposition of such Proceeding. Such
statement or statements shall reasonably evidence the Expenses
incurred by Indemnitee and shall include or be preceded or
accompanied by a written affirmation by Indemnitee of
Indemnitee’s good faith belief that the standard of conduct
necessary for indemnification by the Company as authorized by law
and by this Agreement has been met and a written undertaking by or
on behalf of Indemnitee, in substantially the form attached hereto
as Exhibit A or in such form as may be required under
applicable law as in effect at the time of the execution thereof,
to reimburse the portion of any Expenses advanced to Indemnitee
relating to claims, issues or matters in the Proceeding as to which
it shall ultimately be established that the standard of conduct has
not been met and which have not been successfully resolved as
described in Section 7. For so long as the Company is subject
to the Investment Company Act, any advancement of Expenses shall be
subject to at least one of the following as a condition of the
advancement: (a) Indemnitee shall provide a security for his or her
undertaking, (b) the Company shall be insured against losses
arising by reason of any lawful advances or (c) a majority of
a quorum of the Disinterested Directors, or Independent Counsel, in
a written opinion, shall determine, based on a review of readily
available facts (as opposed to a full-trial-type inquiry), that
there is no reason to believe that Indemnitee ultimately will be
found to not be entitled to indemnification. To the extent that
Expenses advanced to Indemnitee do not relate to a specific claim,
issue or matter in the Proceeding, such Expenses shall be allocated
on a reasonable and proportionate basis. The undertaking required
by this Section 8 shall be an unlimited general obligation
by
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or on
behalf of Indemnitee and shall be accepted without reference
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